Chapter 82 – Flow (1)

‘Henry has returned!’

Austin Roderick heard the news a step late.

It was thanks to Alex’s disciple.

“He entered Chief Instructor Rousseau’s training ground. The Instructor went with him too.”

A trace of regret lingered on Lauren as she spat out those words.

This was because she was also Alex’s disciple, but did not have the authority to enter Rousseau’s training ground.

However, Austin was able to.

When he arrived in front of Rousseau’s training ground,

Austin hesitated over whether to press the call button, but shook his head.

If it were the Henry he knew, he would surely have entered an important stage by now. He did not want to disturb him.

The moment he opened the door and entered as quietly as possible,

‘Oh my goodness.’

Austin ended up facing a sight different from what he had anticipated.

Sword and sword clashed.

It was not something like a wooden sword for dueling.

Real swords wrapped in mana clashed several times in a split second, scattering fragments of mana.

They were swords that could cut skin and sever bones.

A situation where a single mistake might lead to death, and was just as urgent.

‘No, Instructor Rousseau will take care of it.’

Austin shook his head to shake off his worries.

Henry was outstanding, but the opponent was Rousseau, the chief instructor of the Academy.

With his skills, it was certain he would prevent dangerous situations in advance…

“……?”

Austin tilted his head for a moment. It was because of the sense of incompatibility he felt at that instant.

Rousseau was the chief instructor.

The chief instructor was strong.

No matter how the trainee behaved, with the chief instructor’s skill, he should be able to restrain them sufficiently.

‘If it were a duel between an instructor and a trainee, there would be no need to feel this sense of crisis.’

That is to say,

the more obvious the difference in skill between the parties dueling, the ‘safer’ the duel became.

Austin realized the identity of the sense of incompatibility.

‘Why is it equal?’

The Henry he remembered was a 2-star class knight.

Even if he said he remembered, in truth, it was a point in time not even a few days had passed.

However, now.

Henry was showing an appearance of barely falling behind against Chief Instructor Rousseau.

‘What on earth…’

Austin ended up letting out a hollow laugh.

Even for him, who prided himself on having undergone all sorts of situations, it was a growth rate difficult to accept.

An opponent he could not gauge at all.

With that kind of strength, it was to the extent that Austin could not be sure if he could subdue him even if he moved as an assassin.

It was then.

“……!”

Austin widened his eyes.

At that moment, something was visible. That is, it was a moment as if Henry had multiplied into two.

There was a Henry slashing horizontally, and there was a Henry striking upward from below.

The Henry slashing horizontally vanished.

‘What did I just see?’

*Rub, rub, rub!*

He rubbed his eyes vigorously.

This kind of technique was a type not taught in the Academy’s curriculum. It was the same in the classes Austin himself had received in his family.

‘……Did I see wrong?’

Austin was now concentrating on the duel without even blinking.

With his brow tightly furrowed, he poured all his nerves into the scene before his eyes.

Certain of the moment,

“……”

Once again.

Austin ended up confirming Henry, who had multiplied into two in an instant.

‘My goodness. Is this…’

Is this a possible thing? Thinking so for a moment, Austin nodded.

‘There is no reason it wouldn’t be.’

If one manipulated mana well, it was not impossible.

Wasn’t there a similar technique among those Austin used?

A technique that temporarily concealed one’s own appearance by disrupting the opponent’s vision.

The problem was the fact that it was not merely about manipulating mana ‘well’, but was only possible if one could manipulate it as if moving their own limbs.

‘A truly knight-like technique… Indeed a great guy.’

Now, Austin turned to the attitude of a pure spectator.

It was not a technique that could be done merely by trying to understand.

Just as Austin could not teach his own technique, Austin also could not learn Henry’s technique.

Soon the duel ended. Both Henry and Rousseau withdrew their mana while dripping with sweat.

“Thank you for the guidance.”

“It cannot be called guidance, Henry. Since I learned more from you. A fellow like you is really…”

Rousseau wore an air of not knowing what on earth to say.

Of course, the underlying emotion was joy.

Because he was feeling a deep emotion as if facing a disciple who had surpassed the master.

‘Although it is a relationship where he cannot even be called a disciple.’

Nevertheless, the process of an outstanding talent blossoming bestowed a feeling of happiness upon the educator merely by watching.

“It was an excellent technique, Henry. Now the only part where I can be said to be ahead of you is the amount of mana.”

“That is not true.”

“Clearly it is. I prided myself on having undergone a bit more, but the important thing was not the total amount of experience. Henry, you were a fellow who could learn more from little experience… Austin?”

“Ah, yes.”

Austin answered with a flinch. Judging by Rousseau’s reaction, it was from the thought that he might receive a scolding.

However, Rousseau’s reaction was different.

“Good timing. Actually, I was just about to summon you.”

“Me?”

Rousseau nodded.

“Henry has not fully digested all the realizations yet. Isn’t that so, Henry?”

“……Yes.”

Digesting the realizations was a statement made based on Rousseau’s standards.

When a knight’s achievement advanced by one stage,

to make that strength entirely one’s own, a series of processes was necessary.

Just as a blacksmith made a new hammer become familiar in his hand through meaningless tasks.

“I want to stay a bit longer, but… I must conduct the class now. Austin, I ask you to be Henry’s opponent.”

Rousseau felt as if a ten-year-old congestion had cleared up completely.

Naturally, the class he had postponed came to mind, and the gaze of the Dean looking at him today followed.

Since he had witnessed Henry’s grown appearance, it was time for Rousseau himself to return to reality as well.

“However.”

Rousseau spoke in a serious voice.

“Make sure to use wooden swords. I cannot permit real swords. Both of you must have understood clearly, right?”

“Yes.”

“Understood.”

Rousseau nodded with satisfaction.

