Aura. The extraordinary power wielded by knights.
Even talented trainees take a considerable amount of time to awaken their Aura.
In the first place, it’s a power that doesn’t naturally exist within the body. Telling someone to generate it through breathing alone and then feel it is utterly absurd. Humans can’t even sense the flow of blood in their own bodies.
If one somehow manages to sense the presence of Aura, the next step is to be able to control it freely.
This is as difficult as arbitrarily manipulating your heartbeat or controlling the flow of blood.
Once a trainee completes this process, only then do they become an Aura User.
‘Honestly, becoming an Aura User isn’t exactly easy…’
The breathing techniques required to generate Aura, the talent to sense and manipulate it, and the environment where one can train for weeks to months without producing any tangible results…
Acquiring all these isn’t exactly a walk in the park.
It’s no wonder that even after combing through all the knights of a clan, there are only a handful who reach the Expert level. And amidst all this, I, who had just begun learning Aura, reached the Expert level.
‘It’s unbelievable.’
Had the viscount heard this story secondhand instead of witnessing it himself, he probably wouldn’t have believed it.
He believed it only because he saw his own son ascend to the rank of Expert with his very eyes.
“Judging by your current state, it seems there’s nothing left for me to advise you on regarding Aura.”
The viscount spoke as he looked down at me. Well, how could anyone offer advice on handling Aura to a genius who managed to transfer Aura outside his body on the very first day?
True, my Aura reserves were somewhat lacking, but that was just a matter of time.
Having moved past the topic of Aura, the viscount picked up a wooden sword hanging on the wall.
“Therefore, let me teach you swordsmanship.”
“Oh! Finally!”
The clan’s secret sword technique.
At the thought of learning it, I stared at the viscount with great anticipation.
Sensing my gaze, the viscount smirked and swung his sword in the blink of an eye.
A gust of wind rushed toward me, obscuring my vision. Blinking, I tried to process what I had just seen when the viscount’s voice snapped me back to attention.
“—That concludes it.”
After demonstrating every secret sword technique, which wasn’t supposed to be shown to anyone outside the Meyer family’s direct lineage, the viscount sheathed his sword and turned to look at me.
“What do you think? Can you replicate it?”
“…I can replicate it.”
I picked up the wooden sword beside me and mimicked the secret sword techniques the viscount had just shown me.
One technique involved scraping the ground and swinging upward.
Another was leaping forward with the sword raised above the head and bringing it down fiercely.
There was also a seemingly meaningless thrust and slash.
“What kind of secret sword technique is this?”
Secret techniques are supposed to be finishing moves capable of defeating enemies instantly or attacks so surprising that they leave opponents defenseless upon first sight. They’re about subtle movements involving fingers and toes.
But what the viscount had just shown didn’t fit into any of those categories.
‘It’s not even like some elementary school kid’s idea of the ultimate sword technique…’
How could attacks that unnecessarily break posture possibly work? However, contrary to my thoughts, the viscount grinned and revealed the secret behind the techniques.
“In truth, outward appearances aren’t that important. What matters most in secret sword techniques is the method of Aura manipulation.”
“Aura manipulation…?”
“Yes. It’s about infusing your swordsmanship with Aura. Let me show you.”
With that, the viscount sent me back a good distance and reenacted the techniques he had shown earlier.
Unlike the clumsy swordplay from before, the secret sword techniques infused with Aura now truly deserved to be called ‘Eightfold Art.’
“First Form: Earth Dragon Flash.”
What had seemed like simply scooping earth became a technique that flipped the earth itself, launching clods of dirt like cannonballs at the enemy.
“Second Form: Dance of the Lion.”
The foolish-looking leap forward and swing transformed into a majestic display akin to the king of beasts tearing apart foes.
“Third Form: Nameless Slash.”
The nameless art showed horrifying power, cutting through everything it touched.
Having unleashed three Eightfold Arts in quick succession, the viscount wiped away his sweat and looked at me.
“What do you think? Can you replicate it?”
As he spoke, the viscount somehow appeared larger than before.
In that moment, I fell in love with the sword.
Five years have passed since I began learning the sword.
* * *
My morning routine is incredibly monotonous.
On normal days, I learn swordsmanship from the viscount, and when the viscount is away from the territory, I either spar with Knight Leon or practice alone.
While learning Aura, I realized that neglecting strength training out of fear that growth might stop was a foolish move.
This otherworldly realm is like a fantasy game, filled with various items that don’t exist in reality.
Among them, potions are my most cherished. If I destroy my muscles and drink a potion, it allows for super recovery.
“Nine hundred ninety-eight, nine hundred ninety-nine, one thousand…!”
Having finished my daily routine of swinging the sword a thousand times, I checked my heated body and immediately went to find Sir Leon.
With the viscount away from the territory, it was time to spar with Sir Leon after finishing self-training.
Leaving the exclusive training grounds for the main family line, I headed to the training field where I saw Sir Leon training alongside soldiers and knights.
“Sir Leon.”
“Ah, Master Kail. Have you arrived?”
Sir Leon, who had been diligently teaching the knights, handed over the training to another senior knight upon hearing my voice and approached me.
We headed to my private training ground, out of others’ sight. Upon arrival, Sir Leon opened his mouth after seeing the sweat stains on the floor.
“Have you finished your morning training?”
“Yes.”
“I see. I was just warming up myself.”
Sir Leon immediately drew his sword. Of course, he couldn’t draw a real blade against the direct heir of the family he served, so it was still a wooden sword—but even so.
For someone of his skill level, even a wooden sword was more than enough to be a threatening weapon. I, now accustomed to wielding the wooden sword, stood ready to face him.
“The rules are the same as usual.”
“No using Aura—understood.”
