Chapter 42
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 42
Chapter Title: Imprint
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I can say this with certainty because I'm the one who created the Traits in the novel. The Sichuan Tang Clan is a ridiculously overpowered Trait that doesn't fall short even when compared to the protagonist's.
With hidden weapons and poisons that could dominate swordsmanship, I didn't want to waste time on the sword.
"Sorry about this, but I'll just give it a quick skim."
I planned to glance through it out of courtesy and pretend to have read it for the Marquis. My mind was currently preoccupied with testing my newly acquired Evolved Bone Powder.
"Krasis Kingdom Basic Swordsmanship. The author is Kabol."
I opened the book to the middle. To my surprise, it contained realistic illustrations that looked like they could leap off the page, with detailed explanations of the stances written below.
"They're really well drawn."
I had just finished looking at the illustration and explanation on the page titled "Krasis Kingdom Basic Swordsmanship, Chapter 5: Dragon Claw Stance ()" and was about to close the book.
The Heavenly Eye, subordinate to the Creator's Eye, imprints Krasis Kingdom Basic Swordsmanship, Chapter 5: Dragon Claw Stance.
Due to the Trait, Heavenly Martial Body, you can now reproduce the Dragon Claw Stance.
"Huh?"
Seeing the message pop up before my eyes, my hand went limp and I dropped the book.
"What is this now..."
I had only seen the illustration and read the description, but I felt as if I could perfectly replicate the sword path called the Dragon Claw Stance from the page I'd just read.
"No way..."
I turned to the next page. It was titled "Dragon Claw Stance, First Variation Sword." Just like before, I slowly read the explanation below the illustration.
The Heavenly Eye, subordinate to the Creator's Eye, imprints Krasis Kingdom Basic Swordsmanship, Chapter 5: Dragon Claw Stance, First Variation Sword.
Due to the Trait, Heavenly Martial Body, you can now reproduce the Dragon Claw Stance, First Variation Sword.
"Is this for real..."
Stunned by this overpowered ability to learn swordsmanship just by reading a book, I stood there with my mouth agape before snapping back to my senses. If this was real...
"This is no time to be standing around."
"Alright then, shall we begin?"
I asked the Marquis and brought five swordsmanship books from his study to my room. The Marquis, delighted that I had taken an interest, lent them to me with a beaming smile.
"I should start with the book I was looking at."
I immediately sat at my desk and opened the kingdom's basic swordsmanship manual. I read the entire thing in one sitting, from Chapter 1's basic stance, the Upright Man Stance (), to Chapter 18's counter stance, the Tiger Vortex Stance ().
"This is taking longer than I thought."
The swordsmanship manual seemed short with only 18 chapters, but since each chapter included applied techniques, it actually contained a lot more content.
After imprinting all of its contents, I closed the book, and a message window appeared.
You have fully mastered Krasis Kingdom Basic Swordsmanship.
Krasis Kingdom Basic Swordsmanship is now subordinate to the Trait, Sword Seal.
The experience of the Trait, Sword Seal, increases by 10.
"So the swordsmanship gets absorbed into Sword Seal."
The message about the kingdom's basic swordsmanship becoming subordinate to Sword Seal seemed to mean that any swordsmanship I learn from now on will be integrated into it.
"I'll know for sure if I read another book. But before that..."
There was something I had to test before I continued reading. Whether I had truly grasped the essence of the kingdom's swordsmanship.
"Agnes."
What?
"Turn into a sword for me."
Huh? I thought you didn't use a sword because you have zero talent for it? What's the occasion?
"Just shut up and transform."
Hmph.
Agnes grumbled but transformed into the ideal sword I pictured in my mind.
"Hoo..."
After taking a deep breath, I got into position, holding the sword's guard at waist level. I held the basic stance from Chapter 1 for ten seconds, then transitioned to Chapter 2, swinging the sword in a wide arc from above my head downward.
Fwoosh!
A thrilling sensation, different from anything I'd felt before, coursed through my entire body.
How to imbue the sword with intent, how to channel my internal energy, even which muscles to move. I understood everything about Krasis Kingdom swordsmanship.
Hwing!
Hwoong!
