Chapter 17
Chapter 17
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: Chapter 3 Adalbert Swordsmanship (4)
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"What in the world... happened?"
Arelia von Adalbert stared at the blood-soaked Martin with a bewildered expression.
Martin could only give an awkward smile, unable to answer.
At that, she grew even angrier and raised her voice.
"I asked what you did to end up like that!"
“I secured the dragon’s vital blood. However... penetrating the barrier twice with Transcendence was certainly taxing.”
"Why would you do something so foolish! Vital blood only enhances physical abilities—it has no effect on unique abilities!"
"No need to worry. I knew that when I obtained it."
"What are you aiming for? No, before that, can you even handle the dragon’s vital blood right now? It offers superior effects, but the agony it inflicts is so excruciating it's embarrassing to compare to other vital bloods."
"Pain is something I'm accustomed to. So no need to worry."
“...A sorrowful answer.”
Arelia's gaze upon Martin was filled with pity.
Eighteen years old.
Even if he had just become an adult, that didn't change the fact that he was still young.
Yet he spoke of pain so casually— she couldn't even begin to imagine what kind of life he must have lived.
In the end, Arelia gave up on trying to dissuade her descendant.
“I promise. This will be the last time I disappoint you like this, Ancestor.”
With those calm words, Martin uncorked the vial.
A faint glow rose from the vital blood, yet there was no trace of the fishy metallic scent typical of blood.
He gulped it down vigorously.
Crunch!
In that instant, immense pain swallowed his body whole.
His relatively fragile ribs snapped in a flash, and his muscles swelled and deflated repeatedly.
The mana circuits within his body were wrung out like a rag, compressing his organs in the process and intensifying the torment.
The agony was so overwhelming that not even a scream could escape, and he collapsed face-down on the floor.
Even amid this, Martin desperately fought to maintain consciousness.
‘If I pass out here, it's over!’
The pain he was enduring now meant his body was being strengthened.
But if he lost consciousness, the vital blood would rampage wildly, and he would lose his life.
He had gone to the trouble of returning to the past—he couldn't succumb to mere pain like this.
He endured the agony desperately for what felt like an eternity.
‘Ugh... how much longer...’
Just as he thought he might truly black out.
The pain began to subside gradually.
"Haa... haa..."
"You managed to survive, somehow."
"F-For the family's sake... I absolutely... c-can't die."
After barely managing a reply, Martin used his scabbard as a crutch to rise to his feet.
His entire body felt devoid of strength, and his limbs trembled uncontrollably. He could collapse at any moment.
Yet he was satisfied.
‘Success.’
His bones and mana circuits had toughened. His muscles and skin had grown tougher. Even the internal injuries that had wrecked his body had healed back to normal.
His wounds had been mended in the midst of the physical enhancement.
"I still don't understand why you did this. It's not like this will let you wield the Space Sword."
"Vital blood is merely the beginning. There's still one more thing left to do."
"What are you planning now? I'm starting to get scared."
"You'll see."
With those words, Martin hung the scabbard at his waist.
He then closed his eyes and circulated his mana.
But there was one difference from before: this time, he drew mana from both the mana core in his abdomen and the one in his head.
‘The effects are truly top-notch.’
He still felt the pain.
Yet compared to before, it was bearable. Now, all that remained was to advance to the next stage.
‘I strengthen the mana core in my head.’
When he had been called the Sword Saint, his swordsmanship had ultimately reached the 5th circle.
In contrast, his unique ability had stalled at the 3rd circle.
Its late manifestation meant that no matter how much he trained, growth was inevitably slow.
‘I can't aim for swordsmanship growth for a while, but my unique ability is a different story.’
To reach the final realm of swordsmanship, the 5th circle, he needed a far sturdier body than he had now.
But his unique ability could reach its peak without issue.
He was confident he could handle the 3rd circle at his current level.
‘Go.’
Martin's will activated.
In response, the mana in his body swirled ferociously and surged entirely toward his head.
To forge a new ring.
"You madman!"
Arelia realized his intent and cried out in shock.
But there was only one thing she could do: watch over her descendant.
It was true that as the first family head's avatar, she possessed power rivaling the original body. Even as a soul, she could exert some influence on the physical world.
Yet she couldn't touch Martin.
"I'll make you pay once this is over."
Arelia ground her teeth.
Interfering rashly could endanger his life.
"Haa... how did we end up with such a reckless descendant."
Arelia sighed deeply.
From one to ten, this descendant moved in ways utterly contrary to her expectations, giving her a headache.
Even amid this, Martin focused solely on circulating his mana.
Drip.
Dark red blood trickled from his eyes, nose, mouth, ears—every orifice of his body.
Yet he didn't stop.
He was operating his mana unconsciously.
His consciousness had reached the enlightenment that had once guided him to become the Sword Saint.
‘I forget everything.’
The final enlightenment he had attained.
People always think.
Even in sleep, they dream. In that process, all sorts of stray thoughts and worries arise, clouding everything.
‘Tormented by pain, I truly thought of every conceivable thing.’
He had even attempted suicide multiple times.
The sole reason he clung to life was to somehow carry on the Adalbert family.
After that, unnecessary thoughts and burdens gradually faded away. In the end, he could even briefly forget his determination to protect the family.
