Chapter 91 – Placing the Accent (4)

They marched forward steadily. Except for feeling the gazes of the magic beasts looking at them, they continued to advance without any major issues.

However, there was no way it would be that smooth.

The fact that Badurbarok was quiet merely meant that he was employing another move. He was by no means an existence that would stay still.

Moreover, he was not kind enough to leave them alone even after seeing a group gathering forces and marching to strike him.

“The other races are coming too, right?”

“Yes.”

“I feel like something will happen before we join up…”

So far, only reconnaissance by the magic beasts had continued, and they had not encountered any proper resistance.

Se-min walked ahead first.

“I will go take a look, so come slowly.”

“Yes. Please be careful.”

As always, Se-min performed the role of scout himself. He could confirm the enemy’s approach merely by expanding his sensory perception at the front.

Se-min raised his aura and swept the area. Although he felt a few magic beasts, there were none grouped enough to worry about. Se-min was disappointed. Inwardly, he wanted to swing his sword once.

“Ah, I want to fight.”

“Do not say such things. Words have power.”

“Alright.”

Kaorak reproached him, and Se-min nodded readily.

“Still, we must clash lightly at least once so everyone can prepare.”

Saying so, Se-min dashed forward. It was a scene constantly witnessed at the front.

Thanks to that, since they began marching, there had been no case where troops were injured or left the formation due to external intrusion. Se-min, or otherwise Kaorak and Kubar, resolved everything.

Se-min slashed the magic beast group with his sword and continued to expand his sensory perception. He felt nothing.

“Huh?”

Then, he felt something.

Se-min was so distracted by that that he even forgot a magic beast was swinging its arm at him. The magic beast’s hand slapped Se-min’s face as it was.

“Graaargh!”

However, it was actually the magic beast whose hand broke instead. The aura Se-min wrapped around his body returned the guy’s attack as it was.

His aura, which had darkened to dark red while absorbing the magic dragon’s thoughts, was even more destructive, turning the magic beast’s arm into rags.

The guy staggered and crawled on the ground.

After staring at a distant place for a while, Se-min turned his head to the magic beast again.

“Where do you think you are throwing punches…”

Se-min slung Lupus on his back, raised his fist, and approached. The magic beast crawled backward on the ground.

“Stay still.”

Se-min pursued it and threw a punch straight into the magic beast’s head.

The magic beast’s head was pierced, and it died just like that.

Se-min shook his hands and stared in the direction he had been looking at again.

“What is it?”

Se-min felt something.

However, he could not identify exactly what it was. For a moment, he felt something like a magic beast horde, but now there was nothing again. Yet, the sensation was too clear to be an illusion.

Se-min tilted his head and picked up Lupus for now. Then he ran toward the magic beasts that were watching him from a distance.

Every time his sword was swung once, the bodies of the magic beasts were sliced into pieces.

“For now…”

Se-min decided to rejoin the marching column.

When Se-min returned, Kaorak welcomed him.

“Did you kill all the magic beasts?”

“Yes.”

“Are there no magic beasts around now?”

“It seems so…”

Se-min looked in that direction he had stared at earlier again.

“That way is definitely suspicious.”

“Then go verify it.”

“You bastard.”

After kicking Kaorak, Se-min spoke to the rest of the group.

“I don’t know exactly what it is either. But there is definitely something over there.”

“Do you think it is Badurbarok’s army?”

“That would be highly likely.”

There was still some distance to the place where they were supposed to meet the other races. If Badurbarok had any sense, they would clash once before that, and Se-min was thinking that it would probably be now.

Se-min conveyed his thought through Biryu. The entire troop grew tense. It was their first battle. They had not yet fought a battle against magic beasts.

They must not relax, but there was no need to be too nervous either. Sargassonia’s troops possessed sufficient ability to face the magic beasts.

Gradually, the troops advanced to the place Se-min had mentioned.

“Emperor.”

“What is it?”

