A Powerful Martial Artist Reincarnates as a Nun Knight

If asked about her job satisfaction as a Paladin nun knight, Sophia would likely respond that she found it reasonably fulfilling.
Her previous incarnation as Yibum-seok had devoted his life to rediscovering and restoring the obsolete ancient mystic arts along with the martial disciplines that had largely devolved into mere competitive spectacles or cultural heritage preservation exercises. So for the painstakingly reclaimed fruits of his labors to now serve a proper purpose contributing to world peace – how could she not embrace that?

‘I simply can’t pass that up.’

Vanquishing demons and monsters, setting misguided bandit hordes on the proper path – typically incarceration, enslavement in mines, or execution followed by resurrection for judgment – aligned perfectly with her predilections and even brought a sense of fulfillment.

Yet if asked whether she regretted becoming a nun knight, Sophia would emphatically reply “No!”
It wasn’t as if she had ever longed for a tranquil, leisurely life. There was a time when she had contemplated becoming an ordinary priestess managing a small rural church or convent – until the convent’s Mother Superior, Bishop Agnès Lefebvre, ensnared her into her current globetrotting circumstances.

So her memories of the naive period when she undertook the trials to become a Paladin knight amounted to an embarrassing juvenile phase. And Cardinal Andrea, who insisted on dredging up those cringeworthy recollections, deserved a sound thrashing for his impertinence, status be damned.

Chyang!
Upon arriving at the practice hall, Sophia brimmed with killing intent as she drew her longsword in a shoulder roll. Yet curiously, the very instant she unsheathed her blade and adopted a stance, the ferocious aura surrounding her immediately settled into tranquil, restrained tension.

“Ho…”

Observing this, Cardinal Andrea’s eyes gleamed as he softly exclaimed in admiration. He too drew his longsword before extending his arm to level the blade’s point towards Sophia, angling it to counter her shoulder roll into a slashing arc targeting her flank and armpit.

Quirking one brow, Sophia responded by initiating an unhesitating diagonal slash from her shoulder roll despite Cardinal Andrea’s thrust threatening her openings. As the accelerating stroke uncoiled, it manifested sooner than the cardinal initially anticipated. Realizing persisting with his guard would leave him overwhelmed, Cardinal Andrea smoothly abandoned his thrusting stance to redirect his longsword upwards.

The instant before Sophia’s stroke clashed against his angled blade, Cardinal Andrea swiftly retracted his sword arm back over his shoulder before driving it down like a plow, straightening the blade. Naturally, Sophia’s longsword became pinned under his as the cardinal’s point targeted her throat.

Typically, this would decide Cardinal Andrea’s victory. But Sophia was no ordinary fencer. Her seemingly trapped longsword exhibited an uncanny shift before snaking up Cardinal Andrea’s blade, reversing to target his wrist instead.

“Splendid technique!”
Cardinal Andrea exclaimed admiringly as he swept his blade in a wide arc to deflect Sophia’s counterattack before retreating a few paces. However, Sophia did not press her advantage, instead reassuming a low center stance while recomposing her breathing – having anticipated a counterattack that the wary cardinal had seen through, prompting him to click his tongue:

“Tsk, not one to fall for such simple feints, I see.”
“You’ve simply grown too old, Your Eminence. Even children would not be fooled by such tricks nowadays.”
“Is that so? I beg to differ.”

“Then I shall have to disabuse you of that notion.”
“By all means, try if you can.”

As they exchanged sardonic banter laced with antiquated affectations, Hildegard bore a ‘Who am I? Where is this?’ expression while observing. Yet her gaze remained transfixed upon their fencing – Sophia and Cardinal Andrea’s movements so refined and pristine, they resembled a textbook demonstration of the martial arts.

Lowering his sword arm while straightening his stance, Cardinal Andrea remarked in a frank tone:
“In truth, your swordsmanship has surpassed this old man’s for quite some time now.”
“While not untrue, it seems rather unnecessary to state that only now.”
Sophia furrowed her brow at the cardinal’s words. Regardless, he readjusted his grip as he continued:
“Then allow me to gauge how much your actual abilities have improved.”

The instant he finished speaking, Cardinal Andrea’s form vanished – or rather, accelerated beyond visible perception. Reacting in that fleeting moment, Sophia’s blade whirled like a windmill.

