The Academy’s Ankle Reaper – Chapter 236

My hand… no, my arm is on fire.

“Ugh.”

The arm that had taken the three sword strikes twisted and broke in several places.

Bones tore through muscle.

I seriously doubted I could grip a sword with this arm any longer.

Herbert was more bewildered by the fact that the little kid, Casey, had such strength with such a light technique than by the pain he felt.

‘At least that technique is at the level of an expert…?!’

Herbert didn’t just pass the Knight Order exam through his family’s influence.

He wasn’t just strong; he was a genuine expert with a mind capable of making optimal decisions that lead to victory in the blink of an eye.

What had given him confidence was his resilience.

His muscular build was as highly praised among experts as his sheer toughness.

But… after just one jab to that arm, it had been twisted.

It wasn’t just raw strength.

Using delicate aura manipulation, her concentrated aura struck his hand, breaking free and surging through his arm.

‘I can’t believe it… she looks much younger than me and has this level of skill…’

He wanted to call off the duel immediately.

It seemed unbelievable that someone so young held such power, but the outcome spoke for itself.

One of his arms had become like a rag, unable to hold a sword anymore.

If that technique were to reach his other hand, both would end up incapacitated.

Or perhaps that was her intention from the start.

If both his hands ended up like that, he would have no choice but to admit defeat.

‘Should I be grateful she didn’t stab me in the torso?’

If she had done that, his insides would have been twisted into knots.

“That’s incredible… your skills.”

I forced my heavily furrowed brow to relax.

I felt like losing my cool would mean I’d already lost.

Casey stood back, still holding the rapier in one hand.

It was a pity to give up on a good woman, but it was better than losing my life.

As I prepared to admit defeat, Casey said coldly.

“I expected something more from someone wearing the Sky Knight Order uniform. Is this all you’ve got? They’ve really lowered their standards there.”

Herbert’s expression cracked at her words.

“What… did you just say?”

“Is it because it’s a ceremonial knight order? The Griffon side is the main attraction, right? As long as you can ride a Griffon well, I guess that’s good enough.”

His sanity snapped.

How dare she belittle the order she was undeniably a part of?

As a knight order sworn to protect the sky of the Empire, such comments were inexcusable.

“Who… says it’s a ceremonial knight order…!!”

A storm of rage encircled Herbert’s sword.

A whirlwind aura wrapped around the sword, which he balanced with one hand.

He had definitely surpassed his limits.

With just one hand, he replicated a strike so powerful it was nearly equivalent to using both hands.

While his posture might not be consistent, his pride in the knight order was genuine.

“This… damn kid!!!”

Herbert swung down his sword.

Fueled with rage to the very tips of his veins, the power of his strike nearly brushed the threshold of an elite expert.

The sword, wrapped in a gust of wind, devoured everything in its path.

Casey’s thin rapier looked flimsy and ordinary compared to Herbert’s sword engulfed in a cutting wind.

Should the two blades clash, the rapier would undoubtedly bend without mercy.

That was simply the nature of such a weapon.

The rapier, specialized for thrusting, wasn’t designed to block incoming strikes.

Casey chose not to retreat and ‘thrusts’ Herbert’s sword with her rapier.

-Clash!

The rapier, no thicker than a finger, collided with the sword that was as thick as an adult’s arm.

Everyone expected the rapier to shatter immediately, but Casey precisely jabbed Herbert’s sword, stopping the attack.

In that moment, the storm swirling around Herbert’s sword ceased.

Herbert felt a strange sensation.

A peculiar feeling that his aura had slipped from his control, alongside an abrupt stillness around his sword, despite him never consciously recalling his aura.

But then, a realization dawned on Herbert.

‘Did that happen just now…?!’

Something started to surge from behind the calm.

In terms of time, it was only about one second; Herbert tried to foresee and evade the impending danger, but it was already too late.

“Gahhhh?!”

Herbert’s body shot through the air.

Once again, an intangible force from that rapier crashed over him like waves, turning him into a disastrous mess.

“Ahhh!!!”

Every part of him ached.

It wasn’t just the sensation of being caught in a waterfall.

It felt like he had suffered bruises all over his body, and there was a strong sense that something inside was twisted.

Though dazed from the impact of Casey’s technique, he instinctively pushed himself up to regain his stance.

He attempted to charge again, but felt something touch his neck.

Casey had aimed her rapier at his throat.

“Want to continue?”

With precise pressure control, her rapier barely grazed his skin, drawing bright red blood.

