A Medieval Knight in a Martial Arts Novel

“Here are the weapons you ordered.”

As expected from a master craftsman directly trained by the Hainan Sword Sect, his skills were truly exceptional.

After staying up for several nights to craft them, Elder Baek Chul’s face was etched with fatigue as he handed me the weapons wrapped in a silk cloth. I bowed to him in thanks and carefully unwrapped them.

“…They’re identical to the ones used in the Western Regions.”

“It’s taller than me!”

“It’s not that long.”

I placed Hye-ryeong beside the sword for comparison. The blade reached about midway up her face.

“It’s a little shorter than me?”

“Well, about 5 feet, or rather 5 cheok in length.”

Though I provided detailed specifications, I couldn’t help wondering if this master was one of the best smiths in the Central Plains.

I admired the longsword, a symbol of the knights who debuted in the Central Plains, turning it over in my hands.

The length was exactly as I requested.

The balance was perfect.

The thickness was just right.

I adopted the Ox Guard stance for a test.

Then I began cutting through the air, fluidly transitioning between stances.

These were elementary postures of Longsword techniques, fundamental yet core to swordsmanship.

“Indeed! I am amazed. Is it alright for me to observe this Western Region swordplay?”

Elder Baek Chul looked at me with a mix of admiration and curiosity. I shook my head in response.

“It’s a basic technique, so don’t worry about it. Besides, just watching wouldn’t help you replicate it, right?”

The swordsmanship of the martial realm and the Western Regions felt fundamentally different, thus there was no need to be overly concerned.

“Right! And there are no forms!”

“No forms…?”

After briefly trying out the edge, I decided to test the blade. Gripping it at the center with both hands, I adopted the Halfswording stance.

The sword was slightly warm, heated by the forge, but it was bearable for someone used to wielding a sword in the desert.

As a test, I mimed stabbing an opponent and deflecting a weapon, then gripped the blade just above the tip with my free hand.

Mordhau.

One of the techniques in Longsword fencing used primarily against armored foes.

I swung downward as if wielding a blunt weapon and lowered the sword tip. Since the pommel was intentionally made large, it could serve as a makeshift warhammer.

“Remarkable. I didn’t know a sword could be wielded this way… Is your hand not hurt?”

“We have a proper grip technique to prevent injury.”

I demonstrated by holding the sword without the handle and extending it out in front of me. Elder Baek Chul observed closely, inspecting my hand thoroughly.

“To think there is such a way of holding the sword… Perhaps the grip should be made dull or a leather strap added to protect your hand?”

Indeed, a master craftsman sees things differently. He identified improvements quickly.

In fact, some of my comrades had their swords customized this way.

“I prefer this method.”

“Then use what suits you.”

I sheathed the longsword and attached it to my waist. From the weapons I had commissioned, I picked up the largest one.

“It was my first try at crafting a spear, so it was quite a challenge.”

“Thanks to you, it will be easier to fight off the Demonic Sect members.”

Though the longsword techniques are excellent, they specialize in one-on-one combat. We needed a weapon suitable for fighting multiple opponents at once.

Ideally, a weapon capable of instantly breaking an enemy’s skull and instilling fear.

While possible with a longsword if aura manipulation is used, war is a long game.

One should never make moves assuming a battle will end quickly.

“Testing this here would be difficult.”

“Try it out in the courtyard. I’m curious to see how Western warriors wield a spear.”

So curious, huh? Well, if feedback is readily available, it works for me. I took the poleaxe and headed to the courtyard.

Though the courtyard had piles of broken weapons, there was enough space to swing the poleaxe.

I held the shaft horizontally with both hands, pointing the opposite end forward.

The sharp point at the other end gleamed menacingly in the sunlight. Though technically just a spear tip, it was mounted like a blade.

I practiced poking forward and swinging the blade a few times.

“Is that how spears are supposed to be used?”

“I don’t know how people here use such weapons.”

Judging by the exertion it takes to wield a large weapon like this, they probably use similar methods.

Of course, people here tend to rely on abundant inner energy to strengthen their bodies and use their weapons.

With the existence of forms in the Central Plains, they likely don’t favor the concise and efficient movements typical of Western combat.

Still, actual observation is necessary.

“Efficient. Though the weapon is large, minimizing movement preserves stamina.”

Swinging it around recklessly might seem impressive, but it’s important to start with the fundamentals. Swinging a weapon like a poleaxe too forcefully can quickly tire the user.

Phew.

I rested the poleaxe on the ground for a moment, catching my breath. Having done that, I decided to check the dagger and buckler next. I put the poleaxe back and picked them up.

The weight was appropriate. The balance was excellent. I gave the buckler a light tap with the dagger to test.

A clear ringing sound echoed through the forge.

“Sir, isn’t that shield too small to be useful?”

“Even a small shield can be bothersome to enemies.”

I didn’t order a buckler for show. A shield small enough to barely cover someone’s head is surprisingly versatile.

