Chapter 25
Chapter 25
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: Three Folds (4)
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Ralph showed a slightly surprised expression upon seeing his grandson.
‘Muchi, that kid…….’
The time he had spent with Muchi since he was a newborn lump of flesh exceeded even that of the boy's parents.
Yet this was the first time he had seen such a look in Muchi's eyes.
Even from a distance, the anger was palpably transmitted.
‘That child… could make a face like that?’
He had always been a simple boy who followed orders without a single complaint or grumble.
But he had never shown strong determination toward anything.
When he first started learning body arts, Ralph had wondered if he was doing it reluctantly, but later it seemed like he had grown to enjoy it, which put his mind at ease.
Still, Ralph had been concerned about how overly considerate he was of others.
Even so, he had thought it was enough that he didn't refuse to learn body arts.
That was what he had believed……
"Was I wrong……?"
Yohan smirked inwardly upon seeing Ralph's dazed face.
‘Even you, who used to be so full of bluster, can't help it in front of bloodline.’
Ralph's son had been born frail, taking after his mother.
To prevent his family's legacy from dying out, Ralph had taken on disciples.
But no matter how much he cherished his disciples like his own children, they weren't actually his blood.
Then, along came a true heir to carry on his legacy completely—how could Ralph not dote on him excessively?
‘That excessive affection ended up being poison.’
A master like Ralph couldn't have failed to notice his grandson's temperament.
But his overprotectiveness must have clouded his judgment.
‘Yuri, with his outsider's objective perspective, was the first to realize it. Muchi's true nature.’
He had always been quick on the uptake, and having spent the last few months glued to Muchi, there was no way he could miss it.
‘That sly fox.’
When he suddenly proposed a real sword duel, Yohan had wondered what scheme he was up to this time……
‘So this was his aim.’
Convinced of Yuri's ploy, Yohan clicked his tongue inwardly.
‘Even if it's the same duel, the difference between wooden and real weapons is huge.’
Whether it has lethality or not, and the incidents that could arise from it at any moment.
In the heat of urgent crisis, the relentless pressure and tension must have drawn out Muchi's true self from within.
Yohan inwardly tsked at Yuri, who was grinning slyly, but kept up a poker face outwardly.
He spoke to Ralph.
"Your grandson seems overflowing with motivation. Just as Yuri said, we can start right away."
"Ha……."
"Go on. We need to work out our final winning strategy among ourselves."
Yohan gave Ralph a light shove on the waist.
Unable to resist, Ralph took a step forward.
Thus, Ralph stood before Muchi.
"Grandfather……."
The moment he heard his grandson call him, Ralph let out a hollow laugh.
"Pfft!"
Muchi's voice was subdued.
His eyes glistened slightly with anger.
Even though it was the first time seeing his grandson like this, Ralph thought this expression suited him better.
Now he finally seemed a bit like a child.
Smiling, Ralph asked,
"Does losing frustrate you?"
"……."
Muchi didn't answer.
But his snorting breaths spoke for him.
Ralph's smile deepened.
"Muchi."
"Yes……."
"Body arts aren't bad. Whether you value them for harming people or for saving them, it's people who decide their worth."
"……."
"Do you think this old man or Yuri use body arts just to hurt people?"
Muchi shook his head firmly.
"No."
"Right. It's your will that decides how to use the body arts you've learned. But if you swing them around without a clear purpose, they hold no value."
"……."
"What value do you want to place on your body arts?"
At his grandfather's question, Muchi recalled Yuri's words.
[Now that I have a goal.]
[I want to get strong. Stronger than anyone, so I won't lose. That's why I do it.]
[I'm training to get strong—what's there to think about? I just do it every day.]
[It's boring. But… I don't get tired of it.]
[The thing you couldn't figure out… I'll tell you today. Why I learned body arts, why I swung my sword like my life depended on it!]
Only then did Muchi feel like he somewhat understood.
The desire to grow strong, the will not to lose—that was the value Yuri had embraced.
That was why he swung his sword so desperately.
Words and actions that hadn't made sense at first were starting to click.
