Maximum Intimidation Knight In a World Full of Mages

Chapter 15 : Impudent sorceress!

[ACTIVE SKILLS – KNIGHTLY PATH VARIANT]Knightly Swordform: Attack — Lv.2

Knightly Swordform: Guard — Lv.2

Shieldguard Stance — Lv.1

Basic Parry — Lv.1

Heavy Strike — Lv.1

Enduring Will — Lv.2

Silent Authority — Lv.10

Overwhelming Aura — Lv.10

Knightly Choreography — Lv.7

Silver Tongue — Lv.7

Knightly Horseriding — Lv.6

Inspiring Presence — Lv.10

Righteous Posture — Lv.10

Heroic Entrance — Lv.10

Commanding Gaze — Lv.10

Command Tone — Lv.10

Moral Superiority — Lv.10

Scholastic Arrogance — Lv.10

Self-Narration — Lv.10

I squinted at the glowing list, then focused on one of the few things that sounded remotely useful in combat.

[Knightly Swordform – Lv.2]

So this was why I’d only managed around 8 to 9 damage out of the possible 15 for every strike.

[Shieldguard Stance – Lv.1]

This was useless.

[Basic Parry – Lv.1]

This was mostly useless.

Fine. Maybe I wasn’t born for battle. But surely, , my silver tongue made up for it.

I scrolled down and opened the next one with something dangerously close to optimism.

[Silver Tongue – Lv.7]

My only functional skill got negated by my own existence.

[Heroic Entrance — Lv.10]

I blinked.

[Righteous Posture — Lv.10]

[Self-Narration — Lv.10]

“Oh Saints preserve me,” I heard myself say aloud, in flawless baritone.

ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ novelfire(.)net

“Silence your insolent tongue, lest I tear the voice from my very soul and cast it into the void,” I said.

“Mmm?” Anabeth tilted her head. “Are you speaking to invisible devils, Ser?”

[Commanding Gaze — Lv.10]

[Moral Superiority — Lv.10]

[Inspiring Presence — Lv.10]

And then—

[Silent Authority — Lv.10]

[Overwhelming Aura — Lv.10]

Two skills I’d already seen in action. They were impressive, yes—but also the reason half the population mistook me for a divine executioner every time I said hello.

[Knightly Horseriding — Lv.6]

[Enduring Will — Lv.2]

Grants resistance against physical exhaustion and minor mental debuffs. Converts 5% of fatigue into focus for 10 seconds after taking damage. Cooldown: 10 minutes.

Oh wait. This is actually pretty good. That might have been why I was able to do super quick maths after getting hit the first time by the slime.

Anabeth cleared her throat. “Sir Henry, if I may . . . when are you planning to resume combat?”

The slime was still there.

The correct answer should have been something gallant, like

But considering Anabeth was now standing, very much un-dazed, and currently eyeing me like an underperforming student, the line suddenly felt absurd.

I gazed at my status.

Stamina: 80%

[Status: Healthy, Mostly Unscathed, Slightly Damp, Mildly Non-Fatigued]

I was also perfectly fine.

I straightened my back with renewed ‘righteous posture,’ feeling my aura automatically overcompensate. “Very well,” I declared, tone solemn, “I shall resume battle immediately.”

I lifted my sword, feeling every joint complain in perfect harmony. Anabeth was saying something, but I no longer registered her words. Feeling the weight of the sword steady in my hands, I stepped forth.

I knew what I had to do now. I just had to fight until I was fatigued . . . then take a hit on purpose. Activating should turn the pain into focus, and I would ride the wave. Simple arithmetic.

I lunged forward. The slime quivered and lashed out. I sidestepped, swung, counted damage output. Fifteen this time. Better form. I kept the pressure on until I felt the first burn in my shoulders, the slight fog in my head. Perfect.

Stamina: 66%

Then I the thing slap me.

The blow landed with a wet against my chestplate. 

[-1 HP]

My health bar dipped a fraction, but—

There it was.

[Enduring Will – Activated.]

Fatigue converted: 5%. Focus efficiency increased. Duration: 10 seconds.

Stamina: 71%

The ache in my limbs cleared like a gust through dust. I could feel the clarirty in my head. The slime moved a little slower now, about a step and a half away. The swing I’d need wasn’t precise, but it right.

Yes. I had this.

I could finish this in one go—

A burst of light detonated beside me. I turned around and saw Anabeth, arm outstretched, murmuring some overly dramatic incantation while her hair floated like she was in an invisible breeze that had conjured purely for effect.

“I had it!” Anabeth’s voice rang out, bright, composed, and far too pleased with herself for someone who had just detonated a sun beside my head. “I’ll have you know, I am a student. Your affinity may elude me for now, my good Sir, but I will discern the moment you draw upon aether. Conceal it all you like. I shall catch you unaware.”

“What in all Saints’ names are you doing?” I barked.

Ceralis, faithful to his cursed sense of drama, translated my exasperation into something altogether different.

“Impudent sorceress!” I thundered, voice booming with unnatural reverb, “your defiance shall be punished, once I’ve crushed this abomination!”

Anabeth actually , eyes glittering with challenge. “Ohhh, I’ll look forward to that, Ser!”

The slime gurgled.