Chapter 515
Finally, I Have Come Here. (1)
Kaiyen stared blankly at Ghislain.
"King of Mercenaries, huh..."
Under normal circumstances, he would have scoffed at such a statement. The title of "king" was not something just anyone could claim.
No matter how powerful one was, they could not simply proclaim themselves as a king. Even the ducal families, who boasted the greatest influence in the kingdom, or the Marquis of Branford, could not do such a thing.
But now, he couldn't dismiss Ghislain's words so easily.
“Waaaaaaaah!”
“Boss! We’re here!”
“Commander! Are you alright?!”
Dominic was rushing forward, shouting at the top of his lungs. Behind him followed the Drake Mercenary Corps and the mercenaries gathered from various kingdoms.
Their numbers reached a staggering fifty thousand. Even the Ritania Kingdom could not afford to hire such a force at once.
'King of Mercenaries.'
Kaiyen gazed at them with weary eyes, lost in thought.
The other kingdoms were struggling as well. Yet, with just a single command from Ghislain, so many mercenaries had gathered.
Calling him the King of Mercenaries was no exaggeration. If not him, then who else could claim that title?
'We… still didn’t understand this bastard.'
Mercenaries were scattered all over, so he hadn’t paid them much attention. No matter how much Fenris Mercenary Corps expanded its influence, he had thought little of it.
To them, mercenaries were nothing more than disposable tools used once and discarded.
And yet, in the end, they had been caught by those very mercenaries.
'So his policies were actually effective.'
Kaiyen had known well that Count Fenris had been pouring an enormous amount of money into mercenaries. Even when he saw the benefits being handed out through alliances with the kingdoms, he had dismissed it as merely inflating their numbers.
But now, look at them. They had come, brimming with confidence, to rescue their master.
Some among them probably didn’t even know who Count Fenris truly was. Some might have been swept up in the moment and dragged along.
But the ones leading them were different.
Without unwavering loyalty, no mere mercenary would charge in like that.
At the very least, the sense of belonging to Fenris Mercenary Corps had been firmly instilled in them.
'Simply recognizing his worth wasn’t enough.'
Kaiyen had seen his plans foiled by Count Fenris multiple times. Each time, he had raised his assessment of the man’s abilities and prepared accordingly.
And yet, that had been arrogance on his part.
This opponent was not someone he could simply evaluate and deal with.
'We should have been the challengers.'
That was the approach they should have taken facing him as challengers.
Just like when they had confronted the Shadow Knight Commander, whom both the king and the Salvation Church had feared, they should have given it their all from the start.
But it was too late. Far too late.
Now, that magnificent ducal castle would be trampled beneath his hooves.
Kaiyen let out a rough breath and raised his sword once more.
“So be it. A fight is inevitable.”
His army was already completely surrounded.
His opponent exuded an overwhelming presence, looking ready to charge at any moment.
If battle broke out now, his forces would be annihilated before they could even put up a real fight.
If he wanted even the slimmest chance of a miracle…
The only way was to kill that man and ignite a surge of morale.
Ghislain, too, looked at Kaiyen and grinned savagely.
“Yeah, that’s right. You can’t carry the title of the Kingdom’s Strongest Swordsman with any doubts, can you?”
Truth be told, he could simply withdraw. He could leave the finishing blow to others.
But Ghislain had no intention of doing so.
A battle of life and death was the best way to surpass one’s own limits.
Opportunities like this did not come often in a lifetime.
And so, he had to overcome this foe with his own strength.
No further words were needed.
Kwa-jik.
Both men stomped forward at the same time.
And without any regard for defense, they swung their swords at each other.
Chwaaaak!
“Kugh!”
Blood sprayed into the air as both men staggered back, so simultaneously that it was impossible to tell who had cried out in pain.
Both of them were battered and broken just standing seemed improbable.
Yet, neither ceased swinging their swords.
They glared at each other with the eyes of mad demons.
“Huff… Huff….”
Thud!
