Chapter 288 – Conductor (1)

The white skeleton birds were crossing above the fire.

Cale could feel Rosalyn and Chief Harol looking at him, however, he continued to look at Duke Huten and the white skeleton birds as he started to speak.

"An orchestra without a conductor will fall into a state of chaos."

He could see Huten starting to cough up blood.

"Duke-nim!"
"Captain-nim!"

The Empire's knights started to shout. There were also soldiers who looked anxious.

Who could have expected this?
Who could have expected the Sword of the Empire to be defeated by a barbarian who couldn't use aura and an unknown swordsman?

They were now in a state of chaos.
For the orchestra that has lost its conductor…

"We just need to instill fear into their hearts."

It didn't matter whether the melody was destroyed or not as it was over once fear was in their hearts.

Cale had been pushing for battles with the lowest death count until now. He especially made sure that the innocent soldiers were not killed if possible.
That was the reason for it.

"Priest-nim."

Cale nodded his head and looked toward Choi Han as Harol called out to him.

Cale gave an order to the set of red eyes underneath the helmet that were looking at him for a different reason than why Duke Huten was looking at him.
He was the other conductor on this battlefield.
Whose music would sweep over the battlefield? That would depend on the ability of the conductor.

"Drag him and run."

Raon delivered his order to Choi Han.

– Choi Han! The human says to drag him and run!

Choi Han started to run.
His sword was still stabbed in Duke Huten's side while his hand was around Duke Huten's neck.

"Duke-nim!"
"C, Captain-nim!"

The chaos had reached its peak.
They could hear knights shouting from around the battlefield. All of the members of the First and Third Knights Brigades were in a state of chaos.

"Ugh! Y, you bastards, what are you trying to do?!"

Duke Huten raised his hand that was still holding onto his sword and activated his aura once again even as he was being choked by Choi Han and had Choi Han's aura causing damage inside of his body.
He then tried to swing his sword toward Choi Han who was dragging him.

"Not so fast!"
"Ugh!"

The wrist that was holding the sword twisted in an odd direction. Duke Huten could see Toonka smiling after twisting his wrist.
Toonka then smacked the Duke in the face.

Pow!

"Ugh!"
"Kahahahaha! You're nothing! The Sword of the Empire is nothing!"

Toonka sneered at the bloodied Duke. He was sneering so much to the point that it was annoying.
The chaos in the minds of the Empire's knights quickly turned to anger after seeing Toonka's actions.

"That Whipper barbarian dares to mock the Sword of the Empire!"

The Captain of the Third Knights Brigade who was heading toward Maple Castle's gate turned around and shouted toward the others.

"Save the Duke-nim!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Y, you barbarians! Stop right there!"

The Third Knights Brigade started to move with their Captain in order to rescue Duke Huten, their commanding officer and the Sword of the Empire.
Even the First Knights Brigade followed behind them at a distance after hearing their Vice Captain's orders.

"Soldiers, stay alert! The Knights Brigade will rescue the Duke-nim and punish those two barbarians!"

The Vice Captain of the First Knights Brigade who remained with the soldiers tried to rally them forward.

"Let's open the gate for the Duke-nim to see when he returns!"

"Aaaaaaah!"

The Empire's soldiers shouted as they rushed toward the narrow pathway once again. They looked like a tsunami made of people.

"Block them! Poke them with your spears!"
"1000-man Commander-nim! The injured enemies just end up being pushed toward us because too many of them are coming at us!"
"Resist! We need to persist until the Commander gets back!"

Maple Castle's gate was filled with chaos.

"Rosalyn-nim! The enemy mages are using water magic!"

The Empire's mages were not just standing still. They were creating water in an attempt to get rid of the wall of fire.

"Resist! Continue to cast fire magic!"

Rosalyn continued to cast fire magic in order to prevent the wall from going out.

Oooooooong-
The highest-grade magic stones slowly roamed around the top of the Whipper Kingdom's mages heads. However, the mages were focused more on maintaining the wall of fire than on the highest-grade magic stones.
The enemy's water spells seemed to be endless.

