Chapter 109
Chapter 109
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 109
Chapter Title: Chapter 18 Noble Duty (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A pure white world where nothing could be seen.
Standing at its center, Martin looked up into the void.
Arelia von Adalbert was gazing down at him.
Swish.
She raised her right arm high.
Then she moved her hand, as if grasping something.
Next, she slowly pulled her right arm back, as though dragging something along, until it looked like she was hurling an object away.
A chill ran through Martin's entire body.
He could feel an enormous amount of mana surging into the sky.
'What crazy thing is she up to this time?'
He had already experienced a vortex that seemed ready to tear the world apart and flames that could melt the entire world.
He thought those two alone were astonishing enough, but it looked like he was mistaken.
And unfortunately, his premonition came true.
"...What the hell is that?"
A hollow laugh surfaced on Martin's face.
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa!
A rock engulfed in crimson heat was plummeting down at terrifying speed.
Its size was so immense that its diameter alone exceeded 100 meters.
"She pulled a meteor down with gravity... And she's not even a mage? Is this even possible?"
-Once you reach this realm, the distinction between magic and martial arts vanishes. Nothing they accomplish would be surprising.
"No wonder people call those who reach the 10th Circle absolute beings."
-That's about right. Anyway, cut this meteor in half. Do that, and you'll have passed the third chapter, the 'Realm of Gravity.'
"I have no idea what I'll have to face next."
-Quit your pointless grumbling. Haven't you already grasped all the necessary insights? And in such a short time, no less.
"That's only because I understood what Arelia Swordsmanship is pursuing."
-Use that brilliant talent of yours to pass.
With those words, Arelia firmly shut her mouth.
Letting out a sigh, Martin gripped the holy sword Kaizen tightly.
He lowered his stance as much as possible and bent his knees.
'The core of the third chapter is division.'
In the first chapter, he had learned to become one with immense power through the wind.
In the second, he had mastered amplifying and releasing the mighty power of flames in an instant.
The third focused on dividing and compressing that massive power through gravity to respond to various situations.
Kwaang!
The moment Martin kicked off the ground with all his strength, a crater formed beneath him, and his body shot into the air.
His speed was already incredible, but that wasn't the end.
Martin applied Distortion of All Things to manipulate gravity.
Three golden circular rings formed around his body.
'First stage.'
Kwaaaang!
The first ring exploded like a burst of mana engine combustion.
His ascending speed accelerated further, and intense frictional heat turned his body glowing red.
'It's even bigger up close.'
Just looking at the meteor made his heart sink.
If that massive lump of mass actually hit, wiping out an entire city would be child's play.
Martin maintained maximum composure and detonated the second ring.
His red-hot body was now bathed entirely in gold.
'Urgh!'
Martin swallowed a groan inwardly.
Even at half his prime strength, his body screamed in agony from the extreme speed.
Transformed into a streak of golden light, Martin charged toward the meteor.
The distance between them shrank rapidly, and judging the moment right, he unleashed the power of the third ring.
'Third stage!'
While the first two had boosted his speed, the final one was different.
The golden wave shot forward, pulverizing or deflecting everything in its path.
At the same time, he swung the holy sword Kaizen down with all his might.
Kwaaaang!
Finally, Kaizen clashed with the meteor, and Martin barely suppressed a scream.
He deflected all the aftermath—including the shock from the impact—using gravity.
Even so, he endured pain as if his entire body might explode.
The extreme heat tried relentlessly to devour him.
But Martin did not break.
"Hah!"
Using gravitational repulsion to bounce away everything that touched him, he pressed forward with double acceleration.
He swung his sword to the very end.
Kwa-kwa-kwaang!
The meteor shattered endlessly, its fragments scattering in all directions.
How much time passed like that?
Martin finally succeeded in cleaving the meteor in two.
'Done.'
Trembling with thrill and ecstasy, Martin reveled in the moment.
He had passed tests many times before, but the third was special.
The unique ability manifested only by direct imperial bloodlines: Attraction Control.
Considering the nature of unique abilities, overcoming Attraction Control itself with the Realm of Gravity was absolutely impossible.
But the mere fact that he could interfere with its activation held great meaning.
'It'll be a huge help in the coming civil war.'
Martin silently thanked Arelia inwardly.
For manifesting Distortion of All Things first.
* * *
Having expended all his power, he plummeted emptily through the air, but he didn't crash to the ground.
Arelia stepped in as if waiting, levitating him.
-Well done. You've passed the third chapter, the Realm of Gravity. And you've even succeeded in achieving extreme acceleration through division.
