《Looking Forward to Another World》
Chapter 1: Riezel Brynhart
Chapter 1: Riezel Brynhart
It was summer and the weather was clear.
The warm sunlight spilled from the pristine sky, streaming through the window and illuminating the somewhat luxurious room.
Riezel sat on an expensiverge bed, covered halfway with a nket. Hisplexion was slightly pale, but he appeared to be in good spirits, resembling someone recovering from a serious illness.
Standing by the bedside was a priest.
"It seems you''re very energetic today, Mr. Riezel."
The priest spoke while holding a notebook in one hand and a quill in the other. He seemed to be observing Riezel with a scrutinizing gaze, sporting a friendly smile.
"Oh... Really?" Riezel, seemingly oblivious to the scrutiny, nodded in response to the priest. "I do feel much better today. I should be able to get out of bed without any issues."
"That''s good to hear." The priest remarked. "Your recovery is much faster than I anticipated. Although we still need to observe, it seems you''ll be up and about soon."
With that, the priest began writing down something on a bound parchment. Strange and mysterious symbols, resembling special runes, were swiftly written by the priest on the parchment. Riezel''s attention was drawn to these symbols, not only on the parchment but also on the priest''s body.
The priest wore a golden-trimmed robe, adorned with runic patterns in various corners, giving him an air of mystery and subtle intellect.
"As a precaution, I''ll use magic to check on you." The priest said gently. "Excuse me."
Setting aside the parchment and quill, the priest raised his hands to Riezel''s chest.
After a short while, obscure and hard-to-understand chants echoed from the priest''s lips. A faint yet gentle glow emanated from his hands.
The next moment, Riezel could clearly sense his body gradually warming up. It was as if an invisible warm current was flowing into him, enveloping him in unseen warm water. Not only did his body be pleasantly warm, but his mind and energy also improved.
After a moment, the priest ceased his actions and withdrew his hands.
"Mhm, your body ispletely healed. All the previous injuries have been treated." The priest nodded. "You should rest in bed for today and can start moving around tomorrow."
As the priest spoke, there was a subtle sympathy andpassion in his eyes as he gazed at Riezel.
With these emotions in mind, the priest hesitated for a moment but eventually urged.
"Your body is fine now, but you shouldn''t use magic anymore." The priest delicately continued. "The damage to the ''Gate'' inside you is quite severe. It can no longer release magical energy. If you use magic indiscriminately, it may cause magical energy disorder inside you, and then..."
The priest left the rest of the sentence unspoken.
Nevertheless, Riezel responded with a faint smile and said, "I understand my condition. I won''t do anything reckless."
"Good." The priest nodded with a slight smile. "In that case, I''ll take my leave. Miss shoulde to see youter. Please endure for a while and rest in bed."
After a few more instructions, the priest quietly exited.
Alone in the room, Riezel remained seated on the bed, silent for a long time.
"Hahhh..."
A few secondster, Riezel let out an almost imperceptible sigh.
"Magic, huh...?"
Looking at his much younger-looking hands, which seemed paler than he remembered, Riezel murmured to himself.
"Even if you ask me to use it, I probably wouldn''t know where to start..."
After all, in the era and world he came from, the concept of ''Magic'' was nothing more than a fantasy. It simply didn''t exist.
Yet in this world, it seemed to be a perfectly natural and expected phenomenon.
Riezel couldn''t help but recall events from a month ago. Recalling the moment he woke up, he realized he had arrived in a foreign world, encountering ''Magic'' for the first time.
The shock, confusion, and bewilderment of that time now seemed like a distant memory. At least, the current him had fully epted the fact that he had transmigrated into this fantasy world.
After a month, he had alsoe to understand the situation of this world.
In a nutshell, this was a world of swords and magic, another world with extraordinary powers and mysterious forces.
A month ago, he arrived in this world and embraced a new identity.
The original owner of this identity was a native of this world, coincidentally sharing the same name as him.
The only difference was that he was almost thirty in his previous life, while the Riezel of this world had just turned seventeen, undoubtedly much younger.
*Knock! Knock! Knock!*
Just as Riezel couldn''t help but sink into memories, the door suddenly got knocked by someone.
"Riezel, are you awake?"
Outside the door, a voice as light as the wind and as clear as water interrupted his reminiscence.
"I''m awake." Riezel snapped back to reality and responded. "Come in."
With those words, the door swung open.
Standing there was a girl of roughly the same age as him.
Dressed in a convenient and elegant dress, she exuded a noble aura from head to toe. With delicate features and a slender figure, her waist-length bright silver hair adorned her body, not appearing the least bit peculiar. On the contrary, it entuated her nobility, adding a touch of grace that made every move pleasing to the eye.
She walked in from the door with an air of natural elegance, radiating an indescribable sense of beauty. Even Riezel, who had grown somewhat ustomed, felt the urge to sigh in admiration.
Of course, he didn''t do that.
As he watched the girl walking towards him, his face maintained a faint smile.
"You''re here again, Miss Yuri."
Yuri Frenzel.
That was the girl''s name and the person who saved his life, bringing him to this ce.
At least, for Riezel, the girl was just that¡ªa savior. If it were the original owner of his body, meeting her might have rendered him too nervous to speak akin to a typical protagonist in some Japanese novels.
Unfortunately, he wasn''t this world Riezel. Even though he knew from the original owner''s memory how noble and unattainable the girl before him was, he only held a heart full of gratitude.
In response, Yuri shook her head.
"Just call me Yuri; no need to be so formal."
The girl''s voice, just like when she was outside the door, was light as the wind and clear as water, genuinely pleasant. Riezel even thought, somewhat impolitely, that with a voice like hers, she was wasting her talent for not bing a singer.
"Judging by your appearance, it seems you''ve recovered quite well." Yuri sat down at his bedside, observing him carefully. "How are you feeling? Can you get out of bed?"
"Tomorrow should be fine..." Riezel replied, expressing gratitude. "Thanks for your care, Miss Yuri. I''ll repay this favor sooner orter."
"I''ve said it before, no need to be so formal..." Yuri sighed lightly. "Your current situation is somewhat rted to me. It''s strange to see you so polite now. Wouldn''t it be better if you were like in the beginning?"
Maybe recalling ''that time'' improved her mood somehow. But this left him somewhat speechless.
Back then, his attitude was far from good. He just couldn''t help it.
When he first transmigrated into this world, he woke up in bed, in excruciating pain with severe injuries all over, while an unknown girl stood by his side. His initial reaction was naturally filled with hostility and caution.
If it weren''t forter realizing that something extraordinary happened to his body, Riezel would have thought he stumbled upon a dirty conspiracy, and some people were trying to harm him again.
Memories from his previous life flowed through, causing a slight ache in his heart.
''Thinking about it, my situation in this world doesn''t seem much different from my previous world.'' Riezel self-mocked in his mind.
Not knowing what he was thinking, Yuri noticed his sudden silence and changed the topic, whether intentionally or unintentionally.
"Still no way to repair your Gate?" Yuri inquired.
Though it seemed like a change of topic, what she brought up was, to some extent, more sensitive than their previous conversation.
"No." Riezel maintained his calm expression. "The damage seems quite extensive, with no signs of recovery. I was just warned not to use magic."
"Really...?" Yuri sounded somewhat regretful.
In this world, the ability to use magic directly determines one''s social status. To use magic, one needed a certain amount of magical energy. Magical energy was the fuel for magic. Without it, magic was impossible.
Fortunately, people in this world were born with magical energy. The differencey in the quantity¡ªsome had more, some had less, and some had enough to use magic, while others did not.
The so-called ''Gate'' referred to a kind of nerve in the human body with magical properties. It served as a switch, a channel, and a storage for storing magical energy¡ªthe source of using magic.
Once the ''Gate'' was damaged, it became difficult to call upon magical energy. In severe cases, the stored magical energy could be lost entirely.
His Gate was damaged. What''s more? It was intentionally damaged by someone.
"Have you found out who did it?" Riezel asked nonchntly. "Who wants to harm me?"
This was the reason he ended up in this ce.
He¡ªor rather, his body''s original owner, was murdered a month ago. He was severely injured and didn''t make it through.
Riezel thus transmigrated, took the dead body, saved by Yuri, and spent a whole month recovering in this luxurious mansion as Riezel Brynhart.
Chapter 2: Dimensional Magic Cube
Chapter 2: Dimensional Magic Cube
Riezel Brynhart was a genius.
Not because of his keen insight or exceptionally high innate skill, but simply because the world had favored him, giving him a natural advantage over many others.
He wasn''t some influential figure with a background that reached the skies. On the contrary, he hailed from the ignored countryside, where generations of his family were farmers, and even his grandfather was a ve. One can easily imagine how humble his origins were.
Yet, Riezel was undeniably fortunate.
He was born with an abundance of magical energy.
Recognizing this, unwilling to be just a farmer or a ve, he abandoned the n to be handed over to a lord by his grandfather and family. Escaping from the obscure rural territory of his childhood, he made his way to the estate of a great noble. There, he participated in the entrance test for the National Magic School, which happened to be held there.
His naturally powerful magical energy effortlessly caught the attention of the higher-ups at the magic school. He was smoothly ushered into the continent''s most prestigious academy, bing a sensation in the renowned institution.
Riezel Brynhart''s reputation as a genius stemmed precisely from this.
His insight wasn''t extraordinary, and his innate skill in magic wasn''t exceptionally high. Still, because of his outstanding innate magical energy, he became the envy of many.All of this was because in this world, though everyone had magical energy, its quantity was a natural talent determined at birth and couldn''t be changed through effortter.
In other words, the amount of magical energy one''s body possessed at birth determined their magical ability throughout their life.
This meant that many people were destined from birth to never be magicians, no matter how hard they tried. Conversely, some who were blessed with an abundance of magical energy could effortlessly be magicians, performing high-rank, high-powered magic that others could only dream of, making them so-called geniuses.
Riezel Brynhart was one such person.
He was praised by many.
He wasplimented by many.
People gathered around him, and even some highly influential figures tried to win his favor. The kingdom itself valued him greatly; it was said that even the king remembered his name.
Now, the question arises.
What happens to a humble, inexperienced country boy, who has been living a simple life, when hees to the big city and is showered withpliments, support, and praise from everyone? After experiencing the temptations of the dazzling world, what does he be?
Will he, like the main characters in some novels, strive hard, resist all temptations, and be the strongest, fundamentally changing his fate?
No.
At least, Riezel could confidently say one thing.
¡ªIn this kind of environment, the possibility of a person turning bad is countless times greater than the possibility of turning good.
The original owner of the body knew this well.
Amidst the praise,pliments, ttery, and support from those around him, the original owner easily forgot about hard work, forgot about diligence, and fell into the sugar-coated bullets of others, unable to free himself.
The result was that the original owner becamepletely ignorant and ipetent, relying on the so-called ''talent'' as an excuse. He spent his days indulging in pleasure with some noble children. Although he didn''t reach the point of bullying and oppressing others, he gradually became so arrogant that no one else mattered. He became self-conceited, thinking he had surpassed everyone else, unwilling to associate with those of humble birth, and spent his days fooling around with a group of noble children.
Finally, the cmity that would wake the original owner from his dream arrived.
On a night just a month ago, after fooling around with a group of noble children and preparing to return to the academy, he was attacked. He not only suffered severe injuries but also had the ''Gate'' in his body destroyed, rendering him unable to use magic.
From here, the fall from grace of this genius began.
Understanding this, the original owner met a tragic end.
His final thoughts were not of regret for everything he had done so far, but rather an unwillingness to ept the future of returning to the days as ackey.
In such a situation, Riezel arrived and reced this world Riezel, then brought by Yuri, who mistakenly thought he had been sessfully rescued, back to her mansion.
For this body''s original owner, Riezel had no sympathy or pity.
''This oue could be considered self-inflicted...'' Riezel remarked inwardly.
In his previous life, Riezel''s environment was somewhat simr to the original owner''s, filled with sweet words and ttery.
However, unlike the original owner, Riezel saw through the true faces behind the smiling facades of those people, feeling disgusted by their ulterior motives and the environment he was in.
Now, having left his original world and entered another world was a kind of liberation for him.
With this in mind, Riezel originally had no intention of investigating the attack on his body''s original owner. However, the problem seemed to be not as simple as he had imagined.
"I''ve ordered an investigation." Yuri said while slightly furrowing her brows.
"No results?" Riezel asked calmly.
Seeing her reaction, he immediately guessed the oue.
Sure enough, she nodded.
"The attacker is deeply hidden. Whether it''s the attack that injured you a month ago or the assassination attempt half a month ago, the attackers are hired underground figures. Investigating them leads nowhere."
Yes, just half a month ago, Riezel once again faced an attack.
Initially, he thought that the reason for the attack on the original owner was simply due to offending someone or being envied by someone.
But during the time he was recuperating in Yuri''s mansion, someone infiltrated this mansion. Taking advantage of the night when everyone was asleep, they attempted to assassinate him.
Fortunately, although this mansion belonged only to Yuri, the security measures were well in ce. There were always guards patrolling, and a magic rm was set up. She was able to reach his room at the first sign of the assassin infiltrating and apprehending them.
Otherwise, he wouldn''t be lying in bed now; he would probably be in a grave.
This was clearly abnormal.
"To hire an assassin who can infiltrate even this mansion, the other party is not only deeply hidden but also has aplicated identity." Riezelmented calmly, making Yuri somewhat surprised.
However, his observation was correct.
Even though it was just a mansion, the ability to infiltrate here meant that the other party had significant skills.
After all, this was where she, Yuri Frenzel, resided.
Someone who could hire such a skilled assassin would undoubtedly have a strong background, both in identity and ability.
"I really want to know what reason could make such a figure target me..." Riezel said while smiling calmly at Yuri, seemingly unaffected by his precarious situation.
Yuri deeply looked at him before speaking.
"I will continue to investigate. Before that, you can rest assured here. Although rare, there are methods to temporarily mend thepletely damaged Gate. I will watch for you temporarily; I hope you don''t give up on yourself."
"I won''t." Riezel nodded without showing approval or disapproval. "Thank you."
"No need." Yuri smiled lightly, as graceful as an orchid in full bloom.
After a few more exchanges, she stood up.
"I won''t disturb you; you rest well."
With that, Yuri gracefully moved away, leaving behind a faint fragrance as she exited the room.
Riezel watched her depart, but his mind was not as calm as it appeared on the surface.
''Who could it be?''
