Sword God in a World of Magic

"I was lucky. I got him with the Flying Beast Defense Technique."

Inside a tavern, several guards were talking to each other.

"So you were the reason why he managed to evade my spears!" another guard on the table grumbled.

The first guard only snickered. "Well, I was the first one. How did your fight go?"

"I think I was the fourth he fought," the other guard said. "Luckily, he didn't know the Earth Beast Cracker. I don't remember what his weapon was, but I remember that I managed to make him lose his weapon. The fight was over after that."

"Yeah, he probably wears one of these Haze Masks," the first guard said. "Of course, I can't remember."

At that point, another guard walked through the doors since his shift had just ended.

"Hey, Steve!" the second guard shouted. "Over here!"

The newest guard, Steve, walked over with a laugh and sat down. "What's up?" he asked.

"Hey, did you fight that guy in the academy too?" the second guard asked.

"Wait, you guys fought him as well?" Steve asked.

The two guards nodded.

"Didn't your shift end like five hours ago?"

The two guards nodded again.

"What was your number?" Steve asked.

"I was number one, and Jarrod was number four," the first guard said.

"Tch," Steve spat. "You probably had it easy as number one."

The first guard only laughed. "Don't act like you didn't also have it easy."

"What are you talking about?" Steve asked. "I was number 57, and I had to fight him for like over half a minute."

The first two guards only looked at Steve in surprise.

"What?" Steve asked.

"Half a minute?" Jarrod asked. "Did we fight the same guy?"

"Probably," Steve said. "The numbers seem to check out with the timeframe. Why?"

The first guard and Jarrod looked at each other. "Well, we basically won in an instant."

"In an instant?" Steve asked. "I mean, I get that being the first has some advantage, but that quick?"

"Yeah, he didn't know our techniques in the beginning," the first guard explained.

would explain things," Steve

your fight go?" Jarrod asked as he

from the

Techniques, I had to

you actually had to use

to the ground, and

that. "That really is a strange

different from fighting any other warrior. Usually, it's not that difficult to foresee what my opponent will do, but with him, it was basically a shot in the dark. I had to rely on my instincts and habits the

some back and forth, but it definitely wasn't

two remained silent

think he is?" the first

answered with a snort. "He wears one of those Haze

he fought, I was sure that he was a fresh graduate. You know, someone that

work?" Steve asked. "The guy is obviously at the Early General Stage, and his technique also wasn't bad. I can't remember his

didn't seem like a fresh graduate. I think he is probably in his

The guy didn't even know

sure what he should think

that he was inexperienced, but the opponent

topic veered away from Shang,

hours passed, and it was late at

had closed, which forced the off-duty guards to gather in one of the towers

have to fight that one student from the academy?" one of the players on the table suddenly asked the other

yeah, that guy," Steve said. The other two he had met in the bar were already back at work, and he would also need to return

number were you?" the guard

"Number 57," Steve answered.

you're one of the

ones?" Steve asked. "How many did the guy

the guard said. "I only know

"He fought that many of us

was Number 95," another guard

was Number 144," the fourth one

your fights

wasn't bad," Number 95

pretty good," Number

bit inexperienced, though,"

other three guards

"What?" Steve asked.

144 asked with skepticism. "He seemed pretty experienced to

he was experienced but pretty experienced? I don't

this?" Number 183 asked. "He was definitely very

guards looked

overdo it," Number 144

shouted. "I nearly lost to

Sure, Steve's opponent had been pretty strong, but Steve had been nowhere near

Number 183 answered in frustration. "He even managed to trigger

surprised the

Triggering the Magic Circle?

183 had received a life-threatening