Chapter 19: Countering the Scumbag Noble Gordon
Swordsmanship Skill proficiency acquired.
Swordsmanship Skill has increased to Level 4!
Accuracy and attack power of sword techniques will increase by 40%.
The system voice resounded in my head.
Thanks to repeatedly subjugating high-rank monsters, coupled with experiencing my first group battle against humans, my swordsmanship had managed to reach a higher plane.
“Ahyahyahya! I’m surprised you’re that Cain, but… you’re naive, so naive! Haste! Resist Fire!”
Gordon, a sneer on his face, cast buff magic on his underlings, increasing their speed and resistance to fire-attribute magic.
“To cast buffs on this many people all at once… It seems calling himself a genius mage isn’t just conceit.”
I was somewhat surprised by this.
Gordon didn’t appear in the main game story, but he seemed to be quite a skilled magic user.
“Hyahhar! Of course! Hey, you lot, take Eris hostage! With that, no matter how strong Cain and Servia are, it’ll be over!”
“Yeah!”
The ruffians curled their lips into smirks.
Strengthened by the buff magic, they seemed to have gotten cocky.
“I won’t let you. I will protect Eris-neesama.”
“Servia! Ah, thank you!”
Servia stood resolutely in front of Eris Onee-san.
“Ahyahyahyahya! Idiot! No matter how you look at it, you’re specialized in fire-attribute magic, right? So if I cast Resist Fire magic, you’re nothing but a small fry!”
“No, that’s not really the case…”
I mentally retorted to the fuming Gordon.
Servia’s Albidus Fire, strictly speaking, isn’t magic, so it can’t be blocked by magic defense-type spells.
However, its high firepower and difficulty to control were problematic, so she couldn’t easily use it against humans. If she messed up, she’d end up killing them.
Servia understood that too, so she wore a troubled expression.
“You don’t need to do anything, Servia. It’s alright. I’ve brought reinforcements this time.”
“Eh…?”
“Young Master Cain! Lancelot has just arrived!”
Leaping over the heads of the ruffians, Lancelot, in his tailcoat, landed.
Lancelot instantly knocked down the thugs who were about to attack Eris Onee-san.
In his hand, he gripped a broad knight’s sword. It was a greatsword originally meant to be wielded on horseback, to crush enemies, armor and all.
“Lancelot! Protect them both. I’ll crush Gordon!”
“Yes! Leave it to me! Hmph, even so… Young Master Cain’s leg strength is truly astonishing. To think that I, of all people, would be left behind!”
I had arrived here far ahead of Lancelot.
As a result of my continued daily runs, my legs had become fast enough to catch up even with a carriage at full speed.
My talent for swordsmanship was one thing, but the high potential of this body left me dumbfounded.
The more effort I put in, the more my body responded.
“Why Young Master Cain runs nearly 20 kilometers every day… I finally understand. For a swordsman, speed is life itself. Swordsmanship, when pursued to its extreme, is all about how to land your blade on the opponent before they land theirs on you. For that, strengthening one’s legs and core is essential… So that was the purpose of your training, was it not?”
“No, my goal was to run away from enemies, though…”
It was fun seeing the results of my leg strength increasing. It felt good to be cheered on by Onee-san and Servia, so I ended up running excessively every day.
I guess I was running nearly 20 kilometers every day without even realizing it…
No wonder Eris Onee-san couldn’t keep up with my early morning marathons after a while.
Only Servia, panting heavily, still accompanied me every day.
“You are too modest! I, Lancelot, am deeply impressed!”
Lancelot bowed deeply and earnestly.
“What!? H-Hold on, Lancelot? D-Don’t tell me, the former Vice-Captain of the Royal Guard Knights!?”
“Is that the legendary knight Lancelot, who was renowned as the strongest in the kingdom!?”
Gordon and his men, realizing Lancelot’s identity, trembled in fear.
“M-My father told me never to make an enemy of Lancelot. I even confirmed he wasn’t here before attacking…!”
Biting his lip, Gordon glared at Lancelot in frustration.
“Hmph, someone like me is nothing. The truly strong man is Young Master Cain. He strives endlessly and becomes stronger to protect those he loves. He is truly the embodiment of ideal chivalry!”
“What!? T-To make Lancelot say that much about him…!?”
I don’t particularly care about chivalry, but according to Lancelot, I’m apparently an ideal knight.