He tried to recall the original owner''s memories, suspecting one person after another among those the original owner knew. Nobles andmoners ignored by the original owner, even the people from the countryside when the original owner was still living there¡ªall fell under suspicion, yet without any concrete result.
''The clues are too few.''
The original owner''s memories might not be reliable.
Maybe, the mastermind behind the scenes was someone the original owner had overlooked, perhaps a person so easily forgettable that he didn''t even bother to remember.
''If it was me, I would never allow such a thing to happen...'' Riezel thought to himself.
Life experiences from his previous life had instilled in him the habit of suspecting anyone, never intentionally ignoring anyone. Also, because of these experiences, he deeply understood one thing.
''The other party surely hasn''t given up; they will continue to target me, sending people to kill me again and again...''
Yuri''s identity was prestigious, and the environment she was in was extremely sensitive and crucial. The fact that the other party was willing to send someone to assassinate him showed their strong determination.
Thisck of security left him, who had simrly suffered from such situations in his previous life, feeling very uneasy.
''Next time, who will they send?''
''Will they be more powerful than thest assassin?''
''Will Yuri be able toe to my rescue in time?''
Each question told Riezel how unstable and unsafe his current situation was.
Moreover, Yuri saving him wasn''t without reason.
If not for some reason, given theck of interaction between his body''s original owner and her, who even seemed to be in a somewhat formal rtionship, she would not have sheltered him for a whole month for free, considering it good enough to save his life when he was near death.
Riezel didn''t want to entrust his life and death to someone else''s hands.
He had to protect himself.
He had to find a way to escape this powerless situation.
But this was a difficult task.
With his ''Gate''pletely damaged, Riezel couldn''t even use the most basic magic. In this world of swords and magic, how could he protect himself?
Fortunately, he wasn''t entirely helpless.
Closing his eyes, Riezel sank his consciousness into his mind.
In a trance, he seemed to see something in the ocean of consciousness.
A shining, dazzling ''Magic Cube'' radiating a brilliant glow, transparent throughout.
He allowed his consciousness to make contact.
The next moment, a thought was directly sensed by him.
[Dimensional Magic Cube, Start.]
Chapter 3: Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?
Chapter 3: Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?
As is well known, the reason for the appearance of the phenomenon of transmigration or reincarnation is that 99% of the time, the main character possesses cheats.
Riezel was no exception.
On his first day in this world, he discovered a transparent cube, called the ''Dimensional Magic Cube''.
It could only exist within his mind, impossible to extract or inspect. Apart from him, no one else could perceive its existence.
The cube''s function was as its name suggested, rted to dimensions.
...
[Dimensional Magic Cube''s Instructions]
[1: The Dimensional Magic Cube can automatically absorb the energy that exists in the world. Once a month, it can randomly open a dimensional channel and perform dimensional travel.]
[2: The Dimensional Magic Cube can convert various powers from different worlds, ready to be activated and used at any time.][3: There is a storage space inside the Dimensional Magic Cube, which can be opened and used at any time.]
[4: When opening a dimensional channel to a personally selected world, it needs to consume ten times the energy.]
[5: When carrying items for dimensional travel, you need to consume the corresponding energy ording to the value of the items.]
[6: The time limit for each dimensional travel is one day in the main world.]
[7: ...]
...
With the usage instructions and methods received a month ago when Riezel first encountered the Dimensional Magic Cube, he remained calm and tied in this new world.
Even knowing that his ''Gate'' waspletely damaged and his ability to use magic was gone, with someone secretly watching his life, he maintainedposure, thanks to this mysterious Dimensional Magic Cube.
Of course, even without the Dimensional Magic Cube, he wouldn''t panic or sit idly by. Murder attempts were nothing new to him, and he was already ustomed to facing them without any reliance on his previous life.
''The injuries are all healed. I''ve been lying in bed for a whole month. I can use the random dimensional travel function, right?''
Whether it was Yuri or the priest insisting Riezel rest for another day, he decided to make the most of this day.
Without further ado, he closed his eyes andy down, beginning to operate the Dimensional Magic Cube.
''Activate the dimensional channel.''
As his consciousness conveyed instructions to the Dimensional Magic Cube, the transparent cube began rotating in his mind.
[Instructions epted, starting the activation of the dimensional channel.]
[Sufficient energy, beginning the construction of the dimensional channel.]
[Built sessfully.]
Suddenly, the transparent cube in his mind moved.
It initially rotated like a 3D animation, each cell detaching from the main body, breaking down into numerous transparent cells that rotated and inteced.
Before long, the inteced transparent cells formed a passage, extending to the end of his consciousness, disappearing into the invisible void.
[Finished with the opening of the dimensional channel, the information collection has beenpleted]
[Searching for highlypatible information with the world on the other side of the channel from the user''s memory. Now conducting an arrangement.]
[Sessfully arranged.]
[Connected World: Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?]
[Time Ratio: 1:100]
[Dimensional travel is the descent of consciousness, in which the user''s consciousness is materialized in another world. Death of the consciousness after materialization will not affect the user, but the dimensional travel will end at the time of death. Please be careful.]
Upon receiving these messages from the Dimensional Magic Cube, Riezel was stunned on the spot.
Certainly, the reason he was stunned had nothing to do with anything else.
Regardless of the form of the dimensional travel or the difference in time ratios, upon his initial encounter with the Dimensional Magic Cube, he gained relevant information from its usage instructions.
Therefore, concerning the difference in time ratios between the two worlds, Riezel had long been aware, even understanding that this dimensional travel would only send his ''consciousness'' and not his entire being.
This was why he regarded the Dimensional Magic Cube as a reliance and remained calm from start to finish.
Due to the difference in time ratios, even if the dimensional channel exists for only one day in the main world, in another world, Riezel would have plenty of time to explore and develop.
Since the dimensional travel only sent his consciousness, even if he were to die when he was in another world, he wouldn''t be affected. At most, it would mark the end of this particr journey.
In this way, he could fully utilize the difference in time ratios and the absolutely safe situation to seek power and solutions.
This was his n.
However, he did not anticipate that the dimensional channel opened by the Dimensional Magic Cube would ultimately connect to such a world.
''Is it really that world? Danmachi?''
Riezel expressed both surprise and delight.
The surprise was due to the unexpected destination of the dimensional travel not being some unfamiliar world but a world he had seen, experienced, and known.
The delight stemmed from this revtion.
After all, in this world, while Riezel may not know it like the back of his hand, he was familiar with a considerable amount of information, even the so-called ''plot''.
In this way, he could save time and energy by leveraging his understanding of this world, and obtaining what he wanted based on that knowledge.
Indeed, this world had what he desired.
It was a fantasy world where all races lived together in harmony, primarilyposed of ''Humans'' and ''Demi-Humans''.
There, Humans were not the only intelligent beings; various races such as Dwarves, Beastmen, Pallum, Elves, and Amazonesses coexist. Even beings like ''Gods'' were present.
These ''Gods'', for the sake of experiencing mortal life, departed their mundane heavens devoid of any entertainment, voluntarily sealed their divine powers known as ''Arcanum'', and descended to the lower world where Humans and Demi-Humans reside.
They grant mortals the power called ''Falna'' to attract them to join their established familial factions known as ''Familia'' and establish a foothold in the lower world.
''I remember, once receiving Falna, one could enhance their abilities, level up, and grow stronger by defeating monsters, enemies, and opponents, gaining ''Excelia'' in the process, akin to ''EXP'' in a game.''
For Riezel, who currently had neither the time nor inclination for slow and steady practice, this method of gaining power was undoubtedly the perfect solution.
Joining a Familia and receiving Falna¡ªthat was his swift path to getting stronger.
Defeating enemies meant getting stronger.
Subjugating monsters meant getting stronger.
Even a bit of training meant getting stronger.
Having Excelia meant getting stronger.
''This first world for dimensional travel seems tailor-made for me.''
Realizing this, while not overly excited, Riezel couldn''t help but feel a subtle surge of anticipation.
''The time ratio is 1:100, right?''
In other words, one day in the main world was equivalent to a hundred days in another world.
The dimensional travel''s time limit was just one day in the main world. This meant, under the current time ratio, Riezel could spend a hundred days in another world.
''Can I break free from my current trouble in almost three and a half months, assuming everything goes smoothly?''
Riezel didn''t know. But he had no other choice right now.
So, with determination, he directed his consciousness towards the dimensional channel in his mind, allowing it to pass through the dimensional channel and begin to travel to another world.
As for Riezel himself, he remained lying in bed, seemingly in a deep sleep.
To onlookers, he appeared to be nothing more than having a peaceful sleep. Little did they know, his consciousness had long departed to another world, no longer present in this world.
===
Time, it seemed, had lost its meaning in this split second.
Riezel didn''t know how long he had wandered in the dimensional channel, nor did he know how much time had passed before he emerged from the channel.
All he could sense was that he was like a ghost, drifting lightly in a tunnel of light with no visible end as if he had been flying for a very long time.
After an unknown duration, his surroundings brightened, and a sudden heaviness spread from head to toe.
No, it wasn''t that his body suddenly became heavy, but rather his consciousness, which had no weight before, suddenly materialized and regained its weight.
A feeling of being grounded spread beneath him.
Around him, there was a burst of noise.
Almost reflexively, he opened his eyes, allowing the scene in front of him to imprint on his eyes.
Immediately, he was stunned.
A street filled with otherworldly charm had abruptly entered his view.
The bustling street didn''t resemble any modern scene in his memory; instead, it was filled with fantasy vors.
Dwarves with strong bodies wore weapons and armor, walking with powerful, resounding footsteps.
Beastmen with animal-like ears and tails, along with human women, chatted andughed.
Elves with pointed ears and exceptionally beautiful appearances bathed in praise from others as they crossed the street.
Small people akin to children and a brown-skinned girl chased each other and yed.
And all around were buildings resembling those from the medieval era, full of historical charm.
A fresh and colorful fantasy world appeared before Riezel amid the noisymotion, telling him that at this moment, he stood on such a street, in such a scenery.
Despite just arriving in this world and recently gaining body, his arrival didn''t attract the attention of anyone on the street.
Whether Human or Demi-Human, they all naturally passed by him as if he had always been on this street, without a hint of feeling out of ce.
Perhaps this was thanks to his current attire?
Riezel''s main world was a world of swords and magic, not much different in era and style from this world. This made him fit seamlessly into this world, everything appearing so natural.
After a while, heughed.
Heughed genuinely for the first time.
"Let''s start with this world."
Muttering those words, Riezel took a step forward and began his journey in another world.
Chapter 4: You Are My Child
Chapter 4: You Are My Child
It was unclear whether it was a coincidence or not, but this world was just like the main one, currently in the midst of summer.
The hustle and bustle of the city added an extra spark to the summer here, making it seem a bit hotterpared to the original world.
Walking amidst the crowd, with stalls constantly calling out to attract customers on the bustling streets, Riezel strolled casually like a traveler, brushing shoulders with the locals.
''It seems likenguage barriers aren''t much of a problem for me.''
Listening to the continuous sounds around him and observing the storefronts and signboards posted on each stall, he confirmed this.
Whether it was the main world or this one, thenguage and writing used were different from what he learned in his previous life.
However, he could naturally understand thenguage of people from this world andprehend the written words. It fascinated him for quite a while.
In the main world, there was no issue since he received the memories of his body''s original owner, and understanding thenguage and letters was expected.
But being able to do the same in this world made him wonder if there was a specific reason for it.''Is it the influence of the Dimensional Magic Cube?''
Riezel could only think of that possibility.
The Dimensional Magic Cube, capable of freely converting powers between different worlds, might not find it difficult to help its user graspnguages from various worlds.
Thanks to this, after wandering around a bit and interacting with a few locals, he roughly figured out where he was.
''As expected, this is the Labyrinth City, Orario.''
Labyrinth City, Orario.
This was the main stage of the original work, a city with an extremely special and crucial status.
Built on top of an undergroundbyrinth, it suppressed thebyrinth called ''Dungeon'' below, like a fortress lid, preventing the monsters inside from escaping outside.
Due to the existence of the dungeon and its monsters, countless races converged in this city, seeking adventure and the unknown, making this city the unparalleled bustling city above ground.
Therefore, it was considered the center of the world, excelling in adventure, trade, entertainment, and conflict, attracting many experts, merchants, and even Gods.
''This works out perfectly.''
Riezel nodded and spoke inwardly.
''With the dungeon here and so many monsters to subjugate, after receiving a blessing from a God, I can also grow at the fastest rate.''
Moreover, being the main stage of the original work, many familiar people, events, and things were here, allowing him, who was familiar with the plot, to gain the advantage of knowing the future and receiving tangible or intangible help.
''The current top priority should be to quickly find a Familia to join...'' Riezel began to ponder.
A Familia was a developmental organization and a family force established by the Gods for their own purposes.
The Gods bestowed the power of ''Falna'' upon mortals, allowing them to transcend the ordinary and possess abilities far beyond mortals.
Those who received ''Falna'' joined a God''s Familia as the ''God''s child'', following their Familia''s policies and providing the resources necessary for their Familia and their God to continue operating and surviving.
Strictly speaking, it was a mutually beneficial, interdependent rtionship.
Of course, mortals varied in quality, some strong and some weak, and the same went for the Familia.
Although the blessing received from any God didn''t differ fundamentally, due to differences in management philosophy and operational methods, the strength, influence, and position of major Familias varied.
Some Familias were newly established or struggling, making them rtively weak.
Others thrived, with numerous members, making them much more powerful, gathering various experts and resources.
There were also Familias primarily established for business, with membersckingbat power. Some Familias even existed and operated outside of Orario in the form of nations.
This was just the basic difference.
If one delved deeper, factors such as the personality of the God who established the Familia, the internal environment of the Familia, and the presence of negative influences had to be considered.
If one identally joined a God that saw their Familia and children as money-making machines or as mere entertainment, it was basically a game over.
After all, Gods in this world voluntarily sealed their Arcanum as they descended to the lower world for the sake of ying. Most of them were all about pleasure and entertainment.
Choosing which Familia to join required careful consideration and prudent selection.
''If I remember correctly, in Orario, the strongest seems to be Loki Familia, Freya Familia, and Ganesha Familia, right?''
The prefix name of a Familia referred to the God who established it. For example, the founder of Loki Familia was the famous God of Mischief from Norse Mythology¡ªLoki.
But unlike the male counterpart in true mythology, Loki in this world was a female.
As Riezel recalled the long-lost original work, he strolled through the streets andsuddenly found himself in a somewhat familiar ce.
