Ch.131EP.32 – The Knight is Enhancing (4)

Irene Windler blinked her eyes.

“W-why are they suddenly like that?”

The two men were unexpectedly preparing for a duel, and for someone who had been simply enjoying her dessert, it was an understandably confusing situation.

Irene was bewildered, but Levi’s reaction was:

“Because they’re knights. Testing each other’s skills isn’t particularly strange.”

She responded nonchalantly while focusing on their movements.

Like a model student studying diligently to learn as much as possible.

She was proving herself to be a worthy knight candidate who now proudly walked the path of the sword.

“I-is that so?”

[Arin, if you don’t understand, just go with it. Knight duels don’t really need a reason.]

“…Mmm.”

For a mage—no, a modern person—it was truly a barbaric culture that was difficult to accept.

Well…

“…I-it’s not bad though, *inhale*.”

[So Arin’s preference is for broad backs? I prefer forearms myself.]

While it wasn’t unpleasant to watch, it was for entirely different reasons that the girl and the ghost were intently observing the duel.

“…Lady Irene seems to be giving the instructor quite the burdensome gaze.”

“She’s like that sometimes. I’m used to it now, so I just let it be.”

“Hmm, are you alright with that? That’s harassment, you know.”

“What harassment? There’s nothing much to see.”

“……”

…Could there be such deception?

Warriors who had reached a certain level would know that physical training varies greatly depending on individual preferences and the weapons they use.

If one used a straight longsword like himself, many tended to have leaner builds, while those who wielded spears or greatswords often developed massive upper bodies that sometimes resembled wild boars or bears.

Thus, physical development was optional, and the right path was to have a body perfectly suited to oneself rather than comparing with others.

However.

‘Even I can’t help but admire…’

There was something about Ihan’s physique that inspired awe just from its silhouette.

Something “special” that overwhelmed all advantages of preference, weapon, and compatibility.

What kind of training could possibly create such a body?

‘It’s not muscle, but more like armor.’

Crunch!

The dynamic movement of flexing muscles.

It was impossible to gauge how much power was compressed within, and it seemed like it would deflect even an arrow if hit.

‘Similar to my uncle, no, a different kind of perfection.’

If Uncle Maximus’s body was a masterpiece crafted by a heavenly artisan, then that was an ingot forged by withstanding thousands, millions of compressions.

It was difficult to declare which was superior, but both were equally dangerous.

Moreover…

‘Was further growth possible?’

…Hard to believe, but the instructor’s body seemed to have developed even further than before.

The already highly compressed ingot had somehow improved in “quality” as well?

“I’m curious what kind of training you’ve been doing.”

“Fought a lot, ate well, and got conditioned.”

“…I’d like to call that a lie, but if the instructor says so, it must be true.”

“Jealous? Want me to coach you on some exercises?”

“No thank you. I have my own path.”

Different from both his uncle and the instructor.

He intended to walk purely the path of a swordsman.

If that was the case, steady growth from his current physical state was important, and he shouldn’t let his attention wander elsewhere.

Everyone has their own suitable path.

Shing.

And as if to prove his path was correct, the atmosphere changed the moment Roen drew his sword.

Whoosh!

A blade wind erupted the moment he unsheathed his sword.

Not just an onomatopoeia—the sharp aura emanating from his blade created a cutting wind, and scattered branches around them split in half, their cross-sections as smooth as if cut by a knife.

Unity of sword and person.

Roen naturally demonstrated the realm of swordsmanship where person becomes sword and sword becomes person.

Literally a sword.

He showed that even without holding a sword, his entire body could become a blade armed with sharp edges.

Undoubtedly a realm positioned higher than mere sword mastery.

“How is it? Do you consider the path I walk inferior to yours?”

“No, rather, someone who digs only one well is frightening. Definitely not something to take lightly.”

“I appreciate your assessment. Then…”

Whoosh!

“I’ll make the first move.”

Roen’s sword formed a sword aura.

The sword aura manifestation, Roen’s revolutionary technique of projecting fighting spirit, unfolded and threatened his opponent.

Against an ordinary opponent, they would be unable to properly respond to the sword aura and their body would be sliced through completely.

That’s how sharp Roen’s sword aura was, with an intensity that seemed capable of cutting through everything in the world.

However.

KWANG!

“Starting off fierce? My bones ache just from blocking it.”

“…The instructor blocking a sword aura with the edge of his hand seems more fierce to me.”

“I wanted to try receiving it once. But I won’t do it twice. If I did it twice, I’d lose my hand after that.”

“……”

Seeing his sword aura so easily blocked, Roen was dumbfounded.

As he thought yesterday, this person really is…!

‘An incredible person.’

