Episode 550
“Jaret. You’ve caused trouble again, haven’t you?”
“What are you going to do if someone picks a fight? Just stand there and take it?”
In a mansion somewhere in the small provincial town of Haftown.
Though fallen nobility, there was still pride to uphold. How could he spend every other day brawling outside? Jaret’s father had no choice but to change his son’s path.
“If your blood boils so much you can’t stand it, then enroll in the military academy. Honestly, it’s pathetic.”
At fifteen, Jaret only sneered at his father’s scolding. Pathetic? Isn’t it more pathetic to back down when someone’s provoking you?
He stared silently at the military academy application his father had tossed onto the table.
“Hahaha! Jaret, was it? Let’s see you win for once!”
“Wow, this guy’s crazy. He really wants to keep going like that?”
“He’s gonna get himself killed!”
Among the new recruits, Jaret quickly stood out—not because of exceptional physical ability, but because of an unrelenting, almost reckless pride.
Wiping the blood dripping from his nose, he charged at his opponent again.
Bam! Bam!
One punch, two punches, three, four…
They exchanged blows to each other’s faces without backing down. Better to die than to retreat. Jaret gritted his teeth.
Eventually, his opponent collapsed first. The others applauded in awe, but Jaret didn’t stop—he climbed on top of the fallen foe.
Bam!
“Keep going! Hit me again!”
“Jaret! Enough! It’s over!”
Since forever, there had been something stuck deep in his chest. Fighting seemed to ease it, but when his opponent fell limp, nothing really changed.
Just as someone was about to shout at him to stop—
“How can you keep punching someone who’s already down?”
“Hah, hah… Who are you?”
Someone appeared. Judging by the badge on his uniform, he was a senior, but Jaret found him laughable. Only a year or two older, at best.
Jaret looked at him, but the glare hid his face. Or maybe Jaret’s eyes were still dazed from the fight.
“Jaret, right? A freshman? If you want to keep fighting like this, I’ll be your opponent.”
Perfect timing—he needed one more.
Without a word, Jaret twisted his body and lunged—
Wham!
For the first time, he was knocked out without landing a single counterattack.
“Complete defeat” didn’t even begin to cover it. It was the moment he faced an insurmountable wall—the existence of a genius.
“Born with it, and trains diligently too. Who could possibly keep up? He’ll probably end up at the palace.”
“Of course. Even if he’s not a magic swordsman, someone like that could join the royal guard. They pick only the strongest.”
“Hey, Jaret! Back for another beating?”
Several times a day, Jaret sought him out and charged again.
Throwing punches, swinging swords, shouting curses—he struggled to break through that unbreakable wall. Every day, he vowed he would win someday.
“He’s dead. Suicide.”
“Family issues, I heard.”
The genius vanished so abruptly.
Even someone that strong had an opponent they couldn’t beat. Even the strongest could collapse from within. Jaret suddenly felt fear—because he realized the strongest enemy was himself.
“Jaret. Next week, a mage will come down from the palace. Would you like to take the magic swordsman aptitude test?”
“Jaret, new recruit of the palace royal guard.”
“You’re the only one fit to be captain, Jaret.”
Years passed. By luck and effort, he awakened his magic swordsman abilities, joined the palace royal guard, and rose to captain, standing beside the emperor. He could proudly say he was the strongest now—
But sometimes, he was afraid.
Because, as that genius had shown—
Strength and breaking down were not the same thing.
“Captain! Please withdraw your orders!”
“Ahhh, don’t die! Please don’t die!”
“Captain Jaret, do you accept responsibility for your subordinates’ deaths? Petreo is planning to resign.”
Suddenly, Jaret realized he was standing alone in the darkness. Where was this? What was he doing here? His wandering gaze caught sight of someone running toward him.
Far off, it was himself.
“…!”
Death trying to break me.
Jaret instinctively drew his sword and charged. Nothing could break him. He would not meet death because of himself.
Clang! Clang!
His opponent muttered something with a blank expression. Jaret couldn’t quite hear.
Click-click!
Their blades locked tightly. Their faces close, Jaret finally understood the words muttered—and frowned.
“…Old man?”
“Haaah. Ian, I’m sorry.”
“Yes, sorry. If it weren’t for us, Kyu would have ridden off comfortably. But we couldn’t just let him go alone.”
“Exactly. Especially with a rift involved, no one should be alone.”
“Wow, this guy’s fast. Useful.”
“If only a couple fewer had boarded, it’d be even faster. Haaah.”
“You look fine, so get off. Don’t be clueless.”
The mages, still recovering their magic, clung tightly to the dragon as it soared through the sky. Normally, Ian would have ridden, but since he insisted on following, it became more troublesome.
Whoosh!
Ziiing! Ziiing!
Ian cut through the sky at full speed, soon spotting something flashing in the distance.
And then—
“Whoa, no way.”
“Are those all monsters?”
“Wide awake now, damn it. What the hell happened?”
The monsters poured down, blackening the entire world.
Ian asked the mages stationed in the northern region.
“Do you know the exact location of the rift?”
“Of course. We’ve been here almost ten years.”
“Stand by. We’ll clear the monsters first, then head to the barrier zone.”
“Clear them? How—”
“Ian!”
Ian lowered altitude, descending toward the ground. He saw Bonita and her squad struggling amidst the monster horde. No matter how weak the monsters, how could they handle such an endless number? It was physically impossible.
