Chapter 97
Chapter 97
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 97
Chapter Title: The Hero's Orthodox Swordsmanship
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Hero.
The holy sword had told me, when it taught me the sword.
"The orthodox swordsmanship of the hero."
What does "orthodox" mean?
It refers to a lineage passed down correctly. The holy sword could have just said "hero's swordsmanship," but it specifically added the word "orthodox."
As if implying that the current hero's swordsmanship was different from the true hero's swordsmanship.
"Then that means..."
In other words, it might mean that the current hero's swordsmanship had branched off into different lineages.
And judging by Heukmanggong's and Volkan's reactions...
"It has to be that."
As if confirming my guess, the looks on Volkan's and Heukmanggong's faces were filled with shock.
But there was something strange.
From what Volkan and Heukmanggong had explained...
"The holy sword was passed down after the first hero."
So why did the holy sword know the orthodox swordsmanship of the first hero?
This was something to ask later.
I thought that far, then realized the most important thing.
Whether I participated in the hero tournament or not...
In the end, since the holy sword was in my hands, I had to go there.
"...For now, I'll chalk this up as a debt to Diago."
I looked at Heukmanggong.
And Volkan was there too. Both of them were giving me looks demanding an explanation.
"I asked how this happened."
Heukmanggong's words came out like a growl.
Volkan stopped him.
"Hey, I'd appreciate it if you didn't bully my disciple too much."
"Didn't you say he wasn't your disciple before?"
"Well, I want him as my disciple, but I didn't want to drag him into my grudges. But that's not important right now, is it?"
Volkan stared at Heukmanggong with steadfast eyes. Eyes that said he might fight if the line was crossed here.
Receiving that gaze, Heukmanggong sighed and said,
"My apologies. I crossed the line."
Heukmanggong bowed his head deeply, not to anyone else, but to me.
"...This is kinda likable."
Don't high-and-mighty people usually not apologize to Volkan even under pressure?
Still, I stared straight at Heukmanggong.
-The truth is, the holy sword taught me this swordsmanship.
I couldn't say something like that.
It would be impossible to dodge the implications.
I racked my brain quickly. Their gazes were sharp.
"In times like this, you gotta be shameless."
I put on a brazen face and declared it to them like a notification.
"I just kept practicing until it clicked."
"Yeah, you just kept... what?"
Volkan nodded, then his eyes went wide.
"People always say the world now is different from before the labyrinths appeared, right? But the first hero was different, so I referenced some documents and practiced alone."
In fact, I had gone to investigate documents.
Clara and that magic hero candidate, Elsie? Anyway, when that demon disguised as her was at the library, I had checked a few things.
"The first hero's swordsmanship was pretty interesting, so I tried imitating it... and it seems like a pretty good imitation."
"Y-You imitated it?"
"......"
Their faces at my shameless answer were pretty hilarious.
*
"Hmm..."
Volkan looked at the iron scarecrow.
Heukmanggong was staring blankly into space from behind.
It was understandable.
What kind of swordsmanship was the hero's orthodox swordsmanship?
It was the swordsmanship used by the first hero, called the strongest hero.
The second hero had learned it, but couldn't use it properly.
From the third hero onward, they couldn't even use it at all.
As a result, no one properly learned the hero's orthodox swordsmanship.
Instead, they started learning the swordsmanship used by the second and third heroes.
And that's where the sects began to branch off.
The hero's swordsmanship lineage.
And the one called Heukmanggong was the head of one of the families that branched off from that lineage.
"No wonder he's so shocked."
After the hero's swordsmanship lineage split...
Many tried to relearn the orthodox hero's swordsmanship.
But most failed.
Some even said the orthodox swordsmanship itself had been corrupted.
Once, the empire gathered all the swordsmen from every family to recreate it, but they achieved nothing.
As a result, the hero's orthodox swordsmanship became something cheap, available anywhere.
"He must have seen it and felt something else."
Volkan only half-believed Han Yuseong's words.
Han Yuseong said he created it himself.
But no matter how talented, that was impossible.
So what did Han Yuseong mean by creating it?
Wasn't it that he drew inspiration from the street-level orthodox swordsmanship and made his own version?
"What an absurd guy."
Volkan almost laughed at the absurdity.
Absurd.
Genius Slayer, Soyeonhwa.
Why was she called the Genius Slayer?
Because her overwhelming talent crushed other geniuses.
-No one can beat the Genius Slayer.
Swordsmen who faced the Genius Slayer all said the same thing.
The existence called the Genius Slayer was something beyond the heavens.
It was almost an established theory among swordsmen. Most from other races or the Eastern Continent accepted it too.
This generation's hero was the Genius Slayer.
But seeing Han Yuseong, Volkan thought differently.
