The Regressed Mercenary’s Machinations

Chapter 671

"Ugh! You bastard!"

Ziko raised both hands high. After all, he was a 4th-circle dark mage.

In any other territory, his skill would easily have earned him a position as a court mage. He wasn't about to just sit there and take it.

“Paaa!”

A dark energy suddenly erupted from Ziko’s hands, striking Ghislain's face. The black energy flared up, scattering wildly around them.

The onlookers gasped in shock.

"The mage is being attacked!"

"Someone help!"

"Surround him!"

People shouted in panic. Ghislain’s companions drew their swords and rushed forward.

"Heh heh, you arrogant fool! How does it feel now? Who do you think you are, a mage trying to fight in close combat?"

Ziko laughed mockingly. He believed Ghislain had received a fatal blow.

But then, he realized his body wasn't moving. The grip around his neck was still tight.

As the dark smoke cleared, Ghislain's face was completely unharmed.

Ziko’s eyes widened in disbelief.

"H-how?"

He couldn’t believe it. How could a mage take a direct hit from such dark magic and still remain unscathed? He had never heard of a mage like this.

Ghislain, with a neutral expression, raised his fist.

"Because of you, I’ve become a sinner in history."

"What?"

Ziko didn’t understand at all. Why was this mage talking about history as if it meant anything?

Before Ziko could process it, Ghislain drove his fist straight into Ziko’s face.

Boom!

"Ugh!"

Ziko’s face was crushed instantly. Ghislain had controlled his strength, so Ziko wasn’t dead, but the punch had enough force to leave him reeling.

Even after delivering the blow, Ghislain’s anger didn’t subside. He continued hitting Ziko, careful not to kill him.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

"Ugh! Ugh! Wait a minute!"

Being a Chimera, Ziko didn't feel pain the same way humans did. There were still some parts of his body that could feel the damage.

The parts that were replaced or sustained by mana didn’t register the pain, but his organic parts still hurt.

Ziko, struck by the forceful blows infused with mana, felt excruciating pain.

Boom! Boom!

"Ughhh!"

The onlookers stopped in their tracks. They were stunned by the sight of Ghislain easily pummeling Ziko.

Some of them hesitated, unsure whether this was something they'd ever seen before.

"Wait, do mages fight with their fists now?"

"I thought he was using fireballs earlier..."

"I guess he’s not just a mage but also a skilled fighter."

Though Ghislain had learned magic, he still felt more comfortable fighting with his body. It was more effective and reliable for him.

Magic was just a tool to make combat more versatile and convenient.

Having reduced Ziko’s face to a bloody pulp, Ghislain stopped his assault.

"Now, let’s have a little conversation."

"Ugh, uh... uh..."

"Why are you doing all of this?"

"Heh heh... just die..."

"Not bad for a mage. You’ve got some guts."

Most mages are weak to pain, especially dark mages who enjoy torturing others.

However, Ziko was a dark mage. He knew he was going to die, so he was determined to endure as long as he could.

This was the only way he knew to infuriate his opponent until the end.

But Ghislain had encountered people like Ziko before.

"Alright, let’s get a little more serious."

Ghislain reached out and pulled the sword from one of the knights’ waists.

Shink!

In an instant, the sword shattered, sending sharp fragments flying.

Ghislain was skilled at interrogation as well. He had used such methods often when interrogating the Duke’s subordinates in his previous life.

After being reborn, he had even used such tactics briefly on those who had tried to kill Elena.

"I do this as an art form."

Clink, clink, clink!

Ghislain’s hand moved like lightning, and the shards of the broken sword embedded themselves into Ziko’s body.

"Ahhh!"

Ziko screamed in agony.

He, being a Chimera, could endure most tortures, but the pain was overwhelming.

The shards seemed to land exactly in the places where his nerves were concentrated.

"Ughh, wait a minute..."

The pain was so intense that Ziko felt as though he was losing his sanity.

Mages are typically mentally weak, especially dark mages who take pleasure in others’ suffering.

