Chapter 142 : Time for a Spar

What kind of person is the 4th Special Task Force Captain Edric?

Despite the time I spent with Edric not being short, honestly speaking, there isn’t much I know about Edric.

The fact that he is excessively competent to be rotting away as a mere special task force captain of Winter Castle.

The fact that he is hiding many things.

And besides that, there were one or two suspicious points, but nothing has been clearly revealed about those parts until now.

Edric looked at me with a face that found this very amusing.

“Hmm, with me?”

“Yes.”

“Looking at your expression, it doesn’t seem like a joke. Seeing how you say it like that, it seems even less like you are asking me to go easy on you appropriately.”

“That is correct.”

Edric, who had a subtle expression for a moment, soon nodded his head slightly.

“Fine. If a subordinate makes a serious request, granting it would also be a virtue of one who has become a captain. Wait at the training ground.”

“Yes.”

As expected, Edric accepted my request obediently.

With this, I will be able to check.

How strong I have become.

Also, how strong Edric is.

“Captain.”

“Speak.”

“I won’t go easy on you.”

“Haha! I know that I am not at the level to hear such words from you already?”

“It means I ask you to do your best as well, Captain.”

“Isn’t that up to how you do?”

“I will try to live up to your expectations.”

“Hoh…… I will look forward to it.”

Edric laughed heartily.

***

Edric rose from his chair.

Because it was time to head to the training ground soon.

“A spar…… interesting.”

Since he never expected Vell Blackwood to say such a thing as soon as he returned from vacation, even Edric could not hide his interest.

Vell Blackwood was a soldier with many questionable points in various ways since the first time they met.

Starting from using strange magic whose origin even Edric could not figure out at all, to possessing so much knowledge that it was incomprehensible even for a mage and showing unbelievable growth trends.

The recruit who was merely a fledgling when he first saw him had already reached the level of requesting a spar with Edric alone.

“Still, I can’t lose to him already.”

Even if Vell Blackwood is an extraordinary soldier, as one who became a captain, he had absolutely no intention of losing to a subordinate already.

Arriving at the training ground, Edric faced Vell Blackwood who was waiting first.

“Were you waiting?”

“No, well.”

Edric grabbed a wooden sword in the training ground.

“Will you be okay with a wooden sword? As I told you earlier, I will be serious.”

“Haha. Interesting. Are you saying you can make me draw a real sword?”

“Of course.”

“Your confidence is amazing. However, I also have no intention of hurting a cherished subordinate at a time like this. If you prove yourself worthy of that, I will consider it.”

“I will try to live up to your expectations.”

“Come first.”

“I won’t decline.”

A blue halo arose from Vell Blackwood’s hand and a tool of familiar shape revealed itself.

Since he had seen it numerous times already, Edric knew that magic.

Also what kind of magic is emitted from the end of that tool, which one couldn’t figure out the use of just by looking at it.

‘It’s a peculiar tool, but because it exists, he can probably reduce the price of such powerful magic extremely.’

Since Edric had already watched Vell Blackwood’s magic several times, responding to it wasn’t difficult.

That magic is surprisingly fast and powerful, but it won’t hit if one isn’t in a straight line with that strange tool.

Bang!

Tatatang!!!

As if proving that fact, Edric momentarily increased his speed and disappeared from Vell Blackwood’s view, then reached in front of Vell Blackwood literally in the blink of an eye.

“No matter how powerful the magic is, it’s useless if it doesn’t hit.”

Edric, who recited as if declaring victory, swung the wooden sword.

Just before the wooden sword struck Vell Blackwood along with a fierce sound of cutting wind, a huge shield of water appeared and blocked the wooden sword.

Kwaang!─

The shield of water that Edric’s wooden sword struck surged and water spray splashed in all directions.

Since Edric also knew of the Orb of Water’s existence, he wasn’t greatly flustered and immediately turned his body to launch a sword strike.

Sss─

The shield of water that rose again blocked Edric’s attack in succession.

