I Pull Out Excalibur

37 – Red-Eyed Mercenary Corps (5)

Rozelin’s gaze extended.

She observed the expressions of the adventurers looking at Nazine, and she was certain. Not a single adventurer recognized the technique that the young man was about to use.

Indeed, it wasn’t a technique that could be easily seen.

Even Rozelin had only seen that technique a few times. Maybe three or four times. But even if she had only seen it once, Rozelin would have recognized that technique at a glance. It had left such a strong impression.

The most knightly of knights.

Gordif, the leader of Atanga.

Rozelin couldn’t forget the swordsmanship he had displayed.

Swordsmanship that embodied the ideology of Atanga.

It was an obstinate swordsmanship that never retreated, only turning the opponent’s attacks head-on. But because of that, it was the most knightly swordsmanship.

Thump.

Replaying the memory of that day.

Rozelin took a step forward. The swordsmanship that the young man was about to unfold was not something to be used against mere monsters.

What the young man wanted to show was Atanga’s swordsmanship.

And among them, it was a technique tied to a code of conduct.

As far as Rozelin could remember, that swordsmanship was a technique that was only shown to opponents who met certain conditions.

“To punish those who have tarnished the name of a knight who has lost both honor and pride…”

Or when the opponent recognized them as their equal.

It was a swordsmanship that could only be displayed against opponents with enough pride to collide with all that they had.

Growl!

It was a swordsmanship that should not be used against trolls or creatures like them. Of course, she had no intention of meddling, but Rozelin did not want to see that swordsmanship being used against trolls.

Thump.

Rozelin lightly struck the ground.

Although the distance between her and Nazine was quite considerable, with a single leap, Rozelin stood right behind Nazine just as he was about to turn his head.

“Hey, kid.”

She grabbed Nazine’s shoulder and pulled him back.

“Atanga’s swordsmanship should not be used against creatures like that. We should talk about it later.”

She murmured with a smile. She liked the name “Ivan” a little more. She also liked his determination to rush in and claim victory against the crimson trolls.

Swoosh.

Najin pushed Lorzelin back and Lorzelin took the lead.

In that moment, the blood-red troll that had been charging at Najin faltered and retreated. The troll, too, could sense it. That the figure before it was not someone to be reckoned with.

Grrr!

The troll howled, taking a step back.

A howl that shook the forest. Immediately after, the forest trembled in response to the troll’s cry, and the monsters started swarming in. However, Lorzelin, seemingly uninterested in such things, turned around and looked back.

What she was looking at was Najin.

And Najin was also looking at Lorzelin.

Seeing Najin’s furrowed brow, as if unhappy about having his prey stolen from him or annoyed at being interrupted in the midst of a fight he was deeply engrossed in, Lorzelin burst into laughter.

Ah, this is how it should be for adventurers.

“The more I see, the more I like.”

Lorzelin drew out the longsword at her waist, and then she burst into laughter. The vice commander might scold her once again for using it, but who cares, it’s just a part-time job.

“Tsk, it’s not something I usually show…”

She said to Najin.

“After seeing something good once in a while, I should repay the favor.”

Lorzelin reached out toward Najin’s waist.

It wasn’t a typical sword she untied from her waist, but two sword blades tightly bound to her back.

Clank! With a sound, the two swords were unsheathed.

Two blades with half the length of a longsword. The two blades with black blades flickered menacingly.

2.

-That’s a masterpiece.

The moment Lorzelin drew the twin swords from her waist, Merlin’s voice echoed in Najin’s ear.

“A masterpiece? What do you mean?”

-Yeah. Take a good look. It’s not something you can easily see.

Najin watched Lorzelin walk towards the approaching monsters and blood-red troll. The twin swords with extended black blades. Merlin referred to them as masterpieces.

“What do you mean by ‘masterpiece’?”

-47 artifacts forged by a legendary blacksmith from the beginning of time, imbued with mystery without any involvement of magic.

Merlin said.

-The explanation is a bit complicated, but in simple terms, that’s what it is. It’s a weapon that produces magical effects without any actual magic.

Before the time of King Arthur.

