Chapter 257
Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 257
Chapter Title: Part 2 Chapter 22: Sparring (3)
"Damn it. I was just getting warmed up, so why call me over now? At least tell them to come grab the sword themselves!"
Iron Lil stormed over with an angry look on his face.
He had a longsword strapped to his back that was nearly as tall as he was. It was the fine blade Jamie had mentioned.
Isis patted his short but sturdy shoulders appreciatively.
"Thanks, Lil~"
"Tch. So who's sparring with who?"
"Them."
Isis pointed to Jamie and Jin, who were stretching a short distance away.
Iron Lil furrowed his bushy caterpillar-like eyebrows.
"If it's just swords, they won't stand a chance, right?"
"Fighting a strong opponent teaches you plenty. Besides, Jamie Welton is a genius."
"Genius by human standards, maybe."
"You think so?"
Iron Lil eyed Isis uncomfortably as she flashed a sly smile, then tossed the sword to her.
Isis caught it and asked,
"Not sticking around to watch?"
"I'm busy. Promised that guy I'd make him something amazing."
"Oh ho. Finally showing off those Five Hands skills after all this time?"
"Something even better than Gram."
"Gonna surpass your ancestors, huh? That's the spirit, little guy."
"Wh-who're you calling little?!"
Iron Lil looked decades older than Isis on the outside, but in truth, she was several hundred years his senior.
She had known him since he was a newborn.
After all, the one who forged the Thunder Dragon Sword Gram was the previous generation's Five Hands master—his grandfather.
Because of that close connection, Isis and his grandfather had interacted often, so she knew plenty of Iron Lil's embarrassing childhood secrets.
Suddenly recalling those memories made Iron Lil flush with shame, and he spun around hastily.
"Damn it."
"No goodbye?"
"What goodbye? I already saw you earlier."
He grumbled as he trudged back to the forge.
To Isis, even that seemed childish and endearing, so she giggled.
"Hey, Jamie~ Catch~"
Isis tossed the longsword to Jamie mid-stretch.
He snatched it effortlessly and nodded approvingly at the pristine blade.
"Iron Lil already left?"
"Dropped off the sword and bounced."
"He could've at least said hi."
"Said he saw us earlier, so no need."
"Fair enough."
Jamie swung the sword a few times.
It was indeed a masterfully crafted weapon.
Not just the light weight—the handfeel when swinging it far surpassed Scud's.
Scud was a magic sword artifact to begin with, so as a pure blade, it wasn't exceptional.
Even so, the sensation was better than a sword he'd used for years—proof of Iron Lil's skill.
Jin, fully warmed up, stroked the hilt of his straight sword and asked Jamie,
"All stretched?"
"Yeah."
"Okay. Looks like you're both ready."
Isis stepped between them to officiate.
She began explaining the rules.
"No magic or divine powers in this spar. Mana's fine, but no Sword Master aura."
"No aura either? Well..."
"That 'well' sounds a bit offensive, you know?"
Jamie glared at Jin for the trailing remark, but Isis calmed him down.
"Don't fall for cheap provocations. And no trying to kill each other. Sparring can heat up, though, so watch it. This is pure practical exchange through combat—learn from experiencing each other's techniques firsthand. Agreed?"
"Agreed."
"Me too."
Isis nodded at their responses.
"First to surrender or incapacitated wins. I'll judge incapacity. To your positions."
The two took positions a short distance apart.
Jamie adopted a frontal slash stance based on Welton style.
Jin held a deceptively casual guard with a light grip on his sheathed sword.
Jin clearly had the edge in pure technique, but Isis sensed Jamie's potential was no joke either.
His fundamentals are solid; he just lacks experience against top tiers. And Welton swordsmanship...
Isis's lips curved subtly.
She raised her hand high and swung it down.
"Sparring starts!"
A fierce glint shot from Jin's eyes behind his mask.
His mana-activated body closed the distance to Jamie at blinding speed.
This was his favored draw sword technique before awakening to moonlight powers.
The straight sword, shimmering faintly with mana, sliced toward Jamie's throat.
A true Sword Master.
Jamie gauged the rapidly shrinking gap and thought,
Dodging will be tough.
Evading rashly would just leave him wide open for a deep cut.
Even without aura or powers, a Sword Master's experience and insight were on another level.
Tricks would be disrespectful—and potentially fatal.
He'd lose countless times in this 'round robin sparring.'
Winning even once would be a miracle.
But he had no intention of just taking hits.
This isn't that kind of round robin.
He wanted to thrash about as much as possible, testing how far his sword could reach against Sword Masters.
Jamie's eyes tinted purple.
Not black magic.
Isis had banned spells, but allowed mana.
So why not use the power that suited him best?
I learned the sword for this anyway.
Black magic fused with swordsmanship.
Iron Lil's longsword gleamed purple.
Two meters away.
A purple line slashed through the air.
Jin's eyes widened in shock.
He hastily withdrew the straight sword aimed at Jamie's neck.
He had to take erratic steps, dancing back to create distance.
Then he eyed the black line hovering right in front of Jamie's face.
