Chapter 409: The Perfect Training Partner (2)

A master is one who has completed their own world.

Even someone who has never experienced real combat can become a master if they delve deeply into the essence of the sword and achieve enlightenment.

One who swings their sword hundreds of thousands of times, attaining enlightenment through effort, or even someone who recklessly amasses mana and finds enlightenment, can also become a master.

The forms of enlightenment vary from person to person.

But Tenant, until now, had never achieved any kind of enlightenment. His exceptional talent itself had been his greatest obstacle.

Since he could easily defeat anyone, he hadn't experienced proper combat after his youth.

Because victory came easily, he never fought desperately to surpass someone else.

Nor had he ever immersed himself in seeking and contemplating the principles of the sword.

Thus, he became trapped by his own talent and arrogance.

'We truly were indolent.'

Marquis Rodrick had been so, and so had he. They had grown complacent under the flag of being the strongest in the West, without even considering how the world around them was changing.

Those at the top became idle, and naturally, those who followed them grew idle as well.

But the people of the North were different. They fought fiercely to survive and worked tirelessly to grow stronger.

It was no surprise that they had lost the war.

Boom!

Ghislain and Tenant's swords clashed, and the two were pushed apart.

Shrouded in black energy, Ghislain's red eyes gleamed as he asked,

"At last, your remarkable talent has cast off arrogance and crossed the wall. Will you surrender?"

It was rare for Ghislain to try to persuade someone. Even rarer if it was someone he met as an enemy.

But Tenant shook his head.

"I've killed my lord and benefactor with my own hands. Even if I win this duel, I intend to take my own life."

Tenant extended his sword. A long, blue Aura Blade stretched from its edge.

"That is my pride as the West's finest sword."

"I acknowledge that."

Boom!

Ghislain shot forward like a bolt of light, swinging his sword.

Now his opponent had reached the level of a master. There was no longer any need to hold back. And though it was a cruel thought, "You're the perfect training partner."

Boom!

Tenant, blocking Ghislain's attack, managed a strained smile.

"It won't be so easy now."

Boom!

Each clash of their swords now produced shockwaves far more powerful than before. The onlookers, startled, retreated even further.

Whoosh!

Around the two combatants, the clash of mana created a vacuum so intense that it choked the air. Not even oxygen could enter space.

The mana that couldn't escape swirled around them, forming a massive vortex.

The spectators gasped in awe at the sight.

"This... is a battle between masters?"

"How can humans possess such power…?"

No magic was involved, yet a massive vortex had formed. Not through any artificial manipulation of nature's laws, but purely through raw power.

Boom!

Each clash of their swords sounded like thunder. Had anyone been closer, their eardrums would surely have burst.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Tenant now unleashed an overwhelming power, unlike anything he had shown before.

The long, blue Aura Blade effectively blocked Ghislain's dark red Aura Blade.

Flash!

Sometimes, Tenant's sword even pierced through Ghislain's crimson barrier. When it struck, dark red smoke erupted furiously from Ghislain's body.

But unfortunately, that was the limit of Tenant's strength.

Boom!

"Ugh!"

Ghislain's lightning-fast swing severed Tenant's left arm cleanly from the shoulder.

Boom!

Tenant attempted a desperate counterattack, but Ghislain was one beat faster, slicing his chest open.

Tenant, who had only just reached the level of a master, couldn't compare to Ghislain in terms of mana or swordsmanship.

Boom! Boom!

Tenant's body was soon reduced to a battered wreck. The radiant Aura Blade that had once shone brightly began to flicker and fade.

Yet Tenant laughed.

"As a knight, to die in a fight like this—it's an incredible honor!"

He had finally reached the level of a master and was now dueling another master with his life on the line. His opponent was none other than Count Fenris, the North's sacred and strongest swordsman.

There could be no more glorious foe. And few knights would ever experience such a moment.

"I have no regrets!"

Boom!

Tenant mustered all his strength for one final attack, swinging his sword at Ghislain. He no longer cared about defense.

He simply poured everything he had into this last strike.

Tenant's massive Aura Blade came hurtling toward Ghislain as though it would shatter him.

"Magnificent."

Ghislain smiled back as he swung his sword to meet the blow.

Their swords clashed once more.

Boom!

A blinding light erupted, illuminating the dark surroundings. For a brief moment, the vision of the onlookers turned pure white.

And when the light faded—

The vortex that had torn apart the surroundings vanished, and all was silent.

Tenant looked at his sword.

The once-radiant Aura Blade was gone, and only half of the blade remained.

Meanwhile, Ghislain's Aura Blade continued to radiate fierce energy.

Tenant's Aura Blade, which could cut through anything, had been sliced apart by his opponent's Aura Blade and extinguished.

Drip.

A thin line of blood trickled from Tenant's neck, forming a crimson streak.

It wasn't deep enough to sever his head, but it was more than enough to claim his life.

Tenant smiled, blood trailing from his lips as well.

"Thank… you…"

Thud.

With those final words, he collapsed to the ground.

"Haa…"

Ghislain let out a long breath as the energy surrounding him dissipated.

His body was covered in cuts, and he looked disheveled, but none of his injuries were life-threatening.

Ghislain, too, was growing closer to the pinnacle he had achieved in his previous life through relentless training.

After gazing at Tenant's lifeless body for a moment, Ghislain slowly opened his mouth.

"Secure the prisoners and contact Claude."

He glanced around the silent battlefield and let out a small laugh.

"We've won. The war is over."

"Waaaaah!"

At the declaration of victory, the soldiers erupted into cheers, raising their weapons high.

The duel between the North's strongest and the West's strongest—

Ended in an overwhelming victory for the North.

