The Regressed Mercenary's Machinations-Chapter 743: Let’s Show Them (3)

The moment the Death Knights stepped forward, the atmosphere of the battlefield shifted.

As if a black veil had descended upon a land overflowing with the energy of death, the march of a hundred Death Knights began.

Fwaaaah!

A black tide surged forward, sweeping toward the enemy.

Death mist rose from the tips of their blades, and their crimson-glowing eyes pierced the battlefield, brimming with murderous intent.

They said nothing.

No breathing. No shouting.

Only the suffocating bloodlust they exuded and the thunderous weight of their footsteps pressed down on the land.

Kwaaaaaang!

The Death Knights charged into the ranks of the orcs.

With each swing of their greatswords, orc heads were crushed, bodies split apart.

Kwaang! Kwaang! Kwaang!

The Death Knight legion surged like a massive wave.

Everywhere they passed, blood flowed and terror remained.

But the orcs were a battle-hardened race.

Though they had been stunned by Ghislain’s arrival, they quickly rekindled their fighting spirit.

KRAAAHHHH!

Mad roars soon filled the battlefield.

These orcs lived only by the instinct of battle.

They might be shaken by unfamiliar enemies, but they never retreated.

Rather, as if enraged by the sudden intrusion of these unnatural beings, the orcs bared their teeth and charged all at once.

KWAAAAANG!

The entire battlefield trembled as the orc formation, like a colossal warhammer, slammed into the Death Knight legion.

But—

Kwaang! Kwaang! KWAANG!

The instant the two forces clashed, the Death Knights’ greatswords shattered the orcs’ weapons and pierced their chests.

They cleaved shoulders, severed legs, and decapitated heads.

Blood splattered, screams rang out—but they all belonged to the orcs.

The Death Knights silently continued their slaughter, systematically cutting down their enemies.

No matter how many orcs swarmed them, it was useless.

Even if a Death Knight fell, it rose again.

Armor that had been smashed regenerated as it absorbed the surrounding darkness.

Undying, the Death Knights had become the nightmare of the battlefield.

KWAAAAANG!

Even without a single command from Ghislain, they acted on their own, moving according to the order of death.

The black mages who witnessed the Death Knights’ overwhelming might went pale.

“Th-this can’t be. That many Death Knights...?”

“Those aren’t ordinary Death Knights. H-how is each one so powerful...?”

“The death energy we created... it’s empowering them instead of our own forces...!”

The black mages trembled in fear.

This was supposed to be their domain.

In a place saturated with the aura of death, the undead grow stronger and black magic reaches its peak.

But now, it wasn’t the undead they summoned dominating the battlefield—it was those Death Knights.

Even when impaled or dismembered by the orcs, the Death Knights stood back up moments later, completely restored.

No matter how many times they were attacked, they felt no pain.

Burning like black flame, there was nothing standing in their way.

Kwaang! Kwaang! Kwaang!

The orcs’ formation collapsed under the relentless strikes of the greatswords.

But the orcs still vastly outnumbered them.

They continued roaring, standing in the Death Knights’ path.

KWAAAHHH!

The orcs charged again and again.

By now, the elves were no longer even in their minds.

Twisted by madness, they aimed only at their undying enemies.

Kwaang! Kwaang! Kwaang!

They slammed their armored shoulders into their foes, swung axes and hammers in attempts to shred the Death Knights’ armor.

Even as they were slashed and beheaded, they continued to fling themselves at the knights of death.

Dozens of orcs would sometimes overwhelm a single Death Knight by sheer numbers.

Then others would jump in, blindly hacking away—slashing their own comrades along with the Death Knight beneath.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

KRAAAAH!

As that desperate resistance continued, the advance of the Death Knights began to slow.

No matter how powerful they were, the overwhelming numbers made this inevitable.

If this kept up, the death energy spread by the black mages would be exhausted before the orcs were wiped out.

Just then, a new wind swept across the battlefield.

FWAAAAH!

“We’re here, you pathetic sacks of crap!”

A blue sparrow shrieked from high above.

At the same time, a group of humans descended upon the orcs.

The Julien Mercenary Corps had finally arrived.

