Chapter 173
Chapter 173
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 173
Chapter Title: Festival of Swords (16)
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“...Test concluded.”
Al login murmured. Only then did Naviroje slide her greatsword back into its scabbard. Even with the victor decided, the arena remained shrouded in silence. The lingering smoke was slowly drifting out through the vents in the walls and ceiling.
Clap, clap, clap.
Suddenly, applause rang out from somewhere. That was the spark. The sound of palms striking palms spread like wildfire. Before long, the entire arena buzzed with noise. People, finally finding their voices, poured out the words they had been holding back.
“A-amazing. Truly amazing...!”
“To reach that level without even using aura... Honestly, I thought she'd regressed after retiring from the front lines.”
“By the way, was that really the Torrent Sword? How did it even get in here?”
Some participants even stood up to clap. Naviroje showed no particular reaction, simply acknowledging the cheers with a calm demeanor.
It was a scene of utmost honor, yet a few people couldn't bring themselves to look straight at her. Most were participants like Schlieffen, those who still clung to their dignity.
Due to the explosion, much of her clothing had been destroyed, unintentionally flaunting her physical superiority. The problem was that she herself seemed utterly indifferent to it. Unable to stand it any longer, Ronan threw off his overcoat and shouted.
“Damn it, cover up a bit. What are you doing, woman?”
“Such a fuss.”
Naviroje smirked as she took the coat. The moment she draped it over herself, small sighs erupted from various spots. Thanks to the stark difference in their builds, the overcoat covered her down to below the thighs.
The fallen Nodrek still hadn't moved. The dark red pool spreading beneath his belly was slowly widening. Officials carrying a stretcher rushed toward him. Watching the scene, Al login spoke up.
“...I only confirmed it at the very end. Who would have thought it was truly the Torrent Sword.”
“Hard to believe trash like that ruled as Sword Saint for forty years. And I had such high hopes.”
“As I've said many times, you and the previous Sword Saint are abnormally strong. But to subdue him without ever drawing All Things... Impressive.”
“A fitting result.”
“However... if only its appearance changed, how did it slip through our surveillance net?”
Al login's wrinkles deepened. He couldn't fathom how the disguised Torrent Sword had made it to the final exam. They had spared no expense, stocking up on interrogation magic tools precisely to prevent such incidents.
At least during his tenure as elder, no participant had ever evaded Parjan's surveillance. As he stroked his chin, a girl's voice came from behind.
“Probably a memory seal spell.”
Zaifa and Al login turned simultaneously. A petite girl was squatting at Zaifa's feet. Seeing her abundant white hair, Al login realized she was one of the participants.
“You're the one who got a bye...”
“Hello. Tiger, hello too.”
Lin greeted without turning her head. She was focusing all her attention on trying to grab Zaifa's twitching tail. Zaifa placed his tail on top of her head and said.
“Memory seal? What do you mean by that?”
“Exactly what it sounds like. You temporarily seal away memories of your identity, leaving only the purpose intact. That way, even if you give answers about yourself that differ from reality, it's not a lie, so most psyche detection spells can't catch it. They probably set up the magic to release the seal the moment our princess appeared.”
“...Princess?”
Zaifa and Al login both furrowed their brows. Their gazes simultaneously turned to Naviroje, whose face was splattered with blood.
Lin explained that it was the only way the Torrent Sword could have infiltrated while hiding its identity. By sealing its savagery and unique temperament, leaving only cunning and rationality, the Torrent Sword had perfectly role-played as the participant Nodrek.
The preconception that it couldn't possibly be the Torrent Sword itself had also smoothed its infiltration. Al login nodded as if convinced.
“...Now that you mention it, he changed after meeting Lady Naviroje. How did you know about this?”
“Just trivial knowledge. The kind you pick up naturally after living a long time. There was a guy who entered that way a long, long time ago.”
“A long, long time ago?”
Al login tilted his head at the mention of living a long time. The girl before him looked no older than her early to mid-teens. Finally catching Zaifa's tail, Lin murmured softly.
“Close, but no cigar. You too.”
“Hm...?”
Zaifa's ears perked up. Though the whisper was faint and only he heard it due to his keen senses, he didn't bother asking what it meant. After playing with Zaifa's tail to her heart's content, Lin turned and walked toward Ronan. Watching her retreating figure, Al login fiddled with his beard.
“A strange girl... Well, investigating will turn up something. Time to prepare the next test...”
“Hold on.”
“What is it?”
Al login asked. Zaifa didn't answer immediately, instead looking in the direction his instincts pointed. The battered Nodrek was being carried out on a stretcher. His fangs peeked from between slightly parted lips.
“A repulsive stench of youth.”
“What do you...”
Al login was about to say something when suddenly the lying Nodrek sat up. Sticky blood burst from the gaping wound. The escorting officials cried out in horror.
“Oh god, he's awake...!”
“L-lie back down! Your wounds are severe!”
Nodrek didn't respond. His body felt as cold as if dipped in ice water. Sensation was fading from his limbs. Realizing his time was short, he gritted his teeth.
“...Damn it all.”
“Lie down, we said. You have to stay alive first...”
The medics tried to lay him down. In that instant, Nodrek's hand vanished from sight, and the heads of his escorts exploded simultaneously. Splat! The sound of skulls shattering echoed as all eyes turned.
“L-look over there! The medics!”
“What? He's alive?”
Naviroje, turning a beat late, widened her eyes. Nodrek, sword already drawn, was slowly approaching. Seeing the headless corpses, Naviroje growled angrily.
“You trash.”
