Chapter 146
Academy’s Gumiho is a Magic Genius – Chapter 146
"Not bad... quite sharp."
Her chest had been deeply slashed, causing the clothes she wore beneath her armor to fall to the ground.
The full-body plate armor as well.
Even the functional undergarments meant to support her bare skin under the armor.
As if all that remained of her was a body covered in muscle and scars, the knight commander reverted to the form she was born in.
"Sharp? It was far beyond that."
"True. The inviolable armor bestowed upon me by His Excellency is comparable to a fortress in defense. For you to slice through it like paper... your blade is truly abnormal. Honestly, I'm envious on a personal level."
"This power? Or this realm?"
"Both."
There was no shame on her face as she met my eyes.
Knight Commander Termiya, unashamed of her nakedness, immediately assumed her next stance. With an immovable heart that belied my youthful prime, I thoroughly scanned the beautiful woman's nude form.
"If I had power like yours, the Viscount wouldn't have made this decision."
"You're remarkably steadfast. What charm does a noble have who abandons the citizens in this inferno?"
I didn't blink even as we conversed.
I stared at her coolly.
Where should I strike to kill?
The chest is pointless.
I'd aimed for a gap, but piercing the ribs to shatter organs was nearly impossible. Then perhaps the joints or cartilage?
"Your killing intent is prickling. You mean to kill me?"
"Who knows? No need to kill you, but no need to spare you either."
"Then take my head. There's nothing more disloyal to one's lord than a defeated knight."
"What a truly honor-mad knight's words. Now I want to sever your limbs, neutralize you, and keep you alive."
The verbal sparring laced with barbs ended there.
We both knew further talk was pointless.
Shing.
I raised my blade again.
Thud! Thud!!
She prepared to swing her massive shield and one-handed sword like weapons of murder, equal in size to her body. But before wielding them,
there was one last thing to say.
"Ah, and one correction."
"Speak."
"His Excellency isn't abandoning the citizens. This inferno itself is his will. We merely serve it."
"I thought it was just standing by, but arson and murder too. The North is a fascinating land."
"Different from the southern land that sent you and the children?"
"Hm... Considering the upper echelons there are equally fucked, not much difference."
Where I came from too.
No one directly killed citizens like this lord, but there were those who indirectly caused deaths through incompetent decisions and commands.
"That's why I killed them all and rose to the top."
"That's rebellion."
"You're right. High treason, no less."
"Then...!"
"But after I killed them and took over, the death toll dropped. Surely many survived thanks to my rule. So in that case, was my rebellion worthless?"
"!!!"
Watching Termiya's agonized expression was entertaining.
Her faith-like loyalty had twisted into madness, forging the girl into a knight commander. It even made her bare her scar-covered nudity before a man, prioritizing orders over shamea knight devoid of knighthood.
'Watching humans doubt and ponder their own purpose is always a delight.'
Knight Commander Termiya's life had been nothing but loyalty and fanaticism.
Yet now, seeing that loyalty lead to the massacre of innocents, she began to waver.
The process of a knight, lesser than a beast roaming free plains, gaining deep doubts and becoming human.
For me, who had lost self-identity and merely survived under laws and precepts, it was a contemplation I could never have.
This spectacle was my finest entertainment.
But
'No time to dawdle further.'
The night's end approached, dawn's turn coming.
Daybreak would follow, and by the program's design in this hidden world, we'd all be expelled outside.
Then the predetermined doom would naturally drag lives to ruin.
"Pondering is fine, but how about we settle this first?"
"......"
Words pulling a lost-in-thought person back to reality.
The one returned to reality became again a beast-like knight, forgetting free will, valuing honor, blindly loyal to her lord.
But her face was clearly improved from moments ago.
"......Thank you."
"Haven't I told you a dozen times to drop that tone?"
"Until now, I averted my eyes from what I didn't want to see. In doing so, I forgot what truly matters to me and spat harsh words."
"So, you won't fight me?"
"No."
Clank.
The woman gripped her sword and shield anew.
Moments ago, it seemed mere brute force swinging, but now her stance held clear technique.
From barbarian to intelligent swordswoman.
"This is Knight Commander Termiya's final stubbornness. Will you indulge it to the end?"
"I'm planning to catch and kill your lord right now."
"Then you must indulge my folly all the more."
Madness and fanaticism.
The knight commander, who had hanged herself on loyalty to lord and country, stood at a crossroads.
Continue a mechanical life of blind obedience, forgetting free willa beastly existence?
Or break the chain around her neck even now?
All would be decided after our duel to the death.
"Before we fight, may I hear your title?"
"Sword Saint."
"Saint of the Sword... Arrogant title, yet somehow it suits your presence."
"And yours?"
I was deeply curious what Termiya would answer.
"Until moments ago, for seven years, 'Knight Commander Termiya' defined me. But long before, I was the Roaming Swordswoman."
"Then?"
"Roaming Swordswoman Termiya dares point her sword at the Sword Saint."
Bang!
She casually tossed aside the shield raised to protect her lord.
Roaming Swordswoman, of all things.
