Chapter 25: The Night Lightning Bowed to the Sword

Hearing the two voices, I immediately turned to check Sir Dande and Sir Liam’s safety first.

If they were unharmed, they surely would have alerted me to the duo’s approach.

“Damn……..”

I saw the loyal knights buried up to their chests in the ground.

They must have been caught instantly by earth magic.

The plump one and the skinny one approached.

“‘Can’t do it’? Don’t say that.”

The skinny one pointed rudely at Seongbaek.

“Young Lord Berto.”

Seongbaek said in a voice full of indignation, as if trying to stop him.

“Why so, Berto? Elder Seongbaek has yielded the moment of revenge to us, hasn’t he? Look there. The pureblood young master is so exhausted he can’t even hold his sword properly.”

The plump one laughed heartily.

Skinny Berto laughed along.

“That’s what it meant? Orlando. Then I misinterpreted. We should thank the elder for draining him so.”

“Yes. Now, Seongbaek. Step aside. It’s our turn. It’s different from our original promise to finish him, but we’ll forgive that.”

Orlando pushed the weary Seongbaek aside and approached me.

The pushed Seongbaek sent a regretful gaze.

“Finally avenging Brother Ziverk. Humiliating him before so many nobles. Vile bastard.”

“Have you thought about handling the witnesses?”

Berto asked.

“Of course. Young Master fought valiantly against a bandit raid but succumbed to numerical inferiority, ending his regrettable life unable to use magic. The two knights too.”

“No. Not the knights.”

Berto looked at Seongbaek.

Orlando nodded with an “Ah.”

“Elder. Don’t worry. We’ll keep our promise. Your daughter, gained in old age, will continue attending the academy with our family’s support.”

It sounded like talking about a hostage.

I tried to pull my sword from the ground, but no strength entered my arms.

My body burned hot; blood vessels glowed blue in patches.

Muscles melted from overexertion were being regenerated.

Insane.

Mentally, I was near my limit too.

My throat had nearly been severed.

I lacked energy to twitch even a finger.

Could I beat those two now?

Berto approached, dipped a finger in my blood on the ground.

He sent me a greedy gaze.

“Truly clear. No wonder the elders sing ‘pureblood, pureblood.’ No vial? I want to take some.”

“For potions?”

“No. Just decorate with it. It’s enchanting.”

“Do as you like.”

Orlando answered casually and looked at me.

“To think he lived swinging a sword with this. Tsk, pitiful fellow anyway.”

Then Seongbaek repeatedly closed and opened his eyes.

“Truly.”

The two turned to him.

“Huh?”

“What did you say?”

Seongbaek ignored their gazes and looked at me.

Eagle-like eyes were upright.

“Do you truly wish to be active on the battlefield with the sword, Young Master? Do you believe you can?”

I answered without lowering guard.

“If your swordsmanship adds to my senses. Then I thought I could.”

Hearing that, Seongbaek pushed Orlando aside and came to my side.

From experience, his breathing had somewhat recovered.

“What are you doing now?”

“Seongbaek!”

He ignored them and raised his military sword.

He aimed the sharp tip at Orlando and Berto.

SHIIIING.

The wavy-patterned blade rang clearly.

“W-what is this?”

“Have you forgotten which city boarding school your daughter is in?”

Seongbaek didn’t answer them.

He glanced at me with a sad expression.

“Young Master. My thoughts still haven’t changed.”

“No matter how you train the body or master mighty swordsmanship, you cannot surpass magic’s power.”

The elder, impression like a rock worn by time, said.

“On the battlefield, the most important is killing power. How many enemy soldiers you can sweep in one go determines a unit’s value.”

“No matter how you train the sword, one slash cannot kill a hundred or a thousand.”

But, he continued.

“Young Master will be different from me. I’ll believe that.”

He whispered one more word.

“Open your mouth and breathe in. Thick blood recovers better that way.”

Finishing, Seongbaek glared at Berto and Orlando as if to sever their throats immediately.

The two young nobles faced each other and stepped back one by one.

“I will hold you accountable for commissioning Young Master’s murder.”

Dizzying killing intent burst from the elder’s broad back.

“Knew this would happen.”

Plump Orlando said, teeth chattering.

Then I felt a tingling at lips and fingertips.

Mana reacting to strong will.

“Seong, baek!”

I called his name, but a step late.

Blue light flashed in the darkened forest beside the clearing.

Followed by yellow current snaking out like a viper.

FLASH!