***

"Ahem, ahem."

Claude strode confidently, his chest puffed up. Everyone he passed bowed their heads in respect.

In this war, he had used brilliant tactics to defend not only Silverlight but other castles as well.

Administrative work, no matter how well done, rarely garners much recognition. No matter how skillfully Claude managed the estate, his characteristic snark often overshadowed his efforts, earning him little acknowledgement.

Even those who benefitted from the improved quality of life attributed it all to the lord, praising only Ghislain.

But in war, a single achievement can change public perception.

The people of the estate began to see Claude in a new light.

"Of course, there's a reason he's the head butler."

"Now that I think about it, isn't the smooth operation of our estate also thanks to the head butler?"

"If only he didn't take bribes, he'd be perfect."

With his reputation soaring, Claude felt overjoyed. Soon enough, his achievements would spread across the kingdom.

"Wow, even I didn't know I was this good. What am I supposed to do with this ridiculous talent?"

Wendy made no comment.

At first, she uncharacteristically praised him and took better care of him than usual. But after hearing his constant bragging without a moment's rest, she felt as if her ears were bleeding. She was on the verge of going mad.

Belinda, on the other hand, actively avoided Claude whenever she saw him. Scolding him had become far more challenging.

Claude wasn't the only one behaving this way.

"Ahem, ahem."

Alpoi was also strutting around with his chin held high. He had finally made a name for himself in this war.

In truth, it was Vanessa who neutralized the enemy mages. Without her, Fenris would have faced a much harder fight.

But in people's memories, it was Alpoi's magic rampage that stood out more.

He had, after all, thrown fire, summoned mist, and caused general mayhem.

The estate's residents reevaluated Alpoi as well.

"I thought he was just some gambler and drunk."

"They say he's a 50th-circle mage. Fifty!"

"Wow, at that level, isn't he basically a dragon? Was Alpoi really that powerful?"

As a result, his reputation soared, and even Hubert, the Tower Lord of the Scarlet Flame Magic Tower, would think twice before treating Alpoi poorly.

Buoyed by his rising fame, Alpoi busied himself wandering around the estate, offering unsolicited advice and showing off.

Vanessa, who usually scolded him to focus on his studies, allowed him some free time for once.

On the day Ghislain and the Fenris Mobile Army returned to the estate,

"Waaaaah!"

"We're the strongest!"

"Congratulations on your victory!"

The people poured into the streets, cheering loudly.

This war had been slightly different from the last. In Ghislain's absence, the residents of the estate had united to prepare traps and defenses.

They had held off an army of tens of thousands without their lord.

Even so, the people hadn't forgotten that they owed it all to Ghislain.

Thanks to their lord, they had full stomachs, jobs, and the power to defend themselves.

Now, they even carried confidence and conviction that they could stand against any foe.

"Long live Fenris!"

Amid the cheers, Ghislain entered the lord's castle.

He raised a fist toward Claude, who responded with a grin and bumped his fist against Ghislain's.

It was the signature gesture that Claude and Alpoi always did, now performed by Ghislain himself.

"Wow, I told you to just hold the line until I got back, and you annihilated them? Impressive."

In his past life, Claude had been an excellent tactician and strategist. Ghislain had entrusted him with the defense, trusting in his capabilities, but he hadn't expected such outstanding results.

Originally, Ghislain's plan was for them to hold out until he returned, at which point he would encircle and crush the enemy with Perdium's army and the mercenaries.

Thanks to Claude, however, Ghislain had instead taken on the role of pursuing the fleeing remnants.

Claude, still wearing a smug expression, cleared his throat and spoke.

"Ahem, well, my lord, you did a decent job conquering the West. It wasn't too difficult, was it?"

Though taking the West had been far harder, Claude deliberately downplayed Ghislain's achievement, worried it might overshadow his own. Truly a petty man.

Luckily for Claude, Ghislain wasn't the type to fuss over such minor things.

"Yes, yes. Good job. Now, you know what needs to be done next, don't you?"

"… A victory festival?"

"No, work. We need to stabilize the West quickly. And we need to increase the estate's productivity. We'll need to make more Galbanium catapults."

"…"

Claude's face immediately darkened. It seemed like the only way he'd get any rest was to die. Maybe he should have died in this war.

Still, Ghislain wasn't wrong. The West was in utter chaos. Though Count Selverk had been entrusted with its administration, there was no way he could stabilize the vast territory alone.

"Fine, I'll start by sending administrators over as quickly as possible. There's much to be done."

It wasn't realistic to turn the entire West into another Fenris right away. Unfortunately, the West would primarily serve to compensate for Fenris's deficiencies once it was stabilized.

Still, with its abundant resources and population, the sooner it settled, the greater its contribution would be.

"For now, let's rely on the Royalist faction's forces for additional troops."

Claude nodded at Ghislain's suggestion.

Count Selverk couldn't handle the rifts in the West alone. Simply persuading and managing the remaining lords and bandits was already a monumental task.

Now, however, the Royalist army could enter the West under the pretext of handling the rift zones.

Marquis Rodrick had been a problem because he never listened and did as he pleased, but with Ghislain now the lord of the West, there would be no such issues.

Ghislain immediately gathered his vassals and held continuous meetings to discuss how best to utilize and stabilize the West quickly.

Just as they began selecting administrators to send to the region, bad news arrived.

"The Salvation Church has begun making open moves!"

The breathless messenger's words made Ghislain's brow twitch.

The Salvation Church was acting much earlier than in his previous life.

The reason was obvious. He had exposed their true nature far earlier this time.

Ghislain muttered quietly to himself.

"… So it begins."

He knew all too well what desperate measures the Salvation Church would take when cornered.

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