Chapter 55. Please, Stop Our Young Master
A cold silence settled over the training grounds.
Caron's blatant provocation hung in the air, and the Imperial Guards, who had been watching the duel, wore expressions of rising anger. But not one of them moved. Caron looked at them with a smirk.
Still thinking it through? he thought.
One of their own had just been crushed, and they were being openly provoked. And yet, none of them stepped forward. They were likely calculating the pros and cons in their heads, even at this very moment.
"What? No takers?" Caron called out again, pushing further.
He already knew that the Imperial Guards had deteriorated, but he hadn't realized it was this bad. The Imperial Guards had once been more aggressive than the knights of Azureocean Castle. But now, in Caron's eyes, they were nothing more than complacent, peace-soaked soldiers.
"Knights with no sense of honor—" Caron started, his provocation about to continue.
But a voice cut him off. "If you're curious about the sword of an Imperial Guard, I will be your opponent."
It was Sir Luke, a familiar face Caron had seen quite often. As Luke entered the sparring grounds, Caron's smile widened.
What a great catch, he thought. It was a bigger fish than he'd expected.
Luke approached Caron with a cold expression.
"There is an evil demon loose within the Imperial Palace," he began. "In such a situation, unnecessary loss of strength must be avoided. That is why no one has stepped forward. We must focus on the safety of the emperor and the empire, rather than waste energy on pointless duels."
Luke was a smooth talker.
Caron returned a slight smile and nodded at Luke's words, which sounded more like an excuse. He said, "Yes, of course, I completely understand. The safety of the emperor is the safety of the empire itself, right?"
"Indeed. And yet, the reason why I've chosen to step forward is to show you what the true sword of the empire looks like," Luke replied.
It wasn't hard for Caron to see what Luke's real goal was. The Imperial Guards didn't want to risk the sight of their knights losing to a mere thirteen-year-old. But in a way, that was also a tacit admission of Caron's abilities. Luke was personally stepping in to sort out the situation.
Caron narrowed his eyes as he measured the gap between them.
The pinnacle of 6-Star, likely nearing 7-Star, he thought.
The gap between them was clear. He himself had just reached 5-Star, while Luke was already on the cusp of becoming a 7-Star knight.
It doesn't really matter whether I win or not.
Winning wasn't truly Caron's goal. Sparring with Amy had warmed him up, and he was now fired up. He wanted to see with his own eyes how far the swordsmanship of his fellow knights had progressed.
His lips twisting into a grin, Caron locked eyes with Luke and said, "If Sir Luke could teach me a thing or two, I would be most grateful."
Caron had already heard about Sir Luke from Revelio. Luke was a knight, highly likely to be promoted to vice-commander of the order, and backed by Marquis Diaz. If it came down to raw power, Caron knew he would lose. The gap between them was clear, so he had another variable in mind.
"But, Sir Luke," Caron continued, "I heard that the Imperial Sword focuses on real combat, is that correct?"
"Yes, that's right," Luke replied.
"I'd love to see the true essence of the Imperial Sword. Using a wooden sword feels like we're only doing things halfway, don't you think?" Caron suggested.
"...Are you suggesting we spar with real swords?" Luke asked.
"Only if you're fine with it, Sir Luke," Caron answered.
Luke furrowed his brow and glanced over at Zerath, the Commander of the Oceanwolf Knight Order. He expected Zerath to put an end to this reckless suggestion. But Zerath remained silent, simply observing the situation unfold.
What on earth are you thinking, Sir Zerath? Luke wondered.
He already knew Caron Leston was a madman, so it didn't surprise him that the young noble would suggest something so outrageous. But he couldn't understand why the commander was just watching.
Does he really think this boy has a chance? he thought, his expression darkening.
In a cold voice, he said, "My blade is not a gentle one. You could be seriously injured. Are you still alright with that?"
Caron responded with a cheerful smile, "Of course. I'm fine with that."
"Then, I will ask you one last thing. Whatever happens during the spar—" Luke began.
"Stays on the dueling grounds," Caron finished for him. "We don't take it outside. That's the law of Azureocean Castle, isn't that right, Sir Zerath?"
Zerath let out a sigh and nodded, then said, "I won't hold you responsible for anything, Sir Luke."
"If you say so. Alright then," Luke responded with a nod. He added with a faint smile, "I'll avoid striking vital points. After all, this is still just a friendly spar."
Luke didn't need to target critical areas to overpower Caron. He was confident he could subdue the boy with ease. He thought it would be a good lesson for the overzealous young knight. It would be a chance to restore a bit of his pride, too, if he could win cleanly and decisively.
