The reason why Ghislain didn't immediately transition from the third to the fourth core was due to concerns over stability and balance.
In the three cores, the cores were located on both sides of his chest and below his navel. The next location for core creation was the thighs. To maintain balance, he had to create cores in both thighs simultaneously.
"Phew…"
A red breath escaped Ghislain's lips. Five cores were operating organically, drawing mana upward.
'I'll need to allocate it carefully.'
Since the power of the Dark was spent, he could no longer amplify the mana.
Although the newly generated cores were absorbing mana to replenish the others, the freshly created cores were still weak. The mana they held was less than half of what the existing cores contained.
'Still, it's fine.'
This mana cultivation technique was designed to unleash explosive power in a moment. If he distributed the newly filled mana properly, he could produce strength beyond his limits.
Ghislain grinned.
"Don't you think this has gone on too long? At this rate, the night will pass."
Their battle had been dragging on for quite some time, as Ghislain deliberately managed his energy, prolonging the fight.
At his words, Kaien looked up at the sky. The sun had already set, and the stars filled the night.
'When did so much time pass?'
They had arrived in the afternoon after racing nonstop. Despite fighting for half a day, the battle remained unresolved.
Immersed deeply, battling as if in another dimension of time, they hadn't even noticed the changes around them.
'I was so close.'
Though the battle had lasted long, there was no doubt that Count Fenris had expended all his mana. It hadn't been a delusion.
But suddenly, he had regained his vitality. It wasn't just rare; it was unheard of.
"I'm curious. What exactly are you? How did you recover your mana?"
The rapid recovery and absurdly high defense were shocking enough, but now he was performing acts that defied common sense. It was impossible not to wonder.
"Well… you could call it a skill honed by crossing the line between life and death."
"Impressive. Why didn't you use that power from the start?"
Had he done so, the battle's conclusion would have come much sooner. Count Fenris, too, could have replenished his mana while fighting Ilois.
Ghislain shook his head slightly.
"It's not as easy as you think. And, well, you turned out to be stronger than I expected."
If victory had been possible with just three cores, Ghislain wouldn't have bothered creating new ones.
When making a new core, he had to exhaust all his bodily energy first. Otherwise, the newly generated core would strongly clash with the existing mana.
That wasn't the only issue. His body also needed to grow to accommodate five cores. Though he had gradually accustomed himself to this using Dark's amplification, it was still slightly insufficient.
Thus, Ghislain had kept delaying the creation of additional cores, focusing on maintaining his condition amidst the pressing tasks at hand.
Drdrdr…
'The strain is starting to show.'
Since three cores weren't enough to defeat Kaien, he had pushed himself to create more. To avoid completely wrecking his body, he had even drawn upon a portion of his life force.
Even so, his bones and muscles were gradually twisting. The suddenly formed cores hadn't fully stabilized, leaving him in an unstable state.
Even now, Ghislain was struggling to suppress the mana desperately trying to break free from his body. He needed to harness that power for combat.
This battle would likely leave him bedridden for several days, stabilizing the new cores afterward.
Kaien noticed the thin trickle of blood at the corner of Ghislain's lips and nodded.
"That doesn't seem like a normal method."
Such a burst of power must come with a price. Otherwise, he would have used it earlier.
There was still a chance.
"Recovering a little mana won't change the outcome."
Boom!
Still holding strength, Kaien swung his sword ferociously. Ghislain, who had slightly recovered his mana, also extended his blade.
Boom.
When their swords clashed, Kaien still held a slight advantage. While Ghislain's skills were exceptional, he believed he could wear him down again by steadily applying pressure.
Kaien controlled his excitement and swung his sword methodically.
'I can't let my guard down. His swordsmanship is still dangerous.'
Even a slight lapse in concentration could allow his blade to strike from a blind spot, causing a critical injury.
Thus, he pursued him with calculated pressure, enduring less significant attacks to counter more effectively.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Watching Kaien's composed offensive, Ghislain smirked bitterly.
'He's as formidable as ever.'
A strong opponent who, even when holding the upper hand, remained calm and composed—this was no ordinary feat.
There was no chance to exploit his overconfidence or aim for a decisive reversal. Against such an opponent, only one approach could work.
He needed greater power.
Zzzing—!
Ghislain's eyes glowed a vivid red. As the newly replenished mana coursed through his five cores, it grew exponentially stronger.
Boom!
Ghislain's intensified attack forced Kaien to retreat a step.
'Just a little more.'
Gritting his teeth, Ghislain swung his sword once more.
Boom!
'More!'
Boom! Boom! Boom!
As the five cores rotated fiercely, power surged into Ghislain's sword. His strikes grew increasingly forceful, driving Kaien to falter.
