Kays Translations

Chapter 48: The Way a Knight Fights

In the middle of a courtyard surrounded by stone walls, there was a corner paved with robust stone slabs.

At the end of it, Lucius stood.

On the other side, there were three individuals - the leader of the Shaulia expedition, a male knight, and Chief Karan.

"Is Chief Karan also participating in the mock battle?"

"Yes, this is sort of like a friendly match. It's going to be 3 against 1, but Lucius, would you like to add someone to your team?"

"No, having someone I haven't cooperated with before would only cause confusion. More importantly, how will we determine the winner?"

"It's simple. The one who surrenders loses. That's all."

—Is it okay just to say it verbally?

To Lucius, who nods, Shaulia gives a smile.

"You seem to not understand the meaning of having no referee."

"No... that's not a problem."

Chief Karan signals the start as if he's about to enjoy dinner.

"Then, shall we begin?"

Expedition leader Shaulia quickly moves to the front line.

On the contrary, Chief Karan and the male knight both retreat to the rear.

Lucius also creates a treasured sword from the void using the techniques of Chiyou.

The treasured sword bestowed by the king remains sheathed.

A considerable amount of magical power is required to generate the king's magical sword.

But after all, it's merely a mass of magical power.

In battle, swords easily break. Whether it's chipped or broken, you just need to remake it, a considerable advantage in real combat.

Moreover, there is a valuable characteristic. The ability to fully handle the technique of the treasured sword.

Right after the battle started, it emitted a powerful light that filled the field of view.

—First, one person.

Stealthily, he approaches Shaulia who was standing in front.

"Naive."

The male knight, who had stepped back, released something from his right hand. Although he felt the rush of magical power, there was no direct sign of attack.

—What did he do?

Suddenly, a dim shadow covers the surroundings. The light emitted by Lucius's sword is extremely weakened.

Above Lucius, something that could even block out the sun is flying.

—A bird made of clouds?

A gigantic bird made of water vapor like a cloud was absorbing the light emitted by Lucius's sword.

"Do you really think such a trick would work?"

Before he knew it, Shaulia was in front of him.

Her form had already transformed into that of a beastman.

—Dragon woman.

Her entire body is covered in scales, and she has horns like a deer.

She wears armor on her chest, shoulders, and head, but her snake-like lower half is exposed.

Her face remains human, and excluding her excessively long torso, she appears similar to a mermaid.

"Experience the pain of the knights."

In her hand, a long spear is gripped, and a sharp thrust is launched at Lucius.

Immediately, a shield is manifested in his left hand. It is a technique of a shield wrapped in chains that he has had since Chiyou awoke.

The spear and shield collide, making a shrill noise. Shaulia, who had launched the thrust, immediately withdraws.

She's retreating too soon. There's no way she's tested the waters enough yet.

—What's going on?

At that moment, the shadow that was covering the surroundings deepened.

The cloud bird that was flying in the sky was diving towards Lucius. He leaps sideways to avoid the bird made of cloud clumps charging at him.

"Ugh."

The bird, which had crashed into the wall where Lucius had been just a moment ago, exploded, sending a shockwave around that was hard to believe was made from a mass of steam.

—What power!

Unable to withstand the blast with his shield, Lucius is blown away and slams into a distant stone wall.

In addition, the fragments of the destroyed wall rain down on Lucius's head. Without a moment to groan in pain, he used his shield to block the collapsing stones.

—That's overdoing it.

It's not a power you would use in a friendly match. If he didn't have the magic shield, he might have been killed.

Crawling out from the collapsed wall, he sees the three of them looking surprised.

"Tch, you're quite stubborn."

"To be unscathed from an attack by the artillery demon..."

Expedition leader Shaulia and Chief Karan casually exchange words.

—So this is an artillery demon.

The artillery demon is a creature that mainly inhabits the west.

It's an intelligent technique without a physical body.

Composed of magical power, it has a mysterious body. I've heard that it can emit powerful attacks from its body, which could be called an incarnation of techniques.

"How many more times can you fire Jiz?"

Shaulia asks the male knight.

"If I go all out, about twice more."

"That's enough. Chief Karan, I need Savitri's blessing."

"I know."

As Karan starts singing in a soft voice, particles carried by his voice are released.

The particles form an oval shape like an egg. There's a handsome young man's face on the egg, with small limbs attached.

—It's similar to my mother's technique.

As the egg appeared, a circle resembling a magic circle formed behind Karan, and words began to float up.

The egg was absorbed into the magic circle.

It was as if there was another space within the magic circle.

――There's something inside

It was a beautiful youth made of gold.

Although it resembled a brass sculpture, it was flexibly moving and drifting in the strange space inside the magic circle.

He occasionally peers into this side of the world, as if looking through a round glass window into a huge aquarium.

"Is it your first time seeing a spirit from the South? They can only become their true form in the subspace created by the formation. In the real world, they can't manifest unless they're wrapped in an eggshell."

Karan explained with a smile.

But his eyes were not laughing at all.

――What is...

Suddenly, Lucius' body became heavy.

It felt as if he had suddenly fallen ill with a severe cold.

Moreover, his consciousness became hazy, and a strong sleepiness attacked him.

"My spell directly interferes with a person's mind, making it sharper or duller. It's difficult to block even with anti-magic spells."

Karan, the head of the division, said with a smile.

"That's brutal."

He said, maintaining his calm despite feeling a chill.

The vanguard uses the Eastern style, which excels in close combat and physical combat.

The middle guard uses the Western style, which excels in long-distance attacks and destructive power.

