Chapter 42
Chapter 42
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 42
Chapter Title: Rift (4)
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Martin took one step forward.
At that moment, space warped, and his body vanished.
But Christian didn't panic even after seeing it.
He calmly twisted the blue flames like spiderwebs, spreading them in all directions.
‘He couldn't have gone far anyway, not after drawing his sword.’
Christian was certain.
Martin wouldn't attack from a distance.
The reason was simple.
Unless there was a difference in skill, they had reached the same realm.
It was impossible to settle the fight with ranged attacks alone.
Christian's prediction came true.
Wooong.
Martin appeared right behind Christian.
He had successfully pulled his opponent into his attack range in one breath.
Seizing the opportunity, Martin thrust his prized sword, Kaizen.
A golden flash shot out like an arrow, aiming for Christian's back.
But Christian, who was already prepared, twisted his body.
Kwaang!
Christian's greatsword clashed with the prized sword Kaizen.
A deafening explosion rang out, filling the surroundings with pure white light.
Shards from the shattered Aurablade scattered like embers.
“Haap!”
Kwang!
Christian stomped the ground hard with his left foot and swung his greatsword.
Blue flames mingled with the Aurablade wrapped around the blade, blooming into a brilliant light.
Immense heat poured from the blade in response.
‘Kuh!’
Martin's face twisted.
Just clashing blades made it feel like his hands gripping the hilt would melt.
Moreover, the extreme heat maximized the Aurablade's cutting power.
The blue Aurablade slowly but surely bored into Martin's golden Aurablade.
“Haap!”
Martin shouted, drawing up mana, and the golden Aurablade's light grew brighter.
Christian's Aurablade could no longer penetrate Martin's.
‘Now!’
Martin swiftly withdrew his sword, twisted his body, and swung with all his might.
Kwaaang!
This time, Christian's Aurablade wavered.
It was Martin's space-cutting strike, Space Slash.
He had regained the initiative, but Martin didn't rejoice.
‘As expected of a 7th Circle powerhouse.’
He had known from the subspatial flames that he could manipulate space to some degree.
He just hadn't realized he could block Space Slash so perfectly.
“The blade heated to its limits can even sever space! You'd better give up on crushing us with your abilities.”
“I never planned to from the start.”
Christian shouted confidently.
Martin replied softly and swung his sword.
Golden trajectories and blue ones charged ferociously, as if devouring each other.
Light flashed endlessly, and the shockwaves turned into a storm, tearing up the surroundings.
At the center of destruction, Martin swung Kaizen in circles.
Each golden arc embroidered in the air dissipated the shock climbing the blade, twisting the greatsword's path.
Not content with that, Martin used the force to press Christian.
But the real key was elsewhere.
‘I need to read him.’
Martin's black eyes gleamed intensely.
He had already defeated Valdemaar von Rustal, a 7th Circle expert, but past experience facing him multiple times before his regression played a big role.
The opponent before him was different.
This was the first time clashing swords directly.
To win smoothly, he had to read him clearly.
The flow created by the man called Fire Dragon Sword.
‘One mistake, and I'll be cleaned out.’
Christian saw through Martin's intent and smiled bitterly.
He could feel the opponent's responses changing with each exchange.
He had heard tales of overwhelming swordsmanship talent unmatched even in Krasian Continent history, but facing it firsthand surpassed imagination.
‘Still, I can't lose.’
He too had been called a genius since childhood.
Though he couldn't prevent his family's downfall, he had grown enough with his talent to aim for revival.
For his pride, he had to win.
Thus, Christian resolved.
To show why the Adventurer's Guild gave him the moniker Fire Dragon Sword.
“Haaap!”
Christian bellowed a mighty shout.
He swung his greatsword gripped in both hands downward with force, like wielding an axe.
Martin twisted Kaizen to deflect the attack as much as possible, but this time he failed.
Kwaaaang!
