The Regressed Mercenary’s Machinations

Chapter 702

The knight standing before him was none other than Gascot. The very man who had fallen in battle against Ghislain had now been resurrected as a Death Knight.

At first, Gascot did not comprehend the situation. It was only after inspecting his body and the surroundings that he realized what had happened.

“This power of darkness… has turned me… into a Death Knight…?”

His voice, now deeper and more resonant than before, echoed ominously. His burning gaze made it clear—he was seething with rage.

“So, you really were a Black Mage… You used that energy you injected into me at the last moment… I wasn’t wrong…”

Rumble…

Gascot’s energy surged. His aura was even stronger than when he had reached the peak of his power in life.

With a roar filled with fury, he bellowed:

“Haha! So now you’ve turned me into a cursed existence! I cannot forgive this!”

Kwaaaah!

Unleashing a fierce wave of energy, Gascot swung his sword. The dark blade, forged by his will, seemed as though it could cleave through the very world itself.

Kaaaang!

Blocking the strike with his staff, Ghislain spoke.

“Wait, at least hear me out.”

“I have nothing to say to a Black Mage.”

Gascot had no intention of engaging in conversation. After all, to lift this curse, he had to kill the Black Mage who had resurrected him.

Seeing Gascot’s unwavering hostility and his relentless attempts to overpower him, Ghislain quickly continued speaking.

“Think about it—don’t you find it strange that you still have free will?”

“…What?”

“If I had intended to use you as a mere slave, why would I allow you to retain your consciousness?”

“That’s obvious! You must have done it to extract the maximum amount of power from me! Do you think I wouldn’t know that?”

A Death Knight’s strength is proportional to their power in life. However, in order to properly wield that power, certain conditions must be met.

For a Death Knight to fight at full potential, they must retain the same consciousness they had in life. Naturally, this means greater free will—and consequently, rebellion against the Black Mage who resurrected them.

No one wishes to become an enslaved existence. Unless they had willingly chosen to become a Death Knight, all who were resurrected sought to kill their summoner to regain their freedom.

That is why Black Mages typically suppress a Death Knight’s will, turning them into mere puppets. While this significantly reduced their effectiveness in battle, the trade-off was absolute control. The gaps in power were often compensated by the Black Mage’s own magic.

Ghislain pressed on.

“What’s the point of you attacking me now? If I wanted an obedient corpse, I would have made sure you had no will of your own. And besides, you could attack my allies as well, couldn’t you?”

“What are you getting at?”

“You were a scoundrel in life, weren’t you? It’s not like you were going to a good place after death. But if you stay with me, you might be able to make up for your sins a little.”

“…What?”

“I’m saying—before you move on, why not do some good? Who knows? Maybe then, you’ll have a chance at redemption.”

“You…! You dare mock my soul after defiling it? Do you think using me for your own benefit will cleanse my sins?!”

“I’m going to use you for something good. I swear—I won’t make you do anything evil.”

Gascot snorted in disbelief, his red eyes flickering ominously. He could see straight through Ghislain’s intentions.

“A Black Mage… using a Death Knight for good? And I’m supposed to believe that?”

“The Rift.”

“…The Rift?”

“Yes. I will use you to fight the Rift. My goal is not salvation—it’s complete eradication.”

“… …”

Gascot’s crimson eyes flickered. Though his expression was obscured by darkness, his hesitation was evident.

For a long moment, he held his sword out, as if contemplating his next move. Then, he asked:

“Why… would a Black Mage do something like that? Aren’t you supposed to thrive on chaos? And now you’re telling me you fight against the Rift, as if you’re saving the world?”

“I don’t think that way. Black magic is merely a tool to me—I use whatever I need.”

“… …”

“And I don’t particularly care about saving the world. But if I want to protect what’s important to me, the Rift must be wiped out.”

Ghislain did not reveal that he had returned from the future. There was no point in confusing his opponent even further right now.

But his desire to destroy the Rift was sincere. He knew that if he let things play out as they had before, Ernheart, Gatros, and the eternal enemy lurking in the shadows would remain.

And the Rift would still be a lingering threat—one that could erupt at any moment.

