SWNOVELXO Chapter 548
Chapter 548: Changing the Course (3)
“Waaaaaaah!”
The Army of Grimwell pressed vigorously against the Army of Atrode.
The Atrode army was mainly a hasty gathering of rebels. Because of that, they couldn’t move cohesively and were just acting separately.
Their numbers were greater, and they had some combat experience, but it was just enough to reach a stalemate.
However, the Grimwell army also had considerable combat experience. They were confident in their ability to intercept despite being fewer in number for another reason.
Boom!
“Uaaah!”
With every swing of a well-built old man’s sword, a handful of soldiers from the Atrode army were swept away.
The old man shouted amidst the blood.
“We can win! Don’t stop; keep pushing forward!”
“Waaaaaaah!”
The Grimwell army’s morale soared in response to the old man’s words, and they swung their weapons even more vigorously.
This old man was none other than the superhuman of the Kingdom of Grimwell and one of the kingdom’s three pillars.
The battle-hardened Marquis Tristan.
“Whoosh!”
Boom!
As Marquis Tristan stepped forward and swung his greatsword, a strong wind surged. The Atrode soldiers swept away by the backflow of mana were torn apart.
No one could stop Marquis Tristan.
Of course, as the battle dragged on, he too was sustaining injuries. Being at the forefront consumed a lot of strength, and there were many high-level knights on the opposing side.
Still, he charged forward like an enraged lion, only focused on the enemy.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
“Deliver a merciless death to the invaders of our land!”
Despite his wounds, Marquis Tristan kept swinging his sword. Due to his prowess, the ranks of the Atrode army collapsed under pressure.
He was the undefeated veteran. Thanks to him, the Grimwell army had fought against the rebels and achieved countless victories.
That’s why they had confidently come out to battle the Atrode army.
Aiden, watching from a distance, licked his lips and smiled.
“That old man’s really full of energy. He should be taking care of his grandchildren at home.”
Marquis Tristan’s skill was genuine. To live to such an old age while wielding a sword meant he was practically a monster.
Indeed, he had every reason to be confident. Already, he was boldly playing his strong hand.
“I guess I’m the only one here capable of dealing with that.”
Aiden had been called a genius since childhood and received ample support from the Salvation Society and the Duke of Linster. So if a duel were to happen, it would be a good match.
However, he had no intention of fighting that old monster alone. He didn’t like rolling around in dirty battlefields.
He turned to the priests in black robes beside him.
“The judges need to restrain that old monster’s ankles a bit.”
Only two priests were assigned to the second corps of Atrode. It meant the Salvation Society had faith in Aiden’s abilities.
“I will follow the Executor’s orders.”
“Leave it to us.”
The two priests soared towards Marquis Tristan first.
Marquis Tristan twisted his mouth upon seeing the two priests approaching.
“Finally, you’ve come, you cursed seeds.”
Even against two superhumans, he showed no sign of fear.
Boom!
Marquis Tristan blocked the priests’ attacks with his greatsword.
He had anticipated that the priests would eventually show up. However, the reason he had deliberately stood at the front to exhaust himself was that he had prepared for this.
“How dare you try to sap my strength!”
With his shout, flags rose all around. Soon, knights in the middle of the formation gathered around Marquis Tristan.
These were the finest knights in this area. They were ready to fight the opposing superhumans while conserving their strength.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Supported by a dozen knights, Marquis Tristan swung his greatsword wildly.
The priests were taken aback. Marquis Tristan was a superhuman capable of handling two people alone.
Now that he had support from elite knights, easily overpowering him was impossible.
“Ugh!”
“I can’t believe he still has this much strength!”
The priests began to lose ground to Marquis Tristan instead.
They attempted to deal with the surrounding knights first, but it wasn’t easy.
The knights’ skills weren’t bad, and all the dangerous attacks were being absorbed by Marquis Tristan. Their teamwork was truly astounding.
Boom!
