The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 240: An Accomplished Mission

Chapter 240: An Accomplished Mission

The air was filled with the sound of clashing swords, accompanied by the cries of both the attackers and the defenders. The Knights of Gerhard, led by their Grand Duke and assisted by the Mederian Prince, fought relentlessly against the Bargesians.

As the enemies found themselves surrounded from all angles, chaos ensued rapidly. Luke and Garin, positioned high in the treetops, unleashed a barrage of long-range attacks. Each arrow was carefully aimed, seeking out vulnerable spots and leaving no room for escape.

At the same time, the rest of Kyren’s knights closed in, their swords gleaming in the golden light of the late afternoon. They skillfully manoeuvred, using their training and experience to gain the upper hand in the battle.

As the fight raged on, Luke and Garin, having exhausted their supply of arrows, joined the fray with swords in hand. They seamlessly integrated themselves into the group of knights, their strikes landing true on the bodies of Brone’s men.

Alex and Drystan showcased their superior swordsmanship skills, engaging multiple Bargesians simultaneously. Their blades moved, slashing and dodging against their opponents.

Each strike they delivered found its mark, leaving the Bargesians reeling in pain. The duo showed no mercy, their relentless assault proving too much for their adversaries to handle.

Meanwhile, Noah effortlessly dispatched the enemies with his expertise in close combat. His proficiency in hand-to-hand combat complemented his swordsmanship.

Fists and kicks flew, landing with devastating force on the Bargesians. Each blow sent them howling, and a smile of satisfaction etched on Noah’s lips with every scream.

In the midst of the chaos, Eric confronted Mikhal, Brone’s assistant.

"So the punch was truly intended! I’ll kill you for that!" Mikhal shouted. A look of anger was apparent as his face turned red.

Eric snarled teasingly, taunting the Bargesian, "How can you be so slow-witted only to realise it now? I didn’t know that you were so stupid!"

"Shut up!" Mikhal growled.

He thrust his sword towards Eric, but the knight swiftly ducked, evading the attack. Seizing the opportunity, Eric swung his blade high, targeting Mikhal’s shoulder.

The force behind the strike aimed to incapacitate his opponent, but Mikhal could evade the strike with his nimbly and finesse move. Both fought with unwavering resolve, fully aware that their lives hung in the balance.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the battlefield, Kiev, having freed himself from the other Bargesians, closed in on Derek. With determination in his red eyes, he confronted the mage and offered, "Surrender now, and I’ll make your death less painful."

Derek’s feet seemingly froze to the ground, his face paling at the threat. In a desperate attempt to elicit sympathy, the mage posed a lie, utilising his elderly appearance to draw pity.

"You can’t do this! I am just an unarmed, innocent veteran. How can you be so cruel?"

Seeing through the deception, Kiev smiled wistfully and responded, "Nice try, old man! I know you are pretending to be weak, yet you are actually a magic practitioner. Tell me, what source did you use to harness that dark magic?"

Realising that his act had been exposed, the mage’s anger surged, and he angrily shouted, "You’ll never outwit me! Your emperor died of dark magic, and so will you!"

Tendrils of black smoke slithered around Derek’s hands, pulsating with malevolent energy, signifying the manifestation of his dark magic.

"Sh*t!" Kiev’s curse escaped his lips as he realised that his provocation had pushed the mage to resort to using his abilities.

The situation became more challenging for him as he remembered losing his magical powers. Feeling the weight of his responsibility, the Mederian Prince tightened his grip on his sword.

He knew he had no choice but to rely on his physical force to confront the incoming magic attack without the advantage of his abilities. He braced himself to face the mage.

Amidst the chaos of the battle, Kyren and Brone clashed fiercely, their blades meeting with relentless force. The grand duke skillfully parried the Bargesian leader’s strikes with elegant movements, gracefully sidestepping the attacks.

With forceful stabs, he launched a barrage of counterattacks that Brone could hardly evade. Step by step, the Bargesian leader was pushed back, and in a quick motion, the grand duke’s blade victoriously sliced through Brone’s left torso, causing blood to stain his body.

The Bargesian leader let out a scream of pain and frustration, cursing his fate. Kyren’s grin widened as he locked eyes with his wounded opponent.

"That is just the beginning!" he declared. "Now, take this!"

With a twirl of his sword, the grand duke delivered another precise blow. Instead of targeting his opponent’s weapon, his blade cut through the flesh of his opponent, propelled by his exceptional swordsmanship and strength.

’Thud!’

Came the sound of something falling; it wasn’t just the scimitar that had been thrown to the ground.

An agonising howl filled the air as Brone writhed in pain, part of his body drenched in a pool of gore. His right hand, cleanly severed from his body, lay motionless on the earth.

