Chapter 226: Swallow Blade
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 226: Swallow Blade
The duel with Swallow Blade had been a bloodbath.
To land a single blow, Encrid had to endure being cut twice in return.
Yet, Encrid remained unmoved. He was as he had always been. Even when his life hung by a thread, he did not waver.
It was because his momentum and temperament were so immutable that he was able to stand where he was today.
"Damn, those eyes of yours... they really get under my skin."
The smirk on Swallow Blade’s face deepened.
Rem, who had flinched several times while watching the two clash, muttered to himself as he watched the exchange. Was it not an utterly unbearable sight?
Naturally, his mouth opened.
"Right? They’re irritating. I know exactly how you feel."
Why did he find himself empathizing with Swallow Blade at a time like this? Had he not experienced that same frustration himself?
Sure enough, Ragna, Sachsen, and Audin were all busy nodding in agreement.
No matter what happened, Encrid was constant—unchanging.
He simply did what he had to do in silence. He was a man who marched forward before even pausing to weigh right from wrong.
Because of that nature, Audin had unleashed the Isolation Technique on another person's body for the first time; Sachsen had passed down the Sensory Technique; and Rem had imparted the Beast's Heart.
Ragna’s reason for handing over his own techniques to Encrid was much the same.
Those eyes, that stubbornness, and that absolute refusal to even entertain the thought of giving up—it was a temperament that drove anyone watching him to the brink of madness.
"Aren't you even scared?" Swallow Blade asked, looking genuinely fed up.
As he spoke, he subtly twisted his blade. His stance shifted into an unorthodox posture, and his footing changed. Encrid also adjusted his sword's position, sliding his soles along the ground to reset his stance. Because he moved his feet without bending his knees, it looked as if his body was gliding smoothly across the earth while standing perfectly upright.
"Of what?"
"You almost died just now."
"I think the same could be said for you."
In the clash moments ago, Swallow Blade had feinted, pretending to thrust his left foot forward before snapping it back. Encrid had fallen for the bait and swung, only for a counter-thrust to come flying in with lethal timing.
The moment he saw the tip of the sword split into four, curving toward him like a closing trap, anyone else would have felt a deathly chill run down their spine. Encrid was no exception.
Though, of course, his throat hadn't been pierced.
How had he avoided it?
The Sense of Evasion.
Sachsen’s technique had saved his life. Instead of a fatal wound, the back of his neck had been slashed. It felt as if a red-hot ember had been pressed against his skin, a burning pain throbbing continuously.
This wasn't his only injury. Encrid had a hole pierced through his stomach, and the tendon in his forearm had been nearly severed. And just a moment ago, he had come a hair’s breadth from decapitation.
"That's enough for today! Come on, today isn't the only day!"
Receiving a signal from Rem, Krais called out loudly.
Swallow Blade, of course, had no intention of stopping. He fully intended to carve Encrid down right then and there. However, he wasn't allowed to have his way.
"Watch yourself. You're starting to annoy me," Rem said abruptly.
He had approached silently and was now standing just behind Encrid’s left shoulder. What would happen if Swallow Blade tried to finish Encrid here? Swallow Blade hadn't revealed his trump card yet, but even if he did...
I’d probably die too.
Naturally, Swallow Blade valued his own life far more than anyone else's.
"Fine then."
He sheathed his sword and held up both palms, signaling a truce. Even so, a faint trace of killing intent lingered around him like a foul mist.
Rem snorted and looked away. It was an expression of absolute confidence—at this distance, no matter what the bastard tried, Rem’s axe would strike first.
Besides, Rem hadn't stepped forward alone. The sly wildcat, Sachsen, was already positioned on the opposite side.
How many people had even noticed? At the very least, Swallow Blade hadn't.
"Now, now, today really isn't the only day. Get some rest, eh? Get to know each other! And if you're bored, there are plenty of shops in the alley behind the inn to please your palate. Don't know which ones are good? Ah, that would be a real shame! And because I thought that might be the case...!"
Krais seized the intermission to line his own pockets, but strangely, it was hard to dislike him. He possessed a peculiar charm that defused the lethal tension.
"Behold! This is the Border Guard's Good Map."
It was a single sheet that required no long explanation—a simple sketch marking shops that sold seasoned jerky, marmalade, freshly baked bread, and the like.
"That will be ten copper coins per sheet."
The price was ambiguous. Ten copper coins wasn't a fortune, but it wasn't nothing either—though to the big spenders present, it was mere pocket change.
"Give me one. I've spilled some blood, so I need to eat well," Swallow Blade said with a smirk, taking a copy.
Several onlookers from the merchant guild followed suit. The rapier swordsman and the Count’s party each took one, and finally, the half-giant asked hesitantly.
