Chapter 49
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 49
Chapter Title: A Worthy Candidate
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*Tap-tap!*
Short, rapid footwork.
Jeff couldn't keep his wits about him, struggling to follow Demian's movements as he darted in and out in the blink of an eye.
*Whoosh!*
‘Dammit…!’
Jeff's brow furrowed as his sword cut through empty air yet again.
He just couldn't keep up with the boy's movements.
And that wasn't even the biggest problem.
*Clang!*
"Kuh!"
A blow that sent a jolt through his wrist.
He'd managed to block it, but...
‘Th-that one just now...’
That was really dangerous.
He'd almost failed to parry the relentless barrage of attacks.
‘My body is starting to fail me.’
Was fatigue setting in?
Jeff shook his head.
It was more than that; the boy's movements were growing faster and sharper with each passing moment.
"...Hoo."
Demian let out a small breath, his eyes fixed on the man before him.
Until now, the only time he had fought with his full strength was when he destroyed the mana-infused crystal.
In other words, he had never fought at full power in a proper duel against a skilled opponent.
But...
‘Using my mana is becoming more and more natural.’
And this feeling...
The more he clashed with the knight, the more he felt like the Demian of his past life.
Gripping his spear, Demian looked at Jeff.
*Flinch!*
Jeff unknowingly took a step back under Demian's gaze.
Now, the boy's mere stance exerted immense pressure.
"I'm finishing this."
"Fuck, says who!"
Provoked by Demian's words, Jeff charged forward.
He knew he wouldn't get anywhere by just defending.
He had to strike first.
It was the only option Jeff had left.
"Hyaaaaaah!"
He once again unleashed the Royal Swordsmanship.
The initial thrust aimed for Demian's chest.
*Swish!*
But once again, the strike missed its mark.
Jeff bit his lip and immediately swung his sword in a diagonal slash.
‘If he dodges this too...!’
His next move was supposed to be an unconventional one—not an upward slash, but a low sweep aimed at the boy's ankle.
But in the moment something flashed...
*CLANG!*
"......!"
Jeff found himself standing with his empty hands raised to the sky.
The very instant Jeff had brought his sword down.
"...Crazy."
Demian's spear had shot up from below, sending Jeff's sword flying.
A sharp pain stung the palm that had held the sword.
He didn't need to look to know.
The skin on his palm had been torn open.
How could a kid this young...
"You're a monster, you little bastard."
*Swoooosh!*
Then, Demian's spear shot toward Jeff's neck. And then...
*Stop!*
It stopped just before his throat, ending the match.
Jeff closed his eyes.
"...I lost."
His arms, raised to the sky, slowly fell to his sides.
Demian then retracted his spear and bowed his head to Jeff.
"Thank you for the excellent lesson."
"...The pleasure was all mine."
Jeff swallowed his frustration, returned the bow, and turned away.
But a loss was a loss.
He knew he had to accept it to take another step forward.
*Clomp, clomp.*
Jeff immediately turned and walked back into the barracks.
He was in no condition to continue judging the applicants.
Demian watched Jeff walk away with a faint smile.
‘He'll get stronger.’
Knights like him were rare.
How many knights would throw a fit over their pride after losing to a common soldier?
Just by being able to accept defeat and control his emotions, the man had great potential for growth.
"Demian."
"...?"
Hearing a voice from his side, Demian turned his head.
It was Leonhard.
"A word, if you will."
"Yes, sir."
His second meeting with the man.
Demian followed Leonhard to the back of the barracks.
Once they were somewhere private, Leonhard asked Demian a question.
"Your use of mana has become more proficient. Who taught you?"
He already knew from the training grounds that Demian could use mana.
But controlling mana wasn't easy with ordinary training methods.
Demian shrugged at Leonhard's question.
"I just got thrown around so much that I had no choice but to learn naturally, I guess?"
"...Is that so?"
The Neokalitz Unit... that was certainly possible.
Leonhard stared intently at Demian.
‘Could that be why he went to the Neokalitz Unit...?’
After all, Demian had turned down even the Knight Order to join them.
Leonhard asked.
"So, what brings you here? It hasn't been long since you joined the Neokalitz Unit. The very place you went after refusing to join the Knight Order."
Demian let out a small laugh at his words.
Was that a petty complaint about him rejecting the Knight Order?
Demian answered without hesitation.
"I know the Knight Order is prestigious, but they don't see real combat, do they?"
"...Their training is as intense and grueling as actual combat."
"But it's still just training. They might use real swords, but when things get dangerous, they ultimately stop their blades."
Demian's expression had turned serious.
Leonhard, too, watched him with a stern face.
Demian continued.
"I believe there are senses you can only hone in real combat. The same goes for the camaraderie you build with your comrades when you face those battles together."
He wasn't looking down on the Knight Order.
But very few of the current knight orders had ever experienced real combat.
