36. I Can Do It All Night Long
A knight is a combat specialist.
They learn various techniques that help in combat, from swordsmanship to shield techniques and armor utilization.
The Sword King used the most basic skill among them.
Thud!
It was just a simple blow.
Jooin, who blocked it, was pushed back greatly.
An overwhelming gap in strength.
Jooin gritted his teeth as he was pushed back.
‘As expected, it’s still too much to handle without ＜Reflect＞.’
It was the same even though he had inherited the Sword King’s potential.
He was one of the transcendent beings of the previous generation who had fought against the Demon King.
His potential had only increased slightly, so it wasn’t enough to fight him.
The Sword King also frowned and said,
“It’s foolish to confront a stronger opponent head-on.”
“I know!”
If he had used Reflect, he would have not only blocked it, but also counterattacked.
However, he didn’t use it on purpose.
‘The stronger the enemy you face, the faster your potential will blossom.’
In particular, physical potential rises faster the more you get hit.
A head-on confrontation was the answer to quickly raising his inherited potential.
‘This is the only way to quickly regain ＜金刚＞.’
Only when you raise your physical potential to the limit can you acquire the ＜Diamond＞ skill, a type of skill.
＜Diamond＞ was a perfect match with ＜Reflection＞.
Just by acquiring the physical potential ＜Diamond＞, your defense increases greatly.
＜Reflection＞ is also a type of defensive skill.
If your defense increases, you can use it to deal greater damage to your opponent.
‘So for now…… I’ll fight with just my pure skills, without Reflection.’
It wasn’t impossible.
Of course, if I just fought normally, I would be completely overwhelmed.
Swish!
It felt like space itself was being cut.
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It felt like a weakness was being exploited, like my lifeline was being targeted.
Joo-yeon wasn’t able to dodge it easily, even though he was a seasoned player.
‘It’s monotonous, but it’s fast and powerful.’
It wasn’t for nothing that he was called the Knight King.
Even the knights watching were gaping in awe.
A voice kept ringing in Joo-yeon’s head.
＜[Crisis detected]……＞
＜[Crisis detected]……＞
‘I know! Just shut up!’
So he used the only combat skill he had.
＜Physical Enhancement＞
Joo-yeon’s body turned red-hot.
It was the power of a skill that momentarily enhanced his physical abilities.
‘My physical potential increases when I get hit, but it also increases when I attack!’
His strength also increased.
It would be even more effective if he were to hit an opponent of the Knight King’s caliber.
Joo-yeon ran at the Knight King with that in mind and swung his sword.
In an instant, a flurry of incredibly fast sword strikes poured forth.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Joo-yeon’s sword strikes grazed the Knight King in an instant.
However, the Knight King’s body was as hard as if he had been struck by a lump of iron.
He didn’t even flinch.
“That was pretty fast.”
He raised his sword as if this degree of resistance was only to be expected.
The Knight King’s defense continued.
Clang! Clang!
Joo-yeon’s speed was so fast it was almost invisible.
It was thanks to the Physical Enhancement skill.
On top of that, there was also the achievement he had earned by defeating the Demonkin.
[Slayer of the Strong]
– He brought down someone stronger than him.
– When facing someone stronger than him, he nullifies their aura.
Since his aura didn’t work on his physical enhancement, his body moved like a feather.
However, no matter how fast and varied Joo-in’s attacks were, they couldn’t break through his defense.
Even if they did, they’d be blocked by his steel-like skin.
And he hadn’t moved an inch from his spot.
It was only natural for Joo-in’s eyebrows to shoot up.
‘My strength is lacking.’
It was just as he said.
It was useless if he couldn’t bring down his opponent no matter how fast he was.
Right now, Joo-in’s sword couldn’t break through the Knight King’s defense.
‘Physical enhancement is a technique that can only be used for five minutes.’
It was impossible to bring him down within that time.
No matter how powerful the skill, it was useless before the true strength of the Knight King, who was known to have the strongest shield.
Even if he was being eaten away by the Demon King’s curse, his strength as a warrior remained.
