Chapter 671

The question wasn’t meant to elicit an answer. Or rather, no matter what the other said, it didn’t matter to Ian.

The moment he sensed another self beyond the gaze of the Forbidden Mage, a cold, boiling rage erupted within him.

Ziiiiiing! Ziiing!

“[Extinction].”

The golden eyes that stained the world flared. The cloth protecting Ian burned away to nothing, and at the same time, cracks spiderwebbed across Mando’s watch.

Crack!

“…!”

The light spilling from the shattered watch fell unfiltered to the ground, and the Luswena soldiers had no choice but to bear it all.

Like the dead buried under volcanic ash, they froze in their fleeing stances, holding their breath. Their breathing was slow and dull—so sluggish, despite the scorching, sharp wind blowing through the heart of the battlefield.

“Run! Run away!”

“The mages have gone mad! Aaaah!”

“My body, my—my body!”

“Please, spare me! Please!”

The Luswena soldiers couldn’t believe it. Not Bariel’s mages, but their own Luswena mages had put them in danger. What on earth was happening?

Eldert stretched his long bow and shouted at the Forbidden Mage—no, the King of Toorun.

“Stop this at once! Right now!”

But there was no way the mage could hear him. The Forbidden Mage’s gaze was fixed solely on Ian, who had just slammed condensed magic into that very face.

And that strike was a fatal blow, one that would bring death.

Boom!

Bang! Crash! Bang!

“I—!”

Eldert quickly drew a new Idgal arrow and aimed, but the blast of wind from the explosion in the sky made it impossible to stand firm. His teal hair whipped wildly in the gust.

“Ian!”

“Hold on tight!”

Bariel’s mages gripped the branches of the World Tree, bracing against the wind.

After the storm passed, they cautiously opened their eyes and looked around.

“Hah, hah…”

Ian stood there, drenched in sweat, breathing heavily.

And the Forbidden Mage had vanished without a trace. The shattered watch fragments scattered on the ground, turning to dust and blowing away. Eldert hesitated, still clutching his bow, while the soldiers, freed from the spell, took the chance to flee in all directions.

“A Forbidden Mage…”

Could that really be possible?

Ian wiped the sweat streaming down his jaw with the back of his hand and glanced toward Eldert. He wouldn’t understand. Starting with Wesley, Ian had already faced and defeated many Forbidden Mages one-on-one.

The last battle had been exhausting because he had to handle two at once, but now, with comrades by his side, it was no problem at all.

“…Dead.”

The Bariel mages murmured simultaneously, crossing themselves as if sharing a silent understanding. A mourning for the mage whose will had been stolen and cast into the abyss. A brother connected by the sixth sense. They grieved for your final moments with sorrow.

“…Ian, are you alright?”

At the mages’ question, Ian raised his hand lightly. There was no sign of the previous battle’s strain or current fatigue in his gesture. Now he understood perfectly why Hale compared the mysterious orb to the Akorella potion.

Though he had expended a great deal of magic, Ian felt almost no physical exhaustion.

“Good. No problem.”

Perhaps because the Luswena king’s neck was right before him, Ian pushed back his disheveled hair and fixed his gaze on the next opponent.

Eldert, heir to the teal serpent’s bloodline. Next, it’s your turn. You will pay for daring to invade Bariel and Hiel’s order.

Ziiing! Ziiing!

Then, the Luswena mages trapped in the World Tree simultaneously unleashed their magic. Right. There were still many mages left on their side.

A smile appeared on Eldert’s lips. If one Forbidden Mage couldn’t stop Ian Hiel, then two—or three—could attack together.

“Huh?”

“Ian, those guys are acting weird.”

“Wait, hold on!”

The Bariel mages readied themselves, tightening their grip on the World Tree’s branches.

But the Luswena mages’ reaction was strange. They only tried to break free from the tree’s trunk, showing no other hostility.

“It’s a portal!”

“What? What is this—”

The Luswena mages squeezed out their remaining strength to open a portal. Then, with all their might, they reached out as if swimming.

The Bariel mages tried to grab them, but it seemed their goal wasn’t to move together. Among the mages pushing and pulling to create an opening, two threw themselves into the portal.

“You bastards! Where do you think you’re running off to!”

“Catch them! Catch those bastards!”

“Don’t go into the portal! We don’t know where it leads! Got one here!”

Eldert watched in disbelief. What was going on? Why were the Luswena mages opening a portal to escape the battlefield?

He knew this was the King of Toorun’s decision, but it hadn’t been discussed with him at all.

“Your Highness, the mages are trying to flee—!”

“You should take cover first. The tide has turned.”

To forbid the mages, the King of Toorun needed a puppeteer to act as a buffer—someone to filter the forbidden power and bear its burden as a shield.

But Luswena had no puppeteer now, so calling the mages to Toorun for the process was the safest and most certain method.

“What the hell. Ian, what’s with them?”

Beric, who had been swinging his sword and throwing punches, watched the portal with suspicion.

Ian immediately flew toward the portal and gave orders.

“Hold them all. Every Luswena mage. If it’s too much, kill them.”

This was the method to carry out the forbidden magic. Ian realized that the King of Toorun could do nothing at this moment.

That meant if the mages crossed into Toorun, they would all be forbidden. Worse trials would come crashing down like waves, so it was wise to stop them now.

