The Bastard Swordsman Of The Imperial Guard [EN]: Chapter 45

“Identify yourself and step aside.”

Gilbert, the captain of the 3rd Company of the Carmen Knights, watched the masked man warily.

The man who had blocked his surprise attack was drawing his sword aura, guarding against him.

‘Not a black magician… and not a knight either. Just what is he?’

Whoever he was, the fact that he had blocked his surprise attack meant he was not an enemy to be taken lightly.

Gilbert signaled to the other knights.

Swish-

Upon receiving the signal, Andrew and Douglas of the Carmen Knights 3rd Company also slowly drew their swords, watching their opponent.

The 3rd Company were knights who had received a special mission from the Carmen Knights Commander.

‘An unexpected interference.’

The mission they had received was to confirm the death of the Princess.

It was an order from the Knights Commander for the sake of the Empire.

Gilbert had been appointed as the captain of the 3rd Company for this mission, and Andrew and Douglas had also been promised bright futures.

“Asking who I am while pointing swords first?”

Raël glared at the knights.

The fierce killing intent they exuded stimulated Raël’s senses.

It was the killing intent of those who would cut down people without hesitation.

“I’ll say it again. Reveal your face and step away from the Princess. We appreciate that you killed the undead and saved the Princess, but if you ignore our orders, we cannot stand idly by.”

Gilbert frowned.

The masked man stood as if protecting the Princess from the Carmen Knights.

It was as if he knew the Carmen Knights’ purpose.

“Talking about gratitude while reeking of killing intent, what a load of crap.”

Raël sharpened his senses, assessing the strength of his opponents.

The entry requirement for the Carmen Knights was Graduate [someone who has mastered sword ki], so there were at least three Graduates.

However, the one in the middle felt a bit stronger.

‘One seasoned Graduate. Two early-stage Graduates.’

Graduates were those who could use sword ki.

For a street rat to face three Graduates was, logically, absurd.

‘We’ll see who’s got the longer stick.’

Raël smiled.

He hadn’t come this far without any insurance.

“…It doesn’t seem like you want to talk. Do you think you can beat us?”

Gilbert felt a sense of doubt as he looked at the swordsman before him.

He was drawing sword aura instead of sword ki.

To face three Carmen Knights with just Sword Expert level, unable to even draw sword ki.

Did he have two lives or something?

“We’ll see.”

Raël trusted his senses.

His senses were excited as he looked at the enemies before him.

Raël glanced to the side.

Rotted stench and magical energy flowed from the corpses of the dead undead.

Under these conditions, Raël had something to say.

“I don’t think I’ll lose.”

Raël smirked and lowered his sword.

A pleasant tension wrapped around his body.

“…Tch. What a fool.”

Gilbert sensed confidence from the man before him.

A Sword Expert having confidence against the Carmen Knights.

His absurd arrogance was irritating.

“A nobody who can’t even use sword ki dares to challenge the Carmen Knights. Andrew. Douglas. The opponent is a Sword Expert. Deal with him quickly and protect the Princess.”

“Yes, Captain Gilbert!”

“I’ll take off your mask before I kill you. I need to see if you can still be sarcastic while dying.”

Sword ki rose from each of their swords.

It was proof of being a Graduate, a realm one could only reach after dedicating themselves to the sword for at least decades.

Swoosh-

Raël raised his sword.

Burning magic power, he heated up his body.

‘…This is fun.’

It was a feeling of immersing himself in battle after a long time.

Raël entrusted himself to his senses.

The tension filling his body was telling him.

The knights before him were different from the mediocre guys he had faced so far.

Doo-geun- Doo-geun- [Sound of heart beating]

With his heart beating fast, Raël’s senses became even sharper.

‘There’s an opening.’

Raël read the knights’ gazes and movements.

While hostile to Raël, the knights were not very tense.

They instinctively saw Raël, who couldn’t draw sword ki, as inferior to them.

