Chapter 45
Chapter 45
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 45
Chapter Title: Sword Ghost's Quick-Draw Art
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Evelask's training grounds.
There, Krash repeatedly clenched and unclenched his right hand.
He was doing this to get used to the Sword Ghost's arm.
He still had some awareness that it was someone else's arm, after all.
At that moment, Crimson Garden landed on Krash's shoulder.
"How much do you know about the Sword Ghost's Quick-Draw Art?"
"Almost nothing. Just that it was incredible."
"A regressor like you, and you don't even know that, yet you eagerly took the Sword Ghost's arm?"
Krash shrugged his shoulders.
Did she think he knew he would regress?
"How could I know about a man who died before I was even born?"
"Tsk tsk, what a poorly prepared guy."
Crimson Garden pecked at Krash's head a few times with her beak before landing in front of him.
"The Sword Ghost's Quick-Draw Art is similar to the One Sword you were using, yet different."
With that, Crimson Garden began teaching Krash the Sword Ghost's Quick-Draw Art.
No matter what, she was sincerely trying to make Krash stronger.
"The Sword Ghost's Quick-Draw Art starts by infusing aura into the sword inside the sheath."
This was the same as the commonly known quick-draw technique.
Drawing and swinging the sword at maximum speed along with the aura dwelling inside it.
That was the quick-draw art.
Of course, even so, most of the time, swinging a sword that's already drawn is faster.
The quick-draw art was originally just a technique created to swiftly draw a weapon in response to a surprise attack.
But the Sword Ghost's Quick-Draw Art followed a different trajectory.
"Then, the Sword Ghost finely fragmented the aura, gave it elasticity, and detonated it from within. As a result, the aura in the sword turned into tiny grains and thrashed wildly inside the sheath."
"What kind of madness is that?"
"Madness is how secret arts are born. Anyway, the aura inside the sheath strikes the interior without slowing down. The sheath fills with the power of the aura, and at the moment it reaches its peak..."
The sword is drawn.
With that explosive force propelling it at true maximum speed.
That was why the Sword Ghost's Quick-Draw Art followed a different path from ordinary quick-draw techniques.
Because it could sever the opponent's throat even before those who drew their swords relying on aura's explosive power.
And the destructive power from that explosion was on another level entirely.
In truth, the Sword Ghost's Quick-Draw Art was essentially a preparation process for a sure-kill technique.
A preparation to compress aura to its limit and explode it, all to send the opponent flying in a single strike.
"Do you understand?"
Krash looked at his sword inside the sheath.
If he could understand it just from hearing it, he would be a genius.
Unfortunately, he was no genius.
A hundred hearings are not as good as one seeing.
Better to do it once than hear it a hundred times.
"I'll give it a try."
Krash gripped his sword as per Crimson Garden's instructions.
"You're using the Sword Ghost's arm right now. That means the Sword Ghost's bodily memories are fully contained in your right arm."
As she said, the Sword Ghost's arm had now become Krash's arm.
And that arm of the Sword Ghost had trained its own quick-draw art dozens, hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of times.
That experience remained fully in his arm.
"Follow the will of your arm. Then you can succeed."
Krash closed his eyes quietly upon hearing that.
Then he began slowly infusing aura into the sheath.
The infused aura gradually gained elasticity after a moment.
Thanks to practicing aura control every day for One Sword, Krash could do it without much difficulty.
However, it was still unstable.
So Krash took his time, focusing on each strand of aura as much as possible.
This went on for several minutes.
Drip-
Cold sweat slowly trickled down Krash's cheek.
It showed just how deeply he was concentrating.
He had invested this much time just to fragment the aura.
Using it in actual combat was still out of the question.
But Krash concentrated quietly.
He didn't feel any urgency.
Having lived his whole life this way, he never disappointed himself and could always view himself objectively.
Watching such a Krash, Crimson Garden didn't criticize him either.
Secret arts aren't something you master in a day or overnight.
Thus, how you spend that day learning a secret art determines the result.
Another few minutes passed.
Krash finally succeeded in imparting elasticity to all the aura.
'Then, detonate the aura inside the sword.'
Soon, the aura inside Krash's sword began to explode.
The aura inside the sheath started thrashing wildly in response.
It pounded the interior of the sheath, pounding again, as that power gradually built up inside.
Krash could feel the sheath filling up as if it might burst at any moment.
But not yet.
Because the Sword Ghost's arm gripping the hilt hadn't moved.
With endless concentration, Krash devoted his mind solely to the inside of the sheath.
And in that instant.
The Sword Ghost's right arm twitched ever so slightly.
As if it had been waiting for this exact moment.
The timing intersected.
Krash's sword exploded out explosively.
Kwagagagak!
The sound of the sword swinging with the aura's explosion roared fiercely through the training grounds.
Krash's hair fluttered from the intense swing that rippled the air in an instant.
"Haa, ha."
Krash, drenched in sweat all over, was breathing heavily.
His right arm, which had used the quick-draw, throbbed painfully.
The Sword Ghost's arm was familiar with the quick-draw.
But it lacked the aura reinforcement needed to withstand it.
Clang!
As a result, Krash ended up dropping his sword.
His right arm trembled faintly.
It was the price for failing to fully withstand the quick-draw's explosive power.
But he had succeeded.
It meant he could move on to the next step.
Krash picked up his sword again and slowly sheathed it.
His right arm was shaking from the shock, but Krash paid it no mind.
If he couldn't be a genius, he had to have grit.
He would repeat it until he mastered it.
"Begin."
And since Crimson Garden knew this, she ordered him to start immediately.
Krash faithfully followed the command.
A good teacher, the Sword Ghost's arm.
He had everything.
All that remained was his own will.
So Krash closed his eyes again and began concentrating.
