Chapter 50
Chapter 50
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: Panhima (3)
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Gray and Panhima were both people with severely twisted personalities, but there was at least one thing they had in common.
If there was someone they didn't like, they would never just let it slide.
And after repeating such behavior so many times, gauging each other's capabilities had become as natural as breathing.
If they were going to truly clash swords openly, they could quickly agree to move somewhere without onlookers first.
"Lady, are you really going to fight?"
Carlyle spoke with concern, but Gray shot him a cold glare before whipping her head away.
As if to say she'd deal with that one after handling the other.
‘⋯⋯She won't listen no matter what I say.’
[She won't.]
Once she got that fired up, she'd only get angrier if someone tried to make excuses for her.
[Anyway, just leave her be. We need to check Panhima's current skills anyway.]
It wasn't wrong.
She was someone who would grow into the future Sword Saint, but her present state was still unknown.
And if her opponent was Gray, it couldn't be more perfect for the role.
‘⋯⋯One of them is going to get hurt, though.’
[Don't worry about that.]
The Holy Sword snorted in response.
[If she feels like something of hers has been stolen, she'll want to slowly teach the other a lesson in humility.]
‘⋯⋯.’
[Seriously injure her? Not a chance. She has to toy with her a lot longer. She probably won't even use her full mana. She'll want to play on equal terms to satisfy herself.]
‘⋯⋯.’
[⋯⋯I don't do that anymore. Meaning the me over there thinks that way.]
"Ah, yes."
⋯⋯It never got easier hearing her so ruthlessly evaluate herself.
Anyway.
Carlyle quietly watched Gray and Panhima face off with their swords in the training grounds.
And then.
-!
Without any greetings or formalities, Gray's sword shot out without warning.
The Holy Sword clashed with Panhima's blade, sparks flying everywhere.
Seeing her strike so effortlessly blocked, Gray's eyebrow twitched.
"⋯⋯You don't even know basic etiquette? This is why barbarians are—"
Not only had she blocked the Hero's strike, but she even clicked her tongue and spoke.
Even if it was a light probe to gauge her opponent's level, blocking it so cleanly indicated the other wasn't ordinary.
"Not all talk after all, huh."
With those words, mana surged from Gray's body.
"Bring yours out too. You might not understand words, but you get what this is about, right?"
She snorted and continued.
"Let's do this fair and square. I'll match your level exactly."
"You use some strange techniques."
Panhima muttered.
Then, a brilliant light erupted from her body as well.
[That's divine power. Been a while since I've seen it.]
It was the ability used on the Far East continent.
Like mana, it enhanced the user's physical abilities and served as the foundation for other techniques, but that was where the similarities ended.
The lineages of their martial techniques differed.
Attack and defense techniques had similar effects, but there were subtle differences.
While mana focused on aggressive, violent assaults, divine power excelled in smoothly redirecting and countering.
⋯⋯The following outcome would likely stem from that disparity.
-!!
Gray and Panhima intertwined.
The battle between superhumans channeling their abilities was beyond what eyes could follow.
The sight of their two swords clashing looked almost like lines weaving through the air.
And.
As the roars and sparks continued bursting in all directions, one fact became clear.
"No way."
Vespa, who had come to watch just in case, covered her mouth in shock nearby.
"It's the first time I've seen someone fighting evenly with the Lady⋯⋯!"
Though Gray had imposed the restriction of using only a fraction of her total mana,
Even so.
That was none other than humanity's strongest.
Against such a foe.
In terms of 'technique,' Panhima was perfectly matched.
She was smoothly parrying Gray's beast-like onslaughts.
There was the advantage of compatibility, but it was still an astonishing scene.
However.
‘⋯⋯Well, yeah.’
Carlyle nodded quietly in understanding.
‘She's the future Sword Saint.’
She was the one even the Hero, who could cleave the sky with a single sword stroke creating a pillar of mana, trusted to hold the vanguard.
Even if not fully polished yet, achieving that much at her age wasn't all that surprising.
‘At that level, she'd more than pull her weight anywhere.’
[⋯⋯More than just pulling her weight. Even among regular knights, not many could properly withstand her.]
And there was one person in the world most displeased with that result.
"⋯⋯."
Gray's expression hardened as she stared silently at Panhima.
She hadn't expected her to keep up this well.
"⋯⋯Hmm."
Panhima shared the surprise, tension rising on her face as well.
"I apologize. I never dreamed there'd be a barbarian in the west who could keep up with my sword."
"⋯⋯Talking's useless if you can't understand. What're you saying."
"Impressive skill. I thought someone who terrorizes their kin would have lowly prowess too."
As she spoke, Panhima pointed her sword tip at Carlyle.
Probably just a natural gesture mid-speech.
But.
"⋯⋯."
The moment she saw Panhima point at Carlyle, Gray's expression darkened instantly.
"⋯⋯Ah, right. Got caught up 'cause you were better than expected and forgot."