If he exploited that, he could win.

“Carmen Knights! What are you doing!”

At that moment, Yuri’s flustered voice was heard.

She couldn’t understand the situation where the Carmen Knights and Raël were fighting, so she demanded an explanation.

However, the Carmen Knights did not react to her voice.

“You crazy bastards. Can’t you hear the Princess’s voice?”

The Carmen Knights belonged to the Imperial Family.

They had to prioritize the Princess’s orders.

“…”

Gilbert ignored the Princess’s voice and looked at the masked man, and the other two matched Gilbert’s movements.

‘They’re openly committing treason.’

Raël slowly retreated, examining the knights’ formation.

Step. Step.

The knights approached as if surrounding Raël.

However, the knights were still careless.

The movements they were taking were not a formation to face a strong enemy.

Rather, it was closer to preventing the opponent from escaping.

They couldn’t leave a witness in the mission to kill the Princess, so they were moving to deal with him for sure.

It was a natural thing in a way, but it was an opportunity for Raël.

‘First, the one closest to me.’

Raël aimed for that gap.

Thud-

He poured magic power into every muscle in his body.

Raël instantly leaped towards the nearest knight.

Raël was recognized as being close to a Sword Master in terms of physical ability alone.

His movements were at a speed that ordinary knights could hardly react to.

“Ugh…!”

Douglas belatedly raised his sword.

Although his posture was unstable, he barely managed to meet the sword.

Clang-!

The collision of sword ki and sword aura.

Douglas had no doubt that his sword aura would shatter the sword aura.

Crack-

However, it was he who was pushed back.

“…?!”

Douglas’s feet left the ground and he was pushed back.

He wasn’t pushed back by magic power, but his posture collapsed due to overwhelming force.

“This…!”

Douglas, who was a skilled knight, quickly regained his posture.

However, in that short gap, Raël’s sword was already heading for Douglas’s arm.

Clatter-!

The sword aura that penetrated the steel armor burst out with a roar.

Douglas saw a future where his body would be cut in half, and he squeezed out his last strength to twist his body.

However, the sword that had already penetrated the armor did not miss its prey.

‘I, impossible…!’

Swaaa-!

In the end, Raël’s sword aura cut through the steel armor.

Raël’s sword, which did not stop even after tearing the armor apart, blew away Douglas’s shoulder altogether.

“……!”

Splat-!

Red blood splattered on the floor.

Douglas sank back, unable to even groan from the immense pain.

‘Wh, what….’

Douglas’s mind seemed to stop at the incomprehensible phenomenon.

He had clearly pushed back the sword aura with his sword ki, but his posture collapsed due to simple force.

“Tch. I should have killed him in one go.”

Smack-!

Raël did not hesitate to trample on the man’s wound.

“Kuaaak…!”

Douglas belatedly wrapped his arm around the pain that had come.

‘I can’t finish him off.’

It was a pity, but he had already lost his combat power.

Tak-

Raël immediately turned his body.

And he met the bewildered eyes of the two knights who were rushing at him.

The guys were looking at Raël with astonished eyes.

“You pathetic bastards.”

Raël smiled as he looked at the guys who had been full of confidence until just now.

The senses that sharpened in actual combat and the uplifting feeling of battle that filled his body were quite satisfying.

He hated to admit it, but Raël liked this feeling.

‘Just what is he?’

Gilbert swallowed as he looked at the man’s sword.

The sword that had knocked down Douglas in the blink of an eye could not be forgotten.

His sword overwhelmed Douglas as if playing with a child.

‘The flow of magic power is messed up because of the magical energy, but that should be the same for the opponent.’

To push back sword ki with sword aura and cut down the opponent.

Was that even possible?

“…”

Gilbert unknowingly began to sweat.

The fear he felt from the unknown enemy tested his knighthood.

‘One down.’

Raël looked at the two knights with his sword.

The guy named Andrew was weaker than Douglas, and Gilbert was the strongest of the three.

