I am the Monarch Chapter 77: Overflow (1)

Roan shook his head while riding his horse.

'Now, I also have to worry about the geniuses of other kingdoms.'

He didn't know if the age of great war would come a bit quicker or slower because of his influence.

'Although I'd like it if it didn't happen at all……..'

Anyways, it was true that he had to put in more attention than now.
Roan looked back.
The soldiers looked exhausted.
But even so, he came out with the ones that knew how to ride a horse.

'Right now, speed is life.'

He ran and ran without stop.
Because of that, he could catch up with them in two days.

'They were already done.'

Roan passed by the soldiers of the main army and ground his teeth.
There were too many injured for them to be the chasing ones.
On top of that, even the morale was a mess.

'Where's the 7th corps?'

He thoroughly checked the rear and went to the front, but he couldn't see the 7th corps at all.
While he was frowning, he entered the commanding headquarters that was located between the center and the rear.
He saw Benjamin and the corps commander moving between the injured soldiers while riding their horses.
They had a look of failure.
Roan passed the reins to Austin and walked towards Benjamin.

“Commander!”

Benjamin, who was slowly riding his horse, looked at Roan and frowned.
He tilted his head for a moment and then put on a sickly smile.

“You are Roan of the 7th corps.”
“Yes. I'm vice troop commander Roan of the 2nd rose troop.”
“I heard the notices that your merits were excellent.”

He had a kind of reproachful expression.
Roan quickly went to the main topic.

“According to the analysis of the information troop, the rearguard of the enemy………”

When he talked up to there, Benjamin shook his hand with a blunt expression.

“Again with that information agency?”

He had already heard of the performance of the information of the 7th corps through the corps commanders, staff officers, and even the soldiers themselves.
Benjamin didn't like that the 7th corps had achieved a more remarkable merit than himself.
He said with a brusque voice.

“It's already after we fell into their trap and ambush.”

Benjamin's sight moved over the injured soldiers.

'Certainly…..'

The fox of the battlefield was a fox even when he was young.
Roan bit his lower lip.

'I have to stop him now.'

Saying his opinion to a supreme commander.
And having to speak back with his opinion was not complying to the military discipline.
On top of that, Benjamin was narrow minded and still lacking.

He wasn't someone to receive Roan's opinion.

'Anyways, can't do anything about it.'

He couldn't let their allies suffer a big blow even while knowing that it couldn't be done.

“We have to stop the chase immediatel……”

Roan couldn't finish his words once again.
Benjamin put on an even sicker smile than before and interrupted him.

“Aaron Tate already went to the chase while leading the 7th and 6th corps.”
“Yes?”

Roan opened his eyes wide at the unexpected words.

'The 7th corps went to the chase?'

He thought maybe when he didn't see Aaron, Gale, and the several adjutants and soldiers.

'Damn. I thought that if it was Benjamin, he wouldn't give the chance for the 7th corps to accumulate more merits.'

He felt stifled.
Benjamin, who was looking at that Roan, had quite fierce eyes.

'At first, I stood at the front and gave chase.'

It was to accumulate merits.
Compared to the 7th corps that had accumulated small and big merits, Benjamin and the eastern army hadn't done much.
However, he'd be able to gain an incredible merit by slaying the supreme commander Mark at the last moment.
But of course, it wasn't simply to accumulate merits.

'There's a rumour of Count Lancephil reporting the merits to the royal palace himself.'

If he made a mistake, he could get his territory taken away by Aaron.
And not only that.

'There's also movements of the corps commanders of the region gathering around Aaron.'

A new force could be made in the eastern region.
For Benjamin, who wanted to make his basic force more solid and climb to somewhere higher, the 7th corps became a thorn for him.
Benjamin could stand up for the chase for several reasons.
However.

'For the Istel bastards to install traps, ambushes, and fire tactics even while fleeing.'

