Chapter 37
Chapter 37
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: The Legend #2
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“So, let me get this straight. The Sword Duke came all the way to Thunder Doom Fortress just to see you, Shutora? And his purpose was to meet you and teach you a few things.”
Chris laid it all out, his expression one of pure disbelief. The way he stumbled over his words, so unlike his usual self, showed just how shocked he was.
Juingong replied in a calm voice, as if to soothe him.
“Yeah, he saved my life. I was in real trouble.”
Juingong briefly explained not only what had happened at Thunder Doom Fortress but also the events on the Anger Plains. As important as the Sword Duke was, the story of the mysterious group he’d encountered at the fortress was crucial as well.
After hearing the explanation again, Chris sank deep into the back of his chair. He took a deep breath, then leaned forward again.
“My head is spinning. What happened at Thunder Doom Fortress is obviously serious and important, but… with the Sword Duke involved, my mind keeps getting drawn to him.”
The strongest being in the Demon King’s Castle, second only to the Demon King himself.
An elder of the Sura and the most powerful magic swordsman of the previous era.
He was a known recluse. His appearances in the Demon King’s Castle were exceedingly rare.
But no one in the castle could afford to ignore the Sword Duke. The Demon World was a world where the strong preyed on the weak. The Sword Duke possessed the absolute military might to turn any situation on its head, and the number of followers who revered him as the greatest swordsman in the Demon World was still too vast to count.
And now, he had made a move. All to meet one person: Juingong.
What was the Sword Duke thinking? How far was he willing to intervene?
What if the Sword Duke took an active role? What if he supported Juingong as fervently as the maternal families of the other three factions, who were all vying for the throne?
*‘A thrilling prospect.’*
Chris swallowed his words. It wasn’t something to be said aloud.
While Chris’s mind raced with a thousand calculations, Caitlin was, as always, pure-hearted. She focused less on the Sword Duke’s political influence and more on the situation Juingong had faced.
“Are you hurt anywhere? You said they were dangerous opponents.”
Caitlin’s gaze swept up and down Juingong and Felicia. Her eyes, dripping with concern, were so tender that Juingong couldn't help but smile warmly.
“I’m fine. The Sword Duke showed up at the perfect moment.”
“That’s right, that’s right. The timing was impeccable. I’d believe it if you told me he waited outside and timed his entrance on purpose!”
Felicia chimed in. Her voice was much more animated than usual, perhaps in an attempt to reassure Caitlin.
It seemed to work, as Caitlin’s eyes began to fill with curiosity rather than worry. She leaned toward Juingong and Felicia and asked.
“Was the zombie dragon big?”
“It was huge.”
“And Shutora took that huge thing down in one hit.”
Felicia grinned and threw a punch in the air. Caitlin’s eyes sparkled.
“Amazing.”
Her gaze drifted into the distance as if she were imagining Juingong defeating the zombie dragon in a single blow. Chris put his arm around Caitlin’s shoulder and chuckled.
“So you’re a Dragon Slayer now, huh? That’s really impressive.”
“Half of it was thanks to Ascalon. The Dungeon Guardians were on our side, too.”
Juingong said with a touch of modesty, but a wide smile spread across his face. He was only human, after all; he couldn’t dislike being praised like this. Besides, even he had to admit it was an incredible feat.
Suddenly, Chris’s expression changed. He leaned back into his chair again, his eyes narrowing as he looked at Juingong.
“What?”
When asked directly, Chris just smirked and shrugged.
“I don’t know, it’s like I’m looking at a man who brings a storm with him wherever he goes. You have a real knack for stirring up major incidents everywhere you go.”
The Jishuka Mountains, the Demon King’s Castle, the Anger Plains, back to the Demon King’s Castle, and now Thunder Doom Fortress.
Just as Karak had pointed out before, Juingong found himself embroiled in significant events no matter where he went.
Chris spoke playfully.
“This is suddenly making me nervous. You don’t think something’s going to happen here, do you?”
