The Extra Can't be A Hero

Chapter 98: Reunion (1)

One month had passed since the carnage wrecked by the Blood Demon.

Initially, it was meant to be an aide mission with barely any coverage. However, with Amon and Leon’s involvement, it had escalated into a more significant thing than anyone had expected. Most were interested in how the new wielder of Ascalon fared, and imagination ran wild given that there were rumours of him slaying the Blood Demon.

Some called him the next coming of the Solaris Saint, blessed by the Goddess herself to save the world.

Although they were just rumours, everyone was keen to see the new hero with their own two eyes. Unfortunately, the Solaris House was adamant about keeping Leon hidden. They denied the rumours and clarified that the Blood Demon was defeated by a senior Knight, which everyone expected to be Horus, the legendary Knight of the Morning Star.

And while they weren’t technically wrong, as Horus had participated in the raid, their speculations were far off. For the person responsible for killing the Blood Demon…

"Again."

With a metallic clink between swords, Amon swung Nyx in a smooth arc, sending his opponent flying back a few metres. Usually, any opponent Amon faced would have eaten dust and rolled down the dirt before they could get back up. But this time, the person on the other side was not the average fighter.

Slamming both his feet onto the ground, Leon bent his knees and stopped the momentum from forcing him to the ground. Once he stopped, the young sixteen-year-old stomped his feet until it made an imprint, showing the core and thigh strength he’d developed.

Over the past month, the young Adonis had gone through a few changes.

His once lean frame had transformed into a proper, stocky build. His height had increased by a few centimetres, which didn’t seem like a big deal until one took a closer look at his improved proportions. Leon’s chest was broader, with a high line that reached down to his waist. His arms were thick with muscle, veins subtly tracing down to his forearms. His legs had become sturdier and seemed immovable like tree trunks.

Neither his torso nor legs seemed disproportionate, as dense muscles filled in the gaps. Barely any fat could be seen left from his younger years as he shed them in favour of a more dense frame.

And it wasn’t just Leon’s physical appearance that made a drastic change.

The young Knight’s manner of carrying himself had transformed, too—poised and unyielding. Confidence oozed from his gleaming blue eyes, which now held the splendour of a distinguished warrior. Even when pushed back by Amon’s sword, Leon raised Ascalon without fear or doubt as if he’d found the answer to the uncrackable puzzle that stood in his way.

"Careful…"

Leon advanced in a graceful yet imminent display of footwork. He closed the gap between Amon and himself in the blink of an eye, and his overhead swing, which started just a few milliseconds ago, was now bearing down the flesh of Amon’s throat. But alas, all Ascalon could taste today was the air of the training chamber.

The whistle of a sword sounded out as Amon took an evasive step back. He swung Nyx again smoothly, aiming for the big opening left unguarded from Leon’s flank. Usually, that attack would have worked, and the youth would have been sent flying back once more. However, Leon had learnt from his mistake. The original strike was just a ruse to bait Amon’s counter, and Leon quickly rotated his blade around for a downward swing.

And then, the two Heroic-grade blades clashed.

Wind currents exploded from the epicentre, destabilising the chamber within a few breaths. But that was just the beginning. The ground beneath Amon’s feet cracked, and a crater formed like a comet had just hit.

The two swords slid against each other, creating violent sparks that heated the air around them. Neither party wished to give in, and the force they applied only intensified by the second. Eventually, it was Amon who broke the stalemate with a forceful swing.

Leon leapt back twice, eventually landing in a frog-like stance. In a moment of absent-mindedness, he looked down at his feet to ensure he didn’t land haphazardly, which created an opening that Leon belatedly realised.

’Shit!’

The young Knight immediately pivoted his gaze to lock in on Amon’s position, but unfortunately, the man was no longer there. In barely a fraction of a second, Amon had disappeared into thin air, and his presence thinned as if he didn’t exist. There wasn’t any hint of mana being used, so there wasn’t anything for Leon to trace.