Just beyond the bustling main street, a much taller andrger building than the surrounding area appeared. Several high-rise towers ovepped, resembling a mountain of swords, and a g fluttered atop the central tower.
The g depicted a clown as if showing aical smile to the people on the ground, particrly eye-catching.
The somewhat familiar building and g made Riezel stop in his tracks.
''Loki Familia, huh?''
The clown g, precisely the symbol of Loki Familia, one of Orario''s strongest Familias, Riezel unexpectedly found himself in the heart of their base.
''Could it be... this is fate?''
===
As the sun set, Orario was enveloped in the glow of the evening sky.
The people finishing a day''s work and the adventurers returning from the dungeon strolled through the streets with a mix of exhaustion and involuntary rxation, transforming the city into the embrace of the night.
"Hmm~ Hmm~ Hmm~"
In a corner of the street bathed in the twilight hues, a figure of a woman with long, casually tied crimson hair and eyes squinted walked with an elegant yet strangely messy appearance. Though possessing a refined countenance, she exuded an air of nonchnce and ack of seriousness.
Humming a tune, she strolled casually but her hums faded as she lost interest.
"Ugh, so boring~ Wandered around all day and found nothing amusing."
The woman grumbled in a tone that sounded oddly down-to-earth.
"All the kids are off on expeditions, and only a few are left at home. And they all im to have work to do, refusing toe out and y with me."
"That''s not the worst part. I went out to have some fun myself, and those guys who are usually desperate for a party seem to have taken some strange medicine. Not a single one showed up today."
"Boring, just in boring~!"
"Aah~ I want to y patty-cake with cute girls and have some lovey-dovey time with Ais."
Walking with a swagger, the woman continued hermentations, making remarks that were far from ttering, causing pedestrians to instinctively steer clear.
Unaware of the effect of her remarks on others, she continued to sigh.
"Let''s just go home and have a drink. If I calcte the time correctly, everyone should be back soon. I can endure a few more days."
After saying that, the woman turned into the road beyond the bustling main street and reached the mountain of swords-shaped buildings¡ªTwilight Manor.
On the highest tower amid the multitude of towers, a g depicting a clown still swayed in the wind.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, theid-back woman stopped in her tracks.
For no particr reason.
It just, on the manor''s gate, someone stood there.
''A human boy?''
The woman recognized the person''s race and gender, and her initially squinted eyes widened slightly. Inside, an unusual brightness for a mere mortal glimmered.
Especially when she saw the other person, who had clearly seen her as well. Yet, the boy remained standing by the gate, openly locking eyes with her. His figure showed no signs of wavering, and this disy immediately piqued her interest.
''I see... Is he waiting for me?''
In an instant, the woman seemed to see through the boy''s intentions and burst into heartyughter.
Her smile, reminiscent of the clown''s whimsical grin hanging on the g at the highest point of Twilight Manor, added an inexplicable touch to the atmosphere.
''Interesting...''
When such a feeling arose in the woman''s heart, there was no suspense about what action should be taken next.
To see something interesting and want to get closer was the nature of Gods.
Tired of the heavenly life, willingly sealed their Arcanum to pursue entertainment in the lower world and roamed freely like mortals.
The woman¡ªor rather, the Goddess fully yed out this trait, walking straight toward the human boy.
"Hey, kid, what are you doing here by yourself?"
The Norse Goddess¡ªLoki, greeted the boy who had just arrived in this world today, standing nonchntly at the entrance of her Familia''s base.
In response, the boy simply shed a calm and steady smile.
"I have no ce to go."
That''s what the boy said.
Simple and concise.
Although it was not a particrly glorious situation, the boy''s attitude was so calm and seemed almost indifferent to his own unfortunate circumstances.
But Loki knew he wasn''t lying.
Even though her Arcanum was sealed, as a Goddess who had survived for countless eons, her divine insight and knowledge were sufficient to see through many things that mortals thought were profound.
Based on this, it was almost impossible for mortals to hide something from her.
"Do you want me to take you in?"
Theical smile on Loki''s face seemed to be getting thicker as she asked that.
"Yes." The boy nodded straight.
"Good!" Loki said joyfully without any hesitation while still grinning. "From today on, you are my child!"
Was this just a whim of the Goddess, or was there a deeper meaning?
No one knew.
There was only one thing certain.
Riezel had sessfully joined Loki Familia.
In just a few words.
Chapter 5: Blessing
Chapter 5: Blessing
Twilight Manor, Central Tower''s Top Floor.
This was Loki''s divine room. In simpler terms, it was Loki''s room, filled with all sorts of odds and ends.
There were expensive-looking quill pens on the table, along with mysterious crystals sporting a faint rainbow hue.
On the walls hang ancient-looking shoes and hats.
The bed was almost buried under heaps of thick books and ornate short swords.
Even the corners of the room were stacked with small storage units, containing bottles of various shapes and colors.
Guided by Loki, Riezel arrived in this room.
"Come in." Loki casually pushed open the door and strode into the room. "Excuse the mess."
Riezel, feeling oddly polite, first stood at the doorway, bowed slightly, then entered the divine room."Come, sit here."
Loki was quite enthusiastic, resembling a child who just got a new toy. In high spirits, she brought a chair for Riezel, sweeping aside the various clutter, and invited him to take a seat.
Observing the carefree and unrestrained Goddess, Riezel couldn''t help but find it peculiar even though he was aware of her personality.
After all, even in his previous life, entities associated with the term ''God'' were highly revered, and not to be treated with any disrespect.
Silently contemting this, he sat down in response to her invitation, while ncing around the room.
On the other hand, Loki kept a close eye on him from beginning to end, wearing the always mischievous smile.
"Sorry, most of the kids from the Familia are out on a dungeon expedition, couldn''t throw you a lively wee party." Loki said with a cheerful grin.
"No problem." Riezel withdrew his gaze from the surroundings and shook his head. "I''m not much of a fan of lively gatherings, so this is fine."
"Uh-huh, I can tell. You''re that kind of person." Loki nodded approvingly, then added, "But, whether you like it or not, now that you''ve joined my Familia, you''re part of the family. Being too isted won''t do, y''know?"
"I know." Riezel smiled calmly at Loki. "If it''s someone worth interacting with, I won''t iste myself."
"Someone worth interacting with, huh...?" Loki''s expression turned subtle, but she shrugged it off. "Okay then, for now, let''s leave it at that. I don''t want to preach to a neer. We can save that forter."
With that, she propped her chin with one hand, lifted one foot to rest on the other thigh, and gazed at him with her narrowed eyes and the ever-present smile on her face.
"So, you''re still free, and haven''t received any blessings at all, yeah?"
At Loki''s question, Riezel deliberately ignored her probing gaze and nodded naturally.
"I haven''t received any blessings since I just arrived in Orario today. Before this, I haven''t met any Gods or been a part of any Familia."
Riezel knew that lying was futile in the presence of this world''s Gods. So, he wouldn''t engage in any meaningless deception; every word and action appeared remarkably honest.
"I guess so..." Loki smirked. "If you had anything special, you wouldn''t be standing there at the gate and waiting for me."
What is Loki Familia?
One of the strongest Familias in Orario, a faction second to none in this world and dubbed as one of the strongest Familias of Orario, alongside Freya Familia, known far and wide.
For such a powerful Familia, there was no shortage of people wanting to join.
But, joining Loki Familia wasn''t as easy as it seemed.
Not to mention Loki Familia, even a weaker Familia would have some requirements for new members to join. They wouldn''t just ept anyone randomly.
Generally speaking, if you want to join a famous Familia, you must have some exceptional qualities.
If you''ve been part of a Familia before and received blessings, then it''s about your strength.
If you''ve never been part of a Familia or never received blessings, then it''s about your potential.
The former was another matter, but thetter usually depended on race and innate skills.
After all, in this world, there were beings known as ''Demi-Humans''.
Beastmen had naturally keen senses and various innate skills depending on the ssification.
Dwarves were widely recognized for their strength and stamina, surpassing other races in both.
Amazonesses, despite being only female, were known for theirbat prowess and indomitable vitality.
Elves were magical races, able to perform miracles and mysteries to some extent even without receiving Falna.
Compared to Demi-Humans, Humans didn''t have many special traits.
In such a situation, if Riezel, as a mere human, approached Loki Familia, one of the strongest, expressing a desire to join, he would likely be rejected at the door by the gatekeeper without even having the chance to meet the God of the Familia.
Fortunately, he was well aware of this, so he never considered a direct visit.
He knew what kind of situation he would face, which was why he chose to wait at the gate for Loki.
Rather than dealing with mortals who assessed people''s worth in a very practical way, it was better to face Gods who acted on whims and were often unpredictable. That way, he could achieve his goal more effectively.
Riezel made this decision based on that point.
For this reason, he even prepared himself mentally for a long resistance, ready to wait for days. He couldn''t believe that Loki, known as a free-spirited Goddess, would stay confined within the base forever.
As it turned out, his idea was correct.
"Let''s get those clothes off first." Loki said while dragging a chair and sitting behind Riezel. "Just the top will do."
He nodded and unbuttoned his shirt, exposing his back to her.
"Tch, tch, nice skin. Better than those little girls'' back in our Familia." Loki remarked, marveling at Riezel''s bare back.
Meanwhile, she casually picked up a box.
In the box was a needle.
As she took the needle in hand, she began to speak while still gazing at his bare back.
"What do you know about ''Falna''?"
Loki''s question made Riezel pause for a moment, lost in thought. After a while, he spoke cautiously, relying on his memory.
"As far as I know, it''s a power that uses the ''sacred text'', thenguage of the Gods, engraving it onto the mortal body through God''s blood as a medium which will enhance their abilities. This power acts as a catalyst, turning the experiences gained through various actions into powerful abilities, elerating and amplifying them to facilitate rapid growth."
"Yep." Loki agreed with his exnation. "The Excelia, invisible to the naked eye of the mortals, is essentially your own history. We Gods use ''Falna'' to extract this history, turning it into nourishment for your growth. It allows you to grow at an unimaginable speed and get stronger. That''s the only role we Gods y in the lower world."
With that, Loki pricked her own finger with the needle, and a drop of blood oozed out. Using the blood, she drew a pattern on Riezel''s back.
He could feel her fingertip sliding on his back. However, his attention was soon diverted by her voice.
"With sacred text as the guide and the blood of the Gods as the medium, we depict your abilities in a concrete numerical way. So, ''Falna'' is also known as ''Status''. Anyone who can read the sacred text can visually confirm the abilities of those blessed by us."
Loki''s voice seemed to distance itself, bing mysterious.
"Status is basically divided into four parts¡ª''Basic Abilities'', ''Development Abilities'', ''Magic'', and ''Skill'', with ''Level'' being the most crucial."
"Development abilities aside, that''s an extra thing you may get when leveling up. You won''t have it right after receiving the blessing."
"Basic abilities are ''Strength (STR)'', ''Endurance (END)'', ''Dexterity (DEX)'', ''Agility (AGI)'', and ''Magic (MAG)'', a total of five. Each has ranks from ''S'' to ''I'', indicating the strength of the ability. The closer to S, the stronger the ability." {T/N: I''ll use abbreviations for basic abilities to differentiate them more easily from other terms.}
"Level, as the name suggests, is the most direct standard for distinguishing strength. The higher the level, the stronger. The improvement in basic abilitiespared to level is iparable. Basic abilities only improve one aspect, while level improvement is aplete body and mind evolution. You can think of leveling up as mortals approaching our level."
"As for magic and skill, the former is a power that can trigger supernatural phenomena. Originally, only a few magic races could use it. But after receiving the blessing, people of any race have a chance to possess it, from one to three. Thetter brings special effects under certain conditions, not as visually powerful as magic races but without quantity limits."
Loki''s voice took on an inexplicable inducement as it echoed in Riezel''s ears.
"Speaking of which, both magic and skill, when inspired through Falna, are intimately rted to yourselves. They are directly linked to your interests and approval of something, almost like materializing the power of imagination and longing in your heart. You can try asking yourself, recalling your life; maybe something will be triggered."
With Loki''s exnation, Riezel involuntarily began to recall his previous life, a life that was not worth looking back on.
Chapter 6: The Haunting Past
Chapter 6: The Haunting Past
In his previous life, Riezel''s background waspletely extremepared to his current one.
Unlike the original owner of the body he possessed at the moment, he didn''te from humble beginnings in the countryside; instead, he was born into a wealthy family, growing up as the pampered young master with a golden spoon in his mouth.
However, Riezel wasn''t just a rich second-generation; he belonged to the affluent third generation. His grandfather, once the richest tycoon who started from scratch, had fought for decades, strategically riding the waves of the times, seizing opportunities, and overshadowing countlesspetitors.
In theory, being born into such a family should have made Riezel the object of envy and jealousy for many. But fate yed a joke on him.
Riezel wasn''t a rich second generation. His biological father, as the second generation, was the stereotypical indulged yboy, ignorant, ipetent, and spending his time in revelry, relying on his family background to bully others. He embodied the typical antagonist in most urban novels.
Riezel wasn''t a child willingly born out of the union and love between his mother and his father. Instead, he was the result of an ident that his biological mother had to ept reluctantly due to his grandfather''spulsory order.
In such circumstances, one can easily imagine the treatment Riezel received after his birth.
His biological father rarely returned home, behaving as if he didn''t exist, continuing his debauched lifestyle without any change from before or after marriage.
His biological mother didn''t fare any better. Her goal in the first ce was to approach his father with a n to marry into a wealthy family and be a wealthy wife. After achieving her goal, she led a life of luxury, ying around independently from her husband. The extent of her extravagance outside was said to surpass her husband''s.Given these circumstances, his childhood could be described as being in almost an orphaned state.
As for his grandfather, unlike his parents, the grandfather treated him as if he were a tool. Perhaps due toplete disappointment in his son, the grandfather subjected him to strict education, making him remember various textbooks, study guides, high-society etiquette, and financial enlightenment since he could remember.
Riezel''s childhood passed in this manner.
Fortunately, he had an outstanding memory from childhood, bordering on the exceptional. Though not to the level of photographic memory, whenever he put effort into memorizing, regardless ofprehension, he could rapidly recall a variety of knowledge. This led to excellent achievements from infancy to maturity, which pleased his grandfather.
Yet, because of his exceptional memory, he vividly remembered many events from infancy to maturity clearly, such as the kidnapping attempt at six, the near-fatal ident with a crazed driver at twelve, and the poison discovered in the toasts from rtives during his birthday at eighteen.
