Chapter 46
Chapter 46
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: The Devil, the Witch, and the Demon Sword (6)
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An unconcealable greed seeped through. No, it wasn't quite greed—it carried a sense of purity, like a beast drooling before its prey. Ban's sticky voice brimmed with pure longing for the sword in his opponent's grasp.
The man seemed rather pleased by that longing. He replied with a strangely twisted smile.
"Huh. Your eyes are sharp enough. It's the holy sword 'Kishin.' Pay it homage, young swordsman."
"It doesn't look like a holy sword... And who pays homage to a sword?"
Ban let out a hollow laugh in response. No one would call it a holy sword. Its appearance was utterly ordinary. Aside from the bluish ghostly energy leaking from the blade, it was just a common longsword you could find anywhere. It lacked ornate decorations, and unlike his own longsword, it wasn't forged from ironwood with a black blade.
Yet Ban couldn't tear his eyes away from it, thanks to the ceaseless bluish ghostly energy emanating from the sword.
"Hmph, I am no ordinary sword. I am the guardian of this land since ancient times..."
"...You say you're no ordinary sword? Why do you always have to..."
—Ban.
It was then. Yuri spoke in a voice unusually tense for her.
—Be careful. That thing...
"Ho, traveling with a young goblin, are you?"
'Kishin' said. Ban frowned and stepped back. Kishin chuckled.
"No need for surprise. Did you think I couldn't sense the presence of a fellow goblin?"
"You don't mean..."
Only then did Ban realize why there were no traces of training on Kishin's body. It was no different from Yucheong's case. Ban's eyes narrowed.
"Did you possess your master's body?"
"I merely granted him the chance to eradicate evil in accordance with the divine will."
"...Ha, why are there so many guys these days desperate to steal other people's bodies?"
Ban sighed. A demon sword pretending to be a holy sword. What kind of joke was this? He shook his head.
"Whatever. Demon sword, holy sword, goblin, madman—it doesn't matter. You beat the hell out of my friend... and I need to collect on that. Simple, right?"
"...The world hasn't changed. So many young fools running wild, oblivious to the heights of heaven."
A low sigh.
Then, a charge.
'What the—his speed...!'
Ban was stunned as Kishin closed the distance in an instant and swung his sword. He swung his broadsword almost reflexively. If he'd tried to think first, he'd have been bisected before he could even attempt anything.
"Not bad movements."
Kishin kept swinging as he spoke. The speed was absurd, the power absurd. Even the first strike couldn't be deflected easily.
'How with that body...?'
It wasn't as if he had no inkling. From the moment the fight began, ghostly energy had been pouring from the man's entire body. Was the holy sword—no, demon sword—enhancing his physical abilities? Yuri spoke up.
—Make him drop his sword. Then he won't be able to use his power anymore.
Easier said than done. Just deflecting his strikes was taking all his strength. Now he understood why Jeo had lost. This guy was Jeo's natural counter in every way. His power, reflexes—they far surpassed the physical prowess of the Eustaine clansmen.
[ Clashing blades with an opponent of unknown level. ]
[ Sword Path analysis speed adjusted to normal level. ]
'Power... about on par with Yeoryeong?'
Not as strong as Urong, but considering Yeoryeong was quite powerful among the Cho Clan, she was no pushover. Moreover, his swordsmanship was far more refined than hers. He knew exactly how to wield his strength and speed.
'Troublesome. Should've waited for the others.'
Ban swallowed a sigh. But his eyes held an inevitable thrill. It was a tiring night. And all the more fun for it. Yucheong had been entertaining enough, but before that night even ended, he ran into this monster.
A dagger appeared in Ban's left hand. Second sword. The devouring sword. A cunning chain of strikes that would leave most swordsmen pondering their response until it was too late. Thrust, slash, overhead slash, upward slash, feint a pull-back then hurl it forward, catch the rebounding dagger and thrust again.
It was swordplay so dazzling it made one wonder if it could get any flashier. Kishin grinned, laughing merrily.
"Haha! A beardless babe wielding such swordsmanship! The world has improved greatly!"
"I shave!"
The same guy who just said the world hadn't changed was now saying this. Ban grinned and ramped up his speed. Head, neck, shoulder, shin, thigh, abdomen. The moment a gap appeared, Ban's blade shot toward it without hesitation. Yet his broadsword's deflections sent every incoming attack harmlessly aside...
"Huh, heh, heheheheh."
The attacks halted. Kishin trembled with狂 laughter. Behind him, Brown slumped powerlessly to the ground, awestruck by the battle transcending human limits. Was this a fight between people? Could humans be that fast, that strong?
