Ch.31Lieutenant Priest Volkmann (2)

Seeing Volkman’s reaction, Najin was certain.

That his plan had successfully worked.

‘It seems the plan has worked.’

-Looks like it.

After receiving Volkman’s request, Najin had researched the Order of the Sword. Merlin’s knowledge, rumors about the Order, and even related books. Information about the Order of the Sword was relatively easy to find.

They were an open group that hadn’t closed themselves off.

After piecing together the relevant information, Najin had reached one conclusion before starting the request.

‘I can reveal my talent to some extent.’

Of course, Najin knew that his talent could be considered a ‘risk factor.’ He understood that if he recklessly stole and imitated a noble family’s secret swordsmanship right in front of them, things would become extremely complicated.

Nevertheless, he revealed his talent in front of Volkman because he was confident. Confident that it was acceptable to do so with the Order of the Sword.

“Haha. You’re a young man full of passion.”

“Feel free to watch as much as you like. Just don’t come too close. It could be dangerous.”

From Volkman’s earlier conversation, Najin confirmed that the information he had found about the Order was correct.

‘The Order of the Sword doesn’t hide their swordsmanship.’

Those who dedicated decades or even their entire lives to advancing swordsmanship didn’t particularly mind if their techniques were exposed to outsiders.

Even if someone stole the Order’s swordsmanship and developed it in their own way, the Order would often applaud and celebrate that fact. They would respond with satisfaction that a new path in swordsmanship had opened.

-I told you. It’s a place where strange people gather.

Merlin said.

-They’re weirdos who think it’s enough if swordsmanship can be advanced. Their way of thinking is just different.

The priests of the Order of the Sword.

Their highest priority was the advancement of swordsmanship and the cultivation of swordsmen. Reflecting on this, Najin recalled the precepts of the Order of the Sword that he had confirmed in books.

He had succeeded in capturing Volkman’s interest.

What remained was to use those precepts to draw Volkman in. Najin caressed the hilt of his sword, recalling the plan he had prepared in advance.

‘If I’m lucky…’

I might be able to mimic a wider variety of sword techniques.

Looking at Volkman’s back as he wielded his sword, Najin licked his lips. He had no intention of learning just a few simple techniques and leaving. It seemed Volkman still had plenty of hidden techniques.

‘Since I’ve decided to steal anyway.’

Najin smiled.

‘I’ll clean him out completely.’

2.

After finishing off the remaining orcs, Volkman exhaled deeply. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and his breath was rough. Even for a Sword Expert, facing orcs without sword energy was no easy task.

However, that’s precisely why it was good training.

Relying on sword energy with its excellent cutting power can dull the sharpness of the blade itself. Volkman always felt joy when confirming the sharpness of his swordsmanship, honed over many years through such training.

So normally he would be smiling happily right now, but…

“…”

Volkman couldn’t smile.

He silently turned his head back. Something was bothering him. There was a young man there, putting the heads of the orcs Volkman had cut down into a sack.

The young man who had introduced himself as Ivan.

Before starting the orc hunt, when the young man asked if he could watch his swordsmanship up close, Volkman had readily answered, “That’s fine.” He seemed like a young man who didn’t neglect his training, and Volkman liked his attitude of seeking knowledge.

‘That’s why I gave him permission to watch.’

Volkman’s eyes narrowed.

The movements the young man had just displayed flashed through his mind. The way the young man moved before Volkman could even shout, as if sensing the presence of a goblin rushing in from a blind spot.

Up to that point, it could be dismissed as good instincts.

But the problem was the swordsmanship the young man displayed next.

The connection and circulation of stances. The flow of offense and defense created through that circulation. That was the swordsmanship Volkman had shown to the young man, and it was the fundamental swordsmanship of the Order of the Sword.

Of course, the swordsmanship itself wasn’t rare.

The Order’s swordsmanship was widely known, and especially the four basic stances were often covered in commonly available swordsmanship manuals.

‘But…’

Volkman pressed his brow firmly.

The reason the Order didn’t mind making their swordsmanship public was because not just anyone could follow it. The sword of the Order was something completed through years of training and repetition.

They shaved away each small movement and repeated the same action for years to master a single stance. The precision achieved through this process was the essence of the Order’s swordsmanship.

‘Only effort and time can perfect this swordsmanship.’

It’s not something you can simply copy by watching. Even if you steal the swordsmanship, you can’t steal the time invested in training it.

‘That should certainly be the case.’

But what about the movements that young man just showed?

Although he only wielded the sword briefly, Volkman had clearly seen it. The young man’s stance was perfectly angled, and the connection between stances was smooth.

The power in his stepping feet.

The angle of his arm movements and the trajectory drawn by the sword tip.

The direction of his breath and gaze.

Even the way he gripped the sword.

All of it was perfectly mastered. The precise movements the young man showed couldn’t be perfected in just a day or two.

‘So…’

It was a precision that only mid-level priests, who had repeated the same movements for decades, should possess. Though the young man’s build and appearance differed from his own, Volkman felt as if he was looking in a mirror when watching the young man’s movements.