"Doesn't the gentleman who bled today pay for this?"
Krais, who was about to hand the map over, swiftly pulled his hand back.
"That was only until yesterday. From today on, everyone pays full price. Lady."
The half-giant warrior, hearing the word "lady" for perhaps the first time in her life, nodded slowly. She handed over exactly ten copper coins and took the map.
Krais clapped his hands, addressing the group.
"I assure you, none of you will lose out on this deal. Get some rest, look around the territory, and if you're bored, feel free to spar amongst yourselves—but no causing trouble. In particular, please be mindful of the safety of our residents."
Krais lowered his hands and bowed deeply, like an actor on a stage. Raising his head, he added, "Welcome to Border Guard."
Though he was bleeding profusely, it wasn't enough to kill him. Encrid watched the scene unfold and thought: Does this bastard think Border Guard is some kind of tourist resort?
Though it wore the mask of a trading hub, this place was, first and foremost, a military territory. There was absolutely nothing here for them to sightsee.
Not that they seemed likely to leave, though. And why would they?
"I'll go next time," the rapier swordsman said.
His eyes were shining. A competitive spirit flickered within them, along with a sharp hint of curiosity. Whatever his true intentions, that fellow wouldn't be leaving anytime soon.
The same went for the half-giant. She seemed to have every intention of staying. Not to mention Edin Molsen’s party.
"Fight me again!" Edin had shouted the moment he recovered, but after witnessing the battle with Swallow Blade, he had fallen silent. Still, the twitching of his eyebrows showed he was highly displeased with the situation.
In any case, since Edin was staying, the guard who accompanied him would stay as well.
Ah, how bountiful.
Was this what it felt like to have one's soul nourished? He felt full without even eating.
"You're really determined to make a quick buck. And what was that about the safety of the residents?" Encrid questioned Krais upon his return.
The merchant whispered back, his eyes wide and serious. "That Swallow Blade guy... I just have a bad feeling about him. It feels like he'll cause trouble if we leave him be, so I should tell the higher-ups to pay extra attention to security. It's one thing if he dies fighting a soldier, but if an outsider starts murdering civilians in our streets, it'll be a massive headache."
Encrid recalled the man he had just fought. That sword, that style—he was a memorable opponent. Encrid had been so busy defending against those strikes that he hadn't had the leeway to gauge the man’s personality. However, Krais had a sharp eye for people; his judgment was trustworthy.
"Sachsen, report this to the higher-ups."
"Will do."
Sending the sly wildcat on his way, Encrid limped toward his quarters.
"Man, is your body even going to hold together?" Rem asked, falling into step beside him.
It was nagging, but Encrid couldn't talk back. It was the truth. His body had been reduced to a rag. There was a hole in his stomach, and the tendon in his arm was barely hanging on.
If he died, everything would reset. He would be cured, and only the results of his training would remain. In a way, it was a convenient, even advantageous ability.
Yet, Encrid endured.
If anyone asked why he did so, he had no answer. He simply wanted to. He would struggle, flounder, and move forward. He had simply erased the word 'surrender' from his vocabulary.
Though Encrid didn't know it, the Boatman's Curse was originally designed to be that way. Its core purpose was to make one settle for a single day. Had the Ferryman known of Encrid's mindset, he might have thrown his lantern into the Black River in a fit of sheer rage.
Of course, Encrid hadn't done this knowing any of that. He had simply, silently, done what he had always done.
"Well, I didn't die."
"You make it sound so easy. Let's see. Did you actually manage to see that guy's swordplay properly?"
"I saw it."
In that brief moment, he reviewed the fight. Swallow Blade’s swordsmanship mixed the Orthodox Sword Style and the Illusion Sword Style. On the continent, this was called a Technique Sword. To be precise, it was an Eastern-style Technique Sword.
The trajectory of the blade was bizarre, and its striking points were peculiar. It would seem to aim for the arm, only to strike the shoulder in the blink of an eye; it would descend toward the shoulder, only to suddenly target the thigh. Reading its path was a nightmare.
So, how had he reacted? At first, it was a direct counter. He had fought with the mindset of trading blow for blow. Swiftly and powerfully, he had swung his sword.
And how had his opponent responded? He had blocked Encrid’s sword while simultaneously targeting his wrist. From a technical standpoint, he certainly hadn't earned the moniker 'Swallow Blade' for nothing. On top of that, the very technique that had earned him that nickname hadn't even been revealed yet.
Thus, Encrid had been pushed back. He had lost. It was a defeat.
Was he bitter? Not at all.
I can catch him.
