The Regressed Mercenary’s Machinations

Chapter 523

“What’s your name?”

The figure clad in silver armor broke the silence.

A response came from the Master of the Dead, shrouded deeply in a worn, gray robe.

“You seem worthy enough to know my name. I am Helgenique.”

“I see. I am Aiden, Executor of the Salvation Order.”

Around them lay countless corpses, piled high.

The bodies were in various states of decay—some long-rotted, others appearing freshly dead.

Among the corpses were knights clad in silver armor and many who resembled bandits.

This scene was the result of a brutal clash between Aiden’s forces and the undead summoned by Helgenique.

Strictly speaking, Aiden was at a disadvantage. A significant portion of the forces he had brought with him were now dead.

“This is why necromancers are such a pain to deal with. It’s almost impossible to claim a proper victory against them.”

The undead armies summoned by necromancers never tired and fought endlessly.

Helgenique didn’t need to confront Aiden one-on-one. He only had to keep producing more undead until Aiden’s strength was completely drained.

Aiden brushed back his disheveled hair and spoke again.
“You’ve wasted far too much of my time. At this rate, the Order might start doubting my abilities.”

“Hmm… So, are you asking me to surrender? I’ve still got plenty of fight left in me.”

Indeed, Helgenique still had a considerable reserve of mana.

However, Aiden was in a better state. Having anticipated the necromancer’s fighting style, he had held back much of his own strength, letting his subordinates bear the brunt of the battle.

It was Aiden’s preferred method—exhausting his opponent by sending in his forces and finishing them off at their weakest.

That way, he could minimize his own risks and claim all the glory.

But Helgenique’s abilities proved to be a terrible match for him. Aiden had already taken heavy losses, enough to draw criticism from the Order.

This opponent’s skill far exceeded his expectations.

Aiden examined his sword, turning it in his hand, and muttered,
“Continuing this fight would only cause more losses… I see now why your name is feared even at the edge of the continent.”

If Helgenique decided to flee while summoning more undead, it would spell disaster. Aiden hesitated, contemplating his next move.

‘Yes… that could work.’

Suddenly, Aiden flashed a dazzling smile.
“Hey, how about you join forces with us?”

“Hm.”

Helgenique crossed his arms. What an absurd suggestion. After all, Aiden had just slaughtered his forces, only to now propose an alliance.

But there was no doubt that Aiden was serious. His proposal was dripping with insincerity, revealing him to be a hypocrite entirely consumed by his own reputation.

Amused, Helgenique smiled beneath the shadow of his hood.
“And what would you offer me in return?”

“You’ve been experimenting on our priests, haven’t you? With your skills, I could spare you a priest or two. If ordinary humans are what you need, I can get you as many as you want.”

At Aiden’s offer, Helgenique couldn’t help but laugh softly.

“Heh… Hehehe…”

Even for a half-baked superhuman like Aiden, handing over priests for experiments was truly deranged.

Still, Helgenique found the offer appealing. Partnering with the Salvation Order, now wreaking havoc across the continent, would make things much easier for him.

After all, it was becoming tiresome to source all his corpses and experimental materials by himself.

“Could you also grant me access to study the Rifts? I’m curious about how they’re created.”

Helgenique added the condition, as if it were a natural extension of their conversation.

The creatures emerging from the Rifts were undoubtedly not of this world, sparking his curiosity.

Aiden nodded without hesitation.
“That’s not difficult.”

“Excellent… And what would you have me do in return?”

“Wipe out those who stand in our way. With your abilities, you’d be a tremendous asset.”

“That’s not much different from what I already do.”

Helgenique grinned, meeting Aiden’s gaze. Killing people to serve his needs was no different from his usual routine.

But the thought stirred a question in his mind.

He killed to create servants and further his research. But what was their purpose?

“Why do you kill people? What’s your goal?”

Aiden responded with a casual expression.
“Oh, it’s nothing complicated. The Order claims we’re resurrecting our god and creating a new world. Apparently, the true ruler of this world is yet to come.”

“Heh… Hehehe…”

The idea of creating a “new world” while sacrificing people and summoning monsters was laughable. Helgenique had seen his share of madness, but the Salvation Order was on another level.

“You’re not exactly a normal religion, are you?”

To Helgenique, their reasoning seemed utterly trivial. They were no different from the countless cults that had come before them. While their ability to open Rifts was intriguing, that was the only thing setting them apart.

Aiden chuckled at Helgenique’s reaction.
“Ridiculous, isn’t it? Fanatics are always like this. But I’m not following them for those reasons.”

“Then why are you here?”

“Why? Does conquering the world need an explanation? We’ll become its rulers, worshipped for eternity. Isn’t that reason enough?”

“Heh… Hehehe…”

Helgenique laughed again. The more he saw, the more Aiden appeared to be a man driven purely by greed.

Hidden beneath his hood, Helgenique licked his lips.

‘Such a tempting soul…’

Consuming a soul as corrupted as Aiden’s would be immensely satisfying. Unfortunately, despite his outward appearance, Aiden’s strength made him a difficult target.

Still, Helgenique thought it might be entertaining to work with him.

