Chapter 18 - There is a Time to Reveal Claws
There is a Time to Reveal Claws
Translator : Elizabeth
Chapter 18. There is a Time to Reveal Claws
The heart of the North where icy eternal snow storms.
Leorel Piace, the master of the unified North, was looking down at a magic crystal ball emitting mysterious light inside his office.
The voice coming from beyond the crystal ball felt urgent, but Leorel's expression was relaxed beyond measure.
[Damn it, sorry about this.]
"Hmm, it's a pity since it was a work put into effort for quite a long time. Didn't I say not to entrust work to such trivial things."
Leorel leaned back in his chair obliquely and smiled a fishy smile.
The silhouette shimmering inside the crystal ball, a noble woman's voice rang out coldly.
[…Rumors are circulating that a person called the Mercenary King is in the North. We concluded that this failure was his doing.]
"Hoh, the Mercenary King, you say?"
[Right. The legend of the East, Mercenary King Dayrolls. If he intervened, it's not unreasonable that a hitch occurred in our plan.]
Leorel rested his chin on his hand and narrowed his eyes.
"It's a name I've heard of. Right, if it's him who is said to have the state of Master right before his eyes, those guys couldn't have done anything. But is there a reason for him to interfere with our work?"
[Just bad luck, anyway there was a formal request.]
"Hmm, bad luck, huh… I keep getting disappointed."
[…I hope you know that wasn't the only move we prepared.]
"Of course, you should. If you want to get what you want."
Leorel's tone was mixed with subtle mockery, but the woman beyond the crystal ball seemed to try hard to ignore it.
[There won't be problems on your side, right?]
"Huhu, unlike your side, this side is proceeding very steadily according to plan. The North has now completely fallen into my grasp."
[...I apologize for causing concern without you saying it in a roundabout way like that.]
"Apologize, you say. I say this because I'm a person who doesn't have much to lose even if this plan overturns. The one to regret would be your side."
A short silence flowed beyond the crystal ball.
A cool energy suppressing anger was felt.
[…I'll make sure something like this doesn't happen again.]
"Please always keep in mind that opportunities are not given many times."
Leorel cut the communication mercilessly.
Leaving the dim crystal ball behind, he slowly rose from his seat.
The snowy field of the North seen outside the window was already in his grasp.
"Twisted from the first step. Barbarians call this kind of thing warding off bad luck."
Thinking like that made his mind much more at ease.
Leorel rose from his seat and headed to the conference room.
As he opened the door, the waiting elite warriors bowed their heads in unison.
"Glory to the Great Warrior!!"
Leorel, receiving the warriors' greetings, sat on the seat of honor and recited in a low voice.
It was a voice spoken quietly, but it stuck clearly in the ears of the warriors standing riding his Master's Aura.
"The time has come. Prepare for the expedition."
"Understood!!"
The warriors' thunderous shouts filled the conference room.
Leorel stroked his chin with shining eyes.
'Now it begins. Whether the Empire or the Mercenary King, everything blocking my path will be buried under the snow of the North.'
In front of the bedroom, Arisa swung her arms vigorously and shouted at me.
"Now! Let's go, Danel! Today I'll show you a real lesson!!"
I purposefully made a troubled expression and started rolling my brain.
'Hmm... what to do...'
Only four days since realizing Aura.
Nevertheless, my ability was hanging at the edge of Novice.
Three days of life-risking actual combat, and the Trace ability raised my Aura ability faster than anyone else.
Probably no one realizes Aura this quickly compared to me.
'I do have to reveal it.'
I don't know how long the current interest will last.
Arisa will lose interest in me as soon as she beats me, and this man named Vince too.
Someday I have to reveal the fact that I can use Aura.
The problem was 'when.'
No matter how much I think….
'It is now.'
Leaving my spot before they found out anything about me was a god's move.
If I show a suddenly stronger appearance later, Vince, if not Arisa, will definitely suspect the source and track it.
But now, if I reveal 'I originally knew how to handle Aura' feigning appropriate mystery, there was a high possibility it would be dismissed as just hidden skill.
'It will become a bit tiring but... to crawl up in Ashuhalt, I have to take this much risk.'
I relaxed my expression and smiled softly at Arisa.
