Awakening the Great Chapter 33

Ch 33:

Early in the morning, the residents of the Count's territory finished their als and gathered under the tents. The sun was blazing fiercely, but news of a regular event taking place had drawn them outside. Count Mozak's territory was a place where no inner castle existed. With not a single castle wall, consisting only of tents, even the knights' sparring matches were held in completely open spaces.

Clang! Uwaaaaa!

"As expected of Sir Gorik. He keeps pressing forward!"

"But his opponent is defending well, isn't he? Who is he?"

"I heard he's a guest of the Marquis' house."

Among the nomads, except for those unable to fight, everyone was a combatant. n and won, old and young alike, all let out cheers. In the midst of this, Calix barely managed to create distance and stared at his sparring opponent. It was Gorik, the commander of the Desert Knights, that Jursi Mozak had introduced.

'The neural accelerator is a deep blue color. There's no significant difference in output. He's just slightly ahead of , so from the outside it would look evenly matched. But... There's a big difference in skill.'

In reality, the clueless residents would just see it as good entertainnt. The fact that the grim atmosphere had turned warm wasn't strange considering Count Mozak's eccentric temperant. However, from the perspective of those directly crossing swords, it was quite troubleso.

Clang! Whoosh-

The rcenary captain of 'Grima', who had entered the Count's territory later, also read this accurately.

"He's being overwhelmingly pushed back. His attack timing was stolen again."

"Uncle, don't be so spiteful. His opponent is the commander of the Desert Knights. Of course, he'd be pushed back."

"What, can't I be a little spiteful?"

"Co on, just because I was a little late to call you-"

"If I had been just a little later, a blade would have been stuck in my ribs, damn bastard."

"You should bla yourself for that. If you had won the hearts of the unit mbers... Kek!"

Joltan subdued Volga with a powerless punch to the cheek, then continued speaking with a serious expression again. Fortunately or unfortunately, there were still people left to respond to his words.

"Calix's reactions are fast... But too honest. It'll be hard to turn the tide."

"Because he lacks both experience and skill."

Zahira and the dwarf Basim. The two naturally intercepted Joltan's words and continued the conversation.

"Still, it's a good experience."

"Mm, that's right. It's probably his first ti experiencing cutting-focused swordsmanship. Above all, he's blocking low attacks fairly well, isn't he? Maybe it's because he's built muscle recently? He's not being overwheld much in terms of strength."

"Right. The sparring at Marquis Hoover's house seems to have helped, too?"

"Well, the main style is similar to theirs. Besides, seeing that no particularly bad habits are showing, it seems his fundantals are being well established too."

For Volga, this was a story he couldn't easily agree with.

"Is he really that disadvantaged? He's blocking well enough."

Clang, Thud thud thud!

Just as he was stroking his abdon that had been hit by Joltan, he was arguing back. As if hearing his words, the Count house's knight deeply penetrated into the attack range. As Calix tried to deflect his opponent's attack, the knight rushed into his embrace as if he had been waiting.

Thwack! Uwaaaaa!

Soon, he was kicked and pushed back, cheers erupted, and behind Volga, an old man with a shield answered instead. Gregor was using his shield as a plate, piling up dried dates and chewing on them.

"Huum, if you look closely, you'll see that the opponent's blade is curved."

"So what?"

"It's the first weapon our cook comrade has encountered. It's very efficient for short, quick thrusts or cutting motions... The fact that the sword looks different ans it's hard to predict its trajectory. The swordsmanship is the sa way."

Munch munch.

"Since they have to adapt to sandy terrain, their footwork specializes in maintaining balance, and their hand movents are minimal, considering rapid stamina consumption. In other words, desert knights are masters of psychological warfare. Of course, our cook comrade is blocking well. But fast reaction speed can sotis beco a disadvantage."

"...Wouldn't it be better to stop eating those fruits? They were incredibly sweet. I thought my tongue had been pickled."

"Aren't they just that delicious? Gulp. Anyway, a defense that can't counterattack is aningless. Waiting for the right mont and just enduring are completely different things. You should keep that in mind, too, Volgi."

