The Regressed Mercenary’s Machinations

Chapter 653

Clang!

At the critical moment, Ghislain intercepted the bandit leader’s sword with his staff.

Ghislain glanced at Julien, who stood frozen, and gave him a sly smile.

“You can’t let your guard down until it’s over. Don’t forget that.”

Julien, almost automatically, nodded.

“Y-yeah.”

“Don’t worry. In the future, you’ll become incredibly calm and collected. You won’t let your guard down for even a second.”

“M-me?”

“Of course. Probably?”

Though only their faces were the same, Ghislain couldn’t shake the feeling that the hero before him was somehow a reincarnation of the Julien he knew.

Julien, meanwhile, assumed this was simply how he would grow in the future, especially since Ghislain had mentioned coming from the future.

What Julien didn’t realize was that Ghislain’s future was a thousand years ahead.

“You bastard!”

The bandit leader snarled and swung his sword at Ghislain, who casually dodged and continued speaking.

“Now, watch carefully how I fight.”

Thwack!

Ghislain struck the bandit leader’s knee with his staff. The man staggered, retreating a few steps.

Without missing a beat, Ghislain followed, his staff relentlessly striking the bandit leader’s body.

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

“Every weapon has its unique characteristics and handling methods. But at their core, all weapons are the same.”

The bandit leader’s body shook violently with each blow. Ghislain didn’t stop, continuing to teach the trio as he fought.

“A weapon isn’t just a tool. It’s an extension of your body, a part of you.”

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

“Ugh… s-stop…”

The bandit leader had already dropped his sword and could do nothing but endure the relentless assault. He wanted to collapse, but for some reason, his body wouldn’t fall.

The trio watched with unwavering focus, determined not to miss a single movement. They absorbed Ghislain’s words as if their lives depended on it.

“True mastery of a weapon isn’t just about how you move it. It’s about feeling unity with it. You and your weapon must know each other, breathe together, and complement each other’s movements.”

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

Ghislain’s staff now moved like a whip. Though it wasn’t an actual whip, it slithered and struck the bandit leader’s body like a snake.

It was a bizarre and mesmerizing technique. The trio watched, completely entranced.

“You must feel the weight, balance, and vibration of your weapon as if they’re part of your own body.”

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

At some point, the bandit leader lost consciousness, but he still didn’t collapse. Every time he seemed ready to fall, the staff struck him again, propping him up.

To the trio, it was an almost miraculous sight.

“As you synchronize with your weapon and understand its nature, the boundary between it and your body disappears. It ceases to be an object and becomes a part of you.”

Thwack!

With a loud crack, the bandit leader’s head snapped back, and his body finally hit the ground.

Ghislain withdrew his staff and smiled.

“This is what it means to truly wield a weapon. Got it?”

The trio nodded vigorously. They couldn’t grasp it all at once, but they understood the essence of his words.

Watching Ghislain in action gave them a sense of clarity, as if a veil had been lifted.

“A-amazing.”

“How can you move like that?”

“Teach me, too!”

Ghislain closed his eyes and nodded at their eager remarks.

“I’m glad to see you’re motivated. This is how you learn, step by step. So, how was the ambush? Worthwhile?”

The trio nodded again, albeit hesitantly. Whether it was worthwhile or not, they had won. Though, most of the victory was due to Ghislain.

Julien looked down at his trembling hands. This fight felt different from any he had experienced before.

He had always fought cautiously, conserving his strength. This was the first time he’d expended everything in a single burst.

‘So this is… an ambush?’

Not even close. Julien had misunderstood something fundamental.

As soon as the battle was undeniably over, the trio collapsed to the ground. They were utterly spent, both physically and mentally.

As he watched them rest, Ghislain fell into thought.

‘This is strange. Their talent is undeniable, but…’

Ghislain had observed their techniques and mana refinement methods over the past few days.

The techniques they used were ones they claimed to have learned through Astion’s unique abilities.

Apparently, the individuals who had possessed Astion’s body in the past couldn’t stay for long. They had only passed on their knowledge before leaving.

