Chapter 64

Chapter 64 Kwaaang! Damn these creatures! Caliann gritted his teeth as he faced three knights whose defense was seemingly impervious even to him. The refined realm he had barely achieved was of a different caliber, even compared to mid-tier knights. Dealing with three mid-tier knights shouldve been within the norm for him. But now, he could only watch helplessly as these knights blocked his every move, and his subordinates fell one after another. This is ridiculous! Kwaaang! In a burst of force, Caliann managed to push the three knights back with a powerful strike. In that moment, a golden sword cut through the wind and interjected. Leave them to me and help your comrades! With a golden force emanating from his blade, the red-haired warrior cried out as the three knights withdrew without a word. The figure of this red-haired adversary was strikingly similar to the imposing man who, during their first clash, had managed to make Caliann dodge without realizing. Flames sparked in Calianns eyes at the sight of this brat. Are you a whelp of the Macline? Not even an hour into the battle and his side was already showing signs of defeat. Capturing this fellow could buy his allies time to regroup. Clenching his teeth, Caliann swung his force-entwined blade. However Kwaaang! Urgh! What a lackluster high-tier knight. Put some more strength into it! Surely the aura he sensed from the brat was, at best, mid-tier. Yet it was him who got pushed back at the collision. How dare you, a lucky brat! Overwhelmed by a sense of danger and his crumbling pride, Caliann began to release a murderous intent. Good, this is going well. Seeing Caliann emitting killing intent, Logan smiled. A proper enemy high-tier knight. Logan solidified the second form of his divine sword vision, Dan-geum-jam, pounding against the wall of high-tier force users. The wall that seemed easy to cross had been intact for months. At a time when it was maddeningly close to breaking through, facing not his own familys high-tier knights but one from a different region was the most suitable encounter for an epiphany. With his side slowly taking the upper hand on the battlefield, there was no reason not to be thrilled. Come at me! Quaaang! The duel began with a head-on collision devoid of any finesse or technique. Both red and gold forces collided, and the aftermath of the shock was almost equal for both. But even that seemingly even match was enough to disconcert Caliann. A mid-tier knight with the strength of a high-tier? Impossible. The enhancement ratio granted by the force grew exponentially with each higher realm. This must have been due to his own complacency. I wont hold back anymore, you brat! Keep dreaming Clang! Crash! Bang! Boom! Their swords crossed numerous times, skimming armor and flesh alike. After another evenly matched collision, Calianns eyes finally dimmed with a heavy glare. Logan was quite pleased with the change in his opponent. Now youre getting serious. Damn you Not fully understanding the situation but accepting it nonetheless, Caliann acknowledged that in terms of strength and speed, he was not being outmatched by his adversary. How can someone so young What a monster. But physical attributes aside, there was something Caliann knew he couldnt emulate. He extinguished the inferno of anger and jealousy within and gripped his sword calmly. Moved by the urgency, he acknowledged that a hasty attack could spell danger for himself. Crack. Things will be different from now on. With those words spoken in a low voice, his red sword swung out, and simultaneously two swords aimed for both Logans top and bottom. The vivid red blades were too realistic even for Logans senses to distinguish in a moment. But Below! The sword targeting the lower half was undoubtedly real, while the one above seemed merely a floating red blade. Caliann was obliterated, his armor reduced to blood-stained sand scattering in the wind. As the shocking scene drew all nearby eyes Ive captured the enemy commander! Logan shouted with a booming voice that shook the surroundings. Right at that moment Soto Sylvan has been captured! Those who kneel and disarm shall live! All must surrender! His fathers even louder outcry reverberated beyond the castle walls and across the entire battlefield. The impact of those words scattered the attention focused on Logan instantly. When did he get there Logan smirked awkwardly, covered in blood. * * * The battle that ensued half a day after the declaration of war concluded in just a few hours. Moreover, the result was overwhelmingly one-sided, a decisive victory for Macline. Baron Sylvans knight, Caliann, and 42 others deceased. Soldiers, 1,223 deceased. Maclines knight, Pames, and 5 others deceased. Soldiers, 0 deceased. A turnout so favorable, it would be deemed a lie upon hearing it through rumors. Silvan ran, losing his knights swiftly to Padrics capture. When Silvan the baron was taken and a sword threatened his neck, the remaining knights, poised to resist to the end, all surrendered. The MacLine knights occupying Silvan Castle wore faces full of smiles for a reason. We have won. Decisively so. A swelling pride for progress turned into reality. There were sacrifices, but the general ease and laughter on everyones face were well justified. On the contrary, the Silvan family and knights kneeled in plain clothes within the great hall, the situation grim for them. But that concern was not for the conquerors to bear. Soto Sylvan. I offer you a chance. Seated in place of the lord, Padrics voice echoed throughout the great hall, and Soto Sylvan, who suddenly aged a decade in half a day, raised his head with a haggard complexion. Repent for your sins and take the minimum bounty to leave this territory with your family. Already humiliated and kneeling, the defeated were now instructed to apologize. No one would accept this lightly. Such blatant declaration and unwarranted occupation will not be tolerated by the royal court either! For those watching, Sotos desperate outburst elicited nothing but hollow laughter. Just as demonstrated in the previous estate war with Tesron, the royal court held little interest in this rural backwater. Unless it was high treason or a similar major event, they wouldnt care. However, such matters couldnt be voiced publicly, so Padric looked down at the vanquished with a sneer. You insulted and threatened Macline, which possessed a just cause. My actions were merely to protect our sovereignty. Even the royal court will find no fault. Even if the royals overlook this, Count Biphros of the Southwest will not allow it! Especially against Macline! Faced with this claim, Padric tensed. If the downfall of the Macline earldom was once caused by the earls mismanagement, the biggest beneficiary of overturning Macline was Biphros, formerly a vassal of Macline. The fertile Biphros Plains, formerly Macline Plains, elevated Biphros to the position of Lord of the Southwest naturally. Owing to the mediation of the royal court and Maclines barren lands, Biphros didnt enforce vassalage upon the Macline family. But for Macline, the name alone was distasteful. Are you declining the opportunity and choosing death? Padrics tone naturally bore a hint of deadliness. I, I Realizing too late that his own words had sealed his fate, Soto paled. Just Whoosh! Before Soto could muster a defense, his head soared into the air amidst a spray of blood. Ahh! Dad! Honey! The three wives and five daughters of Sotos kneeling family screamed in unison. In honor of the viscounts choice for a dignified death over submission, his end came with the least pain possible. Logan, having just wiped the blood off his sword, bowed indifferently to his father. Good, that was done well. The scene had been preordained, and so Padrics expression remained stoic. They had captured Soto to avoid unnecessary losses, and now they had killed him to sever any lingering hopes of the remaining knights. Even if there were any knights truly loyal to the tyrannical Soto, the coup was to offer a chance for change. If you had bowed from the start, it would have been a bit troublesome. But this worked out well. Regardless of Sotos actions, the outcome was sealed. The choice given was merely a facade for the narratives that would spread, aimed at preventing any hot gossip among the other nobles. Especially Biphros Currently, it was a foe beyond the capacity of the Macline family. For now, they had to momentarily retract for a future leap forward.