Novel Will Be Taken Down on 17 May or Earlier Chapter 42 - Aura, long time no see (2)

I was horrified.

 

[Knights of Lionheart─Training Longsword]

 

[Grade: Rare]

 

[Restriction: Lv.200]

 

[Effect: When attacking, the opponent has a very low chance to ‘stun’ you.]

 

[Description: Long sword for training. The blade is blunt and it has poor killing power, but it is made with such excellent workmanship that it performs better than most blunt weapons.]

 

As expected of the Knights of Lionheart who were called the Empire’s Strongest.

 

‘Their training sword has rare grade.’

 

The level restriction was 200.

 

That meant I wouldn’t be able to use it if I hadn’t knocked down the great evil, right?

 

That alone was a surprise.

 

It wasn’t what horrified me.

 

“Action speaks louder than words. First, take it. Sir Hoyeol.”

 

Harkon handed the training sword.

 

The moment I held it in my hand.

 

Memories of last night suddenly come to mind.

 

Push-up.

 

Burpee est.

 

Run.

 

Pull-up…

 

Instead of discipline, it was more like overwork.

 

The moment I held the heavy longsword.

 

The side effect of that overwork started to feel intense.

 

…I couldn’t help but feel horrified.

 

‘I’m really struggling to use it. This is difficult!!’

 

Regardless of my pride, this is foolish!

 

But if I had known that.

 

‘I wouldn’t have been me in my second year of middle school.’

 

So I had no choice but to overcome it.

 

‘Ugh, seriously!’

 

I overcame muscle pain and raised the sword.

 

Of course, I had no expression.

 

I tried to strike a pose with an expressionless face.

 

I’d wielded a dagger a lot.

 

It was the first time I had ever held a sword like this since I became a proper player.

 

Naturally, I didn’t know how to hold a longsword.

 

So I refreshed my memory.

 

‘How did Harkon hold the sword?’

 

Grandfel’s talent shone again this time.

 

This body remembered.

 

Just like Harkon did in my memory.

 

I held his sword and lowered my posture.

 

I was practically a stranger when it came to swords, so it would be difficult to give an accurate evaluation, but… But my posture didn’t seem too bad.

 

Perhaps because of the perfect imitation.

 

I didn’t feel a gap.

 

‘Above all.’

 

If you look at those reactions.

 

“…Unbelievable.”

 

“….!!!”

 

It wasn’t just Harkon.

 

The knights who were taking a rest also looked at me as if they were possessed.

 

Rather than being intimidated by such interest, wasn’t I just enjoying it?

 

‘If only it weren’t for this muscle pain…!’

 

Enduring the pain.

 

I moved on to the next move like water.

 

Sk–

 

I cut diagonally.

 

This was also an imitation of Harkon’s strike.

 

Well, I didn’t know what it would look like in other people’s eyes.

 

Because this had always been an imitation.

 

‘It’s just like magic.’

 

In short, this was also a bottomless pit.

 

What kind of bottomless pit is this deep?

 

I thought so, but it couldn’t be helped.

 

Still, a bottomless pit was better than nothing.

 

Anyway, I should fill it up.

 

“…Ah, I got side-tracked for a moment.”

 

Harkon abruptly shook his head.

 

Then he said to the knights who were watching.

 

“The regular training ends here. Everyone, go do your own things.”

 

The knights disbanded in an instant.

 

Only me and Harkon remained.

 

‘…I don’t know what it was all about, but it’s an opportunity.’

 

This was a chance to give my body a little break from the screaming muscle pain.

 

By the way, I could see why the training longsword was for training.

 

It was that heavy.

 

Just swinging it would give you strength training.

 

Anyway, the moment I was about to put down the sword.

 

“Sir Hoyeol, you constantly amaze me!”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“No. Can you show me that swordplay again?”

 

…Hey, Harkon-ssi.

 

Are you really going to do this to me?

 

I feel like my shoulders are going to fall out……!

 

However, would the noble Grandfel fuss over it?

 

It wasn’t even in his dictionary.

 

I held the sword straight again with pride that transcended my body and swung it.

 

“I see, my eyes weren’t wrong.”

 

Are you laughing?

 

I wanted to ask.

 

But not only I couldn’t ask, Harkon also didn’t even give me a chance to talk.

 

“Sir Hoyeol, that swordsmanship must have imitated mine, right?”

 

“Indeed, you recognize it. Sir Harkon.”

 

As expected of the Knight Commander of Lionheart.

