Chapter 99
Chapter 99
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 99
Chapter Title: Blue-Eyed Foe
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Hero.
Blue eyes.
The night had fallen, yet those blue eyes shone clearly.
The most dangerous presence among the enemies.
'Who could that be.'
A terrifying strength emanated from him.
My skin prickled. My senses sharpened across my entire body, and my heart pounded fiercely.
The blue eyes gleamed with light.
"...The story's different? There's quite the playful one here."
A voice that could belong to neither man nor woman distinctly.
Soyeonhwa frowned and stood beside me.
-Be careful.
A cautious voice whispered in my ear.
It was Soyeonhwa's.
-That person's from the Empire.
A person from the Empire.
I fixed my gaze on the foe while thinking of the Crown Prince.
He was most likely here to kill the Crown Prince.
I drew my blood-soaked sword.
No matter what, that existence was my enemy.
The one silver lining...
'That Ermé and Veronica are here.'
Veronica was specialized in attacks and healing.
As long as the Crown Prince didn't die, there were no issues.
'I can leave that to Ermé and Veronica.'
Though Veronica excelled in healing and attacks,
she was outstanding in basic protection and support as well. Rozenta was well-rounded in all areas, but she didn't surpass Veronica in any single one.
The gap in levels and gifts was that vast.
But that wasn't the point.
I kept my eyes locked on the enemy.
The blue-eyed one seemed the most dangerous,
but the others beside him looked no pushovers either.
"This isn't good."
"If we don't wrap it up quick... that ridiculous old Sword King will come chasing."
"Isn't that woman over there the Empire's Genius Slayer? I'd love to see her sword skills sometime."
The two conversed side by side, treating us like we weren't even there.
Yet the blue-eyed one watched me warily, as if on guard.
"Then you take the Genius Slayer. I'll handle the one in the middle."
The blue-eyed swordsman said that while looking at me.
"Purple eyes and black ones... You're the hottest thing in the Cradle right now. Han Yuseong, was it?"
"In that case, I'll go for the Crown Prince... Tch, with the Church's Saintess involved too, quietly finishing this off is impossible."
They clicked their tongues while looking down at us.
"Sorry about this."
"If you're sorry, treat us big later."
"What?"
At my words, the Crown Prince let out a dazed sound for a moment before bursting into laughter.
"Of course. I'll treat you all big. Ah, try using this sword."
I sensed something flying toward me.
I caught the sword without looking back.
'What sword is this?'
The blade gleamed blue, engraved with what looked like a coiling dragon.
It was an incredibly impressive sword, so I accepted without hesitation.
First, appraise it.
⚔ ITEM ⚔ Thunder Dragon Sword (A) A legendary sword said to house a lightning spirit. Strengthens based on the user's lightning affinity or specific gifts. ◇ Adds lightning attribute to all attacks.
◇ Converts mana to lightning attribute.
Simple descriptions.
I gripped the sword. Come to think of it, I'd been with the blood-soaked sword for so long—maybe it was time to part ways.
"Glad to see that look on your face."
Had I shown my expression that blatantly?
Feeling a bit embarrassed, I raised the sword and stored the blood-soaked one in my subspace.
"Not bad sword."
Soyeonhwa nodded from beside me.
...With what kind of weapons was she equipped that she'd call this 'not bad'? Well, the Empire raised its people seriously—an S-grade sword wouldn't be surprising.
'Though I wield a holy sword.'
I pushed thoughts of Soyeonhwa aside.
I faced straight ahead.
The blue-eyed one kept me in his sights.
As if I were his only worthy opponent.
'Annoying.'
I twisted my lips and swung the sword.
A satisfying grip in my hand. Sparks of lightning began crackling along the blade.
-Hm.
The moment I gripped the new sword,
a familiar voice started up.
The holy sword.
What the—why was it waking up already?
'You said you'd sleep for months.'
Not even a week had passed, and here it was, awake.
-How long was I asleep? Months?
'Not even a month—a week.'
-What? I only slept a week?
The holy sword spoke in utter shock.
'Anyway, what's that blue-eyes' level?'
-Getting into another mess after that chaos. You really are a hero.
'......'
Sudden insult out of nowhere.
-In level terms, around 6. But full experience—like your way of putting it—he could hit 7 from any decent fight.
'Seems weaker than expected.'
-Level 7 is truly different. That's when they complete their own path and get called 'completers.'
'Completers?'
The holy sword said something profound.
Just as it was about to say more,
Thump.
My heart started racing. The blue-eyed one began raising his killing intent.
Indiscriminately, without regard for friend or foe,
without sparing the surroundings.
Two enemy soldiers convulsed and fainted with gurgles. The others looked unwell too.
"Y-You! What do you think you're doing?!"
"Retract that intent right now!"
His two apparent comrades shouted something,
but the blue-eyed one ignored them, staring at me.
"This isn't usually my style. But I feel like I won't win otherwise."
With a feminine tone,
the blue-eyed one vanished in an instant.
Craaaash!!
A monstrous clash. Hard to believe it was just swords colliding.
-Shunpo! Ho, wields a heavy sword but has a movement skill. Quite the fun opponent!
The holy sword muttered amusedly,
and I frowned while keeping a sharp eye on the enemy.
'What strength.'
One clash, and my bones were tingling.
I glared at him and moved my sword.
Swoosh—.
A slow, splitting sword motion, like the blade was dividing.
But in an instant, it accelerated,
Boom!
and aimed for his neck.
"Ho, peculiar swordsmanship. Not orthodox—it's a mix from everywhere."
"Sorry, but it is orthodox."
"Hm?"
He dodged the neck strike,
but the follow-up barrage poured onto him.
Six slashes in total.
