Claire

Biodata

Name	Claire (克莱尔)
Species/Race	Human 210
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Peran Territory; Countess Ilinda's faction 212 566
Occupation/Role	Baron of Peran Territory; Formal Knight; martial artist 210 226 590
First Appearance	Chapter 207, “Shadow” 207

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Formal Knight	210 555	Became a Formal Knight at age sixteen. His Knight's Breathing Technique grants explosive physical force and speed.
Martial arts — Beginner stage	590	Developed an aura through Vajra Finger cultivation; his killing intent instinctively triggered Arro's danger response.
Heaven Mending Technique — Beginner level	628	Reached Beginner level while reading the manual, with life magic power surging through his body.

Background

Claire became a Formal Knight at sixteen and was considered capable of becoming a Great Knight. His opportunity was lost after years of interrupted training, personal tragedy, and withdrawal from active life. A disaster in Peran Territory took nearly all of his family, leaving him unable to overcome the resulting grief. 555 565

For many years, he served at Countess Ilinda's side as a guard, often spending months away from home. His devotion to her and the count's territory remained intact even after he retreated to Peran Manor. 344 553

A shadow disaster later struck Peran Territory. Claire's attempt to reclaim and secure Peran Castle brought him into contact with the wandering wizard Arro, whose power reshaped Claire's understanding of both wizards and martial paths. 210 212 226

Appearance

Claire is a burly, powerfully built knight with a resolute face and an imposing martial bearing. He is commonly seen in armor during combat, though he later travels and trains in ordinary leather clothing. 208 210 577 595

• Wears heavy armor and carries a helmet when acting as a knight. 210 226
• Uses a greatsword in close combat. 207
• Rides a Scale-Horned Horse with exceptional coordination in battle. 223 224
• His eyes became noticeably more spirited after beginning martial-arts cultivation. 585

Personality

Claire is driven by duty. He identifies his purpose with defending Countess Ilinda and repeatedly places the safety of Peran Territory, Bevan, and civilians above his own comfort. 553 596 599

Though initially direct and quick to anger when challenged, he is capable of admitting defeat, showing respect to strength, and adapting his views. After losing to Arro, he formally acknowledged him as a wizard rather than clinging to wounded pride. 210

He is cautious in uncertain situations. When Arro fought inside the Underground Palace, Claire chose to wait outside rather than recklessly enter without understanding the battlefield. 597

Claire also possesses an intense, obsessive dedication to the Heaven Mending legacy. His attempts to embody the Heaven Mending Elder's ideals and create martial arts can push him into a frenzied, near-mad state of concentration. 580 631 641

Abilities & Skills

Formal Knight Training

Claire is a Formal Knight whose combat style emphasizes overwhelming physical power, speed, and force.

• Activates the Knight's Breathing Technique to unleash explosive movement and strength. 207
• His elbow strike is powerful enough to kill a sturdy bull; even a blocked strike left Arro's arm numb. 208
• Can fight while wearing armor weighing several hundred pounds for extended periods. 587
• Cannot destroy Shadow Creatures outright, but can touch them while they attack and block their assaults. 226

Mounted Combat

Claire is a highly skilled cavalry fighter.

• Charged alone through Peran Castle's Shadow Puppets on a Scale-Horned Horse. 223 224
• Uses a spear, his mount's momentum, and its hooves to eliminate large numbers of enemies efficiently. 224
• His horse's rhythm and his control in the saddle were recognizable from a distance. 223

Vajra Finger

Under Arro's guidance, Claire opened the meridians and acupoints required for Vajra Finger and trained it through repeated stone-carving practice. 584 585

• Channels Life Force through his index finger to leave marks and characters on stone. 585 589
• Can combine physical force and Life Force to imprint stone without visibly breaking it. 586
• Generates a fierce, overbearing finger aura when his intent is focused. 590
• Repeated use is exhausting because of its heavy Life Force consumption. 587
• His internal energy instinctively protects his fingers during strenuous carving, limiting injuries to superficial wounds. 631

