Chapter 36

Reincarnated as a Sword Emperor in the Sword Master's Family (36)

A powerhouse who has surpassed the middle stage of the peak realm in the 8th level of the External Force Stage.

Even among the intermediate knights of the Dragon Knight Corps stationed on this Galapagos Island, those who have broken through the 8th level are rare. Each one is a vital force of the corps, a culmination of innate talent honed and decades of practical experience.

Despite this, Leonard, facing him, raised his sword with a smile on his face.

"——."

The Shadow Knight, about to say something, remembered that his voice wouldn't come out and glared at him with a murderous gaze.

No matter what trick it was, Leonard couldn't have done it without some doing.

The devils of Cardenas, perhaps they used black magic. Thinking this, the guilt of cutting down a child easily dissipated, and a muddy desire to kill boiled up.

A sharp, blade-like killing intent flowed out, different from the unrefined killing intent of a monster.

"Good."

Leonard felt his hair stand on end from the killing intent, but his expression was as if he had caught a whiff of his hometown.

Training with children at the training ground and fighting monsters on this island had been enjoyable in its own way, a kind of excitement he had never felt in his previous life.

But this smell of blood, which made his nose tingle, was what he had been eagerly waiting for.

————.

The two swordsmen stood facing each other for a moment, then took a step forward without waiting for the other.

The Shadow Knight was the first to enter the attack range.

A dark sword, black from hilt to tip, emitted a yellow sword aura. The sword aura, nearly a meter long, soon became the sword's effective range.

The preemptive strike fell a beat before the opponent's approach.

Five Phenomena Style

Leonard's blade turned blue.

Black Tortoise First Form

Turtle Shell Rebirth Mirror

The Black Tortoise First Form, the foundation of the 36 forms, intercepted the yellow sword aura head-on.

8th level of the External Force Stage vs. 3rd level of the External Force Stage.

Even considering Leonard's special abilities, the gap of five realms cannot be ignored. Even if the defense is successful, the remaining strength would crush him, leaving him vulnerable to the next attack, a vicious cycle.

The Shadow Knight sneered at this future.

Thud!

It was deflected uselessly.

It felt as if he had hit a springy rubber with a club, not cutting anything with his sword.

The Shadow Knight's eyes widened in shock.

But.

Five Phenomena Style

Azure Dragon First Form

Thunderclap

The sword light shot from Leonard's grip and fiercely cut into the Shadow Knight's side. The Azure Dragon's First Form, the fastest and sharpest among the 144 forms.

A few drops of blood spurted from the split armor.

'Shallow.'

Even though it had penetrated, the sword aura didn't go deep, similar to the sensation of cutting through a silk armor.

The armor must be something extraordinary.

"——?! ——!"

The Shadow Knight's face contorted in anger, his mind filled with seamless hatred after being caught off guard.

His stance and center of gravity changed.

From now on, he wouldn't be as easy to cut down as before.

Clang!

The lightning blade of the Five Elements Sword Aura and the yellow sword aura from the dark sword clashed several times, scattering fragments.

Sword aura against sword aura.

In a clash where the 8th level of the External Force Stage should have dominated, Leonard was actually one step ahead. Unlike the incomplete yellow sword aura, the Five Elements Sword Aura was already complete. If he hadn't been outmatched in power, he could have broken through.

"———!"

Unable to accept the inferiority of his sword aura despite being five realms ahead, the Shadow Knight lashed out.

Taking a step forward in a position where he should have retreated, he pushed forward with the only advantage he had over Leonard: his aura.

'Foolish.'

Leonard was not one to overlook such a mistake.

With a cold gaze, he met the Shadow Knight's bloodshot eyes and deployed the most suitable defensive sword form from the 36 forms of the Black Tortoise.

Five Phenomena Style

Black Tortoise Third Form

North Gate Rear Attack Kill

Leonard's sword light struck a beat before the Shadow Knight's sword arrived.

A counterattack that could end the fight in one blow if the opponent showed a gap with a clumsy attack.