The moment the blue Aurablade touched the golden one, an eruption of flames exploded.
The blue flames swelled instantly, swallowing Martin.
But Christian didn't relax.
‘It was blocked.’
The blaze had clearly hit Martin.
Yet it felt like striking not a man, but a solid wall.
Woooong!
A black rift appeared amid the blue flames.
It sucked in the flames entirely with powerful suction, and Martin emerged afterward.
His face was slightly pale, but that was it.
Not even a scorch mark—Martin was unscathed.
‘To take zero damage like this.’
But Christian just clicked his tongue, not disappointed.
His heart pounded even harder.
“Going again!”
No sooner had he spoken than Christian swept his greatsword horizontally.
The blue Aurablade fused with flames detached from the blade and flew straight at Martin.
Martin was genuinely surprised.
The Aurablade and flames writhed, transforming into a massive true dragon.
‘So that's why they call him Fire Dragon Sword.’
He finally understood the reason.
Not that it was time to admire it.
As the distance closed, the true dragon opened its maw wide.
Flash!
A heat ray like a real dragon's breath shot out, melting everything it touched.
The bubbling ground evoked lava, flames spread everywhere, and the temperature soared rapidly.
Even more absurd, the fire dragon began firing heat rays wildly.
He couldn't focus only on that.
“Urraat!”
Christian was relentlessly attacking without pause.
‘To move separately like this.’
Controlling the true dragon while moving himself—it had turned into a 2-on-1 in the blink of an eye.
Truly astonishing technique.
But that didn't mean Martin was at a disadvantage.
Martin slightly lifted his left foot, then set it down.
Shieek!
Almost simultaneously, Christian's greatsword charged, slicing empty air futilely.
The fire dragon's heat ray did the same.
Martin hadn't dodged.
The Martin who had been right in front was now over 30 meters away.
“I heard it's impossible to shift a ability user's position from range. Did I get that wrong?”
“There are a few exceptions, but basically yes. I didn't actually use spatial leap.”
“Then it's another technique...”
“You nailed it.”
The Rustal family's unique ability, spatial compression.
Martin applied it in reverse to expand space, instantly widening the gap with his opponent.
“Figure out the rest yourself. No reason to reveal secrets to you when you're not my retainer yet.”
“As the young head of one of the Empire's three great noble houses, that's pretty stingy.”
“Then beat me.”
“You really know how to fire someone up.”
Christian shook his head, grumbling.
“That's basic. But it won't come to that.”
Martin smiled faintly.
Then he plunged his Aurablade-wrapped sword into space.
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwang!
Beams of light poured from the Aurablade, forming a perfect cube.
Space Sword.
The technique symbolizing Adalbert unfolded in that instant.
Martin, Christian, and even his fire dragon were all trapped inside.
“I don't know what technique it is, but brute force will shatter it.”
“Who knows if you can even attack first.”
Martin barely swung the now-heavy hilt once, with great effort.
That alone sufficed.
Chwaaak!
The translucent Aurablade light scattered, all turning to blades that mercilessly shredded the fire dragon.
3 seconds.
The time it took for the massive fire dragon to vanish.
‘Worth testing it out.’
Martin smiled at his creation.
He had poured all his insights from comprehending the wind barrier through sword strikes, and the effect was excellent.
“Wh-what?!”
The fire dragon's explosion's aftermath hit Christian directly.
Mana backflow churned his insides, making him vomit blood.
But dominating Christian's mind wasn't the intense pain—it was genuine shock.
‘The fire dragon lost?’
The fire dragon was more than his family's symbol; it was their guardian deity.
That's why, even after the family's fall, he took pride in his bloodline and aimed for revival.
The source of his pride—that fire dragon.
Shattered so easily.
Martin wasn't unscathed either.
Breaking the fire dragon had expended massive mana at once, resulting in internal injuries.
“You know, Christian Haberz? You reeked of only fighting monsters. You're strong, but still imperfect.”
