I Became the Academy’s Defensive Swordsman

Chapter 194

Chapter 194

After swinging my sword at Bedir a few times, I immediately stepped back.

Then, I took my defensive sword stance.

I assumed Bedir would come at me any second now.

The swordsmen of the Isrinbloom Family I had faced before were, for the most part, aggressive.

So I expected a counterattack right away.

‘Block everything first, then strike at the opening.’

That was the simple yet effective way I always fought.

So I waited for Bedir to attack…

“I’ve already seen that swordsmanship of yours several times before.”

Bedir chuckled softly, lowering his rapier ever so slightly.

He looked perfectly at ease, as if he had already read me completely.

“Your ancestors, and even Nawiwo Mainac, used a similar sword style. Extremely defensive swordsmanship. One that minimizes offense and pours everything into defense. You… haven’t invested as much into defense as your ancestors did, but the fundamentals are the same.”

“So this swordsmanship… was also used by my ancestors, then.”

“Yes. But I erased everything related to them from history—every record, every trace of their swordsmanship. I thought the style they developed had been lost forever… and yet here you are.”

Bedir looked at me with eyes that gleamed with amusement.

“I heard from Suiroti. Your mother was the one who taught you that swordsmanship, wasn’t she?”

“Well, that’s what they say.”

“To think that same sword style would endure through time, only to block my path again. It seems the future is something one can never fully predict, no matter how much you calculate or foresee.”

Bedir smiled, pausing briefly before continuing as he looked at my sword.

“But I know the weakness of that swordsmanship—it’s far too passive.”

“Yes, I know that. It’s about enduring until your opponent’s stamina and focus wear down, and then counterattacking the moment a gap appears. That’s the essence of this swordsmanship.”

“The problem is… if your opponent refuses to make a move, then you can’t do anything either.”

“That’s right. If the enemy has no will to fight and chooses to run instead—or if I’m forced to attack first—things get… a little complicated.”

I chuckled faintly as I replied to Bedir’s words.

Ever since I transmigrated into this world, I had continued to study the defensive swordsmanship I’d been given.

I knew all of its strengths and weaknesses by now.

“Gideon Kyrgram. You’re trying to buy time right now, aren’t you? Waiting for reinforcements to arrive. But stalling for time isn’t something only you can do.”

As he said that, Bedir turned his gaze toward his fragment behind him—

the massive, flaming helmet.

“I also need to stall for time. Until this fragment is fully absorbed into this suffocating human body.”

“And what happens once you finish absorbing it?”

“I’ll become stronger. So much so that I could kill the likes of you without even breaking a sweat.”

“…I see.”

I looked at the helmet behind him.

About one-tenth of it had already been absorbed.

The absorption was slow, but that didn’t mean I had any time to relax.

If Bedir finished absorbing it, just as he said— the feeling was bad. Really bad.

I had a strong hunch that once he absorbed that entire helmet, I wouldn’t be able to defeat him.

‘Yeah, let’s not drag this out. I need to finish this fast. And my target right now isn’t Bedir… it’s that helmet.’

After organizing my thoughts, I spoke again.

“You’re right, Lord Bedir.”

“What are you referring to?”

“My swordsmanship. Like you said, it’s too passive. If the opponent doesn’t move first or we’re locked in a standoff… or if I’m the one who has to strike first, this sword style becomes rather awkward.”

“Exactly. Like now, when I’m not attacking you first—”

“But I’ve known about that flaw for a long time.”

I shifted my stance.

From the posture where the blade was held close to my body, I brought it up with both hands to rest over my right shoulder.

It was the opening stance of the Hawkbat Family’s swordsmanship.

“That’s why, over the past few months, I’ve been working to fix that problem… and I actually managed to do it.”

As I said that, I drew out the power of Peregrie from within me.

Then, with my body light and swift, I dashed toward Bedir.

‘The fastest and most dynamic swordsmanship. It consumes a lot of stamina, so I have to end this quickly.’

I had rarely used the Hawkbat Family’s swordsmanship myself, but I’d seen Jason use it many times.

So I had a general idea of how it worked.

“…Ha. You really are interesting. But something that crude won’t be enough to defeat me.”

Moving dynamically, I launched my attack swiftly.

But Bedir blocked every strike effortlessly.

Clang—! Clang—!

While using the sword style of the Isrinbloom Family, Bedir countered with another swordsmanship I had never seen before.

It was crude yet refined at the same time.

“Lord Bedir… you can wield a sword too?”

“In the age of the gods, I was often told I handled a sword quite well. At least until I started killing other gods with it.”

“So that’s why you became known as an Evil God.”

“I don’t care what they call me. If it means gaining more power, then such titles are meaningless.”

As he said that, flames began to blaze around Bedir.

The flames shot straight toward me, and I immediately activated the Water Rune.

A layer of water coated my blade, and with that blade, I blocked the oncoming fire.

Hssshhh―! Ssszzzz―!

“Try blocking this one too.”

