Ch.344EP.72 – The Knight Wore a Suit (4)

…people were anxious.

It was only natural.

The world that had been so peaceful just ten minutes ago had collapsed.

To be precise, only the streets had collapsed, but for those who had lived here their entire lives, having their homes destroyed in an instant was no different from their world falling apart.

Moreover, they had witnessed that the reliable administrators had actually been replaced, which only intensified the despair that was overwhelming them.

Yet in the midst of this despair, the knights and soldiers who were supposed to protect them in the central district were-.

“Break through! Break through!”

“There, there’s more! More monsters…!”

“Aaaaargh!”

They were barely holding on, with no capacity to look after the civilians.

They had seemed so reliable normally, but now they looked utterly incompetent, and it was humiliating to think they had trusted such people.

The civilians hoped that other knight orders would arrive quickly, but they had no idea when help would come, or if they would even survive until then.

In this situation…

Slash!

Stab!

‘Why can that girl be so bold and brave?’

Ironically, the adopted daughter of Tristan, whom they had secretly looked down upon, was now protecting them.

Whoosh!

‘…Not just brave, but strong too.’

Every time the girl’s blade moved, monsters died.

One strike, one kill.

She never needed more than a single strike, cutting down monsters with a single slash—she was remarkable.

Thud.

She didn’t just fight with her rapier alone; she would swing her scabbard to strike the jaw of a goblin approaching from a blind spot or hit vital points to create openings. Making the most of her small frame’s advantages, she would daringly slip between monsters, thrust her blade, and withdraw.

She moved like a butterfly and struck like a bee.

That phrase came naturally to mind watching the girl’s swordsmanship, and the people who had been cowering were now entranced by her blade, their eyes glazed over in admiration.

Her swordsmanship was impressive, but it was the courageous spirit emanating from that small body that truly uplifted their hearts.

Just then.

Crack!

“I’ll help!”

“Thank you, your name is…?”

“Call me Dolchen. I’m a retired old man, but I can still be of use.”

“It feels like an army has arrived.”

“Haha! Such pretty words you speak.”

Though he claimed to be retired, the knight who had once been called the champion of the territory, along with several others, began joining the girl with swords in hand.

Without anyone ordering them to.

“May I ask if there are any additional reinforcements?”

“I wanted to call for reinforcements, but the central district is so closed off that it’s difficult to bring people in. I barely managed to enter myself using Tristan’s name…”

The girl, Levi, spoke with a subtle expression.

The implication was clear—whenever they tried to do something, the nobles would block them by citing laws.

“……”

It was a moment of revelation about why the knight and the girl, despite not being arrogant, had not called for or stationed reinforcements. The face of the retired knight who had asked the question turned bright red.

“…My blood pressure is rising. I’ll have to address this matter firmly.”

“Please hold back for now. We can deal with that after this situation is resolved.”

“Ahem.”

“And, my master has come to resolve this situation. And my master is, as far as I know…”

[BOOM!]

“More reliable than any knight in the kingdom.”

* * *

‘…I told him to teach her well, but this is on another level entirely.’

He knew that Levi had followed the “dark one” on a guard mission during winter break and received training in a new sword technique.

He had heard it from her directly.

– I, I hate to say this, but it feels like a sword technique made just for me. I think I owe Lord Roen de Lionel a great debt.

She had felt guilty about receiving instruction from someone other than him, but was clearly delighted with the sword technique.

‘There was a good reason for that.’

Ihan was impressed by the bear cub’s skills that he observed from the corner of his eye.

It was truly a sword technique created specifically for the girl, perfectly combining her physique, strength, innate senses, and intelligence without a single impurity.

When you give something like that to someone already brimming with potential, well…

‘It’s like giving wings to a bear.’

Some might say that’s an exaggeration, but finding the perfect sword technique for a swordsman is like giving a pitcher a game-changing curveball in baseball, or giving gills to a swimmer.

“You’ve grown well.”

His nose tingled, threatening to sniffle.

A disciple’s growth.

Today he realized that this was something that could move a man’s heart at this emotionally sensitive age.

He wanted to celebrate with a drink, but…

“How arrogant! Not following up with additional strikes despite us being right in front of you… Well, with your skill, you might be justified in looking down on us, but such carelessness could lead to trouble.”

“……”

With these kinds of guys right in front of him, he couldn’t properly celebrate.

Ihan made no attempt to hide his displeasure as he kicked a nearby stone…

“What a joke.”

Thwack!

Boom!

…A violent pillar of flame erupted with a thunderous sound.

A flame hot enough to reduce a person to charcoal.

“Do you think I’m stupid? As if I’d willingly walk into a minefield.”

“Hmm… you detected it?”

