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.

a glimmer of light appeared in

are so convinced of

I

why would you want me

do something that

soldier, and a mere thief is not allowed to question

me inside the town so badly?" Shang

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

can't possibly escape. We are both in agreement about this

issue with

A tense silence arrived.

the leading guard,

Several seconds passed.

Clank.

wall when they heard the sound of

had retrieved

others remained without

guard

"We can

and the other guards

had the leading

was because of the leaving guard on the

to

Except for one reason.

could leave their posts if they were about to report to someone of higher rank than the person

found all of this to be quite suspicious, and he decided to report

guard knew what had happened as soon as he saw the leaving

in how to deal with prisoners, and he had made quite some money with some

soon as the guard on the wall had left, the leading

Shang relaxed.

"Thanks," he said evenly.

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

had decided to

On what?

the leading guard actually being

Why smart?

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

the leading guard could have ordered an attack

stood there and calmly

been weaker, the leading guard could have simply knocked him out and taken him

to the leading guard. On top of that, Shang had claimed that

normal human and taking them into custody

if the other side

could maybe injure or kill

that was

out, the higher-ups would get

had to find out why that happened so that the