After Enkrid left, Rem, or rather everyone including Rem, became unusually diligent after a long time.
Instead of tormenting passing soldiers, Rem spent more time swinging his axe alone.
He put in some effort. He kept sweating.
Ragna did the same.
Would Audin be any different?
Everyone except for Jaxen was the same. Jaxen, who spent much more time outside the barracks, only occasionally joined them.
Thus, the deadly sparring sessions continued, with lives hanging in the balance.
It was truly intense.
"Damn it."
All the soldiers watching clicked their tongues.
Watching Rem, Ragna, Audin, and even the Fairy Commander join in the fight, the soldiers felt a sense of defeat. Despair patted their shoulders.
Was there anyone who could look at them and grit their teeth, vowing to catch up?
"Are these guys crazy?"
Even Torres, from the frontier defense, furrowed his brows.
"What the hell, this isn't even about discouraging others."
His dissatisfaction was quickly felt throughout the barracks.
Could they really believe that by swinging swords every day, they could reach such a level?
Even the Fairy Commander was not falling behind.
"They're pretty good."
Even Rem had said that. It wasn't just "good" — it was enough that, except for Will, one could believe they were of knight-level skill.
What kind of Commander could someone with this kind of skill even be?
There were also those who did the same thing with less skill, working as commanders in the same way. So, considering that, the Fairy commander wasn't bad at all.
It was all due to the chaos. The reason the battalion commander had given them a separate training ground was because of this.
The Fairy commander had even made an active suggestion.
"The atmosphere in the barracks has gotten a bit messed up."
After that simple report, a training ground was created immediately.
It made sense. Once, due to Enkrid, a training craze had spread, but it had already cooled off.
It wasn't easy to intentionally create such a thing, but a few passionate sparring matches had made it happen.
There were monsters like that in this world.
Because of those monsters, a deep sense of depression had spread throughout the barracks.
The guy who had been lounging lazily in his bunk, clearly like that.
But Ragna was truly a genius among geniuses.
How could he swing a sword so sharply from such a broken stance?
Torres secretly tried to imitate the movement and fell over.
Literally, that was a trick you couldn't replicate just by watching.
And what about Rem?
Not only was his personality nasty, but his axe skills were nasty as well.
Swinging both axes powerfully, from the very first strike, it looked nearly impossible to block.
And what about the one who blocked it all?
"Brother, go to heaven!"
His speech might have been soft, but he was always ready to kill. And that wasn't all.
He didn't even fall behind with bare hands. Sometimes, he'd even pick up a club, but generally, he fought with his bare hands.
Audin was a master of unarmed combat.
In previous battles, he had snapped enemy necks like breaking a corn stalk and bent their limbs like twigs.
"May you go to the Lord's side!"
He was a fearsome expert.
After that, there was the quietly insane Jaxen, who only wielded his sword in silence.
Finally, the Fairy commander made the grand finale.
All the soldiers watching them felt their motivation drop drastically.
These were people who hadn't even been training properly, yet their talent was dazzling. It was talent so overwhelming it felt blinding.
And then, Enkrid returned.
In the meantime, Rem had sharpened his senses with sparring sessions where his life was on the line. He hadn't fought for the fun of it, but for a better tomorrow. It had been a long time since he had swung his axe.
Before the sparring where his life was at risk, he felt confident he could defeat someone like the semi-knight, Asia. No, he was sure he could kill her.
The technique Will used, even if it was knight-level, was still about handling the body, so he wouldn't just collapse in an instant.
If a rare knight with exceptional skill came, it wouldn't be easy to win. But still, he wasn't going to die from a single sword strike.
And Rem had really honed his skills. He put in effort for self-improvement.
Ragna was the same. His laziness was now a thing of the past.
He practiced with his sword every morning and evening, deeply lost in thought. He wasn't just sleeping; he was in deep meditation.
Even so…
'Won't the match end?'
Rem was half-serious. If he took it any more seriously, one of them would have to die. If it was a sparring match, it should have ended right there.
But still…
'A little more.'
Enkrid's sword fell from above, aiming for his crown. As Rem swung his axe to block it, the blade bent downward.
This time, it didn't resemble a snake but more like a bird of prey. It seemed like it was swooping down, targeting its prey like a hawk.
The sword accelerated in mid-swing, threatening to pass outside Rem's view.
Barely managing to catch the trace of it, Rem made another defensive move.
Clang!
'Damn it.'
Rem couldn't help but smile. When had he ever sparred with his squad leader like this?
Before, yes, it had been fun, but it was more of a playful level of enjoyment.
It felt like a dance – just a bit of fun.
But now?
Along with excitement, a sense of euphoria filled him.
He wanted to feel more of this.
'Just a little longer.'
The axe, which had originally been swung to test his skill, was now closing the gap between them.
According to the initial standard Rem and Ragna had set, a warm-up sparring session had now turned into one where lives were at stake.
Blood.
In the moment when Rem crossed his axe, thinking he had blocked the strike completely, a thrust slipped through the small gap and grazed his cheek.