The man with a clearly playful demeanor scratched his cheek awkwardly, his serious expression gone, replaced by his characteristic narrow-eyed, unpleasant smile.

“You’re the fifth person to see through this trap. Impressive.”

“Five seems like quite a lot.”

“Haha, you wouldn’t say that if you knew the number of people who’ve died to this technique exceeds five digits.”

“……”

“More importantly, your method is quite unique. To think you’d strike at all these people at once… As expected of the one who eliminated the Demon King and Inanna.”

“……”

Whoosh!

“…That was meant as a compliment?”

Ihan didn’t hide his disgust as he immediately charged at the man.

He rushed forward through an area where he sensed no “smell” of traps, intending to cut down that unpleasant mouth with a single stroke, but.

Clang…!

“……”

The opponent’s sword deflected Ihan’s strike.

‘Well, look at this?’

BANG!!

Stomping the ground hard enough to leave an imprint, Ihan’s sword created more than six trajectories.

A flurry of lightning-fast strikes aimed at both sides, the head, chest, and both legs!

Any swordsman would be astonished to learn this was merely a basic sword technique that all practitioners learn.

And…

CLANG!

The opponent deflected this astonishing series of attacks once again.

Splurt!

“…Well now. Since completing my training, I thought I wouldn’t lose to anyone with a sword, but the world is indeed vast.”

The opponent had somehow responded to this impossible attack.

Though he deflected it, he couldn’t completely absorb the impact, and blood vessels burst in his arm, causing him to give a bitter smile.

“It’s not just blood vessels, I think my tendons are torn too. What amazing strength…”

“-Is it Biangeomsik and Yugeomshik? You seem to have mastered them to the extreme.”

“?”

“It’s been a while since I faced an orthodox swordsman.”

Ihan wasn’t sure what school it was.

However, he could tell it was no ordinary sword technique, and the fact that the opponent could execute such techniques perfectly meant he was no lightweight.

At minimum…

‘He’s on par with Iliad, that writer fellow.’

In other words…

‘He has the skill of a Sword Saint.’

And that meant…

“…I’ve finally found a big fish.”

Whoosh!

After a long search, Ihan could finally smile with genuine satisfaction at the achievement before him.

* * *

‘Where did such a powerful fighter come from?’

A chilling sensation like an electric current ran through him.

Farhan, the best swordsman and vice-commander of the Brass Knights, was genuinely surprised.

The opponent’s spirit was intimidating enough to crumple an iron shield, but his strength truly defied imagination.

CLANG!

Though Farhan deflected the sword using only one arm and his lower body strength—his other arm having torn tendons and blood vessels—the opponent’s sword strikes were beyond what could simply be deflected.

Zing-

His sword was crying out, unable to withstand the opponent’s power.

It was astounding considering that Farhan had mastered one of the three great sword techniques of the East, a supreme sword form.

He had completed a sword technique that was said to be unattainable by others, but which could supposedly toy with any strong opponent if mastered—yet here it was being overwhelmed by basic sword techniques.

The sensation of dozens of techniques becoming useless against simple slashing and swinging.

It was an extremely unpleasant and disgusting experience for the one on the receiving end.

This was definitely not a positive sign, and Farhan…

“…Now.”

Made a quick decision.

Swoosh!

Farhan’s quiet mutter served as a signal, and the knights moved.

– [Brass Knights]

Each one a complete swordsman with the physique of a half-demon.

Their skills would match those of any high-ranking knight, and the elites among them could overwhelm knights from major noble houses.

At Farhan’s call, nineteen such elite knights completely blocked the opponent’s escape routes and swung their blades fiercely as if to mince him.

It should have been an inescapable net of despair…

-WHEEEEEEEE!!!

CRUNCH!

Thud thud thud…

“……”

2.5 seconds.

That was how long it took for nineteen elite knights to be reduced to puddles of blood.

“You startled me by suddenly calling in reinforcements.”

“…That was.”

“This? It’s nothing special. It’s called ‘Bandan Gigong,’ a technique I rarely use on people.”

“Then what is this now?”

“What do you think? I told you.”

─I don’t use it on [people].

“……”

“What? Do you have more questions?”

It was a statement so matter-of-fact it was chilling, and Farhan shook his head.

“…You truly are a frightening person.”

Farhan raised his hand with an incredulous expression.

Having realized his opponent was beyond common sense, he…

“Don’t call me a coward. It just means you’re that dangerous.”

Crack!

Ordered thousands of knights to use any means necessary.

“…Isn’t it already cowardly enough that thousands of knights are ganging up on one person?”

“……”

“Isn’t it?”

“……”

“What a funny bastard.”

“……”

Crack.

…Farhan silently raised his sword.