Ghislain stepped back slightly and spoke.
"This isn't the right place. Let's take this outside."
The moment Parniel released her energy, Ghislain instinctively knew a fight was inevitable. That was why he had already drawn his sword.
Even in his past life, she always acted on her whims. Yet, the results of her actions were never entirely bad.
After all, her conviction to destroy "evil" remained steadfast.
Following Ghislain's suggestion, the two stepped outside. The atmosphere grew even more tense.
The Fenris Mobile Army, waiting outside, tightened their grips on their reins as if ready to charge at any moment. The priests and temple knights accompanying Parniel also wore tense expressions.
"Let's see what you're made of."
Fwoosh!
As Ghislain drew upon his mana, the dark aura around him thickened.
Parniel narrowed her eyes as she observed him.
"That's a very suspicious energy."
"It just happened to turn out this way."
While Dark's influence allowed Ghislain to amplify his strength, dealing with reactions like this was exhausting.
Thankfully, only Parniel and Erenes were sensitive enough to react so strongly to this energy.
Unlike Erenes, however, Parniel would understand that Ghislain's power was distinct from the Salvation Church's energy once they fought. That was the nature of holy power.
Boom!
Parniel stepped forward, gripping her mace tightly.
"You'll need to give it your all."
Wham!
Suddenly, her mace descended toward Ghislain's head, carrying the force of a landslide.
A single hit from such an attack would kill any normal human. Yet, her expression betrayed no concern.
Boom!
Ghislain raised his sword to block the mace. But absorbing the full brunt of her attack head-on would have been reckless.
Scrraatch!
As Ghislain's sword and body twisted together, he redirected the force. Like water flowing naturally, his sword extended forward.
Slash!
A cut appeared on Parniel's cheek, blood seeping from the wound.
Ghislain's gaze was chillingly emotionless, his expression conveying indifference to whether she lived or died.
Without such resolve, it would have been impossible to land even a scratch.
Whoosh!
The moment the blade grazed her cheek, Parniel swung her mace again. If it connected, Ghislain's side would be pulverized.
Boom!
Ghislain blocked the attack with his sword and stepped back.
As expected of someone naturally gifted with holy power, Parniel's strength was immense. Each clash required him to defuse her overwhelming force.
Parniel smiled coldly.
'Such ghostly movements.'
Her strength wasn't landing effectively. She had to admit her opponent's technique was superior.
In that case, she decided she would simply overwhelm him with raw strength and speed.
Rip.
Her muscles swelled, veins bulging as her body began to emit a faint light.
In an instant, Parniel closed the distance and swung her mace at Ghislain.
Boom!
The mace struck the ground, missing its target. But those watching couldn't relax, even if Ghislain had dodged.
The ground where her mace landed erupted with a spray of dirt, leaving a deep crater as if struck by a meteor.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The earth groaned under the repeated blows. Her mace created enormous pits, each swing like a hammer smashing through fragile soil.
Even though Ghislain dodged all her attacks, he couldn't close in recklessly.
'Her strength is absurd, as always. Elena should aim for this level someday.'
Parniel was widely acknowledged as the most ferocious fighter among the Continent's Seven Strongest.
With no other choice, Ghislain drew upon more of his power.
Fwoosh!
The black energy around him surged, swirling wildly as he activated all three of his cores. His movements became as swift as light.
Boom!
As Parniel's mace slammed into the ground again, Ghislain struck like lightning, slashing at her arm.
Scrrrkkk!
The attack carried enough force to sever an arm, yet it only left a shallow line, as if scratching metal.
'As expected.'
Ghislain clicked his tongue and stepped back. The most frightening thing about a saintess was her defense.
Unless one possessed extremely potent energy, it was nearly impossible to inflict significant damage on a body fortified by holy power.
This unparalleled defense allowed Parniel to pour overwhelming strength into her every attack.
'Hah, I have no idea how long this will take.'
But that wasn't the only terrifying aspect of the saintess.
Using her holy power, Parniel had nearly inexhaustible stamina. She could fight for days, healing herself as needed, without rest. This was why she could go toe-to-toe with the Master of the Dead, who commanded hordes of corpses.
Though she often called Salvation Church priests cockroaches, many felt the nickname suited her better. Of course, no one dared to say that in front of her.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Parniel's relentless attacks shook the earth. Yet, despite her ferocity, none of her strikes landed.
'Incredible. How can someone master such a technique…?'
As a battle priestess, Parniel had trained rigorously from a young age.
Her status as the Saintess of War meant she could not afford laziness. She spent every day with gratitude, honing her skills in devotion to the goddess.
Over time, she had reached a level where no knight could surpass her in skill alone.
With her innate holy power, formidable physique, and extraordinary technique, she was undeniably born for combat—a blessing from the goddess herself.
