I am the Monarch

It was an extremely familiar voice; a voice he could never forget.

‘You are… don’t tell me?’

Roan Lancephil widened his eyes in disbelief and once again heard the familiar voice.

[Right. It’s me.]

The voice filled his head.

[Travias.]

The owner of the voice was none other than Travias.

‘How did you…?’

Kicking off the ground, Roan took a large step back to create distance between himself and the generals of the Dark Regiments including Link, the General of No Shadows.

“Kukuku. You seemed to be so full of yourself and now you’re running away again?”

Link scoffed at Roan. The other generals couldn’t hold themselves back and forced their auras out while taking a few steps forward.

But it was then.

“Wait. It was I that gave him a critical wound.”

Link waved his right hand and moved faster than others.

“I’m the only one who can take his life!”

A loud voice resonated inside the battlefield and soon afterwards, Link’s body seemed to have disappeared. He, in fact, threw his body so fast that the onlookers would consider him to have vanished.

“Damn.”

Roan who had been conversing with Travias who had suddenly appeared let out profanities and twisted his body.

“Kuuk!”

The wound on his lower abdomen reopened as pain assaulted his entire body. For an instant, his waist and feet came to a stop and Link did not let that go.

Sphat!

A sharp sound was created as a red thin line appeared from the waist down to the ankle. Link moved faster than the wind itself and swung his dagger and just like his name, both he and his shadows were invisible.

“Kuk.”

Roan clenched his teeth. Although his knee was forcibly bent, his posture did not crumble and stabbing down with the Travias Spear, he forced his body back up.

[You’re in a mess. To think that you weren’t even able to dodge an attack at that level.]

Travias’ voice was heard once again in his head.

‘How in the world did this happen?’

Roan threw out a question while keeping a vigilant gaze at the surroundings.

[Did you forget?]

Travias let out a short sigh and seemed to be disappointed.

Sphat! Pabat!

In the midst of all that, Link moved around Roan at an astonishing speed and overwhelmed him with sharp attacks.

“Kuuk. Kuk.”

Roan tried to respond every time by reaching out with his spear but Link was a lot faster than he had thought. Besides, he wasn’t able to stay concentrated because of Travias’ voice ringing inside his head.

[I’ve told you already.]

A bold voice was heard.

[I live off of your blood.]

“Ah…”

He let out a low murmur because he could now understand the reason why Travias had suddenly appeared. However, he soon made a frown.

‘Wasn’t that only because you were sealed inside the spear?’

[Not really. Whether I’m inside or outside the spear, I can wake up as long as you let out blood.]

Travias replied simply and casually like it was obvious, and it made Roan who asked the question feel disheartened.

[Of course, when I’m outside the spear, I need more blood than when I was inside the spear…]

His voice seemed quite humoured for some reason and Roan made a bitter smile. Thinking back, after absorbing Travias and Flamdor, he had never received a critical wound and hadn’t bled enough to consider himself to be in danger.

[Thanks to that, it took way too much time until I could meet you again.]

Travias quickly added more words.

[Well, I’m nothing but a leftover shell with consciousness though…]

He slurred the end of his sentence.

Indeed, when Roan absorbed Travias and Flamdor, the memories and powers belonging to them had all become Roan’s. However, the problem was that the previous Roan was not strong enough to handle or digest that, due to which it had become sealed deep inside Vertex.

[The current you should be able to use that power.]

Travias continued with an excited voice.

[We will help you use that power.]

In that instant, Roan made a frown.

‘We?’

As soon as he formed a question,

[If the blackie is up, of course, I’ll be waking up as well!]

The voice seemed like it had physically smacked him and woke him up from any sense of drowsiness. It was because the owner of the thunderous voice was Flamdor.

‘How could this…’

He couldn’t understand. Roan did know beforehand that Travias needed to devour his blood to wake himself up, but Flamdor was different. To meet him, there was no other way than to enter Vertex and even that was only possible before he was absorbed by Roan.

Travias answered his question.

[In the process of being absorbed by you, we had lost all our powers. Even our consciousnesses were nearing their ends but suddenly, our consciousnesses were added into one. It was so sudden, and so natural that there wasn’t even a chance to reject it.]

