Chapter 5: ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ก๐จ๐จ๐ (๐)
Chapter 5: ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ก๐จ๐จ๐ (๐)
It required a strength beyond the ordinary to stop in the middle of a full-force swing. Originally, it was a technique that borrowed the power of the opponentโs weapon.
And Johan did the same. Kaegal was able to realize the reason immediately.
โ๐๐ตโ๐ด ๐ฃ๐ณ๐ถ๐ต๐ฆ ๐ด๐ต๐ณ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐จ๐ต๐ฉ!โ
Kaegal focused on Johanโs hand and the hilt of the longsword he was holding. Despite seemingly holding it lightly, the hilt creaked as if he was squeezing out even the strength used to suckle milk.
It wasnโt because the sword was broken or worn out. It was Johanโs strength.
โOpen your hand.โ
โ?โ
โDid you grip it with all your strength just now?โ
โNo, I held it lightly.โ
โYou held the sword lightly when you gripped it? Why did you grip it like that?โ
Even beginners didnโt hold the hilt lightly, they gripped it tightly.
โIโve broken it a few times by gripping it too hard.โ
In this place, a weapon like a longsword was a precious item. Even though the Aitz family was a knight family, they werenโt so well-off that they could recklessly break a well-forged longsword.
When Johan was young, he had smashed three training swords, and after that, he had received a stern warning that if he broke one more, they wouldnโt give him a weapon.
Although it was an old and shabby longsword, it was better than nothing in this countryside. Johan had been taking care of this longsword in his own way.
โHold this.โ
Kaegal took out a steel plate and handed it over. Johan grabbed it.
โPull it with all your strength.โ
With a dull sound, the steel plate was torn apart as it was. Kaegalโs eyes widened even more.
โTruly monstrous strength. . .โ
โIโm not a monster.โ
Johan spoke in a dissatisfied tone. Although he had a good physique and innate strength, that didnโt make him a monster.
โIt seems like you havenโt had a chance to use your full strength because you donโt have a need for it. If you were born a thousand years ago, you would have been a hero in mythology.โ
In the ancient empireโs mythology, there were unbelievable heroes. Heroes who immersed their bodies in the river of the underworld, making them impervious to spears and swords, or heroes who possessed innate strength and brought down massive temples with their power.
Of course, no one seriously believed in such things. It was just a bygone epic. But Kaegal knew. The fact that such an epic was created meant that there were people with abilities to match it.
Even if not impervious to spears and swords, at least the muscles and skin would have been tough and hard like a beastโs, and even if they couldnโt bring down a temple, they would have been strong enough to break a bullโs neck.
And in Kaegalโs view, Johanโs brute strength was enough to fit into that category. It wasnโt just a good physique and good innate muscular strength.
A brute strength that surpasses common sense!
Kaegal had lived a long life and had wandered not only in the Empire but also in other places. He had seen a few people who showed strength beyond ordinary humans.
And among them, Johan was the best. Even Ferfeng, a knight from the Erlans Kingdom who was rumored to have the strength of a giant, and Kaiwood, renowned for his formidable power among the knights of the Asman Empire, didnโt seem to be at that level.
As Kaegal fell silent, Johan became anxious. Was there a problem?
โIs there a problem?โ
โA problem? No. Thereโs no problem. Unless you canโt control your body because of your overflowing strength, but thatโs not the case.โ
Unimaginable brute strength. A natural physique. An eye that grasps the essence of technique at a glance. And a beast-like sharp instinct that ties all this together. Johan was already a complete warrior before he was taught. Kaegal got up and stretched out his fingers. There were seven.
โIt will take seven to teach you.โ
โSeven years. Hmm. Iโm not sure if I can hold out that long in this feudatory.โ
Can Gessen Aitz survive for seven years?
He might have been able to if he lived a little more restrained life.
โNot seven years.โ
โ?โ
โSeven days. One week is enough.โ
โExcuse me. . .?โ
โEven to teach the assassinsโ codes that are easier to understand if you experience them directly, if you just learn the techniques, seven minutes is enough.โ
โIsnโt that too fast?โ
Johanโs eyes were now filled with disbelief. He seemed to be uncomfortable because he was taught too quickly. Kaegal shook his head.
โTreating a grown lion like a cub only dulls the claws. Donโt pretend to be weak. Youโre a lion.โ
With that, Kaegal drew his sword. It was slightly thinner than a regular longsword and had a sharp end. As soon as he drew his sword, Kaegal transformed from a shriveled old man into an assassin who had been killing people all his life.
โYouโre a lion, so now itโs time to learn. The stiff-necked knight dastards talk about forms and structures, but I donโt like that. Youโre the type who realizes it at a glance, so youโll fully embody it once you experience it.โ
โWait. . .!โ
Johan realized what Kaegal was trying to do. The sword blade, bathed in moonlight, emitted a creepy glow. Kaegal, who had been seven steps away, was now swinging his sword in front of him. Johan gritted his teeth and bent his body. The sword barely grazed his body and passed by.
Kaegal smiled satisfactorily. He had really tried to stab him, but he had avoided it.
He was indeed like a lion.
โThis is the <๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฌโ๐ฌ ๐๐ญ๐ซ๐ข๐๐> of the guildโs secret technique.โ
It was a technique specialized for surprise attacks, and even an excellent knight could be pierced in one blow if he didnโt know it. This technique, which loosens the movement of the feet and then quickly bounces out, required cunning and strength.