“Iaaan!”
Beric, noticing Ian’s presence, shouted first. He was positioned far north, almost off the front lines, looking more like he was climbing than fighting. He waved frantically to signal.
“Damn it! That stubborn old man went to check the rift!”
“Captain Jaret?”
“Yeah! The monsters have thinned a bit since then! But damn, he’s so stubborn at his age! Seriously!”
Whoosh!
Beric vented his frustration by slashing through monsters, followed by Bonita’s shout.
“Sir Ian! The pit line is almost full! If the monsters overflow, we won’t be able to contain them!”
They needed a way to wipe out the gathered monsters all at once. Ian unleashed his magic to the fullest, drawing a precise magic circle with his fingertips.
“Many Leaves.”
Normally, Ian cast spells by command alone, without a magic circle. But this time, the area was so vast he carefully traced the circle.
Kugugung—!
Kugung!
Following the pit Bonita had dug, a world tree from another realm sprouted. Thick trunks formed layered walls to trap the monsters, while the tree caused continuous tremors.
The palace royal guard looked up, bewildered. A small boy hovered in the sky, golden eyes gleaming as he gestured gracefully.
Just a little more, just a little more—
“Ian is splitting the earth!”
“Danger! Fall back!”
Crack!
Kugugung! Thud!
The earth split open beneath the rising world tree, and more monsters fell through the chasm.
Was that enough? Bonita thought so—until—
From Ian’s shoulder blades, massive red wings erupted.
Whoosh!
“Recollection.”
The wings took the form of a giant, stretching wide.
The fiery figure roared in fury toward the earth. The red heat spewing from its mouth instantly engulfed the area, incinerating the monsters.
“Kyuuu!”
The dragon, wanting to join in, breathed a small flame. The mages clung tightly to its neck, watching in awe.
“Our commander’s crazy.”
“That was… actually possible. Using both at once.”
“I never even thought about it.”
“Ian, don’t overdo it—take some potions!”
Whether from sunlight or something else, Ian’s complexion looked a little pale. As he gestured to retract the Recollection, the giant figure dissolved.
Only once. Thanks to the Recollection spell, thirty percent of the monsters vanished.
“More magic could destabilize the rift, so I’ll hold back. Palace royal guard, try to hold the monsters back with swords as much as possible.”
“Y-yes, understood!”
“I’ll check the rift’s fissure quickly—”
Just as he was about to ask them to hold on—
Ian sensed a familiar yet strange energy.
“Captain Jaret!”
Jarrett, who had gone to scout the rift zone, had returned.
…but something felt off. The fierce spark in his eyes was now dull and clouded, his broad shoulders slumped as if he’d dropped a heavy burden. Most unsettling of all, no monsters stirred around him.
“…Old man?”
The relief that he’d come back alive was short-lived. Beric immediately sensed that something was terribly wrong.
Jarrett raised his hand, gripping his magic sword.
Ziiing! Ziiing!
“What are you doing, old man?”
Pew—! Pew—!
Lightning bolts struck down toward Beric without hesitation.
Ian instantly understood what was happening.
“Beric! He’s been brainwashed!”
“Wha—what?”
“Brainwashed. The underground god’s power is leaking through the rift. Captain Jarrett, who got too close, has been consumed.”
What the hell does that even mean?!
Beric gritted his teeth, struggling to block Jarrett’s attacks. Up close, his eyes were definitely glazed over.
“Beric. I’m going to check the rift. You stay here and hold Jarrett back.”
“What? How am I supposed to stop him?”
Captain Jarrett was one of the strongest warriors in the royal palace. If he moved under the underground god’s will, it would be a massive threat to all of Bariel.
“If the rift closes, it might resolve itself. But if not—”
We’ll have to take him down.
Beric’s face twisted in anguish at those words.
Clang! Clang!
“No! I don’t want to kill the old man!”
“Then stop him completely. Don’t let him threaten Bariel. That’s on you, Beric.”
Beric frowned deeply as he parried Jarrett’s sword again. Ian quickly turned away. The mages riding dragons tried to approach, but this time Ian raised his hand firmly to refuse.
“I’m going alone.”
“What? No, Ian! It’s too dangerous!”
“I’m the only one who can go. You all stay here.”
“Ian!”
With that, Ian took off toward the rift zone. The mages tugged anxiously at their beards, urging him to wait, but Ian just blinked and didn’t budge.
Meanwhile, Beric faced Jarrett alone.
“Beric! Are you okay?”
“Don’t talk to me, you damn molar! And all of you—stay back!”
His greatsword, forged from pure magic, flared bright red and large.
“…Look at the monsters. I’m the one who’s going to watch over the old man.”
“But—”
“Shut up! Honestly, damn it! He was a pain in the ass and a terrible leader, but here, I’m the strongest!”
Clang! Clang!
Beric studied Jarrett’s face closely. It was hard to describe the feeling. Even if he was a stubborn old fool, there was something damn cool in his eyes.
“That’s why I told you not to go!”
Clang!
“Seriously, you never listen!”
Until the brainwashing breaks, the only way to save Jarrett is to completely subdue him. If they fail, Ian will have to kill him. That much was certain.
“Old man!”
Clang!
Pew—!
The two magic swords, one white and one red, clashed head-on.