Chapter 91
Chapter 91
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 91
Chapter Title: Hero
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Hero.
>
Hmm.
Clara watched the man marching straight ahead.
>
Han Yuseong.
To be honest, she hadn't been all that interested in him.
He was the talk of the town in Cradle, and they said he'd shattered records over the past millennium.
>
'But he didn't shatter everything.'
>
There was a blank period in history that people didn't know about.
>
Once, there was a time when Cradle had expanded to its absolute peak.
Back then, Cradle possessed enough power to stand against the entire world and come out on top.
>
The Empire and the kingdoms.
And the seven races, including ones that no longer existed.
>
Cradle had been able to handle them all single-handedly.
But then, one who commanded souls emerged from there and started a war.
>
Innumerable blood was spilled in the process.
>
So, while it was a lie that Han Yuseong had broken every record...
>
'He's still impressive.'
>
Their environments and lives were worlds apart, but the mere fact that he could be compared to her was remarkable in itself.
>
That's what she thought.
>
'What is this?'
>
Clara narrowed her eyes, staring at the man.
After he'd stepped forward, told her to leave it to him, finding the path had become astonishingly easy.
>
And that was just the beginning.
>
"Enemies detected 1km ahead—twenty of them."
"1km ahead...?"
"Yeah. So get ready."
"Ah, no, it's not that I don't believe you, but... can you actually see them?"
"...?"
>
Clara could never forget the look Yuseong had given her then.
The way he'd stared at her, as if to say, Are you even human if you can't do that?
>
And it didn't end there.
>
"Feed me."
"Sigh."
"......"
>
Clara gaped at Veronica.
>
Her biological sister, Veronica.
She was arrogant, selfish to a fault, and thought herself superior to everyone—but she wasn't usually this shameless.
To be more precise, she was utterly shameless, but never quite so brazenly.
>
However.
Not long after Han Yuseong started cooking...
>
Sniff sniff.
A delightful aroma began wafting everywhere.
A deep, soothing scent that put the mind at ease.
>
'What is this amazing smell...'
>
The tantalizing fragrance filled the air, though Veronica's holy magic kept it contained.
>
"This isn't usually a thing, but I whipped it up anyway."
"You just miniaturized the barrier, simplified it, and tweaked it a bit, didn't you?"
"Don't like it? Then don't eat."
"Hmph. It's made by Yuseong."
>
Honestly, she'd heard Veronica constantly visiting whatever clan Han Yuseong was staying with or heading to inns.
>
'At this level... yeah, I get why she'd go.'
>
Soon after, his dish was ready.
Veronica was already face-planted in her bowl, chowing down noisily.
The two knights followed suit, shoving their faces into their bowls and inhaling the food.
>
Clara, feeling like the only sane one there, elegantly scooped up a spoonful.
>
"O-one more bowl!"
>
That's when Clara finally understood Veronica's obsession.
>
*
>
We pressed on.
The sisters who hated each other.
The two knights whose motives I couldn't read.
>
And me.
>
'...This is suffocating.'
>
Veronica and Clara hadn't spoken a word to each other since.
They just occasionally buffed me.
>
I missed having party members I could actually communicate with.
Hell, Hansen might've been better.
>
"...Our supplies are running low."
>
Clara chewed on her jerky with a regretful tone.
Veronica let out a deep sigh.
>
The knights were muttering encouragements to each other.
>
In the meantime, Clara sidled up to me and whispered,
>
"Shouldn't we clean house soon?"
"......"
>
I calmly weighed our options. It did seem like time to deal with them.
>
'...But their strength is too unknown.'
>
I couldn't gauge how strong they were. They were definitely tougher than average foes.
>
'On our side, though—we've got two saintesses and one hero.'
>
With me wielding the holy sword, things might balance out.
Eliminate the internal threats and move as a unit, or keep them and face the enemies together.
>
That was the dilemma.
I closed my eyes.
>
'If worst comes to worst, I've got that.'
-Revealing this body's full power isn't ideal.
>
As I thought that, the holy sword reacted.
My hidden ace was unleashing the holy sword's true might.
Using it would disable the sword temporarily.
And silence its voice too.
>
Now that I'd mastered orthodox hero swordsmanship and footwork, I figured I could manage without it for a while.
>
-Still, I think you should bring them along.
>
I pondered the sword's words.
I could always escape alone if needed.
But that was a last resort.
>
'If I go back alone...'
>
I didn't know what they'd do to me for "killing" a saintess.
Volkan had strong connections, but even he might lose against the Church.
>
'The Guild Master could vouch...'
>
She could pierce truth from lies, so maybe.
But.
>
'...That's absolutely the last resort.'
>
Abandoning comrades to save myself—no matter what.
Not wanting to watch Veronica and Clara die was part of it too.
>
'I'll take them along for now.'
>
Clara at least would watch my back.
Veronica... I'd cover her from nearby somehow.
>
The moment I steeled my resolve.
>
Thud.
Footsteps echoed from afar. I didn't bother announcing enemies.
>
"H-how can such a being...?"
"Goddess preserve us."
>
The two knights began praying.
Veronica and Clara tensed up too.
And rightly so.
>
'What presence.'
>
A prickling sensation, like needles jabbing the skin.
>
Even from a distance, it exuded that much aura.
The foe approached with steady strides, no hint of breathing.
>
[Oh? That guy's the one who killed us?]
