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Upon hearing the envoy’s message, the baron nearly burst into tears. He had been contemplating how to commit suicide in a manner befitting a noble, whether by drinking poison or using a dagger. Embracing his wife, he cried out like a madman.

“We’re saved! Our family is saved!”

The Duchy of Antares was notorious for its non-human Aura users. Moreover, its ruler, the renowned Fist King Repenhardt, had no reason to fear Sir Grandiad.

The conditions for the alliance were not too bad either.

The Duchy of Antares had three demands:

1. In the event of victory in the territorial war, the Duchy of Antares would take the eastern half of the Barony of Chetas, and the western half would go to the House of Baron Galin.

2. When the various races of the Duchy of Antares resided in the Barony of Galin, their status and rights in the duchy would be recognized and officially proclaimed.

3. All non-human slaves within the territory would be freed and sent to the Duchy of Antares, and a law prohibiting the enslavement of non-humans in the future would be enacted.

The first condition was something they hadn’t even hoped for.

The current situation of the House of Baron Galin was like a candle flickering in the wind; even if Repenhardt had demanded the entire Barony of Chetas and part of Baron Galin’s territory, they would have had no choice but to comply. However, since he proposed an even split of the land, there was no reason to oppose it.

The second condition was also accepted readily. Baron Galin had already recognized, through civil war, that the non-human races of the Duchy of Antares were entirely different from the usual slave races. Even without a formal proclamation, Baron Galin was not bold enough to treat a non-human from Antares as a slave upon their arrival in his territory.

However, the third condition was not as easily decided.

The demand to free the non-human slaves and send them to the Duchy of Antares was understandable.

Freeing a non-human slave was within the owner’s rights, but granting them rights as citizens was the prerogative of the king. Even if Baron Galin freed a slave, that slave couldn’t immediately become a citizen of the Kingdom of Crovence. However, the autonomous Duchy of Antares could grant that slave rights as a citizen.

The County of Galin, which revolved mainly around the trading consortium, did not engage in large-scale Orc slave farms or exploit Dwarf slaves for profit. Therefore, freeing these non-human races from slavery did not significantly impact the industries within the territory.

However, even so, many Orc slaves were used as porters while organizing the consortium, and many of the subordinate merchants kept Elf slaves. Baron Galin himself had two Elf women as maids and concubines.

It was clear that there would be significant opposition from the slave owners. Additionally, the resistance of the Seiya Order within the territory could not be ignored, as defying the fate decreed by the main god could be seen as blasphemy.

But in the end, Baron Galin obtained the consent of the slave owners and passed the third clause.

After all, the House of Galin was not in a position to be picky between white bread and black bread. No one could argue against the notion that it was better to lose a few slaves than to lose everything.

As soon as the alliance was formed, Repenhardt sternly declared war against Baron Chetas.

“Baron Galin is a cherished comrade who fought together to serve the true king! How can we stand by when he is in crisis! We shall bring the hammer of justice down on the shameless House of Chetas, which denies a fair duel!”

Well, the real purpose was to expand the influence of the ideology regarding non-human races and increase the territory of the Duchy of Antares. But as always, justification was important in war, and unlike in his past life, Repenhardt was now diligently ensuring he had proper justification.

After the declaration of war, Repenhardt immediately led thirty Antares Knights and seven hundred soldiers into the battle. They were all human soldiers who had come under his command.

This time, he did not bring a non-human army. The non-humans were busy solidifying their positions by rescuing their kin from various parts of the continent. Moreover, it was necessary to demonstrate the strength of humans to emphasize that the Duchy of Antares was not a country solely for non-humans. The idea of making use of the newly acquired human subordinates also played a role.

Baron Galin did not regret this point either.

The Fist King Repenhardt and the Sword of the Crescent Moon, Siris, were enough to turn the tide of the battle.

* * *

A narrow gorge beneath a sheer cliff.

Hundreds of infantrymen, holding crude spears, stared ahead with terrified eyes. Most of them were forcibly conscripted from various parts of the territory, ignorant peasant farmers who had never experienced battle.

On the opposite side of the gorge were about a thousand soldiers and fifty knights, but the infantrymen were not looking at that army.

All eyes were fixed on one spot, on the large brown-haired man at the forefront of that army.

“That man is the legendary Fist King…”

“How are we supposed to fight against such an incredible warrior…”

Repenhart stepped forward and shouted.

“Those who value their lives, retreat now!”

His thunderous voice echoed through the gorge. The faces of the infantrymen grew even paler. Unconsciously, the soldiers began to step back one by one.

Among the dozens of knights lined up behind the infantry, a voice rang out.

“Hold your positions! Anyone who flees will be severely punished!”

The voice belonged to Sir Garland.

The forces of Baron Chetas, who had suffered consecutive defeats, had been pushed all the way to Nedas Gorge. Beyond this gorge lay their main castle, Hundarguard. Therefore, they had mustered their remaining forces with a resolve to make a last stand.

Garland shouted as if vomiting blood.

“Do not lose your courage! No matter how formidable the Fist King is, he is still just a mere human!”

At that moment, a golden aura erupted from Repenhart’s entire body. Engulfed in the dazzling aura, he raised his fist above his head.

“Those who do not retreat will not see tomorrow!”

Boom!

