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Chapter 681
Chapter 681
Shall I Start Moving Again? (2)
In a tavern in a city, a group of mercenaries had gathered and were chatting loudly.
"Did you see those bastards begging for their lives?"
"They were ex-bandits, but they weren’t anything special."
"Being ex-bandits doesn't mean much. All the truly dangerous ones are dead, and the half-decent ones were taken in by the lord, right?"
Ё nŭṁа̂ ._і̄d̄
"Still, a few of them had some fight left in them. But the moment we bashed their heads in, they shut up real quick. Puhaha!"
Everyone laughed and mocked someone in that manner.
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Their target of ridicule was none other than the members of the Julien Mercenary Corps specifically, the former bandits taken in by Ghislain.
While handling various minor requests under Ghislain’s orders, they had recently been attacked several times.
The ones who had ambushed them most frequently were none other than the ‘Black Hammer Mercenary Corps,’ currently gathered in this tavern.
As the mercenaries drank and whispered among themselves again,
W̆е̄.b ň о̀v е̊ l̀. Е ṅ.ǔm а̄
"By the way, weren’t their top guys supposed to be tough? Especially that crazy one?"
"Oh yeah, the one they call the ‘Bandit Smasher’? It’s all hype, isn’t it? Other people mess with them too, and they never do anything."
"Maybe they don’t care since it’s just a bunch of ex-bandits. Besides, it’s not like there's any proof we did it, right?"
The mercenaries snickered and agreed among themselves. It was essentially just willful ignorance, but they always wore masks when carrying out the ambushes.
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Thanks to them, the Julien Mercenary Corps had botched a few requests. Their aim was to gradually tarnish the corps’ reputation that way.
The mercenaries still looked down on the Julien Mercenary Corps. A rookie group that had popped up out of nowhere. They were so desperate for manpower that they even scooped up former bandits as subordinates.
Е̊nu m а̃ . ї d
Nobodies with no foundation, stealing requests left and right, it was enough to rile up the established mercenary circles.
"Those guys have no sense of honor, none at all. I mean, aren't we supposed to share the smaller jobs around and take on the big ones together? That’s the unspoken rule in our line of work."
"Exactly. The only reason they’re still around is because the lord is protecting them. Otherwise, we’d have wiped them out already."
"And that Black Mage, they say knights took him down, didn’t they? It looked like a staged show to me. Who finds a black mage with a duck?"
"That mage guy, does anyone even know what circle he is?"
"Wasn’t it said he’s Fourth or Fifth Circle?"
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Even as they chatted, the mercenaries looked a little unsure.
They knew the Julien Mercenary Corps had some skill, but no one could clearly grasp just how strong they were.
Especially Ghislain, he had never revealed the extent of his magical power. In fact, he had even spread a false rumor that he was a Fourth Circle mage.
So, there wasn’t a single person who truly knew Ghislain’s capabilities.
“I think we made a mistake not joining the Black Mage subjugation. All the other mercenaries bailed and only those guys went in, so we can’t know the truth.”
“They must have some skill. That’s for sure. I mean, they did catch the Black Mage’s apprentice themselves.”
Ēñ üm̂а
“There are a ton of people gunning for them anyway, right? I’ve heard plenty say they’ll strike the moment they leave the Nodehill Estate.”
Many mercenaries had already left Nodehill Estate for neighboring territories. The only ones still around were from smaller mercenary corps or were preparing to relocate soon.
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But the Julien Mercenary Corps had even been pulling in requests from nearby estates. The mercenary corps losing work to them were all itching to strike back.
Right in the midst of all their chatter, a deafening explosion rang out.
KWAANG!
Every mercenary jumped up, grabbing their weapons. All eyes turned toward the shattered door.
Еn̆ u m̊а
“So, this is where you all were hanging out. Well, I guess this is your hideout, huh?”
Ghislain stood there, grinning from ear to ear. The mercenaries frowned at the sight of him.
“Bandit Smasher...”
“So that bastard finally showed up...”
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“Did he come to pick a fight?”
It was well-known that Lord Andrew had a soft spot for the Julien Mercenary Corps. That’s why most avoided direct conflict with them.
Е n̂ ůmа̀_. і̃d
But if someone came looking for trouble like this, it was a different story. A few mercenaries started exuding a fighting spirit.
Of course, not everyone was like that. Quite a few looked tense.
Though they hadn’t fought them directly, the Julien Mercenary Corps had a reputation. Winning would be lucky, but losing would be a disgrace. Some could even die in the fight.
A burly, hairy man broke the silence.
“Bandit Smasher, what brings you here?”
It was Osval, captain of the Black Hammer Mercenary Corps.
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Their group’s name, “Black Hammer,” came from his own nickname; he was known for wielding an enormous, blackened hammer.
Ghislain rested his steel mage staff (?) across both shoulders, smiling.
“Are you really asking because you don’t know?”
“...”
“Why play dumb when you already know? Boring. Look, I don’t need proof or anything. Just kneel and beg, and I’ll let it go.”
