The monster in human flesh was Lanar, the second disciple of the Sword King! His eyes were glowing with a strange, otherworldly color. He stared at Benedict coldly, before flicking the sword in his hand. Shatter! As if the world collapsed, the pressure crushing Benedict vanished and his surroundings melted away. Before he realized it, Benedict found he was right outside the building that he just left. But that was impossible! He glanced around to find he really did end up here again. Mirage? Was it really an illusion? The boy looked at Lanar's blade to find no blood. Immediately, he looked at his chest to find no trace of his injury. He was completely untouched! What was happening?
Meanwhile, unbeknownst to the two, a man was sitting on the rooftop watching the commotion unfold with a great manner of levity. Unsurprisingly, it was Sword King Sin. A thin shroud of Martial Energy enveloped him, granting pseudo-invisibility. It was not enough to fool direct sight, but it was enough to trick a Perception Realm like Lanar. Unless he was specifically looking in his direction, he should not notice anything. The Sword King kept a thoughtful face when another person showed up. It was his first disciple, Hidek. If Lanar could notice Benedict's intentions, then it was obvious that the two would as well. The one who underestimated them was Benedict.
"Master, should I stop this?" Hidek asked about the fight below.
"No, let it continue for now."
"Understood."
The Sword King returned his attention to Benedict and thought to himself. Hidek had the greatest physical mastery at the Perception Realm Master level, Lanar had the greatest aptitude for Martial Energy, and Benedict had the one-in-a-million potential for Sword Intent. With the three of them, there was a huge chance of the next Sword King being born! He could not let this chance slip by. His gaze turned sharp as a sword. Especially when the next era was approaching! Indeed, he had the acute feeling that the Lannisail explosion was caused by a person. He had no proof, but he just felt it… To wield such destructive power went beyond his comprehension. It forced him to realize that the world was about to change!
Below, Lanar snarled at Benedict, "Seeing your stupid face makes me angrier. This simple illusion was actually enough to fool you…"
"Arcania?" Benedict replied befuddled. He never heard of a swordsman knowing magic! Fear grew in him uncontrollably. The unknown was the scariest, and he could tell that Lanar was going to kill him!
"Magic?" the man laughed before turning cold. "Don't lump me in with that useless bunch. Make no mistake. What I used was Martial Energy, not Magic Energy." His eyes intensified, causing Benedict to flinch. "Looks like what they say is true… Don't judge a book by its cover. Despite catching a glimpse of Sword Intent, you really are pathetic."
"What?" Benedict whispered. "What are you talking about?"
"Nothing. We're done talking here. Since you won't become our master's new disciple, then we don't have a need for you anymore. It's only natural that I'm going to kill you, isn't it?" he said matter-of-factly.
Light flashed off his sword, reflecting his words of judgement! Lanar took one step forward, while Benedict took one step back. Benedict's heart raced a thousand times a second. Although this distance seemed big, it was really nothing. Lanar was a Perception Realm and an expert in Martial Energy. In fact, he was probably the second most proficient expert in Martial Energy, right underneath the Sword King himself! He could cross this small distance and kill Benedict in an instant. Realizing that fleeing was impossible, Benedict grimaced and decided. To everyone's surprise, he did not scream for help, run away, or beg for mercy. He unsheathed his sword and faced Lanar directly!
"Oh?" Lanar said. "You think you have a chance against me?"
Benedict narrowed his eyes. "No, I don't think I do… But there's something I must do." Thinking about the Lannisail explosion, his heart became unsettled. Elizabeth, Lorenzo, his family, the rest of Algard… He needed to confirm their safety! That feeling transformed into resolve and determination!
"I see. Too bad, you're weak!"
With a shout, Lanar attacked. Even though Lanar was barely using a fraction of his power, it was already enough. After all, he was a Perception Realm! Benedict had zero time to react. That strike was beyond perfect. It was instantaneous! Death loomed on him, yet he kept his eyes open. His face was steeled to face it head on! However, when the blade was a hair from slicing him open, it was stopped by an invisible force. The Sword King landed at this precise moment, dropping from the roof, while launching a similar attack to Lanar. The two had collided midair and neutralized each other! The collision created a small shockwave and dissipated immediately afterwards. Benedict remained unharmed!
