Chapter 344

Gaffel felt his body moving ahead of his thoughts, fueled by a boiling rage that made his molars ache as he clenched his teeth.

“Even children—how dare they exploit even children without hesitation!”

No matter how many knight orders had sided with the Court Duke, Gaffel had tried to understand.

Each commander had their reasons, and not all could uphold honor like Felix.

Even if their allegiance differed now, they were still knights of virtue—or so Gaffel had believed.

But this scene shattered those beliefs, leaving him with an indescribable sense of betrayal.

It was intolerable that the so-called glorious knight orders of the Empire would stoop to such vile tactics.

"Form ranks!"

At Gaffel’s command, a group of ten knights rushed forward, shields raised.

Lacking proper gear, they couldn’t use the usual large tower shields for their formation, resorting instead to smaller round shields.

But they didn’t care.

The rage coursing through them wasn’t Gaffel’s alone; it burned in every knight there.

"Uoooooh!"

With a battle cry, they unleashed their mana in unison.

Flash!

A surge of blue energy erupted, condensing into an intangible wall of iron.

“They’re not part of the knight order… The Court Duke even brought in mercenaries?!”

Surveying the enemy, Gaffel noticed figures who didn’t belong to any knight order among the attackers.

But instead of dampening his resolve, the realization stoked the fire of his pride.

The idea that these brigands were being used to desecrate the capital only fueled his righteous anger.

"Prepare for impact!"

At Gaffel’s command, the shield wall glowed brighter with blue light.

Boom!

The cavalry charging at full speed collided with the barrier, scattering horses and riders alike with devastating force.

Some were even hurled into the air, their armor crumpling under the impact.

The knights raised their swords, ready to strike down the dismounted riders, but Theo’s voice stopped them.

"Stand down! Do not kill them!"

Though confused, Gaffel obeyed and called the knights back, retreating as Theo approached to join them.

"What about the children?"

"They’ve served their purpose."

Theo’s voice was calm but cold, knowing that the enemy had already achieved their goal by using the children as pawns.

"This situation is unsettling," Gaffel admitted, glancing back at the children lying unconscious.

"If they dare to harm them further, they will pay the price," Theo said, his voice low and menacing.

Even he hadn’t realized how sharp his tone had become, a reflection of the anger simmering within him.

"The rendezvous point is still ahead, but Captain Ascold’s knight order is stationed there."

"Captain Ascold?"

Theo paused briefly to think.

“The commander of the Third Knight Order…”

He had only heard the name before but knew nothing about Ascold’s combat style.

It didn’t matter, though. Theo saw no reason to hesitate.

"The defenses have been fortified. Once we break through that point, the rest of the journey to our base will be swift."

"So that’s the final blockade," Theo mused, observing Gaffel’s slightly tense expression.

Amidst the storm of emotions swirling within him, the strongest emotion shining through was resolve.

“This man is still crucial to Felix.”

From the way Gaffel led his troops earlier, Theo could see his strength and integrity.

Such a valuable ally could not afford to fall here.

"You and your men should withdraw. I’ll break through alone."

"What?!"

Gaffel’s eyes widened in shock as he stared at Theo.

It wasn’t about doubting Theo’s abilities—he knew full well the man’s strength.

But Gaffel couldn’t accept the notion that Theo didn’t recognize the knights’ resolve or understand why they had taken up this fight.

"We came here to bleed alongside you, not to be protected."

Gaffel’s spirit flared as he spoke, and Theo realized his mistake.

Among all the knight orders, the Golden Lion Knights were renowned for their honor.

To dismiss their resolve was to insult their very purpose.

"I apologize for my careless words and acknowledge your determination. But this is not the place for you to shed blood."

Theo’s sincere apology softened Gaffel’s indignation.

It was rare for any noble to admit fault, let alone apologize so directly.

"Very well. We’ll withdraw and wish you luck."

With a nod, Gaffel signaled his knights to retreat, each dispersing in different directions.

Ahead, Theo saw the blockade Gaffel had described.

