Chapter 32
Chapter 32
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: Chapter 6 Dream and Bubble (2)
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Aura, magic, unique abilities.
The instant someone masters or manifests even one of them, they surpass the limits of the human race and earn the title of superhuman.
Even someone who’s only reached the 1st Circle can effortlessly take on dozens of grown men.
That’s why battles on the Crasian Continent are centered around a handful of these superhumans.
Even with the advent of the magitech era, where ordinary folk could wield powerful weapons thanks to advancing magitech, it still fell short of overshadowing the presence of superhumans.
“Still, you can’t ignore the terror that comes with numbers.”
“If you’re gonna say that, at least change your expression. It’s not convincing when you’re grinning like an idiot.”
When Sien called him out, Martin chuckled.
He then fixed his gaze ahead.
Thousands had gathered at the foot of Cheloti Mountain.
At the forefront stood two hundred Green Dragon Knights, led by Baldemar von Rustal.
It was the full might of the Rustal family assembled in one place, and its grandeur was undeniable.
In contrast, the White Dragon Knights and Golden Dragon Knights each numbered only two hundred, leaving them vastly outnumbered.
Yet the knights of the White and Golden Dragon Orders maintained their calm demeanor.
Regardless of their affiliation, they took immense pride in belonging to the Adalbert family—one of the Three Great Noble Houses, hailed as the pinnacle.
They would never cower over a mere difference in numbers. No one like that would have been selected in the first place.
“Baldemar von Rustal.”
Martin’s eyes flashed with intensity.
He could see Baldemar von Rustal’s gaze locked on him.
His expression seemed composed, but an overwhelming aura poured from his entire body.
Rage was evident.
Sien, however, scoffed.
“What a joke. He’s the one who screwed up first, so why’s he raging at us?”
“That’s what makes bad deeds shameless, right?”
“Exactly. If he had any conscience, he wouldn’t drag his forces here—he’d be on his knees begging forgiveness.”
“Never expect that from a guy like him in the first place. I’ll be back.”
“You sure you don’t want me tagging along?”
“Hmm. Appreciate the thought, but you can’t come, Sien. You can’t fly yet.”
Grit.
Sien, who’d been worrying about Martin, ground her teeth.
She swallowed her anger and replied.
“Then I’ll just have to reach the 7th Circle out of spite.”
“With your talent, you could probably do it within ten years.”
“Ten years? Five’s plenty.”
“Come on, that’s a bit...”
“Watch me. I’ll hit 7th Circle in three years, no matter what.”
Sien steeled her resolve with a fierce glare.
Martin smiled at the sight.
‘She might grow even faster than before.’
Even in his previous life, Sien had reached the 7th Circle at twenty-eight.
Slow compared to him, sure, but it was an undeniable feat. Excluding himself, scant few on the Crasian Continent’s history had become 7th Circle powerhouses in their twenties.
Martin silently cheered her on for a moment before drawing mana from the mana cores in his abdomen and head.
It gathered in his palm, and he activated Distortion of All Things to manipulate the wind.
Whirr.
A massive gust swirled around him, lifting his body into the air.
Now it was time to have a proper talk with Baldemar von Rustal.
Hum.
As Martin descended, stepping on empty air, Baldemar von Rustal activated his unique ability: spatial compression.
His body rose into the sky as well, closing the distance between them rapidly.
When they were about a hundred meters apart, they halted in unison, as if by agreement.
“Long time no see, young master.”
“Wrong title, Baldemar von Rustal. I’m not young master—I’m acting patriarch.”
“A position you claimed on your own, without anyone’s recognition?”
“The elders acknowledged it.”
“Private chatter doesn’t count. Both acting patriarch and patriarch are decided at the grand assembly. So until then, I won’t call you that.”
“Whatever. I don’t need your recognition anyway.”
“My, how rude you’ve become. Speaking so carelessly to the head of a branch family.”
“Branch family head? Was there one here? All I see is an imperial traitor.”
“Traitor...”
Martin’s barbs didn’t faze Baldemar.
If he could just subdue the man before him, he could turn his situation around.
He had to focus on achieving his goal.
Ignoring his reaction, Martin pressed on.
“You knew the Rustal family had been siphoning dungeon byproducts for generations to build slush funds, and not only did you turn a blind eye—you grew the wealth yourself. As you know, imperial law deems that treason. And treason is punishable by death alone.”
“That’s not all. Far from cutting ties with the Blood Sword Squad, you used them to assassinate me—the family’s sole direct descendant. And you’ve killed plenty of other rivals too. Once it’s revealed you attempted or committed assassinations against fellow nobles, noble law mandates execution.”
“So you’re done for, Baldemar von Rustal.”
The Rustal family faced total annihilation as well.
Martin declared it like driving in a wedge.
“We’ll see. I doubt a mere young master can pull that off.”
