Barbarian Orix. The legitimate eldest son of the Orix Kingdom.
After the Orix Kingdom was annexed by the Empire, it was an identity he had never spoken of.
The reason he, a fallen royal, could rise to his current position was that he quickly accepted reality.
A kingdom fell due to the betrayal of those who should have been its pillars.
The King and Queen, respected by the people, were beheaded by traitors seeking to secure their positions, and their heads were hung on the castle gates.
The legitimate eldest son and the princess, who should have inherited the throne, escaped the royal castle amidst the chaos.
The process wasn't easy either.
The traitorous nobles of the Orix Kingdom had put a bounty on their heads.
Those who had recited chivalry and sworn allegiance thrust swords at their necks, and by the time they completely left the kingdom's territory, no one remained by their side.
Somewhere in a mountain range densely covered with trees.
It was mercenaries passing by after completing a mission who discovered the two siblings, who hadn't eaten properly while avoiding the eyes of monsters and pursuers.
“Two kids abandoned in the mountain range.”
“They look like they're on the run. Escaped from slave traders, maybe?”
“Judging by their eyes, they don't seem like commoners.”
“Damn. Let's not get involved in troublesome matters and just go our way.”
Most of the mercenaries hurried their steps, keeping their distance as if burdened.
If it were before, he would have shouted how insolent they were.
He would have scolded them, bringing up the hierarchy of status, asking in front of whom they were spouting such impious words.
Educated as a monarch, his words were logical, and unless it was a renowned knight, mage, or high-ranking noble, his status was noble enough that they couldn't refute him.
Not anymore.
“…….”
Barbarian Orix kept his mouth shut.
He just watched the mercenaries with dying eyes.
Since entering the mountain range, he hadn't had a proper sip of water, so he had no strength to shout anything.
His consciousness was blurry.
Even with blurred consciousness, his thinking did not deviate from rationality.
The mercenaries' actions were not wrong. There is nothing more foolish than touching something potentially dangerous in confusing times.
Even if he were in the opposite position, he would have coldly abandoned them. Perhaps, hoping for a reward, he might have done more than that.
However, there was one thing he overlooked.
“They're just kids. Besides, the girl doesn't look in good condition.”
Mercenaries were not as logical beings as he thought.
“Hey, Dirk. What will you do if the Commander holds you responsible?”
“I'll take responsibility then.”
“Tch. Anyway, you always pretend to be a good person.”
The burly mercenary called Dirk loaded him and Vivian onto the carriage's cargo compartment.
He took out a canteen and gave them bread too.
As they hurriedly filled their hungry stomachs, drowsiness washed over them, perhaps due to prolonged tension.
“Sleep well until we arrive at the village.”
“…….”
Staring at the mercenary with wavering eyes for a moment.
Nod.
Although it wasn't a rational answer to the kindness he hadn't received for months, he quickly fell asleep.
The first meeting between him, a former royal, and a mercenary.
It was the moment Mercenary King Babato chose to walk the path of a mercenary.
“I thought it wasn't rational.”
Muttering so, while undulating golden mana.
He was convinced that reality wasn't as easy as he thought, nor as romantic as the chivalry seen in books.
“I considered it illogical.”
Mercenaries were a breed who weren't ashamed to risk their lives for a gold coin and took receiving compensation for work for granted.
Those who faced the reality that befell them at the bottom and didn't evade it were the beings needed in the world.
They were different in nature from nobles who pretended to be noble while hiding their desires in front, and coveted others' possessions behind their backs.
They were different from royals who knew nothing of the world and only engaged in armchair arguments, and different from imperials who thought the world revolved around them.
Fortunately, he and Vivian had solid mana hearts forged in the kingdom.
Even if it wasn't by their own will, even if it was smaller than a fingernail.
Being able to forge a mana heart at a young age meant they didn't lack talent for mana.
Low-rank mercenary Babato and low-rank mercenary Bibi.
They jumped into the mercenary industry at an early age and faced reality.
They earned gold coins tenaciously to build a mercenary corps comparable to a knight order.
In the process, Babato awakened the golden mana color. He was pleased that even mana seemed to accept his new identity.
And by the time he became a 6-star, he had built a mercenary corps at the level of a knight order.
When he finally reached the level of a superhuman, he pushed aside the few competitors and began to be called the Mercenary King.
After that, he beheaded a few nobles who recognized his old identity.
It was cheap blood to imprint the existence of the Mercenary King on the world.
Mercenaries lined up to join the Lion's Mane Mercenary Corps. They were those tired of the limitations of status and wanted to see a new world in the mercenary corps.
Not something given for free, but a result he cultivated himself.
He welcomed the name of King, and those who started dreaming new dreams seeing him.
While at it, he decided to build a kingdom of mercenaries.
Not a clumsy kingdom where greedy nobles form the pillars, but a kingdom where capable people, regardless of status, keep their places.
He bought land in the name of the Lion's Mane Mercenary Corps and formed a village-level unit.
That's how he obtained his current status.
But.
“What are you.”
He muttered again watching the Carpe Illusion being neutralized.
His Carpe Illusion ‘Golden Warrior’ has the effect of recognizing the mercenaries in the area as gold coins and drawing power from them.
Hundreds of mercenaries here.
If he used the mana drawn from them, he could cross back and forth over the 8-star wall that he couldn't cross alone.
No matter how outstanding Agnil's skills are, there is an insurmountable wall between 7-star and 8-star.
