Chapter 409: The Ideal Sparring Partner. (2)
A Master was someone who had completed their own world.
Even someone who had never experienced a real battle could become a Master if they delved deeply enough into the sword and grasped its principles.
One who swung the sword hundreds of thousands of times, persisting until enlightenment struck, or someone who recklessly expanded their mana capacity until a realization bloomed either could become a Master.
Such enlightenment took different forms for different people.
However, Tennant had yet to attain any enlightenment. His remarkable talent had blocked his path.
He had defeated everyone too easily. Aside from his younger days, he had never truly experienced a proper battle. Because he always won effortlessly, he never fought fiercely to surpass anyone.
He had never contemplated the sword’s principles by relentlessly pursuing its depths.
Thus, he had become trapped within his own talent and arrogance.
‘We were truly complacent.’
Marquis Roderick had been like that, and so had he. Satisfied under the title of the strongest in the West, they hadn’t even thought to observe how the world was changing.
Those at the top had grown complacent, so naturally, those who followed them had as well.
But the people of the North were different. To survive, they had fought desperately and strived to grow stronger.
Their defeat in the war had been inevitable.
Kwaaaaang!
Ghislain and Tennant’s swords clashed once more, forcing the two apart.
Ghislain, his eyes glowing red as dark energy surrounded him, asked:
“So, you’ve finally shed your arrogance and crossed the wall. Do you plan to surrender?”
It was extremely rare for Ghislain to try to persuade someone. Even more so when they were his enemy.
Yet, Tennant shook his head.
“I am a man who killed my lord and benefactor with my own hands. Even if I win this duel, I plan to end my life.”
Tennant pointed his sword forward. From its blade extended a long, blue aura blade.
“That is my pride as the Swordmaster of the West.”
“I acknowledge that.”
Paaang!
Ghislain shot forward like a beam of light, swinging his sword.
His opponent had now reached the realm of Masters. There was no need to hold back any longer. And though it might sound cruel…
“You’re the ideal sparring partner.”
Kwaaaang!
Tennant, who barely managed to block Ghislain’s strike, gave a strained smile.
“It won’t be so easy anymore.”
Kwaaang!
With each clash of their swords, the shockwaves grew exponentially stronger.
The onlookers, startled, retreated even further back.
Guoooooh!
The area around the two fighters had become a vacuum due to the clash of mana, making it impossible to breathe. Even air itself was unable to enter the space.
The mana, unable to withstand the pressure, burst outward and formed a massive vortex.
The spectators watched in horror.
“This… Is this a fight between Masters…?”
“How can a human possess such power…?”
No magic had been used. The massive vortex was not the result of some spell twisting the laws of the world. It was a purely natural phenomenon, born from raw strength.
Kwaaaang!
Each clash sounded like thunder. If one had been any closer, their eardrums would have burst.
Kwaang! Kwaaang! Kwaaaang!
Indeed, Tennant was now exuding far greater power than before.
The extended blue aura blade blocked Ghislain’s crimson aura blade perfectly.
Paat!
At times, Tennant’s sword even pierced through Ghislain’s crimson veil. Each time his blade struck, a wild crimson mist burst from Ghislain’s body.
But unfortunately, that was the limit of Tennant’s power.
Kwaaang!
“Urgh!”
With a lightning-fast slash, Ghislain severed Tennant’s left arm from the shoulder.
Kwaaaang!
Tennant staggered, trying to counterattack, but Ghislain was a step faster, slicing across his chest.
Having only just reached the realm of Masters, Tennant’s mana and swordsmanship could not compare to Ghislain’s.
Kwaang! Kwaaang!
By now, Tennant’s body was in tatters. The once-brilliant glow of his aura blade flickered weakly, on the verge of extinguishing.
Yet, Tennant still smiled.
“To experience a battle like this, as a knight… I am truly honored!”
He had finally reached the Master’s realm, risking his life in a duel against another Master. And not just any opponent, the divine star of the North, Count Fenris himself.
