Chapter 54: The Banquet (9)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 54: The Banquet (9)
In truth, Vishkel was an 8-star knight, but he was publicly known as a 7-star. The gap between him and the current Jin was insurmountable.
A duel with a 7-star knight.
For Jin, this was nothing short of a windfall.
Win or lose, the duel was bound to boost his reputation. As long as he put up a respectable fight, he had much to gain.
Furthermore, experiencing the Ivliano family’s swordsmanship was a learning opportunity in itself. Their former patriarch was a powerhouse even Cyron had acknowledged, so Jin had long wanted to test himself against their style.
However...
Margiella Ivliano. What a strange woman.
Jin was acutely aware that she was enjoying this. Her justifications were nothing but lies; her only goal was to watch an interesting fight.
Or perhaps she simply enjoyed putting her brother in a difficult position. Either way, Jin didn't particularly like her.
“Sir Vishkel, you seem to cherish your sister a great deal,” Jin said, extending a hand toward the guardian knights. One of them stepped forward, respectfully placed a sword in Jin’s hand, and withdrew.
Wuuuung!
The blade instantly began to glow with a sheath of Aura.
“...You ask the obvious, Young Master Jin.”
“I also cherish my sisters. So, I hope you will keep a tighter leash on your servants’ tongues in the future.”
To refer to Bubar Gaston—a 6-star brawler—as a mere ‘servant.’
The spectators once again felt the crushing weight of the name Runcandel.
“The man you just thrashed, Bubar Gaston, is an attendant, not a servant. Did he perhaps make some mistake?”
Vishkel feigned ignorance as he asked for an explanation. The moment Jin heard the name ‘Bubar Gaston,’ his head throbbed.
It was by no means a common name. Jin had beaten the man senseless for his insolence without bothering to learn his name. To think it was the Bubar Gaston… He had to be sure.
“Did you say that man’s name is Bubar Gaston?”
“That is correct. He is merely here to assist my sister, who has some difficulty with her mobility. He is an artist, not someone who would typically attend a Runcandel banquet. Whatever happened, I am certain there was no malice intended. I hope you will be generous enough to understand.”
An artist.
There was no need for further confirmation. The Bubar that Vishkel had brought was undoubtedly the shapeshifter Jin had been searching for.
The world did not yet know that Bubar Gaston was a shapeshifter. Even the Viment Special Task Force, which was investigating transformation-related crimes, had failed to find a single clue and was now grasping at straws.
This was why Vishkel had only asked Bubar to wear a simple disguise for the banquet. Since Bubar's name wasn't widely known, Vishkel hadn't thought a pseudonym was necessary.
In fact, he had assumed no one would pay Bubar any mind, even wondering if a disguise was necessary at all.
It was a natural assumption, as he had no way of knowing that Jin was a regressor.
I should have let him introduce himself earlier. His face was different, and given the setting, I never suspected that oaf was Bubar. If I had known, I wouldn't have stopped at just that.
In his past life, Bubar had been part of the team that tried to assassinate Jin right after he left Storm Castle. He was a man who used his abilities only to sow chaos. On top of it all, he was the same bastard who had dared to call Jin his brother-in-law.
He was the kind of man who was better off dead and used as compost.
If Jin had been certain that Bubar had no connection to Vishkel Ivliano, he wouldn't have hesitated for a second to find an excuse to kill him on the spot.
Bubar Gaston and Vishkel Ivliano.
What was their relationship? Did Vishkel know Bubar was a shapeshifter?
Jin’s mind raced. In his previous life, when Bubar was caught by the Special Task Force, not a single report mentioned the Ivliano family’s involvement.
The reports had emphasized it as Bubar’s solo crime. At the time, Jin had read the articles without giving them much thought. But now, assuming Vishkel knew Bubar's true identity, that detail was jarring.
He didn't have much time to think, however. Too many eyes were watching, and his confrontation with Vishkel was still ongoing.
“...Very well. I also disciplined him under the pretext of a duel, so let’s consider the matter settled.”
“Thank you. Then, shall we begin? I look forward to this, Young Master Jin.”
“I look forward to your guidance.”
A guardian knight brought a sword to Vishkel, and the duel began.
For now, Jin cleared all questions from his mind. It would do no good to betray a change in his demeanor or reveal his suspicions after hearing Bubar’s name.
Looks like I’ll have to start investigating the Ivliano family along with the Zipples. Especially this man, Vishkel Ivliano.
Clang!
He felt it in the very first exchange.
Contrary to reports, he isn't a 7-star.
It was pure intuition. Vishkel obviously wasn't giving his all against Jin, but the trajectory of his blade was extraordinary.
It held a depth of swordsmanship comparable to his Uncle Zed. Though he couldn't explain it in detail, from the moment their swords clashed, Jin knew Vishkel had been hiding his true strength.
A few among the spectators realized this from the very first exchange as well.
“That fellow must have had a major breakthrough recently. His movements have deepened.”
“Indeed. He is worthy of being called the hope of the Ivliano family.”
The expressions of the audience turned serious.
While it was a lopsided duel born from provocation, it was also a golden opportunity to witness the swordsmanship of two great families—one displayed by the pillar of the Ivliano family, the other by the rising star of the Runcandels.
Swish!
Vishkel’s blade, moving like a whip, grazed Jin’s shoulder. It wasn't a deep cut, but droplets of blood sprayed across the floor.