Encounters that were basically impossible for an ordinary person, events that should have happened in TV dramas or novels, unfolded in his life. He couldn''t believe these dirty deeds were real, yet they repeatedly urred.
Gradually, Riezel became numb and ustomed.
He became numb to the asional threats on his life.
He got used to having his food checked for poison before every meal.
Even when his grandfather arranged a marriage for him with a supposedly suitable match, a woman nearly a hundred pounds heavier than him, he didn''t voice any objections.
However, from that moment on, Riezel began seeking various thrills obsessively.
Rock climbing, parkour, bungee jumping, surfing, extreme off-roading, extreme water-skiing, extreme rollerding, skydiving, hang gliding, and so on¡ªhe did it all. He even survived in the wild in a forest, as if seeking more stimtion.
It was during this process that he identally obtained the Dimensional Magic Cube, transporting him to the world of swords and magic.
Now, looking back on his life, his heart was filled not with anything else but intense anger.
''What have I gained in this life?''
''What have I pursued in this life?''
''Nothing!''
Everything was against his will.
Everything was not what he desired.
As Riezel reminisced about his previous life, he felt he had gained nothing.
The anger in his heart wasn''t directed at others but at himself. It was directed at the self that seemed to have everything but actually had nothing.
''If that''s the case, let go of everything from the past!''
Since he had already left his previous world, this time, he vowed to live for himself to the fullest.
''I will run towards the direction I desire!''
''I will pursue what I want!''
''If I can''t, then I won''t stop moving forward!''
Let the numbness from his previous life end here.
In this life, even if he had to exert all efforts, he must stride forward, reaching out for that unattainable wish.
As Riezel made this pledge in his heart, suddenly, he felt it.
Behind him, the finger that had been continuously moving until just now, sketching something, came to a halt.
"...Really?"
Loki''s voice was no longer distant; instead, it sounded as if she were astonished or muttering to herself.
"What happened?"
Riezel instantly shook off the haunting memories, then asked doubtfully.
However, this question did not elicit any response.
Loki remained silent, causing Riezel to furrow his brow in perplexity.
"Hehe... Hehehe... Hahaha...!"
Not long after, Loki burst intoughter, the volume increasing with each moment, growing more excited.
When Riezel couldn''t resist turning to look at her, he found she was already standing up, dancing and gesturing wildly.
"I''ve struck gold! I''ve hit the jackpot!"
Loki, the Goddess of the Loki Familia, one of the strongest Familias in Orario, seemed to have gone mad, dancing andughing uproariously.
"First Finn, now Riezel! My luck in the lower world has definitely improved! After a long time, I''ve found a gem on the streets again, and this time, it''s a damn good haul! Freya, see how you canpete with me now! Hahahaha!"
Loki was so excited that Riezel took a step back, finding her entric behavior a bit overwhelming.
"What the hell?" Riezel could only mumble helplessly.
"Hehe... Hehehe..."
After a while, she seemed to have gotten her fill of madness. With a mischievous grin, she approached him.
Seeing this, Riezel reflexively tried to put on his clothes.
"Don''t!" Loki quickly stopped him, the excitement on her face impossible to conceal. "I haven''t imprinted your status yet!"
After saying that, she took out a piece of parchment from somewhere, and her squinted eyes opened wide.
Inside, the sacred text that even Riezel couldn''t understand flowed.
"Take a good look at the blessing you''ve received, kiddo." Loki said with a smile that was hard to conceal. "Don''t blink, okay?"
She stuck the parchment to his back, spun her finger, and imprinted his status from his back.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, he also turned around and faced a mirror in the corner of the room.
The next moment, he saw the pattern on his back. His previously smooth back now had an engraving that resembled both a stone tablet and a crest. The engraving was roughly simr to Loki Familia''s g, both depicting the face of a clown.
This was precisely the Falna that Riezel had received, proof that he had be a member of Loki Familia and the child of the Goddess of Mischief.
"All done!"
Loki alsopleted her work, writing down the imprinted status from Riezel''s back on the parchment and happily handing it to him.
Riezel took the parchment, his gaze fixed on it.
...
Riezel Brynhart
Level 1
STR: I0
END: I0
DEX: I0
AGI: I0
MAG: I0
...
MAGIC
Almighty
- Memorize magic.
- Activate specific magic based on memory.
- The strength of the magic is determined by the basic ability of ''MAG''.
- Only effective for valid magic.
...
SKILL
Fool''s Obsession
- Extraordinary increase in growth speed.
- Extraordinary increase in growth limit.
- The deeper the obsession, the stronger the effect.
- The effect is greatly enhanced in dangerous situations.
Endless
- Obtains the highest rank development ability ''Healing Power''.
- Obtains the highest rank development ability ''Spirit Healing''.
- Obtains the highest rank development ability ''Abnormal Resistance''.
- Improve obtained development abilities.
Self Redemption
- Immune to body interference.
- Immune to mental interference.
- The status can be updated independently by consuming the corresponding God''s blood.
- Can ept and enhance the effects of friendly buffs on oneself.
...
That was the content of the parchment and the true nature of the status depicted by Riezel.
Originally portrayed as a clown, the sacred text, which was iprehensible to ordinary people, had be amonnguage under Loki''s imprint.
As he looked at the content on the parchment, he muttered.
"A magic and three skills...?"
Riezel unexpectedly awakened a magic and three skills from the start.
"Congrats, kid."
Loki patted his shoulder,ughing more and more recklessly.
No choice.
"Magic and skills that ordinary people may not possess even one of, and you awaken four just by receiving a blessing."
Loki was so delighted.
Because she really hit the jackpot.
She picked up a massive treasure.
Chapter 7: Tower of Babel
Chapter 7: Tower of Babel
One magic and three skills for one who had just received a blessing was indeed an extravagant starting point. Even Loki, who brought her Familia from scratch to one of the strongest positions in Orario over the past few decades, had only seen such potential in a single individual''s body.
That individual was Finn Deimne, the first member of Loki Familia recruited after she descended to the lower world. He was the current Captain of Loki Familia, and one of the less than ten Level 6 individuals in Orario, known as the Pallum Hero¡ªBraver.
Loki Familia''s Captain, much like Riezel, awakened one magic and three skills when he first received a blessing. Now, Finn possessed two magic and five skills, making him someone with the most skills within Loki''s knowledge.
Although the quantity of magic and skills didn''t necessarily make someone stronger than those with fewer, there were undoubtedly stronger individuals than Finn in Orario. It all depended on the specific effects of the magic and skills.
Magic and skills could vary in strength, with some being more useful than others. Awakening didn''t guarantee increased strength; it depended on the specific effects.
However, Loki couldn''t help but be impressed as she examined the effects of Riezel''s magic and skills on the parchment.
"Really..." Loki muttered, looking at Riezel''s ridiculous skills and magic, her eyes that rarely opened now glittering with bright light.
Especially the effect of one of the skills called ''Self Redemption''.
¡ªThe status can be updated independently by consuming the corresponding God''s blood."What a bullshit skill..." Loki cursed quietly. "Not to mention me, who''s only been in the lower world for a few decades. Even those old folks who''ve been here for centuries probably haven''t seen a skill with this kind of effect."
Loki had never heard of any child in the lower world being able to update their status independently. What did this mean for the position of Gods in this matter? How could they handle it?
Little did Riezel know about Loki''s mood, as he was busy examining his own status.
There wasn''t much to say about basic abilities.
Due to just receiving the blessing, all five basic abilities were at the lowest I-rank, with zero proficiency.
Proficiency, measured with numbers, indicates the level of progress of a basic ability.
0-99 is I.
100-199 is H.
200-299 is G.
300-399 is F.
And so on.
When proficiency upgraded to 900-999, it became S.
The highest tier for basic abilities was generally considered to be S, with a proficiency limit of 999. To enhance proficiency in basic abilities and advance, the only method was to frequently use that ability.
Want to improve ''STR''? Use forceful attacks frequently.
Want to enhance ''END''? Endure attacks frequently.
Want to boost ''AGI''? Increase speed and move frequently.
Want to enhance ''MAG''? Use magic frequently.
And so on.
As the ability was used more frequently, proficiency also increased. Only when it approached the highest value of 999 and the ability reached S-rank did the growth in proficiency slow down.
It was said that there were very few people who could upgrade their basic ability to the highest evaluation S-rank, and even reaching A-rank and B-rank was quite rare.
Of course, being someone familiar with the original work, Riezel knew that some people could easily surpass this theoretical upper limit.
Yes, it was the main character from the original work.
''I wonder if I can break through this limit.''
While Riezel pondered such matters, most of his attention was focused on his own magic and skills. When he saw his unique magic named ''Almighty'', his gaze paused slightly.
''Memorize magic, huh?'' Riezel''s heart self-deprecatingly remarked. ''In the end, my only strength is my memory.''
Clearly, this magic was a manifestation of his outstanding memory, also a representation of his innate skill worth boasting about from his previous life.
Perhaps the reason it manifested in the form of magic was rted to the fact that the original owner of his body was a native of a world with magic, naturally possessing strong magical energy.
As for his three skills, they werepletely crystallized from his heart''s obsession.
Riezel tentatively noted down the effects of these magic and skills, intending to explore them in the future.
At this moment, Loki seemed to have organized her thoughts and spoke again.
"I will lock your status with my blood, hiding the status to prevent others from peering."
Loki picked up the needle again, pricked her finger, and touched Riezel''s back.
"Also, I''ll remind you, status is the biggest secret of everyone blessed. Generally, except for the most trusted Familia members and the God of your Familia, you shouldn''t disclose information about your status to anyone. This is to avoid your power being figured out by those with ill intentions, attracting unnecessary trouble."
Loki''s face turned serious for the first time, looking at Riezel with great sincerity.
"Especially you, Riezel. Apart from Familia members, you better not let anyone know about your magic and skills."
There was no doubt that his magic and skills were abilities beyond the norm.
Perhaps he still needed to explore, but as a Goddess with broad knowledge and extraordinary insight, Loki could already see their capabilities and potential.
It was something that would undoubtedly shock and even drive certain entities crazy.
Therefore, she must remind him of this matter with seriousness.
"Got it." Riezel nodded.
Naturally, he wouldn''t casually reveal his status to outsiders. He knew that the things you could keep hidden were often the keys to victory and the aces up your sleeve.
"Good that you understand, kiddo." Loki finally rxed but then grinned mischievously. "Of course, you don''t have to be overly cautious. Loki Familia isn''t just any random group. If anyone dares to make a move on you without good reason, they better be ready to lose some hands."
Loki, with blood on her fingertips, made a mark on Riezel''s back. Ripples spread across his back like the surface of a disturbed pond.
Before long, his status on the back vanished and was locked. Unless she used her blood to unlock it, or someone resorted to forbidden means, no one could reveal it.
Riezel felt he could probably unlock it himself using Loki''s blood, given his acquired skill. However, he had no intention of doing so.
"All set!" Loki pped her hands, looking triumphant and satisfied.
Riezel, now dressed, burned the parchment with his status written on it by themp and then turned to Loki.
"When can I go to the dungeon?" Riezel asked calmly.
"The hell? Are you in a hurry?" Loki rolled her eyes. "Just received a blessing, and you''re already itching to dive into the dungeon? Aren''t you tired, kiddo?"
ording to Riezel''s story, he had just arrived in Orario today. Though Loki didn''t know where he came from, wanting to join Loki Familia on the first day, receiving a blessing, and immediately expressing a desire to enter the dungeon suggested remarkable energy.
"You better rest well first. Once you''re settled, we can discuss other matters. I''ll have someone take you to an empty room. Tomorrow, we can show you around the manor and introduce you to everyone." Loki said irritably while waving her hand. "Now, go rest."
Hearing this, Riezel unconsciously frowned but quickly rxed.
"Can I take this with me?" Riezel pointed to the short sword casually lying on Loki''s bed.
"You fancy that?" Loki looked strangely at him. "Sure, take it. It''s more of a decorative piece than a functional weapon. Its value as an artwork far exceeds its performance as a weapon. If you take it, it''s just for self-defense, got it?"
"That''s enough for me." Riezel smiled slightly. "I just want something for self-defense anyway. Walking around empty-handed feels a bit unsafe."
"Is that so?" Loki squinted her eyes at him for a while, then waved her hand. "Take it then. Consider it a gift for the neer."
"Thank you." Riezel bowed his head before picking up the short sword and soon left the divine room.
"I thought he was a steady kid. Turns out he''s got an impatient side too..." Loki muttered softly as she watched him leave.
She then shook her head.
"Well, whatever. All the kids in this Familia are like this, always carrying some heavy burden. I hope this kid can grow up smoothly."
Inside the divine room, Loki, seemingly unreliable at first nce but with a mind both meticulous and farsighted, quietly closed her eyes.
===
Meanwhile, at the entrance of Twilight Manor, Riezel clutched a mboyantly decorated short sword and departed. His gaze was fixed on the very center of the city.
There stood a towering building, even taller than the central tower of Twilight Manor, soaring high enough to overlook the entire city¡ªa colossal ivory tower.
"Is that Babel?"
The Tower of Babel was the most crucial and iconic structure in Orario. It served numerous functions and purposes. Among its various functions and purposes, the most vital was acting as the lid for the dungeon, suppressing the entrance of the dungeon beneath the tower.
Yes.
The entrance to the dungeony right beneath that ivory giant.
''Sorry, Loki.''
In Riezel''s eyes, a glint of cold determination flickered.
''I don''t have much time.''
He immediately headed in the direction of Babel.
His goal was the dungeon.
Chapter 8: Dungeon and Excitement
Chapter 8: Dungeon and Excitement
Long, long ago, there was a massive hole in the world.
It was a colossal abyss capable of birthing endless monsters, a veritable dungeon of darkness.
Countless heteromorphic creatures spewed forth from this hole, wreaking havoc across the surface, and leaving destruction in their wake. They swept through forests, mountains, valleys, oceans, and the sky, spreading chaos to every corner of the world.
Mortals suffered greatly and were ruthlessly trampled upon.
In their pursuit to regain dignity, restore peace, and avenge their fallen brethren, they transcended racial barriers. United, they set out to confront the monsters.
After countless years of struggle, led and fueled by figurester known as ''Heroes'', mortals managed to drive the monsters back into the root of the abyss. Above this abyss, they erected a fortress.
This fortress became known as the Labyrinth City¡ªOrario.
The great hole was called the ''Dungeon''.
The ''Dungeon'' was a ''Labyrinth''.Inside,y a world different from the surface.
In this world, there were countless floors.
No one knew the exact number.
