Chapter501
Destroy It? (2)
Gartros trembled violently.
If someone as skilled as the Count of Fenris used force, those objects would turn to dust in an instant.
He absolutely could not let that happen. He had to take them back somehow.
“You… You dare…!”
His mind was in turmoil. He wanted to seize and tear that man apart immediately.
Chiiiiiik…
Ghislain looked down at his arm, where a dark energy flickered. He had blocked the attack, yet Gartros' aura still lingered.
Even from just a brief glimpse, he could tell it was no ordinary power.
‘That guy is different. A priest, was it?’
He had never encountered this one in his past life. It seemed this man was the true force guiding the Salvation Church from the shadows.
Unlike the other priests of the Salvation Church, he didn’t appear to have exceptional technique, but his power was immeasurable even to Ghislain.
They were formidable opponents, as expected.
But Ghislain still wore a relaxed smile as he shook the objects in his hands.
“This looks important, so stay put. If even one of you moves, I’ll really destroy it.”
He had no real intention of breaking them. He was just as curious about their significance as they were.
However, Gartros had no choice but to believe Ghislain’s words. Since he was unaware of what these objects truly were, he might actually destroy them if things went south.
Suppressing his rage, he spoke.
“Hand over those items. If you do, I will grant you anything you desire.”
“Hm, so they really are valuable.”
“……”
“But I don’t particularly want anything from you.”
“You bastard…”
“Oh, actually, there is one thing.”
“What is it?”
Ghislain smirked as he looked at Gartros’ face, veins bulging with fury, making him resemble a demon.
“I want to know what these are. Tell me, and I’ll consider it. They might be useless to me, after all.”
Clench.
Gartros grit his teeth at those words. It was an utterly humiliating situation.
He desperately wanted to seize and tear this man apart, but there was a chance that the long-sought objects might be destroyed, so he had to suppress his anger.
However, revealing the secrets of the church was out of the question. Even if Ghislain didn’t understand their significance, he still couldn’t risk it.
As Gartros remained silent, Ghislain shook the objects again and asked,
“What? No answer? I’ll really break them.”
Gartros bit his lip. Why did he have to reveal the church’s secrets to this wretch?!
His hands trembled as he tried to draw in more energy. But in the end, he couldn’t bring himself to attack.
From the rumors he had heard, this man was a lunatic. Even if he told him, there was no guarantee he would hand them over peacefully.
He couldn’t afford to be caught in his trap.
The others seemed to be thinking the same thing as Gartros.
Kaiyen spoke to him in a cold voice.
“That man will never return them.”
“Count Balzac.”
“There is more than one of those relics, isn’t there? Other kingdoms are searching for them as well.”
“What do you mean…?”
Kaiyen pointed his sword at Ghislain and said,
“Killing him is just as important. Let’s take this opportunity to eliminate him and retrieve the relics elsewhere.”
“……”
Gartros narrowed his eyes at Kaiyen.
Kaiyen wasn’t a priest of the Salvation Church, but he knew how much Duke Delfine desired the relics. That made them just as important to him.
If a man as loyal to the Duke as Kaiyen was suggesting this course of action, then it must be the right one.
“Hoo… Is this also the will of the gods? It cannot be helped.”
Gartros let out a deep breath and closed his eyes. As a priest, he had shown a disgraceful display.
He had waited for so long, and now, just before achieving his goal, he had faltered.
That only meant the Count of Fenris had a knack for getting under people’s skin.
Ghislain clicked his tongue as he watched Gartros regain his composure in an instant.
‘Tsk, this guy isn’t ordinary either.’
His power was obviously immense, but his ability to suppress his desires in such a crucial moment showed incredible patience.
It was disappointing that he couldn’t learn what the objects were. But he had gained another piece of information instead.
‘So there are more of these in other kingdoms?’
It seemed they hadn’t found them yet, but regardless, there were definitely more of these relics out there.
That explained why they could shift their goal so quickly despite their desperation.
Ghislain then turned to Berhem, whose eyes were wide open, and called out,
“Hey.”
