Chapter 110

Episode 110. The Strong One’s Consideration (4)

Before going to find the mercenaries, Keter spoke to Luke.

“From today, you’re out of my training.”

“Did I do something wrong, Instructor?”

“Calling me Instructor is over, kid. Now, live on your own. You’re free.”

“Why all of a sudden? At least tell me the reason.”

“Tsk, the next training is a mock battle for multi-person and team fights. Since Sephira has no swordsmen, we hired mercenaries. Do you understand why you have to be excluded?”

“Is it because there aren’t enough mercenaries? Or because I’m not participating in the tournament, so there’s no need for me to know?”

Thud!

Keter hit Luke’s forehead.

Luke could have dodged it if he wanted to, but he knew that dodging would be suicidal, so he didn’t.

“Are you still a child? Even if you pretend not to be, your emotions are clearly shaken. Are you disappointed? Do you realize how stupid that sounds, even as you say it?”

“…Sorry. Is it because of my ability?”

“Yes. Jairo, of course, is tight-lipped and won’t go around blabbing. But the mercenaries aren’t. Unless you kill them, you can’t stop them from talking. Unless you can control your ability.”

“I’ve tried… but my reflection ability doesn’t seem to follow my will. Or maybe I just don’t know how?”

“I can’t say for sure, but my intuition tells me it’s probably an ability you can’t control as you feel.”

There is no ‘invincible’ ability in this world.

Reflection is the same. There must be a weakness.

In the case of the reflection ability user Keter saw in Ruquer, the reflection ability only activated when his eyes were closed, and the reflected attacks dispersed in shockwaves centered around his body.

Catching that guy was extremely easy. The range of his shockwaves didn’t exceed 3 meters. I kept attacking him with sword aura from outside that range.

Abilities aren’t infinitely activated. They consume the user’s stamina and mental strength.

Eventually, that ability user collapsed from exhaustion, and Marhan took care of his eyes.

“How much do you know about your ability? Can you say you know everything?”

“I’ve experimented a lot in Ruquer… but I still feel like there’s a lot I don’t know. For example, does my reflection only transfer damage to humans? Does it also transfer to animals, insects, and monsters? The Red Comet’s mana arrow was reflected back… but I can’t be sure with just one instance.”

“There are also many weaknesses in your reflection. It doesn’t respond to joint locks or choking techniques. Poison is the same. I tested it, and it works even if there are other people around.”

“When did you test it…? Ah, was that when I had a stomachache?”

“Let’s move on. Like all techniques, the less the opponent knows, the better. Especially with abilities. The less information they have, the more you can use it. Of course, you can’t hide it forever. But with a reflection ability like yours, if used well, you can create an opportunity to kill even a 6-star Grandmaster. Do you understand?”

Luke’s pupils trembled.

Kill a Grandmaster? Me?

“If you play it safe, you could use it to kill a Master right now. The point is, even if you’re discovered, make sure to use it big before you are.”

“Then I should hide the fact that I have a reflection ability until then.”

“It would be hard as a swordsman. But as an archer, it’s not impossible. Or you could show your ability but eliminate all witnesses.”

“Hmm. So what should I do now?”

“Is that a soliloquy or a question? Be clear.”

“It’s a question. I know I depend on you. But I want to hear your advice clearly. I don’t want to miss this moment because of pride.”

“Since you’re honest, I’ll tell you one last thing. Now get out of my sight. That’s what you need to do.”

Don’t stick by my side as if we’re partners.

At Keter’s words, Luke’s body trembled.

‘Am I going back? To where I originally was…’

Back to Luke Blendor of the 97th Holy Knight Order, 1st Division of the Holy Knight Order.

The time spent with Keter was barely over two months. But those two months were the hardest, most meaningful, and thrilling days of Luke’s entire life.

Would he have to go back to being the boring, tensionless, cowardly Holy Knight of the past? The fear that had taken root like an instinct surged forward.

But Luke smiled.

No. I’m not the cowardly Luke of the past. I’ve overcome the curse. I’m not a coward anymore. And I’ve become stronger.

Thanks to the Lord. The Lord’s consideration in pairing me with Keter has made the current Luke possible.

Keter was young, but his experience and skill were exceptional. He shared his techniques and experiences with me without holding back.

‘Wanting to stay by his side is probably greed. Stupid greed. Besides, I… want to leave Sephira.’

I swore loyalty as a Knight of Sephira. I know it makes no sense to break that oath and leave now.

But even so, Luke wanted to leave. He wanted to unravel the mystery of his birth. He wanted to meet his family.

