Chapter 100
Chapter 100
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 100
Chapter Title: 35: Hundred Seas (1)
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Welton Count tilted his wine glass as he spoke.
"Those Zenith Church bastards are completely cornered."
"They've been maintaining complete silence all along."
After the Upton incident, the Zenith Church had firmly locked its doors and cut off all communication with the outside world.
Such behavior was tantamount to admitting all their past misdeeds, and the world was growing even angrier at their actions.
"They'll have to make a choice soon."
"They will."
Silence was merely buying time in the end—they couldn't hold out forever.
"War or disbanding the church. They'll have to pick one."
Disbanding the church was no different from Zenith abandoning his divinity, so it was out of the question from the start.
Thus, they would choose war, and inevitably, a massive war would sweep through the world.
But it wouldn't erupt right away.
"The leader of the Seven Knights is still missing?"
"Yes, Big Brother. According to intel from 'Tigris,' he hasn't even returned to their main base."
'Tigris' was a secret intelligence organization that had long done business with the eastern nobility.
"They're speculating some accident might have befallen him."
"An accident for that monster."
Welton Count recalled Crion, Zenith's strongest sword who had gone by the alias Sablian until now.
He hadn't crossed blades with him personally, but he'd heard even Baylor couldn't stand against him.
Even accounting for differences in realm among Sword Masters, could he overwhelm like that?
'A Sword Sage could.'
He wasn't belittling Baylor's skills, but a Sword Sage on the cusp of Grand Master level might manage it.
That would mean Crion was around Sword Sage level himself.
'If he fought me.'
Hard to say.
He didn't think it'd be an easy win, nor a loss.
He'd have to clash directly to know.
"Whatever happened to that monster, it means the war will be delayed even further."
Crion was a core force of the Zenith Church.
A strategic weapon who could single-handedly shift the tide of battle.
Without him, the Zenith Church could only stamp their feet in frustration.
Hearing the count, Valle Viscount chimed in.
"They know it better than anyone. It's the war church, after all."
Zenith was the god presiding over war.
Thus, the Zenith Church bore the moniker 'war church.' They would grasp the current situation better than anyone.
"We'll keep a close watch."
"Understood. That aside."
"Hm?"
"Jamie said he's learning the sword. Why?"
He'd asked the same question right when they arrived.
The count raised the corner of his mouth and gently swirled his wine glass.
"He says he needs it."
"Jamie said that?"
"Yeah."
"Wouldn't it be better to focus on magic?"
Valle Viscount couldn't understand at all.
He was well aware of Jamie's talent.
A prodigy challenging 9th Class. Not just the kingdom's mage circles, but renowned mages worldwide were watching him.
"He showed me his resolve."
"Resolve?"
"It's a secret between father and son, so don't pry."
Welton Count spoke in jest, letting out a hearty laugh.
To ease the viscount's worries a bit, he added,
"He's not abandoning magic, so no need to fret."
"Chasing two hares at once might..."
"He showed me his resolve, so I trust him. Jamie's confident too."
Linmel Marquis's words from long ago had also reassured the count to some extent.
-Just support him materially and spiritually. He'll handle the rest.
As those words suggested, Jamie had returned from Upton with tremendous growth.
Partly due to the incidents he'd faced, but Linmel Marquis hadn't been wrong.
"So no more questions."
"Got it. But are you teaching him personally, Big Brother?"
"Me? Teaching swordsmanship to a total beginner? Absurd."
"Old man thinking."
"You little... There's an order to teaching. You don't personally intervene in your kids' training either."
"I do."
The viscount's calm face made the count clear his throat awkwardly.
"Anyway, Hamilton's handling it. Once he masters the basics, we'll teach him the family swordsmanship."
"Hamilton—Sir Leonardo, right? How's he doing?"
"It's the first time Hamilton's reacted like that."
"Like what?"
The count answered with a subtle smile instead.
They'd planned a year for basic training, but he might come to him sooner than expected.
"Sorry for the late greeting, Viscount."
At breakfast the next morning, Jamie finally greeted Valle Viscount.
He should have done so yesterday, but the adults' consideration let him finish his thousand reps.
"No matter. Learning the sword, eh?"
"Yes."
"Work hard. Great things are expected of you."
"I'll keep it in mind."
As he replied, Jamie glanced at Ash waving beside him. Brushing past her lightly, he saw a girl with her head bowed low.
Rebecca Valle. The Valle Viscountess's eldest daughter—and the reincarnation of Jane, Diablo Volpir's former lover.
She fidgeted with her hands, head down.
'What's with her?'
As Jamie tilted his head, their eyes met when she glanced up briefly.
Rebecca hurriedly bowed her head again.
Jamie frowned.
'Did I do something wrong?'
It was their first meeting since the ball.
He hadn't had time to mess up even if he wanted to.
Breakfast began like that.
Rebecca didn't say a word throughout the meal.
'What was that about?'
Rebecca's expression lingered in his mind.
She wouldn't even meet his eyes properly.