Their strikes hadn't so much as grazed each other's clothes, making it all the more terrifying. It was hard to believe those two standing before him were human like him. And look at those smiles... In a situation where their heads could fly off any second, how could they look so blissfully happy...
"I'll acknowledge you, pup. Fine skill. Talent, and plenty of effort. I can feel it. To master dual-wielding at your age, your life can't have been ordinary. So, here's your reward. Feel it. My blue flames...!"
It was the moment Kishin began cackling. The energy on his blade ignited into bluish flames. The heat was palpable even from afar. Ban frowned, thinking.
'Blue color... special property?'
Imbuing qi with attributes was taught at the academy. But Ban had little interest in 'attributes.' A sword's essence was cutting and thrusting. Fire, water, lightning—they were distant from a blade's true power, in his view.
"You think that'll beat me?"
Ban eyed Kishin with waning interest. He'd hoped a 'holy sword' would show some dashing swordsman flair. But giggling over mere blue flames? Not the demon sword—or holy sword—he'd envisioned.
Kishin's eyes narrowed.
"You can't feel the terrifying power of these flames? Heh... Still a pup. Come at me. But beware. Even I lack full confidence in controlling this power...!"
Kishin couldn't finish. Ban had no patience for childish bravado. If it had been about swordsmanship, he might've humored it. But blue flames? Please.
'White Flame is far more threatening.'
He recalled Anya's White Flame. When she rampaged, he'd faced flames that seemed alive. Against the wraith captain? No matter their struggles, survival was all they could hope for—but White Flame incinerated them without even ash.
This blue flame was nothing.
Ban's blade shot forward. The flames roared as if to consume him, but Ban trusted his sword wouldn't be stopped by mere fire.
No, it would devour it.
The second sword unfolded again, its momentum even sharper than before. Kishin was strong. Powerful, fast, decent swordsmanship.
But still...
Ban was stronger.
Did Kishin realize Ban hadn't revealed his full power? He still had his third, fourth, and fifth swords.
So, a question.
Could the second and fifth swords be used together?
The answer came in the blood spurting from Kishin's forearm the next instant. Having only seen the second sword so far, Kishin hadn't anticipated more. That was his downfall. The qi blade from Ban's dagger sliced his shoulder, wrist, and knee in a flash.
The terror of the Invisible Sword lay here. Once accustomed to the range, blades extended anytime to strike vulnerabilities. Charge in unaware, and you'd fall. No matter the reflexes, you couldn't guard against the unseen.
"Grk...?! You bastard!"
"You underestimated me. Big mistake. Speed and power aren't everything, right?"
"If I had a proper body, you'd be...!"
Was that the trendy line these days? This guy and that one.
Ban chuckled hollowly. Even with ghostly energy reinforcing his body, a severed knee joint wouldn't hold. Kishin leaned on his sword in an awkward stance, glaring up at Ban. With resolute expression, he asked.
"A draw?"
"...What?"
"I didn't badly hurt your friend! You weren't trying to kill me either! You know that!"
Not a lie. Jeo hadn't taken fatal wounds, and his strikes seemed more about enjoying the fight than killing. Ban smiled.
"Still not a draw. As the winner, I can show mercy."
"I told you! If I had a proper body...!"
"Then here."
"...What?"
As Kishin stared blankly at Ban's words, Ban kicked the sword-propped body, snatched the sword from his hand. Kishin flailed to reclaim it but collapsed unconscious. From the sword...
—Kahaha! Fool! Yes, I'll gladly take your body! Don't worry. I'll use your lowly flesh for the divine will...!
The moment he gripped the holy sword. Ghostly energy surged from it, through his palm, deep into his body and soul. Strange voices echoed in his mind.
Erase evil.
Erase the night.
Fill the world with light.
Seemingly benign at first, their persistence brought headaches. The voices weren't just in his ears—his hands, feet, heart, lungs yielded to them. Slowly, hatred for evil bubbled in his heart.
It had begun.
—Heh, tremble. Bow before goodness... Huh?
[ Detected mental interference from the goblin 'Fighting Evil'. ]
[ 'Voice of the Sword' forcibly blocks the goblin's mental waves. ]
[ Severe damage may occur to 'Fighting Evil' goblin. Proceed? ]
[ ...Emergency protocol activated. 'Voice' blockade enforced. ]
—Y-you... could it be... that...
The ensuing scream was too undignified for a goblin's pride to recount.
The scream faded, power surged. Feeling the faint ghostly energy revive him, Ban clicked his tongue.
"You'd have been better off handing it over nicely."
Some people only come to their senses after a beating.