SWNOVELXO Chapter 549
Chapter 549: Changing the Course. (4)
The Marquis Tristan, whose sword clashed against Aiden’s, grimaced.
‘This guy…’
He felt the opponent’s enormous power. In an instant, his sword was pushed back.
Just a brief clash was enough to gauge how high his opponent’s level was.
If he had been at his best, he might have had a good fight.
But why was such a person only appearing now?
‘Is he really trying to drain my strength?’
Does that mean he pushed countless soldiers into the abyss?
He had never seen such a superhuman before. If a superhuman was going to just throw away the soldiers’ lives, what was the point of having a superhuman at all?
A superhuman should be restrained as a superhuman. That way, they could protect their allies.
That’s why superhumans are classified as strategic assets.
Bang! Bang! Baang!
As the swords collided, Marquis Tristan began to be gradually overwhelmed.
It was only natural. The marquis had been fighting at the forefront and had already faced two superhumans. He had exhausted more than half of his mana and suffered many injuries all over his body.
In contrast, the opponent was brimming with strength. He looked as fresh as if he had just arrived on the battlefield.
Baaang!
After deflecting Aiden’s attack, Marquis Tristan asked, “Hoo… was this the plan?”
“Yeah. It was to make things easier for me.”
“Are you saying that countless soldiers’ lives were sacrificed for that single reason?”
“That’s right. Doesn’t that make sense? Soldiers are meant to die, right?”
Aiden was laughing with delight. He didn’t care how many trivial soldiers perished.
Even the precious White Silver Knight Order could be discarded if necessary.
What mattered was how beneficial they were to him.
A man who was insufferably self-centered and lived in a state of superiority. A man who craved nothing but great fame and respect for himself.
That was Aiden.
Marquis Tristan gritted his teeth. He had never encountered such a selfish guy in his lifetime.
“You really are like a rat. Is that how you call yourself a knight?”
“It’s not important whether you’re a knight or the duty of the strong. History only remembers the victors.”
“Losing to someone like you would be a humiliation.”
With clenched teeth, Marquis Tristan swung his greatsword.
Baaang!
The two clashed again. As their fight intensified, a storm of mana erupted around them.
Before long, no one remained near them. Anyone foolish enough to come help would only get caught in the storm.
As the two superhumans battled fiercely, the White Silver Knights suddenly stepped back from the fight. As if they had made a promise, the Army of Atrode also retreated.
This was fortunate for the Grimwell Army. The White Silver Knights were so powerful that they were being pushed back severely.
The side commander of the Grimwell Army shouted urgently.
“Fall back! Everyone retreat for now!”
This phenomenon also occurred in the frontline. The Priests of the Salvation Society who were fighting in front also retreated while calling out.
“Retreat! Watch the battle of the commander!”
“You all wait! Watch the knights clash!”
The soldiers of the Grimwell Army in the front line wore baffled expressions.
Surely the formation was in their favor. But the sight of the Army of Atrode retreating confidently seemed like they were saying they were letting the Grimwell Army go.
Seeing Marquis Tristan fighting the enemy knight, the commanders of Grimwell decided to pull back their forces.
Ironically, everyone fell back and ended up watching the duel between the two.
If Marquis Tristan had even a little spare time, he would be furious. Who would stop in the middle of a battle to engage in a knightly duel!
But he didn’t even have the luxury to observe his surroundings.
Bang! Bang! Baang!
“Guh!”
Aiden’s attacks were overwhelmingly powerful. He couldn’t even manage to catch a proper breath.
Watching the retreating Marquis Tristan, Aiden laughed heartily.
“Bwahahaha! Is this all that one of the three pillars of the Grimwell Kingdom amounts to? Is this all you’ve got? So weak!”
If Aiden had faced the Marquis in good condition, he would have struggled. But the current Marquis was nothing more than a weakened lion.
Watching the increasingly wounded Marquis Tristan, the soldiers of the Grimwell Army looked pale.
Who is Marquis Tristan? He was the celebrated general who had always led them to victory.