This time, he had discovered that by crossing time with a soul-bound existence, he could bring powerful allies with him. The Death Knights he created now would be invaluable in the battles to come—especially if they had been formidable warriors in life.

And in the present, these Death Knights would serve as powerful allies through black magic.

Seeing Gascot’s flickering gaze, Ghislain added:

“If you really can’t accept this, I won’t force you. If you want, I can release your soul right now.”

“…Are you serious?”

“Yes. I’m not interested in forcing people into servitude. That’s why I let you retain your consciousness.”

“… …”

Gascot slowly lowered his sword. He said nothing for a long time, merely staring at Ghislain in silence.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, his voice emerged, subdued and reflective.

“I… I wanted to be an honorable knight. That was my dream as a child…”

He began to recount his past, almost as if confessing to a priest.

“But somewhere along the way… that dream vanished. I only cared about strength. I sought fame, wealth, and power… And before I knew it, I had committed countless atrocities, convinced it was all necessary.”

“There were times I regretted it…”

“I would tell myself—this is not the path of a knight. But then I would justify it—if the Rift invades, I’ll fight with everything I have. That’s how I’ll atone. That’s how I’ll make it right.”

“But what if the Rift never appeared in my lifetime?”

“…Then I’ll make up for it after I retire. I’ll do good then. That’s what I told myself… I just needed a little more time to live as I wanted…”

“But now… I don’t even have that opportunity anymore.”

“Now that I’m dead, I understand. My soul is too tainted by the sins I’ve accumulated… If my soul had been pure, you wouldn’t have been able to turn me into a Death Knight at all.”

With a self-deprecating sigh, Gascot fell silent once more.

Ghislain, too, understood the weight of regrets carried by the dead. He had died once before, after all.

Gascot suddenly looked down at his own body, flexing his fingers as if fascinated.

“Amazing… It feels just like when I was alive. No—perhaps even better. Maybe because I no longer have attachments to life itself…”

Gascot had been granted complete free will—something only possible because Ghislain had chosen not to enslave him. He could think and act on his own.

However, his soul remained tethered to Ghislain. If that connection was severed, Gascot would disappear entirely from this world.

After taking a moment to examine his body, Gascot spoke again.

“If a Death Knight retains full consciousness, then you’re not lying… You said you’re fighting against the Salvation Order?”

“That’s right. I don’t need mindless slaves—I need comrades who can fight alongside me. Claude and I… we’re going to shatter them.”

“…That is… salvation?”

“…You don’t need to understand that just yet.”

Gascot hesitated for a moment before cautiously asking:

“If that’s the case… can I atone for my sins and reclaim my honor as a knight?”

“No one is more revered than a knight who saves the world,” Ghislain replied with a grin. “I’ll even have a grand monument built in your honor.”

At that, Gascot’s body trembled slightly, almost as if he were laughing. But then his voice grew serious.

“You promised… you wouldn’t use me like those wretched necromancers did.”

“I promise,” Ghislain said firmly. “You’ll only be fighting the big ones.”

“How long do I have to stay by your side?”

“Until the Salvation Order is completely eradicated. When that day comes, I’ll release your soul. And if that happens… the Goddess of War may allow you to reach paradise.”

For a warrior, there was no greater honor.

For Gascot, who had already died, this was a wish beyond his wildest dreams.

Slowly, Gascot raised his hand and placed it over his heart. Before Ghislain realized it, the Death Knight was offering a knight’s salute.

“Thank you… for giving me the chance to atone. From now on, my sword is yours… I look forward to fighting alongside you… Astion… no—”

Gascot’s crimson eyes curved slightly, as if smiling.

“Ghislain Ferdium.”

Ghislain was momentarily taken aback by hearing his real name. But he quickly realized how Gascot had figured it out.

Their souls were linked. Gascot could not read his memories, but he could see through his essence.

Ghislain smiled back.

“Yeah, I look forward to working with you too. But for now, you’ll have to stay in the basement. I’ll get you some friends soon enough.”

“…By the way, it’s strange… How does a Black Mage hide his energy so well? I only realized you were one when I was already dead.”