“Is it by any chance that?”

“…”

Kaorak shook the hem of Se-min’s clothes. Se-min could not answer.

The figures of magic beasts were appearing on the horizon. However, the sight was endless.

From one end of the horizon to the other that their sight allowed, magic beasts stood everywhere. Large magic beasts above small magic beasts, and even larger magic beasts above large magic beasts kept appearing.

A wall.

A massive army of magic beasts filling the space in front of them blocked them.

Everyone was overwhelmed by its scale.

“There are too many.”

Even Kubar, who had been silent, muttered.

Although everyone knew that Badurbarok commanded a massive number of magic beasts, seeing it directly with their eyes was different. Their view was entirely filled with magic beasts, to the extent that no escape route could be seen.

“…”

If they felt this way, how would the other soldiers feel?

The entire troop hesitated.

“What do we do?”

Kaorak shook the hem of Se-min’s clothes again. Se-min had no words to reply.

Although he had thought Badurbarok would strike them first, he had not expected it to be on this scale. He had thought that even in a full-scale war after all races gathered, there would be fewer than this.

The entire horizon was filled with magic beasts.

They advanced slowly.

The black wave of magic beasts began to encroach in front of them. It was dense without any gaps. Like pouring ink, they filled the vision and approached them.

Everyone looked at Se-min.

“What will you do?”

Biryu asked.

The decision was his.

Looking at the sight of an immense number of magic beasts drooling toward them, Se-min spat out a word.

“Convey to the entire army.”

“Yes.”

“Spread into the Crane Wing Formation.”

Kaorak said.

“No, the numbers are much larger, so how…”

“Crane Wing Formation!”

Se-min shouted again.

“Spread into the Crane Wing Formation!”

Se-min did not speak long and only cried out for the Crane Wing Formation. Everyone felt skepticism toward the Emperor for a moment, but since they had already come this far, they believed in him and began to construct the Crane Wing Formation.

The commanders of each unit directed the soldiers in perfect order.

First was a straight-line formation.

The available troops were stretched as long as possible and deployed toward the magic beasts.

However, in both thickness and length, the magic beasts’ force was much larger. The enemies were vast enough to fill the horizon in the first place. It was a scale that would be dozens of times, let alone several times, the human force. If this continued, the formation would be crumpled like a sheet of paper.

“What on Earth do you intend to do?”

Urgent, Kaorak shook the hem of Se-min’s clothes again.

“Hey, the clothes will stretch.”

“You spoke of the Crane Wing Formation because there is some way, right?”

“Of course.”

Se-min answered in a confident tone. However, it did not inspire trust. Kaorak kicked the butt of Se-min, who was standing with his arms crossed.

“This Emperor bastard! Have you resolved to kill everyone!”

“Uh-huh!”

Se-min placed his fingertip to his lips.

“Just trust me. This Crane Wing Formation is no ordinary formation.”

“What?”

“You will soon know my meaning.”

Someone was walking at the front of the magic beasts. It was a figure seen often. Se-min smirked and walked to meet him.

It was Han Su-in.

“Are you the leader?”

Han Su-in swept his gaze once over the troops lined up behind Se-min and laughed.

[Crude, weak, and few.]

“Have you not watched the movie 300? That is exactly how we are. Do not act up believing in numbers.”

[I do not watch old movies.]

“That is why you are lacking.”

When Se-min raised and swung Lupus, Han Su-in hastily retreated.

“Ignoring the classics means you have no wisdom in your head. Ignorant bastard.”

[You still do nothing but play with words.]

“Whether it is wordplay or not, you will find out.”

After staring at each other, Se-min and Han Su-in returned to their respective formations. Soon, the fight would begin.

Kaorak welcomed Se-min.

“What did you say? Did you beg and plead that you will withdraw today so let’s not fight?”

Ignoring him, Se-min spoke to Biryu.

“I am giving an order from now, so convey it to all soldiers.”