Jin tried to evade the follow-up attack but was cut on the thigh as well. The bizarre trajectory drawn by Vishkel’s sword was not something the current Jin could comprehend.
“As expected, Young Master Jin is being pushed back. I know better than anyone how vile the Ivliano swordsmanship is.”
“The gap is too large. It’s 7-star versus 5-star, so it can't be helped. Still, the fact that he can parry even a few blows is impressive…”
The Ivliano family’s swordsmanship was cunning and erratic. Those who had suffered under that filthy style generally avoided fighting an Ivliano if they could help it.
“Hmph, you all know nothing. Runcandels are the type to shine even brighter in situations like this.”
If the Ivliano sword was a cunning snake, the Runcandel sword was a charging rhinoceros—one that wouldn't stop headbutting even if its horn broke.
Runcandel swordsmanship was specialized for facing enemies stronger than oneself. It was just that Runcandels were usually the stronger party, so they rarely had a chance to draw out its full potential.
Even as blood poured from his thigh and shoulder, Jin maintained a fierce offensive. The less he focused on defense, the sharper his senses became and the bolder his choices grew.
This boldness was on full display as he took a cut to his chest from Vishkel’s sword just to step forward and aim for his throat.
“Excellent, Young Master Jin!”
Vishkel shouted as he narrowly dodged Jin’s blade. Although he was facing a boy with a far lower level of mastery, the wild swordsmanship unique to the Runcandels made the hairs on his neck stand on end.
“Ugh.”
Jin let out a low groan as his attack—launched while sustaining a deep gash across his chest—ended in failure. Unlike the wounds on his shoulder or thigh, this injury critically reduced his combat effectiveness.
It was a small relief that his bones and organs were unharmed.
This reminds me of the day I fought the White Wolf Tribe.
Facing Vishkel was just as hopeless. This wasn't an opponent he could handle, even with the Runcandels’ exceptional physique and relentless swordsmanship.
In the end, defeat was inevitable.
However, for the first time in a long while, Jin felt a thrill of satisfaction that made his heart race.
It’s a clear fact that Vishkel is holding back. But it’s also a fact that I’m putting up a decent fight against him.
For now, that was enough.
Not all 8-stars were the same, and not all 5-stars were the same.
Even if every 5-star cadet in Runcandel were brought here, none could have put up such a performance against Vishkel, no matter how much he held back.
Furthermore, Jin was fighting with two of his abilities sealed.
My vision is starting to blur… but strangely, I feel like I can read Vishkel’s next attack.
He had lost too much blood.
Jin decided it was time to bring the duel to its grand finale. The moment his vision began to darken, the principles of the Mind’s Eye training he’d done with Luna suddenly clicked into place.
Jin’s posture changed.
He closed his eyes and held his sword vertically in the center of his body. It was a stance that seemed more suited for a ceremony, and the onlookers thought Jin was finished.
Vishkel thought the same. He praised Jin inwardly and, for the first time, coated his sword with a thick layer of Aura. He intended to end the duel by breaking Jin’s sword—a fitting response to the tenacity the boy had shown.
“It was a good match, Young Master Jin.”
Flash!
He lunged with the final blow, holding nothing back. The blade, glowing with the Aura of an 8-star knight, swept horizontally as Vishkel shot forward.
“Ohhh!”
Those who recognized it as one of the highest-level techniques among the Ivliano secret arts let out gasps of admiration.
Sword and body advanced at the speed of light. This was the respect Vishkel showed to the youngest Runcandel who had fought so brilliantly.
Clang!
Almost at the same instant Vishkel unleashed his technique, Jin’s vertically held sword shattered into pieces.
The Ivliano secret technique, having broken the sword, stopped a hair's breadth from Jin’s throat. If Vishkel hadn't stopped it, the blade would have cut his neck clean through.
Jin remained standing for two seconds, his eyes vacant, before collapsing to the floor.
“The winner is Sir Vishkel!”
As soon as the announcer declared the result, the waiting medical team rushed forward. The audience watched with bated breath until a moment later, when the medics signaled that Jin's life was not in danger.
Clap, clap, clap!
Applause thundered through the hall for the splendid match. The warriors, in particular, were deeply impressed by the secret technique Vishkel had displayed at the end.
However, Vishkel and a few other exceptional warriors knew that something extraordinary had almost happened just before Jin collapsed.
That last moment… what on earth was that? Did he momentarily awaken to the realm of the Heart Sword while sparring with me?
He had certainly shattered Jin’s sword. But the instant the blade broke, he felt a phantom sensation, as if something sharp had shot up from below to pierce his chin.
It was an intuition born from knowing what would have happened if his attack had been just 0.1 seconds slower.
If Jin had reacted 0.1 seconds faster, Vishkel himself would not have escaped unscathed. The vertically held sword would have surely pierced his jaw.
And Jin, already half-unconscious, would not have been able to stop his strike before it killed his opponent, as Vishkel had.
Of course, closing that 0.1-second gap was the realm of true masters.
Jin Runcandel. He is a terrifying boy.
Terrifying enough that he might become a threat when Kinzelo officially began its great undertaking.
It’s a relief he’s too young to surpass his siblings and become the Patriarch anytime soon.
Vishkel thought, sheathing his sword with a trembling hand.