Marquis Tristan pressed the priests while laughing.
“Do you think the knights I trained would fall to second-rate superhumans?”
Marquis Tristan had fought countless battles against rebels. He had encountered priests from the Salvation Society multiple times and understood their level well.
He devised a joint attack strategy based on the experience he had built up to overcome the relative lack of superhumans.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The two priests found themselves cornered. Fortunately, thanks to the priests, Marquis Tristan could no longer attack the Atrode army.
Marquis Tristan’s skills and tactics were exceptional. If things continued this way, the battle would likely end in defeat for the Atrode army.
Unless Aiden hit one of their flanks.
Boom!
Draped in a blue cloak and riding a dazzlingly white steed, Aiden appeared like a hero.
Everyone who had followed Aiden suddenly halted and prepared.
Aiden plunged into the enemy lines alone, swinging his sword.
Sparkle!
A blue flash enveloped the Grimwell army.
Boom!
The area where the flash passed was devastated. There weren’t even any corpses of soldiers left around.
Aiden had exerted himself deliberately to embellish his entrance.
The effect was astounding. The Grimwell army, in the midst of battle, was momentarily at a loss against such unbelievable power.
Aiden smiled as he surveyed his surroundings. He was quite pleased with their reaction.
“Whew… everyone’s frozen!”
Suddenly raising his sword towards the sky, he closed his eyes.
It was as if the light from the sky was shining down on him. The shimmering armor even radiated divinity.
He looked like a lion sent by the gods, descending to punish the wicked, exuding an aura of majesty.
Still with his eyes closed, Aiden opened his mouth.
“O those facing death. Remember this moment, and forever worship me.”
Someone from the back of his following jumped out and quickly sketched Aiden’s figure.
He was the finest painter from the Kingdom of Atrode. His job was to shadow the battlefield and draw Aiden’s impressive image.
Of course, being on horseback, the lines were smeared and crooked. But the painter didn’t care.
He just needed to capture the feeling and atmosphere. Decorating and enhancing the sketch could be done later.
For a moment, as Aiden held his pose, he turned his horse’s head.
“Hmmm, I think this should be enough time?”
The preparations for his heroic narrative were complete. Now it was time to fight moderately.
The Grimwell army was momentarily lost in confusion, unaware of the situation.
Meanwhile, soldiers on both sides continued to fight furiously, spilling blood. Yet, the atmosphere at this spot had entirely changed.
Aiden’s presence was that intense.
The former Ghislaine thought Aiden was an absurd character, but it turned out he wasn’t someone to underestimate.
Even on a tense battlefield, for just a moment, everyone focused their attention on him, rendering them spellbound.
That was Aiden’s talent.
It was this distinctive atmosphere that earned him the title of ‘Noble Knight.’
The commander of the Grimwell army snapped back to reality and shouted.
“What are you all gawking at?! Attack! Quickly!”
“Waaaaaaah!”
In response to the commander’s shout, the soldiers rushed towards Aiden again.
Aiden grinned slyly as he thrust his sword forward. He had practiced this simple move countless times to make it look like a painting.
“Go.”
Boom!
The White Silver Knights, who had been loosely halted a bit away, reined in their mounts. They all wore beautifully shining armor.
There were 100 knights, and they were all at the level of elite knights.
These were the knights who assisted Aiden in capturing the Mercenary King during Ghislaine’s previous life.
Finally, the elite knights of the Kingdom of Atrode leaped into battle.
Boom!
“Uaaah!”
The White Silver Knights struck into the flanks of the Grimwell army with tremendous destructive power. Behind them, the elite soldiers of the Atrode army pushed forward as well.
Most of the high-level knights from Grimwell were concentrated in the front lines. The remaining ones were unable to effectively stop the White Silver Knights.
“B-bear! Hold on! Just hold on somehow!”
The commander shouted, but the destructive power of the White Silver Knights was terrifying. They effortlessly shattered the flanks.
