Chapter 36: The Saintess and the Thug: A Chance Meeting, Part 2

Meanwhile, at the academy…

“Revan.”

“If you have nothing useful to say, swing your sword.”

Arthur closed his mouth.

Now wasn’t the time.

Revan’s nerves were sharper than ever.

He’d managed to overlook the previous Saintess incident,

but Arthur’s recent sword strike had cleanly ripped through his favorite coat.

For five seconds, Revan rejoiced at Arthur’s growth, then let out a silent scream at the sight of the damage.

But Arthur, the more he trained, the more he pondered, the more curious he became.

For the first time in his life, Arthur’s curiosity had overcome his fear.

Arthur stopped his practice and posed a question to Revan, who was attempting to mend his coat with clumsy stitches.

A question any swordsman worth his salt would ask.

“Besides the Demon King, who was the strongest you’ve ever fought?”

Revan froze.

Even from behind, Arthur could sense the smile on his face.

“Hmm, I’ll have to think about that. I fought countless enemies during my time as Hero.”

“It doesn’t have to be from your Hero days. Maybe when you were undercover…ah, none?”

Arthur assumed the opponents during Revan’s time as Hero must have been stronger. Just then, Revan, as if suddenly remembering something, unbuttoned his shirt.

A large, gaping hole marred the smooth expanse of muscle between his shoulder and chest.

A scar from being impaled by something larger than a spear.

Revan chuckled, tracing the scar with his fingers.

“Simon. He was unbelievable. I was definitely faster, but he was stronger.”

“Simon? I’ve never heard of him. Is he some hidden master?”

Arthur was a connoisseur of tales of knights and powerful figures,

yet even he hadn’t heard this name.

Revan paused, a thoughtful hum escaping his lips.

“Only those close to him know that name. The stories and records likely refer to him by his baptismal name.”

“His baptismal name…”

“The First Apostle, Peter.”

A man more akin to a towering mountain than a human.

Revan recalled their past spar, disguised as a friendly match, but a life-or-death struggle in reality.

“Even before he received his name from the Saintess, he was on par with me, even in my weakened state. He grew even stronger after receiving his name, so I can’t say for sure now.”

Revan’s stated purpose of testing Simon’s qualifications to protect the Saintess was a lie.

Before he was Chief of Security, Revan was the Hero.

A knight among knights.

The pinnacle of knighthood.

The most knightly of all.

Throughout his adventures, he’d encountered those who appeared weak but were strong, and those who appeared strong but were weak.

This honed his ability to gauge an opponent’s true strength.

“An unbelievable talent.”

Revan clicked his tongue.

Simon was undeniably powerful.

A genius who had reached Transcendent status in his early twenties.

His existence ignited a fire in Revan.

Even though Revan himself reached Transcendent status in his late teens, it was through rigorous training and countless battles.

But for a man who only fished in the sea to reach Transcendent status so quickly…

It sparked a desire for a clash of steel.

Of course, jealousy over the Saintess’s unconditional affection for Simon was also a major factor.

“Is that your weapon? It’s quite impressive.”

“Thanks.”

A massive harpoon, easily five times Simon’s height.

Made of ordinary iron, but Revan could clearly see

the marks etched upon it, testaments to countless lives taken in the mythical age.

The screams and souls of monsters, embedded deep within.

An ordinary harpoon, elevated to legendary status through extraordinary deeds.

Revan glanced at his own ordinary iron sword and silently clicked his tongue, remembering he couldn’t use the Holy Sword.

Did he lose in the weapon category?

If he’d known, he would have gone hunting more often.

Revan sighed and lowered his sword.

“I’ll concede the first move.”

“Oh, do you get aggressive in a fight? I like that.”

Simon grinned, adjusting his grip on the harpoon.

The stance of wielding a 9-meter harpoon.

That alone commanded the surrounding space.

A weapon that guarantees an advantage in range and reach.

Revan focused on his movements and said,

“Come.”

“Sure. Here I come.”

Thump!

Simon vanished.

But he couldn’t maintain that incredible speed.

He’d simply used his monstrous strength to kick off the ground. He lacked the technique for true speed.

Revan’s eyes calmly tracked Simon.

Eyes far faster than Simon himself.

Eyes accustomed to a different dimension of speed, dissecting Simon’s movements frame by frame.

Whoosh…

A massive spear, capable of injuring even Revan.