None doubted he would win, yet the situation was dire. They all knew the reason.
“This isn’t a fair duel!”
“How can one duel with a weary and injured man!”
“Protect the marquis!”
The knights of Grimwell were the first to step forward. They were determined to obstruct the duel and save Marquis Tristan.
In response, the Army of Atrode began to move again. Taking advantage of this chance, they had recovered and were full of momentum.
Just as the two armies were about to clash again.
Crack!
Marquis Tristan’s greatsword slashed Aiden’s shoulder.
Thwok!
Aiden’s blade pierced Marquis Tristan’s heart.
“Cough!”
Marquis Tristan spat blood. Desperately trying to slice Aiden’s neck, he found the blade didn’t budge any further.
Glancing at his trembling hand, Aiden revealed a white smile.
“Good ‘match,’ Marquis Tristan.”
“Y-you…”
Marquis Tristan struggled to keep his eyes open. But with his heart pierced and completely exhausted, he could no longer steady himself.
As Aiden pulled out his sword, Marquis Tristan’s body collapsed.
At that moment, Aiden’s sword swung again.
Squick!
Boom!
Only after his head was severed did Marquis Tristan’s body lie on the ground.
“Hmph…”
Aiden shook the blood off his sword and stared at the broken shoulder piece. Marquis Tristan was already erased from his mind.
“Tsk, it was my cherished armor…”
Crafted by the best artisans in the kingdom, he had been fond of this splendid and beautiful armor, and it was a great loss.
Not only would he have to replace the shoulder piece, but he’d have to start from scratch.
His perfectionism would never allow just part replacements. If it was going to be changed, it had to be all.
While Aiden was focused on the shoulder piece, the Grimwell Army was left in shock.
“Th-the marquis has fallen.”
“How could this happen…?”
“That guy killed the marquis…”
Everyone wore expressions of disbelief. Their idol and symbol of invincibility, Marquis Tristan, had died.
The commanders realized they had made a mistake. They should have pushed harder when they held the upper hand.
With the marquis’s death, the morale of their allies plummeted. Now, there was no one to confront a superhuman.
They had gotten swept up in the enemy’s incomprehensible actions and atmosphere.
Aiden extended his sword toward the dazed Grimwell Army. It was a stance he had practiced in front of a mirror countless times.
A cruel smile spread across his face.
“Kill them.”
“Waaah!”
The White Silver Knights and the Army of Atrode began to move again. Right at the forefront stood the Priests of the Salvation Society, emitting black energy without mercy.
The Grimwell Army tightened their grip on their weapons. They knew they had to fight again, but they also understood one thing.
That they could no longer stop those strong enemies right in front of them.
Baaaang!
The two armies collided again. The weary and demoralized Grimwell Army crumbled under the onslaught of the priests charging at the front.
And in that gap, both the White Silver Knights and the Army of Atrode completely broke through.
The battle seemed all but over. Aiden closed his eyes again, savouring the smell of blood that wafted from the battlefield.
“This grand battle will be sung by the bards for eternity. For my noble self.”
It was a satisfying victory. He had defeated the renowned Marquis Tristan, and his own fame would now rise.
But that wasn’t enough. He felt a burning thirst as he recalled someone.
“Duke Penris, I should have killed you.”
Originally, he had planned to confront Duke Penris during the civil war in Ruthania.
However, the timing had been off. Thanks to Helgenik’s rampage, he had no choice but to act separately to reinforce his strength.
At that time, he had felt disappointed, but not overly fixated on it.
With Gathros, Kaien, and Raoul around, he thought there was no way they would lose in the civil war.
Yet Duke Penris had secured his victory. Even his father, Marquis Perdium, had become the king of Ruthania.
“I never imagined he would grow so famous.”
Now Duke Penris had become one of the most renowned figures on the continent.
Ruthania’s Greatest Sword.
The Undefeated Grand Duke.
Ruler of the North.
Savior of the Plague.
Saint of the Drought.
Pioneer of Techniques.
And…
The King of Mercenaries.
