Chapter 548
Changing the Route (3)
“Waaaaaaah!”
The Grimwell Forces surged forward, overwhelming the Atrodean Army with their momentum.
The Atrodean Army was mostly composed of hastily assembled rebel factions. Because of this, they failed to coordinate effectively and fought in disarray.
Despite their superior numbers and greater combat experience, they barely managed to hold their ground against the Grimwell Forces.
However, the Grimwell Forces were not lacking in battle experience either. And despite their smaller numbers, there was another reason they had confidently stepped forward to intercept the enemy.
Boom!
“Uaaagh!”
Every time a towering old man swung his sword, the Atrodean soldiers were cut down in swathes.
Drenched in blood, the old man roared,
“We can win! Don’t stop press the attack!”
“Waaaaaaah!”
Spurred on by his words, the Grimwell soldiers swung their weapons with even greater fervor.
This man was none other than one of the three pillars of the Kingdom of Grimwell, a legendary war veteran.
Marquis Tristan, the undefeated old general.
Hwoooop!
Boom!
Taking a step forward, Marquis Tristan swung his greatsword, unleashing a violent gust of wind. Atrodean soldiers caught in the turbulent mana were ripped apart.
No one could stop Marquis Tristan.
Of course, the longer the battle dragged on, the more wounds he accumulated. Fighting at the vanguard demanded tremendous stamina, and the enemy forces had no shortage of skilled knights.
Even so, like a raging lion, he charged forward with relentless fury, solely focused on cutting down his enemies.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
“Deliver a gruesome death to those who dare invade our land!”
Marquis Tristan ignored his injuries and continued swinging his sword. His sheer ferocity caused the Atrode’s Army’s formation to crumble and forced them to retreat.
He was an undefeated war hero. It was thanks to his presence that the Grimwell Forces had achieved victory after victory against the rebels.
And that was precisely why the Grimwell Army had the confidence to face the Atrodean forces head-on.
From afar, Aiden licked his lips and grinned as he observed the battle.
“The old man’s got quite the energy. Shouldn’t he be home taking care of his grandchildren?”
Marquis Tristan’s prowess was the real deal. The fact that a swordsman had lived to that age was proof enough that he was a monster in human form.
No wonder the Grimwell Army had stepped onto the battlefield with such confidence. To think they’d play such a powerful card right from the start.
“There’s no one else here who can face him but me.”
Aiden had been hailed as a prodigy since childhood, nurtured by both the Salvation Church and House Leinster. If he were to duel the old war monster, it would certainly be an interesting match.
However, he had no intention of engaging in a one-on-one battle. Rolling around in the mud of the battlefield did not suit his tastes.
Turning to the black-robed priests, he spoke,
“I’ll need the Inquisitors to keep that old monster occupied.”
Only two priests had been assigned to the 2nd Legion of Atrode. That was how much faith the Salvation Church had in Aiden’s abilities.
“We shall obey the Executor’s command.”
“Leave it to us.”
The two priests took to the air, soaring straight toward Marquis Tristan.
Watching them approach, the old war veteran curled his lips into a sneer.
“At last, you wretched bastards have arrived.”
Even as two transcendent warriors charged at him, he showed no sign of fear.
Boom!
Marquis Tristan blocked the priests’ attack with his greatsword.
He had anticipated their arrival. And despite deliberately draining his strength by fighting at the vanguard, he had done so with a plan in mind.
“Did you really think you could just wait for me to tire out before attacking?”
At his thunderous roar, banners were raised across the battlefield. Suddenly, knights from the center of the formation surged toward him.
These were the elite warriors of Grimwell, the finest knights in the army. They had been conserving their strength, preparing for this very moment.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
With the support of over a dozen knights, Marquis Tristan swung his greatsword mercilessly.
The priests faltered.
Marquis Tristan alone was already more than capable of fending off two transcendent beings.
Now, with a unit of elite knights supporting him, overwhelming him became an impossibility.
“Damn it!”
“How does he still have this much strength?!”
The priests found themselves being pushed back.
They attempted to take out the surrounding knights first, but even that proved difficult.
