The Tin Knight-Chapter 65: The Tin Knight and The City of Clockwork — Act 3 (7)

“Sir Knight...!”

“My, what impeccable timing!”

Seeing the Tin Knight block his path, René von Lennart inwardly broke out in a cold sweat.

Even while dealing with that old geezer, he has enough leeway to intervene here?

Although he had rebelled against Gerhardt’s methods and driven him out, René had once learned martial arts under him.

René knew all too well the level of skill possessed by that stubborn old man who never listened to anyone.

Gerhardt was a monster who could dismantle a troll—known for its excellent regenerative abilities—with nothing but raw physical force alone, without any hint of magic.

It was already amazing that he had taken his eyes off such an opponent and intervened in another battle, but the truly terrifying part was that the Tin Knight’s body bore no plausible wound.

I knew he was skilled from the beginning, but to think it was to this extent!

However, René, too, had risen to the position of representative instructor of a dojo.

He had no intention of easily yielding the match while being amazed at the skills of another.

Bang!

He extended his left leg straight behind him, bent his right leg in front, and stretched out his arm.

A movement that could be described in those mere words, yet its momentum and speed were like a fired arrow.

More than mere speed—it was precise.

Clang!

The moment the tip of René’s rapier met the Tin Knight’s shield, sparks erupted, spewing a light large enough to be seen from the audience seats.

The Tin Knight swung his sword in retaliation, but René swiftly pulled his body back, evading the range of his blade.

Subsequently—

Clang clang clang!!

A noise similar to the initial strike rang out three times in succession and sparks rose along with them.

And as expected, René again widened the distance, pulling his body out of the Tin Knight’s attack range.

René’s gaze remained composed.

Whether I focus purely on speed or add variations to the trajectory or timing, he blocks it with ease.

Considering that René’s thrust contained enough power to penetrate through any ordinary shield, it was a perfect defense technique that was almost intimidating.

Not strengthening the entire wide shield surface, but predicting the attack point and inputting mana in appropriate proportions to the contact area and its vicinity—it was a technique whose precision bordered obsession.

Even just being able to divide and use 100 mana in units of 1 is praised as a master, but this knight seems to be operating in units of 0.1—no, even 0.01.

If he were a pure martial artist, he would have praised the Tin Knight’s excellent mana manipulation, but René, who was essentially closer to a businessman, interpreted this from a different perspective.

When operating limited resources, the smaller the minimum unit of the resource, the less waste there is. If the minimum amount that can be moved is 1, you have to support 1 equally to places that need 1 and places that need 0.3. Is this efficiency the result of necessity? Did he have to fight in such a resource-poor situation?

There were largely two situations that could be imagined.

Either he had to fight under extreme mana constraints, or he had to face an endless tide of enemies.

René was very curious about the Tin Knight’s background, but he didn’t have the luxury to continue those thoughts to the end.

Whoosh!

The Tin Knight’s body seemed to sway slightly left and right, and the next moment, he was right in front of René’s nose.

René thrust out his rapier with an almost instinctive movement, but the Tin Knight lowered his body as if he had expected even that.

The sword containing compressed mana carved into the Tin Knight’s shoulder, but that was all.

With a chilling pain, the blade grazed René’s thigh.

René tried to widen the distance swiftly, with a speed unbelievable for someone who had injured his leg, but the Tin Knight threw his body forward one step ahead, as if predicting the direction René would dodge.

“—Are you ignoring me!!”

What saved René was Gerhardt’s sudden intervention, striking from the side.

A kick came down from above at an oblique angle, colliding with the Tin Knight’s shield and creating a shockwave.

The Tin Knight’s two feet sank into the ground up to his insteps.

René’s eyes flashed, and his rapier was enveloped in light.

Clang clang clang clang clang clang clang!

A rain of arrow-like consecutive strikes poured down.

The process of thrusting and withdrawing was so fast that it created an illusion, as if multiple thrusts were being extended simultaneously.

The old man’s terrifying kick locked the shield in place, and his buried feet limited his mobility.

Therefore—

He blocked this!?

The sight of the Tin Knight blocking the attack, even in such a situation, shocked René.

Strictly speaking, he hadn’t perfectly blocked all attacks.

René’s attacks were certainly piercing through the Tin Knight’s metal body and inflicting wounds.

But not a single attack reached any position that could be called vital.

The Tin Knight’s body spun in a circle.

Shield to the front, sword to the back.

The misaligned trajectories of Gerhardt and René were forcibly brought together by the Tin Knight’s movement.

Of course, they weren’t the kind to be easily caught by that.

René and Gerhardt simultaneously kicked the Tin Knight’s legs as if they had rehearsed it.

If an ordinary person kicked a metal leg, they would only hurt themselves, but it was a different story for superhumans who could strengthen their bodies with mana.

With a heavy impact resonating, the Tin Knight’s knees were forced to the ground.

At the moment the Tin Knight lost balance and fell forward, the two, sensing a golden opportunity, attempted to attack together.

