Becoming a Swordmast Chapter 27 : Chapter 27

Chapter 27. Turning Point (3)

Day 2 of returning to the unit.

Chevalier, who woke up early again today, headed to the clearing he always visited for personal training.

On his way, the voices of others reached Chevalier's ears.

Two soldiers were having a conversation.

Both were soldiers from the 1st Infantry Platoon.

It seed to be their turn for the first round of dayti guard duty.

The one who spoke first was the soldier who was letting out a long yawn.

“Haaam. So boring. By the way, did you hear that story?”

The fellow soldier, who was also feeling bored though he hadn't yawned, replied.

“What story?”

“About the 3rd Infantry Platoon Leader. They say he’s completely changed.”

“That moron?”

“Yeah. Didn’t you hear? They say he’s beco a completely different person.”

“Nah. How much could he have changed? He’s probably just pretending for a little while.”

“No. From what I hear, they say the 3rd Infantry Platoon Leader was the one who ca up with the strategy for this operation.”

“Bullshit. How can that moron co up with a strategy? I heard the last strategy he ca up with was just a fluke.”

“That’s what’s weird. A strategy isn’t sothing that just cos to you when you think about it. And a coincidence happening twice? Does that make sense, logically?”

At those words, the soldier who had been indifferent finally felt that sothing was strange.

He rembered the company officers gathering in the conference barracks and gravely planning their strategy.

To face the Imperial cavalry in the supply operation.

And they did it for several days, day and night.

Certainly, the other officers weren't fools either, so it felt strange to think that Roden had coincidentally planned the operation, sidelining everyone else.

Even if a cow sotis catches a mouse by stepping backward, this was a bit too much.

Above all, as his comrade said, it didn't make sense for a coincidence to happen twice.

Especially since everyone thought Havier's unit would be annihilated in this operation.

In the end, the soldier, who had been tilting his head repeatedly, spoke up.

“……Did the 3rd Infantry Platoon Leader really co up with the strategy?”

“I’m telling you. And it wasn't just the strategy. I heard he cut off the head of a 2-star knight during this operation?”

“The head of a 2-star knight? The 3rd Infantry Platoon Leader is just a 1-star knight. That's why he’s been ignored all this ti.”

“That's what was known, but it turns out that wasn't the case.”

“So he's really a 2-star knight?”

“Yeah. Plus, I don’t know what’s gotten into him lately, but he’s been showing up for training and he doesn't drink anymore. I even heard he took good care of his platoon during this operation.”

“Wow. Can a person change that much?”

“That’s what I’m saying. It’s so surprising that whenever two or more people gather in the entire transport battalion, they talk about this.”

As the two soldiers were talking excitedly, soone's voice cut in.

“What do you think you're doing?”

Startled by the sudden voice, the two soldiers spun around to see a person standing there.

It was Chevalier.

“Even if you’re from a different platoon, is it okay to speak so carelessly about soone who is a platoon leader in the sa unit? And while neglecting your dayti guard duty at that?”

At Chevalier's sharp reprimand, the two soldiers hastily begged for forgiveness.

“Oh! We’re sorry!”

“We’re truly sorry, Deputy Platoon Leader!”

Chevalier warned the two with his characteristic expressionless face.

“I’ll let it slide this ti, but you’d better be careful from now on.”

“Yes!”

“We’ll keep that in mind!”

Having said all he needed to, Chevalier left, and the two soldiers watched his retreating back, sighing in relief.

Chevalier, famous for strictly adhering to principles and rules, was one of the most feared superiors in the transport battalion.

However, the expression on Chevalier's face as he turned and walked toward the clearing was different from usual.

A look of bewildernt was etched on his face.

“…….”

It couldn’t be helped.

Chevalier rembered Roden’s request.

The one asking him to make sure no one found out he had changed.

Chevalier even knew the full story of why Roden had made such a request.

So, for the rumor to have spread like this, Chevalier couldn't help but be flustered.

‘For the rumor to have spread this much, it ans the soldiers aren’t the only ones who feel sothing is strange.’

The officers of the transport battalion must also be feeling that sothing was off.

And so, Chevalier's steps quickened as he headed to the personal training ground.

***

anwhile.

Shwack!

Roden had already arrived at the clearing and had begun his basic training.

Normally, he would have waited for Chevalier to start training together, but today he couldn't.

Because Chevalier hadn't arrived, even though it was much later than usual.

‘Is he not coming today?’

Since personal training wasn't mandatory, there was nothing to say even if he didn't show up.

However, from Roden's perspective, Chevalier's aura loss was a waste.

Because the stronger Chevalier beca, the higher his own chances of survival on the battlefield.

‘Well, it can’t be helped. The Battalion Commander told him to rest, so he’s resting.’

After briefly thinking about Chevalier, Roden recalled what had happened this morning.

In fact, today was a good day.

Thanks to the Broom Swordsmanship he had recently learned, his aura absorption rate had increased significantly, from 8% to 12%.

And that wasn't the end of it.

It seed he could increase the aura absorption rate a little more by studying the Broom Swordsmanship.

This was good news for Roden, who had been feeling a sense of loss and disappointnt lately, having failed to find a suitable research topic.

