I Pull Out Excalibur

45 – Devil Knight Bernheigen (3)

A knight of Atanga.

The moment that name popped out of Naja’s mouth, Bernheigen’s pupils trembled. Had Atanga already pursued him this far? That seemed impossible. Bernheigen’s mind shook with anxiety and unease.

But, be that as it may.

Bernheigen was also a knight, and a figure who had even taken on the role of the leader of the knights. It didn’t take him long to organize his confused thoughts and regain composure.

“He said ‘descendant.'”

Whether it was the elite of the knight order or just a boastful statement, it didn’t matter. The spirit emanating from the young man in front of him seemed inconsequential. Regardless, it would be right to quickly dispose of the author and escape.

Assessment, and conclusion.

It took no more than 2 seconds.

It was a quick judgment and a swift response. However, time is always a relative concept. What Naja spoke was not a boast to see Bernheigen off; he merely revealed his identity before the battle.

In other words, the moment he uttered that sentence, Naja signaled that he was ready for the fight.

Bang!

2 seconds. More than enough time to close the distance. In an instant, Naja closed the over ten-step gap. When Bernheigen made his judgment, Naja was already swinging his sword in front of Bernheigen.

“······!”

Fast. Even faster than expected.

Bernheigen widened his eyes. Too little time to counterattack. He pulled his arm inward to protect his neck and heart. As long as those areas were not pierced, he could regenerate.

Skk!

Naja’s sword, sheathed in a shimmer, lightly cut across Bernheigen’s forearm.

Again, shallow.

A smile appeared on Bernheigen’s lips as he confirmed that his arm was intact. The speed was quite astonishing, but he realized that the shimmering blade posed no threat to him. However, only for a moment.

“Gruuuh!”

Bernheigen gritted his teeth.

The wound inflicted by the sword felt hot, as if burning. Sparks flew in his mind. Although accustomed to pain, his demonized body had become numb to it. However, the pain surging in at this moment was a kind that Bernheigen had never experienced in his entire life.

The agony felt as if the soul was being scorched.

The magical energy within the body surged violently.

Bernhagen’s stance, ready for an immediate counterattack, was disrupted by the pain. Jinjin seized that moment without hesitation. With a swift kick, Jinjin swept Bernhagen’s knees from beneath him, causing his already faltering posture to collapse entirely.

Thud.

Gripping the sword tightly, Jinjin swung it down towards Bernhagen’s forehead. A decisive sword strike, reminiscent of a guillotine. The gleaming white blade drew a sharp line in the air.

“Damn it, you little…”

However, the sword did not cleave Bernhagen’s head. Bernhagen hastily raised his arm, using his forearm to block Jinjin’s sword. The blade, half-embedded in the flesh, recoiled as it met the resistance of the swelling muscles.

With a distorted expression of pain, Bernhagen reached towards his own lower back. Seizing this moment, Jinjin opened his eyes wide and leaped backward.

Instinct warned him to increase the distance.

Ultimately, that judgment proved correct.

As Jinjin widened the gap, Bernhagen gripped the handle of a knife that protruded from his shoulder. Then, he swiftly drew the sword. The blade, splitting the scabbard, left a dark trace in its wake.

Shaaark!

The blade swept through and shattered the wood.

A gust of wind followed. With the distance between them, Jinjin stared at the sword Bernhagen held. It wasn’t an ordinary longsword; it had a blade almost twice as thick, resembling a greatsword.

A sword of similar size.

Wielded with comparable speed.

It possessed an intimidating muscular strength, and the dark aura enveloping the blackened blade was equally menacing. The murky blackness of the blade was unmatched in its ominousness.

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Squelch, squelch.

Bernhagen loosened his shoulder.

Originally, he had no intention of drawing the sword, but his thoughts changed when he successfully defended against Jinjin’s attack. That kid’s drawn blade is peculiar; that’s how Bernhagen judged it.

The power of the blade itself wasn’t threatening. The problem was the excruciating pain that felt like the soul was being scorched the moment it touched the blade.

“It doesn’t seem like an ordinary enchanted blade.”

