The dagger flew straight toward Ghislain's eye.
He tilted his head slightly, dodging it with ease, and plunged his own dagger into Kaor's side.
"Ugh, you… bastard…," Kaor snarled, glaring at Ghislain.
'That must've been a fluke!' Kaor thought, quickly aiming to stab Ghislain's temple.
But Ghislain simply leaned back, evading the strike. In one swift motion, he reversed his grip on the dagger.
"You'll have to try harder than that," Ghislain said, slashing across Kaor's arm.
"Gah!"
Realizing that Ghislain's first strike wasn't just luck, Kaor clenched his teeth.
Eyes wide with fury, he continued to attack relentlessly, but every strike was blocked or evaded, and he was accumulating more and more injuries in return.
"You bastard!" Kaor shouted, suddenly yanking the arm they were bound by to throw Ghislain off balance and create an opening to slash at his neck.
But Ghislain twisted his body fluidly, using Kaor's own pull to regain his balance effortlessly.
His movements were refined and honed to perfection.
Without missing a beat, Ghislain took advantage of the opening and slashed Kaor again.
Slash!
"Argh!"
A fresh red gash appeared on Kaor's chest.
The mercenaries watching couldn't hide their shock, mouths hanging open.
They realized that Ghislain's movements were far from ordinary.
Unlike Kaor, they had a better vantage point, and it became clear that Ghislain's skill was beyond anything they had expected.
"Moving like that without using mana?"
"He's so young… what kind of training has he had?"
"Even knights can't move like that."
Though the mercenaries whispered in astonishment, Gillian didn't hear them.
He had already released his grip on his sword, his focus drawn entirely to Ghislain's skillful movements.
'Incredible! How can he move like that at his age?'
It was the first time Gillian had seen Ghislain fight, and he was stunned.
Was he a genius?
No, that wasn't it.
Having experienced countless battlefields himself, Gillian recognized that this level of calm and mastery came only from extensive training and experience.
This left him even more perplexed.
Where did Ghislain get the weight and depth that his every movement seemed to convey?
As Gillian pondered, the duel continued.
The sound of clothes tearing and pained grunts filled the air.
Stab! Slash! Stab!
"Ugh!"
Kaor's attacks consistently missed, while Ghislain's dagger mercilessly found its mark on Kaor's body.
"H-how… how are you this skilled?" Kaor gasped.
Not once had he managed to land a hit on Ghislain.
The arm he held his dagger with was covered in wounds, and the pain left him unable to straighten his back.
He couldn't believe that this supposedly naive noble had such skill.
Kaor had always prided himself on his abilities.
Among mercenaries, he was counted among the strongest, his courage and ruthlessness often intimidating even knights.
But against this young noble, all his skills were useless.
"Ugh!"
Kaor raised his battered arm to aim for one last critical strike at Ghislain's vital point.
A fatal strike to a vital area was his specialty.
But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get close to Ghislain's vitals.
Clang!
Ghislain effortlessly blocked Kaor's strike.
"Aiming only for vital points isn't always effective. Even beasts can manage that."
As if teaching him a lesson, Ghislain calmly struck Kaor's side, shoulder, chest, and stomach—precisely avoiding his vital areas.
"Grr…"
Kaor, covered in blood, finally let his arm fall, unable to continue.
But his eyes remained fierce, glaring at Ghislain with undying determination.
Ghislain nodded in approval at his spirit.
"Impressive tenacity. I'll commend you for not using mana up until now."
"Don't make me laugh. This isn't over. I'll kill you yet."
"With that body? If you get stabbed again, you'll die."
Ghislain smirked and casually tossed his dagger aside.
"…?"
Kaor looked bewildered. Why would Ghislain throw his dagger after nearly winning? Did he think the fight was over?
Was he arrogantly deciding the duel was finished on his own terms?
"This… bastard!"
Kaor couldn't accept it. This duel wasn't over until one side surrendered or died.
He yelled in fury.
"Are you mocking me? Who said this duel is over? Pick up your dagger! This isn't finished! I'll kill you!"
Ghislain nonchalantly cleaned his ear and replied.
"Who said it was over?"
"What?"
"I'm not done yet either."
"Then why did you throw away your dagger…?"
Before Kaor could finish his sentence, Ghislain raised his fist with a grin.
"Now it's time for a lesson. You need to learn how to curb that temper of yours."
"What?"
Before Kaor could comprehend, Ghislain's fist connected with his temple.
Thud!
"Guh!"
Caught off guard, Kaor stumbled, but even in his disoriented state, he swung his dagger at Ghislain.
His reflexes were astounding.
Impressed, Ghislain nodded slightly but didn't hold back. He grabbed Kaor's wrist and twisted it backward.
Crunch!
"Ugh!"
With a sickening crack, Kaor dropped his dagger. Ghislain kicked it away, then cut the rope binding their hands.
Snap!
Kaor, who had been bracing himself against the tension, stumbled back as the restraint was removed.
He staggered back just far enough to step outside the circle.
'Ah, damn!'
According to the rules, stepping outside the circle was also a loss, even if one didn't surrender or die.
Realizing his mistake, Kaor's face shifted into a grim expression.
He'd never feared death, but this… this was unavoidable.
He spat bloody saliva on the ground and glared at Ghislain.
"Looks like I accidentally stepped out of the circle. Consider yourself lucky, brat. I guess this means I lost. Can't believe I'm seeing a day like this."
He hadn't surrendered, nor had he died.
