Chapter 382: To Think You’d Be Here (4)
Lavierre immediately conjured a black shield in front of him and retreated. However, Ghislain’s blade moved just a bit faster.
Screeeech!
“Grrk!”
His chest was sliced deeply, and blood spurted out. Though his body wasn’t completely cleaved in two, the wound was severe enough to expose bone.
Lavierre stumbled backward, grimacing in pain. Only after creating sufficient distance did he shout:
“How did you survive?!”
The attack had been one where he burned the life force of the crusaders and imbued it with his own strength to deliver a devastating blow. Any ordinary knight should have been reduced to ashes in an instant.
Even for a Master, the power was overwhelming enough to leave grave injuries.
Indeed, Ghislain’s body wasn’t unscathed.
Sizzle…!
Blisters erupted all over his skin as if from severe burns, and his hair was charred as though it had been engulfed in flames.
Exposed through his torn clothes were areas of flesh that had been so damaged they revealed bone.
Despite this, Ghislain bared his teeth in a feral grin.
Seeing him, Lavierre placed a hand on his chest and chuckled.
“You’re still laughing? Are you pretending to be tough? Do you think you can fight me with those injuries?”
Ssshhh…
Dark energy radiated from Lavierre, and the gaping wound on his chest began to heal. The effect was akin to divine power.
However, even Lavierre couldn’t completely recover. Traces of Ghislain’s energy remained embedded in the wound, wreaking havoc.
Clicking his tongue, Lavierre finished his healing and spoke.
“To think you’d survive that attack and still leave your energy lingering in me… No wonder you’re called a Master. But do you really think you can fight me in your current state?”
Ghislain’s body was grotesquely damaged.
For someone who had experienced countless battles, this was the worst injury he had ever suffered. It spoke to the sheer power of Lavierre’s attack.
“C-Count Fenris!”
Porisco hurried over, visibly alarmed. Though he was cowardly, he had a keen sense of self-preservation.
He knew well that if Count Fenris died here, his own life would also be in jeopardy.
“I-I’ll heal you!”
Porisco mustered all his divine power. He had never felt such desperation in using his abilities.
Ssshhh!
Yet Ghislain’s wounds did not heal easily. Unfortunately, Porisco’s divine power was rudimentary at best.
After all, he wasn’t a true holy man but someone who had climbed to the position of bishop through politics.
Still, divine power was divine power. Even weak healing should have worked, yet there was a fierce resistance emanating from Ghislain’s wounds.
It felt eerily similar to how Rachel, Gillian’s daughter, had been afflicted by the “Eternal Punishment,” rejecting the goddess’ holy power.
“W-Why isn’t this working?”
“Kehehehe…”
Lavierre sneered at the panicking Porisco.
Unless the divine power was extraordinarily strong, his attacks couldn’t be easily undone. That’s why he didn’t even bother to pay attention to Porisco.
If not, one would have to overcome the wounds with their own strength. However, Count Fenris appeared too gravely injured to manage that.
“I’d better finish this quickly before the others arrive.”
Causing such a commotion in the heart of the capital would inevitably draw unwanted attention. Black energy began to gather in Lavierre’s hands.
As Lavierre prepared his next move, Ghislain took a deep breath and started walking again.
Step.
Seeing him limp forward, Lavierre smirked.
“You’re stubborn, aren’t you? How do you plan to fight me in that state?”
Rumble…
Despite his words, Lavierre continued to build up his power.
Even though Ghislain had endured his earlier attack, Lavierre needed to ensure a decisive blow to kill him and escape.
Step.
Ghislain didn’t respond, continuing to approach Lavierre slowly, his gait still hindered by his wounds.
“With all that power, why are you cowering behind the ducal family, scheming from the shadows?” Ghislain asked.
Lavierre smirked.
“It’s simply not the right time yet.”
“And what exactly is this ‘right time’ you speak of?”
“Do I owe you an explanation?”
Ghislain paused for a moment, staring at Lavierre with penetrating eyes.
As their conversation continued, a suspicion began to form in Ghislain’s mind.
“So it really was you?”
“What are you talking about?”
“The ones unleashing strange monsters across the continent, driving people into despair. Is that the ‘right time’ you’re waiting for?”
“…Who the hell are you?”
Lavierre’s face stiffened.
This was information not even those who are tracking them fully understood.
Yet, a mere northern lord had discovered one of their grand schemes.
This was not something he could ignore. He needed to figure out where the leak had come from.
“How do you know this?” he demanded.
“Who knows…” Ghislain replied vaguely, continuing his slow steps forward.
‘As expected, it’s them,’ Ghislain thought.
