The Knight Who Devours Magic - Chapter 93

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 93. Another Duel Practice
“Haaah……. Inhale!”
Thud.
Munno exhaled lightly and took a heavy, quick step forward, driving an enormous sword down toward empty air.
Crash!
A double-edged blade with clumsy cross-guards, straight and unadorned as if air resistance didn’t exist, without even a trace of flourish.
The only thing remotely unusual was the faint luminous pattern shimmering across the entire blade surface.
It was a far cry from the elegant imitation of his father’s cherished Slayer from before.
Crash.
‘I’m definitely better off this way.’
Adding a sleek blade design, ornate cross-guards, or decorative hilt wrapping only consumed more energy with each piece.
Before, he’d unconsciously mimicked his father’s beloved blade, but in truth that had caused subtle delays each time he summoned the Blade and drained efficiency.
Besides, since he could treat the Spirit Arts-summoned blade like a consumable, a simple, crude image would maximize combat effectiveness.
Just looking at the Mana Blade’s length wavering at the tip, it seemed to stretch at least one and a half times longer, reaching about fifteen centimeters.
And beyond that.
‘Bend.’
Whirrrrr.
The moment the second Spell activated, the pattern engraved on the blade flared with a brighter light.
That enormous Great Sword transformed into a thin, vicious blade-whip that lashed through a twenty-meter radius in an instant, shredding everything in its path.
A storm of blade-whip with faint Mana Blade added to it.
But this time there was something nagging at him.
“Tch.”
Still, once more.
Thud.
“Hah!”
Crack.
Both arms holding the blade bent back to his waist, every muscle in his body wrung to its limit.
‘Wind Severance.’
A brilliant flash split the air before him, and simultaneously—
A pure white light spread across the blade as the sword itself erupted.
Boom!
Crash, crash, crash, crash, crash, crash, crash.
Fragments embedded directly into one wall of the Training Ground.
Crackle, crackle.
The protective barrier surrounding the Training Ground ejected the fragments, but the wall already bore a hole, and much of the barrier’s Mana had dissipated.
Power beyond what he’d hoped for; energy efficiency beyond his expectations.
“Think I’ll catch flak for this again…….”
Surely the Royal Family wouldn’t be that petty.
The fact he could think this way meant he had spare strength and Mana right now.
“Come.”
Whoooosh.
The moment he moved his will lightly, the fragments flew back to his hand from a distance away and merged into one.
Shsssshhh.
Whooosh.
‘My inherent ability got stronger too. Three times what it was before, maybe? That’s good, but right now that’s not what matters.’
Glancing at the red jewel embedded in his chest armor, he turned his gaze back toward the Blade floating soundlessly in the air, now whole again.
Sure enough, the clear luminous patterns reflecting off the blade caught his eye first.
“Can’t give this up…….”
Tch.
One reason his strength and Mana had grown so abundant.
Thanks to the Red Heart—the Artifact he’d decided to call by that name—teaching him a method to enhance Spirit Arts efficiency. Another heart, quite literally.
The Mana efficiency of the Spells triggered from the blade had genuinely improved several fold.
But there was exactly one drawback.
‘If light keeps building up every time I activate a Spell, that’s a problem. The enemy will notice.’
He’d definitely need more practice on that.
And fortunately there was still energy left, though that wasn’t solely thanks to the Red Heart.
He’d succeeded in converting most of the Drasen Great Sword Technique’s consumption into Mana.
And besides.
Whoooosh.
“Yeah. It’s thanks to you.”
The Red Heart didn’t amplify Mana, but it continuously replenished what amounted to a 2nd Class worth of it.
‘I wish I could pass this down to the family.’
But.
– The Gluttony Body Technique wouldn’t be able to use Mana, would it?
The family’s Hard Body Technique, which figures like Enoch and Anthony—the kingdom’s most formidable warriors—mentioned as a matter of course, troubled him.
Moreover, the Gluttony Body Technique was Drasen’s fundamental secret art, one that allowed even monsters of a higher rank to be annihilated in brief combat. There was no reason to meddle with it carelessly, and he wasn’t capable of it anyway.
But there was no way to pass the Demon Devourer on to his father, so he—intending to refine the family’s secret technique—still hadn’t grasped even the first thread of it.
Still.
“Well, it’ll work out someday.”
He’d leave tasks he couldn’t accomplish now to his future self.
For now, he focused on what he could do immediately.
“Good. Let me just work on controlling the luminescence…”
Barely two days since the match ended, Munno could feel himself improving in that short span of time.
And because of that, training was nothing but enjoyable.
Then suddenly he heard applause.
Clap, clap, clap.
Turning his head toward it, he saw a beautiful female knight in elegant crimson armor smiling at him.
“Is that one of the Dark Knight’s famous Artifacts?”
At the sight of her face, he couldn’t help but smile.
“I told you it was Spirit Arts. My first Spell—Blade.”
“Wow, it really looked like an Artifact…”
He’d already told her about his abilities before.
Her feigned surprise felt like mere politeness.
“Commander Karina, what brings you here…”
“What brings me? The infamous Dark Knight refuses to show himself, so I had no choice but to come find you.”
“Oh? I thought you were busy with the Princess’s guard…”
“Ha, I’m joking.”
…Tsk.
Had things become easier since their meeting four days ago? Karina’s playfulness had suddenly increased.
“Why? Is it inconvenient that I came?”
…She’d overdone it.
As if she’d been coached by someone.
Of course, regardless.
“That’s impossible. It’s an honor for me. So, where are we going for our date?”
“Eek!?”
Seeing her face flush crimson at those words, he judged she still had far to go.
