30 Years After Reincarnating, It Turns Out This World Was A Rofan?! novel Chapter 14

Knowing one's skill and level objectively was a rather important matter.

No matter how hard someone tries to remain objective, human psychology tends to perceive situations subjectively, often leading to being overly positive about oneself.

However, Ihan was always strict with himself. He had no choice.

He had no teacher, and he had to stand alone.

While he did possess a special ability, it was nothing more than a convenient tool.

Therefore, Ihan constantly strove to view his abilities objectively, even while putting in the effort.

‘How should I gauge my skills?’

If this were a wuxia world, perhaps the knights here would be on the level of first-rate martial artists or maybe even supreme ones.

They’ve learned aura techniques, likely comparable to the promising disciples of righteous sects.

On the other hand, Ihan had grown stronger through methods more akin to the unorthodox ways of external martial arts, rather than aura techniques.

Whether it be sorcery or the trolls' regenerative abilities, they were all more or less the same.

However, with the repetition of such strengthening methods, Ihan had clearly reached the peak.

And, if he were to predict, if he were to surpass the peak and enter the divine realm (入神)...

BOOM!

...He would be like that person.

Ihan’s body was ruthlessly thrown across the dirt ground.

Whoosh!

However, before he could even properly roll, he bounced up like a spring and rushed toward his opponent.

His movements were so nimble and fast that it evoked the image of a four-legged predator, rather than a human.

CRASH!

Every time his foot struck the ground, the concrete floor shattered. Ihan tackled forward with all his weight, strength, and speed combined, delivering an impact comparable to a collision with a dump truck. Unfortunately, his opponent wasn’t someone who could be moved by just a dump truck.

Whoosh!

“You’re still so rough. You should learn to be a bit more relaxed.”

His opponent, Baltar, dodged Ihan's fierce tackle with movements as light as a butterfly playing with the wind. Then, with a natural motion, he placed his palm on Ihan’s back and delivered a strike.

BOOM!

“Grrraah!”

The ground shook.

Baltar's strike seemed to pierce through Ihan’s tough body as if skewering it with a sharp stick, attempting to bring him down.

If an ordinary person had taken that blow, they would have exploded from the inside out in a chain reaction, creating a gruesome spectacle.

“...You damn old man!”

“Haha, you’ve gotten tougher.”

However, Ihan neither exploded nor fainted.

Instead, he grabbed Baltar’s wrist.

Crunch!

The strength that could easily crush metal came into play as Ihan squeezed Baltar’s wrist. His raw power was enough to snap a human wrist like a thin twig.

“Just having brute strength won’t get you far.”

Despite Ihan’s overpowering strength, Baltar showed no signs of pain.

After all, why are aura users considered superhumans?

Because, despite their seemingly weak flesh, they possess a vessel containing unimaginable strength. No matter how strong Ihan’s grip was, it wouldn’t break so easily.

And as expected...

“Hup!”

“Ugh!”

Ihan was flung away.

A powerful pressure erupted from Baltar’s body like an explosion, becoming a hurricane that blew Ihan away.

However...

BOOM!

Ihan did not fall. Instead, he gathered strength in his legs and thighs, making them bulge as if they were about to burst, maintaining his stance.

Then, with a fierce burst...

BOOM!

He launched himself like an arrow.

A storm raged around him, and the shockwave of his power reduced nearby stones to sand.

Baltar, who had been sneering throughout the fight, suddenly lost the smile on his lips.

Instead...

“Not bad.”

With a swift motion, Baltar drew his sword for the first time.

Though the blade was still sheathed, just the act of him drawing his sword changed the atmosphere entirely.

SHING!

Baltar swung his sword before Ihan could even reach him.

It looked like he was cutting through empty air, a seemingly ridiculous and meaningless gesture, but the outcome was far from laughable.

BOOM!

“...?!”

It was as if Ihan had hit a barrier. His path was blocked, and he flipped backward, unable to continue his charge. The barrier was like a solid wall of air—strong, yet soft enough not to injure him as it bounced him back.

“...Old man, you can make shields out of wind too?”

“It’s a small trick. But against a beast as fierce as the Tyrant of the Mountains, it’s a fairly useful one.”

“...I’m going to lose my mind.”

Ihan sat on the ground, breathing heavily in a rather humiliating position, but he didn’t seem overly fatigued.

He hadn’t taken as many hits as usual, but his stamina was extraordinary, so this much didn’t tire him at all.

Of course, there were still some repercussions from fighting an aura user.

Crack!

“...Looks like my ribs are broken.”

“Haha, only?”

“Only? It hurts like hell.”

It would probably take about an hour to heal.

“You’ve done well, forcing me to use this technique.”

“How do you even do that?”

“If you can read the flow of the wind, anyone can do it. Spellcasters often use it.”

“...I didn’t know magic could be cast without spells.”

“There’s no end to the martial world. With enough effort, even a spellcaster's techniques can become easy to replicate.”

“What nonsense.”

However, it wasn’t something anyone could learn easily, which is why it was called aura technique. The ability to sense the flow of life energy and control it was purely a matter of talent.