KWAAAAANG!

The flank of the orc formation exploded.

At the forefront, Julien’s blade flashed—orc heads flew in an instant.

With every storm-like strike of Kyle’s sword, orc bodies were torn apart.

“O Goddess! Protect us!”

When Deneb shouted, a faint light shimmered around the bodies of the vanguard mercenaries.

Her divine power was weak—she couldn’t shield them all.

At most, she could barely protect those at the very front.

But there was one more person on the field who could wield divine power.

“...I’ll postpone the excommunication for now.”

Lionel bit his lip repeatedly.

A priest under excommunication was forbidden from using divine power.

But this wasn’t the time to fuss over doctrine.

The elves truly were at war with the orcs.

They had to help the elves if they wanted to lay claim to the Sacred Stone.

Boosting the prestige of the Empire was just a bonus.

Having finished his calculations, Lionel drew upon all the divine power he could muster.

“Shield of light, become a sacred veil and drive out the darkness!”

FWAAAAAAAH!

White light surged from Lionel’s body like waves.

That light spread before the mercenaries like a radiant shield.

Simultaneously, Lionel dashed forward.

He couldn’t afford to fall behind Julien and Kyle now.

He pressed even further forward, taking the brunt of the orcs’ attacks with his body.

In terms of defense, no one was more confident than him.

KWAAAAANG!

With his shield raised, Lionel barreled into the orcs.

They swung their weapons, but encased in solid light, they couldn’t lay a scratch on him.

The other mercenaries whistled as they followed behind.

“Yo! The uptight geezer’s doing work!”

“Thought it was just his personality that was hard—turns out his body’s like a rock too!”

“Now that’s what a temple knight of the Empire should be like!”

Trusting in the divine light surrounding them, the mercenaries charged in with boldness.

BOOM!

The orcs’ attacks bounced off the shield of light.

Emboldened, the mercenaries let out a loud roar.

“WOOOOAAAAH!”

They ignored defense altogether, swinging their weapons wildly.

The fury of their assault began to scatter the orcs’ focus.

But there weren’t many of them.

Only ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) 200—the same ones who had gathered during the Ismoken operation.

Even with the element of surprise, it was impossible for so few to completely shatter the orc formation.

Their charge was soon blocked, devolving into chaotic close quarters combat.

At that moment, a soft voice rang out across the battlefield.

“Help them. They are our hope.”

It was Iralniel.

The sudden turn of events had left the elves in a daze.

In truth, they still didn’t understand what was going on.

Why a black mage had taken their side.

Who he was or how he commanded such a powerful army—no one knew.

Why humans had suddenly appeared to help them—none of it made sense.

But one thing was certain.

They had hope again.

They had a chance to win.

“Push forward!”

A single shout rang out, and that cry became the spark that swept across the battlefield.

The elves picked up their bows again, gripped their swords and shields.

Their shattered resolve blazed back to life, and the spirits regained their vitality.

“For the World Tree!”

“Take back the forest!”

“Drive out the invaders!”

Fwaaaaah!

The arrows released by the elves blanketed the sky, slicing through the wind and piercing the eyes and hearts of the orcs with deadly precision.

Spirits scattered in all directions, crashing into the orcs.

As nature’s fury exploded all at once, the orcs collapsed helplessly.

Before long, the Death Knights, mercenaries, and elves united as one, pressing the orcs back.

Kwaang! Kwaang! Kwaang!

“Hold on! Just a little more and we’ll push through!”

“We can win this!”

“Osvald the Mighty! Will crush the enemy!”

Cries echoed across the battlefield.

No orders were needed.

Everyone already knew what they had to do.

Their momentum surged with every moment, and orcs continued to fall.

Victory was shifting toward the elves.

And one elf, more enraged than any other, looked around in disbelief.

‘I thought it was really over...’

The forest was burning. Her comrades had fallen. The land had begun to rot.

She had been drowning in despair, believing all was lost.

But like a miracle, a single man appeared.

“Astion...”

The name slipped from Ereneth’s trembling lips.

Tears welled once more in her eyes.

He was a human she had once scorned.

