Episode 13.16-17 (1/2)

”I'll take you on.”

Jinga drew his sword once Lecan responded.

A long, heavy, broad and thick sword.

It's easy to guess it's an extremely fine sword.

Jinga thrust his left hand out and recited a spell.

”<Deploy (Parshoot)>”

A fine-looking patterned shield immediately emerged on Jinga's left hand.

His light gauntlet has transformed into a shield.

Since there was no vestiges of mana emission anywhere, the shield itself must possess a function to activate itself without mana.

”Hou.”

Quite an interesting protector.

Furthermore, one can tell at a glance that it's an outstanding shield.

'I'd like to get my hand on it if I could', thought Lecan.

Lecan drew his sword as well. The <Sword of Rusk>.

He's already stored away the Sacred Solid Silver sword, <Guardian Jewel of Zana>, <Dagger of Harut> and <Lightning Dragon Gauntlet>. Only the silver ring remains on his finger.

Jinga slightly bent his body forward with his sword and shield at the ready.

In that instance, the majority of Jinga's body looked as if it had been hidden behind his shield to Lecan.

These sensations occur fairly often whenever he's up against someone skilled with a shield. The reason why is to hide preliminary motions before those shield users swing their sword, thus denying their opponent to read ahead. In other word, Jinga is masterful enough with a shield to garner such an evaluation from Lecan.

Lecan could perhaps easily defeat Jinga if he used magic, perhaps he could not. However, he was in the mood to play along with this duel.

Lecan suddenly took a large step forward, and swung down a powerful slash from overhead. His attack got blocked by Jinga's shield, then a moment later, Jinga's sword lunged out from behind his shield.

That attack wasn't especially swift or anything. However, Lecan failed to dodge it. The timing of that one blow was simply perfect. Jinga's sword hit Lecan's side hard.

Lecan had jumped to the opposite direction of the sword to kill its momentum, yet that one blow still managed to land a clean hit on Lecan's body. He must have broken one or two bones. That wouldn't have been the end of it had it not for the <Overking Bear> overcoat he wore.

Thinking that this man has grown old is a mistake. No elderly man could fight with such force. At this very moment at least.

Lecan took another step forward and unleashed a flurry of sword slashes without breathing.

Jinga is clearly a veteran who has mastered the way of orthodox knight.

On the other hand, Lecan's style is completely self taught, a rustic swordsman.

However, his power, speed, and ferocity are somethings that have been tempered over countless battlefields.

Hence, Jinga in turn cannot read Lecan's moves. It took him his all just to defend against the flurry of slashes, he couldn't afford to strike back.

Lecan continued his observation even while sealing Jinga's movements with his successive strikes. Foreseeing how Jinga's right sword hand will move.

In reality, Jinga has no mean to attack back. However, that right hand of his is patiently waiting for the moment it could launch a counterattack. Lecan is predicting how that immobile sword will make its move.

An assault that ignores breathing also denies the opponent of a breathing room, usually. And powerful moves aren't something that can be kept up for long. However, Lecan's bottomless stamina affords him a continuous assault that exceeds common sense.

A crack eventually formed on Jinga's iron wall.

At the receiving end of Lecan's storm-like attacks, Jinga lost control of his shield ever so slightly.

Lecan jumped backward all of a sudden.

Jinga doesn't chase after him right away. He's unable to.

And yet, he quickly regained his posture before charging forward. There would be no more chance to strike back if he didn't now, thus he judged.

Which was exactly what Lecan anticipated.

With Jinga fully concentrating into the charge, this is exactly the time when Jinga's shield has lost its flexible motions.

Lecan raised his left leg, kicking the shield upward.

That is an improbable action in a match between knights. However, Lecan is not a knight.

Jinga was caught by surprise, the kick was a clean hit.

As expected of Jinga, he didn't let go of his shield even after that.

However, his body was defenseless in that instance.

Lecan mercilessly swung down his sword.

The sword deeply cut into Jinga's right eye, down to his right shoulder and right chest, tore up his rib and reached his belly.

'Clank', Jinga's sword fell down, his shield fell down, his body collapsed face up.

<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka.com >

”Jinga. Talk before you die. For what reason have you been staying by Norma's side all this time.”

Jinga didn't respond immediately. The combination of pain and paralysis rushing through one's body is not a pleasant one to experience. Losing more blood as time goes by, his body parts are gradually losing their functions. Nevertheless, this old knight demonstrated a tremendous degree of self-control and replied to Lecan with a hoarse voice after a slight while.

”To protect Norma-sama, monitor her, and to immediately report to my lord if

manifests in her.”

”Did the marquis really make an oath to not mess with Norma and her father?”

”He did. And, the present marquis house, intended to abide by the oath, unless an exceptional situation arose.”

”What's that exceptional situation.”

”I-if,

manifested, in Norma-sama.”

”That never happened.”

Seemingly assaulted by an intense pain, Jinga shut his eyes tightly for a while.

”E,Eda-dono did.”

”Was that something the present marquis anticipated?”

”Not, exactly. He never, even considered, the possibility.”