Chapter 362: Now You Must Choose (1)

Srrrk...

The maddening torrent of dark red mana began to swirl around Ghislain's body. Soon, his entire form was enveloped in the flickering, ominous aura. Only his eyes emitted a piercing red light, making him look like a demon raised from hell.

"What is that bastard doing...?"

The terrifying sight made even Delmud flinch momentarily. He had never seen anything like this, not even as a mage. 

One thing was clear—his opponent was just as powerful as himself, even after fully releasing all his magic. Perhaps, Ghislain was even stronger. The thought made Delmud grit his teeth.

"A scum like you, a Master?!"

There were rumors that Count Fenris might be of Master level, but Delmud had dismissed them as exaggerations. 

Now, facing him, he could see why people said that. To fight him to this extent meant Ghislain had truly reached the level of a Master. 

But Delmud refused to accept it. Admitting that would mean he, Count Desmond, and the Duchy had all made fools of themselves. 

If they had known, they should have killed this man first, whether it was to overturn the North or prepare for civil war.

But who would have thought that back then? Just a few years ago, Ghislain had only one nickname.

'The Scoundrel of the North…'

They had been deceived. The whole world had been deceived by him. But there was still a chance to rectify it.

"Yes, I'll end this here."

Delmud slowly descended to the ground. He needed to conserve every bit of mana he had. 

This time, he had to ensure Ghislain was truly dead. Ghislain waited patiently until Delmud touched down. He knew exactly what Delmud was thinking, and he agreed wholeheartedly. A battle of skills at this point would only waste time.

The moment Delmud's feet touched the ground, Ghislain's body flickered, and he disappeared from his spot.

Boom!

The dark figure shot forward like a black comet. Seeing this, Delmud extended one hand.

"Flare!"

Ziiiiing—!

A beam of fire shot out from his hand, aimed precisely at the incoming Ghislain. Power clashed against power.

Kwoooooooom!

Ghislain's charge slowed under the relentless beam. The fire ray continued pouring toward him without stopping. Surrounded by dark red energy, Ghislain raised his sword and began cutting through it.

Drdrdrdrdrdrdr!

The ray split apart, dispersing to either side, burning and destroying everything it touched. People screamed and scrambled to escape the range of the magic. Despite the overwhelming force, Ghislain pushed forward step by step.

Drdrdrdrdrdrdr!

With each step, the distance between him and Delmud shrank.

"Ghh...!"

Delmud realized he couldn't stop Ghislain with this alone. He needed something stronger.

'I must kill him in one strike.'

While maintaining the beam with one hand, he began gathering mana in the other.

Fwoooom!

The seven circles encircling Delmud's heart began to glow and spin furiously. Each circle activated sequentially, drawing mana from within his body and amplifying it exponentially. 

By the time the seventh circle engaged, Delmud's mana reserves were nearly depleted, forcing him to draw in energy from his surroundings. It was an amount of power his heart could barely endure.

Drip...

Blood trickled from Delmud's nose, ears, and mouth. His eyes had long since turned bloodshot from burst vessels. He, too, was risking his life, exceeding his limits.

Crack! Crackle!

The space around him distorted as the immense mana imbalance warped reality itself.

Fwoooom!

In his empty hand, an orb of superheated flame began to coalesce. It was Inferno, the pinnacle of 7th-circle destructive magic. But it wasn't enough. Not yet. He needed more power. It had to be stronger to annihilate that demon in a single blow.

Rumble!

Even as Delmud prepared his spell, Ghislain continued cutting through the beam, advancing relentlessly.

'Just a little more.'

His progress wasn't as fast as he wanted, a testament to Delmud's overwhelming magic. 

Preparing such an attack while maintaining another was a feat worthy of a 7th-circle mage. Even the Duke's mage, Ilois, wouldn't be capable of such a devastating dual offense. 

In terms of raw destructive power, the school of fire magic was unmatched. Ghislain, too, was pushing beyond his limits, but it wasn't enough.

— Master! Your mana's depleting too fast!

Dark shouted urgently, but Ghislain merely grinned, baring his teeth.

"Amplify my power further."

— Master, you'll die if you keep this up!

"Hurry!"

— D-damn it... Fine! Don't blame me if you die!