Just swordsmanship and spearmanship where safety was guaranteed. And mana cultivation methods.
He acknowledged that their combat prowess was exceptional.
If deployed in a real battle, they would display fighting power incomparable to ordinary infantry.
But that was all.
When a true crisis arose, how many of them would actually be able to handle it?
When a real war broke out, when their lives were on the line.
‘The ones who survive are the ones who have truly stared death in the face.’
Demian solidified his conviction.
"...So, you came here because you believe there will be real combat?"
Leonhard asked Demian.
Demian nodded.
"Isn't that what this unit was created for?"
"Your reasoning?"
"Otherwise, there's no way you'd offer such a luxurious salary and treatment... not to mention the authority of an independent unit."
Leonhard found himself at a loss for words.
Lost in thought, Leonhard couldn't immediately respond.
"...How old did you say you were?"
"I'm fourteen now."
"......"
Unbelievable.
If he hadn't seen it with his own two eyes and heard it with his own ears, he never would have believed it.
Leonhard looked at Demian and nodded.
"I understand your thinking. And you've passed."
"Thank you."
"Those two from earlier, are they your comrades?"
"Yes, they are."
At Demian's words, Leonhard said.
"They've passed as well. I don't think you'll need to wait for a separate announcement."
A small arc formed on Demian's lips.
Just as he had expected, they had all passed.
Demian bowed his head in gratitude.
"Thank you."
"No need for thanks. There was no special treatment; your skills were simply outstanding."
With those words, Leonhard turned and headed back to the testing area.
Vincent, who was overseeing the tests, called out to Leonhard.
"Instructor, where have you been?"
"I went to meet the boy who sparred with Jeff."
"That kid from before? A soldier you know?"
"I saw him once at the training grounds."
Leonhard seemed to ponder something for a moment, then...
"Captain Vincent, how about we try carrying out that operation we discussed before, using that boy and a few other promising candidates?"
"Sir?"
Vincent looked puzzled.
"Isn't he too young?"
"Didn't you see his skill earlier?"
"I did, but..."
Honestly, he wouldn't have believed it if he hadn't seen it himself.
The age on his papers was just fourteen.
A rookie who had only enlisted a year ago.
And yet, that common soldier had completely defeated a knight from the Monster Knight Order on pure skill.
"Does age still matter in light of that?"
"...No, sir."
Vincent shook his head.
The moment he defeated Jeff, there was nothing left for him to prove.
Besides...
"There are some other quite capable men among the applicants. Especially the two who tested with that boy."
"He said they were his comrades."
"...Is the Neokalitz Unit raising some kind of special forces?"
How could common soldiers be that strong?
Both of them had different styles, but they were skilled enough to not be pushed back by the testing knights.
Of course, they had lost.
But that was only because the knights had used mana to enhance their bodies.
If they had fought on equal terms without mana...
"Hoo. Let's give that operation a try."
At Vincent's words, the corners of Leonhard's mouth lifted slightly.
* * *
Countless swords and shields hung on the walls.
A suit of armor, engraved with rather ornate patterns, was displayed on one wall of the room.
At the center of it all, a middle-aged man sitting at a desk opened a box placed before him.
"...Is this it?"
"Yes, it's the elixir currently being sold to high-ranking noble families in the Baroque Kingdom."
"Hmm... Has the Baroque Kingdom's technology advanced this much?"
The secretary standing before him shook his head.
"That doesn't seem to be the case. Our current analysis suggests they are simply being supplied with much higher quality herbs and ingredients than before."
"How can such fine ingredients suddenly appear?"
the man asked.
The change had been too abrupt.
And to that question, the secretary answered.
"...We don't know for certain, but it seems something happened in the Kaldeson Mountain Range, which runs through the Baroque Kingdom."
"Find out what that something was."
"Understood."
As the secretary nodded.
"If something this good exists, shouldn't it rightfully be offered to the Empire?"
"You are absolutely right."
The man picked up the elixir from the box.
Its rich aroma alone suggested it was a high-grade elixir.
"How wonderful it would be if something like this were widely distributed among the Empire's promising youth."
"I will make haste."
"See that you do."
After the secretary left, the man rose from his seat.
The recent war with the Spenion Kingdom had ended.
With the Spenion Kingdom's defeat, they had secured a considerable amount of supplies and territory from them.
But the Empire was still thirsty.
Very thirsty.
"Where shall I quench this insatiable thirst?"
He murmured softly, gazing out the window at the city below.
If the borders of this city could expand further, if the Empire's influence could stretch across the entire continent...
"Hahahahaha, isn't the mere thought delightful?"
But soon, the man's expression hardened into a cold mask.
For he had no intention of letting it end as a mere fantasy.
"Once they make their move soon..."
The time would come before long.
A small, dark smile spread across the man's lips.
The Empire had already secretly pointed its blade at the continent.