Chapter 162
Chapter 162
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 162
Chapter Title: Capital Siege Battle (5)
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"Keurk!"
A Doomsday Society fighter, pierced by an ice spear that streaked through the air in a pristine white arc, staggered back with a groan of agony.
"Charge!"
"If we kill the Emperor, this all ends!"
The squad leaders barked sharply, drawing their swords.
Even if they killed the Emperor here, they'd still have to face the enraged Royal Guards and executioners—but there was no time or reason to explain that in detail.
With a thunderous roar, Beris's subordinates rushed toward the Royal Guards.
Among them were not only Doomsday Society fighters but also a few high-ranking knights who had been brainwashed into puppets.
Unlike those who had been annihilated on the defensive line, these defenders were Beris's direct elites.
Yet Avgard's gaze, watching their backs as they charged, was pessimistic.
The moment combat erupted, he shook his head in resignation.
No chance of victory.
He had sensed it the instant the Emperor and his men entered through the audience chamber doors—their overwhelming momentum.
Their forces held a clear advantage over Beris's subordinates guarding this place.
Anyone with rich combat experience and high mastery could gauge that without the fight even starting.
"Keurk!"
"Kraaak!"
Sure enough, the moment the two sides clashed, Beris's men were the first to scream.
The Emperor's forces, led by Bishop Receiver of the Heretic Extermination Corps executioners, swung their swords and spears with divine fury.
Smiles played on their lips, as if they were savoring the battle.
That was right.
For them, judging these heretics who dared insult the Emperor was pure ecstasy. Enjoying this moment suited them perfectly.
"What mad bastards."
That was Avgard's curt assessment as he observed Bishop Receiver and the executioners fighting.
Biting his lip, his darting eyes finally settled on Beris.
"Lord Beris. Are you truly set against retreating?"
Avgard asked, and Beris slowly shook his head before speaking.
"Fleeing here might save me for now, but the Society won't let me live in the end."
Beris instinctively knew that even if he escaped, the Doomsday Society would execute him.
Better to fight the enemy until his final breath and die gloriously than flee and meet a pathetic end.
Hearing this, Avgard let out a short sigh and shook his head.
He had been ordered by the Doomsday Society to serve as Beris's close bodyguard. Without separate instructions, he couldn't leave his side.
Even if Beris went down with the enemy in mutual destruction, he could try to stop him—but he couldn't abandon his post.
"If you're determined to fight to the end, I won't try to dissuade you further."
Avgard said quietly, gripping his jet-black spear tightly.
"Today, I'll show these foes that the title 'Annihilation Spear Knight' is no empty name."
Avgard's eyes gleamed sharply.
Staring daggers at the two resolute high officers was none other than the Emperor of the Philius Empire, Raymond.
"Annihilation Spear Knight, eh...? I'd like to test that myself."
"Your Majesty, that man's realm seems close to transcendence."
Marquis Blizzard voiced his cautious concern, but Raymond flashed a relaxed grin.
"He's not quite at the transcendent realm, is he? I can handle that much."
"Your Majesty... it's dangerous..."
"If I keep hiding behind shields and avoiding tough foes, when will I gain real combat experience and raise my realm? Or does Marquis Blizzard think I'll lose?"
With Raymond saying that much, Marquis Blizzard could only fall silent. His trembling gaze shifted to Gestain.
"Lord Gestain. Please intervene the moment His Majesty is in peril."
"Of course, Marquis Blizzard."
Gestain, who had reached the transcendent realm of Sword Saint, could step in at the perfect moment if Raymond was in danger.
Marquis Blizzard regained his composure at Gestain's confident assurance.
Ignoring his subordinates' worries, Raymond stepped toward Avgard.
All of Beris's other subordinates had already fallen to the Royal Guards and Heretic Extermination Corps.
The distance between them narrowed slowly.
"A duel? Well... not a bad option for me."
Lucky me—I might even kill the Emperor.
Avgard muttered. Bishop Receiver shot him a cold glare at the blasphemous words but held back due to the Emperor's command.
"Come, Emperor. I'll yield the first strike."
"You'll regret that choice, Annihilation Spear Knight."
Raymond smirked, then kicked off the ground. In an instant, his body soared toward the audience chamber's ceiling. He felt Avgard's eyes tracking him.
"Supporter!"
Dozens of orbs infused with flame and frost had already formed around Raymond, targeting Avgard.
With a short shout, he swung the Soul Sword in his right hand down toward Avgard's head with crushing force. A burst of pure white radiance exploded alongside it.
Kaboom!
A massive boom echoed. The jet-black spear, infused with dark energy, blocked the Soul Sword's strike.
The moment Avgard's eyes sharpened, a chilling aura swirled, and dozens of black spears erupted from the ground.
But Raymond had read the mana flow and anticipated the ambush.
"Shield!"
With the swift incantation unique to magic swordsmen, he completed his shield. The mana-woven barrier halted the black spears.
Some pierced through, but it bought Raymond enough time to retreat.
Can't use Eternal Chains rashly yet.
