Cooking Swordmaster [EN]: Chapter 38

Kundam lightly gripped his sword, waiting for Cainchel to draw his.

A confident smile graced his face.

He looked like an instructor teaching swordsmanship to trainee knights.

Abel said in a trembling voice,

“Cainchel… Kundam is strong… I know you know, but he’s really strong. It was like fighting my brother.”

“It’s okay. I’m stronger.”

“……!”

A complex expression appeared on Abel’s face. But Cainchel’s words meant exactly what they said.

Cainchel licked his lips as he drew his sword.

If he won here, it would prove that he had surpassed even the genius swordsman.

Cainchel, who had never won a single victory before wielding a kitchen knife.

Kundam, who had never lost once after holding a sword.

The swords of two people who had built up completely different experiences clashed.

“Haaah!”

Kundam attacked first.

He closed the distance with Cainchel in an instant by taking one step forward.

Kundam could instinctively read the gap between himself and his opponent.

It was an ability not even marked in the Joma Mirror [a magical artifact used to assess abilities].

However, the one who controls the gap wins the battle.

The opponent’s sword doesn’t hit.

The opponent falls to a casually swung sword.

Kundam recalled the moment he fought Abel.

An absurd ability to unleash three blades at once.

But it was being wielded by one hand.

If you move outside that gap, the three blades will not cause any damage.

And he drew the opponent into his gap, aiming for a place that could never be avoided and slashed.

That was all.

‘I have never lost in the same way until now. Even Sir Vincent of the Chevalier class [elite knight rank] could not avoid my attack. It will be the same result this time.’

Kundam swung his sword after digging into a gap that Cainchel could never avoid.

Clang-!

But it was blocked.

Kundam’s eyebrows twitched.

But the attack doesn’t end with this. That’s what makes Kundam so scary.

Attacks continued to positions that could never be avoided again.

But it was not a valid hit. No matter where he aimed to attack, Cainchel’s sword was already waiting there.

As if he knew where he was going to attack.

Cainchel raised his sword and blocked Kundam’s attack.

He could feel Kundam’s hostility, which had become clearly stronger.

‘After all, no matter how nice he is, he can’t hide his hostility even to the opponent he’s facing with a sword. If I know where he’s going to attack… I can block it!’

Kundam’s level was as high as 35.

His basic stats were also enormous, with dexterity and agility higher than Vincent’s.

But that was only in normal cases.

Cainchel, who could raise all his stats by eating food, was on a different level altogether.

‘Kundam’s dexterity and agility are said to be around 35… but my average stats are around that level!’

Then, Waygan, who was watching the confrontation between Kundam and Cainchel with a nervous expression, screamed.

“He’s blocking it! Cainchel is blocking Kundam’s sword!”

“H, how can this be!”

“Captain! Captain Cainchel!”

The Yellow Knights began to cheer.

And as Cainchel, who had blocked the attack, began to counterattack, the smile disappeared from Kundam’s face.

“Keugh…”

The wrist that blocked the attack was tingling with tremendous power.

Among the intermediate swordsmanship techniques, there is a strong sword technique that enhances the power of the sword.

But Cainchel had just lightly slashed.

But how could there be such power…

‘It worked!’

Conviction flashed in Cainchel’s eyes.

Kundam had pushed basic swordsmanship to its limit. But he doesn’t yet know that there is a realm beyond the limit.

Basic swordsmanship that has surpassed the limit was a little faster and a little stronger.

Only a difference of one star.

But that invalidated the gap that had made Kundam undefeated.

‘What’s scary about Kundam is the tremendous power of intermediate swordsmanship that comes from his solid basics. On top of that, his unique sense of reading the gap made him known as a genius of swordsmanship.’

But that was the same for Cainchel.

No, it was more than that.

“Keuk!”

The situation was reversed in an instant.

Now it was Cainchel who was attacking and Kundam had to block it.

The excited Yellow Knights cheered, calling out their captain’s name.

Cainchel stepped forward.

If Kundam’s mind began to collapse, he had to aim for that gap.

If there was even a little room, Kundam would adjust his gap to match Cainchel’s attack.

Before that, he had to finish with the strongest attack he could make.

“…Onion Swordsmanship!”

Then Cainchel’s sword gained two blades.

Kundam, flustered, raised his sword and read the gap.

He could avoid one, but he had to block one… No, he couldn’t avoid either!

Koo-oong!

Cainchel’s sword pierced Kundam’s chest.

It was blocked by the armor he was wearing, but if it hadn’t been a wooden sword, it would have definitely pierced his heart.

A definite hit.

For a while, there was silence.

The Yellow Knights who were watching had blank expressions.

As if they didn’t understand the situation unfolding before their eyes.

It was Abel who opened his mouth first.

“…C, Cainchel won…”

Then the time that had been stopped began to flow again.

“Wow, waaaaaa!”

“We won! Our captain won!”

“Captain! Captain Cainchel!”

Kundam stared blankly at Cainchel’s sword piercing his chest.

He had never lost like this before.

It was the first moment of defeat he had faced since holding a sword.

Kundam smiled and held out his hand.

“Ah… I lost. Wasn’t that intermediate swordsmanship at the end? I was sure I could block it, but it came in a little faster than I thought. It was a really great blow. Haha!”

“It’s called Onion Swordsmanship. I learned it while slicing onions.”

“O, Onion Swordsmanship… I’m sorry, but is that a part where I’m supposed to laugh?”

“I’m not kidding. But Sir Kundam.”

