"I am Leo Procca, Your Grace."
One of the Royal Guards who walked out of the line looked to be in his forties. He had a beard on his chin, and he looked rather comical. He bowed respectfully to Thales.
"In your guards, I am a lowly and ordinary logistics officer."
It is my honor to serve you as your sparring partner. "
Thales did not answer immediately.
He continued to stare at Mallos doubtfully.
Procca was not bothered. He carefully picked a practice sword of moderate size from the sword rack and tested it on his gloves. He then poked the sand to make sure that it was a blunt sword without a sharpened edge.
"As expected of the prince. To be able to understand the Power of Eradication, he made such a big fuss …"
Doyle looked at his fellow guards who stood around him. They were either puzzled or solemn. He cast an envious and jealous gaze at the dazed prince.
"When I awakened to my Power of Eradication, the old knight I served knew nothing about it. That day, he exercised me until I was exhausted, and I lay on the ground moaning …
"It was not until a year later that he realized that his attendant's martial arts skills had improved greatly, and he could fight on par with him …"
Beside him, Glover did not say a word. He only paid attention to the field.
Doyle was used to the other man's indifference. He only sighed quietly.
"But fortunately, at least Mallos knows that the prince is still inexperienced. He only chose people from the Logistics Division to fight. Procca's skills are average."
Glover stared at Procca, who had completed a simple warm-up in the field. He frowned slightly.
Thales took a deep breath. He turned to Mallos, who looked relaxed, and tried to ignore the gazes of the Star Lake Guards.
"We … What should I do?"
Mallos smiled as usual.
"Attack, Your Highness. Use your full strength, especially the Power of Eradication that you do not understand, regardless of whether it is activated on its own or in response to the situation.
"That way, we will have a chance to understand its type and general situation.
Let us see your strength as well so that we can arrange to protect you in the future. "
'Use my full strength?'
Thales exhaled. He felt very reluctant.
Could he refuse?
But the Royal Guards watching the battle had different gazes. All of them were focused on him.
A long time ago, Black Sword had told him that it was best not to use the Sin of Hell's River again. They could not bear the price of death every time.
When he was in Blade Fangs Camp, Ricky told him to increase the Sin of Hell's River, and he looked forward to him reaching a height to push open that door.
Who is right and who is wrong?
What was the secret behind the Sin of Hell's River?
Most importantly …
Would the Kingdom's Secret Intelligence Department or even that person in Renaissance Palace be interested in this secret?
How does it compare to Mana and Calamity?
Thales could not help but gulp when he recalled how Zakriel chased after him.
No.
Thales made up his mind.
The Duke of Star Lake raised his head and looked straight at his opponent.
They could not know.
"Your Highness, there is no need to be restrained." Procca had long since stood in the training field. The tip of his sword was pointed at the ground, and he was as respectful as ever.
"Don't mind me either -- it's my job."
Thales nodded expressionlessly.
He couldn't know.
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the Prince picked up a shield from the weapons rack and fastened it to his left arm with a leather belt.
He could not.
Thales slowly walked to the center of the field.
He glanced at Mallos one last time. The latter was still calm, but his eyes were bright and full of life.
"Please attack first." Procca nodded slightly.
The young man's expression turned solemn.
The guards around him also became solemn. All their gazes were focused on the prince alone.
This was what many people were more concerned about, aside from his dazzling appearance and eloquence.
In the next second, Thales charged forward, and with the stance he was most familiar with, he delivered his first slash at Procca.
Procca was neither hurried nor slow. He only took a step back, turned the tip of his sword, and deftly parried Thales' attack.
But the teenager did not stop. He swung the shield in his left hand along with the momentum.
It crashed into Procca violently!
"It's obvious that this is the style of a Northlander."
Doyle snorted softly while he watched the fight. There was slight disdain in his voice.
"He's even more extreme than the attack and defense faction. He doesn't care about his own life …"
However, Glover unexpectedly spoke.
"No."
The burly vanguard observed Thales' movements with full attention.
"This is the ancient Northland Military Sword Style.
The current Eckstedt … is no longer like this. "
Doyle, who was interrupted, instantly froze.
He smiled awkwardly and reluctantly.
'Tsk, you make it sound logical.
'Northland Military Sword Style …'
Doyle curled his lips and stared at the two people in the field indignantly.
'Can't I tell?'