“Ugh, ughhh—!”

“Understood! Everyone!”

“Put all your strength into it! Damn it, no choice!”

Following Ian’s command, the Bariel mages squeezed their eyes shut and amplified their magic.

Thick branches of the World Tree stretched out, tightening around the Luswena mages’ necks. Soon, with cracking sounds, their heads were forced back.

Shhhhk!

Meanwhile, Ian darted into the portal and snatched a mage’s wrist. The mage smiled slyly. The portal’s entrance was rapidly shrinking.

“Ian! Get out!”

“The entrance is closing!”

…Better to kill them.

Ian targeted the mages hiding in the black space of the portal, but they were like swimming fish—freely gliding, taunting him with smiles. The Bariel mages gathered right at the portal’s mouth, calling out to Ian.

“Ian! Are you okay? Come out quickly!”

“Please! Please!”

There was no other way. Not for now.

Ian reached toward the portal’s entrance, and the Bariel mages grabbed his hand, arm, and collar, pulling with all their might.

Shhhhk!

As Ian’s toes crossed back outside, the portal vanished. He had nearly been trapped in an endlessly multiplying magical space. The mages clutched their pounding hearts and stared up at the clear sky.

“Ah, Ian… I thought you were dead…”

“Huff, huff. If you’d been any later, we might never have seen you again.”

“Ian, hurry up and come out! What’s so important about those two?”

“They answered the King of Toorun’s call. If we don’t catch them now, it’ll be dangerous later.”

“But now we’re here too, right? Safely. We just need to climb steadily.”

“Hey! Is Ian okay?”

“Beric! Mind your own business!”

“Your attitude! Fine, fine!”

Beric, once he confirmed Ian was fine, threw down his bloodied magic greatsword and flopped down.

After the commotion died down, the battlefield grew quiet. The Forbidden Mage was dealt with, and all remaining Luswena mages were dead. Countless corpses lay sprawled across Luswena’s golden reed fields like bedding.

“Then now…”

The mages who had been holding Ian all turned their heads sharply. Only one remained—the Luswena king?

Eldert clenched his teeth and backed away, following Martin’s escort.

“Dragons! Black armor!”

Even as soldiers scattered in all directions, the black-armored knights answered the king’s call, their faces resolute, ready to charge back into battle.

But could they really stop the mages alone? They weren’t magic swordsmen. And Ian was still standing strong.

Eldert stepped back and ordered Martin. The only way to contact Toorun now was through Lady Darsi.

“Send someone. Go to the palace and bring Lady Darsi. She’s in the second drawer of the office desk.”

“Yes, Your Highness!”

“Damn it.”

Eldert couldn’t fathom Toorun’s true intentions in bringing the Luswena mages along. Was he planning to completely withdraw from this war? Or was he aiming to refine the puppetry magic and send them back again? Whatever the case, the fact remained that Luswena was in immediate danger.

“Bring the Idgal arrows! Unless we blind their eyes, there’s no way to break the mages’ gaze!”

“Shoot the arrows! Keep firing relentlessly!”

“Anyone who tries to flee will be cut down on the spot! Our families are behind us! Will you protect them, or lead the enemy straight to their doorstep?”

“Get your heads in the game, you bastards! It’s not over yet!”

“Black armor reinforcements incoming! Idgal—arrows!”

The chaotic Luswena forces stirred back to life. Though their numbers were few, somehow they hadn’t broken.

But it was like a sandcastle—everyone there knew that a single touch from the mages would bring it crumbling down.

“Perfect timing. About to blow the palace gates off their hinges.”

Just as the mages rolled up their sleeves and prepared to swoop down on the Luswena main force—

Whoooosh—

Whoooosh—

A strange, booming sound echoed near the Luswena border. It was unlike the water buffalo horns used by Bariel and the neighboring three nations.

The mages turned around, puzzled, then furrowed their brows.

“What the hell is that now?”

Thousands of unfamiliar troops had crossed the desert. The flags fluttering everywhere were oddly familiar. Ian muttered as he caught sight of the bright red seal stamped on a white background.

“…That’s Hawan.”

The ‘puppet’ who had killed the Shatima prime minister and seized command was in Hawan. They had rushed down to support Luswena’s battle—not through Merelrof, but via the southern desert route.

“Your Majesty, it’s Hawan! H-Hawan has sent reinforcements!”

“Hawan’s support has arrived!”

“Thank goodness. Truly, thank goodness!”

Martin and the officers peered through their telescopes toward the border, their faces lighting up with joy. There was no law that said they had to die here. They didn’t know what forces Hawan had brought, but this wouldn’t be an easy victory for Bariel.

“What do we know about Hawan’s forces? Any intel?”

“Most likely, their main strength is the puppets Lady Darsi created. If they join up with us, communication with King Toorun will be possible, Your Majesty!”

Eldert nodded and gave the order.

“Send one dragon over there. Share the situation.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

Meanwhile, the Bariel mages watched all this unfold. With Luswena pressing from the front and Hawan pushing from behind, they felt no real sense of crisis. They were on the ground; the mages were in the air.

Except for one—

“Wha—what the hell?”

Beric, rolling on the ground and struggling alongside the soldiers, glanced back with a scowl and muttered a curse.