Chapter 13

Reincarnated as a Sword Emperor in the Sword Clan (13)

'The very perception of this was something the Fifth Squad members themselves did not realize was fundamentally flawed.'

Leonard thought this.

When he had faced No. 157 before, he felt there was little difference between himself without the memories of the 'Sword Emperor' and his current self.

No. 381 and No. 157.

Though numerically there were over 200 people between them, in reality, it was as if there was no difference at all. It was a gap that could be overturned at any time by mental qualities like aggressiveness and confidence.

If he could fill in the gaps, it meant he could be a full-fledged force at any time.

'When you think about it, it's only natural. We've all undergone the same physical training and swordsmanship training, so there's no way there could be such a big difference in skill.'

Whether they were higher or lower numbers, they were all of the Cardenas bloodline and possessed talents that no one could call mediocre. If they had undergone the same amount of training, the difference in their abilities could only be minimal.

'Even if not direct descendants, the ability to manifest special traits is something that can only be found among the top ranks within the top 100.'

They could be considered a handful of elite talents, regardless of which faction they belonged to.

While the Fifth Squad members, who were treated as the weakest, might not reach this level, they could still fight fiercely against others. If only their low numbers and lack of confidence could be boosted.

"Look! I, No. 25, told you they could do it!"

And the one who performed this role beyond expectations was No. 3, who was now loudly encouraging them.

A symbol of the collateral line fighting against the direct line, her leadership, rising from the bottom to No. 3, easily swayed the Fifth Squad members who did not know their true worth.

No. 1 also soon noticed her and raised his voice.

"No. 3! After running away like a dog, you've joined the ranks of someone weaker than you! You should be ashamed!"

"Huh? Weaker than me? Who?"

No. 3 said with a genuinely puzzled expression.

"Having faced both you and No. 25, I can say that No. 25 was stronger. When I faced you, I could at least run away, but with No. 25, I couldn't do anything and was completely defeated."

Of course, this was when he had an injured left arm, had been starving for a day, and was on the verge of collapsing from fatigue.

Since it wasn't a complete lie, No. 3 remained calm, and No. 1's face twisted in a dangerous manner upon seeing this.

His status was being diminished in front of everyone.

"Interesting. Then there's no choice but to prove it, is there?"

No. 1's fighting spirit, which had been aimless due to the sudden situation, began to waver towards No. 25.

Leonard met his gaze without flinching and replied.

"Wait a little longer. It'll be over soon."

Indeed, as he had said.

'Right now, we are the strongest force in this forest.'

The numbers of the First, Second, and Fourth Squads, who had been fighting before the Fifth Squad's intrusion, had dwindled to less than 80 in total.

Continuing to fight in a disadvantageous setup, the Second and Fourth Squads had only about 20 members left, while the First Squad had around 60.

If things had continued, the First Squad would have eliminated the remaining forces of the Second and Fourth Squads before No. 1 could counterattack, and then surrounded the area to prevent the higher numbers from escaping.

But this didn't happen because the 60 or so trainees of the Fifth Squad, now the Sixth Squad, attacked them.

'It's over.'

The higher numbers, who could potentially cause problems, were all taken down by No. 3 as she ran around, and the rest were overwhelmed by numerical and physical superiority.

The Three Talents Formation (三才陣) that he had taught them in just a few days was also doing its job.

'Even if it's embarrassing to call it a formation, it's just assigning roles to three people and having them move accordingly.'

Compared to knowing nothing, it was like the difference between heaven and earth.

When the Sixth Squad trainees advanced in a triangular formation, the children blocking their path were quickly overwhelmed and subdued.

Knowing even a superficial version of the Combined Attack Technique meant they could one-sidedly slaughter enemies with similar numbers.

"Now, only you are left."

Leonard looked at No. 2 and his group before addressing No. 1.

"Will you surrender to No. 1, or join the Sixth Squad? Make your choice now."

Caught off guard by this unexpected statement, they all blinked in surprise.

But No. 2, who was more sincere than anyone in wanting to see No. 1 humiliated, raised her hands high and shouted.

"Surrender! I'm joining the Sixth Squad from now on!"

Even No. 1 looked stunned as he stared at her, and No. 2 laughed, as if there was nothing more to mock.

No. 7, who had briefly spoken with Leonard, followed.

"I'll also surrender. I didn't expect to change squads twice."

"If No. 3 is joining the Sixth Squad, then I will too."

"Thinking about it, No. 25 is from the collateral line, so it's even better. I'll also surrender."

In an instant, No. 6, No. 7, and No. 9 defected.

No. 4, left alone, also raised his hands with a bitter smile.

"Surrender. I'll join the Sixth Squad."

He sighed deeply, looking at Leonard, saying he didn't expect to see this again.

No. 1, now truly alone, glared at them one by one and shouted roughly.

"You guys...! As successors of the Cardenas bloodline, do you have no pride at all!"

"No. 25 is also a Cardenas, in the end."

"Losing to you is unpleasant. That's all."

No. 2 and No. 4 smiled slyly, as if they had planned it in advance.

"...Fine."

His anger reached its peak, and No. 1 finally pointed his wooden sword at Leonard.

"Then you're the leader. No. 25, do you have the courage to fight me one-on-one?"

"You don't need to provoke me. I intended to do that from the beginning."

"You have spirit."

No. 2 and her group led away the unconscious No. 10 and the incapacitated No. 4, creating a space for the two to face off.

The Sixth Squad, who had completely eliminated the other three squads, also clenched their fists tightly, excited by the prospect of the strongest direct descendant and squad leader facing off.

No one had told them to do so, but over a hundred children formed a circle around the two squad leaders.

The instructors also climbed the surrounding trees to watch them.