Staring straight at Ralph, Muchi answered,
"I still don't know what value to place on my body arts. I'll think about it slowly. But……."
"……."
"Right now, I don't want to lose. For now… I'll make that my value."
Ralph smiled warmly at Muchi's response.
"Yes, that's enough."
Placing a hand on his grandson's shoulder, he said in a low voice,
"Then, let this old man teach you the winning strategy."
"Really?"
Ralph's eyes gleamed slyly at his grandson's expectant gaze.
* * *
Worried Yohan might overhear, Ralph even created a soundproof barrier with mana and whispered to his grandson.
Seeing this, Yohan muttered in disbelief.
"Tsk, you think I can't hear that?"
He could pierce a mana soundproof barrier of that level anytime.
But there was no need.
Yohan turned his gaze to Yuri.
"Kid, that Thunder Rush from now on… once is probably your limit, right? Aren't your limbs shaking already?"
At Yohan's observation, Yuri's eyes widened round.
"You're a ghost—how'd you know?"
"I'm the one who taught you Thunder Rush, you little punk!"
Unlike momentum bursts, Thunder Rush wasn't a technique you could spam.
It was a skill you had to gradually build up your limits for.
At Yuri's current level, two or three times was the max.
"Yeah, yeah, sure. But if I push it, maybe three times……."
"Don't spam Thunder Rush beyond your limit unless you want to spend a week bedridden from the backlash."
"Does it hurt that bad?"
"Why do you think I got constipated?"
"……?"
"It hurt so much I couldn't even shit. I abused it in my youth and ended up with chronic constipation."
"…I'll stick to two, guaranteed."
Yuri replied with a resolute face, vowing not to end up like the old geezer.
Then he shrugged.
"Well, it'll end in two anyway."
"Yeah, it'll end in two anyway."
The reason Yohan didn't need to eavesdrop on Ralph's strategy.
No matter how brilliant, at Muchi's current level, it couldn't block Yuri's Thunder Momentum.
Ralph's body arts had the worst matchup against Redner's Thunder Momentum.
Confidence filled Yohan and Yuri's faces.
Five minutes later.
Staring at Yuri and Muchi facing off for the duel, Yohan and Ralph exchanged words.
"Got your strategy all set?"
"Of course."
"If you're gonna lose anyway, just lose quick—why drag it out?"
Ralph knew full well that, knowing Yuri could use Thunder Rush, this duel heavily favored Yuri.
Yet he brimmed with inexplicable confidence.
"Don't we have to see whether it's long or short?"
"And you won't be embarrassed if you lose?"
"Hmph!"
Ralph and Yohan engaged in a subtle war of nerves as they watched the arena.
In that moment, a glint flashed in Yuri's eyes as he looked at Muchi.
‘Oh ho? What's this?’
The boy's aura had changed somehow.
Yuri smirked and said,
"Did this big brother's slaps hurt that much? Finally got your head in the game?"
"Yuri bro……."
"What."
"I'm going to win this time."
"Yeah, that's just your wishful thinking. Hey, and I told you to call me big brother?"
Muchi didn't respond to Yuri's jab.
Instead, he gripped the end of his spear and raised it high.
Thus began the final match of the best-of-three, first to two wins.
This time, Yuri didn't charge in immediately but observed his opponent.
"Man, that's intimidating."
Muchi, nearly two meters tall, holding a four-meter spear, exuded the pressure of a towering small tower.
But even more fearsome was the intense energy rising from Muchi's body.
Drip- drip-.
The rain that had started moments ago had thickened, now pelting Muchi properly.
But the raindrops bounced off the rough mana waves rippling around him.
It showed just how much mana Muchi was pouring into this strike.
Yuri stared straight ahead with a slightly surprised face.
‘Chilling!’
The mana and killing intent flowing along the axe spear stung his skin.
Getting hit by that wouldn't just break bones.
‘At least it'd cleave me in half dead.’
Or turn him into mincemeat on impact.
It was that terrifying an attack, but the counter was ridiculously simple.
‘Too much wind-up time.’
Muchi's attack required time proportional to its destructive power.
For an attack with that much preparation, just step out of range.
