1038. Audin-style authentic boxing
“Save me! Lucirator! Hero of the Giants!”
A giant child shouted. A beastman child, who had been trembling without knowing what was going on, blinked.
Is it a giant? That was the question that arose in the child’s eyes. Audin’s gaze turned toward the child. It was as if he didn’t care whether there was a giant troll in front of them or not.
“Little sister, I am not a giant.”
Upon hearing that, the child Suin spoke.
“It’s a bear shapeshifter. It came from the village to rescue me.”
Theresa turned her head. It was hard to hold back laughter.
Audin was not angry at the child’s delusion and misunderstanding. Just how desperate must he be to call him like that?
“Save me. Please save me. I want to go home.”
Another child muttered. Audin opened his mouth, smiling using his eyes and the corners of his mouth. It was a smile that was refreshing just to look at.
“Okay, let’s go back.”
How many children like that have died by now?
Discussing the numbers is meaningless. I only reflect on my past for not coming sooner to punish them.
Lord, forgive your lazy child.
“If you know now, move.”
The Captain’s words echoed as I prayed. Because Encred would say something like this.
I will.
Normally, the right thing to do was to step back, prepare, and return. I had promised that to Kreis.
But seeing what was happening right before my eyes, it was hard to bear. No, I didn’t want to bear it.
Lord, Father. I know that my will is not God’s will, but please help me.
It was accompanied by prayer. A shadow fell over Audin’s head. The troll had attacked again.
A pitch-black blade shot out from its palm, tearing through flesh. Then, a lump of iron, black as charcoal as firewood burned for months, fell toward Audin.
Audin spread his hands wide and pushed to the side. That pushed the blade back.
They called him a knight, but had he actually undergone the arduous process of training and discipline? Can one be called a knight based solely on innate instinct, a physique, athleticism, and physical strength?
That was proven long ago.
The Chimera Knights created by Count Molsen were like that, as were the paladins of the false prophet group claiming to serve the Grey God. And then there was the Faceless Knights of the South, whose combat prowess was superior to the others.
Audin knows all of this. That is the conclusion drawn from it. Anything obtained without a process is useless.
Is it over if you reach your destination by chance via a shortcut? If asked to guide the way again, even proper guidance would be impossible.
That proof is none other than the Captain Brother.
His efforts shone brighter than any jewel. He surveyed every path and walked to reach the present.
Audin grabbed the troll’s knee and twisted it. To trace the sequence of events, after the troll swung the iron bar and was pushed back, he swung his hand horizontally; Audin dodged it by ducking his head, then stood close, crossed his hands against the troll’s knee, and pushed at an off-center angle.
Crunch.
With that, one of the troll’s legs was broken. Even with its exceptional regenerative abilities, it takes time for a complex joint like the knee to regenerate once it is shattered.
The creature’s body tilted downward. Its head, which had already been looking down to kill someone smaller than itself, drooped even lower.
Audin struck the troll’s head, which had come down within reach, from below upward.
The Divine Mercy held in his right hand struck the troll’s jaw.
Bang!
What was his head spread out radially into the sky. You would say that it turned into dust and scattered.
“……what!”
The Apostle watching shouted in surprise. There were still over twenty Armadons behind him. However, the one that had died just moments ago was one he had truly put great effort into creating. It possessed enough power to take on three of an average knight.
The problem was that Audin was by no means average, and it was simply ridiculous for a fellow holed up in a back room—no, a Mirror of Death—to judge the skill of a knight.
The outcome for the remaining Armadons was not much different. They were torn apart, burst, and crushed.
Minotaurs, three-headed Lamia, Ogres, Trolls, Manticores, Owlbears, and Scalers lay dead and scattered. The corpses of monsters were strewn like decorations in an environment worthy of being called a Mirror of Death.
Amidst those carcasses, the monster that had single-handedly killed most of the Armadons opened its mouth.
Brother.
Golden sand flowed from his head to his shoulders, dripping the black blood splattered on his body and hair down to the ground. The golden hue had faded slightly from the beginning, but the valor he had displayed so far had not diminished.
For at any moment, that fist would crush the heads of those left behind.
He is a man standing upon the puddle of black blood that has fallen with a thud. No, he is a monster.
What are you?
The Apostle muttered in surprise. The alchemist De Mulle, the priest known as the Red-Footed Apostle, and himself—
these three were masters of magic research. Two of them had fought against the Mad Knights and died.
You idiots. I mean, why are you getting involved?
He had secluded himself within the Mirror of Darkness, doing nothing but research and steadily building up his strength.
He intended to simply watch from this spot whenever a problem arose. He did not know who his opponent was, which made him even more surprised.
Audin gave a knowing smile—a greeting to the person he was about to send to the gods. Unable to hold back once again, he spoke his mind.
“My name is Audin Prei, and I belong to the Order of the Mad Knights.”
Paladin Audin—his name was not unfamiliar. It was a name he had heard before. The corners of the Apostle’s eyes trembled. Fear washed over him. Now that all of Armadon had been slaughtered, his life was no different from a candle in the wind.
