My Lord Who Is Being Prudent! [EN]: Chapter 177

§ 177 – Sparring Match (2)

A massive slash tore through the sparring arena.

Kwajajajajak─!!

The entire landscape within sight was instantly cleaved apart.

Simultaneously, Pajangchang─!

The magical barriers erected around the arena collapsed.

The shock-absorbing magic circles cast by Sera and the Dark Elf mages shattered completely under the overwhelming impact.

At the same time, the force of the power scattered and sprayed in all directions.

Broken debris flew up and headed towards the onlookers.

However, no one was hurt.

Kendrick knocked away the shattered debris.

And Leia nullified the scattering fragments of power by manipulating her thoughts.

Nevertheless, small fragments remained.

But the knights of Ruben, including the Royal Knights, blocked them.

However, they could not completely nullify the shock felt on their skin.

“Th-this is…?”

“N-no, no way…”

The expressions of the onlookers contorted from shock to astonishment.

Not only the citizens of Ruben but also the Royal Knights, Conrad, and even Elena.

Everyone, young and old, stared at the scene before them with their mouths agape.

In the landscape that seemed to have been sliced apart.

Yale was kneeling on one knee, his sword stuck in the ground.

Yale looked battered and bruised.

And.

“Cough… !”

Red blood gushed from Yale’s mouth.

The blood poured onto the floor, forming a small puddle.

“…!!”

“…!!”

People’s eyes widened at Yale’s appearance.

Yale was the captain of the Royal Knights.

An absolute powerhouse at the mid-Master level.

And Yale was in such a state…?

With just one blow…?

It didn’t make sense.

It really didn’t make sense.

“Cough… !”

But what was this sight before them!

People’s gazes turned to one place in unison.

As if they had all made a promise.

The place where those gazes were directed.

There stood a golden-haired man.

He was holding his sword out to the side, staring straight ahead.

The figure was clearly Cyan.

But people couldn’t think of him that way.

The aura emanating from Cyan.

That aura, as if he were overshadowing the world, couldn’t possibly be Cyan.

A gust of wind swept through the arena.

-K-Kyle…?-

Leia’s voice carried throughout the arena on the passing wind.

A moment of silence descended.

Suddenly, Cyan’s body tilted to the side.

Cyan hurriedly stuck the sword he was holding into the ground to regain his balance.

“Kugh… !”

At the same time, a groan of pain escaped Cyan’s lips.

‘Damn it… !’

Cyan couldn’t come to his senses from the pain that struck his entire body.

His hand trembled.

The Extreme – Asura’s Slaughter, which had defeated Rushuria.

The aftermath of the reaction from that ‘Extreme – Asura’s Slaughter’ was binding Cyan’s entire body.

Cyan was able to advance several stages by absorbing the power of the Elixir.

By significantly increasing the progression rate of the Demon Chaos Art, he could handle magic power more efficiently.

That’s why he thought he could do it.

Of course, Rushuria’s power at the time was significantly restricted.

However, the Extreme – Asura’s Slaughter was a blow with power close to Kyle’s.

A blow he would never have dreamed of attempting normally.

But he thought he could do it now.

But it wasn’t enough.

Kyle’s Asura’s Slaughter was not something that could be unleashed simply with great power.

It was not something that could be dared to be coveted with suddenly acquired power.

That’s why the ‘Extreme – Asura’s Slaughter’ he had just unleashed was infinitely lacking and pathetic compared to when he had annihilated Rushuria.

But.

‘Just a little bit…’

He reached it.

He could reach it a little bit.

He could reach that realm, which he thought he could never dream of, just a little bit.

Although it was still lacking and pathetic.

But just a little bit, he could reach that realm.

“Keuheok… !”

Cyan’s body bent over greatly once more.

The bitter taste of blood filled his mouth as blood welled up to his throat.

The hand gripping the sword trembled.

Accordingly, Cyan’s body shook incessantly.

His mind grew faint, and his vision flickered.

But Cyan gritted his teeth and held onto his departing consciousness.

Supporting his body with the sword stuck in the ground, he forcibly straightened his collapsing body.

He steadfastly raised his gaze and looked straight ahead.

He saw Yale’s figure trying to compose himself.

A battered body and blood smeared around his mouth.

Despite having received a considerable shock, Yale was moving his body.

Was it because he was a mid-Master after all?

Of course, if he had unleashed it properly, Yale would not have been alive.

Kyle’s Asura’s Slaughter was not a matter of mid-Master or anything else.

But not yet.

It was only at the level of barely imitating the concept.

That’s why his plan to end the fight in one blow had gone awry.

Nevertheless, the power it possessed was not something to be ignored.

“…!!”

As expected, Yale’s eyes widened in astonishment as he looked at Cyan.

Because he knew.

He knew better than anyone else gathered here what the power of Cyan’s blow was and what kind of power it possessed.

