Chapter 51
Chapter 51
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 51
Chapter Title: Chapter 11 Guardian Shadow (4)
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Kairen drew only one of his two swords. He was already clad in full armor, as if he had planned to join the spar from the start.
The moment he saw the Dragon Sword, Azel thought of Arietta's blade.
*The princess's sword seems like it was modeled after that one.*
The Dragon Sword resembled Arietta's sword. Though made from different materials, both the blade and hilt gleamed with a pure white light. Unlike Arietta's, its blade was straight with edges on both sides—a longsword. The hilt featured dragon motifs and wing ornaments, giving it more the feel of a ceremonial weapon than one for battle.
*The blade must be made from dragon bone.*
Kairen had said the Dragon Sword was crafted entirely from materials extracted from a dragon's corpse. That meant the blade was undoubtedly dragon bone, magically processed.
Kairen spoke.
"Shall we have some fun, then? To be honest, I've been pretty bored myself. Who wants to go first?"
"I'll go first."
Zail stepped forward. Boer's face twisted in disappointment at being preempted, which made Azel chuckle.
*A Dragon Sword, huh.*
Azel eyed Kairen's sword closely. As he had guessed from the man carrying two blades, Kairen wielded dual swords. He had drawn only one now, likely to enjoy the spar against a much weaker opponent, but he would surely use both when showing his true skill.
*Those hands tell the story.*
Both of Kairen's hands were rough and callused. They were the hands of someone who had gripped and swung a sword countless times, building up and bursting calluses repeatedly.
*Well, he's a Dragon Demon. Wielding dual swords is nothing for someone who can snap bones with one hand.*
Dual-wielding was an exceedingly rare style among knights. Even including mercenaries, few practiced it. The technique was inherently difficult to master, and it put one at a disadvantage against armored foes or tough magical beasts.
But Azel had learned it while mastering various sword styles and even used it in real combat. He had deployed dual swords against the Dragon Shadow, for instance, using a hidden blade alongside his main one.
After a brief standoff, Zail charged in with enthusiasm.
"Haat!"
"Nice!"
Kairen met the attack with delight and counterattacked.
It didn't last long. After about twenty exchanges, Kairen's sword was at Zail's throat.
"Urgh. I lost."
"Your fundamentals are solid. Your forward and backward movement is good, but you're clumsy with lateral responses. Keep that in mind."
"Thank you!"
Zail was thrilled to receive not just the spar but advice as well.
Azel smirked.
*Concise yet piercing feedback. He has a talent for teaching.*
Going twenty exchanges with Zail was telling, too. If Kairen had used his full strength, it would have ended in one blow. Instead, he had adapted to the sparring context, drawing out Zail's abilities and assessing his strengths and weaknesses.
Next was Boer. He, too, lasted about twenty exchanges before defeat and received Kairen's counsel. Though superior to Zail in defense thanks to his shield, it posed no issue for Kairen.
Kairen turned to Azel.
"What about you? Care to go?"
"If you wish, shall I?"
"Acting all coy. Why not learn from these young ones?"
"Hahaha. I've only known of you for a short while, Your Grace."
As he spoke, Azel drew his sword. Truth be told, he had wanted to cross blades with Kairen at least once. Having just completed his third Life Circle up to Dual Banding the day before, he needed to gauge how much his power had increased.
Kairen said,
"Come at me, then."
"Very well... I won't hold back."
Azel bowed and immediately entered Kairen's attack range.
6
*He really hates losing.*
Kairen frowned. He had intended to let Azel strike first, but Azel approached slowly, almost provocatively, as if daring him to move. Irritated by the implication of who would attack first, Kairen struck preemptively.
Clang!
After the first clash, both accelerated sharply, unleashing a flurry of strikes.
Kairen was fast, but Azel matched him. Moving at a similar pace as he had against Boer and Zail, Kairen seemed to get into it and gradually increased his speed.
Clang clang clang clang clang!
Zail and Boer's eyes widened as they watched. The exchanges were happening at a speed neither could hope to follow.
It was evenly matched. Astonishingly, Azel was holding his own against Kairen, the living legend, without giving an inch.
If anything, as time passed, Kairen began to fall behind. He was stunned.
*Me, losing a battle of attrition?*
The back-and-forth was so fast it was hard to track with the eyes alone. Yet Azel was half a step ahead, reading moves and dictating the flow.
As time accumulated that edge, the advantage became clear. Each individual strike was faster from Kairen. The same went for motion linkage, reaction speed, and the sharpness of every technique.
And yet Azel was pressing him.
It wasn't due to overwhelming momentum. Neither was using Spirit Orders or Dragon Spirit Arts beyond basic body and sensory enhancement—they were clashing purely with swordsmanship. Still, Azel controlled the situation with terrifying precision.