"Hah... hah... You're not surprised anymore?"
-Haven't I seen enough of your ridiculous talent to last a lifetime? So I've decided. From now on, no matter what you achieve, I'll just accept it.
"Haha."
Seeing Arelia's genuinely nonchalant expression, Martin laughed awkwardly.
Shaking her head at the sight, she gestured.
Martin's body glowed, and all his wounds healed.
-The outside world has dawned on New Year's morning. Does that pointless tradition still linger?
"Come on. You're the only one, Founder, who treats the 'Noble Duty' as a tradition to discard. Doesn't it justify the nobility's rule in the first place?"
Noble Duty.
At the start of each new year, lords with territories must enter dungeons to subjugate monsters.
They must descend as deep as possible, accompanied by no more than three others.
This stems from the continent's nobility originating as those who saved people from monsters—even emperors and kings must comply.
In modern times, lords saw it as a chance to prove their prowess and flaunt their prestige, approaching it competitively.
"Besides, this dungeon delve has its own little event."
-Event?
"After returning from the dungeon, we'll receive our S-rank adventurer certifications in front of the citizens."
-Don't lords qualify automatically upon reaching the required circle? And haven't you already proven your feats?
"You're right, Founder. But since it's New Year's, I thought starting it special wouldn't hurt, so I planned it."
-...Sometimes I wonder if you're really nineteen.
"I've suffered so much since childhood that I'm more mature than my peers."
-You talk a good game, even though I know that's not the whole story.
As Arelia grumbled, Martin chuckled.
Glancing at her cheeky descendant, Arelia voiced a sudden thought.
-You'll head to the capital right after the dungeon, for the Founding Festival.
"Probably. Ah, if only you had beaten the founding emperor, Founder, they would've come to us instead. What a shame."
-Want to die?
-...No, ma'am.
When Arelia turned serious, Martin immediately bowed his head.
She chuckled at the sight.
-Scared over one little joke.
"If the absolute being of the 10th Circle shoots a cold glare, anyone would react like me."
-That's not my concern. Anyway, the Founding Festival is certainly awkward for members of the three great houses.
"True enough."
Martin replied with a bitter expression.
The imperial family and the three great houses must not interfere—a ironclad rule for a thousand years.
But there's one exception: the Founding Festival.
Celebrating the founding of the Alteria Empire by the first emperor, all lords must gather in the imperial capital, Lize, on that day.
Even the heads of the three great houses.
It was an unwelcome event for them.
A reminder of their painful history of defeat.
-I wanted to win too, but what can you do? That damned monster was unbeatable.
"Both 10th Circle, weren't you?"
-True, but he was a bit more special. So be cautious when facing the Alteria imperial family. They're strong, but more than that, who knows what annoying schemes they'll pull.
"Give me an example."
-I won't plant preconceptions in you. Judge for yourself when you see them.
"Hmm. Understood."
-By the way, have you met the heads of the other three great houses?"
-...Once, when I was young. Not a great memory."
He had met the heads of the three great houses in the capital as a child.
The problem was their utter disdain for his father, the previous head, for lacking the strength befitting one.
"In truth, Father's skills fell short of not just the heads but even their heirs. Grandfather's early death played a big part, but still. Considering how shocked I was by his humiliation, Father never brought me to the Founding Festival again. Not that this time will be much different."
-It will be. You're not the head yet—just the heir, even acting as proxy. And no head of the three great houses can ignore your talent.
"True. Still, the memory is vivid. How extraordinary they are."
He couldn't gauge their power as a child.
Yet he knew they were great beings.
Having far surpassed human limits, they even evoked a sense of divinity.
-No telling when, but given the empire's current state, you'll end up fighting them too.
"Probably. I can't beat them now, but someday I'll crush them. Then future Founding Festivals will be held in Bareahein City."
-That'd be entertaining in its own way.
Arelia smiled broadly.
She genuinely approved of her descendant's bold resolve.
-Anyway, come back safe. Don't get hurt. Your body isn't just yours anymore.
"I know, so don't worry. By the way, what's the fourth chapter?"
-The final one: the 'Realm of Space.' The origin of modern Adalbert Swordsmanship.
"I'll eagerly await that day."
-I'm not thrilled. Teaching you lacks the fun.
"Saying that to my face? What if your descendant gets hurt feelings?"
-Anyone else, maybe. Not you.
"Seriously."
Martin clicked his tongue.
Then he bowed to Arelia and left the Overlord's chamber.
He had much to prepare.
'Since we're delving into the dungeon, I should make it as spectacular as possible.'
And so the new year began.