Boom! Boom! Boom!
Gillian's prowess was astonishing, leaving everyone in awe.
As he darted across the fortress walls, slaughtering enemies, he looked every bit the raging lion his nickname described.
Covered in blood, he roared loud enough to shake the heavens.
"Do not be afraid! Fight! We can hold them off!"
"Waaaa!"
Inspired by Gillian's display, the soldiers found new courage. The Delphine soldiers climbing the walls hesitated, intimidated by his overwhelming presence.
Erenes watched silently as she blocked the attacks of enemy mages.
'Something is strange.'
Even to her, Gillian's skill was incredible. His storm-like momentum was proof of a martial mastery few could achieve.
He was undoubtedly a high-level knight. Yet, this was what puzzled Erenes.
'Why hasn't he broken through the wall?'
Such technique and momentum don't come from mere training. They require countless brushes with death. By that measure, Gillian was more than qualified to transcend the wall.
Even his mana was not lacking. Though she didn't know it, Gillian had already absorbed a fragment of the dragon heart.
And yet, his inability to break through the wall meant that his own world had not yet been fully established. He had laid all the foundations to create a world of his own, yet it was incomplete.
Erenes didn't dwell on the thought for long. The battle was too urgent to spend time pondering.
"Selaim, burn them all."
Boom!
A massive fire lizard appeared beneath the fortress and began spewing flames.
Whoosh!
"Arghhh!"
The climbing soldiers were engulfed in flames and fell. The ladders leaning against the fortress walls were also burned and collapsed.
Thanks to her summoning of three high-level spirits, the Delphine Army's advance came to a temporary halt.
Taking advantage of the pause, Dark flew toward Gillian.
"Hey, Gillian."
"You? How are you here already?"
Gillian was startled. Dark had arrived before the assault corps, much earlier than expected.
Dark tilted his head arrogantly and said, "Hehe, just hold on a little longer. The master is bringing the mobile army and a very impressive friend along."
"That's good news."
Gillian's face brightened. He had been prepared to hold out for at least two days, even if it cost him his life, until Kaor and Belinda arrived. Hearing that Ghislain was already on his way was a relief.
He wasn't even curious about who the "impressive friend" was. With Ghislain, the mobile army, himself, and Erenes, victory was certain.
"Everyone, listen! The lord is on his way here! The commander of the Northern Army is coming! Just hold on a little longer!"
"Waaah!"
Both the Northern Army and the royal forces erupted in cheers.
Ghislain, who transcended being the strongest in the North and was now approaching to become the strongest in the kingdom, was a symbol of victory.
Hearing his name sent morale soaring to incredible heights.
If he came, they would win. He was the undefeated lord. That belief was firmly rooted in everyone's hearts.
Of course, this was only possible if they could hold out until Ghislain arrived.
Thwack!
"Ugh!"
A sudden black energy struck Dark's clone, shattering it instantly.
Gillian barely managed to leap back in time to avoid it.
With a light step, the one who climbed onto the fortress was the Arbiter of the Salvation Church.
"Tsk, so it was the crow I hit by accident… Hmm? What's this? Where's the corpse? Did it turn to dust?"
Made of mana, Dark's clone vanished without leaving a corpse behind.
"Hmph, perhaps I overdid it. Are you the commander here… the White Lion Gillian? I am Caspar, Arbiter of the Salvation Church."
Introducing himself as Caspar, the Salvation Church priest wore a cruel smile.
Gillian was one of the Northern Army's key assets, placed high on the assassination list by the duchy.
Killing him here would secure Caspar significant merit.
"Waaah!"
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The Delphine Army began placing ladders against the walls and swarming again. Below, Selaim, who had been wreaking havoc, was suppressed by the mages.
Ignoring the fortress, which was shielded by curtains, the mages focused on neutralizing the rampaging spirits first.
Large-scale attack magic couldn't be used anymore since their allies were entering the battlefield.
As the high-ranking priest appeared, Gillian glanced at Erenes. It was her role to handle superhuman opponents.
At that moment, Erenes used the wind spirit to whisper softly into Gillian's ear.
