Chapter 182: Heritage Site of the Spirit Sword (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 182: Heritage Site of the Spirit Sword (5)
The 5th Fighting King introduced himself as Boras. He was about half a head shorter than Garmund and had a much more talkative personality.
Furthermore, whatever Garmund had told him, Boras showed an immediate liking toward Jin. Jin would likely never know that Garmund had spent the entire night praising him until his throat was raw.
‘From what I’ve seen so far, the Pluto Tribe feels a lot like big dogs.’
The members of the Pluto Tribe he’d encountered in Laprarosa were the complete opposite of their legendary, fearsome reputation. Rather than being warlike, their simple and almost endearingly dense nature seemed more prominent.
Grab!
“Huh!?”
As soon as they arrived at the training ground, Boras suddenly grabbed Jin by the jaw.
‘I couldn’t even react…? My god, how is he this fast?’
Even if he hadn't been on guard, it was a shocking display of speed. As Jin struggled to hide his bewilderment, Garmund chuckled as if it were amusing—clearly thinking it was only natural that Jin couldn't react—while Boras casually inspected the inside of Jin’s mouth.
Jin didn't struggle to break free from Boras’s grip. He had already experienced the Fighting Kings' monstrous physical strength during his encounter with Belize.
“Hey, Second Successor. Why are you missing a molar?”
“It broke.”
“Eh? How?”
“I’ll tell you if you let go first.”
Once Boras released him, Jin calmly began to explain how he had clenched his teeth so hard they shattered while trying to cut Temar in the Great Desert.
“Ha! That’s incredible. Your teeth are much harder than most monsters’, yet you bit down hard enough to break one? Just as the 8th Fighting King said, you really are something else.”
“...Something else?”
When Jin glanced at him, Garmund feigned ignorance, and Boras continued with a broad grin.
“No, no. That’s no good. Hehe, teeth are precious things. Hmm, looks like you’ll be needing a new one.”
Before Jin could even respond, a sharp pop echoed.
Boras had reached into his own mouth and yanked out a healthy molar. It was large, round, and sharp.
‘Crazy bastard.’
Blood was gushing from his mouth, but Boras was too preoccupied with showing the extracted molar to Jin to care.
“Look! This is the pride of our Pluto Tribe. We can chew through rocks, steel, and even adamant. Ah, of course, you need enough jaw strength to back it up.”
“I’m well aware that the Pluto Tribe has sturdy teeth after seeing someone chew on sword fragments yesterday… but why on earth are you…?”
“Hahaha! I’m going to carve this down and plug it into the spot where your molar used to be! Go play with Garmund for a bit. I’ll be back after I finish the work.”
With those words, Boras vanished. He moved so quickly that his back disappeared from sight in an instant.
‘How am I supposed to process this?’
Surprisingly, Garmund seemed to think nothing of this sudden turn of events.
“Is it even possible to put a Pluto Tribe tooth into my gums?”
“There’s no reason it wouldn’t be.”
“I assume this has happened before?”
“Nope. First time. Now, now, enough small talk. Let’s get to training. Spirit Sword 1st Form: Soul Slash. I’ll give you a demonstration.”
Shring!
As Garmund drew a new sword and took a stance, Jin had no choice but to follow suit. The atmosphere wasn't exactly conducive to discussing dentistry any further.
“The 1st Form, Soul Slash, is the beginning and the end of the Spirit Sword.”
Jin had heard the exact same thing from Murakan when learning Spirit Energy Release. The beginning and the end—in truth, all martial arts were like that.
The basic strike of swordsmanship, the basic thrust of spearmanship, and the basic punch of boxing. Ultimately, once one reached the pinnacle of their realm, those basics became no different from ultimate techniques.
“Don’t be surprised, Successor.”
Vroooom!
Suddenly, a pitch-black energy swirled around Garmund’s sword. It was dense Spirit Energy.
Garmund idly moved the blackened blade back and forth, glancing at Jin. His expression seemed to ask why Jin wasn't surprised to see a non-contractor using Spirit Energy.
“I assumed Solderet would have naturally shared his authority with you. How could you use the Spirit Sword if you couldn't handle Spirit Energy?”
“Ah, well, I suppose… that’s true.”
It did feel a bit strange, though. Jin had never imagined anyone other than himself, the contractor, using Spirit Energy.
“Just show me already.”
“Tsk, fine.”
The look in Garmund’s eyes changed, and a storm-like pressure erupted from him. Instinctively sensing he needed to create distance, Jin quickly retreated about twenty paces.
The raised blade seethed with black flames, looking as though it could incinerate anything.
Soon, the blade fell like a thunderbolt, and in an instant, a black flash swallowed the empty space before him.
Garmund’s Soul Slash was silent.
There was no sound of the blade cutting through the air, nor the friction of sword energy scraping against the stone floor. There was only a darkness that felt infinitely alien to those who could not handle Spirit Energy.
Thud!
The first sound came only after the movement had ended. The floor of the training ground exploded and cracked under the impact, sending small fragments flying.
A sword scar fifty paces long remained.
Having finished the Soul Slash, Garmund shook his head as if disappointed.
“How was it?”
“It was fast, large, quiet, and powerful.”
Jin answered calmly, but internally, he was recalling Luna’s Heart Sword, Red Moon.
‘It was like a miniature version of Red Moon. However, the physical burden seems much lower, and if one could use this consecutively…’
A warrior at the 7-star level or below couldn't possibly withstand even a few exchanges.
“What I showed you was about fifty percent of its power. That’s why the scar is only half the size of the one Temar left right after he perfected the Soul Slash.”
“But didn't you say earlier that Soul Slash is the beginning and the end of the Spirit Sword?”
