Chapter 273: Siblings (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 273: Siblings (4)
Roll, roll… clatter, clatter!
The magic bombs Mary had tossed rolled easily across the ground. Though they looked like nothing more than small, blue eggs, a single one contained enough power to kill dozens of ordinary humans in an instant.
Just how many are there…? And she has the nerve to say she “forgot” about them.
A rough estimate put the number at over two hundred.
There weren’t many people in the world mad enough to scatter such dangerous objects across a field and then suggest a duel. The wide clearing, an empty lot just moments ago, had been transformed into a ballroom of death.
“You’re not scared, are you? Don’t tell me you came all this way just to disappoint your big sister…”
Shring—!
As Jin drew Sigmund, a smirk spread across Mary’s face.
Regardless of one’s martial prowess, it was only natural to feel goosebumps at such a sight. Fortunately, Jin managed to hide his look of utter bewilderment.
“That’s it. That’s the spirit.”
As Mary slowly began to raise her energy, her short bob of hair fluttered as if caught in a breeze. Her eyes sparkled with a brilliance one might reserve for a lover, yet they held an incongruous mix of battle lust and murderous intent.
Mary was by no means the strongest in Runcandel.
However, when it came to worshiping the act of combat and reveling in victory, she was undoubtedly the best in the family.
“Are you granting me the first move?”
“Of course.”
“Truly?”
“I told you, didn’t I?”
“Then I’ll accept it with gratitude.”
As Jin lowered his sword and took his stance, Mary felt as if she were walking on air. How many years had she looked forward to this moment?
Father himself described it as a formidable energy. And it is. It’s extraordinary! This thrill, this pleasure, this shiver! Youngest, today we’re going to trade blows until one of us ends up bedridden in the infirmary.
While Mary struggled to contain her excitement, Jin calmly prepared his attack.
His movements were extremely slow—a sluggish strike he never could have attempted if Mary hadn't yielded the first move. Though not quite on Luna’s level, both Jin and Mary possessed bodies that could be called peerless. Even so, neither could expect to emerge unscathed after a full-scale duel in a field of magic bombs.
It’s best to end this in one blow. I don’t want to see the doctors the moment I get back.
What Jin intended to unleash was the Spirit Sword 1st Form: Soul Slash.
For the past year in Laprarosa, he had practiced Soul Slash every single day. Of course, reaching the stage where he could literally sever an opponent’s soul was still a distant dream. However, through this training, Jin’s Soul Slash had clearly evolved.
He had mastered it to the point where he could use it in actual combat without having to chant the command “Cut,” and its edge had become far sharper.
Furthermore, if he were given enough time to gather his Spirit Energy while chanting, as he was now… he could produce a destructive force that would be a threat even to transcendental warriors like Luna or Vanessa.
Therefore, assuming Mary completely yielded the first move, Jin was confident he could leave her in a near-death state with a single strike.
Whirrr—
Sigmund’s pale blade began to darken, dyed in black.
Spirit Energy—Solderet’s power. Compared to the thrill I felt the moment the youngest first drew his sword, this feels… bland. No, not just bland. It’s too weak. I can’t feel anything at all.
Five seconds passed in silence. Mary didn't seem to feel any particular threat.
After another ten seconds, she was on the verge of getting annoyed. She wanted to snap at him, to ask what on earth he was doing.
Huh?
Zing!
It must have been her innate brawler’s sense. In an instant, Mary’s intuition screamed that the Spirit Energy gathering in Sigmund was dangerous.
What a strange sword. There’s no pressure at all, yet my hair is standing on end…!
Mary’s intuition had never been wrong. And right now, it was telling her one thing: if she gave him even a few more seconds, she might be taken down in a single blow.
“Hey!”
Suddenly, Mary closed the distance. In the blink of an eye, she was right in front of him, thrusting her sword straight down.
Clang!
Jin had no choice but to abandon his prepared strike and parry the attack.
“Sister, didn't you say you’d grant me the first move?”
“There’s a limit to everything, you shameless brat! I don’t know what you were trying to do, but that felt like a technique even I would’ve had trouble handling.”
“You misunderstand. How could I, who hasn’t even learned a Decisive Technique yet, possess such a skill…”
“Whatever. I’m not just going to stand here and wait for a sword that can’t even be used in a real fight.”
Mary’s eyes flashed as she followed up with a barrage of strikes. Her unpredictable yet destructive blade blurred Jin’s vision.
Tch, it didn’t work. She shouldn’t have been able to gauge the strength of the Spirit Energy. Did she sense it purely by instinct?
Jin’s Spirit Energy had currently reached the 7-star level. Spirit Energy could exert power roughly two stars higher than conventional forces like Aura or Mana. In other words, Jin could produce the destructive power of a 9-star master with Spirit Energy alone.
But the superiority of Spirit Energy didn't end there. Unlike ordinary energy, well-refined Spirit Energy lacked a “presence.” It was the same principle as a shadow having no weight, no matter how large it was.
Somehow, Mary had sensed the immense power behind that presence-less energy, forcing Jin to revise his plan.
“No, aren’t you the one who doesn’t know the meaning of limits, Sister? This isn’t a duel to the death. Who scatters bombs everywhere like this?”
“Have you never heard my old nickname?”
“The Madwoman of the Southern Continent?”
“Yes. I liked that one quite a bit. Even more than ‘Mary of the Gale,’ which is what they call me now.”
