Chapter 160
Chapter 160
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 160
Chapter Title: 66. History (3)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Yuri's group had returned to Brioll.
Near the palace, the guerrilla training ground echoed with continuous owl hoots.
"Uwaaaah!"
"Kwaaaak!"
"Iyaaaak!"
They said that when Joachim was in danger, even young men who weren't knights volunteered to come here.
It had been a while since Yuri last saw the instructors.
"How's it going?"
"It's coming along well."
"Don't you think it's about time we started training Brioll's people beyond just Joachim?"
"Yes. We're already recruiting riders."
Yuri believed Brioll needed a special unit like this too.
Brioll had forests as well, and once war broke out, they'd have to fight in all sorts of ways.
With all the data they'd accumulated so far, they could now conduct more systematic and efficient training tailored to Brioll's soldiers.
"I'm counting on you."
"Yes, sir!"
Yuri smiled as he watched the new recruits crawling on the ground in the distance.
Before long, they'd be reborn as true owls, bolstering Joachim's forces.
Yuri left the guerrilla training ground and entered the palace.
He was heading to the training hall.
He had an appointment today.
"Hoo..."
Yuri arrived first and stood alone in the training hall, spinning his sword idly as he contemplated the spar ahead.
It wouldn't be easy.
Then his opponent appeared.
"You're early."
"Yeah."
It was Bernard.
Bernard had sensed Yuri's growth the moment he returned to the palace and requested a spar.
They'd once been teacher and student, but that gap no longer existed.
If he used the power of chaos gained from defeating Yalta, Yuri thought he could even beat Bernard.
"Your Highness."
"Bernard."
"It's been a long time since I started teaching you, Your Highness. You've always shown astonishing progress. You've grown steeply by attempting ideas I never imagined."
"Have I?"
"Yes."
Bernard swung his sword through the air. The motion was precise yet sharp.
"You'll need to show that astonishing side today as well."
"And if I don't?"
"You'll get hurt."
"I'll throw those words right back at you."
Bernard laughed.
"Think you can?"
"Of course."
He said it, but it wouldn't be easy. Bernard was on par with Hose. Though their styles differed.
From Yuri's perspective, Bernard was trickier.
"Shall we begin?"
"Yes."
The two raised their swords and glared at each other.
Yuri gripped Guilty tightly, curling the corners of his mouth upward.
Had he ever imagined reaching a level close to Bernard's?
In his previous life, he was an unattainable master of distant realms.
But not anymore.
Feeling the Heart-Soul Severing energy departing from his heart, Yuri took a step toward Bernard.
Even though their swords were still far from clashing, Yuri felt the hairs on his body stand on end.
The distance was clearly still wide, yet he was already in Bernard's domain.
Yuri unleashed sword aura with Heart-Soul Severing, expanding his own domain.
Their domains overlapped.
Yuri circled around Bernard, searching for an opening. But none appeared.
He truly was an incredible swordsman.
And to think his father had casually crushed someone like this and made him work for years—how much stronger must he be?
One day, could he cross swords with his father too?
Yuri grinned fiercely.
"Here I come."
With that, he charged first.
Guilty sliced through the air toward Bernard's chest. Bernard blocked lightly and counterattacked.
The clash of steel rang out several times in a short span.
"Not bad."
"You neither."
Sword aura flared atop Bernard's blade. A sign he'd go harder. Yuri responded by unleashing Heart-Soul Severing.
The two energies collided.
Yuri swept low at Bernard's legs. Bernard moved oddly, dodging and striking Yuri's shoulder with the hand gripping his sword.
"Kuk!"
If it'd been a sword, he'd have dodged, but the hand was too sudden.
Bernard shifted stance, clearly aiming to press the advantage and overwhelm him. His sword grew faster.
Yuri accelerated too.
His shoulder ached, but not enough to hinder his swings.
As Yuri clashed with Bernard, a thrill welled up in his chest.
Bernard understood the sword as deeply as he did. The exchanges of techniques and clever moves stirred his excitement.
And that meant their levels were evenly matched.
You don't feel this against someone clearly stronger or weaker.
Yuri couldn't help but laugh.
Bernard had always seemed so distant. Now, he could stand shoulder to shoulder. It was exhilarating and gratifying.
Fortunately, it seemed Bernard felt the same.
A faint smile crept onto his otherwise expressionless face.
"Your Highness."
"Yeah?"
"You've grown a lot."
"Right?"
"I was getting bored sparring Hose every day. A new opponent is refreshing."
A fitting response from the Sword Demon.
Instead of replying, Yuri created a vortex of sword aura. It was the Revolving Tempest Sword. He could now form it more skillfully, without much effort.
Bernard held his ground from afar, assuming a defensive stance.
The cogwheels hovering over Yuri's sword merged into a gale of sword aura hurtling toward Bernard.
The moment it approached, Bernard thrust like a beam of light, intercepting it.
Like a massive lump that couldn't be digested, the cogwheels ground to a halt and began collapsing on themselves.
Bernard's sword aura had neutralized the Revolving Tempest Sword.
