Crack! Crack! Crack!
"Ahhh!"
Each time Ghislain swung his axe, a revolutionary soldier fell, split by the blade.
The other soldiers of the special forces hardly needed to move. They only dealt with the ones fleeing toward them.
No matter how fierce the revolutionaries were, most were nothing more than bandits skilled in ambush and plunder. Even with 500 of them, they couldn't stop Ghislain, one of the continent's strongest.
Crack!
One swing, one kill.
Most couldn't even scream properly before dying. For Ghislain, this was merely a warm-up.
Of course, there were exceptions.
Clang!
"Oh? You blocked that?"
Occasionally, there were skilled fighters among them.
Crack!
Two strikes were usually enough to deal with such foes.
Realizing they couldn't escape, the revolutionary soldiers screamed in desperation.
"Argh! Kill that bastard!"
"Those arrogant jerks are just standing there blocking the path and watching! If we all gang up on him, we can take him down!"
"Do you think we're a joke?!"
As expected of bandits who had killed plenty in their raids, they all glared at Ghislain with bloodshot eyes, charging toward him.
Instinctively, they knew they had to aim for the leader.
But their instincts proved futile.
Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack…
Soon, no revolutionary soldiers were left alive except for Tarim.
Ghislain wiped the blood off his chin and brushed it off. His body was drenched in the blood of his enemies.
Like Yulian, he could fight cleanly without getting blood on his clothes if he wanted. But he chose not to.
"This is what makes fighting fun."
He enjoyed the battle itself and understood that his brutality often had a profound impact on the battlefield.
So, he didn't bother with unnecessary elegance.
Thinking of cleanliness brought an unpleasant memory to mind.
"That guy Idun was even more fastidious than Yulian."
While Yulian's tidiness was second nature, Idun's obsession with cleanliness was almost pathological.
It was laughable that his obsessive nature was the driving force that elevated him to a superhuman level.
Ghislain chuckled as he recalled his old nemesis.
"I'll probably run into him soon."
According to reports, Idun was currently fighting in the Kingdom of Grimwell. He'd likely gain considerable fame there as well.
Despite being an absurdly flamboyant man, Idun and the Silver Knight Order were the real deal.
Otherwise, how could the former Mercenary King have fallen to them?
'That dirty bastard… If it had been a one-on-one, I would've won.'
Even now, the thought infuriated him. Losing to someone so detestable—it was beyond frustrating.
'Not this time. I'll take your head for sure.'
Having been defeated once, he wouldn't let it happen again.
Ghislain shook off the unpleasant memory and refocused. There was much to do.
He approached Tarim, crouched down, and placed his axe against Tarim's neck.
"Listen carefully. This axe is called 'Empathy.' I'm telling you this because I want you to empathize with my feelings right now."
"Ugh…"
"If I'd known you'd split up your forces like this, we would've divided ours too."
It was a bit disappointing. He knew they'd split up, but guessing the exact division was beyond his capabilities.
Still, minimizing his allies' losses was more important. He had to be content with this outcome.
"Anyway, you must have a gathering place. We'll just head there and take care of the rest, right?"
"Ugh… Ugh…"
Tarim trembled, drooling in pain. He couldn't fathom why such an absurd situation was happening.
Without waiting for an answer, Ghislain swung his axe again, this time targeting Tarim's leg.
Crack!
"Ahhhh!"
"Speak."
"Arghhh!"
Tarim screamed. Wasn't he supposed to ask questions first and then strike if there was no answer?
Starting with a strike and asking questions later—this man was insane.
One thing was clear, though: trying to outsmart him would lead to death.
"I-I'll talk! Please stop! At least give me a chance to answer! I'll tell you anything! Please just ask!"
"Hmm, alright. What do you have to say?"
Tarim was momentarily stunned but quickly regained his composure. The answer was in what the man had just said.
"Our gathering place! It's the Stonebrook village! Everyone's headed there!"
"Really? Where is that again?"
Ghislain pulled out a map and examined it. He had a general idea of the location, though something seemed off.
"With a force of 10,000, can you really hide in a village like that?"