Crafted by a blacksmith who lived in the age of beginnings, the known 47 artifacts. Something no human or constellation could imitate, it was the embodiment of mystery itself, Merlin spoke.

Excalibur may not have a rival, but still, what an extraordinary weapon. Those who handle masterpieces in my era often create unexpected variables.

And then, Merlin said.

“I’ve seen the masterpiece that woman is holding right now. It seems to be one that a warrior from the Alliance wrote centuries ago… The weapon’s name was undoubtedly an Echo, right?”

As Najin listened intently to Merlin’s words, Rozelin took a step forward. Approaching the swarming demons and trolls, she raised the two swords she was holding.

Then, clang.

Rozelin clashed the two swords together.

The “clang” sound that echoed as the swords collided did not cease with just one strike. Although the swords collided only once, the sound layered multiple times, resonating and spreading.

As if echoing.

The adventurers frowned at the echoing noise, but Najin opened his eyes wide. Najin’s senses were ringing alarm bells. With wide-open eyes, Najin looked at Rozelin.

Swish…

She swung the paired swords, and the blades shot up. The rising blades were different from any that Najin had seen before. If the blades he had seen and could create were simple flashes woven with light…

Kiiiiiiing!

The blades enveloping Rozelin’s paired swords had a shape like a saw blade. A strange form resembling a beast’s claw or tooth. It was a blade containing Rozelin’s sentiments, a unique blade that belonged to her alone.

Shaping the blade with sentiments.

The realm of Sword Seeker.

Dragging the blades, Rozelin moved. Thud, she stamped her foot on the ground, and her movement accelerated for a moment. A movement that even Najin, with wide-open eyes, found hard to follow. In that instant, Rozelin’s paired swords traced a perfect trajectory.

Kaaang…

The friction sound of the echoing swords.

Kaaang!

It resonated intensely for a moment.

In the echoing noise, Najin saw it. Numerous cutting lines piercing the body of the crimson troll he was fighting. Thin lines were drawn on the bodies of the demons gathered by the troll’s howling.

As the echo subsided.

The thin lines engraved on the bodies of the demons turned red.

Chwaaack!

Immediately, blood shot in all directions. The bodies of the demons, finely cut along the thin lines, collapsed. It was a single blow. An unbelievable sight created by just one swing of the sword. With wide-open eyes, Najin looked at Rozelin.

It was the first time.

Witnessing a concept unknown to him, even when seen with both eyes.

The motion might be imitable, but Najin couldn’t comprehend how that motion produced such a phenomenon. It was only natural. Najin still didn’t understand much about Sword Qi.

What Rozelin displayed was her own technique, utilizing her Sword Qi and the unique characteristics of the masterpiece. It meant a skill that could only be wielded by reaching the level of Sword Seeker, understanding Sword Qi deeply, and awakening the concept of the sword.

Encountering an unfamiliar concept for the first time.

Najin’s eyes gleamed as they faced their first goal.

“That is…”

That is Sword Seeker.

That is the pinnacle of this city.

Rozelin, who had turned her sword and looked back at Najin, smiled at her with wide-eyed wonder. Without speaking aloud, she mouthed to Najin.

What do you think? Awesome, right?

Although Najin’s confident demeanor wasn’t exactly impressive, they couldn’t deny the fact that they had been overwhelmed by Rozelin’s sword skills.

3.

There was a little commotion, but the Dohnenberg forest clearing operation was completed. The adventurers gathered at the entrance of the forest and received their rewards under the management of the mercenary group.

Rozelin, giving slightly more reward than originally promised, spoke.

“This was a mistake on our mercenary group’s part. The appearance of the Crimson Troll was a variable, and it’s the mercenary group’s responsibility for not controlling variables. I’ll apologize and give additional compensation.”

Fortunately, there were no injuries or casualties due to the appearance of the Crimson Troll. It was all thanks to one adventurer who had managed to stop it.

“…”

As the adventurers received their rewards, they glanced at the score board. The rankings remained the same as before the appearance of the Crimson Troll, but the scores written there had changed.

1st place: Evan (85 points)

An additional 50 points were added to the original score of 35 points.

