Chapter 137
Chapter 137
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 137
Chapter Title: Swordsmanship Training
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‘It’s about time I started practicing my swordsmanship too.’
The magic swordsman build required tending to both magic and swordsmanship.
That was the only way to get any real efficiency out of the magic swordsman tree.
No matter how top-tier the soul imprint [Former Owner of Sword Saint] was, relying solely on it without building a solid foundation in swordsmanship would leave me worse off than a pure mage build.
That said.
‘My magic and physical base are already pretty solid.’
Right now, the most urgent thing for me was to develop my sword skills.
However...
“Huff... huff...!”
This wasn’t the method I had in mind.
This wasn’t training—it was straight-up torture.
My breath was catching in my throat, my legs were shaking.
My whole body was already soaked in sweat.
“Wa-wait a sec...”
But Elbert showed no mercy, just as he’d warned beforehand.
Shiiiing!
Even in my sorry state, another razor-sharp aura blade came rushing at me.
Thud!
I quickly wrapped myself in light magic to counter, but it was still by a hair’s breadth.
His specialty was thrusting with the sword while launching sword aura, wasn’t it?
It was plenty threatening enough to earn that title.
‘What kind of spar is this? He’s just charging at me to kill...’
A split-second slower, and there’d have been a hole through my body.
If I’d used my old electric transformation magic like before, it would’ve hit 100 percent.
I vented my frustration.
“Hey, can’t you at least give me a moment to catch my breath...”
“There are no enemies who wait around while you fight.”
“Am I the enemy here?”
Elbert dodged my question and changed the subject.
“By the way, didn’t I tell you not to use magic?”
He wasn’t considering my feelings at all—in fact, he looked the one who was dissatisfied.
“This is pure swordsmanship training. Hold back on the magic.”
I got what he was thinking.
If I just dodged with magic, my sword skills wouldn’t improve, and that rubbed him the wrong way.
But still.
“So I’m just supposed to take the hit? You need to see my blood on the ground to be happy?”
I had no choice either.
Not with him firing off aura blades that dangerous.
Unless he toned down the power a bit.
But his response was utterly shameless.
“What are you talking about? I never said take it. I said block it with your sword.”
“Easier said than...”
No chance to finish.
Shiiiing!
Another intense aura blade hurtling toward me.
Flash!
I reflexively used [Teleport] to evade...
‘This is insane.’
Not a great feeling.
No, it pissed me off.
I wanted to improve my swordsmanship more than anyone.
And I knew full well this method was just pointless attrition.
“...Just one question.”
“Ask.”
“Is it really possible for me to block that with a sword?”
I had to clarify that.
I wasn’t about to die a pointless death in some spar.
Fortunately.
“If it were impossible, I wouldn’t have asked. I’ve gauged your skill. You can do it.”
Elbert gave a positive answer.
Only then did a bit of courage start to bud in my chest.
‘...Okay, so it’s possible?’
Elbert wouldn’t lie about something like this for no reason.
Meaning I really could block that sword aura.
“Whew.”
I took a short breath and assumed my stance.
Both hands gripping the decorative sword tight.
This time, no matter what, I’d clash with it using this blade.
Whether it killed me or fed me, that was that.
“Good eyes.”
Elbert flashed a slight smile and thrust his sword.
Sword aura flying straight along its path.
Shiiiing!
‘Here it comes!’
Thump! Thump! Thump...!
Feeling my heart race several times faster than normal, I focused every nerve on the aura.
Maybe because I was in an awakened state.
Or because I was pouring in insane concentration.
Facing it head-on, it felt slower than when I’d been trying to dodge.
And in that instant.
‘Now!’
Timing it perfectly, I swung my sword down without hesitation.
My blade clashed with the aura.
Crack, craaaack!
The sword that took the aura head-on shattered.
Into pieces.
“...Huh?”
I was utterly bewildered.
This was nowhere in my expectations.
“Why the...”
Swish...
The fragments that fell to the ground scattered like coarse sand.
Talk about wrecked.
Swordsmanship was the last thing on my mind—my head was full of thoughts about this sword.
‘...Isn’t this thing expensive?’
The one and only castle in Asteron.
A decorative sword mounted in the VIP quarters where high-ranking officials stayed.
No way it was cheap.
Meanwhile, Elbert stayed nonchalant.
“How was it? Your thoughts on blocking aura firsthand.”
“...Is that what matters right now? The sword broke!”
And it happened after just one swing.
Exactly one strike.
If I’d swung it a few more times, I wouldn’t feel this cheated.
Maybe my floundering amused him, because Elbert chuckled.