Gasping for breath, both men collapsed at the exact same moment, as if by agreement.
And yet, gritting their teeth, they forced themselves up and resumed their attacks.
Chwaak! Chwaaak!
The sound of flesh being torn apart echoed through the battlefield. Blood splattered in every direction.
Neither of them seemed to care about defense anymore.
Both armies were at a loss should they continue watching in silence?
In the end, Dominic drew his sword.
“Commander, stop! This is too dangerous!”
Even Count Mowbray raised his hand, signaling his troops to move.
It had gone on long enough.
If this continued any further, Ghislain himself might succumb to excessive blood loss.
But Ghislain pointed his sword at Dominic and spoke.
“…Don’t move… It’s over now…”
Blood seeped from his mouth every time he tried to speak. Even so, Ghislain was smiling.
Kaiyen was no different. He grinned as he glared at Ghislain.
“Heh… heh… heh… You tenacious bastard…”
Never in his life had he fought so fiercely. If he could win and survive this battle—
“I’ll kill you and surpass my limits once again.”
“That’s what I should be saying.”
Whoosh!
The two swords inched toward each other. The mana that had once coursed through them had vanished, leaving them too feeble to even kill a mere soldier.
Clang.
The swords clashed. That seemingly meaningless action repeated several times.
Clang, clang, clang.
The intermittent metallic sounds gradually faded until silence engulfed the battlefield. Neither man moved, their swords locked against each other.
Ghislain slowly opened his mouth.
“I won.”
“……”
Kaiyen said nothing. He merely continued to glare at Ghislain, blood still dripping from the corner of his lips.
Rumble…
Ghislain channeled the last, almost negligible, traces of his mana into his five cores.
The faint energy coursed through the cores, gradually amplifying.
Crackle!
Though the power had been weak at the start, even after amplification, it was still inferior to that of an ordinary knight. But Ghislain’s battered body could not endure even that frail strength.
His exhausted muscles twisted immediately, his wounds tore open, and blood gushed out.
Yet, despite it all, Ghislain gritted his teeth and swung his sword.
Boom!
Kaiyen blocked the strike. However, his body failed to absorb the impact, causing him to stagger violently.
Ghislain swung his sword again.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Once, twice, thrice… Each time the blade came down, Kaiyen stumbled further back, struggling to keep up. He could no longer withstand his opponent’s strength.
Through his dimming vision, Kaiyen saw the blade falling towards him. He lifted his sword to block it, but a foreboding feeling took hold.
‘The sword…’
The sword was his world. And now, another sword was swinging toward him, shattering that world.
‘Ah…’
At last, he had glimpsed the world beyond.
Clang!
Crack!
Kaiyen’s sword, which had blocked Ghislain’s strike, finally shattered. And with it, his world collapsed.
Through the scattering fragments of steel, Ghislain’s eyes came into view.
They still burned with fury and murderous intent.
‘Why are you…’
Squelch!
Kaiyen never finished his thought.
This time, Ghislain’s sword had cut deep into his body.
“Guh…!”
Kaiyen staggered, blood pouring from a long gash stretching from his collarbone to his side.
Yet, he did not fall. Planting his feet firmly on the ground, he continued to face Ghislain.
Ghislain, still holding his sword in the finishing stance, slowly lifted his gaze to meet Kaiyen’s.
Neither of them had any strength left to move.
With great effort, Kaiyen forced out his words.
“You… are the Kingdom’s Strongest Swordsman.”
“……”
Two people looked at each other and smiled.
Having reached the pinnacle, both had pushed themselves to the limit, putting their very lives on the line.
So much so that not even a trace of regret remained.
That was why, at this moment, only the two of them could smile.
Kaiyen turned his body. Mustering the last of his strength, he shouted toward the Delfine forces who were staring at him.
“Surrender, all of you!”
Thud.
With those final words, Kaiyen’s body crumbled as he fell to his knees. Slowly, his eyes closed, and his head bowed.
The legacy of Kaiyen Balzac, the Kingdom’s Strongest Swordsman, ended here.