It could be a thrust or a cut.

Following the principle of "rear attack, first strike," this comprehensive counterattack form is called the Black Tortoise Third Form.

Still, the opponent was still alive thanks to the full-body armor that even the Five Elements Sword Aura couldn't penetrate in one go.

"Don't fight so pathetically. If it weren't for that armor, you would have died just now. Aren't you ashamed?"

"——! ———―!!"

Though it was a genuine piece of advice, not a provocation, anyone who could take it seriously wouldn't have come to this island.

Enraged by Leonard's words, the Shadow Knight's sword went wild.

Clang! Clank! Clang!

Continuous sword strikes from outside his field of vision, targeting vital points to kill in one go. A sword that cut and thrust, not clashing with the opponent's sword but cutting through the body.

A sword designed solely to kill humans.

A sword designed solely to deceive humans.

A cunning and vicious sword, like the head of a venomous snake.

'Pathetic.'

But Leonard's judgment was brutally cold.

A sword technique commonly seen in the martial arts world, specialized in deceiving human perception and striking gaps. Even a master who held a position among the seven experts of the Four Great Clans, the Venomous Blood Wolf, lost to him.

Compared to the Venomous Blood Wolf's signature technique, the Hungry Wolf Blade, this writhing sword was even less impressive.

Five Phenomena Style

Leonard thrust his sword precisely into the snake's mouth.

Vermilion Bird Twelfth Form

Burning Flame Edge

A red sword light pierced the writhing dark sword, sealing its movement and igniting flames.

It was a feat like threading a needle through a needle's eye, but there was no reason to be pleased with its success.

After all, he had decades of experience with such techniques.

"Rough. A deceptive sword that's so obvious, the only ones who died by your sword must have been fools, right?"

"———!"

"If you don't want to admit it, show me with your sword, not your mouth!"

Angry at the inferior martial arts of his opponent, Leonard shouted and charged forward.

The strategy of overwhelming with the 8th level of the External Force Stage's superior aura doesn't work at close range. With the Five Elements Sword Aura's power, they were evenly matched, so within a meter, it was a pure sword skill contest.

Realizing this, the Shadow Knight responded desperately.

Clang! Clank! Clang! Clang!

Leonard's sword repeatedly attacked.

Even the Six Directions Sword, the most basic of basics, which controlled the six directions of up, down, front, back, left, and right, sealing the opponent's movement space, was used.

The Six Directions Sword, personally demonstrated by Lian Wuxie, who boasted the best understanding of sword techniques in the world, was a disaster in itself.

"——————!!"

With each clash of swords and each step backward, the Shadow Knight's face darkened with despair.

It couldn't be helped.

Even though it was a basic combination, there was no way to escape it. The difference in skill as a swordsman was overwhelming. The man's resolve, feeling a wall against a child not even twenty years old, crumbled like a sandcastle.

The thirtieth shadow of Crusis finally abandoned his pride as a knight and fell to the ground as a true shadow.

Clang!

The one who noticed this change first was, of course, Leonard, who faced him with his sword.

A clumsy killing sword stabbed from an unexpected place.

"Hmm?"

It was a strange sword technique.

A strike came from a point that shouldn't have been possible, a direction it shouldn't have come from. Yet Leonard avoided it perfectly without even grazing the blade, stepping back a few steps.

To analyze the incomprehensible attack.

"——."

At that moment.

The man, whose face had been contorted with malice, now had a blank expression, his eyes like those of a corpse, lunged forward.

Despite being thoroughly dominated at close range, he approached again.

His intention couldn't help but seem suspicious.

Clang!

But Leonard didn't step back, accepting the attack.

'This distance is difficult to use, I see.'

A strange sword that couldn't be caught even by his upper body senses.

He took the risk to uncover its details.

The sword duel began again at close range. Naturally, Leonard had the upper hand. Without any exchange of offense and defense, he cut, thrust, and sliced one-sidedly. Even the seemingly indestructible armor was now riddled with cracks.

And.

