Chapter 342: Let’s Make the Return Easier (1)

The two of them were utterly exhausted. Although it was brief, they had fought against nearly 200 men.

Even though the strength disparity allowed them to win easily, the more they used mana, the worse their physical condition became.

Frankly, they just wanted to go home. But the situation was growing dire.

"Now… it seems like too many enemies are coming, doesn't it?"

The mansion's guards had all mobilized, and even the city guards were converging on their location.

The number of soldiers had increased to an incomparable degree compared to earlier, and among them were knights.

It would be tremendously difficult for the three of them to break through these numbers.

"Even so, we have to go. We can't leave anyone behind."

Even if they failed to save everyone, Dominic would understand. He wouldn't expect zero losses.

But Ghislain refused to accept that.

He knew better than anyone the piercing sorrow of losing family.

"If I go alone, rescuing the hostages will be harder. Hurry up and follow me."

Dominic's family consisted only of his elderly mother and son. To make a clear path, someone else had to safely carry the hostages.

Without saying more, Ghislain charged forward.

In battles, momentum was crucial. When facing a large number of enemies, one had to establish dominance from the outset.

Boom!

"Aaaargh!"

When Ghislain swung his sword, the soldiers at the forefront were blown away in an instant.

Of course, the enemies didn't just stand there and take it. Using their numerical advantage, they simultaneously thrust their spears at Ghislain.

But Ghislain neither dodged nor blocked.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The soldiers were stunned by the sensation of their weapons striking something as hard as steel.

Even knights couldn't avoid getting injured if they took an attack head-on like this. Yet, the red glow at the points of impact rendered their weapons useless.

"What... what the hell…?"

Dumbfounded, the soldiers froze. They were too shocked by the inexplicable situation to react.

That was the last thing they ever said.

Boom!

Mana erupted from Ghislain's sword, obliterating everything in the vicinity.

"You bastard!"

A knight charged forward, swinging his mana-infused sword at Ghislain with all his might.

No matter how strong Ghislain was, he couldn't afford to be hit by a mana-enhanced weapon. However, he didn't dodge either.

At this moment, what he needed to show was his dominance—the ability to kill everyone here on his own.

Boom!

When Ghislain countered the knight's sword with his own, the knight's weapon shattered instantly. The overwhelming gap in power caused the knight's gaze to tremble.

Slice!

A red arc of light followed Ghislain's blade, severing the knight's neck.

Ghislain pressed forward, cutting down countless enemies and making his way to the center.

Watching from behind, Gordon and Lucas were visibly shaken.

"Is it just me, or does he seem even stronger than before?"

"What are we even here for?"

It truly felt as though Ghislain could take down every soldier in this city on his own.

However, the two of them knew the truth. Mana wasn't infinite. That extraordinary defensive power also consumed mana every time he was attacked.

Although Ghislain's mana reserves were far greater than theirs, even he couldn't sustain such explosive power indefinitely.

After all, the knights' mana training methods were fundamentally derived from Ghislain's. They had only been adjusted for safer training with fewer side effects.

This realization spurred Gordon and Lucas to join the battle without delay.

Boom! Boom!

"Aaaah! What the hell are these guys?!"

As the three of them attempted to break through, the soldiers found themselves utterly incapable of stopping them.

Though Gordon and Lucas gradually accumulated injuries, Ghislain's overwhelming strength cleared the path, leaving them with relatively few enemies to deal with.

Even the enemy knights fought valiantly, but they were no match for the trio. These knights were weaker than those from the harsh northern regions.

Individual skill varied based on talent and effort, but one's environment played a significant role.

Boom!

When Ghislain unleashed his mana without reservation, hundreds of soldiers crumbled pitifully.

In no time, he reached Martin's mansion and stormed inside.

"Stop him!"

Inside the mansion were far more knights than outside—over 20 at a glance.

As expected of the son of the wealthiest marquis in the west.

"Hah, so he's still the son of a marquis? They've assigned this many knights to him."

