Chapter 52
Chapter 52
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: Guardian Shadow (5)
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7
Kairen said.
“Then… since I took a loss just now, you attack first.”
“Now that you’re the elder, aren’t you going to yield the first move out of seniority?”
“When I did that earlier, didn’t you kick me away?”
Kairen snorted and lunged in with his right sword.
It was a razor-sharp strike from the very first blow, utterly devoid of any intent to probe or feint.
However, Azel had already read not just the trajectory but the exact landing point in advance, dodging it by a hair’s breadth.
Then, as Kairen retracted his sword, Azel counterattacked.
It was a perfect response, but the problem was that Kairen wielded dual swords.
‘Gotcha.’
As if he had been waiting for it, he struck back with his left sword.
It was a situation where Azel had perfectly fallen into the trap.
At least, that’s how it looked to Zail and Boer.
Azel hadn’t forgotten that Kairen used dual swords.
Dual sword styles came in various types, among which was one where the left and right hands moved with independent, ever-changing fluidity, as if wielded by two different people.
Kairen was precisely that type.
Having anticipated such an attack in advance, Azel accelerated a beat faster the moment Kairen’s left sword came flying in.
Clang!
The clash of sword against sword rang out, and astonishingly, it was Kairen who staggered back.
“…You got me there.”
Azel had deliberately slowed his approach, then accelerated right as Kairen launched his left-sword counter, veering off the strike point and diving inside.
He had waited for Kairen’s prepared counter and turned it back on him.
Kairen had barely managed to block without losing his stance.
With his pride stung, Kairen pressed the attack once more.
His dual swords spun in a precise assault, meshing together like the gears of a clockwork mechanism.
Fast, accurate, and yet flashy.
Even without fancy variations, the sheer force behind the two perfectly linked swords was enough to overwhelm most opponents, tying up their movements until they couldn’t keep up.
Yet Azel responded to this onslaught with astonishing naturalness.
He minimized his sword movements to parry and deflect Kairen’s strikes while subtly adjusting the distance with forward and backward steps, disrupting the rhythm of the whirling dual blades.
Clang!
After a dazzling swordfight that flowed like a dance, the two stepped back simultaneously.
Kairen laughed.
“Your responses are incredibly natural. Have you faced dual swords before?”
“Quite a bit.”
Azel had experienced a wide variety of dual sword styles.
Depending on the region, the weapons used, and the practitioner’s abilities, dual swordsmanship could be as diverse as single-sword styles.
The type like Kairen’s, where left and right moved freely as if by different people, was among the trickiest to handle.
Kairen said.
“I heard you had five masters.”
“The princess tattled even that? I’m disappointed.”
“But you must have heard all sorts of dirt on me in return. Call it even.”
“Well, I don’t want to be seen as a petty man, so sure.”
“Out with it. You’ve heard juicy secrets about the Dragon Princess that the whole kingdom would kill for, yet you haggle like this. Grab a hundred passersby and ask which is more valuable—your tales or Arieta’s.”
‘Probably mine?’
For a fleeting moment, Azel thought that to himself.
He was, after all, the legendary hero who felled the Dragon Demon King.
If he revealed his identity, he could probably form legions of people drooling to hear his stories.
‘But a pretty girl’s tale over some swarthy guy’s… Hmm. If asked, I’d have to think about it.’
As he entertained that half-serious thought, Kairen said.
“Was one of your masters a dual sword user, by any chance?”
“Yes.”
“Ho.”
“But a different type from you, Duke.”
Azel’s third master had been a dual sword master.
Hailing from the desert, he wielded two gently curved blades, moving them as one unified weapon.
While less erratic than Kairen’s style, he compensated with simultaneous multi-angle attacks.
Kairen asked.
“Then do you use dual swords yourself?”
“I do. Though it’s not my main style. Opposite of you, Duke.”
“Shame.”
“Well, if you’d like, I could humor you with dual swords. It’s just a spar, after all.”
“No, that’s not it… I meant it’s a shame I can’t have a serious bout with you.”
“I don’t have a hobby of wrecking perfectly good inns and footing massive repair bills.”
Right now, the two were engaging in pure swordplay.
But Azel’s true worth shone only when employing Spirit Order techniques, and Kairen’s real power emerged with Dragon Spirit Arts.
The moment those were added, their swordsmanship would transform into entirely different arts.