“It’s not that hard for me. Just think of it as a unique trait of mine.”

Unlike other mages, Ghislain had a different way of using magic. His willpower forcibly compensated for what he lacked, allowing him to manipulate his magical attributes at will.

Because of this, he could not only conceal his energy but also modify its nature when necessary.

But since no other mage used magic in this way, it was difficult for others to understand.

Gascot decided not to dwell on it. After all, he didn’t fully grasp how magic worked to begin with.

Now that he had secured Gascot, Ghislain turned his attention to creating more Death Knights.

***

Creating Death Knights wasn’t easy—especially if he wanted them to retain their full combat abilities from life.

Unlike other Black Mages, Ghislain didn’t rely on the power of atrocities or curses to fuel his necromancy. Instead, he used only his own mana.

This made the process much slower.

However, it also came with advantages. Without relying on corrupt energy, he could create stronger Death Knights.

After all, dark energy was merely a derivative of death itself. In a sense, the necromancy Ghislain used was closer to the “real thing” than what ordinary Black Mages practiced.

“…Hmm. This will take months at this rate. I need to find a way to speed this up.”

The knights he had defeated in this raid were all formidable warriors—thirty of them in total.

If he wanted to turn them all into Death Knights, it would take a long time.

They weren’t as powerful as Gascot, but they were all high-ranking knights.

“It’d be nice if I had something to help with the process… I need to find better materials to supplement my magic.”

Ghislain wasn’t just planning to create a few Death Knights—he intended to build an entire legion of the undead.

For knights like Gascot, he could offer a chance at redemption. Most warriors, given the choice, would cling to their final opportunity.

The problem was mana consumption. The sheer amount of energy required was his biggest hurdle.

Even with the power granted by Leon, it wasn’t enough. Even if he drained Constance’s mana-laden relics, it would be difficult to sustain.

He needed something even stronger than runestones. Until he found it, he would have to take the slow approach.

As Ghislain focused on creating more Death Knights, Astion was busy elsewhere.

— “So, if I use this mana cultivation technique, I can amplify my magic power like that?”

“That’s right.”

— “Incredible! You can unleash far more power than you actually have!”

Astion had seen Ghislain amplify his mana during the last battle and was utterly fascinated.

Ever since that day, he had been begging Ghislain to teach him.

Ghislain, not particularly concerned, gave him a vague explanation of the technique.

But Astion lacked the willpower manipulation skills necessary to master it. Even with the knowledge, he couldn’t amplify his mana.

He didn’t even fully understand the concept.

“Gah! Why isn’t this working?!”

“…You never actually learned mana cultivation properly. Your body isn’t built for my method. If you try it, your existing mana will clash with it.”

“But you make it look easy! You manipulate mana like it’s a natural extension of yourself!”

“That’s because I control it with willpower.”

“What the hell does that even mean?! I have willpower too! Why doesn’t it work for me?!”

“You have to surpass your limits—again and again.”

“How?!”

“Figure it out.”

“Damn it! That’s not an answer!”

Astion hadn’t even reached the level of a transcendent yet. It was only natural that he couldn’t understand Ghislain’s methods.

Ghislain chuckled and said:

“You’re too impatient. You have your own path to walk. You’ll reach the 9th Circle eventually, though you might become an obsessive training maniac.”

“Shut up! I can do it too!”

Despite his frustration, Astion refused to give up. He was determined to learn Ghislain’s technique.

If he could amplify his mana at will, it would open the door to a wide range of magical applications.

But that wasn’t the only reason.

As a mage, Astion’s curiosity was boundless.

And so, he began researching the nature of mana amplification.

— “Just wait. I’ll find a way to amplify my mana, no matter how long it takes!”

“…Good luck with that.”

Meanwhile, Andrew and Leo had yet to fully seize control of the territory.

This gave Ghislain and Astion time to focus entirely on their respective pursuits.

Astion had no idea…

That the research he had just started would one day reshape the future.

And elsewhere, in the real world…

Ghislain arrived at a location he had once spoken of.

Opening an old spellbook, he turned to the first page.