It was a warning that he’d be stabbed without hesitation if he acted foolishly.

With that, Herbert’s mind turned cold.

“I… admit defeat.”

As Herbert pitifully acknowledged his loss, Casey sheathed her rapier at her waist and cast a disdainful glance at him.

“Then get the hell out of here.”

She said it coldly, turning her back.

For just a moment, that small back seemed extremely vulnerable.

Herbert raised his head.

‘Did you really think I would simply admit defeat?’

He rose, filling his remaining good hand with aura.

He was already far away from his sword.

It’s fine; with her guard down, if I smash a fist filled with aura into that small face, it would result in a more severe injury than being hit by a hammer.

With the intent to strike her down if necessary, he charged at her.

“You little bastard!!!!”

He shouted, trying to sound intimidating, but Casey didn’t even glance back.

It was as if she had no interest in him whatsoever.

And that alone fueled his fury even further.

In that moment, as Herbert aimed a punch toward the back of Casey’s head…

——————–

Metios confirmed that he was asleep and stepped outside for a moment.

He would be going back soon, but he needed to tell Lucia and the kids waiting about having to do some paperwork with Metios.

He found the room empty.

It seemed someone had gone out for a nearby stroll.

It was quite a distance to head down to the city, and since various families occupied the annex, it would be inconvenient to go there.

With that, it implied there was nothing to do but enjoy the garden.

Having concluded that, he headed to the garden and was met with an absurd scene.

“Damn you, little bastard!!!!”

A hulking man in the Sky Knight Order uniform was charging at Casey, who was turning around without a care, having lost composure.

“Casey, behind you!!”

River, who was not far away, shouted in alarm.

Casey couldn’t possibly be unaware of this.

Her not turning around was merely her luring him into a trap.

The trap Casey often used during sparring within the knight order.

The technique involved using telekinetic magic to trip an enemy who gets within three steps, followed by stabbing them with her rapier.

She was clearly unfazed by the situation.

The opponent had lost, and Casey would inevitably take him down.

But after witnessing Metios fall not long ago, I had become a bit emotional.

Attacking someone who stands defenseless while wearing the Sky Knight Order uniform?

Was that even human?

In a flash, I charged forward and—

-Bang!!!

Immediately after, the man bent dramatically at the waist.

“Sir?”

Casey, who had been waiting to see when I would arrive, turned in surprise.

With all my strength, I kicked, and with a sound of cracking ribs, he flew five meters away.

It was as if he had turned into a rubber ball and rolled onto the grass.

“Ugh… what on earth was that?”

He still attempted to rise, showing an impressive durability.

“…!!!”

Still standing, I kicked his head again.

White fragments spilled from his mouth, and this time he truly fell backward.

“Ugh… what the hell is going on?”

After kicking, I became curious about who it was I had struck.

I didn’t know who he was, but when I saw someone charging at me with a fist clenched, I kicked out.

Because I was already in a foul mood, I had kicked a bit harder, but he looked sturdy enough to survive.

The feeling I got from him was that only a few broken ribs and some teeth were lost.

“Sir, I could have handled it on my own.”

“Can’t you just say thank you?”

I ruffled the hair of the pouting Casey.

“Yeah, thanks, Casey, but… I could have fought him. Why did you have to take the reins?”

She was trying to evade my hand, but River spoke up.

“Sir asked you guys to take care of it.”

“Still…”

It seemed River thought he could handle it given how much stronger he had become.

But even I thought Casey handling it was the right call.

“That guy, what if you provoke him and it escalates into a family feud?”

“…!”

River was caught off guard by my observation.

“I have no one besides sir, and being a member of the Royal Knight Order, I won’t easily attract attention. I made a rational decision.”

Both River and Amy had significant vulnerabilities when it came to interactions with other families.

Their clan wasn’t the sturdiest, which might put them in trouble as soon as conflicts began.

But Casey had no such worries.

With no family to concern herself with, and me as her guardian, her background was the Royal Knight Order.

Attacking the Royal Knight Order was equivalent to declaring war against the Empire’s pride.

Even if she kicked up a fuss, Casey was much freer from responsibility.

“I can’t believe I hadn’t thought of that. Thanks.”

As River sincerely thanked Casey, she nodded.

I had thought we were done there, but suddenly something she said caught my attention.

“Hey, wait a minute, what? If I’m not mistaken, you fought instead of River?”

“Yeah, that ended up happening?”

I turned to look at the Sky Knight Order member groaning on the ground.

Which family did this guy belong to?

What on earth was he trying to pull in my (former) home??