Chapter 223

There was no need for any call to begin.

Both Encrid and his opponent took their stances—nothing else was necessary.

The woman brought her shield forward.

Encrid assumed she would base her fight on defense.

It was the most efficient way to utilize sword and shield.

Everyone with such equipment he’d faced so far had done so.

Experience moved Encrid.

He took a step forward.

It was to claim a favorable position in the fight.

The moment he stepped in with his sword, the shield suddenly expanded. It grew, filling his vision in an instant.

‘Shit.’

The curse rose in his mind before he had the chance to say it aloud.

All he could see was a wall of gray steel looming up to his eyes.

In that split second, Encrid crossed his arms in front of his chest and face, sword gripped, bracing for impact.

Wham!

The gray wall slammed into his forearms.

His vision spun from the shock and the sense of weightlessness, and another impact hit his back as he landed. Reflexively, he slapped the ground with his left hand, rolling out of it—a move thanks to his relentless practice of the Valaf Style martial arts.

His insides felt overturned, but he didn’t actually throw up.

It was a perfectly-timed, unexpected blow.

Knocked onto his back, Encrid landed awkwardly.

“Hoo!”

He exhaled, took a breath, shook off the shock, and tried to get up at once—but didn’t have the chance.

Something whooshed down above his head. There was no time to check.

There was no chance to steady his breathing.

Feeling his heart being squeezed, Encrid, half-lying on his back, swung his sword upward.

Clang!

Parrying the blow, he planted his right foot and rolled to the side.

He couldn’t counter with a heavy sword technique. His stance, position, and timing were all lost.

He tried to deflect it with a light sword technique, and it only half-worked.

He parried the sword, but couldn’t stop the follow-up.

His opponent let the sword flow past and then used her foot.

It looked like a flail was coming at him.

‘Steel boots.’

He noticed they were boots made of iron.

Thud!

The tip of her boot struck his chest.

Encrid rolled backward, traveling twice as far as he had when hit by the shield.

That was a lot of distance for that amount of impact.

“Hoo.”

Catching himself with his left hand, he flicked his waist and flipped upright as if doing a somersault.

“You’re quite nimble.”

The woman said. She was already back in her stance, shield raised—just as she had been at the start.

That bothered him. There were no easy openings.

Most of all, her fighting style was formidable.

‘She’s skilled.’

She knew how to probe for her opponent’s gaps with her gear and stance.

That meant she was well-versed in both fighting and battle.

Drip.

When he’d been kicked away, a sharp stone must have grazed his forehead; blood dripped down his temple.

The blood trailed down the side of his face and dripped from his chin.

As if it were a signal, the giant-blooded woman warrior launched herself forward again.

Bang!

With a burst of sound, the familiar gray wall appeared before his eyes again.

A round shield, large enough to cover half her body, a single block of metal—swung as a bludgeon.

It was heavy, even for the well-trained; only a giant or Frok could handle such a weapon.

It was the same tactic—a sure path to victory. Who could block such a fast, powerful, broad strike?

‘If you can’t block it—’

Just dodge.

The [Heart of the Beast] awakened his senses.

A single point of focus turned into full immersion.

Moving in that state, Encrid’s body bent to the side like a shadow stretching and fading under a lantern’s night glow—thanks to a sudden burst of speed.

At the same time, he targeted her sword arm with a downward slash. A heavy sword-style cut.

Her shield twisted sideways to block it.

She blocked with the shield and pushed forward. Sword and shield collided.

Their strength clashed through sword and shield.

Boom!

A thunderous crash exploded. One side’s heart pounded with monstrous power; the other carried a trace of giant’s blood.

The blast of noise was so loud that all the onlookers clapped their hands to their ears.

“Ugh!”

“Ack!”

Cries of pain erupted around them.

While Encrid’s sword struck her shield, he saw her blade graze his side.

He twisted his body to dodge, but couldn’t avoid it completely.

It wasn’t deep, but he bled. His side quickly became damp.

He wore thin leather armor, but her blade was sharp—not an ordinary weapon.

It was at least as sharp as his own.

Despite its clumsy-looking shape, it was deadly.

The blade was twice as thick as a normal sword.

It was a modified longsword, but in her massive hands, it looked like a regular arming sword.

“You’re fast.”

She said.

Her face and demeanor remained impassive—she seemed to take no enjoyment from this.

‘She’s strong.’

She fought well, cut well, and her reactions were superb.

He’d wanted to face someone other than Rem, Audin, Ragna, or Jaxson—now such an opponent stood before him.