'For someone to surpass me…'
Even as a saintess, she had chosen the path of battle.
Knowing the effort it took to reach such heights, she felt a sense of awe.
And one more thing.
'Fighting like this…'
Living within the church, Parniel had never met an opponent who matched her. All bowed to her strength.
Even the priests of the Salvation Church fell short. Though their energy was potent, their skills were inferior.
She had no friends. Her life consisted only of reading scriptures, praying, and training.
Thus, she was always lonely, her existence a solitary one.
But now…
'This is so much fun!'
For the first time in her life, Parniel found combat enjoyable.
She wanted to spar with her opponent for as long as possible.
Crack!
Parniel smiled as she clenched her teeth tightly.
Boom!
Each time her mace struck the ground, massive explosions flipped the earth.
Her attacks now twisted the very air.
Ghislain saw this and smiled back.
'It looks like she's finally enjoying herself.'
It was the same in his past life. The more she fought, the more exhilarated she became. Facing strong opponents, including the Continent's Seven Strongest, brought her immense joy.
This was the true nature of the saintess who served the goddess of war.
'Perhaps I should entertain her a little longer.'
Fwoosh!
Ghislain's body became completely enveloped in black energy.
He, too, enjoyed the heat of battle. If he had disliked fighting, he would never have risen to the title of Mercenary King.
Finally, Ghislain's sword collided directly with Parniel's mace.
Boom!
As Ghislain's mana clashed with Parniel's holy power, an intense shockwave erupted.
The resulting flash of light forced the onlookers to shut their eyes.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Their battle grew even fiercer, forcing the spectators to retreat several times.
With a euphoric expression, Parniel shouted, "Count Fenris! You're truly incredible!"
"I know."
Boom!
The two fighters displayed their full power and skill.
Though Ghislain couldn't maintain his amplification for long, he compensated with superior technique, driving the battle forward.
As the fight dragged on, Maurice's face drained of color.
He had been in high spirits ever since the saintess joined them. Hearing that Ghislain had annihilated the advancing Delphine Army had lifted his mood to new heights.
'But why are they fighting?!'
Ghislain's reputation as a troublemaker was well-known, so it wasn't entirely surprising. But to think the reliable saintess was just as much of a troublemaker!
Feeling utterly helpless, Maurice groaned like a dog needing to relieve itself and turned to the leading priest.
"Please, try to stop the saintess. Someone's going to die at this rate."
The priest closed his eyes and shook his head.
"What the saintess does is the will of the goddess."
It wasn't for nothing that the saintess was called the goddess's representative. Once she decided on something, there was no stopping her. And even if someone tried, she wouldn't listen.
Frustrated, Maurice snapped.
"What goddess's will?! Why is she fighting so fiercely with someone who isn't even an enemy?! Just stop her already!"
"It is all the will of the goddess."
"Fine! Then the old fortune-teller's words were the goddess's will too!"
"Marquis! That's a dangerous statement! You could be accused of heresy!"
The saintess was terrifying, but the priests didn't scare him. Maurice, after all, had always lived recklessly.
"Is this the Theocracy? This is the Lutania Kingdom! I'm the commander-in-chief here! Even the local priests defer to me!"
"Regardless, how could you compare a mere fortune-teller to the goddess!"
"I don't care! Just stop this! Does the saintess have muscles for brains too?!"
"Marquis, that's too much!"
"Too much? You're the ones being ridiculous!"
As the fight raged on, Maurice and the priests began arguing fiercely, adding to the chaos.
The commanders and soldiers around them wore anxious expressions.
On one side was the saintess, on the other, the commander of the Northern Army. It was obvious that their clash would benefit no one.
As the tension spread, the entire fortress became unsettled.
The Fenris knights looked ready to charge in at any moment, their horses shifting restlessly, mirroring their riders' unease.
Finally, Maurice grabbed the priest by the collar and shouted.
Maurice shouted in frustration, "Damn it! Is this what you call helping? At this rate, we're all going to die! Don't you see over there? That's the kingdom's strongest army!"
The priest turned his head slightly to glance at the Fenris Mobile Army.
Their fierce presence made it seem as though they were ready to charge at any moment. If such a force were unleashed, everyone here would perish.
Even the most devout would struggle to convince themselves that dying in this way was the goddess's will. Humans are, after all, only human.
"Fine, fine. We'll try to stop her."
There was one way to stop Parniel, though it wasn't something they could use frequently.
The priests and temple knights who had accompanied her wore grim expressions. They had to act before the saintess became completely lost in the heat of battle.
"Saintessssssss! Please stopppppp!"
All at once, they rushed forward and threw themselves to the ground around Parniel.
Parniel, who had been mid-swing with her mace, froze. If she struck with full force now, the priests around her would be obliterated into dust.
The ground surrounding her was already utterly shattered.
