Chapter 228 : Chapter 228

Chapter 228

[Refuse ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍it.]

I ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍tried to stop Marc from participating in the war.

“The ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍pay is quite substantial.”

[You ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍know pay isn't the issue. Nothing good comes from trusting the Empire's bastards.]

“…….”

[They ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍are the kind who wouldn't hesitate to kill people for their own benefit.]

A partner before Marc.

I told him about the end that partner met at the insidious blade of the Empire.

[Moreover, you aren't even a superhuman.]

Even though he mastered 6-star, he hadn't properly learned a single Lineage or Formula.

He was just now making Carpe completely his own and finding clues about Carpe Illusion.

[With just that, you cannot respond to a crisis.]

“…….”

After a long while, Marc opened his mouth.

“You know. That I have to go.”

[If it’s about that damned orphanage again…….]

“It’s not just that.”

The wrinkled face of the mercenary, who was past middle age and approaching old age, smiled.

“It is also for myself.”

[…….]

“You said it. That it would be difficult for me to become a superhuman with my mana heart.”

I certainly said that.

“But you didn't say it was impossible.”

My partner, who always spoke firmly, left some room.

“Crossing the boundary of death by risking one’s life.”

[Marc, that is…….]

“I learned it earlier than others, but the greed for it came late. It’s not easy to break a veteran mercenary’s stubbornness.”

After thinking for a long time, I ended up sighing.

[Do as you please.]

“Thank you.”

Thinking he had obtained permission, the mercenary’s face was simply bright.

[…….]

A child abandoned in the turmoil of war.

The child has been wandering as a mercenary all his life, repaying the grace of those who took him in.

I was not unaware that the emotion underlying that grace was deprivation, and that he was overexerting himself swinging the sword to resolve that deprivation.

Nevertheless, the reason I couldn't stop him until the end was because I knew that such is the nature of the species called human.

[Whether ancient humans or modern humans…….]

Watching me grumble, Marc just smiled.

[The Empire bastards might recognize me, so I should disguise myself as suitably old.]

It was the moment when the participation of the old mercenary and the magic sword in the subjugation war led by the Empire was confirmed.

Waves swarmed everywhere.

The advance payment received for participating in the subjugation war as a mercenary was quite hefty.

Marc sent most of it to the orphanage.

“They say the orphanage has expanded its building. They can accommodate an additional five hundred children from now on.”

War continued in the world, and children who lost their parents were endless.

The orphanage had undergone several expansions and had become a facility capable of accommodating nearly 1,000 orphans.

[They are squeezing the lifeblood out of a poor mercenary, practically sucking the marrow out of his bones.]

“It’s a misunderstanding, Adamas. The director isn't that kind of person.”

[Right, with that much trust, you must be emptying your pockets like that. Anyone would think it’s an academy, not an orphanage.]

“Well, that wouldn't be bad either.”

[It wasn't a compliment, it was sarcasm.]

A world overflowing with people risking their lives for a few gold coins.

Meeting a partner with such upright deprivation amidst mercenaries whom some point fingers at as gutter rats must also be karma.

I merely helped my partner not to crumble under the world's injustice.

Synchronizing with his mana heart, I saved him from crises time and again against superhuman-level monsters.

“We only received half as an advance payment. I have no intention of dying, if only to collect the rest of the money.”

Marc gritted his teeth and continued the subjugation war.

As he crossed several mountain ranges and the number of high-ranking monsters he slew increased, his fame also spread widely.

“The Golden Warrior. Not a bad name.”

[Idiot, they’re mocking you.]

It was a nickname given by those who looked down on mercenaries, saying he carried out missions relentlessly despite his age because he was crazy for gold.

[If other guys knew your situation, they wouldn't call you ‘Golden Warrior’ but ‘Pauper Warrior’. Fools only see fools.]

“No need to take it so negatively. Thanks to that, I found a clue to complete Carpe Illusion.”

Swoosh.

Marc made golden mana bloom from his body.

He had awakened his mana color while rolling against superhuman-level monsters.

It was ridiculous how others boasted about awakening it at 5-star or 6-star.

“You’re the one who said tribulation is a good stage for accumulating karma and raising one’s level.”

It was also I who said that heroes are bound to appear when the world is in chaos.

“I am still growing.”

60 years old.

S-rank mercenary Marc was knocking on the wall of the superhuman.

The reason people training in the sword dream of becoming knights is not simply because of honor or swordsmanship.

Anyone training in the sword wants to reach the realm of a superhuman, and what is needed for that is to walk one’s own path of the sword.

So they dream of becoming knights, which is the easiest way to realize their beliefs and ideals with the sword.

Usually, in groups where one's own profit is the priority, like mercenaries, it is common to wander without being able to walk one’s own path of the sword properly.

Although the order was somewhat reversed, from a certain moment, Marc’s path became similar to the process knights undergo to cross the wall.

Although the place he belonged to was a group moved by profit, he accumulated karma with his own beliefs.

From the moment he held the magic sword, he began to fill the deficiencies of his mana heart and body, and the accumulated karma made him a human with a certain level.

It was a situation neither I, who had produced numerous Sword Masters, nor Marc himself had expected.

