Chapter 78
Chapter 78
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 78
Chapter Title: Conditions of a Sword Master (2)
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“So Fabian must have mastered the Danwol Divine Sword without any issues.”
I was struck anew by just how cheat-like Fabian’s talent had been.
Well, that’s why he could become the world’s savior, after all.
“Then again, I wonder if I can master an ultimate technique within the time limit?”
In truth, just being able to learn the Danwol Divine Sword directly from Damian was an opportunity far beyond what I deserved.
If I could fully master it through Setting Addition, that would be great, of course—but even now, it had opened up the possibility that I could learn it someday.
‘If it weren’t for all the things coming up ahead, I’d be satisfied with this.’
But when I thought about the events looming in the future, simply learning it wasn’t enough. I needed to master it completely.
“That doesn’t mean you should be disappointed, though.”
Gransesia spoke to me in a casual tone.
“Magic power can just be increased, and understanding the forms and flow is simple. You just need to watch closely.”
“If it were that easy, anyone could do it.”
The problem wasn’t something you could solve just by trying.
Gathering magic power was tied to magic sensitivity, and grasping forms and flow depended on perceiving and judging situations.
None of it was something an ordinary guy like me could fix right away.
Gransesia, born with overflowing talent, probably couldn’t understand that.
Just as my thoughts reached that point, something suddenly flew at me from in front.
“……!”
I reflexively tilted my head back to dodge it.
Startled by the suddenness, I glanced to the side and belatedly realized it was Gransesia’s fist.
“What the hell was that?”
“See? You dodged it.”
“What?”
Gransesia slowly withdrew her fist with a grin.
“If it were the old you, that punch would’ve knocked you flat on your back. But now, even without any warning, you dodged it easily.”
“……Wasn’t that just luck?”
“No way. Back then, you would’ve taken it even if I warned you first.”
She said that as she slowly rose from her seat.
I stood to face her as well.
In terms of height, Gransesia was a head shorter than me, but the pressure she exuded far surpassed Damian’s.
“It’s not just your swordsmanship that’s improved. You’re already better than before at accurately grasping situations and making quick judgments.”
“That must mean…….”
Her words brought one possibility to mind.
“It’s because of Yusik?”
“Exactly. Your proficiency in ‘Yusik’ has improved since before.”
Gransesia took a breath there before continuing calmly.
“Do you know the biggest difference between a Sword Master and an Expert?”
“……Not really.”
I’d never given it much thought.
I’d just assumed they were stronger, on a far superior level.
“To reach Sword Master, you need to ‘read the reason.’”
“Read the reason?”
“Reading the information around you to grasp the situation, reading the flows existing around you to judge the moment. If you can do that unconsciously, you’ve reached the most important requirement for a Sword Master.”
I’d heard that explanation once before.
Though back then, it had been in the context of justifying Holy Heaven Martial Extreme, not Sword Masters.
“And the closest thing to that is the ‘Yusik’ from Holy Heaven Martial Extreme I just mentioned. The stage where you perfect the basics before transcending humanity. Seeing, hearing, feeling. And the ability to control them.”
In other words, Sword Master was the stage you reached by perfecting the basics as a human.
“To put it simply…… it’s not impossible to imitate a Sword Master. If it’s just about mastering an ultimate technique, you could do it with the basics of Yusik.”
That’s when I finally understood what Gransesia was getting at.
“Then the two problems you mentioned are solvable.”
“Correct. And the first one is really simple to fix.”
Gransesia pointed at my waist with her finger.
Nothing was there now, but in reality, it would be where my scabbard hung.
The one Beatrice had made: Agatram.
“You’ve never properly used that thing, have you? It should boost your magic power absorption rate in one go. Enough to unleash the Danwol Divine Sword’s ultimate technique within the time limit, at least.”
I nodded. I fully understood what she meant now.
“Then if I perfect Yusik and increase my magic power…….”
“You’ll naturally reach Sword Master level. Of course, Yusik is a bit different from a true Sword Master.”
Yusik was the ability to perfectly perceive and judge information, then make the optimal decision.
A Sword Master added complete control over a perfected body to that.
In short, I’d first achieve the eyes and judgment of a Sword Master to meet the minimum requirements for the Danwol Divine Sword.
Then, by perfecting my body and gaining some enlightenment, I could fully become one.
‘I thought Fabian was the cheat…….’
Listening quietly to Gransesia, a sudden thought crossed my mind.
‘But when you think about it, isn’t this girl pretty much the same?’
Fabian had the excuse of being the protagonist, but it was absurd that an extra like Gransesia had this kind of ability.
‘Well, it benefits me, anyway.’
If she was right, the issue of mastering the Danwol Divine Sword was solved.
Now the key was whether I could master the basics of Yusik in time.
* * *
Two weeks passed in the blink of an eye.
It was far too short a time to suddenly muster soldiers and knights for a territorial war and make preparations.
Yet to Bellun Count, who was pressed every single day, it felt like several years had gone by.
“The Banheart soldiers still haven’t arrived, it seems.”