It was at that moment.
Rosalyn and Harol heard Cale's voice.

"Move the warriors."

Harol closed his eyes.
The main gate into Maple Castle. The reason that the Empire's soldiers and First Knights Brigade were unable to get through the gate was because of the Whipper Kingdom's soldiers and warriors.

Toonka and Choi Han were running in the opposite direction of the main gate with Duke Huten, however, the warriors maintained their positions by the main gate while the Third Knights Brigade and half of the First Knights Brigade chased after Toonka and Choi Han.

'It will be difficult for the soldiers to hold on if the warriors are moved.'

It would be difficult for the Whipper Kingdom's soldiers.
Harol knew that this would be the case.

He then slowly opened his eyes.
He was smiling.

He picked up a trumpet.
This was the first time.
This was the first time that the Whipper Kingdom's side would use a trumpet. It would also be the first time the chiefs would head out to battle.

Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu-
The sound of the trumpet sounded over the battlefield.
Toonka's left-hand woman, the spear warrior Pelia, responded to the trumpet.

"Save Commander Toonka-nim!"

The warriors started to move away from the main gate as soon as she shouted. They started to run toward Toonka and Choi Han.
Chief Harol moved toward the gate at the same time before using amplification magic in order to start giving orders.

"Activate the first layer of defense!"

The gazes of the 1000-man Commanders quickly changed.

The Whipper Kingdom fought without much strategy involved. The Empire looked down on them because of that. They called them a gathering of fools.
However, almost close to three years had passed since their first battle with the Magic Tower.
Although they did not have much history, it was still enough time to set their foundation.

Clang! Clang! Clang!
The soldiers started to activate the first layer of defense.
Chief Harol's voice sounded throughout the gate.

"Persist! Attack!"

The soldiers started to use their bows and spears to survive even with the inconsistent order.
The Vice Captain of the Empire's First Knights Brigade shouted at that moment.

"The warriors are not there! Sweep them away!"

It was time for them to aim for the gate.
The Vice Captain of the First Knights Brigade fully believed that the Empire's Knights Brigade would be victorious even if the Whipper Kingdom's warriors went to help Toonka.

"Ugh, just what are you planning?!"

Duke Huten glared at the helmeted Choi Han even as he was being dragged.

The aura that was attacking inside his body was stronger than his own.
The bastard who was hiding that aura was slowly running away on purpose.

"Duke-nim!"

The Empire's knights who caught up to Choi Han and Toonka created a circle to surround them.

"Everybody, focus on rescuing the Duke-nim!"

The Captain of the Third Knights Brigade gave the order.

"You can kill the two of them if we cannot rescue the Duke-nim without doing that!"

'You crazy bastard!'

Duke Huten tried to open his mouth and say something to the Captain of the Third Knights Brigade.

'Kill him? You think you can kill a sword master?'

They might be able to do so, but the majority of the attacking knights would be seriously injured even if they succeeded. There was also Toonka. The Whipper warriors were headed over as well.

Duke Huten had to give an order to the Captain of the Third Knights Brigade after knowing about all of this.

'Don't step in!'

That was what he needed to say. He opened his mouth to speak while trying his best to suppress the pain from Choi Han's stronger aura.

"Don't- ugh!"

Pow!
Toonka's fist smashed into Duke Huten's face again. He then sneered toward the Empire's knights.

"Forget the Sword of the Empire, he's just a weakling of the Empire."
"Y, you damn son of a bitch! How dare you!"

The pupils of the knights were about to roll over in anger. The Captain of the Third Knights Brigade shouted toward Toonka who was still running in the opposite direction of the main gate even though he was surrounded.

"You are surrounded! Release the Duke-nim! You will be the ones to die if we fight!"

Duke Huten could see the helmet heading toward him at that moment.

Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu-
He could hear the Whipper Kingdom's trumpet.
The red-eyed sword master grabbed Huten by the hair and made him look up.

"Look."

He could see the clear sky.

"N, no!"

Duke Huten's pupils started to shake.

