The Devouring Knight

Drake arched a brow but said nothing at first. Eldric's voice carried genuine shock, after all, he knew Drake's history, how the man had long since hit the ceiling of his Knight path, unable to push further no matter how much he trained.

Yet here, now, something had changed.

"I have to thank Lumberling for that," Drake replied with a faint grin, wiping the sweat from his neck. His tone was light, but there was weight behind it. He left it unsaid, the truth being a matter strictly between him and Lumberling.

Eldric's frown broke into a wide smile. "That's good. Truly good. You finally broke through your walls." His voice carried the satisfaction of someone who'd seen a friend wrestle with limitations for years.

Then, turning his attention to Lumberling, his gaze flicked toward the sparring monsters. "Your subordinates… they seem stronger than their stage would suggest."

Lumberling's lips curled faintly. 'Guess his eyes are still sharp as ever.'

"Not exactly," he replied, arms folded. "Let's just say their bodies are… tougher than most."

Eldric's eyes narrowed slightly, studying the fighters again, the way their strikes carried weight, the stability in their footwork, the resilience in their posture.

It wasn't magic, Lumberling knew, it was the result of months of grueling work. His captains, the vice-captains, and his soldiers had practiced the Bruteforge Body Cultivation Path day after day, forging sinew and bone until their physical strength far outstripped what their current levels should allow. They'd reached the first layer, Blood Tempering, the limit for now, since he hadn't yet had the time to refine and advance the method further.

'Improving the Bruteforge Body Cultivation Path… another task to add to the list,' he thought grimly. The task at hand was getting long.

Eldric's gaze swept across the training grounds, his voice breaking the quiet.

"You've got a lot of elite-level warriors."

His eyes lingered on Grokk and Shade, the towering Gnoll and the massive spider. "That Gnoll… and that giant spider, they're strong." There was a weight to his tone, the kind that came from a soldier who had seen power before.

Grokk's hulking frame radiated raw muscle and menace, while Shade's glossy black carapace shimmered faintly in the light, his many eyes watching with cold patience. Eldric could feel it, these two weren't just dangerous, they were on par with him… perhaps stronger.

In the army, warriors of Eldric's level commanded five hundred soldiers and were treated with high regard. The realization that these creatures matched or surpassed his own ability was enough to make his stomach tighten.

His gaze moved to the captains standing in formation. Most were monstrous in stature, some nearly brushing the threshold of becoming Quasi-Knights. They carried themselves with the quiet confidence of those who had survived battle after battle, the faint scent of old blood clinging to them like an aura.

And then there were the Knight Page level monsters, dozens of them. Each one, in the chaos of war, could tear through entire squads of human soldiers. Eldric counted them instinctively, his military mind already estimating their battlefield value.

"With this force," Eldric said slowly, still trying to wrap his head around it, "you could easily crush a Baron's retinue. Maybe even a Viscount's."

He glanced at Lumberling as he spoke, knowing what that meant. Barons typically kept a few Quasi-Knights at best. Viscounts fielded Knight One Stage warriors, though they can occasionally employ higher stages, most high-ranking Knights serve only the greater nobility, Earls and above.

Lumberling, however, only shook his head.

"Maybe we could," he admitted, "but that wouldn't be enough to survive this war." His gaze moved over his troops with quiet pride. "Still… I'm proud of how far they've come."

Eldric caught it, the faint warmth in his voice, the look in his eyes.

A voice rang from behind them, light but edged with mischief.

"My Lord, I thought you said you were on the verge of breaking through your skills. Why are you just watching from the sides?"

They turned. Eldric's eyes went wide, almost comically so when he saw who had spoken.

Standing casually with his arms folded was a goblin with sharp, almost human-like features and a knowing smirk, Skitz.

Eldric's breath caught. His instincts screamed danger. The air around this goblin…

"His… his aura. You have a Knight One Stage?" Eldric's voice cracked with disbelief. He'd thought he'd seen the limits of today's surprises, but apparently, fate wasn't done with him yet.

Skitz gave him a casual wave.

"Hey there. I've heard of you from my Lord." His tone was casual, almost teasing. "And don't be too shocked, I'm not even the scariest one here. The guy beside you? He's beaten me in spars before."

"What?" Eldric's head snapped toward Lumberling. "You're already a True Knight?"

The disbelief was genuine, almost awe. It hadn't even been a decade since he'd last seen this boy, and now…

Lumberling shook his head.

"I'm not a True Knight. But I have… means to fight them."

Eldric frowned, wanting to press the matter, but the younger man was already stepping forward, rolling his shoulders. Skitz grinned in anticipation and pulled two wicked, curved daggers from his belt.

"Still remember our last match?" Skitz asked, spinning one dagger idly.

"I remember you losing," Lumberling replied, lowering his spear into guard.

….

Skitz moved first. He was a blur, a sudden ripple of shadow streaking low to the left. Eldric almost missed the movement entirely, only the faint whisper of footfalls gave it away.

Lumberling's spear darted out, the tip tracing a precise arc to intercept. Steel kissed steel, the dagger deflecting with a sharp ting before Skitz melted away to the side.

Then came the flurry. Skitz attacked like a whirlwind of blades, low sweeps aiming for ankles, sudden upward thrusts toward the ribs, and feints that dissolved into disappearing steps. His form was like liquid, never in one place for more than a blink.

Lumberling didn't match speed with speed, at least, not directly. His movements were economical, his spear snapping, sweeping, and twisting in ways that shut down angles before Skitz could exploit them. One moment he would be defending with the spear shaft, the next flicking the tip in a deceptive jab that forced Skitz to roll back.

Then he shifted, without warning from defensive rhythm to a sudden aggressive burst. The spear became a storm, attacking from impossible angles, as if every motion carried a hidden trap.

Clang! Each strike either drove Skitz a step back or forced him into a desperate deflection.

A glint flashed in Skitz's eye, he dashed straight in, crossing the spear's line with an inside step, daggers poised to strike the chest…

Only to feel the spearhead halt an inch from his throat. Lumberling's other hand had caught one dagger mid-swing, twisting Skitz's wrist just enough to freeze the motion.

A grin split the goblin's face. "Tch. Still can't beat you when you're serious."

From the sidelines, Eldric stood motionless, his fist tightening. He didn't sense the aura of a True Knight from Lumberling, only that of a Quasi-Knight, yet this young man had just held his own, even dominated, against a Knight One Stage.

'A Quasi Knight fighting a True Knight? This talent… it's beyond exceptional,' Eldric thought, a chill running through his spine.