It's best to avoid big techniques between people.
Casting them is tricky to begin with.
That was why Martin restrained Space Sword.
Plus, the backlash if blocked or broken was huge.
Yet Christian had pulled out the fire dragon the moment he was pushed, and it became his downfall.
“Then let's end this.”
Wooong.
To finish the fight, Martin forcibly used spatial leap, appearing right before the bent-over Christian.
He simultaneously kicked out with his right foot.
Startled, Christian desperately crossed his arms, but Martin's attack was faster.
Pukeok!
The tip of his right foot struck Christian's jaw precisely.
It wasn't infused with mana, but amplified by Lotaer martial arts principles.
“Guhk!”
He didn't collapse from one blow.
But he couldn't prevent his vision blurring and body staggering.
His brain was shaken.
“It's over.”
Kwadeuk.
Martin's fist slammed into Christian's right cheek.
Christian literally floated up, rolling across the ground.
Martin's victory.
* * *
“I lost.”
After treating his internal injuries with a potion, Christian promptly admitted defeat.
Then, with a playful smile, he added,
“But swearing loyalty without getting anything? Don't be surprised if I die feeling wronged.”
“I could even use your corpse, so no worries.”
“Eum. Isn't that too harsh?”
“I'm the type who always keeps promises.”
“Same here.”
Sssuk.
Christian bent his right knee and lowered his head.
Martin placed Kaizen's blade on his shoulder.
“Becoming Adalbert's retainer means becoming Adalbert's sword.”
The Adalbert family was the pinnacle of swordsmanship nobility, recognized not just in the Alteria Empire but across the Krasian Continent.
All members took immense pride in this fact.
“Adalbert's sword must never break or bend, no matter the situation. Can you swear it, Christian Haberz?”
“Of course.”
“Adalbert's sword must always grow stronger. Are you prepared?”
“Since my family's fall, I've resolved myself. To grow enough to surely surpass yesterday's self.”
Christian replied calmly.
Martin nodded solemnly.
“Young head of Adalbert, Martin Adalbert, commands you. Christian Haberz, you are now a proud member of Adalbert. Rise with pride.”
“I receive your command.”
Christian stood at those words.
His serious expression lasted only a moment before he smiled and grumbled again.
“Now everyone around will tease me as a fool. An A-rank adventurer becomes a noble's retainer and gets nothing.”
“Not exactly. I'll announce tomorrow: Not just Adalbert members, but adventurers who shatter the core will be granted the old Rustal territory.”
“Eum. Including me, huh.”
“Exactly.”
“Fine by me, but is that really okay? Someone who hates you could just take the whole territory.”
“Stabilizing the territory's people matters more to me than that.”
“Ku. The people will shed tears of感動 if they hear.”
Christian's eyes sparkled.
He was genuinely impressed by Martin's mindset.
Martin chuckled inwardly.
It was sincere.
But not the whole story.
‘I know the core's location from the start. No competition.’
He held a clear advantage there.
Thus, he effectively controlled the board.
Now he just needed to achieve his goal.
“If you really want to be lord, show outstanding performance in this monster wave.”
“I'll fight hard, but finding the core? Not sure.”
“At times like this, shouldn't you just say, ‘I'll do my best’?”
“Adventurers look at reality over ideals. We prepare for failure.”
“Guess we need to solidify our lord-retainer relationship.”
“Huh? Wh-what do you...”
“Remember this from now on: Retainers always obey when the lord says go.”
“That's ridiculous! That's tyranny! Isn't a retainer's role to guide the lord on the right path!”
“I always make the right calls, so no issue.”
“That's forcing it!”
Christian freaked out and fled.
Ududuk.
Watching his back, Martin cracked his neck side to side.
“Fleeing in front of a space ability user? Gutsy.”
With those words, Martin's body vanished.
Moments later, agonized screams shook the mountain.