It felt like a single thread strung taut in the air—dangerously so.
Had he not pulled back, the spatial rift would have snapped his sword hilt in two.
Without aura, evasion was the play.
"So this is the Welton family's secret technique, the 'Single Strike Sword.'"
He'd heard of 'Single Strike Sword' before.
A blade that cleaved space itself.
Passed down only in the Welton line, perfected forms could even slice dimensions.
Seeing it in action elicited a genuine "impressive."
But it looked slightly different from what he'd heard.
Black, right?
He'd only heard rumors, never witnessed it, but tales didn't mention space cleaving black.
Just then, Jamie turned to face him.
His eyes were purple.
"I see."
Jin grinned, amused.
"Not planning to go down easy, huh?"
Jamie reset his stance, preparing to charge.
At first, he'd planned light corrections.
But after that move, it was clear Jamie had surpassed that.
Jamie always focused on magic, so Jin hadn't paid much mind, but that strike confirmed it.
You need defeat to grow.
Round robin sparring, was it?
This circuit might propel Jamie to new heights.
And it started with him.
"How's that Sword Master wall feel? Pretty high, right?"
"Nngh."
Jamie groaned instead of answering.
Five minutes ago, the first round robin bout had ended.
It finished far quicker than expected.
Jamie's black-mana-infused Single Strike Sword had checked Jin well enough, but he couldn't keep up with the blistering speed of his swordplay.
He'd seen the movements, honestly.
Blocking them sword-only was the issue—extremely tough.
Magic would've let him dodge and counter easily, but reaching that level with sword alone was still distant.
"Figure out why you lost?"
"Experiencing it firsthand gives some insight."
The decisive gap between him and Jin.
Speed? That was amateur talk.
He'd known the speed difference upfront.
It wasn't speed that decided it.
If speed alone ruled, speedsters would dominate the world.
"Move prediction."
"Exactly."
High-level martial artists train senses more than raw body conditioning.
Simple reason: sharpened senses let you predict foes more easily.
Jamie had reached his current level by reading opponents' minds before striking.
From master class on, it became extreme—beyond powers, it was whose insight was sharper that often clinched victory.
Of course, stark skill gaps or cheat-like powers could bridge that instantly.
"You saw Jin's moves?"
"Yeah, all of them."
"His lifetime of experience dwarfs yours. Magic? He'd fold. But mage and swordsman vision differ, so you see but can't react. Admit it—you nearly cast a spell."
"Instinctively, yeah..."
"It's your nature. Sword training doesn't change that you're a mage at core. Unavoidable. But to elevate as a swordsman, hold back for now."
"Don't worry. Won't use magic even if I die."
"Don't die, then. Derails everything ahead."
"...Don't take it seriously."
"Hahaha!"
The two set off for their next opponents.
Jin's cuts weren't deep; holy power healed them fast.
A magic swordsman who self-heals, sort of.
Not quite, without spells.
"Round... robin sparring?"
Han, leisurely eating breakfast, shot Jamie a baffled look.
"You're an archmage. Why bother with swords? I remember you using one five years back, but as backup, right?"
"Quit yapping and get out here. You finished eating."
"Isis, you're serious?"
"What makes you think I'm not?"
Jamie answered.
Han scratched his cheek awkwardly and stood.
"No aura or powers."
"Using either's cheating against a non-Sword Master."
Han replied casually to Isis, but Jamie's expression soured.
Second dismissal already.
Noticing, Han waved his hands in panic.
"Whoa, didn't mean to offend."
"I know."
He knew Han meant no harm.
Still stung.
He wasn't at a level to be underestimated like this.
But he accepted it.
As a swordsman here, he was the rookie.
Compared to Frontier's warriors, he was green.
He'd wring every lesson from this round robin.
"Won't go easy."
"Do, and I'll be mad."
"Then I won't hold back."
Han drew his staff.
Still tipped with fine thread and two tinkling bells.
Come to think of it, Han's true prowess shone with his 'Phenomenon Alteration' power.
"That work?"
Jamie asked worriedly; Han double-took.
"Huh?"
"You switch weapon forms mid-fight."
"Worried about me? Isis, this for real?"
Han gaped at Isis, who barely stifled a laugh.
Only then did Jamie realize his blunder.
Han gained 'Phenomenon Alteration' post-mastery.
He'd toted that staff forever before.
Asking if his main weapon was okay? Amateur hour.
"My bad."
"Eh, kinda nice. Looks weak at a glance. But..."
Han's eyes sharpened.
"Try it yourself. It'll piss you off."
Ting~
Han had mastered Illusionary Assault long before 'Phenomenon Alteration.'
Jamie gritted his teeth against the barrage of bells raining down endlessly.
Dodging or blocking was impossible.
So what now?
Read the next move.
Two options blocked, one remained.
Charge in.
His blade tinted purple.
He'd been thrashed by Jin earlier, but the insights lingered.
Jamie hurled himself into the blinding bellstorm.
What he needed to find was...
The gap in the onslaught!
Jam that Single Strike Sword right through.