Chapter 19.1: ๐๐ง๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ, ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ญ, ๐๐๐ซ๐๐๐ง๐๐ซ๐ฒ, ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฏ๐ (๐)
โ๐๐ตโ๐ด ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐๐ฐ๐ญ๐ท๐ฆ๐ด ๐ฐ๐ง ๐๐ณ๐ฌ๐ต๐ฆ๐ฏ!โ
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Johan realized this immediately upon seeing them. They were dressed too differently from those in the fiefdom. For one, none of them wielded longswords.
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A longsword is essentially a two-handed weapon. Its use makes defense difficult due to the challenge of handling a shield, and itโs complex to master. Unless trained professionally in a fencing school or a swordsmanship guild, there was no particular reason to use a longsword. If a long weapon was desired, a spear was better, and if a sword was preferred, a short sword with a shield was more convenient. Except for spears, mercenaries typically preferred to carry a weapon with a shield.
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There were a few mercenaries in the Wolves of Arkten who used longswords, indicating their high skill level. But the mercenaries before him were definitely not the Wolves of Arkten.
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Of course, that didnโt mean he could stop.
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Johan charged at the closest one. The darkness and the focus on the hilltop meant his approach went unnoticed until he was right upon them.
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โUh, uh?!โ
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The man tried to defend himself with his shield, putting force into it. The large round shield was effective in blocking the direction of an attack just by holding it.
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. . .Unless the opponent was Johan.
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Johan responded simply and effectively.
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๐๐๐ง๐ !
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When Johan kicked the shield, it splintered and flew backwards. Despite being sturdily made of thickly layered wood, it was powerless against his immense strength.
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โHuh?โ
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Johan was slightly surprised; he hadnโt expected the shield to fly away like that. However, his body moved naturally. He aimed for the neck of his off-balance opponent and stabbed. Blood spurted with a โgurgle.โ
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โW-What the heck is this guy?!โ
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The fallen opponent was holding a messer, a type of thick single-edged sword. Rusty and with a barely sharp edge, it was still useful for throwing. Johan quickly threw it at another advancing enemy, who recoiled in shock, raising his shield.
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One step.
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Johan closed the distance with a simple forward step, not a special maneuver from the Kaegal school, but combined with his strength, it was formidable.
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The opponent swung a mace in panic. Johan deflected its trajectory with his sword, then struck off the manโs hand and delivered a fatal blow, splitting his body in one stroke.
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โ?โ
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Johan sensed something odd. The longsword. . . was too easily wielded.
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While the longsword wasnโt blunt, it wasnโt usually honed to such sharpness, as over-sharpening could damage it. It was sharp enough to cut a person, but not to split someone like cutting butter.
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โ๐ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ถ๐จ๐ฉ๐ต ๐ช๐ต ๐ธ๐ข๐ด ๐ข ๐ฎ๐ข๐ด๐ต๐ฆ๐ณ ๐ด๐ธ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ฅ ๐ฃ๐ฆ๐ค๐ข๐ถ๐ด๐ฆ ๐๐ข๐ณ๐ข๐ฎ๐ข๐ง ๐ถ๐ด๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ช๐ต, ๐ฃ๐ถ๐ต. . .โ
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In the dim light, the dark blade seemed to absorb the blood, revealing inscriptions in an ancient imperial language: <๐ ๐๐ฆ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ข๐ฆ๐๐ซ ๐จ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฌ>
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โ๐๐ฆ๐ค๐ญ๐ข๐ช๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ณ ๐ฐ๐ง ๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ญ๐ด?โ
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It was a fitting sword for Karamaf, known for destroying noble houses and taking their seal rings. Johan clicked his tongue. He knew it was a master sword, but this made it even more awkward to use.
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Johan picked up the opponentโs shield and mace. After the surprise attack killed two, the enemies rushed to kill Johan.
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๐๐ก๐ฎ๐!
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An arrow flew from a distance. Johan, without blinking, blocked it with the shield. It was too dark to see, but he sensed it.
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โThere was never talk of such a guy existing!โ
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โ?โ
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Upon hearing those words, Johan became certain.
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These guys werenโt here to target me after all!
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โ๐๐ข๐ฎ๐ฏ. ๐๐ฐ๐ถ๐จ๐ฉ๐ต ๐ฉ๐ข๐ณ๐ฅ ๐ง๐ฐ๐ณ ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฉ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ.โ
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It was he who felt the sting. Indeed, there was no reason for them to have pursued Johan in that situation.
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Neither was reconciliation possible in these circumstances. And Johan was not so kind as to let someone who was trying to kill him go.
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โCome at me!โ
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Johan let out a short battle cry and charged. The light revealed Johanโs equipment. His stature and gear made the mercenaries flinch.
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The first to die was the one wielding a spear. The long weapon was troublesome. Johan charged foolishly, parried the spear with his shield, and swung his mace.
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๐๐ก๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฉ!
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โ๐๐ฉ. . . ๐ข ๐ฎ๐ข๐ค๐ฆ ๐ด๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ด ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ค๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ท๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ช๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต.โ
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Had Kaegal seen it, he would have lamented, โ๐ ๐ต๐ข๐ถ๐จ๐ฉ๐ต ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ ๐ด๐ธ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ฅ๐ด๐ฎ๐ข๐ฏ๐ด๐ฉ๐ช๐ฑ, ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ถ๐ด๐ฆ ๐ข ๐ค๐ญ๐ถ๐ฃ, ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ณ๐ฆ!โ But Johan and the mace were excessively well-matched. The shorter range and fewer variations made it easier to handle. Given Johanโs physical abilities, there was no need to resort to swordplay.
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โYou monster!โ
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A shortsword swung at his waist, but Johan preemptively collided to defend. The opponentโs arm broke, positioning his head for an easy strike.
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Once more.
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With a dull sound, the opponent fell. The enemies panicked as a madman broke their formation. Only four had died, but the momentum was terrifying. None of the mercenaries were prepared to die for their mission.
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โAttack!โ
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Goran quickly shouted. Now was the time to strike, as the enemy was recoiling. Goranโs mercenaries charged with battle cries.
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Even though Johan was difficult to surround, he found it easier now. He inhaled briefly and charged. One arrow was easily blocked with his shield.
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๐๐ก๐ฎ๐, ๐ญ๐ก๐ฎ๐, ๐ญ๐ก๐ฎ๐.