"Gregor, I tell you every ti, but my na is 'Volga'."

"Right, Volgi."

Crackle!

Then once again, the two clashed and the sa situation as before unfolded. When knight Gorik thrust his blade toward the lower body, Calix deflected it with the back of his sword and penetrated inside, and soon their swords beca entangled as they faced each other at a distance of less than half a step.

Ultra-close combat. At this distance, weapon efficiency dropped, so arms, elbows, shoulder joints, and such moved restlessly and beca tangled in a chaotic manner.

Whoosh! Crack, Grind-

As the points where force was applied switched and eerie sounds continued for a while.

Swish!

The opponent montarily twisted the center of force and aid for his face with the sword handle, but Calix also read the neural network's signals in advance, lowered his head, and charged.

Thud!

He ramd into his chest with his left shoulder, and naturally, it connected to the second movent of the Dance of the Wasteland, 'Eagle's Fall'. A powerful downward strike from top to bottom. If he just cut down like that, it would be a critical hit.

"Oh, he's pushing forward!"

"It's over."

"Huh?"

"Our cook comrade misjudged. He didn't consider the blind spot."

Just as Volga showed a puzzled expression, Knight Commander Gorik's hands moved exactly half a beat faster. He grabbed the tip of his own sword with his left hand, then rotated only his upper body and placed it against Calix's nape before Calix could complete his cutting motion.

Crack-swish! Freeze.

"......"

"......"

It felt more like body techniques than swordsmanship. However, it was certain that he would have suffered fatal injuries either way, so the young rcenary and the experienced knight simultaneously withdrew their swords.

"Magnificent! Magnificent!"

Uwaaaaaaa!

Soon the successor of the Count house clapped and erged from the tent, and the residents' cheers burst forth as well. While ordinary eyes couldn't catch the detailed process, that didn't an the splendor of the combat was diminished.

"Calix, you're not just good with your head, are you? How can I not be tempted by this!"

"Rather than ... Sir Gorik was truly outstanding. I was no match at all."

"This person, such excessive modesty! In the desert, you'd be easily looked down upon... Even that is refreshing and good!"

Jursi Mozak praised him repeatedly with an excited face, but Calix found his attention sowhat burdenso. Positively speaking, he was soone who knew how to bow his head even to a re rcenary for the sake of recruiting talent, but negatively speaking, he seed like a lord who didn't consider his retainers' reactions. Sure enough, several people's glares were sharp.

Fortunately, Knight Commander Gorik showed trendous goodwill after the sparring match. Though the skill gap was clear, considering Calix's age, Jursi Mozak's behavior was understandable.

"If you had been a match, it would have been very regrettable for . Because the ti we've lived through is different. However, my lord's words are not wrong. Your way of handling the sword is refined, so naturally you'll rise with ti."

"Yes, thank you for your words."

"...But, may I add a few words of advice?"

"Of course. I'd rather ask you for it."

That must have been why. The knight commander offered a helping hand while watching his lord's expression.

"You were frighteningly fast. I'm not talking about the neural accelerator's output. How should I express it, reaction speed? No, rather... It felt closer to reading and cutting off the flow of attacks in advance."

"......"

"That's probably the talent you possess. However, it was regrettable that you haven't been able to utilize it properly yet."

Surprisingly, he read at least part of the secret Calix possessed.

"What should I do? If you give

guidance, I won't forget the favor."

"How dare you try to ruin our cook comrade... Mmph mmph!"

Gregor tried to intervene in case Calix might develop wrong habits, but Volga quickly stepped forward and dragged him away. Because of his firm belief that 'one should not carelessly interfere in nobles' affairs'. Thanks to this, Knight Commander Gorik's advice wasn't interrupted.

"What is swordsmanship? Do you know the answer to this question?"

"It's to deliver efficient attacks."

Half right, half wrong.

"This is to coordinate attack and defense. There's no swordsmanship in the world that focuses on only one side. Even those who use aggressive swordsmanship like the Niboria Empire, or those who use defense-specialized swordsmanship like the Latia Republic, don't choose to use only one. Then, let

ask again. What is swordsmanship?"