Leon’s skin crawled as he hurriedly used every ounce of his senses to locate his opponent. Being trained by the best and widely considered a martial arts genius, Leon’s senses were far above the average Knight. Even with his five senses sealed, he could use his sixth sense to guess where his enemy was hiding.

And sure enough…

CLANK!!!

Leon swung his sword to the left of his behind in one turn. The awkward position of being a right-hander made it difficult for the young Knight to generate enough force, but it was enough to deflect Amon’s ruthless strike.

The strike sent a violent shockwave that expanded to cover the entire room, causing both warriors to fly back and regain their bearings.

’S-Strong!’

Taking a moment to recover, Leon could still feel the aftermath of their swords colliding. His right arm was shaking as Ascalon continued to ring like a bell. There was a reason why the pair were training with their primary weapons rather than training swords or weapons of lower quality. For a long time, their skills and strength had surpassed the average Knight or any high-level Knight. When it came to just physical strength, Amon and Leon were considered the top of their class, particularly for their age group.

It had reached a point where any sword they used would shatter after a few strikes. Thus, for a better training session, they had decided to use their primary weapons… which just so happened to be two of the most powerful swords the world had ever seen.

Yet, that wasn’t the end of Amon’s strength.

"I’m increasing the intensity."

Casually, the black-haired youth swung his sword down, marking the beginning of a new phase in the duel. Amon vanished into thin air like a disappearing act as the sound of a rapidly moving object through a vacuum permeated Leon’s ears.

As mystical as Amon’s movements seemed to the naked eye, Leon, with his superior eyes and senses, could see a rough silhouette speeding towards him. Without hesitation, Leon swung Ascalon with everything he had, causing the two swords to collide again.

The sound of a viscous thunderclap erupted within the chamber, and a new destructive shockwave decimated the ground beneath them. A massive crater formed purely from physical power, leaving Leon with shaking arms and an accelerated heart.

’I can’t lose focus!!!’

The pain that dominated his muscles was overwhelming, making it impossible for Leon’s brain to compute everything around him. However, the young Knight pushed himself to the absolute brim. His eyes were watery, but he kept them open and traced Amon’s every movement.

As if there was lightning in his pupils, Leon locked onto Amon, and he could view the world in slow motion. He could see Amon’s right arm twitch, giving him the cue that he would raise it for a forward strike. Thus, he first moved to intercept the attack.

However, just as Leon had turned the world into a slow-motion film for him to analyse everything, Amon had the same ability. Before his breath was completed, he adjusted his strike into a feint and hid his true intentions like a snake in an ambush.

This chess match was a testament to the level both Knights had reached.

Only those who had reached the limit of their martial arts mastery could display this level of focus and foresight. They weren’t worried about how good their swordplay was but were analysing their opponents to find the best way to beat them.

Particularly since Amon and Leon had crossed blades tens if not hundreds of thousands of times, they knew each other’s patterns, tendencies, and tells. So, they could compute and telegraph what their opponent would do milliseconds before they even began the movement.

It was akin to telling the future, just that it was limited to the duel between the two sword masters.

And Amon was the one who took the first advantage.

Falling for the feint, Leon was forced to adjust his blade into a weaker downward blow to block Amon’s ascending Nyx. The swords collided once again, creating a new thunderclap. This pattern continued multiple times over, and eventually, it sounded like a hurricane was brewing within the training chamber.

And that reality wasn’t lost on the spectators who came to watch Amon and Leon’s duel.

"Those two… are they just monsters?"

Adelia Solaris, one of Leon’s comrades from the Knight’s Academy and the young lady who will eventually become one of the greats that follow the hero into battle, dropped her jaw in half awe, half disgust.

Her two partners, Gale Solaris and Rufus Dobbin, felt the same way. Even though they had participated in the Blood Demon subjugation, they hadn’t yet seen Amon’s skills up close and personal. And what surprised them even more was that their friend was keeping up with Amon’s absurd pace and techniques.

"They’re not even using mana…"

"... just pure physical strength."

