Chapter 65 - 64: Commander

The party of over a hundred slaves marched in a great procession down the main road from Pasture City and into the wilderness.

With this group in tow, Ronin’s return trip slowed considerably. He had to match the slaves’ pace; he’d paid good silver for them and didn’t want any to die before they even reached Mountain Forest Town.

Fortunately, he had made ample preparations before coming to Pasture City this time. He had brought enough rations in his Space Ring to ensure these slaves could eat and drink their fill.

The slaves were initially fearful and apprehensive, terrified that their new master would beat, curse, and torture them at the slightest provocation. They were surprised, however, when after two days of travel, he had done none of those things. In fact, he provided plenty of bread at every meal, and when he occasionally hunted game, he even shared some of the meat broth with them.

Even though they had to walk a fair distance each day, it had been a very long time since they had experienced what it was like to have full stomachs.

So much so that when they took their first bite of fresh bread, they were so moved they immediately knelt on the ground to thank Ronin, setting off a chain reaction that left the whole group in tears.

Those who knew would understand that Ronin was a benevolent Lord. Those who didn’t might have thought Ronin had frightened the group of slaves into kneeling and begging for mercy.

「Five days later, at dusk.」

Ronin and his party made camp in the foothills before the mountains that led to Mountain Forest Town.

Ronin left the management of the slaves entirely to Tom, Gallon, and the four Guards. He didn’t need to handle such trivial matters, nor was there any need for him to show his face before the slaves for no reason.

Over the past few days, whenever Ronin had a spare moment, he practiced three spells: the Wind Blade Skill, the Fireball Skill, and Small Flame.

As an entry-level Fire Attribute Magic, Small Flame was the simplest. This spell only formed a tiny flicker of flame at his fingertip, just like Elron’s Flash Skill. Ronin mastered it on his first try.

The Fireball Skill was a Second-level Magic, with power comparable to the Wind Blade Skill. The main difference was that the Fireball Skill likely had a wider area of effect, whereas the Wind Blade Skill offered more concentrated destructive power. Each had its own merits.

At this moment, in a clearing, the two Advanced Level Knights, Macken and Ridder, were engaged in a fierce clash.

Both of them had been greatly looking forward to this sparring match, which had been decided on several days ago but was only just beginning today. Macken and Ridder had even casually brought it up several times on the road.

Ronin had simply postponed it, citing an unsuitable location. It wasn’t until today, in this flat area before they entered the mountains, that he allowed them to begin.

Of course, it was just a spar. The point was to stop before things went too far, and they were not to expend too much energy.

Although Ronin had given instructions beforehand, once the two Advanced Level Knights began to fight, the intensity was still quite remarkable.

Even the distant slaves couldn’t help but look over, wondering what their slave master was up to and why two of his Knights were fighting.

Macken held a Longsword, his Fighting Qi erupting from his body and condensing on his skin to form an earth-yellow Armor that looked very defensive.

This was the Fighting Qi Armor that Knights could use once they reached the Advanced Level and their internal Fighting Qi became substantial. It had no Attribute requirements; basically, every Advanced Level Knight could use it.

However, a Fighting Qi Armor condensed from Earth Attribute Fighting Qi was comparatively stronger in defense.

"Here I come!"

Macken roared, stomping his feet hard on the ground. A large chunk of earth was displaced as he shot forward like a cannonball, his presence fierce and unyielding.

Ridder’s expression was more serious. His entire body was enveloped in red Fighting Qi Armor, and his aura was far more wild than Macken’s.

"Bring it on!"

Facing Macken’s terrifying attack, Ridder lowered his stance. Without dodging or evading, he met the initial clash head-on.

With a terrifying crash, the Knight’s Longswords of the two Advanced Peak Knights clashed. The erupting Fighting Qi created a powerful gust of wind that even Ronin and the others, a hundred meters away, could clearly feel.

’The sound of that impact felt like a sledgehammer pounding on my heart!’

Tom, who was watching the battle, was left with lingering fear from the sound of that collision. If he had faced that blow, his sword would have likely shattered, and he would have been killed.

After the head-on clash, a flurry of close-quarters combat immediately followed.

Ronin had been learning Stepping Technique and Swordsmanship from Macken recently, so he had a deep understanding of the latter’s close-combat style.

’During normal practice, if Macken used his full strength, I probably wouldn’t last a single exchange.’

But now, facing Macken’s assault, Ridder handled it with ease and grace. His steps were more agile and swift. No matter where his opponent’s sword came from, he could perfectly dodge or parry before launching his own counterattack.