His insight and intuition never let even the smallest clue slip by. Even though he had only circumstantial evidence, Lavierre’s reaction confirmed his suspicions.
They were the ones orchestrating the “Time of Calamity.”
And the fact that it was approaching meant they had almost completed their preparations.
“There’s much more to be done, sooner than expected.”
Step.
Lavierre frowned deeply as Ghislain limped closer.
‘How does he know about us?’
‘Where did the information leak from?’
‘Should I capture him?’
Unaware that Ghislain was a regressor, Lavierre could find no answer despite his deliberation.
In the end, he decided he needed to capture Ghislain to extract the truth, whether by mental domination or torture.
Looking at Ghislain’s current physical state, it seemed feasible.
‘First, I’ll make sure he’s completely incapacitated…’
Lavierre watched the slowly approaching Ghislain, his mind racing.
‘Hm?’
Suddenly, he sensed something strange.
Ssssshhhhh!
From Ghislain’s wounds, dark red steam began to rise. Despite the severity of his injuries, the sight of him grinning and moving leisurely felt unsettling.
And then, at some point, the limp disappeared.
Step.
Ghislain took another step.
Step.
Ssssshhhhh!
Lavierre’s eyes widened.
Step.
With each step Ghislain took, his wounds vanished, and fresh flesh began to grow. Even his burned hair fell away, replaced by new strands that shimmered as they grew.
“What the…?”
Lavierre’s expression turned to disbelief. Ghislain had already released immense energy, and yet his wounds were healing at an extraordinary rate.
Lavierre had never heard of the Count of Fenris possessing such an ability.
Step, step, step.
Ghislain’s pace quickened.
Even as he moved, his body continued to heal.
Thanks to Dark, Ghislain’s mana reserves were overflowing. As long as he wasn’t killed outright, recovering from severe wounds wasn’t an issue.
“W-what are you?” Lavierre shouted, his voice filled with alarm, as he extended his hand.
Boom!
A black bolt of lightning surged from Lavierre’s hand, but at the same time, an aura blade erupted from Ghislain’s sword.
Clang!
Boom!
As Ghislain swung his blade, the lightning was split apart, reducing nearby buildings to rubble.
Lavierre flinched, trying to prepare his next attack, but before he could, Ghislain was already in front of him.
“You still don’t know how to fight, do you?”
What good was power if you didn’t know how to wield it?
Before Lavierre could react, Ghislain smirked and swung his sword.
Slash!
“Graaah!”
Lavierre twisted his body and unleashed divine power, but he couldn’t completely avoid the attack.
He stumbled back, clutching his wound in pain, but one arm was severed from the shoulder.
“Grrgh…”
Even as Lavierre infused his severed wound with divine power, the wound wouldn’t heal.
For some reason, the energy embedded in the wound was even fiercer than before, as if it were burrowing deeper into his body.
Eliminating this energy and healing properly would take significant time.
“Is this… your true strength…?”
Lavierre muttered, his face paler than before.
He wielded power surpassing that of a 7th-circle mage, a strength that had earned him a high position within the order.
Furthermore, his divine power was especially potent in combat, enhancing his recovery and defenses to make him nearly indomitable.
But against Count Fenris, who could heal himself, those advantages seemed meaningless.
‘Should I use more power…?’
Lavierre stared at Ghislain with a grave expression. Using more power here would come with considerable risks.
Yet, if he didn’t, he might die.
He needed to act while his opponent was still toying with him.
Meanwhile, Ghislain twirled his sword lazily, exuding an air of confidence.
“Do you want to surrender and confess everything, or would you rather die here?”
“Kuh, kuhaha…” Lavierre chuckled darkly.
Lavierre let out a self-deprecating laugh, but his eyes gleamed with a dangerous light.
Rumble!
Suddenly, a vivid violet radiance burst from his eyes. Black, shadowy wings sprouted from his back, undulating with a sinister energy.
From his remaining hand, claws of lightning-like black energy extended and elongated. The writhing darkness coiled around his body, enveloping him like a demon.
Porisco, witnessing the transformation, collapsed once again.
“A demon! A demon has appeared! Oh, Goddess!”
Ghislain, however, showed no surprise. It was as if he had expected Lavierre to transform into such a being.
Lavierre grinned, baring his teeth at Ghislain.
“I find your calm demeanor incredibly irritating.”
Boom!
Lavierre surged toward Ghislain with blinding speed. In the blink of an eye, he closed the distance and swung his hand.
Clang!
Ghislain raised his sword to block the attack, but the impact sent him hurtling backward. Before he could steady himself, Lavierre charged again.
His strength and speed were now incomparable to before.
“Die!” Lavierre roared, his face alight with savage glee. With this overwhelming power, there was no way the whelp before him would survive.
