Chapter 47
Chapter 47
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>Translator: Vine
>Chapter: 47
>Chapter Title: A Challenge in the Halls
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[ Ooh, this time there are some pretty decent morsels! ]
As soon as I entered the arena with a leisurely stroll, like someone out for a walk, the demon sword cried out in a bright voice.
Wondering if there were powerful monsters, I looked toward the heavy iron cages.
Clang, clatter!
>Clatter!
Countless iron cages all opened, and from within, tens, hundreds of monsters began to walk out. The arena erupted into a frenzy of excitement.
“Woooooah!”
>“Kyaaaaaaah!”
Hearing the near-screams, I spoke to the demon sword.
“There are so many. Are you sure you can handle this?”
[ Hah, what do you take me for? This much is simple! ]
The demon sword demanded I take the same stance as last time. I obediently assumed the position.
[ ‘Blood Wave’ ]
The monsters rushing at me were instantly standing on a sea of blood. The blood sea churned without mercy, swallowing the monsters in an instant.
Swoooosh!
However, there was one difference from before.
“Kieeeek!”
>“Grrr...”
Even after the wave swept through, a few monsters had survived. Of course, they weren't unscathed, but they weren't dying either.
[ Keuh, as expected, only the worthy ones remain! ]
I could hear the demon sword drooling. How does it make a swallowing sound when it doesn't even have a mouth?
With that thought, I looked at the monster charging at the very front. It looked like a bipedal elephant and had eight arms. Each arm held a curved sword, and the blades were as big as I was.
Whoosh, whooosh-.
The air seemed to whimper at how menacing the swinging blades were.
“Can you beat that thing?”
If there was no other way, I figured getting eaten and bursting out of its stomach would be a good plan. Or maybe I could stab it in the throat as it tried to swallow me, blocking its gullet.
[ Hah, of course! ]
Fortunately, it seemed there was a solution that didn't involve entering the disgusting monster's mouth. The demon sword told me to plunge it into the ground. Following its instructions, I held the sword upright and thrust it into the floor.
Shhhhaaaak!
A long line began to form on the ground. The demon sword was quiet this time, perhaps not having thought of a skill name.
The line of blood reached the elephant monster, which was now right in front of me. The moment the blood touched the monster's feet.
Swoooosh-.
The blood surged into the air and engulfed the monster. It was as if it were being swallowed by darkness.
“Kraaaang! Kuek!”
The monster struggled and screamed, but it couldn't stop the blood that had consumed its entire body. Where the monster had stood, a ball of blood the size of its body had formed.
The scene was so intimidating that it silenced the arena. The other monsters, who had been charging with their eyes rolled back, stopped in their tracks and stared at the ball of blood.
Rumble, shwaaaak!
The ball of blood floating in the air began to be compressed, as if immense pressure was being applied to it. Simultaneously, bright red blood poured out from below the sphere.
Just like a lemon in a juicer, the monster was being crushed by the sphere of blood, its own blood gushing out.
The blood that poured onto the floor crawled back to the demon sword.
[ Haaaah, haa-... Delicious. ]
Curious about the demon sword moaning as it ate, I asked.
“Is my blood tastier, or that monster's?”
>[ Hmm? Naturally, the contractor's blood is far more delicious. ]
His words made me feel strange. Should I be proud of this or not? While I was pondering this, the ball of blood had shrunk to the size of a child's fist.
Crunch!
With a brutal sound, the monster vanished without a trace.
[ Now, for the next meal! ]
An excited voice rang out, and the blood extending from the demon sword split into ten tendrils, shooting toward the frozen monsters. In an instant, ten balls of blood formed. I didn't need to watch to know what would happen next.
Crunch, crunch, craaack!
A series of cruel sounds echoed as blood of various colors—green, blue, red—poured onto the ground. The demon sword greedily devoured it.
“You ate all that, but you don't look any different.”
When it absorbed my blood, the demon sword had grown larger and even became glossy. In contrast, absorbing the monsters' blood didn't seem to cause much change.
[ Well, the amount is different. If the blood I absorbed from you was the size of a lake, the blood from these things wouldn't even fill a spoonful. ]
While we were having this silly conversation, only the demon sword and I remained in the arena. I pulled the sword out of the ground and looked up at the silent spectator stands.
[ Ah, I forgot. ]
>“Hmm? What is it?”
>[ I got too excited and released my killing intent out of habit. ]
>“I don't feel anything.”