Then, the Knight King opened his mouth with a calm expression.
“You can use that strength.”
He was talking about the method he used to replenish his strength when he used .
To fill the lack of strength with .
“You told me not to use it?”
“I told you not to use it only for defense. I told you not to rely too much on that strength. But you must have used that power to attack as well?”
It wasn’t wrong.
If you use to defend, your skills won’t improve.
You couldn’t achieve the goal that Joo-in wanted.
But what if you used it to attack?
‘I can become stronger.’
This was a training out of necessity.
He had to learn not only the Knight King’s potential, but also many other things.
Especially the hearts of the knights who were watching this duel.
Fortunately, he had an idea from the fight with the mazoku.
Joo-in closed his eyes briefly.
‘First, as fast as possible…….’
In an instant, Joo-in’s shadow disappeared.
At the same time, Joo-in’s divine power was scattered around the Knight King, who was standing still.
The knights had expressions of utter shock.
Finally, Joo-in’s sword poured down on the Knight King.
He charged forward in a straight line.
The Knight King finally burst out laughing.
“That’s right. You don’t need tricks in a swordmaster’s fight.”
The Knight King swung down the sword that had been raised above his head.
He then drew his secret technique.
＜Edmer Vision Swordsmanship＞
＜First Form＞
＜Thunder Strike＞
His sword struck down from the heavens like thunder.
It was a powerful sword strike, as if it could cleave the heavens and earth in half.
Of course, Joo-yeon did not evade as he charged towards him.
Instead, he brandished his sword with both hands and swung it.
＜Joo-yeon Style＞
＜Horizontal Slash＞
A basic sword technique at best.
It was an ordinary horizontal slash used by knights.
However, Joo-yeon’s sword did not end with a simple swing.
The moment their swords clashed.
Joo-yeon’s body twisted violently.
‘Right before the attack lands… I can reflect the force of the impact!’
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwang!
The two were pushed back with an enormous sound.
Even the Knight King was forced back several steps.
“Impressive.”
His sword was trembling slightly.
The clash had been that intense.
He seemed surprised inwardly.
However, the victor was clear to the naked eye.
Kuluck…….
Joo-yeon was pushed back dozens of steps and coughed up blood.
The Knight King had only been pushed back a few steps.
Even then, he seemed perfectly fine.
However, the exclamations from the knights who had witnessed the spectacle were completely different.
“My God. He landed a blow on His Excellency the former Grand Duke.”
“It was only a few steps, but… he definitely pushed him back.”
“His Excellency’s defense was broken?”
He was the Knight King, once hailed as the invincible shield.
It was shocking enough that he had taken a single step back, but he had taken several steps back.
It was only natural that they were surprised.
The Knight King’s 100 loyal knights felt the same way.
“That speed and power were definitely unexpected….”
“And he even stopped his momentum to momentarily increase his destructive power. He seems to know how to use his strength well.”
However, they did not think that the Knight King had used his full strength in the first place.
“He must be going easy on him since he’s the one we’ve been waiting for.”
“That’s right. No matter what [he] is, breaking through Your Majesty’s defense is impossible.”
“I wonder if you’ll spare the Morning Star.”
It was possible because the Knight King had initially looked after Joo-yeon.
However, the Knight King’s thoughts were different.
‘My Thunderbolt Strike…… has been pushed back?’
And it was pushed back by a simple horizontal slash without using any special abilities?
At first, Joo-yeon missed the timing slightly, so the activation time was slightly delayed.
However, he pushed back not only his swordsmanship but also his body.
‘This is beyond my expectations.’
It was clear that his strength and speed were lacking.
However, he accurately targeted the weakness of his swordsmanship at that urgent moment.
There was nothing to teach him.
However, the Knight King, who was called the greatest knight on the continent, had a reputation to uphold.
‘For now, I’ll have to modify his knowledge to fit his body a little more.’
Until now, he had not felt the need to move from his spot.
He thought that was enough.
But now, it was different.
The Knight King’s feet began to move slowly.
