This Bastard is Too Competent – Chapter 246 – That Is Pride Itself

Author: CleiZz

Ian followed Galon and the others out of the royal palace. But even outside, the massacre continued.

Kieeek!

“Please… Save me! Aaargh!”

Various monsters were slaughtering people as if they were toys. Each time, Galon would rush in and cut down the monsters.

Slash!

In the blink of an eye, the monsters’ heads fell. Since the death of Duke Lavaltor, Galon had rightfully earned the title of the strongest knight in Kaistein. He didn’t hesitate to help the wounded as he fought.

“Assist the injured. We must get out of here as quickly as possible.”

Thanks to his efforts, more and more people began to follow Ian. As the line of refugees grew, murmurs of concern rippled through the crowd.

“Our pace is too slow. At this rate, we’ll be caught.”

“The monsters are faster. They’ll catch us before we even leave the castle.”

Galon turned to Ian and asked calmly,

“What are your orders, Your Highness?”

“These are the people of Kaistein. If possible… I want to take them with us.”

“If that is your will, Your Highness, then so be it.”

Galon bowed his head as if receiving a command. Then, without pause, he resumed slaying monsters, protecting and rescuing civilians as they went. And so, the number of followers behind Ian steadily increased.

Suddenly—

“Prince Ian is escaping!”

“The sacrifices are fleeing! Catch them!”

Soldiers of Duke Garcia appeared, rushing toward them. Several knights were among them.

“Sir Galon…”

“We never expected you to betray the Duke.”

“He trusted you deeply. How could you do this?”

Galon shook his head.

“I have never betrayed him.”

“Then turning your back on Duke Garcia’s orders is betrayal enough.”

“My loyalty has always been to Kaistein. I’m simply doing what must be done for the kingdom and its people.”

“In that case… you must die.”

The knights’ appearances twisted grotesquely. They had been corrupted by the power of the Seven Sins emanating from Leon. In an instant, they transformed into black knights and charged at Galon.

Aaargh!

Kieeeek!

Galon stepped forward and shouted,

“Your Highness! Leave this to me. Hurry and escape!”

“But…”

Ian hesitated. The number of enemies was overwhelming, and the commotion was drawing in even more monsters. He wanted to help—he knew Galon couldn’t handle it all alone. But even as Galon swung his sword, he shouted.

“Do not forget those who believe in you, Your Highness. It’s not only your life that matters.”

“!”

Ian turned around. Behind him stood a crowd of people, all staring at his back.

“Prince Ian…”

“Mom… what do we do?”

“Shh. Be quiet. The prince is about to speak.”

Their eyes were filled with fear—but also hope. They were placing their trust in him to lead them out of this nightmare. Ian couldn’t betray that hope.

“Sir Galon, I leave it to you.”

“Leave it to me.”

As Galon finished speaking, the enemies lunged at him.

“Come. Your fight is with me.”

“You dare underestimate us, Galon?”

“You won’t escape this time!”

Ian turned his back on Galon and started leading the people forward, supported by others at his side.

“We must get out of here.”

“We’ll guide you.”

Ian and the crowd quickly retreated. As they neared the castle gates, suddenly—

Boom!

Dark, ominous auras burst out from the palace, as if announcing the birth of a demon lord. Ian’s expression stiffened.

“Could it be…?”

Had all the Seven Sins already gathered? But Faith—or rather, Pride—hadn’t been claimed yet, had it?

It seemed unavoidable. Karan, the third son of Duke Garcia, now possessed Faith. As he hesitated, the crowd pressed on.

“Your Highness, there’s no time to hesitate!”

“We must escape now!”

“If we don’t hurry, we’ll all be killed!”

The panic escalated. Some were already sobbing, fearing they’d be the next to die. And then, even the voices of the Seven Sins echoed in Ian’s mind.

[Your survival is what matters most.]

[There’s no shame in running. Dying for nothing is.]

[You must live—to raise a family and find happiness.]

[If you die here, you won’t get to eat again.]

[Running now doesn’t mean giving up. Live first—then fight.]

But something about those voices felt… strange.

‘You could just lend me your power. Wouldn’t that make me unstoppable?’

[Well… you haven’t given us an answer yet…]

‘Is it because they are opponents you can’t fight? Because they are you?’

[They’re not us. We’re the real ones…]

Ian chuckled softly.

‘Then why? Why are you urging me to flee? Do you want me out of here that badly?’

[!]

The Seven Sins fell silent—caught off guard by his insight. Seeing their reaction, Ian’s expression hardened.

“I won’t run anymore. I’ll reclaim what’s mine—what I was meant to have.”

He turned to the people and said,

“I have to go back. All of you—get out of here as quickly as you can.”

“B-but, Your Highness!”

“If anything happens to you, everything will have been for nothing!”

But Ian cut them off firmly.

“I have to do what must be done. That’s the only way I can truly save you.”

“What do you mean…?”

“Don’t think the monsters are only here. This is just the beginning. There may be even more outside.”

“Ah…”

“That’s why I need to strike at the source. You must run. Escape while you still can.”

“…”

The people exchanged uneasy glances, hesitant to move. None of them had the courage to follow Ian back into that nightmare. But Ian smiled.

“Don’t worry. I will come back alive. And I’ll destroy whoever is responsible for this hell.”

Despite his battered body, Ian turned and began walking back toward the palace. No one dared try to stop him. Yet something had changed.

Step. Step.

His staggering movements gradually steadied. It was as if his wounds had vanished. No—he wasn’t just healed.

Woong!

A radiant, swirling light of all colors enveloped his body. The Seven Sins were aiding him.

***

Meanwhile, Leon sat on the throne that had once belonged to King Eloin. Wearing a sly smile, he turned to Duke Garcia.