Since the decision was made, I had to start acting.
"I was also waiting for the spar with Lady Arisa."
"Really!? As expected, right? You missed me, right? Ahaha!"
At my words, Arisa hummed a tune as if feeling good.
I took one more step forward.
The most important thing in human relationships is this one step.
I, who dealt with various crazy guys for 10 years, knew that very well.
"Yes, of course. If not for business, I would have sparred with Lady Arisa every day."
"As expected, I like this guy!?"
I turned my gaze and looked at Vince standing with his arms crossed behind.
I asked feigning ignorance.
"By the way, is Lord Vince also coming along?"
Vince approached nodding bluntly.
"Yeah, as a brother, I want to check how strong Arisa has become. Surely you aren't uncomfortable with me being there?"
Vince's eyes were sharp.
'That wouldn't be all.'
It was eyes trying to pierce through my reality.
I smirked inwardly.
Asking when he'll follow even if I say it's uncomfortable.
But no need to speak my inner thoughts.
"No, how could that be. However…."
"However…?"
"Hmm… never mind."
"……?"
Although the suspicion of my relaxed attitude was evident, Vince nodded without saying anything outwardly.
Like that, the three of us headed to the training ground.
I was quite impressed entering the training ground.
"Oh? This… Isn't this Ice Steel Stone (Bing-Gang-Seok)?"
Vince reacted to my words.
"You know it?"
I nodded.
"Of course. It's incredibly sturdy and especially… a material that withstands most Aura."
Northern specialty Ice Steel Stone.
A special mineral unique to this place mined from mines monopolized by Ashuhalt.
It wasn't an exaggeration to say this Ice Steel Stone supported Ashuhalt's finances.
"It would be strange not to know living in the North."
'So mean….'
Where would an ordinary person see Ice Steel Stone.
Only someone like Ashuhalt thinks of making a training ground with this material.
I stood in the center of the training ground and faced Arisa.
"Are you going to use real swords today?"
When I said that to Arisa, Arisa looked at Vince.
"Ah… that… should we just use wooden swords…?"
Not Arisa's opinion.
Looking back at Vince slightly, he was already opening his mouth to nag Arisa.
"Arisa, sparring with wooden swords dulls the sense. Did you already forget what I emphasized several times?"
I could see Arisa's expression becoming troubled.
"B-But…."
A cute lady the more I see her.
She must be worried about me.
But I had no reason to refuse this offer.
I intended to show power anyway.
"Lady Arisa, we can use real swords."
Arisa opened her eyes round and asked back.
"R-Really? Are you okay…?"
I laughed and nodded.
"Yes, I'm fine. Wooden swords while sparring with Ashuhalt's direct line is absurd."
"Ab... what? I don't know difficult words well. Anyway, you mean it's okay?"
"Of course. Please use it to your heart's content. I just got used to this 'Hayang' too."
The one who reacted then was Vince.
"What…? Hayang?"
"Yes, my sword's name, is something wrong?"
Vince touched his forehead and opened his mouth as if dumbfounded.
"That has a cool name called 'Serion'. A name meaning the hard icicle of the North. Hayang… are you serious…?"
"……."
Damn it, should have asked the name when receiving.
Isn't that a much cooler name than what I named?
But I acted stubborn.
"……I like this name."
"……Do as you please."
Did I act stubborn for nothing…?
I looked regretfully at the sword called 'Serion' in the past.
'Sorry, but your name is Hayang from now on.'
Somehow the blade felt duller than before.
Just then, Arisa drew her beloved sword.
Flash—
Her thin blade reflected light and pierced my eyes.
'Hoh... the blade is extremely thin. Means it's that good of a sword.'
Considering Arisa's style emphasizing speed, that's a decent choice.
'But... not the best choice.'
Well, that's none of my business.
As we drew each other's swords, the air in the training ground pulled taut.
Arisa adjusted her grip on the sword with a confident expression.
"Hey! Since you can't use Aura, I'll face you without Aura! Okay? I like fair things."
Switching moods quickly, as expected of Arisa.
I answered smiling.
"No, you can use Aura."
Arisa's eyes grew round and big.
"What!? Hey, I know you're strong but... I'm doing this because I'm not used to controlling power. I might really kill you doing that."
