Kaien stared blankly at Ghislain.
"The King of Mercenaries, you say…"
Under normal circumstances, he would have laughed it off. The title of "king" wasn't something just anyone could use.
No matter how powerful someone was, they couldn't dare to call themselves a king. Even the duchy, most powerful in the kingdom, or Marquis Branford wouldn't dare claim such a title.
But now, Kaien couldn't dismiss Ghislain's words as a mere joke.
"Waaaahhhhh!"
"Captain! We're here!"
"My lord! Are you alright?!"
Dominic shouted loudly as he rushed forward. Behind him were the Drake Mercenaries and hired mercenaries from various kingdoms.
Their numbers totaled a staggering 50,000—an amount that even the Kingdom of Lutania couldn't afford to hire in one go.
The King of Mercenaries.
Kaien, with weary eyes, looked around at them and fell into thought.
The other kingdoms were also in dire straits. And yet, at a single command from Ghislain, so many mercenaries had gathered.
It was no exaggeration to call him the King of Mercenaries. If someone like him wasn't a king, then who else could claim to be one?
'We… still don't know him at all.'
They hadn't paid much attention to the mercenaries scattered across the land. No matter how much the Fenris Mercenary Corps expanded, they thought it inconsequential.
To them, mercenaries were disposable tools—hired for a moment and then discarded.
Yet now, they found themselves ensnared by those very mercenaries.
'His policies… actually worked.'
It was well known that Count Fenris had poured an astronomical amount of money into his mercenaries. The contracts he made with kingdoms and the benefits he handed out were obvious, yet they thought he was merely inflating his ranks.
But look at them now, all brimming with pride as they came to save their leader.
Some among them might not even know who Count Fenris was. Some might have been dragged along unwittingly.
But those leading them were different. Without significant loyalty, no mercenary rabble would charge forward so passionately.
At the very least, their sense of belonging to the Fenris Mercenary Corps had been firmly established.
'It wasn't something we could simply admire.'
They had failed countless times because of Count Fenris. Each time, they had adjusted their plans, raising their estimation of his abilities.
But even that had been arrogant. He wasn't someone they could evaluate and deal with at their convenience.
'We were the ones who needed to rise to the challenge.'
They should have approached him as challengers.
Just as they had faced the shadow knight feared by both the king and the Salvation Church, they should have given their all from the beginning.
But it was too late. Far too late.
Now, the magnificent duchy would be trampled under his iron hooves.
Kaien exhaled roughly and raised his sword once more.
"Fine, we'll have to settle this."
His army was already completely surrounded. The enemy forces were brimming with ferocity, ready to charge in at any moment.
If the battle began as things stood, they would be annihilated without even putting up a proper fight.
If there was any hope of a miracle…
The only way was to kill that man and raise morale.
Ghislain, meeting Kaien's gaze, let out a fierce smile.
"Of course. You can't walk away with the title of the Kingdom's finest sword on a sour note, can you?"
He could retreat now, leaving the cleanup to others.
But Ghislain didn't.
A life-and-death duel was the best way to surpass one's limits. Opportunities like this were rare in life.
Therefore, he had to overcome that man with his own strength.
No more words were needed.
Crunch.
Both men stepped forward at the same time, pressing down on the ground.
They swung their swords at each other without regard for defense.
Slash!
"Urgh!"
It was unclear who screamed as both coughed up blood and staggered backward. Both were so battered it was a wonder they could still move.
Despite their state, they didn't stop swinging their swords at each other. Their expressions were ghastly, their focus locked solely on their opponent.
"Huff, huff…"
Thud!
Both men collapsed at the same time, as if on cue. Yet, gritting their teeth, they struggled to rise and swung their swords again.
Slash! Slash!
The sound of tearing flesh echoed incessantly, blood spraying everywhere. It seemed both had forgotten about defense.
Both armies were unsure whether they should continue just watching.
Finally, Dominic drew his sword.
"My lord, please stop! It's too dangerous!"
Count Mowbray also raised his hand, signaling his troops to move.
It was too risky. At this rate, Ghislain could die from excessive blood loss.
But Ghislain pointed his sword at Dominic and spoke.
"Don't… move. It's… over now."
Every word he spoke came with blood spilling from his mouth. Even so, Ghislain smiled.
Kaien, too, smiled as he glared at Ghislain.
"Heh… you're relentless…"
Never in his life had he fought so desperately. If he could win and survive this duel…
"I'll kill you and push past my limits again."
"That's what I want to say."
Whoosh!
Their swords slowly moved toward each other. Their blades, drained of mana, were so weak they could barely harm an ordinary soldier.
Clang!
Their swords clashed. This seemingly meaningless exchange repeated itself several times.
Clang. Clang. Clang.
The metallic sounds, sporadic at first, gradually faded until silence enveloped the battlefield. The two men remained still, their swords touching.
Ghislain slowly opened his mouth.
"I've won."
"…"
Kaien said nothing. He simply stared at Ghislain, blood still dripping from the corner of his mouth.
Rumble…
Ghislain directed the faint trace of mana left in him into his five cores.
That feeble power coursed through the cores, slowly amplifying.
Crack!
Even after amplification, the power was weaker than that of an ordinary knight. Yet, Ghislain's battered body couldn't withstand even this much.
His exhausted muscles twisted, his wounds reopened, and blood gushed out.
Still, Ghislain gritted his teeth and swung his sword.
Boom!
Kaien blocked it. But his body couldn't absorb the shock, and he staggered heavily.
