Chapter 74 - Because I Trained Every Moment (3)

Even though it was the second floor, it wasn't that high.

Still, falling with the weight of an adult male, plus being roughly fully armed, was practically suicide.

Encrid pushed, catching the opponent's stomach with the crown of his head, and.

He caught his balance as he fell.

The opponent was completely caught off guard by the sudden tackle.

*THUD! * They hit the floor, their bodies piling on top of each other.

Encrid was on top, and the assassin was on the bottom.

"Cough!"

The fallen assassin vomited blood.

Encrid, pushing the opponent away and standing up, let out a deep breath and checked his physical condition.

'No injuries.'

No joints or ligaments were damaged either.

Then that was enough.

Separating the assassin from the escort target.

That was the first priority of an escort.

Jaxon was blocking the way to the second floor, and.

The Fairy Company Commander would solve the remaining minor problems.

While checking his body, he also realized he had no particular injuries on his back.

Blocking the opponent's blade with his body was also calculated to some extent.

'The armor.'

The armor he obtained while robbing the Gilfin Guild the other day.

The one who correctly recognized its value was Rem.

"It doesn't look like it'll get cut by ordinary sword strikes. Hmm, it's precious demonic beast leather, so put it to good use. The materials needed just for tanning it are no joke; what kind of idiot dies leaving this behind instead of wearing it?"

Originally, there was a curse placed on the box, and.

It was an item the dead guild master had merely held onto because he couldn't break the curse.

Because the curse, for some reason, had not worked on Encrid.

He was able to achieve the feat of not shedding a single drop of blood even after taking the opponent's blade with his body.

However, since there was nothing he could do about the impact even if it roughly blocked a sharp piece of metal, he was grateful to Audin.

The isolation technique built his body.

He learned wrestling as a way to use that built body.

With the skills he had learned and mastered in that way, Encrid protected his body.

It was possible because he had trained and trained every moment.

Dodging the blade, subduing the opponent, all of it.

If he had spent even a single day in vain, would this day exist?

No. He could say that for certain.

"You're a lunatic."

He could see the mask was soaked with blood flowing from the man's mouth. As if finding it stifling, the guy tore off his mask.

It was an unfamiliar face.

It was only natural. The population residing in the Border Guard alone exceeded 5,000, so how could he know every single face?

However, he did feel it was slightly familiar. A strange feeling, as if they had crossed paths while coming and going.

"Cough."

The guy coughed again. It was a cough mixed with blood. Blood soaked the man's beard and dripped to the floor. Even so, the guy glared at Encrid.

His eyes were full of murderous intent. A determination to absolutely kill him radiated intensely.

SHING.

Encrid drew his longsword.

The opponent drew a gladius in one hand and a shortsword in the other, gripping them separately.

'Dual wielding.'

An unwavering balance from left to right; seeing him vomit blood from his mouth, his internal organs were definitely damaged, but his eyes were alive.

A man who had experienced the battlefield. It was a signal Encrid's instincts were telling him.

His age was visible on his face. He was at least well over thirty. If he was someone who had survived for that long, he would surely have a hidden trick or two.

'He looks like he uses an unorthodox sword.'

An attack in a more bizarre form than normal swordsmanship would come. It was a prediction based on what was visible.

"Gurgle, ptui."

The opponent, perhaps with blood filling his nose, sniffled with a sound similar to a pig's squeal, spat out blood-mixed phlegm, and asked Encrid.

"What's your affiliation?"

"What's it to you?"

"If you're in the standing army, you'd be my junior."

Junior?

He showed his question through his expression. Meanwhile, Encrid's eyes continuously scanned the opponent's entire body.

There were fewer openings than expected. His stance was clean.

"I even served as a Platoon Commander."

The man said. Encrid believed the opponent's words. Because that didn't change anything, though.

Was there only one or two guys who had been in the military and then discharged?

A guy who left because he was crippled.

A guy whose name left only because he died.

A guy with all his limbs intact, but left because he caused trouble.

There were countless cases.

Among them, there were also guys who were discharged perfectly fine.

For example, if one chose military service instead of prison, they could choose to be discharged when their mandatory service period ended.

"Belong to the Slaughterers?"

The opponent asked again.

Encrid lightly shook his head. There was only one reason he answered. To find the opponent's weak point.

But it was still the same. He didn't easily reveal an opening.

He must be pretty good.

Encrid thought as he stealthily lowered the tip of his sword. As the position of his sword subtly changed, the opponent also changed the position of the swords in both hands. He was a formidable opponent. Both instinct and reason told him the same.

"Phew, that's better now. I was dizzy because my stomach was churning, but I can just kill you, go upstairs and kill that bitch, and leave."

The opponent spoke as if it were an easy task, like picking up a copper coin dropped on the floor.

This time, he didn't answer.

Because there was no time for that.

At the same time he spoke, the opponent dashed forward. He was fast. The gladius and shortsword danced as they roamed through the air.

Left and right, both hands moved to a different rhythm.