"I'll listen carefully."

"Swordsmanship is a ans to kill habits. Because one mistake, one wrong habit, directly leads to death. Therefore, swordsmanship can be said to be traces of humans trying to eliminate weaknesses for hundreds, thousands of years. And you've done very well. Up to exactly this point."

The main point cos at the very end.

"The problem is that you're excessively honest. You make almost no mistakes in deploying swordsmanship, but conversely, you can't induce your opponent's mistakes. You occasionally twisted the form of swordsmanship to catch them off guard, but that wasn't a decisive attack either. Orthodox yet formulaic swordsmanship, you could say. Do you understand what I an?"

"......"

Then how should he have utilized it. What deficiency did he have. Realization cos suddenly. The words 'you have talent but can't utilize it properly'. The hint was contained within that.

"My problem was reacting at the sa speed every ti. Both attack and defense, it was a constant rhythm that was easy for the opponent to adapt to."

"...Quick to realize. That's right. You don't have any particularly wrong habits, but rather that itself beca a habit. There's a more effective thod than twisting the form of swordsmanship. There's even a saying among desert proverbs. The simplest thing is the most lethal."

"Yes. Thank you for the advice. It's been a great help."

At this, the knight commander laughed helplessly. At the fact that soone possessing both brain and body talents was before his eyes, a sigh mixed in without him realizing it. However, Calix didn't notice this as he was looking inward.

Just then, his neural accelerator displayed an unfamiliar ssage.

[You have partially awakened the 'Neural Activation Effect' of Kalahim Desert-specific equipnt]

[Bloodline ability change detected]

[Ashapel's Instinct/Battlefield Avatar '2%' increase, currently '17%']

This was the first ti 'Ashapel's Instinct' was directly ntioned. Originally, bloodline abilities themselves didn't change easily. Learning swordsmanship from Gregor would make it rise bit by bit. Last ti, when he was administered the physical enhancent drug, the 'Ranita's Heart' ability partially increased, and that was all.

Fortunately, the subsequent question received a prompt answer.

'What is neural activation effect?'

[It refers to all neural reactions related to combat. It includes not only physical movents like swordsmanship or body techniques, but also sensory reactions in combat situations and the activation of neural circuits]

[Collect additional fragnts of Kalahim]

['3%' remains until the first opening]

Though it wasn't a kind explanation, he understood. 'Kalahim Desert-specific equipnt' referred to the neural accelerators used by western knights, and 'neural activation effect' seed to an the techniques and reactions they used. In other words-

'Both the knight commander of Marquis Hoover's house and the desert knight commander too. Consecutive sparring with western-born knights helped. Not only practicing alone but fighting with other people helps too. Then if I et knights from the east or north, would it change again?'

Anyway, it ant he needed to broaden his experience to increase Ashapel's bloodline ability.

***

As the day for the Mountain Rabbit to leave the Count's territory approached, Jursi Mozak tried his best to entice Calix. For three straight days without missing a single day, he held banquets, introduced the knights of the Desert Knights one by one, and even rode horses together to show off the count house's influence.

'The residents of Count Mozak's territory live scattered throughout the desert. Hundreds of households wander around raising animals like goats and cals. Then when a summons is issued, horn flutes are blown to gather everyone together.'

'Can horn flute sounds really be heard that far?'

'If it were an ordinary flute, it would have been drowned out by the wind. But this is a horn flute that the ancestors of the Mozak family received as a gift from magicians long ago. I happen to have that item in my hands... How about it, would you like to try blowing it once?'

Overwhelmingly burdenso goodwill.

'I ask you once more. Co to . I'll give you everything within my power.'

Though he hadn't given a definite answer, with promises about the future added, it was natural that his heart would waver. Though there were various disadvantages like the retainers' jealous glares and the count house's geographical location, he could beco a knight with just a word.

Knight. This was sothing he had dread of since childhood.

However, the reason he couldn't decide easily was because two facts caught his eye. Various experiences for increasing bloodline abilities, and none other than... The Mountain Rabbit themselves.