“Brother.”
Caitlin shot Chris a reproachful glare. Chris patted her shoulder again and joked.
“I’m kidding, I’m kidding.”
*‘I hope it ends as a joke. If Karak were here, he’d definitely say this is a bad omen.’*
Green Wind’s voice echoed in his ear. Juingong turned his head and saw her standing there in a translucent state. He thought she had followed Karak’s group, but it seemed she had returned immediately.
“What’s Karak’s group up to?”
At Juingong’s question, Green Wind’s expression turned peculiar, and she narrowed her brows as she answered.
*‘They are conversing with smiles, but the atmosphere is strangely tense. So I watched for a bit and then came here.’*
That was Karak for you.
Could he really be the protagonist? He was usually so dense, it was like he’d sold off his intuition somewhere.
As Juingong chuckled, Caitlin asked in a worried voice.
“Shutora?”
“Ah, Green Wind was talking to me.”
Juingong answered quickly, pointing to where Green Wind was standing.
“You mean the guardian spirit of the Anger Plains? Can we see her?”
“I’d like to see her, too.”
“Me too.”
Following Caitlin, Chris and Felicia also voiced their agreement. Juingong looked back at Green Wind.
“Nokba?”
*‘If you call me Nokba, I will not materialize. I resent my master for constantly ignoring my words.’*
Though she wore a pouting face, Juingong knew Green Wind well. He called her name with sincerity.
“Green Wind.”
*‘Hmph.’*
She turned her head away with a flick, but she was still Green Wind. She obediently revealed herself to everyone.
“Wow.”
“The guardian spirit of the Anger Plains.”
Caitlin and Chris had also participated in the Cassius subjugation mission. While Caitlin seemed excited just to see the spirit in person, Chris was thinking beyond that.
*‘He must have gained the support of the Centaurs.’*
Green Wind was the guardian spirit of the Centaurs, after all. Fierce Eye and the other Centaurs would undoubtedly support Juingong, who had received her blessing, with near-devotion.
He was no longer the leftover prince.
Not only his own skills but his entire situation was changing.
The Demon King’s interest. The Sword Duke’s backing. The guardian spirit’s blessing. The support of external forces, however slight, was undeniably present.
And the power of the Lycanthropes that Chris himself could add to the mix.
*‘And…’*
Chris’s gaze shifted to Felicia. As if she had long since noticed his look, Felicia met his eyes with her red ones.
The exchange of glances was brief. They both looked back at Green Wind and heard Caitlin’s voice, full of disappointment.
Green Wind had vanished, becoming a gust of wind.
“She’s very shy.”
*‘That is not it.’*
Juingong, casually ignoring Green Wind’s words as usual, looked toward Chris. Chris shrugged and said.
“Anyway… a mysterious shadowy faction… If they influenced the Red Lightning Tribe’s rebellion as you suspect, Shutora, then this is no ordinary matter. It’s likely we’ll continue to clash with them in the future.”
Above all, the spear-wielding man who had self-destructed in front of the Sword Duke was a cause for concern.
For a warrior of that caliber to choose self-destruction without hesitation… did it mean their organization was that thorough, or that warriors of his level were common?
“Well, in a way, it’s inevitable. This is the Demon World, after all.”
It was a sentiment that echoed what the Sword Duke had said.
In the Demon World, where the strong ruled, there had always been groups that challenged the Demon King’s Castle. As a child of the Demon King, clashing with such forces was practically fate.
Because of this, Chris didn’t dwell on the story of the shadowy faction. Instead, he returned to a topic that would interest everyone.
“First the Demon King, and now the Sword Duke… Silvan is going to have a fit when he finds out.”
His face lit up as if just imagining it was a delight. The way he casually used Silvan’s name without any honorifics, while consistently calling Felicia ‘sister,’ combined with what he’d heard from Caitlin before, gave him a good idea of the relationship between Silvan and Chris.
Felicia sighed and said.