There was no way a mere young lord could directly command so many knights.

They were undoubtedly supported by his father, Marquis Rodrick.

"Handle the soldiers!"

Ghislain ordered the two following him and immediately engaged the mansion's knights.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Within moments, dozens of exchanges occurred. These knights were clearly different from the ones they had faced earlier.

It was evident that Marquis Rodrick had carefully selected them to protect Martin.

Without hesitation, Ghislain activated the third core.

Boom!

"Urgh!"

The knight leading the charge was pierced through the chest by Ghislain's explosive thrust.

Two knights flanking him were decapitated in an instant as a red light flashed.

"Huh? Huh?"

A knight at the rear froze, unable to adapt to Ghislain's sudden increase in power.

The only thing he could see were red streaks zigzagging toward him, making it impossible to predict where the next attack would come from.

Slice!

The red streak sliced through the knights surrounding Ghislain, even cutting down the one at the back.

Half of the knights blocking the trio's path were gone.

Ghislain had no intention of continuing this fight.

Now that he had activated the third core, he needed to conserve his strength carefully for the journey back.

"Disregard them and follow me!"

Ghislain broke through the remaining soldiers and ascended to the upper floors. Gordon and Lucas followed closely, dodging as much as they could.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Each time Ghislain swung his sword, soldiers were obliterated before they could even respond.

Finally, after breaking through several more barriers of soldiers, Ghislain reached Martin.

Martin, a man with a harsh demeanor, pointed a trembling finger at Ghislain and shouted:

"You, you! Who are you to dare barge in here?!"

Beside him, two soldiers held their swords against the hostages' necks.

The remaining knights all stood in front of Martin, blocking the way to protect him.

"Phew…"

Ghislain, finally halting his relentless battle, stood catching his breath, his body drenched in blood.

Gordon and Lucas arrived soon after, standing by Ghislain's side, keeping a vigilant eye on their surroundings.

Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud!

The remaining knights and soldiers from the mansion all poured in, filling every available space until it was packed to the brim.

The soldiers surrounded Ghislain, weapons drawn. Those who couldn't fit inside stood guard outside, forming a blockade.

Emboldened by the overwhelming difference in numbers, Martin sneered as he spoke.

"You scum! Do you really think you can escape with the hostages and prisoners? You must've been sent by Dominic! How dare some lowly mercenaries defy me? How dare dogs like you bite their master?"

Ghislain smirked at Martin's outburst.

"How many times are you going to say 'how dare'? Do you think you're that impressive?"

"Shut up! You lowlife mercenary trash! Do you even know who you're talking to?"

Martin couldn't contain his seething anger.

To him, the Drake Mercenary Corps was an essential tool to quickly expand his power.

In the ongoing succession struggle, having expendable pieces like them was a significant advantage.

He wouldn't have to risk his own knights and soldiers for dangerous tasks.

It was a shortsighted strategy, but Martin didn't think he was wrong.

Thanks to the mercenaries taking on risky missions, he had reaped substantial rewards in a short period.

Pointing a trembling finger at Ghislain, Martin ranted in rage.

"Do you think you'll be safe just because you freed the hostages? The Drake Mercenary Corps is a gift my father, Marquis Rodrick, gave me! Their lives are practically mine! How dare you betray your master—I'll kill you all!"

Marquis Rodrick had equipped his children with various forms of power, and the Drake Mercenary Corps was one such asset.

But with the hostages freed, Martin could no longer wield control over them as he wished.

Watching Martin lose his temper, Ghislain chuckled softly.

"If they were so important, you should've treated them better."

"What? Are you lecturing me right now?"

"Yeah. It's only natural to treat important people with care. That's the kind of person I am."

Hearing this, Gordon and Lucas exchanged pained glances, unable to hide their discomfort.

If the people from the estate overheard this, they would likely clutch their necks in frustration—especially Claude.

Martin, enraged by Ghislain's composed demeanor, exploded in fury.

