Chapter 520: The Next Victim
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 520: The Next Victim
Standing in the training ground, Encrid gripped Aker’s hilt.
To an outside observer, he looked like a man standing awkwardly in a corner, clutching a sword grip and muttering to himself. In other words, he hardly looked sane.
But since this was a training ground where no one ventured unless they were members of the mad squad, it didn't really matter. And even if someone had been watching, Encrid would have acted exactly the same.
His eyes blazed with the same fire as before.
“Speak. You didn't linger just to chatter, did you? Show me what you have. I’ll give you my review of what the previous knight left behind.”
Encrid spoke rapidly, a moderate level of excitement stirring his momentum. The moment he realized there was something to be gained from the magic sword Aker, he couldn't contain himself. Even if he had to break it, he would learn what was contained within this blade.
His momentum was so intense it drew the eyes of everyone nearby. Indeed, rendering all their worries pointless, there stood Encrid, harboring the same hunger and zeal as the day they first met him.
“Who was I even worrying about?” Rem said, letting out a dry chuckle as he sat on a stump, sharpening his axe blade.
“Did the guide's luck follow him?” Ragna added, lifting his head from where he dozed in the shade. The momentum was sharp enough to jolt anyone awake, but after a brief blink, Ragna went right back to sleep without even wiping his eyes.
Sachsen merely watched intently, leaning against a pillar. Though he would never say it aloud, he inwardly agreed with the barbarian.
Worrying that his hunger had vanished? About him?
The man hadn't changed. Not when he was first assigned to the squad, nor when he was learning the Sensory Technique. He was the same—a man forged from heat and hunger.
“You have returned, Brother,” Audin said with a smile. He was in the middle of studying the Word with Teresa.
The Holy Scripture said that opportunity comes to those who yearn. Teresa chewed on those words. A desire that never gives up. She had seen and learned that from Encrid, both in the past and now.
But was simple, unyielding persistence enough? To her eyes, Encrid looked more excited now than when he had actually become a knight. He enjoyed the process of achieving more than the achievement itself; he desired the learning more than the completion.
Where did that hunger come from? Anticipation. The anticipation of joy, the anticipation of falling into ecstasy.
That was exactly how Encrid was right now. Teresa gained a small realization and quietly began to pray.
My hunger, my joy, my ecstasy—I offer them all to the Lord.
Then, a faint light flowed from her shoulders. It was a light of tiny particles, so faint it was nearly invisible, and it vanished just as quickly. No one saw it—not even Audin, whose gaze was fixed on Encrid—but possessing Divine Power, he felt the change in her.
Audin turned back to Teresa. She was deeply focused on her prayer. He had witnessed a miracle; the Holy Spirit had left its mark upon her, a half-giant and former cultist.
“The Lord bestows great mercy today,” Audin whispered.
Teresa nodded. Though she couldn't understand it precisely, she knew she had gained something. Since she could figure it out over time, there was no need to be impatient. She had always been patient, but after finding true faith, that patience had deepened.
“Did you see the light? Then run toward it,” said Luagarne.
She was currently more engrossed in training than at any other point in her life. The whip in her hand trailed on the ground. She had just stopped after a vigorous session, her body slick with the oil her race secreted during exertion.
She spoke while looking at Encrid, but it was a statement directed at herself as well. She was on the older side even for a Frok; in human terms, she would be past middle age. Training at that age was almost unheard of. Aging came for everyone, and Luagarne was at the point where it was catching up to her.
Why would a Frok train when the end was so clearly in sight? They were a natural warrior race with outstanding physical strength and skin that rendered most weapons useless. Most Frok merely repeated what they had learned through real combat. They possessed the eye to read talent, and thus, they knew their own limits all too well.
But what if there was a person right before them who surpassed that wall called "limits" countless times?
For the first time in her life, Luagarne felt a desire for growth rather than a desire to teach. She was enjoying the present. Even if she couldn't move forward another inch, she would be satisfied. She had learned that from Encrid.
The Frok's arm muscles trembled from overexertion. Enjoying that trembling, Luagarne puffed out her cheeks.
Though Encrid usually listened attentively to anyone, once he fell into the world of the sword, he became deaf to the outside world. He did nothing but indulge and crave. The image of him swinging his sword while drooling overlapped with his current self.
Encrid stood completely still, paying no heed to his surroundings. He was listening to Aker’s voice.
Hum.
The sword vibrated, conveying its intent through Will.
-You have fulfilled the fourth condition.
He liked that there were no excuses.
-Then shall we talk face-to-face now?
Before he could even respond, the sword acted. A mixture of green and white light flowed from Aker’s blade, spreading wide and erasing the world around them.
Then, a wind blew.
Rustle, rustle.
The wind swayed blades of grass that reached his ankles. It was an endless grassy field. The sun sat vertically overhead, marking high noon. It was moderately bright, neither hot nor cold. The sunlight stung slightly, but the wind brought a perfect coolness.
“This is the first time we've met face-to-face like this, isn't it?”
Standing five paces away was a man. He rested a sword identical to Aker diagonally over his shoulder without a scabbard. His appearance was ordinary—light brown hair and brown eyes—yet he didn't look common. The sword on his shoulder looked ready to strike at any moment, and his legs were planted firmly. No openings could be found.
“Who are you?”
“I'm Aker.”
Aker narrowed his eyes. His expression seemed to say, Why ask for my name now? You already know.
