Chapter 21

Episode 21

As expected, my attempt at provocation failed. I thought it was a decent line.

The reason was simple.

Selendis didn’t want to defeat me. She wanted to gauge my abilities, my potential.

It was a common desire among those who dedicated themselves to martial arts. I had heard about it from Sir Paris during a meal.

Her curiosity was probably similar to Lady Lucia’s.

But it wouldn’t be easy.

“I don’t want you to get hurt, Master.”

Her eyes were burning with determination.

She looked ready to unleash a wave of energy at any moment. I liked her spirit. A knight should have a thirst for battle.

“We won’t know who gets hurt until we cross blades.”

“Very well.”

She adopted a fighting stance.

She raised her sword and shielded herself with her shield, her posture flawless, impenetrable.

Her shield was large enough to cover her entire body, its size and weight radiating an aura of intimidation. A careless attack could easily be countered.

I had often observed knights sparring during my time at the castle.

For them, a shield wasn’t just a defensive tool.

It could be used to deflect attacks, break bones, and even slash with its edge. It was a versatile weapon, capable of creating unexpected opportunities in battle.

I had heard that Selendis was skilled in shield combat. I couldn’t afford to be careless.

Of course, I had ‘Automatic Combat’.

“Hold on, you two! This is just a sparring match! Take it easy! We don’t want any injuries. We have a lot of work to do for the Inspection Unit!”

Jericho, his face already flushed, shouted from the sidelines. I chuckled and stretched.

“What are you worried about? We have an academy prodigy healer right here.”

“Is that… why you allowed me to observe?”

“It’s a bonus. Anyway, Lady Selendis, show me what you’ve got. I’m curious about your abilities.”

“As you command, Master.”

“You’re new here, so you might not know this, but the lower-ranking person doesn’t offer the first strike. The higher-ranking person does.”

Selendis frowned, her stance shifting slightly.

*Whoosh!*

A gust of wind swept through the training ground, and Selendis’ shield, which had been a few feet away, suddenly appeared before me. It was incredibly fast.

*Clang!*

But ‘Automatic Combat’ was faster.

My body reacted instinctively, deflecting the shield with my sword and sidestepping. The ‘Skin of Arachne’ absorbed the impact, protecting me from harm.

The ‘Sword of Chaos’ felt perfect in my hand.

This was fun.

It was the first time I had enjoyed a fight.

“Is that all you’ve got? I’m disappointed.”

“This is just the beginning!”

The wind shifted again, and Selendis spun, charging towards me.

Her speed was incredible, creating a whirlwind of motion.

And what was even more impressive was her ability to stop abruptly, defying the laws of physics.

*Clang!*

My sword met her shield.

Or rather, I had intercepted her attack. She had attempted to thrust her sword into my side, but she was forced to block my attack instead.

Which meant I was faster.

‘It’s like having an extra hand.’

The ‘Sword of Chaos’ didn’t offer overwhelming power it offered unparalleled comfort. And that was preferable. ‘Automatic Combat’ would handle the power.

Selendis’ fighting spirit seemed to waver.

But she wasn’t giving up.

She created some distance between us, then attacked from the right, targeting my sword hand.

‘Clever.’

*Slice!*

Her blade grazed my sleeve. If it weren’t for the ‘Skin of Arachne’, I would have been bleeding.

It was intentional.

I needed to create an opening in her defenses.

And now…

I dodged her attack by a hair’s breadth and swung my sword horizontally.

*Whoosh!*

It didn’t connect, but I had anticipated her next move.

This mysterious ability enhanced not only my vision but also my sense of touch.

I could feel the movement of the wind, the flow of her aura.

The sword swing was just a distraction.

This was the real attack.

*Thud!*

“Ugh!”

She tried to dodge, but my left foot caught her in the stomach, sending her sprawling.

I had channeled my aura into the kick, making it incredibly powerful. An ordinary person would have been knocked unconscious.

But Selendis recovered quickly, regaining her footing.

“Close combat won’t work. Do you want to switch weapons, or should we fight with aura blades?”

I had a reason for offering to switch weapons.

She hadn’t been defeated by my swordsmanship she had been overwhelmed by my kicks, my hand-to-hand combat skills.

If she had any fighting spirit left, she would challenge me to a hand-to-hand combat duel before resorting to aura blades.

And she did.

She tossed aside her sword and shield, channeling her aura into her fists.

“Hand-to-hand combat, Master. Please, teach me.”

“As you wish.”

*Whoosh!*

…?

It was incredibly close.

‘Automatic Combat’ had twisted my body at the last moment, allowing me to dodge. But I felt a sharp pain on my cheek.

I touched it, and my fingers came away bloody.

She had cut me with just the wind pressure?

“Oh my god, Inspector! Are you alright? Should I heal you?”

“I’m fine. It’s just a scratch. Selendis, come at me again. I’m warmed up now.”