"Urgh!"
He couldn't understand it. How could Count Fenris grow stronger as the fight progressed?
With no other choice, Kaien abandoned his slow, calculated approach. To hold his ground, he had to put forth greater effort.
Boom! Boom!
Clashing blades, Ghislain ground his teeth internally.
'This is as far as I can go.'
He could no longer draw out more power. Any further and his body would collapse entirely. For now, he could only barely maintain his current state.
After all, Kaien wasn't an opponent he could overpower with a single explosive burst.
Kaien, too, felt the frustration. Though Ghislain was slightly weaker, he wasn't someone he could defeat quickly.
'One misstep means the end.'
The two fighters were evenly matched. Whoever's strength ran out first, or who made a mistake, would face their demise.
Kaien had no choice but to acknowledge it. This young upstart was fighting him on equal footing.
Boom!
Their swords clashed more violently, aiming for fatal strikes.
Understanding each other's intent, they took lesser hits to land stronger ones in return.
Slash!
Blood erupted continuously from their bodies.
When Ghislain's chest was slashed, Kaien's chest followed. When Ghislain's arm was cut, Kaien's leg was also struck.
Despite their battered bodies, neither fighter stopped. Both were now struggling to withstand each other's strength.
Boom!
"Ugh!"
Simultaneously groaning in pain, they were sent sprawling backward. Both had been drenched in blood for a long time.
"Huff, huff… you…"
Watching Kaien stagger to his feet, Ghislain laughed.
"Already tired? I'm still full of energy."
"Don't… bluff."
That bastard, who had also fallen, dared to act composed. The audacity to flaunt such bravado in front of the kingdom's finest sword.
"Let's continue."
Clutching his sword tightly, Kaien advanced. Ghislain stood his ground.
Boom!
The sight of the two bloodied fighters wielding their swords filled the surrounding troops with unease, causing them to grip their weapons tightly.
'If we charge now…'
'We must save him…'
By now, dawn was breaking. Both fighters' movements were visibly exhausted.
Even a few knights could intervene to rescue their comrade and slay the enemy.
But none dared step forward. This was a duel to determine the kingdom's strongest. Until ordered, they couldn't interfere.
Their enmity had given way to awe.
'As expected of the kingdom's finest sword…'
'To think Count Fenris was this powerful.'
It was a breathtaking battle. Despite their fatigue, the grace and power in their swordsmanship remained. Each strike contained profound insight.
Were they in the ring, they wouldn't have lasted a single exchange.
All the troops could do was clench their fists and cheer.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Ghislain and Kaien fought relentlessly. Their mana was utterly depleted, and their bodies reduced to tatters. They looked as though they might succumb to blood loss at any moment.
Boom!
Eventually, unable to withstand each other's strength, they collapsed once more.
Had they distributed their strength more wisely, the battle might have lasted longer. Both possessed extraordinary reserves of mana.
However, keeping pace with each other's escalating power had drained them more quickly.
"Damn… you…"
Kaien coughed up blood and tried to stand. However, his body trembled uncontrollably, making it impossible to rise easily.
Ghislain also planted his sword into the ground, attempting to lift himself up.
"Damn…"
Both of them, who had been trying to stand, collapsed back down again. They were so exhausted they needed time to catch their breath.
Kaien glared at Ghislain and opened his mouth with great difficulty.
"How unfortunate."
Ghislain, gripping the hilt of his sword embedded in the ground, asked.
"What is?"
"That we can't settle this anymore."
"Hah… Says who?"
"As the Kingdom's finest sword, this is where I stop."
"… Is that so."
Kaien exhaled heavily. He had wanted to win this fight solely with his own strength.
But he wasn't just any knight. He was the commander-in-chief of the southern army and a loyal servant of the duke's household.
What mattered most to him now wasn't personal honor.
Kaien let out a self-mocking laugh.
"The reputation of being the Kingdom's finest sword and my pride—I'll leave those behind here."
Winning this war was the most important thing.
If he mobilized the army now, he could surely kill Count Fenris. If Count Fenris was killed, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that victory in this war was assured.
The mobile army would try to intervene, but the troops he had brought were double their numbers. They had even rested somewhat while he fought.
"Forgive me. I'll bear the stain of tarnishing this duel until the day I die."
After catching his breath, Kaien rose with great effort. His legs trembled violently. Ghislain still hadn't managed to get up.
Breathing heavily, Kaien extended his sword forward.
"And I'll… remember you. You were truly remarkable."
"…"
Sensing the ominous atmosphere, the Fenris mobile army gripped their spears. Likewise, the 40,000 cavalry of the Delphine army readied themselves.