“My loyalty is pledged to Young Master Cain. Since Young Master Cain has ordered me to ‘Protect them both,’ as a knight, I intend to fulfill that mission, even if it costs me my life. If you do not fear this Lancelot’s sword, then come at me!”
From Lancelot, who readied his sword, a terrifying aura was unleashed. Thrum! I felt an intimidating pressure, as if his body had grown several times larger.
“Hyaaaaaah! I didn’t hear anything about this!”
“We just came because we heard we could make a lot of money easily!”
The ruffians were terrified, and several of them scrambled to escape.
“Hey, you guys are the bandits who’ve been repeatedly plundering the Schwartz Territory, aren’t you? Do you think I’ll let you escape!?”
I chased after the fleeing men and mercilessly struck them down with my sword. It was the Vertical Slash I had honed through countless practice swings.
I’m using a practice sword, so they won’t die, but they’re knocked unconscious in a single blow.
These guys had said they would assault Servia and Eris Onee-san and then enslave them. In that case, there’s not a shred of need for mercy.
Besides…
In the game, Eris Onee-san didn’t exist. Perhaps in the game world, Eris Onee-san was abducted by these guys.
That tragedy might have been the trigger that turned the originally twisted Cain into an even greater villain.
“Dammiiiiit! Don’t you run! Protect me! Whoever takes down that guy, Cain Schwarz, gets a bonus of 10 gold coins! Surround him and kill him!”
Gordon screamed, half-crazed.
A few of them regained their morale and tried to surround me, but… their movements were slow. Their speed was increased by the Haste buff magic, but they had too many wasted movements.
Before they could surround me, I took them all down with a single strike each.
Thud. Five men collapsed to the ground at once.
I made sure not to activate the additional dark attribute damage from my Unique Skill: Black Moon Sword.
If I had activated it, I would have definitely taken their lives. These guys must be kept alive to atone for their crimes.
“Magnificent! As expected of Young Master Cain.”
“Amazing, Cain! You’ve become so strong! So cool!”
Eris Onee-san cheered me on.
That’s right, Eris Onee-san had always supported me. She became like a mother to me after I lost my own mother early on.
I won’t forgive anyone who would hurt Eris Onee-san, no matter who they are.
“Dammiiiiiiiit! Fireball!”
Gordon unleashed a barrage of fire magic.
If I dodged, they were on a direct course to hit Eris Onee-san.
He probably thought I wouldn’t be able to escape this way, but he’s naive.
“Haaaaaaaaaaah—!”
I slashed apart all the incoming Fireballs with my sword.
Normally, you can’t cut magic, but the dark attribute power from the Black Moon Sword corrodes and extinguishes even magic.
“Whaaat!? M-My Fireballs were nullified!? What is that!?”
“This is the effect of Brother Cain’s Unique Skill: Black Moon Sword. Magic attacks don’t work on Brother.”
Gordon’s eyes bulged as he stared at Servia, who explained with a triumphant look.
“I-I haven’t heard anything like that!?”
“Indeed. Due to the combination of Skill [Arrow Deflection] and Black Moon Sword, neither projectiles nor magic can get through. To defeat Young Master Cain, one has no choice but to overpower him in close combat. Even for me, that would be a tough task.”
Lancelot’s words threw Gordon and his underlings into a panic.
“W-Why is a noble brat this strong!?”
“This can’t be happening!”
“W-Wait, I surrend— Gyaaaaaah!”
Some of them spouted nonsense, but I struck them down one after another without question.
I don’t intend to let a single one escape. Using my leg strength, I prioritized and knocked down those who turned their backs to flee.
“Hyaaaaaah! I-If you dare hurt me, the magnificent Gordon, I’ll tell the royal family that you ignored Prince Leon’s orders! And then, all of you will be ruuuuined…!”
“You think I’d let you do that?”
I struck the wailing Gordon’s leg, shattering the bone. Now he wasn’t going anywhere.
“Higyaaaaaah! It hurts, it hurts, Mamaaa! Even Chichi-ue has never laid a hand on me before!?”
Before I knew it, nearly a hundred ruffians lay defeated around me. These guys were pathetically weak.
“Alright, Lancelot. Bring out that thing we bought from the merchant.”
“Yes, sir!”
Lancelot took a scroll out of his bag.
“Th-That’s a 【Slave Contract Scroll】!? D-Don’t tell me… you… you’re going to make me a slaaaaave!?”
Gordon’s face twisted in despair.