Still in the position of her last attack, her sword crumbled into dust. Sun-young drew in some much needed air. She would have to ask that blacksmith for another—

“You really thought one attack would beat me?”

The ball of smoke several feet away parted. Who else stood there but August, the sleeve of his chainmail scorched but not destroyed. The attack had landed but failed to do significant damage. Her pulse raced as the remainder of her weapon was whisked by the air.

“Eh, I suppose it makes sense. Newbie mistake.” August rolled his shoulders. Smiling, he went into a different stance. Electricity crackled within his spear and underneath his feet.

[ Warning! Powerful surge of magic! ]

[ Warning! Powerful surge of magic! ]

‘What…?’ Chills went down her spine. It was now or never. ‘Open inventory—’

“What is going on here!?”

Commander Cedric stormed in through the crowd, his very presence causing them to split. Marshal Margaret blinked and laughed.

“Cedric! Good to see you. We were just getting to the good part,” the Marshal said.

“Marshal Margaret!” Commander Cedric scowled. “I say this with the utmost respect but you cannot go to Academy grounds and order a duel. This woman is healing. Healing!” He pointed a hand at Sun-young. “I may serve the Templars but I made an oath to protect people. To save lives! Please, I urge you to respect my vows.”

His eyes darted from the Marshal to Sun-young’s opponent, August. Cedric’s disapproval couldn’t have been stronger. Still, he pleaded to Marshal Margaret.

“Agreed.” Marshal Margaret smiled pleasantly. Instantly, August opened his mouth to protest but she casually talked over him. “You might be able to keep going, August, but Sun-young has lost her weapon. Call it a draw.”

“Are you kidding me?” August put his spear behind him. “I was about to kick into high gear!”

“Next time.” Marshal Margaret laughed one last time before her smile disappeared. “I ask everyone here to leave. Now.”

“Yes, please.” Commander Cedric shooed everyone away. “Hurry up! Come on—”

“You too, Cedric.”

“Pardon?” Commander Cedric did a double-take.

The Marshal’s eyes darkened, her voice deathly low. “I won’t repeat myself. Leave, Commander. You may be a Special Commander, but you are a Commander nonetheless.” Her gaze swept the circle. Magical Sensitivity struck everyone hard. “All of you. If I feel even the tiniest glance coming this way, I will take it as a sign of treason.”

Without exception, without complaint, the students and knights scattered. There was no room for debate. Her authority was absolute. August, Samuel, and Emma, though hesitant, did as they were told.

“Not you, Sun-young. You stay.”

Sun-young already had a feeling that was the case. She didn’t move an inch, her body freezing up from the silent magic oozing from the Marshal of the Templar Order. Silence descended upon them. No words were exchanged, only a gaze that judged the other.

“I’m not that much of an idiot. I know you held back.” Marshal Margaret stretched out a hand and summoned a sword. Sun-young nearly forgot to breathe. It was glorious. A rapier of pure gold with a shine that reflected every ounce of light.

All that power within the grasp of Marshal Margaret.

“I am the kind of woman who gets what she wants. I told you before: I want you to serve under me. You have great potential. Potential that you are squandering under that team of yours.”

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

Sun-young didn’t respond. She wasn’t able to, her attention stolen by the rapier and the complex strings functioning as the hilt. All golden, all bright and almighty.

“You wish to challenge yourself. First, you should know the gap between you and the strongest.”

The Marshal’s assumption stirred something in her. It was stupid. She shouldn't have gotten riled. She shouldn't have revealed her trump card so easily. Yet she had faced the strongest. She had faced insurmountable odds. The Slime Jack, John, Ronin, Jack…

‘Open inventory.’

Sun-young unveiled Majin-ken, the beautifully long katana that glowed at the touch of her hand. A weapon intended for Sun-young and Sun-young alone, symbols appearing as her fingers grasped the leather grip.

The lips of the Marshal curved upwards. “That is an impressive blade. Let us see if you’re worthy of it.”

Kumdo plus Super Speed Lv. 3—she was getting the hang of it. She blitzed towards the Marshal at top speed and swung her sword. She didn't know about anti-magic, so the element of surprise was with her. If Jack was any indicator, her attacks would work.

