Domain Management (2)

The sudden appearance of a Sword Master caused a great disturbance among the people.

No one had considered the possibility that, aside from Clay Vanhart, there could be another Sword Master here.

“But who is that woman, that a Sword Master is acting as her guard?”

When a man muttered, others nodded in agreement.

She had her face covered, making it hard to see her properly, but from her build and voice, she seemed quite young.

“Could it be Maria Timmons?”

“Maria Timmons? From the Timmons merchant guild…?”

“Isn’t the Timmons guild’s base of operations in the Vanhart territory to begin with? Plus, rumor has it that she is quite close with Count Vanhart…”

“Come on, really? I heard Count Vanhart is involved with Her Highness, the Empire’s princess.”

What began as a reaction to Maria’s name gradually shifted into rumors concerning Clay’s romantic affairs.

Watching this unfold quietly, Maria heaved a soft sigh and cast a glance at Teo.

Teo nodded, clearly displeased, and spoke up.

“Did you all come here just to gossip about pointless things?”

Though his voice wasn’t loud, it brimmed with magic power, enough for everyone around to hear.

Some winced, but having just witnessed Teo’s skill, no one dared to talk back.

“You’re always so crude, Teo.”

Just then, someone spoke to Teo.

People instinctively turned their heads toward the source of the voice and were instantly shocked.

“What are you even here for? You don’t have any special duties today, do you?”

“I was just bored.”

Maria, who had been listening to Teo and the newcomer converse, was inwardly bewildered.

It was surprising enough for him to appear suddenly, but for his reason to be mere boredom…

‘I really can’t figure out what he’s thinking.’

Ian Sylvest—he showed almost no emotion, no matter the circumstance.

For example, even when he sometimes lost to Kisea or Teo in recent matches, he didn’t seem the least bit bothered, despite the potential blow to his pride.

Every time she saw him unchanging, Kisea would grumble, finding it boring.

‘He’s the complete opposite of Teo, who acts as though the world’s ending every time he loses…’

Because of that, Kisea always challenged Teo to sparring. Of course, calling it sparring was a stretch—it was always Teo who got thrashed.

Thanks to this, despite his rough personality, Teo ended up subtly avoiding Kisea.

‘Honestly, compared to Kisea, Teo is quite cute.’

Though I watched only from a distance, the deranged grin Kisea wore while wielding her sword was truly chilling. I could understand why Teo tried to avoid her.

But what was scarier than her grin was something else.

Kisea was reckless, never shying away from getting hurt in a duel.

She fought each moment as if it were a battle of life and death.

‘…She probably enjoys fights where her life is on the line.’

Honestly, Maria couldn’t understand Kisea at all—and figured she probably never would.

‘Right about now…’

Maria cast a glance toward one spot.

She looked in the direction of Clay’s private training ground.

As far as Maria knew, Clay was supposed to be meeting Kisea there now.

That bothered her a little, but she forced herself to look away.

“Anyway, if you want to know why you were dropped, I’ll make time to explain. Anyone here curious about why you were rejected?”

While Teo and Ian engaged in light banter, the surroundings fell silent, as if a mouse had died.

No one dared make a sound in the presence of not one, but two Sword Masters before them.

‘Surely there aren’t more Sword Masters here, right?’

Thinking only that, I gulped dryly.

Still, somehow, I doubted that these two were the only strong fighters in this domain.

“If there are no more questions, I’ll move on.”

Even in this tense atmosphere, Maria spoke calmly, and everyone could do nothing but keep their mouths shut.

* * *

While Maria was screening the knight applicants, I was checking on a few things at the training ground. Reviewing the synopsis I’d seen in Setram, I felt even more strongly about the need to strengthen myself.

‘Even being a Sword Master isn’t enough.’

I had reached Sword Master and become one of the Seven Heroes of the continent.

But becoming a Seven Hero didn’t mean I was truly among the seven strongest on the continent. After all, not every strong person on the continent strove to become a Seven Hero.

My mastery barely qualified as Sword Master.

Of course, with the abilities of Jenova and the Seven Swords Under Heaven, I could exert power beyond most Sword Masters, but compared to other Seven Heroes, I was only barely their equal.

With this level of strength, I couldn’t help but worry whether I could face the next great calamity.

[Still, you do have time, right?]

‘That’s true, but will it be enough…?’

This time, the opponent is a “god.”

I had no sense of what level of strength to expect.

It would definitely be unlike any of the opponents I’d faced so far.

But…

‘Well, if Fabian could do it, there’s no reason I can’t.’

I didn’t know exactly how, but for certain, Fabian, the protagonist, must have managed to defeat Altair.

Therefore, it wasn’t impossible for me, either.

“Hey, Clay, how long do I have to wait?”

Kisea, who’d been crouched on the training ground floor, grumbled.

Her tone was as usual, but I noticed the excitement behind her words.

“You really do turn into a different person as soon as you pick up a sword.”

“Oh, you noticed?”

“With how dramatically you change, how could I not?”

Usually, Kisea was notably timid and shy.

But the moment she held a sword, her personality completely reversed.

Living up to the moniker “Rakshasa.”

No wonder someone as tough as Teo would start avoiding her.

“Are we finally fighting today?”

“Yeah.”

“Yay!”

Kisea gripped her beloved sword tightly.

Perhaps because of that, she actively approached me.

“All right, then…”

Deeming preparations sufficient, I grinned at Kisea.

“You can come at me now.”

“Huh?”

Kisea looked puzzled. It was because the Jenova that always hung at my waist was missing.

“We’re fighting without weapons?”

“If it’s a weapon you want, I have one right here.”

I showed her the gauntlet on my hand.

This gauntlet wasn’t anything newly made.

It was Jenova, transformed through the power of the All-War Sword Epion.

