Cooking Swordmaster [EN]: Chapter 56

Amidst the astonished training knights, Kundam was the only one who maintained his composure.

“Captain Kainchel… You never cease to amaze me. To think you were already running ahead of me. Haha, I’m starting to feel ashamed of the title ‘genius of the sword.’ But I won’t keep lagging behind like this.”

Before he knew it, a desire to become stronger flickered in Kundam’s eyes.

For the past two weeks, Kundam had been diligently practicing the mana cultivation method taught by the Swordmaster of Loyalty.

Surely, within a few months, Kundam would also manifest an Aura Sword. The same went for Abel Carter.

They would undoubtedly catch up to Kainchel, who lacked a mana cultivation method, in no time.

‘If I don’t want to fall behind those two, I need to raise my cooking and gourmet levels even more.’

By starting to cook, he was able to become friends with someone he had admired.

He was able to cross swords with those he could only look up to.

He gained a mentor he could trust and follow.

All of it felt like a miracle.

And so, the extermination match with the Golden Knights was about to begin in earnest.

Now, they would clash swords until one side was annihilated.

However, something completely unexpected happened.

“Sorry, but let’s stop this childish game here.”

Training knights in golden armor emerged from the bushes.

It was the entire Golden Knights, the top 5 of the Chevalier class [a rank in the knight academy].

Douglas, the Strider, was at the very front.

To approach so leisurely the opponent they were about to fight was a clear violation of the rules.

Kundam raised his voice.

“What are you saying, seniors?”

“Ah, I feel sorry for my cute juniors, but if we’re just playing hide-and-seek here, His Excellency, who’s watching, will get bored, right? So, let’s just quickly fight in a tournament style and end it.”

“……We can’t do it this way. I will formally protest to Instructor Billy.”

Then Douglas chuckled.

“Well, what does it matter? I’m not being favored by the Swordmaster like some lucky guy. I have to cling to any rotten rope I can find. And then this good opportunity came along.”

In the end, Douglas’s words meant that he wanted to gain Hector’s attention by showing off his skills as a Sword Knight.

“So, are you going first?”

After crossing swords with Kainchel, Kundam had become even more cautious. He began to think of the best move that would give him a high chance of winning, even if he had to lower his stance.

“Please wait just one month before crossing swords with you, senior.”

A strange light flashed in Douglas’s eyes. Kundam’s words were practically a declaration that he would become a Sword Knight within a month.

Kainchel noticed the desire to become stronger that had risen in Kundam’s eyes.

‘You’ve changed too, Kundam.’

Perhaps he had helped awaken the genius.

But it didn’t matter. Didn’t cooking only become meaningful when there was someone to eat it?

The same was true for swordsmanship.

If he ever had the chance, he wanted to cook for Kundam too.

Thinking that, Kainchel stepped forward.

“Then I’ll take the vanguard.”

“So you’re the famous Kainchel. As a senior, I’ll concede the first attack. Draw your Aura Sword. Ah, sorry. You don’t know how to do that, do you?”

A confident tone befitting a newly minted Sword Knight.

Kainchel shrugged and replied.

“Thank you for your consideration, senior. Then I’ll attack first.”

He drew his sword and activated his Aura Sword. Then, he felt the sensation of Aura spreading throughout his body.

The Golden Knights who were watching screamed.

“……How can a rookie use an Aura Sword?!”

Out of the five Golden Knights, only three were Sword Knights.

In other words, the remaining two were behind the rookie in front of them.

Kainchel, who had only been the target of ridicule and sarcasm, had become stronger than them. Those who couldn’t accept that fact screamed.

“T, the underachiever Kainchel is a Sword Knight… Th, this is, that can’t be! Aaaaaaah!”

Kainchel didn’t even glance at them. Right now, dealing with Douglas in front of him was the priority.

“Didn’t you tell me to draw my Aura Sword, senior? I’m a good junior who listens to his seniors.”

“You little….”

Douglas was also a skilled individual who had survived the Knight Academy’s harsh training.

He calmly activated his Aura Sword and blocked Kainchel’s surprise attack.

“……I don’t know how you managed to manifest an Aura Sword, but I’ll show you that there’s a difference in class even among Sword Knights.”

Douglas knew that Kainchel didn’t have a proper mana cultivation method.

In comparison, Douglas had a considerable amount of Aura thanks to the mana cultivation method he had been practicing for two years.

Just like how a fire burns stronger when you add more firewood.

A bitter smile appeared on Douglas’s lips.

“If you have anyone to blame, blame your family for falling into ruin without leaving behind a proper mana cultivation method!”

Instantly, Kainchel’s eyes turned cold.

Clang-!

And so, Kainchel and Douglas’s swords clashed.

The battle using Aura had begun.

@

Douglas was flustered. He was clearly ahead in terms of total Aura.

The reason why Sword Knights possess power that transcends humans is not only because they manifest an Aura Sword.

The true terror of a Sword Knight lies in the body that is enhanced by the amount of activated Aura.

Just like how fuel is needed to burn a fire, the degree of strength varies depending on the amount of activated Aura.

Douglas was clearly superior in terms of Aura.

However, the result of the battle that had been going on for several minutes was a stalemate—.

No, Kainchel was slightly ahead.

‘No way! No way! No way! How can that guy’s sword be so fast!’

Douglas glared with his eyes so wide that they were about to bleed.

