Gartros trembled with rage.
If someone with Count Fenris' level of power exerted their strength, those items would turn to dust in an instant.
He couldn't let that happen, no matter what. He had to take them back.
"You, you… how dare you…"
His mind raced, struggling to decide what to do. He wanted to capture and tear the man apart on the spot.
Sizzle.
Ghislain glanced at his arm, where black energy still flickered. Though he had blocked Gartros' attack, traces of his energy lingered.
Even from a brief exchange, Ghislain could sense the power was extraordinary.
'This one's different. A priest, was it?'
He had never encountered this man in his previous life. Judging by his presence, he seemed to be the one leading the Salvation Church from behind the scenes.
Unlike the other priests of the Salvation Church, his techniques didn't seem particularly refined, but his raw power was immeasurable, even for Ghislain.
Indeed, this was no ordinary foe.
But Ghislain maintained his casual smirk as he shook the items in his hands.
"These seem important, so don't move. If anyone makes a single move, I'll really smash them."
In truth, he had no intention of destroying them. He was curious as to why these items were so important.
But Gartros had no choice but to believe him. Ghislain didn't know the items' true nature, so he might actually destroy them if pushed.
Suppressing his fury, Gartros spoke through gritted teeth.
"Hand over those items. I will give you anything you want in return."
"Hmm, they must be important."
"..."
"But the thing is, I don't really want anything from you."
"You insolent…"
"Oh, wait. There is one thing."
"And what is that?"
Ghislain laughed as he looked at Gartros' face, his veins bulging with fury, his features twisted into a demonic visage.
"I just want to know what these are. If you tell me, I might consider it. They might be useless to me anyway."
Grit.
At those words, Gartros ground his teeth. The situation was utterly humiliating.
He wanted nothing more than to tear Ghislain apart, but he couldn't risk damaging the precious items he had searched for so long.
Yet, revealing the Church's secrets was unthinkable, even if Ghislain didn't fully understand.
As Gartros remained silent, Ghislain shook the items again, asking mockingly.
"What are you doing? Not talking? Should I just break them?"
Gartros bit his lip. Why did he have to divulge the Church's secrets to a scoundrel like him?
His hands trembled as he gathered more energy. But he couldn't bring himself to attack Ghislain.
From the rumors he'd heard, this man was a lunatic. Even if he told him, there was no guarantee the items would be returned.
He couldn't fall into his trap.
Others were thinking the same as Gartros.
Kaien, his expression cold, spoke to Gartros.
"That man will never return them."
"Count Balzac."
"Aren't there supposed to be more of these holy relics? You guys are searching for them in other kingdoms too."
"What do you mean…?"
Kaien pointed his sword toward Ghislain and said.
"Taking him down is more important. Let's use this chance to kill him and search for the holy relics elsewhere."
"…"
Gartros glared sharply at Kaien.
Kaien wasn't a priest of the Salvation Church. However, he knew how much Duke Delphine desired the holy relics, making them a critical objective for him as well.
If someone as loyal to the Duke as Kaien suggested this course of action, it must be the right one.
"Hah… is this also the will of God? So be it."
Gartros closed his eyes and exhaled deeply. As a priest, he had shown a disgraceful display.
The realization that his long-awaited mission was so close to completion had shaken his resolve.
The antics of Count Fenris had tested his patience to its limit.
Seeing Gartros regain his composure so quickly, Ghislain clicked his tongue in disappointment.
'Tsk, that one's no ordinary guy either.'
His strength was exceptional, but his ability to suppress his desires, even for something of such significance, was remarkable.
Though Ghislain couldn't uncover the items' nature, he had gained other valuable information.
'So there are more of these in other kingdoms?'
Though it seemed they hadn't been found yet, it was clear that such items existed elsewhere.
That knowledge alone made it worth shifting his objectives.
Ghislain turned his gaze toward Berhem, who was wide-eyed and frozen in shock.
"Hey."
"W-what did you just call me?"
Berhem's disbelief was palpable. For someone to address the King of the Kingdom in such a manner!
"Insolent scoundrel! I heard you were a troublemaker from the frontier, and it seems the rumors were true! How dare a Kingdom noble speak to me with such audacity!"
Ghislain didn't bother to hide his irritation.
"Enough. Is it okay if I destroy this?"
"No, absolutely not!"
Berhem reached out desperately, his voice trembling.
He needed those items to sustain his body. Even now, he could feel it deteriorating little by little.
"What do you want, what is it that you desire? I'll give you anything. Just return those to me. If you want land, I'll grant you land. If you want a title, I'll bestow one upon you."
At Berhem's pleading, Ghislain tilted his head and asked.
"I said I'm curious about what this is."
"The Orb of Life is essential for sustaining my body. It will make me a superhuman!"
Berhem's voice was frantic. Ghislain nodded, as if everything was falling into place.
As he suspected, this was the secret behind creating the high priests of the Salvation Church.