It felt like solving a problem with a predetermined answer—or worse, one where the opponent had set the answer to favor themselves. Block this thrust like so; parry that one this way. But those moves, once thought advantageous, piled up to spell defeat.
*Hah! Where did this monster come from?*
Since his youthful, inexperienced days, Kairen had never lost in pure technique. He was a sword master who had honed his skills for longer than a human lifetime, and unlike humans, he hadn't aged or weakened, retaining his prime physique through those years.
Yet Azel was the first in decades to surpass him technically.
*No, it's not just technique...*
Kairen found a better word.
*Sensory acuity.*
Yes, sensory acuity.
That didn't mean Azel was abandoning reason for instinct. The term encompassed many layers, didn't it?
Azel's swordsmanship lacked perfection in individual techniques. His physique was frail, his edge lacking.
But his ability to read opponents, grasp their rhythm, and weave his arsenal into the exact scenario he desired—that combat sense was miraculous.
"Hmm."
At some point, Azel pulled back his offense and retreated. Kairen, who had been gradually cornered, frowned.
"Standing up for my dignity?"
"Not quite."
"Hm?"
"You'll want to use both swords soon."
"......"
Kairen's face soured. He took a deep breath to compose himself and said,
"You read me well."
Shing.
Kairen drew both Dragon Swords. His aura shifted completely with the dual blades in hand.
Naturally, Kairen was plenty strong with one sword. He was a true master who had rarely encountered foes requiring dual blades to overcome.
But Azel... at least under the condition of no killing intent and pure swordplay, was an opponent he couldn't face without them.
*A human this young with such skill.*
Of course, martial prowess didn't strictly correlate with age or accumulated training and experience. Otherwise, long-lived Dragon Demons or Dragonkin would be untouchable masters, but reality proved otherwise.
Humans changed dramatically over time; depending on their experiences, mindset, and actions, they could grow stronger or weaker. Kairen had seen countless talented individuals decline after a single defeat, despite desperate efforts.
One had to know their path. Not lazy repetition, but self-stimulation through the right methods.
Azel had clearly walked such a path. Though Kairen had witnessed many geniuses, Azel was a monster beyond comprehension.
Had Kairen known Azel's identity and history, though, he would have understood.
The Dragon Emperor War was a hellish sieve, mercilessly weeding out entrants. Survival wasn't just for the strong—it required strength as a baseline and luck to endure.
Azel possessed exceptional talent, met fine mentors to nurture it, and seized blooming opportunities to survive.
Such a process defied rational evaluation. In a world ruled by madness, overlapping miracles impossible to replicate birthed the monster who slew Dragon Demon King Atein.
Suddenly, Kairen asked,
"What is the sword to you?"
"Hm? What's this out of the blue?"
"Answer me."
"You must fancy philosophical riddles, like some ascetic. A sword's just a tool to subdue enemies."
"Not very poetic."
"I've never once viewed the sword as fodder for enlightenment in my life. It's merely a means to an end."
Thus, Azel never faltered if his sword broke. Tools wore out with use. When they did, he sought alternatives rather than clinging.
Kairen pressed,
"Then is swordsmanship mere killing art?"
"What answer do you seek?"
"The honest one."
"Swordsmanship isn't killing art."
"Hm?"
Surprised by the unexpected reply, Kairen looked puzzled. Azel continued.
"It's the skill to wield a sword—that tool—well. It's not always for 'killing' something, is it? That view might be pure, but it's narrow-minded."
"Hah. Simple, or simplistic?"
"Simple is best. But if you want something profound... it's play."
"Play?"
"Yes. Life-or-death play."
Azel hadn't become a swordsman because the sword was the strongest, most efficient weapon. It was the best among all martial arts.
It let him achieve what others couldn't. What only came in clashes with rivals. Challenges unique to those moments...
"That's swordsmanship to me."
"Just because you like it, eh? There's a saying: the talented surpass the diligent, but the diligent can't match those who enjoy it."
"I don't quite buy it."
Azel smirked.
Kairen was strong. A Dragon Demon with a lifespan far exceeding humans, he had immersed himself passionately in swordsmanship, refining it to astonishing heights.
*In terms of individual technique perfection, beyond even my prime.*
During the Dragon Emperor War, Azel was among those who mastered the widest array of techniques. No Spirit Order practitioner matched his versatility.
Thus, he lagged behind those who obsessively perfected single skills. But in comprehensively linking and applying them, he reached unparalleled heights.
*Now then... shall I experience his true face?*
Kairen with dual swords would be an entirely different beast from moments ago. Azel's heart raced in anticipation of tasting his genuine prowess.