Chapter 64 : Chapter 64

Chapter 64. Something Feels Off. Very Off (3)

Patrick thought that if he didn't let April follow him, she might leave a suicide note saying, ‘I am sorry for not being of help to the Young Master,’ and take her own life.

She was the kind of girl who was fully capable of that.

‘Grrr, do I have no choice? This messes up my plans.’

Originally, he had intended to have April take charge of the soldiers' training while he was away.

But if April leaves to follow him….

‘Is there no choice? Well, it's about time anyway.’

When the best option is not available, choosing the next best option was the realistic way to deal with it.

Patrick looked at his father and said.

“Father, I have a request.”

“What is it?”

“Tomorrow…”

And hearing Patrick's words, Baron Schneider had a slightly surprised expression and asked back.

“Are you serious?”

“Yes. With me and April gone, it's a matter that can no longer be postponed.”

“……”

Baron Schneider thought for a moment, then nodded and said.

“Alright. That part has already been entrusted to you, so I will follow your opinion.”

“Thank you. Then let's do it tomorrow.”

And so, a rather important matter was decided on the spot.

* * *

The next day.

Patrick came out to the training ground for the first time in a while.

He hadn't been able to come out much lately due to being busy with preparations for studying abroad, but he came out today.

Appearing with April by his side, Patrick spoke to the soldiers.

“All troops, fall in.”

As Patrick's command fell, all 200 soldiers lined up in unison.

Looking at the soldiers exuding a blade-like momentum, Patrick said.

“Today, we will conduct a slightly special training.”

“What kind of special?”

“What is he planning to do?”

To the whispering soldiers, Patrick said.

“Sanson, step forward.”

“Yes.”

“We will now begin a spar. Jackson.”

“Yes!”

“You will face Sanson. The spar will be conducted with wooden swords, and aura is forbidden.”

“Yes!”

“Yes!”

The two men answered vigorously and took their stances.

And as Patrick gave the signal to begin, the bodies of the two men quickly rushed forward and clashed.

Taaak!

After the initial clash, the four wooden swords between the two men, who had taken a step back each, danced as if weaving through the space.

Tadadak! Tadak! Taaak!

‘Good.’

Watching the scene, Patrick was reminded of a fond memory.

The time, a very long ago, when the disciples of the Twin Dragon Sect diligently swung their wooden swords in front of him.

The swordsmanship the soldiers were currently learning was the Dragon Snake Sword Dance, which was both the introductory and main martial art of the Twin Dragon Sect.

He had named it the Dancing Sword when teaching it to the soldiers, but it was originally an introductory martial art to enter the Twin Dragons Eight Sword Forms, and it was born with its own story.

Dragon Snake Sword Dance.

According to the story, it was a martial art created by the founder of the Twin Dragon Sect quite late in his life.

At first, there was no need to create it.

He was already one of the top masters in the Jianghu of his time with just the Twin Dragons Eight Sword Forms.

But after establishing a sect and accepting disciples, he came to a realization.

[Why can't these kids do it?]

No matter how kindly he taught, or how strictly he scolded and guided them, the disciples he accepted could not properly use the Twin Dragons Eight Sword Forms.

Some of them forced themselves to follow along and fell into qi deviation, or gave up on their own, saying they couldn't keep up. After that, he realized.

[Could it be that my martial art is a bit difficult?]

Only after dozens of disciples suffered from qi deviation did he barely realize this fact in his later years, and he hurriedly created a lower-level sword art.

What was created in this way was the Dragon Snake Sword Dance.

As the name suggests, this was not a practical sword art but a sword dance. A type of dance.

It was a training sword dance created purely as a process to enter the Twin Dragons Eight Sword Forms, and its practicality in real combat was completely excluded.

It was made as a stepping stone for two snakes to one day grow into dragons and ascend to the heavens.

But for ordinary people who could not learn the Twin Dragons Eight Sword Forms, training in this was the best they could do, and it eventually became the main martial art of the Twin Dragon Sect after the founder's death.

Could a sect whose main martial art was a sword dance with no practical application have any power?

After that, it was only a matter of time before the Twin Dragon Sect was relegated to a third-rate sect.

