Side Story: Yuri’s Great Runaway Commotion! (9)

Though Joseph didn’t inspire much confidence, Yuri decided to seek out the castle where the King of Conjed resided.

“So, you finally came.”

“Yeah… I guess.”

It was a place he’d been to before during the War of the Overlords. It was here that he had once encountered the King of Conjed, who had been bewitched by dark magic.

“By the way…”

With Laurent and Jared flanking him, Yuri looked up at the castle.

“Those bastards look like they’re ready to start a war.”

“Yeah.”

Word must have already spread, because the castle was on high alert.

The gates were firmly shut, and countless soldiers lined the battlements, bows drawn and aimed.

“What should we do?”

“Who knows.”

Jared gave a small smile.

“Laurent and I will follow your lead, Your Highness.”

Sighing, Yuri shrugged his shoulders.

“I really don’t want to be the one making all the tough decisions anymore…”

When he fought Cedric, he carried the weight of countless lives on his shoulders. There was no one else to bear that burden but him.

But now, with the world at peace, Yuri didn’t want to live under such heavy responsibility.

Yet fate was pushing him back into the storm of revolution.

A destiny he couldn’t avoid, no matter how much he wanted to.

“Haah…”

Yuri exhaled deeply and turned around. Suddenly, a tremendous roar rose up behind him.

“Long live the Overlord!”

As he marched toward the King of Conjed with the village youths, more and more of Conjed’s people joined the procession along the way, swelling their numbers like a snowball rolling downhill.

Now, it was unmistakably a popular uprising.

All because he had tried to break up a street brawl.

“I knew I brought trouble wherever I went, but I didn’t expect it to be this bad.”

“Even I’m surprised now.”

Yuri closed his eyes.

The will of the enraged crowd pushed him forward.

“There’s no choice. Let’s end this quickly.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Today…”

Yuri spoke softly.

“No one will die.”

He was, after all, an outsider. He didn’t want bloodshed in Conjed. He was sick of wars where people killed and died.

“Everyone, stand by.”

Issuing a brief command, Yuri stepped forward alone.

A massive castle.

Countless troops lurking within.

But Yuri felt no fear.

He muttered to himself.

“The net of heaven may seem loose, but there’s no escaping it.”

Even after the war ended, he kept growing stronger.

Not by design, but because all things were his teachers. Yuri’s sword evolved on its own, reaching new heights every day.

This time was no different.

He had learned something new.

Who could have predicted that after meeting Joseph and being persuaded by him, he would come here to overthrow the King of Conjed?

Pure coincidence.

But it was the king who had defied the natural order in the first place.

Had everything flowed according to reason, Yuri and Joseph would never have crossed paths.

Those who go against the current of fate find the whole world rising against them. Sooner or later, someone would have to pass through that turbulent water.

If it hadn’t been Yuri Briol, it would have been someone else—and far more blood would have been spilled.

“If a role is given to me, I’ll gladly play it.”

Yuri raised his gun.

Perhaps it was heaven’s guidance that this new weapon, forged by humanity, was now in his hands.

As he walked forward, he whispered.

“My gun’s muzzle shines, and the trigger delivers judgment…”

As he approached the castle walls alone, the soldiers of Conjed were taken aback.

From the battlements, a commander urged the archers to attack.

An arrow was loosed.

It flew weakly and embedded itself at Yuri’s feet.

“…!”

The first strike.

The castle’s defenders and the citizens behind Yuri held their breath.

The target of Conjed’s arrows was none other than Yuri Briol.

Once the attack began, there was no turning back.

The war had officially started.

Yuri raised his gun.

But his gaze wasn’t fixed on the enemy. Instead, as if admiring the scenery, he looked up at the sky.

The sun was setting.

He murmured.

“The sunset fades…”

Then,

His gun roared.

Tatatatatatatatatata-tang!

Thanks to Dwarven technology, this automatic pistol transcended the limits of its era, boasting a double-stack magazine holding fifteen rounds.

Fifteen bolts of lightning rained down on their targets.

Fifteen soldiers atop the wall screamed.

