Chapter 29
Chapter 29
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: Unforgettable Training Camp (4)
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'A fine sword.'
Watching Ban's Overhead Slash, Hay was genuinely impressed.
It was an Overhead Slash without a single flaw. But Ban's attack didn't end there.
The downward slash swiftly shifted to the side, and the lateral slash dropped low again.
Just as you thought it had been cut, the next slash was already prepared, and just as you thought the sword was thrusting, another streak of sword light flashed.
It was the specialty of Cho Swordsmanship. Due to its property of ignoring air resistance, the instantaneous explosive power was greater than a normal slash... and the connecting motions between slashes were so concise that their existence couldn't even be felt.
But Ban's swordsmanship wasn't just ordinary Cho Swordsmanship.
'He's mixing in thrusts.'
To the eye, it was an impossibly fast single-flash sword strike. Considering that Cho Swordsmanship fundamentally rejected thrusts, it was quite an impressive sight.
And before they knew it, the wraith had been turned into a rag.
[ Ah, ah... ]
The wraith stared down at itself with a dumb expression, then scattered away like mist from the wounds Ban had left. Macdead recoiled in horror.
"D-Did it really disappear?"
"...Can't you see? Stop freaking out, you coward."
"I-It wasn't because I was scared, I backed off because it was gross!"
Macdead protested vehemently. Not wanting to argue with him, Ban looked to Hay. Hay grinned and clapped.
"Impressive. Most people don't cut down a wraith right from the start."
"It's pathetically weak, this thing."
"I told you, no need to be scared. It's just... a bit tricky."
Hay's eyes narrowed. Wraiths fed on people's subconscious fears to grow stronger. That was why Macdead had cleaved the wraith's neck with his axe but failed to finish it—somewhere in his subconscious, he harbored such thoughts. What if it doesn't die? Will this be enough? Those trivial, weak doubts.
And Ban harbored no such thoughts.
'It's the best attitude for facing a wraith, but...'
It was puzzling. People like Ban, who focused more on their shortcomings than their strengths, often made mistakes against wraiths. Yet he'd dispatched it so cleanly—did that mean he didn't undervalue himself either?
Macdead muttered dejectedly.
"I definitely cut its neck too..."
"Wraiths have no physical form. It's not just about slashing. Beyond that slash were your sweat, your time... The border is a good place to test your limits, Macdead. Next time you swing, put everything you have into it. I said it again: no doubts."
"...Understood!"
And that day, Macdead ultimately failed to fell a single wraith. Behind him—crying his eyes out as half-cleaved wraiths lunged to devour him—all the wraith disposals fell to Ban.
'Why are all these wraiths such perverts?'
Yeoryeong couldn't hold back her anger and stomped the pitiful ground. Seeing the stones embedded in the dirt shatter, Ban asked,
"...But you did catch them, right?"
"I had to smash them with a ton of Qi before they finally went down."
For Yeoryeong to say she "smashed them with a ton of Qi" meant she'd manifested it visibly to the eye. She must not have felt certain without that much Qi. Anya said smugly,
"Hmph. That's what you get for trying to brute-force it like a barbarian."
"...White Flame is cheating. It's cheating."
Yeoryeong muttered gloomily, staring at the White Flame that bloomed and vanished at Anya's fingertip. Word was, Anya's White Flame made even clumsy wraiths turn to ash the instant it touched them.
"What you faced aren't even worth calling wraiths. Better to call them stray spirits."
Urong bragged. Yeoryeong glared at him sullenly.
"Then what's a real wraith feel like?"
"You can't do anything with just one or two slashes. You have to pulverize them completely, with the resolve to turn them to dust. But it won't be that easy. Those wraiths... won't be as dim-witted as the ones you met."
Urong said, holding up his fist. It was impressively large even for his build. He spoke in a strange tone.
"Last year's training camp, I nearly died three times."
Ban was quite surprised by that. He knew Urong had possessed skills far beyond ordinary students even before enrollment. Even now's Yeoryeong wouldn't last long against the Urong from back then.
And yet, he'd nearly died.
"...To what?"
"Seeds of the Night come in many forms. There could be a fox with multiple tails, or skeleton soldiers biting your nape. But the scariest are still the wraiths."
Urong said in an unusually serious voice.
