[translator - night]
[proofreader - gun]
chapter 12
i couldn’t fully see the effect, nor could i control the range, as it wasn’t deliberately regulated.
it was simply an overflow of aura spilling out.
normally, this crude method wouldn’t even be enough to threaten someone, let alone harm them.
its power was weak, and its duration extremely short.
but my greatest strength lies in my inexhaustible aura.
with such a vast amount and the ability to control all of it, this tactic wasn’t difficult to execute.
using the same method, i had managed to block a sword coated with aura just moments ago.
“ugh... ughhh!”
“stay back!! don’t come any closer!”
the overwhelming aura i emitted intimidated them, but they still tried to resist me.
step by step, i slowly approached them, twirling my sword lightly and flicking the blood off it.
“d-damn it! what the hell are you, you monster?!”
exposing every opening as i leisurely advanced, the terrified knight unleashed a sharp wave of aura from his sword and swiftly swung it toward me.
true to the skill of an expert-level fighter, his sword’s trajectory was precise, and his draw was quick.
his blade was already close to my neck, while mine hadn’t even moved properly.
even though my aura had blocked his earlier sword wave, he seemed confident that this time his attack would land.
a fleeting smile of triumph appeared on his face.
“leon!”
melissa’s scream, filled with panic, added to the scene.
to her, it probably looked as though i was walking straight into death.
but for me, situations like this were far too familiar—something i had seen over and over.
[nameless sword]
[one-point flash]
the sword techniques i had honed in the hall of swords were designed purely for my use, deviating fundamentally from traditional swordsmanship.
moreover, the nameless sword, which i used until the very end, had a peculiar characteristic.
instead of maintaining a consistent speed, it would restrain itself until it explosively accelerated at the critical moment.
it was a passive, counter-focused sword technique but incredibly effective for frequent use.
there was no need to resort to an all-out offensive, either.
as if time had slowed, the knight’s sword neared my neck.
in the blink of an eye—a fraction of a second—
i casually walked out from behind the expert-level knight, as though i had teleported, shaking the blood off my sword.
splat!
scarlet blood spattered on the ground like bullets, spreading from the tip of my blade.
moments ago, when i first unsheathed melissa’s sword and killed an expert-level knight, my movements were almost identical.
to put it simply, it was an extreme burst of acceleration at a crucial moment.
“gah... urgh...”
the knight, who had been certain of his victory as he swung his sword at me, now had a face full of disbelief, unable to comprehend why he was collapsing.
he had definitely thrust his sword at me, but when he came to his senses, his blade had sliced through nothing but air.
instead, i, who hadn’t even appeared to attack, had severed his throat.
the knight’s carotid artery was severed, and he collapsed, spewing blood in spurts.
now, only one remaining expert-level knight stood before me.
the last one, crushed by the chaotic aura i emitted, and demoralized further by the swift defeat of his comrades, had already lost the will to fight.
“ahhh! aaaahhhh!”
overcome by terror, he let out a scream and charged toward melissa.
judging that melissa, unarmed, would be easy to subdue even as an entry-level expert, he likely aimed to take her hostage to escape.
it was a fairly decent judgment, in theory.
and indeed, melissa was caught off guard by his sudden move.
but there was no way i would just sit back and watch.
i intercepted him, faster than his charge, positioning myself in front of melissa and grabbing his arm with my bare hand, stopping his sword in its tracks.
“what... what strength is this?!”
"......"
"i can’t explain everything, but just know this: i have a unique constitution. i know it’s hard to believe, but i am leon—your brother, the same person you know. if that’s too hard to accept, just assume i went crazy and awakened some hidden talent."
given my control over an amount of aura that would be otherwise unattainable, calling it a “unique constitution” wasn’t entirely inaccurate.
though, in truth, this wasn’t innate but something i had painstakingly built over time.
to others, however, i must have seemed downright monstrous.
"but... where did that scumbag go?"
vishiri cascadia had ordered his subordinates to subdue us before leaving the reception room.
considering his goal was the family crest ring on melissa’s hand, there was no reason for him to leave.
yet he had vanished...
"don’t tell me he ran away?"
"unlikely."
he was an oddly perceptive man, even back then.
but i couldn’t think of a reason why he’d flee.
he was greedy but not irrational.
she quickly gathered her thoughts and stood up.
"hey! we have to catch him no matter what now! hand over your sword!"
"whoa there, don’t go getting unnecessary blood on your hands."
"this is an order from the acting head! hand it over!"
as she shouted, i shrugged with a smug expression, clearly irritating her.
grinding her teeth, she looked at the condition of the sword in my hand and gasped.
"what the... how did you use a sword so brutally?!"
her voice was almost tearful as she yelled.
since i hadn’t yet fully awakened to the expert level, i couldn’t generate sword energy.
the mastery of aura was similar to gaining a new sense—like opening one’s eyes for the first time.
even with control, my current level was too low to handle the overwhelming amount of aura, which naturally overflowed and damaged the sword.
"still, it’s a good-quality blade. if it weren’t, it would’ve broken already."
"and you think that’s a good excuse... wait, this—this is something aura users deal with. are you really an aura user?"
the situation, resembling a common mistake among aura users, seemed to finally clue her in.
instead of answering, i spread my aura outward like a wave.
it wasn’t precise enough to discern details.
most aura users or ordinary people wouldn’t even be able to detect it.
but locating someone like vishiri cascadia, a mid-tier expert who didn’t even bother concealing his presence, was no challenge.
"that guy... he must be up to something. got any spare swords? preferably a sturdy one."
"i’ll take care of it—"
"you’re ridiculously weak."
she glared at me, grinding her teeth, unable to argue but clearly brimming with words she couldn’t let out.
she was barely at the entry-level of an expert, with limited experience.
vishiri cascadia, on the other hand, was a seasoned mid-tier expert.
the outcome of a fight between them was obvious.
"give me a sword. a sturdy one, preferably."
"can you catch him?"
"i’ll win."
hearing my response, she hesitated, then handed me a sword that had been displayed on the wall.
despite being decorative, its quality was exceptional.
"this was meant to be kept for emergencies. you’d better not break it."
"just wait a bit. i’ll bring him back soon. in the meantime, get ready. the civil war has already begun. it won’t end until one side is crushed."
"sigh... i expected this, but they’ve moved far faster than i anticipated. don’t overdo it. if it’s dangerous, retreat immediately. i’ll join you once i’ve rallied the remaining forces."
she rubbed her temples in frustration, clearly overwhelmed by the situation.
"leon... no, brother."
for once, her voice carried an unusually serious tone.
"don’t you dare get hurt. that’s an order."
[translator - night]
[proofreader - gun]
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