At the border between Banheart County and Bellun County.
Over a thousand Bellun soldiers were gathered in the plains stretching between the territories.
There were at least fifty knights among them—a formidable force.
‘In the old days, we would’ve charged straight to the lord’s castle.’
Territorial wars had once been chaotic affairs with no rules.
But after Leogart King ascended the throne, they became orderly, honorable battles.
All to minimize sacrifices among their own soldiers and knights.
“Nior, are you feeling alright?”
“Yes, Father.”
Bellun Count looked at his son, who approached on a black horse.
He’d pulled a foolish stunt recently, but Nior Bellun was still a mid-level Sword Expert knight.
“You know how important this territorial war is, right? Winning is a given, but you need to rack up achievements there. I’ll assign knights especially to take down Clay Banheart—make sure you do it.”
Clay Banheart had become the most famous figure in Talua Kingdom right now.
He’d defeated demons in the war with Kainzel Kingdom and stopped the disaster that struck Asktalin Empire—a hero.
That alone had caused a huge stir, but rumors of his special connection with the empire’s princess meant now everyone knew his name.
“And I heard…… he got a special sword from the empire?”
The Seven Heavenly Swords, was it?
The story was that he’d obtained it and received treatment befitting a legendary hero from Asktalin Empire.
Bellun Count didn’t believe a word of it, though.
‘Probably a gift from some duke. He seemed close to the princess…….’
Likely just indulging his daughter’s whims.
You needed to be a hero of that caliber to even associate with an imperial princess without looking ridiculous.
“Father.”
Lost in thought, he heard Nior speak up with an anxious expression.
“I…… I’m not confident.”
“What?”
“That guy’s no ordinary bastard. He’s not some pushover like you think.”
Bellun Count’s face twisted at Nior’s trembling voice.
“You fool! I was trying to restore your tarnished honor!”
Slap!
Bellun Count struck Nior’s cheek hard.
“Fine! I’ll handle him myself. You just don’t screw up!”
“F-Father!”
Nior tried to intervene hastily, but Bellun Count was no longer listening.
‘If I disguise it as an accident, kill him, and take Banheart territory…….’
Bwooo!
That was when it happened.
A resounding horn blast echoed as soldiers from Banheart territory appeared on the opposite side of the plain.
Even at a glance, their numbers were clearly far fewer than Bellun’s.
“Kuahaha! Look at that! Even scraping together mercenaries, that’s all they’ve got!”
Banheart’s knights numbered barely ten. Soldiers around two hundred.
Even with three hundred mercenaries added, it was woefully short against Bellun’s forces.
“Hahaha! Ha……?”
Bellun Count’s boisterous laughter gradually faded. New troops had appeared atop the hill.
“How many mercenaries did they hire?”
Even the ones mixed in with the initial force were a considerable number.
Mercenaries, once hired, usually kept their word.
But they could clearly distinguish winners from losers, so they avoided the losing side.
For Clay to hire three hundred anyway was impressive.
And now hundreds more on top of that?
“How many is that, exactly?”
“At least a few hundred…….”
Bellun Count wasn’t the only one panicking—murmurs spread among the soldiers and knights.
The new arrivals on the hill wore distinctive attire and carried unusual banners, clearly mercenaries.
“Th-Those banners……!”
Nior immediately recognized the emblem on the new mercenaries’ flags.
A black skull with a sword embedded in its head.
Only one group on the continent could fly that.
“F-Father, it’s the Black Skull Mercenary Corps!”
“What?”
“It’s one of Mercenary King Serhens’s subordinate mercenary groups—the Black Skull Mercenary Corps!”
Mercenary King Serhens commanded five subordinate groups.
Black Skull was the largest and most skilled among them.
In other words, the continent’s top mercenary corps.
Knowing the weight of that name, Nior felt like he might faint.
“No, how is this…….”
Bellun Count knew little of mercenaries, but even he could tell these were no ordinary ones.
Even ordinary mercenaries in those numbers would make victory uncertain—but with elites mixed in, there was no chance.
“My lord, it’s about time…… to head out.”
One of the knights by Bellun Count spoke quietly.
At the end of his gaze stood Clay Banheart in the middle of the plain, already waiting.
Once they exchanged territorial flags there, the war would begin.
The winner would be whichever side recovered their exchanged flag first.
“Tch!”
Bellun Count spurred his horse toward the center, where the armies faced off.
Clay, who had arrived first, calmly extended Banheart’s sealed banner to Bellun Count with a serene expression.
“Such valiant soldiers, my lord Count. This should be a fine battle.”
“You bastard! Bringing mercenaries into an honorable territorial war!”
“You’ve already investigated everything, haven’t you? Getting mad now just seems absurd.”
“……!”
Clay was saying he’d known about the investigation and let it slide.
Bellun Count, at a loss for words, stared as Clay grinned.
“Bellun Count, this time it won’t end with just one mine.”
That’s when Bellun Count realized.
He hadn’t been the one digging the trap and waiting, after all.