There could be no more glorious opponent. Few knights could even dream of such a battle.
“I have no regrets!”
Kwaaaaaaa!
Summoning the last of his strength, Tennant swung his sword at Ghislain. Defense was no longer a concern.
He had simply poured his entire being into this final strike.
The enormous blue aura blade flew towards Ghislain with enough force to shatter him.
“You are magnificent.”
Ghislain smiled back and swung his sword.
The two swords clashed once again.
Kwaaaang!
An immense light burst forth, illuminating the dark surroundings. The sight of the onlookers was momentarily washed out in a blinding white.
And when the light finally disappeared…
The vortex that had been tearing apart the area vanished, leaving a profound silence in its wake.
Tennant looked down at his sword.
The radiant aura blade had vanished, leaving only half the blade behind.
In contrast, Ghislain’s aura blade continued to emit its fierce energy.
Tennant’s aura blade, which could cut through anything, had been severed and dispersed by his opponent’s blade.
Swoosh.
A thin line of blood seeped from Tennant’s neck, forming a crimson streak.
It wasn’t deep enough to completely sever his head but was more than enough to claim a man’s life.
Tennant smiled, blood trickling down from the corner of his lips.
“Th-thank… you…”
Thud!
With those final words, he collapsed to the ground.
“Phew…”
Ghislain let out a sigh, and the energy surrounding him dissipated.
His body bore several wounds, and his appearance was disheveled, but none of his injuries were severe.
Ghislain, too, was gradually approaching the realm he had achieved in his previous life through relentless training.
After staring at Tennant’s corpse for a moment, Ghislain slowly spoke.
“Secure the prisoners and contact Claude.”
Looking around at the silent battlefield, Ghislain let out a faint chuckle.
“We’ve won. The war is over.”
“Wooooaaaahhh!”
At his declaration of victory, the soldiers erupted in cheers, raising their weapons triumphantly.
The battle between the strongest of the North and the West…
Had ended in a decisive victory for the North.
* * *
“Ahem, ahem.”
Claude strutted around with exaggerated pomp, his every movement drawing the bowed heads of those around him.
In this war, he had employed brilliant tactics to defend not only Fortress Silverlight but also several other castles.
Administrative work, no matter how well executed, seldom earned much recognition. No matter how skillfully Claude managed the estate, his snarky personality prevented him from receiving proper acknowledgment.
Even when people’s lives noticeably improved, they attributed the success solely to the Lord and sang praises of Ghislain.
But in war, a single act of brilliance could change perceptions entirely.
The residents of the estate began to see Claude in a new light.
“Turns out, being the Chief Overseer wasn’t just for show.”
“Come to think of it, isn’t the reason our estate runs so smoothly thanks to the Chief Overseer?”
“If only he didn’t take bribes, it’d be perfect.”
With his reputation soaring, Claude was in a fantastic mood. Soon enough, rumors would spread throughout the entire kingdom.
“Man, even I didn’t know I was this talented. What am I supposed to do with these crazy skills?”
“…”
Wendy offered no response.
At first, she uncharacteristically praised him and treated him better than usual. But listening to his constant bragging had become unbearable. Her ears felt like they were bleeding, and she was on the verge of losing her sanity.
Belinda, on the other hand, avoided Claude entirely. It had become too difficult to tease him anymore.
And it wasn’t just Claude.
“Ahem, ahem.”
Alfoi was also strutting around arrogantly, his chin raised high. He had finally earned a name for himself during the war.
In truth, it was Vanessa who had neutralized the enemy mages. Without her, Fenris would have faced significant hardships.
But in the memories of the people, it was Alfoi’s dramatic spell-slinging that stood out most vividly.
He had, after all, thrown fire, conjured mist, and performed all sorts of magical feats.
The residents began reevaluating their opinions of Alfoi.
“I thought he was just some drunkard who gambled all the time.”
“They say he’s a 50th Circle mage.”