"I'm looking forward to it. No. 25's tactical plans and leadership far exceed what I had anticipated. If his combat skills also surpass No. 1, William... "

"It might be the moment to witness a divine power worthy of a squad leader."

Instructor Bruno's words were echoed by Colin.

No. 25 had always exceeded their standards.

This time, the atmosphere that had excited the trainees also raised their spirits.

And.

"Come, No. 1."

"You can't call me arrogant. I'm coming, No. 25."

The final battle between the two boys began.

Smack!

No. 1, not holding back from the start, charged forward with a wooden sword that seemed capable of shattering a rock, given the force behind it.

Such destructive power, even considering the physical abilities of the direct descendants, was impossible!

If No. 2 had tried to deflect this attack, his arm would have broken.

'The trajectory is too straightforward.'

But Leonard, as if riding the blow, pressed his sword blade against it, smoothly redirecting the force.

A technique he had learned from the Flowing Sword Technique (流劍) of the Zhongnan School.

A flowing sword and a soft sword.

As long as the flow itself was not broken, even the strongest force could be manipulated.

"Grgh!"

The sword, which had been deflected to the ground, stopped unnaturally and then accelerated, rising again.

An attack that defied common sense.

A sword that emerged at an impossible timing and angle, a technique that No. 2 could not predict even with his eyes, immediately struck Leonard.

Leonard barely avoided the attack and, before he could recover his balance, No. 1 unleashed a series of impossible attacks.

Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack!

The wooden sword was so sharp and the child's strength so formidable that it was hard to believe.

The instructors watched the series of attacks with great admiration, but...

"...It's not working. He's reading it all."

"Reading all of No. 1's irregular attacks?!"

"Unbelievable skill. Is this what No. 25 is capable of?"

Eventually, they were more impressed by No. 25.

At first, he cleanly avoided the series of attacks, but as the sword strikes continued, his own sword gradually joined the fray.

Blocking, dodging, and countering.

The two wooden swords repeatedly clashed and separated, scattering small pieces of wood.

No. 1, his eyes wide with shock, growled as he pressed his sword against Leonard's.

"You! You can see my strength!"

"Sure, I can."

Leonard nodded, inwardly amazed.

'A kid who hasn't even opened the upper dantian can use mental power. The Cardenas bloodline is truly unbelievable.'

Generally, the upper dantian opens only after breaking through the Harmonization Stage, allowing one to see and manipulate mental power.

This mental power was the foundation of techniques like telekinesis and mind-sword, which were proof of a master.

No. 1, who couldn't manipulate qi, seemed to be applying it to partial physical enhancement and inertia control.

Not only had he not entered the Harmonization Stage, but he hadn't even begun qigong, yet he could use mental power. If martial artists saw this, they would likely go mad and vomit blood.

"You can not only see my special trait but also surpass me in sword skills. No. 25, why have you hidden your abilities until now?"

"..."

"Can't you answer? Or don't you want to? Either way, I need to hear your answer!"

Physically, No. 1 still had the upper hand without using mental power, and the balance between the two boys, who were pressing their swords against each other, began to tip.

Leonard, slowly being pushed back, responded.

"Are you trying to get an answer with words in a house of swords?"

"...You're right!"

If he wanted an answer, he should try to break Leonard's sword, a true martial artist's response. No. 1 felt his blood boil.

The muscles in their forearms swelled, and they soon pushed each other away, creating distance.

The anger that had dominated him until now was gone, replaced by pure passion. No. 1 looked at Leonard with eyes full of fire.

"I admit it. It's impossible to defeat you with my sword skills."

No. 1 was as skilled in swordsmanship as he was in his special trait.

Even before this outdoor training, he had broken the mold and could defeat No. 3 without using mental power.

Yet, No. 1 felt no sense of being able to defeat No. 25. It was like repeatedly striking a wall that was impossibly high and solid, a gap so vast that he couldn't even gauge it.

"—I'm coming."

No. 1, using an application of his special trait that he had never used before, his eyes flashed.

At the same time, Leonard made a short leap from his spot.

Whack!

A mental power lasso, visible only to the two of them, struck the ground, raising a cloud of dust.

Before Leonard's feet touched the ground, No. 1 charged without hesitation and struck him horizontally.

Crack!

Leonard, instead of resisting No. 1's horizontal slash, was propelled in the direction of the force, spinning and landing on the ground.

It was a perfect response, but his grip and forearm tingled.

He couldn't fully dissipate the force while in the air.

'Indeed. It's not limited to being manifested within the body.'

In a way, this method was the correct use of mental power.

Telekinesis and mind-sword.

The ability to project force at a distance, a glimpse of the realm that transcends the limits of a martial artist.

"Would you think it's cowardly, No. 25?"

No. 1's eyes wavered slightly, perhaps feeling ashamed of not facing him purely as a swordsman.

Leonard, seeing this, smiled and flicked his wooden sword.

"That's far from enough, No. 1. Show me your best."

No. 1, momentarily stunned by these words, soon smiled as he always did.

A fierce, confident, and unshakable strong person's smile.

"Fine! Show me your best too, No. 25!"

For the first time, No. 1 summoned all his strength, and a faint wisp of energy distorted the air around him.

Abandoning the invisibility, one of the greatest advantages of mental power, he did so without hesitation because Leonard could see it.

In response, Leonard simply raised his wooden sword.

"Is this... enough?"

He had no inner energy.

His body was still weak.

He couldn't use advanced martial arts, and he had no intention of using mental power to draw attention like No. 1.

Then, what means did he have left in this body?

'Sword (劍).'

The answer was always the same.

Deep in Leonard's soul, Sword Emperor Lian Wuxie smiled.

"If it's a force that can't be blocked, a force that can't be avoided."

There was only one way to deal with it as a swordsman.

"Cut it."

At that moment, the wind that touched Leonard's wooden sword split.