If one day of training wasn't enough, then two. If two weren't enough, then seven. If seven weren't enough, then a month. He believed that as long as he had time, he could reach him. He hadn't lost in the battle of wits, nor had he been outmatched in strength or speed. It was purely a difference in the mastery of their techniques.
That was simply the nature of the Technique Sword. It was a style that truly deserved the word 'bizarre.'
"If you saw it, then it's simple. Just watch it all and swat it away," Rem said.
Rem’s teachings struck home once again. Do I really need to win using technique? Even if there was only one destination, there was more than one path to reach it.
"I'll use my head a bit."
Rather than running blindly down a single path, he decided to broaden his perspective. Even if his body could keep up, he resolved not to settle.
"Now that's what I like to hear," Rem laughed. His smile was pleasant.
Come to think of it, he hadn't liked the way Swallow Blade smiled at all. Perhaps Krais had judged him correctly.
When Encrid returned drenched in blood, Esther saw him and let out a sharp, dry cough. She looked utterly dumbfounded. I sent him out perfectly fine this morning, and he returns in this state?
Hmm, why does her nagging feel even worse than Rem's? It was a mystery.
Seeing this, Rem chuckled. "Hey, panther mage, this guy is going to be like this forever, you know?"
The black panther did not reply. Ragna silently asked if today had been fun as well. Encrid nodded.
This time, his wounds were not something he could simply shake off in a single day. Yet, to Dunchabel, who was watching from the side, even this was astonishing.
"In just three days?"
"I'm fine now."
Is this beastman planning to be shocked every single time I get up? Encrid thought as he took a step forward.
He had heard the others were still staying at the marketplace inn. Who should he fight this time? His pounding heart urged his feet forward. Although his arm hadn't fully healed, he still had his other hand, and the ointment Sachsen had given him was highly effective.
Moreover, Audin had secretly bestowed divinity upon him. Though Audin hadn't channeled enough power to manifest the visible light of divine power, he had infused him with an energy that boosted his natural healing. Otherwise, regardless of his Regenerative Body, even Encrid would have been bedridden for over a week.
*
Swallow Blade felt a gnawing urge to kill.
Should I slip out of the inn tonight and slit a few throats?
The wounds he had received from his fight with Encrid had scabbed over after two days. Looking at his own scars, his bloodlust surged. Just as he was about to head out, unable to contain himself...
"Don't do it, little human."
The half-giant blocked his path.
"Hmm?"
"I said, don't do it."
"Do what?"
As Swallow Blade feigned ignorance with a smiling face, the man sitting at a table in the first-floor tavern cast a glance toward them. It was the rapier swordsman.
"Swallow Blade, you're with the Black Sword, aren't you? Always playing with your blades and flocking together like that... drop it. It'll only cause trouble for everyone staying in this territory."
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
When Swallow Blade smirked and denied it, both of them fell silent. Still, it wasn't as if he could just ignore them and walk out.
"And here I was, just trying to go for a night walk," he mumbled, turning back and climbing the creaking wooden stairs.
After Swallow Blade retreated, the rapier swordsman sipped his drink, while the half-giant stood blankly, lost in thought. There was no telling what was passing through their minds.
"Why didn't you fight that big guy?" the rapier swordsman asked abruptly.
"He is neither my target nor my purpose."
Though I was curious about that fellow Audin's skills, the rapier swordsman thought. He nodded to himself.
Soon, Edin Molsen’s guard came down the stairs. At the sound of the creaking wood, both of their gazes naturally drifted upward. The guard walked past them in silence and stepped out of the inn.
However, Swallow Blade, who must have been watching from the shadows, came down right after him. "Why did you let that fellow go out?"
"He doesn't look like the type to cause trouble."
"What about me?"
"You do."
At the rapier swordsman’s instantaneous reply, Swallow Blade pondered. Should I slash this guy?
But he soon backed down. It was hard to call it a serious injury, but he was still wounded. Besides, hadn't those two already witnessed his swordsmanship? To be fair, he needed to see theirs as well.
So, next time, he just had to pit Encrid against one of those two.
Soon, it happened exactly as he wished. When Encrid returned, the rapier swordsman stepped forward.
"I believe it's my turn this time."
"Let's do that."
Encrid was calm; he truly didn't care who stepped up. Watching this, Swallow Blade felt his stomach twist slightly again.
That bastard's eyes...
How could they be so incredibly straight and unwavering?
In any case, Encrid clashed with the rapier swordsman. There were no severe injuries like before. They were relatively evenly matched, and a clean spar ensued.
No, to be completely honest...
What the hell did that guy even come here for?
Swallow Blade could roughly see the motives of those who had gathered. In particular, he even knew the identity of the large female warrior. He was merely pretending not to.
But the rapier swordsman was different. Through their spar, he wasn't just fighting—he was teaching Encrid.