They would charge the moment the order was given.
Kaien, however, seemed indifferent, continuing to hold his sword out as he spoke.
"All forces…"
Before he could finish, Ghislain interrupted.
"You'll have to settle things with me. Your army won't be able to move."
"What?"
"Look beside you."
Kaien slowly turned his head. On a nearby hill, a man who looked like a noble and several knights were standing.
They hadn't been there when the fight began. Squinting to get a better look, he recognized a familiar face.
"Count Mowbray?"
Kaien felt a chill run down his spine. How long had they been watching? Had they been there the entire time?
Caught up entirely in the battle, he hadn't noticed them at all.
Both armies had also noticed their arrival but hadn't moved recklessly. They couldn't tell whose side the newcomers were on, and the intensity of the duel between Ghislain and Kaien left them little room to focus elsewhere.
After confirming that the fight had reached a lull, Count Mowbray raised his hand. A knight beside him blew a horn.
Bwooooo—!
The sound of the horn echoed loudly, and soon, a cloud of dust rose behind the hill as a contingent of soldiers appeared.
It was a cavalry force of 10,000 brought by Count Mowbray.
"… Damn it."
Kaien frowned deeply. While his side still held a numerical advantage, the addition of these reinforcements meant heavier casualties were inevitable.
Kaien turned back to Ghislain, growling.
"Did you stall for time so they could arrive? You weren't trying to settle this with me at all!"
"No, they've been here for quite a while."
Mowbray's troops had arrived before dawn. Ghislain had deliberately used Dark to keep them at a distance, allowing only Count Mowbray to approach and observe the fight.
Kaien bit his lips several times before speaking.
"It doesn't matter. Even with those reinforcements, nothing changes. Amid the chaos, you'll die."
At his words, Ghislain chuckled softly.
"That's not all."
"What…"
Before Kaien could finish, another, much larger dust cloud appeared behind Mowbray's forces.
An even larger cavalry force emerged, their numbers far exceeding Mowbray's troops.
"Waaaahhhh!"
They shouted loudly as they approached. Kaien's eyes trembled as he watched them.
Even at a glance, it was clear they vastly outnumbered the forces present. There were at least 50,000.
"What is this… How…"
They weren't a regular army. Their formation was chaotic, and their uniforms and weapons were varied. At first glance, they looked like a horde of bandits.
The only sign that they belonged to the same group was…
"The Fenris Mercenary Corps?"
The flag of the Fenris Mercenary Corps fluttered above them. It was the infamous mercenary group that had been rapidly expanding its influence across various kingdoms.
"How are they here… now…"
Kaien knew the Fenris Mercenary Corps well. He had heard that most of their forces had been deployed to stabilize regions and to other kingdoms, leaving only a few behind.
He hadn't paid much attention, assuming they couldn't pose a significant threat here while occupied elsewhere.
But to see such a massive force suddenly appear…
"Don't tell me… you summoned them in advance."
"That's right. My father and I had them gathering long before we marched on the capital. They followed me here."
Kaien's face filled with despair.
Now the enemy forces outnumbered his troops by two to one. On top of that, his troops hadn't eaten in days. Facing them now with no preparation would be a guaranteed defeat.
"How… How could this happen…"
Kaien repeated the words, stunned. He couldn't have imagined that such a horde of mercenaries would appear.
This man had planned everything long ago. They had all been unwittingly dancing to his tune.
Dizziness overcame Kaien as he staggered.
'It's over.'
If he were in full condition, he might have been able to face such an army. If worst came to worst, he could have escaped.
But now, all his strength is gone. He and his 40,000 cavalry were doomed to die here.
Kaien turned his dim gaze to Ghislain. This man truly possessed incomprehensible knowledge and power.
'An unfathomable existence.'
From the first clash of their swords, he had felt it. No matter how much of a genius one was, there was something impossible for someone his age to have.
"Who are you… How are you capable of this?"
"Me? There are many names I'm called by."
The Scoundrel of the North, Heir of Perdium, Lord of Fenris, Saint of the Capital, Commander of the Northern Army.
But those weren't what he wanted to say now.
Ghislain slowly rose to his feet. His body screamed in pain, but he forced himself upright.
In his previous life, he hadn't been able to say it. He hadn't met Duke Delphine or Kaien before losing the war.
He couldn't reveal who he truly was.
"I am…"
Ghislain took a deep breath. Then he lifted his head, staring at Kaien, and spoke.
Now, he could finally say it. The one who had sought to kill them in the past life.
And now…
The one who had returned to finish them.
"I am the King of Mercenaries, Ghislain Perdium."
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