Chapter 72
Chapter 72
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 72
Chapter Title: That I Was Wrong - 1
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***
"How about learning some magic?"
It wasn't as if knights couldn't use magic. There were certainly those known as magic knights who wielded spells through special equipment.
But to those who dreamed solely of becoming proud knights, magic knights were no different from heretics.
A true knight should entrust everything to sword and shield, not magic, and hone their body to its absolute limits, right?
As such, the sage's advice couldn't help but grate on Leventia's nerves.
"...Are you telling me to abandon the path of the knight right now?"
"No. I'm just talking about efficiency."
"Do you even know what it takes to become a magic knight?"
"Of course. A magic sword as a conduit for spells, and training to adapt to armor with high magic affinity."
Leventia's face flushed slightly at the mention of armor with high magic affinity. Still, she stared intently at Hyunwoo, who seemed utterly serious, and let out a sigh.
"You want me to wear that indecent armor? You want to see my, my b-body exposed like that??"
"No. What do you take me for? I'm not interested in that."
"....."
"From any angle, bikini armor is far more efficient than regular armor. And if you learn magic on top of that, even more so. Don't you remember when we took down Menarius last time?"
Menarius.
One of the Demon King's minions, with formidable physical defenses.
Leventia gritted her teeth, recalling how her primarily physical attacks had barely fazed it.
The sage's points always stabbed at her heart like a blade.
And he always said it.
You're wrong.
"That's just a rare case. The path I'm on is more than enough."
"Hmm..."
"And we have you for magic in the party, don't we? Plus Claire's dimensional spells."
"Dimensional magic has limited uses, and aside from portals, it's inefficient. What happens when I'm not around?"
Many dungeons in this world had a maximum of three people. Support was possible from outside for open fights, but otherwise, magic fell solely to Claire.
Her dimensional spells packed a punch but guzzled mana, so she couldn't spam them. For the long haul, they needed someone to plug that gap.
"And you have the aptitude for magic."
Leventia knew why Hyunwoo was pitching this to her instead of Evangeline. It stemmed from what a mage at the Magic Guild in that recent city had said. She had the talent for magic knighthood and should drop by if interested. Ever since, the sage had been pushing her toward it.
That only fueled her defiance.
She was on the verge of mastering a knight's ultimate skill. Switching to magic knight now?
It would delay that mastery.
He'd once said he could use skills from every class but not their ultimates.
Jealous of him and determined to surpass him, Leventia saw haste toward her ultimate as priority.
That would prove she was better.
"Some foes with demonic energy shrug off physical attacks."
"Still no."
"Hmm... How about after you master your ultimate? I'll help."
Leventia flinched, her heart skipping. Did he know her inner thoughts?
Her mouth went dry.
She didn't want him seeing her as inferior, jealous.
Her mouth felt filled with parched sand. Moistening it barely, she forced out a raspy reply.
"No."
I'm not wrong.
With that, Leventia fled from him, entering the training grounds alone to swing her sword.
As if to prove the ever-right sage's path was wrong for her.
***
Claire bit her lip. She could guess why Hyunwoo had brought only Lucille and Cecil into the fight.
"Any lightning magic! Two basic fire spells!"
"Lightning Bolt! Fire Arrow!! Fireball!!"
"Cecil!! Block the surroundings with earth magic!"
"Huh? Oh, right! Earth Bind!"
Hyunwoo's movements in his gauntlets rivaled any seasoned monk. Infused with the priest skill Light's Blessing, perhaps, his fists glowed with faint holy power.
Thus, the black-aurad Bronze took noticeably more damage than in their earlier clash.
"Urgh!!"
Magic, and holy power.
A far cry from relying on magic and physical force alone.
"Hup!!"
-Thud!!
Dodging a headshot, Hyunwoo stomped forward. The advanced monk skill True Step was pure and mighty enough to instantly dispel the encroaching aura of death.
"Ora!!"
Followed by a single strike.
Heavy step, light punch.
Fluid as water.
A perfect rendition of the Bong Kwon, the devastating blow favored by elite monks.
The fist plunged into Bronze Lord's chest, unraveling his dark aura with that one hit.
"Heh, heh heh... Not yet... not..."
Dissolving into black smoke and sucked into the dark pillar, Bronze Lord mocked Hyunwoo.
