Chapter 54
Chapter 54
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 54
Chapter Title: Chapter 20: Bloody Funeral (2)
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A red signal flare shot up into the sky. The three hundred knights from Count Dancihi's territory, who had been patrolling the area to subjugate monsters around the sanctuary, halted their horses and turned their gazes toward the reddening heavens.
"Captain, isn't that the direction of the sanctuary?"
"I heard today's the funeral for the late Emperor. Could something have gone wrong?"
The knights buzzed with unease. A few took the red signal flare seriously, but most dismissed it as nothing major. What big trouble could possibly happen on imperial soil?
They might have thought it was just a ritual to honor the late Emperor's soul.
But the knight order captain, who had heard from Count Dancihi beforehand that something might go awry at the funeral, hardened his face the instant he spotted the red flare.
He drew his sword.
"Something's definitely wrong at the sanctuary! The order will head there now!"
The knights drew their swords in unison. Three hundred riders spurred their mounts toward the sanctuary. Similar scenes were unfolding across the areas near the sanctuary.
Small- to medium-sized units of one to five hundred, moving under the pretext of monster subjugation and regional patrols, all turned toward it upon seeing the flare dye the sky over the "Sanctuary of the Sovereign" red.
Their numbers totaled over two thousand five hundred.
Even with a plausible excuse to avoid suspicion, it was a force large enough to alarm the monitors from the Tripartite Alliance. However, thanks to interference operations by the Central Intelligence Agency backed by the Shades, their intelligence sharing had fallen into chaos, and reports on the dispersed troops were downplayed.
"A top-tier mage from the Crimson Tower confirmed the red signal flare was launched."
The news of the sanctuary's sky turning red also reached the thousand elite troops from Marquis Crayer's territory, who lay hidden at the border of Count Dancihi's lands.
Marquis Crayer, listening to his eldest son Kron's grim report, steadied his breathing with a short inhale.
'His Majesty's words were right.'
Just in case, he had mustered five hundred knights despite the strain. The remaining five hundred were also top-tier elite cavalry from the territorial army.
Amazed by the foresight of the new Emperor, Raymond, Marquis Crayer quietly drew his sword.
"The time has come! Ride for the sanctuary without rest!"
Infusing his voice with mana, he shouted. The knights and soldiers responded with cheers, raising their weapons.
The sanctuary lay to the north in Count Dancihi's territory, so if they pushed hard, they could arrive on time.
"Hyah!"
Marquis Crayer spurred his horse. Praying they would make it in time, he urged it to full speed.
"You have defiled the sanctuary, so you shall purify it with your own blood!"
Raymond shouted, infusing his voice with mana as he waved the imperial banner.
The nobles were stunned by the sudden assassins and the Emperor's appearance, while the assassins froze like stone at the sight of the Shades and Central Intelligence agents revealing themselves behind them.
In the midst of the stunned silence, Raymond stood out, vigorously waving the imperial banner with mana-charged force.
0.1 seconds, a half-beat late, Cassias drew his sword and bellowed.
"This is the imperial command! Purify the sanctuary with their blood!"
The word "imperial command" fiercely shook the hearts of all Philius Empire citizens gathered at the sanctuary.
The knights and soldiers raised their weapons, the mages summoned mana. The nobles didn't sit idle either.
They ordered their attendants to aim at the enemies.
"H-How... how did you know?"
The 3rd Prince, Aloken, pointed at Raymond, stammering.
He didn't know when he'd created distance, but he stood a bit apart with the 2nd Prince, shrouded in black mist. Clearly, he'd retreated the moment things went south.
Unlike Aloken, who couldn't hide his rage, the 2nd Prince, Deneb, wore a cold smirk, twisting his lips as he issued orders to his subordinates.
"Move."
At Deneb's icy command, the brief silence shattered, and the assassins sprang into action.
They swung at the nearest nobles, but each important noble was guarded by a "shadow."
"His Majesty the Emperor has commanded it. There can be no failure."
The Shades materialized beside the nobles, blocking the Hashashins' strikes. Seeing this, a crack appeared in Deneb's stoic expression.
The first plan—to behead the Philius Empire's key nobles simultaneously with the assault—had failed, so it was natural for him to be furious. But the despair didn't end there.
"Your Highness the 2nd Prince, the Tripartite Alliance's special forces aren't arriving."
"What?"
"They were supposed to arrive by now and surround the sanctuary..."
Deneb's guard captain trailed off. Hoofbeats echoed soon after, but contrary to expectations, the banners held high were those of Count Dancihi's territorial army.
"Baron Sidington! Where are the Tripartite Alliance's troops?!"
Deneb raised his voice uncharacteristically. Baron Sidington emerged from the shadows.
His dagger was stained red, as if he'd just fought. His black clothes hid it well, but they were surely soaked in blood.
"Your Highness the 2nd Prince, I just received a report. It seems they're engaged with Count Dancihi's territorial army."
What was so amusing? A smile lingered on Baron Sidington's lips, like a child discovering a fascinating toy. But unlike him, Deneb was frustrated.
Despite borrowing a top-tier mage's forbidden magic to bring seven hundred elites through the Black Mountains, those who should have surrounded the sanctuary were now clashing with over two thousand five hundred of Count Dancihi's forces.
"Damn it! What the hell is going on?! Baron Sidington! Why isn't the plan working?!"
The 3rd Prince, Aloken, wailed. Sidington felt an unbearable pity at the sight but composed himself before speaking.
"It seems the 5th Prince—no, the current Emperor—predicted all this and issued an imperial command to Count Dancihi in advance. Otherwise, this situation makes no sense."
