Chapter 147: The Educating Guard (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 147: The Educating Guard (2)
I was practically dying of laughter watching this guy Leisen prepare for our duel. No matter how much of a genius the body I possessed was, I couldn't exactly become a Sword Master the moment I awakened my Aura.
Being a swordsmanship genius meant I could master Advanced Swordsmanship in a matter of days, but Aura only accumulates in proportion to the time invested. While the accumulation speed and limits vary depending on talent, I had compared myself to Aura Users like Rena and Serika.
Ah, apparently Rena awakened her Aura while pining for me back at the checkpoint. When I asked her what the specific trigger was, she just twisted her thighs and acted coy, whimpering, "Seni~or," so I didn't press for an answer.
Since she’s the Sex Master’s woman, she probably awakened it while masturbating. If a man realized his Aura while jerking off, he’d be too embarrassed to ever go public with it, so I can only imagine how Rena feels.
Anyway, my Aura accumulation speed was about 1.5 times faster than Rena’s. It was roughly on par with Serika’s. Even with things like Aura Sex, it was difficult to amass a large quantity in a short period.
It was only thanks to Yuna’s Special Premium Stamina Booster that I managed to gather enough Aura to reach the tail end of the Mid-Rank. Considering only our status as Mid-Rank Aura Users, Leisen and I were on the same level.
However, there was a decisive difference between us. Swordsmanship, the way one moves their body, the intuition to read an opponent’s gaze and muscles to predict their actions, the insight to see several moves ahead—all of it.
What could be broadly described as "combat intelligence" was worlds apart. I’d felt it when Leisen was picking a fight with me, but seeing him rest his hand on his hilt for the duel made it even more certain.
I felt like using a sword would end the duel too quickly, so I used my fists. The moment Rainie announced the start of the duel, I lunged and planted a punch square in his face.
"Guh...?"
Leisen looked like he didn't even know what had hit him. For a knight, his balance was pathetic; his body went reeling backward.
What on earth had he been learning from Rainie? If he’d experienced even a single day of her hellish practical training, he’d know that you can't let your posture break like that.
I stuck close to him and hammered his abdomen. When the center point that transfers power between the upper and lower body is struck, it doesn't just make it hard to move; it hurts so damn much that it’s impossible to stay rational.
I knew that all too well from being beaten black and blue by Rainie.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Fists reinforced with Aura dented his armor. Leisen began to drool as he curled his upper body inward. I stopped attacking and took a moment to enjoy the reactions of those around us.
"Incredible. Even for a Mid-Rank Guard, to be that dominant against a knight..."
"As expected of my senior!"
"Is my junior stronger than me now? Maybe I should learn Aura too."
"Nyahaha! That’s what you get for insulting Cathy and calling her a pet! Serves you right, dang!"
Leisen, who had been staggering back, lifted his head. His eyes were filled more with confusion than anger.
"How...?"
"You've been hit that much and you still haven't found your fighting spirit?"
If it were me, I would’ve been burning with a desire for revenge, wanting to pay back every blow I received.
"Senior, you're acting like a total lapdog."
"You bastard...!"
Only after that provocation did I finally see Leisen swing his longsword in earnest. I call it a "swing" because calling it swordsmanship would be an insult to the craft.
I applied Hugo's 2nd Sword Stance to my quick-draw. My blade, drawn at a speed far exceeding Leisen's, slid up his blade before I put strength into it and shoved him away.
Leisen barely absorbed the recoil and tried to initiate a sword technique. I suppose he held his ground well enough for a knight. In that case, it was time for the dreaded 50/50 that Rainie loved to use on me.
My sword vibrated strangely, moving as if it were aiming for both his head and shoulder. Leisen quickly stepped back and held his sword diagonally.
It looked like he intended to block if I attacked high, but he fell for the feint. I channeled Aura into my wrist and drew a crescent moon. The blade traced an artistic curve and sliced into Leisen's thigh.
"Urgh!"
The Aura tore through his greaves like paper, leaving a deep wound on his thigh. Instantly, the strength left Leisen's right leg, and his balance crumbled.
Rainie taught me that when an opponent's balance breaks, you attack the opposite side. This, too, was a lesson I learned through being beaten.
My sword, having sliced through the opposite thigh, moved up to cut Leisen's left arm. He managed to prevent himself from dropping the longsword by injecting Aura into his arm to hold it with one hand.
However, the lower body is crucial for two-handed swordsmanship. With one arm ruined, he was forced to use a technique even less refined than before.