Purple lightning crackled with every one.
"Hup!"
He twisted in panic, dodging the six strikes.
I simultaneously stepped forward.
A pressuring step: Overlord Stance.
Thud!
The blue-eyed swordsman's movement halted for a split second.
"What nonsense sword art and footwork is this?!"
Shocked blue eyes.
I infused mana into the sword and swung.
Even to my eyes, my hand and blade blurred.
Amazed by the insane speed, I swung.
-Sudden big power surge, can't swing properly...
Before the holy sword finished,
I corrected the sword's trajectory.
✨ SKILL LEVEL UP! ✨ [Swordsmanship Level Increased] Knowledge of the sword I'd only had in theory,
now embodied in my body. Even mid-fight, I could manage that much.
-Wait... less than a week? How much stronger did you get in that time?
I agreed with the holy sword.
Felt at least three times stronger all at once.
The swordsmanship and footwork he'd taught me.
Plus gifts from level-ups and powers from synthesis.
Purple sword aura fused with lightning.
Afterimages formed on the aura. Countless purple lightning bolts danced like petals forming a flower,
pressuring him.
-Yes, that's it! Don't strike vitals at once—whittle him down! His sword is stronger, but strike ten times before he lands one!
A nibbling method.
A sword that forced the opponent to focus solely on defense, forgetting to attack.
And when the foe wore a resolute expression,
eyes ready to trade wounds...
'Bone-for-bone eyes.'
The look in the blue-eyed swordsman's eyes right now.
He raised his sword high and brought it down.
Blue sword aura wove like threads into strands,
sublimating into a single beam of light.
A slash like starlight, like a meteor shower raining down.
-Now!
At the exact moment the holy sword shouted,
I took one step.
'Intangible Step.'
One step to deflect the opponent's attack.
"What?!"
The blue-eyed swordsman looked utterly flustered. I passed him by,
sword slashing down at his neck.
"......"
Silence filled the area.
The enemies wore deeply shocked expressions. They hadn't expected the blue-eyed swordsman to lose.
I glanced around. The others were tied up by Ermé and the Genius Slayer, unable to move.
'Well then.'
The one who'd wanted to test the Genius Slayer was being pushed back by Soyeonhwa.
"What, I worried for nothing."
Veronica approached behind me, grumbling.
A halo-like glow hovered behind her back, and in critical moments, spears of light shot out to protect our allies.
"Famous guy?"
"Famous? Not the word for him. Seems you don't fully grasp your own strength... Heh, my eyes didn't fail me after all."
Veronica tossed her hair back with a confident smile.
I made an exasperated face and looked to the sky.
From earlier,
ever since the blue eyes had closed the distance in an instant, I'd felt that gaze and followed it.
"How was it?"
"Wouldn't be wrong to call you my prized disciple."
I spotted Volkan grinning.
"But while people think that, I see it a bit differently."
"What do you mean?"
"I barely taught you anything, and you grew on your own. Calling you my disciple? Ridiculous."
Volkan let out a deep sigh.
I could somewhat understand his concern. From his perspective, it probably felt like he hadn't taught much.
'My current swordsmanship is based on Volkan's and Ermé's styles.'
I'd drawn more from Volkan's.
The swordsmanship in that first assault on the blue eyes.
Ermé's wasn't bad either, but...
'Not something I can steal and profit from.'
Ermé's swordsmanship was like a textbook, perfectly balanced between offense and defense.
However, the higher my level rose...
'...Like a dance, maybe.'
It might be rude to say,
but it felt like some ritual dance. Like swordsmanship offered to a 'god' for something.
-That's probably it. Not orthodox to begin with—closer to demonic arts. Leaning on a god... oblivious to how futile and despairing that path is.
The holy sword mocked Ermé like that.
'Talks like he was betrayed by a god.'
As that thought crossed my mind,
Volkan moved.
Thud!
I hadn't sensed it,
but my eyes caught the flow of his fighting spirit.
'How's he so good with intent?'
I thought I was pretty good with it,
but Volkan was on another level.
Holding fifty people at once with sheer intent.
"What'll you do now?"
Volkan said that, looking at me.
"I don't care for the spotlight... but it's come to this, so no clinging to 'no.' Might as well get a halo on my back."
"Then from now on, you're my prized disciple."
Volkan grinned.
"Since I've taken a prized disciple, I should show him my swordsmanship."
Volkan raised his sword.
The atmosphere shifted. The air changed. Just from him lifting the sword,
'Can't breathe.'
It was an eerie situation.
"I told you before, right? Fighting spirit and mana are just primary forces. Let me show you the power above them."
Volkan's sword burst into flames. No, not just the sword. His body, his beard and hair were turning into 'flames.'
What the hell was that?
-Will.
The holy sword answered my unspoken question kindly.
-The world has all sorts of rules. Dry wood catches fire easily, wet wood smokes instead. But awakening the power of 'will' changes that.
'Changes how?'
-For example, you could light a massive fire in the ocean or summon a lake in a volcano. Of course, only the rare few can do that... Will realizes what the user desperately desires.
I watched the blazing Volkan while listening to the holy sword.
-Looks like that man wanted to burn anything. Seems he burned his own body to achieve some goal.
The holy sword spoke in a somewhat bitter tone.
And at the same time,
Volkan's sword came down.
No enemy there—just a downward flame slash.
But.
Whoosh!
The flames scattered.
They became a rain of fire, soon forming a shape.
'...A flower?'
Petals. Blazing petals.
No, not petals. Everyone around gaped at Volkan in shock.
"...Petals made of sword aura?!"
-Unbelievable. Burns his body for a goal, yet chooses harmony in the end.
Though the holy sword said that,
its voice sounded oddly pleased.