Sidington spoke frankly. Without prediction and preparation, over two thousand five hundred of Count Dancihi's troops wouldn't have suddenly blocked their path.
Not only that, but assassins superior to the Hashashins—whose identities were unknown—had been deployed, and Central Intelligence agents were lying in ambush, so the planned assassinations of the nobles weren't proceeding properly from the start.
"Are we going to lose like this?"
The 3rd Prince asked. Deneb wanted to tear out his reckless mouth but barely held back. Sidington grinned at the question and shook his head.
"Things have gotten a bit tangled, but we'll win. He's just arrived."
The curtain parted, and amid pitch-black mist, a group of Hashashins escorted someone into view.
Though the unique black afterimages were gone since his Unique-grade magic artifact, the Shadow Veil, had been destroyed, the opaque daggers in his hands spoke for him: he was Hailsun, one of the five Dark Emperors, the Hidden Blade.
"Ugh... the Hidden Blade..."
Hailsun, who had suffered a mortal wound from the Spear of Sacrifice at the banquet hall, had returned to the Philius Empire for revenge.
As the afterimages faded, his red eyes first locked onto the nearest, the 1st Prince, Serak.
The moment he looked away.
"Guh... ack!"
"Arghhh!"
Red blood erupted from Serak and his guard captain's bodies. Piercing screams rent the air as they collapsed, blood pouring from their wounds.
"Your Majesty the Emperor, stay behind me."
Gestain stepped forward, his voice trembling with tension.
The 1st Prince Serak was a high-rank knight, and his guard captain, though lacking combat experience, was still an upper knight.
Yet they'd fallen helplessly in one strike, so unlike at the banquet hall, the Hidden Blade was going all out now.
'Not twice.'
He'd been caught off guard the first time. But not this time. The Hidden Blade's gaze chilled. Soon, his invisible blade next sliced open the 4th Princess's abdomen, who stood second-closest after the 1st Prince.
"Kyaaaah!"
"Your Highness the 4th Princess!"
Her guard captain followed, collapsing with his throat pierced by the unseen blade.
Even with the Royal Guard gathered near the Emperor's bier, two royals had fallen right before their eyes. It was an emergency.
"Royal Guard, assemble! Prioritize protecting His Majesty the Emperor!"
Marquis Blizzard arrived like a frigid north wind. Chilling cold dyed the air. The scattered Royal Guard formed up impeccably, and Hailsun—the Dark Emperor known as the Hidden Blade—turned his gaze to Raymond.
"It's you."
He tossed aside his face-covering mask. He was a Dark Emperor, one of the five peerless assassins of the Western Continent. He had no need to hide his face.
Even if this revealed the Tripartite Alliance's involvement, it didn't matter. From the moment they'd planned the sanctuary attack and deployed a Dark Emperor, the Alliance had resolved to cross an irreversible river.
"Who could've predicted that the infamous wastrel 5th Prince would become the Philius Empire's Emperor?"
Hailsun drew up his energy. Formless killing intent rose. Marquis Blizzard countered by raising his own aura, but it fell short.
"Before His Majesty the Emperor! How dare you!"
Cassias shouted, mana surging in his voice. Hailsun's killing intent focused on him.
"Grk... ugh...!"
Even as a high-rank knight, it was too much to withstand the immense pressure from a Dark Emperor.
"Well done, Sir Cassias."
He couldn't just watch the Dark Emperor rampage any longer. Leaving him unchecked would crush allied morale, so it was time to step in.
Raymond summoned the energy of the thousand knights slumbering in his Soul Sword and advanced. The Dark Emperor's merciless killing intent clashed with the thousand knights' aura, canceling each other out.
"A big fish right from the start. That, I didn't expect."
Raymond spat coldly and took a step forward. The Shades, hidden for protection, revealed themselves, and the Royal Guard shook off their fear of the Dark Emperor to follow the Emperor.
For them, loyalty to the Emperor was absolute; no fear for their lives could overcome it.
"I didn't expect to step out this soon either, young Emperor."
Hailsun said. His sharp gaze remained fixed on Raymond, ignoring all else. He concentrated every nerve on him.
Did he deem the others unworthy? Or was it resolve not to fall to the Spear of Sacrifice again? Only Hailsun knew.
'Not now.'
Should he use the Spear of Sacrifice? He shook his head. Piercing the fully prepared Dark Emperor's gap was near impossible.
The Spear of Sacrifice was a one-strike kill technique. Pouring all his life force might slay the Dark Emperor in one blow, but a miss would bring massive backlash.
In the worst case, he'd lose consciousness with high probability, so unleashing it at the start would be madness.
Raymond stowed the imperial banner and drew the Soul Sword. White energy coalesced into a blade. Hailsun's eyes gleamed at the sight.
"A white mana sword? You know some interesting techniques."
Hearing Hailsun's mutter, Raymond stepped forward.
"Royal Guard, follow me!"
Gestain, Desia, and the Royal Guard moved with him. Shades shrouded in inky darkness encircled the Dark Emperor.
His eyes darted, scanning the surroundings. The Crimson Tower Lord and Azure Tower Lord had taken positions, readying magical support.
Azure Tower Lord Risefield Dior signaled first. Raymond kicked off the ground. Multicolored magic orbs bloomed around them, and wooden vines erupted from the earth toward Hailsun.
"Shields of the imperial family, forward! Support His Majesty the Emperor!"
Marquis Blizzard shouted as he completed his spell. The forbidden magic dominating cold finished forming, freezing the air. The brutal forbidden magic, turning even breaths frigid, made the Dark Emperor's face twist.
At the same time, Raymond unleashed all the mana he held in a frenzy.