NOVPUBThe two swords collided with an ear-splitting crash. Neither Ghislain nor Harold could afford to retreat, their hatred for each other fueling an unrelenting clash.
Ka-aang!
But Harold had no chance of matching Ghislain’s strength, who had unleashed the third stage of his Core-Opening Technique. The moment their blades met, Harold’s sword was sent flying backward.
“What in the—!”
Harold knew Ghislain was strong, but facing that strength head-on was an entirely different experience.
Even after burning through his own life force for power, the gap between them was insurmountable!
Before Harold could recover, Ghislain struck again.
Kaang! Kaang! Kaang!
Ghislain’s superiority wasn’t limited to brute force. His sword movements were dazzlingly intricate, far too swift for Harold to follow.
This wasn’t a level of swordsmanship achievable at Ghislain’s age—no, it was utterly ridiculous.
Harold swung his sword in desperation, but no matter how he attacked, his blade never reached Ghislain. All he could do was parry, constantly on the defensive.
‘How can someone possess this level of talent?!’
Ghislain was an unassailable wall. The longer the fight dragged on, the more Harold understood the true extent of his opponent’s prowess. Ghislain fought like a seasoned warrior who had experienced countless battles.
This overwhelming disparity sapped Harold’s will to fight. Ghislain, noticing the brief hesitation, didn’t miss the opening.
Slash!
“Argh!”
Harold narrowly dodged but couldn’t escape unscathed, a long gash slashing across his chest. Gritting his teeth, he stumbled back several paces.
‘Could this man truly be the strongest swordsman in the north?’
The Duke’s intelligence had placed Ghislain on par with Jurgen, the famed swordsman of the north. However, Harold had always assumed that assessment accounted for Ghislain’s leadership and administrative skills as well.
But even now, battered and bloodied, Ghislain displayed strength that defied reason.
Seeing this firsthand, Harold couldn’t accept it.
“I refuse to believe this!”
As Harold screamed and prepared to swing, Ghislain’s sword was already flying toward him.
Crash!
When Ghislain swung his blade, it felt as though the very air was tearing apart, the heavens shrieking in agony. Harold realized he had no chance of blocking it.
When their eyes met—Ghislain’s crimson orbs blazing like a demon’s—Harold felt an indescribable terror.
Paralyzed by fear, all he could do was instinctively raise his left arm in defense.
Crack!
“Aaaargh!”
Ghislain’s blade severed Harold’s left arm cleanly at the elbow. Blood spurted out as Harold let out an anguished scream.
Satisfied, Ghislain lowered his Core-Opening to the second stage, stabilizing the raging mana. Having taken Harold’s arm, there was no need to strain himself further by maintaining the third stage.
“Don’t expect to die an easy death, Harold,” Ghislain said coldly.
“Ghhh...!”
Harold clutched the bleeding stump where his arm had been, unable to do anything but groan.
The once-proud Count of Desmond now resembled nothing of his former self. His immaculate appearance was in shambles, his face streaked with blood and sweat.
Though he had mastered the prestigious mana techniques and swordsmanship of his noble house, Harold had never dedicated himself fully to combat. His focus had always been on governance and politics.
While his natural talent and upbringing had elevated him to the level of an advanced knight, it was not enough to stand against Ghislain, who had opened the third stage of his Core.
“Ha... haha...”
Harold’s groans turned into self-deprecating laughter.
“How... how can someone your age possess such knowledge and strength?”
The man once called the north’s fool had become a monster. How had Harold failed to account for him? Why had he missed all the warning signs?
Everything was a mystery now, and Harold’s heart burned with regret.
“I even burned my life force, and still I can’t reach you...”
Life force was the foundation of vitality, impossible to regenerate once consumed. It was used only in the direst of circumstances, and even then, sparingly.
Harold, however, had completely sacrificed his life force, destroying his core in the process. Yet, even with that overwhelming power, he hadn’t even grazed Ghislain.
Despair consumed him.
He had given up everything, yet couldn’t achieve even the simplest act of vengeance.
“Haha... hahaha...”
Harold’s shoulders trembled with bitter laughter, his body wracked by humiliation and despair.
Raising his head, he met Ghislain’s gaze. His once fiery eyes were now hollow.
“I dreamt every day of killing you and Duke Delphine,” Ghislain said, his voice cold and resolute. “Today, I fulfill part of that dream.”
“Ha... you should’ve just kept dreaming,” Harold croaked. His voice was hoarse, his words fractured.
“Well... if I’ve lost everything already, then I might as well...”
“What are you mumbling about?” Ghislain narrowed his eyes, sensing something was off.
Harold let out a grim chuckle.
“You’ve never seen power like this... Too bad I won’t be in control of it myself. But it’s better than dying here as your defeated prey. Watch carefully, Ghislain, as I unleash my final power.”
Rrrrhhhhh...
Suddenly, Harold’s body began to swell unnaturally. His muscles expanded grotesquely, veins bulging and threatening to burst.
A storm of mana surged violently around him. Blood erupted from every inch of Harold’s body, unable to withstand the strain.
Ghislain frowned, his eyebrows knitting together.
‘What is this?’
“Raaaargh!”
Harold’s eyes lost all semblance of humanity. He had become a blood-soaked monstrosity.
Boom!
The power Harold had accumulated throughout his life erupted alongside his life force, transforming him into a berserker.
The sight reminded Ghislain of the mana techniques used by Fenris knights. The only difference? Harold had sacrificed his sanity entirely.
“Raaaargh!”
Harold let out another bestial roar, his sword swing generating a whirlwind of sheer destruction.
Crash!
Even Ghislain, strong as he was, was momentarily pushed back by the sheer force of the blow.
