"He's coming," Melina said calmly. She took Torrent's reins and moved to the side, making it clear she would not interfere.
Nidhogg wasn't panicked. He raised his heater shield, tucking it close to his body. His longsword was held level, his mind focused, his eyes locked on the running soldier.
The Grafted Soldier moved like a marionette, utterly indifferent to Nidhogg's ready stance. As soon as it was close, it slammed its left shoulder into Nidhogg's shield.
Nidhogg held his ground. He didn't budge.
The soldier was stunned for barely a second before it thrust its longsword at Nidhogg.
Nidhogg had been waiting for this. He caught the blade on his heater shield and, with a resounding clang, executed a perfect parry.
The Grafted Soldier seemed to lose all agency. It stumbled back involuntarily, then fell to its knees, helpless as livestock awaiting slaughter.
Nidhogg didn't hesitate. He raised his longsword and drove it into the soldier's chest. He twisted the blade, then wrenched it free.
The soldier toppled backward, limbs splayed, and lay still. Its body dissolved into countless specks of white light, scattering across the small hill in the daylight.
A threatening enemy, dispatched with ease.
「Quest」 Defeat the Grafted Soldier (Completed)
「Reward」 LV 27 → LV 28
Nidhogg sheathed his longsword, slung his shield over his back, and turned to Melina.
He had only shown a token amount of caution when facing the Grafted Soldier. In truth, as long as they weren't in a group, these soldiers posed no real threat to someone who could parry and counter.
"A very clean strike," Melina commented, then explained. "Low-level spirits possess little wisdom. They can only follow pre-existing commands: kill any living thing they encounter."
"So that's why it attacked me... What about higher-level spirits?" Nidhogg asked.
"Then they would be like me and Torrent," Melina said, stroking the spirit steed's smooth coat. The horse snorted, white vapor pluming from its nostrils. "Openly, or in secret."
She then reached into her robes and produced an object that looked like a golden ring. She held it out to Nidhogg.
"This is a Spirit Calling Bell. Use this ring when you need to travel great distances. It can summon Torrent's spirit and manifest it physically... Torrent has chosen you. I hope you will treat him well."
Nidhogg accepted it without hesitation. He stepped forward and stroked Torrent's mane, meeting the creature's deep, ancient eyes.
Torrent whinnied softly and gently nudged Nidhogg with his curved horn. A greeting.
"That is all for now," Melina said. "We will remain in the spirit world. When you need our aid, we will come."
"But you must be cautious. Sooner or later, there will always be spirits or monsters filled with hostility towards you..."
With those words, she and Torrent dissolved into white light, just as the Grafted Soldier had done, and vanished.
Nidhogg watched them go, then looked down at the Spirit Calling Bell in his hand. He was silent for a long time.
---
Just as Griffith and the nobles had predicted, the enemy Tudor forces, their supplies burned, quietly withdrew under cover of night. They left behind only a humiliated, ash-filled camp.
The castle nobles lamented, believing they had missed a prime opportunity to pursue a defeated army. Such a victory would have earned them great favor with the King.
Griffith, however, did not share their regret. He had simply broken the siege.
His goal was achieved. He had demonstrated his command abilities and the Hawk Company's combat prowess. That was enough.
Yes, pursuing a routed army could bring a great victory. But it also risked ambush.
Griffith, with only five hundred cavalry, could not afford such a risk. If he suffered a crushing defeat, or lost his entire force, the Kingdom of Midland would not replenish his ranks...
He was content with the current outcome. He had no more use for this castle. It was time to find a new battlefield, a new employer.
And indeed, soon after, the Hawk Company received a new contract and moved on.
They found a more prestigious employer within the Kingdom of Midland and fought for a different lord.
Griffith continued to use this strategy, leading the Hawks step by step, ever upward.
During this time, Nidhogg completed numerous missions: slaying enemy generals, capturing banners, scaling walls. He honed his combat skills.
His constant partner was Guts, who grew bolder and more ferocious with each battle.
Of course, Nidhogg also had two partners that ordinary people could not see.
Melina often performed short reconnaissance missions for him. And Torrent, the spirit steed, helped him scale walls and traverse terrain that would have been impossible for a normal man to cross silently and easily.
This gave Nidhogg a far greater tactical flexibility during sieges.
Soon, Nidhogg and Guts were promoted to the rank of Ten-Legion Commander, and then to Centurions, thanks to their valor.
Nearly a year later, Griffith formally split their duties.
Nidhogg became the Scout Commander, responsible for reconnaissance and intelligence gathering before battles. Guts became the Shock Troop Commander, leading the vanguard assaults.
Both were high-casualty positions. But they excelled. They always delivered.
The Hawk Company continued to grow. Its cavalry increased from the original five hundred to over a thousand in just one year. It wouldn't be long before they had their first Thousand-Man Commander.
Their reputation soared. They were even given a fearsome nickname: "The Reapers of the Battlefield." Griffith's name became known to both enemies and allies alike.
But this was not the peak, nor the most glorious era for the Hawks. The mercenary company still had far to climb.
Almost two years after his first meeting with Melina and Torrent, Nidhogg finally felt ready to challenge Guts again. To complete the "Defeat Guts" quest that had eluded him for so long.
Guts's strength had grown alongside his own. It was only a matter of time before Nidhogg could win, and he had tried many times. But each time, Guts had prevailed.
As Nidhogg's level increased, however, the gap between them shrank. He could now fight Guts to a standstill for a long time, only to lose eventually due to stamina.
Now, at Level 43, firmly within the late stages of the "Human Titan" tier, he felt ready to challenge his powerful rival once more.
Guts loved to fight. He lived for close-quarters combat. He could always feel Nidhogg's growth, and he always welcomed the challenge. This time was no different.