Chapter 185: Demon Beasts Moving South (3)
A silent training ground filled with fragments of embers fluttering in the night wind below a full moon dyed red.
“…Of course, it would be better not to overdo it since they’re coming soon.”
I grabbed the hilt of the sword. It felt quite different from the magic wand I was used to.
“It is a pure battle that doesn’t use mana in the first place. Your body will be fine. That is if you have the skills to match your confidence.”
There was no emotion in her voice. I didn’t plan to hit her directly from the start, but I didn’t think I would lose.
“Okay.”
The most effective way to use Understanding in battle was for analysis. Dismantling the characteristics, strengths, and weaknesses of a swordsman fiercely and accurately, then responding with appropriate tactics.
“But, one last question.”
I stood stalwart atop the packed dirt ground. Julie borrowed a sword from a nearby knight.
Swish—
“Even now—”
“There’s no use in only talking.”
“…”
“I’ll say it quickly. Knight Deya, your basic movements are especially trash.”
“What… no!”
Julie yelled. Her face contorted with anger and resentment. Her swordsmanship was simply the connection of basic movements in the most effective method. In other words, it was a sophisticated theory. However, it was ultimately descended from one’s ancestors. It was developed according to the body and strength of its creator, and it wasn’t reasonable for individual knights it was passed down to.
Therefore, they changed the movements according to their taste and skill. However, most of the transformations weren’t efficient at all. They didn’t care about efficiency in the first place.
From physical factors such as the ratio of the upper body to the lower body, the length of arms and legs, the size of hands and feet, the quality of muscles and the shape of the skeleton, and even leg strength, grip strength, elasticity, and other motor skills. Not to mention mental factors such as temperament, speed of judgment, and intelligence…
The sword style had to be tailored considering all one’s strengths, but it was difficult to achieve this level without careful analysis. The ignorant nature of knights that hated this kind of analysis didn’t help either.
“Come.”
Today, I would teach Julie efficiency.
* * *
Julie’s grip tightened around her sword. She didn’t let her guard down, but she wasn’t afraid of defeat. Competing purely with swordsmanship was an opportunity to open Deculein’s eyes. Not to mention there were colleague knights here. Now that she had been insulted in front of all of them, she couldn’t afford to back down.
Of course, she didn’t let excitement take over. She let her body and mind cool even more, blocking her emotions.
Julie was taking this duel that seriously.
“…”
On the other hand, Deculein showed no enthusiasm. He didn’t show anything special in his posture, and he looked like he was annoyed. His sword, which was drooping toward the ground, rattled. Of course, this was to be expected. He must have never properly learned how to use a sword.
“Are you ready?”
Deculein didn’t answer. The brittle northern winds whipped around the fire.
“Answer—”
“…You talk too much.”
He cracked his knuckles, provoking her to attack first. He remained still, looking like a beginner. Julie’s lips twisted.
‘I don’t know what you believe you can teach to a knight, but if you concede the first attack, I will gladly crush you with all my strength…’
Julie leaned down and sprinted at him.
* * *
I conceded the first attack. Julie stabbed with a sword less than 1m in length, matching the one I held. I raised my blade to block. Then, by scraping the blade upward, I tried to deflect Julie’s sword. However, Julie promptly retreated, backstepping.
My sword drew a trajectory to the right one step late, and Julie, who had escaped from the sword’s path in advance, dug straight into the opening. I forcefully twisted my joints and brought the sword down.
But Julie read even that.
Clank-
The blades brushed against each other. Julie lifted her arms, dodged my sword, and jumped in close as if to be embraced by me. I pushed Julie with my shoulder after she took a step forward to reach my chest.
Bang-!
“Ugh!”
Julie, hit by this sturdy body’s shoulder, was thrown back. I glanced her up and down, then shook my head. In the absence of mana, the difference in weight was a significant condition.
Julie frowned and came running again. This time she carefully controlled the distance as she swung. Her sword strikes flowed like a stream of water. Fighting her directly, I could tell that it perfectly embodied the knight’s standards.
I blocked Julie’s attacks in my way.
Clank-! Clink, clank, clank-!
A sword-to-sword encounter, rotating and scraping each other’s weapon in close combat. However, my sword was different from the textbook. It looked rather crude, but Julie couldn’t reach me. This was because her style was extremely standard. She might think she was mixing tricks in her way, but they were all within the predictable range.
This was Julie’s first problem.
Clank-!
As our swords danced, violent flames scattered, echoing through the training grounds. On the other hand, the knights were slowly sinking. Gwen’s eyes, at first holding a smirk of disdain, had long since frozen cold.
Clank-!
The slow-flowing time, the haze of frictional heat, and the chilled air. Past it all, on the other side of my blade, Julie was glaring at me.
Clank-! Clink, clank, clank–!
As I blocked Julie’s sword, I changed my breathing. This was the blooming of Iron Man and Sturdy Body, a method that strengthened one’s body with breathing.
───
A strange vibration rang in my ears. Then, my field of vision opened, and I could feel the weight of the objects around me with my skin. The rustling dirt floor of the training ground below me, a dying ember. The scrapping of the cold night wind.
My enhanced five senses were sensitive to all these things and more, grasping the enemy in front of me and thoroughly implementing my formula for victory.
“Don’t let your guard down—”
I swung at Julie as she said something. My momentarily amplified strength broke her balance. Flustered, Julie jumped back, half-tumbling.
“…”
“…”
Silence blanketed us. Everyone in the training ground was staring at us, holding their breaths.
