The Raid
A massive explosion rocked the air, and I bolted out of the doghouse on pure reflex.
“Kyaaak!!”
“Put out the fire first!”
“Miss!!”
Fuck. The mansion was burning.
Even out here in the garden, waves of scorching heat washed over me.
…I hadn’t sensed a thing. Not even a warning.
Was I asleep? No—this was an attack that slipped right past detection.
A perfect ambush.
And today of all days, the Royal Knights had been hit too.
They’d barely regrouped before coming straight for us next?
Tough bastards.
The timing was impeccable, striking right when we’d never suspect it.
But more than that—in this chaos… No, forget it.
The thought of running flashed through my mind, but I shoved it down fast.
Was I insane?
The Boyd family wasn’t some minor house.
A raid like this wouldn’t shake its foundations.
They’d sort it out eventually, and if anyone remembered me and held a grudge, pursuit squads could follow.
Even shaking them off, I’d be in for years of grueling fugitive life.
Why ditch the easy yard meals and training here?
And besides…
Rowell’s words echoed in my head.
The Boyd family’s secret techniques—the pinnacle of nobility in the Adel Kingdom.
The chance to learn them dangled like a carrot.
Yeah, this could be my shot at racking up merits.
Plus, Rowell was here in the mansion.
Hard to imagine losing with him around.
So, just as I geared up to make my move and earn some credit—
More fireballs arced in from beyond the mansion walls, hurtling straight at us.
Whoa…
Was that magic?
For a split second, I marveled at my first real fantasy spell since arriving in this world.
Then I spotted their trajectory and freaked.
Holy shit! Right here!
Should I dive back into the doghouse and hide? As that crossed my mind—
Boom!
The incoming fireball exploded midair, as if slamming into an invisible wall.
Looking closer, there was someone on the roof.
…That crazy old man.
He’d rushed out and swatted the magic aside?
Wait, was that even deflection?
The mansion had already taken a hit, flames licking up as servants fled outside.
Whatever. Seeing the old man eased my worries a bit.
Yeah, with him here, we wouldn’t lose.
“Everyone, to the annex!”
With the main house ablaze, the guards herded the servants toward the rear annex.
Looked like the fire hadn’t spread there yet.
Before moving, I scanned the situation.
The miss… she’d have her escort knight nearby.
The head guard bunked in the mansion too—he’d show up soon to help.
That left my role clear enough.
I hopped lightly onto the doghouse roof.
No way they’d stop at fireballs.
The main force had to be coming separately.
Invasion was the goal, after all.
From my high vantage, I swept the perimeter.
Sure enough, masked figures vaulted the wall nearby.
“Damn.”
Closer than expected.
No time to stand around.
I shoved through the servants fleeing to the annex, bolting toward the wall.
“You…!”
“Intruders!”
First things first—stop these bastards from butchering the servants.
“Wha—! Everyone, brace yourselves! Intruders incoming!”
Luckily, the guards trusted my shout after all the peaceful days. They formed up to meet the threat.
“Borrowing this.”
I snatched a decent-looking sword from one of the guards.
“Huh?”
The guy gaped as I yanked it away, but—
“I’ll take point!”
I yelled and charged ahead at the masked figures closing in.
The guards here were solid, but among the masks—
That one.
Yeah.
The leader drawing his blade first.
Different level entirely.
I channeled Aura and swung.
Clang!!
Even packed into my body, he blocked effortlessly.
Aura user, as expected?
They really hand these out to anyone.
“Just like they said—a real mongrel. Time to put you down.”
“Bite me.”
They knew about me somehow.
Well, the Colosseum champ turned noble dog—word would spread after this long.
I’d been pretty popular, after all.
Anyway.
Our blades clashed; my raw strength edged his out. I pushed to press the advantage—
“Arrogant mutt.”
His flow shifted.
Instantly.
Track.
Bad vibe—I focused Aura into my eyes, tracking his moves.
The world slowed to a crawl.
And in that slowed world, the masked man moved at full speed—solo.
…Skilled Fleet.
Fleet right after first clash? Trying to end it quick?
I focused my Aura too, unleashing my still-clumsy Fleet.
In the Aura users’ timeframe, invisible to the others—
Our swords met.
Grriiind—
But—
My proficiency couldn’t handle Track and Fleet together yet.
His blade shoved my underpowered swing aside and sliced across my chest.
“Ngh.”
Blazing pain hit as Track broke; the world snapped back.
“Not bad.”
Deep cut.
But he’d whiffed the opener.
Fleet taxes Aura users most among basics.
Seemed smooth, but chaining it? Tough.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
I gritted through the pain, parrying the follow-ups.
Drip, drip—
Each block tore my chest wound wider, blood spraying.
But stopping meant my head rolling.
“Help him!”
“Cover the flanks!”
The guards were tied up with other masks.
This duel would decide the field.
Clang! Clang!
Blades rang; pain flared from the gash each time.
“Hah… haa…”
Still.
Trading blows like this in my first clash with a seasoned Aura user? I was ahead.
He was the one pressed.
Like before—raiders attacking, us defending.
Hitting a capital noble’s mansion loud and fast? Every minute counted for them.
Especially a heavy hitter like him.
No way he wanted his ankle snagged by a yard dog.
Clang!
Blades met again.
Damn, sharp.
His basics were elite too.
Highly formalized—
Systematic swordsmanship, rock-solid fundamentals.
Aura control, blade skill—stronger than me in spots.
But.
Physical stats, experience, senses—my edge.
Time to play my card.
Before he could Fleet again.
I pressed to finish it—
Whoosh!
Another off vibe.
…Fleet?
No—different.
Less compression, more release…
“Hup!”
This is—!
Crack!!
My sword shattered in a deafening burst.
Rush!
This fucker was the real deal.
“Hup!”
Victory in his eyes, he thrust at me—
My neck prickled; I whipped my head left.
Shing—
His blade grazed my hair by a hair’s breadth.
“…!”
Caught off-guard, he flinched.
I twisted hard—arm screaming—and jammed the broken sword into his shoulder.
Squelch!
“Gurk!”
Deep hit.
Crunch—
I wrenched the blade, released the hilt—
Thwack!
Kicked his gut as he spasmed, creating space.
Drip, splatter.
“Cough…”
Breathing room. I glanced down—blood poured from my chest.
…Deep wound.
“Haa… ha…”
I steadied my breath, refocused on him.
“Ngh…”
He clutched the sword hilt in his shoulder, gasping.
“Get lost.”
This should do it.
My wound was bad, but his shoulder was wrecked.
Fight on, and we both lose big.
“…I’ll remember you.”
He knew it too—fading back into the shadows.
“Hoo…”
He vanished fully. I scanned around.
“Push them!”
“We’re winning!”
“Hold the line!”
I’d won, but the other masks lingered.
…Buying time?
Makes sense.
This wasn’t the main force anyway.
That was—
Boom! Boom!
Up on the mansion roof.
Explosions and afterimages streaked by.
The old man’s fight—that was the real show.
Better not crash that; I’d just get pulped.
I stripped off my coat and bound my chest tight.
No med bay in this mess…
Not fatal, though. Small mercies.
I’d danced the death line countless times in the Colosseum.
Mind the bleeding, and I could still move.
And hey—I’d banked some merits.
I turned to the burning mansion.
Those masks were high-caliber.
With Rowell tied up, was the miss okay?
First, clean up here.
Tightened my wound, rejoined the guards against the rest.