Heaven Mending Technique

Claire rejected the Eight Extremes Method in favor of the Heaven Mending Technique, believing its Martial Dao True Meaning was essential rather than merely restrictive. 580

• Interprets its core ideal as using human hearts to mend Heaven's heart. 580 628
• Treats the Heaven Mending Elder as real in the hearts of those who uphold the Elder's ideals. 580
• Reached the technique's Beginner level simply by reading its manual. 628
• Uses self-hypnosis and reenactment of Claire's Autobiography to cultivate the legacy's state of mind. 584 596

Combat Judgment

Claire combines knightly experience with increasing caution and decisiveness.

• Defeated several Blood Red Bats alone after breaking free from his self-imposed persona. 596
• Prioritized Bevan's safety over rushing to assist Arro at the bats' nest. 596
• Identified inconsistencies in Burlihan's story and interrogated him instead of accepting his plea at face value. 599

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Greatsword — his primary weapon during the early duel with Arro. 207
• Heavy armor — worn in knightly combat and during his first confrontation with Arro. 209 210
• Spear — used during his mounted charge through Peran Castle's Shadow Puppets. 224
• Scale-Horned Horse — his battle mount and a crucial part of his cavalry combat style. 223 224
• Wicker basket — used to carry stone fragments gathered for the Heaven Mending Ruins. 590 603

Relationships

• Arro / Arrow — Initially his duel opponent, then an ally, advisor, and guide in martial-arts cultivation. Claire trusts Arro's power and cooperates with his plan to spread martial arts. 210 563 590
• Bevan Peran — His son. Claire is deeply concerned for Bevan's safety and later trains alongside him in martial arts. 226 585 596
• Countess Ilinda — Claire's longtime liege and the person he considers his reason for existing. His loyalty to her remains firm even when Arro urges secrecy. 212 553 566
• Knight Wilfric — Claire's former teacher and Bevan's maternal grandfather. Their relationship is marked by regret over Claire's past losses but also mutual respect. 555
• Viscountess Corey — A major enemy connected to Peran Territory's suffering and the obstacle standing in the path of Claire's Heaven Mending pilgrimage. 590 598
• Lucius — A political opponent who challenges Claire's judgment and seeks to discredit his warnings about Arro. 554

Story Role / Major Arcs

Clash with Arro

Claire challenged Arro while relying on his superior strength, armor, and knightly combat experience. Arro defeated him through mobility, spells, and unconventional tactics, forcing Claire to recognize that the stories of wizards were true. 207 209 210

Peran Castle and Break from Viscount Corey

After arranging for Arro to clear the Shadows in exchange for lodging, Claire sought to reclaim Peran Castle and return to Countess Ilinda's side. He moved his people under cover of night, leased the castle to Arro for a year, and prepared to defy Viscount Corey. 211 212 226 227

Defense of the Count's Territory

During the war, Claire argued against nobles who underestimated Arro. His firsthand experience of Arro's speed and destructive wizardry convinced him that provoking the viscount would be disastrous. 554 555

Heaven Mending Pilgrimage

Claire agreed to become the public “Great Hero” in Arro's plan to spread martial arts, but gradually came to see the Heaven Mending Elder's legacy as his own true path. He abandoned the Eight Extremes Method, cultivated Vajra Finger, and pursued the Heaven Mending inheritance with unwavering conviction. 563 580 584 590

Martial Arts Mountain

After the Underground Palace incident, Claire protected the rescued Maidens, built a small settlement near the Heaven Mending Ruins, and proposed establishing Martial Arts Mountain there to use the area's resources and population. 599 600

Martial-Arts Design

While helping establish the Heaven Mending legacy, Claire became consumed by designing new martial arts around internal-force killing moves. His intensity allowed rapid creation, but alarmed Arro, who feared Claire might be unable to leave his self-hypnotic state. 631 641

Notable Quotes

“The meaning of my existence is to defend the Countess!” 553

“The Heaven Mending Elder truly exists. He exists in the hearts of everyone who recognizes his ideals!” 580