โI see youโre an assassin.โ
Johan grumbled as if he was dissatisfied. Kaegal deepened his smile and said.
โAre you saying you just realized Iโm an assassin? Youโre slower than I thought. Move! Those who donโt move donโt deserve to live.โ
A swordsman had to keep moving and fighting. And Johan was already accepting that teaching.
Johan, who didnโt back down in fear of the sword but rather rushed forward to prevent Kaegal from swinging his sword, was a born warrior. His instinct as a warrior told him so.
Johan was already a warrior before Kaegal taught him. He just didnโt know it because he was among sheep and pigs.
In the dark forest, the young warrior and the old assassin bared their teeth and faced each other.
๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ
Kaegal did not lie. It took Johan only a day to master all of Kaegalโs techniques. And after two days, Johan began to push Kaegal.
After three days, Kaegal had no choice but to hold out against Johan and hope for a stroke of luck.
When something flew from the side with a โthudโ sound, Johan caught it with his fist without even turning his body. A sharp awl was flying towards his cheek.
โWhen did this happen. . .?โ
โHave you ever seen an assassin fight fair?โ
โThere was nothing just now?โ
Surely Johan and Kaegal had come here for the first time today when the day was bright, and even the training place was chosen by Johan. Kaegal couldnโt have come here in advance and set it up.
But how on earth is there a trap?
โI taught you how to set traps. Youโre not thinking like an assassin, Johan. Iโve taught you all my techniques, but that doesnโt make you an assassin. Do you understand what Iโm saying?โ
โI think I understand.โ
Johan felt it while living with Kaegal.
The mindset of an assassin is different from the bone.
Kaegal taught him all his swordsmanship, not only the guildโs swordsmanship, but also various other techniques, but he did not teach Johan the mindset of an assassin.
Because it wasnโt something that could be done by teaching.
The mindset of an assassin was something that was realized by entering the unofficial guild and eating the blood of many people.
If you donโt realize it, youโll die, and if you live, youโll realize it.
โYouโre a lion. A lion doesnโt need to graze. Iโm saying you donโt need to live as an assassin. Just learn how to deal with it. If you donโt want to die somewhere.โ
Before he finished speaking, Johan kicked a tree. The thick tree split in half with a groaning sound. Kaegal backed away with a stunned expression.
โWho told you to deal with it like that?โ
โIs it not allowed?โ
โItโs a very good way.โ
Even a delicate trap would be destroyed if you went around smashing things like this. When the plan went awry, Kaegal moved to the next trap. Johan followed, on guard.
๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ
Another day of training has ended.
Originally, Johan, who would have ended up drenched in sweat, ended with a few drops of sweat, and Kaegal realized that Johan had finished adapting.
There is no need to teach anymore.
โ๐๐ตโ๐ด ๐ฃ๐ช๐ต๐ต๐ฆ๐ณ๐ด๐ธ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ต.โ
Kaegal, who originally did not stay in one place, felt regret now.
โThereโs nothing more I can teach you.โ
โ. . . . . .โ
Johan just stared at Kaegal in response. It was a look asking him to stay a little longer, but Kaegal refused.
โIโve never stayed in one place for long.โ
โBecause youโre an assassin?โ
โNo, you fool. Iโve been like that since before I became an assassin. Why is it always because of the assassin?โ
Johan averted his gaze as if embarrassed.
โIโve taught you everything I can teach you. There are a few things you havenโt learned, but thereโs nothing you can do about it. Try the <๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฑ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง>.โ
Kaegal said, throwing a twig.
Originally, <๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฑ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง> was a technique to hold a hidden dagger or secret weapon in your hand at once. If you were proficient in this technique, you could kill your opponent in one shot even in a crowded market and slip away without anyone knowing.
But Johan was not good at this technique.
Because. . .
Crack!
The twig broke as it was. Kaegal shook his head.
โRelax the power!โ
โI did relax!โ
โWell. . . Well, if God gives you one, you have to take one.โ
It wasnโt because the twig was weak. Johan broke even a sturdy dagger or steel awl equally.
He was not good at handling such delicate techniques because he was born with strength.
โ๐๐ฏ๐บ๐ธ๐ข๐บ, ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฆโ๐ด ๐ฏ๐ฐ ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐บ ๐ธ๐ช๐ต๐ฉ ๐ข ๐ด๐ธ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ฅ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ฃ๐ข๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ฉ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ๐ด.โ
Kaegal didnโt bother to say it. Complacency was the enemy of a warrior. A sheep that was scared and running around was better than a wolf that was complacent.
โIโm satisfied as long as my technique doesnโt disappear and continues. I donโt have any specific expectations from you, and I donโt have any grudges to pay back. Live well on your own.โ
โThank you, Master.โ
โBut there are a few words to leave. If you have a chance to teach my technique, tell them the name of Kaegal of <๐๐๐ง๐จ๐ฆ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฌ>.โ
โI swear.โ
โAnd donโt use the secret techniques I taught you unless you have to. Remember when you use it.โ
โKill the opponent?โ
โYes. Kill it for sure. Itโs annoying if they find out. Of course. . . there wonโt be many who find out.โ