A pillar of golden light pierced the sky with a thunderous roar. The pillar of light soared, tearing through the clouds and creating ripples in the winter sky. The clouds spread out in a circle, leaving a gaping hole in the sky.

The infantrymen, pale as ghosts, shouted.

“He’s not a mere human!”

“Why is light emanating from a mere human’s body!”

“How can a mere human punch through the sky!”

Repenhart began to move forward. With each step, a shimmering aura rose like a heat haze. The fear among the infantrymen deepened even further.

However, retreating now would only result in being cut down by the knights behind them. Caught between a rock and a hard place, the soldiers cursed the heavens.

Garland raised his sword and shouted.

“Infantry, charge!”

As he watched the charging infantry, Repenhart clicked his tongue.

‘Tch, even after this much intimidation, they don’t run?’

Looking at the expressions on the infantrymen’s faces, it seemed they were not brimming with courage but rather had no choice and were throwing themselves at him in a desperate manner.

Repenhardt watched the frenziedly charging infantrymen and brought his hands to his waist. They were different from knights or mercenaries. They were not warriors but merely peasants dragged out to the battlefield.

“In that case, I must show mercy.”

Red short sticks appeared in Repenhardt’s hands. The infantrymen at the forefront were dumbfounded for a moment. What kind of law dictates showing mercy by drawing weapons?

But Repenhardt was sincere.

“If you get hit with these, you won’t die.”

In Gym Unbreakable, there was a tradition of using weapons to deal with foot soldiers and then discarding the weapons when facing real enemies.

Being a warrior whose entire body was a weapon, it was less stressful to wield a suitable weapon than to control his strength to avoid killing his opponents with bare hands. Using a weapon not only avoided unnecessary deaths but was also better for his mental health. Though it might seem laughable at first glance, it was actually a very rational and merciful approach.

“Hyah cha cha cha cha cha!”

With a loud yell, Repenhardt leaped into the enemy ranks. The two short sticks gleamed red as they pummeled the infantry like laundry. These were specially purchased from Hallein Mountain for situations like this.

Gym Unbreakable warriors could not infuse objects with aura like other aura users. However, the bamboo from Hallein Mountain combined the hardness of steel and the elasticity of rubber, making it nearly unbreakable without the need for aura infusion. There was no better tool for freely swinging without worrying about breaking it.

“Agh!”

“Ow!”

“Mother!”

“Save me!”

Wherever Repenhardt passed, screams erupted, and soldiers with broken limbs writhed on the ground, groaning.

It was a rather terrifying sight, but the fact that they were groaning meant their lives were not in danger. Although injured, they all survived.

Despite the hundreds-to-one odds, the infantry were relentlessly overrun. If they had been facing an ordinary aura user, they might have landed a few blind hits, but the cursed warriors of Gym Unbreakable didn’t even flinch from such blows, leaving no chance.

Watching the brutal battle of the infantry, Garland’s face hardened.

“…As expected, they’re no match.”

However, there was no sign of despair. From the start, he hadn’t expected a group of conscripted peasants to stand a chance against a monster that even elite mercenaries and knights couldn’t scratch.

From the beginning, the infantry had only one mission.

To keep the Fist King, Repenhardt, tied down on this battlefield!

“That arrogant man always stands at the front, so I figured he’d do the same this time,” Garland thought as he eyed the opposite side of the gorge.

As expected, the rest of the Antares-Galin allied forces were standing in formation, not participating in the battle. It was clear that they intended to attack only after Repenhardt had finished rampaging, just as they had done before.

“Your arrogance will be your downfall!”

Garland made a gesture in the air, signaling. Soldiers who had been waiting above the gorge appeared, pulling carts.

The carts carried enormous siege crossbows, ballistae. Originally intended for attacking castles, these weapons had been prepared to target a single man.

“No matter how mighty the Fist King is, he won’t survive a ballista attack!”

The five carts carrying ballistae quickly prepared to fire. The massive bolts, made entirely of iron and as thick as an adult man’s arm, were all aimed at Repenhardt.

“Fire!”

Thwang! Thwang! Thwack-thwack-thwang!

With a cacophony of release noises, the five ballistae simultaneously launched their bolts. The canyon echoed with the sound of the bolts tearing through the air as they sped toward Repenhardt.

Swwwwwooooosh!

Repenhardt turned his head in an instant. Seeing the incoming bolts, he scoffed.

“Hmph!”

He threw the bamboo staff in his hand and assumed a stance. He launched a heavy mid-thrust punch at the incoming bolts.

“Straight Cannon!”

His punch tore through the air, creating a shockwave.

Booom!

The shockwave acted as a shield, distorting the air and intercepting the bolts. The flying bolts shuddered in midair, stopped by his punch.

Then, a ripple of golden aura swept through the five iron bolts. The sky turned golden as all the bolts shattered simultaneously, scattering like toothpicks in every direction.

Crack-crack-crack…

Amidst the scattering fragments, Repenhardt withdrew his fist and relaxed his stance. Garland was at a loss for words, stammering.

“Wh-what, he deflected ballista bolts with his fists…”

He had once briefly witnessed the martial prowess of Sir Grandiad, an aura user introduced by Baron Chetas. But even he couldn’t have done something so astonishing. The infantry watching were dumbfounded.

“What…is that…”

“I don’t know, it’s terrifying…”