This exchange lasted for a full minute. Seeing that he couldn’t break through and was being increasingly suppressed, Macken used the force of his opponent’s counterattack to create distance after a blow.

He stomped his foot, injecting his Fighting Qi into the ground and kicking up countless chunks of earth. Then, with a swing of his sword, he enveloped the earthen clumps in yellow Fighting Qi, sending them flying toward Ridder like a shotgun blast.

This was a Combat Skill he had acquired after being promoted to Advanced Level Knight.

’Judging by the whistling sound as they cut through the air, if those clumps of earth hit me, my bones would probably be shattered.’

Ridder flipped his Longsword and slashed out, creating a curtain of fire like a woven net that caught all the earthen projectiles.

The sound of their clashing Combat Skills grew increasingly deafening. In particular, the searing heatwave generated by the Fire Attribute Fighting Qi after the collision made all the onlookers feel a sense of danger.

"My turn!"

Ridder chuckled, sheathing his Longsword. He shot toward Macken like a projectile, searing Fighting Qi surging around his fists, forming a massive Flame Fist.

"BOOM!"

Ridder threw a punch, and the Flame Fist flew toward Macken. Then he threw a second punch, a third...

"That’s... Fire Fist Bombing!"

Ronin recognized the Combat Skill at a glance but didn’t expect him to use it consecutively.

Facing his opponent’s first real offensive, Macken’s expression turned grim. He changed positions at extreme speed, rapidly dodging the afterimages of the fists.

When his movements were cut off and he couldn’t dodge, he relied on an Earth Wall to block.

"BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!"

Ridder became a living bomber, unleashing a high-speed bombardment as if his Fighting Qi was endless, completely disregarding its consumption.

A closer look revealed that Ridder was constantly changing his position and angle of attack as he bombed away, putting his opponent in an increasingly perilous situation.

Macken was panting heavily, his face covered in sweat. On this smoke-filled battlefield, he knew that if he kept defending like this, he would be defeated sooner or later.

"Hah!"

He roared, gathering Fighting Qi in his fist to meet the incoming Flame Fist. At the same time, he plunged his Longsword into the ground, and his Fighting Qi rapidly flowed beneath the earth toward Ridder’s feet.

The ground suddenly churned, its properties changing. One by one, Earth Spears shot out from underground at incredible speed.

Ridder’s mind sharpened. He had sensed the Fighting Qi the moment it reached his feet. At the same instant the Earth Spears erupted from the ground, he leaped into the air.

"SWISH SWISH SWISH~"

The Earth Spears all missed. As Ridder landed, a shockwave of Fighting Qi from the soles of his feet shattered the spears.

Meanwhile, a Flame Fist collided with Macken’s own Fighting Qi-infused fist, creating a massive shockwave. Under the violent impact, Macken staggered and was forcefully thrown backward.

"BOOM!"

Another Flame Bombardment Fist struck him, sending him flying. His Fighting Qi Armor shattered on impact, bringing the sparring match to a close.

Ronin rode forward on his horse, applauding. "As expected of Advanced Peak Knights! Your battle was a true eye-opener for me!"

"Brilliant, truly brilliant!"

Elron and Tom Strong couldn’t help but applaud as well. The spar was indeed brilliant and had broadened their horizons.

"You praise us too much, My Lord."

Ridder calmed his breathing. The wild demeanor he had while fighting vanished, replaced once again by his usual relaxed and confident expression.

Ronin looked over at Macken. "Guard Officer, how are you?"

Macken looked a little rough, mostly covered in dust and dirt. He coughed the dust out of his mouth, looking a bit embarrassed.

"Don’t worry, My Lord. I’m not injured."

He said, looking at his opponent, "Ridder is too powerful. Whether in clashes of Power, close-combat techniques, or the use of Combat Skills and Fighting Qi, I’m no match for him."

Ridder laughed. "Well, you’re not a true Peak Knight yet. If your strength were a little higher, it wouldn’t have been so easy for me."

The two exchanged a round of pleasantries. There was a winner and a loser in the spar, but it didn’t affect their relationship.

Ronin could tell, however, that even if Macken’s Level progression was maxed out, he likely still wouldn’t be a match for Ridder. In the recent spar, Macken had been using nearly all his strength, while Ridder had clearly held back a great deal.

’As expected of the Commander-in-Chief of the Flame Expedition Army. Ridder’s aptitude and status say a lot about him.’

"In that case, Ridder."

Ronin tugged on his reins, facing the Knight who had just won the spar. "From this moment on, you are the Commander of my Mountain Forest Town!"

Ridder knelt on one knee. "It would be my pleasure to serve you, My Lord!"