“Argh!”

“Ugh!”

“Eeek!”

But the battlements did not run red with blood.

Yuri’s unique shooting technique, developed from his Soul Slash sword style, struck only the intended targets with pinpoint accuracy.

“The bows…!”

All fifteen bows shattered.

The bullets that smashed through the bowstrings grazed the archers’ cheeks or embedded themselves harmlessly in the wall behind—no lives were taken.

Truly, a god-given mastery of firearms.

Yuri realized his gunmanship had reached a divine level, finally becoming a martial art in its own right.

He whispered the name of this new technique he had created.

“Shinhontang—Soul Sweep.”

If a sword cuts down enemies, then a gun sweeps them away.

Yuri’s opening strike crushed the morale of Conjed’s forces. Though the commander urged them on, the soldiers lowered their bows and retreated.

From the start, Conjed’s troops had no spirit.

Their opponent was a hero who had saved the continent.

And the one they were supposed to protect was a king who had plunged the country into ruin.

Who could raise a weapon with a clear conscience?

“Wars without just cause are doomed to fail.”

Yuri strode forward confidently.

No arrows flew as he reached the castle gates.

“Ha!”

He unleashed a furious spinning kick, filled with the anger and sorrow of Conjed’s people.

Bang!

The iron gate crumpled like paper and toppled backward.

Beyond it stood heavily armed soldiers, tense and ready.

Yuri walked in calmly.

The soldiers dared not block his path and parted to either side.

The way opened naturally.

Yuri suddenly stopped before a knight.

“Your name was Axel, wasn’t it?”

“Y-Your Highness?”

“It’s been a while.”

“You remember me…?”

“Of course. I remember your bravery.”

He had fought alongside him as part of the Anti-Empire Alliance.

“Your Highness…”

Yuri smiled and patted the knight’s shoulder before moving on.

Many familiar faces appeared.

Yuri greeted them all with a nod and passed through the troops with ease.

Confidence.

Composure.

He carried the true bearing of a ruler.

No one stopped him as he entered the castle and made his way to the throne room.

There, he met the King of Conjed.

A middle-aged man with a paunch.

“Damn it…”

The king let out a hollow laugh, then straightened and shouted.

“Y-You may be a hero, but you have no right to interfere in another country’s affairs! Do not violate Conjed’s sovereignty!”

“I am not Yuri Briol. I am here as the representative of the people of Conjed.”

“Your words sound convincing, but do you think other nations will just stand by if you meddle in their internal affairs? No matter how heroic you are, attacking a king on your own? They’ll all try to stop you.”

“I have no intention of forcing anything.”

“Then why are you here?”

“First, bring me the imprisoned former king’s son. We’ll talk after that.”

“Imprisoned? That boy plotted treason.”

“The people say it wasn’t treason, but a rightful claim to his rights.”

“Hmph…”

The king gestured sharply.

“Bring him.”

Several knights guarding the throne room moved.

The king forced a nervous smile.

“Are you planning to depose me like this?”

“Who knows?”

“You don’t want to make a big mess, do you?”

“Well, no.”

Soon, the former king’s son appeared.

“Ho…”

Tall and sturdy, he looked worn but his eyes burned brightly.

It was hard to believe this was the same young man once consumed by dark magic.

As he entered the throne room, shackled in chains, he bowed to Yuri.

“Though I became a prisoner by the treachery of serpents, I have never given up my rights. I am Pietro, rightful heir of the Conjed royal family, and I greet you, Your Highness Yuri Briol.”

After his greeting, Pietro looked Yuri squarely in the eyes.

Yuri felt a surge of respect for him.

“Pietro, I’ve heard your story. The people want you to be their king.”

The King of Conjed cleared his throat awkwardly.

“Ahem…”

Yuri ignored it and continued.

“How can I help you?”

“I ask for little. I only wish for everything to proceed according to natural order.”

“Natural order?”

“I!”

Pietro’s eyes blazed.

“According to the laws of the Conjed royal family, I request a duel under the Overlord’s supervision!”

“A duel?”

