Chapter 107
Chapter 107
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 107
Chapter Title: The Swordsman's Path
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Asabragg's body bent like a bow.
He swung his sword down from above with the force of shooting an arrow.
Whoosh—clang!
Berddin's sword clashed fiercely against Asabragg's, spewing sharp aura in all directions.
Tssst!
The weeds on the ground blackened and withered as if struck by lightning, losing their life, while trees that couldn't withstand the force snapped with a creak and bowed their heads.
"...Not bad?"
Asabragg twitched his eyebrows with an uncomfortable expression.
In contrast, Berddin yawned as if the fight bored him and waved his hand dismissively.
"If you don't want to die, get lost. I'll forgive you this once."
"You, me?"
"Yeah."
A subtle tension flowed between them.
Asabragg had been certain he would win this fight, but Berddin's nonchalance left him inwardly flustered.
Of course, he tried not to show it outwardly, but it was futile against Berddin, who had experienced every hardship in his previous life.
It only made a smile creep onto his face.
'Smiling in this situation?'
"What's so funny?"
"Seeing your pathetic swordsmanship, how could I not laugh? With skills like that, you can't go around calling yourself a swordsman anywhere."
"My swordsmanship... was taught to me by a swordsman far superior to you Strange family folk."
"Who might that be?"
"I can't tell you that."
"You can't because there is no such person."
"What?!"
Asabragg's mind grew chaotic.
Seeing his hesitation, Berddin took the initiative this time and swung his sword.
"If you can truly show swordsmanship superior to the Strange family's, then block this."
Slash!
It was a basic horizontal cut from left to right.
No special techniques or feints were used.
In fact, he swung it slowly enough that the entire motion was visible.
Yet Asabragg couldn't block it.
"?!"
Thud.
The tip of the blade struck his shoulder precisely.
"Kugh!"
Asabragg's shoulder soaked with blood in an instant.
'As expected.'
This guy was incredibly simple.
Unable to perceive the intangible Aura Blade, he tried to block with his sword alone.
'If he'd even infused a bit of aura into his blade, he might have blocked it.'
Having landed the strike, Berddin looked down at him and asked with a small smile.
"How's that? My swordsmanship."
Asabragg gritted his teeth, enduring the pain.
With fury in his eyes, he infused aura into his palm and gripped Berddin's blade, pulling it from his shoulder.
Pop.
"Hoo... I clearly blocked it. How did your sword pierce through my guard?"
"It must have looked that way."
"What?"
"To a novice like you, it would look like you blocked it."
"...A novice? Me?"
"Yeah. Otherwise, you could have blocked my sword."
Asabragg couldn't comprehend it.
If it had been a strike too fast to see, he could have understood why he failed to block.
But a sword passing through another like magic only muddled his mind further.
"Damn... damn it!"
It was humiliating.
Asabragg charged again to redeem himself.
But having lost his reason, he began swinging wildly.
Slash, shhslash, slash!
Not a single one of his countless strikes landed on Berddin.
'Why, why won't my sword reach him? No one has ever blocked or dodged my sword before.'
Swoosh!
'What the hell is this guy, to block the sword given to me by the gods.'
Whoosh, whoosh!
'No, the sword of one who will soon become a god!'
Vrooom—
"Dieee!"
Berddin suddenly halted, then punched Asabragg's side with a single step.
"Gah!"
Before the real fight even began, he'd exhausted all his stamina.
Berddin looked at him pitifully, shrugged, sheathed his sword, and offered advice.
"You said you were Asabragg of the Rothschilds?"
"......"
"I don't have time today, so I'll end it here. If you fight me again, come prepared to lose your head."
"What? W-wait a minute. I haven't finished the fight yet—"
"It's over. The Rothschilds—no, you died by my hand today. If I hadn't spared you, that is."
Asabragg roared like a beast and sprang up.
"Raaagh!"
But that was it.
Before he could swing, a purple light flashed before his eyes.
"Get lost, you fool."
"?!"
Boom!
When he opened his eyes again, Berddin was gone.
The carriage he'd arrived in was smashed, and the horse lay dead.
Not only that, but no footprints remained on the ground, making pursuit impossible.
"You... damn bastard!"
A small village not far from the southern and eastern borders.
Berddin and Maria Theresia hid in a small chapel to catch their breath.
"Hoo—"
"Sir Berddin, are you alright?"
"Yes, it's not bad."
"That's a relief. That Asabragg guy... he had a more evil aura than anyone I've met. I thought he was dangerous."
I had thought the same as Maria Theresia.
Honestly, when we first crossed swords, I judged that a single misstep could lead to defeat.
"Your hand looks damaged. Mind taking a look?"
"Damaged? You always talk about your body like it's an object, Sir Berddin."
