Chapter 9
Chapter 9
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: Paths to Promotion (4)
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Every breath stung his throat.
It was his first real battle. Not against petty thieves or local thugs. These were the terrifying rebels. If they made war their trade, they might not even be comparable to the guard unit.
He could lose.
He could die.
So, was he afraid?
'...No.'
All the training he'd built up was for this moment. Yeah, he might lose. He might lose his life. That was the life of a swordsman.
When he gripped the sword, hadn't he resolved himself to that extent?
"Huff... huff..."
Dolbi's breathing was ragged. His dilated pupils gleamed even in the darkness. The sound of hooves was now audible to the ear. It was about time for them to spring the trap... and that's when it happened.
The hoofbeats stopped.
"...A childish trap. Urong, your handiwork?"
"Damn... you saw through it again. Of all people, you? Iseo Sonad?"
"Sorry, but you can't go back. We can't just let someone who knows the base's location walk away."
"You talk too much for a traitor to your clan and kingdom."
Urong growled as he rose from the bushes. He'd worried there might be six, but fortunately, there were five. Urong clenched his fist and said quietly,
"I'll take that chatty traitor. Gintnel, handle the armored one over there. Looks like a knight at least, judging by his gear. The rest... divide them up."
"Yes. Dolbi and Ban, team up. God and I will each take one."
Aidan issued the command. Ban rose without complaint. In sparring, he often beat God, but that was just sparring. With no real combat experience, pairing with Dolbi was definitely safer this time.
And that's when it happened. Sonad ground his teeth and shouted,
"Everyone, fall back!"
They were baffled, not understanding the sudden order. That's when Ban saw Urong embracing a massive log too thick to wrap his arms around.
No, he saw him uproot it.
'What kind of strength...!'
"Take this, you bastards! Kahahaha!"
Cho swung the tree like a club. Surrounding trees shattered, and rocks were uprooted and rolled away. But this wasn't the time to be dazed. Aidan yelled,
"Now! Everyone, attack!"
No long explanations needed. Ban dashed forward in sync with Dolbi. Two seemed at least knight-level, and the other three...
'No way they're knights.'
The opponent charging at Ban and Dolbi was a man who didn't look much older than them. He wielded a longsword. That's why they'd chosen him. In this dense forest, a longsword wouldn't be easy to use properly.
"What? My opponents are kids? Even two is a bit much."
The man grumbled. Ban grinned and said,
"Sorry. But like you said, we're just kids, so go easy on us."
"Hmm... 'Go easy' meaning spare our lives?"
"Who knows who'll be begging to be spared."
"...That's why country bumpkins are..."
The man sighed. And in that instant, Ban felt every hair stand on end and jerked his head aside. Right after, the longsword embedded where his head had been moments ago.
"Huh? Dodged it?"
"......"
Ban couldn't respond. It was faster than he could've imagined. Neither Jensen nor Lucas in his memories thrust that quickly. That speed was almost on Aidan's level...
"Dolbi, focus. We attack together."
"...Got it."
Dolbi's eyes had changed after seeing that thrust. He must have realized this could really be his grave.
Ban gripped Lucas's shortsword. Even now, Lucas's memories and sensations seeped into him.
What would Lucas do? Charge first? Or observe one more attack?
He steadied his breath. Peering into the darkness was familiar. Ban saw the sweat beading on the man's face. Had that strike taken a toll on him? Or was he exhausted from the long chase?
The key point was, he wasn't completely fresh.
Clang! Ban's sword clashed with the man's blade. Dolbi's blade followed straight for the man's gut, but he'd already stepped back.
It was a relentless barrage. They'd caught a brief breather, so they had the stamina edge—might as well drag it into an attrition war.
Ban focused solely on their blades' movements. He ignored the deafening roar from Urong's direction.
One misstep, and he'd plummet off this cliff. He clearly wasn't the pursuit team's leader, yet he handled Ban and Dolbi with ease.
'The world is vast indeed.'
Ban grinned even as he swung his sword.
[ You are clashing blades with an opponent of higher skill than you. ]
[ Sword Path analysis speed adjusted to minimum. ]
With each clash, he absorbed bits of the opponent's sword path. Not enough to mimic perfectly, but he grasped when, where, and how they'd cut or thrust.
The opponent seemed to sense it. He retreated quickly, caught his breath, and leveled his sword.
"...You're reading my sword path?"
