Mercenary System: I can increase innate potential !

Chapter 55 Maxime and Killian face off

"By my side are Henry and Ultia, two apprentice knights in the entry stage."

"We also have 10 elite soldiers and 80 ordinary soldiers accompanying us."

Maxime watched from afar as this strong apprentice knight was fully equipped in iron armor and riding a strong, sturdy horse.

He had removed his helmet to show his sincerity.

Killian was already a middle-aged man in his late thirties.

His mature face could charm more than one woman, even among the nobility.

Unfortunately, he had little hope of ever becoming a knight because his body lacked vital energy as he aged.

Henry and Ultia, who stood beside him, also rode trained horses and removed their helmets when they saw Killian do so.

Henry was indeed the arrogant young apprentice knight Ernest had faced a few days earlier.

His arrogance hadn't disappeared, but he still seemed full of self-confidence.

Ultia, on the other hand, was more reserved.

Her flawless face and firm eyes, combined with her knight's apprentice outfit, made her look like a Valkyrie.

Many villagers and mercenaries could not help but admire her for a long time.

She was known to be a genius on the same level as Henry, so she was likely to become a knight one day.

Behind them were a number of horses tied to carriages, obviously loaded with provisions.

All the soldiers appeared battle-hardened and highly disciplined. Their equipment was excellent, though far behind the quality worn by apprentice knights.

Some of them carried a flag with a white background depicting a red buffalo, its horns looking particularly menacing.

The old woman quickly observed these soldiers and had no doubt that they were Baron Irut's soldiers.

She'd already heard the news from Maxime, but she was particularly convinced by the fact that these soldiers looked far too professional to be bandits.

"Welcome to our village of Plouta, apprentice knights and soldiers of the lord."

The old woman had once again stepped forward to welcome these new temporary residents.

"Thank you. Can you let us in? My soldiers would like to rest and eat after walking for so long."

Killian was clearly not tired, but it did seem that walking had tired many of the soldiers.

"Of course you can go back."

"But for accommodation we had an inn but it's currently occupied by saber-toothed tigers, and for food you'll have to prepare it yourself."

The village chief's reply made Killian disgruntled.

"Well, our mercenary friends will do us the pleasure of freeing the inn so that my soldiers can rest properly."

"Besides, we're Baron Irut's soldiers and we've come to protect you! The least you could do would be to requisition a few villagers to serve our valiant fighters who will fight for you!"

Henry, standing behind Killian, was equally displeased, while Ultia's expression remained unchanged.

The old woman frowned, but was prepared to accept. This apprentice knight represented the authority of Baron Irut and therefore the nobility.

A simple village chief like her had no power to refuse.

However, just then Maxime emerged from the crowd and stood between Killian and the old woman.

"I beg your pardon? You want to commandeer the inn and some of the citizens to serve you? Are the baron's soldiers so useless that they can't fend for themselves?"

"It's the law of the strongest. The weak submit to the strong, just as your mercenary group submitted to Baron Irut."

As he said this, the apprentice knight Killian sounded very confident.

"You know, I had started to build a dwelling for your soldiers with the help of my men, and I thought I'd let my men help you finish it. But now I've changed my mind."

Killian remained contemplating Maxime from his horse, waiting for him to continue his sentence.

"Let's have a duel, whoever wins gets the inn but also the absolute right to give orders to the loser on the battlefield."

The apprentice knight laughed wildly.

"A mercenary wishes to challenge an apprentice knight to a duel!? How embarrassing that a common insect suddenly thinks he's a match for a lion."

But Maxime didn't change his expression; he was slowly getting used to the fact that his status was low in this world, and that to gain respect he had to impose himself via force every time.

"Do you accept or not?"

Killian remained silent for a moment, which was also when Henry recognized Maxime.

The apprentice knights had long known that a group of mercenaries called the saber-toothed tigers would help them protect the city.

To them, they were just an ordinary mercenary group to be used as cannon fodder.

However, when Henry looked closer, he recognized many familiar faces.

However, it was already too late.

"Of course, if I have to crush you to get you to accept our authority, there's no need to worry!"

Maxime nodded slightly and gave them a few pointers.

"So, drop your things at the village's central square and then join my mercenaries south of the village."

"There's a large open space there that will allow us to fight without disturbing anyone or scaring the locals."

Killian agreed and led his men not only to drop off their belongings but also to tie and feed the horses before returning to the forest.

While they were on their way and the mercenaries waiting for them could be seen, Henry finally found the courage to warn Killian.

"Captain, these mercenaries are not at all simple, especially their leader is of exceptional strength."

"Exceptional? What kind of strength can reach an individual without a breathing method? That's ridiculous."

Killian was particularly contemptuous, and he was even more so when he saw Maxime's back in the middle of the empty forest space, chatting with his mercenaries.

Ultia simply listened from the side without changing her expression, for her these things were not at all important and she simply wished to return as soon as possible to resume her training.

"Exceptional enough to send Knight Jack flying and wound him slightly."

"What? What did you just say?"

At this point Killian was particularly panicked.

And he became even more so when he saw Maxime turn around and look at him with a slight smile.

He also realized at that precise moment that all the mercenaries surrounding Maxime were particularly confident and seemed to be expecting to watch a fine show.

"So he's the famous individual who dared to fend off Knight Jack and who also had men with the strength of an apprentice knight?"

Even Killian, who spent his time attending to various tasks assigned by the Baron and training, had heard of this recent rumor.

But he hadn't listened to it without close attention. In this city, many legends and rumors circulated with ease, but the veracity of any of them could always be easily questioned.

He didn't think this rumor turned out to be true.

Ultia, who was standing nearby and heard this, finally became curious and looked attentively at Maxime, who was standing less than fifty meters from her.

Killian took a deep breath and reassured himself that even he could manage a surprise attack on a knight if given the chance.

"How could a common mercenary have the strength of a knight, it's impossible of course," thought Killian as he arrived in front of Maxime.

Killian was right, Maxime was far from having the strength of a knight at this stage.

And to be honest with himself, Maxime didn't think he could easily defeat an apprentice knight at the grand-success stage who had spent many years developing his sword skills and traversing various battlefields.

But this battle had to be fought.

Maxime beckoned to Killian as he drew his sword.

"Are you ready?"

Seeing Maxime draw his sword, Killian drew his too.

The wind blew gently across the grassy plain. A few leaves from nearby trees fluttered in the air between the two combatants.

The sky was an ominous gray, as if the world itself were holding its breath before the confrontation.

In the center of this deserted field, two silhouettes faced each other.

An apprentice knight in full iron armor holding his sword in both hands, and a sharp-eyed mercenary much more lightly equipped.

Their drawn swords glinted in the dull light.

The mercenary stood lightly, a simple-looking one-handed sword.

He wore studded leather armor, reinforced with a few metal plates to protect his vital areas, but much lighter than that of his opponent.

A mesh vest covered his shoulders and torso, leaving his movements fluid and swift.

Maxime had found this equipment in the bandits' camp, and it wasn't just him; it had become the norm for early mercenaries.

His eyes, sharp as a hawk's, watched the knight's every move with cold concentration.

All the mercenaries stood in a bow 20 meters behind Maxime, while the soldiers did the same behind Killian.

Many of the villagers, including the old woman, stood further back, watching this rare event with a certain excitement.

"I'll leave the first move to you."