"Grrrk."
The two heads, frothing with blood, fell to the ground with a dull thud.
Boom!
Right after, the massive body of the Twin-Head Ogre collapsed to the ground, sending a tremendous tremor through the area.
The Twin-Head Ogre's body was in shambles, slashed and torn apart all over. These were all marks left by Kaor as he swung his sword in a trance.
He had blocked, dodged, and fought with his life on the line.
The wall he had slashed—it was the Twin-Head Ogre's head.
At last, Kaor had taken a step toward breaking through the wall.
"I… won."
A laugh escaped his lips. The beast he had thought impossible to defeat had been brought down by his strength alone.
In the past, he would have recklessly charged in and lost his life out of sheer stubbornness. But this time, he had used every skill at his disposal to achieve victory.
"Heh, heh, heh, I knew it—I'm the strongest…! Cough!"
Kaor coughed up blood and collapsed to the ground. Only then did he regain his senses and examine his own body.
His condition was terrible. One arm hung limp, broken, and his wrist—the one holding the sword—was swollen and clearly injured.
His entire body felt as if the muscles had been torn apart. Though he had tried to avoid as many attacks as possible, there were moments when he had no choice but to block.
Each time he blocked one of those powerful attacks, the impact accumulated in his body. His insides couldn't possibly be intact.
"Damn it… Still, I won… Who would've thought an ogre could be this strong…? Urgh!"
Kaor coughed up another mouthful of blood and forced his heavy eyelids open, scanning the battlefield.
"What the… How much time has passed…?"
While he had been fighting the Twin-Head Ogre, most of the monsters had been wiped out. Turian's soldiers and a few hunters were dealing with the remaining ones.
He hadn't realized it while fighting in a frenzy, but it had taken an incredibly long time. The monsters nearby had been cleared out by Ghislain and the others.
The remaining hunters and soldiers, busy cleaning up the last of the monsters, noticed that Kaor's fight with the Twin-Head Ogre had ended and turned to look.
A tremendous cheer erupted.
"Wooooooah! We won!"
"That redhead is amazing!"
"He took down the Twin-Head Ogre by himself!"
The hunters were ecstatic. In the history of the fortress, only a handful of people had ever taken down a large monster alone.
And this wasn't just any large monster—it was a Twin-Head Ogre, one of the strongest land monsters. Even more so, during a monster wave, leader-class monsters became significantly stronger.
To defeat such a beast alone, everyone was in awe of Kaor's skill and showered him with praise.
"Redhead, you're the best!"
"From now on, you're the king of Ironcliff!"
"Not even Donkard could have handled you! Oh, wait, that bastard's already dead, right?"
Even the hunters who had regretted joining Ghislain's group had changed their minds. Being with someone strong increased their chances of survival.
That's just how fickle people are.
"Heh, heh, heh… You all saw it, right? Not even that old man can take me. I'm the strongest. Heh, heh… Cough!"
Kaor laughed as he coughed up more blood, still sitting on the ground. He felt like he might die, but hearing the cheers of the crowd made his spirit soar.
This was what he lived for—to be admired like this. Wasn't this the life of a man?
Step, step. Thud.
Someone approached Kaor, planting a greatsword into the ground beside him. The crowd fell silent.
"Hey, do you get it now?"
Ghislain smirked as he spoke. Kaor barely managed to open his bleary eyes and smiled back.
"I almost died, you know. No, I think I am dying right now."
"You only gain enlightenment quickly when you're pushed to the brink of death. If you die, well, that's just too bad."
"Heh, heh… If I survive, I swear I'll start training seriously. When we get back, tell that old man to watch out."
"I don't know… Gillian has probably crossed the brink of death far more times than you."
"I'd still beat him in a fight."
The two men simply laughed together. While the crowd cheered for Kaor, they could not do the same for Ghislain.
"He's a real monster…"
"Did they say he's from the Kingdom of Lutania? Is he an actual Swordmaster? Or maybe one of those legendary Magic Swordsmen?"
"He could probably wipe out this entire fortress by himself."
Humans don't cheer or feel a sense of camaraderie when they see a dragon. Instead, they are awestruck by its power, bowing their heads in reverence and awe.
That was how the crowd felt as they looked at Ghislain.
He was so astonishing that they couldn't even express admiration. It felt as if they were looking at an entirely different species.
Kaor, who still seemed within the realm of humanity (?), felt much closer to them.
