Evan D. Sherden, Building on the Ground (2)

After deciding on the policy to be implemented in the future, Leo held Evan and headed to the training center. All the Marquis’ knights were already gathered there, but there weren’t many people in good shape.

“Oh, what is this…?”

“Arpeta-nim is back. Hey, wake up. Everybody wake up!”

“Oh, no…. I have to fight again…”

“No matter how hard I try, I can’t even stand up now! I think I hit my neck pretty hard here!”

There were varieties of people, which included people crawling on the floor, those who had fainted, those who were tattered, those who felt like they were close to dying, and those who had already died inside.

After noticing Evan’s expression, Leo coughed heavily and made up an excuse.

“I was bored while you were away, so I looked after these guys as well. Still, there were a lot of guys that could be useful.

“Yes, I know there were a lot of guys that you could use… But why did you make all of them like this…?”

Even though they were knights of the Marquis of Sherden, there were still some people wearing casts when they could have easily received any amount of healing potions or magic.

It was said that they had been beaten quite a lot, so much so that they were still healing. It didn’t even look like they were beaten in the past days. It seemed as if they had fought Leo just mere hours earlier.

“I was trying to make them more useful. Perhaps my abilities have grown.”

“It would have been very easy to live if your abilities grew just by being hit, right?”

“Oh, so will you fight with me, too?”

“Unfortunately, it would be difficult as I have just returned from the dungeon.”

Some knights were still showing respect to Leo, while everything could be told by looking at the others’ facial expressions. Some were even showing sympathy to Evan.

“Don’t you think we should stop for now?”

“Do you want to?”

“Oh, no, that’s kinda…”

Even though their facial expressions were all different, Evan could roughly interpret what they were thinking at the moment. It was evident that they all thought that Evan was going to fight Leo and was easily going to break an arm or leg (or even both of them).

But the reputation of Ironwall Knights fell to the ground as no one would take Evan’s place.

It seemed correct that all of these guys were not in any fit shape. Evan shook his head.

‘It’s because they didn’t come up with safety measures while fighting against someone who is a hero. But I wouldn’t make that mistake.’

Evan put on his boots and smiled. The curse of the boots was reinforced considerably as a result of breaking down all the different stats Evan had evolved from the 5th up to the 20th floor.

In other words, it had been concluded that if it was Evan now, it wouldn’t hurt even if he was beaten a little.

“Hmm, you have gotten pretty strong from the last time we saw each other, haven’t you?”

“That’s because I went through the dungeon for the second time. But I still have to get stronger.”

Leo looked at Evan’s smile and wondered what he had misunderstood.

No matter how strong the boots’ curse was, Evan had still raised his dungeon level by 15, so he would be even stronger than before when you looked at him overall.

In particular, it was great that Cheonjung 2 had been improved by two steps to Cheonjung 4. This essential difference wouldn’t have been possible if his stats had been reduced a little more.

Heavens Press and Heavens Throw… Let’s forget about these for a moment.

“You are so strong, and I often forget it, keeping in mind the fact that you’re still a child who has a long way to go.”

On the other hand, Leo smiled when he listened to Evan’s reply. Even just by looking at Evan’s strength, anyone would be convinced that he was already a complete warrior.

However, if you thought about it carefully, his strength did not come from raising his dungeon level.

‘Previously, it was the 5th floor of the dungeon, and now we went up to the 20th floor. It’s surprising that I was able to go through that dark and terrifying place in just two weeks, but I am more concerned about the strength I gained as a result.’

… If that was the case, how strong would Evan be now in relation to his dungeon level?

Even if he looked at his strength, which had changed significantly compared to just a few weeks ago, Evan could predict his true limits, but he wouldn’t know until he saw it for himself.

Thus, Leo was very excited. Evan was different from all knights scattered over there!

“Okay, then let’s get it together! It’s my job as a teacher to present a path and lead you guys more clearly to go forward in the future!”

“No, Grandpa, I came out of the dungeon without even swinging my fist, and you have been so active lately… Ugh, will you be fighting with a greatsword again?”

“Of course. It’s the most fun this way.”

Evan contemplated as he watched Leo pull out his greatsword. Leo could handle all swords like they were his limbs, but the strongest thing for him was when he held a greatsword! When fighting against the enemies of Yo-Ma Great War 2 in the game, he was often seen fighting with a greatsword and was always holding it in the game promotion video or poster.

“It’s a pity that my sword broke in the last battle. If it had been here with me, I would have been more excited about it.”

“I’m so glad for that.”

Evan was sincerely relieved as he clenched his fists. A subtle glow was giving off from under the tightly worn leather gloves and had added to his abilities.

Due to the nature of the glove that added to one’s strength in proportion to the wearer’s original powers, the glove’s strength had also increased as Evan’s status increased.

Evan wanted to know how strong he was right now, especially when he was in a fight against a living legend, Leo Arpeta.

“Attack without any hesitation.”

“Are you crazy or what?”

Of course, while going through the dungeon, there were times when Evan had also thought, ‘Hey, maybe I’ve gotten a little stronger than the extras?’ He did not hesitate to really do everything in his power to attack Leo.

“Let’s go!”

