Grimm: Ch. 19

---Grimm's POV---

[Health restored.]
[Current HP: 53/57]
[Mental energy restored by 18 points.]
[Current mental energy: 278/300.]

After a day of rest, I felt much better.

The soreness in my body had mostly subsided, and I could move around freely. However, the skin on my surface wounds hadn't fully healed yet, so it was better not to remove the bandages for now.

"What a ridiculous ability. Back to this state in just two days. If it were at the tavern, I'd probably be fully healed in a day," I muttered as I got up.

Bernhardt was still asleep, so I decided to wash up first. After two days without practice, I wondered if my sword skills had gotten rusty.

The knights' training had officially resumed today.

At dawn, we started practicing sword techniques. While I was sparring with Bernhardt, three kids around seven or eight years old approached.

"Are you Grimm, serving under Glance?"

Bernhardt and I paused, turning to face the blond boy in front of us. These must be the kids Bernhardt had mentioned before.

"That's me," I replied.

"Hmph, I saw you two sparring the other day. I want to have a go with you," the blond kid spat out.

The knights' praise for me that day had left him feeling sour—after all, we were just squires, weren't we?

A crowd of onlookers quickly gathered as the other attendants noticed the commotion.

"Sure, you go first," I said.

While teaching Bernhardt combat techniques earlier, I hadn't felt challenged enough. A live target would be a good chance to stretch my muscles.

"Tch." The blond kid drew a large metal sword from his back and lunged straight at me.

So, this kid was going all out.

I snorted, instantly tossing aside my wooden sword.

In a fluid motion, I drew the large sword from my back, spun it into my grip, and countered his incoming blade with a powerful upward slash.

Clang!

The blond boy's hands went numb from the impact, nearly losing his grip on the sword. He stumbled back several steps before barely regaining his footing, leaving massive openings in his stance.

"Boss!" The two squires behind him looked worried, as if ready to jump in at any moment.

I didn't rush to finish the fight. Despite knowing some sword techniques, this kid was still too inexperienced.

"Is that all you've got?" I asked. For those who bore ill will toward me, it was best to crush their arrogance thoroughly.

"Fuck you!" The blond kid refused to give in, launching another flurry of attacks with everything he had.

I played along for a while, my interest waning.

Even with full effort, the kid's strikes felt like tickles. How could anyone have the nerve to show off such amateurish skills? Then again, it was typical for boys to act on pride and ambition, even without substance.

"What's wrong? Didn't eat your breakfast? Put some strength into it," I mocked, fighting him lazily with one hand. At one point, I even used my free hand to casually pick at my nose, further infuriating him.

My taunting expression made the blond boy's face turn red with anger. While his strikes became stronger out of frustration, his form became riddled with flaws.

"Sigh, this is boring. I'm done playing with you," I said. After a few more exchanges, I decided it was time to end things. I'd had enough of humoring this little upstart and was ready to teach him a lesson about knowing his place.

Gripping my sword with both hands, I forcefully knocked aside the his blade. Just as his opponent's sword was coming down, I sidestepped effortlessly, following up with a powerful downward strike that trailed the boy's swing.

Clang! The sharp sound of metal breaking filled the air.

His face showed pure disbelief, but I wasn't about to let him stand there stunned. Once you drew your sword, you had to be prepared to bleed.

With cold precision, I slashed my blade toward the boy's neck. The surrounding crowd gasped, breaking into a cold sweat as they watched. It was too late to intervene.

Just as everyone braced for the worst, I stopped my sword at his neck. A thin line of blood trickled from where the blade had just nicked his skin, narrowly missing the carotid artery.

His whole body went ice cold, and he fell to the ground, shaking all over as the fear of dying hit him like a wave.

I withdrew my sword and turned to leave.

"Sonnyva!" The two attendants, who had been frozen in fear, finally snapped out of it and rushed over to check on the blond boy.

"He's bleeding, damn it! Don't think you can just walk away!" one of them shouted. The brown-haired boy, indignant, tried to stop me.

I didn't even spare him a glance, ready to leave with Bernhardt.

"Get back here, you bastard!"

Having grown up in noble households, these kids weren't used to being ignored. The brown-haired boy charged at me, his companion following close behind.

