101. Vice-Captain Tires (1)

And the knights’ sword fight began.

5 against 1. It’s an absurd, nonsensical match. However, if I can withstand just 3 exchanges, it’s my victory.

‘I can’t infuse Aura into the sword’s blade, but I can use Mana instead.’

In other words, using Mana-infused Yeon-gong is not prohibited. And that’s exactly where my winning move lies.

Kakang-

Siertia and the knights’ swords collided, sparks flying. 5 against 1. So, the knights were forbidden from attacking me from the rear.

Kakakang-

Therefore, with a time difference, the first exchange came at me continuously.

Even though it’s just the first exchange, the five knights’ attacks followed one after another. The sequence was as natural as flowing water, a very high-level sword fight mixed with real and feigned attacks.

“How…?”

But when that first exchange ended, a question flickered across the knights’ faces.

I had blocked all of their attacks.

“Not a single effective hit,”

Tilles said. As the vice-captain said, their attacks were fluid, but I blocked them all with the Lionheart Sword.

‘It’s high-level swordsmanship from the Imperial Guard, but they’re not serious yet.’

The first exchange must have been a scouting mission for them. A mere Pantheon student. Since such a student audaciously provoked a High Knight.

At the very least, they wanted to find out who I, Yulian von Reinhardt, am.

‘And they must have realized it.’

Indeed, that was the case. Even if it was a scouting mission, the knights’ swords couldn’t even graze my breastplate.

The commander of the Imperial Guard, who was watching the match, also let out a silent groan.

“The Imperial Guard’s coordinated attacks should have no openings…”

Just as he said, I couldn’t find an opening to counterattack their attacks either. But considering the overwhelming disadvantage of 5 against 1.

The first exchange was definitely my victory. And the knights’ atmosphere changed as they realized that fact.

‘Those knights are thinking of using Yeon-gong.’

The knights hadn’t yet drawn Mana to their entire bodies.

Excellent knights like the High Knights perfectly control their Mana when using Yeon-gong, so that Mana isn’t released wastefully to the outside.

So, the use of Yeon-gong isn’t outwardly apparent. But having crossed swords with them, I could tell just from the sword’s reaction.

‘Well, I didn’t use Yeon-gong either for the first exchange, since it was a scouting mission.’

The knights picked up their swords again and glared at me. I could tell they were serious just from their eyes. Even if they didn’t coat their blades with Aura.

Knights who start using Mana Yeon-gong like now are monsters no different from high-level magical beasts.

‘So, my body might be torn apart by pure sword strikes without Aura.’

Of course, they’ll withdraw their swords in the end. But I didn’t want such a boring match.

‘I’ll excite them more. So they give it their all.’

If they can’t beat me even after giving it their all, there won’t be any complaints.

It was then. With a speed that couldn’t be compared to the previous exchange, a knight’s sword pierced towards me.

‘There’s no unnecessary movement at all. It’s a sword that pierces with the most ideal sword path.’

The Asterick Imperial Family. That Imperial Family had a special lineage that surpassed Reinhardt and Orhain.

The founder of the Lamir Kingdom. The first Asterick was a hero symbolizing the Empire. The special swordsmanship passed down in the Asterick family was also passed down to the Imperial Guard of the Imperial Capital.

Before the Lionheart Sword was mixed in, the original Imperial swordsmanship. The Asterick Imperial Family’s swordsmanship, ‘Golden Eagle Wings.’

Meaning the wings of a golden eagle, that original swordsmanship is a high-level swordsmanship comparable to the Lionheart Sword.

‘There’s no time to think about 잡생각.’

I didn’t dodge the Golden Eagle Wings’ thrust. Instead, I aimed for the knight’s opening and thrust with Siertia.

‘As expected, it’s coming right away.’

However, the first attack was a feint. Another knight’s attack pierced towards me, who had created an opening by thrusting my sword into the opening.

Shuuuuuk-

I heard the sound of air tearing. It barely grazed my side.

I dodged it.

The eyes of the third knight, who was launching a series of attacks, momentarily showed bewilderment. But like a High Knight, his body was already moving. The knight’s longsword drew a half-moon as it was.

Although it wasn’t infused with Aura, it was a powerful sword strike that could cut my waist in two.

‘He must have trained Mana Yeon-gong fiercely.’

Since it’s a slash that can’t be produced with pure muscle strength alone. I can’t dodge it. It’s a powerful sword strike, and at the same time, it’s a strike that flies in a half-moon shape extremely quickly due to the power contained in the sword.

‘Then I’ll meet it head-on!’

Kakakang-

Again, fire flew from the sword. And the third knight was even more bewildered. He probably didn’t expect me to meet that powerful sword strike head-on.

And it was that knight who was pushed back.

“If it weren’t for the coordinated attacks, Tyler would have…”

I heard Tilles’s voice. Tyler must be the name of the third knight. As Tilles said, if the fourth knight hadn’t launched a sword strike in succession.

The knight, who had been pushed back and exposed an opening, would have fallen to my sword strike. I dodged the fourth sword.

“Kuaaaat!”

And the final series of attacks. The fifth knight vertically plunged his sword down.

“There are many openings.”

And before that sword could reach me, the tip of Siertia’s blade cut the man’s breastplate.

The rebel army’s camp. An empty space there.

A heavy silence fell there. Some of the commanders were so speechless that their mouths were left hanging open.

“There was a reason why Count Yulian made such a bold proposal to me.”

At Tilles’s words, the commanders subtly nodded.

Already two exchanges had ended. A 5-on-1 match. An overwhelmingly disadvantageous condition, but the result was unexpected.

It was the Imperial Guard’s High Knights. The Imperial Guard is now overshadowed by Baekya and Sentiac, but.

Still, the Ban Griuspa Imperial Guard under Tilles was the Imperial Capital’s elite. Unlike the Ban Griuspa, who don’t leave the Imperial Capital.

These were people who had experienced actual combat with magical beasts until just a few days ago. So, I thought the match wouldn’t be easy.

‘But it wasn’t difficult.’

No, it was rather easy. They were definitely High Knights who had surpassed Aura Expert. So, they were knights who had already reached the 6th Circle.

Even so, it wasn’t difficult to face their unique swordsmanship, Golden Eagle Wings. I quickly realized the reason.

‘It’s because of the training I did in the Sunken Forest and the Abyss of the Lake.’

The 6th Circle I achieved there and the Awakening of the Magic Dragon. As a result, my five senses had already surpassed the limits of humans.

Even if they were in the same 6th Circle, their reaction speed couldn’t keep up with me. I didn’t even use Siertia’s special effects at all.

‘If we continue with 3 exchanges like this, my victory is certain.’

However, the match ended with 2 exchanges. Vice-Captain Tilles ended the match. And Tilles threw words at me that I hadn’t expected at all.

“How about it, Count? I’d like to exchange one blow with you using Aura.”

Soon, he, a member of the Empire’s Ten Seats, stood before me in place of his High Knights.

At his words, my blood boiled. But I calmed down that excitement and answered Tilles.

“That’s what I wanted. Please guide me.”

The eyes of the people gathered in the open space all turned to me at once.