The brat had simply cut the rope, causing him to step outside by accident.
It wasn't a defeat due to lack of skill—just a technicality that he could use to save face.
It was the best possible outcome for him.
The watching mercenaries glanced at each other, feeling a mixture of pity and admiration.
'…Honestly, this kid is way too strong.'
Running a hand through his hair, Kaor maintained his pride as he spoke.
"So, shall we discuss the contract details as you wanted…?"
"It's not over yet," Ghislain interrupted, pulling his fist back.
Whoosh!
Ghislain's fist shot forward.
Kaor crossed his arms to block, but it was no use.
Bam!
"Gahhh!"
Unable to withstand even a single punch, Kaor was thrown backward.
The pain was worse than any stab or slash. His arms throbbed as if they were broken.
Regaining his senses quickly, Kaor tried to stand.
But before he could get into position, Ghislain's fist came at him again.
Thud!
"Wait! According to the rules, stepping outside the circle means…"
"Rules? What rules? Are you going to follow the rules on the battlefield?"
"But you're the one who proposed the duel!"
"Don't try to hold me back with rules. I'll do what I want and beat you down if I feel like it."
With that, Ghislain threw another punch.
Thud!
'This guy is insane.'
The mad dog had finally met an even crazier master.
"Fine, let's see this through to the end! I'll kill you for sure!" Kaor roared, retaliating.
Swish.
But his strikes never landed. Every time Kaor moved, Ghislain dodged effortlessly, as if he were fighting a ghost.
"Unacceptable!"
Kaor's eyes burned with fury as he glared at Ghislain.
He had acquired a powerful mana cultivation technique and had natural talent, which meant he rarely felt fear.
Yet here he was, unable to land a single hit on this young noble, taking a beating instead.
"Arghhh!"
Kaor charged forward, but Ghislain's fist met him without mercy.
"Discipline is the only cure for mad dogs."
Thud!
"Gah!"
Thud!
"Ugh!"
With each punch, Kaor's mind grew hazy.
The duel and proving himself no longer mattered.
'Why… why am I being hit like this?'
Thud!
'What was I doing here again?'
The heavy blood loss and relentless strikes made even a strong mercenary like Kaor begin to falter.
The mercenaries around them watched, swallowing dryly.
"I didn't know a person could get beaten up like that…."
"He's going to die at this rate. Shouldn't we stop this? The duel's already over."
"We should've known better than to mess with a noble. I always had a feeling something like this would happen."
And this was precisely what Ghislain wanted.
He knew he had to establish dominance, or they'd try to tear him apart the moment his back was turned.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Ghislain's punches didn't let up.
In Kaor's blurry vision, he saw the face of his late grandmother.
'Oh, Grandma! When did you get here? I'd love to have that omelet you used to make!' Kaor's eyes were filled with nostalgia as he remembered his grandmother. Seeing this look, Ghislain stopped his punches.
It was a perfectly timed pause.
"Hmm, I suppose that's enough."
Thud!
As Ghislain nodded and took a step back, Kaor collapsed onto the ground, unconscious.
"Captain!"
The mercenaries rushed over to check on Kaor, shaking their heads.
"It's over. His breathing is faint. He might not make it."
"To think the captain would die so easily."
Lowering their gazes, the mercenaries glanced at Ghislain. Even someone as fierce as Kaor had been brought to his knees by this overwhelming force, leaving no one daring to defy him.
Ghislain watched Kaor lying there in silence before speaking up.
"Gillian, bring the person I arranged."
"Yes, right away."
Without a moment's hesitation, Gillian disappeared, too astonished by Ghislain's skill to question his order.
Within minutes, he returned, carrying a priest on his back.
Ghislain had already arranged for this priest to wait nearby, having paid a significant amount in advance.
'Young lord planned everything,' Gillian thought, finally understanding why Ghislain had summoned a priest beforehand.
Ghislain had anticipated this outcome. No, he had likely intended it from the start. The more Gillian observed, the more it seemed his lord had considered every possible scenario.
"Begin the healing at once."
At Ghislain's command, the priest rushed to Kaor and poured holy power over him.
Kaor's wounds healed quickly. Although he had numerous injuries and had lost a lot of blood, his vitals and organs had been left untouched.
Watching Kaor's recovery, the mercenaries muttered in awe.
"Stabbed that much, and he still avoided every vital area?"
"How skilled is this guy with a blade?"
They could tell from their experience that Ghislain's strikes had been precise and intentional.
After the healing was complete, Kaor slowly opened his eyes and mumbled.
"…Grandma?"
"What grandma? Get a grip, will you?"
At Ghislain's voice, Kaor snapped his head up and instinctively scrambled backward.
"Am I… still alive? I was sure I saw my dead grandmother!"
"A lot of people see loved ones when I hit them. Anyway, I'd like us to draw up the contract right away—I'm a bit busy."
Kaor, looking up at Ghislain's cheerful smile—a stark contrast to his fierce expression during the fight—staggered to his feet.
He scratched his head a few times, spat on the ground, and said,
"Fine… let's do it now."
He no longer felt like arguing or resisting. Given the sheer force he had witnessed, he was ready to believe Ghislain was more demon than noble.
He had lost the duel and would abide by its result.
Seeing Kaor's compliance, Ghislain smiled in satisfaction.
"Good. You won't regret this."
This was the moment Ghislain seized control of the Cerberus Mercenary Corps, known as the "mad dogs."
[T/L: Please support me and read extra chapters here: https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]