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“Everything’s ready. Is there anywhere you feel uncomfortable?”

A nameless knight spoke in a blunt tone. Ian moved his arms and legs.

Clank.

It was Ian’s first time wearing such armor. He expected it to be quite awkward, but the armor, crafted from a balance of leather and metal, was a bit heavy but not as restrictive as he’d anticipated.

The level of restriction was tolerable in exchange for high defensive capability. He nodded at the knight who was staring intently.

“Then, here’s the sword.”

Ian accepted the sword handed to him and strapped it to his waist, turning his body. The view beyond the narrow vision created by the helmet revealed the sparring arena.

In the arena, Dior, acting as the judge and mediator, held a long staff and was waiting. Dior walked towards the outskirts of the arena.

“They say clothes make the man. It really suits you. How about becoming a Red Spear Knight?”

“No thanks.”

“Quite resolute. Why?”

“If I join now, I’d have to be the youngest for a while.”

“That’s unavoidable. It would be the same wherever you go, right? Anyway, it’s better to observe a Red Spear Knight sparring at least once rather than starting a match blindly.”

“I’m fine. We can start right away.”

Ian hadn’t only practiced the Bane of Evil during his training. He had sparred alternately with Mael and Marie, and had watched their matches. He had a general sense of what to expect.

“Really? I like your confidence. Come up.”

Dior turned his attention to where the Red Spear Knights were gathered.

“Let’s get started. Who will be the first opponent…? Is there a volunteer!?”

At the loud call, one of the Red Spear Knights raised their hand as if they had been waiting for this moment.

“Oh, Diarmid!”

The helmets of the Red Spear Knights concealed their faces completely, making it impossible to recognize them.

However, Dior seemed to identify them without hesitation and called out the name.

The Red Spear Knight, Diarmid, stepped onto the sparring arena.

“Looks like you’re the first one up.”

“I was the one who expressed a desire to spar with you first. If I stayed silent, it would look like I was avoiding it, wouldn’t it?”

“Excellent. Are you ready?”

“I’m ready to start anytime.”

“And you?”

Ian nodded and looked at his opponent.

Although the helmet hid any visible expression, he could sense the competitive spirit through the subtle provocations.

Clang!

Dior lightly tapped the ground with his staff. With a small noise, all eyes turned towards him.

“Use of magic is prohibited. Attacking the gaps in the armor is also forbidden. Victory conditions are limited to when the opponent either declares defeat or is subdued, and I, as the referee, may intervene if I deem it necessary. Also, if I extend this staff, remember that both of you must retreat immediately, no matter what happens. Any questions?”

“Must we fight only with swords?”

“I’ll allow unarmed combat, but no joint locks. Avoiding damage is secondary; armor is easily damaged.”

Despite having spare armor, damage was a separate issue.

The reason was practical and reasonable enough for Ian to draw the sword given to him by the knight without further comment.

The sword drew smoothly from its sheath, but the blade was not yet sharpened.

The sword was so blunt that even if gripped tightly with bare hands, it wouldn’t inflict a wound. However, that didn’t mean it was to be underestimated.

In fact, it was almost like a blunt weapon; a single hit could break bones, and a blow to the head would be devastating.

Still, with the helmet and armor on, there was no need to worry about such concerns.

“Hmph.”

Taking a deep breath, Ian stared at the Red Spear Knight before him.

In a typical sparring match, a single hit wouldn’t easily incapacitate the opponent. Therefore, he aimed to dominate completely.

“Begin.”

As Dior lifted the staff he had been holding and spoke, the Red Spear Knight, Diarmid, lunged at Ian with his sword.

Ian, who had been intently observing, also extended his sword.

Clang!

The moment the blunt blades clashed, both combatants immediately shifted their stances.

With a mere movement of his arm, Ian directed the tip of his sword towards Diarmid’s vital points. However, Diarmid did not yield easily.

Without using magic, Ian’s physical abilities, including his reflexes, had long surpassed those of an average person. Thus, he was capable of quick responses in fleeting moments, but subduing his opponent was still challenging.

Diarmid was keenly aware of this sensation.

‘I expected it wouldn’t be easy, but it’s like this?’

Having defeated Hyoulong and the Dark Mage and recently becoming a full-fledged member, he started with his best efforts, having heard that Mael and Marie, renowned as geniuses, were defeated by Ian in sparring.

Yet, it was not as simple as he had imagined. Ian’s understanding of swordsmanship was quite high, and there were no apparent weaknesses.

Diarmid tried to exploit openings, aiming for a swift resolution, but Ian evaded or countered his attacks like a slippery eel.

‘How could this be…!’

What makes a knight a knight?

Among various reasons, one key factor is that knights have a system for combat far beyond mere mercenaries who swing their swords aimlessly. A single swing can end an opponent.

Simple movements like raising an arm or twisting a wrist allow the sword to target vital points.

Knights are recognized for mastering such techniques, and they are acknowledged for their ability to swiftly handle opponents based on these skills.

Clang, clang!