Until the moment Jin Cheon entered the sect in the future.

In the process of improving the martial arts of the Twin Dragon Sect, Jin Cheon improved this Dragon Snake Sword Dance to some extent and made it practical.

While leaving the introductory process to enter the Twin Dragons Eight Sword Forms, which was the original intention of the founder, he incorporated practicality into it.

In fact, the reason Jin Cheon was able to do this was proof that his martial arts insight was on par with the founder's.

The ones who were taught this new Dragon Snake Sword Dance were the soldiers of the Schneider fiefdom.

Since the basic form of the swordsmanship was a sword dance, it had a graceful and splendid aspect.

When those who had trained in the same Dragon Snake Sword Dance began to spar, it would create a splendid and exquisite scene, as if they were dancing in unison.

Just like now.

‘These chicks have grown up quite a bit.’

In particular, Sanson had recently been showing signs of breaking away from the form.

He was showing signs of trying to shed his current self, just as a snake sheds its skin.

Today was the time for what Patrick had prepared for such a Sanson.

Tadadak!

When about 50 exchanges had passed.

“Keuk····.”

Jackson was flustered by Sanson's ever-increasing sword speed.

And Sanson's sword momentarily moved in an unpredictable direction, sending Jackson's wooden sword flying upwards from below.

As a result, Jackson's hands went up high as if cheering, revealing a clear opening.

And in the very next moment, Sanson's wooden sword turned into a streak of light and….

“Good work.”

“Haaaah….”

Jackson felt the wooden sword that had suddenly touched his neck and let out a sigh.

For a moment, despite it being a wooden sword, the sword strike that flew with the momentum and speed to cut off his neck had killed its momentum the moment it touched his neck.

The soldiers of the fiefdom now knew.

This was by no means an easy feat.

“Match over.”

As Patrick declared victory, Sanson smiled and said.

“Good work.”

“Good work to you too.”

And the two were about to clear the way for the next stage. But….

“Sanson, stay.”

“Yes?”

“Stay.”

“…Yes. Understood.”

At Patrick's words, Sanson thought it was a bit strange, but he stayed for now.

He certainly still had some stamina left and felt he could face a few more opponents.

“Gerick, come out. You'll face Sanson.”

“Yes. Understood.”

“Begin immediately!”

At Patrick's command, Gerick immediately raised his sword and faced Sanson.

And again, the two men's wooden swords intertwined dazzlingly, and after about 40 exchanges, the match was decided.

“Good work.”

“Good work to you too.”

And as soon as the match was decided, Patrick….

“Next, Taylor, come up.”

“Yes.”

“Begin immediately.”

“Young Master. I…”

“Begin!”

As Patrick sternly commanded, Sanson and Taylor flinched. And then they began to realize.

This was different from their usual spars.

“Haaaaap!”

Peeeok!

* * *

After 200 exchanges, Sanson subdued Nelson.

However, it seemed he had lost his previous composure, as he couldn't stop his sword in front of him and ended up striking Nelson on the top of his head.

“Heok…. Heok….”

He was out of breath.

Nelson was the twelfth opponent to come up, and in that time, Sanson had fought against a total of twelve soldiers.

Now, he was gasping for breath, and the arm holding the sword was trembling.

Sanson looked at Patrick.

In that gaze that contained the meaning, ‘Do I have to do more?’….

“Next, Harley, come up.”

“Yes…. Yes!”

“Begin immediately!”

Patrick relentlessly sent up the thirteenth opponent.

‘Damn it, what is he trying to do?’

Sanson gritted his teeth and swung his sword at his thirteenth opponent.

“What? What is this…”

“This isn't the usual training, is it?”

“Did the captain, no, Big brother do something wrong?”

“Shh, watch your mouth.”

“But this is…”

The soldiers whispered.

At first, they thought it was a normal spar, but the atmosphere itself was different.

Sanson remained, and the soldiers continued to take turns attacking him.

The number of sparring partners had already exceeded thirty, and Sanson's sword had already lost its initial sharpness.

Taaak!

“Keeuk…”

Sanson, who had blocked the sword of an opponent he could normally defeat with ease, staggered.