"Calix."

"Yes."

"Let's talk for a mont."

And Commander Royce also seed to know these concerns well, as he called Calix outside the night before leaving the Count's territory.

Step, step.

On a day without a breath of wind, star clusters were embedded in the clear night sky, twinkling. The two people stopped only when they reached the sand dunes on the outskirts of the Count's territory.

"Have you made a decision?"

"......"

One question, one silence. However, the words that followed again were unexpected.

"It's a good opportunity."

"A good opportunity?"

"Yes. It's not common to receive an offer from a nobleman. Since he promised a title in an official setting, he'll keep it for the sake of his own reputation. Moreover, Jursi Mozak seems to like you very much too. You spent the whole day together today, didn't you?"

"Yes."

"He's the legitimate successor of the Count house. You'd have to endure the envious glares of those around you, but that's just a small difficulty. It would be twice as safe as growing outside imdiately. You'd be equipped with high-level equipnt so your combat power would rise dramatically in a short ti. Naturally, you'd be able to accumulate battlefield experience stably too."

Right words. Calix had also faced a 'knight'. His magic stone was blue, but it was sharp enough to push back Gregor, who was one level different.

'I could beco like that too. Above all, I could grow safely.'

Looking at just one side, it was so.

"On the other hand, there's not much I can promise. The Mountain Rabbit are a rcenary group. You can have broad experiences, but I can't guarantee safety. You have to protect your own life yourself."

As the commander said, life as a rcenary would certainly be bumpy. A future where safety couldn't be guaranteed. However, at the sa ti, rebuttals kept sprouting from a corner of his heart.

"But the relationship between

and Gregor is different."

"Yes, that would be so. But that's all there is to it. There are no eternal oaths in the world. If you want, you can break the oath and leave."

"...Then wouldn't the sa apply to the count house? The successor's promise is also just a few words. Right now he acts like he'd give any treasure, but the future isn't guaranteed. There would be plenty of difficulties I don't know about."

"That might be so."

"......"

"Well, I'm not forcing you to leave, so don't misunderstand. Trust and faith are proven through actions, not finished with a few words. What I an is, there's no aning in forcibly holding you back."

Countless rebuttals only circled inside his mouth. If he stayed with the Mountain Rabbit, he would be able to grow quickly. He would have various experiences, and in that process, abilities including bloodline characteristics would sprout early. But he never spat them out.

Eventually, his worry boiled down to one sentence.

'Safety or adventure.'

This decision was very personal, sothing Calix himself should decide, not the commander's responsibility.

"Do you want

to stay with you?"

And after so silence, Calix let out a question, Soon an unexpected answer ca back.

"That's not for

to decide. It's for you to decide. And you need to give

an answer."

"An answer..."

"Why do you want to stay with the Mountain Rabbis? For what purpose? Simply because you've built affection? If so, I refuse from my side. All we can give you is various experiences and increased voice, that's all. It's insufficient compared to the danger. Then there needs to be a reason."

"...What kind of reason should there be?"

"A rational reason why I can trust you, why we can trust you, why the Mountain Rabbit can willingly entrust their backs to you. There needs to be firm belief that you can achieve with us what the count house can't do for you. Without that, it's not good for each other. Maybe it would be better to part ways around here."

For Royce, it was the best answer, harsh criticism, and also advice. The young man before him possessed too many things. Eyes that read the flow of battle, talent for swordsmanship, and even the ability to capture nobles' hearts with his silver tongue. But his heart hadn't matured yet. Though he looked like a splendidly grown man on the outside, he wasn't an adult yet.

That's why there was a need to speak sternly. Because choosing neither this nor that would be unfortunate for everyone.

"I ask again. Calix, what do you want?"

"I..."

"......"

"......"

However, knowing how difficult it is to look into one's own heart. The commander of the Mountain Rabbit boldly paid an advance.

"...I am soone who chases what I cannot have."

This was the reason the 'Mountain Rabbit' was founded, and the story of a man born in the central part of Astria Kingdom.