The Return of the Limited-Time Sword Master

Chapter 98: The End of a Bitter Tether (6)

Meanwhile, near the main gate of the outer fortress, another fierce battle was taking place.

Elder Aren and Elder Marius, once friends, were now locked in a clash more intense than ever.

Boom! Crash!

Each flash of light shattered the ground or crumbled sections of the fortress wall. The shockwaves were befitting of a duel between 7th Circle warriors—terrifying in their raw power.

But as with all battles, this one, too, had to come to an end.

Crack!

The sickening sounds of tearing flesh and breaking bones echoed across the battlefield.

Blood trickled down, staining the hand clutching the hilt, but Elder Aren didn’t flinch. He merely gazed calmly at his fallen opponent, Elder Marius.

Marius let out a bitter laugh as he looked down at the sword that had pierced his body.

“…I wanted to be the one to take down a traitor like you.”

“I don’t know what apology would be fitting for you. But please believe me, Elder Marius—I am genuinely sorry. The times we spent together when we were young remain fond memories for me.”

“Heh. How shameless, Aren Cruse. Betraying a long-time comrade and friend, and yet you dare to say such words.”

As blood continued to flow, Marius’ face grew pale, but his gaze only sharpened, his eyes bright with life as if he wasn’t on the verge of death.

Yet Aren remained composed, well aware from his years of experience that people could appear remarkably clear-headed moments before death—like a candle flaring before it extinguishes.

“Our young lord is a frightening person. No matter what we tried to conceal, or how secretly we plotted, he saw through it all. Just look at this war. Marquis Royce practically lost before he even fired a single shot.”

“……”

“And it’s not just his foresight. The young lord knows how to manipulate people’s desires and has the power to make those desires a reality. I doubt there’s anyone who could resist his enticing offers.”

Aren’s tone held a trace of self-derision.

In that hidden refuge, he had come to a realization: no matter what he did, there was no escaping Martin’s grasp. All he could do was endure the humiliation and shame.

“…I betrayed our young lord, and as a result, I’m dying at the hands of a friend. But you, who also abandoned our friendship, won’t find a peaceful end either. You’re destined to meet a wretched fate.”

“That may be. Even so, I have no regrets, Marius Protal. After all, the day we fulfill our long-cherished wish is now within reach.”

“Heh. I always knew you were like that. Smiling on the outside, but cold-hearted…”

Thunk.

Marius’ head drooped, resting against Aren’s chest as blood stained his clothes. Aren held him close, unfazed by the blood.

Footsteps approached, and Elder Oriana arrived beside Aren.

“You’ve done well, Elder Aren. The history books will record your contributions today.”

“They’ll also remember me as a man who killed his friend. But that doesn’t matter. I have something I must say to you.”

“What is it?”

“I sincerely apologize for criticizing you in the past, Elder Oriana. It wasn’t until I faced our young lord that I understood why you made those choices.”

“There’s no need to dwell on it. It’s all in the past, and I forgot about it long ago. What matters is that we’re alive. Let’s do our best to achieve our dreams.”

“I will. After choosing to live by betraying my friend, I feel I must see this through to the end.”

The two elders exchanged bitter smiles, both keenly aware they’d never escape the stain of betrayal until death.

—

The vanguard led by Wilhelm von Fezek and the main forces commanded by Martin marched triumphantly through Amelzen City.

Upon reaching City Hall, Martin declared that the rebels would be given fair trials in Varehein City and assured the citizens they would face no repercussions, encouraging them to resume their livelihoods.

Martin’s swift suppression of the rebellion solidified his authority, and the citizens felt reassured as they returned to their daily routines.

Afterwards, Martin and his core retainers made their way to the Gustin Estate to celebrate their victory.

“You’re really too much, young lord! You left me with the role of commander, but then you ended the war in a single day! All I did was stand by as a figurehead.”

“Oh, who would think that? You proved you’re the strongest swordsman of the Adalbert family by severing the arm of the rebel leader, Mateus von Gustin.”

“Even so, it’s hard to stand out when the youngest 8th Circle warrior in history is making headlines.”

“Well… I suppose there’s no helping that.”

