The Count's Gun-Shooting Scoundrel-Chapter 62

“Is this your best?”
Arthur sneered, extending his arm.
“You insolent bastard!”
Blizan poured all his strength into his fist and slammed it down from above.
Sparks intensely flew from the lightning enveloping his fist.
Crash!
“……!”
Blizan’s face distorted terribly.
His attack was blocked.
It had been caught by Arthur’s hand, which was only half the size of his fist.
“H-how…?”
“First, kneel.”
Arthur put strength into his grip.
Crunch.
As bones crunched in his fist, Blizan screamed.
“Aaaargh!”
Just as Arthur was about to apply more force to his hand!
‘This is it!’
Blizan’s Mana was absorbed through his hand.
The same situation had occurred as when he absorbed the Mana from the enemy wizard’s attack a moment ago.
Blizan also felt his Mana draining away and was greatly flustered.
“W-what is this…?”
He tried to break free, but he couldn't escape Arthur's grip.
So, he forcefully threw his other fist.
Whoosh—
It flew like an arrow, imbued with heavy force.
Thwack!
Even that was caught by Arthur's hand.
“Damn it!”
Blizan’s face distorted hideously, just as he was about to kick.
Arthur quickly plunged into his chest, kicked off the ground, and leaped up.
Then, he kneed him in the jaw.
Thwack!
“Aargh!”
Blizan screamed, his head snapping back.
Following up, Arthur grabbed his arm and slammed him to the ground with an over-the-shoulder throw.
Thud!
“Ugh!”
Blizan coughed up blood.
More than the pain, he was utterly dismayed by the fact that his attacks had no effect at all.
Moreover, with his Mana completely drained, he couldn't even resist.
‘It’s over…’
Blizan gave up his fighting spirit.
Arthur then released the fist he was gripping and looked down at him.
“Now our eye levels match.”
The Apos Mercenary Group watched the scene, falling into despair.
Bukas muttered with a blank expression.
“C-Captain has fallen…”
“Hellot!”
At Arthur’s shout, Hellot’s eyes flashed, and he yelled loudly to the Phoenix Knights.
“Kill all who bear arms!”
‘Aah!’
The Knights shouted loudly, raising their swords high.
Not to be outdone, Drakan also shouted loudly.
“Kill everyone standing!”
Charge!
The Lannister Knights mounted their Giant Wolves and charged towards the Apos Mercenary Group, wielding black spears.
The Phoenix Knights, who had been blocking the retreat, also pressed forward and attacked.
The Apos Mercenary Group lost their will to fight when Blizan, their heart and spiritual pillar, fell.
They crumbled helplessly under the fierce onslaught from front and rear.
However, Squad Leader Alteon resisted to the end, shouting at the top of his lungs.
“Don’t retreat! Fight to the end!”
Following him, several other members also shouted along.
“Think of your families!”
“If we fall, everyone dies!”
“Pull yourselves together!”
At their shouts, the members’ eyes gleamed.
‘My wife! My children!’
‘No!’
‘Fight to the end!’
Killing intent filled the eyes of the Apos Mercenary Group, and their momentum grew fierce.
They gripped their weapons tightly and adjusted their stances to fight back.
“You intend to resist?”
Arthur’s eyes shone coldly.
“I have no choice but to kill them all.”
Just as he summoned K1 and aimed the gun at them.
“Stop!”
Blizan shouted like thunder.
Instantly, everyone’s movements ceased, and their gazes turned to him.
He was struggling to get to his feet, pressing his head with one hand.
“Captain!”
Alteon quickly rushed to him.
Blizan extended an arm to stop him from approaching.
Then, he met Arthur’s gaze, who was calmly looking at him.
He looked at him with piercing eyes and spoke.
“I lost.”
“……!”
Alteon and the other members’ eyes widened as if they would tear.
“End it by killing me.”
“Arrogant for a loser.”
At Arthur’s chilling words, Blizan knelt without hesitation.
“Captain! What are you doing! We will fight to the end!”
“Shut up! Say one more word, and you’ll die by my hand!”
After raging like fire, Blizan continued to Arthur.
“As you can see, they are foolish men. If only I disappear, these men are nothing more than a disorganized rabble. They will never be a threat to the Julius family. I beg you, spare their lives.”
