Emperor's Reckoning

Malik's lips trembled as he looked above, there was a person that had the same back as the man that he used to look up to in honor and pride. The latter's bare feet were visible and the clothes that he wore were something that even lesser than a commoner, however, the bearing that was exuding under that shredded cloth was something that of a ruler.

Warm liquid started to flow from his cheeks as Malik knelt under Reich's confused eyes.

"Opened your eyes wide and bend your knee Reich, you are under of the one and only, His Majesty, Yoji!"

The words were heard by the people who were still flabbergasted by the three princes' fall whilst Reich's eyes opened wide in disbelief.

(Who?! Emperor Yoji, you say?! But... that man...) thought Reich as he noticed that the man was young enough to be his own younger brother. He never saw how Yoji in his prime looked like. However, he noticed the older citizen bend their knees despite using a cane to stand up.

"G-grandfather, what are you doing?!"

"We are in the presence of the emperor of this empire. The one who rose to fame and power before building this country from the very dirt," said one of the old humans.

"That's right," said one of the old demi-humans as he knelt on one knee, "The emperor's vision was right and just, he never even thought of putting this chain around our neck. It was not his decision! Yet you young lads jumped in conclusion."

"Our generation wanted peace of the two races! Yet your generation was fooled!" said both of them at the same time.

The young ones didn't understand. They never even saw the emperor with their very own eyes. The palace tightly forbade anyone of any kind to enter but the royalty and some special individuals. All they knew was that a law was suddenly enforced upon them without any further explanation. The one who made the law in their mind was no other than the ruler of the empire.

They didn't know the severity of the situation and could only see it with one eye open. The constant skirmishes against the demi-humans and them being captured as a slave. The dark acts were visible since they were little kids. The human took it as a fortune while the demi-humans took it as a misfortune. The false of being born a certain race and the blessing of being born as the other.

"Captain, do we attack or not?" said one of the knights.

The captain that wore a black armband woke from his stupor as he nodded with a trembling voice, "Y-yes, CHARGE!!!"

"CHARGE!!" shouted the whole army with a defining tone that trembled the empire's eardrum.

"Raaa!" Malik suddenly leaped above everyone else as he alone charged forward against the incoming knights with both of his arms opened.

"You heard him! Raaa!" the demi-humans banded together and picked up their weapons against red armband knights.

It was an impossible fight, they knew. The sheer number and quality were vast as heaven against the earth. However, there wouldn't be any more chance other than the current moment.

"Ma art: Burning Glow!" shouted Malik as he let out the first assault against the vast army. The force from his punch ignited the mana before a huge flame was thrown forward.

"R-run!" shouted one of the knights seeing the incoming fireball at the size of a meteor coming straight at him and his team.

"Aaaah!!!" the screeched of burning men immediately signaled the first blood of the war.

"You are wide open from here!" a shout made Malik immediately look up and saw a spear-wielding knight pointed his thrust at him.

"Die! Ex-commande—" the attacker opened his eyes wide as his pupils shrunken seeing a figure suddenly appeared right in beside him (Black knight?!).

"Ruffus art: Buoyancy of Lightning!"

The black knight leg had a spark of lightning before it kicked the spear-wielding knight upward.  One could see a thrust of lightning coming out of his back upon impact. The jolt of electric current woven his body before his figure was sent flying upward.

Landing right beside Malik, the latter asked with a smirk, "So you have finally found your answer."

"No, I'm still searching for it, am I loyal or am I a slave. I want to know the answer!"

Malik furrowed his eyebrows before he said, "What the fuck are you talking about?!".

He left him standing there before joining another fight.

The black knight crossed his arms before shouting, "Men! We will protect the empire!"

(I'm no slave! I will prove it!) thought Reich as he heard the warcry of his armada.

*tap *tap

Tuey was running down from the palace (I'm not going to stand still and be useless!). A healer had joined the battle.

Meanwhile above, Lyon was looking at the back of the man in front of him with a smirk without giving any regard to the battle below. He slowly approached him before smacking the back of his head.

*pak!

"Ouch!"

"Heh, does having your hair back feels that good that you forgot about me?" teased Lyon.

Yoji showed both of his palms in front of him as he repeatedly shook his head, "N-no Your Majesty, of course not! It's just that..." he took a glance at a certain direction before Lyon follow through.

"Hmm... so that's Ghuaisha huh?"

Yoji nodded his face turn grim.

"Direct most of your attack toward both men above you! If we are going to win and quell down the rebellion of those nasty hairy human wannabe, we need to kill both men above!!" shouted the empress frantically.

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Lyon smirked and crossed his arms, "Looks like your wife, want you dead now."

"Your Majesty you jest, hahaha! A bitch is more appropriate." Yoji chuckled as he excused himself and stood in front of him. Facing against the thousands of flying knights with each of their weapons ready to rip his gut, he let out a smile.

"Hoo? Are you not going to let me have some fun? Can you even handle that much? You are still recovering you know," teased Lyon.

"Please don't underestimate me, Your Majesty," he knuckled his fingers and stretched his neck. I may be nothing but a driver, but the thing that most people don't know is that" Yoji smiled, "The title of becoming your driver, your charioteer, is much more significant than being an emperor."

Lyon shook his head, "Alright alright, stop kissing ass, you remind me of someone, an archer to be precise."

Yoji grinned, "Than he must be a good archer!"

"Bet! Now go Little Yoji! Show them what it means to be my charioteer! The charioteer of Tetragram Chariot!" shouted Lyon.

"Of course!"

The empress shouted, "Be careful everyone, the person you are about to face is the most powerful man in this world!"

Yoji put two fingers in his mouth before he blows a whistle that almost stopped the entire motion of the war.

"Let's go, old friend!"

*NEIGH!

The four stallions didn't hold back as the entire palace broke down with a single gallop. They were climbing the air as if they had their own road as they didn't let single debris touched their manes. The chariot didn't hold back its speed as it went toward Yoji before the latter jumped and swiftly stood.

"Hah, stupid, if you charge like that, all we need to do is split up into two!"

The army of flying knights was moved in unison as they split up to two sides each to avoid the crazy chariot.

"Please, you know nothing of Tetragram Chariot! Go!"

The front-most pair of the horse suddenly split up and went their own way to the knights' disbelief. Both sides immediately raised their shield in an attempt to reduce the impact. However, the metal was as soft as paper as the horse headbutt it. Blood immediately gushed out but the two horses didn't even get their speed reduced. With how big their size was, the knights stood no chance of keeping the lives.

The two of them ran around like a pair of stars that plowed down their whole formation. The screeching agony was heard as they all gradually falling down. There was no escape route as the horses keep running around and chase the group.

*BANG

One of the ships exploded as the chariot ran through its body. Then another one, then another one. The charioteer was smiling before the chariot destroyed onother. One by one they were brutally split in half.

Lyon crossed his arms as he looked at how his Little Yoji was playing around with the naval fleet of the enemy. What could a ship made of wood even do against a chariot that could withstand the spatial storm itself?

Yoji furrowed his eyebrows before he led the chariot to a certain ship. The ship was easily destroyed in half before the chariot went upward.

Lyon raised his eyebrows as he noticed that Yoji was grabbing someone by the face. The man he grabbed was already badly hurt and won't have a long time to live if he was not going to be treated. Of course, Lyon knew who it was, he was the one who made him suffered those injuries.