Episode 80: A Practice Partner You Don’t Need to See (2)
WHEEK!
A crashing sound echoed through the dark forest.
Now I was swinging my sword in all directions without deploying my sword energy.
‘feel so good.’
As I continued to swing my sword, I felt a sense of satisfaction.
The me now does not swing the sword relying on a specific sword technique.
I was just swinging my sword however I wanted to.
Nevertheless, it turned out to be a pretty plausible move.
‘I guess it means I’m growing.’
I’m not simply imitating someone else’s swordsmanship.
By combining multiple sword techniques, synergy effects can be created, and sword techniques that were in an unfinished state can be evolved.
As we continue to explore new areas, our skills as inspectors are also gradually improving.
‘Maybe someday I can create my own swordsmanship.’
I had that thought, and then immediately smiled bitterly.
In this world, swordsmanship is something that is perfected over several generations in a specific family.
The reason why swordsmanship names are given family names is because of this tradition.
Although there are some people who are able to perfect their swordsmanship on their own, this is only possible for top-level swordsmen like Yoles and Angela.
So, creating my own swordsmanship was something that would only be possible in the distant future.
‘Even the protagonist of the novel, Akandel, didn’t create his own original sword technique. He just independently perfected and used the Calesius Lightning Sword Technique.’
But, if I were to create my own original swordsmanship… wouldn’t that mean I’d surpass even the protagonist of the novel?
Suddenly, that thought occurred to me.
“Phew… … .”
Wiping the sweat from my forehead, I leaned back against a nearby tree.
And while pretending to rest, he spread his magic power around him.
‘We’ve finally completed the encirclement.’
Magic was felt everywhere in the forest.
Everyone was hiding their presence well, but I have the Artilion Magic Detector.
Even a man skilled in stealth cannot hide his magical powers.
“… … .”
But I stretched and pretended not to notice at all.
And after yawning once, he started swinging his sword again.
“Put the pressure down!”
He still swung his sword however he pleased.
It was also quite enjoyable to observe how my body moved.
While doing so, he did not forget to extend his magical power to the surrounding area to check their location.
‘Is it coming soon?’
A bunch of idiots centered around Belid Andrews.
They took advantage of the darkness to tighten their siege.
The moment I show my weakness, they will all move at once and surprise me.
‘Then… shall I show you a gap?’
I wiped the sweat from my forehead with my left hand.
He let his right hand hang down, deliberately appearing defenseless.
It was at that moment that a rustling sound was heard.
“… … !”
They came running from all directions.
Everyone’s movements were in perfect sync. It seemed like they were breathing very well together.
‘Did you practice beforehand?’
It was an exquisite collaboration.
While I’m blocking the guy charging from the front, the guys from the back and sides will attack me in the blind spot.
‘If I hadn’t been prepared at all, I might have been hit.’
But, I was already prepared.
He pushed the magical power he had gathered in his right hand towards the blade… and deployed his sword energy.
“oh……!”
I could tell they were nervous.
Still, no one backed down.
Even if one or two people get hurt, they probably think they can subdue me in the meantime.
But… that is a wrong idea.
‘Calesius Lightning Sword Technique, 4th Style.’
Type 1, lightning.
Second form, Thunder Dance.
The third type, lightning.
These are techniques that even Yoles knows.
But from here on out, this is a technique only I know.
‘Whip thunder… …!’
Dismissed!
The black energy spread out, generating sparks.
It was similar to the skein she had shown me, but it wasn’t as flimsy as Angela’s skein.
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It was a true whip-like whip with proper elasticity.
“… … ?!”
As the blue sword that whipped like a whip flew towards me, the guy running in front opened his eyes wide.
“Ugh… … !”
As the black energy passed over the man’s arm, the skin tore apart and blood spurted out.
But it wasn’t just him who suffered.
He moved the blue whip using the snap of his wrist.
Just like a real whip, the speed of the blue sword tip was incredibly fast.
“Ugh!”
“100 million……!”
Whirlyrick!
A blue whip swept across the surroundings in an instant.