“Yes, Master.”

*Thud!*

A wave of heat surged through my arm. I had blocked her kick, but her aura was incredibly potent.

It was time to get serious.

*Rumble!*

I channeled my aura, and she unleashed a flurry of punches and kicks.

*Thwack!*

*Thud!*

I deflected her attacks with my palms and blocked with my aura-enhanced arms, maintaining a defensive stance. Then, in a flash, I switched to offense.

I saw an opening.

*Thud!*

My fist connected with her stomach, a solid blow. She hadn’t had time to react.

“Ugh!”

To my surprise, she didn’t fall. She wiped the blood from her lips and regained her balance.

‘She’s better with a sword.’

Her hand-to-hand combat skills weren’t impressive, even with her enhanced aura. She had too many openings.

And the best way to teach her that was through experience.

I moved, creating distractions, searching for another opening.

*Thud!*

She flinched as my fist connected with her side, but she didn’t back down. She retaliated with a punch of her own.

That was the spirit I was looking for. Even if it was easily blocked.

I grabbed her fist.

*Crack!*

“…Ugh.”

“Tell me when you’ve had enough. I’ll let go.”

We both channeled our auras, our fists locked in a stalemate.

Our auras intensified, a battle of wills.

*Rumble!*

The colors deepened, then slowed.

And then, a color I had never seen before emerged from her fist.

*Squeeze!*

‘Deep blue? The elixir definitely worked.’

Her claim of her aura capacity doubling was accurate.

Elixirs were like medicine. They were more effective on those with natural talent. Sometimes, the effects were amplified.

That was the case with Selendis.

‘That’s Senior knight level.’

Determining aura levels based on color varied depending on the methodology, but the most widely accepted system was the ‘Six Stages Theory’.

It was first introduced in a book called ‘The Laws of Combat’, written by the legendary Grand Lord Siegfried.

It was essentially a combat manual, dividing aura levels into six stages, from sixth grade to first grade. Mastering this system, according to Siegfried, guaranteed victory in battle.

The lowest level was sixth grade, represented by white. Then came light blue, blue, deep blue, purple, and finally, the highest level, first grade, represented by black.

Of course, the colors weren’t always distinct. The higher the level, the more subtle the differences became, like a spectrum of light. There could be countless shades between purple and black.

But the ‘Six Stages Theory’ was widely accepted due to its simplicity.

Coincidentally, or perhaps intentionally, the six stages aligned with the knight ranking system used in the empire.

So it wasn’t uncommon for people to use the terms interchangeably, referring to a Squire knight as a ‘sixth grade’.

‘She could be promoted to Senior knight if she meets the other requirements.’

Of course, aura wasn’t everything.

Swordsmanship was paramount for a knight. Aura was just a supplement. Without a solid foundation in martial arts, it was useless.

But Selendis had nothing to worry about.

Her swordsmanship was impressive. Perhaps she had learned a lost technique from a forgotten royal family.

*Crack!*

Her gauntlet, unable to withstand the pressure of our clashing auras, began to crack. I, on the other hand, remained calm and composed.

“It seems I’m a bit stronger than you.”

“…”

My aura was a mixture of deep blue and purple. Selendis stared at it, her expression awestruck.

The difference was clear.

Her aura faded, and I released my grip.

“…I yield.”

“You’re admitting defeat too easily. I expected you to be more persistent.”

I hadn’t even used the ‘Black Wind Bow’. It wasn’t really suitable for a duel.

“I never intended to defeat you, Master. But I’m satisfied with leaving a mark on your cheek.”

“The ‘Skin of Arachne’ doesn’t protect my face. It was a good attack.”

“Thank you, Master. But aren’t you going to test the crossbow? I’d like to try blocking it.”

I picked up the Black Wind Bow. It was already fully charged. I gripped the body.

A blue bolt materialized.

“Channel your aura to its maximum. This might be dangerous.”

“Yes, Master.”

I aimed at the outer edge of her shield, just in case.

*Twang!*

The bolt shot out with a deafening roar.

*BOOM!*

*Crack!*

Something incredible happened.

Her deep blue aura shattered like glass.

Fortunately, her shield only had a small dent. But she winced, clearly feeling the impact.

“That’s amazing! I’ve never seen anything like it! You could take down a giant monster with that!”

Jericho, approaching with a look of awe, applied some ointment to my cheek.

“Monster subjugation is secondary. We can’t have a scar on your handsome face. You’re quite popular, you know.”

“I don’t care about popularity.”

“Are you planning to stay single forever? Come on, that’s not true, is it?”

I would worry about finding a partner after I retired. Right now, my priority was navigating the treacherous waters of the Lady’s favor.

And at that moment, something completely unexpected happened.

Something even I, the possessor of this body, hadn’t anticipated.

In Baron Gerard’s territory.