Do Your Own Revolution

#034.

“Betrayed the Revolutionary Army, what does that mean…?”

“That’s something for you to figure out.”

I created distance between Vark and myself by exploding the nearly broken barrier.

“You bastard…!”

“Not yet.”

You can’t dodge while floating in the air.

I immediately summoned dozens of magic circles and loaded them with Fireballs.

There was no need to use Eye of Horus.

There was only one target.

“Fire all rounds.”

Dozens of Fireballs were fired in sequence, continuously pouring towards Vark.

Of course, I didn’t expect this to kill him.

Unlike those gang members who burned with a single Fireball, he was a magician with a five-stroke magic imprint.

I’d be lucky if my Fireballs could leave even a scratch on him.

Vark emerged from the thick smoke and pointed his sword at me.

As expected, the magic I had fired couldn’t leave a single scratch on him.

Vark Urgon.

He’s an NPC known as the number 2 of the first generation Revolutionary Army before the main story of [Revolution Empire] begins.

A cornerstone of the Revolutionary Army who maximized the growth of the magic imprint ‘Red Wings’ created by Maximilien.

Living up to his reputation, his first strike was more powerful than I had imagined.

‘If I hadn’t put up a triple barrier, forget blocking it – I might have gone to the next world along with the Emperor.’

And that’s not all.

When I activated the Fireball along with the barrier, the magic imprint became overloaded.

Without Otto’s adjustments, I would have had to prepare for a backflow.

However, I saw the Emperor’s carriage stopped behind me.

The Emperor wasn’t dead.

The Revolutionary Army’s primary objective had failed.

‘No, not yet. I can’t be certain yet.’

I couldn’t relax just because I blocked one attack.

While catching my breath, I surveyed the funeral venue that had already turned into chaos.

“It’s an attack! Everyone maintain formation!”

“Focus firepower on the front to create an escape route! Walter! What happened to Mari?!”

“She headed to the train station first with the guard forces! Lord Keiren, this way!”

The square was being defended against the Revolutionary Army’s offensive mainly by Keiren’s soldiers, but it was impossible for such a small force to control the entire venue.

They could only manage to evacuate Keiren himself, those around him, and Mari.

I saw Irene disappearing into an alley with Mari from a distance.

With that one around, at least Mari won’t die.

“The Revolutionary Army?!”

“Run! Everyone ru- kuhek…!”

“You traitors, how dare you, in this place…!”

Unlike Keiren’s forces moving in perfect unison, the situation with other nobles wasn’t looking good.

“Target those with luxurious decorations and medals first!”

“The guard forces are nothing but scarecrows! Eliminate them all-!”

“Kyaaak-!”

Most of the nobles who had close relationships with the Emperor, or were trying to establish them, were dying from the Revolutionary Army’s attacks.

As Keiren had predicted beforehand, most of the guard forces were just a disorganized rabble that couldn’t even help.

And amidst all this, what caught my eye were the Westraine magicians moving through the chaotic funeral venue.

“Kuhk?!”

“First objective complete. Next target?”

“This one’s done too. Moving to the next.”

Magicians using only non-attribute magic and enhancement magic to minimize imprint exposure.

Unlike the Revolutionary Army indiscriminately killing those who appeared to be nobles, their targets were the key figures in charge of the Empire’s administration.

‘Though it’s 5 years earlier than the original work… Up to this point, it’s flowing according to the main story.’

Due to the Revolutionary Army’s uprising, the imperial faction officials who ran the Empire would be largely killed off, and magic nobles would take their place.

A deal between the Westraine Republic, which wanted chaos in the Empire, and the magic nobles who were looking for an opportunity to purge the imperial faction.

From this incident onward, the delicate balance between the imperial faction and noble faction would collapse.

The Empire would fall into the hands of magic nobles, and the Revolutionary Army’s anger would only grow hotter.

Never knowing until the end that it was they themselves who had turned their world into hell.

‘It’s quite funny when you look at it from afar.’

Those who wanted reform in the Empire were pushing its fate toward the abyss.

The revolution had long since been tainted by countless malicious intentions, becoming a tool to be used by them.

Just being used as such a tool of revolution, only to be discarded in the end.

That would have been the fate originally given to this body.

“But not anymore.”

I stole Maximilien’s magic imprint, found Otto again, and had him adjust the forcibly implanted magic imprint.

I trained to death until this day came to increase my magical power to its maximum limit.

As a result of all my efforts to survive coming together, I was able to intervene at this game’s most important turning point.

I could now distort this story from its very foundation – the story that begins with the Emperor’s death.

“Form ranks! Synchronize the imprints! Protect His Majesty the Emperor!”

“Your Majesty! Are you alright?!”

“Call the Knight Order!”

By the time my thoughts were ending, the guards who had belatedly grasped the situation surrounded the Emperor’s carriage.

A solid barrier created by the synchronized magical power of dozens of people.

Though the guards’ magic imprints were only two-stroke, they could hold out to some extent when dozens used the same spell simultaneously.

However, at that moment, a fierce killing intent was directed at me.

“You dare…!”

Vark, with a face like an evil spirit, slowly approached me with his sword raised.

The magical power flowing from the sword in his hand made me feel like I could be crushed at any moment.

‘Right. That’s how you should react.’

It must have been an operation that was practically guaranteed to succeed.

In this situation without any arch-magicians, there should have been no one who could stop Vark.

However, at this moment, everything became distorted.

By blocking Vark’s first strike, I bought time for the guards to surround the Emperor.

“It’s not over yet.”

Vark’s voice leaked through his clenched teeth.

And simultaneously, I felt magical power that was incomparable to what I had felt just before.