It was like rain in a drought.

“Ah, let’s go again.”

Encrid found himself smiling. Rarely, but only when he was truly, genuinely happy.

—

“See that face? He must be thinking she’s crazy.”

She was no easy opponent. Rem and the others recognized it at a glance.

Rem was the one who spoke, staring at his captain’s broken, smiling expression.

“Mm, it is a bit shocking if you’re seeing it for the first time.”

Ragna responded.

“You wouldn’t know what kind of person he is otherwise.”

Even Jaxson spoke for once.

“Haha, looks like the lady is less than pleased.”

Audin chimed in. Rem gave a silent nod.

Even back when he didn’t even have the [Heart of the Beast], he was like this.

From Rem’s perspective, it hardly seemed like progress—clinging to something rotten and climbing as if it was a tree, yet still smiling like that.

How did he know when it would break? What was so enjoyable about it?

‘I thought he’d die any day back then.’

But somehow, Encrid had caught up. The man who was once a distant speck was now close enough to hear if he shouted.

‘Ah, I don’t want him to catch up.’

Rem watched the fight, thinking.

No matter how you looked at it, the female warrior was here to kill his captain.

Should he intervene?

He would have, in the past. On a real battlefield, he would have stepped in. But not now.

This was a man carving his own path toward his dream.

‘If I stepped in now, he’d resent me for it, big time.’

Still, if it looked like he was about to die, Rem would step in.

He wasn’t alone in that.

Beside him, Ragna subtly shifted a half-step forward, the sly wildcat’s presence faded, and Audin, still chuckling, leaned in ever so slightly.

‘Bunch of maniacs.’

He was the only normal one. The captain was obsessed with battle, live or die.

None of the rest were normal either.

‘I have to keep my head straight. That’s why I half-killed that beastkin Dunbakel before coming here.’

‘Beastkin are tough.’

Beating on her was satisfying.

Well, she’d recover soon enough. That’s why he pushed her so hard.

Rem kept watching the fight.

Though Encrid had a gash on his side, he didn’t even seem to feel the pain.

Another shield charge.

‘He might be able to break it.’

Not that it would be easy.

Last time, he dodged and aimed for an opening, but it was blocked.

This time, it was similar.

He stepped aside, leaving an afterimage, but it wasn’t exactly the same.

As the shield followed, Encrid moved even faster.

Usually, he only used half of his monstrous strength, but now it looked like he was giving everything.

Encrid’s body moved faster than ever.

He quickly got behind the giant-blooded woman, and moving with her, his sword drew a circle around her.

Clang-clang-clang-clang-clang!

His sword skittered and bounced off the gray steel shield, sparks flying with each strike.

Few people could even follow the exchange with their eyes.

Encrid’s blade grazed her side.

But she didn’t just take it.

Losing sight of Encrid, she stabbed her sword backward without looking.

Wham!

The modified longsword, thicker than most, sliced through the air.

Encrid, who’d grazed her side, had already jumped away.

He avoided her blade and instantly lunged in again.

As if paying back for what happened earlier with the shield.

Encrid’s charge was like drawing a bowstring and loosing his sword as the arrow.

‘That—’

It was the same move his last opponent in Martai used against him.

‘He used that on me so much!’

Now, he pulled it out again, his treasured sword flashing from its scabbard.

Bang!

She blocked it again.

But this time, she didn’t block it perfectly.

Encrid’s sword scraped past the shield and struck her pauldron, sending it flying with a loud thunk.

Of course, it didn’t just hit the pauldron.

Thud-thud.

Blood flowed from the giant-blooded woman’s shoulder.

She didn’t care. She just pressed on, shifting her shield to guard her left and holding her sword awkwardly in her right.

It was textbook sword and shield form.

The giant-blooded woman didn’t even grunt.

But she must have clenched her teeth; the muscles in her jaw tightened.

She charged in again. Encrid withdrew his sword and spun half a turn, swinging hard.

A heavy sword-style spinning slash. It was as fast as a thrust, and carried weight that rivaled a giant’s.

Bang!

She blocked with her shield, bracing herself.

Blocking the weapon with her shield, she swung her sword. That was the point of fighting with sword and shield.

Again, her sword dropped from above.

The timing was perfect, stealing Encrid’s breath.

Rem twitched his right index finger without realizing.

He almost threw his axe.

He wasn’t the only one.

Ragna, Audin, and Jaxson all did the same.

But they stopped. There was still no need to intervene.

At the moment of crisis, Encrid drew his second sword.

