The Regressed Mercenary’s Machinations

Chapter 665

"Stop him!"

Hundreds of soldiers charged toward Ghislain. They were flustered by the sudden turn of events.

To charge alone against so many soldiers!

But the opponent was approaching faster than they had anticipated. A sense of unease began to creep in.

Before they could grasp the situation, Ghislain's staff struck like lightning.

"Aaaagh!"

"Ugh!"

Several soldiers at the front were immediately flung backward. They still hadn’t come to their senses, their expressions confused and bewildered.

Without giving the soldiers a chance to breathe, Ghislain’s staff moved again.

Bang! Crash! Smash!

"Aaaaahhh!"

The soldiers, who were caught off guard, fell like leaves in the wind. Finally, the knights snapped out of their stupor and shouted.

"Surround him! Block him, now!"

Ghislain advanced relentlessly, scattering soldiers in his path. It was obvious to anyone watching—his target was Baron Magvel.

"Capture him! Everyone, get Ghislain!"

"Protect the lord!"

Even the soldiers who had been engaging the mercenaries guarding the caravan quickly turned their attention to Ghislain upon the knights’ orders and charged at him.

Bang! Crash! Smash!

But it was futile. Ghislain pushed forward, striking down any soldier who dared stand in his way.

Those who failed to dodge even a single strike of his staff were rendered utterly helpless. The soldiers, unaccustomed to such overwhelming force, quickly realized they were facing something far beyond their experience.

At first, they charged in, believing in their numbers. But as time passed, a nagging sense of dread began to take hold.

Ghislain, surrounded by soldiers, swung his staff wide.

BOOOOOM!

"AAAGH!"

In an instant, soldiers were thrown backward like ragdolls. They couldn’t even comprehend what had hit them.

Some had bones broken clean through. One soldier’s chest was completely crushed, leaving him gasping for air.

The soldiers who had tried to block Ghislain’s advance were all down. The others, rushing toward him, hesitated, too afraid to approach.

"He’s a monster…"

"How can a mere mercenary have such power?"

"What… what is this?"

Hundreds of soldiers stood frozen, unable to even raise their swords against Ghislain.

Undeterred, Ghislain calmly surveyed his surroundings and began moving forward again.

Watching this, Baron Magvel’s face twisted in terror as he screamed.

"Kill him! Kill him, now!"

The knights protecting the baron charged at Ghislain. The two leading knights swung their swords with precision and speed, like bolts of lightning.

CLANG!

Ghislain raised his staff, blocking the attack.

As expected of knights, their blades gleamed with mana, amplifying their power. Ghislain, aware that his current body couldn’t withstand direct hits from such attacks, chose his defenses carefully.

He retaliated by swinging his staff forcefully.

BOOOOOOM!

One of the knights was sent flying, his armor torn and deeply dented. Blood spurted from his mouth as he landed, his body grotesquely twisted.

"Guh… Gah…"

The knight’s ribs had been utterly shattered, his armor offering no protection against the devastating blow.

The other knight froze, unable to comprehend what had just happened to his comrade.

Ghislain grinned coldly at the dumbfounded knight.

"You knights never seem to learn, do you?"

"H-huh?"

"Just die already."

BOOOOOOM!

Ghislain brought his staff down on the knight’s helmet, shattering it. The knight’s head was crushed, and he fell lifelessly to the ground.

The remaining knights and soldiers froze in place, paralyzed by fear. Only now did they realize they were facing an enemy far beyond their capabilities.

One of the knights dropped his sword, his voice trembling.

"S-Sir… this is… impossible."

"How… how can we possibly win?"

At this point, even the fear of disobeying their lord paled in comparison to their terror of Ghislain.

From a distance, Julien, Deneb, and Kyle watched in disbelief.

"He’s… incredibly strong."

"So, this wasn’t even his full strength before…"

"No wonder he was so confident."

The three were filled with awe. The sheer power radiating from Ghislain inspired both fear and admiration.

With such a powerful mentor, they were now certain—if they followed Ghislain’s teachings, they too could become strong.

Even if his training methods were harsh, the results spoke for themselves.

By now, Ghislain had stopped attacking. His enemies were either sprawled on the ground or too afraid to move.

He calmly surveyed the battlefield, then raised his hand slightly.

FWOOSH!

Hundreds of mana-infused spears materialized in the air, surrounding the soldiers and knights.

"From this moment on, anyone who moves will die."

The soldiers froze, their bodies stiff with fear. The knights were no exception.

None dared take a step. The sheer force of Ghislain’s threat was enough to pin them in place.

He advanced slowly, his steps deliberate, toward Baron Magvel.

For a seasoned warrior like Ghislain, this was almost too easy. When faced with force, overwhelming power was the simplest answer.

Baron Magvel trembled as Ghislain approached, his face pale with fear.

"You… you monster!"

One of the mana spears hovered closer to the baron’s forehead, drawing a thin line of blood.

"Do you accept the outcome of this battle?" Ghislain asked, tilting his head slightly.

"I… I…"

Ssst…

The spear inched closer, drawing more blood. Baron Magvel, now trembling uncontrollably, could only stare in terror at the man before him.