‘My will, my heart acts freely. By embracing infinite freedom, I liberate myself completely from all bindings.’
The original enlightenment elevated Martin's soul and body once more to greater heights.
Flash!
Golden light erupted from Martin's body.
The radiant glow enveloped his entire form, and he surrendered himself to the massive flow of mana.
* * *
"Ungh."
"You madman."
As Martin arduously opened his eyes, Arelia's curse pierced his ears.
She made no effort to hide her incredulous expression.
Over a thousand years, she had met many direct descendants, including some she herself considered quite extreme.
But the one before her was the pinnacle among those madmen.
"Haha... but it succeeded, didn't it?"
He could feel it clearly.
The three rings embedded in the mana core in his head.
All Things Distortion had properly reached the 3rd circle.
In other words, he was one step closer to his prime.
The changes didn't end there.
Impurities accumulated throughout his body had vanished completely, purifying his mana circuits. As a result, the speed of mana flow had increased dramatically.
His physical abilities had strengthened as well.
The changes weren't as drastic since he had already consumed the vital blood, but the improvements were distinctly felt.
Yet Arelia still scolded him with a dissatisfied expression.
"You got lucky. Anyone else would have died several times over! Awakening through enlightenment is the natural order! Don't you know what happens to those who force it!"
"Hmm. It wasn't forced."
"It wasn't?"
"When my swordsmanship reached the 4th circle, I gained enlightenment related to my unique ability as well. But I deliberately ignored it because my body couldn't handle it."
“...And you shelved it to use for this awakening?”
"Yes."
"That shouldn't be possible..."
Arelia trailed off but couldn't press further.
By her common sense, it was impossible.
But she couldn't deny what had plainly happened before her eyes.
With a sigh, she reached a conclusion.
She would give up trying to understand Martin's talent.
"Reaching the 7th circle at just 18 was already absurd."
What kind of realm was the 7th circle?
Anywhere on the Krasian continent, one would be hailed as a powerhouse.
Even limiting it to the Alteria Empire, it was more than enough to rank in the top 100, and only at this level could one receive or maintain a count's title.
He had attained such an extraordinary realm at merely 18. Even accounting for the Dragon's Curse, it was hard to comprehend.
Martin smiled, feeling the surging power.
‘Now I can clash head-on with the elders or the branch family heads.’
Only the heads of the Egret and Gustin families were 8th circle; the rest were all 7th circle powerhouses.
In terms of specs alone, he was now their equal.
Moreover, he had the enlightenment and experience accumulated as the Sword Saint.
No matter who he faced, he was confident he could defeat them in a one-on-one fight. Even without that, reaching this realm alone allowed him to keep the traitors in check.
"I do have one concern."
"What is it?"
"In this short time, you've brushed death multiple times. No matter how much of a limited lifespan you have, you shouldn't treat your life so carelessly."
"It was a situation where I had to master the Space Sword quickly. I had no choice but to push myself. I know pain hurts, and I value my life. There won't be any more incidents like this."
Martin replied with a smile.
Arelia shook her head slowly.
His strength, unbecoming of his age, was astonishing enough, but his mature attitude toward her was equally so.
Knowing the reason, Arelia chose not to press further.
But there was one thing she absolutely had to ask.
"I'm grateful you're fighting to the end for the family. But why go to such lengths? If you just abandon the family, you wouldn't have to bear this heavy burden. Your health would improve too."
"That does seem likely. Less stress, after all."
"You know that, yet you choose to fight for the family. Even burning yourself out in the process. I'm curious about your reason. Is it because other nobles discriminate against you?"
"I can't say it's not part of it. But that's not the whole story."
"Then what?"
"The traitors are grateful to me. Thanks to me, they've gone beyond dreaming of independence to actually coveting the Adalbert seat."
"It's no surprise they'd harbor such thoughts with an incompetent born as direct lineage."
"That's inevitable, sure. It happens in the Empire and every other nation. But for some reason, I just don't want to accept it quietly. No, I want to crush their dreams and hopes completely with a solid blow. I'm also curious what faces the traitors will make when faced with that reality."
"What a nasty personality you have."
"The branch families persist only thanks to the mercy of past family heads. The elders sit in their positions because the head allowed it. I'll show those who turn their backs on that grace the price of betrayal—how ruthless it can be."
Martin added one more thing.
That his efforts to learn the Space Sword were to gain authority as family head.
"I understand the situation. But never do this again. Your lifespan may be short, but your talent is unparalleled. You don't need such reckless attempts—you'll grow stronger faster than others anyway."
"Thank you for the kind words."
"You're agreeing so readily that it makes me doubt you instead. Whatever. Try unleashing the Space Sword again. Even at 3rd circle, I have a feeling you can do it this time."
"Amazing. I feel confident this time too."
Arelia had said he could wield the Space Sword once All Things Distortion reached the 4th circle.
Yet his own All Things Distortion was currently at the 3rd circle.
Even so, Martin brimmed with confidence.
His intuition told him as much.
This time, he would definitely succeed.
Hum.
Immense mana surged from the four rings in the mana core in his abdomen and the newly forged three rings in the mana core in his head.
It all poured into the sword, enveloping the blade in radiant golden aura.
Then, Martin activated All Things Distortion.