He bowed his head deeply to Arthur.
Certainly, unlike a moment ago, his actions and tone had become very respectful.
Arthur looked around, then approached Blizan and stood before him. He then aimed K1 at his head.
“Our side has suffered great damage for that.”
“Hmm…”
A low groan escaped Blizan’s lips.
“It is the sin of choosing the wrong master.”
Just as Arthur was about to pull the trigger, Blizan shouted urgently.
“Then please grant me one request!”
“……?”
Desperation was felt in his voice.
If it was a request to an enemy before death…
He had wandered countless battlefields and experienced all sorts of things.
Incidents like this were numerous.
Arthur frowned slightly.
“Is it related to your family?”
Blizan bowed his head and answered loudly.
“It’s shameless of me, but please save my family, who are captured by that man! If you do that, I will not forget your kindness, even in death!”
At that, the Apos Mercenary Group all dropped their weapons and knelt.
Then, they slammed their heads to the ground.
‘Thud!’
“Hmm…”
Arthur frowned.
As he was lost in thought for a moment, Hellot approached and said firmly.
“They are called cannibals. Their families are likely cannibals too. There’s no value in granting their request.”
Bukas lifted his head and snarled.
“We’re not cannibals!”
Then, several of them cried out as if weeping.
“We’re ordinary humans!”
“We’re not monsters!”
Their voices were filled with desperation and injustice.
‘What is this?’
Arthur shifted his gaze to Blizan.
Blizan, still bowing his head, opened his mouth.
“We are the Horcamun tribe.”
“What did you say?!”
Hellot’s eyes instantly widened.
Arthur tilted his head at his reaction.
“What’s wrong?”
“You were the last warriors…”
Hellot calmed his startled heart and replied in a calm voice.
“During the unification of the Empire, there was a territory that resisted the Emperor until the very end. Even after the territory’s Knight Order was annihilated, the tribe that fought against the Emperor’s Royal Guard to the very end was the Horcamun tribe.”
“And?”
“They are a tribe traditionally known for worshipping justice. For such a tribe to be cannibals…”
Hellot looked at Blizan with a face full of questions.
“Hmm.”
It seemed there was a story behind it.
Showing compassion to an enemy during war was foolish, but their reaction made him feel, somehow, that he shouldn't just ignore it.
Arthur lowered his gun and spoke to Blizan.
“Raise your head.”
Blizan raised his head and looked at Arthur.
“I’ll give you ten minutes. Speak if you have something to say.”
“An imperial decree of racial extermination has been issued against our tribe.”
“Hmm.”
Arthur frowned.
“While hiding in the mountains for a long time to preserve our tribe, we were discovered by the slave trader Hazan…”
Blizan told the story of how they became the Apos Mercenary Group, and how Hazan had fabricated the image of a brutal cannibal tribe to increase the mercenary group's value.
“I swear, we have never eaten a human being.”
“I understand. You mentioned your family because they are held hostage by that man, weren't they?”
“That’s right.”
“You fought for your family?”
“Because only then could we guarantee our families’ safety.”
“Hmm.”
Arthur’s face hardened.
Though they were enemies, they were living a miserable and resentful life.
However, he had no intention of letting them live, not even for a moment.
“If the opportunity arises, I will save your families.”
Arthur aimed the gun at Blizan’s forehead.
“Thank you.”
Blizan closed his eyes and calmly accepted death.
He seemed so peaceful.
In contrast, the Apos Mercenary Group shook their heads vehemently and shouted.
“Please spare us!”
“We will do anything! Just spare our Captain!”
“Count, rather kill us!”
“We will die!”
They cried out, veins bulging in their necks.
The trigger was not easily pulled.
It felt utterly unsettling.
Just as his gaze deepened.
Hellot opened his mouth carefully.
“Count, how about we bind them and escort them to the castle for now?”
“To the castle…”
Arthur was lost in thought for a moment.
He roughly understood what Hellot was thinking.
It must be an attempt to win them over.
In terms of skill alone, they were not inferior even when compared to the Phoenix Knights.
More than anything, he was honestly tempted by Blizan, who was kneeling before him.
