Chapter 15: Auditore da Sicilia (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 15: Auditore da Sicilia (4)
Fifteen minutes remained until the duel.
I had expected the procedure to be complicated, but it went smoother than anticipated. Medea asked several times if I was sure about doing this in subspace, but seeing my resolute expression, she readily granted permission for the subspace duel. She did, however, add a warning to be careful.
Since subspace exists outside the influence of reality, there wouldn't be any direct physical trauma, but I suppose it was just her worrying. She was a woman of dual charms—acting like a child one moment and showing a mature side the next.
The rules of a subspace duel were simple. Just like the class placement exam, it was kill or be killed.
Because subspace is protected by the Academy’s blessing and remains outside the reach of physical reality, no matter what happens inside, there is no direct external injury.
Even if your flesh is torn and your bones protrude, you will never die. Of course, the mental trauma is yours to bear. Experiencing death, even in a simulation, is tied to primal terror.
‘Well, it’s fine as long as I win.’
I decided to take it easy. Worrying wasn't going to change the outcome. Besides, Chloe had even lent me an armament—a sashimi knife engraved with a rose pattern.
‘It’s a brand name, so it should be better than Daixo.’
In my other hand, I still held my Daixo sashimi knife.
The buzzing of the students reached all the way here to the training ground waiting room. I knew people loved watching a fight, but I hadn't expected the reaction to be this explosive.
It made all the effort I’d put into staying under the radar until recently feel utterly pointless.
I let out a weary sigh and scratched my head. Chloe was just staring at me, her face clouded with guilt.
She seemed to think I had gotten dragged into this because of her. I put a smile on my face to comfort her, as she had been standing beside me fidgeting for a while.
“Chloe, don't make that face. It’s not your fault.”
“…Still.”
“If you really feel bad, just make me a delicious dinner when this is over.”
Chloe only gave a small nod, her expression still shadowed. As silence threatened to settle over the waiting room again, I blurted out the first thing that came to mind.
“You looked pretty scared earlier.”
“…My brother is strong.”
“You’re plenty strong too, Chloe.”
She shook her head in denial. Her crimson lips trembled slightly.
“He is a genius with talent unparalleled in the history of the Auditore family, especially when it comes to handling hidden weapons—he has no equal within the clan. By the age of fourteen, the adults already called him the ‘Peak of Night Techniques.’ Of course, you are strong too, Geomma-kun, but my brother is an assassin with a lot of real combat experience, so…”
“…The Peak of Night Techniques, huh?”
I knew what it meant, but hearing such a phrase from a young girl felt strangely embarrassing.
I wiped my face to clear my thoughts and turned my gaze to the sashimi knives.
It was always like this.
No matter how much I tried to avoid it, I always ended up making this choice. I muttered to myself with a self-deprecating smirk.
I remembered a joke my first master in my previous life had tossed out: “You’re destined to hold a blade for the rest of your life.” Even that man probably didn't expect me to be running around with sashimi knives in my second life too.
[We will now begin the subspace pairing. Would the students involved please step out onto the training ground.]
A dry announcement, just like the one at the entrance ceremony, signaled the start of the duel. Perhaps because a subspace battle between students was rare, the atmosphere felt unusually tense.
“I’ll be back.”
“…Okay.”
Chloe’s voice trailed off weakly as she kept her head bowed. I was the one going to fight, yet she seemed far more nervous.
“Chloe.”
“Yes?”
When I called her name with conviction, Chloe reflexively looked up at me.
“There are many geniuses in the world.”
“…….”
“But in the end, I’m the one who wins.”
* * *
I stepped onto the training ground and scanned my surroundings. The massive spectator stands were packed to capacity. I was taken aback by the crowd, which looked to be nearly a thousand people.
But what really got on my nerves was the atmosphere of the arena, which unpleasantly reminded me of the Roman Colosseum.
It felt like if they didn't like the fight, they’d immediately turn their thumbs down and start booing.
‘Oh, what? They’re here too?’
Amidst the crowd, I spotted the faces of the Star Class seated in the upper sections. Rachel of the Spear Saint family, and Saki Ryozo of the Archery Saint family.
To my surprise, Abel von Nibelung and Leon von Reinhardt were also present.
‘This is getting unnecessarily pressured.’
Holding my weapons, I walked to the center of the arena and stood across from Nox. He held two sharply honed katanas in his hands. He glanced at the sashimi knives I was holding and his face contorted.
“Are you playing games with me? I suppose a lowborn can’t distinguish between bravado and arrogance.”
His face was full of distaste as he released a bloodlust so thick it felt suffocating.
‘Crazy bastard.’
I scratched the back of my neck and replied nonchalantly.
“A true master doesn't blame his tools.”
“I’ll start by cutting out that arrogant tongue of yours.”
The bloodlust Nox radiated was so malevolent it instantly silenced the rowdy atmosphere of the vast training ground.
I took a deep breath. I had known from the moment I first saw Nox that he was a powerhouse on a different level.
But now that I was facing a truly venomous Nox, a chilling sensation crawled up my spine.
The Auditore’s hereditary blessing, ‘Raven’s Blessing,’ was a top-tier stealth blessing even within the original story.
