Genjitsushugisha no Oukokukaizouki - Volume 19 - Chapter 4.2

The two massive beasts struggled as they fell. Halbert’s and Ruby’s minds went blank, but they quickly regained their senses, trying to parse the situation. Below them, Naden and Durga were plummeting, and above, Aisha was also falling.

“Naden can fly! We have to save Lady Aisha!” Ruby shouted into Halbert’s mind, grasping the situation before he could.

“R-Right,” Halbert agreed.

They caught Aisha in midair. Cradled in Ruby’s forelegs, Aisha’s face was tense with genuine fear.

“Th-Thank you, Sir Halbert, Madam Ruby,” Aisha stammered.

“Honestly! Why are you so reckless?!” Halbert exclaimed.

“Naden too. Just watching gave me the chills,” Ruby added.

After that moment of relief, Aisha regained her composure.

“Right! Where’s Fuuga Haan?!”

He should have fallen alongside Durga, but...

Looking down at the struggling Naden and Durga, they noticed a pair of wings gliding towards the ground—Fuuga’s. His wings couldn’t lift him high, but they allowed him to glide even while wearing heavy equipment. Fuuga was descending right on the Kingdom’s main camp.

“Urgh! Even after everything we did, we could only deprive him of his mount!” Aisha groaned in frustration.

“Ruby,” Halbert said as he got to his feet. “Make sure to take care of Madam Aisha, all right?”

“Huh? Hal?”

Before she could respond, Halbert leapt from Ruby’s back.

◇ ◇ ◇

—Kingdom of Friedonia Main Camp

“Not even that can stop him, huh...?”

Those words slipped from my mouth almost unconsciously, I watched the battle unfolding in the air from the Kingdom’s main camp. Fuuga would be arriving soon, and his blade was closing in for the decapitating strike. Yet, strangely, I felt calm.

I had likely shifted into “king mode.” I might shudder later when I returned to a more level state of mind, but for now, my own life felt insignificant in the grand scheme of things. This realization kept the fear of death at bay.

Hey, Fuuga, you understand, right? Even if you win this battle—even if you take my head—it’s not going to change a thing, okay?

The times were changing into a new era—one that could not be driven by any single great man. Should I fall here, the course of events was already set. People would gravitate towards the world of the north. Though Fuuga might be able to bring this country and the Maritime Union to their knees, individuals would ultimately act on their own initiative. The great nation united under a powerful leader would soon crumble.

That momentum was something Fuuga could not halt. The times would cast him aside as someone who had outlived his usefulness. This battle had been decided the moment I released that promotional video. Fuuga’s dream was already shattered. I was only fighting to help Fuuga’s followers accept that the times had changed, and to provide a grand finale for the great man they had entrusted with their hopes.

This battle serves as an elegy for you, Fuuga. While I found myself lost in sentimentality...

“Sire...”

“Sire?”

Ludwin and Excel called out to me. I nodded.

“I know. Now...we just need to end it like we planned.”

It’s curtains for you, Fuuga Haan.

“Ludwin, prepare the you-know-what.”

“Yes, sire.”

“Excel, be ready to raise a ball of water at any moment.”

“As you request, sire.”

Once I had given Ludwin and Excel their orders, I took a deep breath. After holding it for several seconds, I gently exhaled, which helped me calm down. I looked at both of them.

“No matter what happens, stick to your roles. Absolutely. No matter what.”

Their faces tensed at my words.

“Are you saying we should not act even if you’re in danger, sire?” Ludwin asked, visibly shaken. I nodded firmly.

“Yes. This battle is nearly over. It’s more important for Excel, who is in charge of the plan for the final strike, and for you, who can lead our armies in my place, to survive right now than it is for me. You absolutely must not confront Fuuga.”

“If you talk like that, Carla will get upset again,” Excel warned, covering her mouth with her fan.

Oh, right. I did get scolded during the Amidonian War, didn’t I? Back then, I had tried to shield my heart from breaking by acting like “the system known as a king,” but that wasn’t the case now. After reflecting on it, I’d realized that if it meant protecting the children waiting with Roroa in Venetinova, I was prepared to sacrifice my own life here.

“If I come out of this intact, she can yell at me all she wants. And so can Liscia and the others, for that matter,” I said with a shrug. Then, steeling myself, I added, “I’m counting on both of you.”

◇ ◇ ◇

As Fuuga glided towards the main camp where Souma was located, he wore a feral smile on his face. He had used everything at his disposal to come this far, employing enough forces to wage a global war. He had dispatched his retainers to various fronts and even sent his wife, Mutsumi, and his loyal mount, Durga, into battle. Now, he was within reach of Souma.

He had sacrificed everything to arrive at this moment. In other words, he faced an opponent who pushed him to give his all. For Fuuga, who possessed overwhelming power and charisma, the emergence of such a formidable foe had been pure bliss. He was intoxicated by a sense of satisfaction unlike anything he had ever experienced in his life.

“Ha ha ha! I see you, Souma!”

Finally, Fuuga’s tigerlike eyes locked on Souma, who stood in the main camp. Though he was in a location protected by his soldiers, only a few people were immediately around him. The thinness of the guard surrounding him was noticeable.

He’s inviting me in...? Is it a trap? Fuuga thought.

In all likelihood, this was an attempt to lure Fuuga. If he charged in carelessly, a trap or trick would undoubtedly await him. But Fuuga didn’t care; he didn’t hesitate. No matter what trap he was jumping into, he was determined to dismantle it and confront Souma. That was how Fuuga Haan lived his life.