“Wh-what… what did you just say?”
Berhem displayed an expression of utter disbelief. To think that someone would dare to address him in such a manner—he, the king of this kingdom!
“You insolent wretch! They call you the Menace of the Borderlands, and it seems the rumors are true! How dare you, a noble of the kingdom, act so impudently toward your king!”
Ghislain didn’t bother hiding his irritation.
“Enough. Can I break this?”
“N-No, you cannot!”
Unlike Gartros, Berhem even reached out his hand as he shouted.
That object was necessary to maintain his body. Even now, he could feel himself gradually breaking down.
“What… what do you want? I will grant you anything. Just, just return that to me. If you desire land, I will grant you land. If you desire a title, I shall bestow one upon you.”
As Berhem pleaded desperately, Ghislain asked,
“I’m curious what this is.”
“The Orb of Life is essential for maintaining my body. It is what will elevate me to a transcendent being!”
Berhem’s voice was filled with urgency. Ghislain nodded. Just as he had suspected.
This was the secret behind how the Salvation Church created its high priests.
‘I’ll have to take a closer look once I return.’
However, the necklace was still a mystery. Judging by the situation, Berhem wouldn’t reveal its secret no matter what.
As Berhem’s expression contorted in distress, Kaien spoke.
“Your Majesty, I will kill that wretch. Order the Royal Knight Commander and the Kingdom’s Army to act.”
“W-What? But… but what about my Core? How do you expect me to create it then?”
Kaien replied with a chilling expression.
“You can make another one. With Your Majesty’s assistance, it won’t take long.”
“T-That means…”
Berhem swallowed hard. Count Balzac’s words meant that as long as they gathered the necessary lives, another could be created.
To forge a single Core, at least tens of thousands of lives were needed. The Salvation Church had been slaughtering people for a long time to create high priests in this manner.
Kaien turned his gaze back to Ghislain and glared.
“That man will never return it. That’s the kind of person he is.”
Ghislain slouched slightly and grumbled.
“Do I look like that kind of person?”
The fact that Kaien was completely right annoyed him.
Kaien then raised his sword and began gathering energy.
“This is the perfect chance to eliminate that nuisance. There is no need to be dragged around any longer.”
“B-But…”
Berhem hesitated. Even as king, taking the lives of tens of thousands was no easy decision.
Moreover, during the time it took to recreate the Core, he himself would have to continue killing people to sustain his body.
It wasn’t that he hated killing. He simply detested the thought of having to wait so long again.
But Kaien had already made his decision. Unless Duke Delfine himself gave an order, not even the king could stop him.
“…All forces.”
His voice, low but clear, spread across the vast plains to the Delfine Army.
Clang! Clang! Chaaang!
The Delfine Army instinctively drew their weapons and took their battle stances.
“Eliminate Count Fenris.”
Kwoooom!
The moment the command was given, Kaien shot toward Ghislain.
Beside him, Gartros followed close behind. The entire Delfine Army surged after them.
“Tch.”
Ghislain smirked and infused his legs with mana.
No matter how strong he was, it was impossible to face all of them alone. It was time to initiate the next phase of his plan.
Boom!
The ground shattered as Ghislain was blasted backward. In a flash, he turned on his heel and bolted.
Seeing this, Berhem clenched his teeth and gave the final order.
“Kill him! Kill that wretch at all costs!”
The bastard had ruined their negotiations and humiliated him. He needed to be caught and torn limb from limb.
Count Palantz sprang forward, and the Kingdom’s Army followed suit.
Amidst the chaos, the 3rd Infantry Company Captain felt his heart sink.
‘W-What the hell is this?! Why is this happening to me?!’
He had thought it was just a soldier with decent skills. There had been rumors that the man was imitating Count Fenris, but he hadn’t paid much attention.
But for him to be the real Count Fenris…
What he thought was a lucky find turned into a cursed omen in an instant.
The other soldiers felt the same, especially Duggly’s squad. Their shock was immeasurable.
‘Wait… He was really Count Fenris?’
‘So he wasn’t just pretending?’
