Chapter 986

Swoosh!

Chronie slammed the tip of his spear into the ground. The force was so strong that it pushed him back quite a distance. He had thought he dodged well, but apparently not. He grimaced, running a hand over his right ear where something hot was flowing. Blood was streaming down.

Thwack!

As if one warning shot was enough, Ian pressed the attack relentlessly. Every time Chronie’s spear clashed with Ian’s magic, thunderous booms echoed through the air.

“Damn it, Chronie. You’re tougher than I thought.”

“Even if Ian’s holding back because of the soldiers, Chronie’s putting up a good fight.”

The mages maintaining the protective barrier atop the wall muttered among themselves. Instead of wide-area explosive spells, Ian was using magic focused solely on striking Chronie—trying to avoid collateral damage to the regular troops.

“Let’s deal with the soldiers first. Then Ian can go wild.”

“Sir Xiaoshi! This way! Over here!”

The mages signaled to Xiaoshi. From his vantage point, he could spot gaps in the enemy formation that others couldn’t see. Coordinating with the officers, Xiaoshi let out a sharp shout and swung his sword in a wide arc.

“Gah!”

Thunk!

Whiiing!

The horse reared up, and using the momentum, Xiaoshi sliced through an officer’s neck. Following the mages’ signals, he veered into the heart of the formation.

“Clear the way! Everyone, move aside!”

The plan was to split the enemy line in two. The soldiers recognized that Xiaoshi and Captain Geller belonged to the Imperial Defense Corps, so they didn’t attack outright. If they could divide the enemy, it would be easier to handle them.

Ching! Clang!

Berrick lightly leapt forward, stabbed an officer in the side, then shoved him away with a kick.

“You don’t even need magic, huh?”

“…!”

No matter how battle-hardened the soldiers were, they stood no chance against a magic swordsman—someone who transcended human physical limits.

As the officers fell helplessly, the soldiers panicked, unsure what to do. Their superior was under attack, but the attacker was from the same Imperial Defense Corps. Who should they obey now?

Whoosh!

At that moment, Chronie grabbed a nearby soldier’s arm and yanked him closer. Ian furrowed his brow and bit his lip.

“Chronie, you always—”

Always the same. He never acts alone to achieve his goals. He drags someone nearby into his schemes, using them as shields, weapons, and eventually discarding them beneath his feet. Ian was sick of it.

“…Disgusting.”

Just as Ian prepared to strike Chronie again, dodging the soldier, he noticed something strange swirling in his golden eyes.

“…?!”

Thwack!

Ian straightened and stepped back. Something fishy was definitely going on.

The soldier Chronie held twisted his body unnaturally, coughing harshly, but Chronie said nothing, watching Ian warily—as if warning him to keep his distance.

“Gah!”

“Stop it.”

“Do you even know what you’re telling me to stop?”

“Do I have to? Your tricks are obvious.”

Despite Ian’s warning, Chronie only smiled and continued whatever he was ‘doing.’ The soldier’s eyes rolled back, his body going limp—

“What the hell, you bastard!”

Berrick, face smeared with blood, charged excitedly and swung his sword behind Chronie. Ian tried to stop him, but it was too late.

“Berrick!”

Shiiik!

A swirl of dark energy wrapped tightly around Berrick’s body.

Not a single finger or eyelid could move. Berrick froze, breath caught in his throat. Chronie’s magic had seized him and flung him toward Ian.

Whoosh!

Ian caught Berrick as he flew and fell back with him. The mages on the wall shouted in alarm.

“Ian!”

“What the hell is Berrick doing? Not pulling his weight?”

“You idiot! If Ian gets hurt, you’re dead!”

Berrick grimaced, his whole body aching as he scrambled to his feet. Something was off. He’d just been thrown, but why did his body feel so heavy? This should’ve been nothing—he should’ve jumped right up.

“Ugh, damn it.”

“Berrick, you okay?”

“Yeah. You?”

“As long as you’re good, I’m fine.”

“Ah, sorry. I was a total idiot just now. Embarrassing, huh.”

Scratching his head, Berrick stood up and grabbed his sword again. He definitely aimed it at Chronie.

“…?”

But strangely, the sword’s tip pointed at Ian. Ian raised an eyebrow in confusion, and Berrick looked utterly lost.

“Huh?”

What’s going on? Did he hit his head while flying? Berrick turned to charge at Chronie, but the direction was off again.

Swoosh!

“Hey! Berrick, you crazy bastard!”

“What the hell was that?”

Berrick’s sword struck at Ian. The movement was slow and light enough for Ian to dodge easily, but everyone watching was horrified.

“Uh? Uh, uh?”

The one who took it the worst was Berrick himself. He stared at his own hand and then at Ian, mouth agape, screaming.

“Ahhh! Ian! Ian!”

“…Shut up.”

Ian, still on guard, relaxed his stance slightly. It seemed Chronie’s mind control was working, but luckily Ian hadn’t lost himself completely.

“I feel weird! I must’ve gotten hurt flying here! Damn it, what do I do? I’m already a blockhead, and now this? I’m useless! Just a decoration!”

“Calm down and be quiet.”

“Chronie, you crazy bastard! How are you going to take responsibility? I’ve got a pig-like sister and a rabbit-like little brother! If the Imperial Guard gets cut, you’re paying for it!”

Berrick raged, but Chronie said nothing, eyes fixed on Ian, ready for any sudden attack.

