Cooking Swordmaster [EN]: Chapter 252

8. Tower of Null

Before the Tower of Null, a dozen knights in shining armor stood in formation.

Their faces were uniformly filled with pride stemming from their swordsmanship or family lineage.

This was understandable.

One of the knights present would become a member of the Seven Virtues, individuals responsible for Britannia’s future.

Simply being here was an honor.

A muscular man, seemingly about to burst with energy, shouted at the knights.

“I am Ian, the instructor in charge of your training, starting today. I will treat you all as trainees, regardless of your rank or age. I expect you to follow my instructions and complete this training without a single dropout.”

Some of the gathered knights whispered amongst themselves.

“Haha, this reminds me of my time at the Knight Training Center. But an instructor who can’t even wield an Aura Sword? I wonder if there’s a talent shortage.”

“I agree, Baron Poire. Still, there must be something to learn if they made him an instructor at the Tower of Null, right?”

Then, Kundam, standing before them, turned and grinned.

“Instructor Ian was invited as a special instructor in recognition of his lifelong dedication to basic physical fitness.”

“Ah, Lord Kundam! Forgive my tardiness. I am Baron Poire. I’ve been eager to meet you after hearing rumors of your hard-working genius swordsmanship.”

“You flatter me. The title of hard-working genius swordsman suits my friend better than me, although he excels at things other than swordsmanship.”

Baron Poire tilted his head.

To think someone would readily admit that a Sword Master’s disciple was more talented than himself. Who could it be?

“But is basic physical training really necessary now? Activating the Aura Sword automatically strengthens the body. There’s a limit to how much you can improve through physical training alone, right?”

“Kainchel said he considers Instructor Ian his best teacher. There must be a reason.”

“Are you talking about Kainchel Van Zistad, the Diligent Sword Master?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Baron Poire’s eyes widened.

To receive basic physical training from Kainchel Van Zistad’s teacher… Could this be an incredible opportunity?

Ian smiled contentedly, seeing the knights’ burning enthusiasm.

“Indeed, muscles are justice! Muscles are the strongest! Haaah! Let’s start with a light set of a thousand squats! But no using Aura! Only your body’s muscles!”

“Yes, Instructor!”

The knights, accustomed to wearing heavy armor, possessed considerable physical strength even without Aura.

A thousand squats could be finished quickly.

Kundam, finishing first, raised his hand.

“I’m done.”

“Good job. Next, a light set of five hundred deadlifts! After that, freehand rock climbing. Rest after each set. Aim to build enough stamina to do at least three sets in a row within a month.”

The knights’ faces paled.

Even one set without Aura would leave their bodies battered. Three sets? Impossible for a human.

Ian smiled, showing his teeth.

“The instructor will do it with you, so let’s work hard to build our muscles. Since it’s the first time, we’ll do five sets lightly.”

“F-five sets!?”

He began squatting at an incredible speed.

Baron Poire realized his mistake.

It wasn’t just bear’s blood flowing in his veins; he *was* a bear.

“Haa! Haa! Haaah! What are you all doing! You’re not planning to finish later than the instructor doing five sets, are you!”

“No, sir!”

Thus, the knights’ physical training, filled with sweat, heat, and throbbing muscles, continued until the sun was high in the sky.

Where there are people diligently training, there are bound to be those dissatisfied.

Eventually, someone exploded.

Ian stared at the man emitting a burning Aura with cold, calm eyes.

“Is there a problem, Julius Conrad?”

Julius glared at Ian with bloodshot eyes.

“How dare you, a dropout who can’t even handle an Aura Sword, give orders! I didn’t come here for foolish physical training! I need to avenge myself on that bastard who ignored me by becoming a Sword Master! Let me into the Tower of Null now!”

“Lord Julius, can you take responsibility for your words?”

“O-of course!”

“The Aura Blade is the embodiment of the mind. You cannot wield it properly without training your mind. And a strong mind dwells in a strong body.”

“I-I don’t care! I don’t care!”

Tsking sounds echoed. All training in the Tower of Null was strictly secret.

Participants made a ‘vow’ not to reveal anything that happened inside.

Ultimately, only Instructor Ian knew what occurred within the Tower of Null.

But to refuse his training…

“Then I will let you into the Tower of Null. However, the instructor is not responsible for what happens inside. At least you won’t die.”

“Haha! Everyone’s always ignored Julius! Just you wait, I’ll become a Sword Master and return before anyone else!”

Julius proudly puffed out his chest and entered the Tower of Null.

* * *

He ran out exactly one hour later.

“Ugh, ughaaaak! S-save me! Save me! Please! I was wrong! Ughaaaak!”

His neatly tied hair was disheveled, his clothes scorched.

He looked haggard, as if he had aged ten years.

The knights doing physical training swallowed hard, looking at Julius.

What on earth happened inside the Tower of Null to turn him into a wreck in just one hour?

Julius screamed with a haunted look.

“Who are you people! Why are you still standing here blankly after more than a month?! Ah, right. You were waiting to laugh at me! Jeeeeeeeenzaaaaang [Damn it]! Let me tell you one thing! Never go inside! It’s completely crazy!”

Leaving those words, Julius disappeared.

It would probably be difficult to see him again for a while.

Ian, who had already done over 3,000 squats, muttered with a bitter expression.