As Parniel ceased her attack, Ghislain also stepped back with a smile.
"It seems like this is a good place to stop."
"I'm just getting warmed up."
"If we take this to the end, one of us will die."
"And if that's the goddess's will, so be it."
"Enough. By now, you should realize I have nothing to do with the Salvation Church."
"...."
Parniel's lips twitched. Her opponent was right.
Ghislain's power was similar to the energy of the Salvation Church, but it was distinct. Having fought their priests countless times, Parniel could tell the difference.
But fighting had been so much fun that she had pushed forward regardless.
Ghislain, lowering his energy, continued.
"If either of us dies here, the Salvation Church will be the ones who benefit. Is that the goddess's will?"
"...."
"This isn't the time for this. If you insist, I'll have no choice but to see it through to the end."
Ghislain's cold gaze bore into Parniel. While her strength was valuable, if she continued to stubbornly press, he would have no choice but to deal with her swiftly and decisively.
Phew.
After a moment of hesitation, Parniel sighed in disappointment and looked around.
Indeed, everyone was watching with anxious eyes. If this continued, it would lead to disaster.
And before that happened, the priests lying prostrate around her would be the first to die.
That would undoubtedly bring joy to the Salvation Church. She couldn't let that happen.
"Very well. Let's stop here for today."
"There will be plenty of chances to fight later. There are strong enemies everywhere."
"And the goddess will guide us to them. I'll look forward to it."
Parniel nodded, suppressing her regret.
The nobles allied with the Salvation Church were numerous, and among them were exceptional knights and superhumans.
Including the high-ranking priests of the Salvation Church, endless battles awaited.
Whether they would be as entertaining as this one was uncertain.
As the two stopped fighting, the tense atmosphere finally eased. The priests who had thrown themselves to the ground wore expressions of relief, as if they had narrowly escaped death.
Maurice approached, visibly relieved.
"Phew, let's not fight among ourselves, all right? I feel like my heart's about to give out. Now, let's head inside. Hey! Take care of the prisoners! Ghislain, we'll discuss the prisoners after a strategy meeting."
With the chaos finally subsiding, the Northern Army could at last enter the fortress.
Once things settled down, Maurice breathed a sigh of relief.
At moments like this, it was crucial to shift the focus quickly. Gathering Ghislain, Parniel, the remaining commanders, and strategists, he began the meeting.
Although the real decision-makers were Ghislain and Parniel, as the commander-in-chief, Maurice formally led the discussion.
"All right, let's set aside personal feelings for now and focus on the situation. The Northern Army is doing well, but overall, we're still on the defensive, aren't we?"
That was true. Two enemy corps were still advancing toward the capital.
Especially concerning was the 5th Corps of the Delphine Army, which had moved toward the eastern front first and had faced no opposition.
Maurice, pointing at the map, spoke.
"Saintess, it seems like you should head to the more urgent front..."
As his voice trailed off, Ghislain provided an update.
"The Northern Army has already moved to intercept the 4th Corps of the Delphine Army advancing from the southern front."
"Oh, I see! Then we just need to block the eastern front. Once we secure the east, we can hold the line everywhere!"
While the Northern Army dealt with one corps, the saintess could quickly move east. Combined with the priests following her, it would be a formidable force.
The key was to hold out there, no matter what.
After the Northern Army won and moved to the east, the Delphine Army advancing toward the capital would be finished.
'If we can pull that off, this war is practically won!'
Though the number of Delphine forces remaining in the south was unclear, they could confidently say they had gained the upper hand.
As they were discussing their strategy, a messenger rushed in with new information.
"The 5th Corps of the Delphine Army on the eastern front has halted its advance!"
"What? Why?" Maurice exclaimed, surprised. Could the newly established defensive line have stopped them?
But the name the messenger mentioned was entirely unexpected.
"Countess Rayfold has made her move!"
"Countess Rayfold? Amelia? Why did the 5th Corps stop advancing?"
The 5th Corps of the Delphine Army numbered 50,000. Even if Rayfold's forces were strong, they couldn't compare in size.
The messenger hesitated before answering.
"Countess Rayfold's ambush succeeded, inflicting significant damage on the Delphine Army. They are currently regrouping."
"Excellent! Then Countess Rayfold must be moving to join the defensive line now!"
"That's... not the case. Countess Rayfold did not join the line."
"What? Why not? What is he doing, then?"
"She fled."
"...What?"
"After dealing damage to the Delphine Army, she immediately withdrew from the battlefield and..."
"Withdrew and?"
"She's occupying the lands of the absent lords and claiming them as her own. She says he fulfilled her part of the agreement by attacking the Delphine Army..."
Maurice was dumbfounded, his mouth agape at the absurd report.
Ghislain, however, chuckled knowingly, as if he had seen this coming.
[T/L: Please support me and read extra chapters: https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]