“…I see you weren’t all bark and no bite.”
I responded with cynicism to Julie’s praise.
“Deya, you are not Zeit. But you are following his swordsmanship.”
“…”
This was Julie’s second problem. Julie was not a monster like Zeit, whose height was close to 2m and 10cm and weighed 150kg. Therefore, rather than using the movements she learned from Zeit, it would serve her better to actively transform them.
“Zeit’s swordsmanship is not yours.”
“…Shut up.”
I took a long breath and stretched my sword out. Then, Julie’s brow furrowed. I emptied my body of strength, and the tip of the blade touched the ground. This posture was full of weaknesses. Still, Julie didn’t come running in. She suspected that it was a provocation, a trap, or a trick.
“Indeed, you don’t have faith even in yourself. Could such a knight make her path?”
At that moment, Julie hefted her weapon.
─One second.
My drooping sword drew an upward arc. Julie’s gaze moved along the tip of the sword. She bit her lip, her eyes glimmering with rage. She put strength into her legs, tensing.
─Two seconds.
Boom-!
The ground burst as she exploded forward like a bullet. The focus of her attack was only me. If I tried to block her with my sword, I would be too late.
─To control the enemy who rushes in like a rhinoceros.
I moved my body, not my sword. Twisting my feet to the side, I moved slowly and in small steps. My hanging sword also changed its position naturally. With that, I scraped past the sword Julie wielded, and the tip of my sword, drooping, was inserted into the path of Julie’s blade.
We clashed, and Julie’s body swayed. But the knight was not embarrassed. She twisted her body and raised her blade again.
Boom-!
I used her power against her. I raised my sword to block the slash, and as a result of that reaction, I escaped from Julie’s range. In this situation where the distance between us naturally widened, I took the advantage as my arms were longer than hers. In other words, only I could attack her.
Of course, the countermeasure was simple. She just had to block.
─Three seconds.
My sword descended upon Julie, and she predicted its path to block it. But Julie didn’t know that there was a blow before the sword.
“Ugh!”
I kicked her shin. Julie’s eyes widened in pain. At that moment, her normal posture collapsed, and the ensuing kick smashed into her side.
Crack—
I could hear cracking bone. At this point, the battle was over. No, it should have ended.
“…Ugh!”
Julie was almost on her knees, but she shoved her sword into the ground and tried to turn the tables even at that moment.
Swish-!
Her sword swung up, kicking up dirt and wind. It was an attack gambling everything she had. So, I decided to take it with all my might.
Whooosh-!
My sword swung down to meet it, powered by the body of the Iron Man.
…So, we collided.
Bang—!
Sparks illuminated the training ground, but the clash suddenly ended with the sound of iron shattering. The one that collapsed was the knight’s sword. The steel shards of the blade scattered in the air before slowly sinking into the snow.
“…”
Julie stared vacantly at her broken sword. Several pieces had hit her, carving long scratches in her flesh.
Drip, drip, drip.
Drops of blood fell to the ground, staining it red. Blood was dripping from her hands as well, marking the price for not letting go until the end. No matter how strong you are compared to your opponent, you can’t destroy their weapon. It required dozens of times the strength to break steel with steel.
Nevertheless, Julie’s sword was broken because, although our swords were the same outside, they were completely different internally.
───「Broadsword 3333」───
[ Midas’ Hand: Level 3 ]
─────────────
It wasn’t just a difference in power, but the characteristic of the sword that broke Julie’s weapon.
I looked around without saying a word. The knights and soldiers were all focused on us, having watched us determine who the winner was. Could there be such a humiliating situation?
“A sword without mana is blunt.”
Saying that I plunged my sword into the ground. The loser, who sat down, said nothing. Suddenly, the fire flared up, and the air around us began to flow again.
The knight continued to hold her broken sword.
* * *
Weeeeeeeee-!
The territory of Yukline, the Rohalak wall. A huge siren sounded out, and the soldiers began to climb up the wall fully armed.
“Report the situation!”
Yeriel, who arrived on horseback, shouted. The head of Rohalak answered.
“The hordes of beasts are coming. There’s at least a hundred thousand. Also, terrorists from the Demon Blood are inside.”
“Demon Blood?”
“Yes. It seems that they have come to save the people of Rohalak.”
Yeriel clenched her teeth.
“Those bastards. We’ve been too kind… okay. First, prepare for battle!”
“Yes!”
Baaaang-!
Black iron balls fired from the wall and filled the sky.
Boooom-!
“Lady Yeriel! This is terrible!
Just when Yeriel was about to cast her magic, the butler of Yukline rushed to her.
“What? What’s going on?”
The butler answered without holding his breath.
“Reccordak has been isolated!”
“…What?”
“Guerrillas from the Demon Blood cut off the road to Reccordak and the city, and because of that, now—”
Boom-! Boom-!
Explosive shells shattered the monster’s rank. Beneath the smoke that covered the moon and stars, Yeriel ground her teeth.
“Those bastards…”
“We have available troops so that we will send reinforcements!”
“…Okay.”
The moment Yeriel nodded, she noticed a woman in the middle of the battlefield holding a sketchbook. The woman looked at her without a word.
“…Who are you?”
She moved her hands. It seemed to be sign language, but she couldn’t understand.
“What? I didn’t learn that.”
Then she wrote in her sketchbook.
[I’m here to kidnap you.]
“…What. What a crazy bitch—”
Yeriel’s world went dark.
