The Anti-Imperial Alliance advanced toward Zveta without encountering any resistance.
Although the atmosphere of the Empire was unsettling, the march itself went smoothly. They obtained the necessary supplies in the cities and rested as much as they wanted.
The month Cedric had mentioned had already passed, but nothing had happened. However, everyone knew that this was nothing more than the calm before the storm.
Upon reaching Zveta, they would have to fight the final battle against Cedric, the master of black magic.
Everything done so far had been nothing but preparation for that moment.
Before reaching Zveta, Yuri took a walk around the Anti-Imperial Alliance camp to inspect the state of the troops.
“Hey.”
“Your Highness?”
“I see a lot of tense faces. Are they very nervous?”
“N-no, not at all.”
Upon seeing him, everyone seemed to calm down.
For the soldiers of the Anti-Imperial Alliance, Yuri was practically a symbol of victory.
Knowing that they were marching alongside the prodigy who had reached the Ten Greats at such a young age, and who had never lost a war, filled them with reassurance.
While Yuri was greeting the troops of Liberta, Moyongchan appeared.
“Yuri.”
“Master.”
“Tomorrow is the day. Wouldn’t it be better for you to rest?”
“I’m fine. I think it’s better that I meet with the soldiers.”
“I see…”
Yuri looked at the two knights standing behind Moyongchan.
One was Sven, and the other, a face he saw for the first time. He was a man in his early thirties, with an uncommon aura.
It wasn’t enough yet, but with training, perhaps one day he would reach a level comparable to the Ten Greats.
“Who is he?”
“His name is Eto, Your Highness.”
“Eto.”
Even in his previous life, Yuri had heard that name—a famous knight in Liberta.
Yuri smiled and placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Eto, I had already heard of you. Thank you for joining us.”
“It’s an honor for me, Your Highness.”
In this life, Yuri had not directly influenced Eto, but the change Moyongchan had brought about in him had made him stronger than in the previous life.
“I’ll see you on the battlefield.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Tomorrow he would fight against Cedric. Meeting Eto lifted Yuri’s spirits.
In his past life, Briol had fallen to the Empire without being able to offer resistance. He hadn’t known that Cedric was the true enemy, and the continent had never united to defeat black magic.
But this time was different.
The fact that the entire continent had united was already an enormous achievement.
Moreover, many of the famous figures from his previous life had joined the Anti-Imperial Alliance much stronger than they had been back then.
And, above all, there was him—Yuri Briol, an entirely new being.
He hadn’t tested it, but he sensed that he was now stronger than anyone else on the continent. Not even Fiore, already gone, could compare to him at this moment.
The power of Chaos he had obtained through the Cut of the soul and the heart was that immense. Of course, there was the restriction of the “demonic heart,” but he had managed to endure it so far.
He only had to win the last battle and that would no longer be a problem. Just once.
“Yuri?”
“Ah, yes.”
Immersed in his thoughts, Yuri came back to himself at Moyongchan’s words.
“You suddenly became lost in thought.”
“I was thinking about the battle.”
“I see.”
Moyongchan looked at him and nodded.
“Are you going to keep going around the camp?”
“Yes.”
“Let’s go together.”
“Alright.”
Moyongchan turned to Eto and Sven.
“Remember well what I told you. You may go rest.”
“Yes, Master.”
“Yes.”
It seemed he had invested much effort in training them in Liberta. In that sense, both could be considered Yuri’s disciples.
Leaving the Liberta tents, Yuri remarked:
“If that’s the case, shouldn’t they call me Hyung?”
“Your Highness is above, so it’s probably more appropriate for them to address you that way.”
“I don’t mind.”
“And your demonic heart?”
Moyongchan suddenly asked, changing the subject.
“You handle it with ease… what happened with it?”
Yuri smiled bitterly. So that was the reason he had accompanied him.
As they walked toward the tents of the Confederation of Small Kingdoms, they kept talking.
“I’ll be frank. I can still feel it.”
“Then…”
“But I can endure it.”
Moyongchan frowned.
“Don’t look at me like that, it seems like you don’t believe me.”
“It’s not that.”
“Then why are you looking at me like that?”
“Because if you can overcome the demonic heart, you’re more than an extraordinary man.”
“Then look at me smiling.”
“I don’t think that’s something to smile about.”
“And why not? After all, tomorrow is the last battle.”
They arrived at the area where Brusen’s troops were. Even there, always noisy, an unusual calm reigned.
Upon seeing Yuri, the soldiers greeted him. He responded with a gesture and some kind words. Most were familiar faces from so many battles fought together.
“Were you already in Zveta last time?”
“It’s an honor that you remember me, Your Highness!”
“The honor is mine to see you again. This time we’ll make it.”
“Yes, sir!”
Jose was sitting by a campfire, nodding off. Beside him, Froin nudged him with his shoulder.
“Hey, wake up.”
“Eh?”
Seeing them, Jose half-straightened.
“Ah, Your Highness. Master Moyongchan.”
“You go to bed very early. Won’t it be hard to sleep tonight?”