When Bedir waved his hand through the air, the nearby river of lava began to surge—lava splashed high into the air and came crashing toward me.

Fortunately, thanks to my Attack Prediction Skill, I had sensed it in advance and was already prepared, so I dodged the attack without much trouble.

“You were lucky this time. But you can’t rely on luck forever. The more of my fragment flows into me, the more lava I’ll be able to control.”

“Then I’ll make sure to finish this before that happens.”

I immediately activated my magic.

Just like Bedir, flames began to flare around me.

“There has never been anyone as versatile in combat as you. Even among the gods, such a thing was rare.”

“Is that a compliment? Well, even if it isn’t, I’ll take it as one.”

With the surrounding flames swirling around me, I swung Mistcatcher at Bedir.

I drew his attention first with the flames, then followed up with my sword.

But even my sword strikes weren’t straightforward.

I mixed in intricate techniques, making it hard for him to predict where the blade would come from.

It was the peak of my technique— the absolute limit of the Isrinbloom Family’s swordsmanship that I could draw out.

And it seemed to work. My flames reached Bedir.

He managed to block my sword, but he couldn’t evade the flames.

They enveloped his right upper body— and yet Bedir looked completely unfazed.

“Use your head, Gideon Kyrgram.”

My flames were still burning on his right side.

My magic might still be weak, but those flames shouldn’t have left him unharmed.

And yet, somehow, they only left faint burns on his body.

No more than that—Bedir didn’t even look pained.

Instead, he was smiling.

“I am the God of Lava—the one who commands magma. Even before I properly ascended to godhood, I spent countless years within lava, in those scorching depths. You think a mere flicker like that could harm me?”

Once again, Bedir waved his hand, and the lava around us surged up, rushing toward me.

At the same time, his flames flew at me as well.

“Huuuh…”

Drawing a deep breath, I dispersed my own fire and activated the Water Rune once more this time at its fullest power.

Streams of water stronger than ever before gathered around Mistcatcher.

Ssssshhhhh!

The Water Rune and my defensive swordsmanship together— with both, I somehow managed to hold off Bedir’s lava and fire.

“Urgh—!”

Of course, some of the lava splashed onto me, leaving me with severe burns.

But thanks to my aura, I barely managed to endure it despite the pain.

“Let me give you a piece of advice.”

Bedir looked at me again, wearing that same composed smile.

“If you want to end this here, you’d better do it quickly. My fragment will soon be fully absorbed, and once it is, you’ll never be able to defeat me. Even those dukes you’re counting on—those reinforcements of yours—won’t be able to stop me.”

“And once Lord Bedir crosses over to the northern nomads and gathers power… you’ll become a great threat to the Empire, won’t you?”

“You understand well.”

“Then I’ll have to stop you here— for the sake of my comfortable future.”

I once again took my stance, a faint smile crossing my lips.

It looked like I was being pushed back, but that too was part of my plan.

I had managed to get Bedir quite far from that helmet—everything was proceeding as I intended.

‘Now then…’

Once again, I drew forth the power of Peregrie from within.

My body became lighter, faster.

Then I dashed toward Bedir’s helmet.

So fast that Bedir couldn’t react in time.

In an instant, I reached the massive helmet and summoned my Blood Energy.

Switching into the Balmuth Family’s sword stance, I brought Mistcatcher down on the helmet with full force.

Bang!

A powerful strike using every ounce of my strength.

I didn’t expect to shatter it in one blow, but I thought I’d at least damage it a little.

However, not a single scratch appeared on the helmet.

“That attack just now… that was the power of the Balmuth Family—the vampires, wasn’t it?”

“Ugh?!”

A massive fireball suddenly came flying from the side.

I quickly leapt away from the helmet, narrowly avoiding it.

“…That stings.”

I didn’t dodge it completely, and a burn formed on my left arm.

It wasn’t severe, but it hurt quite a bit.

“Impressive. Balmuth’s Blood Energy, Hawkbat’s Wind, Isrinbloom’s Flame, and… Mainac’s Water. You alone have mastered all four ducal houses’ sword styles with such perfection. Probably the only one in this Empire—no, in the entire continent’s history.”

“Well, it wasn’t intentional… it just turned out that way.”

I quickly rose to my feet and took my stance again, my gaze fixed once more on Bedir’s massive helmet.

Not a single mark on it.

Even after striking it with my Blood Energy.

Noticing my focus, Bedir smirked.

“You think I didn’t notice your petty little trick? Did you really believe I moved away from my fragment for no reason?”

“So that helmet… ordinary attacks don’t work on it, do they?”

“That’s a part of me. In other words, a part of a god. No matter how exceptional you are, you’re still human. And a human’s attack can never harm a fragment of a god.”

“…Just as I thought.”

“…What?”

“Just as I expected.”

I gave a faint smile and looked at my right arm— at the final blue mark drawn across it.

‘That last strike was just to confirm it. Now that I know my normal attacks won’t work… I have no choice but to use this.’

The last of the three chances.

I was glad I had saved it until now.