“Silvan is a swordsman. He’s wanted to learn a thing or two from the Sword Duke for a long time.”
But of course, he never got the chance.
And now, Juingong had appeared—the one to whom the Sword Duke himself had offered to teach a few things.
“Hmm, so does this mean the Sword Duke has become Shutora’s patron?”
At Chris’s question, Felicia lifted her chin high and replied.
“You could say that.”
“Why are you the one acting all proud, sister?”
Felicia flinched and hid her face behind her fan. Caitlin, ignoring the two, focused on Juingong.
“Shutora, what did you learn from the Sword Duke?”
“I’m curious about that myself.”
Chris quickly turned his head to Juingong. Felicia, chin held high once more, added.
“You’ll all be shocked when you find out.”
Chris’s gaze returned to Felicia, who once again hid her face behind her fan.
Juingong, looking at Caitlin who was still focused solely on him, spoke the words he had been preparing since Thunder Doom Fortress.
“Caitlin, would you care to spar with me?”
Caitlin’s eyes lit up. But this time, the sparkle was different from when she had been merely admiring Juingong. A clear fighting spirit glinted in them.
“I’d love to.”
Caitlin answered immediately and rose from her seat.
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“I’ll concede the first five moves.”
Juingong and Caitlin stood facing each other in a clearing. At Juingong’s request to keep the spar private, only Chris and Felicia were present.
Conceding the first five moves.
It was a line straight out of a novel, but it was a familiar one to Juingong. His spars with Caitlin had always been like this.
He would fight with all his might, and Caitlin, standing on a level far above him, would receive his attacks and guide him.
*‘I guess five moves is a lot of progress.’*
She used to give him a head start of twenty or thirty moves.
But Juingong had no intention of stopping there.
He had certainly grown stronger. But comparing himself to Villager A was now meaningless.
Just how strong had he become? Compared to Caitlin and the other children of the Demon King, where did he stand?
*‘I’ll give it everything I’ve got.’*
He had no intention of holding back. He was confident Caitlin could handle his full power.
*‘Starting with the Sura Divine Arts.’*
He shifted his breathing. From the very beginning, he went all out, igniting a pure white aura like a flame.
Caitlin and Chris flinched at the pristine aura that erupted from him, almost like an explosion. But that wasn’t all. Juingong still had ways to enhance his power.
Blessing of the Wind Lv2.
Magic learned from Green Wind.
Activation Lv1.
The basic stage of Spirit Blooming, learned from Daphne.
A green wind coiled around Juingong’s legs. The wind spirit lent him its strength.
And one more thing to add.
*‘Dragon Blood!’*
The power of the Dragon Demon, inherited from the Watcher Ainkel!
A ferocious power was added to Juingong’s aura. Even without Earthquaker and White Eagle equipped, his combat power was greatly enhanced. It was as if the aura itself was growling.
After a long exhale, Juingong looked at Caitlin and took the stance of the Beast God Arts. Caitlin, facing him, hurriedly mirrored the stance, but her expression was a complete mess. She looked just like she had when he’d asked her to shatter a cliff with her fist.
Why was that?
Felicia’s shout struck him from behind.
“Shutora, you idiot! Are you trying to hurt Caitlin? Just because she said she’d concede five moves, you’re really going to attack with all your strength?”
“Caitlin, you don’t need to hold back. You’ll have to go all out, too.”
Chris said gravely. The playfulness in his eyes was gone, replaced by fighting spirit and doubt.
“But…”
Caitlin stammered, looking at Juingong. He understood why she was hesitating. Caitlin always tried to keep her word.
Maintaining his fighting stance, Juingong spoke in a serious tone.
“I’m asking you, too. I want to know exactly where I stand right now.”
He meant it. More than wanting to be praised for his continued growth, he wanted to confirm his current level.
The man with the spear.
If the Sword Duke hadn’t come, he would have died.
Not just him, but Karak, Felicia, Karma, Daphne, and Delia would have died as well. Perhaps even Green Wind would have met her end.