‘Next, I should aim for the weaker one first.’

Although he had reduced one with a surprise attack, the Carmen Knights were at least Graduate level, even the weak ones.

Even if he allowed an attack once, Raël would suffer great damage.

The fewer the numbers, the better.

“…Andrew. Never let your guard down.”

“Ye, yes…!”

Gilbert and Andrew cautiously approached Raël.

The opponent’s power was beyond imagination.

There was no more carelessness.

Taat-

Raël’s sword tore through the air and rushed towards Andrew.

Andrew was nervous and immediately raised his sword, but Raël could read his movements from beginning to end.

‘Weak. And slow.’

Slow.

Raël’s lips curled up at the fact that the Graduates were only this much.

The magical energy covering his body? Or the embarrassment that his comrade had been defeated in one blow?

Those were all just excuses.

‘I’m strong.’

He could tell just by moving his sword.

Andrew couldn’t keep up with Raël’s sword.

“Keuek!”

Andrew desperately tried to keep up with Raël’s sword, but he couldn’t block Raël’s sword that was piercing through his armor everywhere.

If he tried to match sword aura with sword ki, he would lightly deflect it, and if there was even a brief gap, he would immediately stab at his weakness.

Moreover, each and every sword was so heavy.

‘Just what kind of strength does this guy have!’

Andrew unknowingly scanned the opponent’s body.

His body was as solid and balanced as a knight.

But it wasn’t that different from himself.

Then what was the identity of that power?

“Andrew!”

At that moment, Gilbert, who had rushed over, struck down with his sword.

Clang-!

Raël blocked Gilbert’s sword and stepped aside, and Gilbert immediately stood in front of Andrew.

Andrew’s body had numerous cuts in a short period of time.

“Keuep!”

“Andrew! Move your sword! You are a Carmen Knight! The Empire is behind you!”

“Yes…! I’m still okay!”

Andrew placed his hand on the Carmen Knights’ insignia.

His knighthood would never stop here.

“You crazy bastards. Even the devil would be more honest than you.”

For the guys who were trying to kill the Princess to bring up the Empire, they had no conscience.

“You bastard! I’ll kill you!”

Gilbert stood in front of Andrew, raising his sword.

The sword ki of a seasoned Graduate wrapped around the sword like a burning fire.

‘I shouldn’t clash with that. I have to deflect everything.’

Gilbert’s strength was at a level that could not be compared to Andrew or Douglas.

A seasoned Graduate was definitely strong.

‘But… he’s definitely weaker than before.’

The undead’s magical energy was already spreading through the party hall, and they were less accustomed to the magical energy than Raël.

Time was on Raël’s side.

“Kill the enemy of the Carmen Knights!”

Gilbert rushed in without hesitation.

He also did not stand still, watching Douglas and Andrew being defeated.

‘His sword is fast and flashy, but… his magic power doesn’t match it.’

Although Douglas’s sword was pushed back, if it was real sword ki, it would have torn the steel armor much more easily, and Andrew would have been defeated before Gilbert could help.

‘He might be a mercenary familiar with combat. I have to deal with him for sure.’

He would soon find out his identity.

The important thing was that he was using sword aura.

If they faced each other fairly, the possibility of losing was small.

Clang-!

Gilbert pushed Raël back, unfolding his sword ki.

‘Damn… time is running out.’

The magical energy flowing from the surrounding undead was eating away at his body.

Moreover, he had to add the time to deal with the Princess, so he had to finish it faster.

“Your sword ki is getting weaker. Is the magical energy burdensome?”

“…You bastard!”

Gilbert swung his sword with bloodshot eyes.

As he said, the magical energy was gradually eating away at Gilbert’s magic power.

But that guy was emitting the same magic power from beginning to end.

It was as if he was not affected by the magical energy.

“This can’t be! I am Gilbert, the captain of the 3rd Company of the Carmen Knights!”