“Understood.”

“I, Emperor Lee Se-min, command.”

Se-min turned back and gauged the number of magic beasts.

There were truly many.

Even Se-min had never seen a sight of any creature forming such a large number and filling the space in front of his eyes.

It was a rare sight. A sea composed of magic beasts lay spread out.

“Everyone, keep both eyes wide open, stop in your place…”

“Yes.”

“And watch.”

“Pardon?”

Even Biryu, who never questioned back, looked at Se-min with a blank expression. Se-min waved his hand.

“That is exactly what I just said.”

Then he walked forward.

“Badurbarok, so this son of a bitch came out cheap like this, huh.”

Se-min clicked his tongue while glaring at the magic beasts. Under Han Su-in’s order, the magic beasts were advancing step by step.

No, rather, it was a good thing.

Badurbarok mobilized too many magic beasts to kill his troops. Although it was an effective and sure strategy that guaranteed victory, Badurbarok did not know one thing.

And because of that one thing, he would lose everything.

“Had you sent a moderate amount, I would have let it slide. You are dead.”

Se-min quietly held the hand mirror.

He still had one chance left.

The big brother chance.

Writer: Emperor Lee Se-min

Title: Brother!

Content: What I mentioned before… I ask of you now!

After leaving the post, Se-min put away the hand mirror again.

He ignored the whispering heard from behind.

“Looking at a mirror in this situation… isn’t he truly crazy?”

“It is normal for the mind to go strange when the pressure becomes severe.”

“His Majesty must also have many difficulties. Let’s understand him. It is time to fight with the determination of certain death.”

The magic beasts continued to approach.

Se-min grinned and glared at them.

As the appearances of the magic beasts gradually drew near, their ugly aspects were revealed. They were all powerful magic beasts not easily seen. Giant monsters of Black grade, which had been seen even on Earth, kept revealing themselves beyond the horizon.

They kept approaching.

“…”

Se-min cleared his throat and held the mirror again.

There was no comment from Imuncazer.

Se-min broke out in a cold sweat.

Could it be that the one who was always on the Transcendent Network was away now? Could he perhaps be taking care of business in the restroom?

Even though the magic beasts were continuing to approach?

Se-min could not look at the hand mirror any longer and picked up Lupus. They were drawing near. Some of the magic beasts began to spring out.

“Damn it!”

Se-min threw his aura to knock down the magic beasts and looked back. The soldiers were greatly agitated and in confusion.

“Brother! What are you doing!”

Se-min shouted and unfolded his aura to the maximum. His killing intent slowed the magic beasts down.

“Brother! Brother Imuncazer!”

Se-min controlled the enemy’s speed by slashing the front of the magic beasts with sword energy. And he waved the hand mirror and shouted.

“Come here!”

Se-min screamed at the top of his lungs.

“Imuncazer, you brother bastarddd!”

Se-min’s voice echoed.

“…”

Indeed, it was an echo.

At some point, the battlefield had quieted down.

Eventually, a cool wind touched the back of Se-min’s head. It was a sensation he had felt many times before.

Se-min looked back without realizing it.

“…”

He saw something, but it was too massive to know what it was.

What met his eyes were hard and glossy scales. Even if he turned his head to the right, to the left, or shook it up and down, it was only that.

Se-min scratched the back of his head and pondered for a moment what this thing in front of his eyes was.

[Bro… ther…]

A grand voice was heard from above his head.

Se-min twisted his neck ninety degrees and looked up above the crown of his head.

An incredibly massive dragon eye, incomparable to the dragons he had seen so far, was looking down at him.

[What did you just say…?]

“Brother…?”

Se-min met Imuncazer for the first time.

Although he had just called him a bastard, it was merely words that came out unconsciously because he was in a rush, and it was not his true intention.

Was he not the dragon brother he truly respected, who had spoken good words to him since the days he was rotting away like trash in a single room?