The rear guard uses the Southern style, which excels in hindrance and support.

Each one has a role, and they attack in coordination.

It's fortunate that the Northern style, which excels in mobility, isn't here.

――This is the way of the knight

He maintained his strong spirit and prepared his sword and shield again.

Before he could fully prepare, Shaulia, who had transformed into a dragon woman, crawled closer.

Unlike before, there were several water spheres floating around Shaulia.

At the same time as she thrust her spear at Lucius, spears of water were fired from the water spheres.

――Water spells

He blocked the spear with his sword and the water with his shield.

But his body, heavy as if underwater, couldn't move as usual, and he couldn't counterattack.

Shaulia, the head of the brigade, thrust her spear again.

――Summon Soldier

In a split second, he activated the Summon Soldier spell, creating one armored soldier from the shadows.

He had the armored soldier take the approaching spear with his body.

The pierced armored soldier held the spear with both arms.

Seeing the opportunity when her weapon was fixed, he split the spear's shaft with his treasured sword.

Shaulia quickly let go of the cut spear and retreated, creating the next spear.

"...You're underestimating me? Just now, you targeted my spear instead of me."

"This is a friendly match... not a fight to the death."

Shaulia glared at Lucius.

"Ha, ha! That's good, Lord Lucius."

Karan, with the magic circle on his back, clapped his hands.

"But, you. You can't use the evil dragon's spell right now, can you? If you hold back too much, you might actually die."

Lucius looked at the black crescent moon that appeared on the back of his left hand.

"I've heard. Using the evil dragon's spell now will hasten the time limit until you're eaten, right? It's tough, being a top-class monster. My Savitri would never do such a thing."

The hand of the spirit, extending from the inside of the magic circle behind him, gently rested on the shoulder of Division Chief Karan.

He overlaid his own hand on top of it.

――I know

He had heard these words from the former head of the Orleans family, Gufel.

To buy as much time as possible, it's best not to use the Dragon Flame and Pressure Black spells.

Manifesting it is out of the question. There's even a chance he could be eaten on the spot.

"I came here seeking a solution, but it seems I'm not welcome."

If he's going to die, he doesn't mind dying.

The attacks have been like that from the start.

"I don't mind either way. But as the head of a division, I don't want to ruin my relationship with my members. It's the worry of a boss who has subordinates."

Despite his words, the fatigue that has been clinging to him like a curse since earlier is not loosened at all. In fact, it's even getting stronger.

The purpose of this friendly match has become clear.

The reason why there is no referee is also clear.

"So, this is retaliation under the guise of a match..."

The opponent is clearly confronting him in battle, knowing about Lucius's spells and conditions.

They have even prepared a spell to seal the light of his treasured sword, knowing that Lucius can't use the evil dragon's spell.

Naturally, they are attacking knowing that he also has an anti-magic shield. No wonder they haven't held back from the start.

"Even if you understand now, it's too late."

Shaulia deployed her water spell, and several water spheres floated around Lucius.

――A restraining move

"Now!"

Responding to Shaulia's call, a knight raised his right hand again and manifested a spell of a giant bird made of clouds.

The bird spell flapped its wings made of clouds.

And it approached Lucius, who had nowhere to escape, in a straight line.

――There's no choice

Lucius directed his consciousness to the magic core deep in his eyes and released a mass of magical power.

Flesh and bone crowded together and expanded, his viewpoint rose.

His body was covered in black armor, and all his nerves connected to the flesh and blood that was not his own.

Manifestation of Chiyou.

A ceremonial figure in a Western-style armor draped over a large body.

Lucius's second power.

He envelops his sword, which has grown in proportion to his body, in a condensed ray of light.

Without hesitation, the sword of Chiyou splits a nearby bird-like ceremonial figure in two.

A mass of steam, forced out from the cut surface, overflows, and the bird-like figure and the surrounding water orbs disappear with a deafening blast.

"Tha...t is…"

"Chiyou!!"

"He cut down a class 2 gun mage!?"

Exclamations of surprise leak out from the knights surrounding the area.

They are knights, immersed in battle.

Possessing high crisis avoidance skills, they quickly put distance between themselves and the battlefield, without any orders needed.

Looking down, as if droplets of water falling and splashing on the ground, a ring quickly spread around Lucius.

Lucius continues to run in his large body and briskly closes the gap between himself and Shaulia.

Shaulia also quickly readies her spear at the lower guard.

However, he cuts through the spear in one stroke.

Then he points the tip of his great sword, which transformed into a giant sword, at Shaulia's chest.

"You are the leader, right? Please admit defeat."

"Who... Who would... Who would ever admit defeat! I won't submit to a knight killer like you!"

"You understand, don't you? Anyone can see that it's already over."

The brigade commander Shaulia turns her neck backwards and orders the knight.

"Don't worry about me! Shoot Jiz at this guy!"

"Eh, no..."

The confused knight is cut off by a hand gesture, and division chief Karan interjects.

"It's fine, we've lost."

"Chief Karan! This is the knight's battle!"

"I know that. I promised when I took up my post that I would be your ally as much as possible. But even if you shoot Jiz, only Shaulia will die. There's no ceremonial figure here that can kill him in one hit."

Shaulia bites her lip.

"If you want revenge, the game was up until Lucius manifested Chiyou. Those were your words. You said it when we were planning."

"...Yes."

It seems everything had been orchestrated.

"Please, make the final declaration yourself."

Shaulia, seemingly defeated, lets go of her spear and musters up a small voice.

"...We've lost."

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