CHAPTER 29: WHAT LURKS IN THE SHADOWS

"Wouldn’t have it any other way!" Phoenix responded excitedly, dashing towards the paladin.

As Leon did the same with his training companion, he couldn’t help but think maybe the adventurer’s confidence was misplaced. After all–he knew what it felt like to be struck by a wooden sword wielded by Charlemagne.

Phoenix propelled himself with a burst of fire at his heels, using the momentum to spin himself like a crimson pinwheel, "Comin’ right up–!"

The fiery assault reached Charlemagne, only for the paladin to intercept it with a swift strike that completely reversed the adventurer’s spin.

"Pyuh–!" Phoenix spat out.

Behind the quick counter-strike from Charlemagne, the force of it was enough to fling the fiery-haired man back several meters, bouncing off the grass. Leon used the opportunity to quickly place himself behind the paladin with the guidance of mystical swiftness–"Haste."

He had a clear view of his instructor’s back, down to the illustrious cape that flowed down from his shoulders. As he swung the wooden sword for the back of the paladin’s bead—

"Hrk?!—"

A sharp impact to his abdomen was instead felt, finding himself instead being the one struck unknowingly. It was only after blinking, stumbling back as he spat out drool that he found Charlemagne’s scathing smirk facing him.

"That one is gonna hurt! That’s the thing with "Haste"—you move so fast that you aren’t ready to get the wind knocked out of you!" Charlemagne shouted with enthusiasm.

In the midst of the paladin’s confident boast, Phoenix snuck up behind with a wild strike. With little effort, Charlemagne stepped to the side, causing the adventurer to miss his attack by a wide margin.

"Huh—?!" Phoenix gasped.

"Nice try, but not quite fast enough," Charlemagne remarked as he delivered a counter in the form of his foot against the adventurer’s hip.

Leon hardly had the chance to catch his breath, watching his companion be flung before the paladin was in front of him. The distance was crossed within a single blink of his eyes, as though the man simply ignored natural limits.

’This is the version of "Haste" used by paladins–he’s never shown this one before, but I guess it’s finally gotten to the point that he feels it’s needed,’

Leon thought, watching the blur of a swordsman across the field.

Attempting to follow the movements of the revered instructor only served to make him dizzy, bringing him to spin around, only to lose track instantly.

He raised his sword, focusing entirely as swift strikes clashed against his blade. It was difficult to make out any motion, only seeing the ripples in the air that came from the paladin’s quick movements.

The realization occurred to him that he underestimated the gap between himself and Charlemagne—

’The level I’ve seen him at...It has to be inaccurate—this guy is something else,’ he witnessed.

Every bit of his focus was needed just to defend himself from the rapid strikes, only given an opening as his fire-wielding companion propelled into the fray. Phoenix spun around with flames at his feet, forcing the paladin to react to threats from both sides.

"Don’t forget about me!" The fiery man shouted.

Charlemagne laughed, ducking down as the elemental kick soared right over his hair, "You’re making it difficult to, I’ll give you that."

It was a small window opened for Leon, immediately focusing the intensity of the mana flowing through his body, elevating it from just "swiftness" to bursting strength.

’Let’s try this one out...If I’m gonna be without spells for the near future, I gotta make up for it somehow,’ he readied himself.

He envisioned his own blood coursing through his veins with sparks, igniting within his body in a chain reaction–

"Body of Surging Thunder."

Across his skin, cerulean strands of lightning manifested, exuding from his pores as the elemental force empowered his body like a thunderous engine. He dashed forward, closing the distance before the paladin could move out of the way.

"Woah there—" Charlemagne reacted.

The tip of the wooden sword struck against the golden breastplate, shoving the paladin back harshly. Even if briefly, Charlemagne’s breath was knocked from his lungs.

From the garden, the scarlet-hair maid clapped her hands, cheering on, "Go! Go, Master!" Ruby shouted.

Beside her, Emilia watched while carefully plucking fruit from a tree, "Ruby...Can you focus on your work, please?"

"Aw, you’re always such a stiff, Em!" Ruby huffed.

