Owner of the Throne

Every nation has a founding myth.

In Rakis, a hermit dwelling in the mountains took up his sword, defeated evil, and became king.

In the Holy Kingdom, three clerics received divine revelation and established their foundation in a sacred place.

In Tyr, a fisherman who received a spear from the god ruling the seas gave birth to a nation.

In Rezhen, a divine beast commanding the vast mountain ranges bowed its head to the king, heralding the nation’s prosperity.

And Illumina’s first king was said to have become king through the people’s acclaim after defeating all calamities with the special power of sealing.

The nation Pernok lived in during his previous life was the same.

Throughout the ages, every nation has established the majesty of kings who sing of prosperity.

For Pernok who had to birth a new nation, a legendary “myth” was necessary.

Rather than the infamy of being a king invaded by Rakis.

Rather than the hollow reputation of being the world’s first mercenary king.

Heroic and overwhelming majesty.

He craved that special word commonly called “dignity” in the Netherworld.

Therefore, Pernok designated Yuliana as his final target.

He would brand her as the evil threatening the nation by leading an army exceeding 100,000 and conquering multiple castles.

And Pernok would punish them single-handedly to demonstrate the king’s majesty.

Yuliana fell perfectly into the trap laid to showcase overwhelming difference.

Now that Tyr had withdrawn to the side, there was nothing left to worry about.

Whooong!

The artifact facing the 100,000-strong army released a deep cry.

Having entered Full Body Weaponization state, all enemy attacks now converted into Pernok’s power.

“Come.”

The dry words penetrated Yuliana’s ears with certainty.

Though he had stirred from a distance, the meaning was clearly conveyed.

It was the chilling will to defeat the 100,000-strong army single-handedly and kill Yuliana too.

Now that Morfo had betrayed her, she had no other choice.

“Charge.”

“Princess!”

“Tyr betrayed us! Pernok set up this entire scheme from the start! We can’t retreat from here, and I have no intention of dying quietly either!”

Yuliana released mana reaching level 7 and shouted resolutely.

“If there’s even a thread of hope, it’s only in beheading the arrogant Pernok!”

Conta gritted his teeth and raised his command baton high.

Blue energy fluttered and the prepared formation activated.

It was a wedge formation that would devastate the enemy with heavy cavalry at the front, advance infantry after, then receive support from mages.

Neeeeeigh!

Horses raised their hooves high and spread thunderous cries.

Soon, hundreds of cavalry charged.

The opponent wasn’t an army of tens of thousands but merely an individual.

Yet there wasn’t even the slightest tremor in their raised lances.

More carefully and precisely than ever, they tried to pierce their target.

BANG!

There were no screams.

In one strike, the heavy cavalry vanished without a trace.

Only the hoofprints that had trampled the earth proved they had been alive.

Pernok finished the 35th circulation and shouted.

“Come!”

At that moment, Yuliana and Conta felt chilling goosebumps and let out scream-like sounds.

“Advance!”

Thousands of new cavalry came forward, and tens of thousands of infantry followed behind.

Arrows and magic rained from the air, and Yuliana too charged into the battlefield together with Conta.

The sight of swarms like ant colonies rushing blackly at an individual made those watching from above feel dizzy.

However, when Pernok finished the 40th circulation, everyone was left dumbfounded.

Woosh—!

Pernok, who had absorbed even the attacks raining down like a shower into his entire body and added them to his circulation, burst with light.

It was like the sunlight spreading at dawn.

Just as sunlight rising beyond the mountains spreads light across the world, the light starting from his sword very carefully spread and soon covered the world.

The cavalry charging fiercely.

The infantry at the vanguard thrusting spears.

The countless magic spells and arrows in the air.

And the numerous mages.

Everything approaching Pernok vanished the moment it touched the light.

“……”

Yuliana found herself kneeling without realizing it.

Thousands died in a single strike.

Tens of thousands of troops remained.

She could order another advance.

However, that majestic spectacle just now had stolen her will.

She had known Pernok was a Magus.

She had assumed he might have even reached S2.

The formation was created accounting for even that.

Though it had been disrupted by Morfo’s betrayal, this wasn’t a 100,000-strong army that would fall helplessly.

The sight of elite forces that had guarded Illumina’s borders for long years dying without leaving even a trace wasn’t included in any situation she had anticipated.

No one could stop Pernok walking silently forward.

No, they didn’t try to stop him.

With the whitish light enveloping his entire body, he looked like a god commanding the battlefield, so they lowered their weapons.

“I thought you’d resist more fiercely.”

The whitish light enveloping him burst out in all directions.

Soon it became a vast space swallowing this entire area, making many tremble once again.

“Is this, all you have?”

When the indifferent voice stabbed deep into her lungs, she reflexively unleashed magic.

However, the magic dissipated without even grazing Pernok’s hem.

‘Before overwhelming military force, all strategy and tactics are meaningless.’

Only after facing Pernok could Yuliana recall the memory of when she first learned military strategy.

Though she never imagined the subject would be the bastard who had first formed an alliance with her.

“You intended this from the start.”

“Didn’t we both think of it as a temporary alliance?”

“Did you… mock the competition?”

“The competition you know never existed from the beginning.”

Pernok pointed his sword tip at Yuliana’s neck.

“Regardless of the era, a king should be one who makes their nation prosperous. Because there are countless fools who became king by finding a single tomb, Illumina ultimately came to this state.”

Each meaning contained in his words stabbed into Yuliana’s chest like daggers.

“Using fear of me to string along the border garrison wasn’t bad. But did you think I’d overlook the thoughts you’re capable of? I know the best tactics yet can’t prevent them—that’s how I see it. In that situation, you completely failed to do anything to overturn my expectations.”

