Chapter 26: Looks Like I’ll Be Meeting the Same Types.
The dagger flew toward Ghislaine’s eye.
He merely jerked his head slightly to evade it, then stabbed the dagger into Kaor’s side.
“Cough, this, this bastard…”
Kaor grimaced and glared at Ghislaine.
‘Must be a coincidence!’
He immediately reached out intending to jab Ghislaine’s temple.
But Ghislaine effortlessly tilted his head back to dodge, twisting his fingers to grip the dagger in reverse.
“You really need to give it your all.”
At that moment, Ghislaine slashed at Kaor’s arm.
“Grrr!”
Realizing the first attack wasn’t a coincidence, Kaor gritted his teeth.
He opened his eyes wide and persistently tried to attack, but every time he struck, Ghislaine blocked him, only causing more wounds to appear.
“This bastard!”
With a furious shout, Kaor suddenly yanked his bound hands.
The plan was to throw Ghislaine off balance and go for a neck slice.
In that moment, Ghislaine’s body swayed strangely, effortlessly avoiding the attack.
He used the opponent’s strength to move and maintain his balance.
A technique taken to the extreme.
Even while evading, Ghislaine didn’t miss the opening Kaor presented and slashed him with the dagger.
Swoosh!
“Aaah!”
Another red fissure appeared on Kaor’s chest.
The mercenaries watching the duel gaped in astonishment, unable to hide their shock.
They recognized that Ghislaine’s movements were extraordinary.
From the distance, it was clearer than it was for Kaor facing him directly.
“He’s moving like that without even using mana.”
“And he looks young; just what kind of technique is that?”
“Even knights can’t do that!”
The mercenaries buzzed in surprise, but Gillian didn’t hear them.
The hand that should’ve been gripping his sword had already slipped off the hilt.
He had unconsciously loosened his grip, focusing entirely on Ghislaine’s movements.
‘Incredible technique! How can he move like that at such a young age?’
Having never seen Ghislaine fight before, Gillian was in shock.
A genius, perhaps?
No, that can’t be it.
He knew from his own countless experiences on the battlefield.
If a flash of realization belongs to the realm of genius, then that calmness and skill comes only from years of training and experience.
Thus, Gillian felt even more confused.
Where does the firm and grand essence of time reflected in every one of Ghislaine’s movements come from?
Even while Gillian pondered, the battle continued.
The sound of fabric ripping and pain-laden groans intertwined chaotically.
Thud! Thwack! Thud!
“Grrr!”
Kaor’s attacks continued to fail, and Ghislaine’s dagger plunged mercilessly into his body each time.
He failed, and Ghislaine’s dagger dug relentlessly into his body every time.
“Wh-why! How can you be this strong!”
Kaor had never been able to inflict a single wound on Ghislaine.
His arm holding the dagger was already covered in wounds, and he couldn’t even stand straight due to the pain.
He couldn’t believe this noble, who looked like a rookie, possessed such skill.
He was confident in his abilities.
He was strong enough to be among the best even among mercenaries, and he was so brave and fierce that even knights had to respect him.
Yet against the rookie noble before him, none of that skill seemed to work.
“Ugh!”
Kaor raised his injured arm once more, aiming for Ghislaine’s vital spots.
Hitting the opponent’s vital points for a quick kill was his specialty.
But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t reach Ghislaine’s vitals.
Clang!
Ghislaine effortlessly deflected Kaor’s swinging dagger.
“It’s not just about aiming for vital points. Even a beast can do that.”
Ghislaine spoke as if he were teaching Kaor, and then he stabbed the dagger in all directions again.
He was skillfully avoiding the vital spots with strikes to the ribs, shoulders, chest, and abdomen.
“Cough…”
In the end, Kaor, now drenched in his own blood, let his arms droop.
Yet his fierce glare, still aimed at Ghislaine, remained.
Imminent death couldn’t make him surrender, and Ghislaine nodded in acknowledgment.
“Your tenacity is remarkable. I’ll commend you for not using mana till this situation arose.”
“Don’t make me laugh. It’s not over yet. I will definitely kill you.”
“With that body of yours? If you take any more stabs, you’ll die.”