Rozelin said that she had only intervened and that it was practically Evan who had caught the Crimson Troll… So she gave the Crimson Troll 50 points.

No one could deny that opinion.

At first, it seemed like an exaggeration, but as time passed, it was clear that Najin had overwhelmed the Crimson Troll. Adventurers who witnessed the process agreed with Rozelin’s opinion.

The score of 50 points was appropriate for the Crimson Troll, who was speculated to be a special red-grade.

“85 points…”

The adventurers clicked their tongues as they looked at the score board.

It was a score that surpassed the record of Burger, the current captain of the Red Eye Mercenary Group, which was the highest ever. It was an overwhelmingly impressive record that couldn’t even be reached.

They silently looked at Najin.

A young man who was resting, wiping the blood off his clothes and hair. Although the emblem he had hanging around his neck was black, no one dared to mock Najin or belittle them as they had done before.

Najin had proved their skills in front of everyone.

And showed their worth in terms of achievements.

No adventurer was oblivious enough to doubt Najin’s qualifications, seeing their fearless charges towards the Crimson Troll. There was no longer any contempt or annoyance in their gazes as they looked at Najin. Only admiration filled the space instead.

“Thank you for saving us. Let’s have a drink later.”

The adventurer who had been saved by Najin a while ago handed their business card to Najin and left. Other adventurers also passed by Najin, exchanging light greetings as they went.

An adventurer who has proved their skill, not just a rookie.

It meant that they had been acknowledged by their colleagues. Amidst everyone’s awe towards Najin, only one adventurer could not do the same.

“······.”

An adventurer of the green rank.

Marsen, who settled in second place due to Najin’s push. She clenched her teeth and passed by Najin.

– Have you seen that guy? He’s so rude.

“Who is that guy?”

– You’re kidding, right? He was picking a fight with you just before we started.

Najin tilted his head.

Well, Najin didn’t even bother confirming who the second place was. There didn’t seem to be a need to know. Merlin chuckled at Najin’s reaction.

“Ivan.”

While Najin rested, his name was called one last time. Najin, who climbed onto the stage, received the reward handed to him by Roselin. The weight in his pocket was quite substantial.

“I calculated it according to the score and added some extra payment. Thank you. Thanks to you, we were able to avoid any damage to the mercenaries’ reputation.”

Roselin patted Najin’s shoulder.

The appearance of the crimson troll was an unknown variable that the mercenaries did not grasp, and it almost caused damage. However, thanks to Najin’s intervention, there were no casualties.

That’s why they were able to easily resolve the situation.

Roselin expressed her gratitude for that fact.

“But that’s not all.”

Roselin handed a box to Najin. When he opened it, there was a neatly folded reddish-brown leather inside.

“This is the leather of the crimson troll you hunted. Troll leather is a luxury item. Not to mention the leather of a mutant like the crimson troll… that’s even more valuable.”

Troll leather, tough and resistant.

The material that is often used to make armor is already expensive. There was no need to mention the value of the leather from a mutant like the crimson troll.

“Originally, the ownership of the materials from the monsters hunted in the Dochenberg forest belongs to our mercenary group, but…”

That was the original condition of the request.

“But this is different. It’s a monster that was not announced in the subjugation details, and the guild has put a wanted notice on it. This is completely your trophy as the one who hunted it.”

In other words…

Najin noticed what Roselin was trying to say.

“You have completed the subjugation of the Dochenberg forest and a wanted request of the crimson rank. Accompany our mercenary group and the guild. I will testify that you have defeated the crimson troll.”

Roselin smirked.

“That’s all I had to say.”

At some point, she stood next to Najin and became his companion in arms. It was the moment when Najin resisted the arm that came tightly around his neck.

“Let’s have a drink and talk,” Roselin whispered in Najin’s ear. “The swordsmanship of the Atanga. There’s something we should discuss with that, right? We should also give the reward for being the top rank.”

So, stop the nonsense and come along, little one.

While still shoulder to shoulder with Najin, Roselin playfully poked Najin’s side. Watching from behind, Burgu and the mercenaries sighed.

Seems like they quite enjoyed it.

They shrugged and followed the leader, who walked ahead.