Battle Race in the Fantasy World

EP.128 We Decided to Call This a Disaster

What on earth is going on here?

Two powerful figures who disappeared to another place after destroying one side of the castle wall.

The last scene we saw was the Wave Tamer Arcane fiercely pressing forward.

And Kyle, who was rushing at Arcane with a smile.

Boom! Thud! Crash!!-

The vibrations clearly felt even from afar and the aura that seemed to squeeze one’s heart.

Because of this, the Lord of Pardal Island, just an ordinary person, could only wait.

Not only that, but all others in the castle are also holding their breath and merely watching.

No one dares to step forward. The fight happening over there now is not one for humans.

It’s a battle between those who have thrown off the limitations of human existence.

Getting involved in that would be like a shrimp caught between fighting whales.

“Um, my Lord.”

Turning his head, he sees several knights and soldiers.

Their faces all wore the same worry and fear.

“I don’t know what’s suddenly happening. I wonder how it will turn out…”

“Don’t worry. The Wave Tamer will ultimately be victorious. There’s no need for everyone to be so tense.”

“Ah… Yes. I understand. Hearing you say that, my Lord, puts my mind somewhat at ease.”

When the top shakes, naturally the bottom shakes too. In fact, it sways even more violently.

Conversely, even in an urgent situation, if the top remains firm, the bottom doesn’t shake.

Knowing this, the Lord of Pardal Island hid his own anxiety and answered thus.

‘I may have said that, but…’

He too is anxious. More anxious than anyone else on this island.

For others, not much changes regardless of the outcome.

But it’s different for the Lord himself. If Arcane kneels, he loses his authority.

They talk about power, wealth, and connections, but in the end, the world is concluded by strength.

In the face of the logic of power, authority, wealth, and connections are of no use.

If by any chance the Wave Tamer loses, he will be bound tight by that logic of power.

‘The Wave Tamer, Arcane losing would be a terrible thing. I hope it doesn’t happen. But if he really does lose, what should I, what should this island do?’

The one at the very top must prepare for the worst-case scenario.

Even if the probability of that happening is extremely low, even if it absolutely must not happen.

That was both the duty and the curse placed upon those like himself.

‘Kyle, who came from the Empire. Kyle Jonathan. What he wanted was one thing.’

The members of the hardliners who fled from the Alliance. And something they brought with them.

Until just now, he had pretended not to know, but he couldn’t keep that up forever.

He didn’t even mention any other parts. He thought for sure that would be mentioned.

The most sensitive issue, namely the ‘Imperial subjugation’ of Pardal Island.

‘Surely he wouldn’t have come all this way alone. Is the Empire nearby? The Emperor might have given direct orders. Yes, that must be it. With everything happening in the West, there’s no way the Emperor of the Empire would let someone like that go.’

In reality, even the Emperor didn’t have the confidence to control him, so he didn’t even think of trying to catch him.

It was merely a reflection of the Lord’s inner thoughts, overly cautious of the Empire due to his ancestors’ experiences.

Kyle’s, the Empire’s goal is solely the hardliners of the Alliance.

There was no mention of anything else, nothing related to Pardal Island or the southern seas.

As the Lord of Pardal Island continued to ponder deeply, he let out an exclamation, ‘Ah!’

‘Is that it? The Empire, are they testing us right now?!’

The next questions that arise. What kind of test? Why are they testing?

Those aspects too began to surface in the Lord’s mind before long.

‘…Having subdued the West, are they now turning their eyes to the East? Yes, they’re going to push back the nomadic tribes. I’ve heard that those guys come in to plunder every year, giving the Empire a headache. They want to subjugate them, but it’s impossible with any ordinary force, and as for raising a large army, until now they couldn’t because they were concerned about the Alliance and us in the South….’

Now the political situation has completely changed.

The Empire broke its silence and rose up, and in the process, the Alliance fell in an instant.

They must have gained confidence. They probably think it’s fine to charge eastward now.

In that process, how they will deal with the South, that’s the important part…

‘They’re asking me, asking us. The Empire, the Emperor! The Alliance has collapsed on its own, and now they’re turning their eyes elsewhere. Either you act wisely on your own, or you’ll be pushed back before the nomadic tribes, that’s what they’re saying!’

If the Emperor had heard this, he would have burst into laughter, utterly dumbfounded.

He hadn’t thought of it at all, but he’d be quite grateful if they thought so.

However, the lord of Pardal Island firmly believed his prediction was correct.

After all, wasn’t someone who claimed to be from the Empire fighting with his best swordsman right now?

Boom, boom…

“My lord. It seems to be over.”

“It’s over?”

“Yes. The rumbling had been dying down for a while, and now it’s completely silent.”

So, so who’s the winner?! That’s the most important thing.

If the Wave had swallowed the Empire’s strong one, the Empire would reconsider its thoughts.

If the one they sent, whom they considered somewhat promising, had lost, our reputation would rise.

Naturally, they would likely try to persuade rather than pressure the South.

On the other hand, if the Wave Tamer had lost, if Kyle Jonathan had won…

‘Then, I’ll have to find a way to survive on my own.’