“I did.”
“Does that mean even if I master Soul Slash, the limit is leaving a hundred-pace scar on this training ground?”
At that, Garmund burst into a hearty laugh.
“If you only master the Soul Slash, then yes, that is the limit. However, once you reach the end of the martial art known as the Spirit Sword, Soul Slash ceases to be a sword technique and becomes an Authority.”
“An Authority?”
“Why do you think the 1st Form is named Soul Slash? You will be able to take the life of any opponent whose will is weaker than yours at any time. Even if their absolute power is higher than yours, they cannot dodge or block the cutting of their soul.”
It was a strange story, difficult to grasp for now. Since it was a realm that even Fighting God Ban, let alone Temar, had not reached, it was too early for Jin to worry about it.
“You have to realize the sensation of the Spirit Energy and the sword becoming one. That sensation is like…”
“There’s one thing I forgot to mention when you asked for my impressions earlier.”
Fast, large, quiet, and powerful. There was one more line Jin had momentarily forgotten.
“It’s familiar. If it weren't for the Spirit-Absorbing Sword, I could probably imitate it right now.”
“Oho… explain yourself.”
Garmund was no longer shocked by Jin. He felt that it wouldn't be strange if this kid succeeded at anything.
When Jin told the story of how he cut Myuron’s Hell Gate and Goltep’s Hammer, Garmund clapped his hands.
“Yes! That’s exactly the sensation. You’re spot on. A little squirt like you must have achieved the realization of the Spirit Sword’s 1st Form by accident while getting into rough fights outside. A method of substituting the belief that you will cut for an incantation…”
Clap! Garmund struck his palms together again.
“Right, I get it now. I’ll show you again.”
The reason he was demonstrating it once more was simple.
Through the conversation with Jin, Garmund had actually gained an epiphany of his own. This time, as Garmund performed the Soul Slash, he muttered something under his breath.
I will cut that. I can cut it. He was chanting an incantation in the exact same way Jin did.
As the blackened sword dyed the air once more, a sword scar of about eighty paces was left behind.
“Oh! This was it!”
“Wait, aren't you supposed to be the one teaching me? It feels like it’s been reversed.”
Jin let out a hollow laugh, and Garmund gave an awkward smile.
“To be honest, I’m more used to the Pluto Sword than the Spirit Sword… so the Spirit Sword is somewhat inefficient for me.”
With a very satisfied face, Garmund had the gall to use the word 'inefficient.'
“Listen to yourself. Aren't you the teacher?”
“It’s good for you, and it’s good for me. So don't get angry and just try to overcome the Spirit-Absorbing Sword. Once you overcome that, you’ll finish the Spirit Sword 1st Form in no time. Then the 4th Fighting King will be here soon.”
“I feel like I’m getting the short end of the stick somehow.”
“It’s just a feeling.”
“Show me the Pluto Sword then.”
Jin was now more interested in the Pluto Sword than the Spirit Sword 1st Form.
“I can’t do that.”
“And why not?”
“You aren't our brother yet.”
“I’m going to spread rumors to the other Pluto Tribe members that you actually learned the Spirit Sword 1st Form from me.”
“You dare threaten me…? Garmund, the 8th Fighting King!”
Garmund let out a roar and stomped his foot on the ground. Crack! The floor split, and the air grew heavy in an instant.
‘The intimidation is actually thicker than when he was using the Spirit Sword.’
But it was a bluff. A bluff no different from a child throwing a tantrum after being caught doing something wrong.
When Jin glared back, raising his own aura, Garmund shrugged as if admitting defeat.
“Just this once.”
“Fine.”
The reason Jin was obsessed with the Pluto Sword wasn't just because it was more enticing than the Spirit Sword 1st Form.
—Once the training with the 4th Fighting King is over, daily sparring with the regular warriors will begin. You’d better coax Brother Garmund into letting you see the Pluto Sword at least once before then.
—You could just show me yourself, Tantel.
—It has to be someone of the Fighting King rank so that there are no repercussions later when the Fighting Gods ask who showed it to you.
He intended to see it at least once because the conversation they had last night weighed on his mind. He hadn't expected a suitable opportunity to arise so quickly.
“I will now show you one of the most basic forms of the Pluto Sword…”
Just as Garmund began to take a stance with a great deal of posturing.
Thud-thud-thud-thud!
Someone was sprinting from the far end of the training ground, kicking up a cloud of dust. It was the 5th Fighting King, Boras, who had left earlier to carve the tooth, returning at this exact moment.
“Looks like I can’t show you after all.”
“I’ll see it later then.”
“There won't be any more time for just the two of us. It’s not that I don't want to show you, it’s just that I can’t help it.”
“How stingy.”
Boras, who had reached them in the blink of an eye, held out a tooth. Unlike when it was first pulled from his gums, it was now the perfect size to fit the gap where Jin’s molar had broken.
Grab!
Watching Boras seize his jaw again with lightning-fast hand movements, Jin marveled inwardly.
‘I should learn this kind of movement from this guy. By the way, is it really okay to just accept someone else’s tooth like this?’
It felt a bit unpleasant. But before he could even refuse, Boras was already shoving the new tooth into Jin’s gums.
“Hehe, you’re going to like this a lot, Successor.”
Slide.
The molar took root in his gums as if being absorbed. Just as he was about to frown at the strange foreign sensation, Jin realized a mana reaction was occurring within the new tooth.
‘This is exactly the same as when Rune characters manifest…!’
Magic was emanating from the molar. And shockingly, it was a 'memory transfer' spell.
The forms of the Pluto Sword were flooding into Jin’s mind through the tooth.