Regressing as the Reincarnated Bastard of the Sword Clan

Chapter 343

Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud!

Like the rhythm of war drums, the roar of the Triple Core echoed across the battlefield, blending with the screams of Theo's enemies.

"Stop him!"
"Kill the traitor!"

Commands rang out from the rear, but the knights at the front line involuntarily kept stepping backward.

“How are we supposed to stop that…?”

The officer in charge of the frontline was paralyzed with fear, watching the monstrous sight of Theo effortlessly throwing heavily armored knights into the air like toys.

“Is this even possible…?”

It was a scene that defied logic.

The knights gathered here were the Empire’s elite forces, honed to perfection. Even troops that neighboring nations feared were among those deployed today.

Yet these hardened soldiers were powerless before a single man.

“I thought the tales of Ragnar’s draconic heritage were just nonsense…”

The overwhelming display unfolding before him made it impossible to doubt.

The physical blessings unique to the Ragnar bloodline were no myth.

The aura Theo exuded was beyond anything a human could produce, and his calm, emotionless face projected an impenetrable sense of control.

That expression alone was enough to instill terror in the knights.

"Hold your ground!"

The tide of battle had shifted so drastically that the knights didn’t even realize they were now on the defensive.

"Archers, fire! Where are the mages? Why aren’t they casting spells?!"

The spreading fear had rendered the knights unable to fight effectively.

To the officer, watching his soldiers drop like straw dummies was unbearable.

"They’re preparing, but the enemy moves too quickly to target!"
"Are you serious?! That’s your excuse?!"

The officer screamed in frustration and turned his gaze forward, locking eyes with Theo, who had just reached the final defensive line.

"Still so naive," Theo said, his voice cold. "Do you not understand? Before you stands Ragnar itself. If I so choose, I could crush this pathetic blockade effortlessly."

It wasn’t a bluff.

The officer saw it firsthand—Theo was already tearing through their defenses, and nothing seemed capable of stopping him.

"And he’s not even alone."

"Regroup at the rear! Form a defensive line and pile up barricades! Hurry, send word to Lord Ascold!"

Boom!

A thunderous sound erupted, and a cloud of dust enveloped the area.

When the dust settled, Theo had reached the command center.

"You filthy traitor!"

Shing!

The field commander drew his sword and charged at Theo with a shout.

"Your courage is commendable."

Clang!

Theo parried the attack with an upward strike, following it with a powerful punch to the commander’s abdomen.

"Urgh…!"

The steel armor crumpled under the force, and the commander collapsed unconscious.

As he fainted, one lingering thought haunted him.

“Why isn’t he killing us…?”

In the split second before losing consciousness, he glimpsed the battlefield.

The fallen soldiers littering the ground—none of them were dead.

“A monster… He’s a monster…”

With that, the commander blacked out completely.

"Such an annoying tactic," Lodbrok muttered as he surveyed the scene.

"It’s advantageous not to leave any deaths if I want to clear my name later," Theo replied, unfazed.

Lodbrok smirked and glanced around.

Cries of pain filled the air as injured knights groaned in agony.

"Honestly, killing them might have been kinder."

"Life is still precious."

Most of the injured would survive, though some might suffer permanent disabilities.

For now, they endured pain worse than death itself.

At that moment, Theo caught a glimmer of light reflecting in his eye.

He instinctively glanced up and realized it was Felix signaling him with a mirror.

“Good, he’s hiding well.”

Felix’s disguised figure, complete with a hood and mask, looked almost comical—like a stereotypical fugitive.

“For someone as proud as Felix, wearing that must have been excruciating.”

With an amused grin, Theo acknowledged Felix’s resolve and began moving again.

Felix, noticing Theo’s gaze, started guiding him toward an exit.

“Too many obstacles…”

Even after breaking through over ten defensive lines since leaving the palace, additional blockades kept cropping up in the alleys.

Behind these defenses fluttered banners bearing the emblem of a silver eagle.

“The Third Knight Order, too.”

It was as if the entire capital’s available forces had been mobilized to trap him.

“If this continues, I might actually get tired.”

The plan was clearly designed to exploit Theo’s tendencies.

Unlike the desperate battles in the Beastlands, this time Theo was constrained by the need to avoid killing.

Against imperial elite soldiers clad in full plate armor, the restriction was a deliberate and infuriating handicap.

"You damn traitor! How dare you kill His Majesty!"

Even civilians without armor or proper weapons had taken to the streets, wielding cheap swords.

