Return of the Sword God-Rank Civil Servant novel Chapter 594

At Su-ho’s smile, Roland smiled faintly as well.

“Of course, my sacred arts may be weaker than those of other later Paladins. As you said, I believe humans are more important than God, and no matter how much sacred arts operate through mana, I believe faith must still be their foundation.”

“Mm? Then what kind of teachings did you give to the later Paladins, sir?”

At those words, Roland lightly lifted his sword.

“I taught them how to fight.”

“How to fight?”

“In truth, my juniors are stronger when it comes to sacred arts. Is that not only natural? Compared to me, who says humans come before God, the faith of my juniors, who place God above all else, must be firmer, so God must also grant them greater power. However.”

Roland’s eyes widened slightly.

“Before I was a holy knight, I was a knight. Paladin was merely a title given to strong knights. Sacred arts and the like were never that important to me in the first place.”

The corners of Su-ho’s mouth rose.

Because he liked that answer far too much.

“Of course, that does not mean I cannot use sacred arts. Their power is merely a little lacking. In addition, this place is the Paladin Stone, where the powers of all Paladins are recorded. So if I set my mind to it, passing on every teaching here to you would not be difficult. However.”

“However?”

“Just as my juniors did, I too would like to experience your sword once. I want to see whether, though you share the same values as I do, you can truly be called an outstanding knight—the original meaning of Paladin.”

“You have been watching all along, so shouldn’t you know my strength well?”

“Yes, I have watched all along. But those were other arts you used as a Player, not as a knight wielding a sword, were they not?”

Other arts.

The same thing Sword Demon had said.

Because of that, Su-ho found himself nodding without realizing it.

“Then what you want to test, sir, is my pure martial force?”

“Yes. More precisely, I would like to see your swordsmanship and the way you fight.”

As he continued speaking, Roland drew his sword from its sheath.

“How about it... Would you be willing to grant this old man’s impertinent request?”

A cool smile.

But since coming to the Pantheon, Su-ho had never received a request so welcome.

“Of course. No, I’m grateful that you would make this request. I happen to think the same way you do, sir. And you seem to have misunderstood something.”

Su-ho summoned the Blood Sword and gripped it as he spoke.

“I may look like someone who relies on other arts because I have many cards I can use, but my own foundation is swordsmanship too.”

“Oh, is that so? That is very pleasant to hear. Then may I take it that you accept the test?”

“Of course.”

At Su-ho’s acceptance, Roland smiled brightly.

Somehow, all swordsmen seemed to be alike.

He raised his sword properly and showed his courtesy.

“Then allow me to formally introduce myself. I am Master Roland, once the head of the twelve knights who served the Great Emperor, the first Paladin, and the first Pope from among the Paladins.”

The qualifiers were long.

He was not listing them because he liked boasting.

He was only listing them because he was a man of that era.

Therefore, Su-ho also showed courtesy in the same manner.

“I am An Su-ho, currently undergoing the promotion test to become a Constellation. I became Pope not long ago, and right now, at the suggestion of the chief god Quai, I am taking tests to earn the acknowledgment of the Masters.”

“Haha. A Pope, by nature, must be able to encompass everyone’s power. Then......”

Roland took his stance, his eyes shining.

“Then I ask for a bout.”

Su-ho also took his stance.

“Ah, for reference, you will likely be unable to use anything here except swordsmanship. It is not because I forced it, but because that is the power of the Paladin Stone.”

“That’s fine. I wasn’t planning to bring anything else out anyway.”

There was a reason Jack had not responded.

He did not ask whether this was a spar either.

His opponent was a ghost.

Like Ruinberg or Spil, even if he killed him, Roland would probably not vanish completely.

So he intended to swing his sword without hesitation.

Naturally, he did not think he would lose.

No matter how much his opponent was the first Paladin, Su-ho was the greatest swordsman on Earth and the disciple of the mighty Sword Demon.

‘Still......’

There was no opening.

He could say with certainty that he had not seen a swordsman with such a good stance since Sword Demon.

Was that why?

At the thought of meeting a swordsman as strong as Sword Demon, Su-ho felt his heart beat faster without realizing it.

At the same time, he sincerely hoped that the fight with Roland would be of great help to him.

At that moment, Roland, whom he had expected to take a defensive approach, began moving first.

Su-ho did not move.

The method of combat was a duel to the death, but more than the fight itself, the meaning lay in testing each other’s foundational swordsmanship.

Soon, Roland closed the distance and thrust his sword at Su-ho.

Su-ho did not dodge.

He could have evaded, but he wanted to know Roland’s strength.

Kaaang!

A clear crack rang out.

The moment he received the sword, Su-ho inwardly marveled.

Because it was heavier than he had expected.

Between the overlapped blades, the two met each other’s eyes.

Was this the dignity of an old veteran?

Roland’s gaze was like a vast sea.

It seemed firm and immense, yet at the same time, he could not tell its depth, giving it a strange sense of pressure.

But the same was true for Roland.

‘He has good eyes.’

The two, having exchanged strength, pushed each other away again like magnets.

Kaaang!

After that, neither could be said to move first as they moved toward each other again.

Their footwork was rough enough to tear the ground apart, and Su-ho’s sword flew straight toward Roland’s neck.

Roland did not raise his sword upright. He turned his body halfway and deflected Su-ho’s blade. The tip of his sword in the counterattack that followed passed by as if grazing Su-ho’s side.

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