Chapter 155
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 155
Chapter Title: The North's Last Dagger
Muddled.
My mind was hazy, as if shrouded in thick fog.
How long had this sensation of sinking into deep water lasted?
-...The millennium-spanning foundation of the empire stems from sturdy pillars and roots firmly embedded in the earth. No nation would welcome Alexandr's sudden rise as the great empire of Agene. Thus, I beseech you to prepare roots in other continents.
A middle-aged man with a scruffy beard like a bandit chief was passionately addressing someone.
His appearance suggested he could bury people in the ground like roots without a second thought, yet his eyes were exceptionally deep and clear, belying his looks.
...Ah, that dream.
A dream I'd had hundreds, thousands of times before.
I knew exactly what came next.
-Haa...
Whether fed up with the man's nagging or not, the fellow before him rubbed his temples repeatedly in response.
-Stion, I get what you're saying... but planting secret roots on another continent isn't easy. Fine, suppose we do it. Then who goes? The wars on this land just ended—who'd want to dive back into that hell?
-......
Stion hesitated, unable to retort.
The blood spilled on this land hadn't even dried yet.
Even Stion, who had shot down countless lives like arrows to solidify the empire's foundation, couldn't bring himself to demand more sacrifices for a distant future.
But both men overlooked something.
Contrary to their expectations.
The men of the North Continent followed that man more devotedly than they imagined, with hearts burning hotter still.
My consciousness was foggy, but I knew.
-I'll go!
Flash!
That I, more than anyone, had been the first to step forward for Stion's grand plan.
"Ugh...?"
Pain gradually intensifying at the back of my skull made me slowly open my eyes.
Still shaken from the old dream I'd had in ages, Balteran struggled to clear his foggy mind.
"Feeling better now?"
"...!!"
Thud!
At the unfamiliar voice by his head, Balteran instinctively rolled aside and reached for his weapon.
Crackle, crackle!
Taking position and facing forward, his vision filled with a quietly burning campfire and a young stranger lounging against a tree stump before it.
"...Ah."
Finally grasping the situation, Balteran sheepishly relaxed.
"Never thought you'd go down with one hit. That fragile constitution from way back hasn't been overcome, huh."
"...!!"
In Ian's calm words, Balteran sensed something odd.
"...Come to think of it, right before I collapsed, you spoke like you knew me well."
Thump!
Balteran dropped his guard and plopped down across from Ian.
Whether he knew him was secondary.
More crucial was how he'd blocked Balteran's strike at the last moment.
From his torn clothes, a chain had slithered like a living serpent to parry the dagger.
Not Lucas's signature golden chain, the Golden Heaven Chain... but Balteran couldn't mistake the unique motion from that man's martial arts.
In all vast Agene, only one wielded it so freely.
"So, you admit it now?"
Balteran chuckled wryly at Ian's even question.
"After facing that technique head-on? Denying it would insult him. Just one question."
Balteran stared straight into Ian's eyes across the fire.
"Why not use the chain?"
"......"
"You should know better than me, as his successor. His arts truly shine with a chain. Swords can't fully unleash the Blood Demon Iron Chain Art. Those unpredictable movements..."
As Balteran rambled, Ian wordlessly drew his sword and swung at a tree ahead.
Shriiing!
The ordinary blade extended like a whip of linked segments, eerie and sinuous.
Thud!
The tree twenty meters away split in two and toppled slowly, silencing Balteran mid-sentence.
"Hegemon Lucas. To master his Blood Demon Iron Chain Art perfectly requires innate divine strength and a robust body. I lack both."
"...I see."
Balteran nodded, eyeing Ian's frame.
Lean and well-built, without an ounce of fat.
But far short of Lucas's overwhelming physique that seemed to crush the world beneath it.
Swinging the Golden Heaven Chain with that body would shatter his own first.
'A plain chain wouldn't pack the punch... So, a snake-belly sword.'
He'd chosen it for sharpness and speed over the Golden Heaven Chain's raw power.
'The chain coiled on him falls short of the original... but enough for Blood Demon Iron Chain Art basics. He's adapted it to his body. Quite the researcher.'
True to his role heading Ye's intelligence, Balteran inferred much in moments.
'Even caught off-guard, knocking me out at that age... This kid's the real deal.'
Plus, he'd named himself Ian Lichtenauer.
Lichtenauer Martial Clan.
