A Powerful Martial Artist Reincarnates as a Nun Knight

To recount the story, after securing the hidden first-floor space, Sophia’s group swiftly advanced downward with unstoppable momentum. Of course, it would be ludicrous to expect Sophia, the mentor of Conra and Maria, to struggle against mere criminal underlings.

Rather, Sophia was guarding the relatively vulnerable Priestess Clermant while intermittently deflecting those attempting to flee, assisting in their suppression without exerting her full power. Her restraint stemmed from a desire to assess the capabilities of Clermant’s junior, Sister Agnès.

‘It seems Priestess Clermant’s safety will entirely depend on Sister Agnès going forward. Even as a bearer of Chalcedonia’s blessing, I should observe her fundamental abilities to have peace of mind later.’

Agnès, the subject of Sophia’s evaluation, understood and shared her perspective. She was well aware that she served as Clermant’s protector and that opportunities to receive guidance from a nun knight holding a seat in the Paladin Order were rare. Thus, she had no reason to refuse.

In any case, it was a rare chance to be evaluated and instructed by a master. Agnès strived to demonstrate her full capabilities and talents to fulfill her role. And after keenly observing her efforts, Sophia ultimately gave her a borderline passing evaluation, though with some reservations.

It was not that Agnès had performed disappointingly. In fact, despite her young appearance, she had fully utilized her impervious physique, admirably fulfilling the role of a tank.

This was quite remarkable in itself. Although Chalcedonia’s blessing rendered her immune to blades, her body still could not remain unaffected when colliding with bludgeoning weapons and heavy objects. Chalcedonia’s blessing prevented injury, not pain.

In fact, Agnès’s senses were even more acute than average – a universal trait among those born with spirit blessings. Though unexplained, those bearing spirit blessings were known to possess unique sensory systems.

Thus, Agnès’s tactics of unhesitatingly using her indestructible body could be considered an act of enduring pain and anguish. How could one not find that admirable? Sophia’s marginal passing evaluation stemmed from this context.

The reason Sophia could not give Agnès a higher score was purely technical.

‘This child does not seem to possess innate martial talents.’

In Sophia’s view, Agnès’s movements were too inefficient. While her willingness to confront attacks head-on was commendable, her bodily motions failed to fully utilize her innate conditions, and there was considerable wastage between her movements.

Soon, Sophia diagnosed the cause.

‘Her movements suggest she learned the Aublij family’s martial arts before studying the Sainte-Magne Abbey’s under Priestess Clermant.’

Coincidentally, both martial arts were developed for practitioners vulnerable to cuts from blades and fractures from bludgeons – not for an invulnerable, impervious superhuman. By combining and using these incompatible styles while actively tanking with her imperviousness, it was inevitable that gaps would emerge in her movements.

‘If she possessed the innate talent to perceive and correct these flaws, it wouldn’t be an issue. But this child seems to lack such gifts.’

Objectively, Agnès’s martial prowess was respectable. That she could competently apply her trained skills in actual combat at such a young age was evidence of uncommon talent.

However, Sophia’s benchmarks were Conra and Maria – both peerless prodigies in their respective areas. Having been accustomed to evaluating such extraordinary talents, Sophia’s standards had become excessively high, not least because she herself was an unprecedented genius.

Thus, Sophia failed to consider ordinary human potential…

‘After this battle, I should teach her a martial art befitting her impervious physique.’

It was wrong for one born with an impervious, acute constitution to fail to properly utilize those gifts. With sincere thoughts, Sophia inwardly decided what she would impart to Agnès.

“By the way, it seems clear these criminals are connected to the Sapphygons.”
“I see. To think so many Sapphygons would be lurking within a human criminal organization.”
“I also sense the aura of demon worshippers. It seems we’ve hit the mark.”

Sophia spoke as she caught and extinguished a black cursed arrow that had flown toward them from a corner of the basement, holding a Sapphygon swordsman’s throat in her other hand. With deft nerve strikes, the swordsman was rendered unconscious, head lolling with his tongue hanging out.

Casually tossing aside the unconscious Sapphygon, Sophia took another step forward, surveying her surroundings. The Sapphygon swordsmen who had been glaring menacingly now instinctively retreated a step as Sophia’s gaze swept over them.

Belatedly realizing their foolishness, the swordsmen exchanged glances and nodded before simultaneously charging.

“Shaaat!”
“Die!”

Skilled in dual-wielding, the Sapphygon swordsmen deftly maneuvered their paired falchions, attempting to exploit openings against Sophia. However, no matter how insidious and vicious their swordplay, it could not breach Sophia’s sphere of dominance.