Thus, they lavished Kaor with praise, but they felt an inexplicable fear toward Ghislain.
Of course, not everyone felt that way. The knights of Fenris, who had always regarded Ghislain as a monster, weren't surprised.
'No one's ever fully understood the lord's abilities anyway.'
'We were a bit shocked this time too, but, well, it's just the lord being the lord.'
'If he used those techniques in a war, soldiers would be wiped out like leaves in a storm.'
'I should ask him to teach me that later.'
Ghislain smiled as he looked around at the tense faces in the crowd.
"Hey, what are you all standing around for? The hero who defeated the Twin-Head Ogre is dying over here. Take him and treat him!"
As Ghislain spoke, he pulled out a potion and began pouring it over Kaor's wounds.
While minor external injuries could be treated with potions, this was only emergency first aid. Kaor, having exhausted all his mana and with his body in shambles, was genuinely on the verge of death.
Only then did the knights rush forward to help Kaor.
"Captain! Are you alright? Your skills have improved a lot!"
Thud!
One of the former Mad Dog unit members helping Kaor gave him a punch to the side. This was someone who had been frequently scolded by Kaor in the past.
Kaor, barely able to open his eyes, couldn't even tell who hit him.
"Ugh, who's…?"
"Hey, be gentle with him. He's in a lot of pain, isn't he?"
'This guy's been such a jerk to us all the time.'
Thud!
Another knight, who had harbored a grudge against Kaor, discreetly threw a punch while helping to support him.
"Ack! Who the hell…?"
"Hurry up and get Kaor inside! He needs to rest! You bastard."
Thud!
"Gah…"
The knights surrounded Kaor and dragged him inside the fortress. Because of this, the hunters didn't notice Kaor getting hit.
Some of the hunters sniffled, looking slightly moved.
"Tch, that kind of camaraderie is admirable."
"If it were us, we'd have already killed him and taken his loot."
"I guess having comrades like that is why he fought so hard. His temper might be foul, but he's got a good heart."
While everyone was caught up in their emotions, Kaor, being dragged inside while getting beaten by the knights, finally passed out, half-conscious.
***
"Thank you, Count."
Grant, the commander of the fortress, met with Ghislain privately and bowed deeply.
In this place, noble titles weren't usually acknowledged. But now, Grant couldn't help but recognize Ghislain's status.
Even if Ghislain hadn't been a noble but a mere slave, Grant would have bowed to him.
"Thanks to you, the damage was far less than it would have been if we had fought from within the fortress walls. I should have trusted you from the start and acted sooner…"
Grant trailed off. If he had prepared and moved as soon as Ghislain suggested, the damage could have been even further minimized.
Even though the losses were much smaller than before, as a commander, Grant couldn't help but feel regret.
Ghislain patted Grant on the shoulder and said, "It's fine. You needed to experience this at least once. Forget about the rest—just remember one thing."
"What is it?"
"Most monsters lack intelligence. They focus solely on attacking what's in front of them. Especially the half-crazed monsters that live in these mountains. If you use that well, you can minimize damage with human tactics."
"We've thought about that before, but monsters are physically stronger than our soldiers. We figured that direct confrontations would result in high casualties. That's why the kingdom built these fortresses to reduce losses."
"Do you still think that way after today's battle?"
'That's because you're a monster yourself…'
Grant couldn't voice it out.
Ghislain's words were logical, and Grant had seen that they were feasible. Yet, at the same time, he couldn't help but think such a strategy would be difficult without someone like Ghislain.
Sensing Grant's thoughts, Ghislain clicked his tongue and continued.
"You don't need someone as strong as me. Just create paths on either side of the fortress for cavalry to move through."
"What?"
"Use their instinct to chase the enemy in front of them. Skilled cavalry could easily split the monsters apart."
"Ah…"
"After the first wave of attacks with heavy weaponry, use cavalry to split the monsters when they close in. Then form up and attack. It'll be much better than engaging in chaotic skirmishes on the narrow walls."
"Mm…"
The fortress had very few cavalry units. However, such resources could be requested from the royal court.
The Turian Kingdom's policy was to fully support its fortresses to ensure they didn't fall.
"Of course, it depends on the kind of monsters approaching. If there aren't many flying monsters and most are land-based, then it's naturally better to fight while defending the fortress. You can figure that much out, right?"
Grant nodded.
Monster waves varied depending on how the monsters gathered from the mountains.