It was just a scratch. Barely a scratch.
But he hadn't blocked it. Rem's lips twisted into a strange grin. It felt so enjoyable it was almost maddening.
His excitement surged, and it felt like something new was flowing through his body.
His mighty heart was stirred, heating his entire body.
His heart pounded, and in sync with that, he swung the axe powerfully.
The sparring that had started with half a life at stake quickly escalated into one where full lives were on the line.
In that instant, Enkrid's eyes glazed over, and his sword fell to the ground like a snapped thread.
Rem was shocked.
'Damn it!'
There was no time to recover his axe. He was about to split his squad leader's skull and witness the brain splatter.
It was time for the opening between openings.
Bang!
A sword came in, blocking the path of the axe.
Thwack—then two hands grabbed his muscular forearms.
Lastly, the thick hand of someone grabbed his left wrist, which was reflexively moving to strike.
One by one, it was Ragna, Jaxen, and Audin.
"Are you going to kill him just by looking at him?"
"…Damn, what do you mean 'kill him'? I was trying to stop it cleanly, with good control. Why are you getting in my way?"
It was bravado. They all understood. And they knew. Ragna, Audin, and Jaxen had all seen it.
Their squad leader had changed.
He had returned as someone of an unexpected, unparalleled level.
There was no hesitation in his strikes, his sense of tactics, and even his coordination. How about his reaction speed and physical abilities?
Jaxen had figured it out at a glance.
'The sense of evasion.'
It was quite satisfying. What was especially noteworthy was that Enkrid had truly mastered it.
Jaxen nodded to himself.
Ragna, however, noticed something else.
'Refined swordsmanship.'
Was it his skill with the sword? No, his entire approach to swordsmanship had leveled up. His method of swinging and even the way he thought about it had changed. It wasn't just a superficial difference.
'He combined his strengths with his swordsmanship.'
He wasn't just blindly following orders anymore, he had properly understood and internalized his technique.
In just two months?
Even if the Frog had worked tirelessly, could this level of improvement have been possible?
Ragna knew better than anyone that his squad leader had changed and would continue to change.
What he needed was talent in controlling his body, and now that foundation had been laid.
Ragna wasn't lacking in perception.
But this?
Among them, only Audin had fully grasped Enkrid's physical abilities.
'It makes me smile, Brother Squad Leader.'
It was truly a satisfying state of physical condition. The level of training, the changes in his physical abilities.
What lay at the heart of it?
The technique of evasion—was that it? The foundation of the "Cat's Senses" that Enkrid had adopted.
'It's the technique of isolation.'
Monks, who primarily focus on physical training among priests, are called Monkras. The technique of isolation was a more refined version of their training methods.
Enkrid's body had been shaped by that technique.
'He must have also developed regenerative abilities.'
The exceptional recovery rate was one of the reasons his body could be remade like this.
It was a time of satisfaction again.
Finally, Rem was shocked. Deeply so.
'When did it come to this?'
It was really surprising to think about.
The crazy guy who had asked for a sparring match on their first meeting had now become a crazy guy with real skill.
He had completely evolved into a certified crazy guy.
It was nothing short of amazing.
And Rem found that thrilling.
Was it important how his skills had improved?
'No.'
It wasn't that.
It seemed like it would be fun. Even more so in the future.
Just because a special training ground had been built didn't mean the place was fully enclosed.
The fence had holes in it, barely high enough to reach an adult's chest.
At least, it marked the boundary.
Beyond that boundary, there were those watching the sparring.
The soldiers who had lost their motivation and spirits.
Among them was Vengeance.
'Monstrous bastards.'
Rem and his mad squad were truly a group of monsters.
And watching Enkrid, who led this monstrous group, Vengeance couldn't understand how he had come to stand there.
Enkrid had returned.
Vengeance had seen it.
He saw how Enkrid didn't back down an inch in front of Rem.
Vengeance knew his beginnings. Because he had disliked him, he understood him even better.
Enkrid had been nothing special. Just a lowly soldier, that was all he was called.
'Old and talentless.'
But what about now?
It was strange. When looking at Rem, Ragna, or Audin, they seemed like monsters, but when looking at Enkrid, he made others want to imitate his effort.
He made them want to stand by him, at his side, on the same level.
Was it because they had seen his effort until now? Or was it just the difference in familiarity?
Vengeance didn't know. He had no such worries.
Only desire remained.
"Today is special training."
"Yes!"
The soldiers of Vengeance's squad answered in unison.
It wasn't just Vengeance.
All the soldiers felt the same way. The flames of motivation surged in their hearts as they watched Enkrid fight.
It was perhaps inevitable that the heat of training would rise the next day.
The day Enkrid returned, he sparred with Rem.
"I think I overdid it. I'm still not fully accustomed to it."
His eyes were spinning and his strength was drained, all from overusing his monstrous strength.
Well, Rem had charged at him with intent.
"Won't I get used to it after using it more?"
Enkrid said, but Rem was skeptical. Had anyone other than himself fully mastered this?