Martin shrugged with an awkward smile, as he hadn’t yet announced his breakthrough to the 8th Circle. He was saving that for a formal declaration in Varehein City.

“It’s a given, but the entire continent is going to be stunned. Reaching the 7th Circle at age eighteen was already unimaginable, but the 8th Circle… I still can’t believe it,” said Commander Philip.

“Honestly, I’m still in disbelief, Commander Philip. I feel like I’m dreaming.”

“A dream come true, I’d say.”

“Honestly? Yeah, it really is.”

Reaching the 8th Circle was a deeply moving milestone for Martin. In terms of raw power, he was now on par with his past self as the Swordmaster.

‘But I can do so much more with it now.’

With Omni Distortion at the 4th Circle, he pondered the new possibilities it unlocked. The anticipation alone was thrilling.

And it didn’t stop there.

Martin knew he still held the insights to 5th Circle swordsmanship from his past life.

Though his current body couldn’t yet bear the burden of 9th Circle power, he had already laid the groundwork.

He could surpass the Swordmaster he once was.

Just imagining it made his heart race.

“Your advancement to the 8th Circle is astonishing, my lord. But what surprised me most in this war was how you managed to win over Elder Aren. I believe his support helped us bring an early end to the conflict,” Lucas said, his eyes gleaming with curiosity.

Christian nodded in agreement, his own eyes shining with interest.

Martin felt slightly uncomfortable under the intense gazes of these two grown men, though he kept it hidden.

“Elder Aren simply recognized my sincerity.”

“Oh, young lord, despite my grave misdeeds, you granted me forgiveness. I’m ready to do whatever it takes to repay your trust.”

Seeing Martin’s glance, Elder Aren answered with a bitter smile.

Their conversation continued, with each person sharing stories of valor or recalling notable moments from the war, like Martin’s discovery of the Gustin family’s hidden passage, Christian’s slaying of Red Dragon Knights’ vice-commander Karsten Frings, or Elder Oriana’s defeat of three elders from the Gustin family.

“At the end of the day, the young lord took the highest honor. Honestly, how is it fair to excel in both combat and strategy? Even if the First Prince is a genius, he can’t compare.”

“Well… outside of combat, I’m not so sure about that…”

Martin was embarrassed by the praise. While he had used his knowledge of the future to anticipate moves, he didn’t see himself as a strategist on par with true tacticians.

“Even in modesty, I see why Sien calls you a deceiver,” Vincent laughed, “and she wasn’t wrong.”

“Haha…”

“The important thing is that we dealt Marquis Nicholas von Royce a significant blow. This war wasn’t merely about suppressing a rebellion; it was practically a prelude to our clash with the Royce family.”

“Vincent is right. With our victory, the Royce family is effectively defeated. They didn’t even get a chance to fire a single shot.”

“Precisely! They’ve lost all potential northern allies, their supply routes are blocked, and they have no way of securing provisions while isolated from Varehein City.”

The Adalbert family was the undisputed leader of the North. Furthermore, Martin had solidified his influence throughout the region by traveling through it recently.

No matter how strong the Royce family’s forces were, winning against the Adalbert main family, especially without internal support from northern allies, would be suicide.

“Of course, if the western nobles supporting the Second Prince joined the Royce family, that would change the equation. But as it stands, that’s unlikely.”

“If the Second Prince mobilized his forces, the First Princess wouldn’t stay idle. It would only benefit the First Prince.”

Both the Second Prince and the First Princess needed to focus on consolidating power to rival the First Prince.

In the end, Nicholas von Royce had only one option.

“I can’t wait to see the look on his face.”

“I’ll inform you shortly,” Martin replied with a satisfied smile to Vincent’s remark as he stood.

It was time to see Royce’s reaction for himself.

—

Inside the coat of Rudolf Büst, the vice-commander of the Black Night Knights, there lay a communication crystal linked directly to Nicholas von Royce.

“Well, how does it feel to retreat without a fight?”

-…….-

The figure of Nicholas, formed of light, remained silent.

But he couldn’t hide his emotions completely.

His cheek twitched, betraying the violent rage surging within him.

Martin felt a surge of satisfaction at the sight.

But the taunting had only just begun.