— "Why don't you try facing him?"
"What…"
— "If you hold him, I can handle the others with less damage."
"…"
It wasn't wrong.
But the opponent was a superhuman. Could he really hold him off?
Before Gillian could make up his mind, Caspar moved.
Boom!
"Ugh!"
Gillian raised his axe to block the blow but was pushed back. The sheer force and speed were overwhelming. If he had been a moment slower, his neck would have been severed.
"Argh!"
But Gillian immediately braced himself, planting his feet firmly as he swung his axe downward.
Slash!
Caspar, who had followed up closely, stepped back with a long gash across his chest.
"You bastard…!"
Caspar's face twisted in fury. That someone in such a stance could unleash such a powerful attack—his reputation was well-deserved.
Boom!
Caspar lunged again, attacking Gillian. His strength and speed were truly those of a superhuman.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Caspar's bare-handed attacks were barely parried by Gillian. Despite gathering all his mana, the axe's blade was chipping away with each clash.
"Hahaha! You're not much after all!"
Caspar laughed loudly as he pressed Gillian.
Caspar's technique was crude, barely resembling basic martial arts. At best, it could be described as elementary.
But the problem was the entirely different dimension of his reflexes.
Thwack!
"Ugh…!"
Unable to keep up with his speed, Gillian's body began accumulating wounds.
He gritted his teeth.
The gap between a high-level knight and a superhuman was razor-thin.
A high-level knight could ascend to superhuman-level with a moment of enlightenment.
However, failing to achieve that enlightenment meant never crossing the wall, even until death. This razor-thin gap was an insurmountable chasm.
Right now, that gap separated Gillian and Caspar.
"Haha! The White Lion, you are nothing special."
Caspar deliberately taunted Gillian further. But in truth, he wasn't entirely at ease.
'Why aren't my attacks landing critical hits?'
Caspar, with his lack of skill, couldn't realize that Gillian was predicting and countering his every move. Despite his otherworldly speed, he couldn't understand why he hadn't landed a killing blow.
And there was something else.
"Arghhh!"
His allies were still unable to gain control of the fortress. An elf was summoning spirits and slaughtering them.
Moreover, knights in strange armor were fighting exceptionally well, preventing their knights from securing the fortress walls.
Without a proper entry point, the soldiers couldn't mass on the walls.
'I'll have to deal with that one first.'
Caspar's eyes glinted.
There was a reason no one was interfering in this area.
Entrusting himself to Gillian, the rest of the defenders were systematically taking down his allies.
As Caspar turned to attack Erenes, Gillian moved.
Clang!
"You bastard!"
Caspar shouted in rage as he knocked the axe aside. Even in his bloodied state, Gillian had intercepted him.
"You really want to die, don't you?"
A stronger surge of black energy erupted from Caspar's body. A pillar of dark light rose from where Gillian had stood.
Boom!
Though the area of effect was wide, Erenes protected the soldiers with spirits.
However, the center of the pillar was beyond even her reach.
Whoosh!
Gillian barely escaped, his body wrapped in mana. Flames burned across his body, but he still stood, face twisted in fury, clenching his teeth as he swung his axe.
Clang!
Despite the heavily damaged axe, the swing carried immense force.
Caspar blocked the axe with his arm, taking the opportunity to strike back.
Boom!
With a sound like an explosion, Gillian was thrown back.
"Ugh, what a nuisance. I'll finish you off for good."
Caspar approached Gillian, his face twisted in anger. Fenris knights rushed toward him in panic.
"Instructor!"
Erenes also furrowed her brow and turned her head.
'He still hasn't crossed the wall?'
If it were that easy, the world would be full of superhumans. It was disappointing but expected. Erenes prepared to gather her strength.
With three high-level spirits summoned, her energy was severely drained. But now, she would have to confront the superhuman herself.
At that moment, Gillian, trembling, stood up and shouted.
"Everyone, hold your positions!"
The charging knights halted. Familiar with such situations, they clenched their lips and turned back to face the Delphine Army.