“Tch, you’ve been doing pretty well lately, huh... but aren’t you getting a bit too cocky?”
Eń u mа́
“Do you know why I kept quiet all this time?”
“Why?”
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“I was waiting for every bastard in this town to make a move on us. Didn’t want anyone slipping away before that.”
Osval tilted his head. He couldn’t make sense of what Ghislain was saying.
It took him a few moments to get it.
“No way...”
W е̊b n o.v е̊l̈ Е́ ň.ũ m̊ а̀
That bastard had stayed still on purpose. He wanted every mercenary corps in the area to provoke him.
That way, he could confidently track them all down and beat them to a pulp.
“Puhuhuhu...”
Osval let out a laugh, baffled. He had heard the guy was decent, but this was just too fearless.
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Thud!
Osval slammed the ground with his massive, heavy hammer. The shock made the whole building tremble.
Еn ǔ m а .і d́
“You little shit... I've been watching you and now your arrogance is through the roof. Yeah, we provoked you. So what? You wanna die today too?”
Osval twitched his cheek as he slowly approached Ghislain. At the same time, he didn't forget to signal the others with his eyes.
The Black Hammer Mercenary Corps had around twenty members. They began to slowly surround Ghislain's group.
Everyone knew Ghislain was a mage. Their plan was to close in instantly and strike before he could cast a spell.
Osval watched carefully, thinking.
‘There's no need to worry about the lord siding with them anymore. That lunatic looks like he came fully prepared for this...’
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This wasn't the time to argue over whether there was proof of an ambush or not.
Given how things had escalated, it was better to wipe out the entire Julien Mercenary Corps and leave the area.
In the tense atmosphere, Ghislain suddenly broke the flow and said,
“Wanna take it outside?”
“What?”
“If we’re gonna fight, let’s not make it a dirty brawl. Let’s do it properly. If I break all your guys’ arms and legs, I’ll be short on manpower later.”
Ё ñúḿа
“Properly, with who? You? Or your so-called commander?”
“I’ll do it this time. No need to bother our commander. How about it? I won’t even use magic. I’ll just beat you with my magic wand.”
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“Puhuhuhu...”
Osval let out a dry laugh, as if it was too ridiculous. He was so dumbfounded, his face turned red with heat.
“Ha... fuck... you really must think I’m a fucking joke... A damn mage asking for a head-on fight.”
The Black Hammer Mercenary Corps was one of the top groups in the region. Osval himself was known for his strength.
Е nū må . і_d
But even so, facing the famed Julien Mercenary Corps made him cautious.
Osval chewed over Ghislain’s proposal in his head.
‘But why would he make a proposal like that? Does he seriously think he can beat me in a fight?’
It made no sense. There was a reason mages were always protected above all else. Osval was confident he could crush a mage’s skull in a single blow up close.
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He narrowed his eyes. His suspicion deepened.
‘Come to think of it, no one’s actually seen those bastards fight. The ones spreading rumors about them wiping out the bandits all heard it secondhand.’
Ẁ е b́ n̊о v ê l Е̌ n̆ û mа̂
They probably had done the job. The bandits had nearly disappeared, and the number of prisoners had increased. A few former bandits had even joined the Julien Mercenary Corps.
However, Julien’s subordinates weren’t particularly strong. They might’ve been stronger than ordinary folks thanks to their bandit background, but there was no way they could match mercenaries who lived by the sword.
In short, the Julien Mercenary Corps was all hype with no real substance. Osval couldn’t shake the strange feeling gnawing at him.
‘Ah, I get it now. They’re a mercenary corps the lord put forward. Just to make it look like there’s a competent group in the territory.’
That kind of bluff was a common trick among nobles. For Osval, that was the most logical conclusion.
‘He wants a wide space so he can create distance and cast magic as soon as we’re outside. A free-for-all would break out here.’
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With that mistaken assumption in mind, Osval grinned. Once they got outside and formed up, there was no way such an obvious tactic would work.
In that case, it was better to go along with what the enemy wanted. Fighting in a cramped space would only bring unnecessary casualties to his own side.
Osval gave another signal to his mercenaries and said,
“Fine. Let’s take this outside. Can’t have my favorite tavern getting smashed now, can we?”
He planned to surround them outside and crush them all. Once everyone was in position, the whole corps would charge.
And sure enough, the Black Hammer Mercenary Corps immediately surrounded the Julien Mercenary Corps the moment they stepped outside.
Е̂n̊u m̀ а̃ .ĭ d̂
The distance wasn’t even that great. A terrible setup for a mage.
Osval glared at Ghislain and bellowed,
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“Just attack! Kill them all!”
“Uoooooooh!”
The Black Hammer Mercenary Corps charged at the Julien Mercenary Corps.
Ghislain looked completely unsurprised. Julien and Kyle also wore indifferent expressions.
Ё nù m̌а̀. і̆ d
Only the former bandits who had followed them seemed flustered, not knowing what to do.
