The Regressed Mercenary's Machinations-Chapter 465: Great Power Comes With Great Responsibility (3)

Dentaria hesitated, his confidence shaken. The elf he had assumed to be a high-tier knight was unmistakably a superhuman.

“How... How is there another superhuman in the Northern Army?”

This development threw his strategy into disarray. Every plan had been based on the assumption that the Northern Army no longer had any superhumans.

But as panic crept in, a twisted grin crossed Dentaria’s face.

“Perhaps this is an opportunity.”

The unexpected appearance of another superhuman was a dangerous variable. However, if he could eliminate this elf, a significant threat would be removed.

Dentaria wasn’t sure if the elf was stronger or weaker than himself, but the Delfine forces had three superhumans. Surely, cooperation would tip the scales.

“I’ll call for backup—”

Before he could finish, Ereneth moved.

Boom!

Dentaria barely had time to react as a hand clamped around his throat, lifting him into the air.

Crash!

He was slammed into the ground, gasping for breath.

“C-Can’t... breathe...”

The sheer pressure from Ereneth’s grip made it impossible for him to draw air. It felt like a mountain was crushing his windpipe.

Rumble...

“Guhh...!”

Desperate, Dentaria summoned his energy. Black tendrils of power erupted from his hands, lashing out wildly.

Boom!

But the strike hit nothing—Ereneth had already moved.

Cough, cough!

Dentaria scrambled to his feet, coughing violently. His senses screamed at him to defend himself, and he instinctively crossed his arms.

Flash!

Crash!

A powerful green energy struck Dentaria, sending him flying. His arms, which had absorbed the brunt of the attack, hung limply, broken.

“Arghhh! You... What are you?”

Black energy surged from Dentaria’s body, enveloping his broken limbs and forcing them back into position. Shadowy wings unfurled from his back, and claw-like extensions grew from his hands.

This was the last resort of high-ranking priests—a desperate, reckless use of their power.

“Don’t underestimate my divine strength!”

His voice roared with rage and humiliation.

Boom!

He lunged at Ereneth, a blur of black light.

This elf couldn’t be stronger than him. He had merely been caught off guard. He wouldn’t let it happen again.

“Die!!!”

Dentaria’s claws slashed through the air with such force that space itself seemed to warp. It was an attack designed to obliterate anything in its path.

But his claws only met empty air.

Ereneth had already dodged, effortlessly sidestepping to his flank.

“You aren’t true superhumans,” she said calmly, her voice laced with disdain. “You’re parasites, feeding on scraps of power.”

Flash!

Boom!

Her next strike caved in Dentaria’s side, sending him sprawling to the ground.

“Aaarghhh!”

Agonizing pain coursed through his body. Divine power was supposed to dull pain, yet his wounds burned relentlessly.

“What... What is this...?”

He tried channeling more energy to heal himself, but it barely helped. The elf’s strikes had overwhelmed his divine protection.

Step.

Ereneth approached, her gaze cold and judgmental.

“You’re pathetic. Compared to ‘them,’ you’re nothing.”

“W-What are you talking about...?”

“You pretend to be superhumans, but you’re nothing but half-baked imitations.”

The high-ranking priests of the Salvation Order relied on divine power to achieve pseudo-superhuman status. They wielded immense strength but lacked the refinement and mastery of true superhumans who had honed their skills over a lifetime.

“You’re weaker than Equidema,” she continued.

Dentaria flinched. Equidema, the monstrous Rift beast, had been a feral force of destruction. Yet Ereneth considered him stronger than these priests.

“You have strength, but no skill. No experience. No instinct. You’re frauds.”

Dentaria, clutching his side, began retreating, dragging himself backward across the ground.

“Is that all?” Ereneth asked, her tone sharp.

“W-What... What do you mean?”

“Are you the only superhuman here? If so, you’re going to die.”

“You arrogant...”

Dentaria’s eyes glinted with malice. He had been too preoccupied to call for backup earlier, but now the elf’s overconfidence would cost her.

“Now! Attack her!”

Black pillars of energy erupted from the ground where Ereneth stood.

Boom! Boom!

