Chapter 22
Chapter 22
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: Cho Clan's Ban (7)
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The crowd's gazes chased the tip of Ban's sword. Everyone was watching Shade's end. Whether those gazes held expectation or something else was impossible to know.
And then, Ban's sword stopped. Right in front of Shade's Adam's apple.
It wasn't some incomprehensible voice that had seized him, like when Shade had tried to kill Ikyeong. Nor was it the smile Shade had shown just before death that stirred his compassion.
Even so, Ban did not cut down Shade.
Shade laughed in sobs, foam at his mouth.
"Kuhuhuhu... Hah, what is it. Why... won't you kill me?"
"I'm not out here to play human butcher like you."
Ban said coldly. For sparing a life, there wasn't the slightest trace of pity in the way he looked at Shade.
If he could, he'd sever that neck right now. He was confident he could live out the rest of his days without a shred of remorse even if Shade died. But the people's gazes.
— Waaaaah!
— Ban! Ban!
The cheers that erupted late hit him like they had mass, pushing against his body. Their emotions came through raw. Excitement. Joy. Amazement. Emotion. Admiration. Awe. All kinds of similar yet distinct feelings.
Ban muttered.
"In this match, you're the only one who doesn't get people's hearts."
Shade's body began sinking into the dirt floor beneath him. Without sparing him even a glance, Ban raised his sword toward the crowd.
He had won.
The villain knelt at his feet, and the people cheered for the merciful hero.
Becoming the protagonist was sweeter than he'd imagined.
§
Not finishing off Shade turned out to be a better move than expected.
Even if Ban had killed him right there, public opinion would have been on his side. The cruelty Shade had shown Ikyeong was more than enough to paint him the villain.
But no matter how much Citadel's citizens loved stimulation, the proud figure of a swordsman could still touch their hearts.
"Hey, isn't that Ban?"
"Wow, great match. Eat whatever you want today—it's on me!"
"Oh my, isn't that him? The swordsman from the Cho Clan. Name was Ban, right...?"
No matter where he went, no one didn't know Ban's name. Recognizing him from that far off wasn't easy, but still, every person who spotted him grabbed at him, making even a simple walk impossible.
"Yap! Take my sword! I'm Ban of the Cho Clan! You bad Shade!"
"Ah, why are you Ban again? I wanna be Ban this time!"
"Just this once. I'll let you next time."
It wasn't rare to see kids playing "Swordsman Ban." Hazelrek let out a hollow laugh every time he saw them.
"You've become Citadel Academy's biggest celebrity before even enrolling. What's it feel like? Thrilling?"
"Not thrilling, more like... tingly?"
"...What's the difference?"
"Hey, don't get excited. This is just the start."
The tournament hype wouldn't last forever. A few months at most. But Ban had no intention of letting the world forget his name after those few months.
"...Win the finals. For my sake, at least."
Slumped over the table, Yuseul barely moved her lips to speak. It had nearly been that both finalists were from the Cho Clan, but she'd lost a close semifinal match.
Her opponent was a swordsman who looked fairly old. Pretty aged, but considering the enrollment age limit, at most twenty...
'No one's as tricky as an experienced swordsman.'
He wasn't overwhelmingly stronger than Yuseul. He used qi, but so did she. Nor did he wield some incredibly tricky swordsmanship.
Even so, the instant their swords clashed, Ban intuited her defeat. He could read the man's habits and psyche, but Yuseul couldn't. Just as Shade couldn't beat Ban, Yuseul couldn't beat that man. He was strong. To stand there on bare ground, he'd probably crossed death lines they couldn't even imagine.
Even so, Ban wasn't afraid of him.
Ordinary experience couldn't be an overwhelming advantage against Ban. No matter how much he'd piled up, if Ban analyzed him faster than that experience let the man grasp Ban's power, it was over.
If he'd used a staff without a blade instead of a sword, it might've been trickier... But as a swordsman, he had no chance.
So, on the day of the long-awaited finals... There wasn't much tension on Ban's face as he eyed his opponent. Waiting room. The man in chain-reinforced leather armor had the look of a seasoned mercenary. He asked with a friendly smile.
