Chapter 552
“One more time! Bring it on!”
“The one who says ‘bring it on’ is me, Beric.”
Every time Jarrett looked at Beric, his stomach twisted in frustration. Was there really another reckless fool like him in the world? Yet, buried deep in his memory, Jarrett’s own childhood surfaced—so immature, rough, and young.
Clicking his tongue, Jarrett gave Beric a playful flick on the forehead.
“Ah! The match isn’t over yet, so I get to fight too!”
“Only a shameless guy keeps getting knocked out and still dares to talk big.”
“No one knows until they die. Even if you lose a hundred times, if you win in the end, you’re the victor! Here I go!”
Smack!
How pathetic.
Jarrett muttered this as he threw a punch at Beric, but inside, he felt a surprisingly fresh shock. If Beric was right, then even if you win a hundred times, if you lose the last one, you’re the loser.
A truly terrifying reality. Jarrett recalled once again the genius who had lost to himself—a man who had been on the path of victory but was buried forever by a single defeat.
“Hah, hah…”
He exhaled sharply and glared at his opponent. The figure, mirroring his own form, looked back at him, equally exhausted.
Ignoring the trembling in his hands, Jarrett gripped his magic sword tightly. No way was he going to die here, at the hands of this guy.
Clang! Clang!
The endless exchange of blows resumed.
The moment Jarrett’s sword pierced his opponent’s abdomen, he too was pierced in return. Death’s cold grip rose to his chin. He forced himself to ignore the heavy pain and kept attacking relentlessly.
If he didn’t kill, he would die.
Swish!
But he sensed the end was near. His magic was depleted. Fortunately—or perhaps not—his opponent was in the same state, drained of power. It was like looking into a mirror.
Jarrett clenched his fists and charged with all his might, just like when he was fifteen, full of pure, unyielding spirit.
Thud! Bam!
After a flurry of blows, his own body collapsed first. How could he describe the helplessness of that moment? As the opponent mounted him, raining punches down, his consciousness began to fade.
Crush!
The hands choking his neck were shedding tears.
In that instant, Jarrett felt as if he had opened his eyes for the first time.
‘I am him, and he is me.’
Just as he feared his opponent, his opponent feared him too.
From the perspective of the self called ‘Jarrett,’ he had lost—but at the same time, he had won.
Jarrett reached out and grabbed his opponent’s shoulder. Only then did he realize he was crying as well.
“You’ve been through a lot.”
Through all these fierce years, you and I have feared each other and endured together for so long.
Ssshhh—
Then, the world shifted.
The once silent darkness was filled with life.
The figure that had mirrored him transformed into Beric. Beric wiped tears from his cheeks and muttered,
“Damn it, old man. I can’t tell if you’ve come to your senses or if you’re just babbling nonsense.”
You stupid little punk. You look ridiculous when you cry.
Jarrett closed his eyes for a moment.
Was I like that when I was fifteen? Did I cry like that when they said the genius was dead? He couldn’t remember.
“Old man! Seriously!”
“Beric, come out here for a moment.”
“Captain, are you coming to? Can you hear me?”
“Stop the bleeding! You’ve lost too much blood.”
“Beric! Wrap your stomach too. It’s dangerous otherwise!”
Jarrett quietly compared the Beric who had just been crying over him with the image of himself.
The being he had once feared absolutely was more manageable than he thought. As someone once said, he had lost but not died, so it wasn’t over yet.
“Beric.”
“Captain! Do you recognize us?”
“Are you okay? Beric! The captain’s calling you!”
“Old man! Damn, you’re such a pain in the ass.”
Beric sniffled, tears or snot running down his face, and Jarrett sighed. He couldn’t believe this kid had grown enough to bring him down.
But since his own traces were all over that growth, maybe Beric was really just another version of himself.
“Old man! Say something!”
“…You mutt.”
“Huh?”
Beric’s eyes went wide as he sniffled again. Jarrett just lifted his head slowly and looked at the hole in his abdomen, then narrowed his eyes.
“You’re not bad.”
It was praise, encouragement, and comfort all at once—not to worry too much about the wound he’d inflicted.
Beric wiped his nose with the back of his hand and replied with a pout,
“Of course. How many years of experience do you think I have?”
Jarrett smiled faintly and rested his head on the ground. Fatigue washed over him like a tidal wave. His body was heavy, but strangely, his heart felt light and at ease.
He closed his eyes and murmured,
“…See you later.”
“Captain! Damn it, is there a healer up here?”
“No! The healer is with His Majesty! We can only help with minor magic!”
“It’s almost gone, but better than nothing!”
“Clear out the nearby monsters first!”
“Let’s go! Downstairs!”
“Beric! Get some magic too!”
“Yeah! My stomach’s never safe!”
Beric flopped down next to Jarrett, breathing heavily. Now that he was aware of the pain, it was hard to endure.
“All units!”
“All units!”
“Protect Captain Beric and Captain Jarrett!”
“Yes, Captain!”
The palace guards surrounded the two on Bonita’s orders, slashing down the monsters that charged. The mages jumped off their dragons, landed between the two, and immediately grabbed their arms to inject magic.
Zap!
Whirr! Whirr!
“Perform emergency treatment and transport them via dragon immediately.”
“Beric! Hold my hand!”
“Ugh, I’m dizzy.”
“Stay with me, damn it!”
They were giving everything they had, but with magic nearly drained, it still felt insufficient. As the mages sweated and shared their power, suddenly—
Whirr! Whirr!