My swings exuded the proficiency of someone who had trained with the sword for decades, and my posture was as flawless as a textbook illustration, without a single error.
By reading just one book, I had perfectly executed the Krasis Kingdom Basic Swordsmanship.
"Hah..."
Hey!
Just as I was savoring the satisfaction of completing the forms, Agnes's booming shout echoed.
"What?"
You, you, you! What in the world did you just do!
"What about it?"
I feigned ignorance, replying casually.
No, I mean, how did this happen! I know your body is special and you can copy other people's stances. But that was all it was!
Agnes was referring to the Heavenly Martial Body's ability to mimic another person's stance or technique after seeing it once.
You could only copy the form (), but how are you imbuing it with intent ()! This is impossible!
Agnes was so shocked that she was raising her voice to the point where her cute tone was cracking.
You're really weird!
Agnes began to emit a light. She was scanning my abilities.
N-No way, you suddenly developed a talent for the sword?
"Jeez, it's not impossible to develop a talent. Why are you making such a fuss?"
That's what's impossible! Someone with a talent level of 1 can grow to become a 2, but you were a complete 0! This is like a flower blooming without any seeds being planted!
Seeing Agnes's reaction, I was certain. I could now wield a sword that carried intent, the will, not just an empty shell.
What are you, really?
"Yuren Lox."
Kgh!
"Hahaha!"
I now understood what had happened to me.
By acquiring the Trait, Sword Seal, I had gained a talent for the sword, and that talent was now connected to the Heavenly Eye, which was subordinate to the Creator's Eye.
That cheat of an eye, the Heavenly Eye, drilled the true essence of swordsmanship into my head just from illustrations and text, and that cheat of a body, the Heavenly Martial Body, reproduced it perfectly.
"Kukuku!"
Even your laugh has turned sinister.
An uncontrollable laugh burst out of me at this unbelievable combination of fate and coincidence.
"Next up, let's see... Rockvelm Swordsmanship? No author listed..."
I opened the book titled Rockvelm Swordsmanship. Judging by the illustrations and descriptions, the quality seemed significantly lower than the kingdom's basic swordsmanship manual I had just read.
"Hm?"
I looked over all the stances on one page, but no message appeared.
"Why isn't it working?"
I read the next page, but still, no status window appeared.
"Are there some books that work and some that don't?"
Although no messages appeared, I decided to read Rockvelm Swordsmanship from beginning to end as a test.
The experience of the Trait, Sword Seal, increases by 0.01.
"What! The experience gain is a thousand times different!"
Just like with the Krasis Kingdom manual, I gained experience, but the difference was enormous. 10 versus 0.01.
"Tch, next book."
I tossed the Rockvelm manual aside and picked up another book I had brought from the Marquis.
"This one isn't working either."
The third book also failed to produce any messages about the stances. After I finished it, an experience message appeared.
The experience of the Trait, Sword Seal, increases by 0.02.
"Sigh, of course. It would be too broken if they all worked."
The difference in experience was too great, and the stances weren't being imprinted. I figured it was either a difference in the quality of the books or the author.
"In that case, I need to find books by Kabol."
Meticulously reading a swordsmanship manual just to raise Sword Seal's experience by 0.01 was a waste of time. I headed to the library to find more books by Kabol, the author of the first one.
Pfft!
The librarian, who was relaxing with his feet on the desk while sipping tea, saw me and spat it out.
"G-Greetings!"
"Wow, taking it easy, are we?"
"Kgh, my apologies!"
With the festival going on, there was no one using the library, so he must have been making himself comfortable as if it were his own living room.
"I-I'm truly sorr"
"Enough. Where are the swordsmanship books?"
"This way, sir."
The librarian led me, his shoulders trembling.
Being a family of knights, there were probably few who used the library, but it was built quite large, likely for the sake of the Marquis House's prestige. The building's design seemed more for show than for reading.
"These are the swordsmanship manuals."
"Alright, find me all the books here written by Kabol."
"Understood."
"I'll check this side, you take the left."
"I can search by myself, sir."
"I don't want to waste time, so I'll help."
I searched the entire bookshelf in front of me but couldn't even find a hint of Kabol's name.