People only knew that each floor of the dungeon had a unique environment and terrain. The types of monsters varied, growing moreplex and powerful as one descended deeper. Those with insufficient strength couldn''t progress far, even on the first floor, considered the safest with the weakest monsters, where danger still lurked for an ordinary person.
Even those blessed with abilities and possessing status needed courage and like-mindedrades to venture into the dungeon.
During the daytime, adventurers who had received blessings from various Familias gathered in the square in front of Babel. They registered with the Guild, which managed Orario, to explore thebyrinth as their main duty.
They formed parties, delving into the dungeon together, seeking immense wealth, fame, and prestige in this ''unknown'' territory.
As for the night, it was umon for adventurers to enter the dungeon. However, on this pitch-ck night, a figure entered Babel. Passing through the ornate doors of the first floor, along the steps bordering a massive hole, the figure entered the dungeon''s 1st Floor.
The reckless figure had no proper armor or equipment, just casual clothes with zero protective equipment.
Gripping a short sword, the figure ventured forth.
A boundless silence pervaded.
The figure, who was none other than Riezel, raised his eyes, gazing ahead, and saw awork of tunnels extending in all directions like underground passages.
The walls and ceiling were a uniform light blue.
Well-organized paths formed at intervals, featuring intersections, crossroads, gentle slopes, and other terrains.
No other figures were around.
At this moment, quite literally, Riezel stepped into a dungeon, an undergroundbyrinth.
"It feels a bit like back when I was surviving in the wilderness, identally stumbling into a bear''s den."
Riezel walked casually through the tunnel, his footsteps ringing clear in the silent surroundings.
*GRRR!*
*GRRR!*
Whether drawn by his careless footsteps or not, faint roars hidden in the darkness began to emerge.
Riezel''s gaze shifted, his steps unyielding, eyes fixed straight ahead toward the end of the tunnel. There, at a fork in the path, pairs of crimson eyes glowed in the darkness. Monsters, lurking in the shadows, waiting for their prey to approach, silently appeared.
It wasn''t until he got closer that he could make out the appearance of the monster.
It was a creature with a dog-like head and sharp ws and teeth¡ªKobold.
With a breath that seemed almost like taking a breather, one Kobold impatiently broke away from the group, stepping out of the darkness.
Smaller than Riezel, uglier than a human, yet exuding a menacing aura, encountering a creature of fantasy for the first time was undoubtedly shocking for him.
However, he didn''t stop walking.
*GRAAA!*
As if it had found prey delivered to its doorstep, the Kobold roared sharply and leaped at him. The vicious creature, constantly expanding in his pupils, approached relentlessly.
"Hahhh..."
*Ba-dump!* *Ba-dump!* *Ba-dump!*
Riezel, exhaling a breath, struggled to control his pounding heart.
"This feeling... It''s been a while."
A rare, natural smile appeared on his lips.
Despite facing danger, he not only felt no fear but instead entered an inexplicable state of excitement.
Recalling the first time he left home, leaving the sight of family, and seeking extreme adventures outside, his feelings were just like this¡ªnot anxious or uneasy but rather strangely excited.
Perhaps it was the numbness thatsted too long.
Perhaps it was the familiarity thatsted too long.
Once oppressed and bound for too long, Riezel, like a rebound from the bottom, would suddenly change when faced with highly stimting things. In this state of inexplicable excitement, his steps never slowed down as he watched the Kobold pounce toward him.
From walking to a brisk pace.
From a brisk pace to a run.
Then sprinting.
With this unyielding charge, Riezel fearlessly rushed toward the unknown creature he had never encountered before.
*GRAAA!*
The Kobold immediately revealed a fierce look in its eyes and thrust its sharp ws towards his head.
In the next second, apanied by a metal shing sound, the Kobold''s wsnded on a fancily decorated short sword.
As Riezel approached the Kobold to the limit, he boldly raised the short sword, blocking the w attack aimed at his head.
*BANG!*
The next moment, a muffled sound erupted.
It was Riezel, who had blocked the Kobold''s attack, using his free hand to clench into a fist and deliver a punch to the menacing dog-like head.
*GRRR!*
The Kobold let out a howl of pain, its slender frame unable to withstand the impact of the punch, and it was thrown to the ground.
*GRRR!*
*GRRR!*
Seeing theirrade''s unsessful attack, knocked down by the prey they were expecting, the remaining Kobolds hiding in the darkness couldn''t sit still. They all rushed out, charging towards Riezel.
Witnessing this, his heartbeat elerated even more, and the excitement in his heart increased. He felt a surge of strength coursing through his entire body.
This was the result of adrenaline being triggered.
The scene before him reminded him of his survival experiences in the wilderness.
There was a time when he was ambushed by a pack of wolves at night in the wilderness, and just like now, he was attacked by multiple fierce wolves.
Recalling that moment, his body moved instinctively.
Although Riezel had transmigrated from an ordinary world without any mysteries or extraordinary powers, having experienced wilderness survival and extreme sports, his original body was naturally not bad.
Despite the original owner of his current body being an ignorant and ipetent person, as a farmer''s child who had worked in the countryside, in terms of stamina and body, his current body was notcking.
This allowed Riezel to put to good use thebat techniques and self-defense knowledge he had learned for self-protection in his previous life.
So, faced with the oing attack of several Kobolds, he chose the most appropriate course of action.
"Ga?"
The Kobold that was originally wailing on the ground realized it had been lifted.
Riezel grabbed the leg of the fallen Kobold and swung it forcefully, throwing it towards the approaching group of Kobolds.
*BANG!*
Once again, a muffled sound echoed. In the Kobold''s cries, the two in the front were hit by their flyingrade.
The Kobold group immediately fell into chaos.
The front Kobolds fell one after another.
The rear Kobolds stumbled over the fallen ones in front, momentarily losing their charge.
At that moment, Riezel moved again.
He initiated a charge, reaching the nearest Kobold, taking advantage of its confusion, and during the chaos, the short sword in his hand suddenly rose, stabbing into its head.
*GRAAAAA¡ª!!!*
A piercing scream echoed as the Kobold copsed to the ground with blood sttering in all directions.
A drop of blood tainted Riezel''s face, shimmering against his cold, glittering eyes, making him resemble a heartless devil.
*GRRR!*
Thest Kobold seemed infuriated, stepping on its fallenrade one by one and charging toward Riezel in rage.
In response, Riezel seized the lifeless Kobold from the ground, hoisting its slender body as if it were a hammer. He swung it fiercely, creating a howling sound as he sent the approaching Kobold flying.
The short sword in his hand saw little use, only employed by him to parry the ws and fangs of the Kobolds. Otherwise, he wielded it for a lethal strike, thrusting the sharp sword edge into the vital points of his enemies.
The duration of this battle seemed indefinite.
*Pu-chi!*
Before long, Riezel thrust his short sword into the chest of thest Kobold, piercing its heart.
With the fall of the final Kobold, the battle concluded.
The dungeon once again returned to silence.
Standing amidst the corpses of Kobolds, surrounded by blood and monster remnants, Riezel nced at his blood-soaked hands and sword. The crimson stain on his cheek stood out vividly.
"Not enough..." Riezel murmured suddenly. "It''s not enough..."
*Ba-dump!* *Ba-dump!* *Ba-dump!*
His heart continued to race.
The pulsating blood refused to calm.
A surge of intense emotion filled his chest as if he had expelled all the depression umted from past constraints.
"It can be even more intense..." Riezel muttered words from the depths of his being.
Following the whispers within, he discarded his refined demeanor, transforming into a berserker chasing after something unseen as he took a step deeper into the dungeon.
Chapter 9: One Day One Night
Chapter 9: One Day One Night
Meanwhile, in Twilight Manor.
In the divine room, Loki paced restlessly.
''Why hasn''t he returned yet?''
Watching the sky outside gradually darken, her irritation became more apparent.
''He went outst night, and it''s been a whole day today. It''s been one day and one night, right?''
Recalling Riezel''s cold and resolute figure as he left the roomst night, Loki couldn''t help but bite her nails.
''Did something happen? Seriously?''
Just one day into joining the Familia, and the treasure she just got was gone like that?
''If I had known, I wouldn''t have indulged him.''Loki regretted. She knew Riezel was likely to have gone into the dungeon.
Originally, as a rookie who had just received a blessing, with abilities not much different from an ordinary person, she should have stopped him when she figured out his intention.
But because his potential was too promising, despite just receiving the blessing and having basic abilities no different from an ordinary person, with one magic and three skills, coupled with his consistently calm andposed demeanor, seeming so tactful, she ultimately chose not to intervene and indulged the neer once.
Little did she know that this indulgence would lead to a major incident.
''Come to think of it, even if that kid is tactful and has high potential, entering the dungeon rashly as a neer is a risky business.''
Leaving aside other considerations, such as the dungeon''s information, Riezel didn''t know much.
For instance, the map of each floor of the dungeon or the abilities and types of monsters generated on each floor.
As a rookie adventurer, he should have gathered all this information before entering the dungeon.
However, Riezelpletely neglected such preparations. Wasn''t it highly probable that he would encounter unforeseen circumstances?
''Could he have been injured due to not understanding the monsters'' attack patterns?''
''Or maybe he got lost due to not understanding the terrain?''
''Or did he encounter an anomaly or a monster feast? But those situations hardly ur on the first few floors, right?''
Loki couldn''t help but let her thoughts wander.
''No, I need to find help.''
In the end, she couldn''t sit still, leaving the divine room and heading outside.
Just as she was about to send someone to the dungeon to search for Riezel, someone shouted.
"That rookie is back!"
At the entrance of Twilight Manor, the Familia member in charge of guarding called out.
"Back?"
Loki''s eyes lit up, and without thinking, she rushed towards the manor entrance gate. However, when she reached the entrance, the scene that met her eyes left her speechless.
"Hey, rookie, are you really okay?"
"You don''t look fine at all like this."
"Here, take this water, and this is a potion, drink up quickly."
"What the hell did you do to end up like this?"
Several members of Loki Familia gathered at the gate one after another, panicking and discussing in a fluster while constantly asking Riezel about his well-being and handing him various items.
"Thanks for the concern. I''m really okay."
Riezel thanked the seniors from the Familia, his tone was calm as ever, but his body''s condition was quite poor.
His clothes were tattered, covered in various bloodstains that had turned ck, making it hard to tell if it was his or the monster''s. His ck hair was messy and wet, giving him a disheveled appearance that was as bad as it could get.
In his hands was a short sword, stained with fresh blood with its de curled.
Such an image was genuinely shocking.
"You..."
Loki stepped forward, wanting to scold him but held back.
"Follow me."
Loki, with an unfriendly expression, didn''t care about the intimidated Familia members around, dragging Riezel away without hesitation.
He didn''t resist, letting her lead him to the top floor of the central tower, and entering her room.
Without waiting for Loki to say anything, Riezel took the initiative to speak.
"Sorry for worrying you."
He lowered his head and apologized to her.
This left Loki speechless, unable to say anything at all. She could only take a deep breath, staring at him with an unchanged unfriendly expression.
"I won''t ask what you''ve been through. I''ll just ask, were you in the dungeon all day and night?"
"Yes." Riezel nodded with his eyes downcast.
"...And you stayed in the dungeon in this condition for a day and night?" Loki''s mouth twitched. "On the 1st Floor?"
"No..." Riezel stayed silent for a while and then calmly said, "If my memory serves me right, I should have walked through the passage to the next floor four times."
At these words, for a split second, Loki was stunned.
Walked through the passage to the next floor four times?
"You... Did you go down to the 5th Floor?" Loki asked with astonishment, and all she got was his silence.
She rubbed her forehead tiredly.
"You''ve just received a blessing for less than a day, haven''t even registered as an adventurer in the Guild, and you went down to the 5th Floor, alone? Are you fucking kidding me?"
Loki was on the verge of fainting.
This was ridiculous.
Just after receiving a blessing, rookie adventurers, even in a three-person party, usually only explore the 1st Floor for their first time in the dungeon, assuming nothing unexpected happens.
As rookies, their abilities were still immature and unremarkable. In such circumstances, simply oveing the fear and timidity of entering the dungeon already took considerable effort, not to mention fighting monsters and exploring thebyrinth.
So, rookies usually need a significant amount of time to adapt before considering going to lower floors.
Even in such cases, a rookie party would typically only explore the first four floors and never venture into the 5th Floor.
In fact, seniors in the Familia would absolutely prevent any rookie from entering the 5th Floor.
The reason was straightforward.
Starting from the 5th Floor of the Dungeon, not only did the variety of monsters increase and be stronger, but even the structure of the dungeon became moreplex.
Not to mention the significant rise in the frequency of monster appearances, but starting from the 5th Floor, the dungeon underwent aplete transformation. Its size alone surpassed the central square of Orario, and the difficulty of exploration suddenly reached another level.
For rookie adventurers without guidance or prior knowledge of the conditions on the 5th Floor and the types of monsters that appeared there, it wasn''t surprising if they met their end on this floor.
Given this, the 5th Floor was considered the first significant death line in the dungeon. Compared to the first four floors, it undoubtedly became much more dangerous.
And yet, Riezel, on his first dungeon delve, decided to charge into the 5th Floor alone?
Without any armor on his body and his status not having experienced any growth, in a state where his basic abilities were no different from an average person?
It was as if he were asking to die!
"I really want to know how you''ve managed to survive until now, kiddo..." Loki said while looking at Riezel with a furious expression.
Seeing this, Riezel didn''t offer any defense; he only expressed his confusion.
"To be honest, I''m also curious. I initially nned to return after pushing myself to exhaustion, but for some reason, my stamina seems inexhaustible, and my mind remains sharp. Before I knew it, I had spent a whole day and night in the dungeon."
That was the truth.
Riezel had indeed intended to return once he felt exhausted. Even though he was caught up in extreme excitement, enjoying the thrill of battle and unwilling to stop, he wasn''t foolish. When he reached his limits, he would naturally calm down and retreat.
The problemy here.
He didn''t feel exhausted at all. The energy of body and mind seemed genuinely endless. No matter how much he fought, killed, ran, or explored, he just didn''t feel tired.
As a result, he couldn''t gauge the time and extent of his retreat properly. Under the domination of his heightened emotions, he unintentionally pushed all the way to the 5th Floor.
If his stomach hadn''t suddenly growled and felt hungry, he wouldn''t have realized he had been in the dungeon for so long.
"This must be because of your development abilities..." Loki could only speak with a hint of irritation.
Her words made Riezel pause for a moment.