Ghislaine sneered and casually threw the dagger behind him.
“…?”
Kaor wore a puzzled expression. Why throw the dagger after winning the match?
Could it be that he thought the outcome was already decided?
“You bastard…!”
He could never accept that. This bet would only end with one side surrendering or dying.
Kaor shouted, filled with rage.
“Are you looking down on me right now? Who the hell decides to end the bet! Pick up that dagger again! It’s not over yet! I will kill you!”
Watching the seething Kaor, Ghislaine simply dug his ears and said, “Who said it was over?”
“What?”
“I’m not done yet either.”
“Then why did you throw the dagger…?”
Before Kaor could finish, Ghislaine raised a fist and laughed.
“Now it’s time for some education. You need to learn how to control that temper.”
“What?”
Kaor was speechless, not understanding the sudden declaration. At that moment, Ghislaine’s fist flew toward his temple.
Thud!
“Gah!”
Caught off guard, Kaor staggered heavily. Yet even in that state, he swung his dagger to attack Ghislaine.
His reaction speed was astoundingly fast.
Ghislaine couldn’t help but admire him with a satisfied grin.
But admiration and education were two separate matters. He grabbed Kaor’s wrist holding the dagger and twisted it the other way.
Crack!
“Ugh!”
The sound of bones grinding echoed as Kaor dropped the dagger. Ghislaine kicked it away, sending it flying into the air.
He seized the dagger and promptly cut the rope binding their hands.
Snap!
Kaor, who had been straining against the binding, suddenly stumbled back when it was released.
Just a few steps, but it was enough to step out of the circle.
‘Oops!’
According to the rules, there was another way to lose without dying or surrendering: stepping outside the circle.
I had one more thing. It was going outside the circle.
Kaor, who finally regained his senses, soon wore a grim expression.
He had never feared death in his life, but this… was an unavoidable situation.
“Feh.”
Kaor spat a mix of blood and saliva on the ground, glaring at Ghislaine as he spoke.
“I accidentally went outside the circle. Consider yourself lucky, rookie. Unfortunately, it’s time to settle this. I’ll just assume I lost. Who knew a day like this would come?”
He hadn’t died, nor had he surrendered.
That guy had suddenly snapped the line, causing him to accidentally step outside the circle.
It wasn’t that he was lacking in skill but rather that the rules left him no choice; he could gracefully finish the bet while maintaining his face.
For Kaor, it was the best possible outcome.
The mercenaries watching from the sidelines wore sympathetic expressions, but he didn’t care.
‘…Honestly, that guy is just too strong.’
Kaor brushed his hair back, speaking with an arrogant look.
“Then, let’s get into the details of the request you want…”
“Not done yet.”
Ghislaine interrupted Kaor, pulling back his fist behind his shoulder.
Boom!
With a sound like the air exploding, Ghislaine’s fist flew forward.
Kaor, startled, crossed his arms to block it, but it was useless.
Bang!
“Ugh!”
Kaor couldn’t withstand a single blow and was sent flying backward.
It hurt. Far worse than being stabbed or cut with a dagger. His arm throbbed as if it were broken.
Rolling on the ground, Kaor quickly regained his footing.
But before he could even take a proper stance, Ghislaine’s fist came flying again.
Thwack!
“Wait! If you go outside the circle….”
“What rules? You want to fight while worrying about rules on the battlefield?”
“No, you were the one who suggested this duel!”
“Don’t try to bind me with rules. If I want to fight, I will; if I want to hit, I will.”
With that final word, Ghislaine swung his fist again.
Thwack!
‘Ah, this guy is just a crazy bastard.’
A notorious mad dog from the neighborhood had firmly caught a madman.
“Fine, let’s see it through to the end! I will definitely kill you!”
Kaor gritted his teeth and counterattacked.
Swish.
But the attack never reached its target. Every time Ghislaine’s body flickered, Kaor’s punch sliced through the air.
It felt like he was fighting a ghost.
“I won’t accept this!”
Kaor glared at Ghislaine with venomous eyes.
Thanks to getting lucky with a decent mana circulation method and being born with exceptional talent, he had never feared anything in his life.
But to think he’d get beaten up without being able to lay a hand on this rookie noble.