“They’ve prepared thoroughly in such a short time…”

The streets were lined with explosive magic circles, archers, and mages, all under the protection of a magical barrier.

Buffs from the mages strengthened the already formidable defenses.

But to Theo, it was all meaningless.

"Do they think this can match the Absolute Barrier of the Mage Tower?"

The same so-called unbreakable barrier had fallen to Theo’s blade before.

Though he felt no real threat, Theo remained cautious.

Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud!

The Triple Core roared louder than ever, resonating like the harbinger of doom for his enemies.

As Theo gripped Caliburn, its blade pulsed with sharp aura energy.

Ascold, noticing Theo’s approach, issued a command.

"Fire everything!"

Shoom!

A volley of arrows darkened the sky, aimed not just at Theo but at his retainers as well.

"They still don’t understand who they’re dealing with," Theo muttered.

Responding to his words, Lodbrok raised a hand toward the sky.

Boom!

A massive wave of mana surged through the air, its hum resonating in the bones of everyone present.

The arrows halted mid-air, suspended as if time itself had stopped.

"Reverse."

At Lodbrok’s command, the arrows turned around and shot back toward the blockade.

"Raise your shields! Hurry!" Ascold shouted, his voice trembling with urgency.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Clap!

Lodbrok clapped his hands, and the arrows disintegrated into harmless fragments before they could strike.

Whizz! Whizz! Whizz!

The sharp sound of piercing air followed, and a high-pitched resonance overwhelmed the ears of the knights.

The disorienting noise caused several to collapse on the spot.

"Impressive," Theo murmured, a rare note of admiration in his voice.

"This is the least I can do," Lodbrok replied, smirking.

The enemy formation crumbled far too easily, making the activation of the Triple Core seem unnecessary.

"St-Stop him!"

Though Ascold and a few others barely managed to stay standing, they were powerless to impede Theo and Lodbrok’s advance.

With a mighty leap, Theo vaulted over the fallen knights and continued forward.

“Where is Felix?”

Theo scanned the rooftops, searching for his ally.

Spotting Felix signaling from a distance, Theo adjusted his path and sprinted toward the designated location with Lodbrok at his side.

Meanwhile, the Second Apostle received the report of Theo and Lodbrok’s escape with a calm demeanor.

"As expected, the dragon was with him," the Second Apostle remarked, unfazed.

"Dr-Dragon?"

The Court Duke’s eyes widened in shock.

A creature of legend had entered the capital, yet the Second Apostle spoke of it as if it were a mere nuisance.

"To think he escaped with his retainers intact. It would have been amusing to see his face if we’d taken their heads."

The Court Duke trembled as he groveled in apology, but the Second Apostle regarded him with nothing but cold disdain.

Still, not all had been in vain.

The First Knight Order, in pursuit of Theo, had engaged the cultists disguised as commoners.

The resulting casualties would serve as justification.

"Send an official extermination order to all vassals. Announce that Theo Ragnar, after assassinating the Emperor, has begun massacring innocent civilians."

The Court Duke’s smile grew as he envisioned the combined armies of the Empire marching against Ragnar.

The extermination order spread swiftly across the Empire, reaching even the ears of Black Dragon.

"This is dire," Black Dragon muttered, his face grim.

He knew the accusations were baseless. Theo Ragnar would never assassinate the Emperor, let alone harm innocent people.

"Lord Robert, what’s the matter?"

"Our lord has walked into a trap. Not just him—Ragnar itself has become the target."

The Plum Blossom Sovereign frowned deeply, and Cassandra’s earlier warnings about the gravity of the situation now seemed all too prescient.

"The journey ahead will be fraught with danger," Black Dragon said gravely.

At his whistle, Julius descended from the sky astride a wyvern.

"What’s happened?"

"Prepare for battle and maintain vigilance. We’re marching in formation."

Even Julius couldn’t hide his unease as he listened to Black Dragon’s explanation.

"Explain in detail."

"Ragnar has been framed, and every vassal army in the Empire has turned against us."

"!"