Sometimes, there were very few flying monsters or monsters capable of leaping over the walls. While large monsters caused damage by throwing smaller ones or hurling stones, the overall damage was far less severe compared to other times.
"As a commander, you must devise strategies and tactics for all possible scenarios. If you cling solely to the fortress, you might end up losing everything."
In his past life, there had been cases where fortresses fell because the defenders relied too heavily on them. The variety of monsters was so vast that their inability to abandon the fortress when necessary led to disaster.
It couldn't be helped. Prejudice and fear weren't easy to dispel.
Since the fortress was relatively new, there hadn't been much time to devise diverse strategies.
From today onward, Grant realized what his role needed to be. Rather than relying solely on the fortress, he needed to create varied strategies and tactics suited to different situations.
"Thank you. I'll make sure to remember your advice and prepare more thoroughly."
"Good. The number of monsters will never exceed a certain limit, so as long as you're prepared, you'll be fine."
"How do you know that…?"
"Curious?"
"Yes. Honestly, it feels like you know more about this place than I do."
As Grant spoke with Ghislain, he felt a strange sense of unease. It was as though Ghislain had experienced this situation countless times before, even though that shouldn't have been possible.
Ghislain decided to amuse himself by telling a rare bit of truth.
"Actually, I died and came back to life…"
"You must have your reasons for not explaining further. I'll just assume you have a complicated story behind it."
"…Yeah, lots of stories."
The fact that no one believed him anymore made it all the more amusing.
After their conversation, Grant opened the warehouse and distributed alcohol to everyone in the fortress. It was a kind of reward for those who had endured the monster wave.
In addition, it was his responsibility to mediate and ensure that the spoils were distributed fairly based on contributions.
"This time, it won't be too much trouble."
Normally, this part was the most exhausting and delicate task. People always argued about their contributions, trying to claim a bigger share.
But now, there was no need for that.
"The hide and tendons are mine. The rest can be split evenly. Any complaints?"
At Ghislain's single declaration, everyone fell silent. He had killed the most monsters, and Kaor had defeated the Twin-Head Ogre.
When the person most critical to their victory spoke, who could argue?
Evenly splitting the remainder was already more than they could ask for.
The hunters gathered in small groups, drinking the alcohol Grant distributed and chatting.
"Then let's just drink and relax."
"Ah, the alcohol's good, but there's not much to eat. It's monster meat again."
"Still, compared to other places suffering from famine, at least we have something to eat."
Unlike other kingdoms, the Turian Kingdom wasn't plagued by severe food shortages. This was thanks to the constant influx of monsters.
After salvaging the valuable parts, they ate whatever was edible. The downside was that most of the meat tasted terrible, but it was better than starving.
The fortress people's staple food was a stew made from monster meat and edible wild herbs. As a result, the area around the fortress had developed a surprisingly advanced use of strong spices.
"Ugh, no matter how many times I eat it, it's disgustingly bad."
"I can't even remember the last time I had real meat or bread."
"The prices here are too high. To get a proper meal, you'd have to blow a day's wages."
Despite their complaints, people still shoveled the food into their mouths. Eating this was better than drinking on an empty stomach.
The poor food situation was no different for Ghislain's group. Since they'd only brought simple rations, they were stuck eating the same monster-based meals as the hunters.
"Man, our territory's food really spoiled us."
"If it weren't for the spicy seasoning the head maid gave us, I couldn't even touch this stuff. It smells awful."
"This is so bad… I'm only eating because I'm starving."
The knights, who had been used to soft bread and chicken from the Fenris estate, couldn't stomach the monster meat. Eating it every day since arriving at the fortress had made them feel like vomiting at the mere sight of it.
Unlike the complaining knights, Ghislain ate heartily.
"Why? Don't like it? Back in my day, people didn't even have this to eat."
'What is he even talking about…?'
'He's great, but sometimes he sounds like an old man.'
'Back in my day? Is this what they call a young boomer?'
Seeing their lord eat with such gusto, the knights had no choice but to reluctantly follow suit. According to the head butler, Ghislain used to be a picky eater as a child, but now he even enjoyed monster meat. It was impossible to figure him out.
As they forced themselves to eat and recover after the monster wave, something uplifting happened.
"Wow, what's that?"
"That's a massive delivery."
"Is it a big merchant guild?"
An enormous number of wagons entered the fortress, surprising everyone. What astonished them even more were the goods being unloaded.
The wagons stopped in front of the inn Ghislain had claimed, unloading an immense quantity of grain and meat.
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