That’s how similar they were.

Even down to the most minute habits.

Volkman felt a sense of discomfort at this fact. Could he have copied it just from that brief glimpse? No, that was common-sensically impossible. Then did it mean he had learned the Order’s swordsmanship somewhere before?

No matter how much he pondered, no answer came.

“Ivan, was it?”

After much deliberation, Volkman finally spoke.

Approaching the young man, he asked:

“Have you perhaps learned the Order’s swordsmanship somewhere before? The movement you just showed is the Order’s swordsmanship, and it’s not something that can be perfected in a day or two. It seems like you’ve trained for a long time…”

The young man remained silent.

Volkman continued to ask:

“If you have a master who taught you swordsmanship, may I ask for their name?”

If this young man had a master.

That person would surely be a renowned swordsman. For a young man of his age to have such a perfect stance, he must have had a good master to correct his form.

‘A high priest of the Order? Or a wandering swordsman who made a name for himself? Either way, it must be someone who knows the Order’s swordsmanship well.’

I wonder who it could be.

It might be a swordsman Volkman knew. So Volkman waited for the young man to speak, but…

“…”

The young man still remained silent.

Feeling frustrated by the young man’s lack of response, Volkman was about to ask again when:

“I’ve heard many stories about the Order of the Sword.”

The young man spoke.

The words that came out of his mouth weren’t what Volkman had expected. But that didn’t mean they could be ignored. Volkman’s eyes narrowed at a certain word the young man mentioned.

“I hear they have this precept there.”

The precepts of the sword.

Just as the Knights of Atanga adhered to the ancient knightly precepts, the Order of the Sword followed several rules left by the First Sword Master as their precepts.

The young man pronounced one of those precepts.

“If you wish to discuss the sword, discuss it with the sword.”

Volkman’s eyes widened.

Soon, a chuckle escaped from the corner of his mouth. It didn’t take long for that chuckle to turn into a hearty laugh.

“If you wish to discuss the sword, discuss it with the sword.”

The First Sword Master, who had a bold and uninhibited personality, was always a man who put the sword before words, and he argued that a swordsman should rightfully speak through the sword.

Therefore, that precept meant something like this:

Rather than stretching out words here and there, wouldn’t you know if you just crossed swords? Instead of taking time to measure, just pick up your sword and charge in. You’ll naturally come to understand after exchanging a few blows.

In other words, it meant let’s have a sword duel.

“You’re a bold young man.”

A smile formed at the corner of Volkman’s mouth.

Not all priests follow the precepts. Volkman too merely remembers the precepts without being bound by them.

But even so.

He didn’t take the precepts lightly enough to ignore a swordsman who mentioned the precepts of the sword in front of him. And in Volkman’s opinion, the young man was right.

“Indeed, you’re right.”

Volkman was interested in the young man before him and had a desire to confirm his skills. He knew well that there was nothing better than a duel to satisfy this.

Clack.

Volkman drew his sword from his waist, sheath and all. After firmly tying the sheath and sword with his belt, Volkman pointed the sword at the young man.

“A priest of the sword cannot break the precepts. I’m quite interested in your swordsmanship, may I request a duel?”

The young man silently performed a sword salute. He too tied his sword and sheath tightly before taking a step back.

“I’ll be in your care.”

“Good. After the duel, could you answer my questions?”

“You’ll naturally come to understand during the duel.”

“You really don’t give an inch, do you.”

Let’s see your skills then.

Muttering this, Volkman flicked his sword. It was a signal that he was yielding the first move. Looking at Volkman’s relaxed demeanor, Najin smiled inwardly.

He had succeeded in capturing his interest and drawing him in by mentioning the precepts. All that remained was to push Volkman to draw out techniques he hadn’t shown yet.

For that, he first needed to strip away that composure.

Najin took a step forward and lowered his stance. Volkman’s eyes narrowed. It was a stance he had never seen before. Of course it would be. This was neither the Order’s swordsmanship nor anyone else’s.

A sword optimized for the first strike.

A sword that seizes the flow with the first blow.

It was a technique Najin had created himself to decide victory in an instant and seize the momentum in the underground city. A raw, unrefined swordsmanship that could hardly be called a technique.

But.

With Najin’s innate sense accompanying it, it becomes a sharper strike than anything else. Najin kicked off the ground he had planted himself on and rushed in. Even without strengthening his body with mana, that strike was surprisingly fast.

“…!”

Volkman’s eyes widened.

The young man accelerating in an instant and diving into his blind spot. He expected him to swing the sword upward from the low position, but contrary to expectations, the young man leaped right in front of him.

The trajectory of the sword, carrying momentum, twisted.

Not from below to above, but from above to below, striking down diagonally. Volkman’s body moved quickly in response to the sword’s trajectory that twisted in an instant.

Ka, gagak!

Taking a stance he had repeated thousands, tens of thousands of times, he received Najin’s sword. Without giving Volkman time to be surprised by the heavy weight felt through his hands, Najin immediately followed up with the next sword strike.

