Chapter 143
"Lukaus Custoria?"
"The... Irregular? Wait a moment."
The soldiers at the checkpoint entrance were flustered. A veteran soldier standing behind them recognized me and frowned.
"If you're heading to the upper district, go up quietly by yourself. Don't cause any trouble."
A soldier who was familiar with me approached the yellow boundary line. Of course, I had never spoken to him before. He simply knew my face.
"Sorry, but I came here to cause trouble."
I tilted my head slightly and stared at him. The soldier narrowed his eyes before stepping inside.
Chaos erupted at the checkpoint entrance. Soldiers hurriedly contacted their superiors, unsure of how to handle me.
"Whoaaaa! It's Luka! Luka really showed up!"
"I told you, he's on our side!"
A roar erupted from the protestors behind me. Those who recognized me spread my name from mouth to mouth. They chanted it like a wave rippling outward.
Yeah, these days, I'm the hottest name around. Anyone remotely interested in gossip would have heard of me at least once.
"The noble hunter!"
"Luka! Luka!"
They didn't call me Lukaus—they called me Luka.
"My name is Lukaus Custoria. Every citizen of the Empire has the right to legitimate protection under the Empire’s shield... This is the right of all Imperial citizens, as proclaimed by His Majesty Dino Accretia, the first emperor."
Suddenly, a large hologram flickered to life within the protest crowd. Someone had recorded my words and was broadcasting them on repeat.
A life-sized projection of me continued to declare the rights of Imperial citizens. My voice spread widely.
Emboldened, the protestors moved closer to the boundary line. Each time they did, fierce warnings about opening fire rang out.
Bang—! Bang!
The soldiers fired into the air. The protestors flinched, momentarily recoiling.
Step, step.
A man walked out from inside the checkpoint. I attempted to access the upper network to confirm his identity.
Bzzzzt.
Only static filled my retinal display. My upper network access privileges had been revoked. Kinuan must have already tampered with it. Looks like I’ve been completely blacklisted now.
‘Shwell Kasert, Lieutenant Colonel. Likely the commander of Checkpoint 7.’
I read the man’s name tag and rank. A lieutenant colonel at this location would mean he was the checkpoint commander. One of the badges on his chest bore a golden sword emblem. That meant he was former Imperial Guard.
So, I was meeting a senior here.
Click.
I gave a short salute. Lieutenant Colonel Kasert returned my salute as he walked up to the boundary line.
"Even for someone as distinguished as you, this is overstepping your authority. No matter how exceptional you may be, you're still just a mere cadet. You have no position to interfere with checkpoint access. Well, I suppose it's pointless to say all this. You're not a fool who wouldn't understand that. So, did you come here intending to commit insubordination?"
How deeply was Shuel Kasert involved in this situation?
Not all of the military and the Imperial Guard had turned their backs on the Imperial family. In fact, the majority were still unaware of the situation.
It was a small group, carefully orchestrating the coup. Once the coup succeeded, the neutral factions would naturally align with the victor.
'Most people probably see the current situation as nothing more than unrest and riots.'
However, there had to be collaborators secretly manipulating events to ensure the coup's success. Lieutenant Colonel Kasert could very well be one of them.
"I have no intention of committing insubordination. I am simply representing the legitimate rights of the Empire’s citizens. They seek safety and protection. They are by no means rioters."
The words of reason flowed effortlessly from my lips. But reason was just that—reason. Reality could not be navigated with reason alone. Of course, I didn’t believe in the righteous words I had just spoken. They were nothing more than a convenient justification.
Reality was cruel. Among the protesters lurked sinister figures, waiting for the right moment to turn the demonstration into a full-scale riot. Keeping them from passing was the wise choice.
"There are rioters among them. Even the upper districts aren’t entirely safe. More than thirty percent of the zones have already been sealed off due to riots. This is unprecedented. And…"
Lieutenant Colonel Kasert hesitated, then communicated with someone. He took a step back and raised his hand.
"…Lukaus Custoria. Your access rights have just been revoked. If you cross that line, we will open fire. I advise you to value your life."
It seemed the order had come from higher up.
The checkpoint’s security and defenses tightened. Soldiers lined up along the hundred-meter boundary. Behind them, the elevators and staircases looked like an impenetrable fortress.