“Hoh.”

A ferocious smile was drawn on Edric’s lips.

“Let’s see how far you can block!”

Paang! Papapang!!!

Edric attacked Vell Blackwood repeatedly appearing and disappearing, and each time a shield of water appeared and blocked Edric’s attack.

However, there is bound to be a limit to this kind of war of attrition eventually.

Eventually, the Orb of Water will meet its limit, and that time will be the moment Vell Blackwood’s defeat is confirmed.

Feeling that it wouldn’t do like this, Vell Blackwood tried to retreat while activating Gale Step, and Edric immediately followed closely.

To be precise, he intended to.

Clack─

Until he saw the muzzle of the shotgun that appeared as if it had been waiting.

“Damn─”

Taaang───!!!

‘I can’t dodge this.’

Intuiting danger, Edric lifted the wooden sword and blocked the gunshot, but the killing range of the 70mm 12 gauge shotgun shell was not at a level that could be blocked with a single wooden sword.

Edric tried to strike away the shotgun pellets flying in with the wooden sword as much as possible, but he couldn’t strike away all the pellets.

Some of the pellets grazed past Edric’s hair, and some touched Edric’s neck and chest but bounced off hitting the armor.

Kwadedeuk!!

The wooden sword that blocked the gunshot shattered into pieces and fragments of the wooden sword scratched past Edric’s cheek.

Trickle…….

A wound appeared on Edric’s face.

Of course, considering the injuries Edric had sustained in the missions he had done so far, it wasn’t a special event, but the problem was that the injury occurred in a spar with a subordinate whom he thought still had a long way to go.

“You became strong, surprisingly so.”

“Still have a long way to go.”

Edric had no choice but to admit it now.

Vell Blackwood is strong.

Therefore, even if he doesn’t bring out everything, he must at least show sincerity to the extent of drawing a real sword.

“Are you finally drawing it?”

“It seems you have sufficient qualifications.”

Vell Blackwood beckoned with his hand.

“Come first this time.”

“Haha. I won’t decline!”

How fun is this moment with this arrogant subordinate!

Feeling as if he had returned to his youth, Edric launched a slash.

Unlike his expectation that a shield of water would block it, Vell Blackwood chose to come forward instead.

‘What is he planning?’

He didn’t know what the opponent’s aim was, but smashing it head-on would be enough.

And when he saw a single sword held in Vell Blackwood’s hand before he knew it, Edric couldn’t hide his amusement.

“You intend to face me with a sword!”

Challenging him knowing that it would be impossible means there is a reason for it.

Edric was extremely curious about that reason.

It was also because of that, that he walked into that trap obediently even while knowing Vell Blackwood was aiming for something.

Kaang!

Swords clashed and the energy wave spread.

Edric swung his sword with the intention of striking it away at once, but Vell Blackwood withstood it.

‘With Vell’s strength, he shouldn’t have been able to withstand it, how on earth did he do it?’

Not only did he simply withstand it, but the weight felt from the tip of the sword was heavy.

Heavy enough that Edric would be pushed back if it continued like this.

“Interesting!”

However, as one who became a captain, Edric had no intention of backing down obediently.

Kugugugugu!

Edric’s power that had been suppressed until now was exerted and cracks appeared on the ground Edric was stepping on.

“Kuek!”

Perhaps he didn’t know Edric would come out like this, Vell Blackwood’s expression crumpled mercilessly.

“Haha! There is no way it is only this much. What more do you intend to show?!”

Even amidst the tightly held balance of power, Edric laughed heartily.

No, in the first place, this contest of strength was not tight.

Edric was merely curious about what kind of response Vell Blackwood would show in this situation.

A blue halo arose from Vell Blackwood’s left hand, and Colt garrison B-09 revealed its appearance.

Taang!

Along with the pulled trigger, a bullet was fired towards Edric.

“I expected that much.”

Nevertheless, Edric was calm.