I'd never imagined such a title on someone so ill-suiteda rootless wanderer.
'No, perhaps it fits perfectly.'
A bird born outside a cage, caged long, now finally flying free.
Having tasted freedom and restraint, she chose to leave the cage by her own will. How could that not be roaming?
"Come."
I decided to receive Roaming Swordswoman Termiya's sword from my spot, parrying it immediately. Her kicks boasted overwhelming speed and jumping power, her swings raw muscular might.
Termiya, discarding the Viscount's armor and protective shield, wielded her sword with blinding speed.
'Even swift-sword masters aren't this fast!'
It wasn't just nimble movement.
The intent in her blade tip pursued swift freedom.
Clang! Clang!!
My blade clashed with her one-hander, sparks flying.
Sparks continued in the fierce exchange.
Yet I, holding the Way, didn't budge an inch.
"To deflect my power so effortlessly! As expected of the title!!"
An ogre's brute force in her sword.
At clash, the power scattered.
Deflecting Blossom Technique.
The exquisite art of redirection.
How could skill overcome a saint?
"You think you can surpass me with the sword? Truly?"
"Without clashing... you never know."
"Good mindset."
But that works only against equals.
Softness conquers hardness.
Yet no matter how soft, it's powerless before overwhelming strength.
Redirection without counter is worthless softness.
Thus, I hide stubbornness within softness.
Reeds before autumn wind bow easily.
But never break.
Clang!!
Her sword swung on strong muscle and free intent.
My blade descended upon it.
It wavered before innate strength but didn't yield.
"What is this...!!"
Overwhelming muscle and swift sword faltered before my light swing.
Soft without, strong within.
Its true nature known only to those who see inside.
"My victory."
"!!!!"
Our fight ends here.
The conclusion clear, no need for more clashes.
The knight commander is obsolete.
We both felt it.
Now, time for Termiya and the knight commander to part.
Sword Gang
Light dwelt upon the blade.
A swordsman's ideal, akin to the North Star guiding a lost ogre.
Sword Orb
Orbs spun above it.
Encircling the blade like planets or stars.
Termiya watched blankly, eyes sparkling.
Perhaps from reflected starlight.
Her eyes brimmed with light and life.
"Sword Saint... not holy saint, but star of the sword."
She spoke casually, but
had no choice but to acknowledge it.
She thought,
'Range too wide to evade.'
Then concentrate all mana in her body, block desperately.
As she steeled herself, my closed eyelids over the clashed blades trembled.
That instant.
"!!!!"
My eyes snapped open.
With beautiful celestials,
Between Termiya's dazzled vision,
The filial morning star of blue walls gleamed.
"Ah......"
Beautiful.
The eerie eyes like blood and flame were gone.
Replaced by blue walls, like faint blue starlight in the dawn sky.
I couldn't look away.
"Be proud."
To such Termiya, Seung-woo, holding countless stars, spoke.
Once, he could summon and wield thousands simultaneously.
Now, thirteen orbs were his limit.
"One of my favorite ultimate techniques."
Sword Gang and Sword Orb combined.
Beyond ultimate. Fusion of extremes reveals true worth.
Orbs spinning around the sword formed a solar system.
"Be crushed by the dream realm all warriors crave."
Thirteen orbs seem few.
But they symbolize the Sword Star's myriad stars.
This number suffices.
Barring natural disasters, enough to kill double.
"I'll let you witness the Sword Saint's blade up close, in exchange."
Termiya shuddered at the mana wave rivaling a ranker's finisher.
She instinctively stepped back.
I understand.
Unless beyond mortal specs, this kills most.
But viewers must pay.
Thirteen sword orbs orbiting like circling stars.
Their trajectories an artwork of Taiji's cosmic creation.
Fine art demands fitting price.
Thus
"I'll take your death as payment."
That suffices.
From today, 'Knight Commander' Termiya dies.
Kwarung!!!!
The star-blade devoured the flower field instantly.
Blade raised, she mobilized all mana to block mine.
New scars joined her body as cost.
Sorry to Termiya, visibly pleased at her desperate block.
My blade surges once more.
Wave of Star Clusters
Like waves of star clusters crashing.
Earth-dwellers swept away.
Termiya defended desperately, but
[The Sword Saint's power strikes!]
[The Milky Way swirls!]
The blade traced a grand orbit.
There, the miracle of one sword birthing a world.
No matter ogre descendant, symbol of might.
Before majestic stellar waves, mere beast.
[Abnormally powerful strike!]
[Milky Way's grace deprives all magical concepts in range.]
Kwaaang!!!!!
Star-embedded waves batter clouds, false celestials above descend unknown concepts.
[Data in 'Wave of Star Clusters' range collapses!]
[Night sky resources critically low.]
[Temporarily, 'Wave of Star Clusters' replaces the sky.]
This world already doomed.
People long gone.
Even turning beast-knight human is futile.
All here mere replay of old footage.
Stars fixed overhead a week prove it.
But today.
Over false livers' heads hung not false celestials, but self-luminous mists.