Chapter 41
Chapter 41
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 41
Chapter Title: Demon, Witch, and Demon Sword (1)
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"Hic, sob, ugh......"
He was out of breath. In the forest where moonlight hid, the man panted as if he were being chased by something. Or perhaps, from another angle, it seemed like he was chasing something.
He hid his body among the bushes. Even the smell coming from his body wouldn't easily escape beyond the foliage, but even so, he kept scanning his surroundings with anxious eyes, as if something was watching him.
"Please...... Oh, God. What am I supposed to believe now? The sheep were wolves, and the wolves were friends of the sheep, but on this land, I'm the only sheep left......"
God did not answer. The way of a true god had always been silence since ancient times, and that day was no different. The man trembled. He couldn't even tell himself whether it was the cold, anger, or fear that made his body shake.
"I must punish the false sheep and the wolves....... Punish them. P-Punish......"
His quiet mutterings filled the bushes.
Still, that voice could not escape beyond the foliage.
§
"......Don't think the Academy will cover for you bastards forever!"
"Who'd think you're dying on purpose for the Academy's sake."
Yeoryeong replied in a bored tone as she shook the blood off her sword. Already, quite a few men who had met their end by her blade were scattered around her.
They were slave traders. Yeoryeong frowned even more deeply upon seeing the young children trapped inside wooden cages. She hadn't held back in her strikes, which she might have otherwise limited to severing limbs, for that very reason. These were not the kind of people who would contribute anything positive to the world if left alive.
They were strong, too. Quite a few among them knew how to handle qi. They were opponents that an ordinary guard unit would struggle to confront head-on.
But those facing them now were individuals who could boldly claim to be the strongest even within Citadel Academy. They couldn't stand against Anya's White Flame, Yeoryeong's power, Jeo's ferocity, let alone Ban's sword.
The slave traders' mercenaries trembled and didn't dare approach Ban. His sword was particularly alien. Scattering Sword. Before it, they collapsed to the ground without even knowing what had cut them.
"Looks like we've taken care of them all."
"......Good. Let's send the signal."
Anya nodded and shot her White Flame into the sky. Her White Flame, painting the heavens white beside the evening glow, would be visible no matter how far away one was.
Ban's sword moved. The wooden prisons holding the people split apart like palm fronds and toppled over. The slaves inside looked at Ban with fearful eyes.
"......You all did well. You're safe now."
Even at Ban's words, they showed no sign of relief. Only then did Ban realize he must look like a blood-soaked demon.
"Ban."
That was when Anya called out to him. As he turned to her, she pressed her White Flame against his body. Once the White Flame, which burned only blood, flared up, he looked somewhat decent compared to before. Ban gave a wry smile.
"Thanks."
"Anytime."
Anya shrugged.
Before the sunset faded, soldiers carrying torches from the lord's forces arrived. The lord struggled to find words upon seeing the slave traders completely wiped out. When he heard no reinforcements were needed, he had wondered why...... but now he understood. They far surpassed the strength of ordinary knights.
"......Thank you. All of you. Truly, thank you!"
They were a family blessed with the ability to ferment wine exquisitely. Their forces were a bit better than those in the village where Ban had once lived...... and because of that, they hadn't dared to clash directly even when slave traders set up nearby.
"These are tough times for everyone. We have to help each other to survive."
Ban replied quietly. After releasing Kane, they had undertaken four more missions. And through them, one thing became clear: the world was vast, and peace was not a given. Misfortune could sprout anywhere...... and there were far too many powerless people in the world.
Lord Tirel ground his teeth as he spoke.
"The king granted freedom to all his subjects...... yet this world is still full of thieves like these. The future of this kingdom rests on knights like you. This country...... I leave it in your hands."
That evening, a modest banquet was held. The lord personally sliced beef skewered on spits and laughed heartily.
"I wanted to be a knight when I was young, too. Getting into Citadel Academy was my dream. Ended up making wine here instead, though."
"It's wine worth it. I don't even realize when I'm getting drunk."
Jeo spoke with genuine admiration. With his sensitive senses, he well understood the value of Tirel's wine. 'Maz Rivé wine' was quite famous even in Citadel.
Tirel replied with a soft smile.
"A life without fighting has its own flavor. Thanks to that, I can treat you all today, so I'm in a great mood."
"The slave traders won't dare set foot in this area anymore."
"I hope so."
The banquet ended briefly.
Returning to their lodgings brought the usual time. Whether embracing Yuri or another sword, his nights were always spent with a blade.
"......Why can't I still infuse that 'concept' into it?"
[Well, probably for the reasons we talked about before. Infusing a 'concept' into Deflection isn't just a matter of technique. I obsessed over Deflection to overcome my physical shortcomings, and basically, whether dealing with people or things, I'm the type who lets everything flow by. In many ways, it was a sword that suited me. But...... are you like that?]