Just a man who knew many amusing stories, somewhat strong, and a bit of a charmer.

But...

― My name is Astion. I received a revelation from the goddess, and I’ve come to save the elves.

― Not to brag, but I’ve done all kinds of amazing things.

― I’m just that incredible. That’s why I was chosen for a divine revelation.

Ereneth couldn’t help but smile.

Yes, he really was incredible.

Maybe what he said about receiving a revelation was true after all.

Because right now, Astion—was shining so brightly, she could only acknowledge it.

“It’s not over yet.”

Ereneth steadied her breath and summoned what little strength she had left.

A flame she believed extinguished began to burn again.

She couldn’t back down now.

Her mind was clearer than ever.

Her rage had faded, leaving only sharp, unwavering resolve.

Fwaaaah!

Spirit energy flared to life from her fingertips.

The spirits whipped through the orcs like a storm.

Kwaang! Kwaang! KWAANG!

KRAAAAH!

The tide of battle had completely turned in the elves’ favor.

The orcs’ numbers rapidly dwindled, and with them, their morale crumbled.

And the one who had triggered this dramatic reversal—Ghislain—had, in that brief moment, eliminated all the black mages.

“Time to finish your punishment.”

CRACK!

The black mage struck by Ghislain’s staff had his skull shattered in an instant.

Ghislain had swung with full force to make sure no tricks would work.

The few who had barely survived met the same brutal fate.

The last remaining black mage trembled violently as he asked,

“Wh-who are you?! Why... why is a black mage helping elves?!”

“I’m a black mage of justice.”

“There’s no such thing as a black mage of justice!” 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

Black mages grew stronger by cursing the world.

Only those who had abandoned their humanity and lost their minds could wield black magic.

But the man standing before him had clearly taken insanity a step further.

A black mage shouting about justice—it was the exact opposite of what he was supposed to be.

And the fact that he’d beaten people to death with a staff confirmed it.

‘I can’t die to a lunatic like this.’

The black mage thrust out his hand just as Ghislain raised his staff again.

He poured every last ounce of focus and desperation into the strongest spell he had ever cast.

“DIIIEEE!”

FWASH!

A sharp, destructive force burst from the black mage’s hand.

If it hit, it could incinerate even opponents stronger than the caster.

Whoosh.

But Ghislain merely tilted his head slightly and dodged.

The black mage’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“A m-mage shouldn’t be able to move like that!”

He’d cast it point-blank.

Even a Swordmaster wouldn’t have been able to dodge.

But this man had done so effortlessly.

Ghislain kindly explained,

“I’m good at everything.”

THWACK!

The final black mage’s skull cracked, and he collapsed lifeless.

“Phew! It’s been a while since I overexerted myself.”

Ghislain stabbed his staff into the ground and leaned on it, exhaling heavily.

Truthfully, his condition was far from normal.

He’d exhausted a large amount of mana and suffered injuries fighting the five priests.

He had taken a brief rest to recover some energy, but it wasn’t enough.

Still, the battlefield situation was too critical to wait any longer.

If they didn’t flip the tide instantly, the elves would suffer devastating losses.

He’d had no choice but to act before fully recovering.

“Haaah... this is a problem.”

After unleashing wide-range lightning magic and summoning the Death Knights, his mana was nearly depleted.

If the black mages hadn’t turned the land into a death zone, even summoning them all would’ve been difficult.

And wiping out the 6th-Circle black mages in one go had pushed him even further.

“Tsk. What a devious bastard.”

Ghislain turned his head and stared off into the distance.

Like Iralniel, he too sensed the darkness lurking in hiding.

If he were to face that darkness now, it would mean certain defeat.

That was how powerful the hidden presence was.

“Well... I’m sure someone will take care of it.”

Still, Ghislain had someone he trusted.

And so, he poured everything into reversing the battle’s course.

KWAAAAANG!

As if responding to the shift in momentum, the hidden darkness finally stirred.

A massive energy force surged forth.

It charged straight toward the center of the battlefield, as if to flip the tide once again.

At that exact moment—

FLASH!

A radiant arrow shot from Iralniel’s hand and flew straight toward the darkness.