A blade with a unique nature, bearing its own form, was a symbol of Sword Seekers. In Bernhagen’s eyes, Jinjin didn’t appear to be on the level of a Sword Seeker. However, the fact that the blade he wielded had a special quality was as certain as anything.

There’s no benefit in dragging out the fight.

Bernhagen concluded.

With a clang, he rested the greatsword on his shoulder, and Bernhagen adjusted his stance. In an instant, the momentum changed drastically.

Bernhagen, the Knight Commander of the Shulhauser family, was already at the top tier of sword experts even before making a pact with a demon. With the exponential increase in physical abilities after contracting with a demon, he now possessed strength that could rival the early stages of a Sword Seeker.

Hence, Bernhagen was confident of his victory.

At best, his opponent was no more than a mid-tier Sword Expert. There might be some tricky moves, but that’s about it. He considered the state of being absolute in combat as an undeniable truth.

It is generally a correct judgment.

But it doesn’t always mean that the difference in level determines the outcome. There are often cases in which a small, indistinguishable variable determines the outcome.

“Hoo…”

And Najin.

The boy who has lived in the underground city.

He has always created variables with his own hands and has achieved victory. This time is no exception. Najin let out a long breath and opened his eyes.

Bloodshot pupils.

What is reflected in his eyes is a temporary future.

2.

Since coming to the City of Opportunities, Najin has grown.

His growth is steep and unimpeded, but Najin is still a novice in sword expertise. Naturally, he is weaker than Bärenhagen, who is close to the Sek-class, and he can only be surpassed by absolute strength.

Skill, strength, and various other things.

He will probably fall behind in most aspects.

But if there is one thing that Najin does not fall behind in, it is his senses and vision. An endlessly sharp sense. And eerie pupils that capture everything.

The boy who has always been unparalleled in “seeing,” realizing his own talent only a few months ago.

Najin’s pupils already exist in a place beyond common sense… It is like a kind of mystery. The world seen through those eyes does not allow the understanding of criminals. It is a landscape that only Najin can understand.

Shaking grass field.

Breathing. Bärenhagen’s moving pupils.

The grip on the sword.

Rising black particles of the blade.

And the subtle movements of the muscles.

The moment Bärenhagen takes a step forward, Najin has already leaped forward, kicking off the ground. When Bärenhagen swings his sword, Najin is already piercing into Bärenhagen’s side.

Zzwak!

At the moment the ground is deeply carved by Bärenhagen’s great sword, Najin’s sword slices through Bärenhagen’s flesh and passes by. The wound is shallow, but Najin does not stop there. With his fierce eyes, Najin reads Bärenhagen’s movements and takes a deep breath.

Mana surges.

Mana cultivation technique that absorbs the mana around him.

Normally, in a battle against demons, Najin’s mana cultivation technique is akin to self-harm. If he absorbs mana filled with magic power, his body will be destroyed.

But Najin is the owner of Excalibur.

The moment mana enters his body, the magic power is completely purified. Thus, Najin has absorbed all the mana and used it to reinforce his physical body. The amount of mana that would have been unbearable in the past.

However, now he can endure it.

“Skakagagak!”

Acceleration. The swirling sword, scattering afterimages, mercilessly carved through Bernhagen’s body. With just one opening, the sword struck Bernhagen’s body three times.

Thunk.

Bernhagen gritted his teeth and struck the ground with a thud. Dust and dirt flew into the air. Bernhagen knew that such shallow wounds couldn’t threaten his life. Knowing this, he chose a strategy of sacrificing flesh and carving into bones.

The greatsword cut through the air.

Hastily, the greatsword passed by Najin’s head, dampening her hair. With such a large sword swinging, there should have been an opening, but Bernhagen’s movements were flawless. Before the greatsword could complete its trajectory, he twisted his waist.

The trajectory deviated. The greatsword abruptly stopped and struck Najin.

Having anticipated the move, Najin threw herself backwards to evade. However, she couldn’t completely avoid the gusts of wind produced by the greatsword. The flying dirt and shattered pieces of stone struck Najin.

Splurt.