Like that, he wins the match and absorbs the Black Dragon Mercenary Corps.
It's an extremely rational plan.
But the events unfolding before his eyes were far from what he thought.
Golden mana.
Mana amount and density comparable to his own, who has been knocking on the 8-star wall for years.
What Agnil is using is not simply golden mana.
The effect of Carpe Illusion was also similar.
‘Don't tell me……. Does this guy also know Bismarck?’
A mercenary's memoir obtained at an auction house.
It recorded a mercenary who made a name for himself hundreds of years ago.
A superhuman who lived his whole life as a mercenary and was called a money ghost.
Although his name was erased from most history books as a price for antagonizing the Empire, Babato tenaciously collected information about him.
Thus he found out.
That in his final battle where he breathed his last, he blocked the Empire's legions numbering tens of thousands with only 5,000 mercenaries, and the Kingdom Alliance was able to achieve victory through his sacrifice.
That he awakened golden mana, and when he used the technique called Golden Warrior, he displayed divine might that no one could block.
They were all amazing records, but what he focused on was the part where he inflicted devastating damage on three elite legions of the Empire leading 5,000 mercenaries who would have been a disorderly mob.
It was divine might that couldn't be shown unless he reached 8-star in the last battle.
Mercenary King Bismarck.
It's been over ten years since he created the Golden Warrior following the traces of him who is now forgotten.
A mercenary using the same Carpe Illusion appeared in front of him, who hasn't crossed the 8-star wall yet.
‘No. Constructing the domain projecting the mind image, and handling mana, he is a step above me.’
Otherwise, he couldn't possibly perform the act of overlaying a domain on top of a domain.
“Damn it.”
Babato spat out a curse and looked at the completely dominated space.
In the distance, he confirmed Agnil swinging a greatsword towards him.
“I took a hit.”
A tsunami of gold surged.
Slash. Slaaash.
He swung the sword and battle-ax he was holding and cut through the gold which was no different from liquid.
Rumble.
Emitting Haki to push away the gold, he formed a sword membrane to protect his body.
‘Let's see if your sword skills match your mana.’
Splitting the surging tsunami, he charged.
In front of him, having closed the distance in an instant, was Agnil readjusting his grip on the greatsword.
“Hah!”
The sword swung with a shout.
Clang!!
Was blocked by the greatsword.
He struck down with the battle-ax onto the clashed swords.
Bang!!
With a roar, the greatsword embedded into the ground.
“I have the upper hand in close combat!”
His fist, digging in with a half-turn, aimed for Agnil's chin.
The force with added rotational power wouldn't be blocked even if the opponent was wearing armor.
However.
Thud.
Agnil's hand caught his fist.
Babato threw another fist with a face of disbelief, but.
Thuuud.
That too was caught by Agnil's hand as if it were nothing.
“Done?”
Squeeze.
“……!!”
The moment Babato raised his mana to pull out his fist from the tightening grip.
Rumbble.
A immense strength he had never experienced before held his hands so they couldn't escape.
And.
Bang!
At the headbutt that rushed in after pulling back.
“Ugh…….”
Babato's legs stumbled.
“You should have subdued me in one blow.”
Bang!
Agnil's head flew in again as he spoke nonchalantly.
“Kugh…….”
Bang!
“Gack…….”
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!!
As the continuous headbutts exceeded double digits, strength drained from the Mercenary King's legs, unable to endure.
Bang!!!
Ending with the last headbutt, Killian let go of Babato's two hands.
Babato's knees buckled as he lost consciousness.
“My victory. Mercenary King.”
Thud.
Looking down at the collapsing Babato, Killian rubbed his reddened forehead.
***
Killian waited for Babato to regain consciousness without releasing the domain.
“Damn it!”
About two minutes after losing consciousness.
Babato, regaining his senses, staggered and raised his body.
“You bastard, what exactly are you?”
Babato growled and asked.
“I am Agnil of the Black Dragon Mercenary Corps.”
“I'm not asking to hear that kind of answer.”
“Nothing in the world is free. Just keep your promise.”
“Kugh…….”
Babato gritted his teeth.
Agnil didn't even release the domain out of consideration for him, so the members wouldn't witness the defeat.
He hated to admit it, but it was his complete defeat.
“Bibi is…….”
“The one I'll take from the Lion's Mane Mercenary Corps will be the mercenary named Miller.”
“What……?”
“The mercenary who used to be a knight of Eurasia. I want to have him as the price for the bet.”
“Was that your intention from the beginning?”
What he wanted wasn't simply taking one member, but the initiative in the conversation.
Babato, realizing Agnil's intention, let out a hollow laugh.
It was an emotion he hadn't experienced since becoming a superhuman.
“The price of the bet has been paid. State your business for coming here.”
“I will deliver a message from Killian Eurasia, the Fourth Prince of Eurasia and Leader of the Annihilation Squad.”
“Let me tell you in advance, I won't do anything against my beliefs even if a sword is at my throat.”
Agnil shrugged and continued.
“Barbarian Orix. The man called the Mercenary King following Bismarck.”
“……!!”
“I hold what you desire, so if you wish to ascend to 8-star, seek me out.”
“…….”
Silence flowed.
“Is that all?”
“It is.”
“Ha.”
Babato let out a hollow laugh.
Muttering that he seemed to have been caught properly, he savored the beat of his heart starting to pound.
“…….”
He looked at Agnil watching him with indifferent eyes.
The answer was already decided.
Chapter 230: Chapter 230
10 min read