"Honestly, you want to use it. I'm fine so you can use it freely. I have my own countermeasures."
Arisa flinched.
The desire to flatten my nose using Aura is earnest, but having the name Ashuhalt, she couldn't do so.
No matter how I look, she's a kind and cute lady not fitting Ashuhalt.
Her competitive spirit burning at my provocation-not-provocation was visible to the eye.
"Fine! Instead, absolutely don't die? Promised!"
"You don't have to worry."
"If you think you'll die, say surrender immediately!"
"I won't say it."
"No! Damn it! What if you die like that!?"
"Just, use it I say?"
As no conclusion was reached, Vince intervened as if interested.
"Fine. If it's dangerous, I'll intervene, so both of you try displaying your skills without regret."
There was a bone in Vince's words.
Thinking of revealing my identity at this opportunity.
'I intended to show enough anyway, so put away your worries.'
I lowered Hayang's tip downward.
And provoked Arisa beckoning with my hand.
"Come first."
Arisa smiled showing her teeth.
"Puhaha, as expected cheeky!! You told me to come first!? Here I come!!"
Arisa kicked off the ground.
Faint blue Aura wrapped the sword.
An achievement incomparable to what I saw before.
The sound cutting the wind wasn't ordinary.
'Hoh, Aura settled properly!?'
But I'm not one to be beaten obediently.
Acies Mercenary Corps' sure-hit archer Asher's high-speed movement technique, and a secretive footwork leaving not even footprints walking on piled snow.
Memories with him came to mind fresh again.
"What's the name of that, Asher? That thing moving fast 'swish-swish'."
Asher asked back to me as if surprised.
"What? You saw that?"
"Yeah, I see it."
"…Just moving, does it need a name?"
"I know Asher cares about that movement the most. You cherish it, that technique."
What Asher always emphasizes.
The saying that positioning is 90% for an archer.
So Asher always wandered finding the safest place on the battlefield, and had to run away fastest from approaching enemies.
Asher chuckled and ruffled my hair.
"This brat, now you're trying to steal even my technique?"
"Teach me."
"No."
"Cheap!"
"Adults are originally cheap, Danel brat."
His specialty stolen and learned by watching like that.
Acies Style Movement Technique - Snow Treading (Dap-Seol).
Swish—
To Arisa, my figure would look like disappearing like a shadow.
Arisa's sword cut the empty air.
"W-What!! W-Where did he go?!"
Arisa turned her body urgently, but I was already perfectly settled behind her back, in the blind spot.
Looking at Vince's expression briefly, his eyes widened in astonishment.
'Surprised when I haven't even started properly. The real thing is this.'
I didn't hesitate.
This time I pulled up Jack's technique again.
Jack's techniques were suitable for many swordsmanships showing overwhelming power.
Destructive swordsmanship designed to crush the enemy's armor and bones at once like a dog biting.
Muscles of the arms holding the sword with both hands expanded abnormally.
Overwhelming horizontal slash using the rotational force of the whole body.
Acies Style 1st Form 2nd Strike - Fang (Baek-Gyeon-A)
A sword strike stretched out to bite Arisa like the tooth of a white dog.
Vwoooom—
The sound tearing the air shook the training ground.
"!!!"
Arisa froze without even being able to react.
I could know intuitively.
If hit by this, Arisa dies.
But I didn't stop the sword.
And,
Claaang—!!
Along with a metallic sound tearing the eardrums, a giant shockwave spread out.
Pang—!
What blocked my sword wasn't Arisa.
It was Vince's sword that intruded unnoticed.
Vince pressed down the sword with one arm and glared at me fiercely as if to kill.
On Vince's sword, thick Aura incomparable to Arisa was shimmering.
"You bastard... do you intend to kill my sister?"
Vince's voice was low, but uncontrollable astonishment and anger were mixed in it.
I wore a thin smile on my lips without shedding a drop of sweat.
Vince's reaction, and the skill he showed.
Everything was within the expected range.
I rather shrugged my shoulders and said nonchalantly.
"Didn't you say you'd intervene if dangerous? Didn't you tell us to show our skills?"
Veins twitched on his forehead.
"What did you say…"