‘Interesting,’ Ghislain thought, a chilling smile forming on his lips.
As Harold charged forward, Ghislain stepped forward to meet him, their swords clashing once more in an earth-shattering impact.
Boom!
The battle had changed dramatically. Harold, now a monstrous figure fueled by overwhelming power, began to dominate the fight.
His speed and strength had skyrocketed, and he moved without care for his injuries. He was no longer human—he was a raging beast, driven only by primal instincts.
Clang!
Ghislain parried Harold’s blade, his smirk unfazed.
“Have you abandoned even your humanity, Harold?”
“Raaaaah!”
Harold didn’t respond with words, only another guttural roar.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
As their blades collided, Ghislain couldn’t shake the strange familiarity of Harold’s power.
‘This technique... I’ve seen it before.’
Ghislain had encountered similar methods in his past life, particularly among the enemies he fought.
He recognized the traits: explosive power that pushed the body beyond its limits, forsaking control and stability for raw destruction.
Back then, Ghislain’s own overwhelming strength had allowed him to dismiss such techniques as inconsequential. He hadn’t bothered to consider their origins, simply cutting down anyone who dared challenge him.
Now, however, Harold’s use of such a technique gave him pause.
‘Why would someone like Harold—one of the nobility—resort to such a dangerous method?’
In Ghislain’s previous life, he had fought against many foes who used unstable techniques like this. Such methods often led to madness, or even transformed their users into uncontrollable monsters.
Ghislain’s mind raced.
‘Is this connected to that cursed mana refinement Vanessa used in her madness? Or is it something even worse?’
“Raaaaah!”
Harold lunged again, his sword carving through the air with devastating force.
Boom!
Ghislain sidestepped the attack, watching as Harold’s blade smashed into the ground, sending debris flying.
‘He’s completely lost his mind,’ Ghislain thought.
Harold’s attacks were wild and unrefined, far from the precision and technique he had displayed earlier. Though stronger and faster, Harold had lost his edge.
Clang!
Ghislain blocked another strike and laughed mockingly.
“Is that all, Harold? You’ve become nothing more than a rabid dog.”
“Raaaah!”
Harold swung wildly again, his attacks growing increasingly desperate.
Ghislain continued to observe him closely.
‘It’s only a matter of time before his body collapses under the strain.’
The monstrous strength Harold was displaying wasn’t sustainable. His body, already broken, was beginning to show signs of tearing apart under the pressure.
Realizing this, Ghislain pushed his Core further, circulating his mana at an even faster rate.
Boom!
He didn’t retreat but met Harold’s next attack head-on.
Crack!
The impact sent shockwaves rippling through the battlefield, forcing even the remaining Desmond soldiers to retreat further.
If anyone got caught in the storm of power generated by these two warriors, they’d be torn apart instantly.
Boom!
Ghislain deflected Harold’s strike and surged forward, vanishing from his spot in an instant.
Slash!
Reappearing behind Harold, Ghislain swung his sword with deadly precision.
Whoosh!
Harold spun around, swinging his blade wildly, but Ghislain ducked and leaped back.
‘So it’s not pain he’s enduring—he’s lost all sensation entirely. His body doesn’t even register injuries anymore,’ Ghislain noted grimly.
Even with a gash across his torso, Harold pressed forward, unaffected by the damage. His entire body was coated in an unstable layer of mana, reinforcing his defense.
Boom!
Harold attacked again, splitting the ground beneath him, but Ghislain retaliated with a counterstrike, driving Harold off balance.
Slash!
Ghislain’s blade aimed for Harold’s neck but only managed a shallow cut. Even with the Core at the third stage, Harold’s mana shield absorbed most of the blow.
“Raaaah!”
Harold swung again, and Ghislain evaded easily.
Though Harold’s strength had grown, his skill had plummeted. His attacks were wild and instinctive, lacking the finesse of his earlier combat.
‘This isn’t like the others I fought,’ Ghislain thought. ‘Some of them retained their skills even after losing their sanity. Vanessa still cast seventh-circle magic flawlessly in her madness.’
He recalled others who had transformed similarly in his past life.
Some retained their minds, wielding their newfound power with precision. But Harold seemed incomplete, lacking the discipline of those stronger foes.
“Raaaah!”
Harold roared again, his frustration growing as his attacks continued to miss. His eyes burned with feral rage, yet there was an underlying panic.
Ghislain exhaled deeply, his expression darkening.
“This is going nowhere.”
Though Harold’s strength was impressive, the fight had turned into a test of endurance. Ghislain’s body was also nearing its limit, the strain of combat taking its toll.
The red haze of mana swirling around him thickened as he pushed his Core even harder.
Boom!
Ghislain charged headlong into Harold’s next attack, meeting it with equal force.
Clash!
Gritting his teeth, Ghislain endured the pain and swung his blade relentlessly. He couldn’t afford to hold back—not against an opponent like Harold.
‘Every fight like this is a chance to grow,’ Ghislain thought. ‘Even against stronger enemies, I need to push myself further.’
His muscles screamed in protest, his bones groaning under the strain. But Ghislain refused to stop.
Boom!
Suddenly, Harold faltered. Ghislain’s strikes, relentless and precise, were finally breaking through.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Each collision of their blades sent ripples of force through Harold’s body, disrupting his unstable mana.
Slowly, the monstrous aura surrounding Harold began to fade, cracks forming in his defense.
Thud!
Ghislain seized the moment, driving his sword down with all his might.
Boom!
The blade smashed into Harold’s head like a club, sending him staggering.
For the first time since his transformation, Harold’s inhuman roar gave way to a human voice.
“What... is... this...?”
His eyes, which had burned with madness, flickered with something else—clarity.