He had no intention of leaving Sephira recklessly. He still lacked experience and skill, and crucially, if the Lord didn’t permit it, he had no intention of leaving.

Luke took a deep breath.

Then, he reached out his hand to Keter.

“Until now, thank you so much. Really… if it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have changed.”

Slap!

Keter didn’t take Luke’s hand but slapped his palm and said.

“Just know it.”

“I’ll go.”

“Go.”

Even though it wasn’t a permanent farewell, Luke felt like he might cry for no reason.

Keter also had a few tears.

“Yawn, I’m getting sleepy too.”

Keter, who hadn’t slept in over 40 days, yawned lazily and wiped away the tears that came out.

* * *

“Number 1 has graduated.”

“Ah……”

Taragon didn’t pry. He knew well enough by now that Keter wasn’t the type to tell if asked.

Keter pointed to the ground.

“See the line on the ground? It’s 200 meters in radius. I’ll call this the ‘stage.’ From now on, fight without leaving this stage.”

He didn’t even ask what would happen if he crossed it. Knowing that punishment awaited, he vowed not to cross it no matter what.

“The rest of you, watch from outside the stage, and when it’s your turn, go in on your own. There’s no rest time or anything. The moment you enter the stage, the match begins. Number 2 trainee starts first. 1st Division, 1st Team, enter.”

The 1st Division, 1st Team, consisting of three Platinum Mercenaries, entered. They held swords but had awkward expressions.

It was understandable since their opponent was a direct descendant of Sephira. Although Keter said it was okay, they hesitated, wondering if attacking first would earn them resentment.

But Anis didn’t hesitate. As soon as the mercenaries entered the stage, he shot an arrow with all his might.

Thwack! Thud!

“Argh!”

The sound of flesh tearing and screams pierced the loosely attentive mercenaries’ ears. The arrow lodged firmly in a mercenary’s shoulder.

Keter shouted at the mercenaries.

“Only leave the stage if you can’t hold your sword or are too injured to stand. But remember. I’ll heal you myself, but if you’re faking it, I’ll make sure it’s not fake.”

“……!”

The mercenary hit in the shoulder didn’t drop his sword. Though in pain, he could still fight.

“Damn it, he shot first!”

Finally, the three mercenaries charged at Anis.

Anis didn’t hold back and shot arrows.

The distance between the mercenaries and Anis was about 50 meters. The mercenaries, who knew how to use aura, closed the distance in an instant.

Thunk! Ting! Thunk! Thud! Ting!

The sound of arrows being shot, deflected, and embedding themselves in bodies continued.

“Hyah!”

Two mercenaries charging forward were hit by arrows and fell, and only one managed to get close to Anis and swung his sword with all his might.

But the aura on the sword was weak. He had already used a lot of aura deflecting and dodging arrows on the way.

Anis, who didn’t back down, infused his bow with aura and deflected the sword head-on.

The mercenary responded like a true mercenary. He kicked the ground, sending dust into Anis’s eyes.

No one called it cowardly. Anis silently stepped back, avoiding the dust.

The mercenary seized the opportunity and unleashed a flurry of sword strikes at Anis. It wasn’t refined swordsmanship but a fierce, beast-like onslaught.

Anis opened his eyes wide and dodged each strike. Then, aiming for the end of the mercenary’s flurry, he struck the back of the mercenary’s hand with his bowstaff.

“Ugh!”

The mercenary let out a final scream and dropped his sword. He tried to draw a dagger from his waist, but Anis’s arrow was already aimed at his throat.

And that was Anis’s carelessness.

Slash!

The mercenary who drew the dagger slashed Anis’s chest. The fabric tore, and blood seeped out.

Anis stepped back and shouted.

“The match is over, why are you attacking?”

The mercenary, holding the dagger in a reverse grip, relaxed his stance as if it was ridiculous and said.

“Do you think I’d give up just because a blade is at my throat? Prince Keter clearly said to fight until you’re incapacitated.”

“…My mistake.”

Thud!

Anis quickly shot two arrows. The mercenary dodged the first but couldn’t dodge the second, which pierced his right palm holding the sword.

“This is how you end it decisively.”

Anis’s first multi-person match was over.

Anis couldn’t help but smile. He had taken down three Platinum Mercenaries, equivalent to a 2-star Knight, in one go. Something that would have been impossible in the past.

The results of the hellish training were evident. The speed of his arrows had dramatically increased. His physical strength had improved, but his ability to utilize aura and multi-infuse aura played a significant role.

But it was too early to celebrate. There were still many teams left to face.

Next up, Team 2 entered the stage.

