The sound of galloping filled the air. Clop, clop, clop. The Black King moved forward at a relaxed pace, and atop it, Ghislain wore an equally composed expression. It was only natural. Though the opposing army was twice their size, the Fenris forces had more than enough strength to handle it. And alongside Ghislain were warriors of exceptional skill: Ereneth, Parniel, Belinda, and Gillian—all of them transcendents. Kaor, though not a transcendent, was still a top-tier knight. With Ghislain, they had five transcendents in their ranks. Against such power, the exhausted and demoralized 5th Corps posed little threat. The only one looking slightly glum was Kaor, who had recently discovered Gillian had become a transcendent. “Damn it... I wanted to surpass the old man first.” His own progress had been utterly stagnant. Perhaps he had been too lax in his training. In hindsight, risking his life in combat might have been a better option. Snort. The Black King let out a rough breath, clearly eager for action. “Well, I suppose there’s no need to overthink this,” Ghislain said with a smile, resting his spear on his shoulder. Their overwhelming power made strategy almost redundant. However, Count Kandore had not yet given up entirely. “Everyone, pull yourselves together! We have twice their numbers! No matter how strong Count Fenris is, we have a transcendent of our own!” At his words, the officers and commanders snapped out of their stupor. The legendary reputation of Count Fenris and his almost supernatural mobility had cowed them, but upon reflection, their situation wasn’t as dire as it seemed. Though weary, their soldiers were still elite troops, proven by their string of victories against the Kingdom Army and the allied forces. While they might not match the Fenris forces individually, their numerical superiority gave them confidence. The strategists nodded in agreement. “If the priest of the Salvation Order can keep Count Fenris occupied, our numerical advantage will give us a chance to win.” “That’s right. We have no choice but to fight, so we might as well do it without fear.” “And it’s fortunate Count Fenris has opted for a frontal assault rather than his usual ambush tactics.” With similar thoughts, they began to rally their resolve. While retreat might have been the safest option, it was no longer viable. They had to fight to the death and claim victory. The commanders spread this determination throughout the ranks, striving to boost morale. “Come on, Count Fenris is just a man like any other!” “He’ll die if we stab him with a spear!” “We’ve never lost a battle until now!” “There’s no reason to be scared before we even clash!” The determination of the Delphine forces grew. These were, after all, elite soldiers who refused to give up so easily. Even Count Kandore felt a renewed sense of determination as he observed his soldiers. “Count Fenris... that arrogant little brat. Just because he’s won a few battles, he thinks he can take me head-on? And not even with his entire Northern Army—just a portion of it?” The thought bruised his pride. Before Ghislain was even born, Kandore had been a lord and a seasoned commander. No matter the cost, he resolved to crush the upstart once and for all. He wasn’t avoiding the Northern Army out of fear but because the full force of their combined might would be too much to handle. At least, that’s what he told himself. “Priest, you must hold Count Fenris. I will handle the rest.” “Leave it to me. Today, I’ll put an end to his arrogance,” replied Gribail, the judge of the Salvation Order, with a haughty smirk. Gribail had always looked down on Ghislain. The other priests who had fallen to Ghislain were scholars at best, lacking combat skills. Gribail, however, was different. He had trained in martial techniques from a young age, honing his abilities through countless battles. In truth, he had aspired to become an executor like Aidan but was appointed as a judge instead due to his superior divine energy. “To be honest, retreating because of him never sat well with me. I’m glad we’ll finally have the chance to fight,” Gribail said arrogantly. Count Kandore frowned. The Northern Army boasted 80,000 troops. Adding the 25,000 soldiers under Maurice’s command, the forces against them were overwhelming. With the Kingdom Army and the allied forces holding the defensive lines ahead and the Rayfold forces threatening their supply lines from the rear, they were on the brink of encirclement. Gribail’s words showed a complete lack of awareness of the gravity of their situation. But Kandore held back his irritation, muttering, “It’s not just that. The numbers are significantly in their favor.” He chose to brush it off. With such an important battle looming, there was no point in creating conflict among allies. As the 5th Corps completed their preparations, the Fenris forces closed in. “They’re coming! Everyone, get ready!” Count Kandore shouted resolutely. Clang! Clang! Clang! The Delphine soldiers braced their shields and spears, their determination palpable. The Fenris cavalry was legendary, their charges as devastating as they were unstoppable. Stopping them would require every ounce of strength. Ghislain, observing their formation from atop the Black King, smiled faintly. “Hmm... that’s the spirit.” He didn’t enjoy slaughtering foes who had lost their will to fight. Battles were most exhilarating when both sides were fueled by conviction. “Let’s go. If