"It's… It's a village we've taken over! There's a large underground cavern for hiding troops and plenty of hideouts nearby!"
"Oh?"
This was new information. In his previous life, the Revolutionary Army's bases were rarely uncovered.
What a clever strategy—acting innocuous by paying taxes while secretly engaging in illicit activities. There were likely several bases like Stonebrook.
No wonder the Revolutionary Army was hard to root out in his previous life. People were too busy to pay attention to such details.
Nodding, Ghislain swung his axe again.
Crack!
"Arghhh! I don't know! I really don't know!"
"…I haven't even asked the next question yet."
"You were going to ask where our leader is! It's obvious!"
"You little bastard…"
Ghislain widened his eyes in surprise.
This guy was surprisingly sharp, answering before being asked.
Did he already figure out what kind of person Ghislain was? In all his life, no one had read him so quickly.
Despite being an enemy, this perceptive individual was rare. Ghislain found him intriguing.
"Do you really not know where your leader is?"
"I swear! Our leader is so paranoid that he never reveals his whereabouts! He doesn't even trust us!"
"Yeah, that guy is suspicious by nature. His name was Leonard, right?"
As Ghislain nodded in agreement, Tarim blinked rapidly.
Their leader, who kept his identity hidden even from his subordinates, had his name and paranoid tendencies revealed so casually.
"Do… Do you know our leader?"
"Well, roughly. Didn't he overthrow the former leader to take that position? Someone like that is bound to be suspicious."
The Revolutionary Army wasn't originally founded by Leonard. He had staged a coup, betraying the previous leader and usurping his position.
He had killed not only the former leader but also any loyalists among the officers.
Since then, the Revolutionary Army had lost its original purpose and turned into a raiding force.
Stammering, Tarim asked, "H-how do you know all this?"
"I know everything."
Ghislain had fought the Revolutionary Army several times in his previous life. During the chaos of war, they had revealed themselves frequently.
With so many captives taken, some information was bound to leak.
But now, as a clandestine raiding organization, such information should have been impossible to know. Yet Ghislain rattled it off like a former officer of the Revolutionary Army.
The nearby mobile army soldiers all nodded in agreement. Tarim was flabbergasted.
'They say he's a saint… Could it be divine revelation?'
The ambush and their waiting suggested the rumors were true. Tarim, quick-witted, made a decision.
You couldn't deceive someone like this. How could anyone deceive someone chosen by God?
Falling flat on his face, he begged.
"I didn't recognize the saint! Please spare me! I'll serve you loyally! I've never recklessly killed anyone! I mostly trained the troops!"
"You said your group lacks loyalty, didn't you?"
"Ah! That's not what I meant! Ahhh!"
Caught off guard, Tarim panicked but quickly recovered, showing his famed adaptability.
"I may be in the Revolutionary Army, but I sincerely worship the goddess Deana! I would never lie to or defy a saint!"
A bandit claiming to worship the goddess of light and justice—Ghislain chuckled.
Emboldened by the reaction, Tarim continued fervently.
"That's why I can reveal everything to you! I won't hide a single thing! I'll proudly serve as your knight! Although I'm just a novice, I used to be a knight! Or even just a soldier—"
Splat!
"Ahhh! I'll be your slave!"
Crack!
"Argh! I'm an obedient beast that can speak!"
"…This guy is really something."
Even in Fenris, not just anyone could become a slave. Allowing someone like this to be a slave would be an insult to other slaves.
Unaware of such things, Tarim immediately lowered his position further when Ghislain expressed disapproval. While his moral character was uncertain, he seemed like someone who could have become something notable if raised in the right environment.
Ghislain casually lifted his axe again.
"My name is Tarim!"
"Alright, Tarim. Then…"
"I'll guide you by the fastest route! A quicker path than the one on the map!"
This guy was clearly not ordinary.
Crack!
"Ahhh! Why?!"
This time, even Tarim didn't understand. He looked at Ghislain with teary eyes.
Ghislain spoke indifferently.
"You empathize with me too much. It's unsettling, like you've entered my mind."
"…I'm sorry! Waaaah!"
