This Bastard is Too Competent Chapter 251 - The Bastard Became King (Complete)

 

 

Whoooosh!

 

Flames rained from the sky, scorching everything in their path and purging those tainted by sin. The mages struggled to lift their hands and summon defensive spells.

 

“What are you all doing?! Quickly, form the magic circle! Defend yourselves!”

 

“Activate the Great Dragon Barrier! All mages, focus on maintaining the shield!”

 

Woom!

 

A black hemisphere materialized above the mages. It was a vast and powerful barrier—something that couldn’t have been made with the magical tools of the Sword Continent. But even that wasn’t enough.

 

“We can’t stop it… Aaaagh!”

 

“Gyaaaah! P-please… help…!”

 

The flames tore through the barrier and instantly reduced the black-robed mages to ash. No one could resist the dragon’s fiery breath descending from above. Watching from nearby stood a lone old man—the Great Master—his eyes filled with despair.

 

“Everything I’ve built… it’s all burning.”

 

But there was nothing he could do. No magic could harm a dragon. And worst of all—standing beside the dragon lord was none other than Ian.

 

At that moment—

 

“Kill him! Kill that bastard!”

 

“Everyone, attack!”

 

A barrage of dazzling spells launched toward Ian. But then, above the dragon lord Kanhelna, a massive hammer appeared out of thin air.

 

Bang!

 

The spells collided with the hammer and bounced back.

 

“What the hell…? Did it just reflect our magic? How is that even possible?!”

 

“You idiot, this isn’t the time to be stunned. Dodge—!”

 

Kaboom!

 

The magic rebounded and struck the casters themselves. In an instant, the continent’s most esteemed mages were annihilated. Gritting their teeth, the surviving mages shouted in desperation.

 

“Release the test subjects!”

 

“Deploy the slaves! Use them as a human shield! He won’t dare attack with so many hostages!”

 

They forced chimeras—monsters fused with human bodies and the powers of the Seven Sins—into formation. Behind them, the elderly, women, and children were dragged forward as living shields.

 

But just then—

 

Roar!

 

Purr!

 

From above the dragon’s head, the Seven Sins descended. Fury took the shape of a colossal dragon, while Jealousy appeared as a giant, feline beast. The two monsters tore through enemy lines with terrifying speed.

 

“W-What are these monsters?!”

 

“They’re attacking the hostages! We can’t stop them!”

 

“Then use the test subjects! Dammit, use them!”

 

“They’re out of control! They’ve sided with the enemy… Guh—!”

 

It wasn’t just the test subjects. Under the influence of Fury and Jealousy, the enslaved people suddenly turned against their masters.

 

“You bastards… Because of you, my child and… my parents are dead!”

 

“Thanks for everything, you motherfuckers!”

 

They were slaves, typically bound by powerful mind-control magic. But somehow, they broke free and turned on their masters, sinking their teeth and nails into them. The mages reacted with even more rage than when they were attacked by dragons.

 

“How dare you bare your teeth at your masters?!”

 

“Kill them all! Leave none alive!”

 

Ordinarily, the slaves would’ve been subdued in an instant. But with the power of the Seven Sins, they were no longer the same.

 

Fury bestowed the slaves with teeth sharp enough to pierce a mage’s heart, while Jealousy drained the mages’ magic and empowered the slaves with bodies capable of matching even magically enhanced foes.

 

In a flash, the tide of battle turned. From above, the dragon’s flames and Ian’s arrows—imbued with Compassion—rained down. From below, the slaves surged forward in revolt. The mages were wiped out in the blink of an eye.

 

Watching it all unfold, the Great Master was consumed by despair.

 

“Did the First King foresee this? Am I truly beyond redemption?”

 

And then, something fell from the sky.

 

Boom!

 

It was Ian.

 

He landed before the Great Master, eyes sharp and unwavering.

 

“We meet again, false prophet. Or should I call you ‘Great Master’?”

 

“Hahaha… So, this is how it ends.”

 

“I’m here to finish it.”

 

Ian raised his sword. His final enemy, Leon—the one who had tormented him in both his past and present lives—and now, he was here to cut down the one controlling Leon from the shadows. But before killing him, Ian had one question.

 

“Why?”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Why do all this? You could’ve ruled just fine over here.”

 

It was a valid question. Though the continent was divided, the Great Master wielded supreme authority on the Magic Continent. He was hailed as its pinnacle, the master of all mages. So why would someone like that covet the Swordsmanship Continent?

 

The Great Master’s expression darkened with sorrow.

 

“This land is a barren wasteland—punishment handed down by the First King.”

 

“What are you talking about?”

 

“All of this began with my original sin. I committed a crime so great, even death couldn’t grant me forgiveness from the First King.”

 

Once, he had been consumed by greed. As the First King neared death, that greed flared like wildfire—and he made a fateful mistake.

 

First, he seized control of all the Seven Sins, except their leader, Pride, and turned them into his own forces. Then, he established a nation of his own.

 

Because of these actions, the First King came to see Greed—the Great Master—as a threat. Using Pride, he split the world into two continents and banished Greed and his followers to one side. But the true crisis began only after that.