Titles that were glorious even by themselves continued to cling to him. Aiden could not stand it.
“I cannot accept this.”
If he had killed that guy in the Ruthania Kingdom.
All those glorious titles would have been his.
But that was fine. The war on the continent was becoming more intense.
Eventually, Duke Penris would have no choice but to face him.
At that time, he would kill him himself. Then all the accolades would come back to him.
“The protagonist of this world is not Duke Penris, it is me. I will make you realize that truth.”
With his eyes closed, Aiden raised his head and spread his arms wide.
And a painter was diligently capturing that scene.
*
“Waaah! We won!”
The Army of Atrode’s 3rd Corps smoothly captured the stronghold of the Grimwell Kingdom.
If they kept going like this, it wouldn’t take long to besiege the royal castle.
Although there was a limitation to finish before Duke Penris arrived, after all, the purpose of the Army of Atrode wasn’t to conquer the entire country.
They just needed to secure the supply routes and key strongholds necessary for the siege of the capital.
So if they went through a few more battles, they would reach their destination.
The 3rd Corps commander, Count Kalmund, asked the man beside him.
“Well done. Are you going to move separately now?”
“Yes.”
The quiet man nodded. Count Kalmund also nodded and continued speaking.
“Revolutionary Leader, thanks to your help, things have become a little easier. But is it necessary for you to leave now?”
The man was the head of the Revolutionary Group. The Revolutionary Group was assisting the Salvation Society to overturn the continent.
They had already made a promise with the Salvation Society to take several kingdoms after the war ended.
A new world and a new religion.
The interests of the Salvation Society and the Revolutionary Group were aligned.
Becoming a king was the dream of the Revolutionary Leader. What one believed in wasn’t important.
To achieve that dream, he needed to expand his power and eliminate any obstacles during this opportunity.
Among those obstacles, the most troublesome was, of course, Duke Penris of Ruthania.
The Revolutionary Leader grinned and replied to Count Kalmund’s question.
“Anyway, the Grimwell Kingdom can be easily conquered even without us. I think now is a good opportunity.”
“Hm, why is that?”
“The Allied Forces will probably strike the Army of Atrode while you’re with me. They are already gathering near the Army of Atrode.”
“True.”
“So the army attacking the Grimwell Kingdom won’t expect to be ambushed. I plan to hit them hard while their guard is down.”
“Indeed… That makes sense. But will it really be okay?”
“I’ve already finished talking with the priests. You just need to make sure to give the promised rewards.”
Attacking the supply lines of the Allied Forces was the suggestion of the Revolutionary Leader.
Gathros had initially opposed that strategy. Not only were there plenty of important matters to deal with besides reducing the numbers of the Allied Forces, but also their principal supply routes.
However, the Revolutionary Leader persuaded him by laying down several conditions, stating that they would move after capturing the key strongholds of the Grimwell Kingdom.
“I won’t face them head-on. I just plan to cut off their supply lines and deal a moderate blow before retreating.”
The Revolutionary Group was adept at plunder and ambush. That’s why they had never failed to be captured in every kingdom.
Right now, all the attention of the Allied Forces was focused on the Salvation Society and the Army of Atrode.
It was a prime opportunity for them. He intended to inflict damage on the Allied Forces and prove his worth.
Count Kalmund understood the intentions of the Revolutionary Leader.
“If you cut off the Allied Forces’ supply lines and inflict damage, it will be more advantageous for us. The chances of success are high, but remember that there’s Duke Penris over there.”
Duke Penris had become the most dangerous figure from the perspective of the Salvation Society. Even those who hadn’t fought him directly became wary of him.
Then the Revolutionary Leader smiled mysteriously.
“I’ve heard Duke Penris is excellent, but at least when it comes to ambushing, I’m far better. Hitting the back is my specialty.”
The Revolutionary Group had never engaged in a frontal battle, but they were confident when it came to ambushes.
But there was one thing the Revolutionary Leader didn’t know.
That Ghislaine’s specialty was indeed pursuit, ambush, and annihilation.