Book 1 Chapter 218
“Go easy on him?”
Austin made a bewildered expression.
Not just Austin, but the other trainees felt the same way.
Garris, the trainee Austin was facing, was an exceptionally skilled individual.
In sparring matches between trainees, Austin had never once won against him.
To be told to go easy while sparring against such an opponent.
‘What kind of confidence does young master Leo have?’
While laughing inwardly, Austin felt his tension ease.
‘Right, I’ve endured young master Leo’s harsh training for the past month.’
He even felt that after experiencing Leo’s training, he could overcome any ordeal.
Taking a deep breath, Austin gripped his wooden sword.
It was a wooden sword shaped like a bastard sword, befitting his build.
Seeing Austin like that, Garris chuckled and pointed his sword at him.
‘Arrogant fool.’
If Austin used his powerful swordsmanship with a bastard sword, Garris, despite his build, wielded refined and swift swordsmanship with a light sword.
Austin had been overwhelmingly defeated every time, unable to keep up with Garris’s speed.
The two stood in the center of the training ground, looking at each other, as Garris lightly leaped and began to step.
“I’ll show you the pinnacle, Austin.”
As he said that, Garris charged at Austin with incredible speed.
*Whoosh-*
Austin swung his sword at Garris, who was rushing at him at high speed.
*Whoong-!*
“Hmph! Still a brute force attack!”
*Whoosh-!*
Garris dodged Austin’s sword with his footwork and darted to the left.
The speed was so fast it made one’s eyes dizzy.
However, Austin’s sword accurately pursued Garris.
Garris, who was trying to dodge and counterattack, hastily swung his sword to defend himself.
*Crack-!*
A heavy sound rang out, unbelievable for wooden swords clashing.
Garris contorted his face from the pain in his wrist.
Austin was overwhelmingly strong.
“It seems you’ve made some progress. If so, then……”
Garris activated his aura.
*Fwoosh-!*
Seeing Garris increase his speed, Austin wore a bewildered expression.
He wasn't surprised by Garris’s speed, but by his own ability to react to Garris’s speed, which had been difficult to handle just a month ago.
*Flick-*
Garris showed a surprised expression as Austin dodged his thrust.
“What?”
Then, he began to launch a rapid offensive.
*Whoosh! Papapapat!*
A flurry of fancy thrusts and slashes ensued.
Other trainees, who thought Garris was overwhelming Austin, whistled and cheered.
However, the expressions of the top-ranked trainees changed.
‘Garris’s attacks aren’t working?’
Garris’s swordsmanship was the type that subdued opponents with speed.
If that speed didn’t work, it meant he couldn’t defeat his opponent.
Of course, Austin also had no opening to counterattack, so the match reached a stalemate.
However, the fact that Austin, who was in the middle tier, was matched evenly with Garris, who was in the top tier, was a shocking development.
‘His physical ability and aura manipulation were sufficient from the start. What was lacking was technique.’
Leo, who was watching the match, chuckled.
All of Leo’s knights were from lower nobility or commoner backgrounds.
Therefore, they naturally had deficiencies compared to other trainees who had systematically trained in swordsmanship since childhood to become knights.
Despite that, Austin had enough talent to be in the middle tier among trainees.
Leo had identified the most crucial aspects of these knights’ swordsmanship and focused his training on them.
And the results were now evident.
‘Kids grow up fast.’
While thinking words that would make anyone laugh at themselves.
“Kuh! You bastard!”
Garris’s eyes flashed.
‘What a disgrace!’
He had been aiming for a position in Leo’s knightly order.
And yet, he was struggling against Austin, whom he clearly considered far beneath him?
Garris, who had seen this as an opportunity to showcase his skills to Leo, was enraged.
‘Opening!’
As his composure broke, an opening appeared for Austin.
*Buuung-!*
“Huh?”
Garris recoiled in surprise.
The flow of the match changed in an instant.
Austin, having become accustomed to the speed, began to pressure Garris instead.
Flames flickered in Garris’s eyes.
“You bastard!”
*Gooooooo-!*
A powerful aura condensed on Garris’s sword.
Seeing that, Austin focused even harder.
*Uuuuung-!*
Austin’s bastard sword also glowed.
Seeing Austin like that, Garris launched a swift thrust.
Garris definitely had the upper hand in terms of aura power compared to Austin.
“Hup!”
Austin let out a battle cry and swung his sword.