“Don’t worry. I ordered it, so I’ll cover the cost.”
What?
“...For real?”
“I don’t go back on my word.”
Whew, best news possible.
I’d almost blown my war earnings here before even enjoying them.
“So focus back on swordsmanship. How did it feel blocking aura yourself?”
Elbert urged me to concentrate on training.
Relieved, I obliged.
“More manageable than I thought. It really can be blocked.”
“See? Blocking aura isn’t that hard. Especially for a mage.”
Swish!
Elbert wreathed his body in aura as he continued.
“Not sure if you know, but mana and aura are fundamentally similar. Without an overwhelming gap, a mage can block aura easily enough.”
One thing bugged me—why did he keep emphasizing “especially for a mage”?
And the answer:
“...You didn’t notice? You used mana while blocking my sword aura just now.”
He pointed out something even I hadn’t realized, clearing up the question.
Caught off guard, I replayed the moment.
‘Did I draw up mana?’
I’d been so fixated on the aura that I couldn’t remember.
If Elbert was right, then yeah, I’d reflexively used mana while batting away the aura.
That thought sparked a bad premonition.
‘So that’s why...’
The reason the decorative sword shattered.
“That’s why the sword broke?”
Elbert nodded at my question.
“Of course. How could a mere decorative sword withstand your mana?”
...Ah, that made sense.
Now I got why it shattered after one swing.
As pointless guilt crept in.
“Then let’s resume training.”
Elbert suddenly suggested continuing.
Naturally, I was taken aback.
“The sword’s broken, how...”
“What nonsense.”
Elbert scoffed in disbelief.
“Since when have you relied on some material sword? From now on, we do it your way—the one you’re most familiar with.”
Before he even finished.
Clank!
Elbert assumed position in his thick armor, clanking.
Ready to unleash aura any second.
Whoooosh!
I instinctively generated [Sword of Light], realizing that’s what he wanted.
‘...He really wants to go all the way, huh?’
Seemed he had no plans to stop at half-measures.
So I had only one option.
Keep sparring until he was satisfied.
***
Over three hours into the VIP quarters training.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Shiiiing!
“Hahaha!”
Elbert burst into laughter as he relentlessly swung his sword, firing aura without pause.
And why not?
Slash! Shaaaash!
Yoo Han was batting away every one of his merciless aura blades with [Sword of Light].
How could he not laugh when a disciple he was training showed this much progress in mere hours?
At this rate.
‘He’s a true prodigy...!’
Out of all the disciples he’d ever taught, this was the highest aptitude by far.
No one else had reached this level so quickly.
It felt rewarding to teach again after so long.
“Yes! That’s it! Exactly!”
Shiiiing!
Elbert ramped up the speed, unleashing aura blades.
One, two, three, four...
Burr...
Thanks to Yoo Han’s rapid improvement, his own body was starting to signal fatigue.
Warning him he was overdoing it.
At that moment.
Drip.
Elbert’s movements halted abruptly.
A sharp killing intent hovered right below his neck.
He cautiously lifted his head, and the mage with a sword at his throat spoke flatly.
“You got too excited, Knight Captain.”
“...So I did.”
He’d been too worked up, just as the mage said.
Leaving an opening.
What amazed him was how this mage had seized that split-second chance.
Could a mage really react like that?
Nothing about him failed to impress.
“Your win, Yoo Han.”
Elbert admitted it cleanly, no excuses.
This time, it was undeniably Yoo Han’s victory.
“Win? Whatever. Let’s call it here for today? I’m barely holding together.”
“Agreed.”
Elbert sided with Yoo Han.
His own body was showing warning signs too.
His war wounds hadn’t fully healed anyway.
Best to rest now.
Elbert had one last thing to check.
“How was today’s swordsmanship training?”
His standard post-session feedback, from teaching countless disciples.
Yoo Han answered without a care.
Not with words, but his body.
Slash!
He suddenly swung [Sword of Light] through the air.
As his motions flowed, Elbert murmured.
“First form.”
Slaaash!
“Second form.”
Slaaaash!
“...Third form.”
What he was demonstrating were the seven basic sword forms.
Up to the third.
Mastered perfectly in just hours.
And on top of that.
Swiiiish!
Lithe mana energy rippled along the [Sword of Light].
Just like when Elbert himself infused his sword with aura.
He’d created his own aura, using mana as a magic swordsman.
Swish!
Yoo Han dismissed the [Sword of Light] and said.
“You might become a greater swordsmanship teacher than a commander.”
“Puhahaha...”
Even said straight, the meaning was clear.
He was thoroughly satisfied with this training.