Ziko, too, had been showing off because of his Chimera nature, but now the pain was too much to bear.

As Ziko trembled, Ghislain looked down at him with a smile.

"This should be enough, but since we’ve started, let’s try a few more things."

Ghislain’s hand moved quickly again. The shards dug deeper, sending even more pain through Ziko’s body.

"Ahhh!"

Ziko screamed, his body convulsing. The pain was so intense, it felt like his mind was unraveling.

At that moment, Ghislain grabbed Ziko’s broken jaw and looked directly into his eyes.

"Look into my eyes."

Ziko—!

In an instant, Ghislain’s eyes glowed with a violet light. That light soon reflected in Ziko’s own eyes, changing their color to the same hue.

Ziko’s expression slowly dulled. It seemed as though he had forgotten the pain.

Ghislain whispered softly.

"We’re good friends, aren’t we? No secrets between us, right?"

"Y-yeah. Best friends..."

Surprisingly, Ziko was under Ghislain’s mental control. The moment Ziko’s mind crumbled from the pain, Ghislain expertly took advantage of the opening.

This method made it much easier to control his target. Though Ghislain’s magical abilities weren’t yet strong enough to maintain it for long, it was enough time to extract a few truths.

"Friend, why are you here?"

"I was sent by my master... to take over this territory..."

"Take over the territory? How were you planning to do that?"

Dark mages are not nobles. They have no legitimate claim to any territory.

Even in these broken times, if it became known that a dark mage had taken control of a territory, neighboring territories and kingdoms would not stand idly by.

But the dark mage had a plan of his own.

"If this hunt fails... my master was planning to disguise himself as the territory’s mage... and gradually take control of the lord’s mind over time..."

"What about the already infamous failed hunt?"

"I would disguise myself as my master... and have him pretend to kill me... that way, I’d gradually gain the lord’s trust..."

Ziko spoke freely, revealing his entire plan.

Ghislain listened carefully. It was a reasonable plan. If it succeeded, Ziko would have gradually gained the lord’s trust and could slowly take over the territory.

“What’s your goal? Did a dark mage want to become a lord?”

“That... I don’t know... I’m just doing what my master told me to…”

“Don’t you have any idea?”

“No... But... mages are very unpredictable…”

“Think, even the smallest clue would be helpful.”

Ziko fell silent for a moment, then slowly spoke again.

“A year ago... someone came to see my master... After that... a little while later... this plan began... But I’m not sure if it’s because of that…”

“Who? What did they say?”

“I don’t know... They spoke with my master in private and then disappeared... I just... thought they talked about magic…”

“That’s strange.”

“They were covered entirely in a robe... I couldn’t tell. But they seemed powerful... My master couldn’t act hastily either…”

“How many circles does your master have?”

“Six circles…”

At this, Andrew and the others around them gasped. A 6th-circle mage would be strong enough to lead a mage tower.

With a small, underdeveloped military force, they would suffer massive damage if they confronted him.

Some of the mercenaries exchanged nervous glances, seemingly ready to cancel their contracts.

They had contracted thinking the dark mage was at the 5th circle.

While they could probably handle a 5th-circle mage, it would be a different story with a 6th-circle mage. They would likely be overwhelmed and defeated.

“Didn’t he stay hidden?”

“Yeah, I heard he only used magic from the shadows last time.”

“If he were to fight openly, he would’ve been taken down by now, even if there was some damage.”

“The dark mage is a sneaky one, hiding all this time. That’s why we’ve been failing to capture him.”

He’s hiding deep in the mountains. But if he’s at the 5th circle, some of the mercenaries thought they could still handle him.

But with a 6th-circle mage, it was a different story. They would likely be wiped out.

People began murmuring anxiously, but Ghislain paid them no mind. He just kept asking the questions he wanted answered.

“Six circles, really?”

“Yes...”

“Does your master have many magic books?”

“Quite a few... but I can only see them with my master’s permission...”

“Are they all dark magic?”

“No... there are some other magic books too...”

