* * *
Just as my hand instinctively reached for my sword, something shot up from the center of the circle and stood before me.
Towering, sharp horns, jagged fangs like they could chew through metal, a body packed with muscle and skin like stone.
Massive wings spread wide from its back, swaying with menace.
Grrrr…
Its eyes gleamed as it growled low in its throat.
‘A gargoyle!’
A gargoyle had burst from the light.
My eyes dropped instinctively to the circle beneath its feet.
Now that the summoning was complete, the magic circle had disappeared.
Well, at least it wasn’t a teleportation spell.
‘A summoning ritual, then?’
Who the hell would summon a monster in a place like this?
Thud!
I didn’t have time to dwell on it.
The thing swung a fist at me.
Dodging it wasn’t hard.
It was bulky, and its movements were just as heavy.
I gripped my sword.
It had been a while since I properly held a blade like this.
The sensation thrilled me, a satisfying rebound to the envy I’d felt coming here.
“If it’s a gargoyle… it should last a while, right?”
Graaaar!
As if answering, the monster hurled itself at me with a roar.
Whoosh!
I darted to the side.
A gust of wind from the sheer force of its charge whipped past me.
I turned quickly.
The gargoyle, thrown off balance by its own momentum, hadn’t regained its footing yet.
Its back was wide open.
‘I could land a critical hit here…’
But that would mean taking it down myself.
And that would disqualify me.
Still, if I ignored such an obvious opening, I wouldn’t be much of a warrior, would I?
I thrust my sword into the base of its wings.
SCREECH!
It shrieked, twisting around in a wild counterattack.
Thunk. Thunk.
I blocked its strikes with my sword while scanning for any signs of others nearby.
No sign of Klen yet.
I managed to counter it, just a little.
My goal was to wear it down, drain its strength.
But all this effort would only pay off if he showed up.
Whish—
Its claws slashed right past my face.
Maybe because the blow came toward my head, I instinctively thrust my sword straight out.
The blade extended toward the gargoyle’s heart before I snapped back to my senses.
Ah—no, no!
I forced my grip to twist the blade mid-strike.
It veered off and plunged into the creature’s side instead.
Screeee!
“Hey! Quiet! Keep it down!”
I hurriedly pressed a finger to my lips, but monsters don’t listen.
It let out a furious scream and began slashing wildly with poison-laced claws.
Crap.
This much noise would definitely attract someone—especially one of the knights guarding the forest.
I quickly tuned in to my surroundings again.
I thought I heard something rustling.
Thwack—!
“Ugh!”
Before I could react, something slammed into my gut.
Pain exploded as I was flung off my feet, tumbling pathetically across the dirt.
When I lifted my head, I saw it—its tail, swaying smugly like a whip that had just struck its mark.
It must’ve noticed my attention drift and seized the moment.
‘Should I… just kill it?’
If I really wanted to, I could’ve finished it already.
It looked pleased, like hitting me once was a grand victory.
“You there! Are you all right?!”
“…!”
Of all times—now a knight poked his head through the trees, alarmed by the noise.
The same one I saw earlier, fighting a tiny worm.
He rushed over, his face shifting as he saw me sprawled on the ground.
‘No! I’m not actually in danger!’
Now I was at a crossroads.
If I let that knight take the kill, I’d lose credit—even if Klen showed up later.
But if I took it down, I wouldn’t be able to play the “frail and helpless” act anymore.
What should I do?
Maybe that knight, the one chasing worms, might lend me his sword if I just played it right.
…Should I just let this one go?
“……”
No. This isn’t about whether or not he’ll lend me his sword.
Since I’ve entered this competition, the winner has to be me—or Klen, the one I’m wholeheartedly supporting.
The idea of handing over Levatein to someone who isn’t Klen also didn’t sit right with me.
He may be acting all indifferent now, but I know that sword will become precious to him eventually.
I stood up with the sword in hand.
But just before gripping it tightly, I shouted with all my might.
“Klen!”
The knight charging this way abruptly stopped in his tracks, startled by the possibility that Klen might be nearby.
If that’s what he thought, then he must have realized this gargoyle was our prey—and attacking it himself would be bad manners.
But Klen was still nowhere in sight.
Thud!
I dodged the gargoyle’s attack and scanned my surroundings again.
This is it—the last chance.
If he doesn’t come now, I’ll have no choice but to take it down myself.
Better me than some stranger laying hands on his sword.
Whatever happens afterward, future me can deal with it.
“Klen! Help me!”
I added that line to create urgency.
The kind of words that might make him rush over if he were really listening.
And it also fit perfectly into the story I was trying to set up: that I had pushed myself to unleash an unbelievable strength in a moment of crisis.
‘And I’ve even got a good witness.’
Glancing briefly at the pale-faced knight frozen in hesitation across the way, I raised my sword high.
“Adrian.”
“……!”
Just as I was about to strike, I heard that voice.
Calm, cold, and completely free of panic.
“Ah?!”
The knight flinched and shut his eyes tight as a gust of wind blew past from behind.
But I kept mine wide open and saw him clearly—Klen, face stone-cold, running straight toward us.
“The sword.”
He didn’t have a weapon.
The sword was in my hands now.
How was I supposed to give it to him?
No—there was only one way.
No alternatives.
Glancing around, I finally hurled the sword in his direction with all the strength I had.
‘…This’ll be fine, right?’
I knew Klen was strong.
Still, I couldn’t help but worry.
He was the type to pull something unexpected.
I just hoped he wouldn’t get hit by my flying sword and go down—that would be a disaster.
My eyes followed the blade as it spun rapidly through the air toward him.
The sword spun in a tight arc and flew straight to Klen.
No deviation.
The aim was good, and the timing even better.
As long as he didn’t put on some kind of dumb act now, this would work.
Thap—
Like a magnet, the hilt slipped smoothly into his hand.
Klen tightened his grip, and then surged forward with even greater speed toward the gargoyle.
His movements radiated clear killing intent.
The gargoyle must have sensed the danger, because it gave up attacking me and twisted its body away.
Slash—
-KIIIIEEE!
Too late.
The gargoyle barely avoided a vital hit, but Klen’s sharp blade still slashed its side—the opposite of where I’d pierced it earlier.
The entire sequence unfolded with the elegance of a perfectly choreographed play.
‘That’s… kinda hot.’
He looked nothing like the Klen I’d known, the one whose image I’d been building in my mind all this time.
His strikes were fast, the blade traced beautiful arcs in the air.
In the hands of its rightful master, the sword danced wildly.
Klen, unfazed, continued swinging fluidly.
* * *
