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.

explain things,"

how did your fight go?" Jarrod asked as he pushed his

drank from

get him with our Defense Techniques, I had to fight him with

had to use your real weapon?" Jarrod

nodded. "But it still wasn't easy. He moved very weirdly. Sometimes he went really low to the ground, and other times, he even jumped over me. Like, who

when they heard that. "That really is a strange

effective," Steve said. "Fighting him was very 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 entire

back and forth, but it definitely

two remained

think he is?" the first

supposed to know?" Jarrod answered with a snort. "He wears one of those Haze Masks. I don't

the first guard said, "but based on how he fought, I was sure that he

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

seem like a fresh graduate. I think he is probably in his

"Late twenties? The guy didn't even know

sure what he

Steve that he was inexperienced, but

topic veered away from Shang, and he was

hours passed, and it was late at night

to gather in one

you guys also have to fight that one student from the academy?"

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

were you?" the

"Number 57," Steve answered.

one of the

Steve asked. "How many

"I only

asked in shock. "He fought that many of us in just half

was Number 95," another

was Number 144," the

yeah, how did your

bad,"

good,"

inexperienced, though,"

guards looked at

"What?" Steve asked.

144 asked with skepticism. "He seemed pretty

but pretty experienced? I don't know," Number 95

about this?" Number 183 asked. "He was

three guards looked at Number

overdo it,"

Number 183 shouted. "I nearly lost to

Steve's opponent had been pretty strong, but Steve had

Number 183 answered in frustration. "He even managed to trigger the Magic Circle on my

surprised the other three

Triggering the Magic Circle?

183