Recalling the past, Se-min choked up without realizing it, hugged Imuncazer’s broad ankle, and shouted with all his heart.

“I love you!”

[I don’t think those were the words… but big bro will pretend not to know…]

“Brother…!”

He was not only large in build but also broad in mind.

Se-min admired once again while looking at Imuncazer’s entire body.

He was several times larger than the dragons he had seen in Pandemonium, even Izergazin, who was said to be the strongest among them. A brilliant red haze rose from his glossy scales.

He was a red dragon, counted as the first in fierceness.

He was of the same species as the magic dragon Se-min had swallowed. However, neither personality nor power could compare.

Simultaneously with Imuncazer’s appearance, the numerous magic beasts filling the earth and the humans preparing for a desperate defense lost their presence.

Only a single dragon.

He was looking down at the world.

[Since there is no time, I will finish it quickly and return.]

“I will surely repay this favor in the future.”

[A favor…]

Imuncazer laughed.

The Dragon Lord who reached the realm of transcendence—as he began to laugh, the horizon shook.

[Right… if you can repay it… try to repay it…!]

And he spread his wings.

They were broad wings that filled the sky. Every time they flapped once, a gale swept the earth.

His body soon began to ascend. His massive body blocked the sun, casting a shadow over the entire vision.

[There are plenty of unpleasant guys… big bro… cannot stand such a sight…]

The time given to him was not long.

However, that was enough.

Imuncazer, the strongest dragon revered as the Dragon God in his own dimension.

He took a long breath.

Everything was swept up and absorbed within it.

The heat of the sun, the path of the wind, the pulse of the earth, and the natural energy overflowing in the world—every kind of energy was sucked into his inhalation and gathered into a single lump inside the dragon heart.

Thump.

Every time it beat once, it repeated gathering and dispersing.

The power grew, and the wave became more violent.

All those forces entangled with Imuncazer’s original magic power, forming an abyss. Every particle entangled, losing its original appearance. Decomposed and decomposed again, it turned into chaos and destruction that scattered all encountered things.

[Disappear.]

Imuncazer’s mouth opened.

Light erupted from inside it.

And blackout.

Vision was blocked, and hearing disappeared. There was no smell, nor touch.

Everyone who watched that sight lost their five senses and turned into minds floating in the void. Lacking bodies, they could neither look back nor grope for anything.

One, two.

The lights turned on again.

They returned to the world one by one from the void. They saw that the scenery before their eyes had changed from before.

There were none.

The magic beasts had disappeared.

It was not an act of the destruction variety.

It was close to a authority of erasing the world and then selecting what he needed to put back. He literally erased all the enemies in front of his eyes.

To think that such a realm existed.

Se-min felt as if his eyes were opened once again.

In the portion of the ‘Two Co-Destructing Supernovas’ located slightly after the ‘Blue Sideburns Mustache’ of the Cosmic Flow, Se-min saw something.

Although he did not know what it was at that time, he could know it now. It was the appearance of a great pillar in which everything dwelt and through which everything could be created.

Se-min witnessed the realm of the Cosmic Flow that he had not yet understood through Imuncazer.

[Because there was no time, I could not kill everyone. I must go now…]

Imuncazer’s voice echoed.

The time allowed for him was extremely small. Since such a powerful existence descended and erased everything, the points he consumed must also be immense.

“Brotheeerrr! This favor! I will surely repay ittt!”

Se-min shouted, looking up at the sky.

Imuncazer laughed again.

[Big bro… will also be… waiting…!]

After shouting like that, Imuncazer was sucked into the massive gate that appeared above his head.

The sky beyond the gate where Imuncazer departed.

It was night over there.

Shining stars, like on Earth and this world, floated filled in the sky.

The scenery of the night sky was the same anywhere.

“Brother…”

Se-min stared blankly up at the place where Imuncazer departed. It felt as if Imuncazer’s gallant red body would appear again in the blue sky.

“Your Majesty.”

Shozen called Se-min.

