Chapter 11
Chapter 11
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: The Knight's Praise and the Ice Worm
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# Chapter 11
Was this what they meant by your heart sinking?
Seo Woo-jin felt something drop with a thud at the knight's question.
"Wow, a D-rank Hero, and a total newbie at just level 2, holding his own against a young Tranga like that. Didn't see that coming."
The knight sheathed his sword and clapped Woo-jin on the shoulder.
"Got a natural talent for the blade, huh? Regardless of rank. Your job aptitude's 'Sword Soldier,' right?"
'Whoa, that startled me.'
He realized now it was just praise.
Woo-jin relaxed his stiff expression and let out a sigh.
"Thank you for saving me."
"Nah, no big deal. Even if it wasn't me, Eileen would've stepped in."
Woo-jin turned to look back.
Eileen stood there awkwardly, sword in hand.
She must've been about to move to save him, but the knight in front of them had been a bit faster.
"I could have handled it, Sir Gerard."
"Yeah? I know, I know. Our Eileen could've taken care of it just fine."
"My mission isn't something you can just—"
"Anyway. Hero, huh? Growth rate's impressive, alright."
The teasing voice brushed off Eileen's protest without a care.
"Oh, right, haven't introduced myself. Name's Gerard. As you can see, I'm a bit higher up than this one. First time chatting like this, right?"
Gerard extended a hand toward Woo-jin.
Woo-jin glanced at Eileen, who let out a small sigh.
"He's a senior knight, same rank as Sir Testron."
At her addition, Woo-jin shook hands with a somewhat awkward expression.
'Senior knights all got twisted personalities? Or do you need one to become a senior knight?'
He didn't know which was true, but every one he'd met so far was weird.
"Hmm, definitely not the hands of someone who's gripped a sword for years."
Gerard nodded at Woo-jin's palm, which showed no calluses.
"W-what are you doing?"
A bad feeling made him try to pull away, but there was no way Woo-jin could overpower a senior knight's strength.
No matter how hard he struggled, he couldn't even resist—it just tired him out more.
"Can't even lift a spoon, yet you held out that well. Heroes all like this?"
Luckily, there was no hint of suspicion.
If anything, he seemed full of curiosity.
'Looks every bit the middle-aged uncle...'
With half his head bald, Gerard was the spitting image of any average uncle—just without the beer gut.
Yet his behavior was like a playful kid, making it impossible to guess ages around here.
"Heard rumors but didn't think much of Heroes. You, though? I like you."
Gerard released Woo-jin's hand with a warm smile.
"Testron's always talking like that. Right, Eileen?"
He turned to ask, but Eileen gave no reply.
'Yeah. Whatever she says, she'll get chewed out anyway. Better to stay quiet.'
It felt just like the Korean military.
'Military's the same everywhere.'
Knights were basically soldiers, so Woo-jin's thoughts weren't far off.
"Man, that one's no fun."
Clicking his tongue at the silent Eileen, Gerard turned his attention back to Woo-jin.
"Ever trained formally in swordsmanship?"
"No, sir."
He'd never learned anything properly called swordsmanship.
No time for that, no teacher either.
Just occasional pointers on stance from Eileen here and there.
Even those were basic basics, nothing in-depth.
"And yet you hunted a Snowl and went toe-to-toe with a young Tranga."
"More like got one-sidedly beaten, sir."
Aside from that final thrust, he hadn't landed a proper attack.
And even that thrust had only scratched the young Tranga's forehead.
Hardly a fight worth calling a battle.
"No, no. Grab a few soldiers right now and have 'em fight—you'd be hard-pressed to find any holding out like you. Maybe centurion level at best."
Woo-jin blinked.
Just level 2.
Already on par with a centurion?
"Sure, they'd be more seasoned than you, with all their experience."
Still, that's how Gerard rated Woo-jin's skill.
"Kids say lower ranks mean slower growth. You're D-rank, right?"
The way Gerard muttered to himself, 'How'd you get this good?' sent cold sweat trickling down Woo-jin's back.