‘Shit! We’re all dead!’
Everyone ran with tears streaming down their faces. This wasn't going to end peacefully.
At that moment, Ghislain’s voice echoed in the 3rd Infantry Company's commander’s ear.
— If you want to live, pretend to chase me while leading the 3rd Infantry Company to the location I tell you. The Fenris knights will guide you. Well, you can stay if you want. But if you're unlucky, you’ll die.
The commander of the 3rd Infantry Company snapped back to his senses.
The Count of Fenris was right. A king notorious for his madness wouldn’t let them go unscathed. There was a high chance that the 3rd Infantry Company would be annihilated.
Hearing the location from Ghislain, the commander wiped his tears and shouted loudly.
"The 3rd Infantry Company, follow me!"
He chased after Ghislain, gradually altering his direction. Though the soldiers didn’t understand what was happening, they followed him regardless.
The 3rd Infantry Company had only ever trained for one thing—charging forward. At the very least, they were all confident in their ability to run.
Neither the Delfine forces nor the Royal Army paid them any attention. Everyone was too busy targeting Ghislain.
"Stop!"
Gartros bellowed, unleashing a tremendous surge of energy. He was so fast that he even overtook Kaiyen, the Kingdom’s Strongest Swordsman.
Blazing with fury, he released another surge of energy toward Ghislain’s back.
Kwaaaang! Kwang!
The ground exploded in multiple places, and black pillars erupted skyward.
"Tsk."
Ghislain barely dodged them and pressed forward. After repeatedly shifting directions, his speed had decreased slightly.
Seizing the opportunity, Kaiyen closed in on him and slashed his sword like lightning.
Kagagagak!
A metallic screech echoed as Kaiyen’s blade scraped against the mana Ghislain had unleashed.
"Hm?"
Kaiyen frowned as he swung his sword. He had definitely slashed Ghislain’s chest, yet somehow, the man was already far away.
Kaiyen continued his pursuit, deep in thought.
'There's… no blood?'
There were visible slash marks where the blade had landed. Even if the wound was shallow, such intense movement should have caused at least a few drops to spill.
Yet, not a single drop of blood flowed from Ghislain’s fleeing figure.
'Some kind of unknown ability…'
It was possible he had cauterized the wound using mana. Kaiyen could do the same, but the speed at which Ghislain did it was beyond imagination.
With no knowledge of Ghislain’s regenerative abilities, Kaiyen was baffled.
Kwaaaaaaa!
Magic rained down between the Delfine and Royal Army soldiers chasing after Ghislain.
Rather than striking him directly, the spells were meant to slow him down.
The priests of the Salvation Church also poured their energy into attacking Ghislain without hesitation.
Kwang! Kwang! Kwaaaang! Kwaaaaaang!
Deafening explosions shook the earth, blasting apart everything around them.
Yet, despite the overwhelming barrage of wide-area magic, they failed to catch him. Ghislain had already escaped each targeted area before the spells even landed.
"Keep chasing him!"
Kaiyen shouted, desperately trying to close the gap. Gartros did the same.
They both believed they could catch Ghislain. No matter how powerful he was, dodging multiple attacks would eventually wear him down.
If they simply kept up the chase, they would catch him sooner or later.
However, there was something they hadn’t considered.
‘Damn… They can’t keep up properly.’
Kaiyen glanced back.
Only the highly skilled knights and the priests who had reached superhuman levels were managing to keep pace. Behind them, even those on horseback were struggling to maintain the pursuit.
It was natural. The speed of superhumans running on foot was faster than that of mounted soldiers. Those without mounts were falling further and further behind.
Count Palantz and the Royal Army had started the chase late and were lagging even more.
'It doesn't matter.'
A force of 100,000 troops had been mobilized. Even if only a portion could pursue, there were still hundreds of them.
With such numbers, whether Ghislain fled or fought, he would eventually exhaust himself and die.
Ghislain was thinking the same.
‘As expected… He’s formidable.’
He smirked as he glanced at his upper garment, which had been slashed open at the chest.
