Theo had taken the fastest route through the forest to pursue the princess, one which not many know. Even with his huge black horse, there was no way Sir Roderyk could arrive faster than him, not from the north. That left him with the last possibility. Sir Roderyk had waited for the princess in the bandit pass. Since there was no way that news travels faster than the wind, Sir Roderyk knew that the kidnapper would come here even before the kidnapping happened.

Just as Theo collected his thought he felt a slight bloodlust coming from Roderyk's direction. It was only a tingling feeling on his skin, almost unnoticeable, even Theo wouldn't have noticed it if not for his previous thought. Theo looked at Roderyk. There was a slight move of his arm toward the sword on his belt.

Theo drew his sword and dashed toward the princess' position. He pushed her to the side just as Sir Roderyk's sword slashed the air where she previously stood.

Theo raised his leg and kicked Roderyk face, but he blocked it by crossing his arm. The kick, however, was covered by his aura and was strong enough to push back Roderyk even with it being blocked.

"I'm sorry for my rough action Princess, but Roderyk is trying to kill you." He said to the princess who fell to the ground.

"Don't listen to him, Princess! He's trying to kill you, that's why I draw my sword." Roderyk shouted trying to win the princess's trust.

"Then explain why I pushed her to the side if I wanted to kill her?" Theo yelled back.

Theo took a quick glance at the princess. She was shaken by the sudden turn of event, but it was understandable. His action, however, proved to be a mistake.

Roderyk dashed and attacked Theo, noticing that he was distracted.

Theo raised his sword in a hurry, blocking it in the nick of time.

He fell to the ground, unable to block the force of the attack.

Before Roderyk could slam his weapon down on him, he swept his leg and made his enemy lose his balance.

Roderyk jumped back to regain his balance while Theo raised his body to a standing position.

"Princess! Get away from here!" Theo yelled. This time he learned his mistake and didn't take his eyes off Roderyk.

He waited until he couldn't hear the princess' footsteps anymore. "You're too smart, boy," Roderyk said. He stood in a neutral stance and didn't emit any killing intent. "You know, I don't want to do this, but I have to. What if you walk away from here. Forget everything you see and no blood will be shed. Except for the princess'."

"Afraid to die, Sir?" He asked with a mocking tone.

Sir Roderyk Blackwing. The knight handbook from the academy mentioned that he was a level 37 Class 3 Swordsman and he already hit his level cap a few years before. Theo also had learned about Roderyk's twin sword technique after watching him during the tourney three years prior.

His mastery over sword was not something he could take lightly. Not to mention Roderyk wore a full high-quality plate armor while he only wore a thin gambeson under a mail armor.

'Damn it Lyana.'

Theo grabbed a crumpled paper from one of his pouches and opened it. There was a yellow, slimy, liquid inside. He smeared it all over his sword.

His sword glowed and electricity jumped out from it.

He "Lightning buff, smart." Roderyk once again complimented him.

It was a hollow compliment and Theo knew that. A royal guard's armor almost definitely had a [high elemental resistance] enchantment. Even if Theo added a lighting element to his attack, it won't be effective. It was better than nothing though.

"Tell me, Sir. No. Tell me Roderyk. You swore an oath to protect the royal family. Why do you abandon it? For money? Or do you have another agenda?"

"Boy, what is honor, oath, and duty, compared to one's lover?" He asked. Theo was confused by his question, unable to grasp its meaning. Roderyk sighed. "A shame. You're a handsome and-" He glanced at the corpses of the Hjal's group. "Very talented young man. What a waste. [Flash stab]."

Roderyk moved like a flash. In an instant, he thrust the sword in his right hand.

Theo parried Roderyk attack and riposted.

Roderyk expected Theo to parry and riposted his attack. He counter-parried Theo's attack with his second sword and counter-riposte with his main.

It was an excellent move that caught Theo off guard. He had never seen it before during the tourney.

Theo jumped back. The slash cut his gambeson. It wasn't deep enough to reach his skin.

Roderyk continued the barrage of attack with both of his sword. Even with the knowledge about Roderyk's technique and a higher talent, Roderyk's sheer speed and two swords eliminate any advantage Theo had over him.

Their weapon clashed and they traded blow multiple times. Theo was able to land a few slash and a few hit, which only scratch Roderyk's armor. He also received a few slash, some of which cut his skin. He was lucky some of the slashes didn't cut deeper.

Theo disadvantage because of his lack of armor became more apparent. If he wore his full armor, he could get close and perform a Mordhau or a Half-swording stance, which could potentially deal meaningful damages to Roderyk. If he tried to get close without his plate armor, he would be skewered by Roderyk two blade.

If normal attack and normal skill didn't work, he has no choice but to use his unique skill. He knew that it was impossible to win without it, but he didn't expect to use it this early in the fight.