‘If he’s someone who gets stronger the more he fights…… I’ll burn him to the end.’
Kwaaang!
As the two swords clashed, the knights gulped.
“Is what we’re seeing real…….”
“How can…… he fight the Knight King like that…….”
The knights who had been saying that Joo-yeon catching the demons was just a rumor fell silent.
‘Could he really be the hero?’
Honestly, even if they were told to face the Knight King, there was a high probability that they wouldn’t be able to do as well as he did.
Aside from his abilities, it was because of fear.
However, Joo-yeon was different.
‘How can he be so calm in front of that fighting spirit……!’
And in the meantime.
“Can you do more?”
“I can do it all night long.”
“Good.”
The pupils of the knights watching the two shook.
* * *
The sparring was a success.
[A special achievement has been made.]
[One who lasted a day against the Knight King]
[Even if your stamina is exhausted, if you have the willpower, you will never fall.]
He had achieved the achievement known as ＜Tenacity＞.
With this ability, I will never fall no matter how much my physical strength is exhausted.
But that wasn’t the only thing I gained.
[A special achievement has been achieved]
[Heir of the Sword King]
[好感度 with those who have the Knight class has increased to the maximum]
I even gained the favor of the knights who were watching the duel with the Sword King.
From now on, Joo-yeon will be favored by any knight he meets, not just the Edmer family.
Besides, the Sword King even put down his sword.
“There will be no more duels.”
It means that he has already recognized Joo-yeon’s skills.
“Amazing. What you need is not experience.”
Usually, those who suddenly gain strength cannot control their power.
So, through duels with the strong, they learn the sense of controlling their power and realize how to use it.
However, Joo-yeon was different from such people.
“Your proficiency and usage of power are perfect. There is no need for me to point it out. You’re like a crazy monster who has only fought for decades.”
Joo-yeon looked surprised.
“It’s not that much?”
“No. My judgment is certain. What you need now is not combat experience but basic training.”
“Basic training?”
“Yes. It would be better to increase your potential as quickly as possible. The knights have a good basic training method.”
At those words, Joo-yeon narrowed his brows.
‘If so, it’s just hitting a scarecrow.’
Honestly, dueling was easier than basic training.
It was because confronting swords was more fun than simple repetitive work. It was also a matter of time.
Joo-yeon shook his head at the Sword King, who was about to drag him to the training ground.
“Don’t do that. How about letting those guys join us?”
“Those guys?”
“I mean the knights of the Edmer family. Wouldn’t it be better to become stronger together?”
“……!?”
Joo-yeon’s hand pointed to the knights who were watching from behind.
Then the Sword King’s eyes widened.
He had only thought of making Joo-yeon, the successor, stronger, but he hadn’t thought of the knights of the family.
Of course, so were the knights.
“We…we too?”
“Can we train under the Sword King?”
They didn’t say it, but the 100 knights also had strangely expectant eyes.
It was an honor that would never happen again in their lives to be trained by the man called the King of Knights.
However, the Sword King could not hide his worried expression.
“Is that okay? It will be less efficient than training alone?”
It’s a million times better than a scarecrow?
“It would be better if we all got stronger together, wouldn’t it? We’re going to be fighting together in the future, after all.”
“I see…”
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The Knight King’s eyes became serious.
He shouted towards the knights.
“Those who wish to train together, come forward. But! I will not allow anyone to give up before Joo-yeon. Do you still wish to do this!”
“Of course!”
“I will follow you, even to my death!”
The Knight King was pleased by the knights’ fighting spirit and smiled.
“Good. Everyone, follow me!”
Waaah.
The Knight King and the knights let out a cry of victory.
However, they still didn’t know why Joo-yeon wanted them to participate in the training.
It wasn’t out of simple goodwill.
‘Good. I’ll be able to do a new test for ＜Reflection＞.’
If I use these guys, I can train their potential while also testing ＜Reflection＞.
Plus, I can recruit the knights whose favor I gain through this new achievement.
‘Do you think I’d be messing around with straw dummies?’
As a veteran, he never wasted time.
The knights just didn’t know that.