“What on Earth was that dragon just now…”

Se-min turned his head. Thanks to the Crane Wing Formation, no one would have been blocked by the back of the head of the person in front of them and would have watched this sight straight.

Se-min spoke solemnly.

“Did everyone see?”

Se-min winked at Biryu. Now his voice would be conveyed to the soldiers through the mages.

“That dragon…”

Se-min blinked once.

And he made a decision.

He was the Emperor.

He must win this war.

“Is my sub, subordinate. Subordinate.”

Se-min apologized to Imuncazer in his heart.

“I summoned a dragon that respects and follows me to defeat the magic beasts. How is the activity of my subordinate guy?”

“I-It is amazing.”

Only Shozen nodded at those words. Everyone else sent blaming gazes toward Se-min. Se-min shamelessly continued.

“My subordinate dragon guy went to rest because he is exhausted, so it will be difficult to see him for a while. Therefore, praise me instead of the subordinate.”

The soldiers began to shout long live Your Majesty the Emperor. Se-min stepped forward and drew more response. Since they were deploying the Crane Wing Formation, voices of praise echoed from all sides.

“Long live His Majesty the Emperor!”

“It is Your Majesty’s grace!”

“Let’s kill Badurbarok!”

“Long live Emperor Lee Se-min!”

Se-min crossed his arms and smiled.

It was a great victory.

Badurbarok would not have known at all that Se-min possessed such a military force. That was why he tried to grasp the victory at once by detaching a large part of his force even if it was unreasonable. However, thanks to that, Se-min could use Imuncazer’s power efficiently.

Se-min discovered a shadow writhing far away.

It was Han Su-in.

As Imuncazer said, the time was too short to kill everyone. Some powerful magic beasts were writhing on the ground, collapsed here and there.

“Excellent.”

Exactly this much.

Se-min thought he had brought about the best result that could be obtained through the short time given to Imuncazer.

It was all thanks to Badurbarok.

Se-min approached Han Su-in. Perhaps because the shock was great, the guy was collapsed on the ground, hardly recovering his state.

Se-min approached and kicked his body with his foot. The black figure rolled over.

[Y-You…!]

“How is it?”

[What on Earth was that just now…]

“What else, you bastard.”

Pricked by his conscience, Se-min continued his words timidly.

“My subordinate.”

[Lies… I have neither seen nor heard of such a dragon.]

“Of course. He is my trump card subordinate.”

[Urgh…]

Han Su-in struck the ground. He seemed truly resentful.

Since it was the first time he saw Han Su-in so emotionally agitated, Se-min kicked his flank once more. Han Su-in screamed at the top of his voice.

[You son of a bitchhhh! You bastard!]

“What is he saying?”

Se-min kicked him again. He rolled over and over on the ground.

[Stop!]

“Shut up.”

Se-min beat him a few more times. Han Su-in became quiet. As expected, beating was the medicine.

After grabbing and lifting Han Su-in by the scruff of his neck, Se-min looked back. Everyone was looking at him. Deploying the Crane Wing Formation was an excellent choice.

Se-min shouted.

“I captured the enemy general!”

Once again, voices praising Se-min echoed.

Se-min punched Han Su-in’s stomach a few more times as if to show everyone. Han Su-in screamed and writhed. He tried to escape by blurring his body, but the aura gathered in Se-min’s grip did not let him go.

“Su-in.”

[Do not call me that, it feels disgusting!]

“Su-in still hasn’t been beaten enough.”

[Beat me, beat me!]

After delivering one more punch to Han Su-in’s body, Se-min dragged him back to the formation.

“I captured this guy alive.”

Shozen, Kubar, and Kaorak, who had already clashed with Han Su-in in the past, wore savage expressions.

Han Su-in growled lowly and struggled in Se-min’s grip, but he could not escape him.

“Since you lost all your troops anyway, wouldn’t you be a dead man even if you returned to Badurbarok?”