Certainly, ‘Madwoman’ suits you better.
Jin swallowed his retort and steadied his posture. Fortunately, he hadn’t completely ruled out this possibility, so no disaster like a Spirit Energy overload occurred.
Swish! Slash!
As Mary began to unleash her sword energy in earnest, Jin fell back, focusing on defense. The magic bombs were a nuisance. If he didn't properly neutralize her attacks, the bombs would go off, and even one explosion would trigger a horrific chain reaction.
“Hahaha!”
Mary let out a boisterous laugh.
The two’s Auras flashed frantically in the air. Sparks flew and shockwaves erupted every time their swords clashed. For now, those shockwaves only served to scatter the bombs further across the field. The anxiety that they could detonate at any moment sent a chill down Jin’s spine.
Mary was truly a person worthy of the name “Madwoman.”
While Jin fought defensively, maintaining a thick protective shield of Aura, Mary poured out her attacks with abandon, as if the bombs were invisible. It was as if she were hoping they would explode.
Is Mary also the type whose body is incredibly durable, like Luna’s?
Luna had been perfectly fine after undergoing the rite of passage for the Blue-Eye Stone training. Was Mary also at a level where top-grade anti-personnel magic bombs would barely leave a scratch on her bare skin?
“Hehe, hahahaha! You’re blocking well! This is killer!”
Swish, whirl, snap!
Suddenly, Mary’s sword went limp, moving like a whip. Her beloved sword, Viper, looked like an ordinary longsword, but once Aura was injected to release the blade’s internal locks, it became a “chain sword.”
The sword, which had been flying in a straight line, suddenly lengthened, segmented, and curved. The disorienting movements were incredibly difficult to follow.
Every time Jin dodged or parried, the chain sword naturally struck the ground. Chunks of rock and mounds of earth flew like torn flesh, and the bombs trembled violently, looking as if they were about to blow at any second.
An explosion was inevitable.
Crack…!
The moment a crack appeared in a bomb right at his feet, the world seemed to shift into slow motion.
Dammit.
Jin swallowed a sigh and surged his Aura. He wasn't in a position to release Spirit Energy due to the backlash from the failed Soul Slash. It would have been less of a burden if he were wearing his Black Light Armor, but that had been miserably shattered during his training in Laprarosa. He had to hold out with only his Aura shield and the Rune of Mul-ta.
If the bombs go off, Mary will take significant damage too. I just need to recover first and then—huh?
Jin’s eyes widened. He had seen it. Hidden beneath Mary’s coat was a peerless, silver-colored masterpiece of armor.
The Silver Light Armor.
That item, created at the same time as the Black Light Armor, was another masterpiece from the Minche Blacksmith Association.
Bleah.
Mary even stuck her tongue out, her expression ecstatic. She’d had no intention of fighting fairly from the start. The magic bombs hadn’t been laid out simply for the thrill.
You’re not the only one who knows how to provoke people, Youngest.
Mary gave a sweet smile, and Jin gritted his teeth. It had been a very long time since he had been so thoroughly outmaneuvered and provoked.
I never thought I’d be played like this by Mary.
In short, Jin had let his guard down.
Pop, bang! BOOM—! Rumble…!
A chain reaction of explosions began with a roar that threatened to burst his eardrums. Fitting for their purpose as “top-grade anti-personnel” weapons, the magic bombs Mary had prepared weren’t just powerful. Like the Blue-Eye Stones, their interiors were filled with sharp metal fragments.
But while the Blue-Eye Stones had their power adjusted for training, these magic bombs were the real thing.
Bang, crash! Ping! Zip!
Along with the explosions, shrapnel shot out in every direction, intent on tearing Jin to shreds.
“Urgh!”
Fragments that pierced his shield stabbed into his entire body. If not for his blessed physique, he would have been turned into mincemeat in an instant.
That wasn't all. He also had to block Mary’s renewed assault. Since she had armor protecting her vitals, she was moving much more freely.
Of course, the armor wasn't omnipotent. Shards large and small embedded themselves in her body as well, accompanied by a pain so terrible that curses naturally spilled from her lips. However, Mary was determined to trade flesh for bone, especially since her youngest brother was at a greater disadvantage.
There’s no way you’d be finished by just this. But you won’t escape serious injury. After that, I’ll take my time and break you properly!
Swish, swish!
Even amidst the explosions, the chain sword Viper rushed in without losing its momentum. Her vision was blurred, so she couldn't aim accurately for his vitals, but every now and then, Mary felt the thrilling sensation of slicing through flesh transmitted through her fingertips.
The explosions lasted for a full three minutes. After the long, powerful blasts—which would have left nothing of an ordinary person, or even a decent warrior—finally subsided, Mary exhaled raggedly and waited for the dust cloud to thin. She was looking forward to seeing her youngest brother in a total mess.
Soon, as her vision cleared, she saw Jin frozen like a statue, one knee on the ground. He was soaked in blood, his entire body a bright red as he coughed up mouthfuls of it.
Are you okay? Was I a bit too much? If you feel like you’re going to die, let’s stop here.
Mary was not the type to say such things.
Instead, she immediately coated her chain sword with fresh Aura. One never let down their guard until they were certain their opponent was completely broken.
“Sis… ter.”
At Jin’s call, Mary’s eyes sparkled once more.
“Yes, my brother! You can still go on, right!?”
Jin slowly raised his head and finished his sentence.
“I’m… going to kill you.”