If I had swung my sword one by one, it would have taken a little longer, and one of them might have stabbed me in the eye during that time.
‘good.’
Chomp!
After I confirmed that the last thigh flesh had burst, I put the razor away.
I looked around and saw that everyone had their arms and legs torn off horribly.
‘It really feels like I’ve been whipped.’
It felt different from a cut from a knife.
This is because the tip of the knife was not made sharp.
But if I practice a little more, I will be able to achieve sufficient cutting power with just a single sword.
‘Anyway, with this I have mastered the fourth form of the Calesius Lightning Sword Technique.’
The fourth form, ‘Pyeonroe’, is a technique that got its hint from the Pyeongeomgi.
It stretches out a blue sword like a whip to attack enemies from afar or sweep away nearby enemies at once.
The flat sword is not very powerful and is not very practical, but this weakness can be overcome by using the blue sword energy of Calesius’ Lightning Sword Technique to unleash the flat sword.
‘This greatly expands the range of tactics.’
Because it moves elastically rather than sluggishly, it is also possible to multiply its power with instantaneous acceleration at the end, like a real whip.
If you control your sword energy more reliably and improve your cutting power, you will be able to slaughter your enemies by extending your sword energy in all directions like Angela’s Vertinsky Black Chain Sword Technique.
“Ugh, uh, Ernas… … !”
The last one to fall raised his head.
I checked the face and it was Believed Andrews.
“Did you notice our attack…?”
“Of course I noticed.”
“Ugh… … !”
Not only Bellid, but the other guys groaned too.
He must have prepared thoroughly for the surprise attack, but he must have been furious when he heard that they had noticed it in advance.
“By the way, what on earth was that sword technique just now?”
Bellid asked, panting.
“The blue sword energy whips around like a whip, sweeping away everything around… I’ve never seen such swordsmanship. What kind of swordsmanship is this?”
“There’s no reason to tell you that.”
“Ugh… … .”
I turned my head away from Belid.
I checked on the other guys one by one and they were all badly injured.
At this rate, like Listil, he will have to receive treatment outside the academy for several months.
“It must have felt good to pass the second test faster than others, but at this rate, I’ll end up falling far behind others.”
“… … !”
Everyone held their breath at my harsh words.
“Do you want to know how you ended up like this?”
“Ugh!”
Right then.
Bellid, who had fallen behind me, ran towards me.
He took advantage of the moment when I was looking away to stab me in the back with his sword.
“omg?!”
“The reason is that you completely misunderstood my capabilities.”
Belid’s sword did not hurt my body.
Because I was already in a state of deploying self-defense.
It had been quite some time since I had reached the intermediate level of Graduate, so I was now able to handle self-defense quite well.
“Huh, a self-defense device? How can a junior graduate have a self-defense device… … .”
“Yeah, that’s why you’re attacking me, you stupid bastard.”
“Kwak… … !”
I struck Belid’s right shoulder with the side of my sword.
Although he didn’t deploy his sword, his bones were crushed because his strength was strengthened by his magic power.
“Sir, you’re not really a graduate intermediate?!”
Everyone was embarrassed.
The mid-level graduates they usually come into contact with are assistant professors at the academy.
Everyone can’t help but be shocked when I, a mere student, suddenly reach the intermediate graduate level.
“Oh, did you take too much elixir?”
“No, no matter how much elixir you take, if you don’t gain enlightenment, you can’t become an intermediate graduate… … .”
“But if it’s true that I just used self-defense, then really… … .”
Everyone may be regretting it in their hearts, but it is already too late.
The guys have already crossed the river of no return.
“… … .”
I turned my head and looked at Bellid again.
It was a gruesome sight, with her thigh flesh bursting and her shoulder blades shattered.
“It will take a considerable amount of time to recover. It will also be difficult to return to the Academy.”
“Ugh… … !”
“You reap what you sow.”
I didn’t feel even a shred of sympathy.
I walked out of the forest alone, without paying any more attention to them.
I heard a desperate cry from behind me, but I ignored it and walked towards the dormitory.
“Stop, Ernas.”
However, there was a student who blocked me in front of the dormitory.
