I Pulled Out the Excalibur

They do not merely weave mana to extract sword aura; they infuse their very essence into the sword aura, ascending to a realm where the swordsmanship they wield diverges from the ordinary.

It goes without saying.

The sword aura produced by a Sword Seeker possesses its own unique form and nature. Some mirror the flames, while others scatter an aura akin to snowflakes. Even when wielding the same swordsmanship, the scope and domain of the blade’s cut vary depending on the form of the sword aura.

Swinging their swords, they incinerate the flora.
Swinging their swords, they cleave foes from afar.

Standing between the realms of humans and superhumans, their blades sometimes defy common sense. Just like now.

Ssshhhrrrrrrrk!

Najin staggered backward.
Blood was profusely flowing from his shoulder. Despite thinking he had fully blocked the attack, the gushing blood forced Najin to grit his teeth.

Najin is by no means weak.

He stands at the pinnacle among Sword Experts, unmatched by anyone within that rank. His physical prowess and output of sword aura have long surpassed an Expert’s, and his snap judgments are not inferior even to a Sword Seeker.

Yet, Najin remains a Sword Expert.

He has not yet reached the realm of a Sword Seeker.

Though not all battles are decided by one’s realm, most are determined by the levels of strength accumulated.

Ssshhhk!

Pressing down on his bleeding shoulder, Najin lifted his head. Before him stood Knight Commander Griffin, his sword drawn with aura.

The sword aura rippling over his blade was crimson.

The red sword aura took the form of a thorny bush, its sharp branches extending outwards. Keeping his distance, Najin narrowed his eyes.

‘I thought I had blocked it.’

The moment he blocked the sword, the extending sword aura deeply cut into his shoulder. Najin, who had only fought against those with fixed-form sword auras, found the changing nature of this aura unfamiliar.

…Unfamiliar, but something he must get accustomed to.

This was not a training exercise devoid of life-threatening intent but a real battle where lives were at stake. Naturally, there was no room to simply observe. There was no option to flee; he had to stand his ground.

He wouldn’t let Knight Commander Griffin reach Dieta.
He would stall for time against his opponent until his goal was achieved.

That was the mission bestowed upon Najin. With that engraved in his mind, Najin moved. Regulating his breath, he adjusted his grip on his sword. By the time Najin steadied himself, Griffin was already advancing towards him.

Thud.

It was just one step forward, but Najin found himself facing Griffin, who had closed the distance in an instant. Reflexively, Najin swung his sword.

Clangclangclangclang!

Sword aura clashed against sword aura. Despite his growth to a point where he had no equals among Experts, Najin couldn’t fully withstand Griffin’s sword aura. He was outmatched in density, output, and the cohesion of the sword aura itself.

Each time he blocked, his sword aura was whittled away.

Even as Najin struggled to maintain his stance, Griffin’s strength shattered it. With each swing of his sword, Najin’s body shook violently.

Crash!

Eventually, his stance completely broke down.
Najin’s arm, holding the sword, was flung backward, unable to withstand the recoil of the sword aura. And thus, Griffin’s kick, fully exposed to Najin’s torso, exploded against him. Though visible, it was unavoidable.

Crack.

The kick, reinforced by greaves and military boots, delivered a shock greater than any blunt weapon. The breath Najin had been holding was forcefully expelled, and his eyes widened as his body was launched backward.

Swoosh, the sound of air being sliced whistled past Najin’s ears as he flew through the air.

At the level of a Sword Seeker, one’s physical abilities have reached a realm beyond human. Even as an Expert, Najin could send a large knight flying with a kick; it was no surprise that Griffin, a Sword Seeker, could do the same or more.

The landscape flashed before Najin’s eyes.
The figure of Griffin, who had been standing before him, receded.

No, it wasn’t receding. Griffin, having extended his leg for the kick, slammed it down to the ground. As Griffin stomped, his receding figure instantly closed the distance. He was in hot pursuit of the airborne Najin.

‘Damn it, this is insane.’

Cursing inwardly, Najin clenched his teeth.
If he stayed like this, he would be sliced open. Twisting his body mid-air, fortunately, they were in the woods, and there was something to grab onto even while flying.

Clutch.

Najin reached out and grabbed the trunk of a tree he was passing by. Twisting his body, he evaded the sword swung by the pursuing Griffin. The blade, missing Najin by a hair’s breadth, cleanly sliced through the base of the tree he had been holding onto.

There was no time to rest even after dodging. The tree, its base cut, toppled. Kicking off the falling tree, Najin escaped the range of Griffin’s sword.

Ssshhhrrrrk, landing smoothly on the ground, Najin caught his breath. His abdomen throbbed from the impact. It felt like one or two ribs were broken. Spitting out a mixture of blood and saliva, Najin glared at Griffin.

Ruuuumble!