"Development abilities?" Riezel furrowed his brow.
"Yeah, the ones I mentioned to you yesterday. They''re additional abilities you have a chance of gaining only when you level up." Loki exined with a less-than-pleasant tone.
Despite her tone, Riezel knew what development abilities were.
As Loki described, they were acquired with a certain probability during leveling up, distinct from the basic abilities of STR, END, DEX, AGI, and MAG. They were special abilities, an extension of basic abilities, introducing extra personal attributes.
Unlike basic abilities, development abilities were only divided into S, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, and I ranks butcked proficiency. Improving them was extremely difficult, but they offered passive benefits.
For example, in this world, a cksmith who received a blessing and leveled up to Level 2 had a chance to gain a development ability called ''cksmith''. Holding this ability allowed them to add special attributes to the equipment they forged, creating advanced equipment akin to magical equipment.
There were many such development abilities, including some useful ones forbat. Riezel''s skill called ''Endless'', granted him three development abilities.
"The effect of ''Healing Power'' is the automatic restoration of stamina. Even without taking a break, you can rapidly recover while fighting."
"The effect of ''Spirit Healing'' is the automatic restoration of mind. You can get recovery during battles without the need for deep rest."
"The effect of ''Abnormal Resistance'' is the ability to resist abnormal status, such as poisoning."
Loki exined the effects of each development ability and sighed wearily.
"The reason you can spend a day and night in the dungeon without feeling tired is because of those development abilities."
Chapter 10: Fools Obsession
Chapter 10: Fool''s Obsession
"The reason you can spend a day and night in the dungeon without feeling tired is because of those development abilities."
"..."
Loki''s words made Riezel raise his hands and look at them. His hands were still stained with blood, mud, and dust, visibly in a sorry state. Yet, these hands had fought relentlessly for a whole day and night.
Endless¡ªthe benefits brought by this skill seemed much greater than he had imagined.
"Only by leveling up do you have a certain chance of gaining development abilities. In other words, those who possess development abilities should be at least Level 2."
Loki nced at Riezel from the corner of her eye.
"Thanks to the skill, you acquired three development abilities, all of the highest rank at that, how could that not be a significant advantage?"
Whether it was ''Healing Power'', ''Spirit Healing'', or ''Abnormal Resistance'', as development abilities resembling basic abilities, even without proficiency to indicate the progress, they still had different ranks. From the lowest I-rank to the highest S-rank, there were ten ranks for both development and basic abilities.
The effect of ''Endless'' allowed Riezel to gain three development abilities, all at the highest rank.What did that mean?
It meant that, due to the skill''s effect, all three development abilities he obtained were S-rank.
This was quite extraordinary.
"I can''t speak for other Familias, but in ours, no member''s development abilities have upgraded beyond D-rank, with the highest being E-rank."
Loki revealed this secret.
"But you, right from the start, have three equivalent to S-rank development abilities. Even when you acquire more development abilitiester, your skill''s effect will upgrade the ranks of those development abilities. That''s just ridiculous y''know?"
That highlighted how ridiculous and powerful Riezel''s ''Endless'' effect was.
After all, Loki Familia was not an ordinary Familia; it was one of the strongest in Orario. With the dungeon, a mysterious realm with countless monsters to conquer and challenges aplenty, rising to the top here was equivalent to being at the pinnacle worldwide.
Orario was rightfully called the center of the world.
In Loki Familia, experts abounded, including several influential figures at the top. Compared to the ancient heroes who once drove monsters back into the dungeon, reiming thend for mortals, Loki Familia wasn''t far behind.
Even among such experts, none had development abilities upgraded beyond E-rank. Did this not further emphasize the extraordinary nature of Riezel''s skill?
If it were just the recently acquired version ''Healing Power'' and ''Spirit Healing'', the effects wouldn''t be as astonishing as making someone tirelessly fight for a whole day and night without feeling tired.
However, when both ''Healing Power'' and ''Spirit Healing'' were of the highest rank, it was an entirely different story.
"Now, you''ve just experienced the effects of ''Healing Power'' and ''Spirit Healing''. But when you descend a few more floors and encounter monsters that can inflict abnormal statuses, you''ll realize that your ''Abnormal Resistance'' is equally insane..." Loki said with a sigh and her mood improved somewhat.
"Holding the highest rank ''Abnormal Resistance'', I reckon unless it''s a deadly poison that can kill even Gods, there''s probably no abnormal status in this world that can affect you."
At this point, Loki couldn''t help but think of another one of Riezel''s skills¡ªSelf Redemption.
Setting aside the status''s independent update effect that could make any God curse, the other two effects were equally insane.
Being immune to body interference meant that no one could tamper with his body, whether it was manipting him with magic or trying to fool his perception. Even she, as the Goddess of the Familia herself attempting to do something unfavorable with his blessing wouldn''t work.
Being immune to mental interference meant that methods targeting memory and soul became ineffective, including charm and confusion.
Thebination of these two effects, paired with the highest rank ''Abnormal Resistance'' ability, was practically unbeatable.
At least, Loki thought that defeating Riezel with these two skills would be challenging, aside from relying on brute strength for victory.
However, the third effect of this skill made friendly buff effects that were originally unable to interfere with his body, mind, or energy suddenly effective.
It was outrageous.
Yet, despite these two powerful skills, Loki believed thatpared to Riezel''s first skill, their effects and importance might have to take a backseat.
Thinking about the effects of that skill and recalling his relentless one-day and one-night struggle, Loki''s squinted eyes suddenly widened a bit.
She remained silent for a while and then shifted her gaze to his body.
"Take off your shirt." Loki suddenly said.
"What?" Riezel, still lost in his thoughts, was momentarily puzzled.
Seeing this, Loki grinned.
"I''m curious how much you''ve grown after this one day and one night." Loki said, one word at a time. "Let''s update your status."
At her words, Riezel''s calm andposed eyes glittered with a peculiar light.
Updating status.
This was what everyone who received the blessing looked forward to the most.
After going through adventurous exploits, engaging in various activities, and umting Excelia, a simple update of status transformed these Excelia into substantial nourishment, fostering growth and making individuals stronger.
In this process, not only did basic abilities get a boost, but those who had experienced profound events might have also awakened magic and skills. They might have even gained new magic and skills, significantly enhancing their strength.
Especially for those who had never possessed magic and skills, every status update was eagerly anticipated, hoping that magic and skills would manifest after the update.
Compared to those people, Riezel was undeniably fortunate.
He had just received a blessing, and one magic had appeared right away. He had even gained three skills in one go, truly blessed by heaven.
For ordinary people, unless they were exceptionally talented geniuses, it was normal not to have a single magic or skill when first receiving a blessing.
They eagerly anticipated the emergence of magic and skills, craving extraordinary mysteries and exceptional power. This could be said to be the process that the majority of those blessed went through.
While Riezel wasn''t as desperate, his expectations were definitely not far behind those people.
Because, excluding magic and skills, his basic abilities had never undergone growth or improvement. Whether it was physique orbat prowess, he still belonged to the category of ordinary.
In other words, he had yet to experience the so-called extraordinary power. Considering this, for his first status update, he was filled with anticipation.
Without dy, Loki faced Riezel''s back, who had taken off his shirt, and began the status update.
The specific steps were simr to when he was blessed initially¡ªtaking out a needle, piercing the fingertip, using her blood to touch his back, skillfully moving fingers to draw a blood-red trail on his back.
First, Loki unlocked Riezel''s status, causing the previously nk back to quickly disy crimson inscriptions as if they were runes.
Shortly afterward, she squeezed out a drop of her blood, letting it fall on his back, creating circr ripples that spread throughout the entire inscription.
From this point on, the recement of status took ce.
The umted Excelia was extracted by the hand of ''God'', serving as material and changing into the foundation for growth.
The new sacred text reced the old one, engraved into his back.
As this process continued, at a certain moment, Loki''s eyes widened once again.
After a long while, she showed an expression that Riezel couldn''t tell if it was crying orughing.
"Fuck!"
The Goddess suddenly swore, startling him.
"What happened?"
Riezel turned around, looking at Loki with a bewildered expression.
"...See for yourself."
Loki, with a worldview-shattering expression, numbly tranted his status onto the parchment, converting it into themonnguage, and tossed it to him.
Riezel took the parchment and saw histest status.
...
Riezel Brynhart
Level 1
STR: I0 ¡ú H184
END: I0 ¡ú H177
DEX: I0 ¡ú G202
AGI: I0 ¡ú G215
MAG: I0
...
Magic and skill weren''t imprinted or tranted, probably due to their unchanging nature. However, in the basic abilities section, Riezel underwent significant changes.
''STR'' and ''END'' broke through the I-rank one after another, entering the H-rank.
''DEX'' and ''AGI'' even directly skipped over the H-rank, entering the G-rank.
''MAG'' remained unchanged, likely because he didn''t use magic.
After one day and one night of intense battle, the ultimate result was aprehensive increase of over 700 in his basic abilities proficiency.
''What a ridiculous growth speed!'' Loki eximed with shock inwardly. ''I always knew that ''Fool''s Obsession'' had to be the most broken skill!''
Her mind went crazy.
No choice.
As the Goddess of a big Familia, Loki had updated statuses for many members and even handled characters considered geniuses.
Considering her well-informed nature, she was well aware of the typical growth rate for rookies who had just received blessings.
In just a day and night, even the geniuses within Loki Familia initially could only increase proficiency by about a few dozen points at a time.
But a total ability proficiency increase of over 700, nearly 800...?
Loki stared with her divine eyes, fixedly observing the skill on Riezel''s back with an unbelievable gaze.
...
Fool''s Obsession
- Extraordinary increase in growth speed.
- Extraordinary increase in growth limit.
- The deeper the obsession, the stronger the effect.
- The effect is greatly enhanced in dangerous situations.
...
No doubt, Riezel''s extraordinary growth can be attributed to this skill.
Loki had never witnessed such a ridiculous effect before. It wasn''t about boosting strength or providing assistance; it was a unique skill that proved to be beneficial for growth.
''Now, Orario gonna see some changes...''
Loki thought with excitement as she saw her new child.
Chapter 11: Become Adventurer
Chapter 11: Be Adventurer
Next day, early morning.
The sun had just started to brighten, but Riezel was already awake.
Taking a quick look around the somewhat unfamiliar room, he was confused for a moment before aware of his situation.
"Almost forgot, I''ve moved into Twilight Manor."
This was one of the many towers within Twilight Manor, located on the upper floor in one of its rooms.
Yesterday, afterpleting the status update at Loki''s room, Riezel was assigned to this room. This was his room in Twilight Manor, the residence in Loki Familia''s main base. From now on, barring any unexpected events, this ce would be his, free for him to use.
Getting out of bed, he first nced outside the dimly lit window before starting to freshen up.
After finishing his morning routine, he noticed a set of clothes ced outside his room, seemingly left there by some members of the Familia.
¡ªGoddess told me to prepare these for you.Staring at the clothes with a note on top, Riezel fell silent for a moment, then silently thanked them in his mind before changing into the new clothes.
As for his own clothes, there was no way he would wear them again.
The set, covered in bloodstains, mud, and dust after a day and night of battle, had gloriously dered its demise. It couldn''t be repaired, only discarded.
In the awkward situation of having no recement, he had to ept the kindness of the Familia.
However, it seemed the Familia''s goodwill wasn''t limited to just a set of clothes; there was also a heavy bag filled with shining coins.
Inside the bag, there was another note.
¡ªThere''s a total of one hundred thousand valis in here, consider it your startup funds. Use it wisely. If you don''t follow my instructions fromst night, you''re not allowed to enter the dungeon!
No need to guess, this note was almost certainly left by Loki.
This reminded Riezel of the tasks assigned by her after updating his statusst night. A wry smile suddenly appeared on his face.
''It seems that withoutpleting those preparations, she won''t allow me back into the dungeon.''
''Well, that''s fine...''
Since it was for his own benefit, Riezel would obediently follow Loki''s arrangements.
Taking the somewhat heavy money bag, he pondered for a moment. In the end, he chose not to carry it on his person but instead ced it in the storage space of the Dimensional Magic Cube.
In the third instruction of the ''Dimensional Magic Cube''s Instructions'' it was mentioned that the Dimensional Magic Cube came with a storage space that could be opened and used at any time.
Even before arriving in this world, while lying in bed recovering from injuries in his original world, he had already tried opening the storage space of the Dimensional Magic Cube.
Therefore, he was not unfamiliar with this function.
''Collect.''
With a silent recitation in his heart, the money pouch in his hand disappeared.
It had entered the storage space contained within the Dimensional Magic Cube.
The method for the storage space to receive an item was straightforward¡ªtouch the belongings, silently say ''collect''.
The process was the same for extracting an item. First, immerse consciousness into the Dimensional Magic Cube''s storage space, observe the interior, locate the desired item, and then silently say ''extract''.
Once familiar with these functions during the month of recuperation, he could now perform ''collect'' or ''extract'' in less than a second. It was convenient and efficient.
After he was done, Riezel opened the door and stepped into a corridor.
Upon closer inspection, this corridor was suspended.
As the base of Loki Familia, the various towers that made up Twilight Manor were interconnected. The lower halves of several spires were linked, while the upper halves extended into stone corridors connecting the towers. From the outside, it looked like aplexwork of passages between the towers,cking any semnce of order.
Riezel walked on one such aerial corridor, which offered a view of the courtyard below.
"Morning."
"Morning, rookie."
Several early-rising Familia members seemed busy with tasks. They greeted Riezel as they passed by.
"Morning."
Riezel returned the greetings politely and continued down the corridor, eventually leaving Twilight Manor. He crossed the courtyard and arrived at the main gate.
"Morning, rookie. Heading out so early?"
"Don''te back likest night, all worn out, okay?"
The two Familia members at the gate recognized Riezel. One greeted him while the other gave a friendly warning.
"I won''t, please be relieved, seniors."
Feeling a bit awkward, Riezel could only smile politely before continuing on his way. It wasn''t until he walked onto the main street that he felt the gazes behind him fade.
"They are quite friendly... and genuinely caring too."
Riezel sighed slightly, feeling inexplicably moved.
In his previous life, the people around him were mostly maniptive and hypocritical, smiling at him with hidden agendas. It was rare for anyone to genuinely care and show consideration as the members of the Loki Familia did.
So, he found it quite foreign.
Even the incidentst night, where Loki gave him a cold shoulder for being out one day and one night, was something he wasn''t used to. Therefore, he was quieter than usual.
However, he knew it was because these people genuinely cared about him, making him feel awkward.