Reluctantly, Dark tapped into the remnants of Ghislain's emotions.

Boom!

Flames of rage erupted from a long-buried memory. Anger—the emotion Ghislain had felt most in his life—fueled the dark red energy further, burning through his body and soul.

Boom!

As Ghislain took another step, the ground beneath his feet cracked. His pace quickened.

Drdrdrdr!

— Master! Your muscles are tearing!

— Your bones are fracturing and splintering!

— Damn it! How are you even walking?!

Ghislain's muscles and bones were shredded under the overwhelming force, but he kept moving forward.

'Kill him.'

He had to kill Delmud. This was too good an opportunity to waste. Victory here would make the war much easier. 

At least, that was his reasoning while he still had some sanity. Now, Ghislain's mind was consumed by a singular thought: to kill the enemy before him. It wasn't hard. He had killed him in a previous life, splitting him from crown to waist.

Fueled by rage, Ghislain pressed on.

Boom!

Another step forward. His body was ruined, his senses dulled, but his aura blade grew brighter and longer. Seeing Ghislain so close, Delmud's eyes widened. He couldn't delay any longer. Letting him get closer would be fatal.

The mana he had gathered should suffice. Never in his life had he amassed such power. He had pushed beyond his limits, knowing he would be bedridden for months after this battle.

"It's over, you brat!"

With a triumphant smile, Delmud withdrew his beam and extended his other hand. The superheated flames would reduce his foe to nothing...

Slice!

Before Inferno could activate, something cleaved his body in two.

"What...?"

The last thing Delmud saw was Ghislain, standing a short distance away, swinging his sword. The dark red energy extending from the blade had grown several meters long, slicing him in half.

Fwoooosh!

The massive mana Delmud had gathered dispersed wildly, while his bisected body was consumed by the surrounding flames, reduced to ashes. Simultaneously, the dark red aura surrounding Ghislain began to fade.

"…"

The spectators were silent, unable to process what they had witnessed. What had felt like an eternity to Ghislain and Delmud was merely moments to the others. All they saw was Delmud casting a spell, Ghislain cutting through it, and delivering the killing blow. Such was the nature of battles between superhumans—fought in a different dimension of time and perception.

Hubert trembled, murmuring to himself.

"He... He's really... a Master..."

He had single-handedly killed a 7th-circle mage. No matter the method, such a feat was impossible without being a Master. The rumors of Ghislain being a Master were confirmed before their eyes.

The mages of the Crimson Magic Tower hesitated, retreating.

"The... Tower Lord... is dead..."

"And at the hands of Count Fenris..."

"This has to be a dream..."

Delmud was the true strongest in the North to them. They scoffed at mentions of Count Fenris being the North's finest sword.

There were only two 7th-circle mages in the entire kingdom. There were only two called "Masters" in the realm. Naturally, it was only logical to think of Delmud as the strongest. But that teacher of theirs had been killed by a man once called the North's scoundrel.

While the disciples of the Crimson Magic Tower were thrown into chaos, Ghislain pointed his sword at them and shouted.

"Gillian!"

"Yes, my lord!"

"Kill them all."

"Understood!"

Clang!

Gillian grabbed two axes and charged forward. The knights and soldiers of Fenris followed him.

Buzz!

As they ran, the knights immediately activated the magic circles on their armor. Knowing all their enemies were mages, they triggered dispel spells.

"W-what? What?"

The mages of the Crimson Magic Tower were flustered as they saw the knights charging at them. They had only considered wiping this place out; they never dreamed they would be attacked in return. 

The other side's tower was just as confused. Hubert, trembling, spoke to Ghislain, who staggered closer.

"W-wait... What is the meaning of this...?"

"Raaagh!"

Before Ghislain could reply, screams erupted. The Crimson Magic Tower had two 5th-circle elders, but they couldn't fend off Gillian and the knights' sudden assault. 

Magic didn't work properly on knights equipped with galbanium-enchanted armor.

From the start, they were shaken by the shock of their Tower lord's death and had lost the will to fight. Even as the attack began, they were too stunned to respond.

While Gillian handled the two 5th-circle mages, the knights and soldiers ruthlessly slaughtered the Crimson Magic Tower's mages.

"Aah! Spare me!"