In the field, Thales' shield crashed into Procca and let out a dull thud.
But the teenager's expression changed.
He did not crash into the shield.
In the next second, Procca blocked Thales' shield with one hand and spun to Thales' side.
* Slap! *
Thales' left leg trembled.
The prince swung his sword to counterattack, but the wind from the sword whistled through the air, and Procca had already retreated to avoid it.
The Royal Guards whispered among themselves.
Thales gritted his teeth and turned around. He staggered a little with his left leg.
Even though Mindis Hall's practice sword had not been sharpened, its balance, center of gravity, material, and weight did not lose to a real sword.
Even though it was just a graze, Procca's strike on his left leg still caused him to feel a burning pain.
Thales stared at Procca, who nodded politely, in shock and indignation.
'No.'
"The sword flashed. Whoosh. The prince fell to the ground.
The victor has been decided. "
Glover and a few guards nearby turned their heads in puzzlement.
Doyle, who was by the field, lowered his voice and said seriously, "The prince lay in a pool of blood with a pale face.
He trembled while he hugged his injured leg and moaned. 'No, I can't lose. Constellation can't do without me.' "
More and more people turned their heads around, including the second-in-command penal officer, Gray Parson.
His expression was dark and dissatisfied.
Under their gazes, Doyle's expression froze.
"Um … a little literary, literary processing."
Doyle stopped talking and put on an awkward and ingratiating smile. He waved his hand in an unnatural manner.
"Hehe, don't do it again, don't do it again …"
Only then did everyone turn their heads around.
Thales breathed rapidly.
He stared at the Royal Guard logistics officer in front of him with a respectful expression. His opponent, Procca.
Procca was obviously very experienced, and he was very particular about the strength he used. The pain only appeared on the surface of his skin and disappeared after a while.
'But …'
Thales pressed his left leg indignantly.
"Looks like you don't understand the meaning of this lesson, right, Your Highness?"
Mallos' words came at the right time. His voice was normal, and his tone was calm.
"Although we are not as superstitious about force as the Northlanders …
"But a prince who is widely rumored to be lacking in martial arts and cannot even touch a sword is the future of Constellation?"
Thales could not help but tighten his grip on the hilt of his sword.
'Damn it.'
"This is not good, Your Highness."
Mallos' voice was slightly cold.
"This is not good."
When he said this, the gazes of the Royal Guards on Thales changed.
"Either go all out," Mallos' words rang in his ears.
"Or, just don't touch that sword from the start.
"Be a prince who hides safely in the carriage."
'Damn it!'
The prince's frown deepened.
'Damn Mallos.
'Does this guy have a grudge against me?
'And he just had to be my personal guard captain.' For Sunset's sake, what kind of international joke is this?! '
Under dozens of gazes, Thales regulated his breathing and stomped on his left leg.
He stared at Procca in front of him. He knew that in front of the Star Lake Guards and because of Mallos' words, he had to show something.
'Otherwise, not just Renaissance Palace …
'Even Mindis Hall …'
Thales shook his head and got rid of his distracting thoughts. He shifted his attention to the opponent in front of him.
Procca moved very quickly and wielded his sword very nimbly. He had his own way of dealing with head-on attacks.
'Then …'
As its master called, the Sin of Hell's River rose from his body.
Thales stared at Procca and felt power slowly fill his body.
'Should I use the Twist of Fate to lure him out of position and deliver a decisive blow?
'Or should I use the Fire Knight's Power of Eradication to strengthen the contact between our bodies and the hardness of our attacks?
'If that doesn't work, I'll try to use Zakriel's style and his Chaotic Army to observe Procca's movements and turn that into my advantage?'
Thales thought hard.
'No, Thales.'
The prince shook his head at himself in his heart.
'I can't be too obvious.
'Otherwise, how should I explain the Twist of Fate, the Chaotic Army, and the Fire Knight's Powers of Eradication that emitted sparks?
'Have I been infected by them?
'Besides, sometimes, the Sin of Hell's River …'
Thales remembered the training sessions in Heroic Spirit Palace.
'Sometimes, I can't control it.'
Thales took a deep breath and made up his mind.
He only needed the most ordinary enhancement to his physique. It would be best if it did not have any hint of Power of Eradication.
The Sin of Hell's River spread to his legs, arms, and fingers in an orderly manner.
Thales closed his eyes and let the power slowly cover his entire body.
