Chapter 43
Chapter 43
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: A Convincing Fake
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Clang! Fshhhk!
'As expected, this is awkward.'
I knew from the start that my hunched back would be a hindrance.
Clashing with Walter, I was pushed back a full ten steps.
It was because I couldn't put any real power into my swordsmanship.
Now that I was out of Railton, there was no need to play the hunchback anymore.
Crack. Cra-crack!
As I released part of the Seven-Joint Face-Changing Technique, my back straightened with an eerie sound.
Of course, my shabby appearance remained the same.
I was currently on a break in the Pennant Marquisate, so I couldn't reveal my face.
"Oh? So the hunchback was a disguise? An interesting talent."
My original build wasn't that small.
Walter stared with curiosity at my form, which had nearly doubled in size.
But the man kept glancing toward the northern path.
It seemed he was worried about the two who had fled.
'Where do you think you're looking?'
Shnk. Shhhk!
Taking advantage of Walter's distraction, I unleashed a surprise volley of strikes.
A single Heaven-Severing flash shot straight for his neck.
"Hup!"
Walter, not expecting such a stealthy attack, raised his sword in alarm.
Clang!
His response was incredibly swift.
Moreover, his swordsmanship was surprisingly clean and systematic.
There's a perception that ronin only learn practical combat skills, but Wolf Fang was different.
'It's ridiculous to even discuss the basics with a Tier 3 expert.'
Chuckling inwardly, I began to properly cross swords with Walter.
The longer I stalled, the more time Fernand and Rovic would have.
I hadn't expected to run into the leader of the Ten Thousand Blades, but it was actually for the best.
All eyes would inevitably be drawn this way.
If I could just hold him off for a bit and then make a clean getaway, the operation would be a great success.
Just like when I helped Wendy escape from Troven, I'd be the bait.
Of course, whether I could actually shake Walter was another question.
"Kuhahaha! You're quite something, aren't you? I like this!"
The leader of the Ten Thousand Blades forgot all about chasing Fernand and Rovic, becoming completely absorbed in the fight.
It was good for me, the bait, but the problem was this battle-crazed bastard's excessive immersion.
"Here, try this on for size! Hyaah!"
Whoooosh! KABOOM!
Though it was just steel clashing against steel, a roar like a magical explosion echoed out.
The red aura flaring two meters from the tip of Walter's sword contained a powerful fire attribute.
It felt similar to how Fernand mixed fire mana into his aura, earning him the title Scorching Sun Fine Sword.
It seemed his aura cultivation method was the type that naturally gathered the fire attribute.
'Oh! Look at this guy. He's quite cunning.'
At a glance, it might seem like a swordsmanship that relied on an explosive aura.
But I quickly saw through Walter's ploy.
If one tried to counter that tyrannical swordsmanship with technique, they would be utterly helpless.
Because the swordsmanship he displayed wasn't focused solely on power and force.
In a situation like this, the correct answer was to clash with even greater force.
Wooooong!
The Black Dragon Sword, imbued with a gray aura, vibrated and let out a strange hum.
After perfecting the Demonic Soul, I no longer needed to hide my strength.
The color of Riverune was no longer visible in my swordsmanship.
Shnk.
As the Heaven-Severing Demonic Moon unfolded, Walter's brilliantly explosive strikes momentarily faltered.
It seemed he had sensed the profound power contained within the silent, stealthy sword form.
The man revealed his hidden claws, attempting to twist the path of the Heaven-Severing Demonic Moon.
Shwing—!
Walter's sword, thrusting in a straight line, cleverly intervened, emitting a crimson light.
It was a strike qualitatively different from the orange aura that had been exploding everywhere.
Klaaaang!
Despite just a light touch, the repulsive force was immense.
Enough to force us both back several steps.
'He's not an easy opponent, as expected. I won't be able to settle this quickly.'
By now, Fernand and Rovic should have gotten far enough away.
Continuing this fight with him was practically meaningless.
Now, my priority was to escape the Railton Marquisate.
The problem was, this lunatic had no intention of letting me go.
"Hehehe."
As if his body was heating up, Walter let out a sinister laugh and raised his sword again.
He even seemed to be enjoying the tingling sensation in his grip.
It was a sight truly befitting his moniker, the Battle Fiend.
'I have to find a way to deal with him.'
I unleashed the Heaven-Severing Flash, drawing out my gray aura to its maximum, and stared at him with a serious expression.
Ruuuumble!
Then, the energy waves pouring from my Demonic Soul began to crush the surrounding objects.
Soft things like grass were nearly pulverized, while rocks and pebbles were shattered and driven into the ground.
Sensing that immense power, Walter wore an uncharacteristically tense expression.
And yet, his eyes were still twinkling with a smile, as if he were genuinely enjoying the situation.
Just as the atmosphere intensified to its peak.
"Chaaah!"
I let out a great shout and took a stance to cleave him in two.
I raised the aura, which had extended several meters, high into the sky, preparing to bring it straight down.
It was a movement as swift as lightning.
Shwaaaaa!