‘It really is mysterious.’

Jenova, transformed into a gauntlet, fit me perfectly.

“…Barehanded, huh. Well, you did use your fists when fighting that guy.”

Perhaps remembering my fight with Jerta, Kisea’s eyes narrowed, and then she smiled faintly.

“All right!”

Ssshhhrk!

Without hesitation, Kisea dashed toward me.

At the same time, her Serpent-Belly Sword unfurled, slashing toward my waist.

‘Fast!’

As expected, her speed was superior to mine.

I instinctively flicked her rapidly approaching blade aside with my right hand.

A heavier shock than expected ran up my arm.

‘This is almost my first time fighting seriously with just my fists…’

I’d only used them when the situation was overwhelming in my favor or as a surprise tactic.

This was my first time using Heaven’s Holy Ultimate Art from the beginning of a fight.

‘But I have to get used to it.’

Hidden Star Sword, Moon Severing Divine Sword, and even Sunwheel Ascendant Heaven Sword.

And Heaven’s Holy Ultimate Art as well.

I needed to master them all completely.

The sword techniques I could use were acquired through Setting Addition, but Heaven’s Holy Ultimate Art had to be pure effort on my part.

‘I can’t waste this opportunity.’

Right now, we had three Sword Masters in the domain.

Teo, Kisea, and Ian.

Each had a distinct fighting style, so there would never be a better time to gain real combat experience.

Bang! Crash!

I parried the blistering attacks coming down like a bolt of lightning.

If not for Insight Eye allowing me to read the flow in advance, I would’ve been struck several times—it was that fast.

“Hehehe.”

Kisea let out a bizarre laugh, scarlet light flashing in her eyes.

The magic power dormant in her body surged, enveloping the entire Serpent-Belly Sword in a thick aura blade.

‘No way, can this be real?’

I’d thought she was strong, but Kisea’s actual skill far exceeded my expectations.

The Serpent-Belly Sword was notoriously hard to wield, but in her hands, it moved like a living snake, attacking me from all angles.

Speed and power, both.

And, by the nature of her sword, there were no blind spots.

‘If I fought her with a normal sword, I might’ve lost.’

Had I not possessed Jenova and used a regular blade, dealing with Kisea’s Serpent-Belly Sword would’ve been extremely tough.

‘I can’t just keep falling behind!’

Thud!

I stomped forward with a powerful step.

This was a basic move in martial arts, commonly called the “stomping step.”

It was also the preparatory stance for “Heavenly Lord,” the starting move of Heaven’s Holy Ultimate Art.

Boom! Boom boom boom!

“Ugh!”

As I executed Heavenly Lord, a shockwave rippled across the circular floor of the training ground, knocking the Serpent-Belly Sword from Kisea’s grasp.

Heavenly Lord was both an attack and a defensive move that protected my entire body and created an opening for my next strike.

“Huhuhu. Amazing, Clay!”

Swords and fists clashed in midair.

A ferocious noise echoed as we exchanged attacks over and over.

With every punch, I felt myself becoming a bit more attuned to Heaven’s Holy Ultimate Art.

‘Kisea’s sword skills and movement are above mine.’

But I had something she lacked.

Sensing a cool flow along my lower body, I raised my foot high and brought it down vertically.

Ka-boom!

“Ah!”

Her blade, seeming to aim for my upper body, suddenly dipped to target my ankle.

I stepped hard, pinning it and halting her movement.

As Kisea faltered, I moved a half-beat faster and thrust my fist toward her face.

And then—

“…I lost.”

I thought it’d been a good tactic, but Kisea wasn’t easy prey.

She immediately abandoned her trapped Serpent-Belly Sword and, unfazed by the incoming fist, pulled a dagger from her sleeve and aimed for my neck.

Luckily, I was a bit faster. Had I been a moment late, I’d have fallen prey to her attack.

“I didn’t expect you to use a different sword as well. Usually, that’s considered a hidden move and not used in sparring, but I did it reflexively.”

“No need to worry about that.”

If anything, Kisea’s real combat approach was much more helpful to me.

‘I already knew she had several blades.’

Kisea was from a family of swordsmen by birth.

Her main weapon was the Serpent-Belly Sword, but she could wield every kind of sword in existence.

She really did have all sorts of swords, big and small, hidden about her body.

‘I won this time, but…’

Sure enough, Kisea was a tough opponent.

Next time, I wanted to face her when she used every sword at her disposal.

“Ugh, how frustrating. I lost… Let’s go again, next time!”

“Anytime.”

“But Clay, you’re oddly better at martial arts than swordsmanship. Isn’t Talua a country of knights?”

Kisea asked innocently, making my heart sink.

Though I practiced martial arts, honestly, I preferred the sword.

Yet here I was, wielding martial arts better than swordsmanship, which I hadn’t even used as much…

“Clay, are you finished?”

Then, at some point, Maria quietly called out to me.

Behind her, the knight order applicants were lined up, faces filled with shock.

She must have sorted the successful ones and brought them to me.

“My word, is that really a human fight?”

“And who’s that woman who fought Count Vanhart evenly?”

“But Count Vanhart is a swordsman, so maybe he was holding back?”

They must have sneakily watched my match with Kisea, as I heard them murmuring.

‘It wasn’t holding back, though.’

Outwardly, I was known as a swordsman, so maybe it seemed that way.

I glanced briefly at Kisea, but she didn’t appear to care.

“Are these all the successful applicants?”

“Yes.”

At Maria’s reply, I slowly looked over the applicants standing in line.

Even after several rounds of selection, there were still hundreds left.

Normally, screening them all would take a lot of time, but…

‘But for me, who can access their profiles… it doesn’t matter.’

Grinning, I gazed at those standing before me, their faces tense with anticipation.

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