Progress in Martial Arts

"Woman, state your name."

Leon observed the woman who had broken into the camp alone, his gaze filled with admiration for her exquisite martial arts and a burning desire to test his own.

She wore a deep purple bodysuit that clung tightly to her curvaceous figure, appearing both voluptuous and beautiful, sharp and capable.

Her long, purplish-red hair hung down like a waterfall, and a black veil covered the lower half of her face, revealing only a pair of cold, piercing blood-red eyes.

She held two red spears in her hands, the spearheads and shafts seamlessly integrated. The sharp blades shimmered with a cold light, and magic surged and burst forth wantonly, exuding a natural killing intent that spoke of countless heroes who had perished beneath them.

"I am Scathach, mistress of the foreign magical realm from the Land of Shadows. Are you the Lion King of Britain?"

Scathach recovered from the surprise of first seeing Leon; she had not expected anyone to be as tall as the rumors suggested, resembling a small giant.

Her voice was cold and mysterious, as if she were a monarch standing high above the heavens—aloof and arrogant. Long accustomed to looking down on others, she radiated a fierce aura, carrying a trace of imperceptible killing intent.

This killing intent was pure and piercing, making Leon's skin tighten as if needles were pricking his flesh, causing a dense, slight pain.

The spears, shining with crimson magic, made Leon's heart palpitate involuntarily, as if they would pierce his heart the very next moment.

"Not bad at all."

The killing intent and danger emanating from Scathach were charming and intoxicating, an irresistible temptation.

Previously, the thirty thousand men of Ireland had surrendered too quickly. Although Leon had won the battle, the slaughter had been satisfying but not enough to quench his thirst. To Leon, Scathach was like a spring in the desert, seeping into his heart and moistening his parched internal organs.

"None of you are to intervene. Those who disobey will be executed." This was a grand feast, and he intended to savor it properly.

The guards nearby heard the order and immediately complied, clearing an open space and forming a large circle around Leon and the intruder, allowing their King to enjoy himself to the fullest.

Scathach's brazen actions had not only attracted Leon; Merlin had also arrived at the camp gate early on.

Or rather, Merlin had seen her from the start and warned the soldiers of the intruder.

However, he had simply been watching the battle.

After Lancelot stepped down and saw Leon preparing to engage personally, Merlin immediately waved his wooden staff, chanting obscure spells at a steady pace. A floral scent wafted over, and countless petals appeared, enveloping the open space to form a transparent circular barrier.

He looked at Lancelot with an inquiring, worried expression, and upon seeing Lancelot nod steadily, he relaxed.

"No need to worry. The King's martial arts are far above mine; he will have no trouble dealing with the enemy."

Upon hearing this, although Merlin did not know if it was Lancelot's flattery, he let out a long sigh of relief.

On the battlefield, Leon held the Holy Sword of the Stars, killing intent erupting in his eyes. His figure broke through layers of sound barriers as he charged toward Scathach.

Facing the incoming attack, Scathach was stunned for a moment before regaining her focus. Leon's attack was already before her eyes, and in the next instant, it would have sliced her in two.

She recognized the immense power carried by this strike and leaned backward to dodge it. At the same time, the magic in her spears surged, the tips glowing with a scarlet blood-light as she thrust toward Leon's heart.

Leon had intended to take the hit head-on and use the opportunity to kill her with a single sword stroke, but he was interrupted by a chill that made his scalp tingle, forcing him to barely dodge the strike.

After a brief exchange, both sides had a rough estimate of each other's strength.

"Lion King, you are indeed special. I cannot see you at all."

A look of wonder appeared in Scathach's eyes. She had subconsciously used the wisdom of her abyss-like magical mirror, yet she could not see Leon's past or future.

It was not that she couldn't see clearly; it was that she couldn't see him at all. She couldn't even perceive Leon's presence in the world.

If they hadn't exchanged a blow face-to-face, she would have doubted whether he even existed in this world, and she saw no traces of magical concealment on him.

