Escape

The lifeless body of Bartolom lay on the ground in pieces. Maximus could sense that he still has an abundant mana. The battle had barely been a warm-up for him.

Surveying the battlefield, Maximus noticed that Lord Harrington was missing.

"He escaped," Maximus murmured to himself. He had intended to severely damage the Noble Alliance by killing Lord Harrington, but in his excitement of testing his magic spells, he had momentarily forgotten about his primary objective.

Turning his attention to his injured soldiers, Maximus channeled his mana outward, directing it toward his army as he released a healing aura. A gentle aura enveloped them, soothing their pain and revitalizing their bodies.

The Tier 3 Earth Knights, seeing this and knowing this is a hopeless battle, had already started to make their retreat. However, Maximus couldn't allow them to do so. That would only create future enemies for him.

Directing his hand toward the retreating Earth Knights, Maximus unleashed a flame burst that quickly annihilated the enemy. He had initially considered incorporating them into his army, but they were too strong-willed to be easily managed. He couldn't always be there to control them. However, the Tier 2 Great Knights still held value, and he decided to give them a chance to submit to his command.

Some various items and spells could be used to brainwash Tier 3 Earth Knights, but they were not cost-effective or efficient. Besides, it was easier to create new batches of Tier 3 Earth Knights than specifically brainwashing a select few.

Shifting his attention to the frozen ten-thousand-man army, Maximus waved his hand to unfreeze them. It seemed a waste to discard such a well-trained group of soldiers. While they were only slightly stronger than ordinary soldiers, they could still be incorporated into his army after some training—specifically, brainwashing.

Turning his gaze to his two generals, who bore the signs of battle with their rugged breaths, Maximus spoke, "Well, gentlemen, our victory today went as expected."

General Smith, bearing battle scars across his body, nodded in agreement. "It was your magic that led us to victory, my lord. They couldn't withstand your power."

Although they had executed their plans flawlessly, they still wouldn't have been a match for the enemy. It was Maximus's freezing spell that had turned the enemy into statues, rendering them powerless to resist.

"Indeed, my lord. Without you, we would not be standing here," General Johnson added.

With a satisfied smile, Maximus replied, "The battle has taken a toll on our strength for now. You can rest for a few days before we begin our attack on the remaining cities."

The two generals glanced at each other and nodded in agreement. They understood that the soldiers needed time to rest and heal after such a grueling fight.

"What about the enemy army, my lord? Are they dead?" General Johnson asked, looking at the unfrozen soldiers who were still in a comatose state.

"No, I controlled my magic very precisely. I'm sure they are fine. Just proceed as you normally would," Maximus assured them.

General Smith and General Johnson saluted Maximus before preparing to retreat to their outpost, carrying out their orders.

...

After dealing with the enemy, Maximus unleashed the Mind Eye spell, expanding his perception for miles and miles. To his surprise, he spotted Lord Harrington attempting to escape. The Mind Eye spell was incredibly powerful, capable of limitless expansion as long as he had sufficient mana. The tier divisions were merely for adding details and enhancing senses to better cope with fast-moving objects or hidden spells.

Without hesitation, Maximus flew towards the fleeing Lord Harrington. With the Mind Eye spell active, everything seemed to slow down, allowing him to see details clearly and enabling him to fly at a speed faster than some tier 4 sky knights. The chase led him through rugged terrain, and with each passing moment, the distance between them closed in.

...

Harrington ran through the rugged terrain, his heart pounding with fear. Sweat poured down his face as he sensed someone chasing him at an alarming speed.

"No, no, this can't be happening!" he whispered to himself, pushing himself to run even faster by activating his earth knight's mana.

Despite his efforts, Maximus steadily closed in on him, instilling panic within Harrington. He ran with all his might, swearing that this was the fastest he had ever run. His mind raced, desperately searching for a plan.

"Damn it! How did it come to this?" he gritted his teeth and whispered in frustration.

He cursed himself for underestimating Maximus. How could a mere noble count possess such overwhelming power to kill a tier 4 sky knight? It made no sense. Shouldn't Maximus have left this place and headed to the central continent?

Harrington darted from side to side, hoping to shake off the pursuing enemy. The sight of the dense forest ahead gave him a glimmer of hope, urging him to push himself even harder.

Suddenly, a figure emerged in front of him, blocking his path. It was Maximus.

"There's nowhere left to run, Harrington," Maximus said mockingly.

Harrington gritted his teeth with anger. If only Maximus hadn't intervened, if only he hadn't possessed such incredible power. His goal would have succeeded. But faced with such an outcome, he knew it was over for him.

"You can't stop me, Maximus! I'll make you regret this!" Harrington said furiously as he activated a forbidden technique.

This forbidden technique consumed his life force in exchange for a quick power boost. His body began to glow with crimson light, his muscles bulging with mana. In a matter of seconds, his strength surged from that of an earth knight to that of a sky knight.

"Oh? Do you think you can defeat me with borrowed power? After I defeated the knight you brought out earlier?" Maximus chuckled, finding himself another sparring partner.

He watched as Harrington charged towards him in a desperate attempt. With a wave of his hand, he conjured a shield barrier that surrounded him, testing the limits of this spell.

Maximus knew that Harrington's attempt would be futile. He only wanted to see if his mana would last or if Harrington would last. Besides, he had a mana potion in case he lost his bet.

With a scream, Harrington unleashed a flurry of attacks, each strike costing him his life force. His attacks collided with Maximus's barrier, sinking in like drowning in the sea, making him desperate.

Maximus didn't move, letting Harrington attack him to satisfaction. His struggles were futile as his life force rapidly depleted with each passing moment.

"Is this the best the Noble Alliance leader can do, Harrington?" Maximus boredly said to him.

As Harrington's attacks grew weaker and weaker, his movements sluggish and blood trickling from his mouth, his life force waned. Maximus ended his misery with a flick of his finger, unleashing a flame burst that ended his life.

Harrington locked eyes with Maximus one last time, a mixture of defiance and resignation on his face. He would rather die fighting than beg for mercy from an enemy. That's why, even though he knew his attempt was futile, at least he could say he fought for his survival.

The rugged terrain fell silent as Harrington's futile struggle came to an end.