It was an attack with mana concentrated to the extreme to surely pierce through the Tin Knight’s metal body.

Evasion—impossible. Defense—incapable. At the moment when the two were certain of victory.

Above the head of the fallen Tin Knight, a flash of light was drawn left and right.

Slash!

Red blood blossomed like a flower.

***Before the match began, the Tin Knight had given Adelaide only two instructions:

— Between the martial arts uniform and the formal uniform, the latter is slightly weaker, so stick to that side.

— There’s no need to try to win against the opponent. Just hold out somehow until I give the signal.

Adelaide faithfully followed those words.

She faced off against René as soon as the start signal was given and devoted herself to evasion without attempting reckless attacks.

But Adelaide soon had to realize.

The thought that she could somehow manage if it was just about buying time, not winning.

How naive that thought had been.

René’s movements were light, swift, and razor-sharp.

The terror of thinking she could dodge this level of attack, only to realize the next instant that the blade was already in front of her nose.

The time it took for Adelaide to be completely cornered was only about 15 seconds.

Even that was only because the opponent was avoiding vital points considering it was a duel; if that wasn’t the case, it was clear she wouldn’t have lasted even half that time.

After escaping the crisis due to the Tin Knight’s intervention.

Adelaide watched the tremendous battle unfolding before her eyes with unease.

The Tin Knight alone was battling against two skilled opponents.

Although she thought she should help him, she had no idea how to intervene in such a high-level battle.

She had thought she had become somewhat stronger after gaining various practical experiences, but the stairs she had to climb were still high, and its end remained out of sight.

Just as her barely built self-esteem was about to crumble once more.

[The ‘Tin Knight’ notifies Adel that it’s about to start, so get ready!]

At the message resonating directly in her head, the shadow cast over Adelaide’s face disappeared.

Even with his feet bound by heavy blows and his body pierced by sharp thrusts, the Tin Knight’s voice was no different from usual.

[The ‘Tin Knight’ says the chance for the dealer to shine is when the tank has all the aggro!]

[The ‘Tin Knight’ instructs Adel to slash left and right at waist height on the count of three!]

It was an instruction that seemed incomprehensible at first glance, but Adelaide’s body was already prepared.

She was still cowardly and lacked courage.

She was still inexperienced.

However—

If Sir Knight says so!

Even if she couldn’t believe in herself, she believed in the Indomitable Tin Knight.

[The ‘Tin Knight’ says one!]

As the Tin Knight skillfully twisted his body, the bodies of the two instructors converged in one place.

Adelaide’s body crouched low, as if preparing to leap.

[The ‘Tin Knight’ says two!]

The two instructors adjusted their postures as if not to be easily caught and launched a counterattack against the Tin Knight.

Whoosh!

Like a spring bouncing up, Adelaide shot forward.

At the tip of her sword, a golden light cluster that even Adelaide herself wasn’t aware of was forming like a mirage.

[The ‘Tin Knight’ says three!]

At the two instructors’ attacks, the Tin Knight fell forward on his knees.

Just as the two instructors were about to deliver the finishing blow to the Tin Knight, Adelaide’s slash cut down both of them simultaneously.

Slash!

A flower of blood blooming brilliantly.

Eyes widened in shock.

Only then did the two instructors recognize that Adelaide, whom they had thought was participating only nominally, was a proper warrior in her own right, but it was already too late.

The Tin Knight, still prone, rolled forward half a turn.

The feet of the Tin Knight and Adelaide met as if in coordination.

[The ‘Tin Knight’ says to jump up!]

As the Tin Knight’s two legs stretched out with all their might, Adelaide’s body was propelled into the sky.

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The two instructors attempted to counterattack again while spraying blood, but their attacks meaninglessly sliced through the air.

Above and below.

In the gap where the two were confused about which direction to aim, the Tin Knight let go of his sword.

And with his empty hands, his crushing grip grasped the ankles of the two, and yanked them earthbound.

“Hup!”

“Ugh!”

Even as his body was being pulled, Gerhardt used his remaining foot to kick the Tin Knight’s arm with all his might.

To the attack containing an ominous power, one of the Tin Knight’s arms was dented.

It was an injury that would have required preparing for at least a compound fracture if he were human, but the Tin Knight didn’t mind.

The Tin Knight let go of his right hand holding Gerhardt without hesitation, and swung his grotesquely bent arm like a club, striking René’s solar plexus.

The heavy metal body contained a power no different from an iron mace.

René’s body convulsed violently from the unguarded impact to his solar plexus—falling limp.

Crash!

Sent spinning like a top by Gerhardt’s kick, the Tin Knight hurled his shield mid-flight.

[The ‘Tin Knight’ shouts to strike down!]

Gerhardt, bracing himself for Adelaide’s attack, was caught off guard as the shield lodged itself into his side.

The seemingly immovable Gerhardt lost his balance, which had been like a solid rock, revealing a gap.

Slash!

Adelaide’s descending slash tore into him, using the momentum of falling to deliver a devastating blow.