Volume 2 Chapter 16 Moonlight That Pierces Dragon Scales II
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The circular fighting space in the Knights of the Sun’s training grounds was enormous.
It had a diameter of about 500 meters (546 yard).
Surrounding the circle, tall wooden fences were planted, with entrances resembling doors on the north, south, east, and west sides.
The arena’s ground was covered with sand about the depth of a beach, which made it difficult to trip but lessened the chances of serious injury from falls.
Several square mounds were visible on the sandy floor.
Counting them revealed 4 mounds in total: northeast, northwest, southeast, and southwest.
Was something buried beneath them, perhaps?
”This place was originally designed with the Coliseum in mind. The gates on all 4 sides and the stone floor leading underground are remnants of that design. Beneath those sand mounds lie stone covers. See those chains near the wooden fence? The buried stone covers have a mechanism that opens when the chains are pulled by gears. It’s typical──like when ferocious beasts jump out from below.”
As he explained, Oswald squinted against the dazzling sun shining down on the arena.
”…So you have ferocious beasts being raised underground?”
”Hahaha! Of course not! It’s just that the mechanism remains. There won’t be any interruptions during this duel. It’s a one-on-one showdown between you and Renaud.”
Kian glanced at a giant knight with a black beard who had come out from the gate on the opposite side of the circular arena.
He wore silver armor adorned with the emblem of the Knights of the Sun.
However, it is not the ceremonial cloth armor that Oswald is currently wearing, but heavy equipment meant for battle.
Dressed in expensive and sturdy full-body armor, he steps out from the shade of the arena, kicking up sand at his feet.
Renaud glares at Kian.
He is not wearing a helmet.
Perhaps it is because this is not a battlefield, so there is no need to be wary of unexpected projectiles.
In a one-on-one duel, it is better to prioritize visibility.
It was a reasonable judgment.
”Are you nervous?”
”No. It’s something I decided for myself.”
”Renaud may be a brute, but he is not a total fool without a thought. If you are imagining bears or Shield Cain like you always deal with, that is a big mistake. Renaud’s sword has technique behind it, and he possesses the intelligence to learn your movements. Regardless of his character, he is a skilled warrior.”
”────”
”Wooooooo!”
Hundreds of meters away, Renaud turned to the surrounding spectators ── the squires ── and raised both arms high.
The squires were just as muscular as he was.
They slammed the points of their spears against the ground, responding to Renaud’s roar.
”It’s a duel! Blood!”
The giant knight trembled his mustache.
Several boys, likely aspiring knights, had brought a massive red shield.
The red shield was circular, with 3 indents around its circumference.
I see, those indents are meant to cradle swords or spears for thrusting at the enemy.
If the shield is held out front, their slashing attacks will not penetrate, and the indent on the outside of the shield…
To support the accuracy of his expectations, Renaud struck the hammer on his back into the arena’s sand and received a spear from another boy.
”Mmm!”
With his blue eyes glinting.
He readied his round shield towards Kian.
And then he thrust the spear tip out from the depression.
(As expected. It’s a troublesome stance combining offense and defense. It’s probably the ‘Church Knight’s Spearmanship’ from the Western Church. A basic combat form using a shield and spear. If he gets in close with that, it will be difficult for Kian to counter with his evasion-type and offense-type sword.)
Though Kian initially thought he was just a simpleton for picking a fight, it seemed he had expected Kian to use Azrael’s Dance Swordsmanship based on his appearance.
That’s why he was coming with a style focused on counterattacks using a shield and spear.
Ideally, a warrior monk would use plenty of energy (ki) to break through defenses with their attacks, but in Kian’s case, his weapon was a wooden sword.
Simply punching would only get him knocked back and defeated.
As Oswald said, he doesn’t seem to be just a fool.
”That red one is a dragon scale shield. It’s made from the shell and scales of the wyvern he hunted.”
”It looks tough.”
”That’s a comment fitting for a 5-year-old. What’s wrong, are you still nervous? If you’re worried, should I lend you my sword?”
”I’m fine.”
Saying that, Kian drew the wooden sword from his back.
(The enemy was equipped with a large shield that covered his massive body, a sharp spear, and a straight sword at his waist.)