“Those who want to go back can go back. It usually takes about three days to climb to the top floor of the Tower of Null.”

“But in just one hour like that…”

“Besides, Lord Julius clearly said that a month had passed. What on earth happened inside?”

Ian pointed to the old tents pitched around the Tower of Null.

They were set up by people training their mental strength and swordsmanship to climb the Tower of Null.

“The person who’s stayed here the longest has been here for 10 years. Still, he couldn’t last a day. You should now have a rough idea of what the Tower of Null is like.”

The knights quietly nodded.

Another name for this place was ‘Tower of Trials.’

A place that raised swordsmanship by one level just by climbing it.

If you weren’t careful, you’d end up like Julius.

But to become a Sword Master, that much was bearable.

The knights looked at Ian, showing off his rippling muscles, with eyes full of strong will.

“Everything is a trial to overcome to become a Sword Master…”

Just as they heard the sound of flapping wings, a tremendous shout echoed.

“Vse dlya strany……! Ubeyte vse eto! [Everything for the country! Kill them all!]”

It was a language never heard in the Northern Continent, which used the common tongue.

But the knights sensed a strong murderous intent.

Instructor Ian quickly shouted.

“Enemy attack! Everyone draw your swords and respond!”

Ian prepared for battle, putting steel gauntlets on his fists.

Before they knew it, a dozen wyverns flew above the Tower of Null.

Riding them were green giants who looked like they would be a good match for Instructor Ian.

The first to strike was Baron Poire. Using the Tower of Null as a stepping stone, he jumped towards the wyverns.

An Aura Sword emitting a subtle light dwelled in his hand.

However, the muscular giant, the Orc warrior, didn’t simply succumb.

“Krrash!”

The Orc warrior swung the axe on his back with an unknown roar.

The strength to support his body while riding a wyvern was unbelievable.

Kukukung-!

“Kuaaaaak!”

Baron Poire fell from tens of meters in the air with an astonished expression.

The heirloom sword passed down for generations was shattered.

To shatter an Aura Sword in a single blow… how strong was he?

“Germa!”

“Germa!”

“Krrash, Germa!”

The Orc warriors became more violent when they saw blood. They shouted incomprehensible roars and threw stones from the sky.

Ian’s body turned into a streak of light and shot forward.

“Exploding Fist……!”

When Ian stretched his fist towards a falling stone, a tremendous roar echoed.

The stone, the size of a human head, turned to dust in one blow.

The knights defending themselves with Aura widened their eyes.

“…Could he have strengthened his fist with Aura!?”

“I-is that the true power of muscles!”

The knights vowed to work harder on basic physical training when this was over.

To attack wyvern riders, you needed a bow or crossbow.

The knights took out crossbows and loaded bolts.

“Fire from the prepared shooters!”

They were marksmen who could easily pierce an apple tens of meters away.

They could hit a house-sized wyvern with their eyes closed.

An Orc riding a wyvern in the rear took out a staff.

“Stushevacha Bitiye! [Shield of Being!]”

A thin film appeared on the other wyvern riders.

“What? The crossbow bounced off!?”

“Damn it! How are we supposed to attack like this!”

A ballista might work, but the bolts couldn’t even scratch them.

Kundam bit his lip, using his Aura Sword to split the falling rocks.

The wyvern riders thoroughly utilized their aerial advantage.

The Orc warrior had easily blocked Baron Poire’s sword.

He wasn’t sure he could win even on the ground.

“Kuaaaaak!”

“L-Lord Kundam… Behind you…”

The knights responsible for Britannia’s future began to fall.

Where did these monsters come from?

Ian approached Kundam, blood flowing from his head, hit by a partially shattered stone. He took out a small crystal ball and held it out.

“Kundam… I’ll defend this place. Take this. It’s a communicator to contact the Tower Lord.”

“Instructor Ian…”

He should retreat and call for reinforcements.

Elizabeth was in Citizen, kilometers away.

Even with immediate support, it would take hours.

Two Sword Knights had fallen. An overwhelming difference in strength. Kundam realized why King Aslan had hastily opened this place.

Only Sword Masters with Aura Blades could stand against them.

Kundam received the communicator with a painful expression.

“Good, Kundam… I trust you more than anyone here.”

Ian patted Kundam’s shoulder and infused Aura into his legs.

His body disappeared, moving at an impossible speed.

That was the true skill of Kainchel’s teacher, Ian.

But the Exploding Fist, which shattered large rocks, couldn’t attack enemies in the sky.

Just then…

“Noodle Making.”

Along with a familiar voice, something flew towards a wyvern.

“Stushevacha Bitiye! [Shield of Being!]”

The Orc shaman cast a spell to protect his comrades.

But it couldn’t stop it.

Kainchel’s goal wasn’t to defeat the opponent.

“Got it……!”

Kainchel, wrapping the legs of a low-flying wyvern with chewy noodles, used the recoil to soar into the sky.

“Onion Swordsmanship!”

A tremendous flash of light erupted from Kainchel’s sword.

“…Kueeeeek!”

Kainchel, dealing with a wyvern rider, landed lightly and said.

“Sorry, Kundam. Am I a little late?”

“K-Kainchel!?”

The terrifying rookie who fought against Sirius, the Wolf King…

No, the former colleague who had risen too high to be called a rookie was there.