Sophia boldly weaved through the intricate trajectories of the deadly falchions, subduing one Sapphygon swordsman after another with each succinct, compact movement, rendering them incapacitated.

By the time Sophia had taken ten steps, not a single Sapphygon swordsman remained standing.

“Biṣāca (Monsters!)”

Anguished cries laced with guttural sounds echoed from various corners. In addition to the Sapphygon swordsmen Sophia had felled, several Sapphygon warriors downed by Clermant and Agnès lay scattered across the floor.

Regardless, Sophia remained focused, tracing the lingering spiritual pathway linked to the cursed arrow to pinpoint the demon worshipper’s location.

A foul, pungent miasma of curses left a hazy, intermittent trail. For an instant, one of Sophia’s eyebrows twitched.

“Over there!”

With a single step, Sophia’s figure vanished from her spot. Instead, she reappeared in front of a mossy curtain seven paces away from her previous position. Her hand immediately thrust aside the tattered fabric.

“Kkhek.”

What emerged gripped in Sophia’s grasp was a man wearing a hooded black robe. Struggling in her chokehold, he kicked and squirmed, trying to pry off her vice-like grip, but to no avail. After meaningless resistance, he soon rolled his eyes back, tongue lolling as he lost consciousness, soiling himself.

Realizing the man had been fully neutralized, Sophia noticed a medallion hanging from his neck. Bringing it closer for inspection, she nodded in realization.

“Just as I suspected. Now I understand.”

Sophia had finally discovered a clue to the identity of the Demon Duke collaborating with the Sapphygons. The medallion bore an embossed symbol depicting a chariot drawn by two horses, a fortress, and a spire.

Detecting Sophia’s newfound insight, Priestess Clermant, having just rendered a criminal unconscious with a carotid strike, inquired, “Did you find something?”

“Ah, it seems this human trafficking organization is connected in some way to the Sapphygon Duchy eyeing Bordeaux’s treasure.”

Sophia then proceeded to explain the apparent alliance between an unspecified Demon Duke of the Dark Continent and the Sapphygon Duchy bordering Bordeaux’s waters, as well as their objective – the Replica of the King’s Chalice of the Sea.

Having swiftly eliminated the obstacles barring their path, they now had time for such explanations.

After hearing Sophia’s account, Clermant let out a weary sigh. “This seems to have become quite a significant matter.”

“Indeed, it has,” Sophia acknowledged.

Though the situation had escalated beyond what could be easily dismissed, Sophia could not prolong her stay in Bordeaux indefinitely, as she had her own schedule to keep. If Sophia’s group departed Bordeaux as originally planned, the only ones she could currently entrust with handling the aftermath would be Clermant and Agnès.

‘Which means Agnès must become stronger.’

Sophia’s gaze briefly fell on Agnès. For the time being, if the two took charge, the Church would eventually dispatch Paladin knights upon their request.

“This medallion should provide some clues to the identity of the Demon Duke.”
“A two-horse chariot, a fortress, and a spire. Could it be…?”
“Yes. The Demon Swordsman Sabnak.”

In the Church’s demon compendium, the Demon Duke Sabnak was particularly known as the ‘Demon Swordsman.’ Adept in malefic spells yet distinctly skilled in consecration rites, chariot racing, and swordsmanship, Sabnak was infamous for challenging those who displayed exceptional talents in those areas. If victorious, she would demand a master-servant pact as recompense.

Of those disciplines, swordsmanship was Sabnak’s particular passion. Considering how many legendary swordsmasters throughout human history had failed to evade her wiles, becoming bound as her demonic vassals, the Church regarded her as one of the most formidable adversaries.

The accumulated records within the Church attested to Sabnak’s prodigious swordsmanship, equal to her ardor for the art. In particular, she was renowned for her dazzling yet vicious dual-falchion fencing.

Coincidentally, the Sapphygon Duchy bordering Bordeaux was a prominent training ground for dual-falchion fencers.

“In that light, one could say they are indeed well-matched. It would be stranger if we had noticed this sooner.”

While Sophia’s conclusion involved considerable logical leaps that some might criticize as tenuous reasoning, she did not dwell on it.

Originally, rigorous logic was meant for convincing others, not serving as a basis for one’s own judgment. Sophia well knew that in such cases, one should rely not on securing logical grounds but on heeding instantaneous intuition and insight.

Having discovered the Sapphygon and demonic connection, Sophia, Clermant, and Agnès hastened their advance to the third floor, aiming to secure any other related materials that might be hidden.

However, upon reaching the third floor, what they discovered was not Sapphygons or demon worshippers, but a group of young children trapped underground, their faces etched with trepidation and anxiety.