It had been up to the four of them to decipher, practice, and refine what they’d been taught.

‘What they’ve managed to learn on their own is impressive, but…’

Those with innate talent could develop skills even without a teacher. They would wrack their brains, share ideas, and test them through sheer trial and error.

In a way, it was a stroke of luck. Rural kids like them rarely had such opportunities to learn advanced techniques.

But from Ghislain’s perspective, it wasn’t enough. At this rate, they wouldn’t reach the level he had seen in his dreams.

‘This isn’t the original technique or mana refinement method the hero’s party used.’

Ghislain knew the techniques and refinement methods the original hero’s party had used. He also knew how to further develop them.

That’s why he had been glad to join them. He thought he could guide their growth using his knowledge, ensuring they advanced quickly.

But they were using entirely different techniques—ones far inferior to what they should have been practicing.

This discrepancy gnawed at Ghislain.

‘Did they encounter some other opportunity? With their current techniques and mana refinement, they’ll be lucky to reach the level of a superhuman.’

Becoming more than a superhuman required countless battles and moments of enlightenment. But new techniques couldn’t simply appear out of nowhere.

Either they had to create new techniques through realization, or someone extraordinary who possessed Astion’s body had to teach them.

‘I can’t tell which it is yet.’

Until now, Ghislain had been correcting their misunderstandings and bad habits. But after this battle, he was certain.

With their current techniques, rapid growth was impossible.

After a brief moment of deliberation, Ghislain made a decision.

‘They’ll learn it anyway, so why not start sooner?’

Initially, he had planned to correct only minor mistakes while letting them gain practical experience. He had assumed that, since the future was set, they would become strong regardless of his intervention.

But now, seeing them use techniques so far removed from what they should know, he decided to teach them new swordsmanship and mana refinement methods immediately.

“All right, from now on, I’ll teach you a new mana refinement method and new techniques. Rest for a bit, and then we’ll get back to training through practical experience.”

Once he made the decision, Ghislain didn’t intend to hold back.

The easier the training, the slower their growth. He needed to push them even harder.

‘I’ll make sure the next ambush fails, too.’

Ghislain had intentionally held back in this battle to push them to their limits. He planned to keep doing the same in the future.

At his words, the trio nodded, torn between excitement and apprehension.

They were awed by Ghislain’s vast knowledge and exceptional skill. But at this rate, they feared they wouldn’t live to see their prime.

After all, this battle had been perilous and nerve-wracking enough as it was.

‘But… we can’t argue against him.’

‘If I argue, that staff might come flying at me.’

‘There’s something off about him. He’s too proactive, too bold compared to the other possessors.’

These silent complaints were all the trio could muster.

After a brief rest, they began searching the bandit camp, eventually locating the storage building.

The moment they opened it, their jaws dropped.

“W-wow…”

“There’s so much!”

“All of this… is ours?”

Though the territory was small, the bandit group had been powerful enough to force negotiations with its lord. The warehouse was stacked with an enormous amount of treasure.

Beyond gold and jewels, there were supplies such as food, leather, and herbs—valuable resources both for trade and practical use.

If they took it all, they could live in comfort no matter where they went.

“Are we really allowed to take all of this?” Kyle asked in a trembling voice, overwhelmed by the thought of such wealth. It was the kind of fortune only lords or great nobles could amass.

Julien and Deneb swallowed nervously. As children from a rural village, they had never seen so much treasure in one place.

But one person shattered the mood.

“Ugh? This is all? What a bunch of paupers. Big reputation, but nothing to eat.”

“…”

The gap in perspective was staggering. To be disappointed in the face of such wealth…

The trio glanced at Ghislain, puzzled.

‘Just how much money did Ghislain have?’

‘He had a ton of titles. He must have lived in a big mansion. Probably had a garden too.’

‘Maybe he was rich enough to live off his fortune for ten years without lifting a finger.’

For rural kids like them, that was the extent of their imagination.