[It was an instinctive process. The consciousnesses that were about to end had been added together.]

Flamdor let out a short sigh.

‘Then you two right now are…?’

Roan slurred the end of his sentence and asked carefully. In response, both Travias and Flamdor’s voices sounded together inside his head.

[One.]

[One.]

It was a startling thing.

The two were exact opposites – Travias was in fact a god race called Felius and Flamdor was a demon race after all. After thinking of all that, there were lots of things that he wanted to ask. He had finally gotten an opportunity to find the answers to all the countless questions that made his head complicated.

‘In fact, I had so many things I wanted to ask you guys.’

Roan wanted to use this opportunity to know what the truth was but Travias’ voice was very resolute.

[Sorry, but we can’t talk about that directly due to the contract between the gods and the dragons. However…]

Flamdor continued from thereon.

[If you properly absorb all our powers and memories that are still sealed, you will be able to know everything.]

It was easier said than done and if that was possible, it wouldn’t have come to a situation like this. Roan bit his lower lips and shook his head.

It was then.

“Kukuku. You’re like a still scarecrow.”

Link’s voice reached his ears. As if he was playing around with Roan, he quickly moved around him and swung his dagger. Countless cuts both large and small were created.

‘It seems that I won’t even have the opportunity to make those powers and memories my own.’

Roan made a bitter smile. The blood flowing out from his abdomen was considerably smaller in amount, meaning that he had lost that much blood. It also meant his life was nearing its end.

It was then.

[No, there will be an opportunity.]

Travias stated with a voice that couldn’t be any more resolute and his voice echoed inside Roan’s head.

[We will become the key for you.]

In that instant, Roan’s eyes were widened.

‘The key?’

He calmly asked back while crouching down.

“Kukuku. Crouching down like a coward!”

Link scoffed and mocked Roan which the generals behind copied.

“Roan Lancephil isn’t much either.”

“Seriously, how embarrassing.”

Sarcastic words left here and there but Roan’s eyes instead became more settled. He curled his body closer in and focused on Travias and Flamdor’s stories.

[Right. The key.]

Travias’ slightly excited voice sounded and Flamdor continued after that.

[We will lift the seal on the powers and memories.]

Roan frowned.

‘Why would you make such a decision?’

He could tell instinctively, that the moment they became keys and lifted the seal, the tiny bit of consciousness left of Travias and Flamdor would disappear. Travias and Flamdor broke out into a burst of laughter at the same time. Although it was the same laugh, it still gave off a different feeling.

[I, for revenge.]

Flamdor spoke first.

‘Revenge?’

When Roan asked back, he quickly formed a reply.

[When the seal is lifted and you have absorbed all the memories, you’ll understand everything.]

He meant that there was no need to explain anything and soon, Travias’ voice replaced him.

[I’m doing it for the Middle World.]

His tone gave off a prankish vibe, but hearing those words, Roan felt his heart quivering greatly and breathed in deeply.

‘Travias, or rather…’

A faint smile appeared on his lips.

‘Felius.’

Suddenly, his head muddled up greatly. Although he couldn’t see it, he could feel Travias’ emotions jolting.

[Has been a long time since I’ve heard that name.]

His tone changed and sounded somewhat lonely.

Roan clenched his teeth and gave a nod.

‘I will accept your wills.’

Hearing that, Travias and Flamdor gave sneers.

[Pretending to be cool huh.]

[If you don’t accept our suggestions, you are gonna die anyway.]

Indeed, Roan currently wasn’t in a very good situation.

“Kukukuku! Fun! It’s fun!”

Link was still swinging his dagger while moving around nonstop. Every time he moved, a red line appeared on Roan’s body which was already starting to be painted red.

“Link! Finish up faster!”

“Father’s going to be waiting for us!”

The other generals urged Link to be faster while giving out yawns.

“Kukuk. I get it. I get it.”

With a bright smile, Link waved his hands. He then stood right in front of Roan and bent his knees slightly.

“Before you die, I’ll let you see my fastest speed. Ah! You won’t be able to see it huh? Then…”

His smile deepened.