Or charge in right now and bash him.
‘No need for Thunder Rush.’
Since he didn't need to wait, Yuri prepared to rush at Muchi.
If not for Muchi's loud shout.
"Yuri bro! If you block this, Grandpa says he'll make you a sword out of white steel!"
Screech-.
Yuri's legs, about to charge, slammed on the brakes and stopped dead.
"…What?"
"Huh?!"
Stunned Yuri and an even more stunned Yohan.
Silence blanketed the clearing for a moment.
Then, realizing what he'd heard, Yohan grabbed Ralph by the collar.
"You crazy bastard! Using dirty tricks in a kids' duel?! You want to win that badly?!"
"Haha, didn't you teach me that the loser can't sleep while the winner sleeps smiling? How's my winning strategy?"
"You… you sneaky……."
It was shameless, but all true, leaving Yohan speechless.
Back when he attended the academy, he had laughed in that loser Ralph's face after saying exactly that.
‘Ugh, dredging up old stuff… Still, when did this guy figure out Yuri's personality so well?’
The past half-year together wasn't for nothing, apparently.
It was despicable, dirty, and annoying, but a perfect counter exploiting Yuri's traits and weaknesses.
So perfect that the effect was immediate.
‘Look at that!’
Roll roll-.
He could almost hear the gold-crazed guy's eyes rolling from here.
In truth, Yuri was deeply contemplating.
"…White steel? For real?"
While wandering the continent, a mercenary had bragged about a sword mixed with a rat-shit-sized amount of white steel.
His bragging had burned it into Yuri's memory indelibly.
‘That white steel with strength and elasticity over five times normal steel? The stuff three times pricier than gold of the same weight?!’
And he'd make a sword out of it?
Just by blocking that attack?
‘For real? Reallyyyyy?’
As Yuri's golden eyes shook like there was an earthquake.
Ralph's voice nailed down his dilemma.
"I'll make you a solid white steel sword! No mixing in any junk iron!"
That settled Yuri's hesitation.
He adjusted from his charge stance.
Slide- step-.
The right leg he'd extended forward snapped back, and both feet planted firmly, unbudgeable even if pushed.
Yuri slapped his sturdy thighs and bellowed,
"Hey! Muchi, you punk! What are you waiting for?! This big bro will block that weak attack no problem—come at me hard! Hard!"
It wasn't some cheap mix—it was pure white steel sword!
How could he resist?
Seeing Yuri grinning, Yohan's face flushed red.
"That, that, that madman!"
It was a situation where one punch to the solar plexus would've ended it!
Yohan bellowed,
"You little shit, if you lose, I'll hang you upside down and toss you off a cliff!"
At Yohan's shout, as if waiting, Muchi's entire spear glowed red.
The glaive brimmed with massive mana on the verge of exploding.
"Hraaaaaah!"
With a fierce kiai, Muchi swung the spear.
It was a simple vertical slash.
But the problem was Muchi's raw power.
Creak- creeeak-.
The glaive head couldn't keep up with his monstrous strength, bending the shaft backward as if it might snap.
And at that exact moment.
Boom!
An explosion burst from the spear tip.
The axe blade triggered a mana blast for explosive propulsion.
Shwoooosh-.
It plummeted at terrifying speed.
Shunel Axe Spear Art – Ice Wall Splitter
The ultimate spear technique, said to have once cleaved part of the Ice Wall Mountains by Ralph Shunel himself, manifested before Yuri.
Facing it, Yuri felt death approaching in that instant.
The now-thick raindrops visible in sharp clarity, the slowed surroundings.
The red trajectory of the glaive rushing at horrifying speed.
Even as inescapable crisis loomed, Yuri smiled.
‘Old man, who said I'm losing?’
He had fallen for the pure white steel sword temptation, sure, but Yuri had zero intention of losing.
‘Block it and still win—easy.’
What was so hard?
As Yuri's smile deepened, his sword moved.
Swoosh-.
A silver trajectory began weaving beautifully along the falling rain's flow.
Just like that day……
Splash-.
The ‘phantom’ Yohan had shown in the rain.