To endlessly repeat until he could grasp the Sword Ghost's Quick-Draw Art.
＊ ＊ ＊
A few days later, Krash faced No. 8.
Today, instead of her maid outfit, No. 8 wore a skin-tight suit-like garment. She still had her black bunny ears and bowed her head.
Then, spinning her staff once, she said to Krash,
"You can start anytime."
"Right."
Krash placed his right hand on the hilt.
That was the moment.
Chaeng!
No. 8's body retreated a step.
At the same time, a loud noise erupted from the staff she held.
Krash's sword had been drawn in an instant.
Staring at it blankly, No. 8 replied,
"I saw it."
"Tch, not yet, huh."
Krash clicked his tongue as he returned his sword to his waist.
The Sword Ghost's Quick-Draw Art was a secret art that drew the sword at a speed the eye couldn't perceive.
But No. 8 had perceived and blocked Krash's draw, and its destructive power was still far from the Sword Ghost's.
Krash looked down at his right hand.
In just a few days, the intense training had left his hand covered in wounds.
Even the Sword Ghost's arm couldn't avoid injury.
'It's starting to take shape, though.'
In the end, his innate aura capacity was the issue, so he had no choice but to grow it himself.
To do that, it seemed he needed to return to Green Pine Pavilion and learn the next secret art.
"Thanks. For sparring with me all this time."
"No problem. Lord Krash, you could have a bit more confidence. Numbers in the single digits like me are all master-level experts."
The Evelask corpses that came in around No. 9 or so.
They were all master-level monsters without exception.
So it was only natural that they could track Krash's draw with their dynamic vision.
But unfortunately, Krash couldn't feel satisfied with those words.
"What I'll have to face later are guys even beyond master level."
The Generation of the Sky, full of those who forged their talents into weapons.
To steal their skills, he had no choice but to grow stronger here.
"Still, thanks for the words. You've helped me a lot."
"I'm glad I could help."
Krash smiled at No. 8 and left the training grounds with her.
At that moment, an Evelask happened to pass by in the hallway.
She looked like she'd just woken up, rubbing her sleepy eyes with a fatigued expression.
Her T-shirt was stretched out, barely covering her chest, and her hair was frizzy and a total mess.
Krash looked at her like she was trash.
He handled his corpses so neatly, so why was she in such a state?
Krash, who despised the word laziness most of all, felt once again that he couldn't hang around with this Evelask.
"W-What? Why are you looking at me like that?"
And right then, the Evelask noticed Krash.
She glanced at her outfit and quickly covered her chest with her hands.
"Pervy! You're a guy after all, huh! Hah, well, I am pretty glamorous, enough to captivate a teenager's heart. Can't help having those thoughts, right?"
Krash didn't even reply.
There was no value in responding.
It was probably from some sleazy erotic novel she'd read before.
"I'm heading back to Valheim today."
He'd safely shown Hardenharts that his arm had returned.
Bianca had burst into tears again upon seeing it, but since no one else was around, there was no issue.
Meliokan had also informed Valheim afterward that, as per Krash's wishes, a shrine maiden had been called to restore the arm, without any fuss.
Now, he could really return without problems.
"Uh, th-then what about me?"
"Do whatever."
Krash no longer cared if Evelask followed or not.
He'd told her from the start to roam freely anyway.
"Hmm, what to do."
"You can stay here for all I care. But if you go to Valheim, even you would probably get found out soon enough."
Unlike using a familiar like Crimson Garden, the main body Evelask was brimming with World Erosion energy, befitting an Erosor.
The Valheim estate was home to countless monsters.
Not just the direct lineage, but also those who had lived alongside Krash's father, Balok Valheim.
The five elders of Valheim.
They would almost certainly sniff out Evelask's presence.
"Eek, scary."
She shuddered with fearful eyes.
Having lived captured by the Empire, she probably didn't want to get caught again.
"So stay here. Personally, I have a favor to ask of you too."
"Yeah? What's that?"
"There's a guy called the Poison King."
One of the Ten Heavenly Powers, the man who crushed Hardenharts.
There was still plenty of time, but if the Second Prince sought refuge in Hardenharts again someday, he would eventually come looking for Hardenharts under imperial orders.
"I'd like you to stop that guy from messing around in Hardenharts. Or at least buy some time."
"One of the Ten Heavenly Powers? That's not easy..."
"I'm not asking you to block him head-on. Just keep the family head Douglas Kan alive, and that's fine."
It wasn't something happening right away anyway.
"Got it. If it's just that much."
She readily agreed to the request.
Krash had called returning her heart a transaction before, but despite appearances, Evelask still felt grateful to him.
That's why she accepted his request so easily.
"If you have a favor to ask me later, go ahead."
He made sure to repay favors in kind.
That was Krash's way.
With those words, Krash left Evelask's hideout.
Watching his back, Evelask let out a soft chuckle for some reason.
"Master, are you sure you don't want to follow him?"
Krash had said she'd get found out if she went to Valheim, but if she really tried to hide, it wasn't impossible.
Yet she chose not to.
"If it were the me from long ago, maybe I would have."
Once upon a time, even she—now a World Erosor—had adventured the world with someone.
But that was too long ago, and her resolve from back then had faded greatly.
Krash would surely wander countless worlds like that.
"I followed him here on a whim, but I might end up comparing him to my old comrades."
So she decided not to follow Krash any further.
"This is far enough for me. I'm not the outdoorsy type anyway."
One of the more unique World Erosors, she turned away with those words.
Only one thing nagged at her mind.
Judging by Krash's path, he would surely tangle with countless other World Erosors besides her.
Some of them were truly dangerous.
And they would recognize Krash just like she did.
'When that time comes.'
She thought repaying the debt on her heart properly wouldn't be bad.