It was a rare experience for him, so feeling awkward was natural.
Fortunately, after spending a month healing in the main world, Yuri''s attitude towards him wasn''t bad either. Otherwise, he might truly have felt overwhelmed and unsure.
Overall, the atmosphere within Loki Familia made Riezel quitefy.
''Even though I already had some understanding of Loki Familia through the original work, when I originally chose to join Loki Familia, it wasn''t without considering the friendly atmosphere within the Familia. But after experiencing it firsthand, it just felt different.''
Riezel could only express his feelings in this way before shaking his head, trying to clear his thoughts.
However, his mood inevitably improved quite a bit, causing his steps to be more forceful than usual. Deep down, he silently noted everyone''s help and concern and made a promise to repay them when the opportunity arose.
That''s just how he is¡ªimpressed and highly appreciative of people''s kindness and goodwill. Perhaps it''s because he rarely encountered people with purely good intentions towards him in the past?
As he thought about his previous life, Riezel couldn''t help but mock himself slightly.
''Whatever, let''s not dwell on it too much.''
Since he had already decided to leave his past behind, thinking about those things would only add unnecessary worries.
He quickly shifted his thoughts and began focusing on the tasks at hand.
''There''s a lot to do today.''
Last night, Loki gave him several strict orders that he mustplete.
''First, I need to prepare a new weapon and a set of armor suitable for dungeon exploration.''
''Second, finish reading the books I found in the libraryst night, memorizing information about the dungeon''s upper levels, maps, and details about the monsters on each floor.''
''Lastly, visit the Guild and register as an adventurer.''
These were the three instructions Loki gave Riezel toplete. Only after finishing these tasks could he enter the dungeon again.
It''s more urate to say that, typically, people who want to enter the dungeon wouldplete these preparations first before considering venturing in. Riezel, on the other hand, disruptedmon sense, entering the dungeon first and then turning back to make these preparations, truly leaving people dumbfounded.
If it weren''t for him awakening one magic and three skills with astonishing effects, and the update of his statusst night almost driving Loki insane, she might have ordered him to find a party and not allow him to venture into the dungeon alone.
At that moment, Loki was being quite lenient, only instructing him to make these three preparations.
''As for the books, I pretty much finished reading themst night. At least, I''ve memorized the information about the first few floors of the dungeon.''
Riezel, with his exceptional memory, wasn''t troubled by that at all and had alreadypleted that taskst night.
With two tasks left¡ªregister at the Guild and use the startup funds to purchase weapons and armor.
''Let''s go register at the Guild first.''
Having made this decision, Riezel recalled the city map he noted downst night and headed northwest.
The street here was bustling early in the morning, with many shops open and stalls set up on both sides.
On the way, many people, humans, and various demi-humans were walking around, some well-equipped, indicating that they weren''t to be messed with.
Entering this street and walking deeper, Riezel, along with many others with the same destination, eventually arrived at a magnificent building.
It was a building constructed with white pirs.
In the spacious marble-made entrance hall, numerous heavily armed individuals were bustling around, crowding the area to the point of chaos.
This was the Guild, the official organization managing the Labyrinth City, Orario.
Most of the figures present were adventurers, people with the duty and purpose of conquering dungeons.
Riezel managed to slip in and approached the counter.
"Hey there, could you help me register as an adventurer?" Riezel spoke to thedy receptionist behind the counter.
"Sure, just a moment." The receptionist responded promptly. She skillfully pulled out a piece of parchment and began the registration process.
"Name?"
"Riezel Brynhart."
"Race?"
"Human."
"Age?"
"...Seventeen."
Riezel initially thought about stating his age from his previous life, but it felt a bit awkward to report that age with the appearance of his current body. Therefore, he hesitated slightly before giving the age of his current body.
"To which Familia do you belong?"
Unaware of hisplex mood, the receptionist continued with the questions.
"Loki Familia."
Riezel didn''t hesitate much and stated it directly.
However, in that split second, a brief silence fell over the entire hall.
Chapter 12: Getting Stronger
Chapter 12: Getting Stronger
"What happened? Is something wrong?"
The sudden brief silence seemed to not affect Riezel as he calmly asked thedy receptionist who stared nkly at him.
"No-Nothing wrong!"
The receptionist realized what she had done, hastily apologized, and continued filling out the registration form for him. However, whether it was his misconception or not, the receptionist''s hands seemed faster than before, elerating the registration process.
The surrounding silence was once again filled with noise as if nothing had happened. Yet, if one listened closely, there were still many people discussing one after another.
"Is he really from Loki Familia?"
"Just registered as an adventurer? A rookie, right?"
"Loki Familia added another rookie..."
"It''s probably not a simple guy.""Human, huh? Seems tock good racial skillspared to other races. Could he be someone with outstanding personal skills?"
"Who knows..."
The discussions continued endlessly, and some of it reached Riezel''s ears. However, he paid them no heed.
After all, it wasn''t something particrly strange. As one of the strongest Familias in Orario, Loki Familia was destined to be a focus of attention wherever they went. Since he had dered his affiliation with Loki Familia, it was normal for people around to discuss it.
Moreover, he felt that his presence might soon catch the eye of observant and conscientious individuals through various channels.
The addition of a rookie to Loki Familia might not be a big deal, but for those closely monitoring Loki Familia''s movements, it was worth gathering information. Of course, they could only gather the information that Loki Familia had a new rookie named ''Riezel Brynhart'' and nothing more.
As for specific information about him, it wasn''t so easy for those people to find out.
Not long afterpleting the procedures, Riezel left the Guild and returned to the street. Instead of leaving directly, he wandered around on the street.
This street, located in the northwest direction of Orario, known as Northwest Street, was mainly frequented by adventurers due to its proximity to the Guild headquarters that managed the city and adventurers. Thanks to this, Northwest Street seized the opportunity and opened numerous shops catering to adventurers.
There were shops specializing in weapons and armor equipment, shops selling potions and special items, and many more. Such establishments were abundant on Northwest Street, to the point where the street had earned the nickname ''Adventurer''s Street''.
Following Loki''s instructions, Riezel needed to purchase weapons and armor, so there was no reason for him to leave directly.
''100,000 valis?''
As Riezel strolled down the street, he weighed the amount of startup capital he had.
''In Orario, 100,000 valis might not be chump change, but it''s not exactly a fortune either.''
Here, a serving of fried noodles costs a few hundred valis, and a regr drink rarely exceeds a thousand valis in value. Determining whether this purchasing power was significant or trivial was a bit of a delicate matter.
''A bottle of ordinary potion for stamina recovery is worth around a thousand valis. A basic, cheap standard short sword is valued at a few thousand valis. When you calcte it like that, 100,000 valis does seem like a decent sum...''
However, Riezel knew that for truly powerful adventurers, 100,000 valis might be no more than pocket change.
Without delving into specifics, the equipment wielded by top-tier adventurers typically didn''t fall below a million valis, often surpassing 10 million valis.
For instance, weapons ranged from a few thousand valis for standard ones to tens of millions or even over a hundred million valis for top-notch ones. Due to the ability of mortals to receive blessings and level up, there was a chance to obtain ''cksmith'' development abilities. Depending on the cksmith''s skill and the level of the ''cksmith'' ability, the crafted equipment varied in strength.
Generally, people ssify special equipment into first-ss equipment, second-ss equipment, and third-ss equipment based on these levels. Only top-tier cksmiths with the ''cksmith'' ability could craft equipment that fell into these graded categories, especially the magical ones with special effects.
In other words, even though Riezel had a startup capital of 100,000 valis, he might not have been able to afford a single piece of the lowest-level third-ss equipment, let alone gather weapons and armor.
''It seems like I won''t be able to afford special equipment for now.''
Riezel felt a bit disappointed.
Of course, it was only a slight disappointment.
It wasn''t strange for a Level 1 rookie to be incapable of affording special equipment. Even Level 2 adventurers would generally find it challenging to afford special equipment. The use of special equipment was concentrated, around 90%, among adventurers at Level 3 and above.
Riezel thought he would have to wait a while before he could use special equipment with levels and effective effects.
''I''ll just buy some higher-quality ordinary products then.''
Having epted this reality, Riezel began browsing through the storefronts along the street.
Two hourster, he sessfully gathered the equipment he needed.
Firstly, he spent 24,000 valis on a sword.
The sword was the kind that could be used with one hand, slender and lightweight, with rtively weak attack power but fast in speed, agility, and easy handling. It was the weapon Riezel found most suitable for himself after considering various options.
From the growth trends in his status, it was evident that his ''DEX'' and ''AGI'' had developed more, while ''STR'' and ''END'' were rtively less. This indicated that he leaned towards a faster, more skill-oriented fighting style.
Therefore, he chose a lightweight and slender sword as his main weapon, aiming to maximize his proficiency in speed and skill.
Besides the slender sword, he spent 11,000 valis on a short sword as a backup weapon, just in case.
As for armor, since heavy armor would hinder his movements and affect his speed and skill, he ultimately decided against high-defense metal armor. Instead, he opted for leather body armor.
This leather armor consisted of an inneryer protecting the upper body, armor for vital joints such as elbows and knees, while gloves and boots emphasized protection for hands and feet.
Whether it was the body-protecting inneryer or the joint-protecting armor, both were lightweight and could be worn under clothes, making them convenient protective gear.
Since they added almost no weight when worn on the body and didn''t hinder movement, Riezel was immediately drawn to them and decided to put on this set of armor, especially the gloves and boots, which he knew from his earlier battle in the dungeon were highly practical.
It was all because he didn''t bother with proper protection for his hands and feet yesterday. After a day of intense fighting, the hands that gripped the sword were literally worn down to the skin, and the fists pounding on the monster''s body had some unknown injuries, bleeding who knows how much.
The same went for his feet; running around in a dungeon with regr shoes meant his feet ended up with skin scraped off in just a fraction of a minute. If it weren''t for the Familia''s senior providing him with a potion to quickly heal his injuries when he returned to the Familia yesterday, Riezel wouldn''t be bouncing around like this today.
Adding the injuries from the intense battle thatsted one day and one night, it can only be said that, thankfully, the remarkably effective potion saved him. Otherwise, Loki, who saw his sorry state yesterday, wouldn''t have let him off easily.
The whole set of armor alone cost Riezel a whopping 48,000 valis. With the expenses for the main and sub-weapons, he spent a total of 83,000 valis, leaving him with only 17,000 valis from the initial 100,000 valis.
This level of spending, this kind of pricey equipment, said with no trace of politeness, was definitely beyond the reach of a newly debuted Level 1.
Even the seasoned low-ss adventurers among Level 1, with all their equipmentbined, probably wouldn''t surpass 30,000 valis. They pale inparison to the quality of his equipment.
His equipment was already at the level of Level 2 adventurers.
''Is this good enough?''
After preparing the equipment, Riezel finally couldn''t hold back and headed to Babel, entering the dungeon.
He couldn''t wait.
Eager to test his new weapons and assess his current strength.
And the results were naturally pleasing.
*GRRR!*
When the Kobold, like an unyielding ferocious beast, lunged at Riezel as usual, he boldly charged forwardincredibly fast.
*Pu-chi!*
A silver arc tore through the atmosphere, cutting through the Kobold''s head as it pounced. The Kobold even maintained its pouncing posture in midair, unable to react at all, and its head was severed by the slender sword.
Blood sprayed, dyeing the ground red and the corpse of the Kobold in the bloody pool.
''So easy...''
Standing in front of the corpse, Riezel looked at his hands in amazement.
''My speed has be so fast, and I feel much stronger than yesterday. Just by enhancing basic abilities by one and two ranks, can there be such a significant change?''
This surprised and excited him.
''I am indeed getting stronger...''
After realizing this, he no longer felt just excitement but also a surge of determination for the efforts he had made so far.
''It''s just a bit unfortunate that after getting stronger, enemies at this level probably won''t excite me anymore.''
Riezel greedily eyed the corpse at his feet, his expression turning regretful. He still preferred challenges that were a bit more thrilling.
Chapter 13: Almighty
Chapter 13: Almighty
The improvement in strength seemed to make it impossible for Riezel to engage in tense and thrilling battles with monsters as he did yesterday, leaving him without the excitement he felt before.
He moved forward, even descending through several floors, engaging in battles with monsters. Whether it was Kobolds or Goblins, renowned among the small fry, no matter how many gathered or what kind of attack theyunched, he effortlessly dealt with them.
Not a single monster could react to his movements.
Not a single monster could withstand his strikes.
All Riezel needed to do was charge, swing his sword, and he could instantly kill any monster, easily breaking through their encirclement and wiping them out.
This gradually left him feeling dissatisfied.
''Just because my basic abilities have grown by one and two ranks, the monsters on the upper floors arepletely insufficient to challenge me?''
Ignoring the monsters fallen all around, Riezel frowned deeply.
At this point, he had descended to the 4th Floor and reached the entrance to the 5th Floor.''It seems like I need to continue pushing forward.''
Staring at the entrance to the 5th Floor, which resembled a cave opening, his eyes flickered.
''ording to the records in the book and the experiences of the Guild and Familias, adventurers at my level are generally considered capable of exploring floors 5 to 7, right?''
Level 1 adventurers could conquer floors between the 1st and 12th. From the 13th Floor, Level 2 monsters appear, and the dungeon environment and monster output efficiency undergo a significant change. Floors starting from the 13th were considered forbidden zones for Level 1 adventurers.
The difficulty of conquering floors between the 1st and 12th was outlined by Guilds and Familias. For example, the 1st to 4th Floors were areas that adventurers with basic abilities between I and H could conquer. The 5th to 7th floors were for adventurers with basic abilities between G and F, and so on.
''My DEX and AGI are both at G-rank. ording to the standards, the 5th floor should be rtively safe for exploration.''
Unlikest night, when he reached the 5th Floor and faced numerous life-threatening situations, Riezel should be able to safely conquer the floor now.
But...
"A safe conquest?"
Riezel murmured, then made a decision.
"Let''s go to deeper floors."
Exactly.
He didn''t need a safe conquest. If safety was the priority, he wouldn''t have ventured into the dungeon alone without wearing any armor, wielding a mere decorative short sword, and challenging the dungeon right after receiving a blessing.
At that time, he didn''t even reach G-rank; he didn''t have any abilities at H-rank. His status proficiency was zero, and his physical qualities were no different from an ordinary person.
In such circumstances, he dared to enter the dungeon alone, even reaching the 5th floor. Now that he had grown, why would he settle for the so-called ''safe'' conquest on the same floor?
