6/12 Bonus chapter thanks to @Jaidz on Ko-fi!
Suppose you recruit an archer during a war.
If there’s one archer, they usually take a swordsman instead.
But if there are 100 archers, it’s worth considering.
If there are 10,000 archers, it’s an obvious choice.
Thus, when it comes to using a bow, quantity takes precedence over quality.
Archers need to be numerous to be effective, and arrows need a large-scale battle to fully demonstrate their value.
‘Indeed, if it’s like this.’
A single arrow shot multiplied endlessly, becoming a net of arrows that covered him.
‘At this rate, I can say that I have the power of a hundred men on my own.’
Literally a one-man army.
But Renzo.
Easily annihilates what’s merely considered a hundred-man army.
Greatsword Technique
Renzo Original
From left to right
Renzo, holding a giant greatsword in one hand, drew it from left to right.
A storm-like wind arose along that horizontal line.
With a powerless sound, the arrows were pushed away by the wind pressure created by Renzo.
“Whatever trick this is, arrows without a bow are just this,”
Renzo’s thought was cut off there.
After clearing the arrows, Frondier was already upon him.
‘He used the arrow as a cover!’
Frondier had already thrown the spear in his hand at Renzo.
Towards Renzo’s chest, which was exposed by swinging his greatsword.
A maneuver using Renzo’s carelessness and showing ingenuity.
However,
“It’s too late, my dear.”
Renzo brought the greatsword he had used to clear the arrows back to the front.
His speed in retrieving the sword was much faster than Frondier.
Frondier’s eyes widened at that unbelievable scene.
And when their blades collided.
“……?”
Silence ensued.
Renzo witnessed that bizarre phenomenon right before his eyes.
Their blades clashed, but no sound was made – a peculiar occurrence.
“No, they didn’t collide.”
At the moment their blades were about to clash, Frondier withdrew the force from his spear and pressed it against Renzo’s sword.
Their weapons were stuck together.
Crackle, like firewood burning in dry sound.
Immediately after,
“Ha!”
A smile painted Renzo’s face.
His passion ignites.
He had thought the ‘fun’ would come much later.
In a moment, he rolled his eyes to look at his right hand.
The greatsword was flying out of his grip, through the air.
The technique of Azier.
It was Falling Edge.
* * *
“Argh!”
My body screamed.
My grip felt like it would tear apart, trembling started in my arms, moved up to my shoulders, and my whole body creaked.
It was good that I made Renzo drop his sword, but in the process, I also dropped my spear.
What a farce this is.
An incomplete Falling Edge.
I’ve seen the Golem’s Falling Edge several times using WizardGram, and it was absurdly difficult.
I see why Azier told me not to do it.
I nearly destroyed my body.
Because it was incomplete, both Renzo and I dropped our weapons.
It seems like a loss for both sides.
But I’m faster than Renzo, who has to pick up his weapon again.
Weaving, Obsidian
Grade – Legendary
Gram
Black droplets gather in my hand.
The moment they take shape and I grasp them with both hands.
I draw a diagonal line without hesitation towards unarmed Renzo!
Azier’s Basic Spear Technique
Frondier Style Swordsmanship Transformation
Cross Slash
A technique that cut through a steel golem.
No matter how strong Renzo is, he can’t withstand Gram with a human body.
However.
I saw it with my own eyes.
No, I felt it.
Perhaps because I’m within Menosorpo.
An intangible energy imbued in Renzo’s hand.
“Aura──!”
Renzo unfolded an aura with his bare hands.
A realm every student at Constel’s combat academy dreams of.
Effortlessly, he deflected my critical strike with a single hand.
At that moment, I was the one unprotected.
“Here!”
Renzo’s fist, aiming for my exposed side, flies toward me.
‘I’ll Weaving a shield-‘
Crash!
The sky flipped over, and I found myself flying through the air before crashing down.
The hastily Weaving shield tore like a piece of paper.
Feeling nothing even after scraping along the ground several times,
“Urgh!”
I spat out blood that felt like it was tearing me apart from inside.
The Menosorpo had been broken.
“Oops, my bad.”
Renzo approached me nonchalantly as I lay fallen.
“See, I don’t really know how to control my strength when I use my fists.”
‘You mean you don’t want to control it, you bastard.’
I wiped the remaining blood from my mouth and stood up.
But standing was all I could do; I was already in a critical condition.
My ribs felt broken, and nausea surged as blood backed up into my mouth.
My whole body trembled.
And to think, this was the state I was in even after using a shield.
Moreover, having used Gram, I had almost burnt through all my mana.
“But the way I feel when I hit you is strange. Your side feels hard.”
Renzo said, dusting off his hands.
To think he’d call it ‘strange’ after piercing through the shield.
A hollow laugh escaped me at the absurd strength.
“You seemed like an interesting fellow, but you’re just a greenhorn after all. That weapon is too much for you; it must be crying.”
Crying my ass.
The one who wants to cry is me.
‘What now?’
I’m out of mana, and my injuries are severe.
One hit, especially to the side, and I’m in this state; a second would probably kill me.
Did Aten run away?
I couldn’t take my eyes off Renzo, but she probably did.
She knows her own worth, after all.
But then.
“Stop it.”
A voice came from behind.
“You want to take me with you, right? He doesn’t matter to you.”
“Yeah, that’s right. As long as you come quietly, I have no complaints.”
Aten stood beside me.
I said with a weary voice.
“I told you to run.”
“I can’t.”
“You know what happens if you get kidnapped. Have you forgotten who you are?”
“I’ve never forgotten. Not for a moment.”
Aten’s voice was as usual.
Without any trembling or fear.
“I am a princess.”
“……”
“The royal family exists to protect its people. If you stand above many, you must bear that responsibility.”
“If you become a hostage, more people could get hurt.”
“No.”
Aten said that and smiled at me.
With a forlorn smile.
“I’m not worth that much.”