And it wasn't at the level where they could block it even if they knew about it.
Their attack was that scary.
In the end, he just ended up losing soldiers instead of raising merits.
Meanwhile, some corps commanders praised the 7th corps and made him feel annoyed.
In the end, Benjamin changed his thoughts.

'Rather than approaching the eastern boundary that becomes the plains, let's put the 7th corps at the front of the chase.'

He was planning to pass the dangerous places like rivers, mountains, and forests to the 7th corps.

'If in that process they get done in by the Istel bastards, the merits they accumulated until now will become foam….'

The commanders that wanted to gather around Aaron would also lose their intent.
On top of that, he could lower the retreating speed of Istel kingdom.
In Benjamin's situation, it was three birds with one stone.

'If we just get to the plains, they won't be able to use tactics such as ambushes or surprise attacks.'

By then, he was planning to stand at the front and sweep them all up.

'I'm finishing the war with my hands.'

The fantastical finishing touch was drawn in his head.
He put a sickly smile towards Roan.

“If it's Aaron and he 7th corps, they already have what they showed until now…….”

But the cynical voice lost it's direction and dispersed.

Tat!

Roan charged the ground and grabbed the reins.
He didn't have time to listen to Benjamin's nonsense.

'I have to chase the 7th corps before it gets too late.'

They could still be safe.

'No, they certainly are.'

He didn't want to think about bad things.
The faces of Aaron, Gale, Keniss, Dosen, and several soldiers appeared in front of his eyes.
Roan pulled the reins and looked back.
He saw the faces of Austin and the soldiers of 2nd rose troop.

“I'm going to rescue the 7th corps.”

He spoke in a heated voice.
And eyes that were even hotter than that.

“It probably won't be an easy thing.”

The gazes of Roan and the soldiers interlocked.

“The ones that want to stay, can do so.”

At those words, Austin and the soldiers looked at each other and then burst out in laughter.

“Troop commander. What are you talking about?”

There was no hesitation on their faces.

“You said to follow you while trusting in you.”

Austin hit his armour with his right fist.

“We'll only follow troop commander until we die.”

At those words, Roan didn't say anything.
He just nodded and looked towards the east.
He yelled loudly before kicking his horse.

“Well then. Let's go and take back the 7th corps!”

Hiiiiiing!

The horse cried roughly and charged the ground.

“Yap!”
“Chase them!”

Austin and the others followed his back.
Horses and soldiers.
Although both of them seemed exhausted, the morale was excellent.
The 500 soldiers faced the sun with their backs and ran towards the east.

*****

Two middle aged men looked at the plains while riding their horses.
The man with a thick face and clear eyes and nose smiled.

“The one who came up with the rearguard tactic was an adjutant called Peid?”

At those words, the man with small eyes bowed.

“Yes. He was the senior adjutant of the fort troop Teise Martin was leading.”
“Did you say he's merely 22?”
“Yes. He's still a complete greenhorn.”
“Can you call someone that could think of that tactic a greenhorn?”

The clear eyed man pointed at the plain and shook his head.
It was a sea of fire.
The plain was swept up by an amazing fire to the point that you couldn't know where it started and ended.

“Uaaaaak!”
“Sa, save me!”

Inside of that, horrible yells were heard.
However, there wasn't any change in the expression of the two men.

“If I knew before that there was a guy like that below me…..”

The clear eyed man smacked his lips as if it was regrettable.

“That isn't your fault. It's the fault of troop commander Teise who wanted to steal the merits.”
“Abel. It was me that made someone like Teise a troop commander.”

At those words, the small eyed man Abel Glishi, shut up.
He looked at the man fixedly.

'Corps commander Tereise.'

The clear eyed man was a viscount named Daniel Tereise, and he was responsible for the rearguard.
Daniel, who was also the commander of the 2nd corps of the western army of Istel, was quite calm and prudent and on top of that, didn't know fear.

“Even so, he's gets more amazing the more I think of it.”

Daniel was astounded with a surprising expression.