"[Serene Slash]" Theo's sword glowed as his aura poured into the edge's of his sword. It turned as slim as a drop of water.

"[Black Talon]" Two light flashed from Roderyk's side forming a cross slash. It parried Theo's [Serene Slash].

Theo stumbled back but was able to regain his balance before falling to the ground.

It was without a doubt Roderyk's unique skill. Since he has a Class 3 [Sword] talent and a level of 37, he should have two. The same number as Theo.

"Give up!" Roderyk said from inside his helmet.

"And what? Serve you my head on a silver plate?" Theo kicked the ground, sending dirt and rock flying toward Roderyk's face. The tactic works, a little bit. The dust and rock distracted Roderyk for a second, but most of it bounces off his helmet. "[Serene Slash]" Theo's sword glowed once again and like water, slashed at Roderyk head, but his blade met another blade.

If it were a normal steel sword or even an enchanted one, Roderyk head would have flown off. But Roderyk swords wasn't a normal sword. Talon and Claw they were called, one black and one red. Both were made by the finest blacksmith from the finest steel and enchanted by the best enchanter in the kingdom. Two swords of [Unique] Tier.

Theo could feel the adrenaline flowing inside his blood. It was the first in a long time Theo had met a match. He was happy with that and with the fact that his sword technique was on par with a royal guard. Making him on par with one of the kingdom's greatest swordsman.

While he wanted to fight longer and preserve the thrill, he realized that he was being pushed back more and more. What more, he has to save the princess, there was no time fooling around.

Theo retreated to the trees, but Roderyk won't let him. Just a second after Theo ran to the forest, Roderyk already caught up to him and swung his sword. Roderyk was faster in every way. He was, after all, an agilty-focused person.

Theo jumped to a tree, evading Talon by a hair's breadth. He jumped again, positioning his falling bodies above Roderyk's head.

It would have been a fool's errand. A falling swordsman can't evade attack from another swordsman who stood on the ground below him.

"[Monster beheading]" Theo fell at an unnatural speed, faster than he should be. It caused Roderyk's attack to be off timing and missed.

Roderyk, unable to attack or blocked the attack before Theo's sword hit him, decided to dodge, but even so, the sword struck his shoulder, bringing an immense force down with it.

His leg, unable to handle the force, crouched down.

His enchanted shoulder plate shattered and his shoulder was cut by Theo's sword. Despite that, the shoulder plate did its job well enough. The cut on his shoulder wasn't that deep.

Roderyk roared, but not from pain. It was a battle cry.

Roderyk sword flashed red as he made a cross in the air with his sword. Theo blocked the attack, but like before, his barrage of slashed didn't end there.

"A handsome young man and a [Class 4 swordsman] like you. Shame you have to die today! You could have a bright future, a family, but you choose to fight me!" Roderyk shouted as he raised both of his swords.

Roderyk attacked, but This time it was different.

It became twice as fast and just as strong as before. With the first swing, he pushed Theo back a step. With the second, he pushed two.

Sweat broke out all over Theo's body. Fatigue and exhaustion from pursuing the carriage and fighting Hjal's gang started to kick in.

He couldn't understand how Roderyk became stronger and faster after he was injured. The opposite was supposed to happen. Was it his second unique skill? Was he a berzerker?

He struggled even just to keep Roderyk at bay. He could run, but Talon and Claw would skewer him from the back. He could have tried monster beheading, but he doubted Roderyk would fall into the same trap twice.

The ground was covered with grass and roots, kicking it like before would be hard.

His hand throbbed as less and less energy he could muster. His finger numbed. His feet hurt. More and more of Roderyk's attack reached him. And more of those attack cut deep.

The aura around his body and sword dwindled and weakened after receiving many blows from his enemy. Roderyk on the other hand, didn't seem to slow down even a bit. His attack even got fiercer.

"[Black Talon]" Two flashes formed a cross slash. Theo's blade was flung upward, leaving him in an awkward position and without defense.

"[Flash Stab]" Roderyk aimed his sword toward Theo's abdomen.

Theo jumped back in desperation, but roderyk didn't change the blade course.

Blood spurted out as Talon pierced through Theo's thigh and came out from the other side.

Theo grabbed Talon, not letting roderyk pull it out. Roderyk, however, still has Claw in his other hand.

He was ready to strike Theo down, but a rock struck his helmet first. A small rock, no larger than a little girl palm, but it hit right at the opening of Roderyk helmet.

His aura covered eye wasn't hurt by the rock, but the rock did provide an opportunity, one that Theo wouldn't waste in a desperate time.

Theo knows not who threw it, or why. He thanked that person in his heart, whoever it was. He yanked out [Talon] from Roderyk's grip and from his thigh. The pain was unbearable, but he ignored it.

While roderyk was still dazed, he swung it at Roderyk other hands.