"I… I yield! I accept the outcome of the duel!"

"Do you agree to hand over this territory to the Raks family?"

"I agree! I agree! Just stop this already!"

Ghislain turned to the trembling advisors and two aides standing beside Baron Magvel.

"What about you? As his advisors, will you testify that this territory now belongs to the Raks family?"

"Y-Yes, we will. You have our word."

"We witnessed the duel's outcome with our own eyes."

Ghislain smiled slyly before continuing.

"Once you return, you must announce this officially and without hesitation. Inform the neighboring territories immediately. Do you understand?"

"Y-Yes, we will."

The advisors, who had previously supported Baron Magvel for personal gain, no longer had any reason to uphold their promises to him. There was no moral dilemma either. The duel had been a legitimate contest, and the Raks family had clearly emerged victorious. It was only logical to proceed accordingly.

Satisfied with their answer, Ghislain turned back to Baron Magvel, his gaze cold.

"Then, you won’t be of any use alive, considering how you’ll only continue to be a nuisance."

"W-Wait! Didn’t I agree to hand over the territory as promised?"

"I never promised to spare you."

"W-What are you saying?"

"You wasted your last chance."

Thwack!

With a decisive motion, Ghislain’s mana spear pierced Baron Magvel’s head.

The baron, who had lived his life consumed by greed and cruelty, met his end like that—abrupt and unceremonious.

Ghislain looked down at the baron’s lifeless body and muttered.

"You should’ve kept your word."

A heavy silence fell over the battlefield. Even though their lord was dead, none of the soldiers moved or reacted. They were paralyzed by fear.

Among them, Julien and Deneb were especially shaken. They had never lived through anything like this before. Only Kyle looked deeply impressed, his eyes shining with admiration.

Ghislain, radiating an air of cold authority, addressed the soldiers of the territory.

"Anyone opposed to the Raks family’s claim on this territory, step forward now."

"......"

No one dared move. It was certain death to resist him, and all they could do was anxiously gauge Ghislain’s mood.

Seeing no opposition, Ghislain continued.

"I’ll take your silence as submission. Disarm immediately and swear loyalty to your new lord."

The soldiers looked toward the knights, who were their direct superiors, as if seeking guidance.

Ghislain shifted his gaze to the knights.

"This territory belongs to its new lord. If you remain loyal to your previous master, you will die. However, swearing allegiance to your new lord will absolve you of your past actions."

His words were true. Everything Ghislain had done followed the legitimate procedures of the land. The law was on his side.

After a brief hesitation, the knights, acknowledging the validity of his claims, approached Leo.

"We pledge our loyalty to the new lord."

One by one, the knights knelt and lowered their heads. The soldiers followed suit, discarding their weapons and bowing before Leo.

"A-Ah… Wh-What…"

Leo was at a loss for words. He had not expected things to unfold this way.

He hesitated for a moment, then sighed and looked at Ghislain.

"Brother… Brother! I’m now the lord of this territory…?"

"For now," Ghislain replied coldly.

Leo stiffened under Ghislain’s stern gaze but eventually addressed the knights.

"I-I accept your loyalty. I look forward to working with you."

"We will serve you with all our hearts," the knights replied in unison.

Despite the suddenness of it all, every knight and soldier swore allegiance to Leo. No one dared to question or resist—doing so would likely cost them their lives.

"Now, let’s make it official. Spread the word immediately."

Ghislain moved swiftly, ensuring that the news of the change in leadership was spread far and wide.

Messengers were dispatched to announce the new rulership to every corner of the territory. The local inhabitants were also informed of the transition in power, ensuring that all was done transparently and publicly.

"…And thus, Baron Magvel, having lost the duel, was executed. The Raks family now claims this territory as its own."

The announcement emphasized that the remaining knights and soldiers had pledged loyalty to the Raks family. This was a key point Ghislain had insisted on including.

The inhabitants of the territory, upon hearing that Leo was their new lord, erupted into cheers.

"Waahhhhh!"

"A new lord has arrived!"

"We will serve the Raks family!"

The people welcomed Leo with overwhelming enthusiasm. Even Leo himself was caught off guard by their reaction.

For the inhabitants, this was only natural. Baron Magvel had ruled with greed and cruelty for years, inflicting great suffering upon them. The Raks family, on the other hand, had a reputation for fairness and diligence, as they had frequently traveled through the territory for trade.

Leo, known as an honest and hardworking young man, was now their lord. Their joy was genuine and unrestrained.

Everything unfolded quickly and in an orderly fashion. Leo, seated at the highest position in the lord’s manor, felt both pride and unease.

Ghislain smirked as he addressed him.

"As the new lord, you should issue your first command. Isn’t there something you must do?"

"Y-Yes, there is," Leo replied with a nod, his voice trembling slightly. There was an important matter to address.

Calling for the gathered knights and retainers, Leo, his voice still shaky, gave his first order.

"Bring me the steward who betrayed our family."

"Understood," one knight responded promptly, leading a group of soldiers to carry out the command.

Ghislain, watching the scene, interjected sternly.

"Move quickly and bring him back."

Ghislain was not one to leave loose ends.