Seongbaek, completely defenseless, collapsed to the ground like a great tree breaking.

His armor-like muscles trembled in convulsions.

Part of the current that hit Seongbaek surged toward me too.

Because of the steel breastplate.

I need to evade—the moment I thought, I was already rolling on the ground.

Smoke rose from my thigh.

Reflexively gripping my sword and standing, I realized limbs had recovered.

“Lightning mage?”

Lightning.

A powerful attribute superior in both grand mage and grand knight matchups.

And the attribute of the noble I beat down today at noon.

“Orlando. You make me move after all.”

A figure emerged as if by lie from behind a tree I thought empty.

Tall, wearing a plain coat with silver decorations, steps disciplined with noble grace.

Hair left natural, not tied, waving down to waist.

The moment he stepped from forest to clearing, moonlight poured down.

His long hair was blood-blue.

“Sorry. Brother Trichitas.”

“But I can’t let you break after Ziverk.”

“Lord Trichitas?”

Berto gaped at him.

“You know me?”

“I heard you led Young Lord Habinan with the sea mage grandmaster on the battlefield and achieved merit.”

“Habinan? Ah. Heard he’s preparing for the exam now. Talented wind mage.”

I retreated a step, wary.

Completely different atmosphere from noon.

I hadn’t sensed him nearby; he seemed a generation above me and them.

At least twenty years older.

“Oh? To stand after that hit, impressive. Even if grazed, red blood would’ve died instantly.”

“Speak respectfully. Don’t you know who I am?”

Exhausted, I decided to use bloodline authority.

Trichitas fell silent before him.

“I am the son of Intezeruto’s great house head Argantius, brother to successor Ribelia, and these are rebels who tried to kill me.”

At Father’s name, Orlando and Berto frowned.

“If you oppose me, your life falls to the gutter. If you don’t want demotion to a border fortress rolling for centuries, retreat now.”

He bit his lip.

“Yes. Touching a direct pureblood young master is madness.”

“You know.”

“But I see no honorable young master.”

“What?”

“How dare a mere sword-wielder be rude to a mage! If you’re truly honorable, use magic.”

“Will you believe if I prove blood color?”

“I said use magic.”

Damn.

“A willpower-weak cripple who can’t even handle mana dares bear Intezeruto’s name. You’re the family’s shame.”

I took charging stance again.

“Let’s be clear. You intend to kill me?”

“Yes. As long as you live, you’ll be Intezeruto’s stain forever.”

“Good. Heard well.”

Attribute-wise, I’m disadvantaged.

Needed a big variable.

Instead, I provoked him.

“But I have no intent to kill you.”

Trichitas wore a puzzled expression.

“Story I learned since eight. If you sever necks for every dislike, none remain in the family. Coldly calculate profit; if sparing is beneficial, spare.”

I arrogantly raised my chin and declared.

“You’ll be sent to a border fortress. Shuttle small cities under 10,000 population forever, Trichitas. Rot.”

His face crumpled visibly even in darkness.

“Berto, Orlando. Your families will pay dearly for raising incompetent youths. Massive compensation. You two lose one limb each; forget public office forever.”

“Still think you’re the successor?”

Yellow electricity sparked from Trichitas’s hand.

Hearing the crackle, crackle, I said.

“It ends this lightly because I’m not the successor.”

Buried Sir Dande and Sir Liam regained consciousness; their conversation faintly heard.

“Very noble.”

“It ends this lightly because not successor. Heh. Cool, right?”

“Cool. Makes me want to follow forever.”

“Yes. But important is how to break through the lightning. If fail, noble or not, buried with us.”

“Then prepare. If Young Master breaks through, we move too.”

Tension and excitement filled the knights’ voices.

In that everyday tone, I relaxed unnecessary tension.

Throbbing head from fatigue cooled.

I loosened breastplate shoulder and waist straps, threw off gauntlets.

“What are you doing?”

“No need for armor against you.”

Sword alone would conduct; no need to be a living lightning rod.

Trichitas gathered electricity between hands.

Yellow current swelled like a ball in his palms.

“Cripple! Feel the pain of blood burning!”

“I’ll take those hands for a bit.”

I answered, aiming my sword.

“Ha!”

Shouting, I recalled the sensation pushing Seongbaek’s wind blade.

Body heated again; muscles hardened strand by strand.

Not yet.

Not yet.

When Trichitas laughed and current radiated, I felt blood surge to the sword again.

Anxiety like sword breaking would bleed, but also exhilaration different yet similar.