“So, you strung along Morfo?”

“Tyr easily joined hands with me.”

“Jan won’t stay idle.”

“I know you love Jan dearly. And I know that Jan will become king.”

“Tyr will attack you.”

“I’m hoping for that.”

The corners of Pernok’s mouth curled up.

“I have absolutely no intention of ending with Illumina.”

“Ho… hahahahahaha!”

Mad laughter echoed widely across the silent battlefield.

“I see. That’s how it was. However, that choice of yours will ultimately strangle your neck and sicken this land!”

“Because I’ve already collapsed once, I won’t repeat the same mistake. I’ll use this situation you royals created very usefully.”

Yuliana shed tears of blood and shouted.

“I’ll watch even after I die! The sight of everything you’ve built shattering to pieces!”

“You won’t have that leisure.”

Pernok smiled wickedly and put strength into his grip.

“All those who became my enemies go through complicated processes in the Netherworld, you see.”

And the lightly swung sword beheaded Yuliana.

“You should worry about whether you can even reincarnate first.”

That was the last voice Yuliana heard in the lower realm.

Soon her soul shot up to the Netherworld.

When her lifeless body fell to the ground, Pernok shook off his sword and looked around at the crowd.

“I knew this nation’s immorality and took up the sword myself to correct the wicked falsehoods! However, those who should have guarded the borders dared to dance to the traitor’s tune, raised swords against the king, and incited you to weaken the nation’s strength!”

When Pernok drove his sword into the ground, the mana transmitted through space met with sound and spread a majestic resonance.

“Rezhen and Tyr also acknowledge my righteousness. Why then do you point swords at the new king you should truly serve! Cast down your weapons immediately and beg forgiveness for past wrongs! If you do, I will sincerely regard you as my people and look upon you with compassion!”

“D-don’t listen to what that bastard says…!”

The moment Pernok’s wrist moved.

Slash!

The necks of Conta and his officers fell in one strike.

And when the trumpet announcing victory rang out from within the fortress, tens of thousands of border garrisons lost their will to resist and laid down their weapons.

“W-we greet Your Majesty!”

“Glory to Your Majesty!”

“To Illumina’s future!”

As the quick-witted rushed to bow their heads, the tens of thousands paid respect to Pernok like a wave.

Pernok dispatched all prepared officers to the border garrison.

They quickly took command of the forces, reorganized them, and completed preparations to send them back to the borders.

And Morfo, who had been closely watching the situation here, approached.

“I congratulate you on your victory.”

“Thank you. Thanks to you, things went smoothly.”

To make Yuliana believe she kept winning, false information had to be spread. The trusted Morfo was the perfect person for that task.

‘Though I felt uneasy about His Majesty’s judgment, this was an excellent choice.’

Morfo couldn’t forget Suira’s first order to abandon Yuliana.

He had wanted to continue the bond as the princess’s patron, but he couldn’t refuse the king’s command.

He’d felt doubtful even while proceeding.

He kept having misgivings about whether this judgment was truly for Tyr’s sake.

However, the moment he witnessed Pernok’s majesty overwhelming the 100,000-strong army, all worries vanished cleanly.

‘I couldn’t do what King Pernok did either. How could even an S2 Magus turn all these systematically organized people into ash in one strike?’

If wide-range Magus Arts were used, one would inevitably collapse from exhaustion.

However, Pernok showed not a trace of fatigue.

After observing the shocking sight, Morfo was certain.

‘A new S3 Magus will be born in this world.’

Barely in his early-to-mid twenties, he had raised a nation.

That military force and strategy were in no way insufficient to overturn the world’s balance.

If this young man displaying absolute being’s majesty protected Illumina for just 10 more years, he believed without doubt it would birth a powerful nation that even Rakis couldn’t disregard.

“It was all possible because Your Majesty displayed exceptional strategy.”

“You’re unexpectedly skilled at gilding.”

“I only stated facts.”

“Remember this. And I’ll meet King Suira as soon as my coronation ceremony ends.”

“May I inquire about the agenda?”

“If I say coast, you’ll understand.”

Though it was words he hadn’t heard before and difficult to understand, he felt that something much deeper was involved in this alliance as compensation.

Morfo bowed lightly.

“Understood. And if there’s anything you need from Tyr in the future, please do seek me out.”

“I’ll think about it.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Morfo smiled wickedly and turned around.

Watching his back as he rejoined Tyr’s forces, Pernok asked Sallio who approached.

“Where is Duke Flemyr?”

“He’s joined with Prince Salavan now and said he would drive out the traitors.”

Pernok had sent a grand army totaling 20,000—mixing the ducal army with royal forces—to Rezhen together with Flemyr.

It was to drive out Zayl, seat Salavan on the throne, and block the momentary gap left by the border garrison’s departure in the form of an alliance.

“From now on, begin work to restore the castles conquered by Yuliana. As soon as all chaos subsides, we’ll proceed with the coronation ceremony, then invite the allied nations to establish boundaries.”

A massive wall blocking and pressuring Rakis.

Pernok’s orders spread quickly, and the chaos was resolved before long.

Chris, who had returned to Rakis, immediately had an audience with the Emperor.

Only an unknowable voice flowed out from the throne wrapped in darkness.

“So, how was Illumina?”

“There was one miscalculation.”

“You made a mistake?”

“I didn’t know the Holy Kingdom had formed an alliance with Pernok.”

“That cunning Sacred Emperor finally crosses the line.”

“However, we gained far more.”

“I thought you’d say that. So, what did you bring?”

Chris raised his head and reported to the Hegemon Emperor in the darkness.

“A method for Rakis to unify the world.”

At that moment, amber eyes flashed from within the darkness.