 

“This continent became stagnant… ruled by tyranny, where the strong prey on the weak.”

 

Unlike the Swordsmanship Continent, the Magic Continent was barren of everything—food, resources… even women were scarce. Because of this, its people were forced to steal from one another. Naturally, a brutal divide grew between the strong and the weak. The Great Master later came to regret it.

 

“But by that point, it was already too late. A world of only mages and slaves… a land where the strong held everything.”

 

“That doesn’t sound like something someone as powerful as you would complain about.”

 

“It’s not so simple. Even the strongest could only grasp a handful of sand. And no matter how high you build a tower of sand… it always collapses.”

 

That was why he had sought to conquer the Swordsmanship Continent. With that land’s abundance, everything could be solved. Yet Ian remained unconvinced.

 

“That’s it?”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“If that was your only reason, you could have attacked a long time ago. Didn’t you already send the mages over to this continent? Isn’t that proof enough?”

 

“…”

 

Indeed, the Great Master had previously used a large teleportation spell to secretly send some of his mages to the Swordsmanship Continent. So it wasn’t surprising that an invasion could have happened long ago.

 

In response, the Great Master calmly said,

 

“Take a look at this.”

 

“Huh?”

 

When the Great Master rolled up his sleeve, Ian’s eyes widened in shock. It was no surprise.

 

“You… you’re dying?”

 

Parts of the Great Master’s body were decaying and falling away, the rot continuing to spread. The only part of him left untouched was his face.

 

“No. To be precise, the longer someone from the Magic Continent stays in the Swordsmanship Continent, the stronger the shackles become. I simply stayed too long… and this is the price.”

 

“!”

 

The Great Master had founded the Holy Empire and, as its Pope, had stayed in the Swordsmanship Continent for an extended period. It was no wonder he was now nearing death.

 

“Those from the Magic Continent cannot remain on the Swordsmanship Continent. And the reverse is true as well.”

 

This was a law created by the First King. But Ian tilted his head.

 

“I’m fine, though.”

 

“Because you are the successor of the First King. Only you are exempt from that rule.”

 

“The successor of the First King?”

 

“The one acknowledged by both the Seven Virtues and the Seven Sins. The one recognized even by Pride—no, by Faith, who remained loyal to the First King until the very end. Only such a person has the right to inherit everything the First King left behind.”

 

Ian had already passed the trials of both the Seven Virtues and the Seven Sins. He had conquered the temptations of all the Seven Sins and gained the approval of the Seven Virtues.

He even possessed the First King’s helmet. Ian was the chosen successor.

 

The Great Master spoke calmly.

 

“If the two continents were united… those restrictions would vanish. They were a punishment—to confine the sinners.”

 

That was why the mages had stood no chance against the dragons. It wasn’t merely a matter of being outmatched; the most powerful mages had crossed over to the Swordsmanship Continent for this final battle. As a result, they could not unleash their full power. Only the weaker ones remained behind.

 

“Trying to unite the two continents to remove the restrictions? To give your people a chance to prosper?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“What a joke.”

 

But Ian saw right through the facade immediately.

 

“That’s not all, is it? A greedy man like you wouldn’t be satisfied with just that.”

 

“What do you mean…?”

 

“I can sense it from you—the same stench of greed as Leon.”

 

“!”

 

Ian’s eyes glinted sharply. His words were no idle accusation. The aura of Greed radiated strongly from the Great Master’s body.

 

“Your decaying body… it’s starting to heal, isn’t it?”

 

Although the Great Master flinched and tried to conceal his arm, it was too late. Ian had already noticed the flesh around his rotted and fallen limbs regenerating. This triggered memories from both his past and present lives.

 

‘Whenever something happened in the Holy Empire, the Pope was always absent. He rarely showed himself in public.’

 

Even when the Holy Empire fell in Ian’s past life, the Pope never made an appearance. The same was true when Cesare replaced him.

 

‘It wasn’t that he didn’t want to appear — he couldn’t. Because his body was rotting.’

 

He couldn’t reveal the decayed state of the Holy Pope’s body. He likely had to return periodically to the Magic Continent.

 

‘But greedy Leon and Cesare wouldn’t have stood by idly.’

 

That was why they must have aimed to seize his position and oust him. Yet, the Great Master had allowed it.

 

“What you truly desire isn’t peace or prosperity for the Magic Continent. It’s nothing but your own selfish ambition.”

 

“No! What I tried to do was—”

 

“What you really want… isn’t it death?”

 

“…”

 

The Great Master was momentarily speechless. But Ian saw through him clearly. After all, he was someone who had lived since the time of the First King.

 

‘Yunseul, the fortune teller, once said this: after the First King’s death, the bloodlines of the Seven Virtues and Seven Sins continued. And because of that, all their descendants remain bound.’

 

Of course, only Yunseul, a descendant of the faithful Seven Virtues, carried on the line. And the Great Master, burdened by his original sin, was bound by fate—never to be freed.

 

“The original sin you carry… it must be the undying body shackled by the restrictions that bind the two continents.”

