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

you are so convinced of my guilt, what

think that I

that's the case, why would you want me inside

you intending to do something that you

soldier, and a mere thief is not allowed to

want me inside the town so badly?"

the guard immediately answered with gritted teeth.

custody right now," Shang answered. "I can't possibly escape. We are both

what's the issue with

A tense silence arrived.

guard, while the leading guard glared

Several seconds passed.

Clank.

and the guard glanced at the wall when

guards on the wall had retrieved his crossbow and

without

the leading guard saw the leaving guard on the wall, he gritted

with annoyance. "We can wait here. Hope

right arm, and the other guards put

leading guard suddenly

of the leaving guard on the

guards were not allowed to

Except for one reason.

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

of this to be quite suspicious, and he decided to

happened as soon as he

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

leading guard knew

Shang relaxed.

"Thanks," he said evenly.

expected that the guard would do something underhanded, which was why he had been

decided

On what?

leading guard

Why smart?

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

the leading guard

only stood there

could have simply knocked him out and taken him

of that, Shang had

a normal human and taking them into custody was

as a confrontation if the other side could damage

could maybe injure or kill some guards before dying

that was already

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

several guards would have been injured or killed, and they had to find out why