“Wow, isn’t that basically a dragon? Who would’ve thought Alfoi was that strong?”:
Thanks to his newfound fame, even Hubert, the Tower Master of the Crimson Flame Tower, would no longer dare to treat Alfoi lightly.
In high spirits, Alfoi wandered around the estate, giving unsolicited advice and bragging excessively. Even Vanessa, who usually scolded him to focus on his studies, granted him some free time this once.
The day Ghislain and the Fenris Mobile Corps returned to the estate:
“Waaaaah!”
“We are the strongest!”
“Congratulations on your victory!”
The estate’s residents poured into the streets, cheering.
This war had been somewhat different from the last. In Ghislain’s absence, all the residents had worked together to set traps and prepare defenses.
They had managed to fend off an army of tens of thousands without their lord’s presence.
Yet, the residents did not forget that this was all thanks to Ghislain.
It was because of their lord that they were well-fed, had jobs, and had the strength to defend themselves.
And now, they carried a confidence and certainty that they could face any enemy and not lose.
“Long live the Count of Fenris!”
Amidst the cheers, Ghislain entered the lord’s castle.
He raised his fist towards Claude, who grinned and bumped his fist back.
Ghislain had imitated the gesture that Claude and Alfoi often shared.
“Wow, you annihilated them even though I only told you to hold the line until I got back? That’s impressive.”
In his previous life, Claude had been an excellent strategist and tactician. Trusting that, Ghislain had left him in charge of the defense, but he hadn’t expected Claude to perform this well.
Originally, Ghislain had planned to simply hold out until they could encircle and wipe out the enemy forces with Ferdium’s troops and mercenaries.
But thanks to Claude, Ghislain ended up pursuing the remnants of the enemy army instead.
Claude, still wearing his smug expression, cleared his throat.
“Ahem, well, my lord, you also did a decent job capturing the West. Though, it wasn’t that difficult…”
It had been a far more challenging feat, but Claude downplayed Ghislain’s accomplishments, worried they might overshadow his own. He truly was a petty man.
Luckily for Claude, Ghislain wasn’t the type to dwell on such trivial things.
“Alright, alright. You did well. Now you know what needs to be done next, right?”
“…Victory celebration?”
“No, work. The West needs to be stabilized quickly. And we need to increase the estate’s production. More Galvaniium trebuchets need to be built.”
“…”
Claude’s face darkened instantly. It seemed he’d have to die to get any rest. He should have died in the war.
Still, Ghislain wasn’t wrong. The West was currently in a state of extreme chaos. Although he had left Count Selverk to manage the region, there was no way one man could stabilize such a vast territory on his own.
“Ugh, I’ll expedite the deployment of administrators. There’s a lot of work to be done.”
Turning the entire West into a region like Fenris wasn’t feasible for now. Unfortunately, once stabilized, the West would have to serve as a supplement for Fenris’s shortcomings.
However, given its abundant resources and large population, the sooner the West was stabilized, the greater the benefit it would provide.
“For now, let’s rely on the Royal Faction’s assistance for troops,” Ghislain said, and Claude nodded.
Count Selverk wouldn’t be able to handle the region’s rifts on top of managing its lords and bandits. It would already be a challenge for him to negotiate and control the remaining lords.
But now, with the Royal Faction’s troops using the excuse of rift management, they could be deployed to the West.
Marquis Roderick had been troublesome due to his refusal to listen and his reckless behavior, but now that Ghislain was the ruler of the West, there was no longer a problem.
Ghislain immediately gathered his retainers and held continuous meetings on how to utilize and stabilize the West quickly.
Once the operational direction was somewhat decided and administrators for the West were being selected, bad news arrived.
“The Salvation Church has begun acting openly!”
The messenger, who had rushed in, delivered the news breathlessly. Ghislain’s eyebrows twitched.
The Salvation Church was moving much earlier than in his previous life.
The reason was obvious: it was because he had revealed their true nature earlier than before.
Ghislain muttered quietly.
“…It begins.”
He knew all too well what the Salvation Church, cornered, was capable of doing.