And being an assassin, he surely had a trick or two up his sleeve. Furthermore, the red-bladed katanas in his hands were undoubtedly the S-rank armaments, the ‘Crimson Ring Blades.’
While I was observing Nox, gauging him—
[Deploying subspace barrier.]
[May the Blessing of the Hero be with you.]
A purple subspace barrier expanded.
I drew my blades.
[Blessing of the Sword God is activated.]
++++++++++++++++++++++
《May the Blessing of God be with you》
++++++++++++++++++++++
* * *
The duel began, and for a few seconds, the two just stared at each other, gauging their opponent.
Without a change in expression, Nox slightly cracked his neck and dashed forward with light footsteps. The afterimage that had been visible just a moment ago drew a long red line as it closed the distance, then vanished from sight.
“What was that?”
“Did you see him?”
“Holy crap, he’s really in the Wolf Class?”
Exclamations erupted from the students watching Nox’s movement. Since most students knew nothing of the truth behind the Auditore shadow family, they had expected this to be just a duel between lower-class students.
However, the number of students who could track Nox’s high-speed movement could be counted on one hand, even among the Star Class. Most couldn't even tell what was happening. The sound of people gulping in unison could be heard.
A faint, human-shaped shadow drew a red trajectory, aiming for Kang Geomma’s back. Sensing the subtle bloodlust behind him, Kang Geomma quickly leaped upward.
Whoosh! The sound of air being sliced rang out. Immediately, a red light pursued Kang Geomma.
Clang!
A continuous series of metallic clashing sounds followed. Every time the blades met, sparks from the sword strikes flew like fireworks.
The two figures slashed at each other with unbelievable speed. Even while watching intently, they would momentarily vanish from sight.
Immediately after, the sharp sound of clashing steel struck the ears of the spectators.
Clang—! Clang—!
Several exchanges followed, each echoing with savage shockwaves.
In the next moment, Nox and Kang Geomma put about 8 to 10 meters of distance between them.
Nox was flustered. Just as Chloe had said, this guy was definitely not ordinary.
He had even used ‘Raven’s Blessing’ midway to erase his presence with the intent to utterly annihilate him, yet the boy reacted as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
‘This bastard…’
He needed to be cautious. Perhaps he had been too focused on speed alone.
Initially, he had intended to turn the boy into mincemeat, but seeing his skill, it didn't look like it would end easily.
‘I’ll take his head in a single strike.’
Nox touched his fingers to the Crimson Ring Blades in both hands, feeding them his blood.
The red swords turned even redder. The S-rank armaments and secret treasures of the Auditore, the ‘Crimson Ring Blades.’ The more blood they were fed, the sharper their cutting power became, allowing them to slice through even steel like tofu.
A hard, cold sensation met his palms. Nox let out a sneer and gripped the hilts tightly. The sensation the swords provided made him feel as if he could cut through anything.
In contrast, Kang Geomma’s weapons were kitchen knives. However, despite being clearly cheap blades, the edges in his hands were crying out with an ominous sound.
Feeling a chilling aura, Nox slightly raised his gaze to look at Kang Geomma’s face. Cold, shadowed eyes were fixed on him.
The boy let his arms hang loosely and leaned his upper body forward. An unstable posture with the center of gravity shifted forward. The cold tips of the knives were pointed toward him like the barrel of a gun.
Nox froze for a moment at the sight of Kang Geomma’s face. It felt as if his blood were freezing. An emotion he had never felt in his life enveloped him.
Creak—
Veins bulged on Kang Geomma’s forearms as he gripped the sashimi knives.
His breathing grew shallow and quiet. A thin layer of cold sweat ran down his spine.
Boom—!
Using the compressed air as a foothold, Kang Geomma launched himself like a bullet.
A single bolt of lightning was drawn across the dirt floor.
“““Huh?”””
CRASH! The thunderous sound of space being compressed and exploding echoed through the training ground a beat late. Simultaneously, Nox felt a searing heat in his left shoulder.
An arm still holding a katana fell and rolled across the floor. As his arm was severed, Nox’s red pupils constricted into circles.
Unlike the movements until now, which he could at least perceive, this time he hadn't seen a thing.
Goosebumps broke out simultaneously on the bodies of the students filling the stands.
In a situation that defied common sense, screams were caught in their throats.
Tap, tap, tap.
The sound of footsteps didn't stop. Nox turned his gaze toward the sound. But he was only chasing afterimages; the boy was nowhere to be seen.
“You— motherfucker!”
In an instant, shadows holding sashimi knives surrounded Nox, as if carving away his field of vision.
Immediately, a lightning-fast flash that couldn't be followed by the eye converged on a single point. Someone in the crowd stood with their mouth agape.
Something was happening, but no one could track it with their eyes. It was not a speed a human could possibly achieve.
Every student watching was speechless. No more exclamations or groans escaped them.
The repeatedly drawn sword paths kicked up clouds of dust. As the dust thickened, the metallic scent of blood wafted to the students' noses.
Under the heartless onslaught of slashing blades, some groaned and staggered, clutching their temples.
Squelch—
A continuous sound of life being snuffed out.
Squelch—
Spilled blood pooled into a puddle.
Squelch—
Cries mixed with screams echoed through the arena.