Ch.150The Silent Knight, Krinbel (5)

The essence of Penetration is thrusting.

A thrust that extends forward while rotating the spear shaft. Though the principle of the technique itself is simple, mastering Penetration was never easy. This was because the technique demanded numerous elements.

Instantaneous muscle power and perfect posture.

Understanding of the spear.

The form of aura wrapped around the spear tip.

To wrap wind around the spear shaft and burst that wind at the tip required absolute precision in all these elements. That was exactly what surprised the Helm Knight while teaching Najin Penetration.

Even members of the Golden Horn Knights, a group of geniuses from the Empire, had to train for a full year to learn Penetration. Even those who used spears as their main weapon needed that much time.

But Najin was different.

Najin understood Penetration just by seeing it a few times. Though unfamiliar with spears, making his execution less refined, he perfectly understood the principles behind the technique, which movements required force, and at what angle the spear should be thrust.

Understanding naturally leads to deconstruction.

Every movement of Penetration was deconstructed in Najin’s mind. Dozens, hundreds of fragmented movements flashed rapidly through his thoughts.

‘Ah.’

Najin looked ahead.

There was the perfect Penetration. A technique closer to perfection than what the Helm Knight had demonstrated. Now, witnessing Krinbel’s Penetration for the second time, Najin knew what he needed to do.

With bloodshot eyes, Najin saw it.

The gap in the raging storm.

It was literally a thread-like gap. So small and narrow that even a needle might not pass through. The Najin of before couldn’t have pushed his sword into that gap. Even if his eyes could see it, his body wouldn’t have followed.

Now was different.

The moment Najin swung his sword, the blade was a span ahead of its usual position. Just a span. But that span would determine victory. Najin’s sword cut into the grain of the storm.

Tick, tidick…

Something caught on the sword tip. The storm began splitting along Najin’s blade. The storm, splitting left and right, beat against Najin’s body. It was bearable. Najin took a step forward while swinging his sword.

One step, then another.

To Najin, all his movements felt infinitely slow, but that was just his perception of time. From the outside, all those movements were too fast to follow. Najin felt like he was walking, but to observers, he was running.

The sword cuts through the storm. Advancing while cutting through the storm.

Blood vessels burst in Najin’s eyes. One side of his vision turned red, but Najin didn’t care. Color didn’t matter. As his sword cut through the storm, Najin felt something like sparks flying in his mind.

A feeling of expanding senses and the world widening. It wasn’t just a feeling. Najin’s mental image was actually expanding. A sprout from a seed planted underground broke through the soil and raised its head above ground.

Germination.

One of the three steps toward becoming a Sword Master.

Najin took his first step toward transcendence.

Najin’s sword energy shone pure white. Even the gold mixed in his sword energy was bleached white. For what Najin recalled was a knight who shone without stars. Boom! Najin stomped the ground hard. Now even to his own perception, Najin was running forward.

He charged, cutting through the storm.

The trajectory drawn by the sword cutting through the wind was, naturally, a technique worthy of being called Najin’s best.

The sword of Ivan, Knight of Atanga.

Of course, Ivan’s technique wasn’t perfect. Though close to a Sword Seeker, Ivan was a Sword Expert, and the technique he completed had flaws. Filling those flaws was the duty of his disciple, Najin.

Najin, running toward becoming a Sword Seeker beyond Sword Expert and even higher realms, completes Ivan’s sword by filling the gaps in the technique with his own experience.

‘I’ll defeat you head-on.’

You are worth that much.

That was the meaning embedded in the technique.

Coincidentally, it aligned with the story of Challenge, contained in Najin’s first star. Unconsciously, Najin drew upon the story his star held.

“But only head-on.”

The star pushed Najin’s body forward. Najin took what would be his final step. As he stepped, he swung his sword. The moment the trajectory of the sword tip became perfect, Najin arrived right in front of Krinbel.

The storm split.

Krinbel swung his extended spear sideways as if to push Najin away. Najin brought down his upraised sword. Though Krinbel moved faster than Najin, the technique Najin deployed was a sword that anticipated the second strike from the beginning.

A technique that breaks the enemy’s technique with the first strike.

And cuts the opponent with the second.

From the moment the sword was raised, the blade was only waiting to fall. Najin swung his sword downward. Najin’s sword was faster than Krinbel’s spear. Just by a span… but victory is often determined by such small margins.

Slash.

Najin’s sword, swung diagonally downward, bisected Krinbel’s body. The blade that dug into his shoulder emerged from his side. No blood sprayed. What leaked from the long sword wound was pure white light.

Untainted, pure white light.

The pure white starlight burned Krinbel’s body.

Heaven acknowledged the achievement of the young man. A new star rose in the night sky.

2.

The six stars embedded in Krinbel’s armor.

The black-stained stars were bleached. Like sewage being washed away, like soot falling off, Krinbel’s stars began turning white.

No, they weren’t turning white.

They were regaining their original color.

Simultaneously, Krinbel’s body began crumbling. The first to crumble were the helmets attached to his armor. Then his flesh, which had become integrated with the armor, also turned to powder and scattered.

The faster the black stars turned white, the faster Krinbel’s body collapsed. Najin gasped for breath as he looked at Krinbel. Krinbel was looking back at him.

“……”

Krinbel slowly took one step back.

His body had already half-collapsed. With his remaining half-arm, he grasped his spear shaft. Not to swing it, and certainly not to oppose Najin.

Boom!

He planted the spear shaft on the ground.

He said nothing. Because Krinbel was the Knight of Silence. Believing some things could be conveyed without words, believing one second of silence could convey more than a hundred words, he valued silence heavily.

