The battlefield was chaos incarnate.
Explosions thundered through the air, shaking the very ground beneath the soldiers' feet. Bullets whizzed past, clashing with the distinct, almost anachronistic ring of steel meeting steel. In the midst of the carnage, one figure stood out—a lone warrior cutting through the enemy ranks like a force of nature.
Leona Drake.
They called her the Modern Knight of the Era, a living legend among soldiers. Clad in combat armor, her uniform torn and stained with blood—some hers, most not—she moved with the grace of a trained predator. Her blade, a tempered steel sword modified for modern warfare, sang through the air, slicing down foes with deadly precision.
Gunfire rattled around her, but she did not falter. She had trained for this since she was a child. Swordsmanship, martial arts, tactical combat—her entire life had been dedicated to the battlefield. And it had earned her a fearsome reputation.
"Shit! It's her!" one enemy soldier shouted.
"Fall back! It's Leona Drake!" another cried, terror clear in his voice.
But there was no escape. With relentless ferocity, Leona pressed on, her movements a deadly symphony of slashes, parries, and precise counterattacks. Yet, even as she fought, memories surfaced—voices of her comrades echoing in her mind.
"Leona… you're incredible, but you're still human. One day, even you might fall."
"Don't be reckless, damn it! You're not immortal!"
"If you keep fighting like this, you'll never leave the battlefield alive."
She ignored them. Now was not the time for doubt. Now was the time for war.
But then—
A sharp whistling sound cut through the air. Instinctively, Leona looked up. Her heart clenched.
A massive bomb was descending from the sky, its deadly payload locked onto the battlefield.
She let out a breath, exhaustion creeping into her limbs as she stood tall, sword still in hand. A weary smile tugged at her lips.
"So, this is how it ends, huh?"
She had given everything to the battlefield. If this was her final moment, so be it. She closed her eyes as the blinding light of the explosion consumed everything.
A New Reality
Except… there was no darkness.
Instead, when she opened her eyes, she was standing in the center of a grand throne room.
Her combat armor was gone, replaced by a set of gleaming knight's armor. In her hand, a sword she had never seen before, yet it felt natural—like it belonged to her.
"…The hell?" she muttered, her sharp eyes scanning the unfamiliar environment.
Noblewomen, guards, and robed mages stared at her in awe, whispers buzzing through the chamber.
"Is this truly the summoned knight?" one noblewoman murmured.
"She looks nothing like the warriors of our realm," another whispered. "Yet there is an undeniable presence about her…"
"She carries herself with confidence, but where did she come from?" a mage questioned, narrowing his eyes at her.
At the top of the throne room's steps sat a woman of undeniable beauty, her regal presence exuding authority. Her violet eyes studied Leona with an unreadable expression.
Hostile environment—assess the situation.
Her soldier instincts screamed at her to be ready.
Wait… what the hell? Wasn't I just… dying? I was on a mission. There was an explosion… And now I'm in a medieval castle?!
Before she could voice her confusion, the blare of trumpets echoed through the hall. A royal advisor stepped forward, his voice triumphant.
"The summoning was a success! The legendary knight has arrived to protect our kingdom!"
Leona's brow twitched. "Legendary what?"
The princess at the top of the steps stood gracefully, her gaze never leaving Leona's.
"You are the knight I have summoned. From this day forward, you belong to me."
Leona stared. Blinked. Then deadpanned, "…Excuse me?"
Before she could demand an explanation, a sharp voice cut through the tension.
"A summoned outsider?" A woman in ornate armor, exuding an aura of strict discipline, stepped forward. Seraphina Lione, the Royal Knight Commander. Her golden eyes blazed with suspicion. "You expect me to trust her? Let's see if she's worthy."
A challenge.
Leona's lips curved into a smirk. "Alright. Let's do this."
The Duel of Legends
The training grounds were packed. Courtiers, knights, and servants gathered to witness the spectacle.
Leona faced Seraphina, rolling her shoulders. The commander wielded a refined longsword, her stance sharp and disciplined. A seasoned warrior.
But Leona had spent her entire life on the battlefield.
The signal was given.
Seraphina lunged—
Leona sidestepped with ease, her sword meeting the knight commander's in a clash of steel. With practiced efficiency, she deflected the blow, countered, and disarmed Seraphina in mere seconds. The commander's sword clattered to the ground.
Silence.
Gasps rippled through the crowd. Murmurs of shock and awe followed.
Seraphina, stunned, stared at her empty hands, then at Leona, who stood unfazed, blade lowered.
The princess, watching intently, smirked. Interesting.
The royal advisor declared the result. "The legendary knight has proven her strength!"
The celebration erupted. Leona, however, remained still, internally screaming—
What the hell is going on?! And why are people looking at me like that?!
A Knight's New Life
Later that night, Leona found herself on the balcony of her new quarters, gazing at the stars. Today had been… a lot.
She was dead. And yet, she was here.
She sighed. "The hell am I supposed to do now?"
A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. "Come in."
The door creaked open, revealing Princess Eleanor. She carried two glasses of wine, her smirk never fading.
"You truly are remarkable," the princess said, offering a glass. "I chose well."
Leona accepted it, raising an eyebrow. "I don't even know why I'm here."
Eleanor took a sip, watching her closely. "Then let's find out together, shall we?"
Leona sighed, taking a slow sip of wine. "Fine. But don't expect me to start bowing and scraping."
Eleanor chuckled. "I wouldn't dream of it."