Whirrrr, whirrrr.
A deep metallic sound rang out, enough to subdue even the courage of the protesters. The ones standing at the front instinctively stepped back, one by one.
'Myrmidon, the fully armored prosthetic unit.'
Two jet-black Myrmidon units stepped forward. Compared to Legions, they might be considered mass-produced or standard models, but they were still among the Empire’s most elite forces.
The arrival of the Myrmidon armored prosthetic units shifted the atmosphere. The weapons they carried were more akin to cannons than guns. Their barrels were large enough to fit a human head inside, and their firepower wasn’t just capable of blowing heads off—it could obliterate an entire person.
"The Empire’s sword is now turning its blade against the very people it should be protecting."
At my words, Lieutenant Colonel Kasert simply laughed.
"No matter what you say, we will hold this line. That is our duty—mine and theirs. Do you think Imperial soldiers are so easily swayed that they would turn their guns at every passing remark from a greenhorn? If a few idealistic words could change the direction of their weapons so easily, the Empire would have crumbled long ago. The reason the Empire has withstood countless threats is because of the silent heroes who remain steadfast in their places."
The wavering soldiers’ eyes changed at his words. They had been reminded of their duty. A capable commander always provides his troops with a righteous cause.
"You won’t be able to block this forever," I said, taking another step forward.
The Myrmidons turned their gun barrels toward me.
"Even if you’re the prodigy of the Imperial Guard, you’re being absurdly arrogant. Do you think you can force your way through here?"
I closed my eyes and listened.
It felt as if the hair on the nape of my neck had become antennae, standing on end. As if I had developed a new sensory organ.
Srrrk.
I opened my eyes and looked behind me.
Through the fierce wind and rain, people were gathering. Even the elderly and infirm, who had not participated in the protest before, were now present. One by one, they came together, forming a massive current.
"You can scoop up spilled water with your hands, but you cannot gather up a flood."
I couldn’t change the existing tide by myself.
So, I had to create a new one and crash it against the old.
A mass of people was an uncontrollable force. Even I couldn’t predict whether this tide would bring gain or loss. There was a real chance that the turbulence I had created could end up sweeping me to my death.
But I needed chaos—something so unpredictable that even I couldn’t foresee its outcome. Even if it put me in danger, I had to embrace it.
To drive a knife into the throat of the strong from an inferior position, one must create variables. The more unpredictable, the more effective.
‘…The Grand Principle of Akies Victima.’
Always keep chaos by your side.
That was the realm of Kinuan. He was an uncertain existence—an ally and an enemy at the same time. He was both weak and strong. Every word and action of his was simultaneously truth and falsehood. Wrapped in the armor of chaos, Kinuan wielded possibility as his weapon.
Compared to him, I was still woefully lacking. But that was only natural. I had merely taken my first step.
Drip.
I wiped the blood trickling from my nose with my thumb. The headaches had become so chronic that they weren’t even worth mentioning anymore.
"Come inside, Lukaus. We need to talk separately."
Sensing something unusual, Lieutenant Colonel Kasert shifted his body aside, creating a path for me to pass through. The two Myrmidons also lowered their weapons.
The size of the protest was swelling abnormally. Word had spread that I was confronting the soldiers at the checkpoint, drawing more people in.
The crowd believed they had gathered of their own will, but in reality, they had been led by my intentions.
'Ilay is playing his role.'
The people Ilay had planted in Akbaran were moving. Even the full-body hologram of me had been filmed by one of Ilay’s agents.
Ilay’s influence and power weren’t particularly great. Normally, he wouldn’t have been able to generate such a movement on his own.
But right now, even his power was enough to create a current—because I had become the focal point. Like a snowball that rolls on its own once given a small push, the momentum had grown naturally.
'Now, my role is crucial.'
Ilay had pushed. Now, it was my turn to roll.
"According to orders from above, I am not permitted to enter, am I?"
"…That much is within my discretion. If you refuse to come in, I’ll have you detained by force."
It was a moment of extreme tension. At any second, the protesters could turn into rioters. And their numbers continued to swell. Soon, they would grow beyond control.
"It won’t be easy to force me to do anything without killing me."