As usual, Kian has 2 wooden swords hanging at his waist, including a spare one.
(As long as they are blocked by a shield, my slashes won’t get through. The application technique of ‘Impact’ ── either ‘Break’ to destroy the opponent’s weapon after exchanging blows, or ‘Pierce’ to bypass their armor and deliver an internal impact directly ── comes to mind as a quick solution.)
He steps forward while checking the consistency of the sand beneath his feet.
Renaud also stepped forward, holding his shield up.
”Hey, take off that coat. I don’t want to turn it into a rag.”
”You plan to strike the moment I lower my guard, don’t you?”
”Kukuku…”
The giant let out a low chuckle from between his pearly white teeth.
He curled his massive body and pulled the spear back that was protruding from the hollow of his round shield.
”Before we start, we should decide how the victory or defeat will be determined.”
”Simple enough, I’ll just skewer this guy and be done with it.”
”So we’re doing this until one of us dies? In that case, you might be fine, but Kian will be at a disadvantage. If a mere adventurer kills a noble lord, it will lead to an outrageous incident. Since this is officially a duel, you won’t have grounds to complain, even if you are killed.”
”There’s no way I’ll be killed! The one dying will be him!”
”Earlier, Sir Renaud said, ‘If you can make me kneel, I’ll give you my sword.’ I would like to propose that making me kneel counts as a win.”
”Kian is saying this, but Renaud, what will you do?”
”Huh?”
Renaud glared with his blue eyes from beside the shield.
”It doesn’t matter to me. If you can make me kneel, I’ll acknowledge your victory. But I’m going to kill you.”
”Understood.”
”It seems both sides have come to an agreement. Then, when I step back to the outer edge of the arena, the duel will begin.”
”Wooooooh!”
Renaud bared his teeth.
In response, the surrounding knights──Renaud’s subordinates──struck their shields with their spears.
Muscular men let out a collective roar, resonating like thunder in the circular arena.
The echoes pierced through the blue sky.
If the sky were made of glass, it surely would have cracked and collapsed by now.
Wooooooh────.
Like a rallying cry before war, it lifted the spirits of the warriors.
The dry sandy ground was stirred up by the heat-laden wind.
The view blurred, and the nearly 3-meter (9’8) tall giant before him felt like a wall.
Huge.
His head felt distant──.
Kian lowered his center of gravity and thrust his right hand, holding a wooden sword, forward.
”──Start!”
”It’s battle!” “Victory for Lord Renaud!” “Ooooooh!”
The giant’s eyes widened.
The sound of his muscles creaking echoed as he kicked off the ground.
Lightly.
As if there were no gravity, the giant’s body floated.
He held his shield below him,
drawing back the arm wielding his spear to its absolute limit.
”Woaaahhh!”
Renaud lunged at Kian from above.
* * *
Golden sand scattered through the air.
As if propelled by the hot wind blowing through the arena, the giant knight’s body soared several meters into the air.
A mass of muscle wrapped in steel came crashing down like a cannonball.
”……!”
Kian dodged.
Rather than thinking, he had already used ‘Leap.’
Nightshade’s coat swirled like mist, and Kian’s body wobbled backward.
The giant’s landing was half a ‘Leap’ late.
The sand rose as if it had exploded, glinting in the sunlight.
”…Ugh, …, …!”
He landed behind.
At the same time, he gathered energy (ki).
Using ‘Leap,’ he blurred his body consecutively, drawing a circular trajectory as he crashed into the heart of the sand explosion.
”Hah…!”
”Uraaaaaah!”
As Kian leaped forward, flipping his black coat into the air, the giant’s body emerged from the golden sand.
A strike from a wooden sword (木刀) was deflected by a red-scaled shield.
Just before contact, he concentrated energy (ki) and attempted to break the shield with ‘break,’ but the dragon-scale shield was unexpectedly sturdy, absorbing Kian’s energy (ki) in an instant.
”────!?”
Kian opened his eyes wide.
Renaud smirked at the corners of his mouth.
”Araaah!”
Renaud, shouldering his shield to block Kian’s slash, sharply thrust a short spear upward from beneath the shield.
The spearhead stretched straight out.
A high-pitched sound of metal rubbing together.
The silvery blade was aimed at Kian’s abdomen.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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