>
There was a being wielding twin swords.
A bizarre one.
Most here were undead.
But this one had a body flickering with blue light.
>
Even among the hundred-plus undead horde, it stood out grotesquely.
>
-A spirit-bodied one.
>
That's how the holy sword described it.
>
[Oh ho, looks like we've got a decent one here?]
>
The being eyed me and spoke.
I raised my holy sword.
>
"I'll handle that one somehow."
"You will?"
>
Veronica shot me a doubtful glance before shaking her head.
>
"Heh, so while you're busy, we handle the rest of the undead."
>
Clara said in a half-resigned tone.
Well, yeah—I'd claimed it.
>
'...But I don't see a clear path to victory.'
>
Not completely hopeless, though.
No time to hold back.
>
[Right, up close I can tell—it's you.]
>
Far off, a figure wrapped head to toe in black bandages appeared.
The bastard who'd separated me from Veronica.
>
'At least two.'
>
I glared at the enemies.
The blue-flickering one stared back.
>
[Countless souls of our slain warriors cling to you—I can see them.]
'They can do that?'
-...Seems like their innate ability.
>
The holy sword replied ambiguously.
If they had that power, better to eliminate them here.
>
[You're muttering nonsense again. Hurry up and finish those guys.]
[Sigh, this is why I can't talk with archers. Hey, sword-wielding warriors.]
"Is that thing talking to us?"
[Indeed. Knight. Your sword doesn't sit right with me, but those who wield weapons commune through clash of steel. Show me your blade with this body of mine.]
>
The blue spirit-like being raised its twin swords as it spoke.
The knight wore a resolute expression, glanced at me, and whispered,
>
"Didn't you say you'd handle it?"
>
This jerk.
His ears were red—did he even know shame?
>
...Well, no helping it.
Even if the knight blocked it.
>
'He'd die quick.'
>
A chilling fighting spirit prickled the air.
Judging by the aura...
>
'Similar to that lizardman-possessed one.'
>
But the body's toughness was leagues beyond.
So the difficulty...
>
'How much?'
>
I stepped forward.
>
[That one's dangerous. We attack together.]
>
The black-bandaged one spoke.
The blue spirit grinned wickedly.
>
Stab.
>
'...What?'
>
Its twin blades pierced straight through the bandaged one's body.
>
[You bastard, what the—?!]
[Shut your yapping. Interfering in warriors' fights earlier... you're the only one...!]
>
With that, the black bandages began unraveling, revealing a soul.
>
'It actually killed it?'
>
As if reading my mind, the blue spirit smirked.
>
[I'll explain later. Don't interrupt now. Been a while since a worthy playmate showed up. Here I go!]
>
At the same time.
The blue spirit lunged at me with full force.
>
Lightning Flash Step.
My body accelerated in an instant, appearing right behind it.
>
[Oh? Super high-speed short-range teleport?]
>
I calmly reached out.
My hand seemed to slip into nothingness—
And something materialized in my grasp.
>
And then.
>
[Wha—how?! You wield the same power as him...!]
>
The bandaged soul wailed.
I swiftly slashed it with the holy sword.
>
In that moment.
>
'...EXP is almost full.'
>
Maybe because of the different body.
One slash, and I felt my experience bar nearly max out.
>
Problem was.
>
'...This guy.'
>
The one behind me was glaring murderously.
>
'Doesn't matter.'
>
I had to kill it anyway.
I raised my sword.
>
[How did you use his power?]
"Do you need to know?"
>
No reason to give it info.
I held the holy sword steady, facing it.
>
The blue spirit chuckled.
>
[Alver. My name. And the man who'll kill you.]
"No need for you to know mine."
>
Lightning Flash Step.
Closing the distance in a blink.
My body accelerated toward Alver.
>
Purple sword aura crackled and sparked—
>
Claaaang!
Our blades collided. Alver grimaced at me.
>
[Brute force incarnate. How is your blade so thin...]
>
Alver parried, muttering in lament,
>
[...!!]
>
Slashes poured down on Alver.
Horizontal, vertical, diagonal.
Three strikes from different angles.
>
[...Oh!]
>
Alver admired as he deflected them.
>
[What was that just now? Refined swordsmanship—I've heard of it somewhere.]
'...This.'
>
I ignored Alver's words and sighed.
>
[Show me more. You can do better.]
>
Alver approached slowly.
>
Watching him, I thought:
I can't win.
Overwhelming difference in raw strength. I could match speed somehow, but power? Crushing.
>
-Well, no choice.
'Really no choice.'
>
No helping it now.
Better unleash power immediately.
>
'And crush it.'
>
I gripped the holy sword.
And then.
>
-Let there be light.
>
There was light.
>
*
>
The atmosphere shifted in an instant.
From tense skirmish to full-scale war.
>
Both sides fixed their gaze on one man.
They had no choice.
His aura now fully blanketed the area.
>
"What... is this?"
>
The knight's bewildered words.
But everyone agreed.
>
Golden eyes shimmering like the sun—
The moment they saw them, Clara, Veronica, and the knights gasped.
>
And rightly so.
Dazzling golden pupils.
>
Proof of divinity.
>
Yet Han Yuseong had no ties to the Church.
He'd excelled as a warrior, shone as a thief.
>
But this announced one truth.
>
"The Sword Hero...!"
>
Veronica scowled at the sight, grumbling.
>
"No, ha. He really is the Sword Hero."