There was a reason Kaiyen was called the Kingdom’s Strongest Swordsman.
Had Kaiyen fully realized his potential in Ghislain’s past life, perhaps the Seven Strongest on the Continent would have become the Eight Strongest on the Continent instead.
‘I’d love to fight him one-on-one right now…’
But the others wouldn’t allow such a duel. He had to endure.
'Just a little farther.'
He needed to get off the plains. His allies were waiting ahead, ready to assist him.
That "little farther," however, meant an excruciatingly long sprint. His mana was depleting rapidly.
Kwaaaaang!
Ghislain shrouded his body in a black aura and shot forward even faster.
It was a technique that consumed an enormous amount of mana, making it impossible to use for long, but right now, escaping this place as quickly as possible was the priority.
"This bastard...!"
Kaien clenched his teeth. That guy’s speed had become unbelievably fast.
Kwaaaang!
Left with no choice, Kaien pushed his mana to the limit, enough to strain his body, and took off in pursuit.
He didn’t need to stick right behind him. Simply chasing him down and exhausting him would be enough.
Besides, they had people on their side who could wield such monstrous power as well.
Kwaaaaaa!
"I will hunt you down and kill you!"
The black aura surging from Gartros’ body wavered before taking the shape of wings. The other priests of the Salvation Church were no different.
Their speed increased. While they still couldn’t completely catch up to Ghislain, they had closed the distance enough for long-range attacks to be effective.
Once again, black pillars erupted mercilessly around Ghislain.
And that wasn’t all. The black aura emitted by Gartros and the priests shot toward Ghislain with precise aim.
Kwaang! Kwaaaang! Kwaang!
Ghislain's body swayed as he zigzagged through the air. The precisely aimed black aura attacks had to be deflected.
As he focused on dodging and blocking, Kaien had already closed in on him.
Kaien infused his sword with mana.
Just a few more attacks from the Salvation Church’s priests, and he’d be close enough to land a strike.
Drrrrrrr…
Ghislain clicked his tongue inwardly and pushed himself to move even faster. It put additional strain on his body, but as long as he could reach the location where the first group was waiting, that would be enough.
Kwaang! Kwaang! Kwaaaang!
Even after exerting more force, dodging and deflecting the incoming black aura meant he was nearly caught.
Just then, a figure appeared ahead, running toward them.
"Lord!"
It was Piote.
He was charging straight toward Ghislain, radiating divine power. It seemed he had been training diligently, as his speed was considerably faster than before.
Piote’s body was strapped with multiple belts—designed for someone else to grab onto.
Kwaang! Kwaang! Kwaaang!
The Salvation Church priests’ attacks were relentless. But Piote didn’t even blink as he sprinted toward Ghislain.
Ghislain, dodging and blocking attacks, also ran toward Piote.
"Piote!"
The moment Ghislain shouted, Piote immediately turned his body.
Ghislain grabbed onto the belts strapped to Piote’s back. Then, as if wielding a shield, he lifted Piote and spun his body.
At that very moment, Kaien had almost reached Ghislain.
‘Madman.’
From Kaien’s perspective, Ghislain’s actions were absolutely disgraceful. Was he really using another person as a shield just to save himself?
That knight actually used a woman(?) as a shield.
‘It doesn’t matter.’
He could just cut them both down right here.
Kaien clenched his teeth and swung his sword with all his might.
Kwaaaaaaah!
A sound like space itself tearing apart rang out as the sword came crashing down.
Ghislain, who was now completely within range, would never be able to dodge it. It was already too late.
The unidentified woman(?) would be instantly cleaved apart and killed, and Count Fenris would either suffer serious injuries or be forced to expend an immense amount of mana.
That was what he had been certain of.
Pook!
“What the—?”
He had clearly struck with all his strength, so why did it feel like he had just hit a thick cushion of cotton?
Moreover, the woman(?)—who had blatantly been used as a shield—was completely unharmed.
She had taken a direct hit from an Aura Blade—one sharp enough to cut through a dragon’s scales—and yet she was completely fine?
Kaien couldn’t make sense of what was happening.