Chapter 29
Chapter 29
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: Growth-5
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There were no cheers. No gasps of admiration, not even any jeers.
The arena was filled only with silent stares.
"...Ha..."
It was Aria who broke the silence.
"You're strong after all, Leo..."
With her admission, she conceded her defeat and collapsed.
Leo maintained his sword-swinging stance without even turning around.
At the point of their clash's resolution, the judge cried out in a trembling voice.
"The, the winner!! Leonardo!!"
With that confirmation, the tension drained from his body.
"Cough...!"
A dry cough brought drops of blood to the corner of his mouth.
It was the sensation of fresh eels, wriggling and crackling with electricity, crammed inside him uncooked.
[Using lightning magic for body enhancement happens sometimes, but slamming raw Lightning straight into your body is why. A basic 1-circle spell like that is too dangerous from the start.]
He didn't need the explanation; his body had experienced it firsthand. Logically speaking, using refined buff magic instead of attack spells was the proper approach.
[...Still, it was impressive enough. Good job.]
"Thanks a ton... That aside..."
His legs gave out, and Leo's knees bent, touching the ground.
[...Passed out?]
"No. Not yet... I can't pass out now..."
Leo used his sword as a cane to stand from the ground. Then he approached the fallen Aria.
She's worn out too.
Aria had passed out, unable to withstand the mana drain from her 2-star core. Even so, her small hand gripped her sword tightly.
"Sleeping here will mess up your face, miss."
Leo scooped her up in his aching arms and began moving.
At the same time, he looked toward Marken in the stands and shouted.
"...I'll gladly take the weapon!!"
Only then did the audience erupt in cheers as one.
Ignoring the stares from House Reinhardt,
they purely expressed respect for the warrior's fierce battle.
The process of entering the armory went more smoothly than expected. Some knights and servants objected, but surprisingly, Marken—who had eyed Leo the most suspiciously—stubbornly pushed his opinion through.
As it was the claim of Marken, the armory's owner, the opposition crumbled in an instant.
Before he could even question the action, Leo arrived at the armory.
"...We're here."
Upon reaching the summit of one of the mountains owned by House Reinhardt, Marken stopped before a cave.
The massive old man pushed open the enormous cave door with his bare hands.
From the dull, stiff sound, Leo instinctively realized the door's security relied solely on its sheer weight.
"Go in."
Following Marken's instruction, Leo entered the weapon storeroom with its owner.
[...Oho... The old man's got some taste.]
As the Sage admired, the cave was indeed atmospheric.
It wasn't just a natural cave; the floor and walls were cleanly cut and smoothed, as if sculpted by an artist.
"I carved this cave myself. For training, I chiseled away at the mountain daily with sword and hammer."
The Sage was impressed, but Leo only pretended to be. He already knew this from his past life.
"It was too good to waste on training, so now it's my armory. You're the first outsider—not from the household—I've let in."
That was unexpected. Anyone could see Marken didn't view Leonardo favorably.
"I'm truly grateful for the honor."
As if to refute that thought, Marken clicked his tongue and shot him a sharp glare.
"Don't get the wrong idea. I don't acknowledge you."
[Fits his looks—stubborn as hell.]
The Sage's words were harsh, but Leo felt no urge to defend him. Nodding minimally was polite enough.
"The reason I let you in is purely as insurance."
Drawing a firm line, Marken snapped his fingers. With precise response, the candles on the walls lit up one by one.
The flames illuminated the cave's darkness.
[...Now that's cool.]
In the now-bright cave, weapons were neatly displayed. Not just high-quality ones—each was a treasure with unique abilities.
"Pick the weapon you want first. Explanations after."
To Leo, it was a welcome order.
Without refusing, he dashed toward his awaiting beauties.
[But which one?]
<그렇게요. 이 예쁜이들 중 뭐가 좋을까~?>
[At least you know they're pretty. Thought you had no sense of beauty.]
The alluring forms before him captivated Leo's gaze, making the banter tolerable.
[After all, firepower means lava sword... No, factoring body enhancement, full gore... Tsk... Maybe armor instead?]
Each had clear pros and cons, making the choice agonizing. Without Marken, he'd have stuffed them all into a subspace ring.
[...Hmm... Huh?!]
In his happy dilemma, the Sage's gaze locked on one item.
[Why? What's there?]
Leo's eyes followed.
At the end of their gaze was a black orb. Eerily round and smooth black jade, yet it reflected no candlelight.