“It’s mind control, Berrick.”

“What? What control?”

Ian spoke loud enough for everyone to hear. This was proof of why Soif had shown such blind loyalty and how the palace officials had been rallied.

“Unable to gain legitimacy, they rely on things like this. Chronie, if you have a mouth, say something. Tell me what it feels like to use the power of the underground god.”

Mind control, or puppetry. A traditional sorcery passed down mainly in the north, centered around Toorun. Its foundation was believed to be the underground god who appeared during the great war a hundred years ago. And now, Chronie was openly displaying it like this…

“Do you find it pathetic?”

Ian’s question made Chronie chuckle.

“Pathetic?”

As if it was a perspective he hadn’t considered but found amusing.

Chronie believed he was chosen. Whether it was the underground god or some transcendent being, he knew what it felt like to be blessed by a higher power. As Chronie grinned, Berrick twisted his body in a frenzy.

“Hey! What did you do to me? I swear I’ll kill you!”

“Berrick, was it?”

Snap!

Chronie snapped his fingers, and Berrick’s body lost all free will, moving as if possessed. His eyes widened in shock.

“Watch closely with both eyes open.”

“Hey! You—!”

Swoosh!

Berrick attacked Ian repeatedly, completely against his will. At first, Ian dodged lazily, but the speed soon increased to the point where he had to focus on the sword’s tip.

“You’re going to kill Ian with your own hands.”

“Bullshit! Ian dying by my hand? I’m the one who should die! He’s been stuck in a tunnel for ten years, clueless about the world. Wait, hold on! Wait!”

“You dying will be quite a sight. Whatever happens, it will be entertaining.”

Because seeing Ian’s expression when he fails to protect someone precious again will have its own meaning.

Ian dodged the attacks while glancing at Chronie. The dark energy swirling around was spreading, creeping among the soldiers.

‘No way…’

Chronie was showing his full power without holding back. Could it be… the soldiers too?

“Xiaoshi!”

Ian called out, searching for Xiaoshi. From afar, Xiaoshi was trying to calm the troops but shook his head.

“Pull back with the outer soldiers and form a wall! Don’t let them reach the city center! And palace mages—under no circumstances touch the black energy!”

Shhhhk!

The black energy slithered like a snake past the soldiers’ feet, and with every passing moment, the light in their eyes faded. Ian lightly deflected Berrick’s next strike and jabbed a fist into his side.

“Ow! That hurts!”

“So you do feel pain.”

“I’m not doing this on purpose! You’re putting emotion into it, aren’t you?”

“I’m not doing it on purpose either. I was just debating whether to knock you out.”

Ian glanced at Chronie, who stood still. His movements had noticeably slowed since the mind control began. Was his right leg bound?

‘Still…’

His expression looked bad.

Chronie swallowed hard several times, struggling to steady his dizzying mind. If he spat it out, it would surely be blood. He couldn’t let Ian realize there was a limit to his mental manipulation, so he fought to maintain his balance and calm his breathing.

Thwack!

“Ugh!”

Smack!

“Gah!”

Crunch!

“Ian!”

Ian kept pounding on Beric’s fists, keeping a close eye on the situation.

The mages, too, watched in shock and concern, pitying Beric. No matter how immune he was to being hit, going up against Ian like this had to hurt…

“But wait a minute.”

The mages sensed something strange. Judging by the state of the soldiers around Chronie, they seemed to be under a similar mental manipulation as Beric, yet…

“Why is Ian completely fine?”

“Huh? Yeah, that’s weird.”

Magic? But there was no visible shield or protection. Above all, the mages weren’t confident they could maintain their minds facing that dark energy. At the very least, Chronie’s magic was overwhelmingly stronger than theirs.

“Ah.”

Naum let out an involuntary breath.

“…The royal blessing.”

He’d heard that those who carry the royal bloodline were immune to mental manipulation—and it was true. Looking down at Ian, who moved lightly on his own, Naum felt an inexplicable reverence. The first noble mage, bearer of the royal blessing.

‘Is this the limit?’

Meanwhile, Ian looked at Chronie thoughtfully. The soldiers seemed caught in mental manipulation but showed no movement, and even Chronie, who had the chance, was frozen in place.

‘Now, while I’m dealing with Beric, this should be my opportunity.’

Ian wouldn’t kill Beric. No, he couldn’t. That meant he could use this to launch a counterattack anytime.

“Beric.”

“Huh?”

Beric frowned, answering with a scowl, as if trying to muster strength.

“There was a clue in a book.”

“What book? I don’t read books.”

“It’s briefly mentioned in the royal archives, and more importantly—”

From the Hielo Chronicles.

“How to break free from mental manipulation.”

“Really? What is it?”

Instead of answering, Ian conjured a magic orb in his hand. Ziiing! The sudden burst of light drained the color from Beric’s face.

“It’ll hurt like hell, but you won’t die.”

“I-Ian?”

“So you have to resist with all your might, Beric.”

“Huh? Uh, uh? Aaah! Spare me! Spare me! Chronie, you bastard!”

Ka-BOOM!

Ian slammed his magic-charged fist into the ground with force. The black energy that had hung like mist was swept away helplessly by the wind.

Beric froze in surprise, blinking slowly. The dark energy had vanished without a trace. Yet the black silhouette still stood firm.

“What is that…?”

Grrr.

Chronie finally lifted his head, half his face melted away like some kind of monster.