Though it was too cold here to actually sweat.
"Others are supposed to grow faster... No wonder. Heard the Hero in the Empire's already wielding aura."
Woo-jin tilted his head.
"What's aura?"
Seemed like something from fantasy novels.
But whether it was the same thing, he couldn't say yet.
From the vibe, it sounded impressive.
A knight like Gerard making that face.
"Simply put, it's a mana blade."
"...And in detail?"
"Reach a certain level, and the mana flowing into your sword takes a destructive form that can cut through anything."
"That's what we call aura."
Eileen picked up Gerard's explanation.
"Of course, that level's insanely high. Even in Sion, you can count knights who wield it on one hand."
"Including...?"
"Yeah. The lord."
Woo-jin nodded at the explanation.
'So it's the same aura I know.'
Crystal clear.
And surprising.
A Hero already handling that kind of technique...
While he himself had only just hit level 3.
'The Empire one?'
That handsome guy from the summoning.
Job aptitude something SSS-grade, but things were chaotic—he didn't remember well.
Highest rank, so no surprise he grew fast.
'While I'm busting my ass here...'
Riding the bus under the Empire's massive support sounded enviably easy.
He sighed inwardly, but Eileen noticed again.
"To repeat: Sion doesn't train knights the easy way."
With mottos like 'One drop of sweat today saves a drop of blood tomorrow,' how grueling could it be.
Woo-jin shook his head, expecting nothing.
But then—
Kuuung—!
A sudden vibration hit, and a snow pillar shot up from not far off.
"W-what is that?"
Woo-jin asked Eileen in panic, then shut his mouth.
Her face was rigid too.
"Sir Gerard."
"I'll head out first. You look after this one and stay as far back as possible."
"But—"
"What was the lord's order to you?"
Eileen hesitated a moment, then nodded in acceptance.
"Understood."
"Alright, see you soon."
Gerard didn't spare Woo-jin a word and dashed toward the snow pillar.
Gone was the playful demeanor from moments ago—now he looked utterly tense.
Seeing a senior knight like Gerard act that way filled Woo-jin with dread again.
"What the hell is that?"
Drakeas was huge.
Tranga were big too.
But nothing compared to that snow pillar.
'At least 30 meters?'
What could make a snow pillar that insanely massive?
"Ice Worm."
"...Worm?"
"A giant monster that crawls under the northern earth. Sizes vary, but that one's especially enormous."
Eileen explained like she knew it well.
"It loves Tranga for food. Young ones most of all. So it always shows up in their habitats this time of year."
And the culprit behind countless casualties every year.
"Several fellow knights have died fighting it."
Eileen bit her lip.
Her expression screamed she wanted to rush over and join the knight order right now.
"So it's still alive because...?"
"Tobacco always fails. It flees the moment it feels even slightly disadvantaged."
Even Ban Slaine couldn't catch it on the run.
"Isn't that dangerous?"
"You were about to ask earlier why knights weren't fighting, just letting soldiers do it?"
He had.
It seemed so inefficient and illogical.
"Now I can answer that."
"The lord and Blue Shield Knights were waiting for it."
* * *
"My lord!"
"I see it. I know."
Ban Slaine sighed and rose from watching the soldiers battle the Tranga.
"Testron."
"Your orders."
Testron stepped forward from behind him.
"Send one knight. Make sure the Tranga subjugation doesn't falter."
"Already handled."
"Good, good."
Ban Slaine smiled in satisfaction, then turned to the knights.
"Right on schedule again this year."
"Doesn't get tired of it, huh."
The knights laughed, easing tension at Ban Slaine's casual tone.
"Annual event and all, but getting old, isn't it?"
"Indeed!"
"Let's end it already!"
Even laughing, their eyes stayed heavy.
"So this year, we finish it."
Srrrng—
The holy sword 'Teres,' symbol of the Massive Guardian's commander, appeared.
Unlike the one gifted to Woo-jin, it embodied the frozen north in pristine white.
"Let's go. To console the souls of comrades lost to it."
The blue wind charged across the white wasteland.