"Stop!"

Hearing footsteps behind me, I turned just to be punched in the face. I froze for a moment, the hit bringing back memories of my powerless days at the orphanage.

"You fucker!" Bernhardt roared, his temper flaring. He had already been frustrated with himself for letting me take a hit earlier.

Bang!

His massive fist came crashing down on the brown-haired boy's head, sending him sprawling to the ground. A large bruise immediately swelled on his forehead.

"You are the fucker!" The boy cursed as he struggled to his feet, ready to fight again.

My mood had soured completely.

If they wanted trouble, they'd better prepare for a thorough beating!

The four of us ended up brawling on the ground. Predictably, the two noble kids were no match and were pinned down and mercilessly pummeled.

"Hey! Stop it! We're all on the same side!"

The onlookers, realizing things were getting out of hand, hurried to break up the fight and call for some "adult supervision."

"What the hell is going on?"

Kadi arrived, having been dragged over to sort out the mess. He was ready to enjoy a spectacle but froze when he saw the culprits. The ones dishing out the beatings were me and Bernhardt, as expected.

The attendants struggled to pull us apart, discovering to their shock that it took two people to separate just one of us.

Meanwhile, the two noble kids lay on the ground, their faces swollen like pig heads, covered in tears and snot. It was clear they wouldn't be getting out of bed for a while.

---Third POV---

"Marca… Myuke…"

Sonnyva, who had just recovered from his terror, saw the commotion and noticed the growing crowd. When he spotted his father approaching, he rushed over, crying pitifully.

The sight of his son's pathetic state made the burly man with short blond hair frown. Without hesitation, he slapped Sonnyva hard across the face.

"Quit bawling like a coward! What kind of man cries like this?" he barked, scolding Sonnyva mercilessly. He wouldn't tolerate having such a disgraceful son.

Sonnyva dared not speak; after being slapped, he could only collapse on the ground, sobbing softly. 

The two other men, who seemed to be in their thirties, hurried over to check on the two children's condition. 

"Damn it, how could they hit them so hard?" one of the men cursed angrily. The other man's expression was equally grim.

After all, the children were fostered relatives, and seeing them treated like this naturally upset them. 

"Hey! William, what's wrong with your page boy?" 

"Let it go. It's just kids roughhousing. Don't blow it out of proportion; it'll look bad for everyone," the other man said, though clearly displeased, trying to mediate. 

"But my nephew got beaten like this! If it leaves a scar, how's he supposed to find a wife later?" 

---Grimm's POV---
I glared at the scene, still unsatisfied. They deserved what they got.

Kadi walked over to where I stood with Bernhardt. 

"Aren't you going to explain?" He didn't seem particularly upset. To him, it was just children having a scuffle.

If I had lost, then maybe he would have been concerned. I bet he would've given me another thrashing himself.

"They started it. They lost because they're weak and don't understand humility." 

"You!!" The man was enraged, glaring at me. He clearly couldn't swallow his pride with his nephew beaten like this. 

"I don't care; you must apologize to my nephew!" 

"Why should I? Everyone saw it. He threw the first punch!" I protested, unwilling to back down. It wasn't me who started it.

I watched as the nearby commoner servants lowered their heads, not daring to speak.

Only a few nobly born individuals maintained calm expressions; after all, they were from the Diocha family—a family that not only held a marquisate in Midor but also controlled the entire salt trade in the region. Even within the Dragon Knights, we were highly influential.

"Is this how the Glance family teaches their page boys?" 

The man looked at Kadi with a thinly veiled threat. He probably didn't believe that Kadi, the illegitimate son of a minor rural count, would dare to defy him.

Kadi glanced at the expressions of those around him and immediately understood the situation, though he didn't seem to care about it in the slightest. 

"You heard it yourself—it was your page boy who started it." Kadi shrugged, implying that the boy deserved what he got.

"You?! A mere son of a rural count dares talk to me like this?!" 

"What do you want then?" Kadi remained unfazed; ten such fools wouldn't trouble him.

Thud, thud, thud.

The sound of approaching footsteps caused the crowd to part.

---Third POV---

"What's going on here? Don't you know it's training time?" 

