Ch.25Knight Order Competition

# The Competition Tournament

The Competition Tournament. It was a contest to determine superiority among the Imperial Knight Orders. While Deputy Commanders and above couldn’t participate, everyone below that rank was eligible.

Which knight order was stronger? This was the key question of interest at the annual competition tournament. Since victory proved the strength of a knight order, the participants’ enthusiasm was remarkable.

“We’ll begin with the matches for the lower-ranked members.”

He was a middle-aged man with a vague impression. His aura wasn’t particularly imposing. Yet no one dared ignore his words. This was due to the distinct emblem on his chest.

The emblem, shaped like the wind, swayed gently as if it were the wind itself. The wind-shaped emblem on his chest signified the middle-aged man’s rank.

The tournament was being overseen by the Commander of the Wind Knight Order. Not only him, but the commanders of each knight order were also present.

Seo-rin’s gaze turned toward one man. The commanders of other knight orders were quite advanced in age. However, there was one exception—an exceptionally young man.

The Commander of the Blue Wing Knight Order.

Kaimond.

Though considerable time had passed since joining the knight order, this was the first time she’d encountered him directly. She’d heard he had recently returned from a long-term deployment mission. Seo-rin’s eyes lingered on Kaimond’s sword for a while.

The trio had to prepare for their matches immediately. The tournament followed a bracket format. If they kept winning, they might eventually have to face each other.

The first to compete was neither Seo-rin, Flora, nor Theo. It was a man who had joined Blue Wing before the trio but was still a lower-ranked member.

A man named Rapein.

“If you lose, you’re dead!”

“Don’t you dare lose to those Claw guys!”

Blue Wing seniors shouted at Rapein as he walked toward the center of the Colosseum. Those seniors, whose turns would come only after all the lower-ranked members’ matches were over, had naturally blended in among the spectators.

Rapein’s opponent appeared to be a young man who had just come of age. A clear claw mark gleamed on the badge hanging from his shoulder.

It was a badge signifying a lower-ranked member of the Claw Knight Order.

There was no signal to start. The match began naturally the moment the two contestants entered the Colosseum.

Because they had both drawn their swords the moment they entered.

Clang-!

With each brief exchange, sword clashed against sword. Sparks flew in vivid trajectories amid the harsh explosions.

Neither of them gave an inch. Their breathing was steady, and their gazes remained calm. Seo-rin watched their duel while stroking her chin.

There was much to learn. Even among lower-ranked members, their years of experience differed. Having joined at different times, their blue slashes were imbued with varying levels of expertise.

“Who do you think will win?”

“Hmm…”

Seo-rin closed her mouth at Flora’s question. She wasn’t sure yet. But somehow, Rapein seemed a bit more at ease.

Clang-!

As if the exploratory phase had ended, both fighters began to intensify their attacks. The crisp shockwaves kicked up a cloud of dust.

Bang-! Clack-clack-!

The match that seemed like it would drag on came to an end. Rapein, who had been engaged in a test of strength, rotated his sword and in the next moment had it pointed at his opponent’s throat.

“Woooah!”

“Blue Wing won!”

The crowd went wild at the clear outcome. There was no mockery directed at the loser. They showered both contestants with cheers and applause for the excellent match.

“The winner is Rapein!”

After the result was declared, the two fighters gave each other a light salute before leaving the Colosseum. Rapein returned with high spirits, his gaze briefly passing over the trio.

For some reason, it felt unpleasant. Seo-rin’s face crumpled.

Seo-rin stood up. Though the next contestant hadn’t been called yet, she knew from the bracket that it was her turn next.

“I’m off.”

“Good luck!”

“Seo-rin! Fighting!”

“Go enchant all the men!”

“I bet the Blue Wing headquarters will have many visitors after today…”

The voices of her seniors followed the encouragement from her peers. Seo-rin touched her forehead. Perhaps they were right. While worrying about the future, the corner of her mouth twisted upward.

“Hmm…”

Her opponent was a familiar boy. A lower-ranked member who had joined around the same time as her: Dian Tibolt of the Wind Knight Order.

Tibolt’s expression was much more serious than before. His gaze didn’t just stay on her face. It was a look that scrutinized her every movement as she walked slowly forward, seeking an opportunity.

‘This won’t be easy.’

Shing-

She drew her sword as she entered the Colosseum. The solid weight transmitted to her fingertips infused strength into her arms.

Unlike before, an easy victory wouldn’t be possible. Her opponent wasn’t being careless. It meant the same trick wouldn’t work twice.

