chapter_0039

39 – The End of the Lion Hunt

39 – The End of the Lion Hunt

If Sharen and Jarha were present, they could have easily defeated Hadem.

The problem was that Hadem was likely to avoid fighting.

Even if they ambushed him awkwardly, the risk of being detected was high with two magical powers nearby.

So how should they utilize the two?

The answer was simple.

They just needed to stay far away.

If they were far enough that Hadem would think they absolutely could not participate in the battle, he would mistakenly believe that he had come out without them.

Thus, the two decided to wait in the Krone territory until the battle began.

If Hadem did not attack, they could simply remain in the Krone territory.

But what if Hadem did attack…

Whoosh—!

“The signal has arrived!”

A soldier waiting with a telescope shouted.

Receiving the signal, Sharen spoke to Jarha, who was waiting on the magic circle.

“Jarha, I will use teleportation magic. Please be careful, as it might make you a bit nauseous.”

“Yes! Understood, Magician.”

Teleportation magic had a tremendous effect of leaping through dimensions, but it was also a high-level magic that consumed a lot of magical power and mental energy.

Because of this, Sharen would not be able to participate in the battle immediately after using the magic, but that was fine.

From Hadem’s perspective, the sudden disappearance of Jarha, who possessed equal power and was excluded from his calculations, could significantly influence the outcome of the battle.

Gathering her magical power, Sharen used the teleportation magic.

“Teleport!”

Piiiii—whoosh—!

A black hole suddenly appeared and swallowed Jarha.

Nothing remained on the summoning circle, and Sharen felt her strength drain away.

Lana, who was waiting nearby, quickly ran to support Sharen.

“Are you okay? Sharen.”

“I’m fine… just a bit nauseous.”

Having fulfilled her duty, Sharen gazed at the magic circle.

She wanted to help more, but even if she recovered her magical power and flew, the fight would likely already be over.

“Everyone… stay strong.”

Sharen prayed for her comrades’ victory with all her heart.

May it end without anyone getting hurt…

Hadem felt a surge of anger as he looked at Jarha before him.

Hadem recognized Jarha as a warrior.

Thus, he wanted to settle the score with him properly someday.

He wished to fight in a fair battlefield, not one where strategies were used to deceive.

“Have you become a dog of the water strider, warrior Jarha?”

“I have become a warrior of the King of Liberation. Foolish lion.”

Jarha casually brushed off Hadem’s words.

After Calix took power, Dreyhart had developed brilliantly and became a better place to live.

To repay that grace, Jarha was willing to fight any battle.

However, there was a fight to liberate the territory that was being tormented by the lord who came to suppress him, and he was told that his strength was needed.

Jarha rushed to Krone.

“Come, I will dedicate this fight to the King of Liberation.”

There was no need for further words between the two, who knew each other’s strength.

They unleashed their powers.

“Grroooar!!!”

“Uwooooor!!”

As Hadem and Jarha transformed into beasts using their powers, the surrounding knights all evacuated.

Following Dreyhart, the battle between the red lion and the blue dragon began anew.

At that moment, an unexpected change began to occur within the Lion Knights, who were being attacked unilaterally, surrounded by Ricain’s shield unit and the archers in the rear.

The Lion Knights, perfectly cornered, spoke to their commander, Ragos.

“Ragos! What should we do!?”

The Lion Knights looked to Ragos for some way to victory.

What came out of Ragos’s mouth was a surprising answer.

“What do you mean, we retreat.”

“What!?”

“We’re retreating?”

It was unthinkable for the Lion Knights to retreat while their lord was fighting.

The terrified knights asked Ragos.

“Are we betraying the lord?”

“I am trying to keep my promise with the lord. He may be the future lord, but…”

“What?”

In fact, before coming here, Ragos had received a substantial offer from Bara.

Under normal circumstances, Hadem would have continued to be watched by Ragos.

However, the Lion Family’s territory was continuously running at a deficit.

If things continued like this, it was only a matter of time before there would be problems with his compensation.

At that moment, Bara contacted Ragos.

He said he would give him 20% more than his father if he worked for him.

Of course, Ragos was not foolish enough to betray solely for money.

But he was smart enough to grasp the situation.

Knowing that Cron was behind Bara, Ragos thought that Hadem was finished and that he had already earned his worth.

Then, changing masters wouldn’t be a bad idea.

“Everyone, retreat!!”

“Retreat! Retreat!!”

Centered around Ragos, the Lion Knights began to withdraw.

Rather than pursuing them, the Krone Knights started to focus on their target, Hadem.

Even for the warrior Jarha, it was not easy, as countless arrows from the archers began to concentrate on him.

Whoosh—! Whoosh—! Thud—!!

“Ugh!! These bastards!!”

