Ainz Ooal Gown: Noble Knight.

The clear moonlight spread a layer of silver frost across the stone slabs in the courtyard.

Rune looked at Sebastian's serious face and quickly made a decision in his mind.

Since it was just Ainz's simple misjudgment, he might as well keep up the act.

After all, it would be too suspicious if a "top martial arts expert of the kingdom" were to admit defeat when facing an "old steward of the imperial merchant" without even being able to injure him with a single sword strike.

Even if there is a huge gap in strength, they should at least show that they are giving it their all.

Rune took a deep breath.

"In that case..."

He lowered his waist, shifted his weight slightly forward, gripped the sword hilt tightly with his right hand, and his gaze returned to Sebastian.

"Mr. Sebastian, I am about to unleash my strongest martial art."

"I couldn't have gotten it."

Sebastian raised his hands, returning to his fighting stance. The hem of his tuxedo swayed gently with his movement, tracing a clean arc in the moonlight.

Rune did not make a move immediately.

He looked into Sebastian's calm eyes and added another sentence.

"Mr. Sebastian, let's settle this with one decisive move."

Rune's voice carried a hint of seriousness.

"If this move can't win over Mr. Sebastian, then I've already lost."

These words sound grand and dignified, like a martial artist's clear understanding of their own strength.

But Rune's true thoughts were very simple.

He was afraid that Sebastian would instinctively unleash a series of punches, turning him into a bloody mess.

A single move can decide the outcome, or at least it's controllable.

Sebastian nodded slightly in agreement.

Rune lowered his waist, gripped the hilt of the sword with both hands, and pointed the tip of the sword slightly towards the ground.

He silently recited it in his heart.

[Ability to buckle feet]

The moment the martial arts technique is activated, a surge of heat flows, and the muscle fibers seem to be stretched and tightened by something, enhancing physical abilities.

[Exceptional Abilities]

An even more intense heat surged in, and the bones emitted a faint cracking sound, like a tightly wound spring.

[Perceptual Enhancement]

The third martial skill followed immediately. The world became more concrete in Rune's eyes; even the folds on Sebastian's gloves were exceptionally distinct.

The moonlight's trajectory became clearer, and every ray of silvery-white light could be seen with the naked eye.

Rune's breathing became steady and long, and his heartbeat pounded in his ears like the beating of war drums.

Then, Rune strode forward.

[Four Lights Combo]

The four high-speed slashes tore through the air almost simultaneously.

The first strike comes from the upper right to the lower left.

The second strike is a slash from the upper left to the lower right.

The third strike was a horizontal sweep, aimed directly at Sebastian's wrist.

The fourth strike is a reverse upward slash, still targeting the same fist.

Four silver-white sword lights intertwined into a fine net under the moonlight, each carrying the power to cleave through iron armor.

Sebastian stared at the four sword lights.

He still threw a simple punch.

The fist met the intersection of the four slashes with such precision that it was as if it had been measured with a ruler.

"collapse--!"

The sound of metal shattering echoed through the courtyard.

The mithril-plated longsword in Rune's hand shattered into more than a dozen irregular fragments from the tip to the blade, which scattered and flew in all directions in the air.

The fragments shimmered in the moonlight, like shattered mirrors.

Rune gripped the bare hilt of his sword and slumped to the ground.

He looked at Sebastian's fist.

The white gloves remain intact.

Not even a single scratch was added.

Rune's lips twitched slightly.

He could somewhat understand Nail Clipper Brian's obsession with cutting Shalltear's nails.

Sebastian was looking down at his fist.

His brow furrowed slightly, and the confusion in his eyes was even deeper than before.

"This powerful [martial skill]... seems rather weak."

Sebastian stared at the glove, as if pondering some profound question.

"But Lord Ainz is never wrong."

Sebastian raised his head, his gaze falling on the scattered fragments of the sword.

"It seems that truly powerful [Martial Arts] that meet Lord Ainz's requirements are hard to find."

His expression returned to calm, and his gentle eyes looked at Rune.

Rune was slumped on the ground.

His legs were slightly apart, his hands braced on the stone floor behind him, the bare hilt of his sword lying at his sides. His golden hair fell over his forehead, obscuring half his face.

He looked like he had been completely drained of energy.

Sebastian frowned slightly.

Was this too much of a blow to him?

He thought to himself as he walked toward Rune.

As Nazarick's steward, Sebastian believed that in order to better carry out Lord Ainz's mission, he couldn't let Mr. Rune become discouraged.

Sebastian walked up to Rune, bent down, and extended his hand.

"Mr. Rune..."

He hadn't finished speaking.

Rune stood up first.

His movements were swift and decisive, without the slightest stumble, as if he hadn't been the one who had just collapsed to the ground.

He casually swept his golden hair behind his head, revealing a clean and cheerful face.

Then Rune smiled.

His smile was as bright as if he had been basking in the sun, his eyes were free of any gloom, and the corners of his mouth were slightly upturned, exuding the unique vigor of youth.

"Mr. Sebastian is truly a man of few words."

Rune's voice was light and cheerful, not at all like someone who had just experienced a crushing defeat.

"It seems I was just being presumptuous when I said I would protect Mr. Sebastian."

As he spoke, he lowered his head slightly, his ears turning a little red, looking genuinely ashamed of his previous "arrogance."

Sebastian looked at that smiling face, his outstretched hand hovering in mid-air.

Sebastian's expression remained unchanged, but something flickered subtly deep within his eyes.

"This young man... he can accept defeat so calmly, and he shows no fear when facing opponents far stronger than himself. Instead, he is as composed as if he had only lost a fair game of chess."

"Such a mindset would earn respect even in Nazarick."

"Lord Ainz instructed me to value Mr. Rune, presumably because he recognized Mr. Rune's merits. Lord Ainz truly has foresight."

Sebastian withdrew his hand and stood up straight again.

He was silent for a moment, then spoke.

"No, Lord Rune."

His voice was steady, but his tone was more serious than before.

"I believe that having a heart to protect the weak is never a shameful thing, no matter when."

The night breeze blew through the courtyard, fluttering the hem of their clothes.

When Sebastian spoke these words, his eyes were gentle, without any condescending pity or the lecturing of an elder to a younger person.

He was simply stating a fact that he considered self-evident.

The moonlight shone down.

Rune looked at Sebastian's wrinkled old face.

"Oops."

He thought to himself.

"He's kind of handsome."

Nazarick's reputation as a womanizer is well-deserved.

Rune blinked.

"We absolutely cannot let Lajus run into Sebastian."

Rune was a little worried that his silly little sister would be kidnapped by the white-haired guy.