He had to get stronger. Stronger than now, strong enough to defeat Zephyr!
Caitlin nodded. Instead of speaking, she conveyed her intentions by altering the quality of her aura.
A dark blue aura.
Juingong exhaled. Caitlin clenched her fists. In an instant, she kicked off the ground.
Caitlin was fast. Moving at full speed, the expression ‘flash of lightning’ suited her perfectly. But he didn’t lose sight of her. The current Juingong could follow her movements. As she charged toward him like an arrow, he thrust out a palm.
Taesan.
A technique learned from the Sword Duke.
A massive barrier of ki pressed down on Caitlin. Instead of resisting, she yielded to the ki of Taesan. She was thrown backward, then twisted her body in mid-air. In an instant, she landed and kicked off the ground again.
But the situation was different now. Juingong was also rushing toward her.
Their gazes met. Caitlin’s gale-like kick flew toward Juingong’s head, and he quickly ducked to avoid it. To break the fluid chain of her attacks, he launched his own.
Lightning!
A kick, aptly named for the pure white flash it created, descended upon Caitlin from above. Instead of confronting it, she once again threw herself aside to dodge. She seemed to roll on the ground, but in the next moment, she was behind Juingong. Green Wind let out a scream.
*‘Master!’*
Caitlin’s fist exploded with dark blue aura. But Juingong didn't allow the attack to land. The wind had warned him.
The explosive power of the Beast God Arts and the swiftness of the Wind God.
As Caitlin’s punch landed, Juingong twisted his body. Amidst the aftershocks of aura that shook the air, he shifted his feet to face Caitlin head-on again and threw a punch without hesitation.
A fierce exchange ensued. Juingong had more power, but Caitlin was faster. In a flash, they traded over ten blows, and as if by agreement, they parried every single one.
A situation where offense was the best defense.
Juingong’s next punch changed everything. An explosion of aura in mid-air created an opening for both of them, and Juingong and Caitlin had the same thought. Both prepared not for a series of small strikes, but for one powerful blow. Even in the midst of the fierce battle, they exchanged smiles and threw their fists.
Explosive Fist!
Pure white and dark blue mixed and became one. With a tremendous roar, Juingong’s vision was momentarily filled with light.
The ground was deeply gouged as a fierce wind erupted. Juingong, staggering back, swallowed the pain in his right arm and smiled. Caitlin was no different. Lowering her stance like a beast about to charge, she flashed a bright smile that contrasted with her fearsome fighting spirit.
The second round was about to begin.
Both of them once again unleashed a powerful aura. And between them, a storm of aura erupted, as massive as both of theirs combined.
Chris Moonlight.
Stepping between Juingong and Caitlin, he used his immense aura to forcibly draw their attention to himself.
“That’s the Beast God Arts. But it’s not. It’s something more… something evolved. What in the world happened?”
The exchange had been short. The number of moves traded was not high.
But as the legitimate successor of the Beast God Arts, Chris could tell. At the core of that pure white aura lay something other than the Beast God Arts.
Juingong retracted his aura and straightened his posture. Despite witnessing Chris’s overwhelming presence, he felt a sense of exhilaration.
Chris’s level wasn’t an insurmountable cliff. It was a mountain that could be climbed.
“Sura Divine Arts.”
Juingong didn’t hide it. Chris and Caitlin were steadfast allies. To develop the Sura Divine Arts, which originated from the Beast God Arts, he would absolutely need the help of these two masters of the style.
“Sura… Divine Arts?”
Juingong nodded at Chris’s question. He answered, feeling anew the flow of aura pulsing from deep within his body.
“It’s a new method of aura manipulation, a fusion of the Sura Heart Method and the Beast God Arts.”
Caitlin blinked, and Chris’s shoulders slumped. He stared at Juingong with a blank expression.
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“A-ma-zing!”
“I said it before, but why are you the one acting so proud, sister? Shutora’s the amazing one, not you.”