"Don't underestimate wraiths. The moment you become convinced you can beat them, they'll strike your blind spot somehow."
It was quite the opposite of what Hay had said. One told them not to doubt, the other not to be certain. Whose words should they heed?
Even amid the confusion, time passed, and the students stopped crying out. As long as they didn't stray too far from the lighthouse, the wraiths weren't that strong. With capable second-years leading as assistants, it was no wonder the tension eased.
And it was then.
Night. Only when roll call came around after returning from the border did people realize one fact.
Squad 27 hadn't returned.
§
Nights had become a time for gazing at Yuri. A man dreaming of one woman for months might not look dashing, but even so, Ban gripped Yuri's Broadsword every night as he slept.
He was familiar with Yuri's swordsmanship itself. Her thoughts, sensations, everything was now clear. Of course, he still hadn't fully grasped handling 4-Star Qi, but he believed that when the time came, it would naturally become part of his swordsmanship.
Even so, he kept observing Yuri's swordsmanship to learn how she fought different opponents. Especially her memories from the border were immensely helpful. Facing the various Seeds of the Night that appeared there, he'd learned exactly how not to die.
'Thanks to that, the wraith was easy to cut too.'
Ban already knew the mindset for fighting them. To complete the training camp unscathed, he needed to peer into even more of Yuri's memories.
The anomaly happened shortly after 'Squad 27' went missing.
[ What... are you? ]
'...Huh?'
The moment he heard that voice, Ban thought he'd misheard. But soon he realized otherwise. Yuri's two eyes were fixed on him. Cloudy eyes, without focus.
[ You... ]
And then it happened. The world warped, and Ban was ejected from the dream. The first thing he saw was Hazelrek's worried gaze.
"What is it, Ban? You okay? Nightmare?"
"...Did I scream or something?"
"No, you didn't... but your breathing was really ragged."
Only then did Ban realize his body was drenched in sweat. It was strange. A face he'd seen so often felt this alien today.
'...My imagination? Or...'
Before he could ponder an answer, morning broke. Before the assembled students, the professors raised their voices.
"Alright, today's goal is still finding 'Squad 27.' As usual, three squads form a team. If anything happens, fire this white smoke bomb right away. We'll come running."
Three squads. Nine people. More than usual, yet tension was evident on their faces. No one had even noticed Squad 27 vanish. What had taken them? A wraith? A monster? Or rebels?
Unknown. Ban gripped Yuri's Broadsword tightly. It felt ominous after last night's strange dream, but it was too familiar to leave behind. If his longsword broke, he'd need a replacement anyway.
"They told you not to carry that sword around."
Anya grumbled at Ban's Broadsword. She clearly didn't like it. Ban glanced at her and asked,
"That goblin you mentioned before... what exactly did you mean?"
"Why? Gonna leave it if I tell you?"
"Might consider it."
"...Objects infused with human grudges over long years don't welcome new owners. And they bring calamity somehow. In simple terms, it brings bad luck. Got it?"
"More or less."
"Then I can take that to mean you won't carry it anymore, right?"
"That's... later."
"...Knew it. Cho Clan guys are all the same."
Anya slumped her shoulders in defeat. Ban looked at his Broadsword. Thanks to it, he'd fought wraiths and grown stronger. And yet... it might bring calamity?
He didn't want to imagine it. And then. Iseo Cheon, Anya's squad leader, hardened his expression.
"...We're screwed."
"Pardon?"
"Everyone, battle ready! It's a trap!"
—Kihihihihihihi
No sooner had Cheon spoken than laughter echoed from somewhere. A repulsive cackle that raised goosebumps just from hearing it. Reflexively, Ban drew his Broadsword and assumed stance.
And soon, he understood what Cheon meant by "screwed."
"Ha, fuck."
Ban laughed hollowly, then glared fiercely.
Dozens—no, over a hundred by rough count—of the Wraith Legion were crawling up from the ground. Ban gripped his Broadsword tight. Calamity, goblin—such nonsense didn't register.
One thing was certain. Enemies ahead, and this Broadsword in his hand was an excellent blade. So at least for now, no need to worry.
Draw the sword.
Breathe in short, exhale long.
Eyes scan everywhere, mind beyond the visible world.
Back to his comrades.
Goblins and calamity lie beyond Anya's words,
But the battlefield is right here, right in front of him.