It seemed he could conduct the class as much as he wanted now.

And that, with a truly joyful heart.

Rousseau departed.

Only then did Austin let out a long breath and begin to grin foolishly.

“I thought I would get scolded. By the way, when did you return?”

“A moment ago.”

“What about the mission?”

“Succeeded, of course.”

“I knew it. Do we really do it with wooden swords?”

*Twirl.*

Austin picked up a mounted wooden sword and twirled it once.

Henry shook his head.

“With the ones you gifted me last time.”

***

Henry was satisfied with the sudden situation.

A moment ago.

From the moment he started the broadcast, the real-time viewers were continuously increasing.

If it were not for Rousseau, the viewers would have plummeted the moment he achieved 3-star knight and introduced the traits.

However, after the duel with Rousseau, and showing the effect of [Afterimage], the chat window was scrolling up like crazy.

‘To think Austin came in this situation.’

He thought it would end there, but this time Austin popped out.

Unlike others, did Henry and the viewers not know Austin’s true strength?

A 4-star class knight and a 5-star class assassin.

Also the fact that the pair of daggers were S-rank artifacts.

[If he uses daggers, doesn’t he become 5-star level? lol]

[If he holds those, he seems stronger than Rousseau]

[Isn’t it rather better that he is an assassin? Sir Knight, you have that. Seeing mana]

[I think it will be dangerous this time lol]

The newly given situation.

The reaction of the viewers was even more intense than the duel with Rousseau.

[Subscribers: 986]

[Current Viewers: 1482]

The subscribers were in a situation where they were close to reaching one thousand.

It would be troublesome to blow this opportunity.

“Do we really do it with this? It might be dangerous.”

Darkness and Shadow.

Before long, the pair of daggers were held in Austin’s hands.

“Because I haven’t had a chance to get used to them yet.”

“Because I cannot be the only one receiving help.”

“That is a touching remark.”

There had to be something to gain from a duel.

Because they clashed swords for that purpose.

However, in a situation like now, it was no different from saying they would take risks for the opponent’s sake.

Of course.

Henry’s purpose was slightly different.

……

The two building owners added enjoyment to the already interesting situation.

Had he not already experienced it several times?

The fact that even an ordinary situation drew the viewers’ interest the moment money was involved.

“Shall we start?”

Instead of answering, Henry adjusted his grip on the sword, and Austin vanished from sight.

[Seriously fascinating lol]

[It’s correct that he didn’t move now, right?]

[He seems to still be in place lol]

Now the viewers were also seeing the same scene as Henry.

Austin’s mana was still in place.

When dealing with an assassin.

If one relied on senses, their breath would be cut off without even knowing what happened.

Because they were more familiar with disrupting the opponent than anyone.

However,

that did not apply to Henry, who could see mana with his eyes.

*Clang!*

[Darkness] was blocked by Henry’s sword. It was an honest attack that came from the right, and the real one was elsewhere.

The sword moved.

Henry, who pushed away Darkness extensively, also struck away [Shadow], which was digging into his abdomen.

Austin moved. This time it was the rear. A similar pattern of attack rushed in. This time, Henry was faster.

*Clang!* *Cl-clang!*

The dagger that had reached midway was pushed back, and the second dagger was not much different. The sword closely followed Austin, who was retreating.

The daggers crossed paths with the sword’s trajectory. Austin, who reduced the impact, thrust the daggers left and right, but Henry was already reacting.

Striking away the right dagger, he simultaneously moved one step and avoided the other. He swung the sword down. This time, only one dagger blocked the sword.

“……!”

Austin clenched his teeth. The reason he did not let out a groan was thanks to the training he received during childhood. An impact that would have easily broken his wrist if not for the mana wrapped around it.

Austin retreated heavily. He needed time to reorganize. However, Henry did not miss Austin.

‘At this rate, there’s no meaning in wasting mana, is there?’

Quite a lot of mana was consumed in disrupting the opponent’s vision. It was effective to that extent, but if the opponent was Henry, the story was different.

He withdrew the dispersed mana in a single bound. The daggers became a bit fiercer. The speed increased, and the blue light deepened. However, nothing changed.

*Slash!*

Due to the impact of clashing swords, Austin was pushed back. It was something that occurred from the difference in the amount of mana contained in the weapons, and also the difference in their trained bodies.

Although the two weapons helped to exceed the opponent’s expectations, as much as that, the amount of mana they could contain also decreased.

‘It would be better to deal with him as a knight… No, I cannot do that.’

Austin shook off the thought that came to mind in an instant.

He could not forget the purpose of the duel.

Rather than winning against Henry, getting used to the newly obtained weapons was indeed Austin’s purpose.

‘Rather, it is a thankful opportunity.’

How many opponents would there be who could face Austin equally, or rather surpass him?

Especially for Austin, who was no different from being trapped in the Academy, it was clearly a situation difficult to experience.

It was then.

‘Oh no.’

Henry multiplied into two. Two Henrys swung two swords. One rushed from above, and the other horizontally toward Austin.

He widened his eyes. It was to find the fake. However, Roderick’s eyes, which saw through falsehood,

‘It is absurd.’

said both sword strikes were real.

*Clang!*

The impact was delivered from his right hand. The dagger in his left hand lost its target and cut through the air. He lost his balance in an instant, and the price was his right hand opening, unable to endure the numbness.

[Darkness] fell. Austin shifted and gripped [Shadow] from his left hand to his right. The victory was as good as decided, but even this situation of being backed into a corner was welcome.

Sword strikes rushed in fiercely. From the moment he lost one dagger, Austin lost the initiative. Thanks to the mana concentrated on one side, defense became relatively easier. That is to say,

it was so when Henry was one person.

“I surrender. I lost.”

BJ Swordmaster