Chapter 48.
Lisbon met and faced his exam opponent. They saluted each other.
For the middle-rank knight school, one would usually move up from the low-rank knight school. However, in cases of failing to enter the low-rank knight school due to unavoidable circumstances like Lisbon, an entrance exam could be taken. As it was not the normal route, the exam assessment was much harsher. The reason being when a student transferred directly into a middle-rank knight school, he missed out on learning military science or military strategy from the low-rank knight school. Even if the examinee claimed to have learned them, it wasn’t something that could be evaluated in a short time. Therefore, they demanded skills over the necessary knowledge for a knight.
Moreover, in order to draw out the skills of the examinees in the middle-rank knight school exam, the academy requested knights from the capital’s knight division to be opponents every year. The instructors could have also served as opponents, but their number was insufficient as the low-rank knight school exam overlapped and because they had to do the evaluations too.
All the knights that were dispatched for the exam were middle-rank knights that had their eyes set on becoming a high-rank knight. Therefore, if a person failed to pass the low-rank knight school for the second time, he or she would usually give up on entering the middle-rank knight school altogether. Nevertheless, the entrance exam was held because there were a few people who did not give up like Lisbon.
A large knight with a closely shaved square jaw drew his sword and introduced himself, "I am Molk of the Black Water Buffalo Knights."
Lisbon swallowed hard. The Black Water Buffalo Knights were directly under General Bloody of the Crow Tribe. It was a division that was difficult to join if you weren’t the best amongst the knights.
There was quite a popular tale about a knight skilled enough to be at least a captain in a different division who made up stories about himself to try and join the Black Water Buffalo Knights.
"I am Lisbon of the Carters. It’s an honor to face you." Lisbon similarly introduced himself and drew his sword.
There was a lot of nervousness in his voice. Looking at Lisbon, Molk laughed with a bang. "Ahhaha! Yes, let’s have some real fun!"
Molk assumed a stance and raised his aura which Lisbon raised his in response. Molk, content seeing his opponent resisting against his aura, quickly charged at him. Overcoming the pressure from the charging man, Lisbon jumped and rolled to the side.
"Good judgment!"
Molk praised the dust-covered Lisbon’s judgment who did not retreat or hesitate.
Rolling on the ground was considered shameful, so there were often times when the sword was directly blocked or they retreated. If Lisbon had decided to fight back instead, it would have been an easy trip to death considering his skills were far below Molk’s.
Molk kicked the ground hard to stop the charge, changed directions, then ran towards Lisbon while striking down powerfully with his sword. Having just rolled on the ground, Lisbon was unable to position himself properly. In such a situation, he instantly decided on the best move.
In a scenario where Molk was rushing towards him with the sword striking downwards, Lisbon didn’t panic. Instead, towards the gap created from the downswing, Lisbon stabbed his sword at the other’s abdomen.
Molk burst into laughter, aware of Lisbon’s sword heading to his abdomen. Usually in this situation, they either rolled to dodge again or defend themselves, but Lisbon launched a counter-attack. Even if it was an effective method, failure would mean death, so it was not something someone with ordinary guts could do.
"That’s the answer!"
While in mid-air, Molk changed the trajectory of his sword swing and used the rebound to avoid Lisbon’s sword which was thrust towards his stomach. Molk looked as if he was about to crash into the ground with a disordered posture, but kicking the ground with his left foot to turn and correct his body in the air, he safely landed. Despite having done acrobatics in mid-air, Molk was smiling without a drop of sweat. Rather, Lisbon who countered corrected his posture with cold sweat running down his nervous face.
Lisbon noticed that Molk had deliberately jumped up to check his judgment. Sensing that at this rate, all of his moves would be forced by his opponent, Lisbon pointed the sword at him and narrowed the distance.
Molk rather admired Lisbon’s courage to narrow the distance. He continued to release aura, making it impossible for someone at a level of a trainee at the middle-rank knight school to narrow the distance to himself. Lisbon however, overcame his fear and kept approaching.
"Yes! Come!"
"Ok!"
Lisbon stabbed at the other’s right arm, Molk leaned his sword to the right to block. Lisbon did not give up, recovered the sword, leaned down and as if swinging up, and stabbed at his neck.
Still smiling, Molk twisted his upper body and dodged the sharp sword aiming for his throat. Then, he pushed Lisbon’s sword aside and kicked him hard in the side.
"Oof!"
Lisbon groaned as if he had vomited air. He was hit so hard he couldn’t even scream and had difficulty breathing. And naturally, with just one hit, he collapsed to the ground.
"A knight must always be ready for close-combat!" Molk advised the fallen Lisbon, then asked, "Will you continue?"
Lisbon barely managed to stand, tasting the rising blood from his throat. At the same time, with his non-sword hand, he checked the side that was hit. Fortunately, his ribs were intact, there didn’t seem to be any internal injuries. Rather, seeing that the wound was light compared to the pain, Lisbon shuddered at Molk’s ability. This is a real knight!