The tree crashed to the ground, kicking up dust. Emerging from the settling dust, Griffin’s eyes were fixed squarely on Najin. There was no sign of fatigue, and the crimson sword aura emanating from his sword was eerily chilling.

Truly a monster in its own right.
More than a demon knight that regenerated no matter how many times it was cut, the knight before him felt more terrifying to Najin.

‘No fancy swordplay, no dazzling tricks, no special movements.’

He simply pressed on with straightforward sword swings.
Yet, it was sufficiently threatening. This is a Sword Seeker; this is the realm Najin has yet to reach. Struggling to steady his uneven breath from the blow to his abdomen, Najin let his sword hang low.

‘Use the terrain to your advantage.’

Najin thought to himself as he pushed off from a tree. Avoid a head-on confrontation and aim for the blind spots in his opponent’s vision. He had a rough understanding of how to face someone stronger than himself.

It was at that moment he attempted to move.

Thump.

Griffin took a step forward.
The ground shook. Gripping his sword with both hands, he pulled it back behind him. The crimson sword aura swirled and coalesced into one.

“……!”

Najin’s eyes widened.
His instincts sounded an alarm. His heart pounded fiercely for a moment. Instinct, reaction speed, and immediate decision-making—all were called upon as Najin indiscriminately absorbed more mana than his body could normally handle.

The tumultuous mana caused severe pain within him, but that was of no concern at the moment.

He needed to move. Having drawn in more mana than his capacity allowed, Najin could push off the ground and leap high into the air. As he did, Griffin swung his sword, and the crimson sword aura whipped out like a lash.

Crack, crackle… and then a thunderous crash.

Najin, who had leapt into the air, opened his eyes wide.
Below, the sight that met his eyes was akin to a giant’s sweeping hand having cleared the trees to one side. With a single swing, Griffin had obliterated all the trees within a twenty-step radius.

‘Insane.’

Had he not enhanced his body and jumped at that moment, he would have ended up like those utterly destroyed trees. Landing in the clearing created by the demolished trees, Najin couldn’t help but stick out his tongue.

“……”

Griffin, standing at the center, merely looked at Najin, maintaining his silence. He said nothing, but Najin could tell what he meant.

There’s nowhere to run.

No place to hide.
If you thought this terrain was to your advantage, discard that thought.

All the tricks Najin had relied on thus far, the movements utilizing the terrain, the techniques sneaking into blind spots, none of them worked against the man before him. The difference in their realms meant he could surpass all those with ease.

‘Indeed, I can’t win.’

Unless he drew the Excalibur, winning was out of the question. While he might have to draw it if truly cornered, Najin hadn’t considered that yet.

‘But I can stall for time.’

Winning would be ideal, but Najin’s primary goal was to delay. If Dieta reached the gate and showed her invitation… the knights of the Marquis’s family would come rushing here. If he could hold out until then, it would be his victory.

So think.
Keep thinking.

Najin moved in sync with Griffin’s steps. The moment Griffin raised his sword, Najin accelerated his own movement. Closing the distance before Griffin could fully swing, Najin’s sword struck Griffin’s blade.

Clang!

Amidst the loud noise, Griffin and Najin’s eyes met.
Griffin narrowed his eyes, sensing something amiss. The man before him was undoubtedly an Expert, but that movement was not of an Expert’s.

The sense of dissonance didn’t stop there.

Najin moved first, even before Griffin could swing, and he persistently found and exploited openings as if reading the other’s movements. Although the blade wasn’t threatening, its nuisance was undeniable.

And above all else, what was noteworthy was—

Crack!

The young man’s momentary judgment.
Griffin was pushed back. The armor covering his chest was dented. Najin, having closed the distance, had struck with his elbow. Pushing with the elbow to create distance, he then swung his sword.

The fluidity between movements was smooth.

Witnessing Najin’s sword aiming for his neck, Griffin felt a sense of astonishment. He hadn’t anticipated an attack at that moment. Griffin swung his sword, deflecting Najin’s blade.

‘To charge in even after witnessing such a strike.’

A strike that obliterated a swath of the area.
Charging in despite such a strike, closing the distance, was something not possible with ordinary courage. It would be normal to maintain distance, wary of the technique, which is what Griffin had intended.

He could sweep a larger area if the distance increased, maintaining his advantage.

Yet, the young man’s decision to close the distance without fear, despite such a technique, was unforeseen by Griffin and, in fact, the best decision. Close up, exploiting openings and thrusting made it impossible to use large techniques.

‘While I can respond, a moment’s miss could turn it into a lethal blade.’

Despite facing a weaker opponent, Griffin acknowledged he couldn’t afford to lose focus. Even compared to his long years of wielding the sword, the young man’s judgment was not lacking. In fact, in terms of reaction speed and judgment, he was superior.

He was not an opponent to be taken lightly.

Therefore.

He couldn’t be killed lightly.

Griffin adjusted his stance with respect for the young man before him. Any further delay was undesirable for him as well.