He could see a large white spear cutting through the sky.
It was a spear made of the five white skeleton birds.

That spear was aiming for one specific spot.

"…T, the alchemy tower...!"

The tip of the white spear was pointed toward the black tower.
Chief Kanelle who was at the front of that spear started to shout.

"Aim for the black tower with the Lion tribe!"

The other black towers had mages and alchemists who were focused on attacking, but the alchemy tower with the Lion tribe was focused on protecting the Lions.
That was why they were aiming for this tower first.

Although Chief Kanelle could not see behind him, he could feel the emotions of the four other Dwarves behind him who were controlling the other birds. It was probably because they were aiming for the Lions who had oppressed them in the past.
That was why he clenched his fists and shouted as Edrich the Lion glared at him.

"We can do it!"

Kanelle's body flinched at that moment.

Shaaaaaaa-
He could feel the wind touching his body becoming less powerful. He could feel an invisible barrier being created around him.

It was covering his body as well as the bodies of the other Dwarves. It was also covering the white skeleton birds and this entire white spear formation.

Chief Kanelle grabbed onto the white skeleton bird's reins.

'He's here. That esteemed sir is here!'

It had happened when they had arrived inside Maple Castle with Rosalyn. That was when Commander Cale had introduced them to the great and mighty individual they wanted to hide away from because of fear.
Cale had said the following.

'He'll be there with you.'

The Flame Dwarves controlling the birds all heard a voice in their heads.

– Little Dwarves! I will help you!

They could hear the voice of a Dragon.
The Dragon's invisible shield covered the Dwarves and the white skeleton birds.
Chief Kanelle recalled what Cale had said.

'Although this is an incomplete bird and not the firebird that I had in my mind, this should be enough for the first battle.'

'The Dragon will protect your wings.'

Chief Kanelle opened up the white skeleton bird's wings.
The tip of the large white spear opened up.

"Do they want to die? Crazy bastards!"

The Lion Edrich was feeling astonishment and contempt toward the Dwarves that had not disappeared.

"You think you can take down our Lion tribe like this?! You weak bastards who only know how to serve others!"

Edrich and the other Lion were quickly covered under a magic shield.
The Empire was choosing to protect the Lions. The Dwarves did not attack.

They would get hurt as well if the white skeleton bird spear crashed into the alchemy tower.
Regular bones could not destroy that tower.

However, the Dwarves recalled a conversation that they had in the past.

'Paint the bones white.'

White skeleton birds.
However, their true identities were that they were black skeleton birds.

The bones that were fortified with the necromancer Mary's dead mana were stronger than that black tower.
Furthermore, the Dwarves and the white skeleton birds would not get injured.

– Little Dwarves, I will protect all of you!

The Dragon said that it would protect them all.
This was the first time. A Dragon had never protected them before.

The Lion Edrich started to shout.

"You'll only be killing yourselves! You stupid Dwarves!"

Chief Kanelle shouted at the top of his lungs in return. He had never shouted that loud before in his life. Everybody around them could hear him.

"You dumbass Lion bastards! I will make you fall flat on your asses!"

That shout made it difficult for the Lions to hear the voice of the pale mage who was looking at the spear.

"A large-! There's a large barrier protecting those birds!"
"What?"

The alchemists and Lions responded too late.

Boooooooom!

The white spear pierced through the alchemy tower.

The white spear and the Dwarves controlling it were fine because of the Dragon's barrier. The Flame Dwarf Chief laughed at the slowly falling Lions while he floated in the air with flight magic and shield magic.

They he shouted once more.

"One more!"

This was just the beginning.
The Dwarves could feel the strength of their allied Dragon and realized how strong the black skeleton birds made by a necromancer were. They did not have anything to fear.

"The sky is ours!"

The chief shouted that out loud as he opened up the bird's wings.

Baaaaaang!
Baaaaang!

The black towers started to fall one by one.

Duke Huten could only blankly watch it happen.
However, his head was lowered before he could watch all seven towers crumbling down. There was black blood flowing out of his mouth.
The helmeted swordsman was staring at him.