Procca narrowed his eyes and stared at the prince in confusion.
As the Royal Guards whispered among themselves, the expression of Mallos, who had been paying attention to Thales, changed slightly.
'This is …'
The Sin of Hell's River in Thales' body was like a beast that had not been released from its cage for a long time. With a low growl, it strode forward.
'All I need is some power, some speed, some accuracy, some control …'
The prince tried his best to suppress the fighting spirit and impulse that rose along with it. At the same time, he stabilized his mind and body.
'All I need is something that will not arouse suspicion.'
The Sin of Hell's River pounded against his body fiercely and discontentedly, like a wild beast scratching at its cage. But the will of the cage's master was so firm that the wild beast could only follow Thales' call and walk towards where it should go.
'Be more even, balanced, and well-rounded.
'Just let him …'
Thales opened his eyes slightly.
'Let him …'
In the next moment, the gravel behind Thales' boots trembled and exploded!
While the audience cried out in surprise, the teenager was like an arrow that left the bow and a flood that broke the dam. He instantly rushed a few feet away.
He appeared in front of the shocked Procca!
Mallos' eyes lit up.
'That's right. This is what I want.
'The young prince.'
Thales clenched his teeth. The Sin of Hell's River was extremely excited in his body and roared madly.
His footsteps, shoulders, arms, and the tip of his sword.
The four points on his body connected into a line and gathered the most surging force.
In the end, it turned into a flash of sword light.
It went straight for the vital parts of his opponent's chest and abdomen!
At that moment, it was as if time had slowed down.
"I-" Doyle raised his hand to block the flying gravel. He opened his mouth in shock, but he could only shout out a lonely syllable in this breathtaking and instantaneous sword strike.
Glover only had time to furrow his eyebrows halfway.
The Royal Guards' expressions seemed to have frozen. In that instant, their expressions changed into surprise, doubt, and solemnity.
But Thales, who had long since experienced it, knew that this was just an illusion after he became faster.
And then …
Thales' gaze met the tip of his sword.
It was directed at his opponent.
And before his eyes, in the slowed down time, Procca opened his mouth wide in shock. Slowly and at the fastest speed he could, he raised his arm and swung his sword.
He tried to block the prince's attack.
He tried to block this terrifying strike that was even faster, explosive, powerful, and accurate.
But Thales knew that it was too late.
Procca could not dodge in time. He did not even have time to get into a defensive posture.
Even the Star Killer suffered from this strike when he was caught off guard, and a scar was left on his face.
As for Procca …
He could not dodge.
He could not block it either.
Amid the desire and roar of the Sin of Hell's River, Thales' sword and Procca's sword touched lightly in the air, and sparks flew on the rough surface of the practice sword.
There was even a great force.
Thales' gaze turned cold. He watched as the tip of his sword slid past Procca's block and went straight for his chest.
'Sorry, logistics officer.'
Thales thought coldly, 'You need to take a few days off.'
One strike.
Subdue the enemy.
Bang!
The loud sound of the weapons clashing spread and shook the entire courtyard!
It was as if even the air was affected.
Many Royal Guards' eyelids twitched, and they instinctively retreated.
Time finally returned to normal.
* Thud! *
There was a dull thud.
Thales flew to the side and behind him.
His back fell heavily on the ground, and he rolled a few times backwards.
"… Shit!" Doyle finally finished shouting his pitiful second syllable, and there was still a shocked expression on his face.
He lowered his arm, blinked, and looked at the field.
Beside Doyle, Glover did not move. He only stared at Thales' shield.
While his muscles were numb and sore, the prince sucked in a breath with great difficulty. He trembled as he raised the shield in his left hand.
At some point in time, the surface of the shield had already cracked.
There was a dent the size of the tip of a sword as the center, and the area around it was full of cracks.
At this moment, Thales' mind was blank.
'How …'
He looked up in a daze.
Procca stood before him unscathed. He pulled back his longsword with ease and smooth movements.
In the air, the prince's weapon, the practice sword that had once launched a terrifying attack, spun a few times in the air.
In the end, it fell weakly.
It stabbed into the sand beside his feet at a slanted angle.
He did not move.
Silence returned.
"Wow …"
The Royal Guards burst into an uproar, and a loud commotion broke out.
"I am very sorry, Your Highness." Procca put away his sword and tried his best to suppress his panic. He quickly went over to help Thales and apologized anxiously.