Now the battle was evenly matched again. The White Silver Knights and the Atrode army had dismantled the formation of the Grimwell army.
Marquis Tristan, fighting at the forefront, bit his lip upon realizing that.
“Could they have been hiding such strength?”
The power of the enemy was on a different level than the rebels he had fought up until now. No, it was even the strongest he had seen among all the knights he had encountered in his life.
Moreover, it seemed there was at least one more superhuman. Marquis Tristan raised his mana further.
He had suspected that there could be up to three superhumans. He believed he could overcome this level of challenge.
“Just a bit more effort!”
He shouted as he swung his greatsword with all his might.
Boom!
The priests were pushed back repeatedly. The knights started to become more aggressive. However, the priests were smiling even while being forced back.
“Just hold on a little longer.”
Marquis Tristan was already significantly drained. If Aiden and the White Silver Knights could buy enough time while the front held out, victory would surely be theirs.
Noticing this, Marquis Tristan gritted his teeth. The enemy had caught on to his intention to hold them here while wiping out the flanks.
But they had miscalculated.
“How dare you waste my time in front of me!”
Boom!
His face twisted with rage as he exploded with mana.
Marquis Tristan’s greatsword descended with the force to split heaven and earth. Even the knights fighting beside him recoiled in shock.
Boom!
“Ugh!”
The whirlwind created by Marquis Tristan could not be stopped. The two priests desperately fell back, their bodies torn apart.
The soldiers fighting around them were caught in the crossfire, losing both friends and foes. The sheer power of Marquis Tristan was terrifying.
He clenched his teeth. He had tried to fight to protect his allies, but the situation had become desperate, leaving him with no choice.
With bloodshot eyes, he shouted loudly.
“Hold them off!”
He wasn’t the only one that was worn out. The two priests were also injured and weakened.
He had prepared a countermeasure for such a scenario. The knights of Grimwell swiftly switched to a defensive stance, raising their shields.
Now if the priests tried to attack their allies, the knights would block them.
“I’ll be back soon! Just hold on, and victory will be ours!”
This time, they just needed to buy time while holding off the priests. Meanwhile, Marquis Tristan needed to come and sweep away the flanking superhuman and knights.
Marquis Tristan raced through the ranks at an astonishing speed.
He saw his allies being slaughtered by enemy knights up ahead. He yelled loudly.
“Stop! I’ll deal with him!”
In the blink of an eye, he closed the distance and swung his greatsword at the White Silver Knights.
Boom!
But his greatsword was intercepted by Aiden’s sword, which had returned.
Marquis Tristan glared at Aiden, who was on the white horse.
“So you’re the third superhuman.”
Aiden, looking down at Marquis Tristan from atop his horse, smiled.
“Marquis Tristan. You look rather weary.”
“I still have the strength to kill you. Get down from that horse at once.”
“Getting down on the filthy ground isn’t my style… but I suppose I have no choice.”
This white horse was one Aiden cherished deeply. It wouldn’t do for it to perish in battle.
Having dismounted lightly, he tapped the horse’s backside, and it willingly retreated from the battlefield.
Aiden glanced at Marquis Tristan and said.
“It would have been easier to fight after a little more struggle. Unfortunately, I’ll have to be satisfied with this much.”
“You’ve schemed quite well for a novice.”
“I dislike messy brawls. So be grateful. From the start, I intended to deal with you myself. A noble such as yourself should suffice for raising my reputation.”
“Reputation? You dare to challenge me for such a trivial thing? Quite the arrogant fellow, aren’t you?”
At Marquis Tristan’s response, Aiden smirked cruelly.
“Indeed, I must work hard to surpass the Duke of Penris in Ruthania. I simply can’t tolerate that he’s more popular than I am.”
“Don’t get your hopes up. You’ll die here.”
Boom!
No sooner had he finished speaking than the swords of the two men clashed fiercely.