Reborn As Noble

”Who said your partner could leave~? Hmm?”

The girl’s voice dripped with amusement as she pointed lazily toward Garak, who was already retreating from the area with Fayna on his shoulder. In an instant, the two giant dwarven soldiers near her leaped into the air, their massive bodies crashing down behind Marcor. The ground trembled violently beneath their weight, cracks spider-webbing outward from the impact as dust and debris burst into the air.

Marcor, already in his berserk mode, slowly turned his head, glaring over his shoulder at the two hulking figures. His voice came out low and dangerous, a growl rumbling from deep within his chest.

”Who said you shitheads could get behind me?”

Before they could react, Marcor vanished in an instant, reappearing high above the two giants. His blade slammed into the first giant’s shoulder, carving through black armor and flesh with a spray of dark miasma and sparks.

Without pausing, he twisted mid-air, grabbing his mana shield just as the girl’s next attack streaked toward him. He angled the barrier perfectly, catching the dark energy and repelling it upward into the sky. The corrupted blast tore through the smoke-filled air, scattering like a dying star.

Still moving with berserk precision, Marcor ejected the spent mana crystal from his shield rod and slammed in a new one.

The light mana crystal flared to life, the shield’s surface shifting from flickering blue to blinding gold. He descended like a meteor, driving the edge of his radiant shield directly into the second giant dwarven soldier’s skull. The impact shattered the ground beneath them, the crack of bone and armor splitting the air like thunder.

”Ara~ Look at that~”

The girl tilted her head, her red eyes gleaming with intrigue as she watched Marcor stand amidst the wreckage of the two fallen giants. Her smile widened, sharp and predatory.

”How interesting~ Armand’s toys are far more... entertaining than I expected~”

Marcor rolled his shoulders, the remnants of dark miasma still sizzling off his armor as he straightened. He rested his magic sword casually on one shoulder, the blade still humming with residual energy, while his other hand held the radiant mana shield steady at his side, its golden surface casting sharp, defiant light against the encroaching darkness.

His eyes, still blazing from berserk mode, locked onto the girl.

”I’m part of General Hesbeirn’s special unit,” he said, his voice low and steady, each word deliberate. ”Trained directly under him. Pushed to the brink every single day until I couldn’t stand. Forged in the kind of hell that would break ordinary soldiers.”

He shifted his stance, the golden shield flaring brighter as he planted his feet.

”It would embarrass my general if I lost to creatures like these without putting up a proper fight. So don’t think for a second that I’m done.”

The girl’s lips curled into a dark, wicked smirk, her red eyes narrowing with sadistic delight. She tilted her head the other way, letting out a soft, mocking laugh that slithered through the air.

”Hesbeirn~? Oh my~” She pressed a finger to her lips, her grin never faltering. ”That boy is still serving under Garius~? How adorable~ Still wagging his tail like a good little dog, chasing after his master’s shadow~ Does he roll over when Garius tells him to as well~? Or does he sit and beg for scraps of approval~? How quaint~”

Her gaze slid back to Marcor, her eyes glinting with something far more dangerous.

”Still... how lucky I am today~” She took a slow step forward, her miasma sword dragging behind her, carving a sizzling trench through the broken ground. ”I’ve found such an interesting subject for my next warrior~”

Her smile stretched wide, her voice dropping into a chilling whisper.

”I think I’ll enjoy breaking you down and rebuilding you into something... useful~”

Marcor’s eyes narrowed, the blazing blue light of his berserk mode intensifying as his aura flared violently around him. The ground beneath his feet cracked under the sudden pressure. His grip on his magic sword tightened, the blade trembling with barely contained fury.

”Watch your mouth,” he growled, his voice dropping to a dangerous rumble. ”I don’t care if you’re a woman. I won’t tolerate anyone badmouthing King Garius.”

He took a step forward, the golden shield flaring brighter as his killing intent rolled off him in waves.

”King Garius is a just ruler. A king who protects his people, who fights on the front lines beside his soldiers, who carries the weight of an entire nation on his shoulders without ever once complaining. He built a nation where no one starves, where children are safe, where the weak are shielded from the strong. He’s not some tyrant who rules through fear and cruelty. He’s not some pampered noble hiding behind castle walls, he’s a warrior. A leader. A man who earned the loyalty of every single person under his command, including me.”

His voice grew colder, each word laced with venom.

”And General Hesbeirn? He’s the strongest berserker on this continent. He trained me. He shaped me into the soldier I am today. I’ve watched him tear through enemy lines with his bare hands, take wounds that would kill any ordinary man, and still stand tall when the dust settled. He’s a force of nature, and I’d die before I let some twisted bitch like you mock him.”

The girl stared at him for a long moment, her red eyes gleaming with twisted amusement, her lips curled into an even wider, more mocking grin.

”Ooo~ Look at that~ A puppy who knows how to bark~” She tilted her head, her red eyes gleaming with cruel amusement. ”Does your master pat your head when you defend his honor so passionately~? Does he feed you treats for being such a loyal little guard dog~? How precious~”

Her face suddenly turned serious, the amusement draining from her features, replaced by something cold and predatory.

”But~ No matter how much you bark, no matter how fiercely you bare your teeth, at the end of the day... you’re still just a pet playing soldier~”

In an instant, she vanished. Marcor’s eyes widened, his instincts screaming, but before he could react, a cold, piercing sensation tore through his back. He looked down, his breath catching as he saw a dark, elongated hand protruding from his chest, fingers slick with blood, the black miasma writhing around them.

The girl’s voice slithered into his ear, a chilling whisper as her grip tightened around his neck from the front.

”You’ll make a fine specimen for my collection~ Don’t worry~ I’ll make sure your death serves a purpose~”

Just as the girl’s eyes glowed brighter and her mouth opened, dark miasma beginning to seep out and coil toward Marcor’s face, a calm, lazy voice cut through the heavy air from a distance.

”It’s best if you put him down, you know~”

( End Of Chapter )