It was not enough to cut through the gauntlet, but it was enough to throw [Claw] off his hand.

A message popped up in Theo's head.

[Knight Academy Sword Style lv.10 changed to Advanced Knight Academy Sword Style Lv.1][Reward: 2000xp]

[Theo Gladium level up to level 30]

[Serene Slash lv.3 level up to Lv.4]

[monster beheading Lv.1 level up to Lv.2]

[Unconditional Affection Lv.3 level up to Lv.4]

[Devil's Charm Lv.1 level up to Lv.2]

[Gained unique skill: Vaporizing Slash]

[Stats increased]

Theo was intrigued by his new unique skill, but there was no time to check.

HIs leg was too hurt to form a proper [Serene Slash] stance, [Monster Beheading] needed him on higher ground. He gambled on his new skill to finish Roderyk.

[Vaporizing Slash]

The blood bursting out from his thigh slowed down. A leaf falling from a tree almost stopped completely. The whole world slowed down, or to be exact, his perception of time changed. He could look around but not move.

It felt like he was swimming inside a very viscous slime.

A sharp pain assaulted his right arm as it began to move on its own, sapping what remained of his Aura into the sword.

Horizontal Slash from left to right.

Diagonal strike from lower right to upper left.

Vertical slash from up to down.

Diagonal slash from lower left to upper right.

His arm moved on its own and performed 4 successive slashes in almost an instant. His aura blazed around the sword like fire, vaporizing anything it touched, hence the name.

The skill cut Roderyk's enchanted plate to eight pieces, revealing his bare defenseless body.

Excruciating pain attacked Theo's right arm like never before. As if all the muscle in his right arm ripped itself to accomplish the skill. It was much worse than almost any pain he ever felt.

His body was going unconscious and fall from the pain.

But he couldn't give up. No yet.

He lunged at the still dazed Roderyk, ignoring the unworldly pain rampaging throughout his body.

With one stab through the heart, Blackwing of the Royal Guard was no more.

Theo body fell backward to the ground. Exhausted and in pain.

His vision turned black.

-------

"Are you...alright?" The beautiful voice of a woman woke him up. As he opened his eyes, a blond-haired beauty looked at his body with a worry in her eyes.

"Princess!" He raised his body to a sitting position. Because of his sudden movement, his whole body ached.

"Please just rest Sir Theo." She replied. "Are you alright?"

"I am. Just a little bit dizzy." He looked the dying body of Roderyk in front of him. "Are you the one who threw the rock Princess?"

"Y-yes after watching you struggle and hearing your conversation with him, I know who is lying. And please don't be so formal, it's a bit awkward for you calling me princess every time. Just.... Ana." Ana blushed. Somehow, deep inside her heart, the bloodied beaten Theo was charming. Very much so.

Theo turned to look at his thigh. It was covered with a makeshift bandage. It was unexpected from a supposedly sheltered princess. "Thanks...Ana."

"I-It's fine."

"Do you know why Roderyk tried to kill you? He's from the royal guard isn't he?"

"It's my sister, Princess Aria. She is my older sister from father, but she was born from his mistress. Because of that, she was removed from the line of succession. From quite some time ago Aria has been trying to kill me to get the throne for herself, but I can't believe Sir Roderyk..... Why did he side with her?" Anger apparent in her eyes. She must have trusted Roderyk before.

"Roderyk talked about a lover. Did he has any relationship with your older sister?"

"No. Not to my knowledge."

"If that is the case, aren't you in danger back at the capital?"

"Aria wouldn't dare assassinate me in the capital. If she wants to remove me she has to make it like an accident... or kidnapping. It's not easy doing that in the capital since I have a lot of personal guards."

"Well, we should get there quick then. There's no telling if your sister has more backup plan other than Roderyk." Theo stood up. The pain in his thigh resurfaced.

"T-Theo, are you alright?" She asked.

"Yes....No, actually. I don't think I can stand up on my own."

Ana stood up and offered him her hand. She helped Theo standing up.

'My. My. What a soft and delicate hand.' he thought as he felt her hand. "Sorry, Ana for causing you trouble."

"What are you talking about? It's me who should apologize. You got hurt because of me."

"You shouldn't, Princess. It's my duty and my pleasure to protect you."

Too focused in the heat of battle before, Theo had overlooked one new unique skill he got from his charm talent. A strange skill that wouldn't be much of help to another person, potentially disastrous even.

But for Theo who possessed tremendous luck....

[Gained Unique Skill: Heartbeat: Deus Ex Machina]

[Type: Random activation skill][Chance: Extremely Unlikely (

[Cooldown: 4 months]

[A skill that activated on chances and used only to propel the plot and add some comedy. DEUS EX MACHINA!!!. Make a random person fall in love with the owner of the skill. Any person falls in love because of this skill is affected by unconditional love skill.]