 

“…”

 

But that wasn’t all Ian had realized. He now understood why he had experienced his past life through Kanhelna on his way here.

 

“As Pope, you conducted experiments, didn’t you? Trying to infuse your power into a Saintess who held the power of the Seven Virtues?”

 

“What of it?”

 

“You failed.”

 

“What…do you mean?”

 

The Dragon Lord was not only the guardian of the First King’s restrictions but also their overseer and observer of this world. That was why she held memories of all timelines.

 

‘If the Seven Virtues and Seven Sins are combined, destruction follows. The backlash of that power transferred to me, allowing me to live another life.’

 

He had been lucky. The experiment was underway when he was betrayed by Duke Garcia. Having resolved his doubts, Ian raised his sword high.

 

“I have to thank you. Because of your experiment, I experienced my past life and saved my family and brothers.”

 

“What are you talking about…?”

 

“I won’t solve your problems. But… I will grant you your long-awaited wish.”

 

“Wish?”

 

The Great Master’s desperate expression brightened instantly as he understood what Ian meant.

 

“Y-You mean…”

 

“That’s enough. It’s not because I like you that I do this. But if you keep living, you’ll only bring harm to everyone. So just die.” 

 

Ian’s sword fell toward the Great Master’s head.

 

Slash!

 

His body was soon split in two and collapsed. The Great Master greeted death with a bright expression but still didn’t comprehend what was happening.

 

“Of course, this isn’t the death you wanted. You are the one who caused so much suffering. That’s why you will rot here for eternity.”

 

Ian did not simply kill him. As he delivered the fatal blow, he sealed the Great Master’s soul inside his royal sword. This was the First King’s final restriction.

 

A sword that cannot be broken by any means. A sword no one could wield without permission, imprisoning the Great Master within. It was the First King’s last safeguard after his own death.

 

[Noooooooo!]

 

With the Great Master’s final scream, Ian sealed the royal sword in his Small Subspace Ring, ensuring that no one could find or release him again. Then—

 

“All the mages have been dealt with! You are free now!”

 

“Wooooaaaah!”

 

Peace had finally come to the Magic Continent. All the mages who had enslaved countless people until now had been completely defeated.

 

***

 

“Waaaaaah!”

 

A thunderous cheer echoed throughout the royal palace of Kaistein. The crowd was not limited to the people of Kaistein alone.

 

People from Bahara, Cantum, the Holy Empire, and even the Magic Continent all gathered here. This was possible because Ian, after defeating the mages of the Magic Continent, wielded the First King’s power to lift the restrictions between the two continents.

 

At that moment, a man appeared, walking confidently down a red carpet toward the dais. That man was Ian.

 

Step. Step.

 

As he moved forward, the crowd instinctively parted before him, creating a clear path. Everyone who stood in his way bowed their heads in respect. Soon, Ian reached the end of the dais, where dozens of important figures awaited him. First among them was Julich, the regent of Bahara, who rose from his seat and declared loudly:

 

“Ian Kaistein! Eternal King of Bahara!”

 

Next, the Empress of Cantum, the First Imperial Princess Yoran, raised her voice:

 

“Ian Kaistein! Eternal Brother and Eternal Companion of Cantum!”

 

Then came Saintess Elaira—Ian’s younger sister and the new Pope of the Holy Empire—who called out as well:

 

“Ian Kaistein! My blood brother, the Holy Executor!”

 

Suddenly, the crowd erupted in cheers—those freed from the tyranny of the Magic Continent’s mages thanks to Ian’s efforts.

 

“Ian Kaistein! Savior of the continent, savior of all people!”

 

Receiving their blessings, Ian knelt on one knee before the dais and bowed his head slowly. Then, a man stood from his seat.

 

“Ian Kaistein. Seventh Prince of Kaistein, my son—today, I pass this throne to you.”

 

Waaaaah!

 

King Eloin’s words sparked a deafening roar that shook the royal capital. This was the day Ian was finally acknowledged as king. Even Prince Louis, the third prince, was present and openly accepted Ian’s triumph.

 

‘How could I not acknowledge him? Not only did he conquer one continent—by his strength alone, he brought peace to two.’

 

There were still nations that had yet to recognize Ian’s achievements, but they wouldn’t be able to ignore him for much longer. Since Prince Louis had already accepted him, he would stand at the forefront as the new king’s sword. Yet, at this moment, that was not the most important matter. King Eloin stepped forward toward Ian.

 

Step. Step.

 

He lifted his crown slowly, holding it high with both hands as he spoke:

 

“Are you ready to become king?”

 

Ian answered without hesitation:

 

“From the very beginning until now—I have always been ready.”

 

The throne of Kaistein. He had sat on it before, but this time, it felt different. It was a seat he had rightfully earned through his own strength, not one that had been handed to him. That made it all the more meaningful. King Eloin smiled gently and lowered the crown onto Ian’s head.

 

“Good. From this moment, you are the king of Kaistein.”

 

As the crown settled, an overwhelming cheer erupted from the crowd.

 

WAAAAAAHHHH!

 

At last, the illegitimate son had become king.

 

End