Ereneth leapt back, her eyes narrowing as she scanned the enemy lines.

Two more priests emerged, flying toward her.

“So, there are three of you,” she muttered.

If she hadn’t been here, the Northern Army would have suffered immense casualties.

Dentaria rose into the air, his confidence restored as he joined the other two priests.

“You arrogant elf! Do you really think you can take on all three of us?”

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Despite their flaws, three pseudo-superhumans working together were a formidable force. Their combined strength could overwhelm even a true superhuman.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Black energy rained down from all directions. Ereneth, no longer underestimating her foes, was forced to dodge repeatedly.

From the Northern Army’s camp, the scene caused a stir.

“Another two? Are you serious?”

Alfoy, trembling with frustration, glared at Claude.

Claude had been adamant about testing the enemy’s strength before fully committing to an attack.

“If she can kill them, great. But if she can force the others to reveal themselves, even better. We need to know exactly what we’re dealing with.”

If the first superhuman brought out by the Delfine forces was overwhelmed by Ereneth, the remaining enemy superhumans would likely resort to a combined attack to take her down.

They wouldn’t want to miss the chance to eliminate such a formidable opponent.

Claude, the mastermind behind this scenario, leaned back arrogantly in his chair, a smug grin on his face.

“People like me—experts—can see these things coming a mile away. War is just like a card game. I’ve always said that. It’s all about mind games, reading your opponent, and, in the end, having the better hand.”

Kaor, resting a sword casually on his shoulder, sneered.

“Expert, my ass. You lose every bet you make with the lord.”

“...That’s because he’s not human—he’s an anomaly.”

Regardless, Claude’s strategy seemed to be working. If the enemy had ignored Ereneth and rushed in, the situation might have been more troublesome. But they had taken the bait.

Kaor tilted his head, a hint of skepticism in his expression.

“Why did those guys even take the bait? If they’re so sure the lord isn’t here, wouldn’t it have been smarter to just bulldoze us? They’d cause way more damage that way.”

Claude clicked his tongue and waved a finger as if explaining something obvious.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk. You don’t get how commanders think. They know they’re at a disadvantage because of our ballistae. They’re trying to conserve manpower. Even fighting a top-tier knight means taking casualties. So, they’d prefer to kill someone strong now while they’ve got the chance.”

“Pfft...”

Kaor scoffed, unimpressed. Claude’s holier-than-thou attitude grated on him. Everything about the guy was infuriating.

Meanwhile, Alfoy watched Claude with a mix of admiration and realization.

“Yeah, I definitely need to get into card games.”

He genuinely believed they’d be an excellent way to stimulate his brain.

Unbeknownst to anyone, however, Claude’s inner thoughts were far less confident than his outward demeanor suggested.

A bead of cold sweat trickled down his back.

“Holy shit. She’s really that strong? How does that even make sense? She might actually be stronger than the lord...”

He had only been speculating, but Ereneth was genuinely holding her own against three superhumans.

Even if the priests lacked combat experience, their raw power was still at a superhuman level. A single solid hit from any one of them would be enough to seriously injure, if not outright kill, most opponents.

For Ereneth to hold her ground against all three at once was nothing short of awe-inspiring.

“Screw it. Maybe we should just charge straight at the Delfine forces.”

The thought was fleeting and irrational, but such was the impression Ereneth’s performance had left on him.

Alfoy, who had been watching the battle with a growing sense of unease, spoke up, his face marked by worry.

“Isn’t she fighting three of them? Shouldn’t we step in and help already? Let’s send Vanessa out there to show them how it’s done!”

It was clear he had no intention of going out himself. Alfoy knew all too well that if he joined the fray, his body would likely be shredded in seconds. His situational awareness was at least good enough to recognize that.

Tenant, gripping his sword, turned to Claude.

“I’ll go.”

Kaor hefted his weapon and grinned.

“I’ll head out too. Those priests suck at fighting anyway.”

Kaor had firsthand experience fighting the priests during the battle with Ravier. He knew their strength and speed were impressive, but their lack of skill left them vulnerable to experienced fighters like himself and Tenant.

However, Claude shook his head.