'Valen Duet.'

It was a technique he knew. Though he hadn't been able to attempt it due to the limits of his talent.

The two swords with different rhythms both aimed for a fatal blow. The opponent's footwork and swordplay were both formidable.

As soon as Encrid saw the opponent's charge, he gripped the hilt with both hands, lowered the tip of the sword, and let the sword hang behind his left waist.

The charging opponent's eyes glinted.

Encrid did not panic. Heart of a Beast gave him boldness.

He couldn't predict the opponent's movements. Because the Valen Duet was an art he couldn't realize with his own body.

That didn't mean he couldn't face it, though.

STEP.

He put his left foot forward, and.

He moved at his own rhythm, regardless of the opponent's rhythm.

The two blades flew in as if drawing a circle, and.

Before they could reach him, Encrid moved.

"Your strength is certainly top-notch."

Even as Audin cursed him for being dull in everything else, he acknowledged his strength alone.

A way to crush an opponent's unorthodox sword with strength and the Heavy Sword Technique; Encrid knew it.

SWOOSH.

The longsword cleaved through the air. The blade mixed with Valerian steel cut horizontally through the space.

Of course, it didn't just cut space.

SMASH, SPLAT!

A middle horizontal slash.

Strength against finesse.

The number of spars he had done so far numbered in the dozens.

His skills, which had drastically improved since he started repeating today, had vastly expanded the scope of what he could glean during sparring.

Things he had missed without seeing or feeling were perceived through Heart of a Beast, Sense of the Blade, and Concentrate on a Single Point.

He recreated and trained what he perceived with his body, and.

His body, which didn't keep up, was overhauled using the isolation technique.

It was the same as dodging a dagger with just a nod of his head.

However, this time, the only difference was that he had resolved himself and swung his sword.

Through his built body, he twisted his muscles using his left foot as an axis and struck out.

That entire process happened in an instant, and.

The blade that cleaved the middle sliced halfway through the opponent's body.

There was an attempt by the opponent to block and deflect with one sword to step inside, but he crushed that finesse with pure strength.

It was a complete victory of strength.

Encrid looked at the guy whose body was cut in half, spilling out innards steaming with heat.

"Farewell. Senior."

Even with his body cut in half, he showed tenacious vitality. His eyes were full of lingering regret.

He muttered, his lips trembling violently. Encrid read the shape of his mouth.

"Glory to the fatherland."

Was all of this an expression of loyalty to the country? Did that lead to assassination?

He didn't know.

However, it seemed worth checking out.

After swinging his sword to flick off the blood and sheathing it with a *shing*, only then did the Fairy Company Commander and Jaxon come outside.

"You fight quite noisily."

As he spoke, Jaxon's eyes swept over Encrid's entire body once.

He didn't seem to have any particular injuries.

Only the scratches obtained while bursting through the window.

"My lover should at least be able to do this much."

The Fairy Company Commander spat out a scandalous word in her usual, blunt tone.

"They'll misunderstand. If someone else hears."

Flustered, the word 'misunderstand' came out first. His words were backwards.

"Is that so?"

The Company Commander moved past it as if it were no big deal.

"You captured some of them alive, right?"

"We did."

At Jaxon's words, Encrid nodded and went inside.

Going to the first floor, he saw those who had already been tied up.

Looking around, he didn't see many of the people who had been the merchant association's escorts. It meant there were dead people.

'The level of the attackers.'

It wasn't high. However, that was only by Encrid's standards.

They would have been quite difficult for normal merchant association escorts to deal with.

Above all, the opponent he had killed at the end was a retired soldier.

He would have been able to slice down a clumsy mercenary or two in one breath.

Where did a group like this pop out from?

A question naturally arose.

Upon entering the first floor, the escort target, the young lady of the merchant association, had already come down.

The surroundings were blood and corpses, and there were also those of allies mixed in.

It was practically the middle of a battlefield.

Since there had been at least over twenty ambushers.

More than half of them were killed or captured by the hands of the Company Commander and Jaxon, and.

He also saw three or four merchant association people throwing up. It was understandable.

Since corpses, blood, and guts were rampant.

Yet, she only furrowed her brow, looking calm.

She approached, clicking her boot heels.

"Your name?"

The woman approached and asked. Encrid pointed at himself with his finger.

Nod.

Seeing the opponent nod her head, Encrid opened his mouth.

"I am Encrid."

"Are you alright?"

The woman asked while gesturing toward his back, and Encrid nodded.

It was thanks to the leather armor. Just as Rem said, it wouldn't be cut by ordinary sword strikes.

He had grasped the opponent's level in an instant, and he blocked it because he judged it was fine to block it with his body.

If that hadn't been the case, how would he have blocked it?

He would have used other means. He might not have ignorantly tried to block it with his body, but at that moment, he thought that was the best option.

"I see. I will make sure you are compensated later."

He didn't exactly do it because he wanted a reward.

"It's fine. It's my mission."