At that moment, a magic array appeared above Austin’s sword.
“What?!”
Garris let out a gasp of shock.
*Kwajak-!*
“Kuguh?!”
Austin’s sword, its power amplified by aura and enchantment magic, shattered Garris’s sword.
*Whoong-!*
Austin’s sword stopped precisely in front of Garris’s neck.
Garris’s eyes widened, and his face contorted.
“That’s cheating! You! Using a magic artifact!”
At Garris’s outcry, Austin sheathed his wooden sword and replied.
“I used magic.”
“Lies! You became a sword mage in just a month?”
“Yes.”
“That’s impossible!”
Garris protested vehemently.
They had been fellow trainees for years.
He had never heard that Austin had any aptitude for magic.
The other trainees also looked disbelieving as Leo chuckled and said.
“That was Austin’s magic.”
“Yes?”
“He had talent as a mage, so I taught him magic for the past month.”
“Th-That’s absurd…! No! Even if it made sense, it’s cheating! This was a swordsmanship duel! And we are Zerdinger’s knight trainees! Magic is unacceptable!”
“What does being a Zerdinger trainee have to do with using magic?”
“As someone aiming to be a proud knight of Zerdinger, to resort to magic!”
“Then you’re saying I’m also unacceptable?”
“……!”
Garris’s face turned pale as Leo asked indifferently.
Enraged by his defeat to Austin, he had blurted out whatever came to mind and made a mistake.
Leo also used magic.
“I! Well, that is to say! I misspoke…!”
“Enough. Let’s continue with the next match.”
Leo said, not even looking at Garris.
After that, matches were held in the order of Julan, Carrin, and Valerie.
And in those matches, all of Leo’s knights emerged victorious.
Julan and Carrin showcased their abilities as elemental knights without fail.
Valerie secured victory by actively utilizing the aura traits that had manifested through Leo.
“Alright! Overwhelming victory!”
“Is it because we suffered under young master Leo for a month? I can see all their movements!”
Julan and Carrin high-fived each other, acting flustered as if they couldn’t believe their own growth.
“Valerie! You too, right?”
Carrin asked in an excited voice, and Valerie nodded.
“Yeah. At least it hurt a lot less than being hit by young master Leo.”
“……”
“……”
Julan and Carrin looked at Valerie with sympathetic expressions.
Meanwhile, Martina stepped onto the training ground.
Endian stood opposite her.
Martina put strength into her wooden sword.
‘Everyone else won, I can’t be the only one to lose.’
Endian was currently one of the top five skilled trainees of his age.
Endian also gripped his wooden sword tighter, watching Martina.
‘Looking at the others, Martina must have gained some new ability as well.’
He didn’t know what magic Leo had used, but Leo’s knights had gained top-tier skills among trainees through dual classes or the awakening of aura traits.
‘I can’t let my guard down.’
Endian, holding his sword with both hands, lowered his stance and took a deep breath.
Martina also assumed the same stance.
*Whoosh-!*
And without either initiating it, they charged at each other simultaneously.
To probe Martina’s abilities, Endian employed defensive swordsmanship.
*Whoong! Whack-!*
Endian narrowed his eyes at the heavy sword imbued with aura.
The two, having activated their auras from the start, moved their bodies rapidly.
However, as time passed, a look of bewilderment appeared in Endian’s eyes.
To Endian, Martina didn't seem to have changed much.
He knew her skill had improved.
But she wasn't using magic like Austin, nor had she made a contract with spirits like Carrin and Julan.
Even more so, she hadn't awakened any special aura traits like Valerie.
She simply swung her sword with her usual steadfastness.
“It seems you haven’t manifested any special abilities like the others.”
Endian curled the corners of his mouth.
“Then this will be easy.”
Having finished his probing, Endian instantly switched to offense.
*Fwoosh!*
Blue flames erupted from Endian’s sword.
Endian’s family, the Terius family, had been retainers of Zerdinger for generations.
As such, they had been granted an aura cultivation method from Zerdinger long ago.
Martina gripped her sword tightly.
The aura cultivation method the trainees were learning was also ultimately an aura cultivation method related to flames.
However, one could only produce flames after mastering the aura cultivation method.
This was also part of the process of becoming an apprentice knight after completing their trainee life.
Red flames were the symbol of Zerdinger knights.
Upon becoming an apprentice knight, they would be granted a new aura cultivation method.
