Chapter 103
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 103
Chapter Title: Beheading Operation (8)
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When Baron Ains and our beheading squad, myself included, arrived at the enemy headquarters, the soldiers under Count Belluga's command freaked out completely.
"It's the cockroaches from Marchioness Estelle's territory!"
One serf tried to seize the moment, ditch his pitchfork, and run, but he got caught and sliced down on the spot.
"Fuck... Argh."
The other soldiers grumbled but had no choice—they raised their weapons toward us to protect the count.
"You won't lay a finger on Count Belluga!"
The enemies were yapping away like weak dogs barking as loud as they could to scare us off and boost their own morale.
But to me, they just looked pathetic.
And who could blame them? We'd snuck in from the rear right into their main camp, while on the opposite side, Marchioness Estelle's main force was fighting tooth and nail from the front.
They had virtually no chance of winning, yet here they were, boldly claiming we couldn't touch a hair on his head. What a joke.
Baron Ains clicked his tongue in disdain.
"These idiots don't even realize they're losing? They should just surrender and pray for mercy instead of flapping their gums."
With that, he charged into the enemy lines.
Every time his sword, wielded freely with its aura blade, flashed with blue light, the screams of Count Belluga's soldiers echoed through their ranks.
"Argh, fuck!"
"It's a monster!"
"Run, fuck, it's all over!"
From afar, his swordsmanship at the Sword Master level was breathtakingly beautiful.
But I couldn't afford to stand there admiring it—not when a feast was laid out right in front of me...
"Martin Hundred-Man Squad! Don't fall behind Baron Ains! Everyone, charge!"
I drew my sword and hurled myself into the fray toward the enemies.
"Stab him dead!"
"That guy's no pushover!"
"Get the knights over here!"
Word must have spread about how I'd been carving through Count Belluga's knights and soldiers up to now—they came at me hard.
Squads of soldiers formed up just to block me, checking my moves. It hit me what it really meant to be stalled.
Dozens uniting against one, responding so organized... there was no gap to break through.
"Not easy, huh."
Back in the day, I'd have just trusted my skills and bulldozed through.
But now, I calmed my mind and observed the foes before me like a hawk.
Concentrating fiercely for those few seconds as I charged toward the ones trying to kill me...
"I see the gap."
Muttering that, I dashed straight ahead before abruptly veering right.
More precisely, I shifted my trajectory to a right diagonal—but that alone threw their movements into chaos.
"Fuck, the spears are tangled!"
"Stay calm! Calm down and you guys on the right, hold him somehow!"
"You rat bastard fuck!"
Just a slight change in direction, and most of the tightly packed mob lost their attack target.
I spotted that split-second opening, so slipping through was a piece of cake.
With that, I circulated my aura even faster through my body.
Just circulating it, but as it flowed, it washed away the fatigue built up in my muscles bit by bit.
Strength surged within me.
"You dogs of Count Belluga. I'll take all your heads!"
Declaring that, I spun my body clockwise, slashing at enemy necks.
One rotation, and at least one, up to two or three heads flew into the air, spraying blood everywhere.
My rampage spooked the ones who'd been raging to kill me moments ago.
"Fuck, monster bastard!"
"Screw the money—if this keeps up, Count Belluga's done for anyway, right?"
"White Rooster Mercenaries! Run! We won't get paid, so at least save your necks!"
Some mercenary bands started fleeing, yelling that fighting was pointless. I ignored the runners.
'No way I'm wasting time chasing deserters and missing bigger prizes.'
As I kept slicing through enemy soldiers, I spotted a knight charging my way from the enemy center.
"How dare a lowly mercenary toy with Count Belluga's army! The height of arrogance!"
Aura mist billowing from his body, heavy strikes, swift footwork.
No pushover, that much was clear.
And despite his furious words, his sword swings showed cold calculation, not blind rage.
I decided to get under his skin.
"Isn't that just how war goes, sir?"
My barbed words hit home—the knight swung wildly, putting unnecessary force into his blade.
"Shut up! How dare a mere mercenary lecture Sir Floraine!"
Dissing me for being a mercenary? The guy's a real piece of work.
The very mercenary he's sneering at set the trap that has Count Belluga on the ropes, and he doesn't even know it.
Poor bastard.
"I planned this operation myself. And today, Count Belluga becomes Marchioness Estelle's prisoner."
I prodded him politely on purpose, and fury boiled over at the mockery atop impending defeat.
He poured extra power into his swings, hacking down again.
Each blocked strike jolted my arms painfully from the overcommitted force...
But the more he did, the more openings he showed.
"Die, you rude cur!"
As he reared back for a full-power helmet-smashing blow...
'Now's my chance.'
I angled my sword diagonally right, deflecting his attack.
He let out a puzzled grunt.
"What the..."
With that, the knight's head hit the dirt.
Normally, I'd hoist the head and bellow about felling an enemy knight.
But breaking through the count's HQ? No time for showboating.
Instead, I grabbed his sword and helmet, handing them to a soldier behind me.
"I'll treat you to a big feast later, so take good care of these."
"Yes, Hundred-Man Leader."
With that request made, I plunged deeper into the enemy center.
Peering ahead, I saw the count and his high-ranking underlings scrambling, barking orders.
"Reinforcements—where are the reinforcements?!"
"That trash Estelle Marchioness... Send more soldiers!"
"We've already sent everyone we have!"
They weren't quite at each other's throats or finger-pointing yet...
But their future was obvious to anyone.
They'd end up captured by Baron Ains and the rest of the beheading squad.
'That's what happens when you lose a war.'
Right on cue, Baron Ains slashed through incoming soldiers with his aura sword, heading this way.
"Haha, Count Belluga! Surrender now, and we'll treat you with all due respect!"
Even without surrender, we couldn't just kill him outright— it'd tarnish Marchioness Estelle's reputation.
We'd have to pamper him politely until ransom was paid, granting every wish short of escape...
But who in their right mind wants to end up a prisoner?
"Shut your trap! Damn it all."
Even as things deteriorated this far, Count Belluga was desperate to survive.
He fed his elite guards into the weakest spot in our encirclement.
"That way—head that way, and we can escape this hell alive! Fight to the death so your count doesn't get captured!"
The count spouting that sounded like total scum, but he wasn't entirely wrong...
A noble's ransom was typically one to two years' worth of taxes from their domain.
Capturing Count Belluga would punch a massive hole in his territory's finances...
'And that hole gets filled from the guards' and nobles' pockets, naturally.'
That's why his elites had to keep him alive at all costs.
"That bastard's mine to catch, fuck!"
Until now, I'd kept my cool unusually well, but no more.
'A pile of gold rolling right in front of me, and I let it slip away?'
Plus, the fame of Hundred-Man Leader who nabbed the count? My value would skyrocket.
That thought lit a fire—I unleashed my aura and leaped toward the count.
"Count Belluga, come quietly!"
Perfect timing: his elites were almost all committed to punching through the encirclement's gap, leaving few guards at his back.
I swiftly beheaded the stragglers in my way.
Finally, I seized the count's collar in my fist.
"Count, careful, or you'll rip your clothes."
With those words, I pressed my sword to his throat.
Close enough that any twitch meant decapitation.
"Count Belluga has been captured by Martin Meyer, Hundred-Man Leader of the White Beard Mercenary Corps! Everyone, surrender!"
My shout rang out, and all enemy soldiers dropped their weapons.
"A perfect victory."