Heh heh.
Karina, unable to find where to look, fumbled and cleared her throat awkwardly.
“…Ahem. Tomorrow’s the party, right? The Princess wanted me to confirm you hadn’t forgotten your promise to attend the 3rd Prince’s party.”
Changing the subject. How transparent.
But I lacked the courage to draw closer to her in earnest, not with the weight I carried.
The problem with those Heretics, and the matter of the new enemy presumed to be Aslan.
‘I’m too busy just keeping my footing.’
I tried to reassure myself like that.
– Yes, well heard—the cowardly excuse of a lifelong bachelor.
It seemed I could hear the mocking laughter of my past life’s friends ringing in my ears.
“Ahem, of course I remember.”
Munno nodded, deliberately ignoring that voice.
Already under suspicion as it was, attending the party risked being permanently marked as part of the 3rd Prince Faction, but he’d made a promise and had no choice.
‘Well, I can attend other princes’ parties afterward.’
If he distanced himself from the 3rd Prince Faction’s movements after the party, there should be no further entanglement.
“…Of course I must attend.”
“Thank goodness. Then since the confirmation is done, now we keep our promise, yes?”
“…Yes?”
What promise?
For a moment he was bewildered.
Then suddenly Karina’s expression hardened.
“Duel Practice! Duel Practice!!”
Ah…
“R-right, of course I remember. Ha ha. Though I didn’t know it was today…”
He made some excuse or other, but Karina’s stern expression wouldn’t soften.
“It’s quite likely that His Highness will declare the end of the Intelligence Competition at tomorrow’s party. If that happens, there will be even less time.”
As if I could know that!
It was unfair, but he couldn’t argue back.
Karina glared at him with a disappointed look before—
“Ah. Was that too sudden?”
Realizing belatedly that they’d never set a date in the first place, she feigned indifference with a slightly flushed face.
“Well, that’s all right. But when you say there’s no time, you mean…….”
Instead of protesting, Munno recalled something else that mattered.
Information about the next competition—one whose name and actual content matched each other not at all.
“……Is it because of the Benevolence Competition?”
“That’s right.”
The moment he heard the answer, he felt his own face go rigid.
He’d meant to sidestep it anyway, but naturally curiosity stirred—the nature of the thing being what it was.
“Which families are the 3rd Prince Faction planning to field?”
“I’m afraid I can’t divulge that yet. Unless you swear to follow His Highness the 3rd Prince, that is.”
Karina wouldn’t answer straightforwardly, but truthfully, that didn’t matter much.
There was only one thing he truly wanted to know.
“What do you think Enoch will do?”
“That’s our faction’s greatest concern—and our greatest hope.”
If Enoch sided with the 3rd Prince and participated in the Benevolence Competition, there was a high probability that Drasen, his vassal house, would be dragged along as well.
Of course, it seemed likely that Enoch would maintain neutrality.
Still, irritation welled up at the possibility of a worst-case scenario.
“Why do these noble followers wage factional battles over succession to the throne? And conducted almost like actual warfare, no less.”
Even knowing it was pointless to press Karina on this—
“It’s merely a war game at the knight level. Modeled after famous historical battles. Officially, surrender is permitted before or after, and taking lives is forbidden.”
“Still, I’ve heard that multiple knights emerge from each competition bearing new scars.”
Even Karina, who’d been defending the competition format, grimaced.
“In fact, according to the Princess, this is a measure taken by the Royal Family to bleed off the growing power of the nobility—a periodic culling, one might say.”
Hm.
‘Well, the kingdom certainly operates smoothly.’
This, then, is the reality of the Benevolence Competition—the final trial of succession that effectively determined the nation’s future.
A weeding-out of noble factions held roughly every twenty to thirty years.
Yet because victorious participation could secure future control of state affairs and monopolize national projects and their rewards, it was an unusual custom that nobles participated in almost without exception.
Well, whatever the competition itself.
Snap.
“Shouldn’t we focus on what’s in front of us right now? If not now, I don’t know when we’ll get another chance to train together, Munno.”
Karina was right.
Once the Benevolence Competition began, she would have far more on her plate than he would.
The few knights who received direct loyalty oaths from a prince could be deployed to the Benevolence Competition at any moment.
Knowing that—
‘The distance between us ends here.’
It was exactly right.
— Yes, excellent excuse-making from the eternally single—
Shut up.
Thump.
“Alright. Let’s give it a try then.”
The desire for a rematch was genuine.
At those words, Karina’s blue eyes began to burn with intensity once more.
“Ideally, I’d like to bring out our Artifacts and test our full strength…….”
“That would cause problems. Tomorrow’s party would suffer for it too.”
“We’ll use practice swords…….”
“……And proper armor.”
“Since you’d have your Spirit Arts–forged weapons sealed, you may keep your Artifacts as they are.”
“A fair handicap. I accept.”
A meeting of minds.
Realizing that both had been eager for this duel, a smile naturally rose to his face.
‘Is something wrong? Shouldn’t I be the only one seeking vengeance?’
That odd thought vanished the moment he saw the burning determination in her eyes.
Yes—we are warriors first, before anything else.
— A knight!
The thought only deepened the kinship between them.
“Still wielding the Great Sword?”
Thunk.
“Of course. Practice Rapiers shatter on impact. Be careful.”
Whoosh.
“Will you even manage to land a strike?”
Even the smile exchanged as they drew weapons from the Training Ground’s rack was willing, unguarded.
“Shall I take the first move?”
“I yield the opening to you.”
With one final smile — fierce and lethal — the black-clad and red-clad knights hurled themselves toward each other.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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