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Chapter 141

And after his recovery, he had immediately accompanied Demian on the Void Deity subjugation mission, so this was truly his first time exploring the Forest of Swords.

As the main base for most of the Cardenas family’s forces, the place was vast and imposing.

“Six knight orders are stationed throughout the Forest of Swords, excluding the Order of the Golden Dragon, which is stationed near the mansion of the family head. The size and location of each base depend on the number of personnel, so the Order of the Red Dragon occupies the largest area.”

“What about the other knight orders?”

“Excluding the Order of the Light Dragon, which doesn’t disclose its numbers, the Order of the Green Dragon and the Order of the White Dragon are relatively smaller in number, while the Order of the Blue Dragon and the Order of the Black Dragon are almost the same size. The Order of the White Dragon has more available members, though.”

Demian then proceeded to explain the reason the Order of the White Dragon had more available members in comparison.

“The Order of the Blue Dragon’s main enemies, the Celestials, descend from the heavens through Celestial Gates. So, they often set up watchtowers around these gates and take turns guarding them.”

“Then it’s similar to a border patrol. Can’t the gates be closed?”

“Technically, they can, but if we close one gate, another will open somewhere else, so it’s just more work finding them. The Order of the Black Dragon is in a similar situation as the Order of the Blue Dragon.”

While the Celestials descended through gates in the sky, the Demoniacs crawled up through holes in the abyss—Hell Gates.

All the Hell Gates on this continent were within the Arcadian Empire’s territory, and most members of the Order of the Black Dragon lived near those gates to be ready for emergencies. Of course, it would be best to attack first and crush the enemy’s war potential, but the Arcadian Empire had its reasons for focusing on defense.

“Invading the Celestial Realm or the Demonic Realm is like diving into the ocean to fight merfolk. It’s bound to be disadvantageous.”

This was why the higher races, Celestials and Demoniacs, hadn’t conquered the Middle Realm despite their superiority over humans and elves. The laws of the Celestial Realm and the Demonic Realm didn’t apply in the Middle Realm, and the Arcadian Empire didn’t give them time to adapt. As soon as they crossed the gates, knight orders led by Demigod Tier knights mobilized and repelled them.

“By the way, I haven’t heard who the main enemy of the Order of the Green Dragon is.”

Unlike the Order of the Golden Dragon, the ultimate weapon of the Cardenas family, or the Order of the Light Dragon, which concealed its numbers, the Order of the Green Dragon didn’t seem that secretive.

Demian looked a bit hesitant before answering, “Well, I guess it’s okay to tell you. Spriggan.”

“Spriggan...”

It was the first time Leonard heard that name.

“Sorry, I can’t tell you more. Spriggans are closely tied to top secrets. Just remember that such a race exists. I’ve never been part of the Order of the Green Dragon, so I only know what I’ve read in documents.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

With that, the two of them reached the Order of the White Dragon’s base, known as the Ivory Forest. The name seemed fitting, as everything from the towers to the training grounds was crafted from white marble, creating a unified and imposing atmosphere.

Hmm...

However, Leonard was more interested in the entity lurking within the Ivory Forest than its splendor.

“Commander, how many available members does the Order of the White Dragon have?”

“If we’re busy, there might be fewer than ten, but when we’re free, it’s over fifty. Right now, there are just under thirty.”

Demian, who had casually scanned the entire Ivory Forest, provided the numbers immediately. The barriers set up throughout the Forest of Swords couldn’t block a Demigod Tier knight’s senses. Leonard could sense the people inside the Ivory Forest, but their strength and intertwining presence made it hard to distinguish each one clearly.

More than ten Transcendents, and the rest are all at the brink of the Transcendence Tier, capable of breaking through given the right opportunity.

The strength of a prestigious family wasn’t defined by a few top masters but by its ability to consistently produce them. Even if a family produced the best warrior in the world, their power would last only a generation before inevitably fading away.

That didn’t apply to the Cardenas family.

If they had only inherited dragon blood, they might have decayed quickly. But they continuously hone their skills and gain practical experience by fighting invaders from other realms. Their physical and mental toughness is incomparable to warriors outside the family.

There had been similar sects in the murim of his past life.

The Thousand-Year Kunlun, located near the Shiwan Mountain, home to the Heavenly Demon Cult, was a prestigious sect guarding the borders of the Central Plains murim. Though it wasn’t as influential as Shaolin or Wudang, constant clashes with the demonic practitioners and repelling invasions from beyond the mountains made their warriors exceptionally skilled.

Sword Emperor Yeon Mu-Hyuk had thought highly of them, even though they hadn’t accepted his challenges.

“Leonard, wait here. I’ll bring some guys who might accompany you.”

“Understood.”

Left in the central training ground of the Ivory Forest, Leonard reflected on his experience with the Void Deity subjugation; there was much to learn beyond just fighting concepts. Unconsciously, he drew his sword and began practicing some flawless sword techniques.

The Eight Principles of Yong were eight fundamental sword strokes, and Leonard repeatedly attempted to execute them. The thrust and slash were nearly perfect, but the other six strokes were still incomplete.

Have I focused too much on conceptual martial arts and neglected the basics? I need to reflect on this.

As Leonard assessed his shortcomings and emerged from his state of concentration, he noticed that a group of people had gathered silently, watching his sword dance. Only Demian clapped his hands with a satisfied smile, breaking the awkward atmosphere.

Clap! Clap!

The clapping eased the tension, and Demian, who had brought four knights, approached Leonard.

“You’re close to perfection. Just a step or two more, and no one will be able to overwhelm you with swordsmanship.”

“Thank you, Commander.”

