"Charge!"
The Grimwell Army, brimming with confidence, pressed the Artrode Army hard.
Most of the Artrode Army were composed of hastily assembled revolutionaries from various regions. As a result, they lacked coordination and fought as disparate units.
Their superior numbers and greater combat experience barely allowed them to hold even ground with the enemy.
However, the Grimwell Army also had no shortage of combat experience. Furthermore, they had another reason for confidently intercepting a larger enemy force.
Boom!
"Aaahhh!"
With every swing of his sword, a burly old man cut down swathes of Artrode soldiers.
Covered in blood, the old man roared, "We can win this! Don't stop, push forward!"
"Charge!"
Emboldened by his words, the Grimwell soldiers struck with renewed vigor.
This old man was none other than Grimwell's superhuman and one of the kingdom's three pillars of strength: Marquis Tristan, the veteran of a hundred battles.
Huff!
Boom!
Taking a step forward, Marquis Tristan swung his massive sword, unleashing a gale. Artrode soldiers caught in the mana's backlash were shredded to pieces.
No one could stop Marquis Tristan.
Of course, as the battle dragged on, he began to sustain injuries. Fighting at the forefront took its toll, especially since the opposing side had skilled knights of their own.
Nevertheless, like an enraged lion, he charged only toward the enemy.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
"Bring a brutal death to the invaders of our land!"
Marquis Tristan, unfazed by his injuries, continued to swing his sword. His relentless assault disrupted the Artrode Army' frontlines, forcing them to retreat.
He was an undefeated veteran. Thanks to him, Grimwell had triumphed in countless battles against the revolutionaries.
That was why the Grimwell Army had confidently engaged the Artrode army.
Watching from afar, Idun licked his lips with a grin.
"The old man's still got it. He should be at home looking after his grandchildren."
Marquis Tristan's skills were genuine. The mere fact that a swordsman of his age had survived this long was proof enough that he was a monster.
No wonder the Grimwell Army was so confident. They had no qualms about deploying such a major trump card early on.
"Well, I suppose there's no one here but me who could match him."
Idun had been hailed as a prodigy since childhood, receiving full support from both the Salvation Church and Duke Leinster. If it came down to a duel, it would be a worthy match.
But Idun had no intention of fighting that old monster alone. Rolling around in a dirty battlefield wasn't his style.
He turned to the black-robed priests flanking him and said, "Arbiters, I'll need you to hold that old monster at bay."
The 2nd Corps of Artrode had only two priests assigned to it. This was a testament to the Salvation Church's trust in Idun's abilities.
"We follow the enforcer's command."
"Leave it to us."
The two priests soared toward Marquis Tristan.
Seeing them approach, Marquis Tristan twisted his lips into a smirk.
"Finally here, you damned cursed scum."
Even against two superhumans, he showed no fear.
Boom!
Marquis Tristan blocked the priests' attack with his greatsword.
He had anticipated their arrival. Despite this, he had deliberately fought at the forefront to deplete their strength, as part of a calculated plan.
"Did you think you could exhaust me and then attack?"
At his shout, flags rose across the battlefield. Knights from the center ranks surged to his side.
These were the most elite knights on the field, holding back their strength until now to prepare for a clash with the enemy's superhumans.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
With the support of a dozen knights, Marquis Tristan swung his greatsword with reckless abandon.
The priests were taken aback. Marquis Tristan alone was already formidable enough to hold off two superhumans.
With elite knights aiding him, they found it impossible to press their attack.
"Damn it!"
"He's still fighting with this much strength?"
The priests began to lose ground to Marquis Tristan.
They tried to deal with the surrounding knights first, but even that proved difficult.
The knights were skilled, and Marquis Tristan absorbed all the most dangerous attacks. Their teamwork was astonishingly effective.
Boom!
Marquis Tristan pushed the priests back, laughing.
"Did you think my knights, trained by me, would lose to half-baked superhumans?"
Marquis Tristan had fought the revolutionaries countless times. He had encountered Salvation Church priests before and knew their limits well.
To compensate for the kingdom's relative lack of superhumans, he had devised a strategy based on his extensive experience: coordinated teamwork.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The two priests were cornered. Their only saving grace was that Marquis Tristan, occupied with them, could no longer wreak havoc on the Artrode Army.
Marquis Tristan's skill and tactics were superb. At this rate, the battle would end in defeat for Artrode's forces.
If not for Idun attacking Grimwell's flank.
Fwoosh!
Clad in a blue cape and riding a dazzling white horse, Idun looked every bit the hero.
Those who followed Idun suddenly halted their advance, waiting.
Idun charged alone into enemy lines, sword flashing.
Zap!
A blue lightning bolt surged from his sword, sweeping over the Grimwell Army.
Boom!
The lightning obliterated everything in its path. Not even the bodies of soldiers remained.
Idun had deliberately used excessive force to create a dramatic entrance.
The effect was stunning. The Grimwell Army, locked in intense combat, froze in shock at the absurd display of power.
Idun looked around, smiling at their reaction. It was exactly what he wanted.
"Phew… everyone's frozen."
Raising his sword and tilting his head toward the sky, Idun closed his eyes.
It was as if divine light shone upon him. His gleaming armor radiated an almost sacred aura.
He looked like a messenger of the gods descending to deliver punishment, exuding a majestic presence.
Still with his eyes closed, Idun spoke.
"Those who stand at the brink of death, remember this moment, and worship me for eternity."
From behind his forces, an artist emerged and quickly began sketching Idun's figure.
He was the most skilled painter in the Artrode Kingdom, tasked with following Idun into battle to capture his glorious moments.