“If both parties agree, a duel can decide everything. I want to reclaim the throne with my own strength, honorably.”

The King of Conjed clenched his teeth and nervously tapped his foot.

Pietro pressed on.

“I will not rely on anything else. I will fight with my own fists to regain my honor.”

“Very well.”

Yuri turned to the King of Conjed.

“And your answer?”

“How ridiculous. Did I ever have the right to refuse?”

His gaze landed on the gun and sword Yuri carried.

“Fine. I’ll do as you wish! I’ll gladly get beaten to a pulp and fall from the throne in disgrace!”

And so, the duel for the throne was set.

Yuri smiled.

“Everything’s falling into place.”

---

“Your Highness.”

“Uh, yes?”

“What do we do now?”

“I don’t know…”

In front of the castle, a dueling ground had been set up, and before the eyes of the entire kingdom, the king of Konzhed and Pietro faced off in a bare-knuckle fight.

The Konzhed-style duel was exactly that—fists only. Both men stood on the sandy arena wearing nothing but square-cut shorts.

At first, everyone expected Pietro to win.

Just by looking at their physiques, it was obvious.

Pietro’s body was well-trained and toned, while the king of Konzhed was overweight and clearly not in fighting shape.

The early rounds went as expected.

Pietro, who seemed to have formal martial arts training, toyed with the king, mixing quick jabs with low kicks.

The king took blow after blow without much defense.

But then—

“Hyah!”

“Ugh!”

“Lai lai cha cha cha!”

The king endured the punishment until his face swelled, then landed a solid hit that turned the tide.

Using his bulky frame, he pummeled Pietro relentlessly.

“Is that all you’ve got, kid?”

“Ugh… huff…”

“When I was your age, no matter how favorable the odds, I never let my guard down! No matter how many hits I took, I kept my wits about me and waited for my chance! That’s what it means to be a fighter!”

At first, it seemed like luck, but as the fight went on, it was clear it wasn’t.

Yuri groaned.

“How does a guy with a belly like that fight so well…?”

“He really knows how to twist his waist.”

“Why is Pietro throwing punches with his eyes closed?”

“Looks like he got scared after a few hits…”

“There’s no way you get hit just by swinging wildly. That, that…”

“He’s lost it.”

Pietro’s face was swollen and he staggered about.

The king sidestepped and kicked Pietro hard in the backside.

“Right here, you brat!”

Pietro fell flat.

The king, flaunting his plump body, beckoned him to get up with a wave of his hand.

“I don’t hit someone when they’re down. Quit whining, kid!”

“Eek!”

“Come on, come on!”

Pietro charged again, but the king expertly countered.

“Ugh!”

Pietro’s legs gave out and he stumbled, clinging to his opponent.

They grappled and rolled in the sand, blood and dust flying.

They kept switching positions until finally the king was pinned beneath Pietro.

“Ugh…”

Age was catching up with him; his stamina was failing. Pietro was a trained fighter—there was no match for his grappling skills.

“Die! Die!”

Pietro rained down punches from above.

The king’s head snapped side to side, blood splattering.

“Die!”

The pounding was merciless and one-sided.

It looked like the fight was over.

But then—

The king let out a sudden roar.

“Waaaaaaaah!”

His scream shook the arena.

“Lai lai cha cha chaaa!”

Summoning incredible core strength, he shoved Pietro aside and staggered to his feet.

By sheer willpower and grit, he escaped the mount position.

Fighting spirit.

It radiated from that man.

Jared muttered with a sigh.

“This match… it’s impossible to call.”

Both men were battered.

Their eyes swollen shut, lips split.

Their shoulders heaved with heavy breaths.

But—

The king stepped forward, and Pietro retreated.

Determination.

That was the line dividing them.

Yuri whispered without realizing it.

“Impressive…”

At this moment,

the king’s wrinkled, paunchy body looked more magnificent than Pietro’s broad shoulders and chiseled physique.

The fighting spirit of a man charging headlong against his limits was beautiful.

And so, the duel for the throne of Konzhed was moving steadily toward its conclusion.