I didn't end it all at once; I toyed with him. A knight's greatest shame is losing their sword, right? So, I would make sure his arms were too weak to even hold it.
"Wow... it's not even a contest."
"What the? Why is a guard that strong? Forget Leisen, even we would have a hard time against him. What kind of monster did the Vice Commander create?"
"That's my brother! Give him what for!"
"Hmm. He possesses the skill to be worthy of Serika. But I haven't fully acknowledged him yet."
The reactions were a bit weaker than I expected. I was hoping for something like, "Guaaaaah! I can't believe my eyes! This can't be real!!"
I guess the "Reality Patch" removed all the exaggerated expressions. As I continued to torment Leisen, his peer Bruce shouted something like, "That's our top student! The top of our class! Long live Sma!"
No matter how much cheering I get from men, it doesn't give me any strength. I decided to call an end to this tedious duel.
"Sir Leisen. It's embarrassing, so please don't go around telling people you're my Master's disciple."
"Ah..."
I slapped him across the face with the flat of my blade. A few white teeth went flying as Leisen lost consciousness. I gave an order to a nearby maid.
"Clean this up."
"Yes."
Of all people, it had to be that suspicious Ninja Maid. Well, whatever.
"Sma, a Mid-Rank Guard, has won the duel. With this, the duel is concluded."
I approached Rainie, who had a complicated expression on her face.
"Master. Why the long face?"
"It's just... the result was exactly as I expected. I hoped the rumors weren't true, but he hasn't grown a single bit."
"But you have me instead."
"Heh. I suppose so. I've shown you a pathetic side of myself."
Rainie seemed to want to get drunk, as she gulped down the drink in her glass. That wasn't wine; it was a Stamina Potion.
I wanted to say something, but the crowd swarmed around me.
"Oppa! That was amazing!"
"I didn't know you could beat a knight. You're truly incredible."
"It feels like only yesterday our junior was trembling in front of me. When did you get this strong?"
"Lord Sma! You were so cool!"
"Lord Sma!"
"Sma!"
My women alone were enough to fill the space around me. I caught the eye of Elizabeth, who was fervently praising me from the midst of the crowd. She shook her head 'no' at first, but unable to withstand my gaze, she began to treat Leisen.
She clearly didn't want to heal him, as she only did enough to stop the bleeding so he wouldn't die from blood loss. After responding to each of the women's congratulations, I greeted the prominent guests...
Dammit. I only have one body. Give me a break. The party’s going to end before I’m done saying hello.
* * *
The party, still buzzing from the duel, became even more lively. Once the Stamina Potion tasting was over and wine was served, several people got drunk.
And so, I sent the guests home.
"Smaaa... even if you become the Guard Captain, don't forget me..."
"Just take Senior Gorubau and go. Why is he unconscious?"
"I don't know... hic."
After finally seeing off the group of guards, only the maids cleaning the garden remained. I pushed past them and headed to the pool.
"You're here?"
"Finally."
Waiting for me in their swimwear as requested, my women welcomed me.
Every single one of them who lived in the mansion was there. Their swimwear was as diverse as their personalities.
Iruna wore a white monokini; Tanya, who usually wore revealing clothes, was in a micro-bikini; Mehya and Serika wore standard bikinis that showcased their athletic figures...
Actually, if I tried to describe them all, there’d be no end to it.
Anyway, Iruna, Tanya, Elizabeth, Mehya, Rena, Yuna, Erwi, Serika, Izumi, Greystar, Tiarushi, Rebecca, Rainie. Even Cathy.
My bikini-clad lovers were lined up in the order they had been claimed by me. A maid who hadn't been fully "educated" yet was caught staring, wondering what on earth was happening, before being scolded and chased away.
I didn't punish her, though, because it was a sight even I couldn't help but stare at. How could anyone look away from fourteen beauties gathered in swimwear?
Iruna, my first woman and the "Lady of the Cartel" as Mehya put it, gave me a seductive smile.
"Oppa. You said you'd take care of all of us today, right? Iruna is already so wet from the anticipation."
Iruna pulled at the bottom of her swimsuit, revealing her plump cameltoe. Normally, my little soldier would have reacted instantly to such a temptation, but today, I felt a hint of fear.
Why did I agree to this? Will I even survive the night?
"I made plenty of Stamina Potions just for today!"
It was only after hearing Yuna's words that I snapped out of it. Right. They say a ghost that dies well-fed has a better complexion. Let's keep going today until it's Death by Snu-Snu.