'I'll have to take a closer look at this when I get back.'
However, the necklace was still a mystery. Judging by the situation, they wouldn't explain it to him either.
Kaien, watching Berhem's contorted expression, spoke.
"Your Majesty, I will kill him. Give the order to the Royal Knights and the Kingdom's army."
"W-what? But then, how will I create my core?"
At that, Kaien replied coldly.
"We can make another one. With your help, it will be completed quickly."
"T-that means…"
Berhem swallowed hard. Kaien's implication was clear—he just needed to gather the required sacrifices again.
Creating one of these required the lives of tens of thousands. The Salvation Church had been slaughtering people for ages to produce their high priests.
Kaien turned his gaze back to Ghislain and said.
"That man won't return it. He's that kind of person."
Ghislain stood casually and grumbled.
"Do I look like that much of a villain?"
The accuracy of the assessment annoyed him.
Kaien raised his sword and began gathering energy.
"Now is the perfect chance to kill this nuisance. There's no need to hesitate any longer."
"B-but…"
Berhem hesitated. Even as a king, the prospect of taking tens of thousands of lives wasn't easy.
Moreover, while the Orb was being recreated, he would need to kill more people to sustain his body.
It wasn't that he was reluctant to kill; he simply detested the idea of waiting for so long again.
But Kaien had already made up his mind. Without an order from Duke Delphine, not even the king could stop him.
"To all forces…"
Kaien's low voice resonated across the plains, reaching the entirety of the Delphine army.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The Delphine army unsheathed their weapons and assumed battle formations.
"Kill Count Fenris."
Boom!
As soon as he spoke, Kaien charged toward Ghislain.
Right behind him was Gartros, followed by the entire Delphine army.
"Oh, boy."
Ghislain chuckled and channeled mana into his legs.
No matter how strong he was, facing all of them alone was impossible. It was time to initiate his next plan.
Boom!
The ground shattered as Ghislain's body was propelled backward. He quickly turned and began to flee.
Watching this, Berhem gritted his teeth and finally gave the order.
"Kill him! Make sure he doesn't escape!"
This man had ruined the negotiations and humiliated him. He needed to be caught and torn apart.
Count Palantz surged forward, and the Kingdom's army followed.
The Commander of the 3rd Infantry Company, who followed without thinking, was inwardly weeping.
'What is this! Why is this happening to me?'
He had thought Ghislain was just a skilled soldier. Rumors that he imitated Count Fenris didn't seem significant.
But to think he was the real Count Fenris.
What he thought was a lucky charm had suddenly turned into a cursed doll.
The rest of the company felt the same. Dugley's squad members were particularly stunned.
'Is it true? Was he really Count Fenris?'
'It wasn't just an imitation?'
'Damn it! We're all dead!'
Tears streaming, they all ran. Their fate seemed sealed.
At that moment, Ghislain's voice echoed in the 3rd Infantry Company Commander's ear.
— "If you want to live, pretend to chase me and lead the 3rd Infantry Company to the location I tell you. Count Fenris' knights will guide you. Or stay behind if you want. If you're unlucky, you'll die."
The Commander snapped to his senses.
Count Fenris was right. There was no way the mad king would spare them. The 3rd Infantry Company would most likely be annihilated.
Hearing the location from Ghislain, the Commander wiped his tears and shouted.
"Follow me, 3rd Infantry Company!"
He began pursuing Ghislain, subtly changing direction. The confused company members followed him without question.
All they knew was charging forward, and running was something they were good at.
Neither the Delphine nor the Kingdom armies paid attention to the 3rd Infantry Company. Their focus was solely on Ghislain.
"Stop him!"
Gartros roared, unleashing a massive wave of energy. He moved so fast that he even overtook Kaien, the Kingdom's Finest Sword.
Enraged, he directed his energy at Ghislain's back once more.
Boom! Boom!
Black pillars erupted from the ground as explosions scattered debris everywhere.
"Yikes."
Ghislain barely evaded them, dashing forward. But with every direction change, his speed slowed slightly.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Kaien drew alongside him and slashed his sword like lightning.
Clang!
Kaien's blade ground against Ghislain's mana shield, producing a screeching metallic sound.
"Hmm?"
Kaien swung his sword, frowning. He was certain he had slashed Ghislain's chest, yet somehow Ghislain was now far away.
As Kaien resumed his pursuit, a thought crossed his mind.
'No blood…?'
There was definitely a slash mark, and even if the wound were shallow, such vigorous movement should have left at least a few drops of blood.
Yet, no blood flowed from Ghislain's body as he fled like a streak of light.
'What kind of ability is this?'
Perhaps he had stopped the bleeding with mana. That much was within Kaien's capabilities as well. However, the speed at which it was done was beyond imagination.
Kaien, unfamiliar with Ghislain's regenerative abilities, found the situation incomprehensible.
Boom!
Spells rained down between the Delphine forces and the Kingdom army chasing Ghislain.
