Chapter 147

In the western wasteland, the wind always blows fiercely, carrying dry, dusty air. The land, unsuitable for farming, was abandoned, but it was an important trade route leading to the imperial capital. Of course, where there’s honey, ants follow, and the western wasteland was always filled with bandits targeting merchants.

As the damage increased, the previous Tower Lord of Earth, a just man, personally set out to exterminate the bandits. During this time, he adopted Gaius, the current Tower Lord of Earth, who showed talent in earth magic. Though there was much talk about his origins, Gaius silenced the critics with his skills and ascended to the position of Tower Lord.

However, while Gaius was acknowledged, the consensus within the tower was that his bloodline should not inherit the tower. Thus, he made a decision.

Tristan, who had made the most misguided decision, was on horseback, gazing beyond the horizon. Soon, Archmage Werner, his comrades, and the imperial dogs would arrive. The sound of hooves reached his ears, and Tristan turned his horse’s head to look at his subordinates.

They were former members of disbanded bandit groups. Combined with other scattered bandit groups, their numbers reached 5,000. For a bandit group, this was an enormous number, and they were like uncontrollable wolves.

But Tristan was confident he could control them. After all, he was their king.

“Silence.”

At his commanding voice, the wolf-like bandits closed their mouths and focused on Tristan’s words. Uncontrollable beasts can only cower before the roar of a larger beast.

“Soon, Werner and the imperial army will arrive. No doubt they come to wipe us out. So, I ask you, I grant you the right to speak.”

He asked the wolves, “Are you afraid?”

The wolves he led answered, “We are not afraid!”

He asked again, “The difference in power is clear. They will come with better weapons, better horses, better armor. Will you kneel to survive?”

The wolves answered their king, “We have no intention of doing so!”

The king of wolves, the Tower Lord of Earth, the legend of bandits, and Tristan of the Black Round Table… The beast bearing these names spoke with a satisfied expression.

“The world denied us, trampled and abused us. So, I understand your anger. I affirm your loneliness.”

The origins of the bandits were mostly similar. Those who grew up in normal families wouldn’t become bandits. Those who fled from the murderous taxes of local lords, orphans who turned to crime, those who killed their abusive parents and fell into the underworld, those betrayed by their trusted ones and escaped from prison… Their paths were different, but their lives were equally rough.

“Those denied, trampled, and pushed aside by the world. We have reached a point of no return. Is it unfair?”

“It’s unfair! It’s unfair! It’s unfair!”

“Now, living a normal life is impossible. So, this time, we must deny the world, trample it, push it aside. We will repay the world as it has done to us. Yes, this is not good, but evil.”

He admitted that their actions were not good but evil.

“What does it matter if it’s evil? If God or the world couldn’t tolerate evil, they shouldn’t have created us in the first place. So, we will prove our existence in our own wolf-like way.”

“O King! What is the wolf-like way?!!!”

The king of wolves answered, “Bite and tear apart everything in the world except for wolves like us.”

Tristan’s followers were ecstatic. Even if there was an overwhelming difference in power, they were not afraid. They had a great leader. With him, they felt they couldn’t lose.

“The sound of hooves will be the sound of your hearts. Don’t stop running until your hearts stop. Even if your limbs are torn off, even if all your teeth are pulled out, bite and tear this world apart.”

The rising sun adorned Tristan’s back like a halo.

“Now, join me in denying this damned world.”

He left his ecstatic subordinates behind and turned his horse’s head toward a large rock, sensing the presence of a comrade waiting for him.

A blonde woman in a tight black suit smiled at him. She, who held Kay’s seat at the Black Round Table, looked at Tristan and provocatively asked, “You sure talk a lot of nonsense. You don’t care about those guys at all, do you?”

“Don’t presume to judge my heart. I might kill you.”

“Oh, I’m so scared~. Should I scream ‘kyaa’ so a handsome prince will come save me?”

“Cliché joke.”

“Yeah, no prince is coming to save people like us. They only come for our heads.”

“At least you know your place.”

At a glance, he might seem cold. Within the Black Round Table, Tristan, who followed a different line, only communicated with the now-deceased Felinoir and Kay, who was currently provoking him.

“So, why are you here?”

“Lancelot’s orders. He said you’d need help.”

“Rare. That guy sending someone instead of coming himself.”

“Ah, he injured his left eye. A wound even top healers can’t fix… Rumor has it he’s blind in the left eye…”

“That’s a somewhat satisfying story. I’d like to hear more details.”

“Ah, I’ll tell you later. First, let’s deal with the imperial dogs coming our way.”

Tristan then noticed the approaching army on the horizon. At the forefront were Archmage Werner Alten, the young Duke Glacia Winterheart of the North, and Werner’s disciple, Airi Res.

“Right, urgent matters first.”

“…. So, it’s time to fulfill your wish? I’ll help.”

Kay knew Tristan’s goal wasn’t just to deny the world. Denying the world was just a means. Tristan smiled faintly and spoke his true wish.

“I will prove it, even if it means denying everything in the world, even God.”

He spoke and used his magic. But the incantation was silent. That silence was the very proof of what he sought to prove.

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Riding a horse is a pain in the ass. In historical dramas, Choi Soo-jong handles it so well… With Werner’s knowledge, I had some understanding of riding, but I couldn’t get used to it.

When I first mounted the thoroughbred gifted by Older Brother Ricardo, I was thrilled. Its majestic appearance was so impressive that I named it Rocinante. Of course, people who didn’t know Don Quixote praised the name.

But when I actually rode it, my ass hurt like hell, and I felt so nauseous I couldn’t stand it. How did Don Quixote endure this…?

“Bandits are spotted!!!”

According to the intel, there are 5,000 bandits, while we have 7,000 imperial regular troops with better weapons and horses. If I just focus on that Tristan guy, victory is assured.

But Airi suddenly spoke up with a doubtful tone.

“Master, something feels off.”

“What is it? I feel so sick I could die…”

“There aren’t supposed to be rocky mountains in the western wasteland. But these rocky mountains… no, mountain ranges on our sides…”

Terrain doesn’t just change like that. Something must be wrong… Wait, Lorcha mentioned it.

Tristan once swung a giant rock arm without an incantation and wiped out the Tower Lords… So that means…

“Oh, f***!!!!”

I quickly pulled out the magic book Enok. But it was too late.

“The rocky mountains are moving!!!!”

A soldier shouted, and the massive rocky mountain range… no, a giant rock arm the size of a mountain range began to move. It looked like it was about to clap, but that clap meant our death.

With my current power, destroying that giant rock arm was impossible.

“Enok, open page 140, the chapter on wind!!!”