Chapter 96
Chapter 96
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 96
Chapter Title: Ancient Martial Arts
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Martial Arts.
Long before metallurgy and smelting had advanced, these were the physical techniques humans devised to combat monsters and beastkin.
But once sharp blades, sturdy shields, and armor became possible, martial arts devolved into mere self-defense or cultural refinement.
It was only natural.
Even with aura, channeling it through a blade allowed for sharper, more powerful strikes.
There was no reason to stubbornly rely on the body alone.
But what if that body could be forged as keenly as any blade?
The second captain of Philador Kingdom's Royal Knights, Yungen, felt he now had the answer.
Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!
"Urgh!"
Yungen gritted his teeth.
Fists, hand blades, elbows, headbutts, shoulders, knees, shins, heels...
The myriad hidden weapons of the human body.
They linked together seamlessly, striking from angles swords or spears could never reach, in an unrelenting assault.
Yungen was learning firsthand just how terrifying a master of honed martial arts could be.
And this fight was unfolding in back alleys.
The labyrinthine paths, crammed between buildings, were ill-suited for swinging a sword.
Bam!
As he focused solely on defense, a back kick sent Yungen skidding along, gouging a furrow in the dirt.
His armor was already dented everywhere, barely functioning as armor anymore.
"Hmm."
The young man who had cornered Yungen—Jerome—scratched his chin and spoke.
"Captain."
The still-youthful youth addressed him calmly, despite Yungen leading a key branch of the kingdom's knights.
"How about surrendering?" ◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ 'As expected.'
Rushing to Mazino Fortress had been the right call.
Marquis Midas's house was no pushover, but the royal family—having checked them for generations—wasn't staffed with fools either.
Especially not under the current king, Montmart, and the viper Versailles.
After arriving at the fortress, Jerome sensed presences familiar yet subtly off while scouting around.
He recognized them immediately: knights of Marquis Midas, trained in the Flower Wheel.
'They've adapted it to their own style. The marquis must have put in real effort.'
As those knights slipped into the back alleys, he also detected orthodox knightly auras encircling them—stubborn, resolute ones that screamed Royal Guard.
After witnessing the ensuing clash, things had led to this. He'd tried quietly contacting Midas's knights to resolve it discreetly, but no choice now.
The middle-aged knight, Yungen, scowled as if insulted.
"What nonsense is that?"
"That's exactly it, Captain. Why make unnecessary sacrifices?"
Though Philador wasn't a superpower, the Royal Guard captaincy wasn't for just anyone.
'He went down quick to me, but he's top-tier Expert level. Can't afford to waste him.'
In the future timeline, Yungen would reach Master, guard Versailles, and die at Jerome's hands.
A righteous man tormented by his kingdom's injustices, even rising to king's bodyguard.
Too valuable to kill.
"Captain Yungen, your beliefs and noble morals are renowned even among us of the Shield Family. I hate to see a man like you sullied in this filthy war."
Mentioning his family made Yungen realize Jerome's identity.
"...Shield Family. So you're the Jerome young master. The wastrel called worse than a bug, they said you'd reformed. Rumors can't keep up. More than reformed, it seems."
He probably never imagined getting subdued by Jerome.
"Sorry, but this body serves Philador Kingdom as a knight. For a knight to switch lords because the tide turns—that's not right."
Clang.
Despite his tattered armor, Yungen resumed his stance, conviction shining through.
"Come. If you want your way, strike me down. Prove your convictions right."
"Hmm..."
As expected, not that easy.
'Plenty of chances later.'
Jerome decided, flashing Yungen a smile.
"Then, please bear with the discomfort for a while."
Pankration's full barrage unfolded toward the utterly upright knight. ◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "...May I ask how this happened?"
After subduing the Royal Guard, a man with a face full of scars—nightmare fuel—approached Jerome calmly.
"I understood you'd open the capital's gates in Berti with the marquis. How are you here at Mazino Fortress...?"
Max, was it? He trailed off, but Jerome got the gist.
"Upon reaching the capital, the royals declared they'd punish Marquis Midas in three days. Seemed off, so I figured the decisive battle would be at Vint Plains or Mazino. Glad I wasn't late."
Midas's Blue Field Knights specialized in intel, analysis, and espionage.