Julius frowned as he arrived. He had rushed back from his short-lived post-marriage honeymoon to train the recruits, only to find a crowd gathering.

"Captain..." Those present immediately lowered their heads upon hearing his familiar voice.

Recognizing the voice, Kadi also gave a token bow of acknowledgment.

After a brief explanation of the situation, Julius nodded to show he understood.

"So that's what this fuss is about? A children's squabble?" he sneered. "What's next? Are you going to stand around gawking if I get into a fight on the battlefield?"

He berated them sharply. He had cut his honeymoon short to whip the recruits into shape, not to see them gathered here over trivial matters. The frontline was still in dire need of reinforcements, and neglecting training over something so minor was infuriating.

"Get back to your tasks," he ordered, but as the crowd began to disperse, a dissatisfied voice broke the silence.

"Captain, they've been beaten up like this. Are we just going to let it go? No explanation at all?"

"Handle it yourselves. Don't let something so petty ruin the cohesion of the group!"

Julius shot him a sharp look. No matter how noble someone's lineage was, it didn't matter to him. Noble bloodlines weren't meant to raise pampered fools. Besides, their child had started the fight and lost—making a fuss over it would only bring ridicule to the Dragon Knights.

"Tch."

As Julius walked away, the man clicked his tongue in frustration. But swallowing this loss without complaint was equally unbearable for him.

Seeing Kadi's departing figure, the man, clearly displeased, called out to him. I could tell he wanted to see what made this rookie so arrogant.

"Hey, why don't we spar a bit?" the man stood up, intending to teach the cocky newcomer a lesson.

"Hah, you're not scared, are you, William?" he taunted in a mocking tone.

Hearing this, Kadi smirked coldly, turned back to glance at him, and shrugged with a hint of resignation.

"Fine. Just don't start crying when the little one gets beaten, and the big one starts bawling too."

"You arrogant bastard! Watch how I beat you! You pretty-faced coward!" The man roared as he unsheathed the double-handed sword from his back and lunged forward.

Kadi's expression turned icy. He despised being called feminine. With a swift motion, he drew the military saber from his side. The chill emanating from its blade was something only those who had faced it could understand. 

Standing nearby, Grimm pressed his lips together, holding back laughter. It was the first time he'd heard anyone insult Kadi like that. It felt satisfying! Though, admittedly, Kadi's pale complexion did give some truth to the remark. 

Clang!

Clang!

The clash of blades resounded as their weapons collided. The man's sword style was a pure knightly approach, full of relentless, overpowering strikes and difficult-to-parry thrusts.

In contrast, Kadi's military saber danced with finesse, deflecting attacks effortlessly using techniques that felt like disarming a larger force with minimal effort. 

The saber, like a venomous snake, slithered across the much thicker blade, exploiting openings with a fluid, agile combination of movement and positioning.

Each of the man's strikes felt like cutting into empty air, unable to land a solid blow. Moreover, he couldn't afford to swing with full force, as doing so would leave him exposed to Kadi's swift counters. 

The longer they fought, the more freaked out the guy got. Cold sweat started dripping down his face.

Kadi's blade style was disturbingly precise and cunning! 

As the fight progressed, his saber started leaving shallow but noticeable cuts on the man's body. 

"Argh!" 

With a roar, the man seized an opportunity, lunging in with everything he had. He clamped his arm under his armpit to trap Kadi's saber, intending to use his larger sword to force Kadi into submission by holding it at his throat. 

But it seemed Kadi had anticipated this.

He tilted the saber's edge toward the man's armpit, digging into the flesh. With his back leg firmly planted, Kadi abruptly leaned back into a slick slide, avoiding the man's attempt to grab him. 

In a single fluid motion, Kadi bent backward like a dancer performing a deep backbend, slipping out from the man's reach while his saber slashed across the exposed underarm. 

Whoa, what flexibility! Grimm thought, utterly stunned.

With the saber still in hand, Kadi expertly sliced through the man's armpit. The sheer flexibility and control were unparalleled. 

By the time he slid behind the man and stood upright again, the fight was over. 

The military saber was now pressed against the man's neck. Blood trickled down the blade's spine, dripping steadily into the sandy ground below.