As if not wanting to lose the momentum he had seized.

3.

As the duel continued, Volkman felt a sense of discomfort.

The young man before him wasn’t using sword energy or mana. Mana could be felt within his body, but it was still in small amounts. However, his movements were so fast that Volkman wondered if he was actually manipulating mana.

‘No, that’s not it.’

Volkman realized the source of his discomfort.

It was the young man’s rapidly moving eyes. Only then did Volkman understand. The young man wasn’t fast; he was moving “ahead.”

Where the sword would be swung.

Where Volkman would dive in.

As if he could see it all, the young man took a step before Volkman and retreated a step before him. Volkman couldn’t help but be amazed at that precise spacing.

‘Immature and unrefined, but…’

There was a raw sharpness to it.

Like a beast’s fangs, sharp sword strikes flashed moment by moment. Volkman was parrying them all with ease, but his composure crumbled when Najin took his next stance.

Kuwung.

Stamping his foot on the ground, Najin raised his sword. It was a stance stolen from Volkman. Taking a defensive stance that had blocked his sword several times, Najin blocked Volkman’s sword.

And immediately linked to the next stance.

As if imitating Volkman’s movements.

It was the Order’s swordsmanship. But the steps Najin took and the distribution of power as he connected stance to stance were uniquely Volkman’s. It was like a habit Volkman had developed after decades of training.

“…!”

Volkman’s gaze wavered.

Earlier, from a distance, he couldn’t be certain, but now, crossing swords up close, he could tell. That was his sword.

Kang, kaang!

The more the swords clashed, the more Volkman felt a strange sensation. It was like looking into a mirror. When Volkman showed a new application technique, the mirror would shatter, but instantly, a new mirror would appear before him.

The young man in the mirror immediately mimicked the application technique Volkman had demonstrated.

The first strike was clumsy. But when he showed the same technique a second time, the trajectory of the young man’s sword was perfect. That trajectory had Volkman’s decades of training melted into it.

“Ha…!”

Because it was absurd. Because he couldn’t understand.

Volkman burst into laughter.

As they continued to clash swords, Volkman could understand. What the young man had meant before the duel. When Volkman had asked who his master was, the young man had answered:

That he would naturally come to understand during the duel.

‘So that’s what he meant!’

Volkman felt goosebumps on his forearm.

There was no need to ask about his master.

Because he, who was currently crossing swords with the young man, was the young man’s master.

He copies techniques as soon as they’re shown. Not just copying the techniques, but stealing all the decades Volkman had invested to train those techniques.

Volkman was well aware of this fact.

Even though he noticed his assets being stripped away, Volkman didn’t stop his sword. Instead, a smile spread across his face. He too was enjoying this sword duel.

‘I’ve seen countless individuals called geniuses.’

Monsters who catch up to another’s lifetime in an instant. The young man before him must be one of them. Crossing swords with the young man, Volkman recalled a certain man.

A friend who had entered the Order with him but.

Had now gone to a place he couldn’t reach.

The youngest Sword Expert, the youngest Sword Seeker, the youngest Sword Master… A once-in-a-generation genius who stood at the pinnacle, breaking records one after another.

‘The master of the Order of the Sword, Sword Master Charon.’

Back when Charon was still an Expert, Volkman felt the exact same sensation now as he did when crossing swords with him then. The sensation of his efforts being denied. Volkman wasn’t displeased by this fact.

‘Show me more.’

This was beneficial for him as well.

Responding to Najin’s unpredictable sword movements was not easy even for Volkman. It would be easier if he used sword energy and mana, but it was a challenging opponent to face with pure swordsmanship alone.

Moreover, the young man was mimicking his swordsmanship.

A meticulous imitation that gave the illusion of looking at one’s reflection in a mirror. From the movements of the young man mimicking him, Volkman discovered his own shortcomings that he hadn’t found before. He could realize which parts needed improvement.

It was a good experience and a good sparring partner.

But even that was coming to an end. Crack, the sheath made a sound as it cracked. Volkman adjusted his stance one last time. It was his strongest strike, which he hadn’t shown to Najin until the very end.

Chwaaaaak…

Volkman’s footprints were scattered across the field. A precise and complex footwork that even Najin’s rapidly moving eyes couldn’t fully follow. Sliding into Najin’s embrace, Volkman swung his sword.

A sword strike that flashed, scattering afterimages.

Kwajik!

The moment the swords clashed, Volkman’s sheath shattered. Though Najin barely defended, he was pushed back and had to roll on the ground. When Najin got up, there was Volkman looking at him with a satisfied face.

“It was a good duel, Ivan.”

He smiled.

“When you can handle sword energy… I’d like to cross swords with you with sword energy then.”

Volkman approached Najin and extended his hand. Najin grabbed that hand and stood up. To Najin, who was repeatedly clenching and unclenching his tingling hand, Volkman said:

“Would you consider joining the Order of the Sword?”