Episode 50
Dazzling sunlight shattered against the sanded training ground, casting long, sharp shadows of the two men.
As the match began, they surged toward each other without hesitation.
Clang—!
The violent ring of clashing steel tore through the silence of the arena. This was a spar of a different caliber, the weight behind their strikes a clear departure from the bouts that had come before.
Blades locked, they probed one another. The standoff silenced the onlookers.
The Captain Of The Blue Knights, having barely managed to catch Aiden’s heavy strike, broke into a cold sweat. “……This isn’t going to be easy.”
Yet, the competitive fire in his eyes burned brighter than ever. His sword-hand throbbed. He finally understood the sheer power that had sent the Red Knight’s rapier flying so futilely earlier.
Time blurred as they circled, hunting for a single opening. When the tension reached its breaking point, it was Aiden who shattered the stillness.
“I have a proposal.”
“What is it?”
“How about we allow the use of aura?”
Aura was a force reserved for those who had reached a state of enlightenment—the ability to condense one’s internal energy into the blade for devastating impact. Unless one was a master, it was rarely used in sparring; a single mistake could lead to grave injury.
The Captain Of The Blue Knights arched a brow. “You’ll regret it.”
“I will not.”
“Fine. From the moment we break this clinch, aura is permitted.”
The moment their eyes met in agreement, the locked blades sprang apart. Simultaneously, blue light erupted from both swords. The Captain’s azure aura swirled like a wildfire, crashing into Aiden’s steel with a roar.
The resulting shockwave kicked up a cloud of grit. The intensity was unprecedented for a training exercise. Instinctively, they widened the distance to cushion the blow.
Through the haze of the sandstorm, Aiden’s sword struck like a bolt of lightning, descending with the intent to shatter his opponent’s defense.
Kwah-gwang-!
The force was so immense it sounded less like metal hitting metal and more like a detonation. Sweat streamed down the Captain’s face. Despite wielding a standard longsword, it felt as though he were clashing against a specialized sword-breaker designed to turn steel into scrap.
‘This blade is finished.’
The Captain found something grimly refreshing in Aiden’s disregard for his own weapon. Knights usually treated their swords like their own lives, protecting the edges at all costs. This mercenary’s brutal, unfamiliar style made the Captain’s blood boil. It had been a long time since he’d felt this sensation.
He knew, however, that this pace could not last. He drew a sharp breath and condensed his remaining aura, intent on ending the fight in a final exchange. A blue glare intensified along his blade.
Aiden mirrored him, drawing up his own power.
They swung simultaneously. The collision sent a stinging shockwave rolling across the field.
“Ugh……!”
The Captain gasped, a guttural groan escaping his lips. They had traded power equally, but he was the one left coughing up blood—he had lost the clash of internal force.
Before he could recover, the assault continued. Aiden dropped his center of gravity, spinning low to strike at his opponent’s flank. The Captain scrambled to evade, his movements heavy and desperate.
‘Aiming for the lower body?’
Aiden’s form lacked the rigid structure of a knight’s training, making his trajectory impossible to predict. That momentary lapse in balance was the Captain’s undoing. As his footwork faltered, the tip of Aiden’s sword came to a dead stop against his throat.
Blood stained the Captain’s lips, forced up by his internal injuries.
“It’s…… over.”
Aiden exhaled a long, steady breath and lowered his weapon. The flickering flames of his aura vanished.
“That was a good match.”
“……Just who, who the hell are you?” The Captain coughed, spattering blood onto the sand. “Where have you been hiding such skill? Why show your face only now?”
“I was with the Geumeunhwa Mercenary Corps until recently.”
At the nonchalantly delivered truth, the Captain’s brow furrowed. “Don’t tell me… were you an executive?”
“…….”
“……Ah. You could have mentioned that beforehand.”
Finally grasping the source of such overwhelming strength, the Captain let his guard fall. He had been holding on by sheer willpower; the moment the tension snapped, he lost consciousness and collapsed.
✦ ✦ ✦
The Papiope Duchy was in an uproar.
The Duke had granted this volunteer a shortcut to the knight exam as a reward for protecting her daughter, but the man had proceeded to crush the Captain Of The Blue Knights in an exhibition match. It was unprecedented.
The knights of Papiope were elite, recruited for ability alone, ignoring lineage and status. That one of their own—specifically the Captain, who had fought with aura—had been so thoroughly defeated was a crisis of reputation. Fortunately, the Captain regained consciousness after a few hours, though the physician warned of a week’s recovery for his internal damage.
Declan, the Former Duke, and Viviana, the current Duke, deliberated on what to do with Aiden, who had shattered every expectation.
“Shouldn’t we place him in the Blue Knights, given his focus on swordsmanship?” Declan suggested.
The Duke shook her head. “No. Aiden is far too strong to be placed under the Captain’s command.”
“Hmm…… That is true.”
“Furthermore, if he joins the Blue Knights, the shadow of this defeat will forever haunt the Captain.”
It was a delicate issue that threatened to undermine the chain of command.
“But if we put him in the Red Knights, he’s not an Abilitator……”
“Tsk, why are you worrying so much?” Declan scoffed. “If the Blue or Red won’t do, there’s only one place left, isn’t there?”
“Don’t tell me, Father. Are you thinking about……”
“That’s right. The Black Knights.”
The Black Knights. The unit had dissolved when Declan retired, its members departing the force. It had been a handpicked squad, comprised of whoever Declan deemed worthy, regardless of whether they were Abilitators or commoners. They were essentially extensions of Declan himself.
If Aiden were placed in the Black Knights, the problem would be solved in its entirety.
The Duke slapped her forehead, a look of realization dawning on her. “My goodness, why didn’t I think of that from the start?”
Declan quickly drew a line. “I’m sorry, my daughter, but this father knew from the start.”
“Father, really……! Then why didn’t you tell me sooner?”
“I was sincere about wanting him under my own command. I was a bit greedy for him.”
“How on earth did you discern his ability in the first place?”
Declan looked grave. “I didn’t know either.”
As the Duke’s expression crumpled, Declan scratched his head, offering a sheepish defense.
“I knew he would fight well given his physique, but…… I didn’t think he would exceed my expectations by such a margin.”
Suppressing the urge to reprimand her father for his flippancy, the Duke returned to the issue at hand.
“……Fortunately, the position of the Black Knights’ Captain is vacant. Though I don’t know if he would welcome joining a unit that has no one else in it.”
Declan chuckled, dismissive of her concern.
“Still don’t get it? Aiden’s goal isn’t to become a knight of the Papiope Duchy. He is……”