“It was also like that with the mysterious retreat tactic, and the surprise tactics and ambushes that tied up their feet and the several traps. For a mere 22 year old adjutant to think of all of this by himself……”
“It was also impressive that was defeated three or four times on purpose to bait them into the plains.”
“Right. Because of that, we could put them inside the sea of fire.”

At Abe's words, Daniel nodded with a proud expression.

“He's a real fox. A fox.”

Then, a blue light shined inside the sea of fire.
Abel's light slightly rose.

“It seems like the grand shield was activated.”

At those words Daniel slowly nodded.

“Prepare the soldiers at the rearguard. We are annihilating the enemies that got out of the fire.”
“Yes!”

Abel replied in a loud voice and then fell back.
Daniel, who was left alone, looked at the plains that was swept up in fire and smiled faintly.

'Friends of Rinse. Don't chase us anymore. If you make a mistake then……'

His smile became denser.

'You will be possessed by the fox.'

*****

They ran and kept running.
Faster than the wind.

'Please, don't let anything happen.'

For Roan, the 7th corps wasn't simply the corps which he belonged in.

'They're nice people.'

Corps commander Aaron at the front with the commander of rose troop Gale, the adjutants Keniss, Dosen, Johnson, etc. and the several soldiers he roamed in the battlefield while he put his life on the line.
They were all good people.
They laughed, cried, got happy and angry together.

'Expressing it in one way, they're like family……….'

On top of that, the 7th corps was the starting point of this life.
It had a special meaning for Roan.

'That's why nothing bad has to have happened!'

He stuck his chest to the horse and kicked it.
Then, Roan's expression stiffened.

'Damn!'

Because of Kalian's tear, he could see the entrance of the gorge that was far away like it was right in front of him.
There were many corpses.

'It's not the 7th corps.'

They would probably be of the 6th corps.
It seemed like they had received a surprise attack before they entered the gorge.
Roan kicked his horse once again.
Soon, the head of the horse entered the entrance of the gorge.

'Mmm.'

The entrance was crueler than what he had thought.
He saw the hundreds of soldiers that became porcupines.
Most of them were soldiers of Istel.
Roan didn't move around in the gorge hurriedly and used Kalian's tear and to check his surroundings thoroughly.
He even checked the flow of mana.

'There's nothing.'

What he could see were only corpses.
Certainly, most of them are corpses of soldiers of Rinse.

“We are charging through.”
“Yes! Understood.”

The soldiers didn't talk back.
They believed in Roan.
Roan and the 500 soldiers rode towards the gorge.
There were several arrows stuck into the sides of the mountain.

'Did they pour the remaining things without any care?'

Roan ground his teeth.
He felt uneasiness increase the more time passed.

'Just where is commander Tate…..'

Then, a really faint war cry was heard.

'Maybe?'

Roan looked at the exit of the gorge fixedly.
When he used Kalian's tear again.

'Ah……'

A low exclamation came out.

'It's Rinse kingdom!'

Roan ground his teeth.
They were at the scenery that spread outside the gorge.
But there was a problem.

'What an amazing fire!'

The plains was a sea of fire.

'Damn. Was it also the fox of the battlefield?!'

Roan consecutively hit the horse.

Hiiiiiiiiing!

The horse brought up all the strength it had and charged forward.
Behind him, the 500 soldiers followed his back.

Dudududu.

Roan left the gorge first alongside the sound of horse clops.
At that instant, the huge plain was spread out in front of him.

Flaaaaaaame!

A hot wave came surging.
He could still feel it even when he was using Brent's ring.

“Kugh!”
“Kuk!”

Followed by him, the normal soldiers that left the gorge ground their teeth at the amazing fire.
Everything he saw was a sea of fire.
The soldiers of Istel kingdom were inside that hell of a sea.

“Evacuate the soldiers to the gorge!”
“Ye, yes! Understood!”

The 500 soldiers endured the strong heat and moved inside the path of fire.