His two fists already had extraordinary energy, and as soon as Leo saw it, he realized what Evan had become stronger.

‘It’s not just that his strength has grown, but his martial arts itself has evolved!?’

Upon realizing it, Leo stepped up and confronted Evan. The moment his greatsword and Evan’s fist collided, a fierce shock struck the interior of the training center.

Among the people watching them, there wasn’t even a person who hadn’t staggered without losing control of their body.

“This guy! You’ve gotten so much stronger!”

“Hah…!”

“But you’ll only get so far this time around!”

Once, twice, Leo’s sword blade and Evan’s fist collided from the front, sending staggering shockwaves in all directions.

Leo had been saying all along that Evan was his disciple but still used his sword without hesitation, as Evan also smashed his fists without backing down.

The hearts of those who were watching from behind were repetitively shriveling, but Evan’s fists did not break, and neither did Leo’s sword crack. The reason was that the aura wrapped around Leo’s greatsword, and the heavenly energy wrapped around Evan’s fists protected each one of them.

“Ahhhhhh!”

Leo continued to lead by a step or two, but Evan’s fists also grew faster and stronger accordingly. It was as if he had unwrapped the seal, according to Leo. And indeed, that was the case.

Evan wasn’t used to reaching the limits of his strength because he had no targets to unleash his power on unless it was Leo or the Knight Commander. He was finally drawing out all of his powers.

Of course, he was doing all of this with the boots that had lowered his status to less than half!

“…Wait a minute. Can you see him swinging his fists right now?”

“This is breathtaking… No, sorry. I can’t see them.”

“Damn, but he is strong…How much stronger do you think he is now?”

“Whoo, whoo!”

Evan could be a coward in order to avoid a battle, but whenever fighting was inevitable, he focused on what lay ahead.

If you didn’t want to die in battle, wouldn’t you try your best?

Evan couldn’t afford to be a little off guard. He was desperately teasing his body with the thought of surviving the enemy in front of him somehow.

“Huh!”

“Ha! That’s so cool!”

“Whoa!”

He had to live. The thoughts that had dominated him since the age of nine had gone beyond obsession and had now almost reached the level of self-suggestion.

‘Yes, this is the moment.’

Leo made a very satisfying expression as he faced Evan’s eyes, which were also twinkling with an eerie purple glow.

Of course, he couldn’t tell where Evan’s power was being originated from, but it didn’t matter. The important thing was that Evan was already so mature at this young age that he understood what a ‘real battle’ was.

‘He isn’t new to this game. It is not talent, it is not effort, and if you lack innate passion, you cannot achieve it.’

Leo smiled and instilled stronger mana into his greatsword. It would become monotonous if they kept at it. It was the amount of sublimated power that made the weaponry more brilliant!

“Take this, Evan!”

“Hah!”

Leo’s greatsword glowed dazzlingly. It was a skill that even Ironwall Knights were seeing for the first time, and Evan, who confronted it, realizing the power of the skill, hardened his face and concentrated mana in both fists.

“Is the Master also going to use a new ability!?”

“By the way, doesn’t that seem much different from the martial arts that the Knight Commander already taught?”

“Oh, oh, oh, oh!”

If the venue had been in the outdoors, Bernard would have run and shot a bullet at Leo’s back, who was using his skills against Evan, but the place where they were fighting now was an indoor training center!

In the end, they clashed without anyone stopping them. The greatsword, which moved with a momentum that seemed to come out of heaven and earth itself, and Evan’s hands wrapped in a mysterious light, struck each other with tremendous energy.

“What the…?”

However, Leo felt that the greatsword, which seemed to cut everything in its path, rattle in the air.

And it seemed to have something to do with Evan, who was holding it strongly with both hands outstretched.

‘It contains the power of a martial art called Cheonjung.’

Leo quickly realized something in that moment. Evan, who had been able to extend the heaviness of the sky in his fists, was now blocking Leo’s greatsword by shaping the energy according to his intentions.

“That’s still not enough!”

Leo gave strength to both his arms and threw out his greatsword. At that moment, there was a sound of something breaking. Of course, in the clash between skills against skills, Leo’s greatsword had, at last, cracked and broken.

“What?!”

Evan cursed inwardly, wondering why he hadn’t believed in Heavens Press. He clenched both fists, and stretched out again while striking the greatsword strongly and teasing the body with the recoil.

“Ha! That’s pretty good!”

“Woowoo!”

It would have been impossible if Evan had avoided it in the first place. It had only been possible because Leo’s momentum was slightly reduced with the Heavens Press that contained all of Evan’s power.

Only

Leo laughed when he realized what had happened.

“Okay, then let’s take it at again!”

“Using this stupid technique again? When are you going to stop?”

“Until you can’t take it anymore!”

“Do you want me to die!?”

Leo recovered the greatsword and again wielded it, pointing it at Evan. Leo Arpeta realized that Evan had caught up with him much faster than he had thought.

‘I have to go into the dungeon again and improve my skills! Bernard is also around, isn’t it perfect?’

If Bernard knew about this, he would have made some brainwashing medicine to get his friend to fix his thoughts quickly. Still, unfortunately, he was struggling with constraints and was unaware of the conspiracy approaching him.