Though the lines were shaky and crooked due to the horse's movement, the artist didn't mind.
All he needed was to capture the mood and atmosphere. He could refine the piece later.
Holding his pose for a moment longer, Idun finally turned his horse around.
"Hmm, this should be enough time."
His preparations to craft a heroic narrative were complete. Now he could engage in combat at his leisure.
The Grimwell Army, bewildered, stood momentarily dumbfounded.
Meanwhile, soldiers on both sides continued to clash fiercely, screaming and bleeding. Yet in this particular area, the atmosphere had completely shifted.
Such was the overwhelming presence Idun exuded.
In his past life, Ghislain had dismissed Idun as a pompous fool, but in truth, he wasn't to be underestimated.
Even on a chaotic battlefield, he had the ability to briefly mesmerize everyone, commanding their attention with his charisma.
This unique ability to dominate the atmosphere earned Idun the title of the "Noble Knight."
The Grimwell commander snapped back to his senses and shouted, "What are you standing around for? Attack! Attack now!"
"Charge!"
At the commander's shout, the soldiers charged at Idun once more.
Idun grinned and extended his sword forward. Even this simple gesture had been practiced countless times to make it look picturesque.
"Go."
Thud, thud, thud!
The Silver Knights, who had been waiting at a distance, spurred their horses forward. Each wore brilliantly shining armor.
A hundred knights in total, every one of them a high-level knight.
These were the very knights who had assisted Idun in capturing the Mercenary King in Ghislain's past life.
The elite knights of the Artrode Kingdom had finally entered the battlefield.
Boom!
"Aaahhh!"
With tremendous destructive force, the Silver Knights struck Grimwell's flank. Behind them, the elite Artrode Army poured in.
Grimwell's best knights were concentrated at the front line. The remaining forces were unable to properly defend against the Silver Knights.
"H-hold the line! Hold it at all costs!"
The commander shouted, but the power of the Silver Knights was overwhelming. They tore through the flank in an instant.
The battle had once again reached a stalemate. The Silver Knights and the Artrode Army had thrown Grimwell's formation into disarray.
At the front, Marquis Tristan bit his lip as he realized what was happening.
"They were hiding such strength?"
This was a force on an entirely different level compared to the revolutionaries he had fought until now. In fact, even among all the knight orders he had encountered in his life, this was one of the strongest.
On top of that, it seemed there was another superhuman present. Marquis Tristan drew on more mana.
He had anticipated there might be as many as three superhumans on the enemy's side. He believed he could overcome this challenge.
"Push harder!"
He shouted and swung his massive sword with all his might.
Boom!
The priests were pushed back repeatedly, while the knights attacked more aggressively. Yet, the priests smirked even as they were driven back.
"Just a little longer."
Marquis Tristan was already significantly drained. If Idun and the Silver Knights could keep moving while they delayed him, victory would soon be within their grasp.
Sensing their strategy, Marquis Tristan ground his teeth. They intended to keep him tied up while annihilating his flank.
But they had chosen the wrong opponent.
"You dare try to stall for time in front of me?"
Fwoom!
His face twisted in fury as he unleashed a burst of mana.
Marquis Tristan's massive sword cleaved through the air with the force to split the sky. Even the knights fighting alongside him stepped back in alarm.
Boom!
"Aaagh!"
The storm unleashed by Marquis Tristan was unstoppable. The two priests were torn apart and forced to retreat, their bodies shredded.
Soldiers on both sides were caught in the attack, regardless of allegiance. Such was the terrifying power of Marquis Tristan.
He clenched his teeth. Though he had tried to fight while protecting his allies, the urgency of the situation left him no choice.
His bloodshot eyes darted as he shouted.
"Hold them off!"
He wasn't the only one who was drained. The two priests were also injured and weakened.
Marquis Tristan had prepared for this scenario. Grimwell's knights quickly shifted to a defensive stance, raising their shields.
If the priests tried to attack his allies, the knights would block them.
"I'll be back soon! Just hold on, and victory will be ours!"
Now, it was their turn to delay the priests. Marquis Tristan would eliminate the superhuman and knights attacking their flank and return.
Marquis Tristan dashed forward at terrifying speed, cutting through his own ranks.
Ahead, he could see his soldiers being slaughtered by the enemy knights. He roared.
"Stop! Face me instead!"
He closed the distance in an instant and swung his massive sword at the Silver Knights.
Boom!
But his sword was intercepted by none other than Idun, who had reappeared.
Marquis Tristan glared at Idun, seated atop his white horse.
"So, you're the third superhuman."
Idun, smiling, looked down at Marquis Tristan from his mount.
"Marquis Tristan. You look quite worn out."
"I still have enough strength to kill you. Get off that horse immediately."
"Fighting on the filthy ground isn't my preference, but… I suppose I have no choice."
Idun's white horse was one of his most cherished possessions. He couldn't risk it being killed in the midst of battle.
Dismounting lightly, he slapped the horse's hindquarters, sending it galloping away from the battlefield.
Idun glanced at Marquis Tristan and said, "It would've been easier if you'd fought a little longer elsewhere. But I suppose this will have to do."
"A pup like you, scheming this much?"
"I despise dirty fighting. You should be thankful. From the start, I intended to handle you personally. Someone of your caliber is perfect for enhancing my reputation."
"Reputation? You dare challenge me for something so petty? How insolent."
At Tristan's words, Idun smirked cruelly.
"Yes, reputation. I need to build it up, after all. How else can I surpass Duke Fenris of Lutania? The thought of him being more popular than me is unbearable."
"Don't kid yourself. You'll die here."
Boom!
Before the words had even fully left his mouth, their swords clashed with incredible force.
[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 ]