Insufficient.
He dominated Bronze Lord, but lacked the finishing blow.
Should she join? But Hyunwoo had limited the fight to Lucille and Cecil because they could infuse attacks with mana.
Proving it, Claire sighed in regret.
Dimensional magic was out; she'd burned too much mana earlier.
His past words echoed relentlessly.
Leventia squeezed her eyes shut.
Indeed.
You were right.
She drew a dagger from her bosom. Claire startled at the sight.
"That's..."
Not her usual heavy weapon, but a silver blade embedded with a red gem.
Far too ornate for a knight, yet Claire knew it well.
"...A magic sword?! No way, Leventia! You...."
"...I've always regretted it."
Leventia murmured softly, gripping the sword with both hands.
"I'm not sure if this atones, but..."
She shut her eyes tight. The ever-serious knight, vowing the knight's path, wielding a magic sword—it stunned Claire.
Leventia forced a smile at her, exhaling heavily.
-Vrrr!!
The light bathed the area; Claire blinked.
There stood Leventia.
Who'd rather die than fight exposed.
Yet she donned the magic knight's bikini armor, channeling mana.
Resolved, but shame lingered. Her face beet red, Claire gawked as Leventia swallowed hard and gripped her sword.
-Vrrrrr...!!
Mana surged into the short dagger. Now longsword-sized, the magic sword firm in her grasp, Leventia smiled weakly at Claire.
"I'm fine. I..."
Yes. She'd stubbornly clung to the wrong path, hurting Hyunwoo.
This humiliation was nothing for her.
Gritting her teeth, Leventia charged toward the sage.
***
In fights against the Demon King, you needed the hero's sword to win, just like many boss battles here had clear conditions.
The devs' pointless consideration to thwart brainless button-mashing.
Veterans loved it, but in reality, it was a royal pain.
Bronze was one such gimmick-ridden boss. In phase two, he got absorbed into the dark pillar, borrowing the Demon King's power. Like the King vulnerable only to the hero's sword, Bronze took damage only from magic.
Beating the spat-out Bronze just respawned him endlessly.
Hit the pillar.
But when Bronze emerged, the pillar gained damage immunity, forcing at least two mages for a stable clear.
No enchant, raw physical DPS? Go home.
Dirty gimmick.
"Attack! Attack!"
As Bronze entered the pillar, I yelled at the two rear mages. Swapping Moonlight to staff, I cast too.
Blasted by three mages, the pillar convulsed and spat Bronze again. I chugged a mana potion and used Mana Distribution.
As mana filled the drained Lucille and Cecil, Bronze roared like a wounded beast.
"Whereee!!"
Targeting them over me, he leaped high.
Where do you think you're going?!
-Kaboom!!
Grabbing his leg mid-air, I slammed him down. Rolling in dust, Bronze rose, spreading arms. Black energy rippled toward them.
-Vrrr!!
A cyan barrier blocked it.
Huh? I didn't cast that.
"...Holy crap."
Even I was stunned, knowing who did.
"...What the hell's with that getup?"
"......"
Face crimson, magic sword in one hand, round shield on the other arm.
Crop top and hot pants-level armor on the knight.
Her muscular pale body flushed with shame and stress—Leventia, plain as day.
Bronze gawked too.
He knew well her bikini armor hatred.
Staring, he burst into derisive laughter.
"Kuh, kuahaha!! Leventia! You, who swore the knight's path, in that slutty outfit?! Haha! Yes! For power, you'd cast aside—"
"...No."
Leventia gripped her magic sword tight, stepping beside me with a heavy sigh.
"...I just wanted to prove something."
"Prove?"
She glanced at me, then away.
-Vmm. Vmm. Vmm.
Support spells activated on her blade. Lasers and ice orbs for offense floated around; Bronze's face twisted.
Knowing his magic weakness.
Leventia aimed at him.
"...That the sage was always right. And..."
-Click.
Pulling the sword, two-handed grip, she dashed forward.
"...That I was ultimately wrong."
Author's Note (Afterword)
Huge thanks to Swimming Bird-nim for the support!!
Truly, truly thankful to I'm Thankful-nim for the support!!
Hello! It's Malmulmalmul!
Ugh... the weekend's overㅠ
But next Monday's off too, so... let's tough out the week!
See you tomorrow! Bye~