novelraw Chapter 202 : Chapter 202
Chapter 202 : Chapter 202
Chapter 202
“Is it today?”
Isaac muttered, checking his reflection in the mirror.
He arrived at the Imperial Capital and rested for a week.
It took close to a month to return to the Imperial Capital alone after retreating from the battlefield.
His physical condition was terrible, but a week was enough time for a Superhuman's body to recover.
“It's about time I met him.”
Having finished getting ready, he left the Second Prince's Palace.
“Y-Your Highness.”
As he entered the Imperial Palace, a group of people followed him.
They were Court Knights.
Isaac ignored them and moved his steps.
“You cannot pass here without informing His Majesty...”
“Step aside. My younger brother says he will grant an audience to his older brother, so what need is there for a notice?”
Isaac spoke nonchalantly and pushed away the dozen or so Court Knights clinging to him.
“He is now the new Emperor! Please be careful with your words!”
One of the Court Knights said so, but Isaac, letting it in one ear and out the other, just walked.
“Nothing has changed.”
The familiar hallway of the Imperial Palace.
Usually, when the owner changes, the appearance of the Imperial Palace also changes, but not this time.
‘Is it because we are at war?’
The Empire's finances are not so sloppy as to show the bottom just because of a few lost wars, but he must be being careful since he ascended the throne not long ago.
Cautiousness not to take even trivial things easily.
If it is the Crusty Heinrich he knows, he is more than capable of that.
‘That such a guy acted like that in this war.’
In the midst of the war, the late Emperor secretly summoned him, dividing the forces.
It could have been confidence that he could trample Eurasia even with that much power, but the result was a retreat.
In the process, the Black Magic Tower Master, his guardian and called the pillar of the Empire, died.
Also, he lost a significant number of his mobilized legions and many Superhumans.
Four-fifths of the forces he had spent decades nurturing were scattered.
It was he himself who conducted the war as the commander.
‘I have no intention of evading responsibility for the defeat.’
What he couldn't accept was what happened while he was set aside.
The throne was snatched away, making the War for the Throne waged over the past decades meaningless.
As much as they competed for a long time, he acknowledged Crusty.
Whether by personal martial prowess or qualities as a leader.
‘I thought he wouldn't stab me in the back.’
A curse word popped out involuntarily.
“Damn bastard.”
“Your Highness! Your words are excessive!”
“Shut up. Who dares to lecture whom?”
Swaaaa.
At the Black Mana leaking from his body, the Court Knights drew their swords.
About a dozen Knights who reached the 6th star drew their swords and shot out Fighting Spirit.
Among them was the Vice-commander of the Court Knights who mastered the 7th star.
“Withdraw your momentum.”
“If I refuse?”
“If you do not withdraw, we have no choice but to dare commit rudeness against Your Highness.”
“Ha.”
As if he, who entered the edge of the 7th star, would feel fear at such a petty threat.
“Even the Commander of the Court Knights cannot speak like that in front of me. Who do you think you are?”
Rumble.
“……!!”
At the Haki poured out, the Vice-commander's face hardened.
“Did you think we were on the same level just because you mastered the 7th star?”
His realm is not a simple Master, but a Superhuman on the verge of the 8th star.
Rumble.
The castle vibrated at the momentum he released.
When the Fighting Spirit of the Court Knights was turning into Killing Intent.
“Let's stop there.”
An old Knight dressed in the armor of the Court Knights appeared.
Gis Georg.
Commander of the Imperial Court Knights who mastered the 8th star, and a man counted among the top five Superhumans possessed by the Empire.
He was someone who served only the late Emperor and stayed far away from the War for the Throne.
“Sir Gis, it's been a while.”
Isaac greeted him, calming his momentum.
“I received a report that you returned. Your visit is later than expected. His Majesty has been waiting for Your Highness's steps for a long time.”
He reprimands him for not visiting immediately despite bearing the responsibility of defeat.
Isaac's lips twisted.
“I came as soon as my body recovered, yet you treat me so coldly. The procedure for a brother to see his brother is so complicated.”
The old Knight, quietly staring into Isaac's eyes, continued speaking calmly.
“The brotherhood of the two is good to see, but he is now the new sun of the Empire. Watch your words.”
“I'll keep that in mind.”
“Since you have come this far, please go inside. His Majesty is waiting.”
“A magnanimous treatment befitting one called the Emperor's sword.”
“…….”
“Even if I had become Emperor, I would have entrusted my side to you.”
Even at the somewhat rude attitude, the old Knight did not reveal his emotions.
He just performed his duty with a grim face.
About ten minutes after the old Knight personally guided him.
“Your Majesty, Second Prince Isaac has entered.”
Boom.
Without an answer, the door leading to the Great Hall opened.
Isaac crossed the door without making a big deal out of it.
A chair shining with gold.
Crusty Heinrich was sitting in the seat he had coveted so much.
“You came.”
“It's been a while, brother.”
Isaac, who walked to the center of the Great Hall, did not kneel even though he faced Crusty.
“The Second Prince should kneel and show proper respect!”
The old Knight, who had not revealed his emotions all along, shouted for the first time.
Isaac only stared at Crusty without budging.
“Impudent!”
Shing.
The moment the old Knight's sword was drawn and sword light began to form.
“Enough.”
“Your Majesty!”
“I will have a private audience, so the Commander of the Court Knights may leave.”
“However...”
“From now on, no one shall enter this place until I order otherwise.”
At the stern command, the old Knight bowed his head.
“I obey the Emperor's command.”
Thud.
As the old Knight left and the door closed, only two people remained in the vast Great Hall.
The first to speak was Isaac.
“First, congratulations on ascending to the throne.”
“…….”