—

In the field, the paladin excitedly laughed as the young lord paced through the grass with electricity at his feet.

Charlemagne backed up before swiping his wooden weapon, intercepting the swift strike that came his way. With the overwhelming speed backing his step, Leon pushed past the paladin’s defense, breaking his guard.

"Oh—?" Charlemagne reacted.

As the young lord and paladin clashed, there was no room for Phoenix to join in—frankly, the bout was too fast.

Leon pushed a breath past his lips, rushing forward as he found himself on the receiving end of the paladin’s stance. He knew from one look it was trouble, as Charlemagne slid his right foot forward, calling a luminous glow to his form:

"Blade of Heaven, Third Stage: Angel’s Feather."

The invoked swordplay forced Leon to halt his own assault, focusing entirely on defense. Against his ears, the air hissed as the paladin erupted towards him like a speeding bullet.

Right as he intended to dodge, his entire body declined that notion as his muscles cramped—

"Gah!" He winced.

The electric enchantment throughout his body dispersed as he was left motionless for just that second. It was more than enough time for the paladin to close in, unleashing the flurry of strikes delivered with masterful skill.

To his right shoulder; his left arm; both thighs; abdomen—

Each hit of the ligneous sword came in unison, as though multiple people struck him. The very concept of "defending himself" against the instantaneous flurry felt impossible.

Leon collapsed to his knee, huffing as his entire body ached from the wooden blows, "Hfff..."

"Master!"

To his side, both of the maids that were tending to the garden hurried over. Having a couple of cute girls rush to his side was enough of a charm for him to ignore the fleeting pain.

While he appreciated their concern, he picked himself up with a smile, "I’m alright, Ruby, Emilia...Just getting used to this."

Phoenix walked over with a huff, rolling his shoulder, "Man, he doesn’t hold back, does he? I’m going to be pissing blood for a week, probably..."

A laugh came from Charlemagne, flipping the wooden weapon in his hand, juggling it like a circus performer, "Apologies, but holding back is seen as an insult by those who live by the sword."

"Thanks for that," Leon said sarcastically while petting the hair of the scarlet-haired maid beside him.

Charlemagne looked at him with intrigue, "That enhancement you used—it certainly surprised me."

The adventurer chimed in, pumping his fist in the air, "Oh, yeah, me too! What was that, Boss?!"

It seemed he had a few curious gazes on him in regard to the electric performance he had put on, making him somewhat bashful as he rubbed his own cheek.

Leon explained it, "Body of Surging Thunder. It’s an enhancement elevated from a combination of ones like "Haste" and "Strengthen", using the lightning element to evolve it."

"It looked super strong! Like...huzzah!" Phoenix recalled, making noises with his mouth as if trying to emulate electricity, though more so coming off like an elementary schooler.

Emilia stood with her hand close to her chest worriedly, looking up at the young lord, "To me, it looked painful."

"Well, I won’t deny that," Leon admitted, patting the short maid’s head. "It’s not something I can use for anything more than short bursts right now. I’m working on it, though."

The paladin walked closer, placing his hand on the nobleman’s shoulder with an assuring smile, "If you get the hang of it, you’ll be a menace, that’s for sure. Anyway, what’s for lunch?" Charlemagne turned the compliment into a question, slinging his arm around Leon’s shoulder while motioning towards the mansion.

"Ah, man, I’m starving now that you bring it up!" Phoenix chimed in, following alongside.

"I think you always are, man," Leon responded.

"Hey—I mean, I can’t deny that," Phoenix huffed.

—

Amidst the mountains that overlooked the valley, eyes watched the movements of those that came and left the region.

An inhuman figure, tall and abundant in muscle, stood by the edge of the cliff, grumbling with his vicious underbite, "Three towns and one large home...A lord’s land, hrm."

Behind the grouping of fiends stood one that towered over them all, dressed in black armor that concealed everything but his face, of gray skin and vicious fangs.

"The land of a human lord," the armored figure grumbled, watching from the high point. "This will make a good beginning of our conquest into the domain of men."

["Ashvald"] [CLASS: Orc Warlord] [Lv. 30]