Ban's Deflection was flawless, but as a person...... or as a swordsman, Ban was truly close to a 'warrior.' He enjoyed combat, and standing before a strong opponent who might bring death made him feel truly alive.
With such different fundamental thought patterns, it was natural he couldn't infuse Yuri's 'concept' into his sword. Infusing a concept wasn't something achieved overnight anyway.
[You have gripped the kukri of the 'Dust-Sweeping Swordsman.' ]
Material: Steel
Quality: Standard
Owner: Davidson (3-Star)
Memory Retention: Low
Note: A sword of a swordsman who loves blood. Smells like blood if you sniff closely.
[Your current swordsmanship level is 4-Star. Memory synchronization is adjusted to the limit.]
'Hmm......'
It was the sword of a Ben mercenary from today. Ban absorbed nearly all of that swordsman's techniques just by swinging it a few times in the air. Bad habits, good habits. Even personal signature moves.
Of course, perfectly absorbing everything without gaps would take some time, but he didn't need that. Just grasping the essence of the swordsmanship allowed Ban to take exactly what he needed.
'Feels like my body is only growing sideways.'
The types of swordsmanship he could employ were undoubtedly increasing day by day. And since he could even roughly read his opponent's sword when clashing blades, in terms of 'unpredictability,' there might not be a better swordsman than him.
'I want to get my hands on a sword from the Shiraz Clan......'
If the Shiraz Clan had a swordsman, and traces of their accumulated essence over generations remained on their blades...... understanding that alone would allow Ban to grow beyond compare.
[Don't be impatient, Ban. You're strong enough as you are. At least in my eyes.]
"......You think so?"
[ Swordsmen who can infuse a concept are rare. Before graduating from the Academy...... well, historically, there aren't many who achieve it.]
It was true. In the Academy's training grounds, swords containing the memories of 5-Star owners were truly rare.
But Ban wanted to be one of those rare swordsmen.
"......Senior."
[What now.]
"Please, one more time today."
Ban smiled shyly, holding the huandao greatsword containing Yuri. Yuri sighed.
That day, in his dream, Ban died five times.
§
"Huh, hey, look over there. It's Senior Ban!"
"......How long has it been since they left for their last mission? He's back already?"
"In Senior Ban's group, mission difficulty doesn't really matter, does it? Unless they're fighting knights head-on, failure's unlikely."
"But didn't they fail one mission early on?"
"Oh, that Shiraz Clan one? Rumor has it they let them go on purpose."
"......Well, the Shiraz Clan fugitives are pretty pitiful."
As soon as Ban and his group returned to the Academy, the juniors began whispering. It made sense. It hadn't even been half a year since they became 4th years. Yet they had already completed their sixth mission...... Only three more until the ninth.
"The atmosphere's different. Definitely."
"Last year too...... 4th years all seem to change a bit after missions."
Ban was a prime example. His beastly aura remained, but now beyond that ferocity lingered an inexplicable calm. Watching a swordsman mature up close was quite interesting.
And naturally, it was enough to stir the competitive spirits of the still-eager juniors.
"Let's have a match, Senior."
It was Jino, considered the strongest among the 3rd years. He was also Yeoryeong's cousin. And naturally, he too possessed the power of the Cho Clan.
Having admired Urong since childhood, he fought bare-handed like Urong. But his strength naturally paled in comparison. As the juniors' eyes fixed on them, Ban deflected Jino's fist while thinking.
'......Was he always this slow?'
More precisely, Ban had gotten faster. No, it was better to say his standards had changed. Through missions, Ban had faced blades from those truly intent on killing him multiple times. They weren't necessarily faster than Jino...... but the weight of their resolve was different.
So, that was when Ban finally began to understand why 4th years were so strong.
Ban's blade traced a gentle curve. Like drawing a picture in the air, that motion sent Jino rolling across the ground with each deflected punch.
Sweat beaded on Jino's forehead.
Scratches covered Jino's fists.
Jino's clothes were already dirtied.
But Ban was different. Not a drop of sweat, not a speck of dirt on his collar. He hadn't even unleashed his fighting spirit against Jino. Jino wasn't strong enough to warrant igniting it.
"......He was already overwhelming, but he's even stronger now."
They groaned. It was unbelievable that a student could grow that strong. How did he handle Jino's sturdy fists with that thin, slender huandao greatsword?
But Ban was still dissatisfied with his own strength. To him, 'strength' wasn't just being a bit stronger than others. Simply put, it was this:
He still couldn't cut the moon, after all?
That was why, when entering the mission hall to choose his next task, one mission caught Ban's eye.
It was a mission regarding a demon sword.