Current branched like tree limbs, hitting my sword.

CRACKLE! Loud noise; countless sparks flew.

But current climbing my sword didn’t burn my right arm.

“Huh?!”

Trichitas wore a cat-bitten-by-mouse expression.

Current hitting my sword scattered like iron beads on ice.

As if a translucent barrier wrapped my sword.

‘The mindset of believing oneself right and bending the world to one’s will is truly blue-blood.’

Suddenly recalled the tutor’s words.

I charged, feeling muscles tear in pain.

Senses and mind complained of fatigue and pain.

Current crackling on forward sword split and dispersed into air.

The induced current clung, smoking arms and legs, but didn’t stop me.

Trichitas’s face cycled surprise, shock, chaos, fear.

“Uh, uh?”

Mouth opened as if wanting to say much, but only that came.

“Don’t say anything.”

Crossing, I laid the blade flat and slapped his cheek.

The sound rang clear in the night mountain; the elite lightning mage’s head turned, collapsing powerless in the clearing.

THUD.

Glanced at Seongbaek.

He smiled in awe.

I turned to Berto and Orlando fleeing to the clearing edge.

They were half-dazed.

“Come closer and I kill these.”

Somewhat sane Berto pressed a dagger to Sir Dande’s neck.

Then Sir Dande pulled both buried hands out.

Twisting Berto’s wrist, he spun and escaped the soil.

“Aaaagh!”

Berto, eyes rolling in pain, gathered wind.

Sir Dande didn’t blink, drew his sword.

Strength entered forearm and abdomen.

Sword swung slow and balanced close-range; gathering wind cut and scattered.

A strike cutting magic.

Sir Liam also escaped the soil.

Orlando pulled earth thorns to stab him.

Sir Liam stepped forward, twisting pelvis and right ankle.

Simultaneously, knight’s sword swung like cut rope.

His true cut severed three earth thorns at once.

I can leave that side to them. I ran to Seongbaek trying to rise.

“Are you okay? Lie down. Hit by lightning magic, you’re burned inside.”

“This much I can endure.”

“Endure? You’re not thick blood like me.”

Seongbaek stood fully and answered.

“The direct hit on me was weak. Probably to temporarily stiffen my muscles.”

Seongbaek’s words had double meaning.

Weak so he could endure, and even weak power could temporarily disable a swordsman of his level.

Thus, as said earlier, no future for swordsmanship.

I breathed small, looking at the elder’s again-clouded eyes.

“You’re right.”

“Yes?”

“Everything you said earlier is correct. Magic is overwhelming power; swordsmanship falls short in killing power. Just the thought of facing with this iron is fearful power.”

But, I continued.

“But I don’t want to give up—what can I do?”

“Young Master.”

Convulsions in his voice.

“Master mighty swordsmanship, stand on the battlefield, achieve recognized merit, become the greatest knight, be acknowledged as noble. For that, I absolutely need Elder Seongbaek’s help.”

Systematize techniques, refine motions, learn many swordsmanships, create the most suitable against magic.

No one better than Seongbaek, honed a hundred years.

Seongbaek’s tightly closed mouth; gaze touched fallen Trichitas and fell.

“Sir Anplus! Finished.”

“Me too.”

Sir Dande and Sir Liam stabbed Berto and Orlando’s sides and thighs.

Draining strength, prone to induce bleeding.

Seongbaek alternated between them and me.

“Did Young Master teach them?”

“We learned together. Together. How about joining us? Think. If that technique flowing lightning meets your swordsmanship, how strong it could become.”

Seongbaek distorted his wrinkled face.

“If you said learn my swordsmanship to stand on battlefield, I’d refuse.”

Then?

“Young Master shows astonishing skill I’ve never seen at this age, and says join.”

The elder’s face gradually brightened.

“Seongbaek!”

“I don’t want to give up. Everything I learned over a hundred years, even sword manuals from perished kingdoms I collected—all! Take all.”

I saw relief and overwhelm coexist on the elder’s face.

Perhaps when Seongbaek was my age, he harbored such a dream?

“You must succeed! Absolutely become a knight-noble.”

***

We handed the three young nobles we faced to their families and had time to train techniques with Seongbaek.

“Three practicing together?”

Seongbaek frowned and asked.

Sir Dande and Sir Liam fidgeted.

I felt slight unease and asked back.

“Any problem?”

Seongbaek answered.

“Big problem. This won’t do. Your strengths are too different.”