The aim wasn't to strike him directly but to slow him down by any means necessary.
The priests of the Salvation Church spared no energy, unleashing their power toward Ghislain.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
The thunderous roar of explosions echoed as though the heavens and earth were collapsing.
Yet, even with such widespread magic attacks, they couldn't catch him. By the time the spells detonated, Ghislain had already moved beyond their range.
"Keep pursuing him!"
Kaien shouted loudly, trying to close the distance with Ghislain. Gartros followed suit.
They believed they could eventually catch him. No matter how strong he was, dodging so many attacks would eventually drain his stamina.
If they kept chasing, they'd catch him sooner or later.
But there was something they hadn't considered.
'Damn… they're not keeping up properly.'
Kaien glanced back briefly.
Only high-level knights and the Salvation Church's priests who had reached superhuman levels were keeping up. Behind them, even those on horseback were barely managing to follow.
It made sense—superhumans ran faster than horses. Soldiers on foot lagged further and further behind.
Count Palantz and the Kingdom's army, having started late, were even farther back.
'It doesn't matter.'
With an army of 100,000 gathered, even a fraction of their number amounted to hundreds. That many was more than enough to deal with Ghislain, whether he fled or fought.
Ghislain shared a similar thought.
'As expected, he's impressive.'
Glancing at his torn upper garment, Ghislain chuckled.
There was a reason Kaien was called the Kingdom's Finest Sword. If Kaien had been able to fully shine in his previous life, he might have made it into the continent's Eight Strongest, not just the Seven Strongest.
'I'd love to fight him properly now, but…'
The others wouldn't let them duel one-on-one, so he had to hold back.
'Just a little further.'
He needed to escape the plains. Allies awaited him just beyond.
It wasn't just "a little" further; he had to run for quite a while. His mana was being steadily consumed.
Boom!
Ghislain enveloped himself in black energy and shot forward at even greater speed.
It was a technique that consumed an enormous amount of mana, making prolonged use impossible. But escaping this place took priority.
"That bastard…"
Kaien gritted his teeth. Ghislain's speed had become impossibly fast.
Boom!
Kaien had no choice but to push his mana to its limits, even at the cost of strain on his body, as he chased after him.
He didn't need to catch up immediately. As long as he kept chasing, Ghislain would eventually tire.
And on their side, they had others capable of using such extraordinary power.
Boom!
"I will catch and kill him!"
The black energy radiating from Gartros' body began to ripple, soon forming into the shape of wings. The other priests of the Salvation Church followed suit.
Their speed increased dramatically. Though they couldn't fully catch up to Ghislain, they were now close enough for long-range attacks.
Once again, black pillars erupted relentlessly around Ghislain.
But that wasn't all. The black energy unleashed by Gartros and the priests flew directly toward Ghislain with precision.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Ghislain zigzagged as his body twisted and turned. The precise strikes of black energy had to be deflected.
While he dodged and blocked the attacks, Kaien had managed to close the gap further.
Kaien infused his sword with mana, focusing all his power.
A few more attacks from the Salvation Church's priests, and his blade would be within striking distance.
Rumble.
Ghislain clicked his tongue inwardly and pushed himself to run even faster. The strain on his body was immense, but he only needed to reach the area where his first group of reinforcements waited.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Despite pushing harder, dodging and deflecting the incoming black energy attacks caused him to lose ground. He was nearly caught.
At that moment, a figure appeared ahead of him.
"My lord!"
It was Piote.
He was charging toward Ghislain, radiating holy power. He seemed much faster than before, likely due to intense training.
Piote's body was wrapped with several belts, seemingly designed for others to grab hold of.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The Salvation Church's attacks didn't let up. Yet, Piote ran toward Ghislain without so much as blinking.
Ghislain dodged and deflected the attacks as he rushed toward Piote.
"Piote!"
Ghislain shouted, and Piote immediately turned his body.
Ghislain grabbed the belts attached to Piote's back. Then, as if holding a shield, he lifted Piote and turned his body.
At that moment, Kaien was already right in front of him.
'That lunatic.'
To Kaien, Ghislain's actions were utterly despicable. Using someone else as a shield just to save himself?
And a knight, of all people, using a woman(?) as a shield?
'It doesn't matter.'
He could simply cut through them both.
Kaien clenched his teeth and swung his sword with all his might.
Boom!
The sound of space ripping echoed as his sword fell.
Ghislain, fully within range, had no chance of dodging. It was too late.
The unknown woman(?) would be sliced apart instantly, and Count Fenris would either be heavily injured or lose a significant amount of mana.
Kaien was confident in his strike.
Thunk.
"What?"
Despite putting all his strength into the attack, why did it feel like striking thick cotton?
What's more, the shielded woman(?) remained unharmed.
Even after taking a direct hit from an aura blade strong enough to cut through dragon scales, she was completely fine?
Kaien couldn't comprehend the situation at all.
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