Not only were the knights formidable, but every truly dangerous attack was intercepted by Marquis Tristan himself. Their Coordinated Strike Technique was truly a sight to behold.
Boom!
Marquis Tristan grinned as he overpowered the priests.
“You think the knights I trained myself would fall to half-baked transcendent beings like you?”
Marquis Tristan had fought countless battles against the rebels. He had also encountered the priests of the Salvation Church multiple times. He knew well enough the level of power they possessed.
To counteract the priests despite his relative lack of superhuman warriors, he had devised a coordinated assault based on the experience he had accumulated over time.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The two priests were cornered. The only fortunate aspect was that, thanks to them, Marquis Tristan could no longer press his attack against the Atrode army.
His skill and tactics were exceptional. If things continued as they were, the battle would end in defeat for the Atrode forces.
That is if Aiden hadn't struck at one of the Grimwell army's flanks.
Flash!
Draped in a blue cloak and riding a dazzlingly white steed, Aiden appeared a figure so heroic that calling him a legend would not have been an exaggeration.
Everyone who followed him suddenly halted, their words caught in their throats.
Aiden charged alone into enemy lines, swinging his sword.
Shing!
A streak of blue lightning flashed, engulfing the Grimwell army.
Boom!
Everything in its path was reduced to ashes. Not even the corpses of soldiers remained in the aftermath.
Aiden had deliberately exerted excessive power to craft the perfect entrance.
And the impact was overwhelming. The Grimwell soldiers, locked in fierce combat just moments ago, were momentarily stunned by the absurd display of power.
Aiden looked around, smiling. Their reaction was exactly what he had hoped for.
“Phew… They’re all frozen in place.”
Lifting his sword, he raised his head toward the sky and closed his eyes.
It was as if divine light shone upon him. His gleaming armor radiated an aura of sanctity.
Like a heavenly messenger descending to deliver judgment, his presence exuded an almost sacred grandeur.
Still with his eyes closed, Aiden spoke.
"Those who stand at death’s door, remember this moment and revere me for eternity."
From the rear of his army, a figure swiftly emerged and began sketching Aiden’s image.
He was the most renowned painter in the Kingdom of Atrode, tasked with following Aiden into battle to capture his heroic moments on canvas.
Of course, drawing from horseback meant his lines were wobbly and distorted. But he didn’t mind.
As long as he could capture the atmosphere, the essence of the moment that was enough. He could refine the details later.
After maintaining his pose for a brief moment, Aiden turned his horse around.
"Hmm, that should be enough time."
His preparations for his own heroic tale were complete. Now, all that was left was to fight just enough to keep the legend alive.
The Grimwell soldiers were still dazed, unsure of what was happening.
All around them, warriors continued to scream and bleed, locked in brutal combat. But within this small space, the atmosphere had completely changed.
That was the power of Aiden’s presence.
In his past life, Ghislain had dismissed him as a pompous fool, but Aiden was not to be underestimated.
Even amidst the chaos of battle, he could command absolute attention, rendering those around him momentarily spellbound.
That was his true talent.
It was this very aura, unique to him alone, that earned Aiden the title of "Noble Knight."
A Grimwell officer, finally regaining his senses, bellowed out.
"What are you all standing around for?! Attack! Now!"
"Waaaaaaah!"
With his order, the soldiers once again charged at Aiden.
Aiden grinned and extended his sword forward. Even this simple motion was something he had meticulously practiced to appear picturesque.
"Go."
Thud, thud, thud!
The Order of the Silver Knights, which had been waiting at a distance, finally spurred their horses forward. Each of them was clad in gleaming armor, their presence as breathtaking as their reputation.
A hundred knights each one a high-ranking knight.
These were the very same knights who had once aided Aiden in capturing the King of Mercenaries in Ghislain’s past life.
At last, the most elite knights of the Atrode Kingdom entered the battlefield.
Boom!
"Aaargh!"
With devastating force, the Silver Knights tore into the Grimwell army’s flank. Behind them, the elite forces of Atrode surged forward.
Most of Grimwell’s elite knights were locked in the frontline battle, leaving the remaining forces unable to halt the Silver Knights' advance.