I survived many battles thanks to the protection of such a buckler.

Ideally, the best option would be armor that allows for full use of aura energy, but that would be difficult to produce here.

It’s an incredibly challenging process requiring extensive resources, and without proper expertise, it could severely limit mobility, potentially turning into a coffin.

“Thank you. With this, I can fight effectively.”

“If there are any issues, just let me know! I’ll fix them for you!”

“I’ll go now, then.”

“Take the weapons to your room and then come join us for a meal!”

As I turned to leave with Hye-ryeong, I heard Elder Baek Chul’s voice.

“Farewell, and… thank you.”

There’s no need for gratitude here.

I turned back to Elder Baek Chul and said,

“I’m merely doing my duty.”

—

“Merely doing my duty…”

Who would have thought that someone who once dismissed saving lives as meaningless would end up doing this?

Leader, it seems I still have much to learn.

—

“Have you arrived? What’s behind your back?”

After finishing the meal, I visited the pavilion where the Sect Leader resided. He greeted me with a smile. The spread-out map suggested he was reviewing strategies.

“Arms forged by Elder Baek Chul.”

“Spear…such a rare weapon.”

“Is it really that rare?”

Everyone seems amazed.

“Back when I wandered the Jianghu decades ago, few martial artists used spears as their weapon. Dealing with officials often brought unnecessary trouble, and besides…such weapons are difficult to handle.”

Of course, it makes sense since martial artists here don’t wear heavy armor. If this wasn’t a full-on war against the Demonic Sect, I wouldn’t have requested one either. A poleaxe struggles outside a battlefield.

It’s heavy and hard to wield.

Unless you’re a robust and strong person like me.

Even among knights, lances are a required skill, but the poleaxe remains a niche weapon.

Moreover, in both the East and West, carrying long weapons often gets you mistaken for a troublemaker, whereas swords are generally accepted as self-defense tools.

Thus, I intended to use it only here.

“We’ve discussed enough trivial matters. According to what you said, we’ve set up barricades and strengthened our defenses. Is there anything more we should add?”

“In the short term, this much is enough. The enemy will likely rush to bring an end to the battle quickly. We must use the traps set around the island to reduce their numbers as much as possible before engaging in combat.”

“I miss an old friend of mine at the Tang Family Manor at times like this.”

“You have a friend at Tang Family Manor?”

“Yes, I do.”

Wow, that’s disappointing.

An acquaintance of the Sect Leader’s from the Sichuan Tang Family would be a top-tier expert. Imagine the devastation if such an expert were to intentionally spread poison; even Demonic Sect members would be helpless. Fighting while poisoned is nearly impossible.

“The most crucial thing is to determine when and how the Demonic Sect members will invade this island. They’ll surely use water skills to quietly approach underwater, conserving their energy.”

In war, sapping strength is suicide, but using ships to invade the island would be nearly impossible. Not only are we on guard, but if their ships were hit by flaming arrows and set on fire, they’d end up shark bait before even fighting.

Thus, the only viable tactic would be a nighttime assault by swimming.

Unless they’re crazy enough to fill a boat with bombs and ram us.

…Surely they wouldn’t do that, right?

Upon reflection, the Demonic Sect members did throw explosives similar to the Wallbreaker Bomb towards the end of the original story.

I dismissed the unsettling thought and spoke.

“As I mentioned before, we must reduce the Demonic Sect members using bows and traps before engaging in close combat.”

“Unfortunately, our disciples have little to no experience with using bows proficiently, and training is going slowly.”

“It’s fine. Hundreds of arrows flying together create a deadly rain that no one can ignore.”

Truthfully, accuracy wasn’t expected. Quantity is what mattered. The most terrifying aspect of arrows is when they rain down from the sky.

Even skilled martial artists cannot avoid a deluge of arrows. Combined with the traps, this could inflict devastating losses.

Should they somehow escape it…then it will be a fight of survival.

“Please ensure that scouts maintain a watch for any suspicious activities or approaching ships, and focus on remaining vigilant.”

“Understood.”

“Indeed, Great Hero Wi. Your military background shines through in your strategic acumen. This old man truly appreciates it.”

Beside me, Hye-ryeong silently listened before complimenting me with a respectful bow. While it might feel like a compliment, these strategies were borrowed from the tactics I often witnessed as a knight, where I focused mainly on charging with lances rather than employing fancy tactics.

“Your praise is too kind.”

I chuckled and glanced at the map.

Seeing our fortified defenses and heightened vigilance, the enemy will likely perceive that we’ve discovered their plan. They’ll invade soon.

For the Demonic Sect to succeed, swift execution is key.

Therefore…all I need to do is let them experience the bitterness of war.

Thus…

“Sect Leader, is there any kind of fish around this island that carries toxins? Even mild poisons will do.”

There’s no need to shy away from any means.

I brought out the strategy I had been pondering.

—

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