Chapter 63
Chapter 63
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 63
Chapter Title: Hundred Steps Ritual (5)
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The moment Yuri took his first step, following ahead.
Many faces stiffened.
Crack-.
'What the hell?!'
Just one step, and it changed this much!
A total of thirty-two people managed to force their first step.
But only twenty-two succeeded in planting their feet on the ground.
Crumble-.
Ten couldn't even take that first step and collapsed sideways.
Meanwhile, the twenty-two who barely managed their first step were gasping for breath.
Thud-.
Another heavy sound echoed.
Twenty-two pairs of eyes turned forward, where Yuri had just taken his step.
Seeing his back, their faces hardened again.
'He's... farther away?'
They had taken a step too, so why had the distance grown?
The answer to that question was exceedingly simple.
An utterly basic truth.
'Two steps... already?'
While they struggled with their first step, the guy ahead had taken two.
Realizing this, Gunter gritted his teeth and stepped forward.
The others followed suit.
Crunch-.
Thud-.
Thus, the second step.
There, another ten dropped out, leaving twelve.
The third step followed.
Crack-pop-.
Thump-.
Unable to withstand the pressure several times greater than before, more fell.
Now, only seven remained.
And then.
Step- Thud-.
Two collapsed on the fourth step.
Step-.
After the fifth, only three were left.
Arin Helga.
Ppoppi Kurtan Kapurtabi.
And Gunter Irons.
The three who had followed Yuri first.
Only they remained.
But their conditions weren't good.
Arin, half-bent over, hands on her knees.
Ppoppi, pale as a ghost.
Gunter, blood trickling from his lips.
All three trembled like aspen leaves.
Yet, as if in competition, they took their next steps.
With that.
Thump-.
Before the sixth step, Arin pitched forward.
Step- Thud!
She managed to step, but the moment her foot hit the ground, Ppoppi lost consciousness and toppled sideways.
Finally, Gunter.
Thud-.
He succeeded in taking all six steps fully, barely straightening his buckling torso.
Tremble-.
It felt like plunging into the deep ocean.
The pressure made even breathing difficult.
Gunter forcibly clung to his fading consciousness and looked ahead.
The boy ahead had taken seven steps but hesitated on the eighth.
'Finally... caught up...'
He had chased the one who went first, closing the gap to one step.
One more step from him, and he'd stand beside the black-haired boy.
But.
'Is this... the limit...'
His mana was depleted, his trained body heavy as waterlogged cotton.
His vision whitening suggested he'd long passed his mental limit.
In his narrowing field of view.
Grind-.
The black-haired boy attempted his eighth step.
Gunter's eyes wavered.
'That guy?!'
The black-haired boy was moving.
Crack- Crunch- Crackle-.
The gruesome sounds from his body.
The strained resistance against the crushing pressure reached Gunter's ears.
It was precarious.
He could collapse any moment, and it wouldn't be surprising.
But the boy ultimately.
Boom-.
Stamped down his next footprint with a heavy thud.
"Urk!"
The price of success?
The black-haired boy's knee buckled.
Seeing that pitiful back, Gunter steeled his gaze.
'Eight steps.'
Having taken six, he could imagine the difficulty of that eighth.
Just two steps' difference, but the pressure that boy endured was likely several times his own.
That alone was enough to acknowledge him.
'But... this is the end.'
That guy had probably hit his limit too.
'The difference between you and me is two steps.'
Gunter accepted that gap.
And in that moment, as he slightly loosened his grip on his fraying consciousness.
Groooowl-.
The boy, kneeling, raised his torso.
A beast-like growl emanated from him.
Grrrrhahaha- Graaah!
Roaring with all his might, the boy's torso straightened fully.
Crack-.
He stepped again.
'...What?!'
That desperation snapped Gunter back to focus for a moment.
Raaaaagh!
Yuri's roaring back filled Gunter's vision.
'You...'
Thus ended the sight of the challenger attempting his ninth step with gritted teeth.
'...won't give up?'
Thump-.
Gunter Irons's vision went black.
* * *
When Yuri first stepped out, the audience paid little attention.
Just mild disinterest toward the first mover.
But as he promptly took his second step and pulled ahead, curiosity stirred.
'Not bad, handling the second step smoothly.'
'Impressive enough.'
Soon, as the 50th Cohort followed Yuri, they leaned in with excited faces.
When the 50th Cohort took their first steps.
"Oh?"
"Huh?"
Seeing Yuri alone two steps ahead, the crowd finally sensed something unusual.
'Are the others slow?'
'No, that guy's fast!'
He acted first.
Faster and stronger than anyone.
As he took four steps in a flash, the audience grew serious.
'Fast!'
'Fourth step, and he still has power left.'
Everyone in the seats had undergone the Hundred Steps Ritual.
They knew how absurdly fast that black-haired guy moved.
'Why does it look so easy for him? It wasn't like that for me.'
With some skill, you could manage two steps somehow.
But from the third, even drawing mana pushed your body back.
By the third step, exhaustion was normal.
Yet this black-haired guy seemed at ease after four.