“I should thank you for showing my men something impressive. You see how quiet they are? They initially scoffed at the idea of a sixteen-year-old being exceptional, but now they’re all quiet. If they don’t understand swordsmanship, they should quit.”

One of the Order of the White Dragon’s members behind Demian, looking embarrassed, bravely spoke up, “This isn’t the first time the commander has toyed with us!”

At that remark, the others chimed in fervently.

“Exactly! We’ve been tricked so many times, it’s no wonder we don’t believe him!”

“Do you think we don’t know you even rig the coin tosses?”

“Bringing in a genius like him to demoralize us? That’s just too much!”

Facing the fierce protests of his subordinates, Demian was unusually flustered. He quickly retaliated with a merciless display of authority, striking the top of their heads with his left fist that seemed to split into four.

The screams of the four White Dragon knights overlapped into one.

“Agh!”

“Are you rebelling against me now? It’s not my fault you can’t tell the difference between a joke and a serious order, so don’t blame me!”

“...”

Despite their silent protests, Demian growled menacingly, “Are you going to keep glaring?”

“No, sir!”

After once again exercising his usual, unreasonable tyranny, Demian turned to Leonard. “Let’s start with introductions.”

“Okay.”

Demian pointed to each one of them as he introduced the knights.

“The cheeky one who dared to raise his voice to a superior is Grady.”

The knight with the nimble-looking build gave a short nod. He carried a rapier at his waist, a weapon not typically favored within Cardenas, indicating his focus on thrusting techniques.

“The one looking like a bear next to him is Hugo.”

The knight with the physique reminiscent of Pablo from Atlantis, carrying a greatsword on his back, greeted Leonard awkwardly. His skin had a bronze hue, much like Gale from Galapagos Island.

“Our only female member whom nobody dares to talk to, Janet.”

Despite Demian’s teasing, the red-haired female knight raised her eyebrows but only managed a small nod toward Leonard, not daring to confront Demian.

“Lastly, the leader of these guys, the Third Captain of the Order of the White Dragon, Isaac.”

The middle-aged man with the most noticeable presence among the four stepped forward and extended his hand to Leonard.

Isaac was at the peak of the Transcendent Tier. It was hard to tell if his aura had fully blossomed to the point of forming a unique trait, but there was a vague sense of unfamiliarity about him. Through Leonard’s Dragon Eyes, Isaac’s surroundings were enveloped in an indistinct fog.

Having gauged the capabilities of the four White Dragon knights, Leonard was inwardly astonished.

All four are at the Transcendence Tier, and their leader has even reached the point of manifesting a unique trait.

Accepting the handshake, Leonard introduced himself, “I’m Leonard. Commander Demian has been generous enough to allow me to temporarily stay with the Order of the White Dragon.”

“Nice to meet you. It must have been tough following Commander Demian around.”

The four knights accepted Leonard’s greeting with customary politeness, and then Isaac broached the main subject. “I heard you want to join the mission to subdue the Void Deity. You seem up to the task.”

However, Isaac continued with a crucial point. “We’ve spent years, even decades, honing our teamwork. No matter how skilled someone is, disrupting that combination will make it hard to work together. So first, I’d like to see how you move.”

Leonard accepted the proposal without hesitation. “You make a valid point. Then, shall we start right now?”

“I like that you don’t waste time.”

Isaac walked to the opposite end of the training ground, and after securing a suitable distance, he looked at the three others, “Who wants to go first? If no one volunteers, I’ll spar with him first.”

Grady and Janet both shook their heads and took a step back.

“Why don’t you go first, Third Captain? I’d like to observe his swordplay more closely.”

“I feel the same. I don’t think I could defeat him with just swordsmanship.”

Perhaps the knights would have stepped forward if they hadn’t witnessed Leonard’s earlier sword dance. They were naturally hesitant, no one wanting to be the first to face a potentially humiliating defeat against a sixteen-year-old. They weren’t avoiding the sparring entirely but preferred to go later, hoping to perform better than the one who went first.

However, Leonard’s next words shocked them all.

“It might sound rude, but...”

None of the knights would have expected him to make such a suggestion.

“May I face all four of you at once?”

The training ground fell silent for a few seconds, the remark bordering on insolence. Four opponents at the Transcendence Tier? And not just any fresh Transcendence Tier knights, but seasoned veterans close to the pinnacle?

“...What did you say?”

“...Are you serious?”

“...Commander.”

“...”

Instead of getting angry, the four turned to Demian, unable to believe what they had just heard. However, Demian did not laugh or tease them; rather, his expression was surprisingly serious as he looked at Leonard.

“If this were a life-and-death battle, you could easily defeat all four of them,” Demian said without his playful tone.

An absurd remark; had Demian shown any signs of jest, one of the knights might have voiced their dissent. But the unyielding seriousness on his face silenced any objections.

“You’re not planning to slaughter them to show off your power, are you? Can you subdue all four without fatally injuring them?”

Calm and composed, Leonard said, “Yes.”

“Then give it a shot.”

With Demian’s unexpected approval, the atmosphere around the four knights shifted drastically. They now looked at Leonard not as a talented junior but as an opponent they would have to go all out against to defeat. If their commander, one of the seven strongest knights of the Cardenas family, had such a high assessment of Leonard, then it was a fact, and they were the ones in the wrong.

“Isaac.”

“Grady.”

“Hugo.”

“Janet.”

Standing on the opposite side of the training ground, the four Transcendence Tier knights simultaneously mustered their Aura Blades.

Four distinct colors of sword energy surged, pressing down on the space around them, stilling the wind. The pressure was immense—not from one but four energies matching the chemistry of the knights. It felt just right.

With a satisfied smile, Leonard raised his sword. “Leonard.”

Just like that, the one-against-four battle of the Transcendence Tier knights began.