504
Chapter 504
WHOOSH! HUFF!
The senior knight stood before Jeffrik, threateningly swinging the shield and sword his subordinate brought.
The Solma family knights were famous for their pride even within the Central Continent. Though most knights from the traditional Thebea were like this, the Solma knights were particularly proud of their skills.
They thought themselves different from ordinary knights, as they could only be commissioned after passing grueling training and tests beyond human limits.
Especially to become a senior knight like him required completing many missions and achieving excellent results after commissioning, so they had abundant real combat experience.
Like before, Jeffrik faced the senior knight while gripping his sword and steadying his breath.
After briefly exchanging greetings, the senior knight thrust his shield forward and charged at Jeffrik.
"HAAAH!"
Thebean swordsmanship was similar to the Holy Kingdom's paladin swordsmanship.
It involved pressing the opponent with a heavy shield and targeting openings with the sword.
In fact, King Picold Sabrang of Thebea, one of the continent's strongest, said that 80% of Thebean swordsmanship was in the shield.
BOOM!
A dull sound rang out as the senior knight swung his heavy shield at Jeffrik.
'Got him.'
The senior knight tried to swing his sword at Jeffrik, expecting him to stagger from the impact.
But the shield wouldn't move.
'W-what?'
Jeffrik was pressing down on the senior knight's shield with his shoulder, not budging at all.
Jeffrik, who had been focusing on strength training with Farrell, was no longer his old self.
He showed outstanding physical strength and endurance even within the Black Sword Knights.
Jeffrik was a monster who could face several knights using aura without using any himself and not get tired at all.
Watching from behind, Aslan looked at Jeffrik with surprise.
'It reminds me of the old days. Thirty years ago, we focused more on physical training than the refined aura training we do now.'
No matter how hard one trained in aura, without physical strength to back it up, the foundation would be shaky.
In actual battlefield situations, enduring with physical strength was more important than using aura well.
In that sense, Jeffrik had mastered the most important basics as a knight.
Jeffrik put strength in his lower body and pushed against the shield with his shoulder.
"HAAAH!"
The senior knight holding the shield was pushed back by Jeffrik's strength.
"URGH!"
He tried to hold on somehow, but it was useless.
Finally, the senior knight lost his balance and fell as his legs gave out.
THUD!
The heavy shield fell on top of him, covering his body.
Like before, Jeffrik got on top of the fallen senior knight's chest, applied pressure with his knee, and pointed his sword tip at his neck.
"Your shield seems too heavy compared to your strength. Equipment that doesn't match your balance hinders combat, so it's better to prepare something that fits your body."
Jeffrik gave advice based on what he had actually experienced through various battles in the Black Sword Knights.
But the senior knight took Jeffrik's words as an insult.
He raised his aura and pushed Jeffrik off him.
THUD!
As the senior knight got up staggering, other knights ran over to support him.
He glared at Jeffrik and shouted:
"Using tricks in an honorable knight's duel! Do you have no shame!"
At the senior knight's words, Jeffrik furrowed his brow and said:
"I never used any tricks."
"Ha! Then are you saying you cut through a steel sword and pushed back a shield with bare strength without using aura! Even legendary brave knights couldn't do that!"
He had mistaken Jeffrik's strength for aura.
At the senior knight's words, the other knights' expressions turned fierce.
Using tricks to tarnish a knight's honor was an unforgivable act.
Jeffrik looked at them and spoke in a calm voice.
"I did not use aura."
"Did you only learn to lie at the Black Sword Knights!"
But just then….
"What's all this commotion?!"
Jonathan Solma, the acting head of the family, appeared at the training grounds.
He glared at Jeffrik and the Solma knights facing off against each other, then raised his voice:
"Zoren."
The senior knight stepped forward at Jonathan's call.
"Explain what happened."
Zoren spoke to Jonathan in a careful voice.
"The Black Sword Knights formally requested a duel. Since refusing would stain our knights' honor... we proceeded with the duel, but there was an unsavory incident in the middle."
Jonathan's eyebrows twitched at his words.
"What unsavory incident?"
Zoren pointed at Jeffrik and said:
"He used tricks during an honorable duel. He broke the rule of not using aura during duels, secretly used it, and made fools of us."
Jonathan turned his head toward Jeffrik at those words.
"Is this true?"
Jeffrik shook his head.
"That's not true. I did not use aura."
Jonathan looked back and forth between Jeffrik and Zoren.
In fact, Jonathan had been watching their duel from afar. From his judgment, it didn't seem like Jeffrik had used aura to cheat. Rather, he was surprised to see Jeffrik showing growth different from before.
'No need to make this a bigger issue.'
Just as he was about to settle this.
"An unsavory incident, you say?."
Jonathan turned his head at the sudden voice.
Zeke had come to the training grounds with Arin.
Standing next to Jeffrik, Zeke looked at Aslan and said:
"Sir Aslan, do you also judge that Jeffrik used aura secretly during the duel?"
At those words, Aslan snorted and said:
"What aura? Jeffrik fought using pure strength alone. It was a true knight's display I haven't seen in a long time."
Senior knight Zoren's expression twisted at Aslan's words.
Zeke nodded at Aslan's words.
"If Sir Aslan says so, then Jeffrik did not use any tricks."
Suddenly his eyes sharpened and an ominous energy poured out from his whole body.
RUMBLE!
The entire Solma Knights, including Zoren, turned pale at Zeke's energy that instantly pressured the whole training ground.
Zeke looked at them and said:
"It seems the Solma knights find Draker's knight laughable. Seeing how you insist a fair victory was cheating and refuse to accept defeat."
