A Powerful Martial Artist Reincarnates as a Nun Knight - Chapter 13

A brief silence ensued. The child struck by the finger flick lay crumpled in a corner of the dueling ground, eyes rolled back.
“Hmm, was that a bit too much?”
Sophia slightly regretted going overboard. Seeming to sense her thoughts, Setanta laughed and said:
“You did just right. That brat needs a proper thrashing to learn some humility. Besides, he’s tougher than he looks, so go ahead and keep it coming.”
“By ‘keep it coming’ you mean he already seems to have lost consciousness.”
“He’s just momentarily dazed from getting properly hit for once. I’m sure he understood your taunting provocation too. Look at this.”

Following Setanta’s words, Sophia turned to see Conra already regaining consciousness, shakily rising while clutching the lump on his forehead, eyes squinted shut.
“Damn it, that stings…”
Spewing curses unsuitable for an 11-year-old, Conra opened his eyes wide.
“It seems I was a bit careless earlier. It won’t be so easy from now on.”
“Hmm. Bold words at least.”

Inadvertently letting out a taunting remark at the unsteady young boy, Sophia inwardly flinched. Well, he was quite the entertaining one to provoke. That tenacious feeling of him rising to the bait made her want to taunt him further. It seemed like it could be fun to take him along. Such thoughts began arising.

Sophia raised an arm that had been folded and gestured towards Conra. The young boy tensed defensively. Mocking him, she turned her palm upwards and flicked her fingers, taunting him to come at her.

It was a casual gesture, but if timed right, the recipient could only feel utterly provoked. With rage reaching his head, Conra immediately charged forward with his spear again. Sophia faced him without unfolding her arms.

Several more crisp finger flick sounds rang out, each time sending Conra’s frame flying to crumple in a different corner of the dueling ground.

Conra challenged Sophia with all his martial skills. The Fena Erin formal spear and body techniques taught by Setanta, the Rotharingan dueling swordsmanship from Cali – despite his young age, Conra had undoubtedly reached an expert level of skill.

The problem was simply that his opponent was too strong. The Sophia facing Conra was one who had mastered nearly all martial arts on Earth in her past life and re-established them in this life, a specialist in battling demons across the world. The depth of her martial experience and accumulated battle experience were simply incomparable.

As the young boy seemed to reach his limits, Sophia suggested in an undertone:
“At this rate, it’s not even a fight. Feel free to use the mystic arts of the druid and alchemist. Perhaps something in there might work, who knows?”
……
There was no answer. Instead, a change came over the young boy’s body. In an instant, his pupils turned golden, and his physique began expanding. Fur sprouted across his body, his muzzle elongating. Soon, in the spot the boy had been stood a lithe, werewolf-like half-human, half-beast.

The werewolf spun the spear in its hand like a baton before taking another spear stance. Ogham and runes soon lit up all over its body and along the spear shaft as alchemical mysteries manifested on the spearhead.

[Here I come again!]
“Oh? Come then.”

Matching Sophia’s response, the werewolf Conra slammed his spear’s butt into the ground. Sophia instinctively realized it was a similar motion to when Setanta struck the ground with his staff. Immediately after, Sophia leapt high using the “Startled Toad” footwork technique. Tree roots timed to ensnare her ankles narrowly missed.

However, it was enough for the werewolf spearman Conra. His transformed frame shot towards Sophia like a bullet, his “Leaping Salmon” movement still a bit unrefined compared to his human form, but enhanced with far greater reach from his elongated limbs and overflowing primal power.

Moreover, his reverse muscle cultivation was fully applied despite the change in physique and proportions. This was because the astral muscles cultivated through reverse muscle cultivation were spiritual in essence, only conforming to the meridian pathways in shape.

As a result, Conra’s movements became far swifter, heavier, and more powerful than before. He realized that if he could not refine his movements, it was far more effective to simply abandon the finer points and go for brute force.

The werewolf spearman twisted his waist as he charged, sweeping his spear in a ponderous arc more akin to swinging a club than a spear, the heavy thudding sound resounding. A strike with that kind of force would have been difficult even for Sophia to evade.

What he did not expect was that Sophia’s aerial hang time far exceeded his expectations, and the speed he could muster as a werewolf was still within Sophia’s tolerances. With a tok, Sophia’s feet landed squarely on Conra’s sweeping spear shaft.

[Impossible, those are not the bodily movements of a fully armored person…]

The excessively deft and nimble movements despite her full plate armor left Conra gaping in disbelief.

