Chapter 62
Chapter 62
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 62
Chapter Title: Disciple vs Hero
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I had no idea why this kid, who couldn't even be a tenth of my age, harbored emotions so intense they rivaled my own...
I roughly shook my head, brushing away the stray thoughts.
It wasn't something I needed to worry about.
Besides, I was hardly free from those sticky feelings myself—what could I even say?
With a light sigh, I exhaled the thoughts cluttering my mind and started walking.
...
"Nameless."
Nameless, who had been swinging his sword, turned his head at the sound of my voice and met my gaze.
"Master?"
"I came to relay a single message before you begin the spar."
"Yes, I'll listen carefully."
Nameless sheathed his black sword and focused on me in that at-ease stance I'd never actually taught him.
I looked at him, smirked faintly, patted his back, and spoke.
"Don't lose."
I'd initially planned to give this tense-free kid a stern word...
But a spar was still a duel in its own right. It wouldn't do for him to lose heart over a single comment from me.
"Yes, Master."
Nameless smiled back at me.
...
In the center of the sparring ground.
Heaven Cleaver stood between Nameless and Lucius, raised her arm high, and spoke.
"Well... you probably already know this, but before we start the match, I'll remind you of one thing to keep in mind."
Since this wasn't a fight to the death, lethal strikes were forbidden.
"Even with Saintess Elia here, the dead can't be brought back to life."
With that short declaration, Heaven Cleaver slowly turned her head to look at Nameless and Lucius.
"Understood?"
"Yes."
Their responses came almost simultaneously.
Confirming it, Heaven Cleaver nodded lightly and took a step back.
"Good. Then begin when my arm drops."
Nameless stared into Lucius's eyes, tensing every nerve in his body.
Regrettably.
Considering the gap between him and Lucius,
even the slightest opening would send him flying.
But.
Would that be reason enough for him to lose?
A contest's outcome wasn't decided by the sheer volume of internal energy one possessed.
It was determined by who wielded the sword better.
And when it came to swordsmanship, he was confident he wouldn't yield to anyone but his master.
The corner of his mouth curled up.
At the same time, his master's arm dropped.
"Begin."
The voice signaling the start of the spar rang out,
and Nameless shot toward Lucius like an arrow.
However.
Contrary to Nameless's expectation that his sword would strike first—
Clang!
Lucius's sword reached him first.
There were no flashy techniques in Lucius's sword.
A straightforward vertical slash that might even seem crude at first glance.
Yet Nameless's eyes widened wide as he blocked it directly.
Heavy.
But bearable.
As if mocking that thought,
a brilliant golden aura erupted from Lucius's body,
blanketing the entire sparring ground.
Rumble...
The ground began to shake solely from the pressure emanating from Lucius's body.
Nameless gritted his teeth and unleashed his own aura in resistance.
A sword-black energy, similar to his master's yet slightly different, flowed from his body.
But no matter how much one claimed total internal energy didn't decide the victor,
a difference in sheer class was inevitable.
As Nameless's sword began to give way bit by bit,
he clicked his tongue softly and relaxed his grip on the hilt.
A chilling screech of clashing blades echoed across the sparring ground,
and Lucius's sword came slashing down unimpeded.
Nameless quickly pulled back to evade,
but as if anticipating it,
Lucius immediately swung horizontally.
Noticing it, Nameless raised his sword vertically to block,
but his rushed movement left his stance unstable.
His body lifted off the ground, floating through the air before crashing into the corner of the sparring ground.
Thud!
Thick smoke obscured the view.
Startled, Elia rose to halt the spar,
but Heaven Cleaver blocked her path with a faint smile.
"What are you doing? It's not over yet."
As Heaven Cleaver finished speaking,
footsteps echoed through the smoke—thud, thud—
and Nameless emerged, brushing dust from his clothes.
"Tch. Here I go again."
With a soft click of his tongue, Nameless reset his stance and charged at Lucius once more.
...
...How did he see through every one of my feints?
He shrugged his shoulders slightly or extended a leg,
moving as if about to charge immediately.
Yet Lucius didn't twitch,
simply holding his stance and watching Nameless.
Nameless narrowed his eyes, sizing up Lucius.
Lucius's movements carried unshakable certainty,
as if he already knew what was coming.
...No way.
It was a ridiculous guess,
but...
...Could he really see the future?
Or was he reading the intent poured into the sword?
Whichever it was, it was equally annoying.
"Tch."
With another soft click, Nameless leaped at Lucius to test his theory,
swinging his sword horizontally.
But the horizontal swing was a feint.
His real aim was the kick to follow.
Even if Lucius could read the intent in his sword,
he layered only faint intent into it to avoid detection.
Nameless's sword swept horizontally toward Lucius.
Lucius sidestepped lightly to evade,
and Nameless twisted his waist using the momentum, launching the kick.
But as if expecting it,
Lucius fluidly twisted his body away.
Nameless let out a hollow chuckle.
"Hah."
Was he lacking, or could this guy truly see the future?
Watching the sword now swinging at him, Nameless closed his eyes.
This time, he'd lost.
...
Lucius's blade halted at Nameless's throat.
"Mm... it's over."
The match ended with Nameless's defeat.
It was regrettable, but...
No, not even that.
Nameless's attacks showed no sign of success throughout the spar.
I sighed and rubbed my face.
I had no idea how to even address Nameless...
All I could say was that his opponent was just too strong.
If his loss stemmed from deficiencies in swordsmanship or experience, this spar might have taught him something.
From observing Nameless and Lucius's duel, Nameless's actual sword skill was a cut above.
To begin with,
he was my disciple, trained at my side for years—his fundamentals couldn't be lacking.
So, why did Nameless lose...?
"Hmm..."
Even I didn't know.
Lucius's swordsmanship was textbook perfection.
Of course, infused with countless battles, his adaptability deserved praise.
But his internal energy use was crude: just blasting it out or loading raw power.
No special techniques stood out.
For someone like me, who hadn't seen many people lately, to rate it that way meant Lucius's sword had no glaring flaws.
...Yet.
For some reason, his movements brimmed with conviction.
Unlike Nameless, who pondered multiple moves,
Lucius thought of only one.
...As if he knew the next few seconds of the future.
It was an absurd notion that dawned midway through the spar.
But in the end,
not falling for Nameless's feint convinced me of it.
To some degree, Lucius could indeed see the future.
My head throbbed.
...What a headache.
What should I say to console Nameless?
...
After a brief moment of thought, I walked toward Nameless, who lay spread-eagled on the sparring ground.
...Why was he covering his eyes with his arms so suspiciously?
He wasn't crying, was he...?
As if affirming my dreadful assumption, his shoulders began to tremble.
...He really was shedding tears?
Seeing him like that made my own nose tingle unexpectedly.
Lips pursed, I hurried to console him.
"Nameless."
"..."
"I-It was just a loss in a spar, wasn't it...? Come on, you're a grown man—why cry over one defeat?"
His shoulders only trembled at my call.
No immediate reply, as there usually would be.
Growing more uneasy, I crouched beside him and patted his shoulder.
"Ahem... Don't take it too hard."
As I comforted him with pats,
"Snort."
a sound that made me doubt my ears rang out.
I furrowed my brow.
"Nameless?"
The one I'd thought was crying shot to his feet.
"Ahahaha!"
And burst into roaring laughter.
"Th-That was so much fun! Lucius, may I request spars like this more often?"
"Nameless?"
"...Master? Master! Why are your eyes red?!"
"..."