The sound of steel rang out as Luke drew his sword from its scabbard.
When Caron saw that, he waved toward Leo, who tossed Guillotine to him. Caron caught it smoothly, drawing the sword from its scabbard in one smooth motion. As he did, a familiar voice echoed in his mind.
"Don't expect any lucky breaks like last time, Owner," Guillotine whispered.
I know, Caron replied internally.
He had fought a 6-Star knight before, during the train ambush. But back then, Hans had created enough of a distraction for him to decapitate the knight. This time, things would be different. Luke was even stronger than that opponent.
This wouldn't be an easy fight, but Caron didn't feel the need to shrink away. He thought it was a fight worth having, and an excellent way to gauge his current level. Besides, it wasn't entirely unfavorable. After all, the opponent's swordsmanship was the very same style he had once devoted himself to and had even prepared to die for.
"I'll let you make the first move," Luke offered as he settled into his stance.
"I won't refuse," Caron responded as he licked his lips, noticing how his opponent still looked relaxed.
"Begin when you're—" Luke started to say in a low voice, but before he could finish, a deafening roar split the air.
BOOM!
A wave of mana erupted from Guillotine's tip, tearing through the dueling grounds with explosive force.
***
BOOM!
Every time their swords collided, it sounded like an explosion going off. Luke gritted his teeth as he barely managed to parry the strikes flying at him.
How can only the tip of his sword be so relentless? Luke thought.
He had faced the Oceanwolf Sword Arts before. The Imperial Guards and the Oceanwolf Knight Order had sparred occasionally as part of their training exchange programs. The Oceanwolf Sword Arts were a powerful, straightforward style that was fueled by immense mana, and they had always reminded Luke of an endless, untamed sea. But what Caron was doing now was completely different.
Whirr!
The tip of Caron's blade constantly shifted unpredictably. One moment it aimed for Luke's legs, and in the next instant, it twisted toward another target. The afterimages of the sword confused Luke's vision, and the young boy wielded his sword with unnerving skill.
Whenever Luke tried to block an attack, it was as if Caron had anticipated the move, seamlessly transitioning into the next strike. False attacks blended with real ones, and the gleaming, dark blue blade surrounded Luke, pressing in from all sides.
Luke wondered if he could really call this the Oceanwolf Sword, and if this boy truly was only thirteen years old. A storm of questions whirled in his mind, but Caron didn't allow him any time to think.
BOOM!
In an instant, an explosion of mana erupted at Luke's feet, its force strong enough to leave a crater in the ground. But Luke quickly stepped back as he barely dodged the blast, and in the same breath, he thrust his sword at Caron's exposed upper body.
Luke's blade grazed Caron's side, just barely cutting through the leather armor he wore. If it had been an inch to the right, it would have pierced his chest. But at that moment, Luke witnessed a smile on Caron's face.
Just as he began to wonder why, Caron trapped Luke's sword under his armpit. With startling speed, he swung the hilt of his sword toward Luke's head.
Caught off guard, Luke ducked just in time to avoid the blow and immediately infused his sword with mana, unleashing a wave of energy.
BOOM!
Their clashing mana created a shockwave, forcing Luke to withdraw his blade. Then he used the momentum to leap backward to put distance between them, and for a brief moment, the duel reached a stalemate.
"You dodged that? I thought that was a pretty good move." Caron panted, a sly grin on his face.
But Luke couldn't bring himself to smile. The boy in front of him was the youngest grandson of Duke Halo, a noble from a prestigious family known for swordsmanship. Normally, the heirs of such families displayed rigid, traditional techniques. Even with real battle experience, their movements wouldn't become flexible until much later in life.
Just how Caron had managed this was the question.
...Sword demon, Luke thought.
He couldn't believe that a thirteen-year-old could wield a sword like that. Caron's instincts and his judgment were almost prophetic. Every move seemed like an improvisation built on experience. That sword belonged to someone who had crossed countless battlefields.
It feels familiar, Luke thought. It seemed almost as if he was sensing traces of his seniors' techniques in Caron's swordsmanship. Complicated thoughts filled his mind.
To defeat that sword, Luke realized he would have to give everything he had. If he didn't, his instincts screamed at him that he would lose.
Whoosh.
Without hesitation, Luke drew up his mana. He had finally accepted that he could lose to this boy. Caron wasn't just a child; he was a monster, a disaster beyond human comprehension. If Caron was already this powerful at the age of thirteen, he would only become harder to handle with time. And in the end, there was no doubt that Caron would become the new wings of the Leston Duchy, a place where the giant named Halo stood strong.
"You'd better be prepared," Luke warned in a quiet voice.