His massive physique and incredible power were neither a gift from the gods nor a blessing or curse from the fae. Scathach couldn't even feel the flow of magic within him; he was entirely a body of flesh and blood.

"I am interested in you—"

Before Scathach could finish, she felt a gale force strike, tearing through the air as the cold light of the blade in Leon's hand swung toward her head.

Clang!

Scathach used her spear to catch the sword, using a technique to deflect the weight and vault herself up. Her slender, long body twisted like a butterfly, and with a tap of her foot, she landed steadily on the tip of Leon's sword.

"To think you'd launch a sneak attack while someone is talking."

A giant not even twenty years old, tricking and ambushing an old... young lady who was eighteen years and who-knows-how-many months old—it was truly lacking in martial virtue.

Fortunately, she was experienced and her martial arts were god-tier, allowing her to handle it with ease.

As Scathach spoke, she threw the spear in her hand, aiming for Leon's eye socket.

Leon twisted his wrist, swinging the blade upward, intending to cut this old woman in two from between her legs to her skull, while simultaneously batting away the thrown magic spear.

Ding!

Scathach's other spear tapped against the blade, and using the leverage, she vaulted more than ten meters away. Landing steadily, she reached out and caught the spear Leon had knocked away.

"What a despicable beast."

Upon hearing this, Leon wore a subtle expression that said, 'Are you an idiot?'

Battle is not a performance; it is a life-or-death struggle. The only result is the law of the jungle—the eater and the eaten. There is no such thing as being despicable.

This was a truth he had understood since the first time he went hunting after arriving in this world.

After these two brief exchanges, Leon felt the blood in his body boiling completely, as if he had infinite power that desperately needed to be unleashed.

Without another word, he charged forward again, and they became locked in a fierce struggle.

The two of them—one powerful and fierce, invincible in his courage; the other flexible and versatile, with ancient experience—fought back and forth, evenly matched for a time.

Outside the barrier, Merlin's brows furrowed slightly as he watched the two combatants.

Was the Lion King's martial prowess really this high?

Merlin considered himself somewhat knowledgeable in swordsmanship. Having followed Leon on the campaign against Vortigern, he had seen Leon fight before. Back then, his martial arts were merely average—courageous enough for the chaos of the battlefield, but lacking the finesse for a one-on-one duel, relying entirely on brute strength to hold his ground.

In just half a year, the speed of the Lion King's progress and the refinement of his techniques were as if he had become a different person; he could even trade blows with the Queen of the Land of Shadows using nothing but martial skill.

Moreover, there was something vaguely familiar about the way his moves connected.

Merlin looked toward Lancelot beside him; that sense of familiarity in the Lion King's style came from him.

"Sir Lancelot, the King's martial arts have improved significantly."

"Indeed, the King is gifted with natural intelligence; he learns everything at a glance."

Lancelot nodded, secretly marveling at Leon's progress in his heart.

Over the past six months, Leon would frequently invite him to banquets and bestow rewards upon him, and in his spare time, he would teach Leon a move or two. He never expected that in just half a year, Leon's martial arts would completely surpass his own years of bitter training.

And this was while Leon was busy with paperwork all day, only able to practice in his leisure time... If he were to train diligently every single day, there was no telling what realm his martial arts might reach.

So, what you said just now was actually the truth, Merlin retorted silently.

He reasoned that before meeting the likes of Lancelot, the highest level of martial arts the Lion King had encountered was merely that of the old knight Luther, which was why his skills had only been slightly better than Luther's.

After meeting Lancelot, he was able to learn more refined techniques, and thus, he could surpass Lancelot.

With such terrifying natural talent, a giant's physique, and that divine strength, who in this world, past or present, could possibly be his match?

Scathach, who was currently locked in combat with Leon, felt this deeply as well.

She had assumed he was an unpolished piece of jade, but she hadn't expected this piece of jade to become sentient and start carving itself with a hammer and chisel.

And it was carving itself quite well, too!