Moreover, this wasn't the only new research topic he had gained thanks to the Broom Swordsmanship.

A thod to increase the power of magic when using aura.

This was also a very intriguing research topic for Roden.

If he researched this well, he could even use the 1st Circle magic he had learned in his past life again.

Furthermore, the realm beyond the 2nd Circle, which he had never been able to reach.

Using magic of that level was also theoretically possible.

‘If I can increase the efficiency of aura when using magic, there's a good chance. Since I know almost all the magic that exists in the Penitudo mage tower.’

Of course, he would only know if this was really possible once he began the research in earnest.

Besides, there was sothing he had to do before that.

And that was to confirm if he had truly mastered the Broom Swordsmanship.

‘For now, there seems to be no problem in performing the basic movents of the Broom Swordsmanship.’

Roden, who had just started his personal training, had only attempted the first basic movent of the Broom Swordsmanship.

But even with just this, he could tell that he had no trouble performing the basics of the Broom Swordsmanship.

Shwack!

The sound of the sword swing itself was different, and that was the proof.

However, that didn't an Roden had mastered the Broom Swordsmanship.

As he had said ti and again, to check if one had mastered a swordsmanship, one had to at least spar.

Only then could he know if he could connect the movents well and if this swordsmanship was viable in actual combat.

‘For this reason, it’s a sha Chevalier didn't co to training today.’

Roden, finding another reason to be disappointed that Chevalier didn't show up for personal training today, smacked his lips.

But it was only for a mont, and he imdiately moved on to his next thought.

‘Lastly, I need to prepare so that the story about

doesn't spread to the Glockner family and my brothers.’

This was as important as preparing for the war with the Imperial Army.

Because it was sothing that would surely cause Roden pain in the future.

It was when Roden was in the middle of organizing his thoughts.

Thump, thump.

Soone approached the clearing where Roden was doing his personal training at a fast pace.

It was Chevalier.

Roden greeted Chevalier.

“Why are you so late today? Don’t tell

you overslept? What will you do if you get aura loss from that?”

“This is no ti for such worries. Everyone knows now. Not just the Infantry Company, but the entire Transport Battalion.”

“Knows what?”

“That the Platoon Leader is no ordinary person.”

Shwack!

Roden replied while swinging his sword at a steady pace.

“Huh? No? I am an ordinary person?”

“Not that. That you’ve changed, Platoon Leader.”

Only then did Roden understand what Chevalier was saying.

“Ah. Don’t worry. I was planning to take care of that myself anyway.”

“What? Really?”

“Yeah. So don’t worry about that part and help

with sothing.”

“With what?”

“There’s sothing I want to check, and you’re the only one who can help , Deputy Platoon Leader.”

“?”

“A spar. Spar with

for a bit.”

Chevalier was flustered by Roden's words.

No matter how he thought about it, this wasn't the ti to be leisurely sparring.

But asking for his help.

What did that an?

Roden, reading Chevalier's expression, added.

“I’m telling you, I really have a way.”

At those words, Chevalier, who rarely questioned his superior, asked back.

“……What is it?”

“If I tell you, will you spar with ?”

“Yes. I will.”

“Good.”

And so, Roden began to tell Chevalier his thod.

After hearing the whole story, Chevalier spoke to Roden as if he couldn't believe it.

“Are you really going to do that?”

***

After finishing his personal training and even a cold water compress, Roden recalled today's spar as he returned to his barracks.

In conclusion, the spar was a success.

As a 2-star knight, it was only natural for him to defeat Chevalier, who was still just a 1-star knight.

More important was the fact that he had confird that he had mastered the Broom Swordsmanship.

A particularly satisfying part.

This part was that the Broom Swordsmanship had its own unique secret technique.

Of course, it wasn't a great secret technique comparable to magic.

But the Broom Swordsmanship's unique secret technique, which allowed one to freely change the path of the sword and move like a snake, was very attractive.

Because if he used it properly, it seed he could easily deal with soone who had learned an ordinary swordsmanship.

‘As expected, if that 2-star knight I fought back then hadn't been careless, I would have been the one to go down.’

It was when Roden was in the middle of such thoughts.

“3rd Platoon Leader.”

Soone called Roden like this.

When he turned his head, the person standing there was Havier.

“Company Commander? What brings you all the way here, Company Commander?”

“I ca to see you. There's sothing I want to ask.”

“Sothing you want to ask?”

“Yes.”

As Roden tilted his head as if he couldn't guess, Havier continued.

“Tomorrow, the Battalion Commander will formally summon you to give you a reward. And at that ti, the Battalion Commander will ask you what you want.”

“Ah. Like last ti?”

“Yes. That is the Battalion Commander’s personality. When you are asked tomorrow, what will you say you want? Surely you won't say you want alcohol again this ti?”

At Havier's question, a grin spread across Roden's lips.

Because he realized why Havier had co to see him.

‘I was planning to go see the Company Commander about this anyway, so he saved

the trouble.’

After thinking for a mont, Roden spoke to Havier.

“Why shouldn't I say I want alcohol? I need to drink even one more glass of alcohol to live a long life.”