Was she actually upset about something?
'That'd be a problem.'
To reiterate, he hadn't seen her since the ball.
This morning was their first encounter in ages.
No matter how he thought about it, he couldn't figure it out.
Jamie let out a deep sigh.
"Trainee Jamie sighs in this situation?"
"N-no, sir!"
"Don't lie!"
At Hamilton's bellow, Jamie squeezed his eyes shut.
He was currently leaning against the wall in a handstand.
Sweat beaded on his forehead.
This was supposed to improve circulation. After yesterday's strain, it circulated blood through his whole body or something.
It made sense, but did it have to be like this?
His body was already back to normal thanks to the Orb of Life anyway—it was just an annoying pose for Jamie.
Still, no slacking.
"Up."
"Ugh!"
Jamie sprang to his feet.
Blood rushed to his head, turning his face beet red.
"Did you finish yesterday's thousand reps properly?"
"All the way!"
"Show me."
Jamie gripped his wooden sword confidently.
First time since waking, but he'd fully grasped the flow, not just rote repetition.
Plus, he'd reviewed footage Black recorded before bed.
A model student through and through.
"Begin."
On Hamilton's signal, Jamie unleashed the linked motions he'd repeated a thousand times yesterday.
And Hamilton was once again amazed today.
Impeccable.
No other words needed.
Jamie's movements contained not a speck of impurity.
Even repeating a thousand times, the difference between rote repetition and true understanding was vast.
Both could perform perfectly, but the former inevitably had awkward transitions.
The latter, having comprehended the motions, had no such issue.
Jamie was clearly the latter.
'Nothing to say.'
Hamilton's feelings grew complicated.
It was several steps ahead in training, and a thousand reps overwhelming for a beginner.
He'd expected great aptitude, but not this level of perfection.
'Beyond what I can teach.'
He was convinced today.
Hamilton had trained many knights before, but he felt inadequate for Jamie's shining talent.
One last thing to check before deciding.
'Just that. See that, then decide.'
Too early for a newbie, but if he nailed this too...
'He'd truly be favored by martial arts.'
Jamie, lowering his wooden sword, looked at Hamilton.
"How was it, instructor?"
Confidence shone in Jamie's eyes.
The certainty of perfection.
"Well done."
"Thank you."
A short evaluation, but Jamie was satisfied.
Training under Hamilton these past days, he'd realized the man never gave excessive praise.
So 'well done' meant exactly that.
A smile tugged at Jamie's lips, but superhuman willpower held it back.
"Today's lesson is footwork."
"Footwork?"
"Yes. Yesterday was linking motions, which included steps, but today's is different."
As mentioned, normally too soon, but Hamilton continued confidently.
"Created by the previous family head—your grandfather, trainee."
"...Grandfather?"
Jamie had only seen the previous Welton family head in portraits.
He'd passed over a decade before Jamie's birth.
The previous head was a Sword Master of renown not just in the kingdom, but worldwide.
Famous for loving duels, besting many powerhouses.
"Yes. A realization gained when he subdued Rogers, one of the Six Great Killers who terrorized the continent."
Jamie didn't know Rogers, but 'killer' implied strength.
In fact, Rogers was a Blade Master.
"He refined it for training successors, perfecting its current form. All Welton knights know it."
It could have been bloodline-exclusive, but the previous head distributed it to all knights for the family's greater prosperity.
Thanks to that, Welton knights gained fame worldwide.
"The footwork is called 'Hundred Seas'."
Hundred Seas.
A hundred oceans.
Denoting vastness.
"This is the flow of Hundred Seas."
Hamilton tapped the training ground floor twice with his foot.
Fluorescent footprints began glowing on the ground.
Not long, but chaotically dense enough to furrow brows.
Jamie narrowed his eyes, scanning them.
'This is it?'
Flashy to the point of messy.
Doubting its utility.
Even following seemed hard.
Hamilton saw Jamie's expression and nodded understandingly.
"You think it's a mess, right?"
"Honestly, yes."
"Me too, at first."
Visually, utter chaos.
But mastering it changed everything.
"Watch closely."
Hamilton took his first step.
That's when Jamie's expression changed.
'Impossible.'
Just following those messy footprints.
Yet Jamie couldn't close his mouth at the sight.
Hamilton moved like he was dancing, fluidly.
Steps that seemed sure to tangle flowed naturally, like a leisurely butterfly.
Yet fiercely when needed, cautious when excessive, boldly advancing on openings.
Above all, immense.
Mere motion, yet vast? But not the motion itself.
'Mana surges.'
Resonating with his movements, ambient mana followed Hamilton broadly, without error.
Dominating surroundings—nay, the entire space.
The Sword Master essence in 'Hundred Seas' unveiled a new world to Jamie.
The demonstration ended.
"How was..."
Hamilton tried asking Jamie's thoughts.
But he couldn't.
Jamie hadn't torn his gaze from the footprints.
Emerald eyes relentlessly traced the path Hamilton had just shown.
As if seeking the 'answer.'