The red-eyed Choi Han slowly started to speak.

"I dragged them here on purpose."
"…Ah."

The Duke let out a gasp.

Choi Han was saying he had drawn the Third Knights Brigade and the First Knights Brigade here on purpose.
Huten could see Maple Castle behind Choi Han.

Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu-

Duke Huten's gaze lost all strength after hearing the trumpet.

Magic spells were shooting up from the castle.
Tens of offensive magic spells were headed out of Maple Castle.

Rosalyn shouted from on top of the castle wall.

"Everybody attack!"

Something had happened to the highest-grade magic stones that were roaming above the Whipper Kingdom's mages who were focused on maintaining the wall of fire. Those magic stones let out bright lights before starting to crumble.

Crackle. Crumble.

The Whipper Kingdom's other strength and the past dominating strength of the kingdom.

Magic.

The spells of the mages who had focused on their research for tens of years shot up into the sky.

They were all heading for the same spot.

They were aiming for where Duke Huten was located.
The spells all charged toward that area.

It was headed for this area that was away from the crumbling black towers and the battling soldiers.
It was aiming for where only the Empire's knights and the Whipper Kingdom's warriors were currently located.

That was where the magic spells were headed.

Huten closed his eyes.
He could hear Toonka's crazed voice.

"There is no class or elegance in hell. War is hell."

The Whipper Kingdom's spells then landed on the ground.

Baaaaang! Baaaaang!
Bang, baaaaaaaaaaang-!

Plop.
The Duke was dropped onto the ground.
Once he opened his eyes, he could see the area that was reduced to ashes.

"Ahhhhhhh! The armor that was fortified with magic!"
"Put up your shields!"

He could hear the desperate shouts of the knights through the explosions.
Although their armor had been fortified with high-grade magic stones, they could not compare to spells that were cast with highest-grade magic stones and tens of years of experience.

The knights who were persisting with their shields and destroyed armors were like the poor souls who had fallen into the depths of hell.

However, some of the warriors were used to this kind of battlefield.

"Rip them all to pieces! Kill them all! Don't stop!"

The Whipper Kingdom's warriors.
The people who had magic resistance.
They responded to Toonka's shout and jumped into the battlefield that was exploding with magic.

There were many volleys of spells that some were still headed over.
The Whipper Kingdom's warriors who did not have full magic resistance like Toonka were also getting hurt and bleeding.

However, they let out crazed shouts and laughter as they charged toward the Empire's knights.

"Look! All that is left in the end is the human body!"

Toonka shouted loudly as he grabbed a couple knights by their necks and flung them onto the ground.
The Whipper Kingdom's warriors focused on killing the Empire's knights while not caring that they were using stupid and barbaric ways. They used their hands if their weapons broke while they used their heads or legs if their hands were blocked.

"Kill them!"

Toonka's shout made the warriors move into the hell-like pit of fire as if they were crazy.

The Empire's mages could not help the knights.
They were too busy dodging the pieces of debris falling from the black towers or creating shields in order to protect themselves.

"Ha, haha-"

Duke Huten was flung to the ground and could only blankly stare at what was going on.
He could not see the well-trained and classy Empire's forces.

Everything was destroyed and burning.
The only ones moving around were the bastards who were jumping into the destruction without caring for their lives.

The destroyed conductor could only stare at the red-eyed swordsman who had defeated him.
However, that swordsman was looking at his own conductor.
He was looking at the only person who was still standing on top of Maple Castle's wall, the person who was standing still as if time had stopped just for him.

Cale Henituse.

Choi Han started to speak once Cale raised his hand.

"Looks like this is the end."

The first battle was over.

All of the black towers had disappeared, and the Empire did not manage to break through Maple Castle's gate even after losing the majority of their knights.
Furthermore, Duke Huten was captured as a prisoner of war.

The Sword of the Empire, the strength of the Empire, was destroyed.

***

If you find any errors or have suggestions, please feel free to provide feedback.

Thank you for reading!

[Author – Yu Ryeo Han]

[Translator – Anowa]

[Proofreader – Rai_Mayank]