The iron-blooded house ruled by Paon Lichtenauer, who felled a mythical earth dragon and was hailed not as Martial King but Martial God.
Even the Hegemon had said his worthy rival would be a Martial King.
This heir was beyond reproach.
'A long, brutal wait... but he's sent a proper successor, big bro.'
Thinking of Lien awaiting news in the Baekra Mountains, Balteran pressed on.
"Fine, what's your purpose here? Absorbing our bandit group?"
"Purpose?"
Ian countered oddly.
"Strange question. Isn't Ye Bandits the last dagger Lucas Alexei left in the North Continent for the future? Why question purpose when the qualified heir arrives?"
"Naturally."
Balteran nodded without hesitation.
"As you say, we're the North Continent's last dagger. Reviving the fallen Alexandr Empire, making the world remember Lucas Alexei. That's our reason for being. Even a successor can't claim us for personal gain."
"Hoo..."
Ian seemed calm, but inside he was turmoil.
'Fools... You could've lived your own lives.'
Choked with gratitude and guilt, Ian faltered; Balteran continued.
"Besides, things have changed. If your goals don't align... Ye might split."
"...What?"
Balteran leaned against his tree like Ian.
"Over twenty years holed up in these hills, waiting for his heir. To check Khan Empire, we had to grow our forces."
The inevitable outcome.
Khan Empire dominated over half the East Continent.
In twenty years, countless talents had arisen there.
"We absorbed those who couldn't adapt under Khan or Pang, trained them in our arts into elites. They don't even know our true aim. If some unknown pops up demanding obedience... how many would truly follow?"
"......"
Ian had no answer.
He'd vaguely guessed as much.
No blame.
He wouldn't blindly follow a sudden "master" either.
Demanding loyalty from new East Continent recruits, not even North-born, was absurd.
Instead, he was grateful for their steadfastness over uncertain hope.
Thus, Ian had agonized en route here.
He knew blind force yielded hollow loyalty.
"If you're just bolstering Lichtenauer power... no one will follow. I guarantee it."
Balteran meant:
Ian had only earned the "qualification" to sit with Ye.
Winning hearts was his alone to do.
"For that, come to Ye's headquaters yourself. Got the guts, Lichtenauer whelp?"
"...Of course."
Ian nodded firmly.
"Think I'd trek this far without that resolve? Big mistake."
-Then wait here while handling your business. I'll arrange a meeting with big bro soon.
After parting with Balteran, Ian slowly returned to Dravia.
Balteran acknowledged him somewhat, but as mere intel head, it wasn't enough.
To negotiate with Ye proper... he needed chief Lien's approval.
'Can't waste that time.'
Every step here would reach Lien's ears.
To judge if he truly qualified as Lucas's heir.
Then, he must show.
Why he'd come to this land.
Why he deserved to lead Ye.
"Oh, Young Lord Ian. Good morning."
Viscount Sozen greeted over warm tea.
Never imagining Ian had dueled Ye's top exec Balteran last night.
"Viscount, good morning. When do we head to the palace?"
"After noon today. The royals were curious why our territory stayed peaceful amid Ye's raids on Khan and Pang—gladly approved the unscheduled audience."
Sozen looked relieved, burden lifted.
While Khan and Pang suffered Ye's pillaging, his land alone quiet—baffling.
Royals inquired, but he couldn't explain.
Now, with Ian to reveal it, pure relief.
"Afternoon... Plenty of time. All nobles attending?"
"Most will. Escaping Ye's threat is every noble's wish. Our goal: strike traitors like Duchess Alvaret there."
Coup-like, yet Sozen unworried.
Coordinated with royals.
Unlike nobles, royals knew absorption by Khan meant no position preserved.
Anxiety element in the conqueror.
Traitors threatening kingdom's survival? Thorns in their side.
"Good."
Ian nodded.
"Swift and decisive. Dragging it gives Khan time to catch our tail."
No assuming no spies despite stealthy entry.
Naive.
Spies everywhere; couldn't evade all eyes.
Thus, purge Pang internals fast.
'Clean Pang, cross Baekra Mountains... persuade Lien.'
Then bind Pang and Ye against Khan.
Success opens new East Continent paths, checks Khan.
'If that's all, frog in the well... I won't push further now, Kaidu.'
Let that wretched life drag a bit longer.
But if he crosses the line...
'You'll regret that choice.'