“If your attack fails, you should immediately think of the next, no? Who told you to let your guard down?”

Simultaneous with her words, another finger flick cracked against the werewolf spearman’s forehead – proportionately more substantial and intense considering his increased stature. Conra’s frame was once again flung away like a severed kite string, tumbling along the ground.

Even after transforming into a werewolf, Conra’s forehead was struck by several more finger flicks. Sophia’s force control was perfect, so each flick resonated with the optimal intensity and reverberation for Conra.

Finally, the young boy’s fighting spirit broke after the lumps swelled to comically exaggerated proportions that would make a cartoon proud. He realized that no matter what he did, it was impossible to make Sophia unfold her arms, leaving him utterly dejected.

As the exhausted, detransformed Conra panted raggedly, Sophia approached and placed her hand on his forehead. Flinching with eyes squeezed shut, expecting another finger flick, the young boy was instead enveloped in a warm, soothing radiance as Sophia’s touch gradually relieved the searing, ringing pain and visibly reduced the swelling lump, leaving him wide-eyed.

The boy seemed to be experiencing the luminous power of the clergy for the first time. Seeing his childlike wonder, Sophia smiled cheerfully. Turning to Setanta and Cali, she said:

“Very well. I rather like this kid’s skill and tenacity. I’ll take him along and teach him.”
“Hahaha, I had a feeling you’d say that.”
“Our child is lacking, but please take good care of him.”
“Rather, it is I who should worry about being insufficient. I merely thought he was a gifted prodigy, but he’s truly an exceptional genius. It will be fun to teach him.”

Sophia laughed heartily as she ruffled the young boy’s head. Though Conra made a displeased face, having realized the clear disparity in strength, he obediently accepted her ruffling.

“However, before that, I must first ask the person concerned for his intentions.”
With a solemn expression, Sophia knelt down to meet the young boy’s eyes.
“Well then, tell me your thoughts. It seems your parents wish to entrust you to me to see the world. What do you think? Let me make this clear – I am one who cannot settle in one place. If you come with me, it will likely be quite arduous, and you will see many harsh sights.”

Conra’s expression turned quite serious at Sophia’s words. He asked:
“If I follow you, can I become as strong as you?”

At that remarkably masculine and heroic question, Sophia felt an unbounded joy once more. With a broad, satisfied smile, she replied:
“How much you learn depends on how I teach, and how you learn. But one thing is certain – you will become stronger than you are now.”

Conra did not take Sophia’s words lightly. After silently mulling them over, he seemed to make up his mind, nodding firmly:
“I will follow you! From now on, I will serve you as my master and teacher!”
“Oh? Then kneel on one knee, young warrior Conra.”

Following Sophia’s words, Conra complied. As the young boy knelt on one knee, Sophia drew her longsword from its sheath and tapped both his shoulders and head with the pommel.

“A simple ceremony, but I have completed the knighting of a squire. From now on, you will hold the duties and rights of being my disciple and squire. Your duty is to diligently learn my teachings, approach all matters with wisdom and justice, and always uphold the nobility of a warrior. Your rights are to request my teachings and be respected and treated as a knight’s squire by all. Remember this well, and do not forget it.”
“Yes, Master. I will keep it in mind.”

As the ceremony concluded, the observing Setanta laughed heartily:
“Wahaha, today is a fine day! An outstanding teacher has met a talented disciple. As the child’s parent, I cannot but celebrate! Why, earlier I even caught a sizable wild boar. Although I know you are in a hurry regarding the aquifer issue, how about staying the night at our home and enjoying a modest feast first?”

“I was thinking the same. It would not do to have the child depart without a proper farewell to his parents. Well, if you are offering a feast, I will gratefully accept the invitation.”

Hearing Sophia’s words, the pleased Cali added:
“Thank you for your consideration. As a token, I will bring out my reserve wine, a personal blend made with Rotharingan alchemical mysteries. Please have a taste.”

At Cali’s words, Setanta suddenly leapt up, licking his lips.
“What, you’re bringing that out?! When I asked to try it before, you flatly refused!”
“Oh my, you still remember that? If I had given it to you then, you’d have drained the entire wineskin that very day! I laid down that wine specifically for occasions like this!”
“Oof, don’t make such truthful jabs! Let’s settle this with drinking capacity instead!”

As Setanta and Cali began bickering, the fully exposed Conra clamped his hands over his ears and squeezed his eyes shut in embarrassment, as if wishing he could die of shame right there.

Having witnessed the entire scene from start to finish, Sophia could only laugh cheerfully once more.