Ghislain, though unimpressed, had to admit that objectively, it was a lot of treasure. So much, in fact, that they couldn’t carry it all, even if they stuffed their old backpacks to the brim.

The amount left behind far exceeded what they managed to pack, posing a logistical challenge.

Surveying the scene, Ghislain spoke nonchalantly.

“For now, let’s bury what’s left nearby and come back for it later.”

They could retrieve the rest once they had a base or the means to transport it. During his mercenary days, leftover goods were often handled this way.

Kyle nodded in agreement, but Julien offered a different suggestion.

“Let’s share it.”

“What?”

“These goods were stolen from the nearby villages, weren’t they? We’ve taken what we need, so let’s distribute the rest to the local villagers.”

Deneb quickly agreed.

“Yeah, we have enough to live comfortably for a few months. Besides, we can’t take all of it anyway. It seems fair.”

Kyle, however, was outraged.

“What?! How long are you going to keep doing this?! Are we rich? We’re in debt! If we take everything here, we can pay off our debts and live comfortably!”

Kyle felt like he was losing his mind. Julien and Deneb always acted this way, eager to share with others even when they barely had enough for themselves.

Sure, Deneb was a priestess, so it made sense. But Julien? The most broke of the broke, buried in debt? How could he talk about giving things away?

“Get a grip! You’re in debt! Don’t you know the merchant guilds are always tracking our location?”

Whenever they entered a city with a major merchant or mercenary guild, they were required to report their position. That was the agreement they’d made with the guilds.

If they failed to check in for an extended period, the guilds would assume they had fled and take action.

Despite this, Julien shook his head.

“This isn’t ours.”

“We took it fair and square, so now it’s ours!”

“It originally belonged to someone else. What we’ve taken is enough to cover our efforts.”

Even as he spoke, Julien glanced at Ghislain, gauging his reaction. After all, it was Ghislain who had done most of the work, so his approval was crucial.

“…What do you think?” Julien asked.

Ghislain, who had been watching the debate like a spectator at a play, paused to consider.

If it were anyone else, he would have dismissed the idea outright, possibly with a smack for good measure. Redistribution wouldn’t fundamentally change the villagers’ lives. Helping them required addressing root causes, a principle Ghislain had always adhered to.

‘This one’s tricky.’

Teaching them how to fight and grow stronger was one thing, but reshaping their values and mindset was another.

Changing them wouldn’t be difficult. Even if they resisted at first, repeated efforts would eventually make them accept it.

But whether such a change was the right thing to do was less clear.

‘Hmm… what’s the best approach here?’

Ghislain didn’t want Julien and Deneb’s good nature to change. Their roles as a hero and a saint had likely been granted because of their inherent virtues.

Still new to this era, Ghislain decided it would be better to observe them a bit longer.

‘For now, that’s the right call.’

Unlike his past, where his goal had been to save his territory, his current priority was gathering information to fight the Opposer in this reality.

That meant acting as more of a bystander in this time period, even when intervening.

“Fine, we’ll do it Julien’s way this time.”

Julien and Deneb beamed at his words, while Kyle angrily kicked the ground in frustration.

“Ugh, come on! With that money, we could pay off our debts and live quietly somewhere safe!”

If Astion were here, he would have taken Kyle’s side. Even Ghislain had expected Kyle to hoard the treasure, only to be surprised by his compliance.

Dark, now the size of a sparrow, flapped over to Kyle and muttered.

“I agree with you. Those two must be a little off. Maybe they hit their heads hard when they were kids. It’s the only explanation.”

“I think so too.”

“But hey, without suckers like them, how would people make money?”

“Exactly. You and I seem to get along pretty well.”

“Don’t get too friendly. Where I’m from, you wouldn’t even dare talk to me. You wouldn’t even meet my eyes.”

“…”

Kyle figured Dark must have been some high-ranking sparrow aristocrat. Still, it felt good to have someone on his side.

The group packed their belongings and headed to a nearby village to distribute the treasure.

However, instead of gratitude, the villagers greeted them with suspicion upon hearing they had dealt with the bandits.