I placed my fingers on the hilt of my sword. My other hand slipped inside my coat as if reaching for a pistol.
I shifted my focus. I ignored the crowd. Their shouts and curses faded away, as if severed from my perception.
…Silence.
My sight and hearing were solely focused on the soldiers. Their arms and hands twitched continuously. At a glance, they seemed to be waiting for orders.
However, the emotional signals they gave off were unmistakably those of hesitation and fear.
The soldiers at the checkpoint did not have the stomach for a mass slaughter. Among the protesters, there were even children. The elderly and infirm had also gathered, chasing the hope of entering the upper district.
"When the water overflows, there’s no need to scoop it back up. No, contaminated water doesn’t need to be retrieved at all," Lieutenant Colonel Kasert muttered, his pupils gleaming with a chilling light.
Damn it. As expected of someone from the Imperial Guard—his judgment was fast.
Snap!
Kasert raised his hand and gave the order to prepare for fire. The soldiers struggled but eventually lifted their weapons, aiming at the protesters.
"Tsk, it's better to drive them away before the crowd grows any larger. It’s unfortunate, but necessary."
Kasert sighed and drew his pistol. If a superior officer led by example, then Imperial soldiers—despite their reluctance—would pull the trigger.
'I need to buy more time.'
From the beginning, my goal had only been to hold this standoff. I wanted to maintain this deadlock and keep drawing more people in.
But Kasert wasn’t making it easy.
A small sacrifice to prevent a greater one. Even if hundreds died here, it was better than letting thousands or tens of thousands turn into rioters.
That was Kasert’s decision.
'Breaking through the checkpoint by force alone is impossible.'
The ones defending it were Kasert, the soldiers, and the two Myrmidon units.
My dual-layered tactical thinking formulated a battle plan. A frontal assault was infeasible. I needed to capture Kasert and use him as a hostage.
'But Kasert would rather die than be taken hostage. He would tell me to kill him.'
The next line of thought rejected the success of that plan. I had to come up with something better.
'I need to stop the massacre while keeping this standoff going.'
No immediate solution came to mind.
And then, my time ran out.
Click.
Kasert pulled the trigger.
He wasn’t aiming at me. He was aiming at the protesters.
Ki—iiing!
My hand moved in sync. My Crucis crossed the boundary line slightly and struck the pistol diagonally.
Clang!
The fired bullet cut through the air. The pistol, now broken, spun in the air before crashing onto the ground.
I didn't follow up with another attack. If I cut Lieutenant Colonel Kasert, there would be no room for conversation—only immediate combat.
"Quick and precise, as your reputation suggests."
"It's only natural that I'm better than someone retired from active duty in the Imperial Guard."
If the situation had been different, this could have been an enjoyable exchange.
Srrk.
Lieutenant Colonel Kasert said nothing more and stepped back. He raised his hand beside the Myrmidon. The Myrmidons aimed their weapons forward.
The moment Kasert lowered his hand, high-powered projectiles would be unleashed.
'There's no other way.'
I had to fight. If the protesters scattered or were neutralized here, I was finished as well.
I increased my output, preparing for battle.
Vrrrrrr!
At that moment, the roar of an engine echoed from above. An aerial vehicle was approaching at immense speed.
Everyone’s attention turned toward it.
Kiiiiing!
The aerial vehicle was wobbling uncontrollably, nearly shaking apart. It even collided with a high-rise building.
It was an extremely unstable flight. There was a reason for the flight ban—if the skies had been as crowded as usual, there would have been a chain of massive accidents.
The aerial vehicle pierced through the storm, descending close enough for the naked eye to make out details. However, it couldn’t manage to land.
Maintaining its precarious flight, the vehicle’s lower hatch opened, and someone dropped down.
The first thing visible was a crimson cape.
Lieutenant Colonel Kasert and I realized the situation faster than anyone else. We both went down on one knee in salute.
Boom!
The ornate cape billowed as if defying the weight of the heavy rain and gravity. The moment he landed, the yellow boundary line beneath his feet cracked apart.
"T-The Crimson Crown Prince?"
Shouts erupted from the front lines of the protest. The protesters forgot even the basic courtesy of showing respect, instead pointing and gesturing rudely.
Francec Accretia had arrived. His golden eyes burned with a commanding presence.