The boys added, a tinge of jealousy and inferiority brushing across their hearts. In terms of strength, Gale and Rufus were meant to have more than their other counterparts. It was the case in the Knight’s Academy and even against young Junior Knights that had joined professional Orders.

But against Amon and Leon… it was practically comparing a firefly to the Moon.

"T-They’ve… grown so much."

And they weren’t the only ones surprised.

A beautiful young lady who looked a tad bit under twenty covered her mouth with utmost shock. She was Lydia Solaris, Leon’s older cousin and his partner for the Demonic Beast Purge. A few months back, Leon was a budding Knight cadet who barely scraped a win against a Troll. But as she watched her cousin’s growth, Lydia felt a surge of pure astonishment.

At his current level, Leon would decimate a Troll. But the man who forced Leon into this state was even more remarkable.

"Speed, power and skill. The three tenants of a martial artist. And he accomplished all three. What a monster."

Horus watched gleefully with an excited expression. He was ecstatic to see a prodigy of Amon’s calibre. In many respects, Amon shouldn’t be considered among the youths anymore. He should be classified as a fully-fledged Knight who would go toe-to-toe against the best swordmasters in the Solaris House.

"That Ascalon brat is doing well too. I didn’t expect him to cross the wall so soon."

Next to Horus was none other than the Black Order’s Grand Commander, Carmen Solaris. She brushed her chin, falling deep into thought as she contemplated how two monsters could be born in the same generation.

"But I guess the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree."

Carmen snorted as she shot a glare at the massive man towering over all of them. Alrock raised his brow at the comment, only to shake his head with disapproval.

"Did you think I had anything to do with Leon’s growth? Amon exclusively trained him; you should know that better than anyone."

"Then, I must praise that brat more."

Carmen puffed her chest out like a proud parent. No, given that she sees Amon as her future heir, it made sense that she loved any praise to the young lad. She even bothered to look after the one person Amon cared for more than anyone else. Folding her arms, she strengthened the golden barrier that enveloped her and another young girl to shield them from any debris Amon and Leon may hurl in their direction. Then, she asked:

"Lass, you good?"

"A-Ah, Grand Commander! I-I’m doing fine!"

"Hah, I told you to call me Aunt Carmen, didn’t I? Arya, you’re not my Knight, so you do no need to call me Grand Commander."

"Y-Yes!"

Arya, the young teen with a freshly brushed ponytail, clicked her boots together and saluted. That action made Carmen sigh, but she didn’t do anything to correct the girl. After all, Carmen didn’t want to offend Amon’s only beloved younger sister.

"Still, to drag his sister into the new task force unit. I wonder if he’s a bad brother or an overprotective brother with a sister complex."

"H-Haha…"

Amon’s decision to drag Arya in was quite simple, actually. No matter how hard he tried to protect her, there was no safer place than right by his side. If they were in the same unit, at least Amon could train Arya to be a better Knight, and hopefully, she’ll become strong enough to fend off any threats that may harm her.

Of course, those who didn’t know Amon better would have called him a lousy brother for dragging his sister into danger.

But Arya didn’t mind the gossip. She had intended to serve as his squire anyway, so this was the perfect opportunity for her. Especially since, in a few moments, Amon’s squire position would become up for grabs.

"Don’t you think your brother is being a little harsh? I know it’s a promotion ceremony, but he’s forcing that Ascalon brat to give his all, no? At this rate, we’ll probably be here until sunset!"

"No, I don’t think that will happen."

"Huh? Why’s that?"

"..."

Arya didn’t answer. Not because she was being rude but because as they said those words, the intensity of the battle increased tremendously. Amon’s pace had reached a level never seen before, and Leon was forced to answer with his rapid strikes. And between movements, Arya caught the crack in Amon’s smile.

Seeing that expression, the young lass couldn’t help but feel a wave of nostalgia as she recalled the many times Amon had personally trained her in the past.

’When my brother has that expression… it’s game over.’