"Haah…"
Taking a deep breath, Gillian straightened his back. Still standing tall like an iron tower, his spirit burned fiercely.
Seeing the flames in his eyes, Erenes whispered again through the wind.
— "I don't know what's holding you back, but if it's Count Fenris, he must have already shown you the way."
After a brief pause, she continued.
— "Use this opportunity to risk your life and establish your own world. Opportunities like this are rare."
When a high-level knight fights a superhuman, death is often inevitable.
However, if the superhuman is a poorly trained priest of the Salvation Church…
It might just be a chance to risk everything and break through the wall.
With those words, Erenes turned her attention back to the fight, deciding to trust Gillian a little longer.
Caspar exuded palpable killing intent.
"You dare…"
The rumors of the high priests of the Salvation Church being incomplete superhumans were spreading. Yet, here was Gillian, not even a superhuman, persistently standing in his way, infuriating Caspar.
He couldn't just obliterate the area, as his own allies were advancing.
He had no choice but to personally finish off this nuisance.
"I'll crush your skull!"
Boom!
Caspar and Gillian clashed again.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Despite his mounting injuries, Gillian refused to back down. His attacks, ignoring his own life, startled even Caspar.
The range of their movements was extremely narrow. Both were determined to deliver fatal blows at close range.
Even in this brief period, Gillian's body was battered beyond recognition. In contrast, Caspar remained mostly unscathed, save for some signs of fatigue.
Boom!
Even as his axe blade was nearly destroyed, Gillian kept attacking.
'Just a little more…'
He felt as though he was on the verge of breaking through but couldn't quite cross the wall. He once again realized how high the wall of a superhuman truly was.
— If it's Count Fenris, he must have already shown you the way.
Indeed, Ghislain had given him everything.
Not just a fragment of the dragon heart but techniques anyone would envy.
With his natural talent, extensive experience, and Ghislain's teachings, he should have already reached the realm of a superhuman.
Why had he still not broken through the wall?
'Why have I still not established my own world?'
Thwack!
Caspar's hand grazed his neck, and blood spurted out. The mana that had seemed endless was now running dry.
Even the efficiency of energy use was different between him and a superhuman. To withstand a superhuman's attacks, he had no choice but to burn through mana rapidly.
'Why can't I…'
As his life hung in the balance, a sense of frustration surged.
His convictions were resolute. Following out of gratitude had merely been the catalyst.
'My lord…'
It had been a long time since Ghislain's dream became his own. He wanted to see how far that extraordinary man could rise. He wanted to be part of that historic journey.
His loyalty was an unyielding force, unshakable and eternal. He would gladly give his life for Ghislain at any moment.
His world had already been established in this way.
So why had he still not crossed the wall?
'Why!'
Amid the burning rage and frustration, a shadow hidden deep within Gillian's heart began to quietly surface.
'Do you truly deserve this?'
He was nothing more than a lowly mercenary.
At ten years old, he had picked up a sword to survive. From a young age, he lived by cleaning up after other mercenaries.
Naturally, he had done many unsavory things. To survive, to gain profit, for his comrades—he always found some excuse.
No matter how he tried to dress it up, he couldn't deny that this was the mercenary's life.
That was how he had lived freely. As he gained experience and skill, there was nothing left to fear.
He had even earned a small measure of fame. With confidence in his skills, he lived arrogantly.
To the point of looking down on even minor nobles.
Then he met Ghislain. He decided to dedicate the rest of his life to the man who had shown him grace.
'I've lived that way.'
He fought without hesitation and followed Ghislain's will. His life was never too precious to give.
But he had spent his entire life as a mercenary—far longer than the time he had spent with Ghislain.
That was why something felt out of place, as if he were wearing ill-fitting clothes.
Knight? Loyalty?
Those were words that seemed entirely unsuited to him.
Did he truly deserve such titles?
Confusion overwhelmed him. Why were such thoughts surfacing now?
Ghislain had endured endless criticism. They mocked him for dragging around lowly mercenaries.