In that sense, Endian, who had learned the aura cultivation method from his family, had a different starting line than the other trainees.
Even though it was blue flames, they were still flames.
Normally, she would have been intimidated by the flames of the aura.
But Martina was not afraid to face Endian’s flames.
She had seen a boy, who couldn’t even use aura, defeat monsters like heroes in stories.
And that boy had truly shown heroic deeds.
‘Young master Leo told us we could enter Lumern too.’
What is a knight?
Aren't they those who obey their lord?
‘I want to remain as young master Leo’s knight.’
*Gooooo-!*
‘I will enter Lumern to become a knight befitting young master Leo!’
With that desire alone, she had diligently endured Leo’s training for a month.
And her efforts had borne fruit.
*Fwoosh-*
Red flames, signifying the graduation of trainees, manifested on Martina’s sword.
“No…!”
Endian’s face was filled with shock.
Martina was also surprised by her own flames but soon swung her sword calmly.
*Kwajak-!*
Endian’s sword shattered and flew into the sky.
*Chuk-*
Martina’s wooden sword, engulfed in flames, stopped beneath Endian’s chin.
“I won. Endian.”
“Kuk!”
Endian gritted his teeth.
Then he lowered his head and said.
“…I lost.”
At those words, Martina sheathed her sword.
“Sister Martina!”
Carrin ran to Martina with a bright smile and hugged her.
All the trainees looked disbelieving.
The five, who were at best in the middle tier, had defeated top-tier students in just one month!
“This settles it.”
Leo chuckled.
“You’ve proven yourselves with your skills. From now on, if there are any complaints regarding my knightly order, I will not stand idly by.”
In truth, issues concerning the knightly order could have been easily resolved by Leo’s authority.
He watched this situation unfold simply because.
He had given them an opportunity to resolve it themselves.
And they had splendidly proven their worthiness as Leo’s knights.
“Now, go do your respective tasks.”
At Leo’s words, the trainees dispersed.
Various currents flowed among the trainees.
Some went to train with gritted teeth, while others still couldn’t accept the situation.
However, they no longer made blatant remarks.
They couldn’t help but acknowledge the skills of Leo’s knights, including Martina, who had earned the qualification as an apprentice knight.
“This is all thanks to young master Leo!”
Austin bowed his head.
“Yes! Thanks to young master Leo, we were able to become strong!”
Carrin also said with a bright smile.
The past month had been hell, but the reward for those difficult days was certain.
Leo said, looking at his delighted knights.
“I only pushed you.”
It was the knightly order that endured training so harsh that it would have been understandable to give up.
“You became strong on your own. So, don’t thank me, be proud of yourselves.”
The knights looked moved by Leo’s words.
“Now, since there’s no one left to object to you being my knights, shall we decide on a name for the knightly order?”
The moment the name of the knightly order was decided, they would truly become Leo’s knights.
As everyone wore tense expressions, Leo spoke.
“Slayers.”
At Leo’s words, the knightly order looked perplexed.
“Slayers?”
Martina looked bewildered.
It meant murderer.
It was an unsuitable name for a knightly order.
Seeing Martina like that, Leo said.
“From now on, I will fight against Tartarus.”
Leo’s gaze fell on the knightly order.
“If you follow me, you will naturally continue to fight against them.”
“I see. We will now be young master Leo’s swords. If the path you take is such a path, then the name ‘Slayer’ would be fitting.”
Martina smiled faintly.
Then she knelt.
The others followed suit, kneeling behind her.
“We, including myself, Martina, five individuals, pledge to become knights who will be your swords, your shields, and open the path you take.”
Martina, who recited the knight’s oath as a representative, raised her head.
“Please allow us to serve you as our lord for life.”
“I permit it.”
Leo smiled, looking at the knights who would be his right-hand men for life.
The knight’s oath ended, and the Slayer knights stood up.
Seeing them, somehow more dignified, Leo said.
“Ah, and since you’ve passed the first stage of training, shall we move on to the second stage?”
*Crack-!*
At those words, the entire knightly order froze.
“Se-Second stage? Is there such a thing?”
Carrin asked in a trembling voice, and Leo folded his arms.
“Of course. Your goal is to enter Lumern, right? You’re still far from it.”
Watching the knights turn pale, Leo muttered.
“You’ve seen the mountain, so next time……”
After the mountain, it was usually the sea.
“Sea of fire?”
The entire knightly order felt dizzy, their expectations far surpassed.