“AAAH!”
As Kaor charged with a loud scream, Ghislaine mercilessly swung his fist.
“A beating is the remedy for a mad dog.”
Thwack!
“Ugh!”
Thwack!
“Ugh!”
As the blows continued, Kaor’s mind gradually became hazy.
Thoughts of the bet and proving himself vanished from his mind.
‘Why? Why am I getting hit here?’
Thwack!
‘What was I doing again?’
With a lot of blood lost and the beating continuing, it was hard for even a sturdy mercenary to hold out.
With a dazed look, as if he were on drugs, Kaor stumbled, and the mercenaries watched, swallowing hard.
“You can hit someone like that…?”
“He’s gonna really die like this. What are we supposed to do? The bet is already pretty much over.”
“Should’ve just killed him earlier… Seriously, nobility should never be messed with. I always knew a day like this would come.”
“I knew a day like this would come.”
And this very reaction was exactly what Ghislaine was aiming for.
If the atmosphere wasn’t firmly under control, there were always those ready to pounce and devour their master.
Croak! Croak! Croak!
In the midst of it all, Ghislaine’s fist-fighting never stopped.
In Kaor’s dazed vision, the face of his late grandmother from his childhood appeared.
“Ah, Grandma! When did you come? I want to eat the omelet you used to make!”
Seeing the nostalgic sparkle in Kaor’s eyes, Ghislaine paused her punches.
It was truly a perfectly timed moment.
“Hmm, is this it?”
Kuwung!
As Ghislaine nodded and took a step back, Kaor collapsed to the ground, fainting.
“Captain!”
The mercenaries rushed over to check on Kaor and shook their heads.
“It’s over. His breath is too weak. He’s going to die soon.”
“I never thought the captain would die so easily.”
The mercenaries glanced at Ghislaine, lowering their eyes.
Even the hot-tempered Kaor couldn’t stand up to such overwhelming violence.
Watching the collapsed Kaor intently, Ghislaine finally spoke.
“Gillian, bring the person I summoned.”
“Ah, got it.”
Gillian vanished from the spot without a moment to marvel at Ghislaine’s skills.
In just a few minutes, he returned carrying a priest on his back.
Before Ghislaine had even arrived, he had already paid a good amount of money for the priest to be on standby at a nearby inn.
‘My lord seems to have everything planned out.’
In the beginning, Gillian couldn’t understand why they needed to summon a priest.
But it seemed Ghislaine had foreseen this situation. No, she must have intended to create it.
The more he observed, the more it felt like his master anticipated and prepared for everything.
“Start the treatment immediately.”
As soon as Ghislaine’s words finished, the priest hurried over to Kaor and poured out divine power.
The wounds began to heal surprisingly quickly. Although there was a lot of blood and numerous injuries, critically vital areas weren’t harmed.
Seeing Kaor’s injuries healing, the mercenaries gasped in admiration.
With their extensive real battle experience, they quickly understood Ghislaine’s intent and how she had attacked.
“He stabbed him like that, and the vital spots are untouched?”
“Just how excellent is her swordsmanship?”
The mercenaries marveled as they watched Kaor recover.
After a moment passed post-treatment, Kaor slowly opened his eyes and muttered.
“……Grandma?”
“What do you mean, Grandma… Get a grip!”
At Ghislaine’s voice, Kaor snapped his head up and scrambled backwards on the ground.
“Am I… alive? I definitely saw my deceased grandmother!”
“A lot of folks say they’ve met someone they miss right after I hit them. Anyway, I hope we can sign the contract today. I’m a bit busy, you see.”
Looking up at Ghislaine, who was sporting a cheerful smile unlike her fighting demeanor, Kaor staggered to his feet.
After scratching his head a few times, he spat on the ground and said,
“Let’s write it right now…”
At this point, he had no desire to argue or resist. Just watching her work, one would believe she was a devil, not a noble.
Having lost the bet, he had to accept the outcome.
Seeing Kaor comply willingly, Ghislaine smiled with satisfaction.
“Good, you won’t be disappointed.”
This was the moment Ghislaine finally took the reins of the Cerberus Mercenary Group, often referred to as the Mad Dogs.
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