Watching the Apostle tremble silently, Audin was about to finish speaking when something suddenly shot up from the floor beneath him.
pop!
The ground burst open, scattering stone-like clumps of earth in all directions.
Audin had already moved out of the way and swept away all the clumps with his hand. Theresa, who had moved at some point, pulled the wooden prison aside.
He wanted to smash it immediately to free the children, but for now, the spell engraved on the prison was protecting them from the air of the Mirror of
Death. Audin cast his gaze forward. What was rising up? It was a Knight of Death clad in gray armor. A greatsword had pierced through the ground. The head, arms, and torso would likely emerge in that order. Just before the torso appeared following the head and arms, Audin rushed forward and kicked the head.
Even though the Gray Knight had raised his greatsword to block, Audin’s foot twisted like a swallow gliding through the air, dodging the sword and striking the head directly.
Empty.
There was nothing where the helmet had flown away, but gray soot formed, and a horse sprang out from there.
Is it a guest?
It was the voice of a devil full of composure, the Promiser of Abundance.
The kick Audin delivered just moments ago was a technique created to break Encred’s Ember Slayer, a strike that involved twisting the waist and knee joints.
That is why the Gray Knight couldn’t even block it.
Audin felt a bit regretful. He had intended to use this on the Captain Brothers first.
On the other hand, he also knew, naturally, that this was not the time to hold back. After all, he would have to fight here risking at least half his life.
You’ve come.
Theresa muttered from behind. Do you think
the Devil would just stand by and watch while such a commotion is being caused here?
Even a coward wouldn’t do that.
Moreover, the Promiser of Abundance has a past where he cannot stand seeing a holy knight clad in divinity.
“You are an apostle of the God of War. Should I call you my junior?”
Gray soot emanated from the armor, stretching out in long lines to form a human figure before the Apostle.
Then, the form composed of gray lines took shape. With flawless skin and deep blue eyes, he was a handsome man who would make anyone passing by turn around. His
curly, swaying beige-blonde hair fluttered in the breeze. His creamy hair exuded an aura that would make one believe he was a prince of some small kingdom.
Indeed, he was once a man revered by all believers. He was called a saint and also referred to as an Apostle beloved by God. This was a story from a very long time ago, back when he was the prince of the so-called Holy Kingdom.
“God, if you love me, shouldn’t you promise me immortality and eternity?”
He sang of immortality.
“Isn’t it right that all the gold in the world belongs to me? God, prove your love.”
He worshipped gold.
After obtaining everything, he declared himself to have perfected divinity and became the Promiser of Abundance.
Why does he remain exactly as he was back then? It was because the one who stepped forward was not his true self, but a clone.
If one were to ask why he stepped forward and why a clone, the first reason is that he is not foolish enough to tuck his tail between his legs in his own backyard, and the second is that he stepped forward as a clone because there was no need to take any risk.
You killed all my cute children.
He also commanded the largest number of followers among all demons. He had prepared for a day like this. If the Father of All the Dead is the master who commands ghouls and corpses, he is the master of those who have sold their souls to desire. The
Promiser of Abundance, who had been gazing intently at Audin, snapped his fingers.
With a snap, a rumbling sound was heard from behind him, and as the ground shook, a large cavern opened up. Soon, various figures emerged from within.
They were eight warriors composed of beastmen covered in fur from head to toe without a single piece of clothing, giants, elves, dwarves, and humans. Without exception, their eyes were black. Their skin was purple. They
resembled the villagers of the Erosioners, yet were different. They were not merely those tainted by the air of the Demon Realm; they were those who had sold their souls to demons.
“Ah, is it that Order of the Mad Knights? Yeah, I’ve heard quite a bit about it.”
One of the dwarves spoke. These eight were each exceptionally skilled.
Since they were all figures who had once dominated their eras, they also tended to look down on their opponents to some extent.
Of course, having heard stories about the Order of the Mad Knights, they thought they might be at a slight disadvantage if they were to fight each other individually, but there are eight of them.
“Paladin Audin Flemy? The weakest of them has arrived.”
In the midst of all this, there are bound to be some who provoke others because they are overflowing with confidence.
“Right, all those bastards of the Knights should have come.”
“Is it right for all eight of us to step forward, My Lord?”
“That would be a pittance.”
“Are you puffing up with pride just because you caught a few Armadons? It’s unbelievable.”
“May I kill you and tear you apart to eat?”
“If My Lord orders it, I will cut off your head and bring it to you immediately.”
Audin remained unshaken by the single word each of them spoke. His body and mind were still steadfast.
He simply gazed at them like a calm lake. His pale yellow eyes revealed not the slightest tremor. The Promiser of Abundance smiled as he swept his hair back.
“Aren’t you scared, junior?”
“There was something I really wanted to ask you when I met you sometime, but I’ll save that for a little while, you devil.”
Audin spoke as he withdrew his Holy Armor. The Eight, who had been glaring at him, raised their spirits as if ready to charge at any moment.