“Why are you silent? I thought you would at least demand responsibility for losing the war.”
“…….”
After quietly looking down with his chin resting on his hand for a while.
Crusty opened his mouth.
“Do you want me to demand responsibility?”
“No, demanding responsibility is an action only those qualified can take. You cannot demand responsibility from me.”
Anger burned in his eyes as he did not use honorifics.
“Now I see you came to make excuses.”
Isaac smirked and shook his head.
“No, I came to prove my value.”
Saying he does not acknowledge the Emperor before his eyes, Isaac took out a Magic God Stone from his bosom.
Kwaaaa.
Evil Energy flowed from the Magic God Stone placed on his hand.
Crusty's lips drew an arc.
“You said you would prove your value, and you plotted treason?”
“If successful, it will be a revolution.”
Isaac smiled back and held his head high.
His army is already moving.
‘There is no precedent of a Prince defeated in the War for the Throne surviving.’
That is why he prepared for a day like today someday.
If successful, it would be a splendid reversal.
Swaaaa.
Evil Energy blocked the entrance.
The recovered Superhuman body accepts the power of the Magic God Stone and raises the rank to the limit.
Originally, it is not a power a human can accept, but.
‘There is nothing I, with a semi-immortal body, cannot do.’
The Evil Energy fused with Black Mana crosses another wall and achieves stability.
Rumble.
Finally reached Master.
The space around him rippled.
Radiance settled in his two eyes.
An appearance never shown even on the battlefield.
It was a rank achieved by melting the will gained while being chased and chased by Eurasian Knights after the defeat.
“Did you reach the 8th star using the Magic God Stone?”
“I know well enough that you also have a hidden move.”
Isaac tilted his chin as if telling him to show it.
The rumored Arch Mage who reached the 8th star.
That would be the effect of adding Divine Power, not just simple Mana.
‘Whatever you bring out, it cannot compare to the Magic God Stone.’
The Black Duke is dead, but the research he cultivated has not disappeared.
He would become a regicide, but the Imperial Throne of the Empire is originally a seat stained with blood.
As the Curse of Immortality possessed by the Magic God Stone activated, his body took on Radiance.
‘You cannot handle this power with clumsy Authority.’
Even until then, Crusty just stared quietly.
“Did you fuse at least five curses? It's the object that made the Black Duke immortal.”
Crusty looked at him as if interested, then lightly waved his hand.
At that moment.
“……!!”
The Evil Energy surrounding Isaac scattered.
Mana was extinguished so easily that it felt futile, and the Radiance disappeared.
It was when Isaac couldn't adapt to the incomprehensible situation.
Rumble.
Crusty released Haki.
“Kh...”
Thud.
Isaac, who resisted, eventually fell to his knees.
‘What is this...’
A Mage releasing Haki.
And he is an 8-star Knight.
The Magic God Stone is a medium to materialize the Grotesquery's curse.
‘His Divine Power is the antithesis of the Grotesquery's curse...’
Rumble.
“……!!”
The crushing force became increasingly stronger.
Soon.
Thump.
His head, which he was holding up with two hands on the floor, touched the ground.
He felt Crusty scanning him as if gauging his power.
“You... bastard...”
“You wouldn't have been a bad choice either.”
“What...?”
At the incomprehensible remark, Isaac forcibly raised his head and glared at Crusty, but.
“It is not yet time.”
Crusty waved his hand as if his business was finished.
At his nonchalant attitude, Isaac's body stiffened momentarily.
Because the late King overlapped in Crusty's appearance.
“I will call you when the time comes. Leave.”
Bang.
As he released his momentum, the door closed with Evil Energy opened easily.
“Send him out.”
Isaac glared with wide eyes, but his body was already immobile, and only a sense of helplessness lingered in his hands.
“I obey the command.”
The Commander of the Court Knights grabbed Isaac by the back of his neck and pulled him up.
Even as he was being dragged out, not a single smile spread on Crusty's expressionless face.
He just took a step and picked up the Magic God Stone Isaac left behind.
Evil Energy combined with Black Mana.
Then Radiance rode up his hand.
“I gave you a chance, yet you failed to complete it in the end.”
Crack.
Cracks appeared on the Magic God Stone he was holding with superhuman strength hard to believe for a Mage.
And finally.
Crunch.
The Magic God Stone, unable to withstand the grip, shattered into pieces.
Sssss.
The Radiance contained in the broken fragments seeped into his body.
“Did it reach the boundary?”
The voice echoed like an echo, but there was no one who heard it.
***
Killian felt the energy spreading through the air.
A sensation of something cold and sharp clawing at the heart.
‘It's the Curse of the Grotesquery.’
However, its intensity is incomparably stronger than what he experienced before.
[Damn it. Is it this again?]
Murus showed a peculiar reaction, as if this situation wasn't the first time.
It was the moment the energy crossing the barrier tried to touch the boundary.
[……!!]
Murus let out a shout.
Rumble.
Along with the sensation of something colliding, Murus groaned.
[This is not good.]
Sweat formed on Killian's forehead, who was within range.
“This is...”
In a short moment, all sorts of gloomy situations passed before Killian's eyes.
When the Curse of the Grotesquery spreads completely, what disaster will strike from beyond the boundary.
And the terrible future that will arise due to it flashed by.
The fragments of the Grotesquery he met after reincarnating were merely parts of this massive darkness.
If he fails to prevent the current situation, the horrors that will occur if the barrier of the boundary collapses come to mind.
He slowly turned his gaze to Murus.
“You were hiding something?”
[…….]
The arrogant God kept silent at the sharp voice.
Even that was brief.
Murus opened his mouth with a gloomy voice.
[Someone is trying to revive the Grotesquery.]