"I made a mistake.
Are you hurt anywhere …? "
At that moment …
"Logistics Officer, Leo Procca."
A calm and indifferent voice rang out, but for no reason, it carried a bit of a threatening chill.
Procca was about to help Thales up, but he froze on the spot.
The Watchman of the Royal Guards, Mallos' voice rose clearly in the crowd.
"As a Royal Guard, even if I have to work for a long time, even if I am just a sparring partner …"
Mallos still had his arms crossed over his chest as he sized up Procca from the corner of his eyes.
"Your skills …"
Mallos did not even spare a glance at Thales, who lay on the ground in a pathetic state while panting in a daze. He only stared coldly at Procca, who looked ashamed.
"You have also regressed too much."
His words were stern, and his tone was cold.
The Royal Guards quieted down.
Procca was stunned for a moment, and he looked ashamed.
He looked at the prince anxiously, then at his commanding officer. He wanted to say something, but he did not. He did not know what to do.
Thales still lay on the ground and breathed in a daze.
'How …
'How …
'The Sin of Hell's River …
'I was already, already …
'How could I still …'
He sensed his left arm gradually recovering from its numbness. He also sensed the quiet gazes directed at him from all around him, and he had mixed feelings in his heart.
The entire training field fell silent.
The Royal Guards exchanged glances, and they occasionally discussed in low voices.
Doyle tugged at Glover's sleeve, but the latter seemed to be deep in thought and did not react.
"As for you, respected Prince Thales."
Mallos spoke again.
The Royal Guards quieted down, and Procca, who wanted to help the prince up, also stopped in his tracks.
The watchman slowly turned around and looked at Thales, who was on the ground, with an indifferent expression.
"After seeing your performance, I believe that you already know what the Power of Eradication is."
Mallos chuckled, and there was contempt in his eyes. "But fighting?
It is far more than just the Power of Eradication. "
In the next second, the watchman did not even look at the noble prince. He just turned around.
"Alright, everyone, the performance is over."
Mallos took a step forward and said lightly,
"Dismissed."
As they stared at Mallos' back, the Royal Guards looked at each other.
A few seconds later, the dozens of people dispersed.
"Did you see what the prince's Power of Eradication is?"
Doyle stole a glance at Thales, who was panting in a daze with a gloomy expression on his face. He pitied the poor prince for a second before he turned around and said, "I can't see it. I think it's a little too weak …"
"No." Glover frowned.
"It's not weak …
"Hey, Zombie, how many times has it been? Can't you just agree with me for once …"
At this moment, an exceptionally different, weak, and hoarse voice rose.
"Wait a minute."
The scattered Royal Guards fell silent at the same time and turned around one after another.
At the center of the training field, the disheveled teenager pushed himself up with his hands on the sand. He staggered but resolutely climbed up.
Mallos stopped in his tracks.
"He just … hit my …" The teenager lowered his head and raised his left arm with a trembling hand. He tried his best to breathe to relieve the tightness in his chest.
"Shield."
Doyle's eyes slowly widened. Glover's gaze became sharper.
As his sparring partner, Procca stood in the field. He was shocked and did not know how to respond.
"It's not … a vital part."
Thales sucked in a deep breath. He endured the stiffness and pain in his muscles after he suffered a heavy blow. He touched the binding straps behind his shield.
In his body, the Sin of Hell's River, which had been defeated, surged out of silence again.
With a fierce unwillingness, like a beast licking its wound, it climbed up step by step and let out muffled, explosive sounds.
Thales pulled out his right hand with trembling hands and loosened the binding straps.
He let the shattered arm shield fall to the ground.
"I …"
The teenager gulped down a mouthful of saliva that tasted like blood. He held the practice sword by his feet with trembling hands.
"I …"
The Sin of Hell's River surged into his arm.
"I still …"
In the next moment, Thales stabilized his breathing, gritted his teeth, and drew his longsword!
The teenager stared at Mallos' back.
"… I didn't lose."
The Royal Guards burst into an uproar again.
They cast the prince a puzzled look and discussed among themselves.
Many people also quietly looked at their commander.
They waited for his reaction.
One second. Two seconds.
Mallos remained silent. He did not turn around.
He only turned his neck slowly, turned his head, and cast a sideways glance at Thales.
The watchman's lips curled up.
He formed a cold and mysterious …
Smile.
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