Raymond calmly assessed as he dodged back a few steps. In his recent battle with Duke Aliphis, he had learned Eternal Chains weren't foolproof.
To land it perfectly, he needed to wear down the enemy's energy first.
Avgard hadn't expended any yet, so if he used some countermeasure, he might evade Eternal Chains.
Few could evade it, but with scant intel on Avgard as a Doomsday Society member, Raymond assumed he might have something.
Eternal Chains consumed massive mana—a failure would be fatal, so caution was key.
"Your Majesty..."
"Stay back! I'll handle him."
Raymond snapped sharply as the Royal Guards moved to approach.
The palace was surrounded anyway—Beris had no escape.
This duel with Avgard could yield valuable insight to elevate his realm.
"Tch..."
With the Emperor's firm command, the Royal Guards halted. Instead, they cast desperate pleas toward Gestain.
Gestain yielded to their earnest wish, subtly closing the distance to Raymond without his notice.
A position ready for instant intervention if needed.
"Huu!"
Raymond steadied his breath. He sensed Gestain behind him but ignored it. For now, focus on Avgard—no distractions.
"Tired already, Emperor?"
It was blatant mockery, laced with light provocation, but it wouldn't faze Raymond.
He simply closed the distance with calm, measured steps, probing for an opening.
Their gazes clashed in midair. Eyes darted, seeking flaws.
In the suffocating tension, Raymond kept advancing on Avgard.
No openings shown despite the approach, making Avgard increasingly anxious. His eyes strained, lids twitching.
No gaps... Was the Philius Empire's Emperor this battle-hardened?
Avgard bit his lip hard. In truth, Raymond lacked extensive real combat experience, but the souls of a thousand knights dwelling in the Soul Sword filled that void.
Even his footsteps carried the weight of those thousand knights—far from light. The Soul Sword aimed at Avgard seemed to echo their silent war cries.
The distance closed enough. Raymond swung the pillar of white radiance in his right hand.
"Kugh!"
In a flash, dozens of exchanges flew. Blood sprayed from Raymond's body.
"Your Majesty!"
"Don't interfere, Marquis Blizzard!"
Raymond blocked Marquis Blizzard's intervention attempt. Gestain remained still, deeming it not yet critical.
He retreated half a step, recovering the Soul Sword. Simultaneously, he hurled the fire-attribute supporter at Avgard's side to disrupt his vision.
Avgard ignored the supporter—its mana seemed trivial.
But it was a supporter Raymond had magically concealed most mana from, packing top-tier spell levels.
And it detonated right before Avgard's eyes.
"Kraaaagh!"
A scream of torment erupted. Avgard hastily summoned dark energy to shield his face and neck, but the rushed barrier offered little resistance.
When the blast faded, Avgard's head was engulfed in flames.
"Grrrk!"
Avgard was a Doomsday Society high officer, forged in brutal slaughter's darkest shadows with vast combat experience. He was numb to ordinary pain.
But his scalp burning felt like torture—unbearable.
"Not easy to endure, is it?"
Raymond said coldly. Avgard still hadn't regained his wits.
His extreme mental fortitude barely held a defensive stance, but reason had fled.
Seeing this, Raymond smirked.
"It wouldn't be. That supporter carried not just fire attributes but a top-grade agony curse as well."
High-ranking magic swordsmen could layer supporters with attributes and other spells.
Raymond, at such an exalted level, wielded this technique called dual imbuement.
With a icy smile, Raymond recovered the Soul Sword. As white radiance blazed, sword beams poured toward Avgard.
"Kuh, keurk!"
Sharp mana shards tore Avgard's body. No time to summon dark energy for defense.
By the time he recovered, Avgard's lifeless corpse crumpled.
"So it ends like this...?"
Beris murmured softly, biting a small pill hidden in his mouth.
Instant-death poison hit his tongue, and he ended his own life.
Even the Shades watching from above had no chance to intervene—it was over in a blink.
"No way to save him."
Desia concluded after checking Beris's body. Doomsday Society high officers Beris and Avgard were dead.
With the palace successfully secured, dominion's power began restoring. And more.
Facing near-transcendent Avgard alone faintly elevated his realm.
Though Avgard had been careless, ending without dramatic change left him a bit disappointed.
"Bishop Receiver!"
"Yes, Your Majesty. The Heretic Extermination Corps awaits your command."
"The palace is ours—raise the Philius Empire banners! Spread the glory of the Philius Empire across the capital's central city!"
"We obey!"
Bishop Receiver moved at once to fulfill the solemn decree. Philius Empire and imperial flags rose over the palace.
Kasiyas and the imperial forces, fortifying outposts, spotted them and converged on the palace.
Inner citadel guards, realizing the palace had fallen, surrendered. The outer walls couldn't hold against the Philius Empire army and fully capitulated.
Thus, the Philius Empire seized the Jeist Magic Kingdom's capital central city.
Stepping onto the audience chamber's terrace, Raymond felt dominion surging through him and smiled in satisfaction.
The Jeist Magic Kingdom was theirs. Even if King Rudel lived, they could no longer escape becoming a Philius Empire vassal state.