[…….]

Han Su-in did not show signs of fearing that. Surprisingly, Badurbarok might be a virtuous general.

Se-min threw Han Su-in down.

“Biryu.”

“Yes.”

Se-min bound him with a rope that Biryu had treated magically. It was an item specially designed to block guys who could gasify their bodies at any time like Han Su-in.

“You cannot escape.”

[…….]

“You will spill information about Badurbarok to us.”

[Ridiculous.]

“We will see whether it is ridiculous or not.”

Se-min grinned while shaking Lupus. Han Su-in’s expression hardened. Se-min turned back and commanded each camp.

“We depart again. Confirm and kill all magic beasts we encounter on the way. There is a place to rest if we go a bit further.”

Se-min held the rope himself and dragged Han Su-in. He tried to stand up, but every time he did, Se-min swung Lupus and knocked him down.

He ended up in a position of being dragged on the ground like a piece of luggage.

Han Su-in growled.

[This reckless fool of a guy…]

“Tell me how many forces Badurbarok has left.”

[…….]

Se-min swung the rope and threw him forward. Han Su-in groaned.

“Depart!”

The entire army began to march again.

The soldiers, whose morale was soaring from the recent battle, hacked away at the half-destroyed magic beasts without fear.

***

Se-min advanced at the front of the column, leading Han Su-in.

Not much time remained until they joined up with the other races. If they were together, it would become an incredible force.

Se-min thought they had a chance of winning now. Badurbarok lost an immense number of magic beasts due to Imuncazer.

They soon found a suitable terrain and stopped before it grew darker.

“We will stay here for a day.”

The soldiers built barracks according to the orders of their respective commanders. Se-min sat on a suitable rock, watching the scene.

And he called Han Su-in.

“Hey. Babble a bit more about Badurbarok.”

[…….]

“Kaorak.”

Kaorak, who was waiting nearby, attacked Han Su-in. Han Su-in let out a painful groan at his kicking.

“Speak.”

[…….]

“Attack!”

Kaorak attacked Han Su-in. Han Su-in’s body twisted. Se-min gestured for Kaorak to step back.

“I told you to speak.”

[…….]

Han Su-in was tougher than expected. He did not open his mouth since being captured.

Se-min approached Han Su-in and said.

“Hey, I will keep it a secret. Anyway, whether I die or Badurbarok dies, one of us will die. Honestly, I told you I will let you live, right?”

[…….]

“Who’s listening?”

Se-min deployed a barrier of aura to block the surrounding presence.

“Look, there is no one listening. Speak.”

[…Get lost.]

“Kaorak!”

“Leave it to me.”

Kaorak, who was standing beside Se-min, beat Han Su-in again. He now inflicted torture on Han Su-in in various ways. Han Su-in did not open his mouth until the end.

Se-min reproached Kaorak.

“Isn’t your skill too lacking?”

“What do you mean!”

“Right, right. Underst…”

Se-min was speaking like that when he suddenly turned his head.

Something was approaching them from far away. The felt energy was unusual. At first, it was a dot so small it was invisible, but gradually its shape began to be revealed.

It was a humanoid magic beast.

“…”

Se-min shut his mouth.

He walked toward Se-min at the same slow speed as at first. The soldiers tried to block him, but Se-min sent them back with a gesture.

He was not an opponent the soldiers could block.

He stood in front of Se-min.

It had an appearance of a human and magic beast combined. Its composition was similar to the Orc seen before. The energy felt was dark and damp.

He spoke.

[Hand over Han Su-in.]

“…”

Se-min furrowed his brows. The moment he heard his voice, he felt extremely unpleasant for some reason.

Failing to know the identity of that feeling, Se-min reflected on his own mind before stepping forward.

“Biryu.”

When Se-min called, Biryu suddenly appeared.

“Yes.”

“Convey to everyone.”

Se-min raised Lupus.

“To spread into the Crane Wing Formation once again.”