“Guess we’ll find out.”
“Some things you know without checking.”
“That’s just you mistaking your senility for wisdom.”
Whumm.
Martin sneered and casually flicked his right hand.
Space warped near his right side, and a sword hilt emerged. He gripped it and drew the blade smoothly.
“Know what this sword’s called?”
“Not interested.”
“It’s Kaizen. The treasured sword slumbering beneath this mountain.”
Baldemar’s face twisted the moment Martin finished speaking.
He tried to stay composed, but that line snapped his patience. The mockery was blatant.
“You’re courting death.”
“You? Kill me? In your dreams. You need me alive to be of any use, right?”
“I only need your mouth. Chop off the rest, and you’ll learn manners.”
“Not with your abilities.”
Instead of replying, Baldemar drew his sword from its sheath at his waist.
Martin straightened his stance at the sight.
Then they charged, swinging their blades at each other.
* * *
In his previous life, Martin had defeated Baldemar von Rustal once before.
But that didn’t mean he could underestimate the man’s strength.
Swordsmanship at the 4th Circle, unique ability at the 3rd.
Purely in terms of realm, they were equals.
Boom!
Golden aura blade and orange aura blade trajectories clashed, sending a powerful shockwave outward.
Trees below them snapped, and dust clouds swirled in the aftermath.
Martin ignored his surroundings.
All his senses were locked on Baldemar.
Even if he’d beaten him before, fights didn’t always end the same way.
Whirr.
The moment he sensed space distorting, Baldemar was suddenly right in his face.
It wasn’t simple teleportation.
The space between them had compressed, shortening the distance itself.
Baldemar’s signature spatial compression technique.
But he couldn’t celebrate just reading the move.
The instant the gap closed, Baldemar slashed down with his orange aura blade-wreathed sword.
The lightning-fast strike carried enough force to cleave a hill in two.
Kabloom!
Martin thrust upward with both hands gripping Kaizen, and their blades met.
Another explosion rang out, the ferocious shockwave ravaging everything around.
Yet neither Martin nor Baldemar budged or staggered.
Recoil and inertia meant nothing to spatial ability users.
They could brace themselves on fragments of space in midair.
Proving it, they swung their swords from relaxed stances.
They didn’t rely on blades alone.
Baldemar twitched his left hand.
Space around Martin warped, unleashing a barrage of powerful shockwaves.
Martin dodged with spatial translocation, as if anticipating it, and the blasts hammered Cheloti Mountain.
Boom!
A massive crater formed, splintering over ten trees. Embedded rocks shattered into countless fragments scattering everywhere.
Baldemar didn’t spare it a glance and twisted his body. Martin was already there, thrusting with full force.
But the attack failed.
Baldemar parried, deflecting Martin’s strike.
At the same time, he stepped forward with his right foot, unleashing a wedge-shaped shockwave straight at Martin’s face.
‘No one can block or dodge this at point-blank range...’
Baldemar’s expectations crumbled instantly.
The shockwave dissipated the moment it neared Martin.
It had hit Martin’s pre-deployed spatial barrier.
His sure-kill blow blocked so easily, Baldemar felt a twinge of disappointment.
But he didn’t stop moving.
He flicked his left hand again.
Krakaboom!
Space above Martin rippled, raining down trees, rocks, and countless debris like a storm.
‘A spatial barrier can’t hold back that much mass forever.’
Martin would swing his sword to fend it off.
He’d exploit the opening.
That was Baldemar’s plan as he watched Martin closely.
But his prediction was only half right.
Martin did drop the barrier, but he didn’t swing his sword.
Ignoring the debris entirely, he thrust his left hand upward.
Kabloooom!
Distortion of All Things fused with Rothair Body Technique pulverized every fragment in an instant.
And it didn’t end there.
Perfectly timed, Martin translocated right in front of Baldemar.
His golden aura blade flared brilliantly, stabbing toward Baldemar’s heart.
Bang!
Baldemar swung horizontally, countering the strike.
The real problem came next.
As Kaizen’s blade bounced upward, Martin closed in even further.
Baldemar frowned and slashed down, but Martin was faster.
Crunch.
Martin’s left palm slammed into Baldemar’s chest, a sickening sound echoing.
“Get lost!”
Baldemar endured the pain and swung desperately, but Martin easily widened the gap with translocation. He sensed the move and prepared to counterattack.
But Baldemar failed.
“Urk!”
He vomited blackened blood repeatedly.
‘What the hell...’
It was absurd.
Just one hit, and this level of internal damage?
“I’m betting that’s not all you’ve got. Everything you’ve shown so far—I can do too.”
Martin’s taunt rang out again.
Grind.
Baldemar clenched his teeth without realizing.
“You’ll regret that nonsense!”
“Nah, not with your power.”
Martin didn’t yield an inch to the end.