"Hehe." Lisbon laughed rather than give in to the pain. He then raised the sword again. "Yes! That’s what a knight is like! One who gives up cannot be called a knight!"
Molk was genuinely pleased with Lisbon’s fighting spirit. He pleasantly burst out laughing from meeting this talented junior. "Hahahahaha! Good, I’m coming!"
Again, their swords clashed.
Kang! Kang! Kang!
Molk quickly struck from the top left and attacked the head and chest. As he blocked, Lisbon felt his wrists go numb under the powerful pressure from the sword. A drawn-out battle was no good. Although upset, he himself knew that his skills weren’t good enough to hold out for long. He clenched his teeth and swung down with his sword.
Kang!
Lisbon struck with all his might, but the sword was all too simply blocked. The overwhelming gap, which could only be described as hopeless, seemed to weigh on his body. Still, he didn’t give up. This battle was where he bet everything for his dream. If he gave up easily, he wouldn’t be able to raise his head to all his efforts so far!
"Ahhhhhhhhhhh!"
Lisbon desperately once again swung his sword intensely.
Kang!
The strike to the top left was blocked.
Kang!
The strike to the top right was blocked.
Kang!
The stab was blocked. Despite being blocked, he kept swinging his sword.
Molk frowned. Lisbon’s fighting spirit was good, but too much blood was rushing to his head. It was the perfect condition to be killed on a battlefield. He swung strongly at Lisbon’s sword, broke his stance, and strongly kicked his abdomen.
“Oof!"
Once again, Lisbon rolled the ground, got up, and resumed his posture. It looked like the pain was dampened by adrenaline.
"Cool your head! What happened to the person who remained calm and stabbed at my abdomen instead of dodging!"
Lisbon was agitated by the shout. But then he realized what he was doing. Well, it wasn’t too bad. He just got too excited and lost half of his rationality. This was largely due to Molk, who continued to pressure Lisbon with his aura and created a situation similar to a battlefield.
Until just now, Lisbon had fallen into a state similar to a frenzy experienced by knights during their first battle. Molk knew this, so he retracted his aura and shouted. If it had been a real battlefield, it would have been highly unlikely that Lisbon could have regained his cool. But right now was just a spar, albeit an exam it was also kind of an instructional time. This was a priceless experience for Lisbon. The fact that he met such a strong knight that gave him experience similar to a battlefield in a spar where he did not risk his life gave him a chance to grow.
"Ahhhhhhh!"
Lisbon regained his composure by shouting. Seeing the eyes that were focused on him, Molk raised his aura again. If Lisbon had not been able to overcome his aura in the first place, he likely would have been defeated even before going berserk. It was because he had the courage to fight back that he could now stand in front of Molk with a sword.
It was Lisbon that moved first again while being on guard against each other. He again aimed to stab the other’s right arm.
As before, Molk tilted his sword to the right to block it. Molk was less surprised than before. Instead of retrieving the blocked sword, Lisbon twisted it toward his chest. Surprised by the irregular attack, Molk took his left hand off of the sword and turned his upper body to avoid it.
However, he couldn’t dodge it completely and the front of his shirt was very slightly cut. Molk inwardly bit his tongue at the destruction of his precious shirt. Then he swung the sword with his right hand as if he were throwing a fishing line using the force of his wrist. But Lisbon quickly backed away and went on guard.
"Hahaha, hahaha! All right! Calm makes the knight’s sword sharper! Let’s go with a little more sincerity this time!"
Molk burst into a hearty laugh like he was truly enjoying it and at the same time, Lisbon groaned at the explosion of aura.
"No, there’s no need for that.”
At Lisbon’s earnest request, Molk shook his head.
"No, no need to decline!"
Molk rejected Lisbon’s refusal and narrowed the distance. He pushed the sword towards Lisbon’s chest.
Unlike Molk, who lightly blocked the sword, Lisbon strongly struck away the advancing sword. Despite striking the sword with all his strength, it did not waver much. But it seemed to have some effect as Molk’s sword changed trajectory from his chest to shoulder.
Lisbon turned his upper body to avoid the sword and followed with a cut towards Molk’s side. Instead of blocking Lisbon’s sword heading to his side, Molk swung at his neck.
To avoid Molk’s sword, which suddenly filled his vision, Lisbon threw all his weight backward and avoided it. But Molk kicked Lisbon’s shin and made him lose balance.
"Didn’t I tell you! Close-combat should always be remembered!"
Molk thrust his sword at the fallen Lisbon, the man smiled dejectedly and raised both hands.
"I lost."
At Lisbon’s declaration of defeat, Molk put his sword in the scabbard and extended his hand.
"Congratulations! Boy! Come to the Black Water Buffalo when you graduate! Talented friends are always welcome!"
An examiner shouted at Molk who was giving an evaluation assessment in the middle of his congratulations.
"Senior! You can’t say that!"
"Shut up! How dare you cut in when a senior who is as high as the sky is talking!"
Lisbon took Molk’s hand and stood up.
"Thank you!"
Though covered with dust and sweat, he flashed a bright smile.
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