How many soldiers of the Kingdom had he cut down on his way here? It seemed that Hashim’s reputation as the smartest and bravest of the Chima siblings, which Julius had heard about during his time in the Union of Eastern Nations, was well deserved.
“Julius. Why are you helping this country?” Hashim demanded as he slashed at Julius.
“Hmm? What are you on about?”
“I’ve heard that your father championed the destruction of the Elfrieden Kingdom and was killed while trying to achieve that goal. You should be the one to carry on his legacy, so why humiliate yourself by becoming Souma’s servant? What do you say, Julius Amidonia?”
“Grr... Your rambling grates on my ears. First, let me correct you on one thing!” Julius deflected the attack and pointed his sword at Hashim. “I am Julius Lastania now! You’d best remember that!”
“You’d trample on your father’s wishes?”
“I have inherited some things from my father, yes. The determination of a man from Amidonia, for one. But I also have other priorities that are important to me now.”
He hadn’t forgotten his father’s unfulfilled ambitions, but the members of the Lastanian royal family—his wife Tia and son Tius foremost among them—held far greater significance in Julius’s heart. All he could do for his deceased father was mourn his passing. However, he could do much more for the people he cared about who were still alive. Now it was Julius’s turn to confront Hashim.
“I see... If you’re calling me out on that, it means you’re trapped by the same thing—the curse of needing to fulfill your father’s wishes.”
“Tch!”
“You betrayed your father, Mathew, by siding with Fuuga Haan and ultimately striking him down. But knowing his personality, even that betrayal was aligned with Mathew’s wishes, wasn’t it? That’s why you feel no guilt towards your sister, Fuuga’s consort, Madam Mutsumi.”
Julius looked directly into Hashim’s eyes as he spoke.
“You are driven by the will you inherited from your father, demanding that you ‘use your cunning to its fullest and make the House of Chima’s name resonate across the continent.’ You don’t care how much blood you have to shed to achieve it. It’s all you have, so you move forward without ever hesitating.”
“What of it?” Hashim replied irritably, earning a derisive snort from Julius.
“Your perspective is too narrow. You focus solely on one goal, to the exclusion of everything else, and that limitation constrains you. Even among the free spirits of Fuuga’s army, you may be the least free of all. I’m astounded that you can still call yourself Fuuga’s advisor.”
Influenced by the battlefield around them, Julius’s harsh words became even more cutting. He almost seemed to regain some of the blackhearted nature he had had as the son of the Sovereign Prince of Amidonia. Hashim maintained a calm expression, but it was laced with anger.
“Silence!”
Hashim swung his sword with frustration, but Julius leapt back out of the way. Once Hashim had completed his swing, a large shadow pounced.
“I’ll assist you, Julius!”
Jirukoma attacked Hashim with two kukri-like knives. Hashim blocked one with his sword and kicked Jirukoma in the stomach before the other could reach him.
“Don’t interfere!”
“Gwugh!”
Jirukoma stumbled back a few steps before Julius caught him.
Facing Hashim alongside a recovered Jirukoma, Julius said, “If you could broaden your view instead of focusing on just one thing, you might have noticed the family and friends at your side. It’s not too late to find a wife, you know?”
“How risible. I’ll cut out your tongue and ensure you never speak such nonsense again.”
Taking Julius’s words as a provocation, Hashim readied his sword once more.
◇ ◇ ◇
As intense battles raged all around him, a man slowly advanced. His rock-rending blade, the Zanganto, rested on his shoulder as he rode Durga, the flying tiger, towards the battlefield at a steady pace. Despite the deadly conflict unfolding before him, the man’s heart was calm and relaxed, as if he were merely sightseeing.
This man was Fuuga Haan, the Great Tiger Emperor and the favored child of his era. For him, the battlefield—where blood was spilled and lives were lost—was his daily life, his playground, and his reason for living. He had fought tirelessly to reach this point, building a great nation, becoming emperor, and liberating the Demon Lord’s Domain.
Yet, deep down, he always felt that it was all a dream from which he would eventually awaken. If he were to lose or be struck down, it would all come to an end. And if he fought until the last foe was vanquished, that would also conclude Fuuga’s way of life. He saw no place for himself in the peaceful world that was to come. That was why he had recklessly pursued his path thus far.
But things were about to change. Times were shifting. Now that Souma had introduced a new era, people’s interests were naturally drifting towards it. Fuuga’s heart was already wavering.
This new era could be enjoyable, he thought. He felt an urge to conclude his conflict with Souma so he could rush off to the northern world alone. However, Fuuga bore too great a burden to simply walk away. Those who had fallen while entrusting their dreams to him, or those who had become his victims, would not allow him to retreat until the conflicts of this era were resolved. That was the fate of the great man Fuuga.
Yuriga wanted me to walk away despite that, but... This is the path I chose. I won’t stop until I reach its end.
With the spirits of the fallen urging him onward, Fuuga spurred Durga forward.
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