Everything happened so fast that Benedict had no idea. However, a Perception Realm could tell how impossible it was to execute what the Sword King did. To perfectly negate an attack at that close range and ensure the dissipating force was minimal... Remember, the strike was a millisecond from killing Benedict! The Sword King did not shield Benedict, but rather destroyed the attack directly. It was like an explosion going off point-blank! The mere aftershock should be enough to mince Benedict to pieces. However, with precisely enough strength and the correct angle, the Sword King perfectly negated it to nothing. The difficulty could not be estimated! Only an Instinct Realm could accomplish it!
"Master." Lanar sheathed his sword and bowed. The glow in his eyes vanished as well.
The Sword King nodded and looked to Benedict. "Now you understand… I wasn't asking you to become my disciple. You will become my disciple, whether you want to or not," he said tyrannically.
That was right. When did the Sword King ask for anything? He was a true apex power, one that reigned supreme in the human world! He could effortlessly annihilate the First Hand, a force of thirty Perception Realms, instantaneously. He might not be able to face off against an army; however, his power was the real deal. This was the true Sword King Sin Quelldown! Benedict's expression naturally darkened. This was essentially taking him prisoner!
"Yes, that's right," the Sword King said. "You're our prisoner from now on. If you don't perform up to my expectations, then we'll kill you. However… if you manage to preserve and excel, then I promise… I will train you to become the next apex swordsman! You will become the next Sword King!"
Benedict was speechless, but the words did tug at his heartstrings. Weak and powerless… These were the two words that described him. A failure in the Hawken Style, he disappointed his father through and through. A frail body that remained on the level of Fundamental Realm Adept, comparing him to his brother was bound for tragedy. Most importantly, a terrible aptitude and personality. He fled from the Quinvoren Army after losing Isabella to the war. He trained so long and gained so little. As for the few teachings that his father imparted, Lorenzo understood them while Benedict was left in the dust. Therefore, it was natural that their father would want to expel him from the family, no? Everything could be summed up in those two words: weak and powerless!
Over time, he almost gave up. No matter what he tried, no matter how hard he tried, it was useless. His swordsmanship and body never progressed forward. It was like the world itself was telling him that he would never become strong! However, he never surrendered. He continued to train and hone his skills to break past that invisible barrier! Benedict wanted to become a Royal Guard and prove his father wrong! That was his ultimate ambition and goal.
Originally, he had little hope but upon seeing the Sword King's power, his opinion changed. Even a dullard could realize how incredible the man was! Now that someone like that told Benedict he could be the next Sword King, who would not tremble with excitement? Who would not grin like an idiot? The man's words resonated and echoed in Benedict's mind endlessly. The Sword King's words were a beacon of light that shone on Benedict, illuminating his dark and gloomy future. The path of the strong was shown to him! Indeed, the Sword King was undoubtedly a smart man. By showing a sliver of his power along with a little bait, anyone would be lured in. Especially someone like Benedict, who desired strength more than anyone else!
The knight took a deep breath and asked, "Do you think I can really do it? Is it possible for me?"
"We don't know until we try," the Sword King said to a depressed Benedict. "…However, you're the only one I've found that had a hint of Sword Intent. No matter what, your potential is the real deal. We'll see how far you'll go. Trust in me, your new master, the Sword King!"
"…Alright, I don't have a choice anyways," Benedict smiled wryly. "Can I at least send a letter to my family? I don't want to worry them."
Benedict glanced into the dark sky, where the stars were just beginning to appear. The cold air continued to sting his skin, but he felt warmth inside. A deep fire was sprouting in his heart, the fire of anticipation and ambition! The look in his eyes gradually transformed ferociously. His hand reached out and tried to grasp the sky itself. He would make his dreams a reality! And he would finally gain the strength to protect Elizabeth and everyone else! Finally, like this, the second unlikely duo between disciple and master was born: Benedict became the third disciple of the Sword King!