“All right, let’s settle this, Souma!”

He had gotten close enough for them to see each other’s faces. As Fuuga braced for landing, his feet pointed downward like those of a hunting bird of prey, Souma made his move.

“Ludwin!” Souma shouted, raising his right hand.

“Whoa?!” Fuuga gasped as he lost balance in the air. He had been gliding steadily until that moment, but now he was falling straight down.

As he descended, Fuuga spotted a machine a short distance away, positioned behind Souma.

Damn! It’s that magic-sealing weapon, huh?

Unlike the cannonball type used by the Kingdom in the Gran Chaos Empire, this was a stationary magic canceler. While the area of effect was similar, the stationary model could be easily turned on and off since it stayed near the user. Celestials and other winged races relied on magicium for flight, so losing the ability to use it would cause them to plummet from the sky.

You’re using that here? It’s clearly a countermeasure against me.

This weapon would have given them a significant advantage in battle, yet they had reserved it specifically for Fuuga. This demonstrated that the Kingdom was more cautious about Fuuga himself than about his retainers and armies.

For a moment, this thought amused Fuuga, but then he slammed into the ground. “Guh...”

Instinctively, Fuuga rolled to dissipate the momentum of his fall, but it wasn’t enough to avoid injury. He sustained several wounds beneath his silvery armor, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t fight. Given the adrenaline pumping through his system, this level of pain was practically negligible.

Fuuga readied his Zanganto and rushed at Souma. The commotion caught the attention of the guards in the main camp, and they swarmed towards him.

“Your Majesty!”

“Don’t let him get any farther!”

“The enemy is wounded! Surround him and press in!”

“Out of my way!!!” Fuuga shouted.

With the magic canceler activated, no one—friend or foe—could use magic. Despite this, a single swing of Fuuga’s Zanganto sent the swarming guards flying as if they were rubber balls. The terror of this display forced the guards to switch tactics and attack him with bows and arrows, but most of their shots were easily cut down by his blade.

Several arrows had lodged themselves into his armor, but none had inflicted a fatal hit. This was because the arrows that had penetrated were the ones he had deemed less dangerous. Although he couldn’t possibly fight at his full strength after the fall he had endured, Fuuga’s martial prowess was still remarkable.

Finally, Fuuga reached Souma.

“Hey, Souma. Thanks for the warm welcome.”

“I’m actually trying to chase you off at the gates, though...”

As Souma spoke, he drew his sword, which caused Fuuga’s eyes to widen in surprise.

“You’re gonna fight me instead of running away? You?” Fuuga knew Souma’s weakness and Souma knew Fuuga’s strength. Even wounded and unable to use magic, it was like a turtle fighting a tiger. “A slow turtle like you doesn’t stand a chance against me.”

“Running’s not an option for me right now... I’ve got to keep you tied down here, even if it means using my own life as bait.”

“You’ve still got a plan? Then in deference to your bravery, I’ll put you down with one blow.”

Fuuga raised his Zanganto and swung it down at Souma’s head. Souma angled his sword, hoping to parry the blow. It was the same move he had once used in the refugee camp to defend Juno from a brigand. But this time, he wasn’t facing some two-bit thug; he was up against the great man of the era, Fuuga Haan.

Snap! His sword broke without managing to redirect the attack, and Fuuga’s blade slashed from Souma’s left shoulder to his chest.

“Gwagh...”

As Souma’s eyes widened in surprise, red blood seeped through the tear in his black military uniform. The intense pain that followed made him drop to one knee and hang his head.

““Your Majesty!”” Ludwin and Excel shouted from a distance.

Meanwhile, Fuuga looked down at Souma...

A shallow cut? My aim must’ve been off a bit. He hadn’t landed the solid blow he’d been expecting. He’d meant to split Souma’s head in two, but the attack had veered to Fuuga’s right, resulting in a gash that ran from Souma’s shoulder towards his chest.

The fresh blood made the scene look dramatic, but the blow probably hadn’t struck anything vital. The damage he’d sustained from the fall and the exhaustion he felt had likely affected his swing, making it less powerful than he intended. However, it was also due to Souma’s surprisingly well-practiced parry.

Oh, yeah... This guy’s been ruling a country all this time too.

Fuuga had indeed underestimated Souma. He’d seen him as a weak king, preoccupied with bureaucracy and incapable of fighting on the battlefield—the kind of leader who, when alone and lacking the support of his comrades, would easily be overpowered by a strong adversary.

However, Souma was still a king. While he had reached this point with the help of his companions, it was ultimately Souma who bore the responsibility of protecting his nation and its people.

As Fuuga came to this realization, he felt a deep sense of shame for his arrogance. He had dismissed an opponent who was giving his all, belittling the significance of Souma’s efforts.

But it’s over now. Rest in peace.

He could see Ludwin and the others rushing in. As he swung to decapitate Souma before anyone could intervene, he caught a glimpse of Souma’s face. Despite the pain in his expression, he was smiling...

“Damn it... Looks like you won,” Souma murmured.

“What?”

A sudden admission of defeat. Fuuga paused, unable to believe his ears.

“You won your bet, Owen!”

Just as Souma shouted that...

“Hyahhhhhhh!!!”

Slash!

...a red shadow suddenly dropped onto Fuuga from behind. Halbert had fallen down from the sky, his spear lopping off one of Fuuga’s wings.