Whoosh!
A massive blaze swept across the field in an instant.
All the way to the far horizon.
Countless monsters were consumed by the flames, turning to ash. Beric squinted his left eye against the heat rushing over him.
“Oh. Ian.”
Ian, with his golden eyes, looked down at him upside down. He glanced briefly at Jarrett’s side, then asked, seeking confirmation,
“Is Jarrett okay?”
Has he broken free from the brainwashing and still fighting for Bariel? Beric muttered, “I don’t need to say it twice.”
“Of course. And now I’ve beaten the old man.”
“Really?”
That’s surprising.
Ian smiled, and Beric grinned along with him. Though a part of him still ached, laughter came anyway. Was he crazy?
“What about you? Did you patch up the hole?”
“Yeah. The northern area should be fine for now.”
“Then we can keep moving forward.”
“Without worry, keep going.”
“That brainwashing… it was because of the underground god, right?”
Ian reached out and gently closed Beric’s eye, as if telling him to stop and get some rest.
Warm magic flowed through his palm, steadying his ragged breath. Half-conscious, Beric mumbled,
“Underground god… damn it… I’ll kill you…”
And then he immediately passed out.
Ian sighed faintly and gave orders to the mages.
“Move them onto the dragons. I’ll handle the rest during transport.”
“Ian, aren’t you overdoing it?”
“Yes, you’ve been using a lot of power.”
“We don’t want to be a burden. We’ll take over. Please rest a little.”
“So, no more problems with the rift zone? You sealed it? How?”
Ian didn’t answer but showed his palm.
Suddenly, a glowing hand appeared. Everyone gathered around, blinking in surprise. The light shimmered and coalesced into an Idgal.
“Ian!”
“Th-that’s an Idgal.”
“Magic? No, alchemy?”
“Move aside, you lot!”
“Ah! Captain Akorella! Wait, don’t push!”
“Ian, I’ll carry this alone. Okay? Please say it’s okay.”
Akorella’s eyes were half-rolled back. Maybe they’d see some nosebleeds soon.
Ian smiled and nodded, then quickly ordered,
“His Majesty is waiting.”
“Yes! We have to go! Right away!”
Whirr! Whirr!
Zap!
“Captain Akorella! Wait, where did the guy who was just groaning go? Come with us!”
“Cleaning up the monsters—”
The mage trailed off, looking around.
Everything was ash now. Whether from the scorched earth or the monsters’ remains, no one knew. But one thing was certain: none who stood against Bariel had survived.
The mages adjusted their robes and stood.
“Let’s return. Ian, thank you for your hard work.”
“Captain Jarrett is injured?”
Inside the tent where the meeting was underway.
Jin rose from his chair and asked again. It was strange to hear that Captain Jarrett had been injured and lost consciousness. He had always thought of him as someone who would never fall.
Jin nodded toward the front, signaling to lead the way, and Xiaoshi pulled back the tent flap.
“Yes, Your Majesty. They suffered symptoms of brainwashing due to an unknown force leaking from the rift. Beric tried to stop Captain Jarrett, and both were seriously wounded and are currently receiving treatment.”
“And Sir Ian? Is he by their side?”
“Yes. He arrived immediately and is tending to them alongside the healing mages.”
“Any other casualties besides the two?”
“Fortunately, none. According to Sir Ian, they also sealed the northern rift and, in the process, discovered how to create Idgal.”
“…Create Idgal?”
Jin was taken aback. From Captain Jarrett’s injury to the discovery of Idgal creation—it was all beyond expectations.
Xiaoshi nodded in confirmation.
“The exact quantity is unclear, but if they managed to seal the northern rift, it’s likely they can handle the others as well. Shall I send word to Clifford?”
“Good. If we can close the rifts, it will shorten the time needed for Clifford to restore the nation’s strength and greatly aid the war effort. Xiaoshi, draft the letter yourself.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“This will also be a great help in controlling foreign mages. Which side are they on?”
“This side, Your Majesty.”
“And over there?”
“Those are the vanguard soldiers who survived the monster attack and are currently being treated.”
Jin hesitated for a moment, then turned toward the opposite side.
Though the Imperial Guard was of utmost importance, this was wartime. As emperor, he needed to personally encourage the survivors to boost the morale of all the troops.
“Pull back the tent.”
“His Majesty the Emperor approaches!”
“Everyone, stand at attention!”
The soldiers wrapping bandages jumped in surprise and dropped to their knees, but Jin waved them off with a light gesture.
“That’s enough. No need for such formality. These are brave souls who risked their lives under divine protection. I’ve come to honor their courage.”
“W-we are deeply honored, Your Majesty.”
“It is my privilege!”
“Is that all of them?”
“Ah, no, there’s one more. She’s just taking a moment to remove her bandages.”
“Is her injury serious?”
“No, it’s just that she’s a woman…”
A woman?
Jin sensed movement behind the makeshift curtain beside him.
“My apologies, Your Majesty.”
The woman’s voice sounded oddly familiar, but Jin said nothing. Jarrett and Beric were waiting.
“It’s alright. You’ve done well. I’m truly glad you returned alive. Don’t lose that courage on the battlefield. I will reward you with a fine meal—recover quickly and without want.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Only after the emperor left did the woman manage to dress fully and pull back the curtain. The soldiers clicked their tongues in regret.
“Not bad luck, Eirin. You missed the chance to see His Majesty’s face.”
“If I ever dedicate myself to the homeland again, another chance will come,” Eirin said with a quiet smile.