'Someone said it: If someone else's task looks easy, they're just really good at it.'
'He's got talent.'
Until then, the crowd thought, 'A decent one appeared.'
But when Yuri took five, then six steps.
Gulp-.
They swallowed dryly.
'Six steps this fast?!'
'Will he make the seventh?'
Six steps were occasionally achieved by those called geniuses outside.
But the seventh.
That's where it changed.
In the Cradle, they said six separated the fakes from true geniuses.
So few succeeded at seven.
Thus, attention focused on Yuri's seventh step.
Boom-.
Yuri finally took it, drawing sighs everywhere.
"Ha... The 50th has a real deal."
"Seven steps."
As the audience marveled, those chasing Yuri began closing in.
When three succeeded at six, more sighs.
"This 50th Cohort is solid."
"One at seven, three at six?"
"One's at five-and-a-half, but still impressive."
Cohorts without six-steppers were common.
Thus, four at six-plus made the 50th exceptional.
Plus one at seven.
As they nodded.
"Huh? That guy?!"
A short exclamation drew eyes back to the field.
There stood Yuri, who after seven steps and a long pause, began moving again.
"E-eight steps?!"
"Why the fuss? He hasn't succeeded yet."
Some were shocked.
Others urged calm assessment.
Meanwhile.
Thud-.
With a low sound, Yuri stamped his eighth footprint.
Seeing him pitch forward, many clicked their tongues.
"Huh? Like two years ago, and now this year?"
"An eight-stepper again after two years?"
Eight steps.
A record that sporadically appeared after May Winchester's nine-step mark thirty-five years ago.
Four had achieved eight total.
The latest from the 48th Cohort.
People thought no more for years.
Yet, defying that, another in just two years.
As all marveled at the eight-step record, overlooking Yuri.
"Not yet."
Theresia murmured.
"Not yet."
As if hearing her, Yuri's torso twitched.
A guttural sound erupted.
Grrrhahaha-.
Laughter or cry unknown, his torso jerked upward bit by bit.
Exclamations burst.
"Th-that?!"
"Insane!"
Soon, as he fully straightened, silence fell like death.
From the 46th Cohort to the 49th.
Even the Black Sword Soldiers.
Tens of thousands held their breath, gazing down.
There...
Graaah!
Amid hundreds collapsed.
One human struggled to rise alone.
Raaaaagh-!
Roaring as if expelling everything, Yuri finally stood from his knees.
Soon, his legs moved.
Drag-.
More dragging his body than walking.
His whole frame shook under immense pressure, but his eyes burned fierce.
And finally.
Crackle-.
Thud-.
He succeeded on the ninth step.
"Nine... steps."
"My god..."
Thirty-five years, and a nine-stepper appeared.
In stunned awe.
Someone murmured entranced.
"But that guy... he's still... still moving?"
"......?!"
As he said, Yuri, having taken nine, advanced still.
* * *
It hurts.
My whole body feels crushed.
'I want to rest.'
After eight steps and collapsing, he desperately wanted sleep.
But Yuri rose and walked again.
'Can't... collapse at just eight steps.'
The Sword Lord was still far ahead.
Johan, ahead, still showed his back.
'I said I'd catch up soon?'
So, crumbling at a mere eight offended Yuri's pride.
Thus, he gritted and raised his torso.
Bang-.
Ninth step.
A fruit born of extremes.
Yet Yuri felt it lacking.
He questioned himself.
'Is this the end? That's all?'
Yuri assessed objectively.
Mana core scraped bottom despite conservation.
Stamina he prided teetered.
But oddly, his mind was clear.
'Enough. I can go further.'
With that conviction, Yuri advanced.
And finally.
Ruuuumble-.
A different sound as the tenth footprint stamped.
Yuri's body collapsed again.
Face in dirt, Yuri muttered softly.
"Ten..."
Just ten of a hundred steps.
A thirty-five-year record, but unknowing Yuri couldn't rejoice.
He just lifted his head slightly, looking ahead.
The Sword Lord, chin propped, gazed boredly.
'This much... doesn't even pique interest?'
Makes sense.
A guy collapsing ninety steps short.
Worthless trash not worth swinging at.
Knowing that, Yuri yearned more to change that bored face.
But...
'Is my current power... only this?'
He'd reached his limit.
No strength to rise.
Clinging to consciousness against pressure was miracle enough.
'Fine... accept it. Right now, I'm a ten-step guy.'
Tested himself; with only his built power, this was it.
Now, time for something beyond his accumulation.
This should surprise that bored Sword Lord.
As Yuri resolved.
Halt-.
Far ahead, Johan's illusion toward the Sword Lord stopped.
Then slowly turned, sneering at Yuri.
As if mocking how long he'd lie there.
Yuri laughed too.
'Got it, coming soon!'
Shouting inwardly, Yuri spread his hoarded scrap of mana through his body.
Far ahead, leading Johan.
The shortcut he rolled in dirt to pave.
The mana road forged against monsters.
The scrap mana raced forth.
Redner Family secret martial art.
Demonic Flow.
Thus.
Whoooosh-.
Around Yuri, demonic currents surged wildly.