"He used Dark Moon."
He used a secret technique from another race.
That wasn't something you could say lightly.
Even the Genius Slayer, who could imitate a swordsmanship after seeing it once, couldn't use another race's secret techniques.
That was only permitted to one.
"The first hero."
That existence alone.
Volkan had seen the potential.
And Han Yuseong had brilliantly blossomed it.
Han Yuseong's face came to mind—somehow dazed yet sharp.
Volkan looked behind him.
*
Diago had said before.
In exchange for meeting one person, he'd procure the items I needed in my place.
"...Why'd you buy something so expensive?"
"It was necessary."
I stored the things from Diago into my Hidden Space. When I released Rishiel's soul stone, I'd stored it with her body, but now there was space, so I put the whole box in.
"Maybe get a slightly bigger box."
The three-slot subspace was starting to feel cramped.
More than that, if things went like in the game, with this item, I'd need even more subspace going forward.
Diago watched meaningfully as I put it into the subspace.
Then he looked at me and said,
"Anyway, my condition is just one. Meet one person and talk with them."
"...That sounds pretty suspicious."
"It won't be a loss for you. More than that, it'll be someone favorable to you."
"Right now?"
Diago just smiled silently at my words.
"Don't overthink it. I don't want to be your enemy—I want to be in the same boat."
"What, between friends."
"...Friends?"
At my words, Diago froze. As if he hadn't expected it.
That felt a bit odd.
"Did he not think of me as a friend?"
I thought we were like glasses-wearing buddies, with all his lacking parts.
Seems it was my misunderstanding...
"No, sorry. It's just been a while since I heard that."
"...?"
"Never mind, it's nothing. Just been ages since I heard 'friend.'"
Diago said that and led me along.
"Ah, I'll tell you a bit about the person we're meeting now."
"Sure, who is it?"
Diago glanced around briefly at my question.
Then, with a troubled look, he said,
"...Not great to say it here. Anyway, it's someone of high status, but pretty down-to-earth."
"Down-to-earth?"
"Yeah. More down-to-earth than you'd think..."
Diago and I stopped talking.
Soyeonhwa was suddenly beside me.
"Why are you here?"
"Got curious and followed."
"......"
What an answer.
But I knew Soyeonhwa well enough by now.
"She's just..."
A guy who's insanely good with the sword.
And lacking in a lot of other areas.
"The others probably didn't care much."
This era was a barbaric one.
If you're strong in force, the rest works out. Her entourage would prefer her smart, so this happened.
"Thinking that way, she's kinda pitiful."
Of course, that wasn't reason enough to travel with her.
I thought that and looked at Diago.
But maybe he misinterpreted my gaze.
"Of course, you're welcome too. That person has had their eye on you for a while."
"Eye on me?"
Soyeonhwa furrowed her brow slightly.
Looking at Diago like she didn't want that kind of attention.
"It's not that kind of person. Well, maybe it could be..."
As Soyeonhwa's glare turned fierce...
Diago stopped in front of a building.
"We're here."
"...Huge."
Soyeonhwa muttered her impression.
I agreed. If you picked the flashiest places in this Cradle, it'd be top of the list.
"Of course, the price matches."
Ten Gold Coins for a night.
A Platinum Coin for ten nights.
Going in made my hands shake a bit.
"...Just in case, I'm not making you pay."
"N-No, I never thought that."
Diago chuckled at my reaction and led me to the top.
Then, with a cautious air, he knocked on the door.
Knock knock.
"Come in."
A voice full of dignity.
Diago carefully creaked the door open.
What appeared was a character who looked exactly like a crown prince.
The pinnacle of splendor, you could say.
Hair shining like the sun.
And golden eyes gleaming.
But different from the Saintess.
Hers held divinity.
"Dignity?"
It was like dignity given form in eyes.
"The empire's knight greets the noble crown prince."
"No need for such formalities."
The crown prince waved off Diago with a smile.
"But you brought a guest."
"Yes, on the way..."
"Well, can't be helped. With Cradle's most famous figure and the empire's hottest rising star here. Better to bring them straight here than cause a scene outside."
"Crown prince...?"
Soyeonhwa muttered blankly.
"Kuhahahahaha! Even the empire's famed Genius Slayer recognizes this body!"
The crown prince threw his head back and laughed.
"Kuhahahaha! What a fine day! Meeting the two people I most wanted to see! Kuhahaha!"
And then.
Drip.
"...Diago. Sorry, but could you help me up?"
"Tweaked your back again?"
"My apologies."
Diago carefully approached and helped the crown prince to his feet.
"That guy's a bit weird."
Soyeonhwa leaned in and whispered to me.
I agreed.
"......"
The empire's future.
Is this okay?