He was accustomed to insults directed at himself, so he paid them little mind. But every time he heard such words, he couldn't help but worry that he might be tarnishing Ghislain's honor.
It felt as though he contributed to that reputation.
A lowborn mercenary, Gillian.
That was both his identity and the past that had chipped away at him as much as his arrogance had.
'Was I, perhaps… just looking for an honorable place to die?'
Or was it greed—wanting to make a name for himself alongside Ghislain?
He was still confused.
Ghislain never cared about anyone's opinion.
A man who, though not a mercenary, lived more like one than anyone else. He even created a mercenary corps in the end.
That charisma drew countless people to his side. Many talented individuals took their place around him.
The delinquent of a poor estate had grown to the point of being called the strongest in the North.
'Am I truly necessary now?'
So Gillian searched for reasons—over and over, he sought the justification for being by Ghislain's side.
Now, fighting for him alone didn't feel sufficient anymore.
Dragging his aging body alongside someone who stood in another world altogether—what reason was there?
Suddenly, he remembered the time Ghislain cured his daughter's illness.
— I'll cure her. What more reason do you need to help someone who's sick?
'.....'
He had barged in, insisting on curing his daughter's illness. When Gillian asked why, Ghislain had responded that way.
That was the kind of man he was. Someone who moved as his heart and feet led, yet always with an unshakable dedication to his people and his land.
— I'm not one to force people who don't want it. If you refuse, what can I do?
From the beginning, Ghislain had given him the right to say no.
Following Ghislain had been his own decision. Ghislain had not forced it upon him.
'I see.'
Boom!
The sound of an explosion shattered his fleeting thoughts.
Time felt distorted. In that brief moment, countless thoughts had passed.
Covered in wounds and drenched in blood, Gillian looked at his right hand.
His axe was completely shattered, leaving only the handle.
"It's over!"
Caspar, wearing a euphoric grin, raised his hand. It was finally time to pierce the heart of that tiresome White Lion.
At that moment, a raven shrieked and dove straight at Caspar.
"Yaaahhh!"
Thud!
Dark's body slammed into Caspar's face, interrupting his triumph.
"What the…!"
Taking advantage of the moment, Gillian twisted his body slightly.
Stab!
Caspar's hand plunged into Gillian's right chest instead.
"Cough!"
It wasn't an instant kill, but it was a serious wound. Gillian coughed up blood.
"Gillian! Hold on! The master is here—"
Boom!
As Caspar swung his other hand, the reappeared Dark burst apart mid-sentence.
"This crow again? Didn't I kill it earlier?"
Distracted momentarily by the talking raven, Caspar failed to notice Gillian glancing beyond the fortress.
Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud!
He was coming. Ghislain was coming.
The flag of Fenris fluttered as if to sweep away the battlefield, advancing with unstoppable momentum.
Ghislain's thunderous voice roared across the field.
"Gillian!"
"My lord…"
"I'm here! Hold on!"
Gillian bared his bloodstained teeth in a grin.
If told to fight, he would fight. If told to protect, he would protect.
And if told to hold on, he would hold on.
Smiling, Gillian murmured to himself.
"I've been overthinking things. I didn't even realize the darkness within me."
"You're finished, Gillian."
As Caspar tried to pull his hand free, Gillian grabbed it tightly with his left hand and spoke.
"I am the lord's sword and shield."
"What?"
"I will slay my lord's enemies and protect my lord. That is what I consider loyalty. And… loyalty doesn't require qualifications."
"You lunatic! What nonsense are you spouting?"
Caspar exerted strength, but his hand wouldn't budge from Gillian's iron grip.
The fact that his superhuman strength wasn't enough—it was unthinkable.
"Where is this strength coming from!"
Caspar raised his other hand to strike Gillian. But Gillian was faster.
Stab!
The axe handle, moving like lightning, pierced through Caspar's neck.
"Guh… ugh…"
With fiery eyes, Gillian glared at Caspar and said.
"Today, my world is complete."
From the axe handle that impaled Caspar's neck, a brilliantly shining Aura Blade erupted.
[T/L: Please support me and read extra chapters: https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]