Brone’s men watched in horror, witnessing the fate that had befallen their leader. The grand duke’s merciless assault had left the Bargesian leader not only in excruciating pain but also physically incapacitated.

Kyren, fueled by his determination, marched forward without an ounce of mercy. His goal was clear, his intention undeterred. He sought to end the life of Brone and all his men.

No enemy would be spared, even if they surrendered and begged for their lives. Their despicable acts and behaviour had solidified Kyren’s resolve, leaving no room for negotiation or mercy.

"Arghh!!"

Another scream pitched as Eric’s blade pierced through Mikhal’s chest. The second-in-command knight of Gerhard didn’t back down even one bit. He pushed with imminent strength, ensuring his sword penetrated deeply through the body of Brone’s assistant.

Mikhal’s body froze, his eyes wide with shock as Eric firmly grasped his shoulder and stabbed him again with the sword. A torrent of blood gushed forth from the gaping wound left behind.

Ruthlessly, Eric thrust his blade through Mikhal’s stomach, severing flesh and organs. Retrieving his sword, he delivered a forceful kick that sent the Bargesian sprawling to the ground. Gasping for breath, blood spewed from his mouth, revealing the severity of his internal injuries.

"This is for what you did to the spies!" Eric’s voice boomed with fury as he swung his sword, repeatedly striking the Bargesian’s body until Mikhal lay motionless.

The knight unleashed his pent-up vengeance, each strike punctuating his rage. Eric then delivered a final kick to the lifeless body, a visceral expression of his triumph over his fallen foe.

However, before the knight could continue his furious assault, Noah quickly intervened, stepping in to halt his companion’s ferocious act. With a commanding tone, Noah urged Eric to refocus their efforts.

"That’s enough! We have more to handle! Move!" he commanded, recognising the pressing need to deal with the remaining enemies.

Eric, his gaze still burning with intensity, reluctantly ceased his onslaught. Determinedly, he redirected his attention towards the remaining standing Bargesians, wielding his sword alongside Noah.

The battlefield also witnessed a heightened tension as the clash between Derek and Kiev took on a darker and more dangerous turn. Balls of fire emerged from Derek’s palm and flew to the Mederian Prince and the knights. Kiev managed to evade them with his nimble move. His sword also deflected the mage’s magic attack, preventing it from hitting them.

Realising that his short-range fireball attacks were ineffective against the enemy, Derek tapped into a different kind of magic, drawing upon his dark forces.

He knew he had to be cautious with its usage, as it drained his strength. However, with his group under relentless assault and no other options available, he had no choice but to increase his attack power.

The ground was now littered with the fallen bodies of the Bargesians. Once confident in their strength and numbers, they now struggled to maintain their position against the unyielding onslaught.

The defeat of Mikhal and the severe injury sustained by Brone, who could barely hold his own against the grand duke, had shattered their spirits and instilled them with overwhelming fear. The knights, displaying gallantry and exceptional skill, turned the tide of the battle decisively in their favour.

The once-confident Bargesians now faced a grim reality as they struggled to defend against the relentless assault. Their strength and numbers were no longer enough to withstand the combined might of the knights.

In a desperate bid to save himself, Derek raised his palm, summoning even greater magic. The sky, already tinged with sunset hues, suddenly turned ominously black above him.

Lightning crackled and surged through the air, accompanied by a powerful gust of wind. The men on the battlefield looked up, bewildered by the sudden transformation.

’Thump!’

The lightning flashed and struck the ground with a resounding explosion. The force of the blast sent the knights tumbling to the earth, their bodies disoriented from the attack. Kyren, fearing for the safety of his men, urgently called out to Kiev.

"Raise your magic to protect us!" he shouted.

However, the Mederian Prince hesitated, knowing that his magical abilities had not yet recovered. He racked his brain, desperately searching for a solution, but found himself at a loss.

"Derek! Help me!" Brone’s voice rang out, his defence against Kyren’s relentless attacks crumbling.

In that critical moment, the mage turned his attention towards the grand duke, lifting his hand maliciously. Kiev instinctively turned his head toward Derek’s outstretched hand.

Eyes widening, the Mederian Prince’s instincts kicked in, and he yelled out in a desperate attempt to warn Kyren, "Look out!"

Reacting swiftly, Kiev rushed forward, driven by urgency and the need to protect his ally. He leapt into the path of the incoming attack and spread his arms to call his barrier but then realised that it was of no use.

Panic washed over him as the lightning current surged towards him and the grand duke. However, in a miraculous turn of events, a protective white shield materialised around him and Kyren before the attack hit them, blocking the impending danger. The Mederian Prince stood in awe as the vast well of mana within him surged back to life, his magic restored.

"It’s back!" Kiev exclaimed, raising his hands and feeling the renewed power coursing through him.