Mages usually focus on a specific school of magic, but they tend to learn the more widely known spells as well.

Vanessa, who came from the Scarlet Tower, was the same. While her main focus was fire magic, she also learned every widely used magic she could.

So it wasn’t unusual for a dark mage to have a variety of magic books.

“Do you have any books now?”

“I have one... hidden under the mattress of my bed...”

“Good. Where is your master hiding? Are there other allies? Are there any traps?”

Ghislain nodded in satisfaction, his expression calm. He continued asking questions quickly.

Ziko answered all of Ghislain’s questions, still dazed. He revealed the location of his master, details about the traps, and confirmed there were no other allies.

Once Ghislain had gathered all the necessary information, he asked his last question.

“How old are you, really?”

“Thirty-four...”

“...How did you manage to succeed at this age?”

“I... I guess I just look younger...”

“...”

Ziko was under mental control, and he honestly believed what he was saying.

“Didn’t anyone suspect you?”

“Well, they did... But I used a spell to slightly dull their perception... and I only worked in the garbage disposal and purification area... so I didn’t meet people much...”

“...I see.”

After listening to the situation, it seemed that a few months ago, Ziko had lied about being an orphan and started working odd jobs.

Despite how young he seemed, he spoke well and worked well, but he also insisted he was younger than he looked, which allowed him to get away with it.

With the territory being in turmoil, it wasn’t easy to find people, and since he was only doing the dirty work, no one questioned it.

As the conversation was nearly over, the violet glow in Ziko’s eyes faded, and his focus returned.

Since Ghislain’s mana was still limited, he could no longer maintain the mental control.

“Ugh... Kill... kill me...”

Ziko felt pain once more. He hadn’t realized he was under mental control.

The brief period of control had been just that—short.

Ziko screamed out as though desperately trying to escape.

“I am a dark mage who feeds off people’s fear! Do you really think I’ll live in humiliation? I can’t say anything, so just kill me!”

The end of a dark mage was always the same, wherever they went. They would face severe torture and inevitable death.

Ziko knew he would likely die from the torture. But, having already endured much, he figured it was better to die now rather than suffer more.

Ghislain pulled back his fist.

“Alright. Let’s finish it then.”

“Wait, didn’t you want to ask me something? Maybe we can negotiate? I can help you deal with my master! I can be useful!”

There was no honor or remorse in Ziko, despite being a dark mage.

Having cried for death, he suddenly felt the urge to live when it seemed like death was imminent. That’s how human nature works.

But Ghislain remained resolute.

“No need.”

Smash!

Ziko’s head was crushed by Ghislain’s punch, and he died instantly. Even a Chimera couldn’t survive if its head was destroyed.

“Tsk, things got messy...”

Ghislain muttered as he stood up. If he had dispersed the crowd quickly from the beginning, he could have found this out much sooner.

But instead, he had ended up inadvertently spreading an old superstition.

Unaware of Ghislain’s inner thoughts, the people cheered loudly for his actions.

“Wow!”

“The mage caught the dark mage’s disciple!”

“Truly, the mage is amazing!”

No one knew why the mage was fighting with his fists, but at least they had seen some magic. The dazzling display left a deep impression on them.

They were especially happy because the dark mage hiding in their territory had been caught.

Andrew, the lord, was especially pleased.

“Truly, truly amazing! To catch him so quickly! I never imagined you would use us to find him! Your wisdom is on a level that ordinary people can’t even fathom!”

“...Indeed.”

“I feel so relieved! The goddess must have sent you to save our territory!”

“...Not quite that much.”

Andrew continued to shower praise, but soon his expression darkened.

“However... I didn’t expect the dark mage to be a 6th-circle mage. It seems like we’ll need to rethink our strategy.”

A 5th-circle mage couldn’t defeat a 6th-circle mage. Everyone knew that.

At Andrew’s words, the people who had been cheering now looked worried.

Only Ghislain, on the other hand, was intrigued, excited about obtaining a new magic book.