The Knight of Silence offered a salute.

Though he had lost his head and half his body had crumbled, respect for his opponent was evident in that salute. It wasn’t a salute only for Najin. It was also for the Helm Knight who had approached his side.

He had wandered the graveyard of stars for decades, having forgotten himself and lost his ego. He had howled like a beast and blown the horn, spending days far from silence.

But in his final moment, he could be the Knight of Silence. The end he met was serene.

Rustle…

The stars that had turned pure white crumbled along with his body. All that remained was a single spear.

“You’ve finally retired after 87 years of postponement, Krinbel.”

The Helm Knight smiled bitterly.

“Well done.”

He patted Najin’s shoulder.

Those words were for both Najin and Krinbel. The Helm Knight approached the lone spear shaft. Then he knelt on one knee before the spear.

“His name is Krinbel. His title is Knight of Silence, his star is named Bull Horned Star, and he belonged to the Golden Horn Knights.”

The Helm Knight spoke with his head bowed.

“He was the next captain of the Golden Horn Knights, an adjutant, and a knight braver than any other. Even when the captain who should have led you sat idle, you marched on alone. You challenged endlessly and advanced while blowing the horn. I would describe all that journey as noble.”

It was a eulogy for Krinbel.

“You knew the value of silence. You knew bravery. You knew honor and pride. In your final moment, you were a knight. Therefore…”

The Helm Knight grasped the spear shaft.

“Rest in peace, Krinbel.”

There was no need to attach a new flag to the body.

The innermost, most strongly tied flag was already that of the Golden Horn Knights.

3.

“Thank you.”

The Helm Knight spoke in front of the campfire.

His voice was more subdued than usual. Najin raised his head at the low, resonating voice.

“You sound like someone about to die.”

“Do I?”

“You also look a bit more at ease.”

“Well, I do feel somewhat relieved after sending off the last remaining knight of the order.”

The Helm Knight shrugged.

“That fellow was the last one remaining of the 13 members of the Golden Horn Knights. Now that I’ve sent him off, I feel like I’ve completed what I needed to do.”

“The last one?”

Najin tilted his head.

Then he pointed at the Helm Knight.

“You’re still here.”

“I’m not really worthy of being called a knight.”

“What are you saying? You told me to call you Helm Knight.”

“Not ‘Helm Knight’ but ‘Helm Knight.’ Have I done anything worthy of being called a knight? Just a nickname is appropriate.”

A nickname given based on outward appearance.

The Helm Knight seemed to think it was enough to be called a knight, if only by that nickname. At the Helm Knight’s response, Najin spoke incredulously.

“You live more like a knight than anyone, yet you say you’re not one?”

“It’s not something that can be spoken of so easily and simply…”

“Don’t fuss over trivial matters.”

Najin smiled wryly.

“Doesn’t that make life tiresome?”

It was a phrase the Helm Knight often used.

As if struck, the Helm Knight burst into laughter.

“You’re right.”

He exhaled deeply.

“Krinbel, that fellow was supposed to be my successor. He was meant to take my place as captain of the Golden Horn Knights. I thought he was honest and steadfast enough to trust with the position, but I never expected him to retire before me.”

He caressed the spear in his hand.

“Najin.”

“Yes.”

“Would you like to use this spear?”

“Me?”

“Yes. Well, you defeated Krinbel and won the duel. The victor deserves a proper reward.”

“It seems too big for me to handle. And my main weapon is a sword.”

“Having one auxiliary weapon can be useful. And this spear is special… it will shrink to fit your hand. It’s something like a masterpiece.”

The Helm Knight handed the spear to Najin.

It didn’t change when Najin grasped it.

“It’s not changing.”

“Try flowing starlight into it.”

He did so. The spear shaft vibrated and then shrank slightly. To a size appropriate for Najin to hold and wield.

“Not bad, right?”

“It’s fine, but… what will you use?”

Najin looked at the Helm Knight with suspicious eyes. Doesn’t it seem like he’s disposing of his possessions before dying? At Najin’s gaze, the Helm Knight smiled wryly.

“Don’t look at me like that. I have no intention of dying. I can’t die until I put a hole in the head of the woman who reduced the Golden Horn Knights to this state.”

“I see.”

“Well, that’s how it is.”

Najin caressed the spear and then looked at the Helm Knight.

“You just thanked me, right?”

“I did.”

“The fact that you feel grateful… means I did better than you imagined. Honestly, I think I did pretty well myself.”

“It’s annoying, but I can’t deny it. Yes, you did better than I imagined. It wasn’t just a demand as the victor of the duel, but half a request as well.”

The Helm Knight felt grateful to Najin, who despite being severely injured, didn’t retreat but charged in and ultimately gave Krinbel peace. He had allowed his adjutant to die as a knight and had done what he himself couldn’t finish.

Najin knew the Helm Knight felt grateful. Knowing this, Najin smiled mischievously and said to the Helm Knight:

“Then let me use that excess debt now.”

“Well, I can grant one wish.”

“Teach me swordsmanship.”

He pointed to the sword tied at the Helm Knight’s waist.

“You’re a Sword Master, aren’t you?”

“More precisely, I was a Sword Master.”

“You still remember the techniques, right?”

“…I can’t say I’ve forgotten them.”

“Then teach me those.”

The Helm Knight didn’t answer immediately.

Najin knew that he was reluctant to draw his sword. He also guessed that drawing the sword held heavy meaning for him.

That’s exactly why Najin asked.

Draw that sword and teach me swordsmanship.

“Can’t it be another wish?”

“No.”

“Sigh. Huh…”

The Helm Knight scratched his helmet and sighed.

“Fine, why not.”