That was… something of an unattainable level.

The ultimate martial art that existed far beyond, which he wondered if he could ever reach even with endless effort.

That’s why he doubted how he had blocked it.

No, how he was still alive.

Yale’s eyes, contorted with astonishment, did not calm down easily.

But that was only for a moment.

Yale calmed himself down at the sight of Cyan’s figure.

Cyan’s trembling hand.

The wavering focus made it seem difficult for him to maintain his sanity.

It seemed he had received an even greater shock than Yale, who had taken the blow.

The price for glimpsing the martial art beyond the distant realm must be considerable.

How, or by what means, he didn’t know how Cyan had reached that realm.

But the match now was not the end.

Yale’s eyes flashed for a moment.

Papap!

With a sound, Yale’s body disappeared.

And in the blink of an eye.

Swaaaaaaek!

Yale’s sword was thrust towards Cyan.

His vision was filled with sword strikes. Cyan gritted his teeth and poured strength into the sword he was holding.

Kaaang─!

With a dull metallic sound, Cyan’s sword bounced up.

He had to create distance.

He had to recover from the damage to his body caused by the reaction of the Extreme – Asura’s Slaughter.

Cyan stepped back to create distance from Yale.

However, Yale, having grasped Cyan’s intention, quickly followed Cyan.

Yale’s swung sword flew towards Cyan’s head.

Cyan leaned back greatly to avoid Yale’s sword.

Whooong, Yale’s sword brushed past his nose.

But that was only for a moment.

With a cracking sound, Yale’s sword stopped abruptly in front of Cyan’s nose.

Soon, the direction of the sword changed and was swung down at Cyan.

The sense of distance changed in an instant, and his vision was filled with the sword.

In a fleeting moment.

Kaaang─!

Cyan swung his right hand greatly, deflecting Yale’s descending sword.

No, it was more appropriate to express it as being pushed away rather than deflecting it.

With a dull metallic sound, Cyan’s body was pushed back greatly.

And Yale quickly followed Cyan.

Kang! Kakang!

Jjeoeong!

A flurry of Yale’s sword strikes.

Yale’s sword was fast and heavy.

And it was different from Kai’s sword and the sword of a typical knight.

The swords of typical knights were refined.

The swordsmanship was refined and trimmed of unnecessary movements, settling into a single swordsmanship.

On the other hand, Yale’s sword was not like that.

Yale’s sword was fast and heavy but unrefined.

At first glance, unnecessary movements were mixed in.

However, all those actions were thoroughly aimed at the opponent’s life.

There was no concept of feints, such as inducing the opponent’s actions.

Only the ferocity of aiming solely at the opponent’s life was felt.

A swordsmanship thoroughly focused on actual combat.

Like a beast that had lived in the harsh wilderness.

The power of a ferocious beast was embedded in Yale’s sword.

It may be inferior in terms of sophistication and technical aspects.

However, the power that ferocity possessed could not be easily ignored.

Kkwang─!

A roar erupted between the colliding swords.

Cyan bit his lip and lowered his stance as much as possible.

He aimed for Yale’s opening with a slash that was raised diagonally from below.

Yale did not avoid Cyan’s sword.

He imbued his sword with intense ferocity and swung it towards Cyan’s approaching sword.

Jjeoeong─!

The impact shook his eardrums.

The wave of power spread once again throughout the arena.

“…”

“…”

“…”

A desolate silence descended upon the arena.

Numerous people were gathered, but no one opened their mouths.

-Cyan, win! Cyan, fighting!-

Only Leia’s will was heard softly.

And he wondered if it was okay for the judge to cheer so biasedly… well, what did it matter?

It wasn’t like she was directly intervening, just cheering.

-If you win, there will be a special reward today!-

People ignored Leia’s will and watched the duel between Cyan and Yale, Yale and Cyan.

Jjeong! Jjeojeong─!

Explosions mixed in, and Cyan’s face contorted with pain.

Yale’s strike, increasing in ferocity, surged in.

Should he use [Mana Ignition] ?

The thought crossed his mind for a moment, but Cyan immediately shook his head.

Because Yale would not allow such an opening.

It would have been different if he had used it from the beginning, but it was impossible now.

That’s why he was now facing Cyan’s pure realm, without the power of buffs.

And that realm was being pushed back by Yale.

As a pure realm, as a realm of enlightenment, Cyan was being pushed back by Yale.

But.

‘It’s worth a try.’

He felt it was worth a try.

He didn’t feel like he couldn’t confront him, like he was going to lose.

He didn’t feel the helplessness he had felt in the clash with Kai.

Kkwaaaaaang─!!

Another roar erupted from the collision of swords.

Thereby, Yale’s face hardened.

Scattering fragments of power. Broken debris struck Yale’s face.

The power of Cyan, felt beyond the sword, was growing stronger and stronger.