But she wouldn’t lose. Seo-rin predicted her own victory.

As before, there was no signal to start. The match began the moment they entered the Colosseum.

The moment a faint breeze gently caressed her bangs, Seo-rin and Tibolt rushed toward each other.

Clang-!

She was pushed back significantly when their swords met. Tibolt’s attack had bypassed any exploratory phase. Conscious of how Seo-rin had defeated him before, he came with mana-infused attacks from the start.

Clang-!

The swords clashed again and again. Seo-rin, who had been pushed back considerably, regained her balance. Her shoes slid, kicking up a cloud of dust behind her.

“Seo-rin. I’m grateful to you!”

He spoke while unleashing a series of slashes. It meant Tibolt had enough breathing room to talk. Seo-rin remained silent as she barely evaded his sword.

She was at a disadvantage in terms of strength. There was a significant difference in the total amount of mana they possessed. She’d heard that noble families consumed rare medicines that could increase their mana capacity. The difference was evident.

Swoosh-

Seo-rin, who had retreated significantly, scanned the arena. Tibolt was no easy opponent. The swordsmanship of noble families, refined over many years, overwhelmed Seo-rin’s incomplete technique.

She was at a disadvantage in strength. She couldn’t surpass him in swordsmanship either. Then she needed to find another way to gain the upper hand.

A skilled hunter always knows how to use the surrounding environment. The snow field hunter, dormant within the small girl, revealed her presence.

Swish-!

Seo-rin’s extended foot quickly swept across the Colosseum floor. That light footwork kicked up a cloud of dust.

She repeated this action a couple of times while minimizing direct confrontation with her opponent. As a result, the dust cloud became so thick that visibility was severely reduced.

“Oh no…!”

He couldn’t see his opponent. Tibolt’s gaze darted around. Beyond the thick dust, Seo-rin’s presence had vanished. At the same time, a sharp sword strike came flying in.

Zing-!

“Ugh!”

He hadn’t sensed the attack coming until the very last moment. Because of this, his reaction was slightly delayed. Tibolt’s stance crumbled as he failed to properly put strength into his sword.

At that moment, a small sound was heard. A tap.

Tibolt swung his sword with all his might, toward where he thought Seo-rin might be.

“There you are!”

Whoosh-!

But his sword merely cut through empty air. In that moment, a sharp slash descended upon Tibolt.

Clang-!

“Urgh…!”

Once again, his delayed reaction prevented him from defending properly. Red blood spurted from Tibolt’s shoulder.

It was like fighting an invisible enemy. Tibolt felt a slight fear. But he denied his emotions.

There was only one appropriate feeling to have toward the small girl.

‘I need to get out of this dust cloud.’

The moment he decided, his body was already moving. Tibolt retreated significantly while remaining vigilant of his surroundings.

That’s when he felt it. A powerful presence approaching him. A sharp killing intent. The massive presence, as if it would tear out his throat, carried the ferocity of the wild.

‘Here it is!’

He wasn’t wrong. That’s what he thought. Tibolt’s sword extended in a straight line, scattering white light.

Whoosh-!

But there was nothing. Nothing caught on the tip of his sword. Only then did Tibolt realize he had been tricked.

Hiss-

Something that had been holding its breath was approaching, aiming for his throat. This was the real attack. But he couldn’t react. His breathing was disrupted, and his body was defenseless. Tibolt sensed his impending defeat.

Tap-

As a small footstep was heard, the thick dust suddenly receded. Within that space, a snow-white figure appeared.

‘A wolf…?’

The wolf’s form faded hazily. The next moment, Tibolt found Seo-rin with her sword placed against his throat.

“Well…”

A dejected sigh escaped Tibolt’s lips.

As the dust that had covered the arena dispersed, the previously blurred scene became clear. The next moment, everyone knew the result of this match.

“Oh, wooooah!”

“The pretty one won!”

The cheers were louder than for the previous match. Seo-rin brushed her hair back with her free hand. The right corner of her mouth was slightly raised.

“The winner! Seo-rin!”

The Commander of the Wind Knight Order, who was overseeing the match, declared the winner. Only then did Seo-rin withdraw her sword and step back.

Watching her, Tibolt spoke.

“This time… this time I fought as if it were real…”

Seo-rin’s eyes widened. It seemed he had taken her previous words deeply to heart.

A good attitude. Someone who recognizes their mistakes and strives to correct them is ready to move forward.

Seo-rin retrieved her sword, then tapped her chest twice with her clenched right fist.

“It was a good match.”