The First Magic World War

Charles had no idea that, under the guise of an admirer of the West Wind Goddess, his intimate demeanor with the Laurel Goddess while wandering around the University of Georgia campus was enough to make people want to beat him up.

Taoles didn't say what he was going to do back at school, and Charles didn't think to ask, but while he was waiting for Anne, he urged a few times for Taoles to leave, yet Taoles did not move, which made him alert.

Although Taoles was a covenantor of the gods, Charles could not guarantee that Anne would be magnanimous. He was racking his brain when he suddenly heard a stranger calling out.

"Is that Mister Mecklen?"

Charles glanced over and realized he didn't recognize the person, who called him in a refined manner, wearing a monocle. Although the Old Continent had seen the advent of eyeglasses with temples, the old-fashioned monocle had not yet been completely phased out and was still quite a valuable gentleman's accessory.

Charles nodded, answering, "Yes, it's me."Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Denying it was pointless, as there weren't many men at the University of Georgia who didn't know him.

"I'm Hans!"

"I think that while you're pursuing Anne, being together with Taoles at the same time is a gross violation of public morals, a highly unethical act, and I challenge you to a duel."

Charles was shocked and was about to explain when Mister Hans had already crossed his fists and executed a series of kickboxing moves, lunging straight at him.

Taoles pursed his lips, smiled, and stepped back, clearing the area for the fight.

Charles had also learned kickboxing, one of the seven most popular bare-handed Combat Techniques in the Old Continent, which could be learned at the National Academy, and professional teachers taught it at the university, although he wasn't proficient.

If it hadn't been for the inheritance of Angel's Thorn and later leveraging the Mask of the Cat to learn some assassin's Flying Dagger Technique, Charles would have still been a close-combat failure, capable, before becoming Transcendent, of handling at most two or three ordinary stout men who hadn't studied Combat Technique and swordsmanship.

At this moment, although the duel was sudden, Charles was already well able to cope; with a slight sway of his body, he easily dodged Hans's successive attacks using the Quickness Technique's speed and balance, and with a flip of his body, he used the Sea Serpent Kick from kickboxing, flipping his challenger to the ground.

The Sea Serpent Kick is a very fierce move in kickboxing, characterized by the power and unpredictable trajectory of the kick, like a giant sea serpent in the ocean.

Having triumphed over his opponent, Charles was about to speak a few words to lighten the atmosphere when someone loudly shouted, "Mister Mecklen? Please, allow me to challenge you to a duel for Anne."

Before Charles could respond, a whirlwind swept towards him as a student from the University of Georgia leaped forward, demonstrating a route of Golbas Combat Technique with a dazzling display of legwork that enveloped his upper body.

Charles still used the Sea Serpent Kick, delivering a high kick that knocked the second challenger out of mid-air, but before he could catch his breath, a third challenger spoke up…

Before his duel with Harriet Alva, Charles had never been in any duel, but today he unexpectedly received twenty-three challenges, all from students at the University of Georgia.

When the twenty-third opponent fell to Charles's kickboxing, he habitually shouted, "Next!" but there was no twenty-fourth challenger, and applause erupted around him.

Charles looked around and saw Anne with a flushed face, feeling somewhat guiltily, he asked, "Have you finished your class?"

Anne smiled and said, "You defeated the sixth challenger just as I was finishing class."

Charles did not see Taoles and wisely did not ask about the former Laurel Goddess. Anne also did not mention the senior student. After boarding the carriage, Charles suggested they go to the opera, to which Anne happily agreed.

The two enjoyed a sweet performance of the opera.

In the evening, after parting with Anne, Charles returned to Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58. He told Madam Nancy, "Have Mrs. Plum Sauce prepare the ingredients for barbecue tomorrow, I'm inviting a gentleman over for dinner."

Charles had not yet received the order to depart, but he had already obtained the registration documents from the Knighthood. He was making preparations for the future.

Although Ross Bard of the Bard Company was a decent merchant, his company only dealt in ordinary goods. Charles, intending to purchase items useful on the battlefield, had to turn to Louis Simi.

He planned to personally invite Louis Simi to his home for dinner the next day.

After giving instructions to Madam Nancy, Charles went back up to the third floor. As was his routine, he played with the cat for a while before he began training in Bloody Glory.

His primary focus recently was still the Spirit Spider Technique, but he also maintained practice in other Bloody Runes. After completing an hour and a half of breathing exercises combined with meditation on the Spirit Spider Technique, he sequentially practiced Insight, Blood Flame Qi, and Angel's Thorn, each for half an hour.

Towards the end of his practice of Angel's Thorn, a myriad of bizarre, brutally efficient, lightning-fast swordsmanship styles suddenly underwent a novel transformation in Charles's mind.

The newly emerged swordsmanship, like a sliver of light, seemed fragile but possessed boundless potential.

Each unremarkable sword move concealed more intricate and unexpected variations, bursting forth with dozens of changes within a single stroke.

An epiphany struck Charles; this was the second movement of the Angel's Twelve Chapters: Dawn Sky!

Bereft of any natural talent in close combat, he had inherited the legacy of Angel's Thorn but never prioritized swordsmanship as his main discipline. Although he had continuously trained, he never devoted more effort.

Charles had not expected that, while he had not yet mastered the Spirit Spider Technique, he would break through in the swordsmanship of the Asiluo Clan.

With a flick of his finger, the Blood Rose emerged floating in the air.

Charles reached out and grasped the Blood Rose, casually twirling it into a sword flower. He could feel his meteoric improvement in swordsmanship. The magic stabbing sword moved as flexibly as part of his body, seemingly fused with his thoughts. With a mere flicker of intention in his mind, the blade had already elegantly flipped, pointing at the target.

Charles stood quietly with the sword for a long time, then stored the Blood Rose into his left arm. After briefly washing up, he went to bed.

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The next day, Charles left the house for a while.

By noon, he had brought Louis Simi back. The merchant's attitude towards Charles was noticeably warmer.

He had learned of everything Charles had been doing recently, including the fact that when he had met Charles, the Chief of the Lucavaro District Patrolling Army was on the run. He knew this young man had turned the tables, not only taking down the former Warden Magrull Teller of Kilmainham Prison but also gaining the support of The Empire's First Rose once again. Besides admiration, he deeply regretted his initial "investment" had been too small.

When Louis Simi knew Charles had become Clerk Chief of the Empire's thirty-fifth class, his first thought was, "I should have given him the Shalun's Sergeant Lance back then!" A bloodsucking weapon, though expensive, was less valuable than the friendship of a thirty-fifth class influential figure of the Empire.