It was the Revolutionary Army’s special weapon, magic bullet.

“Just one magician and a handful of imperial guards.”

When he raised his magic circuit output to the extreme, an overwhelming magical power that rivaled Maximilien’s from before assaulted me.

Ugh, insane.

No matter what, I can’t win against that.

While I was thinking this, Vark took his stance while concentrating his magical power.

“This time, the Emperor’s life…!”

“No, you’re too late.”

With magical power raised to that extent, there was nothing I could do.

I had used most of my magical power blocking the first strike, and my magic imprint was overloaded.

However, that was enough.

This brief moment of time I bought by pouring out all my magical power.

This single moment was enough time to summon the ‘real one’ who was waiting in the imperial palace.

A brilliant light struck down from the sky.

A massive impact like a meteor falling.

The shockwave it created was enough to push back Vark who was preparing his attack.

“This unfaithful one who could not accompany His Majesty’s procession due to falling for a vile trick. I shall repay with my life when all is done, Your Majesty.”

Along with the dignified voice, a man appeared from within the light.

A white-haired old knight wearing the Imperial Knight Order uniform.

Upon seeing his face, Vark’s face burned with rage.

“Andrei, Leonhardt…!”

The Imperial Knight Order Commander, Andrei Leonhardt.

The shield that protects the Emperor had joined the battlefield.

***

“Young Lady! This way…!”

“Just a bit further!”

While the battle with the Revolutionary Army was raging at the funeral venue.

The 72nd Division soldiers under Keiren’s orders were guiding Mari and Irene to the train station.

“Haa… Haa…!”

Though she was running with the soldiers’ guidance, Mari’s face was deathly pale.

The scattered gunfire and screams.

Blood soaking the clean streets.

Even her father who was desperately trying to evacuate her.

Everything was unfamiliar and terrifying.

“This alley! This is the shortcut…!”

The moment the soldier leading the way shouted that.

With the gunshot, a bullet hole appeared in the soldier’s temple.

“Kya, kyaaak?!”

“Damn, an ambush?!”

“Why all the way here…!”

Mari’s confusion grew even more as she saw someone die right before her eyes.

Walking leisurely towards such a Mari were Revolutionary Army members in trench coats.

However, seeing the pistols they were holding, one of the soldiers guarding Mari gritted his teeth.

“These bastards aren’t Revolutionary Army. Don’t tell me they’re from Westraine…?”

“Impressive? To think a mere common soldier could distinguish such things.”

An admiring voice flowed out from among the Revolutionary Army members who had already surrounded them.

A man with blonde hair and blue eyes, Gideon.

He clicked his tongue in displeasure while looking at Mari who was trembling at the sight of him.

‘Things have gotten quite complicated.’

Originally their target wasn’t this child Mari, but Keiren himself.

He was the Empire’s brilliant general who had utterly defeated Westraine’s main force in the last great war.

Westraine had been determined to eliminate him somehow but never managed to find an opportunity.

However, Gideon was skilled in espionage and found an answer within the Empire.

Carlos, the heir of Buckenheim who viewed Keiren as a thorn in his side.

He had approached Westraine, offering to deliver Keiren’s head in exchange for instigating this Emperor assassination.

This was the result of the deal made under the surface.

However, when Vark’s attack was blocked, all plans went awry.

‘The Imperial Knight Order has arrived and is securing the scene. There’s not enough time to target Keiren directly in this situation.’

Thus, Gideon and the republic agents decided to target Keiren’s daughter, Mari.

If they could kidnap Mari and use her to trap Keiren, they could get what they wanted.

“You son of a bitch! The Republic and Empire are in a ceasefire…!”

“Remove them.”

The agents’ bullets instantly killed Keiren’s soldiers.

These were all magicians possessing magical power.

They weren’t beings that regular soldiers could handle.

“Hmm?”

At that moment, as the agents who had killed all the soldiers approached Mari.

A young girl standing behind Mari stepped in front of her.

“Don’t touch our Young Lady!”

“Ah, Irene…!”

A black-haired girl they hadn’t expected.

Other agents tilted their heads at her appearance.

“What’s this kid? A maid?”

“What should we do? She wasn’t in the report…”

“…Well, what can we do.”

Gideon understood why his subordinates were looking at him.

Even if it was a mission, killing a child left a bad taste in their mouths.

He raised his gun with an unconcerned expression.

It was his role as their superior to ease his subordinates’ guilt.

Gideon planted a bullet in the girl’s face without much hesitation.

The girl with a bullet hole in her forehead staggered a few steps before collapsing like a puppet with cut strings.

“Ah, aah…!”

The problem was Mari standing beside her.

When the girl’s blood splattered on her face, Mari, overcome with terror, fainted on the spot.

If anything, this worked out better.

They had been wondering how to keep her quiet if she started screaming unnecessarily while being transported.

“Put a gag on her beforehand. If we use sedatives and she happens to die…”

However, Gideon’s matter-of-fact voice didn’t continue.

Something caught Mari’s body as she collapsed unconscious.

“Sleep well, Young Lady Mari.”

At that moment, the black-haired girl who had collapsed beside Mari got up.

The girl who stood up with a bullet still in her face.

Seeing this sight, the startled agents stepped back.

“W-what?!”

“She took a bullet to the face, why is she still alive…!”

Unlike the agents’ reaction, Gideon’s gaze was fixed above the girl’s head.

“That… What is that?”

Where his gaze landed, there was a black sphere floating – something he had never seen in his life.

“Heehee!”

With a laugh full of anticipation, the girl licked her lips while looking at them.

At that moment, Gideon instinctively realized.

Something.

Something very important had gone wrong.