Tarim realized he had gotten himself into deep trouble.
First, he was told to empathize, but now he was punished for empathizing too much. Pleasing this lunatic seemed like an insurmountable challenge.
No wonder the Duke Fenris was rumored to be a devil. He even recalled hearing about the duke's wild younger days.
Ghislain straightened his back and stood up, speaking.
"Alright, I don't usually spare enemies, but sometimes I let them live if they seem useful. Let's see what you can do—help us catch the Revolutionary Army. Got it?"
"Yes! Understood!"
"Hey, pour some potion on this guy and treat him."
Without priests in their ranks, they had to use potions. Though expensive, Fenris territory had an abundance of potions anyway.
Even after pouring the potion, Tarim could only limp. His outer wounds were healed, but the bones crushed by Ghislain's foot hadn't set properly.
Still, he could muster enough strength to move, thanks to his ability to use mana.
Ghislain summoned Dark again and spoke.
"Tell them there's no need to chase the scattered enemies. We're heading to their gathering place."
The other squads likely had also dealt with the Revolutionary Army smoothly. Any stragglers would gather at Stonebrook Village anyway, so they could take them all down at once.
Soon, the mobile army mounted their horses and began moving, guided by Tarim.
***
Stonebrook Village.
It was larger than most villages but not quite big enough to be considered a city.
The surrounding mountains and rugged terrain limited the flow of people.
Few visitors aside from occasional merchant guilds meant there were hardly any outsiders to arouse suspicion. Paying their taxes on time, they avoided drawing the lord's ire.
Recently, however, groups of able-bodied men had been steadily arriving in Stonebrook. Once inside the village, they scattered, entering various homes. Even those loitering on the streets would suddenly vanish.
Meanwhile, a man stood on a distant hill, spying on the scene.
A stoic figure, the Revolutionary Army leader, Leonard.
With only one subordinate accompanying him, Leonard was hiding and surveilling the village.
The hill wasn't very tall, but it offered a partial view of the village. Surrounded by dense trees, it was an ideal spot to conceal oneself.
"Hmmm…"
After several days of watching, Leonard turned to his subordinate and asked.
"The 17th Battalion has finally arrived. They took the longest route. No battalion should arrive later than the 17th. Yet, only ten battalions are here. That means half haven't arrived."
"…It seems there's been a problem."
"No word has come from them. No information from alternate routes either. What do you think that means?"
"…It could mean they've been annihilated without a chance to send a word. Though that seems implausible."
It was conceivable that one or two battalions might have been discovered by the Allied Forces. That possibility had been accounted for by splitting into twenty battalions.
Even if the Allied Forces had been tailing their movements, losing ten battalions would surely have produced some kind of report. After all, the order was to flee immediately upon encountering regular troops.
Yet no one had come, and no news had arrived.
"They were completely wiped out without a chance to act… Could that even happen? I can't make sense of it."
Leonard furrowed his brows. He had devised a plan meticulously, ensuring it had a high chance of success.
If it had failed, there could only be one explanation.
"Was there a leak?"
But who could have leaked the information? He hadn't told anyone the plan before its execution.
"There's something I don't know going on."
Clearly, something was unfolding beyond Leonard's understanding.
At times like this, it was best to stay put. His danger-sensing instincts were urging him not to act rashly.
"We're retreating."
"What? What about the battalions that are already here?"
"Deliver the order. Have them withdraw quietly. We'll move again after gathering more information."
The Revolutionary Army's survival thus far was largely thanks to Leonard's cautious nature.
As his subordinate was about to move, a new puzzle piece appeared, answering part of Leonard's questions.
Thud, thud, thud, thud!
From the distance, a unit stormed in like a gale.
The overwhelming aura of destruction it carried was unmistakable. Leonard knew exactly who they were.
"The Lutania Army? Could it be… the Duke Fenris?"
An unexpected army had appeared at Stonebrook Village.
[T/L: I am in dire need of support. I will give discount to all those who will buy the rest of the chapters all together, so please support me the reader on my webnovel platform and read ahead chapters on my ko-fi page "RevengerScans" : https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]