Chapter 586: Mercy

The Battlefield Butcher roamed freely across the battlefield, each swing of his blade claiming several lives, whether they were enemy or ally.

The attacks of Abundant Magic were very subtle, and whenever plants that could threaten the Battlefield Butcher were about to sprout from the ground, he always managed to dodge just in time.

When he encountered magic he couldn't avoid, he would casually grab a nearby ally and use them as a shield to block the attack, then wait for the plants to spread toward him before tossing the corpse aside.

The Followers of Pain didn't want to stand anywhere near the Battlefield Butcher at all, but the Battlefield Butcher would follow them wherever they went. If they tried to retreat, they'd be dealt with by the execution squad, so in the end, they had no choice but to charge forward with gritted teeth.

The Battlefield Butcher hadn't actually killed that many people yet, but he had already dealt a devastating blow to the morale of both the enemy and allied forces.

If not for the fact that the Bountiful followers also had their own execution squad watching over them, they would have collapsed long ago.

At the same time, the Battlefield Butcher had accumulated quite a few wounds on his body, though these injuries didn't affect his movements in the slightest. His eyes remained bloodthirsty as he coldly slaughtered everyone else.

This wasn't because he was some kind of tough guy; it was simply because he was a Follower of Pain and could suppress all pain.

"Stop this. How many lives will be lost in this war..."

"Who goes there!"

A voice suddenly sounded in the Battlefield Butcher's ear, and he instinctively swung his blade at it. A clang of metal rang out as Loren unsheathed Dull Light just slightly, using that portion of the blade to block the Battlefield Butcher's strike.

"!"

Seeing this scene, the Battlefield Butcher instantly understood Loren's strength.

He was a blade user himself and knew very well how much technique was required to pull off something like that.

Moreover, after Loren blocked his heavy, powerful strike, he didn't react at all. His hand didn't even tremble.

This showed that Loren wasn't just superior in technique, he was also superior in raw strength.

"Who are you?"

The Battlefield Butcher immediately distanced himself from Loren, shielding himself with others.

"Lay down your blade and become a Buddha. It's not too late to stop now."

Loren traced an Inverted Cross over his chest, then pressed his palms together and spoke softly to the Battlefield Butcher, looking every bit the wise master.

"Then you put down your blade first."

The Battlefield Butcher replied, his tone dripping with mockery.

"Of course."

To his surprise, Loren actually released his grip on the blade, letting it fall to the ground.

The Battlefield Butcher's eyes went wide. He hadn't expected Loren to actually drop his weapon. Even now, Loren had closed his eyes and kept his palms pressed together:

"The true victory is subduing the enemy without fighting. A victory with no casualties is the best victory of all."

The sudden turn of events made the soldiers on both sides instinctively stop fighting, staring at Loren and the Battlefield Butcher in the middle of the battlefield.

"Hahaha..."

The Battlefield Butcher couldn't help but burst out laughing, then without any hesitation, he swung his blade straight at Loren.

Loren casually sidestepped, and the Battlefield Butcher's longsword slammed heavily into the ground. Loren stepped onto it, then drove a punch into the Battlefield Butcher's nose.

The Battlefield Butcher cried out in pain and released his grip on the blade. Loren used the tip of his foot to flick the longsword up, catching it directly in his hand.

Then, Loren rested the longsword against the Battlefield Butcher's neck, and the fear of death instantly engulfed him.

Only now did Loren finally open his eyes to inspect the longsword's details:

[Cursed Blade: Bloodbath]

[Killing Edge]: With each kill, Bloodbath's blade grows increasingly sharper.

[Battle Frenzy]: As combat continues, Bloodbath enhances the user's defense and willpower while reducing physical exhaustion.

If Loren didn't have Requiem, this blade would indeed be suitable as a primary weapon.

Its only flaw was that it was too long. An overly long blade wasn't a good thing; moderate length was optimal.

If one truly wanted that extra reach in attacks, they might as well use a spear.

As everyone knew, even Sword Saints brought spears into battle.

Cold sweat had already soaked the Battlefield Butcher's back. The blade was pressed tight against his neck, and no one knew better than him just how sharp Bloodbath was.

"War and slaughter hold no meaning. Only mercy can truly defeat your enemy."

Loren withdrew Bloodbath and continued to persuade the Battlefield Butcher.

Veronica rubbed her eyes. She suddenly felt that her master was very unfamiliar today.

It wasn't just her. The surrounding soldiers were also stunned.

They were shocked by Loren's strength, but even more shocked by Loren's mercy.

The Battlefield Butcher had tried to kill Loren, yet Loren had forgiven him.

But none of them noticed one thing: after Loren forgave the Battlefield Butcher, Bloodbath's blade had shortened slightly, and its edge had grown a bit duller.

"Everyone, please heed my words. The sharpest blade is the kindness within your hearts."

Loren turned around to face the other soldiers.

Hearing Loren's words, quite a few people lowered their weapons.

Perhaps it was because they thought Loren made a good point, but more likely it was because they feared Loren's strength.

The Battlefield Butcher knelt on the ground. Besides fear, he also felt tremendous humiliation.

He had always been the one killing others, the one others looked at with terrified eyes. No one had ever treated him like Loren did.

He could see it now. Loren's eyes held not just mercy, but far more contempt.

Loren was willing to spare him not because Loren was merciful, but simply because Loren didn't take him seriously at all. As if he were just an ant that could be crushed at any moment.

Who would get angry at an ant?

This disparity filled the Battlefield Butcher with endless humiliation, which in turn bred boundless rage within his heart.

He picked up a spear discarded by a soldier and thrust it with all his might at Loren's back.

But Loren didn't even turn around. He casually swung Bloodbath, knocking the spear aside, then reversed the blade and slammed the flat of it hard along the shaft.

The Battlefield Butcher's finger bones were shattered by the impact. The next moment, the blade was pressed against his neck once again.

"Someone so obstinate... when will they finally see the light?"

With another act of forgiveness, Bloodbath shortened yet again.

"Die!"

The Battlefield Butcher's eyes had gone completely red. He threw a reckless punch at Loren, but Loren still didn't strike back. He merely pressed down with force, shoving the Battlefield Butcher to his knees, then lashed him across the face with the flat of the blade, sending him flying.

"As long as you hold mercy in your heart, you shall be invincible."

By now, the Battlefield Butcher couldn't process a single word. He charged at Loren again and again, only to be sent flying again and again, until he was beaten to a bloody pulp.

The Battlefield Butcher's eyes gradually grew clearer and clearer, until one time, after standing up, he didn't charge at Loren. Instead, he walked off in a certain direction.

It wasn't toward the city gates, nor was it toward the enemy's position. It was just a stretch of wasteland.

He had actually attained enlightenment from Loren's beating.

Seeing this, Loren threw Dull Light, piercing through the back of the Battlefield Butcher's skull.

That whole "lay down your blade and become a Buddha" business was just empty talk. Loren believed in blood for blood. The Battlefield Butcher had slaughtered so many innocent victims, so there was no way Loren would ever let him go.

Everything he had done was simply to evolve Bloodbath.

Killing enemies with Bloodbath made it sharper, while sparing enemies made it duller. The stronger the enemy, the better the effect. That was the reason Loren had tirelessly spared the Battlefield Butcher again and again.