Chapter 113
"Leo!" I shouted urgently at Leo, who was recklessly flooding the area with his mana.
A swordsman spreading their mana like that was akin to a beast's growl. It wasn't wise to bare one's fangs while under threat from Zigmund's sword. But he showed no sign of listening to me.
Damn it, why is he acting like this?
Leo might be violent, but he wasn't stupid. If we both attacked Zigmund at once, we'd have a solid chance of winning. He had to know that charging in recklessly right now, with Zigmund's blade at his throat, would get him seriously hurt.
I kept a wary eye on Zigmund while anxiously watching Leo. His light green eyes, devoid of any reason, were locked on the pouch in Zigmund's hand. The ferocity in Leo's glare made even me flinch.
Leo's not at that level.
The killing intent pouring from him now was oppressively close to a Sword Master's, far beyond a mere Sword Expert. But coldly assessing it, the Leo I knew couldn't wield that kind of aura so freely.
There are cases where a swordsman temporarily surpasses their true level...
It happened in two main scenarios. The first was like a miracle born of desperation when one's life hung in the balance. And the second...
"Hand over that pouch."
...when a swordsman lost control of their emotions, letting their mana run wild.
"...How intriguing."
Zigmund, who had been staring fixedly at Leo with his sword raised, flashed a sinister smile. His eyes brimmed with ridicule.
I inwardly clutched my forehead at the increasingly headache-inducing situation.
"Let him go. Talk to me."
"No. I'd like to chat with him a bit."
Zigmund responded silkily to my barbed words, playfully lifting Leo's chin with the tip of the sword that had been at his throat. It was blatant mockery no matter how you sliced it. I could see Leo's grip tightening on his own sword.
Zigmund grinned wickedly.
"Shouldn't we test out your new comrade's skills? I can guess how pathetic he'll be."
That fucking bastard.
I ground my teeth. It was obvious provocation. Leo, already bereft of reason and hot-tempered by nature, wouldn't stay quiet after that.
Boom!
Fluorescent light green aura exploded like a flash of lightning. And in that instant as Leo drew his aura, I spotted Zigmund's sword moving.
Slash.
Damn it. This is exactly why I didn't act rashly!
I clenched my teeth. Thanks to my quick reaction, Leo's throat was spared, but because they were so close, his shoulder got sliced while I deflected the blade. I'd planned to step in once Zigmund and Leo were separated, but Leo's outburst had thrown everything off.
"Urgh..."
A faint groan escaped Leo's lips. At least it wasn't his right shoulder, the one he used for his sword—that was a small mercy. But his left shoulder was deeply gashed, even at a glance.
Along with a nauseatingly metallic scent, crimson droplets splattered onto the wooden floor, soaking in. The sight overlapped in my mind with those pure white eyes greedily devouring blood.
Bile rose in my throat, but I bit my lip to hold it back.
Not this time. I won't lose anyone else because of you.
The moment Zigmund moved his sword and their distance widened slightly, I dove between them.
I tried to ignore the sticky blood on my boot sole as I raised my sword at Zigmund. His deep purple eyes stared straight at me. I met his gaze steadily, my own eyes turning icy.
"Seems you've forgotten—your opponent is me."
I'd once predicted that when Leo reached Zigmund's age, he might surpass him by leaps and bounds.
But not now.
Right here, right now, Leo was no match for Zigmund. The gap in their skills was vast.
Logically, I should take the lead.
For whatever reason, Leo was radiating intense killing intent toward Zigmund. Normally, I'd let him do as he wanted, but that could get him hurt even more. His purple eyes flickered faintly. Then Zigmund let out a strange chuckle.
"...Right. You're my opponent. Then or now, it's always just you."
Boom!
Our swords clashed savagely. Even without drawing aura, the sheer impact sent a massive shockwave sweeping the area.
This house might come crumbling down.
I had no attachment to the place anyway, so no regrets there. I quickly sorted my fleeting regret and wielded my sword fluidly.
Hated him or not, traces of Zigmund lingered in me somehow.