It didn't seem so, and Enkrid was the first to not just mimic but fully internalize it.
The next day, he sparred with Ragna.
"Where did you learn your swordsmanship?"
"From a passing evil spirit."
It wasn't a lie.
Then, Jaxen, rarely, joined in for a spar.
Audin showed him a new joint-locking technique.
Enkrid was glad to have those around him, supporting him like this after his return.
How enjoyable it was. To wield his sword and move his body continuously.
To advance toward a new self.
Even without repeating today, he could still gain something.
"Fiancée?"
The fairy commander also showed up, and naturally, the sparring continued.
That was when Enkrid understood. When the squad leader picked up a sword, he was just as good as Rem.
"We've reached the same rank now. When are you going to take me to a meal?"
The fairy's jokes about food—when would they stop?
But Enkrid didn't mind it anymore. There was no need to say anything about it.
It had become a part of everyday life.
Esther, who had been sleeping for a couple of days straight, now only came into his arms once every two days.
He didn't even notice any changes.
Krais had sold some ancient coins he had recently found and got a good price for them.
He also sold various weapons they had collected in a nearby village at a favorable price.
With all these things, krona had become quite prosperous.
During his training, Enkrid visited the blacksmith's forge.
"Did it break? What about the armor?"
The armor was torn, pierced, and the chainmail inside had many broken links. It was pretty much ruined.
The sword had snapped. The core was damaged. It was beyond saving. He decided to take it anyway, hoping he could melt it down and reuse the material.
"Two swords?"
"Just happened that way."
He smiled wryly. It was a relief that it had ended with just this.
"Do you have any leftover chainmail?"
Enkrid asked. The blacksmith sighed and nodded.
"I don't have any right now, but I can make some for you. Good iron came in recently."
Enkrid nodded and then pulled out a sword.
It was what had been called a cursed sword.
"Can you sharpen this blade?"
The blacksmith inspected the sword and spoke.
"This isn't a common item, is it? Just the blade?"
"No. I want you to replace the pommel and the grip too, and the balance feels a bit off."
The blacksmith nodded.
The blade itself was excellent, but the accessories were a mess.
"Good quality deer leather just came in. I'll wrap the grip with it."
He was offering to fix it. Enkrid nodded, and after paying a fair price, he stopped by a dried meat shop to grab a few pieces. Before he knew it, it was already evening.
"Don't you want more to eat?"
"I have to go."
He couldn't ask the blacksmith to work on his sword too, so he planned to get it through a trader coming in.
Oddly enough, he was unarmed.
Enkrid felt the emptiness at his waist. Even though he had a shortsword, guard sword, and knife strapped to him, it felt incomplete.
"The weather's nice."
But the atmosphere in the city didn't seem to be. After asking a few passing merchants, the answer came quickly.
"There are rumors that a band of thieves is targeting the city, and monsters are gathering from the south. Also, there was some commotion with a messenger from the eastern city."
Border Guard was a military city, located right on the border of Aspen.
Would a band of thieves target a place like this? It was unlikely, unless they were particularly daring.
Still, there were always crazy thieves. They had caused problems even when Aspen was fighting.
As for the monsters, that was a perpetual issue.
The east? If they were talking about the city of swords, then it wasn't unusual for them to stir up trouble there.
Still, the fact that such rumors were circulating meant trouble was brewing.
There's an old saying: when ominous rumors spread, children increase and goods decrease.
It meant that people stayed indoors, and merchants visiting from outside became scarce.
A similar problem had occurred before when monsters had overrun the area, and the Border Guard had been dispatched.
Enkrid had even taken on a request during that time.
It had been when he faced the harpies. That had been a fun battle. The feeling of the sword was satisfying.
Anyway, the rumors were spreading, but no orders had come down yet, so...
"They'll figure it out."
The battalion commander had his job to do.
Enkrid had been appointed as a company commander , but it was still unofficial.
It was the personal decision of the battalion commander.
Behind him were the nobles.
What could he say about them? These serpentine bastards who seemed to have royal blood running through their veins—they were everywhere in this city.
It didn't sit well with him, but he couldn't just stab every one of them in sight.
"I'm not Rem."
Of course, that would be impossible.
When he returned to the barracks, Rem was there.
"Yeah, I can't live like that."
"What's wrong with your eyes?"
Rem had the kind of sharp intuition that rivaled Krais's. Especially when Enkrid was cursing him.
"Did you go around cursing me? Walking through the market? No, I bet you cursed me in your head."
Sometimes, when Rem got too sharp, it really felt like he had extraordinary perception.
Enkrid acted according to his beliefs.
If a lie could make someone feel more at ease, then that lie could be considered pure.
"No."
He shook his head.
"Then why do I feel like you're angry?"
"That's because your personality's twisted."
"I think you cursed me again."
"No."
Sharp intuition and white lies exchanged in the air.
Enkrid had grown used to this place—it felt like home now.
Had the battalion commander said that he hoped for him to start loving the city ?
It wasn't a passionate love, but he didn't dislike it. Truly.