 

He didn’t have level 600 for no reason.

 

‘He realized at once that it was just an imitation.’

 

But I had the audacity to go on.

 

“If I want to learn, I have to be familiar with basic knowledge. But the only thing that could be the basic knowledge for me is your sword skill, Harkon.”

 

In short, it was simple.

 

Harkon’s swordsmanship was worth learning.

 

At the very least, if I have any skills related to swordsmanship, I will try to say that it is because of pride. But I don’t have a single damn skill…!

 

‘There’s no crazier bluff than this.’

 

But it wasn’t just once or twice I had done this.

 

I drew the sword without changing my face.

 

Clang–

 

Now, even if he asked me to show it one more time, I couldn’t.

 

My knuckles were still numb.

 

Fortunately, there were no encore requests.

 

Soon, Harkon said with a serious face.

 

“That’s why, I can’t help but feel nervous. I can’t believe Sir Hoyeol wants to get into swordsmanship through me. That fact alone gives me a lot of pressure…”

 

His eyes seemed to be burning with enthusiasm.

 

“Now that I know that Sir Hoyeol has a natural talent. This is no longer something to be taken lightly. The peaceful days are gone!”

 

The peaceful days are gone.

 

‘Somehow that sounds ominous, isn’t it?’

 

No, more importantly, what natural talent is he talking about.

 

All I showed was a get-ready posture that I imitated from Harkon.

 

How could he notice any natural talent from there?

 

“Even if you try to imitate it, it’s not something anyone can just imitate.”

 

Harkon said so and held his sword.

 

He entered the get-ready position that I took a while ago.

 

Seeing it once is better than listening to it a hundred times.

 

I could understand the meaning of that proverb as soon as I saw it.

 

‘…It was not an illusion.’

 

It was a really flawless posture.

 

I couldn’t see any gap.

 

A figure that couldn’t be approached easily.

 

Yes, a feeling of intimidation, like having a lion in front of you.

 

Harkon burst out laughing.

 

“Hahaha. Do you now understand why the knights freaked out, Sir Hoyeol? This basic posture is the final step that the Knights of Lionheart aim for.”

 

He continued.

 

“You just saw that posture and copied it!”

 

Now I knew why he called me a natural talent.

 

But it was a stark illusion.

 

“As expected, I dare not count your vessel’s capacity. Sir Hoyeol.”

 

It’s not a vessel, it’s a bottomless pit…!

 

But that truth,

 

I couldn’t say it with my own mouth.

 

“If that’s what you think, then it must be so.”

 

It was a plain answer.

 

I know what it meant.

 

Well, it was like that with magic.

 

‘I thought I was finally getting out of writing punishment essays.’

 

Talent and effort were two different things.

 

I used to stay up all night.

 

Swordsmanship wouldn’t be that much different.

 

So I couldn’t feel happy about it at all.

 

My arms and legs that were twitching from muscle pain.

 

I was certain this pain was just a taste of what was to come.

 

‘…You’re lonely.’

 

No one recognized my struggle.

 

As I thought I like that.

 

“…?”

 

Suddenly, a message appeared.

 

[You have trained beyond your limits.]

 

[You’ve met the conditions]

 

[You will be rewarded.]

 

If it’s a reward for training…

 

‘…My stat increase!’

 

I immediately checked the status window.

 

Strength and agility, up two points each.

 

I take back my words.

 

You’re the only one who recognizes struggle.

 

Class quest!

 

*

Hoyeol left the place.

 

Harkon couldn’t easily calm down.

 

“…Haha.”

 

It was pure joy.

 

As the leader of the Knights of Lionheart, it was the joy of being a warrior, not the joy of being the Emperor’s sword and shield.

 

Yes, if he had to compare it, it would be similar to the joy of a miner who discovered an ore.

 

“Who would have imagined?”

 

A mage.

 

Sir Hoyeol, who had enough skills to enter and exit the Mage Tower, was a sword aura user that would surprise the world!

 

Harkon was convinced.

 

“…What Sir Hoyeol should hold is a sword, not a staff!”

 

Of course, Harkon didn’t know anything about magic.

 

However, no matter how great Hoyeol’s magic talent was.

 

It couldn’t catch up to his martial art skill.

 

A talented person like that could be counted on one hand even across the continent.

 

So if Hoyeol had to choose between the two.

 

Sir Hoyeol had to choose sword aura.

 

That was Harkon’s conclusion.