Your swordsmanship is nothing special. No rules, no tricks... It's straightforward and heavy without pointless moves—that's its only merit. But you don't know the first thing about feints. You think you're a knight? You're a mercenary, idiot. No matter how honestly you fight, people will sneer that a merc is imitating a knight. Act like a mercenary. No holds barred. Be more cowardly, more weak. That's how you'll beat me.
My swordplay had shifted from rigidly righteous in my youth—killing magic beasts in real combat played a part, but before that, it was because of Zigmund. I'd deliberately gone the opposite way of his style, and his was full of tricks.
Feints like twisting right only to thrust left were basic to him, and using magic to blind foes mid-fight wasn't even cowardly in his book. Zigmund resembled me yet was my polar opposite.
As I swung at him again, Zigmund flicked his hand slightly. A magic circle unfurled in the air at unbelievable speed beneath it. Light burst from the circle, plunging my vision into darkness.
The instant my sight was blocked, my instincts screamed danger. I snapped my head aside.
Whoosh!
A chilling whistle grazed right by my cheek. The stench of bloodied steel wafted close. Had I not dodged, the sword would've embedded in my face.
Damn it! Leo!
It had to be an attack on Leo while I was distracted. I tore through the blinding magic like ripping cloth and hurled ferocious aura at Zigmund, who was swinging at Leo as expected.
Slash.
I moved as fast as I could, but the vision block had slowed my reaction a fraction. My aura gashed Zigmund's side just as his sword sliced Leo's thigh—nearly simultaneous.
Boom!
The aura's backlash blew out one wall of the house, and Leo staggered from his thigh wound. My aura had dug deep, yet Zigmund casually shook blood from his side and turned to me with a graceful smile.
"Your reactions have sharpened, Shushu. Back then, you'd fall for that trick every time."
Damn it all... I ground my teeth as frustration boiled up.
Zigmund hadn't changed a bit.
Leo! You okay?
I sent him a mental message, forcing down my emotions.
Leo, peeking from behind Zigmund, was drenched in blood from his shoulder and thigh.
F-Fine.
The fragmented reply came through. He looked anything but fine. I swallowed hard.
Zigmund couldn't get another shot at Leo. I had to end this myself.
"...Fine. You fucking Zigmund."
Whoosh!
I drew mana from deep within, pouring it into my sword. With a tearing screech, black aura coiled around the blade like a long serpent.
"Today, I'll make you draw your aura."
I gripped my sword with chilling resolve. Dust-covered window caught my reflection. My eyes had lost their fluorescent pink hue, gleaming an eerie deep crimson like the black dragon from myths.
Guess I'm that pissed.
Not surprising, considering what he'd done to me. Glaring at him, I kicked off the ground.
There are two ways to counter dirty tricks.
The first: fight dirty right back. The second:
Clang! Clang!
Overwhelm them so fast they can't pull any.
Boom!
Ravenous darkness devouring light arced in a crescent toward Zigmund's throat before smashing into the wall and exploding. He barely ducked, his black hair shearing off and fluttering in the air from the near miss.
His right arm's injured from yesterday because of me. Without his dominant arm at full strength and no aura, I'm overwhelmingly superior.
A short breath to steady, then I reined in my aura. Less brute force, more precision.
Your aura's explosive power is its greatest strength... but you can't win every fight with raw violence. Train to wield it more precisely.
Words from Father long ago. Mind clear, I pressed Zigmund with clean, efficient strikes.
Clang! Clang!
He started retreating from where he stood. No counterattacks—just barely blocking my refined aura was all he could manage.
Whoosh!
Blade pointed down, I lunged as if to slash his right shoulder. As he moved to block right:
Thud!
I whipped my mana-wrapped right foot up, brutally kicking his left hand aside. Caught off guard, his eyes widened. His left hand, not tensed for combat, flew open, and the leather pouch sailed into the air.
"Urk!"
I stomped Zigmund's abdomen as he desperately reached for it, then leaped to snatch the pouch midair.
"Damn it! Give me that...!"
Zigmund's shout cut off in shock. I'd bound his body with aura in that split-second lapse. Black aura sealed his mouth as he glared at me with murderous fury. I flashed him a grin.
"What, thought dirty tricks were your exclusive domain? Stupid Zigmund Hyde."
You told me to get dirty, but didn't see it coming? Idiot.