In many ways.

* * *

‘Is this the second time since the first class?’

Fighting with this guy.

Since the first day of class when he sparred with those arrogant cadets, it had been a while since he fought with the dark-haired one.

He’d had plenty of matches with the others, but strangely, opportunities with him never came.

‘He’s been slinking away.’

For Ihan, it was quite regrettable.

He had finally found a worthwhile opponent, yet had no chance to spar with him.

But now, the dark-haired one had drawn his sword, and Ihan felt pleased, like a cat he’d brought home was finally playing with him for the first time.

Therefore.

Clank.

“…Are you holding a hand axe instead of a wooden sword?”

“I’m doing this because I hold you in high regard.”

“…That’s an assessment I’d rather decline.”

Ihan, acknowledging this dark-haired fellow, didn’t use a wooden sword like with other cadets but instead drew a bladed weapon.

This might be the first time, he thought.

Using a blade with a sharp blue edge against a cadet instead of a wooden sword or a blunt-edged practice weapon.

However, Ihan would say he used a hand axe because he viewed him not as a mere cadet but as a proper swordsman.

‘He’s far beyond cadet level.’

When they fought the day before, he could only roughly estimate, but now with his own growth, he could clearly tell.

Didn’t the nobles call the dark-haired one a “young lion”?

But at this moment, he could declare that was the wrong expression.

‘This guy is already a full-grown lion.’

And in Taechang’s terms:

‘Level 7, perhaps?’

He might be what would be called hero-class, meaning he was stronger than most knight commanders, so Ihan didn’t underestimate him in the slightest.

And so.

Whoooosh…!

“……”

“…Hm.”

They stood still for a moment, staring at each other, maintaining silence.

An exploratory phase where each acknowledged the other’s skill.

Neither showed any openings first, and there seemed to be no opportunity to strike first.

Therefore.

Whoosh!

They both stepped forward simultaneously, not to find openings but to forcibly create them.

“…This is maddening.”

Jack, whose presence was so faint that he went unnoticed by others, trembled involuntarily watching their duel.

Though he wasn’t one of the combatants, merely a spectator, his body still tingled all over.

A truly terrifying battle.

‘Will I ever be able to reach that level?’

Jack had been living with the goal of becoming a knight since becoming Roen’s subordinate.

Though he had innate talent as an assassin, he suppressed that talent to walk the path of a knight instead of an assassin, but…

‘Can I ever reach that level?’

Whether he could reach the same realm as them was completely unimaginable.

Perhaps he should give up now and return to his original…

“Have some refreshments while you watch!”

“…Ah, th-thank you.”

Just as negative thoughts were about to overwhelm him, a maid handed Jack drinks and fruit, making him start for a different reason.

‘I-I couldn’t read her presence at all…!’

Even his lord Roen couldn’t escape his presence detection ability, yet this maid…?

“Excuse me, I don’t really understand, so who’s winning right now?”

“Y-yes!?”

“Hehe, I can’t tell who has the advantage.”

“Ah, well…”

But before he could complete his thought, Jack completely lost the initiative.

Somehow, it was difficult to resist her request, and without even realizing this fact, Jack began to speak.

“F-for now, my lord—I mean, Young Master Roen is pressing the attack. With quick and precise combinations, he’s not giving his opponent any chance to attack.”

“Hmm, so the knight is at a disadvantage?”

“…That’s not quite right either. The instructor is… blocking all those attacks very, very casually.”

Jack’s mouth gradually fell open as he explained.

The instructor was blocking all of his lord’s flowing combinations.

Each strike was threatening, and if it were him, he’d be lucky just to avoid rolling pathetically on the ground, let alone blocking.

But if asked whether the instructor was having a hard time blocking them?

‘He’s blocking them too easily.’

It was astonishing.

How to describe this?

It was like his lord was a swarm of bees, but they couldn’t penetrate the instructor’s iron wall and were struggling.

‘And that’s with sword aura-enhanced strikes…’

Sword aura wasn’t simply a technique that increased a sword’s cutting power—it was like a cheat that enhanced power, speed, strength, and penetration.

Yet seeing all of that ineffective, Jack found the instructor simply fascinating.

‘It’s Vajra!’

Before being his lord’s subordinate, he was one of the instructor’s disciples.

He had formally learned the sutra, and thanks to that, he could roughly guess what technique the instructor was using to block the sword aura.

‘It’s not just Vajra, it’s an application of Vajra.’

Ha!

He couldn’t help but admire it.

From Jack’s perspective, he thought all the instructor’s techniques were already perfect, but surprisingly, there was still room for development.

It was different from the admiration he felt watching his lord.