A swing, not a thrust. Though unconventional for a spear,

with that weight, any movement is effective.

Clang.

Revan’s sword moved, deflecting the harpoon’s tip with a circular motion.

Immense power channeled into a single, flowing movement.

The sword technique he created to avoid being identified as the Hero.

The sword that deflects even the heavens. Heaven’s Flow Sword.

First Form: Flowing Heavens.

Simon’s trajectory shifted,

his eyes widening as he was thrown off balance.

“Gah…”

He tumbled across the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

His own momentum, turned against him.

Like falling from a tall building, stomach first. His insides churned.

“My turn, Simon.”

Swish!

“Heaven’s Flow Sword, Third Form…”

He raises his sword to his shoulder and leaps.

Twisting in mid-air, he generates incredible acceleration.

His body moves in harmony with the wind.

The sword, imbued with this flow, descends like a waterfall.

“Falling Water.”

Bang!

Clods of earth explode outwards.

A silver flash, a vertical streak of light, slams into where Simon stood.

A thick cloud of dust obscures everything.

But Revan doesn’t let his guard down.

“Double Strike.”

Bang!

Another impact, identical to the first, even though Revan hasn’t moved.

He wouldn’t be dead. He couldn’t be. If he’s truly a Transcendent recognized by the Saintess, he’d only be unconscious.

Revan slowly pulls his sword from the ground.

Unlike the surrounding area, the dust where the sword landed has settled, revealing the devastation.

A crater, as if struck by a meteorite.

But…

“No blood.”

“Well, he dodged the second one.”

Clang!

Revan barely parried the harpoon that flew at him from behind.

When did he get there?

How did he avoid the attack?

Questions swirled in Revan’s mind, but he couldn’t voice them.

He couldn’t deflect the harpoon, amplified by Simon’s strength.

Revan, who had been so confident in his ability to deflect anything, realized,

that he was facing the ocean itself.

Screech…

The harpoon pierced his armor, grazing his chest.

The sound of metal tearing.

“This is dangerous…”

Simon, blood streaming from his head from the impact, shouted.

A blow fueled by pure desperation.

“Divine Beast Chain Slash.”

Catching the thrown harpoon, Simon replicated a technique from spear lore.

The attack of the mythical kraken, crushing ships in its grasp.

Drawing upon his mana, Simon whispered,

awakening the slumbering beast’s memory.

“Multi-Leg Strike.”

From the runes etched on the harpoon, aura and mana in the shape of massive tentacles erupted.

“What…?”

Something Revan had never seen before.

Not a summoner. Not a mage wielding a spear.

An attack replicating the movements of a divine beast, fueled by his own mana and aura.

Rumble…

Faint afterimages of immense force rippled through the air.

Intangible tentacles lashing out in every direction.

Clang! Clang!

Revan, flustered, managed to parry two blows.

He should have used Heaven’s Flow Sword’s final form then.

If he had, at least…

Thud.

“Gah…!”

“Finally landed a hit. What’s with the speed?”

Simon strained, pushing the harpoon deeper.

He intended to drive it through and pin Revan to the wall.

“…Hmm?”

He couldn’t put any strength into his legs.

Not just his legs. His entire lower body.

Revan was in a similar state.

His body refused to obey.

Simon, as if suddenly realizing something, looked down at himself and chuckled dryly,

“Aha. When did that happen?”

Revan finally looked down at his own body.

A blue aura, tinged with gold, bound them.

The one who subdued two Transcendents so easily,

[Stop it, both of you. This is too much.]

The prodigy of Constellation magic.

Beloved by the stars.

The Saintess.

Her silver hair danced in the strong wind.

Her mystical blue eyes were filled with concern.

A strange, luminous mana emanated from her hand.

The blessing of the kindest star.

Arcturus, the herdsman of the night sky.

Its power enveloped Revan and Simon in a gentle aura.

Those touched by the aura lose all strength.

A terrifying ability, capable of mass paralysis if misused.

But the rule bestowed upon the Saintess:

‘Support and Mediation.’

She can only assist her party members in battle or mediate conflicts.

Direct combat is forbidden for the Saintess.

That made her talent, beloved by the stars, all the more frustrating.

If she weren’t the Saintess, she could have become a renowned mage.

Looking at the men staring at her with bewildered eyes, the Saintess transmitted her thoughts with an indifferent gaze.

[Let’s go now that it’s over. It’s getting dark.]