They had seen Team 1 charge recklessly and get easily defeated, so they devised a different strategy. They didn’t rush but slowly pressed Anis, planning to deflect all incoming arrows.

In the end, that wasn’t a good choice. Anis fed them the Lion’s Bow.

“Gah!”

It wasn’t the slow, powerful Lion’s Bow of the past. Not as much as Keter’s, but it was both powerful and fast.

The mercenaries tried to block the Lion’s Bow by infusing their swords with as much aura as possible, but the swords shattered along with the aura.

When a mercenary with a broken sword tried to leave the stage, Keter shouted.

“Are you crazy? If you don’t have a sword, fight with your fists. If you don’t have fists, bite with your teeth. Do you think I paid five times the fee for you to go on an archery tour?”

Under Keter’s threat, the mercenaries picked up their broken swords and continued fighting, but it didn’t mean much. Team 2 couldn’t even get close to Anis and was defeated.

Next, Team 3 entered, charging but spreading out as they did.

Tatatatatak!

They zigzagged to make aiming as difficult as possible and to prolong the aiming time.

No matter how much they zigzagged, if you predict the speed and direction, the arrows will hit. But even the great Anis needed time to calculate.

The first two or three arrows missed widely, the fourth grazed, and only the fifth arrow finally hit a mercenary.

But Anis allowed two mercenaries to get close. Anis frantically blocked the attacks from the left and right with his bow and tried a kick.

Thud!

True to their nature as mercenaries skilled in chaotic fights, the mercenary slashed Anis’s leg as he extended it for the kick. The wound wasn’t deep, but Anis frowned, not expecting his leg to be attacked.

Anis, holding an arrow in his left hand, blocked the sword aiming for his thigh with the arrow and deflected the thrust coming at his shoulder with the bowstaff.

Close range. With two movements, Anis quickly nocked an arrow, drew it briefly, and released.

The mercenary hit in the abdomen by the arrow fired at close range collapsed.

Blood also flowed from Anis’s side. The mercenary’s sword had grazed him.

Thud!

Even after having his leg slashed once from a kick, Anis kicked the mercenary’s head again. This time, it landed properly, and the mercenary staggered.

Thud!

With the mercenary’s head still reeling from the kick, Anis struck the top of his head with the end of the bowstaff.

Blood spurted from the mercenary’s head.

“Uh, is that…?”

The mercenaries of Team 4, waiting for their turn, whispered. They were reacting as if he was dead.

Anis, clutching his painful side, said.

“I controlled the force. But he needs to be taken away.”

The mercenary who was hit in the head was unconscious, so the observing mercenaries took him away.

On one side of the stage, Keter was personally treating the injured mercenaries.

Burgundy, watching the treatment from the side, was amazed.

‘He’s a top-tier physician. Using mana to suture destroyed tissues and elixirs for rapid healing… He’s extracting the maximum efficiency with the minimum elixir.’

The more he watched, the more amazing Keter seemed. Blessed with a body that could wield both aura and mana, and possessing top-tier medical skills.

‘Sephira was hiding such a monster.’

Burgundy thought that perhaps Sephira had been stubbornly focusing on defense all this time because they were waiting for Keter to grow.

‘And what a ruthless training method this is. Not only treating injuries but also making them fight continuously without rest.’

Anis could only rest after facing 15 mercenaries, 5 teams.

Next was Taragon’s turn. Taragon also fought 15 mercenaries in a row.

But it took him 30 minutes longer than Anis, as close combat was more prominent.

“Next. 2nd Division, 1st Team, come out.”

Anis returned to the stage, and the 2nd Division entered. Unlike the 1st Division, it consisted of two Platinum and one Diamond Class.

A Diamond Class equivalent to a 3-star Knight. Moreover, having watched the 1st Division’s fight, they didn’t underestimate Anis and Sephira’s archery.

They seemed to have already discussed among themselves and quickly formed a formation. A ‘品’ shaped formation.

At the forefront was the Diamond Class mercenary. He confidently said.

“Just follow behind me. I’ll deflect all the arrows.”

That wasn’t a statement to the Platinum mercenaries behind him. It was a provocation to Anis, their opponent.

Anis silently nocked an arrow.

Suddenly, the days of fighting Jairo came to mind.

The arrows that were so helplessly blocked. Even the Lion’s Bow, which he had trusted as his strongest move, was easily blocked. The despair that his arrows wouldn’t work against a 3-star Knight had overwhelmed him.

But against these guys?

His arrows worked well enough against Platinum Class. But would they work against Diamond Class?

‘They will. Definitely.’

Ting.

Anis’s arrow, filled with belief, was quietly shot.