"H-Hold the line! Do whatever it takes to hold them off!"
The officer’s desperate cry rang out, but the sheer destructive power of the Silver Knights was overwhelming. They shattered the flank in an instant.
The battle was now even once more.
The Silver Knights and the Atrode army had managed to throw Grimwell’s formation into disarray.
At the vanguard, Marquis Tristan bit his lip.
"They had such a force hidden away all this time?!"
It was power on a completely different level from the rebels they had fought until now. No, not just the enemies he had faced this was the strongest force he had ever seen, even among all the knightly orders he had encountered in his lifetime.
On top of that, there seemed to be another transcendent among them. Marquis Tristan drew forth more mana.
He had anticipated that there could be up to three transcendents. He believed he could overcome such an obstacle.
"Hold out a little longer!"
He roared as he swung his greatsword.
Kwaaaang!
The priests were relentlessly pushed back. The knights charged in even more aggressively. Yet, even as they were forced back, the priests smiled.
'Just a little longer.'
Marquis Tristan was already considerably exhausted. As long as they stalled for time while Aiden and the Argent Knights moved, victory would be assured.
Marquis Tristan sensed their intent and clenched his teeth. They were trying to pin him down here while devastating his flanks.
But they had chosen the wrong opponent.
"You dare try to stall for time in front of me?!"
Paaah!
His face twisted with fury as he detonated his mana.
Marquis Tristan’s greatsword came crashing down with enough force to cleave the heavens and the earth. Even the knights fighting alongside him recoiled in terror.
Kwaaaang!
"Kuaaagh!"
The tempest unleashed by Marquis Tristan was unstoppable. Two priests were torn apart, their bodies lacerated as they desperately retreated.
The soldiers fighting nearby were slaughtered indiscriminately, friend and foe alike. Such was the terrifying might of Marquis Tristan.
He gritted his teeth. He had intended to fight while protecting his allies, but the urgency of the situation left him no choice.
With bloodshot eyes, he roared.
"Hold them off!"
It wasn’t just him who was growing weaker. The two priests had also sustained injuries and were losing strength.
He had prepared for such a situation. The knights of Grimwell swiftly shifted into a defensive formation, raising their shields.
Now, if the priests tried to attack, the knights would block them.
"I’ll be back soon! As long as we endure, victory is ours!"
Now, they just needed to pin down the priests and buy time. In the meantime, Marquis Tristan would eliminate the transcendent and the knights on the flank.
Marquis Tristan charged through his own forces at a terrifying speed.
Ahead, he saw his soldiers being slaughtered by enemy knights. He bellowed.
"Stop! I will face you!"
In an instant, he closed the distance and swung his greatsword at the enemy Knights.
Kwaaaang!
But his greatsword was blocked once again by Aiden’s blade.
Marquis Tristan glared at Aiden, who sat atop his white horse.
"So, you’re the third transcendent."
Aiden looked down at Marquis Tristan from his mount and smiled.
"Marquis Tristan. You look rather exhausted."
"I still have enough strength to kill you. Get off that horse."
"I don’t particularly enjoy stepping onto filthy ground, but… I suppose I have no choice."
That white horse was one of Aiden’s most treasured possessions. He couldn’t afford to have it killed in battle.
Lightly dismounting, he patted the horse’s rump, and it instinctively trotted away from the battlefield.
Aiden glanced at Marquis Tristan and spoke.
"It would have been more convenient if you had fought a little longer before coming here. But I suppose I’ll have to settle for this much."
"Hah, you whelp. Quite the cunning little schemer, aren’t you?"
"I don’t like brawling like a dog. You should be grateful. From the start, I planned to personally take you down. Someone of your stature is perfect for elevating my reputation."
"Reputation? You dare challenge me over something as petty as that? What an arrogant brat."
At Marquis Tristan’s response, Aiden flashed a cruel grin.
"That’s right. I need to build my reputation. After all, I have to surpass Ghislain Ferdium, Duke of Ritania. I can’t stand the thought of that man being more famous than me."
"Keep dreaming. You’ll die here."
Kwaaaang!
Before the words even finished, their swords clashed with tremendous force.