'Fortunately, I can't see any enemies.'

The fire was that strong and rough.
Roan sent his horse that was suffering back to the gorge and moved towards the fire.
Then.

“Troop commander! To, to the east!”
“Corps commander got caught at the front!”

The soldiers of the 7th corps yelled with all of their strength.
Roan hurriedly moved his sight to the east.
Kalian's tear showed its might once again.

'That's? Grand shield?'

It was an unexpected situation.
A huge scaled magic barrier was taking place inside the path of fire.

“Ah!”

At that moment, a yell close to astonishment was heard.

“Corps commander! Troop commander!”

Aaron, Gale, and the other commanders were inside the grand shield.
But there was a problem.

'Fox of the battlefield. You crazy bastard!'

There was an amazing path of fire surging inside the grand shield.
It was a situation that Aaron, Gale, and etc. couldn't even dodge it as they were trapped inside of it.
Peid had used the defensive grand shield as a way of attack.

Tat!

Roan charged the ground.
As he pulled mana, an amazing energy overflowed.
The fire in his surroundings danced.

Pat!

As he inserted mana into Kalian's tears, the whole world was dyed in golden light.

'That's the core!'

As the size of the grand shield wasn't that big, the core was located in a place could be broken with a throw of the spear.
However.

“No!”

A scream came out of Roan's mouth.
The moment he threw the spear.
The fire inside the grand shield covered Aaron, Gale, and etc.

Swaaaaaaa!

The spear split the air along with an amazing sound.

Chung!

The spear precisely pierced the core.

Chujujujug. Pung!

The grand shield broke alongside the loud sound.

Whoooosh!

The fire that was inside the grand shield exploded to the sides.
Roan executed the Flamdor mana technique and ran while piercing through the path of fire.

'Kugh!'

As the fire touched his skin directly, he felt a disgusting pain.
Brent's ring was also useless at this point.
However, he never stopped or fell back.

Waaak!

He arrived at the place the grand shield was taking place.

“Ah…..”

A hopeless look.
Roan moved his feet as if he was dragging it.
There were burnt corpses in the place the grand shield was.
There was nothing alive.
The place his sigh stayed.
Several people turned over themselves and were making a round shape.
Roan moved the corpses that were outside one by one.

“Kugh.”

Emotions overflowed.
His front was cloudy and something hot surged up.
Roan unconsciously clenched his fists.
The blackly burnt corpses that you couldn't even recognize.
Even so, the corpses that were inside were maintaining their shape to some degree.
Then.

“Uhh…”

A weak groan was heard.
Roan opened his eyes wide.
The cloudy eyes found their focus again.
He carefully moved the corpses and in the quickest possible speed.

'Ah! Adjutant Dosen, Adjutant Keniss……'

They were familiar faces.
They died while getting half burnt.
And a familiar back was seen below them.

“Troop commander Gale!”

Roan grabbed him carefully and turned him over.

“Uhh…”

A low exclamation came out of Gale's mouth.
He was still alive.
Still.

“Troop commander Gale!”

Roan called out Gale's name.
His face was half melted.
Gale breathed out roughly and barely opened one eye.

“It, it's Roan.”
“Yes. I'm Roan. I have come!”

Roan wiped out the tears that came out and nodded.
Gale forced a smile.

“I saw you coming in from the outside of the grand shield.”

He kept moving his body.

“Corp, corps commander Tate?”

The reason he tried to turn his head.
He was curious about Aaron's state, who he was covered up.
And fortunately, Aaron's state wasn't that bad.
His face and skin were slightly red, but it didn't seem like he had any wounds.
Roan hurriedly extended his hand and he measured his pulse.

'It's beating.'

He was alive.
It was because Mendel, Gale, Keniss, and the adjutants had covered him.
They had sacrificed themselves and saved Aaron.

“He's alive.”
“Ah……”

At Roan's words, Gale let out a sigh of relief.
He extended his still fine right hand and caressed Roan's face.