Though he had fallen to Arthur, how many individuals, excluding Skevin, could truly fight him on equal terms?
Absorbing them would undoubtedly be a great help.
However, considering their past, it was not easy to readily accept them.
‘It’s not easy.’
Hellot nodded as if understanding Arthur’s concerns.
“I think it wouldn’t be bad to hear the opinions of Millerf and the Commander.”
“That’s true.”
“Moreover, since they’ve already admitted defeat, they won’t cause a disturbance or any unpleasant incidents in the castle.”
“That’s something we can’t know.”
Blizan, who had been overhearing their conversation, quickly interjected.
“No! No unpleasant incidents will ever occur! I can swear to it!”
“How can I believe that?”
Arthur asked with distrustful eyes.
Blizan tore off the necklace he was wearing around his neck and offered it to Arthur.
“Take this!”
A blue gem shaped like a pinecone hung from the leather string.
“What is this?”
“It is the Horcamun tribe’s treasure, ‘Laos’. Whoever possesses this can wield the authority to rule the tribe.”
“It’s similar to a family head’s ring.”
Just as he picked up Laos to examine it more closely.
Blizan shouted loudly to the Apos Mercenary Group.
“From now on, he is our master!”
“……!”
Bukas and Alteon’s eyes bulged.
“Th-that…”
“How can Laos…?”
The other men also showed great confusion, not knowing what to do.
“It seems to be true.”
Arthur said to Hellot with a meaningful smile.
“Take them all to the castle.”
***
“They’re coming!”
Millerf, standing on the castle wall and looking at the distant boundary line, quickly cast Wind magic and descended.
Hectro, who was with him, stared intently at the front.
As Millerf came out of the castle, the Lannister Knights were returning from afar.
At that moment, Skevin, who had sortied into the southern mountains, also appeared, leading the Phoenix Knights.
Those who appeared to be hostages followed, bound by ropes.
The two groups merged into one.
The ground shook as if an earthquake had occurred, and their fierce momentum, as if piercing the sky, could be felt.
Millerf’s lips curled upwards.
“He’s really changed a lot.”
A moment later.
Skevin arrived before Millerf.
He agilely dismounted from his warhorse.
“The Young Master will arrive soon.”
“Where is Count Yarve?”
“He’s here.”
Drakan unceremoniously threw the rope-bound Yarve before Millerf.
Millerf shook his head, looking at the unconscious man.
“What a foolish man.”
He added silently to himself.
‘To make an enemy of someone who will become an Overlord.’
As Skevin gripped the rope binding Yarve, a group appeared from the mountains.
It was Arthur and his Knight Order.
His appearance, clad in golden armor and riding a giant Britanniker, was radiant and sacred.
He was truly the master of the Julius family.
The sight sent shivers down everyone’s spines.
Skevin, unable to contain his surging emotions, shouted to the Knight Order.
“Welcome the Count!”
As soon as his words fell, the Knight Order parted like the miracle of Moses, creating a path.
As Arthur entered, the Knights lined up on either side performed a sword salute with precision.
They looked at Arthur with eyes full of reverence.
The sword salute continued like a wave,
Ch-ch-ch-ch-chak—.
Arthur stopped his Khan before Skevin and Millerf.
Skevin also performed a sword salute with precision, and Millerf bowed respectfully.
“You’ve worked hard.”
Arthur nodded and looked around. He also looked at the Defen Knights of the Hexa family on the castle walls.
Despite the victory, a solemn expression was clearly visible on everyone’s faces.
They were only waiting for his command.
Arthur shouted.
“Sound the victory trumpets!”
The Knights vigorously blew their trumpets.
Bwoooooong—!
Bwoooooong—!
Bwoooooong—!
The majestic trumpet calls echoed from all directions.
Then, the castle buzzed, and people rushed out.
Skevin raised his sword high to the sky and shouted.
“Phoenix Knights!”
At the same time, Drakan also shouted.
“Lannister Knights!”
The Knights raised their swords or slammed their black spears into the ground, shouting in unison.
For golden glory!
An immense spirit became a tidal wave, sweeping through the area.
Shivers ran down the entire bodies of the people who had come out.
At the same time, shouts of joy erupted from everyone.
Whooaaah—!