It was Berissije who appeared alone, without any entourage.
“I see you noticed, Berrysrise.”
“They’ve crawled under me, so I know what they’re doing.”
Berissi answered, sweeping her golden hair up.
“You don’t have a single scratch? That’s really amazing. As expected, you’ve reached the intermediate level of Graduate.”
“… … .”
Unlike those guys earlier, Berris saw right through me that I had reached intermediate graduate level.
“I wish I had told those guys.”
“why me?”
Berissi shrugged.
“Not only are they of low status, but they also have evil eyes towards me.”
“Was it so?”
“I remember him saying something disgusting like, ‘When I become Archduke Liechtenauer, you’ll become my consort and take power?’”
“… … .”
I’m speechless.
I didn’t know that either.
“Ernas, as a fellow man, what do you think?”
“Regardless of gender, it’s not a particularly desirable way of thinking.”
“Hmm, really?”
Berissije said, glaring at my face.
“It’s surprising that a guy who wants to seize power by becoming the princess’s companion would say something like that.”
“There seems to be some misunderstanding.”
“Misunderstanding? Don’t act like a fool. I know what you were talking about with Rufus at the restaurant.”
She glared at me with sharp eyes.
“Ernath, things won’t go your way.”
“… … .”
“I heard you kicked out Professor Listil this time too? It seems like you’re acting very recklessly… Don’t think that our Schreyer family will just be treated like this.”
After saying that, she turned her back on me.
“Don’t even dream about it, because there’s absolutely no way you’ll become the Archduke of Liechtenauer and marry Her Highness the Princess.”
“… … .”
Berris Rize left after saying her last words.
I sighed as I looked at his back.
‘I have no particular intention of marrying the princess.’
Just because I become the Archduke of Liechtenauer, it doesn’t mean I have to marry the princess.
We should get engaged, but we can break it off later like Serine and I.
‘The reason I’m trying to revive Archduke Lichtenauer this time is because the princess is only twelve years old. When she gets older and learns swordsmanship, there may be no need for Archduke Lichtenauer.’
If the Emperor’s authority was stable, there would be no need to marry Archduke Liechtenauer.
This will become even more so as reforms toward a centralized system are promoted.
‘The princess wouldn’t want to marry a guy she’d never met before. The princess should have the freedom to choose, too.’
Of course, this applies to me too.
I should have freedom of choice too.
When you reach the top of the Academy, you must marry the next emperor?
I don’t like that kind of thing.
‘I shouldn’t tell this to other people.’
Unlike what I told Rufus, this story could be used against me.
So, you shouldn’t tell this story to Berry Rize or anyone else.
‘What’s important to me now isn’t who I marry in the future.’
What’s important to me is surviving the fight between the six great swordsmen and achieving ultimate victory.
Things like marriage are something you can think about later.
‘Anyway… With this, Berry Rize’s side is relieved.’
Berisserie had threatened that the Schreyer family would not stay still, but they could not make any moves right now.
It was after some time that the Schreyer family began to make real moves.
‘Then, what should we watch out for next? … .’
As I entered the dormitory, I recalled the contents of the novel.
If my guess is correct… it’s about time for that man to reveal himself.
* * *
One morning.
Several carriages arrived at the ‘main gate’ to enter the Lichtenauer Academy of Swordsmanship.
The instructors guarding the main gate were embarrassed by the unexpected visitors.
“Who, who are you!”
In response to the instructors’ questions, a tall man with sharp eyes stepped forward.
You could tell that he was from a noble family because he was wearing formal attire that was not flashy but had a refined air.
“I come from the house of Agrippa.”
“Ah, the House of Agrippa?!”
The Agrippa family, one of the six great swordsmanship families.
His successor, Heinrich Agrippa, is currently attending the Academy.
“Tell General Aldbout.”
The tall man spoke in a cold voice.
“The head of House Agrippa, Brantley Agrippa, has arrived.”
“… … !”
The strongest graduate in the South.
Duke Brantley Agrippa, a top-class swordsman who received the title of ‘Blue Moon Sword’ from the Emperor, appeared at the Academy.