Walter unleashed his crimson aura, preparing to meet my strike with all his might.
But just as they were about to clash, a deflating sound was heard, and his stance suddenly collapsed.
Thwack!
"Eh?"
He stared in disbelief as his own strike shot up into the air.
The gray aura, which had seemed so immense, contained no power at all.
It was nothing more than an aura that had been pointlessly inflated in size.
So naturally, it was sliced apart by Walter's sword.
"Keuk!"
He controlled his strike in a wide arc.
In that time, the presence that had been flickering before his eyes vanished completely.
I had taken advantage of the moment Walter exerted his strength to quickly withdraw and flee.
To deceive someone, you have to lie with your soul.
My wholehearted performance completely fooled him.
Leaving one last remark for the man staring in dumbfounded disbelief, I vanished without a trace.
"It's a fake, you idiot!"
* * *
Returning to Railton, I stayed there for a while, quietly observing the situation.
Having changed my face with the Seven-Joint Face-Changing Technique and using a cover identity, I was able to operate without suspicion.
After observing for a few days, it seemed that, thankfully, the two hadn't been caught.
Walter had entered Railton the next day, only to leave the territory empty-handed.
'As long as I keep my mouth shut, he won't suffer any major consequences.'
When you got down to it, the fault lay with Railton.
The Riverune survivor had already escaped before he even arrived.
When he returned to Wolf Fang, he could just report that the Railton people had let them slip away.
Having confirmed that much, I immediately returned to the Pennant Marquisate and met with my nanny.
Abigail was playing her role as a decoy perfectly.
Surprisingly, she had even been visiting the safe house to leave a trail.
"Wow! That's bold. You didn't really have to go to the safe house."
"It's more convincing that way. It's all thanks to watching you for so long, Young Lord. I know how you operate."
"What, what do I do?"
"Isn't it obvious? You'd go around dropping hints about your romantic endeavors, with that handsome face of yours."
"Ah, I've never operated with my original face. I always alter it a bit, so no one knows what I really look like."
"Yes, yes, of course you do. Anyway, was the matter resolved?"
"You're asking a bit late."
I gave Abigail a general overview of the situation.
I explained that I had rescued the Riverune survivors but had failed to secure them.
"They headed toward the Veldam Federation, but they won't stay there for long."
"That makes sense. With Wolf Fang after them, why would they operate in the enemy's den?"
"No matter how dark it is under the lamp, that's not the place."
The ronins' information network was on par with most intelligence guilds.
Though, of course, it was limited to within the Veldam Federation.
In any case, staying there for long wouldn't be very beneficial.
"They've probably gone somewhere else. They'll be laying low for a while, so let's leave them be for now."
"Yes, I'll have to look into another lead."
"This time, look into the Railharshe area."
"I take it you found something?"
"I don't know the exact location, but I heard there are survivors in a place called the Tomb of Swords. You'll have to be more careful this time."
"Because Felton is just a stone's throw away?"
"You know your stuff. Be careful."
With a light wave, the nanny crossed the square, the hem of her peach-colored dress fluttering.
It was a similar style to the one worn by the noble lady who had passed by in a carriage last time.
She must have noticed my eyes wandering back then.
'Ah, you don't have to match my tastes.'
But then, as she was moving away, Abigail suddenly turned around, smiled brightly, and called out.
"I'm not dressing to your tastes, Young Lord!"
Hey, Nanny?
Did you learn mind reading or something?
Stop reading my mind without permission!
Eventually, I left the Plaza of Glory and stopped by the Eastern Branch for the first time in a while.
With a sullen expression, like someone who had just returned after maxing out a six-week break.
"Ah, it's been a while, Sir Crow."
"...Good to see you."
"Why the long face? You just had a nice long rest."
"Try coming back to work after having fun. Of course I'd look like this."
"Ahaha, I see."
The agent guarding the entrance gave an awkward laugh at my glum face.
Have you ever seen anyone happy to return from vacation?
This is the natural reaction.
"Ughhh..."
Dusk, who had just returned from enjoying himself at a resort, had the exact same expression as me.
But why did this guy go so far away?
The Pennant Marquisate is a killer resort destination.
"Oh? You're here?"
"Did you have a good vacation?"
"I had a blast. Heard you had a long break this time too, right?"
"Yes, well."
"That's why you're moping around like a cow dragged to the slaughterhouse."
Look in a mirror before you talk.
You're looking miserable and glum because you don't want to be back either!
I couldn't just drop a heavy truth bomb on my superior, so I held back what I wanted to say.
But just as I was about to head to the directive sorting room, Dusk stopped me.
"I'm a Special Class now, you know."
"I know."
"Then why are you doing this?"
"Because I have to. Now stop complaining and follow me."
Unable to resist the branch chief's insistence, I had no choice but to enter his office.
I need to hurry up and reach Transcendent Class, if only to get away from this crap.
Thump.
Dusk placed a thick directive on the desk and smiled meaningfully.
Ah, I always get a bad feeling when this happens.
"You're enrolling in school."
What kind of nonsense is this?