Splat!

A few drops of blood splattered from Leonard's cheek.

The sword, which suddenly curved in front of his eyes, grazed him at a hair's breadth. If he had bent his head a moment later, it would have pierced his right eye and skull.

But he could see it just before it happened.

"…No, not only does the sword extend, but it can also change shape? What, is it a magic wand?"

Leonard was flabbergasted when he discovered the secret of the strange sword.

While there were weapons in the martial arts world that concealed their length and shape before revealing them, a sword that extended and shortened instantaneously, making it impossible to discern the change, was a first.

Not only the length but also the shape changed.

A straight sword temporarily curved like a saber, then returned to its original form, deceiving Leonard's eyes.

"———."

The Shadow Knight, whose secret was exposed, frowned but soon lowered his stance and charged again.

Leonard met his sword with a look of disbelief.

"It won't work now."

"—————?"

The Shadow Knight muttered a sound that didn't come out of his mouth.

Indeed, is that so?

"Huh."

When the two swords clashed, instead of a sharp metallic sound, a sound like mud splashing was heard.

The dark sword, having lost its shape, clung to Leonard's sword like mud. Even the Five Elements Sword Aura couldn't break the bond, leaving Leonard unable to use his sword.

Only then did Leonard realize the Shadow Knight's intention.

Bang!

He received the Shadow Knight's punch by leaping backward, flying a few meters. There was almost no damage, but the distance itself was part of the Shadow Knight's plan.

Both had lost their swords.

A strategy to abandon the sword duel.

"——! ————!"

The Shadow Knight, who had burst into a despicable laugh, now took a fighting stance.

8th level of the External Force Stage vs. 3rd level of the External Force Stage.

A 3rd level sword could kill an 8th level with its lethality. However, in hand-to-hand combat, which depends on physical ability and aura, the difference in realms directly translated to a difference in strength.

"Huh."

Leonard laughed.

It was a hollow laugh, out of sheer disbelief.

"To think you'd fight with your fists because you can't win with your sword... It's not like a street fight."

The idea that he could win with his fists, and the absurdity of it, made him forget his killing intent.

Three Body Stance.

Leonard, taking the stance of the Form of the Fist, wiggled his fingers.

"Join in. Come at me once."

At the same time, the Shadow Knight pounced like a tiger.

The explosive aura of the 8th level of the External Force Stage was imbued in his punch.

Swoosh—!

He struck it down as if blocking its path.

It was a Splitting Fist.

A powerful strike from the Form of the Fist, representing the metal element. The force, which scattered before reaching its target, resonated through the bones, and the Shadow Knight's face showed deep pain.

Leonard's physical abilities were not just at the realm level but were uniquely superior.

'To fight with a proper fist technique and hand-to-hand combat, this is not what a peak expert should do.'

The Shadow Knight's hand-to-hand combat techniques were well-designed, but he lacked the skill to harmonize them with his inner energy. Just putting in effort doesn't make your punches and kicks stronger.

All of his dozens of consecutive attacks were in vain.

Leonard, closing the distance by half a step, dodged the attack again and extended his hand.

It paused on the armor for a moment before releasing its momentum.

Boom!

A straight, powerful strike, the Crushing Fist.

The force penetrated deep into the body, shaking the Shadow Knight's internal organs. Blood gushed from the already weakened man's throat.

If he had just thrown the punch, the armor and protective gear would have reduced its destructive power by half, but by making contact with the armor and delivering it as a penetrating strike, it almost completely penetrated.

"It's over."

Leonard swung his arm at the Shadow Knight's face, which was bent over, spitting blood.

Bang!

The Horizontal Fist struck with great force, flipping his upper body.

With his face now looking up at the sky, Leonard drove the Splitting Fist into his face again, sinking it into the ground. At this point, the Shadow Knight, now in a near-death state, no longer moved.

Leonard, shaking the blood off his palm, muttered.

"What a boring conclusion."

It was the moment when the shadow of Crusis was shattered by a 14-year-old boy.