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 pushed his mug

from

after trying to get him with our Defense Techniques, I had to fight him with my sword," Steve

to

"But it still wasn't easy. He moved very weirdly. Sometimes he went really low to the ground, and other

other two laughed when they heard that. "That

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.

back and forth, but it definitely wasn't

other two remained silent

you think

I supposed to know?" Jarrod answered with a snort. "He wears one of those Haze Masks. I

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

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

didn't seem like a fresh graduate. I

other two snorted. "Late twenties? The guy didn't even know our

sure what he should think about

other two told Steve that he was inexperienced, but the opponent

a while, the topic veered away from

passed, and it was late at

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

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

yeah, that guy," Steve said. The other two he had met in the bar were already back

were you?"

"Number 57," Steve answered.

so you're one of the early ones,"

ones?" Steve asked. "How

know," the guard said. "I only know

that many of us

was Number 95," another

Number 144," the

did your fights

wasn't bad,"

pretty good," Number

bit inexperienced, though," Steve

guards looked

"What?" Steve asked.

with skepticism. "He

experienced but pretty

Number 183 asked. "He was

the three guards looked at Number 183 in

have to overdo it," Number

not exaggerating!" Number 183 shouted. "I nearly lost to

opponent had been pretty

frustration. "He even managed to trigger the Magic Circle

surprised the other three

Triggering the Magic Circle?

Number 183 had received a