“In my life I’ve never had trouble sleeping. Hahahaha…”
“How enviable.”
They sat down in front of them, letting the warmth of the fire envelop them.
“How are you feeling?”
“Better than ever.”
And he wasn’t lying. Except for the battle at the border, they hadn’t had more fights.
The imperial lords had cooperated, ensuring abundant supplies.
“I’m glad to hear that.”
“Although I don’t know about the others—the atmosphere is a bit gloomy.”
“There’s no helping it.”
Morale wasn’t very high, but it was because of that strange atmosphere that covered imperial territory the always-cloudy sky, the damp ground, strangely colored stars at night, and a wind that seemed to whisper sinister things.
Yuri knew that his mere presence could give the soldiers strength, and that was why he was there.
“Jose, come with me for a walk.”
“Alright.”
With Moyongchan and Jose at his sides, they marched together. Three of the Ten Greats walking side by side drew many glances.
On the way, Yuri talked with the soldiers. One of them was looking at a folded, worn portrait of a woman.
“Is that your fiancée?”
“Yes! When the war is over, I’ll ask her to marry me.”
Yuri’s face hardened. Bad omen. Anyone who said that in a story died before the end.
Quickly, he planted another hint.
“You look young. How old are you?”
“I’m…”
“What? Eighteen? Incredible, still a boy… That I had to recruit minors is my fault…”
The soldier blinked, confused, but Yuri cut him off.
“Just nod.”
The theater rule—the young survive. That’s how he gave him the “minor” label to “protect” him from the curse.
“One saved.”
“Well done.”
At some point, Francesco had joined them. Now there were four of the Ten Greats together, which further boosted morale.
“We should bring Inariel too. That would make five.”
“I don’t think so.”
“True…”
Inariel was far too independent for that.
“By the way, where is he? Haven’t seen him in a while.”
“How would I know?”
And, as if summoned, Inariel appeared.
“And why do you think that way?”
The four turned around in surprise. The boy with salmon-colored hair, leaning on his staff taller than himself, approached with his usual cynical expression.
“Come on, come on.”
“Inariel?”
“If the soldiers see the Ten Greats together, their morale will rise.”
It was his way of showing that he also took the next day’s battle seriously.
Yuri smiled and moved him forward.
“Wait a second, what are you doing?”
“If he goes in front, it’ll look better.”
“Really?”
“Because of the height, he has to go in front.”
“……”
Yuri led the Ten Greats on a wide walk around the Anti-Imperial Alliance camp.
The soldiers, seeing them, renewed their resolve. It was, literally, a war to protect the continent and their families.
Within the Anti-Imperial Alliance army there was also a squad of ronin.
Cheongun had gone east, but in that time they had all learned enough of the continental language to communicate.
Yuri told them.
“When this war is over, you’ll be able to fully settle on the continent.”
“Thank you.”
All the ronin desired was a fair reward. They all nodded with fierce eyes.
After finishing the tour, Yuri and the Ten Greats dispersed again.
“See you tomorrow.”
“Have a good night.”
“We’ll meet tomorrow.”
“Good work.”
“Rest well.”
Night had fully fallen.
Yuri returned alone to his tent and sat once more in front of the campfire. There was no one around.
“Fuu…”
Zveta was already before them.
He could see the walls in the distance.
Tomorrow, at last, he would fight the final battle against Cedric. Whether it was the God of the Other World, black magic, or the demonic grimoire… he would cut through it all.
He closed his eyes to calm his mind.
Time passed.
Finally, Yuri opened them and glanced sideways at the moon above his head.
It was still there, unmoving.
He clenched and unclenched his fist, then made Chaos rise. Now he could use this power as naturally as breathing.
He adjusted his senses, gauging the shifting possibilities.
He raised that power to the limit and then reduced it, repeating the process several times to expand his boundaries.
Just a little more.
More.
To defeat Cedric tomorrow, he needed to widen even the smallest gap.
“What are you doing?”
Suddenly, a voice rang out.
Looking up, he saw Maryrose sitting across from him, warming her hands by the fire while watching him in silence.
“Preparing.”
“To fight?”
“Yes.”
Yuri stopped what he was doing and looked at the fire.
“Tomorrow will be a tough battle, right?”
“That’s right.”
“We could die, couldn’t we?”
“It’s possible.”
“Hmm…”
Yuri didn’t try to give her comforting words.
Maryrose, who had been studying the scrolls all this time, knew better than anyone the strength of Cedric and the demonic grimoire.
She shrugged.
“I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep from the nerves…”
“Even so, you should rest.”
Yuri smiled faintly.
Thus, the two of them had a light conversation, far too trivial for the eve of a battle.
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“Thanks to you, I feel less tense.”
“If that’s the case, I’m glad.”
He had walked the camp to raise the troops’ morale, but deep down he himself was uneasy. Maryrose’s presence lightened his heart a little.
“Of course.”
“Yes.”
“Maybe we’ll die tomorrow…”
Maryrose, resting her chin on one hand, smiled.
“Would you grant me a wish?”
____
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