Yet, for years of daily training, Diarmid’s sword was being blocked by someone he had underestimated.

‘He’s letting me have this.’

He was observing. Gauging the level of the Red Spear Knight’s skill.

Diarmid’s eyes flickered. He had heard that Ian had lived like a recluse after his coming-of-age ceremony, but he was now doubtful of that story. Perhaps he had secretly honed his skills.

‘If not, then how!’

He did not deny reality. He had already attempted to exploit apparent openings multiple times.

However, there were no results. He charged in with momentum, only to be hit hard and forced to retreat.

As if sensing his emotional turmoil, Ian changed his stance. He became more aggressive.

Diarmid, who had been pressing the attack, soon realized he was the one being driven back. But he had no effective strategy.

Clang!

The sword grazed the armor.

Clang!

The sword struck the armor. Since the blade was not sharpened and no magic was used, the armor remained unscathed.

Desperately extending his sword towards Ian, Diarmid’s blade was deflected outward. He tried to retreat quickly, but Ian was faster.

Crunch!

Ian’s foot stamped down on Diarmid’s instep, pinning him in place. At the same moment, Ian’s blade was already aiming at Diarmid’s neck. There was no way to dodge or block it.

“……”

“……”

Diarmid didn’t resist further and relaxed his body. The sword he held drooped. Ian also stepped back.

“Ian is the winner. Diarmid, well done. Step back.”

“…Yes.”

Acknowledging his defeat without complaint, Diarmid sheathed his sword and looked at Ian.

Despite the intense movements during the brief match, Diarmid’s breathing was remarkably steady, suggesting he wasn’t overly exhausted.

It was hard to believe that he had been holed up in a villa, struggling as rumored. Perhaps the rumors were wrong.

As he thought this, Diarmid bowed his head slightly and turned away.

He made his way back to where the Red Spear Knights were gathered. Although no words of praise were given, some of his comrades patted his back silently in encouragement.

Normally, he disliked being fully armored during training, but today was different. He appreciated being able to hide his expression.

“Diiiaaaarmiiid~”

At the playful call of his name, he turned to see several knights looking his way.

“Hendrick.”

“Were you trying to impress the young master by showing off? How could you lose so badly?”

Diarmid smirked.

“If you really think that, why don’t you step up yourself?”

If they had watched closely, they would have seen that the young master’s skills were no laughing matter. If they didn’t realize that, they lacked discernment.

“That’s exactly what I intend to do. I’ll show you my skills.”

Just then, Commander Dior asked who would challenge next.

“Commander, I’ll take it!”

With a confident voice, Red Spear Knight Hendrick raised his hand. He then headed for the sparring area, turning back to gesture for everyone to watch closely.

And the result?

It was nothing short of disastrous. Hendrick’s decisive strike only cut through empty air, while Ian deftly evaded and struck Hendrick’s helmet with the pommel of his sword.

Clang!

Even though the helmet was enchanted with protective magic, it couldn’t fully withstand such a shock.

As expected, Hendrick fell to his knees, unconscious, and collapsed.

Commander Dior quickly lowered his staff, and Ian stepped back as if nothing had happened. Hendrick was soon carried away on a stretcher.

“Serves him right.”

While the other knights laughed, the fact that two Red Spear Knights had been defeated so easily dampened their amusement.

The atmosphere grew more serious. A few, fired up by their pride, stepped forward bravely, but the outcome remained unchanged.

One knight even resorted to hand-to-hand combat after losing his sword, but Ian was well-versed in martial arts as well.

Witnesses muttered in awe.

“Are we really that weak?”

That wasn’t the case. The Red Spear Knights were certainly not weak. As a symbol of the Eastern Empire of El Carda, they possessed the power to match their reputation.

Though the knights present were only Level 3, most were on the brink of Level 4, and even a few of them could easily handle a horde of monsters.

Yet they lost for a simple reason: the opponent’s skill was higher.

Everyone accepted the results of the sparring match, but the frustration remained.

On that day, Ian achieved an astonishing nine consecutive victories against the Red Spear Knights, which stirred up the Berger family for a considerable time.

The sparring matches did not stop at just one day. Dior took the opportunity to arrange for Ian to face other squads, and the other squads, having mocked the defeat of the 4th Squad, were eager to show what they could do.

Ian defeated all of them decisively.

Next, it was the turn of the Level 4 knights.

At this point, Ian could have refused, but since the fights would be purely technical, without the use of magical power, he willingly accepted.

However, Level 4 knights were indeed different from Level 3. They had not only more experience and superior skills but also better physical abilities.

Ian faced significant challenges, struggling to win or sometimes coming close to defeat.

Although his win rate fell below fifty percent, no one ridiculed Ian.

Strictly speaking, it was impressive. Despite being only Level 2, Ian had matched the Level 4 knights on equal footing. This went a long way in changing the negative perception of him.

And perhaps this rigorous training had its effects.

One day, while continuing to hone his technique, a new ring appeared around the core formed in his dantian, advancing Ian’s technique to the 3rd Ring.

———-