Gilbert shouted at himself.

The Carmen Knights were the strongest knights in the Empire.

Their swordsmanship and mana cultivation methods were always the best on the continent, and the name Carmen Knights was a symbol of the strongest knight.

‘But why…!’

Gilbert swung his sword resentfully as he watched Raël skillfully dodge his sword.

The three Carmen Knights were being pushed back by a guy they had never heard of.

This was absurd.

Gilbert’s mind became more and more impatient.

If he didn’t handle this properly, the Knights Commander would be disappointed in him.

The position of captain of the 3rd Company that he had barely received could be taken away.

Swaak-

“Uaaaaaak!”

“A, Andrew!”

At that moment, Andrew’s chest, who had been supporting Gilbert, was deeply cut.

Gilbert, who had become impatient, allowed a brief gap, and Raël had penetrated Andrew in that gap.

‘I can still save him!’

Gilbert saw Raël’s sword trying to cut Andrew down once more.

If he thrust his sword now, he could save Andrew.

But…!

‘I’m sorry. Andrew!’

At the same time as Andrew’s body collapsed under Raël’s sword, Gilbert gritted his teeth and poured magic power into his sword.

He had to finish him off now.

Only then could he reverse this situation.

‘I see it…!’

Before the guy could retrieve the sword he had swung at Andrew, he saw the guy’s exposed stomach.

Gilbert did not miss the gap and thrust his sword in a straight line.

“Dieeeeee…!”

Poosh-

Gilbert’s sword pierced into the masked guy’s stomach.

His sword ki tore through the thin leather armor and soon reached the guy’s abdomen.

Soon, he clearly felt the sensation of cutting through flesh.

‘I did it!’

Gilbert immediately put strength into the hand holding the sword and lifted it upwards.

He was planning to cut his body in half like this.

Crack-

“…Eueuk?!”

However, the sword stuck in the guy’s stomach did not move.

Gilbert was flustered and unknowingly raised his head.

“Why, is it your first time seeing a guy with a strong body?”

Raël concentrated magic power on his muscles and deliberately showed a weakness.

His body, which had absorbed magic power all his life, was like a dragon.

Of course, he didn’t have the durability of a real dragon, but he believed Tia’s words that he could withstand sword ki for a while.

“I, impossible….”

Gilbert wore a terrified expression.

The bizarre mask was looking at him.

Even if he couldn’t see his face, he could feel that he was smiling.

Gilbert should have thrown away his sword right now.

After retreating, he should have grabbed Douglas’s fallen sword and continued the fight.

“Heueueueut!”

But Gilbert could not accept the fact that a human body could withstand sword ki.

He thought that the problem was that he had not properly raised his sword ki because he had been exposed to magical energy for too long.

He made the mistake of trusting his judgment once again.

Crack-

However, the sword did not move this time either.

“Fucking hell. It hurts like hell. You son of a bitch.”

Even if he concentrated magic power on his body, the pain did not decrease.

Raël narrowed one eye and raised his sword.

“Th, this can’t be….”

“It can, you bastard.”

Gilbert, who saw the fiercely approaching sword heading for his neck, belatedly let go of the sword.

What was more important than knighthood was survival.

‘I have to avoid it….’

Gilbert’s eyes were filled with fear.

But Raël’s sword was faster than Gilbert’s escape speed.

Slash-

Before he could even finish thinking, Gilbert’s head fell to the ground.

“… Haa. Shit, you said I could withstand it. This crazy dragon, is this what you call withstanding it?”

Raël bit his teeth and looked at Gilbert’s corpse.

The stomach he had been stabbed in hurt as if it would tear.

‘Those guys must mean that they can withstand it as long as they don’t die.’

He seemed to have been deceived again by the dragon’s standards, which were different from humans.

“Still… I won. This fucking world.”

Raël shook off the blood on his sword.

It was too early to laugh because it wasn’t over yet.

He walked towards the knights groaning from behind.