After conquering the southern region, the Suspen Rebel Army founded a country to differentiate itself entirely from the central government. The new country’s name was the Southern Avalon Empire, and the founding king was Dargo rane Suspen.
The rebel army in the south had a bad reputation compared to the armies in the other regions. Although the army’s combat power was also questionable, the real problem was the history of the southern rebel army’s leaders. Marquess Suspen, the head of the southern rebels, had been working for the Ducal Family of Pontier for generations, and that was why Dargo hurried in establishing a kingdom. As long as Dargo and his family were called rebels, they were just traitors.
“I’ll lead the army, Your Majesty,” Argo said.
“Are you sure you will be okay?”
“I was the one who sent the red paper to the enemy commander-in-chief, so please don’t worry.” Argo smiled.
Argo was genuinely confident. He intended to change people’s perceptions of them in this battle. The weak south rebel army? He was going to show them his and the army's real abilities. Traitor? If a woman hadn’t become Duke Pontier, then Suspens might have stayed loyal to the Pontiers. The start of their frustration was a duchess succeeding the honorable Pontier Family after its fall.
Dargo shook his head. “The Prince will never accept the challenge.”
“That’s still good for us. Our soldiers’ morale will rise if the prince hides with his tail tucked between his legs.”
“I know what you’re thinking, but it won’t work,” Dargo argued. “Everyone knows that your challenge was far-fetched from the start.”
“Under usual circumstances, it would have been far-fetched,” Argo countered.
“What...?”
“Have you forgotten that the commander-in-chief of that fortress is Joshua Sanders’s son?”
Dargo’s eyes widened.
Joshua Sanders’s name still bore indescribably weight in Igrant. The army that fought alongside him was never defeated. No one was able to block Joshua’s spear even once. He was the hero of the Empire and of the entire continent. He was a legend.
“I think there is a fifty-fifty chance.”
“A fifty-fifty chance?” Dargo repeated.
“A fifty-fifty chance of him accepting the challenge.”
“...Then let me rephrase my question. Are you sure you can win if he takes the challenge?”
Argo grinned. “I’m hoping he does.”
“Maybe I’m worrying for no good reason because I’m getting older, but he won’t be any ordinary opponent. Just like you said, Kireua Sanders is the Emperor’s son.”
Argo shrugged. “The only thing he has going for himself is his blood, which is now just symbolic. It’s not like the Emperor himself taught Kierua Sanders.”
“The Emperor resided in the Palace until ten years ago, so who knows?”
“From what I’ve heard, Kierua Sanders went to the Thran Kingdom to study when he was very young, unlike the rest of the Imperial Family.”
Dargo nodded. “I heard.”
“Is that so? I found out about it while I was taking the Imperial Knights’ test last year. But above all, he uses a sword, not a spear.”
Joshua Sanders, the missing emperor, had, as Argo pointed out, conquered the Empire with his spear.
“You seem awfully interested in Kireua Sanders.”
“He’s my age. Besides, he’s the son of a living legend.”
“And he calls himself the Hero King’s son. Tsk, tsk, that must be why he hauled his ass to the Thran Kingdom.”
“Hahaha, I guess I should have seen it coming since he’s been hiding behind his mother’s skirts until now. Hahahaha!”
Kireua raised an eyebrow.
Hamel quickly approached Kireua. “Don’t let them get into your head!”
The soldiers and knights were watching Kireua with worried eyes. Everyone must have been thinking the same as Hamel. If the rebel army soldiers successfully provoked their commander-in-chief, the morale of the soldiers and knights would totally collapse.
“...I told you before, right? I don’t want to take it anymore.”
“Your Highness!” Hamel shouted.
Before Hamel could stop Kireua, the Prince had jumped down from the ramparts.
“Your Highness!”
Hamel couldn’t believe how easily the rebel army soldiers had gotten into Kireua’s head! The die was already cast and he had failed to stop Kireua. They were out of options. In other words, Hamel had to prepare for the worst scenario.
“Ready the knights to intervene in the duel at any time!” Hamel instructed.
“Yes, sir!”
* * *
Argo’s eyes sharpened because he just saw someone dropping down from the fortress’s ramparts. The idea that flashed through his mind was absolutely mad, but it soon turned out to be true.
“I am Kireua Sanders, the Second Prince of the Avalon Empire! I will accept your challenge, Argo rane Suspen!”
He flicked his hand at his soldiers and they slowly stepped backward. Argo was in his best state and could feel the adrenaline rushing through every vein.
Argo eagerly drew his sword. Kireua approached a quietly neighing black horse, which he had presumably prepared in advance, mounted it, and immediately spurred it toward Argo.
Argo smiled crookedly. He could think about Kireua’s motives later. All that mattered right now was that the prince had accepted the challenge. The stronger the impression Argo left on the audience with this duel, the better. If possible, Argo had to end this duel with one strike to prevent anyone from interfering.
Kireua judged that Argo’s soldiers had retreated far enough and sped his horse up. Argo tightened his grip on the reins as well. At this kind of distance, the soldiers in the fortress wouldn’t be able to fire their arrows since they might hit their own commander-in-chief.
Kireua was now a hundred meters away from Argo.
Argo infused his bizarrely purple aura, which was called Ghost Slayer, into his sword. The reason why it gained such a frightening title was that it blazed with fire that could burn away a ghost.
“Ahhhhhh!!!!” Argo roared. His muscles contracted, and his blood pumped powerfully through his veins as mana poured out from his mana hall. Right now, Argo felt like he wouldn't lose to anyone on the continent.
He hadn’t been just putting a layer of mana over his sword, either. He made his aura take a definite form, which indicated that Argo was at the level of a great expert.
Kireua was now ten meters away from Argo. If Kireua was this close...
Argo kicked his white horse forward, drawing a quiet neigh in response. He had no intention of dragging out this duel, so he had only one chance of cutting off Kireua’s head and increasing his army’s morale!
Argo’s eyes widened.
Fire suddenly rose up from Kireua’s sword, but it was different from Argo’s because Kireua’s fire was scarlet. On top of that, Kireua’s fire burned brightly in the clear form of a sword. Kireua’s sword was basically overlaid with another sword, meaning one thing.