“Very well. So, what’s next?”

“Right now, the Kingdom of Ruthania is embroiled in a civil war. That’s where we’ll start. Our target is Count Fenris.”

“Count Fenris…”

“The Revolutionary Army has agreed to join us. Sure, you’ve killed plenty of their members, but with your help, we can overcome any obstacles.”

“The Revolutionary Army…”

Helgenique was already familiar with the Revolutionary Army—a group determined to overthrow the established order.

The corpses strewn around them, dressed in mismatched clothing and armor like bandits, were none other than members of the Revolutionary Army.

The Salvation Order, having risen to power faster than expected, had encountered significant resistance. In the chaos, Helgenique had indiscriminately killed people, including priests of the Order.

Aiden’s original mission was to recruit the Revolutionary Army to bolster their forces and eliminate Helgenique on his way back.

Though the plan had shifted slightly toward persuasion rather than extermination.

“Very well, this is a favorable arrangement.”

With two disruptive forces joining hands, the continent would plunge further into chaos.

For Helgenique, the Salvation Order’s rampage was welcome.

After all, as a necromancer, he thrived on consuming the despair and fear of others.

***

The Kingdom of Ruthania had completed its preparations for war under Ghislain’s command.

At first, there was much debate about where to send aid first, but Ghislain, now serving as the kingdom’s Supreme Commander, made the decision simple.

“We’ll start with the nearest and most urgent. We have to deal with everything eventually. First, we’re heading to the Kingdom of Ceyron.”

While the proximity of Ceyron to Ruthania was one reason, there was another, more personal motivation.

“Our administrators deserve to live without worry, don’t they?”

Many of the administrators in Fenris were alumni of the Ceyron Academy.

Though most of their families had already moved to Fenris, many still had loved ones remaining in Ceyron. Friends and relatives of Ruthania’s key administrators were scattered throughout the small neighboring kingdom.

Ghislain had sent troops to aid them as soon as the Rift incidents began, ensuring their evacuation.

However, being physically safe was one thing; seeing their homeland fall to ruin was another.

Ghislain glanced briefly at Claude.

‘Tsk, tsk… See? You should’ve come with me from the beginning.’

Ever since the decision to start with Ceyron, Claude had been visibly restless.

He had sent numerous people to search for Anna, his former lover, but had been unable to locate her.

The entire kingdom was in shambles, and there was no way to tell where she might have sought refuge.

‘This country is too small to withstand anything.’

The Kingdom of Ceyron was so tiny that it could barely gather all its forces to protect the capital, let alone defend against the Rifts. It was a wonder it hadn’t collapsed already.

Its survival so far could be attributed to its proximity to Ruthania. The Salvation Order had focused their efforts on Ruthania, leaving Ceyron to its fate, merely opening Rifts and abandoning them.

To the Salvation Order, Ceyron was so weak it wasn’t even worth direct attention.

“Let’s move quickly.”

As always, Ghislain led a mobile corps along with a contingent of mages to pave the way. The restructured 100,000-strong Northern Army followed closely behind.

The allied forces that had participated in Ruthania’s civil war had already departed to aid other kingdoms. Likewise, the Rayfold Army, led by Amelia, had moved on to assist elsewhere.

Upon entering the Kingdom of Ceyron, the first thing Ghislain and his forces encountered were empty towns and villages.

“It’s bad,” Ghislain muttered.

Ceyron was so small that only three Rifts had opened, yet the kingdom couldn’t even handle those. Everyone had fled to the capital for refuge.

The blue mist emanating from the Rifts continued to expand its domain, forcing the population to retreat further.

Ghislain observed the surrounding area and clicked his tongue in disbelief.

“Looks like they didn’t even try to fight. What the hell were they thinking?”

Even dealing with the Rift creatures could slow the expansion of the mist. The creatures needed Equidema’s power to replenish their numbers and further expand their domain.

If the number of Rift creatures grew too large, Equidema’s energy would be solely focused on sustaining the domain, leaving it vulnerable to counterattacks.

However, Ceyron had left the Rifts completely unchecked. As a result, the three Rifts had grown large enough to blanket the entire kingdom.

“Clear the path to the capital! Move out!”

Dududududu!

Ghislain and the mobile corps plunged directly into the mist-covered path to the capital.

This wasn’t a slow, methodical advance with tight formations; the Northern Army had grown far too strong for such tactics.

Kaaaaaargh!

As they entered the Rift’s domain, waves of creatures surged toward them like a tidal wave. The accumulated numbers were overwhelming.

Vanessa and the mages were the first to act. Among the forces were six 6th-circle mages and twenty 5th-circle mages.

“Chain Lightning.”

Crackle!

Lightning bolts shot from Vanessa’s hands, branching out in every direction. Following her lead, other mages summoned hurricanes and fiery pillars that erupted across the battlefield.

Boom! Boom! BOOOOM!

Kaaaaaargh!

The mindless Rift creatures exploded en masse, unable to approach the mages. The wide-area spells devastated the advancing hordes.

However, wiping out the enormous numbers of Rift creatures entirely with magic was impossible. By this point, the Rifts likely housed at least a million creatures.