Clang!

Metals clashed. The Marshal didn’t move, her arm almost limp as she stopped her swing dead-on. Sun-young inhaled sharply, filling the blade with anti-magic, and pushed harder.

It was like pushing against a brick wall. Her arms were telling her it was impossible.

The Marshal spoke as if she was drinking a cup of coffee. “What August used against you was Mana Flow. As a returning player, he was able to add his element of lightning to his Mana Flow, which is in truth a rare phenomenon. Be proud that you did as well as you did.”

She spoke because she was unfazed. Undeterred. No matter how much Sun-young moved her blade, her opponent would neither budge nor put in an effort. “The stage above that is Advanced Mana Flow. I know you felt the difference when August was prepared to unleash it.”

‘Are you trying to teach me or fight!?’

Following that thought, she leaped back and forced some distance. She started running around her in circles and went for the most obvious opening: the back. She sprung forward, hands gripped together in an overhead Kumdo strike.

It hit.

Except it did nothing. Majin-ken, a B-ranked weapon, landed on her shoulder like a toy. Sun-young didn't understand. Against Jack, she was able to resist his dark magic and slice his wrist. Against Jack, she was able to do something. Yet here, everything seemed...hopeless.

“What I'm using is Mastered Mana Flow. The peak of magical control for a player. The mana is so dense and there are so many layers that you can’t even begin to nullify it.”

Slam! A fist drove itself into her stomach and Sun-young collapsed to the ground.

“You don't have Mana Flow yet, which is strange.” As she coughed and sputtered, Marshal Margaret stared down at her, eyes narrowed. “You're already second-class and you’ll reach third class not long after this. That kind of growth rate implies that a player has achieved basic Mana Flow. So why haven't you?”

Sun-young was unable to answer, her world spinning and her lungs gasping for air. Marshal Margaret waited and kept speaking.

“I know why. It's the same thing that happened to me.”

A kick to the face sent her flying back. Her metal boots crunched down on the grass as she approached the fallen swordswoman.

“Anti-magic.”

Her two words woke Sun-young up. She shifted her head to the side, one eye peering up at the Marshal. ‘How did she…?’

“I felt it the moment we clashed and I suspected it during your battle with August. That confidence in yourself. It’s the look of a warrior believing they can rip through any magic. It’s the same look I had once. Sun-young, you are a rare gem and you don’t even know it.” The top member of the Templar Order let out a sigh like a disappointed mother. “Get up. Now.”

One fist tight on her katana, Sun-young forced herself up, despite how idiotic it was. Sun-young was many things, but a disappointment was what she refused to be. The Marshal’s authority somehow channelled the inner depths of her willpower. Her deep-seated hate of disappointment gave her strength that no potion could. She was Sun-young; she wouldn’t disappoint people.

“That’s it. That’s the way. Come on, get up.” A small smile spread across the Marshal’s tanned face. “Close your eyes. Focus. Don’t think. Become one with the weapon.”

All of a sudden, she recalled the movements of the Ronin. The way he raised the blade. The way his eyes went empty and he gathered anti-magic within his blade. The way he released it.

An image of her battle against Jack rang in her skull. Her sheer focus had been on another level. It was like she had become the very weapon she was wielding. That was it. That emptiness, that was what she needed. Her hands in fists, tightly bound, she raised the katana.

“Huh? What’s this?”

The Marshal didn’t understand. Good. Then she wouldn’t see this coming.

Her intuition guided her while the image of the technique was already formulated.

Slash!

A slash of energy flew from the katana, ripping apart reality itself as it traversed. It wasn’t absurdly fast. The Marshal easily could have dodged. She didn’t. Marshal Margaret stood there, waiting for it to come. Then, at the least second, her reflexes kicked in and she raised her golden sword to block.

A shaky exhale from Sun-young. ‘Not a scratch on her,’ she thought, ‘but she did move.’

She had made the Marshal block her attack. That was progress.

“Un…be…lievable…!” Marshal Margaret emphasized each syllable, eyes wide, then burst into laughter. She nearly keeled over, hands on her knees, and looked up at Sun-young with an elated expression. “That’s it! There it is! Real anti-magic!”

[ New skill learned : Nullifying Slash ]