“No, not yet. Let’s wait a little longer.”

If things became truly dangerous, Ereneth would pull back or signal for help. For now, though, she was clearly fighting strategically, aiming to eliminate at least one of them.

It wasn’t yet clear whether the Delfine forces had more superhumans waiting in reserve. But if Ereneth managed to take down one of their superhumans without any reinforcements showing up...

“Then those three are all they’ve got.”

The presence—or absence—of superhumans in a war was critical information. Entire strategies could hinge on it.

And Ereneth was executing Claude’s orders perfectly.

Her efforts had already revealed the presence of three enemy superhumans, confirming the Delfine forces’ determination to crush the Northern Army while the lord was absent.

Claude waved a hand to the others.

“Start preparing for battle. If they lose one of their superhumans, the enemy’s going to lose it. They’ll throw everything they’ve got at us.”

While the Northern Army nervously observed the ongoing battle, Count Mathes of the Delfine forces clenched his fists, his eyes fixed on the fierce skirmish between Ereneth and the three priests.

“Who... Who the hell is that elf?”

They had committed three superhumans, and yet they still couldn’t take her down. The enemy commander clearly wasn’t an idiot—reinforcements would undoubtedly be standing by to counter any sudden moves.

The difference between ambushing superhumans and facing them when prepared was enormous.

But that was only something to worry about after the three priests managed to defeat the elf.

“Surely... they won’t lose, right?”

It was evident that Ereneth could overpower any of them one-on-one, but Count Mathes clung to the hope that three-on-one odds would turn the tide.

“Why hasn’t the Northern Army sent reinforcements yet?”

By now, it should have been obvious to them that their ally was outnumbered. Yet, the Northern Army stood still, watching as if there were nothing to worry about.

This lack of response only heightened Count Mathes’s anxiety.

Finally, unable to bear the tension any longer, he turned to his deputy.

“Prepare to attack.”

“Sir?”

“If the priests are in danger, we’ll charge immediately.”

“But the duel—”

“You fool! We’ve already lost the duel the moment we sent three against one. Do you see anyone coming to help her? No! They’re just watching!”

“Understood, sir!”

The soldiers, watching the duel with increasing dismay, felt their morale plummet. What had started as a promising show of force now felt like a mistake.

The battle grew increasingly intense. The three priests complemented each other’s powers well, preventing Ereneth from overwhelming them outright.

Yet, her eyes remained sharp, focused—not on survival, but on opportunity.

Above, Dentaria laughed mockingly, his voice echoing across the battlefield.

“You were so full of yourself, weren’t you? Let’s see you handle this!”

Hum...

A deep violet glow enveloped Dentaria’s eyes, and an oppressive aura began radiating from his entire body.

He wasn’t aiming for Ereneth. His plan was to unleash overwhelming destruction on the Northern Army itself.

“Once the attack hits, Count Mathes will move. The elf will be tied up by the other priests, and the Northern Army will be in shambles. That’ll be our chance.”

Black tendrils of energy coiled and writhed around Dentaria, growing thicker and denser.

This was the same technique Ravier had used against Ghislain—a devastating move that consumed massive amounts of divine energy to unleash a storm of destruction.

Even a superhuman would struggle to avoid it, and ordinary soldiers wouldn’t stand a chance.

“Arrogant elf. Watch as your precious army crumbles before your eyes.”

Just then, Ereneth, who had been dodging the other priests’ attacks, locked eyes on Dentaria.

Her wooden armor tightened around her body as fresh vines sprouted from her left arm.

The vines twisted and intertwined, forming a massive bow in her hand.

This was Ereneth’s ultimate weapon, the Elven Serenade, a relic of her status as one of the Continent’s Seven Guardians and the protector of the World Tree.

Fwoom...

As she drew the glowing green bowstring, a brilliant arrow of light materialized.

Even as the other priests closed in, she moved with calm precision, dodging effortlessly until she found her opening.

Dentaria, still preparing his attack, felt a chill run down his spine. He looked up to see a blinding green light aimed directly at him.

“W-Wait... Could it be... Is she—”

Thwack!

The arrow pierced his heart.