CHAPTER 186

Munch, munch.

As Batu chewed on the steak, he diligently licked the blood and grease from his fingers.

If any of the empire's nobles or high-ranking officials saw him, they'd surely criticize him for his lack of refinement.

But no one would dare say a word to him.

In a space filled with screams, cries, and rampant violence, no ordinary person could swallow meat watching people they'd just been drinking with get slaughtered and still keep eating.

But Batu was unfazed.

He even savored the meat more, chewing slowly and enjoying its flavor.

His detachment from reality, combined with his imposing presence, made him seem almost otherworldly.

God of War.

That mythical figure that all the mountain tribes revered—he embodied it perfectly.

"Undercooked. If you're going to grill it, grill it properly. Letting the blood seep out... typical of those imperial fools."

In front of him lay a knife and fork, but to him, they were utterly useless.

In truth, Batu was doing this deliberately.

Using utensils like a fork and knife was just one of the empire's enforced rules.

For someone who had lived with the sky as their roof and the earth as their home, this was only natural.

Look.

Just as the empire lives by its laws, we live by our own rules.

For years, you've forced your order on us. Now, it's our turn to impose our way on you.

That was the message he wanted to convey.

"Spare me..."

At that moment, Batu turned his head toward a voice coming from below.

An old man was crawling on the ground, desperately trying to grab Batu's trouser leg.

The Chieftain of the Hanabada tribe.

The Hanabada tribe had been the largest of the twelve mountain tribes before Batu's Borfur tribe grew under his leadership.

For that reason, this old Chieftain had always looked down on Batu, clinging to the glory of the past.

He'd always yearned for the empire's culture, boasting that one day he'd leave the squalor of the mountains to become a noble of the empire.

And after their recent victory, he'd started strutting around as if he'd led the entire campaign.

Batu had let him be because he found the old man's antics laughable.

But now, seeing him crawling on the ground, half of his head crushed, begging for his life—it was amusing.

"Please—!"

Smash!

The old Chieftain's plea was cut short. A warrior who had approached from behind shattered the remaining part of his skull with a mace.

Bits of flesh splattered onto Batu's clothes, but he casually brushed it off and stuffed the last piece of steak into his mouth.

"Oh my, you have quite the stomach. I've completely lost my appetite and can't eat anything."

Lapis teased Batu with a seductive tone, mocking his demeanor.

In fact, the entire scene had unfolded according to Batu's suggestion.

–The twelve Chieftains of our people will only hinder our alliance. Let me deal with them swiftly. What do you think?

When Batu had first sought assistance from the Red Lion and the demons, Lapis and Lazuli had dismissed him as just another power-hungry fool.

But after meeting him, they realized he was different from what they'd expected.

'He would've united the tribes on his own, given enough time.'

But doing so alone would have taken too long.

By helping him eliminate his rivals, they could claim credit and even make him indebted to them. It was a stroke of fortune for them.

'Red Lion seemed to know about Batu... No, it makes sense.'

Andre had long been stationed on the eastern border. He probably already knew who Batu was.

Perhaps Andre had even orchestrated this situation to help Batu consolidate the mountain tribes, strengthening their forces.

'A unified command is better than a fractured one.'

Rumors about Batu's followers spreading throughout the twelve tribes had already surfaced. By now, their main camp was likely in chaos.

It was essentially a mass coup.

'How entertaining.'

Lapis was quite pleased, feeling the lingering scent of blood in the air.

"There's nothing more to discuss. Let's go."

Batu wiped his mouth with the white napkin folded beside his fork as he stood. This was proof that he wasn't completely ignorant of imperial manners.

Andre nodded calmly, and Nameless remained uninterested.

After all, the secret pact between them was only about invading the empire's mainland.

From this point on, they would go their separate ways.

"Let's go."

Batu looked over at his subordinates, waiting for his command, as they held bloodied maces.

Step by step, the warriors with their menacing gazes exited the tent like a receding tide.

"Hah! So cool!"

Lazuli murmured to herself with a dreamy expression, stroking her chin.

Lapis, shaking her head in disbelief, scolded her twin sister.

"Oh my, what's so great about a brute like that?"

"I like macho guys."

"You really have no taste in men."

Lapis shook her head and winked at Andre.

"A real man should be both strong and intelligent. Don't you think, Andre?"

"...Our business here is done. Let's meet again."

Andre stood up, and Nameless followed.

"How boring. Living so stiffly like that must make life dull."

Lapis threw out a cryptic comment, but Andre ignored her and left the tent with Nameless.