 

“Unintentionally, I’ve come to take on a heavy responsibility.”

 

He should never let Hoyeol be disappointed with his teaching and lose interest in aura.

 

That’s why Harkon said the peaceful days were gone.

 

“I’m not going to stay still, I’ll have to start training too.”

 

Still, the positive thing was that Sir Hoyeol seemed interested.

 

‘Especially about the sword aura.’

 

When he thought so, he thought that perhaps.

 

“…No way, could he copy the aura and directly radiate it?”

 

Shake–

 

Harkon shook his head.

 

Yeah, that was too much.

 

Even if Hoyeol could do that, it had to be stopped.

 

In order to handle the sword aura, he had to be assisted with absolute physical strength.

 

‘Otherwise, you will be swayed by the sword.’

 

Harkon’s eyes were sharp.

 

‘Of course, Sir Hoyeol didn’t show it.’

 

He had seen Hoyeol’s arms tremble slightly.

 

It was only natural.

 

Talent and physical strength were two different things.

 

Hadn’t Sir Hoyeol been living his life as a mage regardless of his talent? It wasn’t unreasonable for him to lose his stamina just by holding his stance and swinging his sword.

 

Harkon remained silent.

 

“I apologize in advance, Sir Hoyeol.”

 

Still, shouldn’t he raise Hoyeol’s basic stamina first?

 

He thought of giving Sir Hoyeol a physical training session.

 

He was already at a loss.

 

It was something unimaginable for Harkon.

 

Why was Hoyeol’s arm shaking?

 

It was because he had an amount of training that even the Knights of Lionheart couldn’t withstand.

 

It was only because he carried it out so in the early morning.

 

Therefore, it was a useless worry.

 

“Maybe I should run with him. That will put him at ease.”

 

Of course, that useless worry didn’t last long.

 

.

 

.

 

.

 

Hoyeol didn’t lag behind in the slightest.

 

The sound of his breath was as tranquil as ever.

 

He didn’t even seem tired.

 

Harkon couldn’t believe it.

 

In the end, he shouted.

 

“Sir Hoyeol, isn’t this too different from yesterday?!”

 

Is this really the man who was struggling with a longsword?

 

*

 

Physical fitness was something I would welcome with open arms.

 

– Train your weakened body. (Repeat) ▲

 

• 20KM run (Successful)

 

• 1,000 push-ups (In progress)

 

• 500 pull-ups (In progress)

 

• 300 burpee tests (In progress)

 

I was able to carry out the repeated quest without wasting time.

 

Still, sweating every day was worth it.

 

I didn’t know about power, but I wasn’t inferior to the Knights of Lionheart in terms of physical strength.

 

Perhaps because of that.

 

 – ..Sir Hoyeol. It seems that I was greatly mistaken about you.

 

Harlon also seemed to think that further physical training was meaningless.

 

I felt bad but it couldn’t be helped.

 

I have no choice but to sweat at dawn like now.

 

At the lab of the Mage Tower.

 

Before sitting at the work desk.

 

I headed for the teacup on the service table.

 

Next to it was a magic tool, [Simple Lamp].

 

Whistle–

 

Boiling water was produced as soon as mana was injected into the circuit.

 

As expected from the magical tools of the Magic Tower, the level was quite high.

 

“It’s fascinating.”

 

It wasn’t to boil the water, it was to produce boiling water right away. It was an inefficient but high-level magic tool that perfectly suited the Mage Tower.

 

“Rocket delivery is more important than such private things.”

 

I clicked my tongue with regret.

 

I brewed a green tea bag I brought from home.

 

A sip.

 

Just a moment to enjoy a relaxing tea time.

 

I sat at my desk and checked the parchment.

 

Sure enough, there was news delivered.

 

Anyway, I didn’t know who it was, but they had a rash attitude.

 

It was the first time I’d seen the sender’s name on the front.

 

– Matis Dean Carl, senior mage of black magic school.

 

Senior mage.

 

In that case, this was definitely a matter of business.

 

– Demonstrate your ability. (In progress)

 

• Convince the majority of senior mages. (8/20)

 

Demonstrate my ability.

 

I knew what it roughly meant.

 

Let’s check the rest in a minute.

 

“More importantly.”

 

The news I had been waiting for appeared in the bottom row.

 

– The magic tool you requested for appraisal, [Vampire Count’s Orb]. These are the appraisal results for [Pure Emerald Crystal] and [Treasure of the Island, Silk Koi Scale].

 

I checked the contents immediately.