She growled.
"This fight started because of him in the first place, didn't it?"
And with those words.
Mana exploded from Gray's body like a blast.
⋯⋯As if she was finally going all out.
She shot forward at a speed incomparable to before.
Reaching Panhima in an instant, she gripped the Holy Sword's hilt in reverse.
"!"
Panhima reacted in surprise, raising her blade, but Gray was faster.
Stomping the ground hard enough to shatter it, debris sprayed outward with a crunch.
"Try blocking this too—!"
Gray grabbed the debris and flung it straight into Panhima's eyes.
"-?!"
Unprepared for such an attack, Panhima grimaced and leaped back.
She managed a counter mid-retreat, swinging her blade at Gray's face.
But Gray caught the sword tip.
⋯⋯With her teeth.
"⋯⋯."
"⋯⋯."
"⋯⋯."
Not just Panhima.
Carlyle and Vespa watching from afar fell silent too.
⋯⋯The scene was so shocking it was hard to know where to focus.
Whether on the Hero resorting to street-thug dirty fighting with expert ease.
Or on stopping a vicious weapon flying at invisible speed with her teeth.
"--!"
And the next moment.
Before the wide-eyed Panhima could react, the blade caught in Gray's teeth shattered to pieces.
Her eyes bulged at the surreal sight.
"What—"
Before she could speak.
Gray, eyes bloodshot, seized Panhima's shoulder and headbutted her forehead.
A dull thunk echoed as Panhima's head snapped back.
⋯⋯Her body crumpled to the ground like a puppet with cut strings.
"Don't mess with me, you nobodyyy—!"
"⋯⋯."
"⋯⋯."
Carlyle and Vespa fell silent again at the wildly shouting Gray.
⋯⋯Is she really the Hero?
‘Where's the fair and square⋯⋯?’
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Fortunately, after Panhima collapsed, it was clear Carlyle wouldn't bear the brunt of Gray's wrath.
Shea, who had rushed over upon hearing of the fight between Gray and Panhima, explained the situation.
"That was my order."
"⋯⋯What?"
"I told them to get along and help her adjust. She was reluctant, but I forced it on her."
"⋯⋯."
"Junior, you can't just bully people without checking facts, okay?"
"⋯⋯."
⋯⋯Gray at a loss for words was an incredibly rare sight.
Thanks to the Dean, the misunderstanding was cleared, but Gray still seemed sulky.
Even on the way back to the dorms after leaving the unconscious Panhima at the infirmary, her walking ahead silently said it all.
"⋯⋯Lady?"
"⋯⋯."
Carlyle called cautiously, but got no reply.
"Give me one arm."
"⋯⋯? Chop it off?"
"⋯⋯What are you talking about? Just hold it out."
⋯⋯Said because it seemed like something you'd demand from her.
Anyway.
Unsure what this was about, he complied.
As he extended his arm, Gray grabbed it firmly.
⋯⋯And hugged it tightly to her chest.
"⋯⋯."
"⋯⋯."
Silence fell.
What was she doing?
He half-expected a judo throw, but no.
She just held it like that, standing still.
Even glancing cautiously at Carlyle's face was odd.
"⋯⋯."
"⋯⋯."
He had no idea how to react.
"⋯⋯Why no reaction?"
"⋯⋯Pardon?"
"⋯⋯."
"⋯⋯Lady?"
"⋯⋯Tch."
Gray, seeming furious to her core, shoved his arm away and stalked ahead.
[⋯⋯⋯⋯Haaaaah⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯]
Meanwhile, the Holy Sword let out a world-weary sigh.
‘Why?’
[⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯Haaaaah⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯]
"⋯⋯."
Whatever.
Better soothe the Lady's mood.
He knew the trump card.
"Shall we get some pastries, Lady?"
"⋯⋯."
It worked.
Even in peak rage, she followed—that was cheat-key level for Gray.
Carlyle carefully scanned the dessert shop's menu pastries.
Had to pick right, or he'd lose a bone or two.
Meanwhile.
Gray stared sullenly at the pastries on display.
"⋯⋯You like big ones?"
Scanning the menu, Carlyle replied.
"Don't big ones good for anything?"
Food should be hearty. Especially since Gray loved pastries a ton—definitely large size—
-!
Gray's palm smacked his back.
The impact startled even the counter clerk into staring at Carlyle.
"⋯⋯."
No doubt, two bones cracked.
Infirmary time again.
Coughing up bloody spittle, Carlyle said.
"⋯⋯But small ones have their charm too."
"⋯⋯."
"Actually, I quite like small ones."
He said it out of sheer crisis sense to avoid disaster.
But he caught Gray's lip twitching upward.
"⋯⋯Really?"
"⋯⋯."
Hearing her much softer tone, Carlyle tilted his head.
On a diet?
Whatever it was.
‘⋯⋯Glad her mood improved.’
Crisis averted for now.
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