"You picking that one?"
As Leo's eyes fixed on the black jade, Marken asked in a low voice.
"Ah, that..."
"If you are, I don't recommend it."
[Why ask if you won't listen?]
He figured it was something only they could understand. Leo silently examined the black jade.
"That black orb is a relic from an old ruin. Looked rare, so I kept it, but appraisals and processing all failed."
"Like an indestructible stone?"
Pure indestructible stones were sometimes hard to work. The orb might be material for that.
But Marken shook his head firmly.
"If so, the smiths would've liked it more. And it could've been appraised if indestructible."
He wasn't wrong. Leo started turning to other weapons.
[Take that one.]
But another stubborn voice intervened.
[Huh? Why?]
[No chatter. That's the one.]
The Sage's eyes were unwavering.
Too genuine for mere jest.
[Fine.]
"I'll take that one."
So Leo decided to trust him once.
A disciple who couldn't trust his master learned nothing.
"I warned you. I'm not generous with second chances."
"Gotta trust my instincts."
Leo approached the black orb and grasped it steadily.
[Now what?]
[Leave the rest to me.]
The Sage thrust his spiritual arm into the black stone. Then intoned gravely.
...
......
.........
[Did it work?]
The Sage's eyes slowly rolled. Please not "no"...
[...Uh... no...?]
What was no? Clearly, this guy wasn't the Sage.
[Wait, I remember. Trying again.]
With unconvincing words, the Sage chanted again.
...
......
He wasn't expecting it this time.
[As expected, no...]
A voice echoed around them as the black stone began emitting blue light. A brilliance rude to compare to candle flames.
[Now, touch it.]
[I trusted you.]
[Bullshit. You little shit.]
Confirming their solid trust, Leo placed his hand on the black stone.
The black stone adhered to Leo's arm, resembling a thick bracelet.
"...Wha...! How...!?"
"I... I don't know either!"
The new owner was just as flustered. He waved his arm in bewilderment.
[Now imagine a sword. The badassest one in your mind.]
[...A sword...?]
Despite his confusion, Leo visualized a sword clearly.
Then,
"...What...?"
Like black slime, the bracelet shifted form into a sharp sword.
[How's that? Pretty badass, right? High completion among my creations.]
[You made this, Sage?]
[Yeah, it popped out while making the Sage's Stone. Looked decent, so I refined it.]
His casual tone made it sound like bean curd birthing tofu dregs.
[The Black Stone will grow by consuming your mana. Tougher than steel now, but fed well, it'll surpass these weapons. Plus, variable form for free use.]
Leo fiddled with the ink-black sword repeatedly. Like a woman trying on shades and mask, instantly smitten.
"...H-How...!? And how do you even know how to use it?!"
[Muddle through here. Like that third-rate wuxia explanation last time. Got it?]
That was Leo's specialty.
"...I... I don't know. My hand touched the stone somehow, and when I realized... it was already like this..."
"...Could it be... like a holy sword?"
Marken neatly pieced together Leo's vague excuse on his own. Naturally, without imagining "the Sage in my heart taught me."
"Is it... something I shouldn't take?"
"No. A promise is a promise. Hard to reclaim in that form anyway."
Convinced, Marken turned toward the exit.
"Let's go. Talk on the way."
"Got it."
Leo followed Marken out.
"I told you. The armory weapons are insurance."
"Yes, you said you don't acknowledge me."
"...Jehard is already dead."
Leo's grip slackened. If not bracelet-bound, he'd have dropped his new weapon.
"Pardon?"
"Not just Jehard—the entire Dynons family was murdered by someone."
He'd assumed Jehard's testimony would resolve it easily.
Strange ambush or not, the execution knights' intel and skill should handle it.
"...Bloodshadow's doing?"
"Not certain. Bloodshadow's been eradicated, but that's not all."
Casually mentioning an elite assassin's guild's destruction, he handed over letters.
"Secret letters from Jehard. Read them."
"This is..."
Leo checked the torn envelopes. His eyes widened.
"...Yes. Their goal is..."
Mana Physical Training—its methods and info. The dates and seals proved it.
"Mana Physical Training's name is already circulating through intel networks and assassin guilds. Other nations and knight orders will hear soon enough."
[...Then...]
Bluntly put.
"I'm a walking manual."
The optimal mana and body training manual, at that.
A value making him prime kidnapping material.