As soon as our conversation ended, I exchanged blows with Sir Leon. His face always bore a smile as he parried my strikes.
I hated that smile. I wanted to shatter it and reveal his true feelings.
“Hmph-!”
“Haha, Master Kail. You’re clumsy. So clumsy-!”
I’ve never managed to defeat Sir Leon yet. That is, unless we use Aura or secret sword techniques, both of which are sealed during these sparring sessions.
Without Aura or secret sword techniques, all that remains is my trained body and accumulated swordsmanship.
Of course, it’s only natural that I, who has only trained for about five years, can’t possibly defeat Sir Leon.
He’s the chief senior knight, the captain of the Meyer Knights Order, and a genius knight who has honed his body and swordsmanship for decades.
“Here comes the thrust!”
At Sir Leon’s warning, the sharp wooden sword came thrusting toward my neck. I knew how to counter a thrust—I’d practiced it thousands, if not millions, of times with my own body.
Thanks to my efforts, I managed to deflect the thrust despite not even seeing the tip of the sword. But that was it; I couldn’t advance further.
Before I knew it, the wooden sword was already stopping right in front of my nose.
“It seems I’ve won again.”
The moment I deflected the thrust and attempted a counterattack, Sir Leon countered my counter. I knew the technique to counter that, but my body hadn’t fully mastered it, leaving me a step too late.
And so, I lost. With a face full of regret, I sheathed my sword and glared at Sir Leon.
“…If I were a little taller, I would’ve won.”
“That may be so. But, Master Kail, remember this fact.”
—Enemies won’t wait for you to grow.
“If only I were taller, stronger, or had trained my swordsmanship more—these assumptions are all meaningless words.”
If the opponent is faster, predict their movements.
If the enemy’s strength is overwhelming, rely on technique rather than brute force.
If their technique is superior, render it unusable.
Just because one is weaker doesn’t mean they’re destined to always lose to the strong.
Above all, knights are those who train daily to claim the position of the strong.
“The sweat you shed today will reduce the blood you’ll spill on the battlefield. Keep striving, Master Kail.”
“…I understand. I understand.”
“—Though, to be honest, Master Kail, you’re not exactly weak. In fact, you’re quite strong.”
“Strong? I’ve never won once.”
At that, Sir Leon burst into laughter. After laughing heartily, he suddenly stopped and began stroking his chin.
“Hmm, it’s true that losing endlessly could become a bad habit.”
Sir Leon gazed down at me, his eyes gleaming. This was a look he often gave me when pondering something about me.
I dubbed this his “Gay Mode.”
In Gay Mode, Sir Leon asked me:
“Master Kail, would you consider—sparring with the knights?”
* * *
Among the knights, the greatest interest lies in martial prowess. Who is stronger? Who fights better? How can one fight better?
And—in the Meyer family, formerly a swordsmanship household, even the direct heir couldn’t escape this interest.
—Just how strong is Young Master Kail?
This topic buzzed among the knights. Stories about Kail spread only through rumors, as no one had ever directly witnessed his abilities.
Even asking Leon, the only knight in contact with Kail, yielded little—just a sly grin and a single phrase:
“He’s the future Sword Saint.”
Such an outrageous statement led the knights to believe Leon was merely flattering the viscount.
Of course, those who knew Leon wasn’t the type to flatter argued back, fueling curiosity about Kail’s true abilities and potential.
And finally—Kail appeared before them.
“It’s Young Master Kail. As you all know… He’s here today to assess the strength of our knight order.”
“…Assess the knight order’s strength?”
“He intends to spar directly.”
Upon hearing Leon’s words, the knights realized what this meant. Kail assessing the knight order’s strength also meant the knights would get a chance to gauge Kail’s abilities.
Finally, they would uncover the true extent of the rough diamond the viscount and Leon had kept hidden. The knights clenched and unclenched their fists, alternating their gazes between Leon and Kail.
Leon watched the knights with a sly smile.
“Viktor? Would you like to go first?”
“Yes! Understood!”
At Leon’s words, a 15-year-old apprentice knight raised his hand eagerly. Having lived as a squire dreaming of knighthood for seven long years—
He had been training in swordsmanship two years longer than Kail and was five years older. While such an age gap might not matter much among adults, among teenagers, five years made for a significant difference.
Unless one possessed extraordinary talent, bridging that physical gap was nearly impossible. Viktor stepped forward, gripping his sword and standing before Kail.
“The rules are simple. No using Aura. Do not severely injure your opponent.”
“Understood.”
“Yes, sir.”
Upon hearing the conditions, Viktor foresaw his victory. No Aura? Then all that remained was physical conditioning and swordsmanship.
Meanwhile, this young master’s physique looked less than half of his own. No matter how hard he’d trained, the young master was still just a 10-year-old boy.
Could he surpass him in swordsmanship? Viktor shook his head at the thought.
He had already spent over seven years honing his sword skills. There was no way a 10-year-old master started wielding a sword at age three, so his experience was undoubtedly inferior.
‘This is my chance to impress the seniors…’
“Alright then—begin!”
At Leon’s command, Viktor lunged forward with his sword. A cheap move aimed at exploiting an opening right from the start.
An ambush that beginners would inevitably fall for. Seeing the sword flying toward him, Kail showed no reaction whatsoever.
Indeed—how much sparring could this young master have done?
As Viktor thought this, he suddenly realized he was staring at the sky.
“…Huh?”
Boom!
Only then did the shock of the world flipping upside down hit him. Without knowing what had struck him, Viktor passed out.
“Anyone else?”
Kail, having neutralized Viktor in a single move, waved his wooden sword and walked forward.
At this sight, countless knights simultaneously lit up with anticipation.