Encrid let his hands hang down. A sword identical to his opponent's was gripped in his hand. There was no other equipment—no armor, no throwing daggers. The same went for the wraith.
“You have a look in your eyes like you're thinking of something unpleasant.”
“Not at all.”
“I bet you are. I'm inside your world of consciousness, so I share some of this with you,” the wraith said, tapping his temple.
“That seems a bit unfair.”
“Don't worry. It's only perceiving a tiny bit of emotion.” Aker closed one eye, pinching his thumb and index finger together.
“What worry?”
“I'm saying this because you're already preparing to fight.”
Aker smirked. The wind blew. The grass swayed. The wraith let out a sneeze—achoo!—yet there was no disruption in his stance. No opening appeared.
What would happen if Encrid thrust right now? The opponent would react. Encrid saw a brief glimpse of the future. The opponent would wipe his nose, dodge the thrust, and immediately slash upward. He would slash vertically, then twist to predict Encrid's next move.
Should he close the distance while thrusting to account for that?
Encrid couldn't. Because if he thrust, the opponent wouldn't dodge; instead, he would swing his sword to strike the weapon down.
Two futures appeared simultaneously. Then a third. If their sword tips met, the opponent would lock the weapon and strike the flat of the blade with his fist. It wouldn't break the sword, but it would shake Encrid's grip and steal his momentum.
Encrid saw the opponent displaying dozens of responses simultaneously. His stance remained unchanged, yet his response shifted every single moment.
“I figured you wouldn't start with talking. How is it? Fun, right? Some people look down on it as a cheap trick, but I used it well when I was alive. If you know how to use Will, this is possible. It's a way to seal Foresight.”
Will was willpower—the intangible force that generated momentum. If one intended to strike a target, they would unconsciously assume a stance to do so. Foresight was the insight to read those movements.
What Aker’s thoughtform had done was mix the willpower of Will in various ways to intricately twist his momentum, disrupting the eye that sees the future. If Rem rendered Foresight meaningless by swinging his axe unconsciously, Aker split his consciousness into dozens of branches to overwhelm the opponent's senses.
“This isn't easy,” Encrid muttered.
“Did you expect to just swallow it whole in one go? You've got no conscience,” the wraith replied.
“Do you happen to know how to explain it simply?”
“If you just demand to know out of the blue, do I have to teach you?”
“You won't?”
Why is this bastard so shameless? Aker wondered. Moreover, what dwelled in those eyes was nothing but pure hunger.
While it was baffling to Aker, when it came to learning, Encrid was capable of far worse.
“The three conditions were annoying enough, but did anyone ever pass the hidden fourth? Of course not. So, since you're the first, I have quite a lot to say, but you want me to hand over the technique without even listening? Wow, I hate that,” Aker said with a forced smile.
Encrid finished his preparations. Checking whether the blindfold blocking his Foresight was effective was the first step. He had just seen four pairs of blazing eyes—the giant merchant, the artisan Eitri, the Frok craftsman, and the girl who wanted to be a healer. The embers in Encrid's chest had never gone out, but this was like pouring oil on the sparks.
Encrid blazed fiercely. He wanted to learn everything. He had to do something.
Test my skills.
Look at my sword.
I can learn anything. So teach me.
Encrid's momentum pressured his opponent with unprecedented clarity. It wasn't a threat of death or a warning; it was the manifestation of pure desire. It was a momentum that stoked a competitive spirit, making the opponent want to fight.
“Seriously...”
Clang!
“...I hate this.”
Encrid concealed his breath and instantly raised both arms. Pointing the sword tip toward the sky, he pivoted on his left foot and slashed downward. It was an honest, heavy Diagonal Slash.
Aker chose one of the movements shown in the Foresight. He raised his sword to parry at an angle and moved to the side. As their swords met, a sharp ring echoed, and Aker finished his sentence.
Encrid's gaze tracked Aker's feet and sword. Moving in tandem, Encrid stepped forward and thrust. His blue eyes drew a long line, leaving an afterimage. It was a speed only a knight could display.
Of course, Aker would not be easily bested. Though a thoughtform, within this world, he was equal to a knight. Foresight showed dozens of futures. Encrid expected his opponent to choose one of them again, but Aker shattered his expectations.
Gripping the hilt with his right hand and the ricasso with his left, Aker blocked the sword with sheer force.
Clang!
A shockwave erupted. The blades of grass flattened in a circle before rising again.
“Fighting with split-second wit instead of relying on Foresight? Not bad, but who are you trying to copy?”
Encrid had tried to mimic Rem's style the moment he saw the technique, but he was blocked.
“This is a world of consciousness created by the sword,” Aker continued. “And if you want to leave, there's only one way.”
Aker predicted Encrid would ask about the risks. If I can't escape, do I die? He was ready to tease him. But just as Aker had shattered Encrid's Foresight, Encrid's reaction shattered Aker's prediction.
“Uh, sure.”
He replied half-heartedly, not even pretending to listen. His eyes were already stained with madness.
“Hey, focus.”
“Uh, sure.”
Is this guy insane?
Only now did Aker share the exact thought of everyone who had ever dealt with Encrid. Since he had only perceived his surroundings through "sleepy eyes" in the desert, this was his first time experiencing Encrid's madness firsthand.
If Rem had seen this, he would have chuckled and said:
“Yep. Welcome, next victim.”