"You, what was that thrust earlier?"
"You don't even know what 'Qi' is. To be pushed this far by guys like you... damn."
He'd started with a relaxed expression, but now he looked serious. Ban reverse-gripped Lucas's shortsword. With each clash, he went beyond understanding the opponent's technique... he was gaining his own experience.
When feints were seen through, thrusts effortlessly dodged, or blades glanced off into danger. In every moment, he grew stronger bit by bit.
Ban glanced around briefly. Urong didn't suit the word 'defeat' at all, and neither did Gintnel. The issues were Aidan and God...
'God's getting pushed a bit.'
Aidan, who'd once aimed for knighthood, wouldn't fall easily. But God was iffy. Experience aside, his pure sword skill wasn't exceptional.
The opponent spoke.
"Let's end this quick. You want to help your comrades, and so do I."
"...Then take a nice clean hit? I'll go easy."
"Bullshit."
He chuckled. Then, his face turned stone-cold.
"I'm Oben. What's your name?"
"Ban."
"Dolbi."
"...Plain names."
"Agreed."
"I'll give you one last chance. Run. I won't pursue. Our target isn't small fry like you. It's that Cho Clan young master."
"Can't do that. Our future's riding on that head."
"The kingdom's rotten."
Oben said coldly.
"Our revolution will cut out this world's festering sores. Once the world changes, you'll realize how foolish it was to stand against us today."
"If I do, I'll send a letter then?"
"...You don't get it."
Oben readjusted his longsword. The half-hand grip made the blade ripple like a curtain toward them.
"You'll regret that choice."
The talk ended. A few leaves drifted silently between them, and as the fifth passed,
Oben moved. That same thrust. The difference? It didn't end with one.
First thrust.
Ban angled his shortsword to deflect it.
Second thrust.
Oben's longsword grazed Dolbi's right forearm.
Third thrust.
A cut appeared on Ban's cheek.
Fourth thrust.
Ban hurriedly retreated from the stab at his chest.
And the fifth thrust.
A hole opened in Dolbi's gut.
§
"Hah... hah..."
Everyone gasped for breath. The thrusts ended with the fifth. Ban inhaled and exhaled so fiercely his cheeks puffed. But Oben breathed the hardest.
"Hah... even that... huff, dodged..."
"........."
Ban stepped in front of Dolbi without a word. It was a deep wound. Without quick treatment, it could be fatal.
A chill settled as blood cooled. Yeah, swordsmen could die anytime. Just as he could die, so could Dolbi.
"Dolbi, hold on. I'll finish this quick."
"...'Quick'? You mean you'll end it?"
"Shut up even if you're dying. I will. Wait. Press hard to stop the bleeding."
Ban gripped his shortsword tight. As if Lucas's spirit within would help him.
Oben looked more fatigued than before, but his eyes held leisure. Fighting one versus two were worlds apart. He asked,
"Still wanna fight? Not even two anymore—just you?"
"...Hoping I'll run?"
"Not bad. Best to avoid fights if you can, especially pointless ones like this."
"Sorry, can't."
"Why? For that promotion you mentioned? Look, promotion means nothing if you're dead."
"No. Not that."
Ban assumed a stance. To Oben, it looked familiar. Thrusting posture.
"...Gonna meet my thrust with one? With a shortsword?"
"Why? Scared?"
"...Thought you were fun, but you're just stupid. Fine. I'll send you off."
Oben took his stance too. He'd used too much Qi, leaving him drained, but once more...
Ban thought.
'The 1-Star benchmark is knowing how to swing a sword.'
Cuts. Thrusts. Blocks. Parries. Deflections, etc.
So, what was 2-Star?
At the end of his first real battle, Ban vaguely sensed it.
"Hup!"
Oben's thrust came ferociously. Exhausted, yet still hard to match. Watching it, Ban smiled. A thrust-versus-thrust duel.
That's what Oben expected.
But Ban didn't thrust. Instead, he stepped forward. Oben's blade scorched his side with searing pain, but missing this chance meant worse than pain.
Below his raised hands at eye level, dismay spread across Oben's face.
2-Star was mastering all techniques and situations.
[ Swordsmanship level reached 2-Star. ]
[ Reached the realm of 'Talented Swordsman'. Memory synchronization rate increases! ]
Overhead Slash.
The technique that once felled Dolbi now unfolded to protect him.