“No, these are Sacred Demon Cultists.”

The subtle, ominous mana emanating from them made their affiliation clear.

At first, Theo had thought the planners were foolish for relying solely on brute force without traps or magical interference.

But now, it was evident that the plan was a calculated effort to politically destroy Ragnar.

“I must avoid harming these zealots.”

The cultists, likely ensnared by low-level magic, were not to be harmed if possible.

Dodging a wild slash, Theo charged forward.

Felix, watching Theo’s movements, began to understand his intentions.

“I shouldn’t have bothered gathering the archers.”

Theo had broken through numerous defensive lines from the palace to the central plaza without killing anyone.

Though the casualties were mounting, Theo’s intent was clear—he was avoiding unnecessary deaths.

"Pull the archers back to the base. We’ll focus on guiding him."
"Do you need any help?"

Felix hesitated for a moment. Supporting Theo with arrows would make a significant difference.

However, doing so would blatantly declare an attack on the Imperial Palace.

Theo’s non-lethal escape could later serve as evidence in his favor during a legitimate trial.

Theo, as if sensing Felix’s thoughts, met his gaze and shook his head firmly.

"No need. Pull back and focus on eliminating threats around us. Do not kill."
"Understood."

As Gaffel prepared to deploy the troops around key points, Felix called out to him.

"Gaffel."
"Yes?"
"Don’t forget to retreat when necessary. I still need you."

Felix’s concerned words prompted Gaffel to smile faintly. Nodding, he rushed off.

Meanwhile, news of the ongoing battle reached the Second Apostle.

"Do they really think they can capture Theo with such a pitiful strategy?"

Nearby, Dante scowled at the Second Apostle, his displeasure evident.

"Every plan needs the right narrative," the Second Apostle replied calmly.

Though the inefficiency grated on him, he had his reasons.

The limitations of the capital’s geography were one factor.

But above all, the instructions from the First Apostle were precise, leaving no room for deviation.

"Stop complaining and focus on refining your Essence Core."

Dante sat cross-legged on a magic circle the Second Apostle had drawn, his expression sour.

"I thought this process would be immediate, like with Hilda."
"That was merely a substandard pact. Do you think forming a contract with an Outer God is simple?"
"Fine, I understand."

Closing his eyes, Dante began channeling mana into the ritual again.

“Even as Theo spares their lives, I wonder how long he’ll cling to that pretense of virtue.”

The Second Apostle, too, closed his eyes, observing the situation through the eyes of bishops scattered throughout the capital.

"Begin."

He sent the telepathic command with a chilling grin.

Theo had finally reached the eastern outskirts of the capital, nearing his destination.

“I’m almost there.”

Despite the capital’s vast size, Theo had been running for over an hour without rest.

"Grand Duke, you don’t need to do this!"
"Please, don’t strain yourself! We don’t mind if we die."
"Just the two of you should escape!"

The Ragnar retainers, witnessing Theo’s bloodied and sweat-soaked state, were on the verge of tears.

His ceremonial attire was torn to shreds.

"I am simply fulfilling my duty as your patriarch."

Theo’s resolute words brought tears to their eyes.

"The path ahead is oddly quiet," Lodbrok remarked coldly.

The sudden lack of arrows and magic bombardments felt unnatural.

"It’s an ambush."

Theo could sense numerous presences hidden between the alleys.

"Children?"

Around a hundred children began stumbling forward, their movements listless as if under a spell.

"You bastards…"
"You’ve crossed the line."

Theo and Lodbrok’s faces twisted with rage.

The children’s hollow eyes, a product of hypnosis, radiated a grotesque malice directed solely at Theo.

Whizz! Whizz! Whizz!

A sharp sound pierced the air as the Triple Core roared violently in response to Theo’s emotions.

[‘Skill: Dragon Form activated.’]
[‘Skill: Dragon Synchronization enhanced. Thunder Dragon Form grants lightning imbued to the body.’]
[‘Skill: Eternal Poison activated.’]

With a flash, Theo leapt high into the air.

A horizontal slash sent a wave of black lightning that obliterated the incoming rain of arrows.

"Leave the debris to me."

Lodbrok conjured a gale to deflect the splinters, ensuring no harm came to the children.

Clop, clop, clop!

As cavalry surged forward, Theo felt his vision blur with anger.

He knew he couldn’t kill, yet if he failed to stop them, the children would surely be trampled underfoot.

"Form ranks!"

A commanding voice echoed.