As their leader, Max grasped it instantly.
"...Indeed. Your insight is extraordinary, young master. No trace of your old infamous reputation. I'm impressed."
Max seemed genuinely awed. Makes sense—he'd barely survived this time.
"No need. So, what was the Blue Field Knights' original plan? I'll help."
When the tide turns, row harder.
On a night when even the moon hid shyly behind clouds.
Mazino Fortress's walls bristled with far more troops than usual.
"More men tonight? Something up?"
A soldier questioned the heavy guard on a non-wartime chokepoint to the kingdom.
"Dunno. We just follow orders from above."
Most dismissed it.
But a few insiders knew the deployment's meaning.
"As expected. They won't go down easy."
"Royal Guard hasn't returned, so they assume failure and bolstered defenses."
A normal commander would send troops to search for the Guard—a key royal force.
But they reinforced the walls instead.
The Guard were mostly nobles' sons.
Rescuing them risked internal strife, even in victory.
So abandon them boldly.
Quietly strengthen guards.
The fortress stayed calm.
No unrest inside, foiling Max's plan to sow chaos.
"Tricky. With that many on the walls, seizing the gates won't be easy..."
Max frowned at their composed response.
Idling would let the royal main force arrive, dooming Midas's army.
"How about this?"
"Got a good idea?"
"Good... depends on you."
Max's eyes widened as Jerome explained. ◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Mazino Fortress's central spire overlooked every wall, designed for swift wartime commands.
"Everything to your liking?"
Fortress commander Viscount Wigno bowed repeatedly to someone.
Unusual—the kingdom-appointed viscount didn't bow lightly.
But yesterday, a royal arrived, bumping the top dog.
"No issues, viscount. More importantly, the request?"
"As ordered, wall guards tripled the norm, Crown Prince."
Young voice—Yungen answered.
Wigno replied to Versailles.
"Second Royal Guard's gone silent. They'll try shaking the walls from inside. Bolster them further."
Like Jerome, Versailles knew.
Tonight decided it.
'Main army arrives tomorrow. Whatever Midas does then, irrelevant.'
Marquis's troops couldn't breach anyway.
'They'll try something.'
As Versailles pondered—
Bam!
The spire-top door burst; a soldier rushed in.
"Big trouble!"
"What?!"
Wigno scowled.
He'd warned against noise with the prince here.
But the soldier had no time for that.
"Fire!"
"Fire?"
"Fires everywhere! Spot fires spreading simultaneously! Worst in armory and granary! Must extinguish soon or supplies lost! Orders, Viscount!"
"What?!"
Wigno paled. Fortresses needed stockpiles first.
Fires hitting key depots at once? No accident.
He glanced at Versailles instinctively.
"Highness, this...?!"
Versailles agreed.
"Walls manned heavy, so inside's laxer. They timed the gaps well."
Dispersed fires forced splitting forces.
Moving to fight flames increased activity, missing suspicious moves, creating openings.
Until walls thinned and chaos quelled—that brief window. Intruders wouldn't miss it.
'What're they after...'
Maybe chaos to assault walls.
But Versailles's gut screamed otherwise.
As he pondered—a moment passed.
Versailles opened his eyes to Wigno.
"Viscount, divert thirty percent of wall troops to fires. Press-gang fortress garrison for the rest."
"But that'll fall short inside?"
"Can't help it. Walls first."
"...Understood."
Unyielding, Versailles watched Wigno nod and exit with the soldier.
Alone, gazing at the flames lighting the night, Versailles mused.
'...Arson just for chaos. Not the goal. Walls aren't either.'
No search for Guard meant they knew walls were priority.
They'd predict he'd hold walls despite fires.
Thus.
'They're after me.'
Seeing Wigno leave, they'd think spire empty and raid it.
"Then I'll prepare to greet guests."
Ding!
Versailles pulled the cord; his attendant entered.
"You called, Highness?"
"Fetch Sir Mikhail."
"Yes, Highness."
As he left, Versailles murmured at the window.
"Yeah, capturing Captain Yungen must have them cocky. But it won't go your way."
A strange smile curved Versailles's lips.
"Let's see whose scheme runs deeper. I'm looking forward to it."