we crush them here, we’ll have some peace for a while.” Clop, clop, clop—thud, thud, thud! The Black King began to accelerate, transitioning from a trot to a gallop like a storm breaking loose. Behind him, his lieutenants and the Fenris cavalry surged forward, their speed and ferocity building like a tidal wave. Thud, thud, thud, thud! The Delphine soldiers braced themselves against the oncoming charge. If they could just withstand the initial impact, they might have a chance. The mages began to channel their magic, waiting for the perfect range to unleash their spells. Gribail stepped forward, rushing toward the charging Ghislain. Boom! Surging forward with incredible speed, Gribail shouted, “Face me, Count Fenris!” He swung his arm, aiming to decapitate the Black King in one blow. Whoosh! “Huh?” Gribail’s attack sliced through empty air as the Black King leapt high, vaulting over him. “What a clown,” Ghislain remarked, leaving Gribail behind as he surged forward. Furious, Gribail turned, roaring, “Coward! Where are you going?” But Ghislain ignored him, focusing solely on the enemy lines. Gribail’s face turned red with anger. Being so thoroughly disregarded was infuriating. Just as he gathered his energy to pursue, vines erupted from the ground, wrapping around his legs. “What is this?!” As Gribail struggled to free himself, Ereneth strode past him with an indifferent expression. Then, without warning, dozens of glowing daggers surrounded Gribail. “What...?” Each dagger gleamed with Aura Blades, an absurdly advanced technique. Gribail barely had time to register the sight before the daggers struck. Slash, slash, slash! “Aaargh!” The daggers tore into him with relentless precision, leaving him unable to defend himself. As Gribail writhed, Belinda passed him by, her attention already elsewhere. Boom! “Damn you all!” Gribail, bloodied and battered, managed to shatter the remaining daggers, enveloping himself in black energy to heal his wounds. But just as he steadied himself, a massive mace loomed before his eyes. “Ugh!” Crash! Though he raised his arms to block, the sheer force of the blow shattered his defenses. His arm broke, and his legs gave way beneath him. Parniel, wielding the mace, glanced at him briefly before moving on. “This can’t be... Who are these people?” Gribail muttered, stunned by the overwhelming power of his opponents. His arrogance had cost him dearly. As he struggled to rise for one final attempt at revenge, a white-haired knight approached on horseback. “White hair? Gillian?” Unlike the reports that described him as a top-tier knight, the massive axe in Gillian’s hands radiated an intense Aura Blade. Realizing the danger, Gribail channeled his remaining energy to stand, but the divine power lingering in his body hindered his recovery. “Damn it... divine energy!” Despite his efforts to suppress it, Gillian reached him first. Lowering his posture on horseback, Gillian swung his axe with lightning speed. Crunch! A harsh, metallic sound echoed as Gribail’s neck was severed cleanly. Despite his reputation as a skilled combatant among the Salvation Order, Gribail had underestimated his opponents and paid the price. Without sparing him another glance, Gillian continued his advance. Kaor, bringing up the rear, sighed in frustration. “Che.” He spat on the ground as he passed Gribail’s corpse, his gaze fixed ahead. “...Tsk.” Kaor glared at Gillian’s back, his expression filled with resentment. “If only that old man weren’t here... No, even then I wouldn’t be first.” He bit his lip in frustration. Both Gillian and Belinda had surpassed him far too quickly. Grinding his teeth, Kaor spurred his horse forward, channeling his anger toward the enemy. Behind him, the Fenris cavalry laughed as they charged. The once-feared judge of the Salvation Order had been cut down effortlessly. No army in the kingdom could compare to theirs. They were, without a doubt, the strongest force in the realm. As the enemy loomed closer, Lucas, leading the cavalry, shouted loudly. “Spears up!” Clang! Clang! Clang! The soldiers locked their spears into position. Then, Paladin Gordon bellowed, “Charge!” “Hurrah!” Their battle cries roared across the battlefield, a deafening proclamation of their dominance. Thud, thud, thud! The Delphine soldiers, pale with fear, realized the truth far too late. Their confidence had been misplaced. Their so-called transcendent priest hadn’t even managed to put up a fight. As the Fenris cavalry bore down on them, their fear turned into despair. “This... this is the strongest army in the North...” “How can we possibly win against that?” “We can’t. We’re all going to die.” Before the clash had even begun, the Delphine soldiers had lost their will to fight. The overwhelming force of the Fenris army was palpable, a storm that promised to obliterate everything in its path. At that moment, they understood. This wasn’t just a formidable army. This was the army forged by Ghislain Fenris. The name echoed among them, spreading like wildfire. The man who had single-handedly crushed the four armies of Delphine. Thud, thud, thud! And now, at the very front of this unstoppable force, Ghislain rode with his crimson eyes gleaming and a feral smile on his face. The Delphine forces, still in formation, realized the truth before the battle had even begun. They could not win. And then— Neigh! With a wild cry from the Black King, Ghislain and his army crashed into their lines. Boom!