Chapter 750
Boom—!

A tremendous roar echoed from the direction of the royal palace. Though the distance was considerable, the sound was so intense it brought the fighting soldiers to an abrupt halt.

The soldiers, who had been thrusting their spears at one another, faltered and turned toward the palace. Ardo was no different. Without realizing it, he called out to the king.

“…Your Majesty?”

Ian’s forces had reached the palace, causing chaos, but what exactly was happening? Despite Ardo’s call, the king did not respond. It was hardly surprising—Ardo had always been the one summoned, never the one to summon the king.

He looked around, bewildered and unsettled. What about Banusa? Was he alright?

‘If the palace falls like this, what will become of Toorun?’

One thing was certain: the grip the king held over Ardo’s senses would be broken.

But what would follow was beyond imagination—too horrific to even picture. Surely, Toorun would be plunged into ruin, and the glorious history it had built would fade into darkness.

“Keep fighting! Hold the line!”

Ardo had no choice. He stoked the flames of resolve, rallying his soldiers. Those who regained their composure shouted battle cries and swung their swords once more.

Whoosh!

Then, suddenly, a dozen or so figures soared up onto the castle walls.

Ardo’s eyes narrowed. Their movements were so swift he couldn’t make out their faces.

Ziiing! Ziiing!

“…M-Magic Swordsmen!”

“The Imperial Palace Guard!”

Ardo’s men acknowledged the arrival of reinforcements and launched themselves into the air. Wherever they passed, flames erupted, tracing vivid red arcs.

Crash!

The clash between the magic swordsmen and the sorcerers was fierce.

Their energies collided, triggering massive explosions. Flames shot up into the sky, magical power detonated, and their blades met in rapid succession, sparks flying in all directions.

‘Ah.’

Ardo’s sorcerers groaned softly with each exchange of power. To be honest, the difference in strength was overwhelming.

Their opponents were the emperor’s personal guards. Though Ardo’s men took pride in upholding Toorun’s order, they felt utterly outmatched from the start.

“Stay focused!”

“Ughhh!”

And then it hit him again: only the magic swordsmen shouted battle cries.

The palace guards moved silently and steadily, like still water seeping forward. Slowly but surely, they gained the upper hand.

Boom! Bang!

“Soldiers, fall back!”

Whoosh—

At the order from the Empire Defense Department officer, Bariel’s troops hurriedly retreated to the rear to catch their breath. They had been instructed to preserve their strength when the magic swordsmen or sorcerers took the field—getting caught in their fight meant certain death.

“Think this will take long?”

“About ten minutes, I estimate.”

Jin calmly observed the battle between the magic swordsmen and sorcerers through his telescope. Ten minutes? No, the tide had already turned. At this rate, five minutes would be enough…

“Hm?”

A puzzled murmur escaped the emperor’s lips, prompting Tweller to react swiftly.

He too focused his telescope on the castle walls, where unfamiliar banners fluttered in the air.

“…What’s that?”

“Apologies, I’ll find out immediately—”

“No, no, it’s fine. They’re other elemental sorcerers.”

In an instant, over a hundred figures appeared beside the flags. Dressed in yellow, white, and black, they were all fully armed.

“Ardo! What are you doing? Half the wall’s been chipped away!”

“If I’d known, I would’ve come first.”

“Bariel scum! Do you know where you’re stepping?”

They were elemental sorcerers wielding earth, wind, and darkness. Since all the weapon-capable members from each clan had gathered, their numbers were staggering.

Jin nodded slightly to himself.

“I guess this will take a bit longer.”

Though some sorcerers remained by the emperor’s side, they were fully focused on maintaining protective barriers—not suitable for frontline combat.

Aware of the situation, the palace guards simultaneously called out toward Jaret.

“Captain Jaret!”

“Maintain your composure. Don’t panic just because the enemy’s numbers are large. After all, they’re just Toorun’s elemental sorcerers.”

A pack of foxes can’t defeat a lion.

Jaret raised his sword again, aiming forward, while the elemental sorcerers crouched low, tensing.

“Underestimating us will cost you dearly!”

“Who do you think you are, acting tough when you’re not even magicians!”

Swish!

At that moment, a sharp gust of wind sliced through them.

Seizing the moment, the palace guards took to the air once more, and the elemental sorcerers responded by summoning spirits of various colors from their fingertips.

The sky was instantly painted with a dazzling array of hues, like a rainbow stretched across the heavens.

The soldiers, helmets slightly lifted, stared up in awe.

Boom! Bang!

The explosion and roar soon forced them to duck their heads.

Jin furrowed his brow but kept his eyes on the battle, already planning the next move.

His hesitation was brief.

“Minister Tweller.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Prepare the siege trebuchets.”

Tweller hesitated for a moment at Jin’s command. The fight between the magic swordsmen and sorcerers was still raging fiercely. Approaching too soon could cause heavy casualties.

But Jin did not retract his order. Instead, he nodded firmly, urging haste. There was no way the emperor was unaware of this simple fact. Tweller understood and swiftly obeyed.

“Deploy the siege trebuchets.”

At Tweller’s command, banners were raised.

As the troops busied themselves, he once again surveyed the battlefield. There had to be a reason the emperor had made this decision…

‘Damn.’

Tweller rubbed his chin unconsciously.

He could see the emperor’s reasoning.

‘The palace guards are powerful, but unlike magicians or elemental sorcerers, they lack the mobility to move freely in the sky.’