The lord, with eyes wide open, tried to make out the figure approaching from afar.

It’s too far, and the dust rising all around makes it hard to see clearly.

This makes him even more anxious. More uneasy. His heart is pounding wildly.

Finally, it became close enough to identify who it was with the naked eye.

“…Ah. Aah…”

The lord of Pardal falls back on his behind.

The owner of this massive island, and also the leader of the anti-Empire faction.

Even though he fell flat on his back, no one around him comes to his aid.

More precisely, they couldn’t come to his aid.

The sight before their eyes was too overwhelming to care for anyone else.

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**

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Screech, scree-eech-

“He’s disgustingly weak. How much did he take to pass out? Even Lord Mathieu endured this much.”

This is why guys living in warm, comfortable neighborhoods are no good.

Treat them a little roughly and they foam at the mouth and collapse!

When in fact, what they think is deadly is quite ordinary elsewhere.

It was Kyle, grumbling as he dragged the Wave Tamer along, seemingly dissatisfied about something.

As he had told the lord, he had already crushed the guy’s arms and legs.

What Kyle was now holding onto as he approached was none other than Arcane’s hair.

Looks like he wasn’t balding. So it wouldn’t matter if some hair got pulled out with a yank.

It would be better if he was balding. He’s so weak that Kyle wants to at least shave his head.

It was pitiful that the Empire rated this person as a level 10 individual.

‘Ah, really. It feels like the fight was left unfinished.’

Kind words, kind thoughts, but bad words and bad thoughts keep coming to mind.

After the Wave, he thought there would be something more impressive, but that was it.

It’s deflating. All strength drains away. And anger rises.

“Kyle Jonathan.”

Glancing ahead, he sees the lord of Pardal Island standing there.

One thing different from earlier is the expression the lord is wearing.

‘Oh my. Our lord. He looks like he’s about to cry.’

The dignified expression he had been wearing as the island’s lord was all gone.

What remained was a face full of anxiety and fear.

Especially shocking seemed to be Kyle dragging Arcane by his hair.

“It seems the match is over.”

“You were speaking informally earlier. Why the sudden formality? Why are you doing this? Just speak as you were before.”

“Ah, no. Thinking back, I realized I was too rude.”

It might seem servile, but if you think about it, this is the right thing to do.

Having realized the difference in power, now it’s time for submission.

If he keeps his neck stiff in this situation, his head might fly off.

“Arcane is…”

“You should thank His Majesty the Emperor, my lord.”

“Huh?”

“I told you earlier, didn’t I? By the Emperor’s mercy, I would spare his life. I only crushed his arms and legs. The rest is perfectly fine, so there’s nothing to worry about.”

“…”

Anyone listening would think breaking arms and legs was nothing.

Such thoughts entered the lord’s mind, but he didn’t voice them out loud.

“Well then.”

After tossing the unconscious Arcane, who had his tongue sticking out, roughly on the ground.

Kyle approaches the lord, cracking his knuckles, and opens his mouth.

“Shall we talk again? You remember our conversation earlier, don’t you, my lord?”

“I remember. Yes, of course. I remember, of course I do.”

“Then perhaps, has your answer to that changed?”

It has changed. Yes, it has changed! Isn’t it obvious without saying more?!

The lord of Pardal Island gestured for Kyle to come closer.

And in a low voice, he spoke to Kyle who had come to his side.

“The truth is, those castaways, they seem to be from the Alliance. I found them suspicious, so I gathered them in one place and have been keeping a close eye on them.”

“That’s strange. I thought you said you didn’t know earlier.”

“Didn’t I say? That I was watching them because they were suspicious. I was acting so they wouldn’t notice and try to escape, making sure no information reached them.”

It’s truly a tearjerking performance. A sight that can’t be watched without tears.

He thought about being a little mischievous, but thinking about it, this place is innocent.

If anyone’s at fault, it’s those damned Raiders who fled all the way here instead of being caught obediently.

“I see, my lord. Then where might those guys be?”

“There’s a small port that’s not in use now. I told them to stay there for now, reassuring them. Let’s go quickly. If we delay, they might notice something’s amiss!”

Weren’t you an anti-Empire figure? You’re being too cooperative for that.

After all, whether it’s this guy or that guy, they only become nice when you raise your fist.

Indeed, the saying that historically, the whip was the remedy, wasn’t wrong.

“Captain, we’ve arrived at Pardal Island.”

The regular passenger ship, Running Sheep, arrived at Pardal Island.

The captain was about to ask about the swimming young man he saw yesterday.

There was someone doing such an impossible feat, he wondered if they had arrived safely.

“…What’s this? Why is the atmosphere like this?”

The port is in an uproar. It’s extremely noisy.

What’s going on? Did an accident happen? Upon inquiring, this is what he heard:

“No, listen. Yesterday, a young man I’ve never seen before loaded tightly bound people onto a small fishing boat like cargo, then grabbed the boat’s anchor rope and swam away, pulling it along! You don’t believe me? Hey! I’m telling you I saw it! I saw it with my own eyes!”