Ghislain swung his sword again.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Once, twice, three times… With every swing, Kaien staggered and retreated. He could no longer withstand his opponent's strength.
Kaien looked at the approaching sword with dim eyes. He raised his sword to block, but a foreboding sense told him this was the end.
'A sword.'
The sword was his world. And now, another sword was shattering that world.
"Ah…"
Finally, he had seen beyond, but…
Clang!
Crunch!
Kaien's sword, which blocked Ghislain's strike, shattered. And with it, so did Kaien's world.
Shards of the shattered blade scattered, and beyond them, Ghislain's eyes came into view.
They still burned with anger and bloodlust.
'Why is it that you…'
Slash!
Kaien couldn't finish his thought.
This time, Ghislain's blade slashed deep into his body.
"Urgh!"
Kaien staggered, coughing up blood, a long wound running from his collarbone to his side.
But he didn't fall. He remained standing, feet planted firmly on the ground, staring at Ghislain.
Ghislain, still in the stance from his slash, raised his head to meet Kaien's gaze.
Neither of them had the strength to move anymore.
Kaien struggled to speak.
"You are… the Kingdom's finest sword."
"…"
The two of them looked at each other and smiled.
Both had reached the pinnacle of their abilities, pushing themselves to the brink, putting their lives on the line.
There wasn't a shred of regret left in either of them.
That was why, at this moment, only the two of them could smile.
Kaien turned his body. Summoning the last ounce of his strength, he shouted toward the Delphine army that was watching him.
"Surrender, all of you!"
Thud.
With those final words, Kaien's body collapsed to his knees as if crumbling under its own weight. Slowly, his eyes closed, and his head bowed.
The legendary fame of Kaien Balzac, the Kingdom's finest sword, ended here.
And a new Kingdom's finest sword was born.
The Fenris mobile army, the mercenaries, and even Mowbray's forces all raised their weapons and cheered.
"Waaaahhhhh!"
"The Captain won!"
"Our lord is now the Kingdom's finest sword!"
"Ha-ha-ha… huh? Huh?! Huh?!"
Their cheers were cut short in shock. Ghislain's body was beginning to collapse.
Thud!
"L-Lord! Save the lord!"
The Fenris knights rushed to Ghislain in panic. Fortunately, they had all been carrying potions.
The knights poured the potions over Ghislain's body, as if trying to bathe him in it. But Ghislain, already unconscious, didn't wake.
The highest-ranking figure present, Count Mowbray, turned to the Delphine forces and asked.
"Will you fight?"
The commanders of the Delphine army looked at Kaien's kneeling corpse. Their faces filled with grief as tears flowed, but one by one, they lowered their weapons.
It was the only way they could honor the one they most respected, the Kingdom's finest sword.
After disarming the Delphine army, Count Mowbray turned to Dominic.
"Surround the city. Don't let a single vassal of the duchy escape."
"Understood."
They couldn't storm the city without their commander. They had to wait until Ghislain regained consciousness.
But Count Mowbray thought that surrounding the city would serve little purpose.
'They've already fled.'
The news of their arrival would already have reached the duke's ears. Whether Ghislain or Kaien won, the battle's result was clear—there was no reason for the duke to stay.
It wasn't until an entire day had passed that Ghislain finally opened his eyes.
"Ugh… I slept too long."
Dominic cried out in relief.
"You're awake! Your injuries are too severe, so please don't move recklessly!"
"Have we surrounded the castle?"
"Yes, not even an ant could escape."
"Hm… Let's go inside."
With the support of the knights, Ghislain stood. He was still unable to move properly, but there was no need to worry.
Here, they had 80,000 soldiers. Until the entire southern front mobilized, nothing could pose a threat.
Ghislain slowly entered the city. The streets were deserted. Everyone was likely hiding in their homes.
After passing through the eerily quiet streets, he arrived at the towering white castle.
"I've finally come here."
He had been here in his previous life as well. After taking the capital, he had come to find the duke, but the duke hadn't been here then either.
"I wonder if he's gone again."
Ghislain had the same thought as Count Mowbray. The outcome of the battle was clear—there was no reason for the duke to wait here.
In his previous life, the duke had fled countless times, and Ghislain had never even seen his face.
The castle was as quiet as the city outside. It seemed all the staff had already escaped.
But the vassals must still be hiding throughout the city. Not all of them could have fled.
With the knights supporting him, Ghislain struggled to move forward. When he finally arrived at the heart of the castle, the Hall of Glory, he stopped.
"Hm?"
In the grand hall's center stood a line of about a dozen people. They appeared to be blocking the path.
They were the duke's last line of defense—Melkir's assassin subordinates.
Lying on the floor before them was a single corpse.
Ghislain immediately recognized who it was.
"Raul."
The fleeing Raul had died here. His body was surrounded by a pool of blood, pierced by dozens of daggers.
It was clear that the people now blocking the path had killed him.
And beyond them, in the highest seat of the hall…
A man stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at a painting hanging on the wall.
The painting was filled with crimson. In it, a monstrous beast trampled and devoured people.
It resembled a dragon, but it wasn't a dragon. It looked closer to a serpent.
The man, who had been admiring the painting, slowly turned his head to look at Ghislain.
"Are you Count Fenris?"
"You are…"
The man spoke with a gentle smile.
"This is our first meeting. I am the lord of this castle, Duke Ernheart Delphine."
Ernheart had been waiting for Ghislain.
[T/L: I am in dire need of support. I will give discount to all those who will buy the rest of the chapters all together, so please support me the reader on my webnovel platform and read ahead chapters on my ko-fi page "RevengerScans" : https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]