“Has everyone arrived?”

“The envoys from Cantum, Bahara, and the Holy Empire have arrived. But the eastern empire is still en route.”

“I see. Then we can begin.”

Leon looked as though he could barely contain his excitement—and with good reason.

“At last… my lifelong dream is about to come true.”

He was no longer just the king of a small kingdom, but the ruler of two continents. A dream he had clung to since childhood—when he was chosen by his power and the Great Master. He turned to Duke Garcia and asked.

“And the Great Master?”

“He has not yet arrived. It seems he’s leading the mages from the Magic Continent.”

“I see. The moment the continents unite, he’ll begin his march.”

Leon smirked.

“Then I shall begin.”

At his gesture, a hexagram rose from the blood-soaked floor of the royal palace. A massive darkness spread across Kaistein. Then he waved his hand.

Woong! Woong!

The six of the Seven Sins rose into the sky. It was the ritual the Great Master had taught him—the one that would unite the Seven Sins into one.

‘He said if I don’t perform this ritual, I’ll be devoured by them. But once it’s complete, I’ll be safe.’

This ceremony would make him their rightful master. And Pride—the greatest of the Seven Sins, the ruler of them all—would finally be his to command. As the Sins released their power into the sky—

Whoooosh!

A massive darkness erupted, spreading like a storm to engulf everything. And then, without warning—

Aaaaargh!

Ughhh!

Screams erupted from those participating in the ritual. One after another, they collapsed. Alarmed, Duke Garcia shouted,

“What…? What is happening?!”

It was inevitable. Most of those present were Garcia’s own forces. With only a few knights left behind to guard the capital, nearly all of his loyal men were here. And their screams of agony weren’t ordinary — they were terrifying.

Grrrgh!

Gyaaah!

The humans began to change, their bodies twisting grotesquely. It was as if they were shedding their skin, transforming into monsters. Duke Garcia shouted in panic,

“What is the meaning of this?! This isn’t what you promised!”

He was furious—his own men were turning into monsters. But Leon only curled his lips into a mocking smile.

“What’s so different?”

“We agreed not to harm my forces! This land is under my authority!”

“I haven’t harmed anyone,” Leon said casually.

“Then what is this?!”

“I simply gave them power. And look—aren’t they so much stronger now?”

“!”

Duke Garcia’s eyes trembled. It was true—their strength had become monstrous. But now that they were no longer human, his dreams of establishing a proper kingdom had crumbled.

“B-but our agreement! This wasn’t the contract!”

Leon sneered.

“I upheld our agreement. You’ll be the ruler of this kingdom. It’s just… your subjects happen to be monsters now. What? Are you thinking of defying me?”

“Prince… Leon…”

Duke Garcia swallowed his protests. He couldn’t risk opposing him.

Grrr…

The monsters surrounded him. A single word, a single wrong move, and he would be dead. He had no choice but to bow his head.

“N-no… Of course not. I would never dare.”

“Good. Remember, the only reason I’ve kept you alive is because I still need that clever brain of yours.”

“…”

Duke Garcia bit his lip in humiliation. But his nightmare was far from over. Just then—

“Aaaaargh!”

Startled by the familiar cry, Duke Garcia’s eyes widened in horror and shock.

“K-Karan!”

His youngest son—his most beloved child—was being dragged in, his limbs torn apart by monsters. Though Karan had once left to seek freedom, to Duke Garcia, he was still his pride and joy.

“What…what is the meaning of this?! Why my son?!”

Leon curled his lips into a grim smile.

“Duke Garcia, it seems you were hiding something from me after all.”

“What are you talking about…?”

“Faith. The ancestral power of your bloodline—the very foundation of the Garcia legacy. Why didn’t you tell me about it?”

“!”

Duke Garcia’s pupils trembled, but Leon continued without pause.

“I didn’t pay much attention at first. But then, things began to feel… off. The strength your son possessed—the power of the so-called Adventurer King—was something no one in your bloodline should’ve had.”

As reports of Karan’s victories reached him, Leon investigated further and discovered that the power was close to the Seven Heavenly Virtues, yet in essence, it resembled the Seven Sins.

“A power passed down from the First King—or perhaps entrusted to him. Isn’t that right?”

The First King had believed in Faith. But he could not place that same trust in his descendants. And so, he secretly bound it with restraints.

“It was a power your bloodline was meant to protect. But by betraying your ancestor and sealing it away, you made a grave mistake.”

By betraying Faith, they had only strengthened the shackles—binding their lineage to serve Kaistein for eternity. And Leon had uncovered this secret through his Great Master.

“You kept Pride hidden—the very thing we needed most. No, the very thing I desired. That was quite the deception.”

“!”

Duke Garcia’s face contorted in anguish. Unlike Ceres or Heinley, he had pinned all his hopes on Karan. Watching him suffer crushed what little remained of his will.

‘That bastard… Did he know everything from the start?’

Without Pride, unifying the two continents would be impossible. So, Duke Garcia understood Leon’s plan: he had secretly kept Karan hidden with the power of Pride, while breaking the restraint—only to betray him at the final moment

Leon no longer spared Garcia a glance. He raised his hand.

“And now… the final piece.”

Screech.

Leon’s hand pierced through Karan’s chest. Duke Garcia let out a soul-rending scream.

“K-Karaaaaan!”

But his cry couldn’t save him. In an instant, Karan’s head drooped, lifeless.

Death.

Karan—whom Duke Garcia had chosen as his successor—was lost in vain. And Leon reached out toward the Faith—no, the Pride—emanating from Karan’s body.

“With this, the Seven Sins are complete. Now, I shall become… the ruler of both continents!”

But in that very moment—

“You won’t have your way!”

A figure appeared out of nowhere and snatched Pride before Leon could touch it.