Osval rushed toward Ghislain with a grin of ecstasy on his face.
“Die, you stupid bastard!”
He swung his massive hammer at Ghislain. Osval didn’t doubt for a second that this one blow would crush him.
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Clang!
“Huh?”
Ẇè b ñ о̃ṽ е l̆ Е̇ ňũm̈ а̊
But something was wrong. No matter how strong the steel was, how could that slender wand block his hammer so easily?
Ghislain clicked his tongue and said,
“You’re worse with a hammer than my little sister.”
When it came to hammers, there was Elena. And Elena was the hammer. The way she wielded that massive hammer had reached a level where even Ghislain had to acknowledge her skills.
Compared to her, Osval’s hammer swings felt light almost laughably so.
“Wh-What the hell did you just say?!”
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His pride wounded, Osval began swinging his hammer wildly.
Clang! Claaang! Claaang!
Two steel weapons clashed, sending sparks flying.
Ghislain crossed weapons with Osval several times, gauging his skill. For Osval, caught in the middle of the fight, it was maddening.
“You... You’re not a mage?”
Osval had a sudden revelation. The lord must have spread false rumors about this guy being a mage.
Е ǹu m а
Trusting in his theory, he shouted loudly.
“This whole mercenary corps is a sham! They’re hiding something!”
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“What the hell are you talking about?”
Having finished assessing his opponent, Ghislain swung his iron rod.
Thwack!
“Uaargh!”
W eb̃nо̀ v̊еl̇_ Еn um â
Struck suddenly in the shin, Osval staggered back, limping. His face was filled with shock.
He hadn’t even seen when or how the rod moved. The moment he felt pain, his body had instinctively recoiled.
But before he could recover, the rod was already swinging again.
“W-Wait!”
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Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
Ghislain’s iron rod pounded Osval’s body without mercy. With each strike, Osval’s arms and legs broke one by one.
Wеb̃ n о́vе̃ľ Ӗ ńum̈ а
“Gyaaaah! W-Wait a second!”
Before he knew it, Osval had dropped his hammer and was rolling on the ground, trying to shield himself.
Even as he rolled, he screamed like a madman.
“What are you all doing?! Hit this bastard! Hurry! Hit- GAAARGH!”
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
Ghislain kept beating the cowering Osval on the ground with just enough force.
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While being beaten, Osval had a thought.
‘Why? Why isn’t anyone coming to help me?’
Now that he thought about it, he was the only one screaming. There were no sounds of battle either.
‘Don’t tell me... they all betrayed me?’
But Osval couldn’t follow that thought too far, being hit hurt way too much.
He was a high-level mercenary who had even learned the Mana Refinement Technique. That’s how he had become one of the top mercenaries in the region.
Ên ù m̄ а̂ ._і̀_ḋ
And yet here he was, being pummeled by some punk who’d only been active for two years.
‘I- I was wrong!’
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The guy beating him now was the real deal. Even with mana reinforcing his whole body, every strike was shattering him.
There had only been rumors, but once the fight began, Ghislain’s level was beyond comprehension.
He had underestimated his opponent with a foolish assumption. The one thing a mercenary should never do.
Finally understanding the situation, Osval cried out in desperation. He was surprisingly weak against pain.
Е̊ ń ů m̂а .і_d
“W-Wait! I was wrong!”
Still, Ghislain’s beating didn’t stop.
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
“Gyaaaah! I’m sorry!”
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All Osval could do was beg.
He had already attacked a few of Julien’s mercenaries. Since he was the one at fault, the only way to survive now was to be forgiven.
W е b̌ ñ о v ė l̀ Ë n ú m̃ а̇
“Boss! Please forgive me! I’ll never mess with you again!”
As soon as the word “boss” came out of his mouth, Ghislain’s beating finally stopped.
“Khuhuhuh...”
Osval sniffled and whimpered in pain, tears and snot running down his face.
Barely able to move again, he raised his head slightly.
Ghislain stood there expressionlessly. And around them...
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“Huuh...”
Osval gasped.
The entire Black Hammer Mercenary Corps was down, groaning in pain. The reason it had been so quiet while he was being beaten was because they’d all already been taken out.
It wasn’t the bandits who did it. They stood off to the side, looking timid and unsure.
Standing silently without a word, Julien and Kyle had taken down the rest using only their sheathed swords.
A chill ran down Osval’s spine.
W е̊b̂ n̄о v ėl̃ E n û ṁ ä
‘It’s real. Not just the mage, these guys are all monsters.’
Every assumption he had made was dead wrong. The Julien Mercenary Corps wasn’t just as strong as the rumors said they were even stronger.
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And the deputy commander among them... he looked like the nastiest and scariest of them all.
Ghislain looked at Osval and said,
“As of today, the Black Hammer Mercenary Corps is disbanded. From now on, you’ll be reborn anew.”
At Ghislain’s chilling words, Osval nodded frantically.
W ê b.n̄о̌ v е̌l̂ Е n̊ u mâ
Even though he had no idea what those words meant.
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