Kaaaaaargh! Kaaaaaargh!

Even as tens of thousands of their kind were obliterated, the creatures continued their relentless advance. The mages, showing no restraint, unleashed spell after spell.

Boom! Boom! BOOOOM!

By the time the mages had exhausted their mana, half of the creatures had been wiped out.

Thud!

As the mages withdrew, Parniel stepped forward with a feral grin.

“Good.”

The Rift creatures had no strategy. They relied solely on numbers to overwhelm their enemies.

For someone like Parniel, who relished mindless combat, they were the perfect opponents—especially when they were the kind of foes a Saintess was duty-bound to destroy.

BOOOOM!

Parniel charged headlong into the swarm, her body radiating divine energy that incinerated the creatures on contact.

Kaaaaaargh!

Even these mindless creatures writhed and twisted in pain as they neared her. Simply coming close to her burned them to ash.

Parniel led the charge to draw the creatures’ attention, her divine energy acting as a beacon.

“Let’s go!” Ghislain shouted, surging forward. Behind him followed Gillian and Tenant, while Belinda stayed behind to protect the mages and priests.

Kaor, as always, cursed under his breath as he reluctantly joined the charge.

“Dammit, why isn’t my Aura Blade coming out?”

Massacres like this were rare, and Kaor wanted to revel in the chaos, but his Aura Blade stubbornly refused to manifest.

Dududududu!

The Fenris mobile corps followed close behind Ghislain, spears gripped tightly as they charged the horde.

BOOOOM!

The Rift creatures swarming toward Parniel were shredded in moments. The combined power of the superhumans and 20,000 cavalry was as devastating as the mages’ spells.

“Goddess, grant us strength!”

From the rear, Piote and the priests cast blessings on the frontline knights.

Kaaaaaargh!

Holy energy radiated across the battlefield, burning the creatures before they could properly engage.

The mobile corps capitalized on the opening and continued their relentless push forward.

Boom! Boom! BOOOOM!
Kaaaaaargh!

The Rift creatures were powerless against the combined might of the Fenris forces. Even their overwhelming numbers could only delay the inevitable.

No army on the continent could match such overwhelming strength against a Rift.

“Push straight through to Equidema!” Ghislain roared.

“WAAAAAAH!”

The mobile corps let out a thunderous cheer, their morale soaring as they crushed the Rift creatures underfoot.

Meanwhile, completely unaware that reinforcements had arrived, the Ceyron soldiers stood at the capital’s defensive line, their faces filled with despair.

“We’ve got nowhere left to run.”
“Damn it, what are the nobles even doing?”
“Shh, keep it down! If you’re overheard, we’re screwed.”

The soldiers couldn’t even voice their complaints openly. The worsening situation had turned commanders against their own troops, using disciplinary measures as an excuse for needless cruelty.

Everyone knew it was just harassment disguised as order.

“They could at least give us proper food.”
“I’m so hungry I can’t even lift my weapon.”
“Screw this, should we just run away?”

With the kingdom in ruins, food production had all but ceased. The capital was overflowing with starving soldiers and refugees.

Meanwhile, the nobles, hoarding their private reserves, continued to eat well. Those who had fled the country with their wealth were considered “loyalists” in comparison.

The state of the Kingdom of Ceyron was dire. Barely holding the capital, they were clinging to survival.

While the soldiers muttered complaints and held their empty stomachs, the ground began to tremble.

Dududududu!

Hoofbeats echoed through the blue mist. Startled, the sentries shouted in alarm.

“Something’s coming!”

Panicked, the soldiers scrambled to form ranks. They didn’t even bother trying to identify the approaching force; they simply started firing their catapults.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Boulders launched into the mist, aiming at an unseen enemy. Fear drove them to attack first and ask questions later.

But before the stones could even enter the mist, they shattered mid-air.

BOOOOM! BOOOOM! BOOOOM!

“What the hell is that?!”

Something was intercepting the stones, breaking them apart with ease. Chaos spread among the soldiers.

“Don’t panic! Keep firing!”

The commanders, equally clueless, barked orders to keep shooting while preparing to flee themselves.

Then, a powerful voice rang out from within the mist.

“Stop firing! I’ve come to help you!”

“The monster’s talking!”

In greater confusion, the soldiers redoubled their attacks. Yet, every stone they launched was destroyed.

“I said, STOP FIRING!”

With an enraged roar, something massive fell from the sky.

FLASH!
BOOOOM! BOOOM! BOOOOM!

The catapults were obliterated, and the soldiers froze in terror.

“It’s attacking from range now!”
“Run!”
“This kingdom is finished!”

As the soldiers abandoned their weapons and tried to flee, a formation emerged from the mist.

The soldiers collapsed to the ground in relief as they realized the newcomers were human.

At the head of the formation, a man on a black horse stepped forward.

“W-who are you?” stammered the commander.

Ghislain tilted his spear casually and grinned.

“I am Duke Fenris of the Kingdom of Ruthania. I’ve come to save you.”

The Ceyron soldiers stared in shock, their expressions utterly blank at the unexpected answer.