One who walks his own path is bound to stand out anywhere.

An S-rank mercenary who started as a novice unable to even forge a mana heart and mastered 6-star.

He carried out missions from low-rank to top-rank, and from a certain moment, his improved skills did not lag behind other knights with titles.

People called him the Mercenary King.

Although there were some who called him that to mock him for wandering through mercenary work despite his old age, like most common titles, his name quickly spread throughout the continent.

They say the Mercenary King caught the highest rank monster in the subjugation war.

They say the reason the Mercenary King earns money relentlessly is to build a house made of gold.

They say he has countless women and the children they bore number in the hundreds.

They say the reason he can’t quit mercenary work is to pay for child support.

Marc did not respond to the myriad rumors, but silently walked his own path as he had always done.

“An old man who hasn't even become a superhuman is getting too much attention.”

“Trivial beings must be trying to create a hero by getting carried away.”

“Truly an unsightly appearance.”

Jealousy from nameless knights began.

The number of people who suddenly came and demanded a match increased. Most of them were those who fell short of being superhumans.

Once, there was even a Sword Master who came because he couldn't stand a mercenary more famous than himself.

I helped Marc so that the level he had built with difficulty wouldn't be trampled by lawless people.

I protected my friend’s mana heart and body from the clumsy Sword Master’s Haki.

The level of those who overestimated their Lineage and Formula did not even reach Marc’s level.

The more it happened, the more the Mercenary King’s fame soared.

The reason he couldn't easily cross the wall even after accumulating this much level lay in the crudeness of the mana heart he had forged.

62 years old.

The second turning point in Mercenary King Marc’s life came when the paradise he had built was trampled upon.

The monster waves swarming in numerous mountain ranges calmed down, and the wars between kingdoms continued in a lull.

The one who benefited most from the tribulation was the Empire.

The Empire absorbed kingdoms whose national power had weakened one by one, as if harvesting the seeds it had sown.

Among them was Marc’s country.

Some countries resisted and shed blood, but most kingdoms realized their situation and ended their history with only titles promised.

[The Empire bastards are always like that.]

Since I had been involved with the Empire several times with previous partners, I wasn't surprised by their predictable behavior.

I was only worried that my old friend would become indignant and rise against the Empire.

“Did you see me as such a reckless person?”

[…….]

“Don’t worry, Adamas. It’s a country that couldn't even protect its own people. I thought it would perish someday.”

He said that only the signboard of the country changed, and the change it would bring to his life would be minimal.

It was a misunderstanding.

The Empire had no intention of treating the people of the absorbed countries as before.

The policy of converting them into imperial subjects was pushed forward.

Its targets included everyone from common people to nobles who received titles, encompassing educational institutions including academies and even privately run lowly orphanages.

Awake people opposed the imperial subject policy.

Unfortunately, among them was the director of the orphanage Marc sponsored.

The director and teachers were immediately shot dead by knights dispatched from the imperial family, and the site was confiscated by the imperial family.

Nearly a thousand children the orphanage housed were thrown out onto the streets or conscripted as arrow fodder for the army.

Marc, who belatedly heard the news and rushed over frantically, faced pools of blood and the debris of the collapsed building.

Imperial knights were tying children with ropes and loading them onto carriages.

Children who should be growing up smiling for the future were crying with their heads bowed like sinners.

Marc was enraged.

The paradise he had created by staking his entire life had become hell.

He drew his sword and wrapped himself in golden mana.

There were twenty knights who came to clear the orphanage.

A knight order composed of 4 to 6-stars, and leading them was a superhuman who appeared to be in the early stages of 7-star.

Dealing with them alone was impossible.

“Help me, Adamas.”

[Alright.]

It was different from a subjugation war against monsters.

A battle disadvantageous both quantitatively and qualitatively.

To lead it to victory, it was necessary to surpass limits.

I rotated my friend’s mana heart.

I spread golden mana throughout his body to strengthen it.

Crunch. Slash.

Blood flowed every time my friend swung his sword.

“A lowly mercenary!”

“Daring to imitate a knight!”

Crack. Crunch.

Marc merely swung his sword to take the enemies’ lives.

It was a sword swung with a body strengthened to the limit with the help of the magic sword by someone who was knocking on the wall of 7-star.

Among the clumsy imperial knights, the only one remaining was the superhuman who appeared to be the commander.

“You lot are knights?”

Raising his blood-stained sword.

“Don’t make me laugh.”

Thud.

Marc stabbed the corpse of a dead knight with his sword.

“You bastards are just murderers.”

And.

“I am just a mercenary hunting murderers.”

Rumble.

As if resisting the knight’s Haki, mana surged from Marc’s body.

“Carpe.”

The area was dyed in gold.

“Carpe Illusion.”

He recited his Formula which he had failed to complete all this time.

“Golden Warrior.”

Golden light shimmered and was sucked into his body.

“If the Empire chooses to walk the path of tyranny.”

From top to bottom.

Marc slashed with Adamas.

“……!!”

Without even a moment to react to something.

Crash!!!

The knight commander’s body was split in two.

“I, too, shall do the same.”