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.

heard that, a glimmer

issue?" Shang asked. "If you are so convinced of my guilt, what would

that I will be proven

the case, why would you want me inside the

to do

guard shouted in rage. "I am a law-abiding soldier, and a mere

you want me inside the

protocol," the guard immediately answered with gritted teeth. "Suspicious

Shang answered. "I can't possibly escape.

issue with remaining

A tense silence arrived.

at the leading guard, while the

Several seconds passed.

Clank.

the guard glanced at the wall when they heard the sound of

the wall had retrieved his crossbow

the others remained without moving and kept targeting

guard on the wall, he

with annoyance. "We

right arm, and

leading guard

the leaving guard on

to leave their posts

Except for one reason.

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

he decided to report to the actual officer about what was going on

had happened as soon as he saw the

made quite some money with some underhanded means, but if these actions came to light, he

on the wall had left, the leading guard

Shang relaxed.

"Thanks," he said evenly.

that the guard would do something underhanded, which was why he had been so adamant about not

had decided

On what?

guard actually

Why smart?

ordered to attack someone who wasn't actively resisting and whose guilt wasn't even conclusive, he would have gotten into a lot of

initialized the confrontation, the leading guard could have ordered an

Shang had only stood there

course, if Shang had been weaker, the leading guard could have simply knocked him out and taken him with

powerful to the leading guard. On top of that,

a normal human and taking them into

confrontation only counted as a confrontation if the other side could damage the resources of

injure or kill some guards before dying

was

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

have been injured or killed, and they had to find out why that happened so that the same thing wouldn't happen