Sword God in a World of Magic

Shang looked at the guard with narrowed eyes, and many thoughts immediately went through his mind.

First of all, the guard wore a slightly different armor from the others, which meant that he had a higher standing.

Second, the guard had easily called the others on the wall.

Third, he felt quite powerful.

However, he didn't feel too powerful.

Shang had seen physical fighters in the Second Realm, but the guard didn't feel like he was in the Second Realm, which meant he was probably in the First Realm, the Soldier Stage.

Shang had seen the leading officer of the Central Wild, and that officer had been in the Second Realm, the General Stage.

Was Blizzard's Edge weaker than the Central Wild?

Probably not.

Just based on the gigantic Mana Austerum, this town was probably even more important than the Central Wild.

So, what did that make this guard?

He was probably a sergeant or something akin to a supervisor.

He wasn't actually the true person in charge.

"I won't enter the town," Shang said with narrowed eyes.

The guard in front of Shang only huffed. "You don't have a choice," he said.

"I do," Shang answered. "I have the choice to remain outside. You have several crossbows pointed at me, and I can't flee. There should also be several more powerful soldiers in the town. Right now, it doesn't matter where I am. I can't flee anyway."

"You're right," the guard said with narrowed eyes. "So, obediently enter the town. You said that you can't flee anyway."

"I want to stay out here," Shang said.

The guard raised his right hand, and the guards on the wall pointed their crossbows at Shang. "You don't have a choice."

The atmosphere became tenser. Some carriages had already arrived, but when they saw the guards with their drawn crossbows, they decided to stop. They didn't want to get involved.

"I will stay out here," Shang answered slowly.

The guard's eyes narrowed.

"At this moment, it's not even clear if I am some sort of thief or not. I know I am innocent, and I don't need your approval for that."

"Are you willing to risk a battle for such an uncertainty?" Shang slowly asked.

The guard only looked at Shang with narrowed eyes.

"If you don't comply, we don't need to investigate the source of the Ice Wood. Your resistance proves that your method of procuring the Ice Wood wasn't legal," the guard answered.

Shang heard that, a glimmer of light appeared in his

investigating the issue?" Shang asked. "If you are so convinced of my guilt, what would even be the point of threatening

that I will be

that's the case, why would you want

you intending to do something that you

law-abiding soldier, and a

want me inside the

with gritted teeth. "Suspicious individuals have to be taken

"I can't possibly escape. We are both in

issue with

A tense silence arrived.

leading guard, while the leading

Several seconds passed.

Clank.

glanced at the wall when they heard the

had retrieved his crossbow and vanished behind

others remained without moving and kept

the leading guard saw the leaving guard on the

with annoyance. "We can wait here.

slowly lowered his right arm, and the other guards put their crossbows

leading guard

the leaving

guards were not allowed to leave their posts without being

Except for one reason.

about to report to someone of higher rank than the person they were

all of this to be quite suspicious, and he decided to report to the actual officer about what

leading guard knew what had happened as soon

some freedom in how to deal with prisoners, and he had made quite some money with some underhanded means, but

had left, the leading guard knew

Shang relaxed.

"Thanks," he said evenly.

guard would do something underhanded, which was why he had been so adamant about

decided to

On what?

guard actually

Why smart?

who wasn't actively resisting and whose guilt wasn't even conclusive, he would have gotten into a lot

initialized the confrontation, the leading guard could

Shang had only stood there and calmly

could have simply

On top of that, Shang

out a normal human and taking them into

as a confrontation if the

maybe injure or kill some guards

was already too

soon as an actual conflict broke out, the higher-ups would get involved

to find out why that happened so that the