And a new Kingdom’s Strongest Swordsman was born.
The Fenris Mobile Corps, the mercenaries, and even the Mowbray forces all raised their weapons and cheered.
“Uwaaaaaah!”
“The Commander won!”
“Our Lord is now the Kingdom’s Strongest Swordsman!”
“Hahaha… huh? Huh? Huh?”
The cheering was abruptly cut off as shock rippled through the crowd Ghislain’s body was collapsing sideways.
Thud!
“L-Lord! Save our lord!”
The Fenris knights panicked and rushed toward Ghislain. Thankfully, they all carried potions with them.
They poured the potions over him as if trying to bathe him in them. But Ghislain, already unconscious, showed no sign of waking.
The highest-ranking noble present, Count Mowbray, turned to the Delfine forces and asked,
“Will you continue to fight?”
The commanders of the Delfine forces stared at Kaiyen’s fallen body. Tears of frustration welled in their eyes, but one by one, they let their weapons fall to the ground.
It was the only way they could honor the man they had respected the most the Kingdom’s Strongest Swordsman.
After disarming the Delfine forces, Count Mowbray turned to Dominic.
“Surround the city. Let not a single retainer of the ducal family escape.”
“Understood.”
Leaving their supreme commander behind and advancing was out of the question. They had to wait for Ghislain to wake.
However, Count Mowbray thought that surrounding the castle was ultimately pointless.
‘He’s already gone.’
The news of their arrival would have already reached the Duke’s ears. The outcome of the battle had been determined the moment Ghislain and Kaiyen clashed there was no reason for the Duke to remain.
And so, a full day passed before Ghislain finally regained consciousness.
“Urgh… I slept too long.”
Dominic’s face lit up with joy as he exclaimed,
“You’re awake! Your injuries are severe, please don’t move recklessly!”
“Is the castle surrounded?”
“Yes, not even an ant can get through.”
“Hmm… Let’s head inside.”
With the support of his knights, Ghislain rose to his feet. Moving was still difficult, but there was no need for concern.
After all, they had an army of eighty thousand stationed here. Until the southern front’s forces arrived, nothing significant would happen.
Ghislain slowly made his way into the city. The streets were eerily empty everyone was likely hiding in their homes.
Passing through the desolate streets, he finally arrived at the towering white castle.
“So, I’ve finally made it here.”
He had been here in his past life as well. After seizing the capital, he had come looking for the Duke only to find the Duke wasn’t here either.
“Will he be gone this time as well?”
Ghislain shared Count Mowbray’s thoughts. The battle’s outcome had long been decided; there was no reason for the Duke to sit idly and wait.
In his past life, the Duke had escaped countless times, to the point where Ghislain had never even seen his face.
The castle, too, was eerily silent. It seemed that even the servants had fled.
Still, the retainers must have been hiding somewhere in the city. Not all of them could have escaped.
With the help of his knights, Ghislain trudged forward. Eventually, he arrived at the heart of the castle the Hall of Glory.
“Hm?”
At the center of the grand hall, a dozen people stood in a line as if blocking the path.
They were the Ducal Family’s last line of defense Melchior’s personal assassins.
Lying before them was a corpse.
Ghislain instantly recognized who it was.
“Raul.”
The man who had fled had died here. Dozens of daggers were embedded in his body, and blood had pooled around the corpse.
The ones blocking the path had undoubtedly killed him.
And behind them, standing at the highest position—
A man, hands clasped behind his back, gazed at the painting on the hall’s wall.
The painting, bathed in crimson, depicted a monstrous creature trampling and devouring humans.
It resembled a dragon, yet it was not one. It looked more akin to a serpent.
The man, still admiring the painting, slowly turned his gaze toward Ghislain.
“So, you are the Count of Fenris?”
“…You are…”
The man smiled gently and continued,
“This is our first meeting. I am the master of this castle Duke Ernhardt Delfine.”
Ernhardt had been waiting for Ghislain.