“Try feeling it.”

When he was saying that, Roan was also bidding farewell to Travias, or rather Felius and Flamdor.

[I’m counting on you.]

He heard both Felius and Flamdor’s voice at the same time.

‘Don’t worry.’

Soon, Roan’s own voice filled his head and that marked the end.

In that instant.

Shook!

Somewhere deep inside his body and heart, Vertex shook greatly. At the same time, it felt like a dam sealing up water had been shattered as tremendous aura and memories came flooding out. Feeling the warmth from that, Roan closed his eyes faintly.

“Die!”

But Link’s attack was already right in front of him. The sharp dagger dissected the dimension and aimed itself at Roan’s forehead.

“No!”

“Your Majesty!”

Manus Persion, Aerea Britz and several other knights shouted at Roan with eyes filled with pain and sorrow. However, all of a sudden, the aura that had been swirling around inside Roan’s body couldn’t hold itself back and started pouring outside.

Kung.

The earth trembled following a deafening noise. At the same time, a gentle breeze appeared and blew in a spiral with Roan at the centre.

Hwaaaaak!

Dusts on the ground quivered and floated up.

There was no such thing as a soaring of flames, a massive gust, or bright light being emitted. There was only an uprise of dust that covered the area including Roan himself and Link.

“Kek. What? What’s this…”

“What’s this dust all of a sudden?”

“Damn. Isn’t Link way too excited?”

“Hey, we know more than anyone what his skills are. He has no skills that could bring up dust like this.”

The generals of the Dark Regiments lightly waved their hands and blew the dust away.

Sphat!

With that, the dust that had been filling up the battlefield disappeared in an instant as it revealed Roan and Link.

“Ah…”

Manus, Aerea and other knights who had been in despair saw Roan and let out low murmurs. The appearance that represented the God of War – the reddish-black hair, eyebrows and pupils were no longer there but instead, his hair was dyed dark grey, his eyebrows were now coloured black as his pupils reflected off deep red light.

From his body, a strange atmosphere, aura and pressure overflowed out.

“Kuk! This bastard…”

Link was startled but it wasn’t because of Roan’s change in appearance. His quivering pupils were pointing at the dagger which he had stabbed out with force, which was now grabbed between the left index and middle finger of Roan who had been unable to fight back.

“Eek!”

With all his power, Link tried to pull the dagger out, but no matter how much power he put in, the dagger did not budge a bit. It was as if it had been stabbed deeply into a solid piece of rock.

“Oi! Link! What are you doing?”

“How long are you gonna play around for?!”

The generals of the Dark Regiments shouted with annoyed expressions.

“W, wait! I’ll finish it right now!”

Link made an awkward smile and once again tried to pull back the dagger. In that instant, Roan’s fingers separated slightly as the great force grasping the dagger immediately disappeared.

“Uh?!”

Link who had been pulling with all his force lost his balance due to the sudden turn of events and fell back. Because he was pulling the dagger back as hard as he could, the speed and force behind his dive towards the ground was also impressive.

Kugugung!

Deafening roars sounded as rocks splattered around

“Kuuk!”

Link took steps back with a frown and appeared like he was bouncing off. His face was evidently filled with confusion but Roan’s face on the other hand, was very calm. Roan’s crimson pupils were also deeply sunk and stayed still but inwardly, he was grasped by a myriad of emotions.

‘These powers and these memories…’

Goosebumps appeared all over his skin as the puzzle pieces started coming together.

‘I need some time to organise and completely absorb this great amount of memories and powers.’

He touched his abdomen with his left hand and discovered that the blood had stopped flowing. In fact, the brutal wound that was there was also completely sealed, and if not for the red scar left behind, it would’ve been impossible to tell that there had been a wound in the first place.

‘This battle…’

Roan glanced around the battlefield and could clearly see the shapes of the generals of the Dark Regiments including Link. It felt like Kalian’s tears had also improved by two or three levels.

‘I must end it fast.’

It wasn’t a battle that required a lot of time. With a deep breath in, Roan stared at Link.

Flinch.

Link trembled his body unknowingly.

‘D, damn. I’m trembling against a mere human…’

He clenched his teeth and forged a relaxed expression on his face.