At those words, the woman mumbled her lips a few times before speaking.

"I am Leona."

"Yes."

He already knew her name.

After stating her name, she looked around, taking a long, deep breath and exhaling.

"Provide compensation to the bereaved families of the deceased."

"Yes, my lady."

The nanny approached and answered while her legs were trembling uncontrollably. She seemed more startled than Lady Leona herself.

Seeing vomit smeared around her mouth, it looked like she had already thrown up a storm after seeing the surroundings.

The nanny consciously tried not to look at the floor.

On the other hand, Lady Leona.

'She's composed.'

Because she was more indifferent to this kind of thing than expected?

No. Her resolve was different.

Or she had been prepared.

Encrid looked back at those cleaning up the surroundings and stepped back.

Leona also didn't initiate any more conversation.

Encrid moved to one side of the inn and saw the owner's dismayed face.

It must be the first time for him as well to experience such a situation.

Just what kind of lunatic had really pulled this off; he went beyond being curious to absolutely wanting to know.

'Glory to the fatherland.'

It did sound like it meant there was a spy for Aspen within the Border Guard.

"The guy who looked like the ringleader escaped."

Jaxon said from beside him.

"Why didn't you catch him?"

"Why should I?"

He came to escort, so he would escort. This was precisely the proper attitude of a soldier carrying out a request.

Jaxon conveyed his meaning through his attitude beyond his words, and.

Encrid did not reprimand him for it either.

Still, it would be better than bringing Rem or the other squadmates.

"Good job."

"There are two days left."

It sounded like a call to remain faithful to the escort mission. Work is work. Although Jaxon's words were true.

'I am curious about the mastermind behind this, though.'

It was an event that had occurred in the early evening. As darkness fell, only the stench of blood filled the air.

The few customers who had been there packed up their rooms and left.

By the time the inn owner's face began to contort even more, Lady Leona spoke.

"Our merchant association will cover the damages."

Looking at her back as she spoke, she didn't look like a frightened bird. She was dignified.

She probably hadn't just grown up sheltered within the merchant association.

Encrid silently looked at her back and asked.

"Are we staying up all night? Company Commander?"

"Do you want to?"

"No."

"We'll take turns, go rest first."

"Yes."

Without declining, Encrid went up to the second floor.

As he went up, he clenched and opened his hand.

What was the level of the opponent he had killed?

He seemed to be at least on the level of that Stabbing Pervert he had met on the battlefield during the first repetition of today.

Because he had used a trick by falling from the second floor, the opponent had to fight with an injury.

'His internal organs were damaged, and.'

Proper strength probably wouldn't have gone into his limbs either.

Even so, the light cast upon the emblem of victory did not dim.

'Even if he were in perfect condition, I would have won.'

Confidence, a word he had never properly possessed since he was born.

That bloomed, even if just a little, within his heart.

He would still walk like a turtle, but it would be a different step than before.

Encrid thought he had taken one step closer to his dream. Although it was so faint it might not even look like he had lifted his foot.

The fact that he had moved forward gave him a sense of fulfillment.

"I survived thanks to you."

One of the escorts encountered him while coming down the stairs.

"If we hadn't requested an escort from the Border Guard……."

The female escort's complexion turned deathly pale as she spoke. She was the woman in charge of Leona's close-quarters escort.

To think she was already walking even with a hole punched in her stomach.

He wondered if she was crazy and wanted to die.

"It was shallow. It was close. My internal organs weren't injured."

Perhaps feeling his gaze, the escort spoke.

"That's a relief."

They looked at each other awkwardly before Encrid passed by her and went up first.

"Thank you."

The female escort said again. Encrid took it lightly as no big deal.

It was something he had to do.

Because that was his mission and request.

Encrid rested for exactly half a day and woke up at dawn.

"Shift change. Squad Leader."

It was the Company Commander's call. Although he had already opened his eyes before that.

The Company Commander, Encrid, and Jaxon shared one room together.

There was no problem using it in turns. In the first place, they were soldiers before they were men and women.

There had been an attack even though they had escorts from the Border Guard's standing army.

It was something brought about by that attack.

In front of the inn, a force of two squads deployed. It was the 2nd Company's troops.

"Whichever son of a bitch it is, I will definitely catch and kill them for you."

One of the Platoon Commanders under the 2nd Company confidently stated.

He heard that they took the ones who were captured alive.

Encrid went down alone.

They had cleaned it diligently, but the hall still had a faint smell of blood mixed with a few other unpleasant odors.

The dim light of a candlestick illuminated the inside of the hall. There was no one around.

As for the regular customers, they had already left for other inns a while ago.

Thanks to that, the main hall was completely empty.

Encrid occupied one of the tables and sat down.

And he began his mental simulation.

That was natural for him.

Even if he wasn't necessarily repeating today, it was something he had continuously done.

As he was doing his mental simulations and the training he could do while seated.

Just before the morning sun rose, someone came down the stairs.

"You're up early."

It was the escort target, Lady Leona.