"Ah..."
Yuri's eyes widened.
What Bernard had just done was phenomenal. It only looked like a simple thrust, but it wasn't.
He'd found the minute gap in the cogwheels, slipped his sword in, and synced its motion with the vortex in an instant—a masterful feat.
Yuri gaped in admiration.
"Impressive."
"Did you think I'd lose to you so easily?"
"Yeah."
Bernard smirked.
"That won't happen."
This time, Bernard charged. Yuri blocked.
An explosion rang out.
Yuri leaped over Bernard's leg sweep, then thrust at his throat to prevent a follow-up.
Bernard dodged. Landing, Yuri swept low again at Bernard's legs.
Bernard leaped too.
Yuri aimed for his midair vulnerability, thrusting at his abdomen.
But Bernard twisted in mid-jump, deflecting the sword, and countered with a spinning kick.
Yuri barely ducked. His hair whipped in the air.
Both the jump and kick were brilliant, but their large motions created openings.
The kick covered the jump's gap, but exposed him anew to Yuri's sword.
Yuri thrust simply.
Yet Bernard countered unexpectedly again.
He leaned into the sword instead.
The angle didn't align perfectly, leaving only a shallow cut on Bernard's body.
Bernard channeled mana into his gauntlet, batting Guilty's blade aside, landed, stepped forward, and thrust.
Two openings, both missed by Yuri. Now Bernard seized the initiative.
Yuri burst out laughing.
He'd sparred many experts, but few pulled such unforeseen moves.
When the skill gap was vast, he hadn't noticed, but now he truly appreciated Bernard's brilliance as a swordsman.
Bernard smiled faintly too.
Their blades clashed endlessly.
Yuri felt himself sinking deeper into the duel.
With Hose or others, differences in power or speed stood out over technique. But with Bernard, it was pure sword control.
Yuri said,
"Bernard. You'll have to work harder from now on."
"What do you mean?"
"I'll get stronger. If you don't hurry up and do the same, we won't have fun spars like this anymore."
"Hahaha..."
Bernard laughed.
"Can't have that."
Then Bernard tightened up even more.
His speed increased, rhythm quickening.
Yuri's eyes sharpened. Lose focus, and he'd fall behind—get hit.
To match Bernard's flow, Yuri unleashed Heart-Soul Severing fully.
"Your Highness. Show me more. This can't be all you've got."
"Yeah?"
Yuri grinned fiercely.
Then he infused his sword with the chaos power from his fight with Yalta.
Back then, he'd momentarily awakened, surpassing his limits. This was weaker, but still astonishing.
"This is..."
Bernard hesitated. He'd sensed it immediately.
"A new sword."
"Not entirely new."
Yuri was half-immersed in the soul realm.
The world's scenery shifted; senses tangled wildly. Amid it, he found chaos—capable of becoming anything.
Yuri's sword, laden with immense power, smashed down on Bernard.
A massive rupture echoed.
Eyes watched Yuri and Bernard's spar.
Moyong Chan observed from afar, arms crossed.
His disciple was truly a prodigy.
In that short time, he'd grown tremendously, reaching Bernard's level.
Such rapid progress was unprecedented even for him.
With heaven-sent talent backed by effort, this is the result.
No matter the aptitude, without effort, it's worthless.
Moyong Chan's gaze deepened.
Their duel resembled a dance.
Deeply versed in the sword, they employed acrobatic techniques, their movements beautiful.
Even he, at his realm, found it captivating.
Superb.
Suddenly, Yuri's aura changed.
An unfamiliar energy rose from his body.
Moyong Chan's eyes widened.
That is...
The sword's power surged, speed transcending limits. The random shifts across domains resembled disorder without structure—like pure chaos.
A groan escaped Moyong Chan.
The Heavenly Demon's martial arts...
Bernard began to falter.
Inevitable. Who could stay composed against such willful swordplay?
Not even Bernard could handle chaos-like swordsmanship on first encounter.
Moyong Chan watched Yuri's sword with a grim face.
Still unfamiliar with the power, its scale was diminishing.
Bernard, on the verge of defeat, rallied and restored balance.
They ended without a victor, sheathing their swords.
A splendid duel.
But Moyong Chan felt uneasy.
There was reason the Heavenly Demon's arts were shunned as heresy in the martial world.
Chaos can become anything.
If willed, even the utmost evil.
Moyong Chan closed his eyes.
Perhaps inevitable.
History repeats; a genius's realm draws another genius. Forcing it away doesn't erase it forever.
He'd never met the Heavenly Demon, but encountered his cultist followers.
Their version was crude and wicked.
But his disciple's chaos was different.
The fate granted to man.
The Heavenly Demon had reigned in absolute terror. Then the Heaven-Defying Sword Wanderer arose to stop him.
If his disciple strayed, an opponent would emerge.
Perhaps Yuri's chaos-wielding existence itself was the world's wave to thwart greater evil.
Thesis, antithesis, synthesis—thus human history repeated.
Moyong Chan simply nodded.
The waves of endless history flow relentlessly.