“Yes?”

“You’ve never lost like this before, have you?”

Kundam scratched the back of his head.

“Yes! Haha! This is the first time I’ve lost so coolly. But don’t be too relieved. I haven’t shown you all the intermediate swordsmanship I have yet. Now, let’s switch offense and defense and have another match. I won’t lose then.”

A bitter smile appeared on Cainchel’s face.

This was the difference between a genius and a slow learner.

What do you mean you still have intermediate swordsmanship you haven’t used? If you had something like that, you should have done your best in the match just now.

“Maybe it’s because this is your first time experiencing defeat, so you don’t know yet… But let me tell you from my experience of losing countless times, it’s going to hurt.”

“Yes?”

“The pain of defeat. If you lose even though you know you can’t win, you won’t be able to say anything at first. Your heart will be torn and tears will flow endlessly from your eyes. I’ve even howled like a beast without realizing it.”

“…What are you talking about?”

Cainchel muttered in a voice so small that Kundam couldn’t hear him.

“Well, guest. Since defeat is a dish you’ve never tasted before, it’ll be a bit of a new flavor.”

Cainchel got up from his seat and left the central hall with the Yellow Knights.

And a little later.

A sound like a beast howling echoed from the central hall.

@

Kundam, who had learned the pain of defeat, said with bloodshot eyes.

“…It’s not completely over yet. If we do well in the second half, we can at least draw [tie the score].”

But Kundam didn’t know how much defeat could break a person’s heart.

A Black Knight member muttered blankly.

“W, we can’t win! E, even the captain lost, s, so how can we win! Besides, the Y, Yellow Knights have… m, monsters!”

Even the Black Meister [strategist], who had always planned with a calm expression, was out of his mind.

“H, heek! H, how did he know where I w, was hiding! M, monster…! M, monster!”

Kundam shouted in a flustered voice.

“Please come to your senses! We can do it! This time, I’ll face Cainchel with all my might, so if you just respond calmly, we can get enough points…”

“But you lost! What genius of swordsmanship!”

“Even though I lost…”

“If you lose, that’s the end of it! Why are there so many excuses! You lost! You lost! We were robbed of even 1 point because of the Yellow Knights’ monster!”

“……”

Kundam eventually lowered his head.

He didn’t know how much a single defeat could ruin a person.

The rescue training is divided into a rescue team and a hostage-taker team.

When the first half is over, the second half repeats the same content with only the roles changed.

Only the first half was over, and there was still the second half left.

Even if they lost 20 points, if they did well in the second half and got 20 points, the result would be a tie.

It becomes a draw.

But the Black Knights had completely lost their minds.

To the point where they couldn’t do anything anymore.

Thus, the rescue training, which faced the second half, ended with an overwhelming result in which the Yellow Knights acquired all 40 points.

@

“Did you hear about the results of this rescue training?”

“You mean the match between the Black Knights and the Yellow Knights. I still can’t believe it. That slow learner has become strong enough to take on the captain of the Knights…”

“Besides, I heard that he completely overwhelmed Kundam in the fight. There’s also a rumor that the one who decided the match was intermediate swordsmanship.”

“That doesn’t make sense. You have to learn the Rising Sword Technique to use intermediate swordsmanship… How could Cainchel…”

“Anyway, won’t everything be clear when we get our status update tomorrow?”

“Ah! Tomorrow is already the status update! It’s been almost two months since I missed it during the summer heat, right?”

The rescue training ended with the captain, Meister, and Strider [lieutenant] of the Yellow Knights receiving Savior grades.

All the other members also received Platinum grades.

As much as that, getting all 40 points was an all-time result that had never happened before.

And Captain Cainchel, who was the main player in that victory, became the eye of the storm.

How strong has Cainchel become to beat even Kundam?

How much has his level risen?

How did he get intermediate swordsmanship?

Amidst numerous questions, the status update began.

The instructor who received Cainchel’s Joma Mirror said in a trembling voice.

“Cainchel van Zistad’s level is 36! And basic swordsmanship is 10 stars and intermediate swordsmanship is 2 stars!”

The instructor didn’t seem to know that there was one more star to add when he swiped the screen to the side.

As much as that, basic swordsmanship max is a very amazing achievement.

But it doesn’t matter.

Even if you take that away, it was a result that everyone would be shocked by.

Cainchel engraved the things floating on the Joma Mirror in his eyes as if he would never forget them.

This is the ability he has now.

The result of the opportunity that began to explode after holding a kitchen knife.

[Cainchel van Zistad – Lv36]

– Stamina (38), Agility (36), Strength (36), Dexterity (36), Intelligence (40), Magic Power (35), Divine Power (35)

– Fire Resistance (38%), Poison Resistance (32.2%), Cutting Resistance (26.3%)

* Cooking Level: ★★★★★

* Baking Level: ★★★★

* Gourmet Level: ★★★

* Decoration Level: ★★

* Tea Ceremony Level: ★

* Disarm: ★★★

* Fallen Star: ★★★★★★★

* Basic Swordsmanship: ★★★★★★★★★★

* Intermediate Swordsmanship: ★★

* Intermediate Swordsmanship: Enatos Xiphos

[Brilliant Road: 2/5]

[Aura Sword: 1/3]

There was no one in the Stanis Knight Academy who could ignore Cainchel van Zistad anymore.

Captain Cainchel.

He was currently ranked 7th in the Rookie Rankings and was the name of the man who defeated Kundam, the genius of swordsmanship, for the first time.

Some Omens #1