"What an honor. To cross swords with a swordsman of the Cho Clan like this."
"Didn't you already cut one down? Yuseul's wound healed clean, but she spent the whole day clutching her arm and groaning."
"Even reattached, the scar of pain doesn't vanish. Can't be helped. So, come to avenge her? Like you did with Shade?"
"...Don't misunderstand. I got no grudge against you. Doesn't make sense for a swordsman to whine over a healed wound."
"Glad you see it that way."
His opponent, Abid, grinned. Red skin. Black beard. Red hood. Black eyes. Fierce gaze. Even with his mild speech, he couldn't fully hide the beastly warrior beneath. Ban narrowed his eyes.
"I'm looking forward to fighting you."
"Me too. Whoever wins, no hard feelings after."
"No need to worry. The fight's already mine."
"Hoh, got that hot-blooded talk again."
Abid eyed Ban while polishing his blade. He knew Ban's skill well. From the start, he'd paid more attention to Ban than Shade. So he also knew Ban had grown even more recently.
Even so, Abid still held hope.
'At twenty, a mercenary's no grandpa but damn close to uncle age.'
It was his last shot, entering the academy. His unremarkable mercenary past had carried him to the finals.
Beat Ban here, claim victory in this match all Citadel watched... His pathetic past would vanish in an instant.
Reason enough to win.
Waiting for the trumpet, Abid took stance. Winter, yet sweat already beaded. Amid tension, he spoke. "Thanks for making this the grandest stage. Ban."
Before Ban could reply, the trumpet blared.
Neither Abid nor Ban rushed first. Abid shielded with his small shield, spinning his arming sword. The shield wouldn't buy leisure against Ban. He knew Ban's blade could slip through any gap anytime.
'What to do. What now.'
Fast offense to disrupt focus was off the table from the start. He'd seen Shade get dismantled yesterday. Ban's composure wasn't easily shaken. And he lacked Shade's bizarre speed.
Best bet: exploit Ban's confidence. He seemed to think defeat impossible. Valid, sure, but arrogance breeds openings.
'You've fought plenty stronger than him. Wait, Abid. The moment'll come. The moment...'
Ban struck first. He probed from outside Abid's range with his long longsword. Precise, clean strikes that would've ended it without the small shield.
Abid focused purely on defense. Ban was still young. If the pointless attrition dragged, impatience would pull him in deeper. That'd be his chance.
It would.
He noticed something off soon after. Ban must've spotted Abid's gaps multiple times by now. Those subtle shield slips—his eyes couldn't miss them. Yet Ban never committed. Why?
Peering at Ban's face amid the doubt, Abid got chills. He'd thought Ban arrogant, unconcerned. Wrong.
— I'm looking forward to fighting you.
'...That meant this.'
Ban's lips curved faintly, probably unconsciously. Abid realized instinctively. Ban wasn't relaxed from underestimating him.
Ban loved battle. No tension before a longtime lover, same for him. Thus, Ban's eyes gleamed sharper than ever, pure focus.
He got it then. Ban wouldn't let his guard down. No tension meant every last shred of mind poured into this fight. That sincerity aimed solely at him.
Realizing that, Abid knew no chance for him—while his blood boiled. In his short life, who else valued a fight with him so deeply? Who else would crave his sword like this?
Maybe this moment was his chance to show his life's best battle.
Heart pounded. But hold. Wait. Wait.
...Wait? For what.
When someone cherishes you so tenderly. When one who wants to caress your sword from start to end stands before you. What greater glory?
Abid gripped his arming sword crushingly. Eyes wild, lips spilling uncontainable ecstasy in a smile. Heart racing like fate's opponent met.
"Ban... Ban—!"
A swordsman serves as lord one who knows him.
Then, for a swordsman who knows you?
The answer lay here.
All schemes and greed forgotten,
One swordsman charged another.
§
Swordsman of the Cho Clan, Ban.
In the sixteen-year-old winter before the new year, participated in the Citadel Academy Knight Department Tournament.
Champion.