Chapter 28 The Paladin, Engages in Mortal Combat with the Instructor
#KyoudoushaThe Paladin, Engages in Mortal Combat with the Instructor
“This is the last lesson I will teach you.”
Sensei said quietly, grabbing the storage bag at his waist.
“It’s not well known, but as an instructor, you gain the ability to use almost any weapon. If you can’t use it, you can’t teach it. That doesn’t mean you’ll become a master, only that you’ll be able to wield it ‘somehow.’ However, even basic proficiency with certain weapons can be a significant advantage.”
Sensei spoke calmly, as though he were delivering one of his usual lessons.
Ah.
Sensei was always like that.
When teaching, he tried to avoid showing his emotions.
A weapon, huh? What is he going to use?
The sword he often used during training?
Or the staff he frequently used in mock battles?
Maybe the bow he claimed was his best weapon?
Sensei used various weapons.
But he was only average with all of them.
The weapons he preferred were simple, mass-produced, and of modest quality.
In terms of skill, he could easily defeat an amateur but would lose to an experienced adventurer.
This was true in technique, but his physical abilities couldn’t keep up with the enhancements provided by job skills.
Given Sensei’s personality, he was somewhat defensive, but overall, he was reliable.
At least, I hadn’t lost to him in mock battles for the past two years.
I can’t even remember the last time we seriously fought.
But what’s this ominous feeling?
Besides the Demon Lord’s magic power emanating from Sensei, there’s something else—a dark, creeping presence.
A presence radiating from his not-so-large frame.
Like something colossal is lurking in the bushes…
Not knowing what’s frightening me is what’s truly terrifying.
It’s true, we’ve never fought to kill each other.
Well, when we first met in the slum, I wanted to kill him…
But I got knocked out immediately.
Is this Sensei’s killing intent…?
My neck tingled—the unmistakable feeling of facing a dangerous opponent.
Swoosh!
It felt like something massive was about to appear.
A grotesque, blocky hunk of iron emerged.
A weapon like a sword, forged from a solid block of iron.
It was about five meters long.
No ordinary human could wield such a thing.
“This is called a Dragon Slayer. It’s a greatsword forged by the Western dwarves. As you can see, it’s enormous—a weapon designed to kill dragons. To slay a massive dragon, you need an equally massive weapon. It’s only logical. As you’d expect, it’s incredibly heavy. Most can’t even lift it.”
As Sensei spoke, he effortlessly drove the sword into the ground.
Thud!!!
The sound reverberated, echoing deep in my chest.
Wait—he’s going to swing that thing around?
“The reason I never used it in mock battles is simple: it’s too big, too heavy, and too destructive. I didn’t want to destroy the training grounds or risk injuring someone. Besides, a weapon that only swings downward isn’t very practical.”
With ease, he pulled the weapon from the ground and assumed a low stance.
A firm, locked stance with his hips lowered.
…How is he handling that so effortlessly?
“Well, I’ve been through a lot lately, and I’ve learned to swing it properly.”
At that moment, he lunged forward with explosive speed, unleashing a diagonal slash!
The ground beneath him shattered, leaving a massive crater.
What kind of power did he use to create that impact?!
There’s no way I can block this!
My sword is just a borrowed, mass-produced blade—it’ll break if I try!
No, it won’t just break; I’ll be dragged along with it!
I hurled myself to the side with all my strength.
Whoosh!
A black, brutal wind roared past.
The air itself seemed to tear open.
And then Sensei followed up with a devastating downward blow!
“Uuuuuuooooo!”
I rolled again, desperately evading.
Thud!!!
The ground erupted, sending debris flying in every direction.
This is madness!
Damn it, this is insane!
Idiot!
Thud!!!
I dodged with every ounce of energy I had.
If I get hit, I’ll die.
Even a graze could be fatal!
I might be torn to shreds!
I swallowed my pride and focused solely on dodging.
Without armor, there’s no way I can take even one blow from that!
Actually, would armor even make a difference against it?
Thud! Whoosh!
He’s bound to get tired eventually! I just have to outlast him!
I prayed silently, drenched in cold sweat.
But what if…?
What if Sensei really is the Demon Lord?
If he has limitless stamina… what happens to me?
I shoved those thoughts aside and kept moving, moving, moving.
Not even a minute had passed, yet I was already drenched in sweat.
Covered in mud and scratches, I kept dodging desperately.
Right! Whoosh! Left! Thud! Down! Whoosh!
Every blow seemed like it could end my life.
Surely… there must be a way to counter this!
That’s how it always was!
“What is this? Just dodging? How boring. Obviously, you’re waiting for me to tire out.”
Sensei rested the greatsword on his shoulder, speaking with a bored tone.
Ah… he doesn’t look tired at all…!
“Hah… Hah… Damn it, so you weren’t serious before…! Don’t mess with me!”
I needed to buy time—keep him talking, find an opening!
Always looking for a chance to win—that was one of Sensei’s lessons…
Damn it!
