Chapter 530

The psychological pressure was unbearable for the culprits.

The Imperial Army started this war without any justification, reason, or hatred.

Those who participated in the fight, choosing the side of victory or defeat like children picking sides, had no unyielding willpower or burning fighting spirit.

All the rank-and-file knights and mages in the rear battlefield had completely lost their morale. It happened within the first thirty minutes after Jin appeared.

As Jin started to move forward again, the rank-and-file knights and mages who had been standing there, or rather, were quite far away from Jin, split apart and avoided him.

Whether you fight or run away, it was hell.

Not a single rank-and-file soldier chose to face him. Those with unsteady legs dashed out of the battlefield as if insane, and those who couldn't do that were crying and crawling.

True to his promise, Jin didn't pursue those fleeing enemies.

However, the enemy commanders couldn't do the same.

"These lunatics...! Fight! Those who run away will die by my hands!"

"Do you think you can bear the crime of defying the emperor's orders? It's better to fight and die, that way, you can prevent your bloodline from being exterminated!"

Despite the vicious orders of the Imperial army commanders, the rank and file soldiers did not stop fleeing.

It has already been decided which of the two is more frightening, the Emperor or Jin Runcandel.

In the end, the commanders began to directly cut down the fleeing knights and mages.

However, even after the scene continued, the rank and file soldiers did not stop leaving the battlefield.

When the situation reached that point, the commanders had no choice but to fall into a panic. The knight of Runcandel, whom they couldn't handle even if united, was approaching, but the formation had already become so scattered that it could hardly be called an army.

All that was left was the major knights, Hensirk, and Lillista Magic Corps.

But all they could do was prepare for death.

Most of the dragon lances, which were the greatest power, were destroyed or taken away, and Jin was not tired at all even after fiercely firing decisive killing moves, and was pressuring them with bloodlust.

They couldn't receive support from the front or the sides of the battlefield.

The front was still being held by Dante, while the flanks were organized by the Proch Sibling, Kashmir, Alisa, Yulian, Kuzan, Gilly, and others. 

Even the Imperial forces in the rear were attempting to use the refugees from the Sword Emperor Castle, who hadn't left yet, as hostages. 

It could become the worst case scenario later, but they thought it might be a way to shake up the situation.

But even that was going to be a failure because of Jin's companions.

"Mesa, Scott! You two and your crew should prioritize the protection of refugees. Bellop, you and I will take care of the enemy commanders!"

Luton Ferman, the former enforcement knight of Runcandel, and the youngest division.

They were also participating in this war.

Having undergone hellish training under Luton, and being guardian knights of Runcandel in the first place, the Imperial knights in the rear couldn't be their match.

Like that, Jin and his companions were all smashing the battlefield while shouting.

"For our Lord!"

"For our Lord and Hairan!"

"Rescue our allies, take care of the wounded!"

Since the rank and file enemies were running away, the shouts grew louder than the screams.

Everyone knew that the war would not end in victory so easily. However, the knights of the sword emperor castle now had hope that they could get out of despair and head for victory.

"The dragon lances are gathering at Lady Amela! Currently, eight cannons, and the number keeps increasing!"

"She didn't die in the Gaifa Islands, did she become a subordinate of the 12th flagbearer…!"

Amela's abilities shine particularly brightly in large-scale warfare. She was continuously gathering Dragon lances using her own murky energy and the power of Valkas.

At the same time she was remodeling them at a rapid rate. Dozens of hands made with murky energy were moving busily, removing broken lances, parts of other cannons, and items prepared in advance and attaching them to the stolen Dragon lances.

"Howitzer cannon complete! My Lord, we're almost ready! If you give the order, I will start the frontal cannon fire support!"

Jin nodded his head, and Amela saluted as she raised her hand out of her bush suit.

"Order received! Look forward to Amela's exciting cannon fire support!"

The dragon lances raised their cannon barrels in unison, following Amela's hand.

"Bang!"

Kwaaaaah!

Eight dragon lances simultaneously fired into the sky at an angle.

The cannon fire seemed to go beyond the castle, far in the front, to the place where the emperor was.

Despite having no sight at all, Amela fired without hesitation.

She was measuring the precise distance where her allies wouldn't be harmed just by the vibrations on the battlefield.

It was no lie when Valkas assessed that no one could match Amela when it came to war.

Dante caught his breath and looked at the cannon fires falling like meteors over the Imperial army in the distance.

It was seen that the cannon fires were blocked. The best of Hensirk and Lillista Magic corps were spreading a protective shield.

However, the dragon lance was originally the empire's strongest weapon of war.

It wasn't something mages could block so easily, and even more so when eight cannons were firing at the same time.

The mana of the Imperial magic corps was amplified to the point where even the knight could feel it, and rank and file soldiers could see it with their own eyes.