Although troll skin protected his body, it couldn’t shield his face. Blood spurted from torn flesh. Even though it was a momentary obstruction due to the dirt and dust, his vision was obscured. Emerging through the dirt and dust was Bernhagen’s sneer. His steel angle sliced through Najin’s abdomen.

Kaaah!

She quickly pulled out her sword to protect herself, but a creaking sound reverberated through her arm which had supported the sword face for defense. Superhuman strength. Najin furrowed her brows.

As Najin retreated, seemingly sliding backwards, she regulated her breathing.

While anticipating his movements was one thing, whether she could block them was another issue. Her arm trembled. It was difficult to maintain a firm grip.

“You’re damn persistent.”

Thunk, thunk.

As if enduring the pain caused by the sword’s edge, Bernhagen straightened his expression and removed the dust and dirt while sharpening his sword. Having swung the greatsword once to secure his line of sight, he looked at Najin and smirked.

“Just what kind of luck got you tangled up with me? You must have seen plenty of knights’ corpses on your way here. But after seeing those pathetic fools who’d die with their heads exploding…I couldn’t quite grasp it.”

With a thud, Bernhagen struck the ground.

Transcending human strength, in an instant he approached Najin and swung his greatsword, releasing a mocking laughter.

“You’re not worthy of facing me.”

The greatsword, draped in darkness, gleamed. With an expressionless face, Najin raised her sword.

“I know.”

Their swords collided. Underneath the weight of the greatsword, Najin’s knees bent, but her sword did not yield even the slightest. This fact made Bernhagen feel uneasy.

Kaang!

Najin parried Bernhagen’s sword. Straining her body despite the creaking sensation, she repeatedly blocked Bernhagen’s sword.

Kang, kaang, kaaah!

Under the weight of the hammering greatsword, Najin’s body screamed. However, she continued to parry Bernhagen’s sword head-on. Sometimes borrowing techniques from the sect’s swordsmanship, sometimes utilizing the skills of dropping her sword shown by the bandit.

“I know, but…”

Najin lifted her head.

As soon as their gazes met, Bernhagen felt a chill. The crimson eyes of the young boy resembled those of a beast, unwavering and fierce.

Those eyes, shining intensely, seemed as if they could pierce into his throat if he let his guard down even for a moment.

Overwhelmed for a brief moment by those eyes, Bernhagen forcefully swung his sword to push back the boy. Then, thud. Striking the ground, Bernhagen exerted strength into the grip of his hands holding the sword.

Crack, crack!

As if compressing his strength, Bernhagen swung the longsword, which he had pulled back behind his back, horizontally with his energy. It was a technique that symbolized Bernhagen during his days as the commander of the Shulhauser Family Knights.

A sword technique that split trolls in a single strike.

The greatsword adorned with a black blade traced a crescent arc. As the swinging sword and the boy’s sword clashed, a gust of force swept through. The trees standing on either side of the boy made a snapping sound as they broke.

Although unable to fully withstand the impact, the boy, Nagine, slid back before finally stopping after his back collided with a tree.

“…I managed to deflect it? That?”

Bernhagen opened his eyes wide as he swung his sword.

How could he have deflected a sword swung with reinforced strength, capable of splitting trolls in a single strike? Bernhagen had no way of understanding the strange movements Nagine had shown when facing the swinging greatsword.

“…I had something I wanted to ask.”

Stepping away from the tree, Nagine took a deep breath.

His breath was rough. Having just withstood the strike, Nagine’s right arm was completely shattered, and he extended his left arm to lift the sword.

Pointing the raised tip of the sword at Bernhagen, Nagine spoke.

“What is a knight to you?”

Perhaps it was also a question he was asking himself.

3.

What is a knight?

Upon receiving that question, Bernhagen burst into laughter. Was he trying to buy time? Bernhagen did not feel that there was any value in answering the question. Thud, Nagine took another step towards him.

“Honor and pride, what are they to you?”

Nagine asked the question, preparing his stance.

Swinging the greatsword, which dug into the ground.

If Bernhagen had any intention of buying time, he would not accommodate. He continuously pushed Nagine forward. As Nagine was being pushed back, he lowered his stance.

“Answer me.”

A moment of acceleration.

