On the opposite side of this, Benedict was in his rented room at the inn. Using a dim candle, he ate his meal in silence, his thoughts drifting to earlier in the day. He did not accompany Elizabeth and Shirley to visit the Featherwind Sect, since he promised to show the junior Arcane Knights his swordsmanship. Their meeting place was not in the Imperial Court, but a nice stone courtyard in one of the buildings on the ground. He had switched out of his Royal Guard uniform, opting for a plain training outfit that was easy to move in. He used a wooden training sword and looked at the twenty Arcane Knights in front of him. They were all in their late twenties or thirties. Some were even in their forties. Benedict was, by far, the youngest, having his twentieth birthday this year. Yet, that did not dull their excitement. Because Benedict was younger and he achieved far more than anyone else did! He was a famed war hero, like Shirley and the others!
Benedict gulped. He did not like to be at the center of attention. He always believed he was a failure, that he was inferior, that he was an impostor. It was a feeling beaten into him by the Hawken Household and his father, Sir Roland. Even now, as he stood there as a Royal Guard, he felt it was wrong. He did not deserve it. He was not supposed to be there. He was a fake! No, he had gotten past that feeling. Benedict remembered all the kind words of encouragement that Elizabeth, Shirley, Freon, and Lorenzo had given him. Their words became his strength. His breathing settled, and his heart relaxed. He forcefully suppressed the discomfort down his throat. His eyes opened, a bright brilliance flashing through his brown pupils. He focused on the young knights again.
The criteria for an Arcane Knight were Half-Condensed Drop Core and Perception Realm Novice. These fledging knights were not quite at that level yet. To be precise, they were more like knights-in-training. After all, how could it be so easy to develop two aspects at once, one physical and one magical? Throughout history, the barrier to Perception Realm stopped countless people in their tracks. Although the Alzar Kingdom had millions of subjects, there were less than one thousand Perception Realms within its borders! And if those people needed Half-Condensed Drop Core Level on top of that, there would be a vanishingly small number of people who could qualify. In many ways, this was nearly as challenging and rare as becoming a Perception Realm Master! That was why these knights-in-training were mostly Peak Gaseous Fog and Fundamental Realm Master. They were not even half-step.
The best way to tell their strength was through a mock battle so he asked, "Who is the most outstanding person amongst you?"
The twenty knights glanced at one another, before settling on three people. The first person had drawn most of the attention, and surprisingly, it was someone Benedict was familiar with. It was Sir Melvin of the Vensire Family. Benedict first met him in Elizabeth's office a few weeks ago. This humble and awkward man was actually viewed as the strongest in the group, possessing Half-Condensed Drop and Half-Perception Realm! He was one foot in both doors! Benedict could almost see a shadow of himself in this man, albeit he was younger than him. Melvin had a very similar disposition and low self-confidence.
The other two people who gathered interest was a tall woman and an ugly man. The tall woman stood straight as a spear, her posture impeccable. Her gaze was sharp like a sword, radiating an intellectual air. Her name was Lady Rainie of the Arkfell Engelsheft Family. She had Half-Condensed Drop, and Fundamental Realm Expert. The ugly man had quite a hideous face, burned by some accident. It made it hard to look at him for long. However, this man did not seem to notice, as he stood proudly with a hint of arrogance. His sheer confidence was beautiful like a phoenix rising from the ashes. His name was Sir Pelton of the Rellion Engelsheft Family. He was the opposite of Lady Rainie, having Peak Gaseous Fog and Half-Perception Realm. They, along with Sir Melvin, were the three most outstanding knights-in-training. Stepping up, they did not shrink away and showed a fierce rivalry spirit.
Benedict smiled. Only by comparing and competing with each other could they get stronger. It was a powerful motivator. This was something he personally knew the best. He said, "I will spar with each of you to understand your strengths and weaknesses. First, Sir Melvin."
"Yes!" the young knight shouted loudly, showing his enthusiasm.
He raised his wooden sword in one hand, and, under Benedict's curious gaze, he held his wand in the other. A Magic Circle appeared. The process was not instantaneous, and Benedict had ample time to interrupt his casting. This was a fatal flaw. Since this was a spar though, he let the knight continue. But strangely, nothing seemed to happen. Just as Benedict was about to ask, Sir Melvin charged! Swish! Benedict blocked the downward blow and inwardly wondered what the spell was for. He could not sense anything different. With a twist of his sword, he deflected the strike and assumed the Hawken Style's first stance. He shuffled his feet and expertly maneuvered around Sir Melvin's strikes. Sir Melvin needed to focus on casting a spell and swinging his sword. Doing two things at once was not easy, especially in a battle. Flaws started to appear, and to a swordsman of Benedict's level, they were as clear as day. Which was why he did not attack. It was an obvious trap!
Benedict wove around the attack, when Sir Melvin's sword suddenly glowed. Whoosh! A wind blade tore through the air! It was nearly identical to a flying strike, except it was made through magic. Although it was timed excellently to give Benedict no time to react, he remained calm. First, because this was a spar, so the potency of their spells was reduced to a minimum. This wind blade could not cut skin, or even clothes, if it hit him. There was no danger involved. Second, because Benedict had anticipated it! He turned and squatted at an odd angle, allowing the wind blade to harmlessly fly overhead. Still, he had to admire Sir Melvin's boldness, to hold a wind blade spell until the perfect opportunity presented itself. It could have decided the battle there. Benedict uncovered his opponent's trump cards and still felt confident. In between blows, he gestured to Lady Rainie and Sir Pelton. He would face them at the same time!
"…We're being underestimated," Sir Pelton grumbled unhappily.
"No, he hasn't used the Sword King's swordsmanship, or Martial Energy yet. He has energy to spare," Lady Rainie stated. She raised her sword and conjured a Magic Circle. Power flowed through her limbs, granting her terrifying strength and mobility.
"Hmph." Likewise, Sir Pelton started his spell. Flames raced along the edge of his blade, creating a sword of fire! Since he was using a wooden sword, it started to ignite from the intense heat. It would not last long. Without waiting, they jumped at Benedict together.
"Come!" Benedict yelled, as he adopted the Hawken Style's second stance. It emphasized awareness and prediction to control the battlefield. It was more appropriate for complex fights than the first stance, especially when used by a Martial Perception!
Under his expert control, he effortlessly dominated the battle. Nobody could touch him! There was no contest. To begin with, these three were not even Perception Realms or Condensed Drops. The gap between Rank 1 Mortal and Rank 2 Lord was extremely challenging to bridge. The only reason Benedict and his friends netted some success against Perception Realms in the Xingyuu Empire was because their enemies could not fully utilize their Martial Perception or Martial Energy. As the Featherwind Sect demonstrated, a real Rank 2 Lord could cleave the sky and rend the earth! They could destroy an entire town in one hit! Benedict was not at that level yet, but he showed some signs of it thanks to his Martial Energy control. So, while Sir Melvin, Lady Rainie, and Sir Pelton were strong, they could not overcome that difference! After a short exchange, they broke off and stopped. Benedict was in pristine condition, and his sword was untouched, whereas his opponents were panting and gasping for breath. Their swords were broken in two. It was a clear victory!