>[ That's because you're my contractor. ]
Killing intent is a rather useful ability for hunting. It dulls the opponent's body and prevents them from escaping. In that opening, the demon sword hunts its prey as if harvesting crops—or so it explained.
'I should head back now, then.'
The announcer who always snooped around after each match was annoying, and I didn't want to hear the ear-splitting noise, so I told the sword not to retract its killing intent until I had left.
“Guh... Grrk...”
The demon sword's killing intent was stronger than I expected; the large slave guarding the passage was gurgling, foaming at the mouth as he lay collapsed. Seeing him twitching with his eyes rolled back made me feel good.
'This bastard is definitely the one who cursed at Iris last time.'
I'd gotten my revenge unintentionally, but I felt great. I told the demon sword to withdraw its killing intent and headed down the passage.
Murmur, murmur.
Once the killing intent vanished, confusion descended upon the silent arena. Before long, the murmuring turned into a tremendous roar.
***
“Woooooah!”
The massive roar echoed faintly in the soundproofed room—Totogen's quarters. He was slumped in his chair, dazed, with a look of utter bewilderment.
He looked like someone who had gone all-in on a single bet and lost everything.
'How... How is that possible?'
To Totogen, Rian was an 'enigma.' Innocence like a blank white sheet was supposed to be easily sullied.
But Rian was the exact opposite. No matter how much black filth was poured onto that white sheet, not a single stain would stick, as if it were coated.
That image seemed noble, and at the same time, it highlighted his own filthiness, making him furious.
Totogen had forgotten his goal of 'corrupting innocent children.' All that remained was a desire to win and sheer stubbornness.
'If hundreds don't work, I'll just have to prepare thousands!'
He stared at the empty arena with burning eyes.
“And the next match is! Right now...!”
Regardless of his mood, the arena's events continued. The next match was a fight between gladiators.
'...!'
Totogen watched the two slaves striding into the arena and swinging their swords, and a wide grin spread across his face.
“This is it!”
If he's so strong that tens, even hundreds of monsters seem trivial, then all I need to do is give him a mental shock!
“Schedule that slave bastard's next match as a gladiator fight!”
>“Yes, sir.”
Totogen chuckled vilely and sank deep into the sofa.
'This time, for sure...!'
Once again, Totogen clung to a futile hope.
***
“Hey.”
>“...?”
I had just gotten off the elevator and was about to return to my room when the man who had visited me before blocked my path. This time, he wasn't alone. He was with about three other slaves.
“Heard you were abandoned by Lady Bianca, didn't I?”
>“Huh?”
What is he talking about?
“Hah, no use playing dumb. I heard it from Lady Bianca herself.”
>'Ah, is he talking about the disciple thing?'
Rumors tend to get exaggerated as they spread. It seemed the story of me rejecting her as a disciple had been twisted into something strange. I was about to wave my hands and deny it, but the man spoke with a triumphant look.
“You don't have a lick of skill, but you managed to get your hands on some fancy item and are riding a winning streak, aren't you—.”
>'Gasp, how did he know?'
I winced inwardly and instinctively glanced at the back of my hand.
“That can't be your real skill, can it? Right?”
In the blood that strengthened the demon sword, my blood made up at least 98% of it, which means 98% of the power it uses is thanks to me. So, 98% of it *is* my skill... but explaining that would sound too pathetic, so I kept my mouth shut.
“...”
As I just stared at him silently, the man grew even more cocky.
“It's because of worthless trash like you that the rest of us have to suffer. You should know your place.”
He raised his index finger and poked me in the shoulder repeatedly.
“What? You look like you don't accept that.”
>“Huh?”
I had been letting his words go in one ear and out the other, like a principal's lecture, so what was he talking about? Where on my placid face was there any sign of dissatisfaction?
I was so taken aback that I'd blurted out a cutesy, "Huh?" without thinking. The men must have thought I was mocking them, because their expressions hardened.
“We're going to teach you your place, so follow us!”
It was the classic "follow me to the rooftop" challenge. I was about to refuse since I had to go see Iris, but other slaves had already moved to surround me. It looked like they were forming a circle to keep me from escaping.
'Sigh, from the looks of it, they're just going to keep bothering me.'
It was better to deal with this all at once and avoid future trouble. I didn't resist and followed them. We arrived at a training ground.
Clang.
As soon as we arrived, the man threw a sword at me. It was an ordinary iron sword.
“Without that bizarre sword, you're nothing but an ordinary small fry.”
The man pointed at the sword on the ground with a confident smile.
“Go on, pick it up. I'll show you what a real difference in skill looks like!”