"A knight's body is practically an object. We call it armor or a weapon among ourselves."
Extending his right arm and removing the gauntlet revealed a swollen hand and wrist.
I'd sensed the pain was severe, but not to this extent.
'As expected.'
If Asabragg had noticed my condition, the fight's outcome might have changed.
I realized the problem in my arm when blocking his strike.
And when my strike cut his shoulder, I knew I couldn't swing again.
That's why I deliberately provoked him with a nonchalant expression.
"Oh my! It's completely broken! Fingers, hand, wrist—all of it... How did you endure this pain?!"
"Broken?"
"Yes! You held your sword like this? A normal person couldn't even twitch a finger—they'd be sobbing in agony."
"Is that so?"
"Of course! Give me your hand quick. This is serious. Without treatment now, you could have complications later."
Siegfried chimed in from above her head with an annoying grin.
"I knew it. The moment you blocked that Rothschild punk's sword, your wrist snapped with a crunch."
'Don't bullshit me. How could you hear a sound from my body that even I didn't?'
"Swing a bit more, and you might've lost the arm entirely. You know that, right? Check the library in Strange Castle—it's about our ancestor's one-armed swordsman incident."
'That was because poison spread from an assassin's attack, paralyzing the arm.'
"Kah— you're lucky. Without that panty girl, your swordsman career was done. Done!"
I glared at Siegfried, grinding my teeth.
Crunch.
'I've used too much aura; I don't even have the energy to talk. Get lost.'
Even without speaking, my intent transmitted.
Brunhilt, between us, smashed Siegfried's head with a cat punch.
"Nya!"
Smack!
"Get lost, nya. Useless idiot swordsman bastard!"
Siegfried swung back, but his blade passed through Brunhilt like water.
"Argh! If you die, I'll kill you!"
"What're you saying, nya? Kill me if I die."
"Haa, seriously!"
"Why? Wanna fight, nya? I might cross to the spirit world then."
"Fine, let's end it today."
Two idiots.
Brunhilt and Siegfried started bickering.
I couldn't tell anymore if they got along or not, with fights every single day.
After treatment, I waved my right arm in the air, clenched and unclenched my fist repeatedly, and said to Theresia,
"Thank you."
"No need! I'm the thankful one. You always protect me, Sir Berddin."
"You don't think I'm using you?"
"That makes it even better."
"...Yes."
Correction.
Three idiots.
Flutter.
Recovered, I donned my armor and prepared to leave the chapel.
Before stepping out, Maria Theresia prayed briefly to the faceless, cracked statue and asked me,
"Do you believe in God, Sir Berddin?"
I nodded without hesitation.
"Of course. Though I'm not sure if the god I believe in is like yours, Lady Theresia."
"So you might be a heretic or cultist."
"Or neither. Doesn't the Papal Court distinguish between the creator of the tower and the holy one above?"
Maria Theresia didn't answer.
I couldn't know the reason.
Nor did I want to ask further.
Creak.
Opening the door let light pour in.
I surveyed the ruined village and extended my hand to her.
"No words from here on, so let's walk slowly."
"...Okay, I like slow too."
Bloody Alfredo adjusted his helmet and spat.
Ptooey!
"You think Berddin will let this slide?"
His weakened legs couldn't support him, tilting his body; his arms hung limp, unable to even clench fists.
"Whether he does or not doesn't matter. The Strange family will soon be erased from history anyway."
The man who had completed Descent, transformed into a steel gorilla—the one called a Papal Court dog, one of the Five Generals with power to shake the continent.
'Clark.'
He lifted the unconscious Cynthia by the throat and continued.
"Turns out this bitch is a Papal Court knight like us. I don't know why she was with that guy, but she'll be executed immediately upon return."
"E-execution? Who are you to decide that?!"
"Hah... I thought you seemed dumb in Legion, but you're really an idiot. We Five Generals hold positions like apostles, enacting God's will."
"Like apostles?"
"Yes, and all Five Generals have authority to judge those who defy Him. The manager of oracles isn't just the Pope."
Wendy beside Clark giggled and added,
"Enough, just kill him. Albus only mentioned this one as a hostage, right?"
"...Yeah, sure. We've had our fun; time to end it."
Clark dropped Cynthia to the ground and charged Alfredo with aura-infused fists.
Whoosh!
'I have to run.'
Alfredo thought so, but his body wouldn't move.
His arms and legs were too injured to feel nerves, and facing two Generals alone had drained his stamina.
"...Fuck."
He closed his eyes, accepting it all.
I'm dying here. An inescapable fate.
I wanted to be the north's richest, build a harem...
'Save me, Berddin.'
Clang!
Then it happened.
A black hand shot from Alfredo's shadow, blocking Clark's fist.
"...With this, the debt is paid, Berddin."