It swallowed Yale’s power and spread in all directions.

Should he avoid it?

Yale quickly shook off the thought.

He couldn’t withdraw his sword here. If he withdrew his sword, his whole body would be torn to shreds by that power that had engulfed all directions.

Then.

Kkwaaaaaaaaaa─!

Yale’s aura, facing him, exploded.

Yale scraped together all the remaining power and detonated it within his sword.

At the same time, Yale swung his sword greatly, as if pushing away Cyan’s sword.

With Yale’s swung slash, blades of sword energy poured down in all directions.

Cyan faced this, detonating the power of his magic.

The darkness that bloomed from his entire body swallowed all the pouring blades of sword energy.

Kagagagagagak─!

The colliding forces created a gruesome sound.

Cyan was looking into Yale’s eyes.

Yale was also meeting Cyan’s eyes.

And Yale, facing Cyan’s power up close, shuddered.

The power of magic pressing down on the entire space.

It dug between Yale’s senses and presented an indescribable sense of unease.

Was it right to maintain the confrontation like this?

Could he gain an advantage against this power?

Endless thoughts stirred in Yale’s mind.

But Yale did not back down in the end.

It was true that Cyan’s power had exceeded expectations.

Perhaps… he had set foot in the realm of Master.

Yale acknowledged Cyan.

But that was it.

Not yet, a Master.

He had the power to reach Master, but he was not enough to be called a Master.

A Master is a realm that cannot be reached simply with effort and talent.

He is not called a Master just because he is strong.

He must hone himself by overcoming numerous life-and-death situations.

Not easily broken or bent.

The knight of Master is such an existence.

Kwareureureung…!!

The power contained in Yale’s sword erupted with a gruesome sound.

And when Yale’s aura exploded once again.

Saaaaaaaa…!!!

Indescribable darkness bloomed from Cyan’s entire body.

‘This is…!’

Yale’s eyes widened momentarily.

The jet-black darkness that dominated the space.

This darkness, which indiscriminately swallowed everything, was not something that could be blocked.

Yale hurriedly exploded his aura.

Ferocity was added to the ferocious slash, colliding with the blooming darkness.

And it was swallowed.

‘What is this!’

Yale shouted inwardly without realizing it.

Was the power of his magic being pushed back?

It was hard to believe, but what he saw before his eyes was a clear reality.

Yale continued to explode his aura.

But he was swallowed by the darkness that had engulfed the space.

Confrontation was impossible.

The darkness, like an endless abyss, indiscriminately swallowed everything that existed.

Yale abandoned his pride and hurriedly turned his body.

Even so, he scattered his sword towards Cyan.

Kkwaaaang!

His vision was momentarily shaken by the erupting explosion.

In the shaking vision, Cyan lunged towards Yale.

Yale’s heart pounded greatly as he looked at Cyan’s fierce momentum.

Yale lowered his stance as much as possible and swung his sword towards Cyan.

In response to such Yale, Cyan also swung his sword greatly.

The swords flew towards each other.

And.

Thud.

The two blades stopped, aiming at each other.

And the scene they faced.

Cyan’s sword stopped above Yale’s left shoulder.

And Yale’s sword stopped in front of Cyan’s neck.

#

Cyan and Yale did not move, aiming their swords at each other.

And the people who were watching the two.

“…”

“…”

“…”

People were still unable to utter any words.

Mouths agape and eyes wide with shock.

Even greater astonishment settled on people’s faces.

The duel between the two, in which there was no retreat.

And the result that unfolded before their eyes now.

Both had stopped moving at the right time, so there were no major injuries.

Soon, people’s gazes turned to Leia.

Leia, who was in charge of judging the duel.

She had to judge who was the winner between the two.

-Uh… um…-

But Leia couldn’t easily speak.

Because she couldn’t easily judge the outcome.

If the two had not stopped their swords and things had continued as they were…

Perhaps Yale’s left shoulder would have been completely cut off.

And Cyan would have been pierced through the neck.

Therefore, if viewed as a life-or-death battle, it could be said that Cyan had lost.

It was a very narrow margin, but a match was a match.

It was a pity, but… she couldn’t proceed with bias.

-This match is…-

Just as Leia was about to judge the match.

Clap clap clap.

The sound of applause was heard from somewhere.

Looking there.

There, Crown Prince Conrad was coming up onto the arena.

“Both were excellent duels.”

Conrad looked at Cyan and Yale and exclaimed with admiration.

Pure admiration was on Conrad’s face.

Only then did Cyan and Yale come to their senses.

And they withdrew the swords they had been aiming at each other.

Conrad looked at the two and slowly turned his gaze to Leia.

Meeting her gaze.

“However… I find it difficult to judge who the winner is. Branch Manager… no, what do you think, Leia?”

At Conrad’s words, Leia closed her mouth, which she was about to judge.