Kainchel wasn’t using intermediate swordsmanship. It was the basics of swordsmanship: cutting, swinging, and thrusting.

But the power contained within it was enormous.

‘The secret swordsmanship I learned is the strongest swordsmanship that combines quick sword and strong sword… But why am I being pushed back so much by that underachiever’s low-level swordsmanship!’

Despair appeared on Douglas’s face. Kainchel’s sword was fast, sharp, and strong.

But he couldn’t afford to lose like this.

‘Damn it…! In this case, I’ll risk injury and unleash my strongest strike!’

Douglas gritted his teeth and prepared a desperate strike to turn the situation around in one fell swoop.

This was no longer training.

If he didn’t cut off at least one arm of the guy swinging his sword in front of him, he wouldn’t be able to sleep properly tonight.

He mobilized all the remaining Aura and added a strong sword to a strong sword.

He was aiming for the opponent’s shoulder.

But Kainchel wasn’t going to just watch.

“Onion Swordsmanship!”

The sword split into two.

Douglas gritted his teeth and changed the strong sword he had been preparing into a quick sword.

Kainchel’s Onion Swordsmanship was blocked too easily by Douglas’s sword.

‘With this half-baked intermediate swordsmanship… What, why is he smiling when my attack is blocked? No, could it be….’

In that instant, Douglas realized why his previous attack had been so powerless.

It didn’t contain even a single ounce of Aura.

Which meant….

And at the same time, Kainchel’s figure in front of him disappeared.

“……!”

Douglas widened his eyes and chased after the traces of the vanished Kainchel. And he was finally able to find him.

Kainchel was lowering his body to the limit, preparing to punch the empty abdomen.

For some reason, the muscles in his right arm were several times larger than usual.

‘Yoooou fuuucking idiot! Trying to strike a body enhanced with Aura with a bare fist!’

Douglas didn’t know that Kainchel could concentrate Aura not only on his sword but also on any part of his body he wanted.

That was the decisive mistake.

At the same time, Kainchel’s fist, filled with all of his Aura, struck Douglas’s abdomen.

— Thwack!

“Cough, heuk… Kuek!”

With a very light sound, Douglas’s body rolled across the floor.

The people who had been watching the two’s duel without even breathing cheered.

“C, Captain Kainchel won!?”

“……And he finished it with a punch instead of a sword at the end. How on earth….”

The Golden Knights were also flustered.

“D, Douglas!”

“He’s unconscious….”

“What the hell is going on! Douglas clearly had much more Aura, how!”

Kainchel smiled and said.

“I told you, you should have done some basic physical training, seniors.”

@

One of the Chevaliers, furious at Kainchel’s provocation, shouted.

“……D, damn it. This time, I’ll go!”

“No, I will.”

The owner of the voice was Vincent, who had been silently watching the situation without saying a word until now.

“S, Sir Vincent! I’m also a Sword Knight. Douglas was careless, but I’m different. I’ll bet everything to defeat that arrogant bastard.”

“Did you just say he was careless?”

“Then what….”

“When you swing a sword filled with Aura, the Aura that is spread throughout your body is reflexively concentrated on the sword. At the same time, the defense in other places becomes somewhat weaker. The opponent aimed for that, swung a sword without Aura to draw the opponent’s attention, and then punched the empty abdomen. Moreover, he coated the knuckle guard he was wearing with a small amount of Aura to break through the opponent’s defense. Isn’t that an impossible attack unless you can freely control Aura?”

“Keuk….”

“Douglas was weaker. That’s why he lost.”

Kainchel widened his eyes. To think that Vincent would so readily acknowledge his skills.

Vincent still looked at Kainchel with eyes that showed no emotion.

“Kainchel Van Jistad. You’ve learned a very interesting technique. To think you could use the Aura in your entire body to strengthen the muscles in your arms and waist. I thought only my father could do that level of Aura control. It looks like it will be a very interesting match.”

“……Vincent.”

“I didn’t think I would be fighting you like this. But now that it’s come to this, I’ll defeat you in front of my father.”

Kainchel licked his lips.

Finally, he was going to fight Vincent.

He was finally putting an end to the long-standing rivalry that had started three years ago.

But Vincent was strong. Above all, he had perfectly grasped the Booster he had learned from Ian after seeing it once.

‘As expected of the successor of the Sven family, his Aura sensing ability… The same surprise attack as with Douglas won’t work. Then, this is it….’

A perfect plan to defeat Vincent flashed through Kainchel’s mind.

He would fight and win against Vincent. Then, all the preparations to leave Stanitz Knight Academy would be complete.

“I won’t concede the first move like Douglas. Let’s go right away.”

Vincent slowly drew his sword. Then, a very clear Aura settled on the sword.

From now on, he would fight Vincent, the son of Swordmaster Hector and the strongest training knight.

Kainchel put strength into the hand holding the sword.

It was then. An enormous hostility was felt from a very close distance.

‘This isn’t Vincent’s. Just what….’

Goosebumps rose all over his body.

He was going to die.

If he stayed like this, he would die.

He was going to die, he was going to die, he was going to die. He would never survive.

Kainchel reflexively threw himself towards Vincent and shouted.

“Get down…! It’s an attack spell…!”

A chilling sound of fingers breaking was heard on the wind.

—Crack!

At the same time, a tremendous explosion engulfed the gathered training knights.

The Dignity of a Swordmaster #3