"You! If you take even one step forward, I'll kill the hostages! You know who they are, don't you? Dominic's mother and son! Drop your weapon right now!"

Ghislain had fought through countless soldiers to get here. Even Martin wasn't sure he could guarantee his own safety if a battle broke out here.

Hence, he resorted to threatening the hostages.

The hostages were trembling with fear, but their eyes held a firm resolve—a reflection of their connection to the mercenary captain.

Dominic's mother, her voice trembling, spoke up.

"Don't… don't worry about us. Just escape. Please tell my son… to live freely from now on… Tell him he doesn't have to live this way anymore because of his useless mother. Tell him to live how he wants to."

She turned to the boy beside her, offering a sorrowful smile.

"My dear, I'm sorry… but we can't keep living like this. It's time for this old woman to go…"

As tears streamed down her face, the boy clenched his eyes shut.

After a moment of sobbing, he suddenly turned to Ghislain and spoke.

"Please tell my dad that I'm okay… and also… also…"

The boy, his eyes now red with anger, glared at Martin and shouted loudly.

"Make sure you kill this bastard!"

The hostages had already resolved themselves to die. This defiance infuriated Martin.

"Shut up! How dare lowly scum like you talk back!"

Martin roared, prompting the soldiers to press their blades deeper against the hostages' necks, drawing a trickle of blood.

Ghislain, watching the hostages, calmly set down his sword and raised his hands.

Martin's face lit up. Seeing Ghislain lower his weapon, he assumed the mercenary had surrendered.

But he didn't let his guard down—he knew skilled fighters could kill with just their bare hands.

Suddenly, an idea struck Martin, and he grinned wickedly.

"You. You're pretty skilled. How about working under me? I'll offer you the best treatment possible. What do you say?"

Despite the piles of corpses his soldiers had become, Martin was unfazed, his face filled with greed.

Ghislain briefly studied Martin's face before turning to the boy and smiling.

"Well done. I'll make sure your message gets delivered."

He was impressed. The son of a mercenary captain should have that kind of spirit.

But Ghislain had no intention of letting the hostages die here.

He clenched his fists, which had been subtly raised.

Click!

"What?"

The soldiers holding the hostages froze, their bodies unable to move.

Crack!

"Arghhh!"

Their bodies twisted violently as the hostages were freed. The soldiers, unable to comprehend what had happened, could only scream in agony.

With a pull of his hands, Ghislain drew the hostages toward him in an instant.

Gordon and Lucas caught them and held them tightly.

Finally, the hostages were safe.

"What… what the hell?!"

Martin was stunned. He couldn't fathom how Ghislain had freed the hostages with just a gesture.

Meanwhile, the knights felt the overwhelming mana that had briefly dominated the surroundings, their faces stiffening.

This was a technique they had never even heard of. The man before them was far beyond their expectations.

"Kill them! Kill them all now!" Martin screamed, throwing a tantrum.

But neither the knights nor the soldiers dared to approach Ghislain easily.

Ignoring their hesitation, Ghislain bent down and picked up the sword he had dropped earlier.

"Gordon, Lucas. Protect the hostages."

"Yes, sir!"

"Let's make the return a little easier."

With his red eyes glowing, Ghislain launched himself forward toward Martin, who was heavily guarded by numerous knights.

"Attack!"

The knights roared and swung their swords at the oncoming Ghislain, pouring all their strength into their strikes, their blades glowing blue with mana.

Whoosh!

But Ghislain didn't engage them. Leaping high into the air, he soared past the knights and landed directly in front of Martin.

"W-what…"

Martin froze, paralyzed at the sight of Ghislain—a blood-soaked demon standing before him.

Realizing the situation, the knights scrambled to turn around, but Ghislain moved even faster.

"Stop."

With his sword against Martin's neck, Ghislain's command made everyone freeze.

After scanning his surroundings with a satisfied expression, Ghislain turned his gaze to Martin and spoke.

"Now you're the hostage."

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