I only wanted to retire, but I ended up becoming an extremely popular character.

Zod gripped his sword tightly, his steps quickening as he approached the Holy Kingdom's army like a grim reaper.

Faced with the menacing Zod, the Holy Kingdom soldiers standing in the front row felt their throats dry and unconsciously swallowed. Their hands slackened, and their legs instinctively tried to back away.

It wasn't until a few Holy Kingdom soldiers pulled the triggers of their rifles at Zod and charged forward with their Holy Kingdom cross swords raised high.

The hesitant Holy Kingdom soldiers then began to realize that what they held in their hands was not a fire poker, but a weapon capable of killing their opponents.

"Aaaaaah!!" they howled to bolster their courage as they launched an attack on Zod.

Zod dodged the bullets aimed at him with his swift movements, and for the bullets he couldn't dodge, he subtly altered their trajectory with the Imperial Longsword.

Cassius and Hitis, positioned on Zod's flanks, also did their utmost to provide Zod with strong support and firepower cover.

Under Zod's leadership, the Imperial army charged into the Holy Kingdom's defenses like an arrow, engaging in close combat.

No matter how well the Holy Kingdom soldiers organized their defenses, they were still forced into retreat by Zod's overwhelming power.

Because the logic of this world is not that victory is achieved by having more people, nor that possessing guns and cannons guarantees the possession of truth.

When faced with someone whose physical potential has been honed to superhuman levels, ordinary soldiers sometimes appear as weak as ordinary people.

Under Zod's powerful breakout, the Holy Kingdom's soldiers suffered a crushing defeat like a tidal wave.

The Holy Kingdom's defenses are on the verge of collapse!

It seemed that Zod and his men were about to break through the Holy Kingdom's encirclement.

Just then, a figure leaped down from the sky, and a large executioner's blade slashed straight down at Zod's head.

Zod was so focused on the battle at hand that he didn't notice the figure high in the sky beforehand.

By the time he saw it, it was too late to get away.

He could only hastily raise the Imperial Longsword to parry, but due to the difference in potential energy caused by the height difference, the execution blade was exceptionally powerful and heavy.

Zod couldn't possibly catch the executioner's blade with just one hand.

At the critical moment, Zod had no choice but to use his left hand, hardened by "Iron Defense," to grab the other side of the Imperial Longsword's blade, barely managing to block the executioner's attack.

His entire body was forced into a bent-over position due to the force of the executioner's blade.

Just when he thought the crisis was temporarily averted, the tall figure suddenly kicked Zod in the chest where he was caught off guard.

Zod was kicked away, sliding several meters on the ground before coming to a stop. If he hadn't used his steel-hardened skin beforehand, that kick alone would have broken several of Zod's ribs.

He slowly raised his head and finally saw clearly the person who had attacked him.

A nearly two-meter-tall lieutenant from the Holy Kingdom stood straight in front of Zod.

The man was burly and had a large executioner's sword slung over his shoulder that nearly cleaved Zod in two.

The man's most distinctive feature was his upturned nose with its two large nostrils, which made him look like he was looking down at people from any angle.

The Holy Kingdom lieutenant's name was Barnes, and before joining the Holy Kingdom's army, his profession was "executioner".

Because of Barnes's imposing physique, he was spotted at a glance by the Holy Kingdom's recruiting officer.

Barnes thought to himself, it doesn't matter where you kill people, and joining the Holy Kingdom's army would allow him to earn a higher salary.

So he readily accepted the conscription order from the conscription officer and joined the Holy Kingdom's army.

As it turned out, he was very good at executing people, even if they weren't tied to the execution platform.

In less than a year, he rose from an ordinary soldier to the rank of lieutenant, a position most people envied.

Back to the present, Barnes picked his nose, rubbing out a black, ball-shaped booger, and flicked it in Zod's direction: "Not bad, Imperial dog, you actually managed to block my attack. Most people couldn't even withstand that attack I just delivered."

After the exchange, Zod knew that Barnes' words were true; if he hadn't been careful, he might have become a victim of Barnes's blade.

Hitis, who was standing behind Zod, recognized Barnes immediately. She said to Zod warily, "Lieutenant, be very careful of this man. He is Lieutenant Barnes of the Holy Kingdom, known as the 'Hundred-Man Killer,' nicknamed 'The Executioner.'"

"Many soldiers of the 'Imperial Blade' Legion died at his hands, including many second lieutenants like yourself."

"It's not that I don't believe in your abilities, but... please don't be careless!"

Hitis was very puzzled, as this information should have been given to them when they carried out this operation.

They only just learned about such a dangerous person, someone whose intelligence could affect the success rate of the entire mission.

She didn't understand what the reconnaissance and intelligence departments of "Imperial Blade" were doing. Were they just sitting around doing nothing?

"I see!"

Zod nodded. Normally, he would have just wanted to run away, regardless of the consequences.

But given the current situation, he can neither escape nor retreat.

Even if he hesitates for the slightest moment, the other party's knife might fall on him.

We have no choice but to fight.

To survive, he absolutely could not lose, he could not stop here.

Zod held the Imperial sword horizontally in front of his chest, assuming a defensive stance.

Before you are certain of the opponent's true strength, it is best to be cautious and wait for the opponent to launch an attack.

Barnes didn't waste any words with Zod; his executioner's blade was already itching for a fight.

He rushed in front of Zod and swung his executioner's blade horizontally towards Zod's waist.

Zod was surprised that Barnes was not as clumsy as he appeared; on the contrary, he was surprisingly fast.

Unable to dodge in time, Zod hastily parried once again, but the force of the executioner's blade sent him flying once more.

Seeing this, Cassius and Hitis immediately stepped forward to support Zod, preparing for a righteous three-on-one battle.

However, not all of Barnes' men were pushovers.

Two warrant officer officers from the Holy Kingdom leaped out from the rear of the Holy Kingdom's army and stood in front of Hitis and Cassius respectively.

Meanwhile, with Barnes's arrival, the Holy Kingdom soldiers' rout not only stopped, but their morale soared, and they launched a counterattack against the Empire's army.

The battle between the two sides once again reached a stalemate.

Zod understood that he could no longer rely on anyone.

Fortunately, thanks to the steel armor, he only experienced some numbness in his hands, but his body was otherwise unharmed.

He must find a strategy to deal with Barnes, otherwise this passive defensive situation is destined to not last long.

However, Barnes' attack did not stop.

Taking advantage of Zod's weakness to kill him, he raised his executioner's sword and swung it at Zod again.

Zod had no choice but to hastily raise his Imperial sword to parry and defend.

Barnes then kicked Zod in the chest, sending him flying several meters away before he crashed into a nearby wall and came to a stop.

Thus, Zod was constantly on the defensive by Barnes, suffering defeat after defeat, and had no power to fight back.

Even with the support of steel defenses, it is impossible to be all-encompassing.

Zod suffered injuries of varying degrees. A sharp pain shot through his chest, and he could feel that one or two of his ribs were broken.

Zod didn't know how long this state lasted; he felt as if his skeletal structure was about to be shaken apart.

A turning point occurred as Zod gradually figured out Barnes' moves.

He noticed that Barnes's executioner's blade, no matter how it changed, always used the same few moves, without any originality.