Nagine, who showed movements surpassing Bernhagen, cut the wrist of Bernhagen, who swung the greatsword. Although he couldn’t completely sever the dark wrist, he left a wound of about a finger’s length.

Snap!

Blood spurted out as Bernhagen furrowed his brow. Although his flesh quickly regenerated, he could not properly swing the greatsword like that. He kicked Nagine away.

Nagine did not immediately charge back.

I’m just asking a question.

What is a knight to you? Honor? Pride? I must hear the answer. Bernhagen let out a hollow laugh, exhaling deeply in response to the meaningless exchange until the flesh on his wrist chilled. He opened his mouth as if to accommodate the futile dialogue.

“You asked what a knight is?”

Bernhagen responded.

“A knight is merely a means to ascend the path of nobility. Nothing more than a tool to acquire wealth, power, and strength.”

That’s what a knight is to him.

As a commoner, it was the way he could elevate his status, a means to grasp the wealth, power, and authority that were beyond the reach of ordinary folks.

“Honor and pride are no different.”

Bernhagen chuckled.

“You gain nothing by preserving them, but they hold tremendous value when you sell or discard them. You wouldn’t know the price at which the so-called honor of a knight can be sold, my dear.”

When betraying the master, selling the master’s weaknesses to nobles of other territories, or turning a blind eye to the treachery of the master’s vassals, they often handed over hundreds of gold coins, citing the value of tarnishing the knight’s honor.

There is nothing to gain by keeping them.

But when violated, what you receive is the sweet sound of gold.

“Honor, fame, tradition… Have you seen them since you arrived here? Look at those fools who clung to trivial things. Look at me. I could grasp such formidable power only by abandoning everything.”

Using the pretext of a knight’s honor, he infiltrated deep into the family’s secrets and plundered the sealed artifacts of the devil. Using the excuse of a knight’s pride, he lured out his comrades and murdered them.

Foolish men bound by honor and pride.

Bernhagen knew that preying on such men was as enjoyable and easy as it could get. A smile appeared on his lips. The young man in front of him may not be a knight, but he harbored the same foolishness as one.

“You are no different, are you?”

When he bared my wrist.

If he had continued to attack, he might have been able to inflict some damage on me, all in the name of honor and pride.

“Foolish beyond measure.”

Bernhagen genuinely thought so.

As I listened to his story, Najin lowered his head. Was he angry? Or was he despairing at the fact that he was losing to someone who knew nothing of honor and pride?

Neither was true.

Raising his head with a smile, Najin spoke.

“Why are you laughing?”

“Just because I feel exceptionally lucky now.”

Najin said with a hint of laughter.

“I thought I was fortunate that the first knight I met wasn’t someone like you.”

A knight who knows honor and pride.

A knight who did not lose his pride even though he fell to the bottom, and chose to be a knight until the last moment.

The knight he first met.

The knight who planted dreams in him.

Thinking that he was fortunate to have such a person by his side, Nagine thought that he was lucky. Listening to the story of the demon knight Bernhagen, who weighs honor and pride like gold coins, Nagine finally realized.

What kind of knight he wished for.

What Nagine recalls in his mind is … a knight he first met and a star. In the underground city where starlight does not reach, Nagine recalled the appearance of a knight who carried a star in his eyes.

‘Even if it falls somewhere.’

Falling endlessly.

Even if it falls to a place where no star can reach.

‘Hoping to retrieve what was lost while protecting the remaining pride…’

Without forgetting that he is a knight.

‘A knight chasing stars.’

A knight chasing the stars in the night sky.

That is the knight Nagine wants to become.

‘A knight who embraces honor and pride, chasing stars.’

Honor. Pride. And stars.

The existence of the knight that was not completed in Nagine’s mind paradoxically became complete after meeting the person who was the furthest from a knight. The goal is being drawn. A completed picture.

That moment.

Nagine’s sword energy soared out white.

Sword energy that suddenly increased in an instant. He had acquired it unconsciously during his battle with Ivan before, but it was a technique that he had never used before. However, unlike then…

There are no platinum-colored particles in the vigorously soaring sword energy.

Because at this moment, Nagine is recalling a knight, not a star.