Thud!

On the first block, the middle of the blade cracked, but it had done its job.

With his other hand, he blocked her sword.

“…Left hand?”

The giant-blooded woman spoke, their swords pressed together. Encrid nodded.

“One of my specialties.”

“Any others?”

“Plenty.”

“You might not get to show them all before this is over.”

She was urging him to show everything he could.

It was the most talkative she’d ever been, usually speaking only in curt, short bursts.

Encrid smiled.

“Can’t show everything. Flirting with women is one of my skills too.”

Rem let out a brief laugh at that.

‘He’s good with his mouth, too.’

Encrid’s tongue was as sharp as any treasured sword.

“What a crazy bastard.”

For a moment, the giant-blooded woman summarized Encrid perfectly—then swung her sword again.

It was classic sword-and-shield technique.

If you wanted to be precise, it was standard sword technique with added shield skills.

Encrid tossed aside his half-broken sword and wielded just one.

‘Dual swords are only for the right moment.’

A good strategy.

Their duel lasted until sunset.

As for the result—

‘I lost.’

It was Encrid’s defeat.

It was obvious, even to the eye.

One cheek was cut.

When his cheek was slashed—no, right after the slash—most of the onlookers here couldn’t even follow the action. When they saw it, several local women let out shrieks.

Within the city, Encrid’s reputation was at its peak.

There were women who said he was the perfect marriage partner, that they’d sell everything they owned to have him as a lover.

That Encrid had his cheek sliced, a few ribs broken, and was covered in small wounds all over his body.

After trying close combat—landing eight hits but taking one in return—he wound up with broken ribs.

His opponent had taken blows to the chin and jaw but withstood them.

It was a giant’s toughness.

Encrid hadn’t underestimated her.

But even a trained body can’t block everything in the face of overwhelming force.

‘Lost by decision.’

Everyone likely came to the same conclusion.

Encrid exhaled raggedly. His breathing turned erratic—he was exhausted, at his limit.

The giant-blooded woman also realized she couldn’t finish him off.

The mission was a failure. No matter how much he ran wild, he wasn’t a real Junior Knight—she hadn’t thought it would be this hard.

‘He’s strong.’

The man before her was strong.

His skill, his grit, and especially his spirit.

‘Is he crazy? Is that why he’s so strong?’

While uncertainty rippled through the warrior’s heart, Encrid calmly assessed his own condition.

He looked over his body, then glanced at hers.

She wasn’t in great shape either.

“Let’s do this again tomorrow.”

“…What?”

For the first time, his opponent looked genuinely flustered by Encrid’s words. Before she could say anything, a single axe slipped perfectly between them.

“Didn’t you hear? If you want more, wait until tomorrow or the day after. Rest up. Oh, the inn’s free, and so’s the food. The gentleman who got beat up by the lady over there is paying.”

Rem pointed his thumb at the battered Encrid.

There’d be no killing each other if they kept fighting now. Opportunity is only in battle.

Right now, too many dangerous people were standing nearby.

Including the axe-wielding one before her.

The warrior paused to think, and Rem added,

“If you want to just leave, you can.”

He didn’t even sound interested. Even though his captain was half a bloody mess, he was completely unfazed.

Of course, that bloodied mess was still standing just fine.

An astonishing endurance. Maybe not equal to a giant, but you could tell he was built differently.

In truth, it was thanks to the Isolation Technique and the demon Audin, but the giant-blooded woman wouldn’t know that.

“So you’re going to interfere in the fight.”

The warrior asked.

“No, after today, I don’t think I’ll need to.”

She didn’t quite understand what he meant, but she did realize she’d get another chance.

She couldn’t just leave now, anyway.

Failing her mission and going back with all her limbs intact? They’d call it betrayal.

Everything she did would be questioned.

“Fine.”

The warrior quietly stepped back.

“Alright, that’s settled then?”

Rem turned to look at his captain.

“Yeah, that’s fine.”

Encrid was satisfied. Would his battered body heal in just one night?

Audin had said regeneration meant getting stronger with each break—so for now, he had no choice but to rest.

“I learned a lot.”

“That good, huh?”

Rem helped the shaky-legged Encrid walk, slinging his arm over his shoulder.

“More or less.”

‘More or less’—but he’d almost drooled with satisfaction.

Rem grumbled internally as he helped him along.

And the next day arrived.

The female warrior realized she wouldn’t be able to get what she wanted so easily.

Encrid wore a smile twice as bright as the day before.

Anyone who knew him would recognize it as an extremely rare sight.