The admiration he felt for his lord was for his amazing talent, while what he felt for the instructor was…

‘Like a guide showing the way.’

It was as if he was showing the way.

As if demonstrating that one could become stronger depending on one’s efforts or what kind of knight one wanted to become.

It would take time, but someday…!

“I hope you become a splendid knight.”

“!!?”

“Do your best.”

“……”

The maid disappeared with small steps.

As if her business was finished.

Jack felt as if he’d been visited by a fairy and unconsciously muttered to himself.

“…That person is no ordinary person either.”

None of the people around the instructor seem to be ordinary.

Jack gained this insight and stuck out his tongue.

…With a refreshing smile different from before.

* * *

KWANG!!

WHOOOONG!

Dust spread thickly as the ground was overturned.

It was the shockwave created by Roen’s sword aura exerting an exceptionally powerful force, a strike with considerably more concentrated power than the previous smaller strikes.

Yet still.

“…Couldn’t you at least pretend it hurts a little?”

“The impact lingers, but it’s just that? What kind of technique was that anyway?”

“……”

He was fine.

Roen wondered if he was fighting not a person but a giant.

‘Even a frost giant wouldn’t be this tough.’

A sturdiness that was simply exasperating.

Just as he was about to smile bitterly.

“…I should be a bit more careful.”

“?”

“That guy, he’s okay because the maid comforted him, but that was a bit dangerous just now. Seemed like he was about to reach the stage before turning dark.”

“What do you mean by ‘turning dark’?”

“Going astray.”

“…First of all, I find it both amazing and disheartening that you have the leisure to listen to others’ conversations while dueling with me.”

“It’s not like that. I’m just fighting while seeing the whole picture. Rather, you need to fix that. Focusing too much on just your opponent isn’t good either. You should always spread your awareness across everything.”

“……”

“It’s good to look straight ahead, but try to turn your gaze elsewhere too. Otherwise, you’ll regret it later.”

“…I’ll keep that in mind.”

Roen nodded.

He instinctively knew that this teaching was exactly what he needed right now.

‘Was I about to make the same mistake again…?’

No leisure to look around, lacking the vision to see the whole picture.

This was a flaw he had heard about once before.

Not now, but before he came back in time…

So he had resolved not to have such a narrow vision as in the past, but… it seems he was still just a novice.

‘Jack could indeed go astray.’

It was he who had originally encouraged Jack to suppress his natural talent and become a knight.

To reform someone who was originally destined to become the “Hidden Dagger of the Temple.”

But if he continued to suppress and neglect him, there was concern he might return to “that time” again.

So Roen reflected.

He was trying not to make the same mistakes as in the past, and if he neglected that effort, how foolish would that be?

“Sigh, it seems people always repeat foolish mistakes.”

“That’s why you always need someone around to give you advice.”

“Yes, I agree.”

And there he was, right in front of him.

A master who pointed out his mistakes…

‘Ha, I thought I’d never have a master in my life.’

This too was an arrogant prejudice that he now realized.

“Looking back now, entering the Academy was a good choice after all.”

“Suddenly?”

“Because I was able to meet the best master.”

“…Kid, flattery doesn’t suit you.”

Though he said that, he didn’t seem to dislike the praise, judging by his expression.

Then suddenly.

“That technique you used earlier, you compressed the sword aura, right? It’s a bit similar to [Lightning Drop].”

“…I was influenced by my uncle.”

So he did duel with his uncle, and even saw Lightning Drop.

‘That means my uncle took the duel quite seriously. I wonder what the outcome was…’

As far as he knew, Maximus was arguably the strongest knight.

So he didn’t think he lost, but the fact that the instructor was still standing here unharmed despite having seen Lightning Drop meant—

‘Perhaps it was a draw—’

…Roen was about to continue this speculation, but unfortunately, he couldn’t.

Because.

“……”

…He was too shocked.

Roen stood with his mouth open, looking completely foolish.

For the first time, his composure was broken, and he looked quite silly, but at this moment, he couldn’t help it.

Flash!

“—I can’t use sword aura naturally like you. I lack the talent, and I don’t have delicate techniques like yours. But I can use something roughly similar to sword aura, and after fighting with your uncle or whoever, I learned how to manipulate sword aura.”

How could anyone not look foolish seeing that?

—Because light was surging from his axe, brighter and hotter than the sword aura he had created.

“Sword Aura Crystallization. Let’s call it ‘Sword Barrier’ for short, that thing you used.”

“……”

“Not a bad name, right?”

“…Ha.”

Sword Aura Crystallization—wasn’t that like containing a star at the tip of a sword?

Roen couldn’t take his eyes off the crystallization of power emanating from the axe and thought.

Perhaps…

—It might not have been a draw after all.