Jonathan Solma forcefully pushed back against the immense pressure Zeke was emanating and stepped forward to speak:
"Sir Zeke, I apologize for the rudeness our family's knight has committed."
The pressure that had filled the training ground instantly disappeared when Jonathan Solma apologized.
Zeke looked at Jonathan and said.
"The acting head need not apologize. However, I cannot tolerate the tarnishing of Jeffrik's honor, and by extension the Black Sword Knights he belongs to."
He looked over the Solma Knights behind once and slowly spoke:
"How about having the acting head select a knight who can properly evaluate Jeffrik's skills for a duel? If you and I both observe, there won't be misunderstandings like now."
Jonathan couldn't refuse Zeke's proposal that upheld the knights' honor.
"Very well. I'll follow Sir Zeke's wishes."
"Which knight will you send?"
Jonathan shook his head at those words.
"There's no need to select another knight. I'll step forward myself."
Jeffrik, who had been silent behind them, opened his mouth with a bewildered expression:
"B-brother, you yourself?"
Jonathan responded with an impassive expression to Jeffrik's reaction:
"Is there some reason I shouldn't?"
Jeffrik hurriedly shook his head:
"No. I just... never thought I'd cross swords with brother again... it's an honor."
Jonathan looked at Jeffrik, then turned to his guard knights and said:
"Bring my sword and shield."
Zeke, who was watching the situation, said to Jonathan:
"Why not wear armor as well? Since this is a formal duel."
Jonathan flinched for a moment at Zeke's words as if upset, but soon regained composure and nodded.
"I'll do that."
Soon the guard knight brought Jonathan's sword, shield, and armor.
Jonathan put on the heavy breastplate and injected aura to activate the Hersion.
ZZZZAP!
The armor made a dull sound as it wrapped around Jonathan's body.
This was a Hersion given only to key figures in the Solma family.
Though it was an old model, Hersion itself was such a precious item that it could buy a small castle.
Jonathan stood before Jeffrik after fully equipping his gear.
He looked at Jeffrik who only held a sword and said:
"You plan to face me without armor?"
Jeffrik shook his head at those words.
"No."
With his answer, Jeffrik activated the Black Sword knight’s Hersion.
CLATTER!
CLICK!
The breastplate instantly wrapped around his body and formed into full plate armor.
Jonathan's eyes gleamed seeing this.
One needed to reach at least the purple knight level to maintain Hersion.
He realized Jeffrik's level was above purple knight when he saw him naturally activate Hersion, since Jeffrik hadn't been able to surpass the purple knight level for a long time.
'This means his earlier duel wasn't just luck.'
Jeffrik wearing the Black Sword’s Hersion and Jonathan wearing the Solma family's Hersion faced each other.
Zeke gave the starting signal from the center.
"Begin the duel!"
Simultaneously, Jonathan advanced forward with his heavy shield.
It was a clean and powerful orthodox charge that couldn't be compared to senior knight Zoren.
WHOOSH!
An attack with tremendous force combining the weight of armor and shield struck at Jeffrik.
SWOOSH!
Jeffrik quickly avoided the shield and moved to the flank.
But Jonathan responded skillfully as if he had expected this.
He turned his body and swung his heavy sword at Jeffrik who had dove into his flank.
WHOOSH!
The sword cut through the air, diving toward Jeffrik's waist.
CLANG!
But Jeffrik deflected Jonathan's sword with his own, as if to show he wouldn't be taken down easily.
The force was so strong that Jonathan's sword bounced back and his wrist stung.
"UGH!"
Jonathan stepped back and regained his stance.
THUD!
He charged forward with his center of gravity forward, gripping his shield.
RUMBLE!
Jonathan's charge, springing forward while maintaining balance, was textbook Thebean knight shield technique.
Jeffrik met Jonathan's shield attack head-on by thrusting his shoulder forward.
CRASH!
Dust rose with a tremendous sound.
"Huh...!"
Aslan, who was watching, let out a gasp.
As the dust cloud settled, Jeffrik and Jonathan were revealed to be deadlocked without either giving an inch.
RUMBLE!
Jonathan couldn't help but be surprised by the solid strength he felt through his shield.
'This is pure strength without using aura?'
It felt like pushing against a deeply rooted tree or massive boulder.
CREAK!
Jonathan shouted at Jeffrik behind the shield while correcting his stance:
"Foolish one. In a knight's duel, pushing with only strength is not the way!"
His old habit from when he directly trained Jeffrik came out.
Suddenly Jonathan tilted his shield and swiftly turned sideways.
Then he shook the shield to disrupt Jeffrik's balance as he pushed against it.
This was a technique only possible because he could handle the heavy shield like his own limb, unlike Zoren.
Jonathan thought Jeffrik would lose balance and roll on the ground.
But that was a big mistake.
SWOOSH!
Jeffrik immediately changed the direction of his force, grabbed the shield, and moved to Jonathan's side.
Then he swung his leg hard at Jonathan's thigh.
CRASH!
Jonathan staggered, losing balance from the unexpected low kick.
He let go of his shield and quickly retreated backward.
"HUFF. HUFF."
Jonathan glared at Jeffrik while catching his breath, gripping his sword.
The Solma knights behind raised their voices:
"Using martial arts during an honorable knight's duel!"
"Absolutely cowardly!"
Jonathan ignored the knights' jeers and observed Jeffrik before him. He had to acknowledge that Jeffrik was definitely different from before.
'Let's see you show all your skills as you wanted.'
Jonathan adjusted his stance, gripping his sword with both hands.
It was the Stance of the Five Light Sword technique, a secret technique of the Solma family.