Though their leaps were long and their hang time extended, they could not truly fly. Beric himself relied on magicians to move daily.

‘On the other hand, elemental sorcerers ride the wind, moving with freedom. If the majority attack from above, even the palace guards will struggle.’

The damage could be severe, and more importantly, the delay would be significant. Time was the last thing Bariel’s forces wanted. The Toorun king might recover and unleash that terrifying assault again at any moment.

“Deploy the siege trebuchets!”

“Push! Put more strength into it!”

Rattle, rattle!

A massive wheeled siege trebuchet tore through the ranks, advancing forward.

The elemental sorcerers aimed to defend the gate. But what if Bariel’s soldiers charged to break it down? Could they keep up their hit-and-run attacks from above to buy time?

“Smash it! Destroy their gate!”

Dong! Dong-dong!

The drumbeats grew louder, following Tweller’s orders. It was partly a distraction, but the greater purpose was—

“Damn it! Ardo!”

“Below! The trebuchet’s pushing forward!”

The elemental sorcerers were being forced to lower their flight altitude. To block the trebuchet, they had no choice but to descend beyond the walls.

“Gah, gah! They’re coming!”

“Keep moving forward!”

“Push the trebuchet! Push!”

“Ughhh!”

Bariel’s soldiers squeezed their eyes shut and kept pushing the siege engine straight ahead. Just as the elemental sorcerers swooped down to unleash their power—

Whoosh!

Jaret appeared at lightning speed, blocking the path of one sorcerer in the blink of an eye.

He grabbed the sorcerer by the collar, preventing them from flying higher, and with his other hand conjured a lightning blade. The flash was so bright no one could look directly at it.

Crackle! Snap!

“…Hah!”

Boom!

The sorcerer was sent flying, crashing against the wall and falling lifeless. Not a twitch—clearly dead on impact.

‘Lure the elemental sorcerers with regular soldiers, then have the palace guards finish them off.’

Tweller glanced at Jin, reading the emperor’s intent. It was a familiar feeling. The emperor he served was always so cold and decisive—how had he forgotten that?

“Keep pushing forward. Make it clear we’re advancing on the gate.”

Jin gave the low command with a gesture, and Bariel’s soldiers surged forward.

The battle intensified. The elemental sorcerers closed the distance to stop the trebuchet, and the fight descended ever closer to the ground.

Boom! Bang!

“One, two, three!”

Boom!

“Again! One, two, three!”

The soldiers clenched their eyes shut amid the fierce fighting, pushing the siege engine to batter the gate.

Thud, thud!

Each impact sent vibrations through their bodies, but they couldn’t stop. To halt now would mean death—either at the hands of the sorcerers or from their commanders upon retreat.

Boom!

“It’s cracked!”

“A gap’s opened!”

“Good! Keep going!”

“Waaah!”

The soldiers let out a fierce roar, their spirits soaring. The battering ram kept pounding against the castle gate, and as the gap slowly widened, smiles began to spread across the soldiers’ faces…

Ziiing! Ziiing!

“Huh?”

Boom!

One last strike. Just one more hit, and the gate would collapse.

But then, from inside, a sound like an explosion rang out, and suddenly the gate crumbled inward. Someone from within had kicked the door open.

Crash!

“…?”

It was almost over! Jin, stunned, gripped his spyglass tighter.

Standing in the gap was none other than Bariel’s mages. They too looked bewildered, awkwardly darting their eyes around.

“Mages?”

“Is that Yen? What’s he doing there?”

Yen hurried over to the fallen soldiers, helping them up by hand, then waved them forward toward their side, as if signaling them to come inside.

“Lord Ian ordered the gates to be fully opened! I’m heading to the North Gate now! Hurry and enter!”

…Damn it. Just terrible timing. Tweller slapped his forehead and bit his lower lip. So who opened the gate? The Emperor himself? Or the Minister of Magic?

Some would say it doesn’t matter. But others would argue it’s the most important thing of all.

“Your Majesty, the gates have been opened.”

“Ah, very well. All troops, advance.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Jin showed a brief flicker of surprise, but there was no time to hesitate. They had to move quickly inside to escape the king’s assault.

Like a rising tide, the soldiers poured through the open gates, and the Emperor’s carriage began to move forward.

Whoooosh!

Whooo!

The signal that the gates were open echoed throughout the city. Soldiers pushed forward wherever they could, sweeping through the capital, while the people on the streets dropped to their knees, praying for their lives.

Most had either hidden in their homes or fled. The city felt eerily quiet for its size.

“Head straight for the palace.”

“Yes, Your Majesty! Increase the pace!”

“Move faster!”

“Execute all who resist!”

“We are the Bariel Imperial Army!”

Tap tap tap!

Ian, Beric, and the mages should be inside the palace, right? Had they subdued King Toorun? If so, a message would have come through the gates by now. Jin checked the time, furrowing his brow slightly.

“Minister Tweller, how long do you think Lord Ian has been inside the palace?”

“Yen is a mage who crossed over with the main force. He met with Lord Ian, received orders, and has been moving around the gates. I’d say it’s been at least two hours.”

“Two hours, huh.”

Yet the palace still stands.

Jin gazed at the distant palace and gave his orders.

“Surround the palace. And Balsabe!”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“You will enter the palace and assess the situation.”

“May I leave my post?”

“What are you saying?”

Jin asked sharply. The mages were by the Emperor’s side—there was nothing to worry about. He nodded toward the palace.

“Your eyes must be inside that palace.”

We have to take it back. Personally.