Unbeknownst to Leona, this was only the beginning of her new life—a life filled with intrigue, battles, and an unexpected harem forming around her.
And she had no idea how to deal with it.
Chapter X+1: A New Dawn and an Unexpected Revelation
The next day arrived, and Leona was already up before the sun had fully risen. She had never been one to sleep in, not during her military days, and certainly not now.
With practiced efficiency, she dressed in the training clothes provided to her—a sleeveless black tunic, fitted trousers, and sturdy boots. Though different from her usual combat gear, they were surprisingly comfortable and allowed for ease of movement.
Stepping out of her chambers, she made her way toward the castle's training grounds. As she walked, her sharp eyes took in the intricate architecture around her—the grand stone walls, towering stained-glass windows, and the occasional patrolling guards clad in polished armor.
She exhaled through her nose, shaking her head.
"Still feels surreal. One moment, I was dying on the battlefield, and the next, I'm standing in a medieval castle wearing armor that doesn't belong to me. And now, I'm the princess's personal knight? Summoned to protect a kingdom I don't even know?"
Her thoughts churned as she passed through a grand hallway lined with tapestries depicting knights, kings, and battles of the past.
"Not gonna lie, this is some straight-up fantasy novel bullshit. And yet… it's real. Too real. The weight of the sword at my hip, the feel of the ground beneath my feet—it's not a dream. So what the hell do I do now? Just roll with it?"
She huffed in mild frustration, rubbing the back of her neck.
"And being a 'knight' for a princess… yeah, that's a whole other can of worms. I never signed up to be some royal bodyguard. But then again, refusing doesn't seem to be an option."
She kept walking, her mind occupied, until—
A sudden violet glow flickered into existence directly in front of her face.
"What the—?!"
Leona instinctively took a step back, her muscles tensing as her battle instincts flared. Her hand went to her sword, ready for an attack—
But no enemy appeared.
Instead, a translucent screen hovered in the air before her, pulsing with faint light.
"…What in the actual hell?"
Her golden eyes narrowed as she examined the strange sight. The screen was lined with elegant patterns, like some sort of magical interface. And then, words appeared, neatly arranged in a structured format:
[STATUS SCREEN]
Name: Leona Drake
Age: 27
Race: Human
Level: 42
Class: Royal Guardian
Titles: The Modern Knight, Summoned Warrior, Princess's Blade, Warborn Champion, Slayer of Armies
Health Points (HP): 12,500/12,500
Magic Points (MP): 4,800/4,800
Strength: 3,250
Agility: 2,900
Endurance: 3,800
Mana: 2,500
Luck: 600
Charm: 1,200
[Skills]
Normal Skills:
Tactical Combat: Grants enhanced battlefield awareness, improving reaction speed and decision-making.
Military Leadership: Increases allies' morale and coordination during battle.
Weapon Mastery: Expert-level proficiency in all melee weapons, from swords to polearms.
Ability Skills:
Enhanced Reflexes: Allows instantaneous reaction to high-speed attacks.
Battle Instincts: Intuition sharpens in combat, predicting enemy movements.
Unyielding Will: Resistance against fear, mental attacks, and pain tolerance increased.
Adrenaline Surge: When near death, grants a massive temporary boost to speed and power.
Magic Sword Skills:
Mana Edge: Coats the blade in raw magical energy, increasing sharpness.
Arcane Slash: A powerful slash that releases a wave of cutting energy.
Void Rend: A strike that ignores armor and directly damages the enemy's soul.
Blazing Crescent: A fiery crescent slash that burns everything in its path.
Phantom Strike: Moves faster than the eye can see, creating afterimages.
Shadow Reaver: Temporarily fuses darkness magic into the sword for increased lethality.
Storm Fang: Channels wind magic, sending razor-sharp air currents at enemies.
Ethereal Severance: Ignores magical barriers and slices through enchanted armor.
Lunar Judgment: A devastating attack empowered by celestial energy.
Titan's Cleave: Delivers a crushing blow that can shatter the ground beneath foes.
Unique Skills:
??? (Locked)
??? (Locked)
??? (Locked)
[Weapons & Items]
Current Weapon: Unknown Summoned Blade (Evolving)
Inventory:
Health Recovery Potions (3)
Mana Recovery Elixirs (2)
Royal Emblem of Oath
Leona stared. Blinked. Read it again. And then—
"You've got to be kidding me."
A status screen. Like something out of an RPG.
"…Okay, this just confirms it. I really am in a goddamn fantasy world."
Her eyes scanned the stats, noting how they were measured. Strength, Agility, Endurance… everything was quantified in numbers. And those 'skills'? Tactical Combat and Military Leadership made sense—those were honed through years of training. But 'Magic Sword Skills' and 'Mana'? That was new.
Leona let out a long sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose.
"Right. So not only am I in another world, but now I have video game mechanics shoved into my existence? What next, am I gonna get a quest log and experience points?"
She frowned, looking at the section labeled 'Unique Skills.' Unlike the others, it was locked.
"Figures. Nothing's ever easy."
She hesitantly reached out, touching the screen. The moment her fingers brushed the surface, the display shimmered before vanishing into thin air.
"…Great. Just great."
Leona took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. The more she learned, the weirder this world became. And she had a strong feeling that this was only the beginning.
"…I need answers."
Steeling herself, she continued toward the training grounds. Whatever awaited her there, she'd face it head-on—just as she always had.