The clashing of steel blurred into an incessant tsurararan as countless footprints appeared and dissipated across the floor. Then, the next instant Cardinal Andrea rematerialized, Sophia’s form had disappeared.

Soon, flickering sword flashes erupted simultaneously across the practice hall as their blinding movements and impacts overwhelmed the retinas with persistent afterimages even before the previous collision could fade.

Observing this spectacle, Bishop Giovanni remarked in awe:
“All I perceive are indistinct afterimages – nothing distinct. Might you explain what transpires?”
“Their movements have simply become too swift. We can still grasp them from this third-person perspective, but the combatants likely cannot even perceive each other clearly anymore.”
“Then how are they battling?”
“How else? Pure experience and instinct bridge the gap. Most of our fights occur this way.”

Hildegard’s nonchalant response seemed to deeply unsettle the youthful bishop – was this the terrifying realm where humanity’s strongest clashed? Where such peerless beings fought existences beyond human comprehension?

Yet inwardly, even Hildegard broke into a cold sweat. For Sophia’s amplified strength since slaying the dread drake was glaringly apparent. Previously, Hildegard could still sense the faintest inklings of Sophia’s astral muscle movements. But now, even that had become indiscernible.

It signified Sophia’s astral muscles had evolved into even more restrained, refined motions after attaining the Sword of Epiphany insight – the ability to wield her blade through sheer willpower naturally transcending physical limitations whenever she gripped the hilt.

That Sophia could now engage Cardinal Andrea on such terms spoke volumes of the latter’s monstrous prowess – keeping pace with Sophia’s ungraspable movements through sheer experience, instinct, physicality and honed skills alone.

Yet even the indomitable Cardinal Andrea could not entirely evade breathlessness, muscle strain and vision-blurring torment amidst this ceaseless onslaught. Eventually, after deflecting one of Sophia’s assaults with a broad stroke, he hurriedly flung his sword aside while raising both arms in surrender:

“Enough! I yield! I cannot continue! Any further and this old man is finished!”

The hardened visage utterly absent as he gasped those frantic words would leave any familiar with Cardinal Andrea’s usual demeanor doubting their very eyes.

At last rematerializing with a swish, Sophia remarked in a disgruntled tone:
“Do you not find it somewhat problematic to conveniently invoke your aged status only when it suits you? You fought splendidly until now – why the sudden feebleness?”

“You’ll understand once you reach my age, Sister Chazelle! Growing old, nothing remains as it once was!”

At the cardinal’s words, Sophia could only shut her mouth in disbelief. Having lived to 160 in her previous life while tussling with grim reapers, his excuse seemed neither here nor there to her.

Of course, she could hardly retort:
‘You scoundrel! Why, in my past life I…What? Lived to 160, scrapping with grim reapers all the while! Compared to that, you’re a spring chicken, a mere youth!’

So she simply remained silent, dismissing his feeble pretext.

In any case, they had gotten in a good workout. Feeling invigorated, Sophia decided to depart the cathedral with Hildegard, whose enthusiasm for training had likewise been stoked by the impressive display. As for Cardinal Andrea’s instructions to prepare for the upcoming Council – well, they could attend to that tomorrow.

Watching the departing nun knights’ retreating figures, Bishop Giovanni seemed to resolve himself, his expression hardening. Approaching the bishop after dusting himself off, Cardinal Andrea remarked:
“What weighs on your mind?”
“I realized the battles unfolding on humanity’s frontlines transpire in realms far more daunting than I had envisioned.”
“Well, of course. Those inexperienced against transcendent adversaries cannot help but be blinded by their limited perspectives. Yet in our world, such myopia would prove fatal.”

Hence, Cardinal Andrea added, the caliber demanded of Paladin knights transcended sheer martial might – prioritizing an ever-preparedness to surpass limits:

“We must steel ourselves thoroughly. For the tasks before us are immense.”
Bishop Giovanni gravely nodded in solemn acknowledgment of the cardinal’s words.

++++

“So in the end, you truly intend to continue in that attire?”
“Certo che lo farò.”

At Ezio’s soft reaffirmation, bulging veins protruded across Hildegard’s furrowed brow as her jaw clenched.
In her hands were a cloak and robe she had procured for the ascetic priest, having just received his refusal to don them upon his release from the holding cells.

Hildegard belatedly recalled the apologetic, wistful look Sophia had given her when stating she would await them at the inn while Conra recuperated from his stupor. Her clenched fists trembled uncontrollably.