His conflicted thoughts were now clear. As a member of the Imperial Guards, and as a protector of the royal palace, there was only one task for him. He had to break those wings. And if he couldn't, he had to at least leave a scar. That was his duty to the palace and to those he served.
"Finally going all out, are you?" Caron asked.
"We've explored each other long enough, haven't we?" Luke replied.
"You should've done this earlier. It's a bit late now," Caron said. His grin became more feral as he adjusted his grip on Guillotine.
Luke raised his sword into a high guard position. There was only one technique in the Imperial Sword style that started from this stance.
Imperial Sword Sixth Form: Moonlight, Caron thought.
This form was a finishing move designed to decapitate the opponent in one swift strike. It was a near-instant killing technique, and by choosing it, Luke was making his intention clear. He wanted to end this quickly.
"That guy's up to something bad," Guillotine's voice echoed in Caron's mind. " I can feel his killing intent. Owner, you should tattle to your guardian."
Though Guillotine mocked the situation, the sword itself began to emit an unsettling aura.
"Well then, I'll meet you with my full strength," Caron said, an eerie smile spreading across his face.
As he spoke, a massive ocean of mana surged from his body and swirled around him. It was Oceanwolf Sword Art Form 5: High Tide. The once-blue sea transformed, darkening as it absorbed Guillotine's eerie energy and shifting into a deep, ominous dark blue.
Swish!
Luke's sword sliced through the air, sending a crescent-shaped arc of energy flying toward the dark ocean surrounding Caron. At the same moment, his figure vanished from sight. That was Imperial Sword Form 6: Moonlight.
A crescent-shaped arc of sword energy sliced through the air, hiding its master behind it. It was a technique designed to sever the life of any opponent who dared face it. Mesmerized by the sword's radiant beauty, many had fallen prey to it, their throats cut before they realized what had happened. Most people who faced this technique for the first time were helplessly defeated.
However... To Caron, Moonlight was all too familiar.
My favorite technique, he thought. In his previous life, Cain had used this very technique more than any other.
There were two ways to counter it. The first was to sense and avoid the hidden sword behind the crescent moon. The second method was to...
Devour the entire crescent moon, Caron thought.
Just as Halo had done long ago, erasing every trace of the sword energy. Caron likewise chose the latter.
BOOM!
The dark blue ocean began to surge around him. The moment the crescent moon touched the surface of the ocean, it vanished without a trace. Each time the dark blue ocean swayed, the waves rose, and those waves mercilessly wiped away the crescent.
Without a second thought, Caron stepped into the swirling waves. Just as Luke had hidden behind the moon, Caron hid behind the waves. This led their mana to clash relentlessly, and the resulting shockwaves numbed all senses. Caron focused every bit of his mind on controlling his mana. If his physical senses were dulled, he would replace them with the wide range of his mana, spreading it out to detect any movement.
As Caron was trying to find Luke's presence...
Shrrrk!
A crescent moon pierced through the sea from the upper right, rushing toward Caron. It exuded a sharp, menacing aura. But Caron knew instantly that it was false.
Long ago, in his previous life, there had been one man who executed Moonlight like this. It was a false moon hiding the real moon, a true strike concealed behind an elaborate fake.
The Moonlight Luke had just unleashed was one that should have never been passed down. That was because it was the Moonlight of Kerra, Cain's subordinate, who had been buried here long ago.
"...Kerra?" Caron murmured.
Slash.
The fake crescent moon grazed Caron's waist, and right after, the real one emerged from behind it. It was a pitch-black crescent moon that even swallowed light.
Thud.
Luke's sword extended from the crescent moon and pierced Caron's side.
At that moment, Leo, who had been watching the duel, drew his sword from its scabbard and cried out, "Caron! Sir Zerath, this is—"
But Zerath placed a firm hand on Leo's shoulder and shook his head, then said, "Stay still, Young Master Leo."
"How can I just—" Leo began.
"Just watch. It's not over yet," Zerath insisted, his eyes fixed intently on the center of the training ground.
There stood Caron, clutching Luke's neck even as the sword lodged in his side.
"Urghhhhh. Urghhh," Luke gasped, struggling to breathe.
"Sir Luke, You'll need to answer my question carefully," Caron said.
"H-How...? How did you... My Moonlight ...?" Luke stuttered.
"I hope you'll answer sincerely. This is a very important matter to me," Caron advised.
The dark blue ocean of his mana turned pitch-black. And standing in that darkness, Caron asked Luke in a cold voice, "That Moonlight... Who taught you that technique?"
Caron's eyes gleamed menacingly.