"Hah..."
Just in case, I opened a swordsmanship manual right in front of me, but as expected, no message appeared.
"Could this be it?"
The librarian approached with a book in his hand.
"I've searched everywhere, and this is the only one. Robel Kingdom Basic Swordsmanship. Is the author Kabol correct?"
"Robel Kingdom?"
"It's gone now. It's a kingdom that fell long ago."
"Is that so? Anyway, thanks."
"Not at all. Please call me anytime if you need anything else."
I nodded to the librarian and immediately opened the book. The illustrations and handwriting were the same as in the Krasis Kingdom manual.
"I hope my guess is right."
I could feel my heart pounding with anticipation.
As soon as I finished reading Chapter 1, the basic stance, Roen, a window appeared before my eyes again.
The Heavenly Eye, subordinate to the Creator's Eye, imprints Robel Kingdom Basic Swordsmanship, Chapter 1: Roen.
Due to the Trait, Heavenly Martial Body, you can now immediately reproduce Roen.
"I knew it! Only Kabol's books work!"
I became curious about who this Kabol was to have created such an unbelievable book.
"I'll think about it later. For now, I'll read."
I buried my head in the book again. The Robel Kingdom Basic Swordsmanship also had 18 chapters, so a considerable amount of time passed by the time I finished it.
Flip.
As I turned the last page of the book, a new window appeared.
You have fully mastered Robel Kingdom Basic Swordsmanship.
Robel Kingdom Basic Swordsmanship is now subordinate to the Trait, Sword Seal.
Through the Trait, Sword Seal, the divided Krasis Kingdom Basic Swordsmanship and Robel Kingdom Basic Swordsmanship are now merged into a single sword.
The Incomplete () Imperial Sword () has been created.
Forgotten Imperial Sword 218
The Incomplete Imperial Sword is now subordinate to the Trait, Sword Seal.
The experience of the Trait, Sword Seal, increases by 15.
"The Incomplete Imperial Sword! Why is this showing up!"
This is the swordsmanship that crazy bastard uses!
I searched the library for more of Kabol's books but couldn't find any, so I went to see the Marquis again.
"Good, you're here. You should show your face at the festival, too."
The Marquis was putting on his outer coat, seemingly about to head to the festival.
"Do you happen to know about a person named Kabol?"
"Kabol? You mean the author of that book?"
"Yes."
"He's not Huraken, who wrote the standard text on swordsmanship. I don't know enough to recognize authors of other books."
The Marquis thought it was a good book, but that was all.
"Then where did you find these books?"
"Just like the Robel Kingdom manual you're holding, I found it in the library."
If the Marquis knew the true value of this book, he would never have left it in the library. In this world, only I could understand its real worth.
"I found it when I was hiding in the library to avoid work. Hehe."
"Then..."
"It might have been here since your grandfather's time, or maybe even earlier. As you can see, it's quite an old book."
That means no one knows why the book is here. I would have to find out for myself.
"Yuren, think about the book later. Let's go for now."
"Huh?"
"You're the hero of this expedition. The people at the festival are waiting for you."
"Ah, yes."
I followed the Marquis to the festival grounds. It was already in full swing, as I could hear the clamor from a distance.
"The Marquis and the Grand Prince have arrived!"
"Waaaaah!"
"Lord Marquis!"
"Lox! Lox!"
"Grand Prince Yuren!"
When the Marquis and I appeared, all the soldiers stood up and chanted the Lox name. They must have heard that the festival was being funded by the money from selling the Sea Serpent, because my name was being called even more than the Marquis's.
"Thank you, Grand Prince Yuren!"
"Sharkrai King Slayer! Sea Serpent Slayer! Yuren!"
Speaking of which, "Slayer," huh? It seems I've earned a new title in the meantime.
"Hm?"
As I was looking around at the people enjoying the festival with a sense of pride, someone caught my eye. While everyone else was heading toward the festival grounds, he was moving in the opposite direction.
"That person is..."
For some reason, I had a feeling that person might know something about the book. I followed him as he walked toward the garden with a large pair of shears and spoke to him.
"Excuse me, could I have a word with you?"