The intimidation known as a knight’s specialty weighed heavily on Audin. The color of their intimidation was similar, as if the Eight were one body.
It must be because they ate whatever was given to them under the devil known as the Promiser of Abundance.
Amidst the atmosphere of a brutal tension where a fight could have broken out immediately, Audin spoke once again.
“I will tell you a secret I have never told anyone. You eight crumbs of idiots who decided to suck the devil and became the continent’s biggest morons.”
“……Hey, if you had just begged me to spare you, I would have killed you in an instant. Why are you acting like this?”
It was a remark made by a single human. “That bastard is so arrogant.”
Audin said only what he had to say, regardless of what anyone else said.
“Before I knew it, the Captain was standing above me. If we fight from a distance, I am at a disadvantage against Brother Barbarian, Brother Gullible is a threat at sword range, and if we only consider killing people, Brother Wildcat is the best, but actually, none of them are true.”
He paused briefly. Everyone, including the Promiser of Abundance, had already been waiting for his next words. Rem was certainly not the only one whose eloquence had grown while associating with Encred.
Audin opened his mouth again to speak.
“Guaranteed by the God of War, a fully prepared Paladin is the strongest.”
He finished speaking in his usual tone.
So right now, I am the strongest in the Order of the Mad Knights.
I said what I wanted to say, whether anyone understood it or not.
What are you talking about?
A natural reaction followed.
Just as Audin finished speaking, Theresa began to sing from behind him. Starting with humming, the song began by creating variations in pitch. In other words, it was a chant. As the hymn pushed away the air of the demonic realm, a golden light once again shone upon Audin’s entire body.
“I will show you what a paladin blessed by the hymn can do.”
Audin, having spoken, kicked the ground. He felt a pure divinity boiling within his body.
It was a hidden move. If Encred had seen it, he would likely say that the insidious wildcat was Audin, not Saxony.
Well, Rem would probably immediately correct himself, calling him an insidious bear, though.
pop!
Audin kicked the ground and struck one of the eight. It was a dwarf. Instead of dodging, he attempted to block by aiming his modified short axe-spear forward, but failed. A fist struck the upper rib. The body exploded. *Bang*—blood, flesh, fragments of guts, and bone shards flew through the air. One dwarf had been there, but he was gone.
“O God, there are quite a few people to be judged today. I send them one by one; judge their sins justly.”
Teresa sang even louder with the wooden prison behind her.
One of them saw this and tried to throw a spear, but Audin appeared out of nowhere and grabbed his hand. The difference in speed and strength was clear.
Ahhh-
Three punches slammed into the man’s body to the rhythm of the song.
Starting from the point of impact, his body was crushed and scattered. Feeling a surge of divinity, Audin raised his voice.
Everyone, please come in. I’m busy!
The death of the eight happened in an instant. The devil had merely watched until then. On the contrary, he could only exclaim in admiration. Before he knew it,
all eight had been beaten to death. No, they had knelt before love and mercy and departed to welcome God. Though, once the trial was over, they would fall, fall into ruin, and be imprisoned in Purgatory.
The devil made a proposal without even glancing at the traces left by his dead followers.
“Do you have no intention of coming under my command? I can promise you more than abundance. If you want gold, I will give you gold; if you want immortality, I will give you immortality. Do you wish to take refuge in God? I will give you the opportunity to become a god yourself. How about it?”
He is a demon overflowing with confidence. Come to think of it, it is only natural. Although he took a hit, he is a being who has ruled the Mirror of Evil for a long time. There is no way he would die here at the hands of
a mere Paladin. Moreover, the demon cunningly drained the strength of Audin and Theresa. Audin’s shoulders trembled. It was because his breathing had quickened. Beside him, Theresa’s complexion also darkened noticeably. It was because she had poured all her divinity into the chant she had been singing just moments before.
“What are you going to do?”
To the devil’s question.
Do you think I would allow it?
Audin answers.
Only then did the demon bring its true form upon the clone and descend.
Just as his expression seemed to change, his surroundings were stained with a dull golden light. The light resembled ancient gold coins, and also something symbolizing worldly desires.
“Why is it a sin to be intoxicated by worldly desires? I am the one who will ask God that. I am your spokesperson.”
The devil spoke.
Audin instinctively felt that this was his last moment. It was the moment to fight with his life on the line. Naturally, Crys’s words came to mind.
“Lord Audin, please do not charge in recklessly. The devil is not a fool, do not forget that. So, here is what I am saying. Do not reveal everything. I would prefer you to just watch rather than fight, but if you must fight against your will, make sure to keep your final blow hidden. Shall I put it simply? Fight like traditional Encred swordsmanship. And then, run away.”
That is truly Christ-like advice. Audin did just that. Except for the last piece of advice, Tira.
Since he modified the traditional Enkrid swordsmanship to suit himself, I would call this Audin-style traditional hand-to-hand combat.
Perhaps the name of the technique would be something like, “You thought it was over?”