As far as Dante knew, the Empire did not possess that level of technology. The ability to amplify mana on such a scale was almost unheard of in academia and history books.

Zipfel.

Only they could do such a thing.

Dante did not heed Alton's warning, but he was confident that the Emperor had struck a deal with Zipfel.

'All for that white stone...…!'

The white stone, that object had been dyeing Dante's inside black since before the war began.

And as the cup of war spilled, the hatred and anger that originated from the white stone were growing faster and faster.

 It wasn't that Amela's dragon lances were failing to inflict any damage on the Imperial army.

The elite members of the Magic corps were only protecting the emperor and other important personnel, but did not protect the lives of the rank and file soldiers.

Dante gripped his sword again.

Dante, who felt no emotion at the deaths of the imperial infantry and mages exploding before him, rather suddenly became afraid of himself being surrounded by a pleasant feeling of death.

The war was only just beginning.

"Get out of the way, I will kill the emperor."

The Imperial Guard and infantry scattered as Dante pushed forward with his sword.

After a while, a large man appeared between them.

"... Sir Dante."

The leader of the Dragon King Knights, the Imperial Sword.

Jonsina Perral blocked Dante. His blue armor shimmered even in the dark unlike Dante, who was covered in blood and looked like a demonic creature.

Jonsina's heroic stories and various legends had instilled dreams in countless knights around the world. Although his individual strength did not receive relatively much attention due to being overshadowed by Ron, Jonsina was a role model for knights.

Dante, too, held great admiration for him. That's why a bitter laugh escaped him.

"Ever since Kevin Perral came… I expected you to be in the Imperial Army too. But when I saw you standing in my way, I couldn't help but feel disgusted, sir."

Pit-!, Dante spat blood.

Jonsina raised his aura instead of answering. The ground in the vicinity vibrated, and small mounds of rocks scattered and rose.

"Did you harbor a long-standing sense of inferiority towards my grandfather? Or did you want to see the Perral clan replace Hairan as a pillar of the Empire?"

Dante's voice trembled with the sense of betrayal.

It was because he was sure that even if the entire Dragon King Knights thoughtlessly followed the emperor's orders, Jonsina would not forget his honor.

Just as Dante was about to mock him again, Jonsina vanished from his sight. When he hurriedly looked at him, Jonsina's greatsword was already falling onto his shoulder.

Thunk, thud—!

The blow dislocated his shoulder immediately. Dante was pushed back, crashing into the ground, and Jonsina's sword energy poured down on him.

Dante quickly fixed his shoulder bone and stood up, and deflected the sword energy. His two wobbly legs seemed to lose their balance at any moment.

It is the sword of the imperial sword. Dante couldn't easily fend off the attack with the body that was on the verge of breaking.

"Stop it."

"Either this guy or that guy is just telling me to stop when you guys stabbed the sword emperor castle first. Aren't you ashamed, you hypocrite!"

Dante rushed at him screaming, but Dante's sword could not pierce Jonsina's greatsword.

Every time they exchanged a sword, Dante vomited blood as his bones and organs were shaken, and Jonsina couldn't even lose his breath.

It was like an iron wall. Jonsina was showing a distinct difference in skill compared to the knights he had faced so far.

"Please."

"Ha, please?"

"I don't want to see you die."

"You speak as if you are looking after me, leader of the Dragon King Knights... It may look amusing as I get tired and vomit blood..."

Dante's body was stained with an aura.

It was a sign that another secret technique of the Sword emperor was about to execute. And Jonsina knew the price for that sword.

Dante's life.

"Are you just going to die with me? How long are you going to be stubborn, Dante Hairan! Rather than clinging to illusions, plan for the future!"

You are the lord of the sword emperor castle!

Jonsina shouted with his eyes wide open.

"If you die, Hairan can't stand up again. Why do you keep throwing yourself into the darkness one inch ahead? Do you think this is what Sir Ron wants!"

"How dare you call my grandfather's name from your filthy mouth...!"

 [Mya-!]

At that moment, as soon as the rear battlefield was cleared, Shuri, the ruby cat that ran without rest, threw herself between Dante and Jonsina.

Jin was riding on Shuri's back.

Dante recognized that Jin had come since the first time the blue sword lighted up the night sky, but he hadn't expected him to clear the rear so quickly and come to him.

Also, Dante didn't even think that Jin would join him on the front line.

That's how deeply he was trapped within his inner turmoil.

The future of Hairan and the knights who follow Hairan rests on him. He already realized that it's impossible for him to survive alone.

"Dante."

Jin spoke as if he understood Dante's inner struggles.

"If I had only intended to save you, I wouldn't have bothered coming. I came to save both you and the sword emperor castle. So now, don't fight as if this is the end. Don't forget that there's a future ahead."