It would be different if he hadn’t grabbed a real sword, but as long as he had already grabbed a real sword, Edric could cut down even flying bullets.

Seureureung─

Edric’s sword, which was locking swords with Vell Blackwood, struck away Vell Blackwood’s sword at once.

It was possible because the initiative of this contest of strength was with Edric from the start.

Then, moving at an invisible speed, Edric’s sword cut through the bullets flying towards him.

Kang!

Kang, Kangkang!

Divine prowess that made one doubt if this was truly a human technique.

Even after displaying such skill, Edric faced Vell Blackwood as if nothing had happened.

“Is there anything left to show?”

“Still a long way to go.”

“That is truly something to look forward to!”

Edric rushed in again.

He couldn’t stand the curiosity about what Vell Blackwood hadn’t shown yet.

At that moment, Edric felt it.

An unidentifiable ominousness rising from Vell Blackwood.

‘……What is it?’

This is not ordinary.

Edric, who had gone through all sorts of hardships until now, knew what the disquieting energy felt from Vell Blackwood right now was.

‘It is an ominousness similar to what I felt from the mutants.’

Why would the evil energy harbored by mutants waft from Vell Blackwood.

He couldn’t understand, but Edric instinctively felt that he shouldn’t leave Vell Blackwood alone right now.

“Whatever it is, do you think I will just watch?”

Edric’s figure flew towards Vell Blackwood at once, and the sword flashed.

Kaang!

However, that sword strike was blocked in front of Vell Blackwood’s sword, which he didn’t know where it came from.

Goooooo……!

Black smoke wrapped around Vell Blackwood’s whole body.

Even though he didn’t know what on earth that black smoke was, he couldn’t leave this ominousness alone, so Edric decided to suppress Vell Blackwood for now.

“Let’s end this now.”

Edric’s sword flashed.

Slashes swung in succession headed towards Vell Blackwood, but not a single one of them could reach Vell Blackwood.

The sword that flashed in Vell Blackwood’s hand struck away all those attacks.

“Hmm.”

Surprisingly, the movement of Vell Blackwood wrapped in black smoke was keeping up with Edric’s movement.

Considering the gap that originally existed between Vell Blackwood and Edric, it was an impossible thing.

‘Physical ability enhancement magic? No, but that energy is too…… simply to call it magic.’

Sword strikes amounting to dozens of exchanges went back and forth in an instant.

Amidst those sword strikes, small wounds appeared on Edric and Vell Blackwood’s bodies.

They couldn’t inflict critical hits on each other, but just the wind pressure of the swinging swords tore the wounds open.

‘Unbelievable.’

The soldier named Vell Blackwood that Edric had seen until now certainly had peculiar corners, but wasn’t exceptional in terms of physical ability or swordsmanship.

But what is this appearance now?

The appearance Vell Blackwood was showing now forced Edric to completely revise his evaluation of the person named Vell Blackwood that he knew.

‘On top of that, what’s more tricky is that while attacking like that, he might use magic anytime if the distance widens.’

Tricky.

No, beyond tricky, he might lose.

Vell Blackwood, seen after a long time to the extent Edric actually had such thoughts, had become surprisingly strong.

Of course, Edric still had a trump card left, but since he had no intention of using it in this spar, it was as good as non-existent.

‘What to do about this…….’

Like this, a conclusion cannot be reached.

No, beyond not being able to reach a conclusion, he might be defeated.

When Edric’s agony was deepening, suddenly Vell Blackwood’s sword stopped.

“Hmm? What is it?”

“Let’s stop today’s spar here.”

“Suddenly? Still, shouldn’t we see the end in a spar we’ve already started?”

“I also want to do so, but it seems a guest has arrived.”

“What does that mean?”

Edric couldn’t understand Vell Blackwood’s words, but soon he could know the reason.

Ttaeng-ttaeng-ttaeng!

The bell ringing suddenly.

What that meant was clear.

“Ha, at a time like this?”

Something attacked Winter Castle.

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