“Roan. It seems like I'm done.”
“Don't say such things.”

Roan put on an angry face on purpose.
Gale shook his head.

“It's a life that already should have been dead. But I could come up to here because of you.”

If it wasn't for Roan, he would have already died at Ale gorge, Pedian's plain, and Slen region.

“I, I wanted to see you soaring to the skies……Kugh.”
“Stop speaking. I will bring some soldiers.”

Gale extended his hand and grabbed Roan's arm.

“Just, just stay by my side like this.”

Roan just grabbed Gale's arm instead of replying.
A temperature hotter than the fire was transmitted.

“I lived without regrets……..”

Gale's voice lowered.
And his roughly heaving chest also seemed to have found comfort.
It was a situation where he didn't have much time left.

“There's no death more suitable for a commander than dying in the battlefield.”

His mouth slightly rose up.

“Roan. Take care of Rose troop…..”

Those were his last words.
The light in his eyes had disappeared.

“Kugh.”

Roan extended his hands and closed Gale's eyes.
He was dead.
He tried to save him but he couldn't.
The mana that was spinning in his body moved roughly.

Flaaaaaame!

The flames that were gulping down the plain already moved near him.

'Troop commander Gale, adjutant Keniss, adjutant Dosen…….'

And the several soldiers.
Everyone was dead.

“Uaaaaaaaaa!”

A loud scream came out.
A blood boiling rage exploded.

'Monarch my ass! I can't even protect my own people!'

Powerlessness and rage.
Following Roan's emotions, the mana moved more roughly.
The flames in his surroundings danced towards him.
The hot wave entered his body through his nose, mouth, and skin.
The mana that lost it's balance once was like a storm.
His entire body trembled.
The mana sucked in the heat and became larger
A disgusting pain filled him up.
Roan stood up and clenched his fists.
At that moment, the mana that was spinning roughly inside his body stopped like a lie.

“Kugh!”

His breath was cut off.
At that moment.

Bang!

The mana inside his body exploded.
At the same time, a red light emanated in Roan's entire body.
The fire that was dancing, fell backwards.

“Uaaaaaa!”

Roan screamed at the feeling his body was breaking up.
Then.
The red light that was being emanated from his body started to get sucked in inside of his body.

Flaaaame!

The fire that was burning the plain covered Roan following the red light.
This was a situation of life and death.
The crimson flame started to get absorbed inside Roan's body like a lie.
And that speed and strength was overwhelming.
Roan just stood still while he had his eyes closed.
An awkward and heavy silence fell.
Then.

Paat!

A red light emanated from Roan's entire body.
At the same time, his hair grew to his waist.
The brown hair changed to become bright red.
And it was the same for his brows.
This was a strange phenomenon.
After a while, the red light returned to his body once again.
Only then did Roan open his eyes.

Open.

Even his eyes that were brown turned to become red.
He smiled coldly and turned his head.
Istel kingdom's army was over there.
They were hiding themselves to annihilate the soldiers of Rinse kingdom that escaped the fire.

“Wh, just what's this!”

Viscount Daniel staggered with a perplexed expression.

'For, for a human to absorb fire!'

He had never heard or saw something like that.
Then, Daniel and Roan looked at each other.
Roan took out Travias spear from his waist.

Click! Cheng! Swuung!

The stick shaped Travias spear became long.
It had the shape of a perfect spear.
The long spear shone with a red light.
Roan looked at Istel's army and closed his eyes.

“Kuuuuuuu.”

An unknown sound flowed out of his mouth.
And that resembled the cry of a beast.

Tat!

Roan charged the ground.
No, the moment they thought that.
He was soon in front of Istel kingdom's army.

“Kuaaaaa!”

A strange sound came out of Roan's mouth once again.

< Overflow (1) > End

Translator's note: Regular chapter

Translator : Subak

Proofreader: st8_lupe.

Chapter end