No matter how much he transformed into a lion using the Blessing, arrows piercing his weak skin dug into his flesh.

As pain brought back his senses, Jarha and Azel would not miss the opportunity that arose from his moment of vulnerability.

“Uwooooh!!!!”

Boom—!

“Ugh!!!”

Jarha’s tackle, fueled by all his strength, struck Hadem with tremendous force.

Hadem collapsed, feeling the greatest pain of his life, but it was not over yet.

“Justice! Execution!”

Boom—!!!

“Ugh!!!”

Azel’s sword, wrapped in the power of moonlight from above, pierced Hadem’s shoulder.

The tremendous force nearly shattered his shoulder joint, and with that blow, Hadem’s lion transformation was undone.

In that moment, Hadem felt his defeat.

“Cough…”

Seeing Hadem completely subdued, the knights made way.

And along that path, Calix approached.

Hadem, looking up at Calix with disdain, spoke with great effort.

“Do you think… it will end like this, digging a trap to win? The prince will not forgive you.”

“That will not happen. Because all of this was ordered by the prince.”

“What!?”

Hadem could not continue speaking at Calix’s words.

Although he had caused many problems, his loyalty to the prince was genuine.

He could not believe the reality that the prince had abandoned him.

“Noah.”

“Yes, Lord.”

Noah handed a letter to Calix.

It clearly bore the seal of the imperial family.

“That is…”

“It is a decree sent by the prince.”

The prince ordered Hadem to be struck down.

What was happening?

The beginning of this plan stemmed from Hadem sending his soldiers disguised as thieves in the past.

Garche, who was captured by the people of Cron while disguised as a thief, was officially declared dead, but had been imprisoned in Cron’s jail by Hart all this time.

The reason he was kept alive was to use him as a witness in case of unforeseen circumstances.

The plundering and raids committed by the Lion Family impersonating thieves were, of course, serious crimes.

It was one of the most despicable ways to attack a rival family, and the lord who suffered it gained enough authority to officially criticize the opposing lord.

If this became public knowledge, it could deal a fatal blow to the political image of the prince, who had overlooked Hadem, and abandoning Hadem would create problems for the prince’s control over the south.

At that time, Calix, or rather Noah, conveyed Calix’s intention.

“Please, in the name of the prince, let justice be served against that butcher Hadem.”

No matter how much Hadem had crossed the line, if Calix struck him down on his own, it would be an extremely unpleasant act from the prince’s perspective.

However, if Hadem was ousted in the name of the prince, it would mean that the prince had stepped in to uphold justice, while simultaneously sending a message to other factions that Cron might be part of the prince faction, showcasing his influence.

The rampaging rusty axe and the newly rising silver-white arrow,

The prince raised Calix’s hand.

“…Therefore, in the name of the Empire’s First Prince, Kylos Sword Novarens, I strip Hadem Lion of his ruling rights.”

Upon hearing the prince’s letter, Hadem understood the entire situation.

And he felt that he had been completely defeated.

In terms of both power and political influence, he had lost completely to Calix.

In the face of such a thorough defeat, Hadem could only laugh.

“Ha… Hahaha!!! Impressive, Calix. Yes… you have won.”

Hadem acknowledged his defeat.

And he accepted the fate of the vanquished.

“Kill me; lions do not beg for their lives from the victors.”

Calix did not grant Hadem what he desired until the very end.

“You are not a lion; you are a lord, and I am not a victor; I am a human.”

“What do you mean…”

Though he was trash, Hadem was a warrior who longed for death in a struggle against a strong opponent.

Though it was in a form he did not expect, Calix was a strong man he acknowledged.

Feeling unease at the strong man’s declaration of being human, Hadem’s anxiety was confirmed.

“You will now be confined in the northern castle of the Lion territory.”

“What!?”

The northern castle of the Lion territory was a very sturdy castle that had been turned into a prison.

He could not be unaware of it.

That castle was built by Hadem himself to imprison even those like him, the ‘Blessed Ones.’

“You will be confined there, and your successor will be your son, Bara.”

“You bastard! Are you trying to take away my honorable death!!”

Calix still believed there was no such thing as an honorable death.

Especially for a butcher who played with human lives.

“Just watch from there. The sight of your son denying you in the Lion Family…”

“No! Kill me! Like a victor! I command you to kill me!!”

Hadem was the lord of the Lion Family, and killing him directly would undoubtedly become a political burden for Calix.

Moreover, death was too easy.

Being confined by the hands of his weakest son, whom he had most despised, and suffering in prison for the rest of his life was the fitting end for him.

That day, Lord Hadem of the Lion Family was publicly declared to have retired due to illness.

A word from the author (Author’s note)

Thanks to the interest of many people, I have come this far!

I hope for your continued interest in the future!!