The sudden return of his abilities caught him by surprise, filling him with a newfound sense of confidence. However, at the same time, Kiev wondered why the grand duke’s golden shield didn’t emerge to protect them from the attack.

"Get rid of that old man!" Kyren commanded, unaware of the Mederian Prince’s astonishment.

Oblivious to Kiev’s momentary confusion, the grand duke urged him to eliminate Derek.

A smug smile played upon the Mederian Prince’s lips.

"With pleasure!"

Harnessing his reawakened powers, The Mederian Prince began charging his own lightning attack. The crackling energy surged within him, ready to be unleashed.

This time, he directed his devastating blast directly at Derek, the force of the attack shaking the mage’s body violently before he crumpled to the ground.

"You seem to have a fondness for playing with lightning. How does it feel to be on the receiving end?" Kiev taunted, revelling in the satisfaction of turning the tables on his adversary.

Panting from the pain, Derek looked around, his once formidable Bargesian forces now reduced to a mere handful of survivors.

Gripped with fear and facing the dire consequences of his actions, he pleaded for mercy, "Spare me! Please!"

He crawled and inched his way towards his leader, Brone, who was nearing defeat at the hands of Kyren, as he had nowhere else to turn.

Screams echoed in the air as the Knights of Gerhard finished the remaining Bargesians. Derek and Brone, both now seated on the ground, gasped for breath. They found themselves at the precipice of defeat, their comrades fallen, and their options dwindling rapidly.

The weight of their imminent demise bore down upon them, leaving them teetering on the edge of despair.

Kyren’s face was etched with a grim determination as he plunged his sword deep into Brone’s stomach. A sharp, agonised scream ripped through the air as Brone’s body convulsed in pain.

The grand duke was poised to strike the mage next. However, with a burst of energy, Derek unleashed an explosive attack before it could happen.

’Dumm!’

Witnessing the grand duke’s body being blown away, Kiev swiftly reacted, raising his hand and utilising his magic to catch Kyren’s tumbling form, suspending it in mid-air with his power before gently lowering it to the ground. The unexpected turn of events left the knights in shock.

Noah, the one with keen observance, detected a disturbance and quickly glanced downward. His eyes widened as he felt the ground tremble beneath his feet. A series of cracking sounds reverberated through the air, signalling imminent danger.

"Look out! The cliff is collapsing!" Noah’s voice resounded, a sense of urgency colouring his words.

The knights frantically scrambled to save themselves, evading the crumbling cliff’s collapse. Unfortunately, Brone and Derek, trapped on the precipice, could not escape their fate.

Their screams echoed through the air as the ground beneath them crumbled, sending them hurtling into the ravine, lost to the abyss below due to the mage’s ill-fated attack.

"Goodness, grief!" Alex exclaimed, the shock of the moment evident on his face. "Thank God we’re safe!"

Drystan, relieved to have narrowly avoided the disaster, nodded in agreement. Kyren, who had been at a distance from the blow of the explosion, approached his men, concern etched on his face.

"Are you all right?" he asked, assessing their well-being.

"Just a few cuts here and there, but overall, we’re fine," Eric replied after affirming the condition of the knights.

Kyren nodded, grateful for their safety. His attention turned to Kiev, gratitude shining in his blue eyes.

"Thank you for saving my life twice," the grand duke expressed sincerely.

Kiev smiled, his spirits lifted by the gratitude extended to him.

"You’re welcome. Perhaps I can use that as a bargaining chip for Princess Anna," he jokingly remarked.

Kyren’s response was swift and firm. "Not a chance!"

Kiev chuckled at the banter.

"I knew you would say that. Don’t worry. We’ll continue our duel once you return."

Kyren’s stern expression softened at the Mederian Prince’s words.

"Actually... you’re quite skilled, and I must admit, I appreciate your honest character. If it weren’t for your pursuit of my wife, we might have been friends."

"I suppose we are destined to be honourable rivals," Kiev replied, a hint of respect in his voice regardless of their disagreement.

Drystan interjected, breaking the momentary pause of the main event, "It appears Lord Morro and the magic practitioner have fallen into the ravine. What are your orders, Your Highness?"

Kyren looked up at the sky, now transitioning from its darkened state back to a golden hue.

"There’s no need. The sun is setting, and it’ll be dark soon. It would be dangerous and futile to search for them down the ravine. Besides, they wouldn’t survive such a fall."

Noah raised a concern, "What about the corpses?"

Kyren’s voice turned cold and resolute.

"Throw them all down. Let them follow in their lord’s footsteps. After that, let’s return to the mansion, clean ourselves, and then head back to the palace. You all reek of blood."

"Yes, Your Highness!" the knights responded in unison, a proud expression coloured their faces as they had accomplished their mission against the Bargesians.