And the opponent who should have taken advantage of that opening to attack hesitated. Then….

“Do it properly!”

Patrick let out an angry roar.

Startled by it, the soldier flinched and rushed forward. And in his ensuing attack, Sanson staggered back and fell, and as a result, he could not block the opponent's sword that came to his neck.

“Ah…. As expected.”

“This is as far as it goes.”

“Even for the captain, more than thirty was too much.”

Seeing this, the other soldiers felt both regret and relief. And Patrick, instead of declaring the opponent's victory….

Jjaaak!

He slapped the cheek of the soldier who had defeated Sanson.

And grabbing the dazed soldier by the collar, he said in a growl.

“What the hell do you think you're doing? You think this spar is a joke?”

“N-no, sir.”

“April.”

“Yes. Young Master.”

“Take this pathetic bastard and work him to the point of death.”

“Yes.”

Receiving Patrick's instruction, April took the soldier to a corner of the training ground.

And Patrick said.

“I'm telling you now. Anyone who goes easy or slacks off in this spar will die by my hand.”

At those words, a chill ran down the soldiers' spines as Patrick's killing intent spread coldly among the crowd.

The moment they heard Patrick's stern warning, the soldiers realized they absolutely could not slack off.

Patrick, who had returned to his spot, said.

“Next, Paulo.”

“Yes.”

“Begin immediately.”

And so, the spar began again.

A hellish spar that continued without end, even though Sanson had lost.

The 40th opponent….

Sanson, repeating wins and losses, somehow managed to persevere.

But by the 50th, it became impossible to win anymore.

He was beaten and rolled around pathetically against subordinates he could normally defeat with ease.

But it didn't matter how much he lost or was broken.

Patrick mercilessly designated the next opponent.

‘What is this? Is he trying to kill me?’

Sanson was now feeling fear.

He couldn't think of a reason.

But in Patrick's actions of pushing him now, Sanson instinctively sensed the fear of death.

‘I… I have to run away…’

“Next, Gray. Begin immediately!”

But following Patrick's command, the next opponent mercilessly came up.

To the wooden sword swung mercilessly without any consideration for Sanson's situation, Sanson reflexively moved his body to dodge.

But he couldn't dodge the second attack that followed.

Taaak!

“Keuk…”

His body staggers from an attack he could normally block nonchalantly.

He somehow manages to block that attack and retreats, but the opponent's attacks pursued him fiercely.

Tak! Tadak!

In the end, unable to hold on for more than a few exchanges, Sanson's balance crumbled, and the opponent's sword flew towards him.

Knowing full well it was coming, but unable to block the sword, Sanson gritted his teeth. But….

Taaak!

‘Huh?’

It was strange.

An unblockable attack.

He thought he was definitely hit.

But his wooden sword was blocking the opponent's wooden sword. And the wooden sword held in his other hand flew towards the opponent's neck.

“Keuk…”

The opponent was flustered by the unexpected counterattack, and Sanson corrected his posture in the meantime.

‘What was that?’

He had defended and counterattacked unconsciously.

His consciousness had definitely resigned to defeat, but his body had reacted on its own and saved him from the crisis.

He had never felt like this before. And….

“Haaaaap!”

Sanson swung his wooden sword towards the opponent who was charging at him again.

Sanson's sword, swung gently from a natural state with all the strength drained from his body, was gradually accelerating.

“Huh? What's that?”

“Did that guy suddenly take some medicine?”

“Why is he recovering?”

The soldiers who had been watching Sanson with pitying eyes now stared with wide eyes.

Sanson, who had been crawling on the floor on the verge of death, was beginning to recover, albeit slowly.

The speed of his sword seemed to be returning to its initial state, no, even faster.

His expression had also changed somehow.

The vitality had returned to the face of Sanson, who had been exhausted to his limits just a moment ago.

‘He's got the gist of it. But from here on is what's important.’

Patrick watched Sanson, who was swinging his sword in a half-trance state, with a calm gaze.

The 60th, the 70th opponent.

Sanson continued the spar, repeating wins and losses.

And the 80th opponent.

“Next!”

Sanson, who had sent his opponent's sword flying, shouted confidently.

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