It was because they hadn't dismembered him completely for interrogation. Naviroje kicked off the ground toward him. At that moment, an enormous surge of mana erupted from Nodrek's shoulder like an explosion. Ronan's eyes widened. Amid the rising mana, pure white flashes blinked rapidly. It was the sparkle symbolic of the Nebula Clazie.
“Finally.”
Ronan exchanged glances with Zaifa and stood. Naviroje reached Nodrek in an instant. Her body spun greatly as she drew her sword. A mana tail trailed along her sword path. The glowing emerald greatsword seemed capable of cleaving mountains or glaciers in two. Just as the blade was about to touch him.
Claaang! The greatsword was blocked by something and rebounded, unleashing a metallic screech that tore at eardrums.
“This is...!”
“I admit... urk, my oversight.”
“What have you done?”
“Should have... used it sooner...”
Nodrek muttered while vomiting blood. The greatsword Urusaga hovered motionless in midair. A bizarre, oil-slick-like barrier enveloped his body.
Naviroje hastily regained her stance and struck again, but the unidentified shield didn't even scratch. It was the Star's Blessing, one of the giants' powers. The stands began to grow noisy.
“W-what is that?!”
“A barrier? Magic?”
“No, it's different. My cousin's in the Dawn Unit; I heard about it. That's definitely the Nebula Clazie's...”
Suddenly, Naviroje noticed no blood flowed from his wounds. The gashes that had torn into his guts had become shallow scratches. Brushing back his even whiter hair, Nodrek continued.
“I wanted to face you all with my pure power as much as possible. No helping it.”
“Torrent Sword.”
“Die together.”
His pallid complexion had fully returned. Gripping his sword hilt with both hands, Nodrek stabbed the ground. Shaaa...! White light surged from cracks in the floor. Sensing the crisis, Naviroje quickly widened the distance.
'We're done for. Not just me—everyone.'
Naviroje gasped. It wasn't an attack she could block or deflect. The impending massive explosion radiated the same energy as the barrier before her. This blast would undoubtedly obliterate the entire arena without a trace. Her overheated brain boiled. As she moved to charge and minimize the damage, a familiar youth landed in front of her, blocking the way.
“Stop. You bastard.”
“You...!”
Naviroje's eyes widened. In the burly youth's hand was a pitch-black sword, from hilt to blade. Ronan glared at Nodrek and said.
“You've finally shown your true colors. Everyone saw that, right?”
“What are you doing?! Move aside now!”
Veins bulged on Naviroje's neck. Ronan didn't reply. At that moment, the flash from Nodrek's sword bathed the arena in white. An explosion on a whole other level from before centered on him, about to detonate. Naviroje shouted.
“Ronan!!”
“Have a little faith in your disciple.”
Ronan gripped his hilt tightly. Thick crimson colored Ramanche. He spun widely once, swinging the sword. It was Naviroje's rotational sword technique, rarely used. A black line appeared in the midst of the overwhelming white filling his vision. The moment Ronan completed his rotation and stopped.
Shrieeek! The throbbing mana lost form and scattered. Nodrek at the epicenter revealed himself. His eyes bulged as if to pop out.
“What is this? Impossible...!”
“Impossible my ass.”
Ronan spat on the ground. It was possible because aura's essence was ultimately mana. He spun once more, unleashing sword ki. The red crescent flew straight, smashing into the Star's Blessing. Crash! The bizarre barrier shattered like glass. Naviroje was stunned.
“Ronan, you...!”
“Pretty good, huh.”
Ronan smirked, lifting one corner of his mouth. Nodrek, deprived even of Star's Blessing, faltered in panic. Then, a massive shadow leaped from the platform. Landing silently before Nodrek, it spoke.
“Zaifa Terrgen, vanguard captain of the Dawn Unit.”
“You...!”
“I have a question. Nodrek. No, Crogen the Torrent Sword.”
“What?”
Nodrek raised his brows. Having to crane his neck high due to the height difference, his hand—which could crush a watermelon like an apple—gripped a pillar-like glaive. Naviroje frowned.
“Why is that cat suddenly...”
“Instructor, hold on. It's his turn now.”
“What are you talking about?”
Naviroje looked baffled. Zaifa, gazing down at Nodrek, continued.
“It happened on the first of last month. Did you kill my subordinates?”
“How should I know? Get lost, pup!”
Instead of answering, Nodrek snarled viciously. His arm blurred, drawing a red line across Zaifa's chest. Slash! Red blood sprayed along the sword mark. Ronan and Naviroje's eyes widened round.
“Zaifa?!”
“Damn, that brute tiger.”
Ronan blanched. The new wound precisely crossed the scar Naviroje had left. It looked deep at a glance, but Zaifa showed no sign of pain. Instead, Nodrek, who had struck, fell into bewilderment.
“What kind of body...!”
It felt less like cutting flesh and more like slicing rock. Nodrek swung again in dismay. Clang! Zaifa easily parried by raising his glaive. Nodrek's expression brightened. From that single clash, he knew it wasn't an easy opponent. His rigid lips twitched.
“Fine, you're no fluke Sword Saint. You look fun, so I'll deal with you first. Once you see what power I received there, scum like you...”
As rambling Nodrek gathered aura, Zaifa suddenly raised his arm and brought down the glaive. Nodrek hastily raised his sword to defend, but the glaive cleaved it in two and descended on his head. The blackened blade dug into his crown.
“Guh.”
No death cry. The body split from crown to crotch splayed open. Thud. The bisected Nodrek crumpled to the floor. Guts spilled from the husk.
“......!”
Silence fell over the boisterous arena. Zaifa rubbed his chest wound with his palm once and pulled away. His pitch-black pecs were drenched in blood. Muttering something with eyes closed, he clenched his fist again. Slowly turning to face Ronan, he spoke.
“...Just as you said. The culprit is confirmed.”