Chapter 165 : The Lightning Blade Sword

“To the Red Iron Knightly Order?! Her?”

“Indeed. So even if you go to the capital now, it will be hard to meet her. No matter how much they call her the knight of victory or what have you, it’s a fact that she is still lacking by our standards, so she’s being rigorously trained by her comrades.”

“Ah…”

The following words made me let out an involuntary sigh.

‘She is walking the path she wishes to walk, and walking it well.’

Surprised and yet somehow a little disappointed, a complex emotion prevented me from answering readily.

“Sir Muno? What’s wrong…”

“Ah, no. It’s just…”

At Rauel’s question, asked with a tilt of her head, I was startled again for no reason and waved my hand.

“……Then I must go to Drasen at once.”

“Do you really want to rest? At a time like this?”

“Because I have finished what I needed to do. But if Your Majesty, or Sir Anthony, calls for me, I will come running. Especially if it’s a matter of catching the tail of those bastards.”

Now that I had finally caught the tail of my enemy, I had no intention of stepping back from the front lines.

Even while resting, I would answer the call at any time, and if the opportunity arose, I had the ambition to stand at the forefront of that matter.

“Hmm. Well, you must have your own thoughts. Then for now, think of it as a short vacation and rest with all your might. Heh. Because I will drag those bastards out immediately.”

Anthony’s voice, with his blue eyes gleaming, was filled with a thick killing intent towards a target not present here.

Although it was a legendary demonic beast that had etched the grief of losing his comrades onto him, he knew very well who the true culprit was.

“……Yes. I believe you.”

With those words, I turned away.

‘Now I’ll hand over the matter of Aslan to the royal investigation team.’

I really wanted to sort out my complicated feelings.

It was a little disappointing that I couldn’t meet Karina, but for now, I thought it was more urgent to sort out my feelings about the Evil cult.

“Let’s go, Rauel. To Drasen.”

“Yes.”

Watching the royal investigation team exchange greetings with the leadership of Aslan, I was about to leave.

“Are you really going? It’s a bit of a shame to send you off like this.”

A now-familiar voice stopped me in my tracks.

“…Sir Evan?”

Where I turned, stood a knight who seemed to be just over 160cm tall.

Small, but absolutely not to be underestimated, the strongest in Aslan.

‘What nonsense is this man spouting…?’

He was showing a bright smile I had never seen before.

“Um, shouldn’t you be over there?”

“Still, the witness who cleared my lord’s family of false accusations is leaving, shouldn’t I see him off?”

His friendly approach, as if to a close friend, could only be awkward.

“What’s with this, between us?”

“That’s what I’m saying. You did convey all your testimony to the investigation team, right?”

“…I think you got the gist of it.”

“Then shouldn’t I give you a farewell gift?”

For someone offering a gift, his attitude felt utterly menacing.

And as expected.

Crackle.

“A lesson from a master like me should be a sufficient gift. What do you say, Sir Black Knight?”

The attitude of the Lightning Blade Sword, emitting an electric shock from the sword on his back, clearly revealed his intention to pick a fight.

“You’re picking a fight so openly?”

“A fight? I’m gifting you a lesson. Surely, with the Blood Knight watching, what do you think I would do to you?”

Those words sounded completely different to me.

– Even with the Blood Knight watching, I can create an opportunity to kill you.

“And you don’t seem like the type to avoid a sparring request because of some potential, very potential, unfortunate accident that might happen.”

– Are you scared?

At his words, whose double meaning was clearly understood, I let out a chuckle.

“If you’re going to do this, why not just see me off for a few days?”

– If you were going to do this, why didn’t you just follow me and ambush me?

“The family situation doesn’t allow me that much time, so I’ll make it short.”

– Is an ambush even necessary? I can handle you fair and square.

They could both tell from each other’s eyes that the subtext in every word was being conveyed very well.

“You might end up being utterly humiliated, you know?”

Thud.

“Dream on, punk.”

Crackle.

Only when the momentum of the two men, slowly stepping forward, was about to collide.

Did everyone around them begin to pay attention.

“What’s that, over there…?”

“Sir Evan is…”

“Are they really going to fight?”

Amidst the gathering gazes.

“Shall we move? The training ground of the main house is quite sturdy.”

“Sounds good.”

With different ulterior motives, they decided to set the stage properly.

* * *

“Is this for real?”

“So suddenly…?”

“It’s a spar, a spar.”

“The Lightning Blade Sword must be giving a lesson to his junior.”

“Still, the situation is…”

Murmur, murmur.

The voices of the people gathered at Aslan’s grand training ground intertwined chaotically.

And amidst those many gazes, Anthony tilted his head.

“Is there really a need to go this far, Sir Muno?”

At Anthony’s question, I let out a chuckle.

“Yes, there is. Well, it’s a good opportunity for me.”

“A good opportunity? I know you’re not a friend whose strength can be judged by the number of evolutions, but the Lightning Blade Sword should still be too much for you, right?”

“That may be so, but a spar like this is a very good situation for me.”

“…The Lightning Blade Sword’s specialties are his lightning energy and speed. Even if I act as the referee, I’m not sure I can stop it immediately in a dangerous moment.”

“It’s fine. I’ve already taken that into account.”

Though Anthony had a worried expression, I thought it was a good thing.

‘You think you can finish me before the Blood Knight can stop you? No way.’

Clang.

The armor I tapped lightly, my exoskeleton, was an absolute shield that had never been broken by a pure sword strike.

‘You should have just ambushed me in secret, old man.’

Then there would have been an opening.

“Rather, please don’t interfere in most situations.”