Of course, that would demolish the entire inn.
No matter how skilled, when superhuman forces clashed, collateral damage was inevitable.
Kairen chuckled.
“Well, for now, I want to see your skills. Why not try dual swords? I rarely get to spar with another dual sword specialist.”
“If you insist… I’ll need to borrow a sword.”
Asking a swordsman to lend his blade wasn’t a light request.
That’s why Azel hesitated.
At that moment, Boer spoke up.
“Use mine.”
“Hm? You sure?”
“Think of it as the price of admission to this spar. Besides, isn’t my sword better suited than Sir Zail’s?”
“Thanks. I’ll make good use of it.”
Zail’s sword was a heavy two-handed type, whereas Boer’s, designed for shield use, was balanced for one-handed wielding in weight and length.
Boer figured his would fit dual swords better.
‘Doesn’t really matter.’
The sword Azel was using now was the same type as Zail’s.
For large swords meant for two hands, it might be an issue, but Azel wasn’t constrained by such differences in dual sword play.
Kairen said with evident delight.
“The road to the capital just got a lot more fun.”
“Hmph. Your intent to hassle me is showing plain as day.”
“Teasing the young is the old man’s joy, after all.”
“That’s why the young avoid the elderly.”
Grumbling, Azel engaged Kairen in a dual sword duel.
It was as fierce and even as before, and even after trading blows until exhaustion, no victor emerged.
8
“He’s a monster.”
After a bout with Azel, Kairen said to Arieta.
She asked.
“Is he that impressive, even in your eyes, Master?”
As far as Arieta knew, Kairen was the strongest.
No one in the kingdom could stand against him.
Kairen had praised talents before, but never placed anyone on his level.
“Yeah. The guy’s bottomless. First time I’ve seen one like him.”
He had thought Arieta’s descriptions of Azel were exaggerated.
Not that he doubted her truthfulness.
He just figured Azel was exceptionally good at making foes overestimate themselves in battle—like Zail.
But facing him directly, this was no ordinary matter.
‘Swordsmanship.’
Azel surpassed Kairen in overall swordsmanship proficiency.
Physically, Kairen held the edge, so in a full-force clash, he could probably win.
But pitting pure technique—even with dual swords—Azel held the advantage.
‘Spirit Order.’
He hadn’t seen it all yet.
But from glimpses during travel, combined with Arieta’s accounts, Azel had reached heights beyond any Spirit Order practitioner Kairen knew.
‘And yet his mana is that pathetic?’
This part baffled him completely.
Kairen was as puzzled as Niberis on this point.
He’d heard about Azel’s state when first found.
But mana wasn’t an energy that depleted with bodily weakness.
It could temporarily, but Life Circles regenerated mana to fill the Spirit Veins.
A Spirit Order practitioner’s level tracked mana growth up to a point.
Azel’s extreme imbalance was unheard of.
‘Even if black mages experimented on him… Hmm. Better ask around later.’
Kairen was knowledgeable in Spirit Order and magic, but not an expert.
He recalled people to consult and shelved the question.
‘Still, once his body fully recovers and mana reaches proper levels, he’ll be terrifying. At least he’s cocky but not malicious—that’s a relief.’
The Guardian Shadows approved, and Azel’s character seemed fine from what he’d seen.
Even his brashness—hurling cheeky remarks to Kairen’s face—Kairen rather liked.
Arieta murmured.
“Where on earth has he been, to produce a figure like that out of nowhere?”
“Who knows. That’s the real mystery. Even assuming his story’s true and black mages held him for years, someone like that would’ve made a name… Unless he’s from another country, out of our reach.”
Kairen had already sent word to his domain, tasking subordinates with a background check on Azel.
Scant info, but doable.
Azel Zestringer, fiery red hair, high-level Spirit Order practitioner, likely noble.
If the name was fake, dead end.
Otherwise, traces should exist.
Such a figure couldn’t have gone completely unknown…
Of course, if Azel knew, he’d laugh at the futility.
At this point, no one guessed his true identity.
Arieta asked.
“High chance he’s from another country?”
“Likely.”
Magic enabled some communication, but info spread slowly.
Even within a kingdom, local fame often stayed local.
Foreign renown was harder to track.
Kairen said.
“I want to meet his masters.”
Arieta said two were dead, but no guarantee on the other three.
If alive, he was dying to hear how they forged such a man.