Outside, three of his most trusted confidants, known as his "sword" and "claw," stood waiting.

Seeing their respectful demeanor, Andre's expression darkened with sorrow.

There used to be one more person by their side.

Given his large frame, his absence felt all the more noticeable today.

'Sagnard…'

Shaking his head, Andre asked the closest, 'Saber' Genoa.

"What's the situation?"

"Chaos is breaking out. But it doesn't seem like it will escalate into a full-blown conflict."

"Should I be relieved… or disappointed?"

Andre was talking about the turmoil happening within the mountain tribes.

He wasn't sure how to feel about Batu consolidating power or the fact that his longtime enemies had avoided falling into complete disarray.

The situation was riddled with contradictions.

Yet despite this, there wasn't a hint of hesitation in the eyes of his men or soldiers.

That alone told him everything.

'There will be much more blood spilled in the future.'

The war he had started to protect his subordinates.

But in doing so, he had condemned innocent citizens of the empire to suffer.

Was this the right choice?

Was the decision he'd made truly the right one?

He had no idea.

What lay at the end of this war?

Andre couldn't see his future and felt only sadness.

As if understanding his friend's thoughts, Nameless silently reached out and patted Andre's shoulder.

Andre lifted his head.

Unlike the bloody scene on the ground, the sky was disturbingly clear.

***

"They've sent a message: 'Unlike the empire, we are warriors who understand honor and do not scorn the defeated.'"

It didn't take long for a reply to arrive for the Star's Legion.

As Sailor himself penned the letter, the envoy returned within a day.

The envoy seemed bewildered.

It seemed the Borfur tribe had quickly agreed without much discussion.

As a result, it was the Star's Legion that hesitated.

"This isn't a trap, is it?"

"I doubt it. The Borfur tribe I know isn't fond of using their brains for complicated schemes."

Herman voiced his concerns, but Sailor quickly dismissed them.

"The decision has been made. Let's go."

Following Elric's decision, the Star's Legion began their march eastward.

While the mountain tribes were sweeping through the empire's mainland, they were heading deep into enemy territory.

It looked like a suicide mission, but Elric's face remained calm.

As a result, the other members, who had initially shown anxiety, gradually began to feel reassured.

"Nothing's going to happen, right…?"

"If Lord Elric says it's fine, we have to trust him."

"Yeah, Lord Elric's decisions are always right…"

The only ones who grew more anxious over time were Count Caliger and Viscount Kuransibil.

"Are we just going to sit here and do nothing?"

"Of course not. I'm just waiting for the right opportunity."

Their concern was understandable.

Some of their own soldiers and officers had begun to develop an admiration for Elric.

Elric's achievements had slowly won them over.

Moreover, the fact that their roots lay in Melvinger posed a natural limit for them.

As Count Caliger and Viscount Kuransibil secretly discussed their plans for the future, the Star's Legion had already left Wynz Border Province and entered the mountain region.

'It's been a while…'

Sailor glanced around nostalgically.

Jagged, imposing mountains stretched out around them.

The trees were so densely packed that instead of feeling lush, the forest seemed suffocating.

Since this was now true mountain tribe territory, Isabelle gave specific orders to Brian, ensuring that the military ranks remained disciplined.

At that moment—

"Kakapa Shagunadu, Chasha, Sailor?"

The forest trembled, and a group of warriors appeared, blocking the path of the Star's Legion.

They wore leopard skins and had various tattoos etched across their bodies.

Even Elric wasn't unfamiliar with the sight. They were warriors of the Borfur tribe.

Among the unintelligible words they spoke, Elric recognized one name: 'Sailor.'

"Sata. Kakugi, Sailor."

As Sailor stepped forward, one of the younger warriors narrowed his eyes.

"Tun?"

"Tun."

"Yaba."

"They want us to follow them."

At Sailor's words, Elric nodded and stepped forward. At the same time, he fully opened his Mind's Eye and Preta Sense, ready for any possible ambush.

Thankfully, nothing strange stood out in the vicinity. It didn't seem like a trap.

But then—

『Hmm?』

Mephistopheles, who had been silent all this time, furrowed his brow slightly and tilted his head.

Elric, curious about what was going on, turned toward him.

[Is something wrong?]

『I've been sensing it for a while now... At first, I didn't think much of it, but it's been getting stranger as we go along.』

[What do you mean?]

Elric tensed, wondering if there was something he had missed. Then Mephistopheles said something that Elric couldn't make sense of at all.

『It seems to have changed a lot over the years... but why are those guys speaking Dragon Tribe Language?』

[T/L: You can read ahead chapters and support me here: https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]