Whirl!
Ghislain’s body twisted mid-air, narrowly evading the strike. At the same time, his blade descended toward Lavierre’s head.
“Grrk!”
Clang!
Lavierre’s reflexes allowed him to block the attack just in time, but Ghislain didn’t relent.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
In an instant, dozens of strikes rained down on Lavierre.
He managed to parry them all, but his attempts to counterattack were futile. Ghislain’s movements were fluid, his strikes precise, while Lavierre’s retaliation only cut through empty air or met the edge of Ghislain’s blade.
Frustration began to creep into Lavierre’s expression.
‘What is this? Why can’t I land a hit?’
Lavierre knew his strength and speed were superior. He didn’t need precise measurements to confirm it.
None of Count Fenris’s attacks could truly harm him. His extraordinary senses and physical prowess allowed him to react to any assault in an instant.
Even if an attack slipped through, his body was resilient enough to withstand it.
The problem was Ghislain’s movement. Every time Lavierre attempted to strike back, Ghislain vanished from his sight.
‘Damn it… I can’t dominate even with this power?’
Lavierre had always considered the continent’s Masters to be somewhat overrated. He thought his strength far surpassed theirs.
But now, he finally understood the weight of the title “Master.”
‘The gap in skill is this vast?’
Masters weren’t merely strong; they were individuals who had honed themselves to the pinnacle through relentless discipline.
Such mastery wasn’t something brute strength could simply overwhelm.
As a clergyman of the order, Lavierre had little interest in combat. His divine power alone had been sufficient to defeat most opponents.
But now, facing a transcendent warrior, nothing was going as he had planned. Without his immense strength, he wouldn’t have been able to endure this long.
Boom! Boom! BOOM!
The two combatants moved at such speeds that they were invisible to ordinary onlookers. Each collision sent shockwaves rippling out, reducing the surrounding buildings to rubble.
Even so, neither could land a decisive blow.
Lavierre’s superior strength and speed were neutralized by Ghislain’s refined techniques.
Watching the battle from the ground, Porisco crawled away, trembling as he muttered to himself.
“A demon… A demon has appeared in the capital… The end times… The apocalypse from the scriptures has arrived…”
He shuddered with relief at the thought that Count Fenris was a Master. If not, they would have all been dead the moment the demon attacked.
“But that demon… It looks familiar, as if I’ve read about it in the scriptures…”
The scriptures described countless forms of demons. Porisco felt as if he’d seen something about this particular one.
“C-could it be…”
Porisco’s mind raced, trying to recall the passage, but his thoughts were interrupted as knights and soldiers poured into the area.
“I’m saved! Help me! A demon has appeared!”
The memory of the scripture fled from Porisco’s mind as self-preservation overtook him. He cared little for demons or sacred texts; his own safety was his only concern.
Several knights supported the trembling Porisco and helped him retreat.
At the forefront, Knight Commander Toleo, of the Marquis of Branford’s forces, shouted orders.
“Secure the perimeter! Take down that monster first!”
Boom!
Ghislain and Lavierre clashed again, both being flung apart by the force of the impact. Toleo seized the moment to intervene.
As a knight of the highest caliber, his attack was sharp and decisive.
“Hrrmph!”
Toleo’s blade, cloaked in intense blue mana, slashed toward Lavierre.
Clang!
Lavierre barely raised his arm to block the strike. However, other knights pressed the attack, exploiting the opening.
“Grr, you pests!”
Lavierre, despite his immense power, was less skilled than even the most novice of knights. The knights of the Marquis of Branford, however, were all elites.
Lavierre compensated for his lack of technique with raw strength.
BOOM!
A translucent black sphere of energy exploded outward, sending the knights flying. Even Toleo, with his superior skills, was forced back.
But Ghislain used the opening to close the distance and swung his sword.
Boom!
Lavierre barely deflected the strike, using Ghislain’s momentum to retreat further.
Flap!
The black wings on Lavierre’s back unfurled, lifting him into the air. Glaring down at Ghislain, he spoke.
“This time, I’ll retreat… But next time, I’ll sever your head and offer it on the altar…”
If he had more time, he could have killed Count Fenris. But the situation had grown dire.
Too many had seen him and his true form. This prolonged exposure was unprecedented.
No matter how strong Lavierre was, he couldn’t fight both Count Fenris and the capital’s elite knights simultaneously.
Flap!
With a scowl, Lavierre ascended higher. The knights hurled spears infused with mana, but he deflected them with ease and disappeared at incredible speed.
Ghislain didn’t pursue him. Instead, he focused inward, exchanging a brief thought with the entity within him.
‘Stay close, Dark.’
Ghislain had no intention of letting Lavierre escape for good.