As Hubert looked on at the mages being brutally killed, he stammered, his voice trembling.

"C-Count Fenris, what are you doing?"

Hubert felt dizzy. He knew Fenris was reckless, but he never expected such blatant slaughter. 

Killing Delmud had the justification of a duel, but killing the other mages lacked any pretense of legitimacy. 

Surely, mages from other regions and the Crimson Magic Tower's territory would protest to the Scarlet Flame Magic Tower. This would also earn them enemies.

But Ghislain didn't respond to Hubert's questions—or rather, he couldn't.

Cough! 

"We'll... talk later..."

Ghislain collapsed to the ground, coughing blood. His body was completely wrecked. He could barely stand.

"My lord!"

Vanessa threw Alpoi aside and ran to Ghislain. Alpoi, crumpled, lay sprawled on the ground. Grabbing Ghislain, she cried out.

"We need to treat him, now!"

Hubert hastily nodded.

"Y-yes! Heal him first!"

All the potions prepared for injuries during the duel were used on Ghislain. Vanessa pried his mouth open and poured the potions down his throat, while the mages clumsily cast healing spells on him. 

But Ghislain's condition was too severe; his internal organs, bones, and muscles were all destroyed. Recovery wasn't easy.

'This is bad... I might actually die.'

He had no mana left to attempt self-recovery. He had burned through all his amplified power. It was inevitable. It had been a long time since he'd been this badly injured. Fighting a 7th-circle mage had been grueling.

'If I lose consciousness now, I might really die.'

Even if he didn't die, he could end up in a coma for a long time. Ghislain grabbed Vanessa's wrist and spoke weakly.

"Keep talking to me. Don't let me fall asleep. If I lose consciousness, I might actually die."

Vanessa nodded vigorously. She had to keep him awake with her words, no matter what.

'W-what should I do? How can I do this?'

He needed something to focus on. A thought to hold onto.

'Ah! I have an idea!'

With a flash of insight, she immediately spoke to Ghislain.

"My lord! Listen to me and keep thinking about this! You must not lose consciousness! Understood?"

"Yes..."

"If there are four times as many chickens as ducks, nine fewer ducks than pigs, and the total of ducks and pigs is 67, how many legs do all the animals have?"

"...…"

Ghislain stared at Vanessa, dumbfounded. The others around them shared the same reaction. Too tired to think, Ghislain simply closed his eyes and passed out.

"Kyaaa! My lord!"

Vanessa's sharp scream echoed as she panicked.

***

"You're saying the Tower lord went to Bribant territory?"

Amelia asked, and Glenn, an elder of the Crimson Magic Tower, nodded. He was currently in Rayfold territory seeking Amelia's support.

"Yes, to wipe out the enemy's tower."

"Count Bribant and the royal faction won't stand by, you know."

Glenn smirked.

"Of course, they'll pressure us with various sanctions, but they can't act immediately. They'll have to investigate first. All we need to do is stall for time."

"Ah, so the idea is to hold out until civil war breaks out."

"Exactly. But until then, we'll need a lot of funds and food. Most transactions will be suspended."

"Hmm... So, you want me to procure those for you?"

Glenn nodded again.

"You've already secured this place, haven't you? As agreed, you must support us in place of Count Desmond, young lady."

Amelia, now the Countess and lord of Rayfold, showed no reaction to Glenn still addressing her as "young lady." It was proof of his continued disrespect. She smiled faintly and asked.

"Do we really need to act so hastily? Won't it only alarm the enemy?"

"Have you forgotten the Duke's order to eliminate the enemy's tower before the civil war? The Scarlet Flame Magic Tower has many mages. If they side with the royalist lords, they'll be a significant obstacle."

Understanding, Amelia nodded a few times before asking suddenly.

"By the way, where is the Tower lord now? Has he arrived?"

"He should have reached Bribant territory by now."

"Are you certain?"

"Yes, everything was planned and timed meticulously. But, young lady, you must also hurry and provide us support."

"Alright, we'll get started."

"Excuse me? Do you mean you'll send the support immediately?"

Glenn grinned widely, but Amelia shot him a cold look as she continued.

"No, I mean I'm going to deal with the beggars whining to me for money every day."

A chilling smile crept across her face.

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