I, reincarnate as the leader of the villainous knight order

Chapter 116: Commencement of the Subjugation

The next morning, C-rank and above adventurers gathered in front of the Adventurers’ Guild, along with our Third Knight Order. The Guild Master conveyed the details of our discussion from yesterday to everyone.

Among the adventurers, some were clearly displeased with Alan’s obedience towards me, but they grudgingly stayed quiet for the greater purpose of protecting the town.

Jess stayed behind, tasked with assisting if the C-rank adventurers failed to defend the gate. In such an emergency, Jess could revert to his original size and unleash his magic power. Doing so would likely scare away the monsters instantly.

The subjugation team headed out of town in sequence, progressing into the depths of the forest at regular intervals. If a large monster appeared, they would whistle to call nearby comrades and work together to take it down. The Third Knight Order also split into small squads and entered the forest.

“Brother, I’ve heard the rumors about your strength, but be careful.”

“Yeah, you too, Alan. If we finish up early, we’ll come to help you. Do your best.”

“Got it.”

According to reports, many strong monsters were concentrated around a depression in the forest, likely the remnants of a dungeon. Thus, Alan and I advanced from both sides towards the center as the main force.

Soon enough, we started hearing the sounds of battle from multiple directions.

“Oh, it’s starting. Hope something shows up here soon.”

“If you say that, a mutated type might pop out and take you down first, Simon.”

“Arnault, don’t mess with Simon. I sense something at eleven o’clock. Stay alert.”

Upon sensing the monster’s presence, my subordinates instinctively suppressed their own to prepare for an ambush.

We detected the presence of a monster about a hundred meters away because it was a Blade Deer. It is a large creature with blade-like antlers, making it more noticeable than other monsters. I signaled Marius and Arnault to move to the other side of the Blade Deer.

The Blade Deer, resembling a deer from Nara with the antlers of a moose, wasn’t overly threatening if not for its blade-like antlers. The issue was that these antlers were harder than most metals, having destroyed many swords.

Marius and Arnault positioned themselves on the far side of the Blade Deer. Gaspard and Simon also spread out, distancing themselves from me. Unlike weaker monsters, the Blade Deer didn’t mind a bit of presence, which worked to our advantage.

Making eye contact, Simon was the first to attack, lunging low from the side of the Blade Deer. It leapt back to avoid the strike, but Simon managed to leave a shallow wound on its thigh.

As it jumped back, Gaspard struck, but the Blade Deer defended itself by swinging its antlers. The clash of metal echoed as the antlers turned towards Gaspard. Seizing the opening, Simon aimed for its exposed neck, but the Blade Deer swiftly swung its antlers, forcing him back.

“Whoa, that was close!”

Even Simon had to be cautious of the deadly antlers, capable of slicing through skin and severing limbs with ease. Meanwhile, Marius and Arnault had already blocked the Blade Deer’s escape route from behind.

Surrounded and momentarily distracted by the four of my subordinates, I saw an opening. I channeled magic into my sword, enhanced my body, and lunged forward, ready to sacrifice my sword to slash through the antlers. In the next instant, with a clear, ringing sound, both of the Blade Deer’s antlers separated from its head. I knew Jest’s scale-forged sword was sharper than any I had used before, but I hadn’t expected it to be this effective.

Without its threatening antlers, the Blade Deer was merely a ferocious deer. Before it could escape, Gaspard slashed its neck, and Simon pierced its heart from the side. They quickly withdrew their swords and backed away.

Blood gushed out forcefully, and the Blade Deer staggered a few steps before collapsing heavily, likely due to blood loss. When it stopped moving, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

“Captain Justin, that sword is amazing! It’s made from Jest’s scales!”

Marius, who had been observing the situation from a distance unlike Gaspard and Simon, gazed at the sword with sparkling eyes. I examined the blade and saw it had no nicks or dull spots.

“Yeah, the sharpness and durability are exceptional. The magic flows through it seamlessly thanks to my familiar contract with Jest. It’s undoubtedly Bosco’s masterpiece.”

“But if Jest’s scales are this good, imagine how incredible a sword made from Jeanne’s scales would be, considering she’s over 200 years old.”

Simon remarked, carefully inspecting the severed antlers of the Blade Deer and storing them and the carcass in a provided magic bag.

“And it’s Dwarven-made, right? That must be amazing. I need to work harder to earn the recognition of Jeanne and the Dwarves.”

“I’ll work hard to be recognized as a full knight too!”

With Arnault and Marius’ words, Simon and Gaspard were also filled with determination. We continued advancing through the forest, subduing monsters along the way. After our midday break, we deviated slightly from our route and began heading back to town.

Continuing straight would take us over the depression of the dungeon ruins. It seemed the closer we got to the depression, the stronger the monsters became. At our turning point, we encountered fewer weak monsters compared to earlier.

As we approached the gentle slope of the dungeon ruin’s depression, we faintly heard sounds of battle and the signal whistle for help. The sound came from beyond the center of the depression, indicating that Alan and his team were engaged in a fierce battle and needed assistance. A sinking feeling gripped my heart at the thought that Alan might be in mortal danger.

“That’s the signal for help! I’m going ahead! You all catch up as quickly as you can!”

“What!? Oh, Captain!”

Arnault called out in confusion as I sprinted towards the source of the sound while using my body enhancement.