“What?”

“Wouldn’t I be able to see and learn more that way? He’s a 6-Star knight, after all.”

“Hul. You really…”

Leaving Anthony’s hollow laugh behind.

I walked towards the center of the training ground with a nonchalant smile.

Clang.

“Both have agreed to the use of real swords and weapons. However, as this is a spar and not a duel, I will intervene if I deem a life to be in danger.”

At Anthony’s words, who had raised his drawn sword, Evan showed a puzzled expression.

Usually, in such cases, it was common to say that he would intervene if a serious injury was likely, but Anthony was talking about life itself.

It literally meant that he wouldn’t mind most injuries.

“You’ve got more guts than I thought.”

“Since you offered to give me a lesson, I should learn as much as I can.”

I received his chilling smile with a fresh one of my own.

As a result, Evan’s expression became even more menacing.

I casually probed him.

“But before we start, let’s hear whose will this is. Surely you didn’t decide this on your own?”

“Is there a need for a consensus to deal with one of you?”

“You didn’t seem so short-sighted.”

“I’ve disliked you ever since Trian.”

“Don’t tell me, are you still bewitched by that witch?”

“This punk is still spouting nonsense…!”

After a sharp exchange of words that made even Anthony, who was standing in the middle, let out a hollow laugh, Evan’s face began to contort even more visibly.

“Then, begin!”

Stab.

Thud.

The moment Anthony’s sword dug into the floor of the training ground.

Rumble.

Evan’s body disappeared from the spot with a small thunderclap.

Simultaneously, a barrage of attacks rained down on my body from all directions.

Kwakwakwakwang!

‘Hands and feet?’

Taking the barrage of attacks with my armor and deflecting the impact, I frowned slightly.

At that moment, I saw a greave in front of my eyes.

‘Head.’

A heavy impact met the hand I had raised reflexively.

Kwaaaaang!

“Keuk.”

My body was pushed back by the intense blow, unbecoming of his small frame.

Evan, who had delivered a dozen attacks in an instant, was seen beckoning with his hand from where he had first stood.

“As the one giving the lesson, I went easy on you with just my hands and feet at first. Now I’ll take Sir Muno’s attack. Come at me!”

A booming voice that echoed even outside the training ground.

His intentions were so obvious that it made me laugh instead.

‘Hands and feet won’t do, will they?’

I saw that the back of Evan’s beckoning hand was stained red.

That booming shout was probably a smokescreen to hide his flustered emotions.

But since he was offering to take it, there was no reason to refuse.

“If you insist on taking it.”

Pak.

“As you wish.”

I ‘accelerated’ and rushed towards Evan’s front, bringing down the massive greatsword without a shred of mercy.

Paaaaaang!

And the moment the diagonally swung greatsword cut through only Evan’s afterimage.

Crackle.

I saw Evan’s left hand, wrapped in a flashing lightning, digging into my side.

‘Hup!’

Kwang!

My body was pushed back with a heavy impact.

But a smile appeared inside my helmet as I was pushed back, and the face of Evan, who had pushed me, contorted.

‘It’s heavier than you thought, isn’t it?’

It seems he wanted to show off with his bare hands until the end, but that hand must have been quite tingly.

And most importantly, I could tell after a few exchanges.

‘I can keep up now. At least with my eyes.’

Evan’s movements, which I couldn’t see at all when I first met him in Trian, were now clearly visible.

“Here I come again!”

The words about wanting to learn a thing or two were not a complete lie.

There were still many things he wanted to test.

So while Evan was showing off, he would engage in the spar with only his pure skills.

Dududu.

I ran across the training ground and swung the massive greatsword at Evan like the wind again.

It was completely different from the previous blow.

Flash.

An attack like a ray of light that would seem to an ordinary person as if it were divided into the stance before the swing and the stance after.

The blow of the Wind Slicer created a small storm in the training ground.

Kwakwakwakwa.

But at that moment, Evan’s body, which had already lowered its stance, was digging under me again.

Kwaaaaang.

Crack.

Evan’s face contorted fiercely as he slid in and kicked his leg.

Simultaneously.

Kwang!

My greatsword slammed into the spot where he had been, as if to blow it up.

And Evan, who had dodged even that, struck my side again with his knee.

Kuuuuung!!

Kwang!

He immediately blocked my reflexively extended elbow with his palm and was sent flying back.

“How long.”

Kwang.

“Will you use your bare hands.”

Kwang!

“We’ll see!”

Kwakwakwakwa.

I swung my sword, and Evan dug into the gap and struck my body.

But I paid no attention to his attacks, and instead swung my sword and limbs widely.

Kwakwakwakwa.

During that time, Evan’s attacks battered my entire body, but not even a scratch was made on the armor.

Kwang!

Paaaaaang!

Every time I attacked, the marble floor exploded or the air was split with a menacing sound that could be heard even outside the training ground.

It could only look like Evan was desperately moving around, forcibly dodging my attacks.

“That’s…”

“Could Sir Evan be…”

“Nah, he must be going easy on him.”

Murmur, murmur.

Even the ordinary soldiers watching could perceive the flow.

Kwang!

Evan, who had struck my abdomen with both hands and pushed me back, frowned and jumped back.

And.

“My, Sir Muno’s armor is too tough, this isn’t good for training. I’ll have to use my sword as well.”

Evan’s slightly flushed face finally drew his own lightning sword.

Crackle.

The moment the mana of lightning enveloped the greatsword that was as big as his body.

Whoosh.

‘Right. It has to be like this. Then I too…’

A gray, flame-like mana began to burn all over my body.

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