“So you’re stalling? Fine, I’ll play along. In practice fights, I always gave my all to help you improve. But this weapon isn’t for training. It’s a weapon designed to end the fight in a single strike. If it hits, the fight’s over. You won’t even look human afterward—just a bloody mess.”
He chuckled darkly as he spoke.
…He wasn’t wrong.
This really was a weapon made for killing.
Ah… so this is what a true fight to the death feels like.
“Now, this weapon has some weaknesses. First, as you’ve noticed, it’s exhausting to use. Even with training, I can only manage three or four swings before reaching my limit.”
Sensei explained this casually, as though giving a lecture.
You’re insane.
Swinging a weapon like that around…
Oh, right. The Demon Lord.
“The Demon Lord is fundamentally stronger than us. Strength, speed, vitality—all far superior. And with magic, they recover quickly, making them almost invincible. That’s why you should never challenge them unprepared. It’s suicide.”
Ah… I’m sorry, Sensei.
I guess I really did recklessly attack the Demon Lord.
“Besides, it’s huge and heavy, making it unwieldy. It’s only practical outdoors. In a dungeon, you’d just slam it into walls or inconvenience your team. And it’s slow, leaving you vulnerable to ranged attacks. It’s not without its flaws.”
As he spoke, Sensei suddenly threw the greatsword at me!
The weapon spun through the air, emitting a deafening boom.
It flew straight at my neck, aiming to decapitate me.
“Uuuuuuooooo!”
I threw myself to the ground, rolling to dodge.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!!!
The massive blade spun overhead at terrifying speed.
…Death itself, hurtling toward me…
Cold sweat streamed down my face.
Gyaaahhh!
Moments later, I heard goblins screaming in agony from the distance.
If that had hit me, I’d have been shredded just like them…
Anyway, Sensei dropped his weapon!
Now he’s unarmed!
I stood up forcefully, lowered my stance, and charged at Sensei!
Sensei, standing calmly, oddly dropped both arms.
His fingertips moved slightly…
…?
…Is he too tired to fight back?
Feeling a sense of unease, I closed the distance.
Rustle!
Then, suddenly, a chill ran up my spine.
Something’s wrong! This is bad! This is really bad!
I abandoned my charge, throwing myself into a roll to avoid whatever danger I sensed.
Whoosh!!!
A streak of light tore through the air where I had just been standing.
“Wow, impressive! You dodged that! You get a gold star!”
Sensei smiled, his voice filled with mock amusement.
It was his usual smile.
But right now, it was utterly terrifying.
“This is a weapon called a steel thread. It’s made from incredibly thin, strong steel. Watch closely…”
Shing! Shing! Shing!
I focused my eyes and finally saw it.
Rocks around Sensei’s feet were being sliced apart—cleanly, effortlessly.
Crack!!!
Thin strands of steel glinted in the sunlight as they crisscrossed through the air.
“This is an assassin’s weapon, often used in the East End. Chitose’s family specializes in it, so she taught me a bit. It’s not an easy weapon to master, and I wasn’t very good at it before… but now, look at this.”
Sensei flicked his fingers lightly.
Clang!
The sound of metal rang out as my sword was sliced cleanly in half.
“Aaaaaaahhhhhh! Nooo, my sword! My sword!”
Ricardo screamed as I stared at the ruined blade.
“A true master can make these threads invisible, moving them faster than the eye can follow. I’m far from that level, but I can still manage this much. I’ve avoided using it in practice because it’s far too dangerous. One wrong move, and someone could lose a limb—or worse. And against monsters, it’s less effective. This is a weapon designed for killing people.”
He explained this calmly, smiling all the while.
That familiar smile.
And in that moment, I realized…
I can’t win.
It wasn’t just skill or training.
I couldn’t even compete in a fight like this.
If this continues, I’ll be dead before I even get the chance to do anything.
My teeth clenched tightly. I hadn’t even realized it until my jaw began to ache.
“That’s enough. You’ve seen what a real fight is like. Did you learn anything?”
Sensei’s voice was calm as the suffocating killing intent began to dissipate.
“There aren’t many like me, but you’ll encounter them eventually. Prepare yourself for that day.”
His tone was instructional, but his words carried the weight of an inevitable truth.
Yet, hearing them now, I felt… relieved.
Ahh…
My body relaxed for the first time in what felt like hours.
The fight was over. I wouldn’t have to keep dodging, wouldn’t have to face death any longer.
But then, a searing rage welled up inside me.
What the hell?!
He treated me like a child—like I wasn’t even worth his full effort!
Damn it! Damn it, damn it, damn it!
I’m strong!
I’m the one who will be king!
I won’t accept this!
I won’t let people like him stand in my way anymore!
I won’t let anyone stop me from reaching my destiny!
I won’t let anyone block my path!
[That’s right… destroy it all… Offer the soul of the Demon Lord…]
Hero Skill [May God Punish You].
“Everything… everything must be wiped away…”
I’ll pay any price to make it happen.
I won’t be the one who loses while they keep standing.
I lunged forward with every ounce of power I could muster.