“This bastard who had been crawling around like an insect suddenly became so full of himself.”

He was forcing out an insult to hide the quivering of his body.

“I’ll show you the highest level of speed once again.”

Link pulled up all the energy inside his body and then,

“Die!!!”

Kicking off the ground, he let out a loud roar.

Sphat!

He disappeared like he had been an illusion.

“Oh!”

“Fast!”

The generals of the Dark Regiments showed their admiration but Roan’s face did not change in the slightest as the same faint smile stayed on his lips. He slowly, very slowly reached out with his left hand.

In that instant,

Paak!

A heavy noise reverberated as Link showed himself again,

“Kuhuk!”

With a moan filled with pain.

“I, impossible.”

Link frowned like he couldn’t believe what was happening. His eyes gazed down and saw a tough hand grabbing onto his neck with the owner being none other than Roan.

Crack.

His fingers dug into the neck.

“Kuuk!”

Feeling the suffocating pain, Link tried his hardest but could not break free from the grasp tightening around his neck.

‘I, I can’t break free.’

He realised that there was no normal way to escape here.

‘T, there is still a possibility.’

Link rolled his eyeballs to the side and gazed at Roan, forming an exhausted and servile expression.

“P, please, let me go. Kuuk.”

It was a humiliating situation but as long as he survived here, he would be able to counterattack as much as he wanted.

“A, as long as you let me live, I’ll fight for yo…”

Before he could finish his sentence, Roan replied shortly with a cold expression.

“Die.”

As soon as he said that, his fingers completely penetrated Link’s neck. It appeared like Roan was just forming a grip with his hand but Link’s head was ripped out from his body and rolled on the ground.

It was a sudden death.

“Link!”

“Damn!”

“That idiot!”

The generals of the Dark Regiments that had been watching on formed surprised expressions and screamed because Link who had been overwhelming Roan throughout the fight suddenly lost his life.

“That damn bastard!”

“A mere human!”

“Kill!”

They raised their voices and ran in towards Roan. Seeing the generals flying in towards him, Roan made a cold smile.

“Like moths to a flame, come to me.”

A soft voice was carried by the wind while Roan’s left hand moved gently towards the sky.

“I’ll burn you all.”

That was like an incantation itself. As soon as he finished his words, flames appeared on his left arm which was pointing towards the sky. The flames spreaded without a definite shape and despite there being close to no wind, it expanded like it was carried by a gust of wind.

“Hmph! You think you can block us with this sort of fire?!”

“Flames again! How laughable!”

The generals gave scoffs and swung their weapons towards the flame and,

Chiiiiiiik.

Everything was burnt leaving behind not even an ash. The only thing left behind was the sound of objects burning and the generals that had jumped into the air were no longer visible.

A complete annihilation.

Suddenly, a heavy silence covered the battlefield. Let alone the knights, Manus and Aerea, even the generals of the Dark Regiments and their soldiers stopped their movements and stared at Roan. Feeling the gazes falling down at him, Roan slightly moved his feet.

Paat!

And then, he vanished.

“Mhmm?!”

“Uh?!”

The generals of the Dark Regiments widened their eyes and looked around but couldn’t find a single trace of Roan.

Then,

Kwaaaaaaaaaang!

The ground shattered following an ear splitting noise.

Kugugugugung!

The earth, hills and even the air trembled slightly.

Kuung!

After a dull noise, the vibration stopped. A massive hole appeared at the ground which had originally been flat. In the middle of that hole stood Roan.

“Kuuk. What in the world is happening?”

“Damn! The ground collapsed all of a sudden!”

“Is it an earthquake?”

The generals looked at each other and made frowns. Roan, who had been standing still raised the Travias Spear.

“This here…”

A soft voice dug into the ears of the listeners.

“Is your grave.”

It was a sort of declaration and at the same, it was a sentence given by Roan.

Tat!

A light noise and Roan vanished.

“Kuak!”

“Kuk!”

The hole was soon filled with cries of pain. What was waiting for the generals and soldiers of the Dark Regiments, was none other than annihilation.

<A Bloody Battle (11)> End.