Of course, such a decision was bound to be dangerous.
But so what?
Death isn''t terrifying. What''s terrifying is waiting for it.
At least, that was how Riezel saw it.
If he was destined to die, he''d rather it be on a path he chose, chasing freedom until he was worn out, rather than waiting for someone else to plot his murder, like in the main world.
So, he was running.
Running towards higher ground.
Sprinting towards bigger challenges.
"Let''s go."
Without hesitation, Riezel charged towards the entrance of the 5th Floor.
===
It was night.
When the day hadpletely darkened, Riezel finally escaped the dungeon and returned to Twilight Manor.
This time, he managed to restrain himself and didn''t spend another day and night inside the dungeon.
After dark, he had to go back to Orario and return to the manor, which was a strict order from Loki to him.
Given this, although somewhat reluctant, Riezel still followed hermand and left the dungeon after dark.
Back at Twilight Manor, he cleaned himself up, changed into a set of clean clothes, and once again entered Loki''s divine room.
The purpose, of course, was to update his status.
Perhaps because Riezel had been obedient, Loki, who was drinking in the room at that time, filled with the scent of alcohol, seemed quite pleased and readily agreed.
...
Riezel Brynhart
Level 1
STR: H184 ¡ú F385
END: H177 ¡ú F380
DEX: G202 ¡ú E431
AGI: G215 ¡ú E449
MAG: I0
...
Looking at the ridiculous growth status etched on Riezel''s back after the updates, Loki''s mouth twitched repeatedly.
''An overall ability proficiency increase of over 800...? Isn''t this even more significant than yesterday''s growth?!''
Loki felt her head buzzing.
What on earth was happening?
What in the world was going on?
The growth in status, especially as it approached S-rank, shouldn''t slow down?
But this kid not only didn''t slow down, he became even faster!
Last time, after battling in the dungeon for a full day and night, the total ability proficiency increased by just over 700. This time, in just a daytime, with time spent on adventurer registration and purchasing equipment, the growth speed not only didn''t slow down but instead became faster?
It made no sense at all!
"You..."
Loki wanted to ask Riezel what he did after entering the dungeon, but upon careful consideration, she gave up. Her divine intuition told her that if she pursued this matter, she would likely be angry.
This kid surely did something dangerous again.
And indeed, he did.
If Loki knew that Riezel not only reached the 5th Floor today but also descended to the 7th Floor, she would absolutely be furious.
To ensure a good night''s sleep tonight, Loki sensibly chose to change the topic.
"At this rate of growth, it won''t be long before you canpete with some seasoned veterans who have struggled for several years at Level 1."
Loki''s tone was somewhatmenting.
Completing the journey that takes the average adventurer years in just two days? It was truly unbelievable.
"Perhaps you''ll break the record for the fastest ascent to Level 2 and be the new record holder."
Loki''s evaluation was extremely high.
"I hope so."
Riezel put on his clothes while looking at the tranted status, lost in thought.
"Why do you look so concerned?" Loki, seemingly carefree, spoke bluntly. "Don''t tell me you''re dissatisfied with your growth speed. If you dare to humblebrag like that, I might just have to throw a punch at you."
"...You, a Goddess, actually use the term ''humblebrag''? I''m surprised..." Riezel, somewhat helpless. "I was thinking about MAG."
Loki understood Riezel''s meaning.
"Are you concerned that your MAG hasn''t grown at all?"
Loki voiced Riezel''s thoughts.
"Yeah..." Riezel nodded. "The basic abilities are improving, but MAG remains the same. It feels very wasteful."
"I understand, I understand." Loki nodded repeatedly and wholeheartedly agreed with his train of thought. "With your inhuman growth speed, if you can''t take advantage to boost MAG it does indeed feel like a waste of an innate skill."
''MAG'' was different from the other basic abilities. While abilities like ''STR'', ''END'', ''DEX'', and ''AGI'' determined physical qualities and closebat abilities, ''MAG'' belonged to a different system. It determined the strength and effects of magic.
For mages who relied on magic for victory and were not skilled in closebat, the importance of ''MAG'' outweighed the other four basic abilities.
Even if one didn''t train the other four basic abilities, focusing solely on the ''MAG'' could still yield powerfulbat strength, possibly even surpassing that of closebat specialists.
Magic, being a symbol of supernatural power, equivalent to a miracle, inherently possessed extraordinary power. In terms of status and power, it outssed closebat.
Therefore, anyone with the opportunity would want to develop ''MAG'', including Riezel.
''In the main world, I couldn''t use magic anymore. Now, with new possibilities, having a chance to use magic again, if I don''t make an effort, then it''s my fault.''
Riezel silently contemted in his mind.
The issuey in¡ª
"Kiddo, your magic doesn''t seem like something you can use casually, yeah?"
Loki raised this question.
"Yes..." Riezel sighed, recalling his own magic.
...
MAGIC
Almighty
- Memorize magic.
- Activate specific magic based on memory.
- The strength of the magic is determined by the basic ability of ''MAG''.
- Only effective for valid magic.
...
This was the only magic that Riezel possessed, and it was an extremely versatile and potent magic with a high potential.
"Judging by the magic you''ve got, you should be able to activate any magic you''ve memorized. It''s like being able to use all kinds of magic at once."
As Loki brought up this topic, Riezel''s expression started resembling that of a monster, at least in her eyes.
''This magic, isn''t this too outrageous?''
Loki couldn''t help butin inwardly.
Chapter 14: The Return of the Expedition Party
Chapter 14: The Return of the Expedition Party
Throughout history, anyone who received blessings, no matter who they were, could have at least one and at most three magic slots.
This wasmon knowledge.
Even among the so-called magic race like the Elves, after receiving blessings, they too only had three magic slots for awakening magic, and a fourth one would never appear.
Of course, having only three magic slots for awakening didn''t mean that one could only use three types of magic. Some people, due to the uniqueness of their awakened magic, could undergo multiple transformations or have effects with multiple variations. As a result, the number of usable magic exceeded the three slots.
Take Loki Familia for example; there were two members with such abilities.
A High Elf who could transform her magic multiple times, depending on the amount of chant used. This allowed her to use one magic as if it were three, ultimately enabling them to cast nine different variations¡ªequivalent to possessing nine different magic.
Another member was also an Elf, who awakened magic limited to the magic of the Elf race. With this magic, she could cast magic used by her own race. In theory, she could cast all Elven magic with just this one magic, surpassing the magic slots of any mage.
Riezel, on the other hand, had awakened to only one magic. However, despite having only one magic, its effects, possibilities, and scope were greater than those mentioned earlier.
Could this magic allow him to cast any magic stored in his memory? Did this mean that, with a sufficient number of remembered magic, he could use as many as he wanted?Despite its incredible nature, this magic had its limitations.
"From what I can see right now, there are two confirmed usage requirements for your magic." Loki said while holding up two fingers.
"First¡ªYou can only cast magic that you have memorized. If you can''t remember the magic, you can''t use it."
"Second¡ªEven if you have memorized the magic, if you haven''t personally confirmed its effects, you still can''t use it."
In other words, if Riezel wanted to use someone else''s magic, that person had to cast it in front of him. Moreover, he himself had to remember all the details of the casting process, conditions, effects, and power¡ªnothing could be missing.
Those were the limitations of ''Almighty''.
Because of this, Riezel was currently unable to use any magic, as he had not witnessed any magic being cast before his eyes sinceing to this world.
Even if he had seen a priest healing him with magic in his main world, he couldn''t use it now because the priest had used a magic chant with mysterious runes that he had never encountered before.
The chanting process wasn''t clear, and as a result, he couldn''t remember the detailed process and conditions needed to cast that magic using ''Almighty''.
Therefore, Riezel was currently in a state where he couldn''t use a single magic. Loki was aware of this fact as she rubbed her chin thoughtfully.
"This problem isn''t that difficult to solve..." Loki said thoughtfully. "We have plenty of members in Familia, and there are many who can use magic. Just have those kids perform magic in front of you sincerely, even teach you how to use their magic. With your memory, you should be able to pick up several types of magic quickly, no?"
The seemingly carefree Goddess had already noticed Riezel''s exceptional memory as an innate skill, surprising him a bit.
However, her proposition was quite helpful for him.
Looking at the usage requirements of ''Almighty'', there was nothing more convenient than having others personally teach him how to use their magic to trigger its effects.
"Let''s do this then."
Loki thought for a moment and gazed at Riezel.
"After everyone returns from the expedition, I''ll find someone skilled to teach you how to use magic. How about that?"
"Expedition?" Riezel raised his brows slightly.
"That''s right." Loki chuckled. "Most of my kids are currently not at home but in the dungeon."
The dungeon, as the world''srgest mystery, still had many areas unexplored.
This undergroundbyrinth with countless floors grewrger the deeper one went, and the distance from the surface increased.
This situation naturally prevented some adventurers fighting at the forefront of the dungeon from easily traveling between Orario and the dungeon.
It was said that going from the 1st Floor to the 50th Floor would take several days just for travel alone, and the round trip could easily exceed a week.
Thus, the concept of an ''Expedition'' emerged.
The so-called expedition, as the name suggested, was an adventurer party of arge Familia, acting like an army, venturing deep into the dungeon for battle.
They went to floors ordinary adventurers couldn''t easily reach, fought powerful monsters, stepped into uncharted floors, explored the unknown, and developed unexplored areas.
Loki Familia was one of the strongest Familias in Orario, specializing in exploration. The Familia''s role was to conquer the dungeon, explore unknown territories, and gain profit or fame.
In the two days since Riezel joined Loki Familia, the main members of the Familia had just left for a dungeon expedition, leaving only a small number of lower-ranking members behind.
In other words, when he joined Loki Familia, the true experts and geniuses of the Familia were fighting terrifying monsters in the undergroundbyrinth, far from the surface, beyond what he could currently handle.
Thinking up to this point, Riezel''s heartbeat slightly elerated, and his eyes lit up with expectation.
"Oy oy oy, what do you want to do?" Loki noticed his behavior. "You''re just a Level 1 rookie for fuck''s sake. Doing well on the upper floors is already good enough for you. Don''t give me ideas about expeditions; it''s not something you can participate in right now!"
"Ehh... Really?" Riezel looked at her with disappointment.
Loki''s mouth twitched.
''This kid is actually thinking about joining an expedition?''
''After receiving a blessing for only two days, he dares to think about expeditions. There must be something wrong with this kid''s head.''
''Why are there so many problem children in my Familia?''
Loki couldn''t help but think like that with resignation.
"Anyone eligible for the expedition must be at least a Level 2 with a special talent, like a healer who can use healing magic, for example."
Loki said while covering her face and sighing in an earnest and well-meaning manner.
"Even if you can learn other people''s magic and be a special talent, Finn won''t allow you to join the expedition unless you reach Level 2. So, you better quickly dismiss any dangerous thoughts in your mind."
Upon hearing Loki, Riezel stared at her for a moment, confirming that she wouldn''t budge on this point, before reluctantly withdrawing his gaze with a hint of regret.
"Fine..." Riezel reluctantly conceded. "Let''s talk about it when I reach Level 2."
Loki couldn''t help but roll her eyes at him and sighed once again. She couldn''t shake the feeling that her future days might not be peaceful under the antics of this kid.
"Let''s see, the expedition party should be back soon..." Loki had to change the subject. "Just wait for two more days."
"Understood." Riezel nodded.
Loki then broke into a big smile, looking somewhat mischievous.
''When Finn and the otherse back and find out that our Familia has gained such a freakish monster, I wonder what expressions they''ll have?'' Loki mused to herself. ''Especially Ais, also Bete, Tione, and Tiona. They should be stimted by this kid''s growth speed, right?''
''Now that I think about it, it makes me excited.''
The Goddess of Mischief chuckled like a mischievous child getting ready to watch some TV drama.
And the day she looked forward to arrived even sooner than she imagined.
===
The next day.
When the sky outside began to brighten, Riezel, just like yesterday, woke up early.
He quickly freshened up, took care of his morning routine in five minutes, and then got ready by putting on his armor and clothes. He wanted to head to the dungeon directly without wasting any time.
Today, he nned to explore the dungeon all day and see if he could go down a few more floors.
His status had grown after yesterday''s update, especially ''DEX'' and ''AGI'', both upgraded to E-rank. ording to the safe strategy guide, he could now safely explore the 8th Floor.
However, he naturally wasn''t satisfied with the so-called safe strategy.
So, his n today was to go to the 10th Floor, or even deeper into the dungeon.
For this, he took the time to maintain his weapon with the items he bought before going to sleepst night, filled with enthusiasm, ready to make some noise.
Thinking about entering a floor deeper than yesterday''s 7th Floor, he felt a slight excitement.
''I heard that starting from the 10th Floor, muchrger creatures like Orcs will appear... I wonder how strong they are?''
Riezel''s heart was full of anticipation.
But just as he was about to set off with his primary and secondary weapons, suddenly, a voice echoed within Twilight Manor.
"They are back!"
"Everyone is back!"
"The expedition party has returned!"
The joyful shouts broke the morning silence, plunging the entire Twilight Manor into amotion.
Chaotic footsteps rang out and the sound of doors opening resounded in session as if telling everyone that the entire upant of Twilight Manor was rushing outside.
"Back?"
Riezel was also slightly surprised and immediately stood up.
In his mind, images of figures mentioned in the original work floated one after another, causing him to squint his eyes. With his weapons, he walked out of his room towards the entrance of Twilight Manor.
Chapter 15: First-Class Adventurers
Chapter 15: First-ss Adventurers
Loki Familia''s Base, Twilight Manor''s Entrance.
Today, there was a lively atmosphere in this particr ce, unlike anything seen in the past two days.
One after another, members of the Familia, who were originally stationed in the manor, showed excitement and enthusiasm not seen before. They cheered and leaped with joy, weing a group of people.
As Riezel descended from the tall tower and reached the entrance, the group was surrounded by the stationed Familia members, exuding happy and rxed smiles, creating a warm atmosphere.
His vision almost instantly locked onto the leaders of this group.
There, several individuals stood out prominently among their peers, catching his eye.
"Finally back!"
The energetic cheers came from a girl with wheat-colored skin, dressed in a dancer-like fashion. She wore a cloth covering only her upper body, with a long wraparound skirt around her waist, exposing her belly button and graceful figure without hesitation.
"Tiona, you''re so noisy."The one scolding the lively girl with wheat-colored skin was another girl, almost identical to the lively girl in everything except for waist-length hair and some body proportions. They looked like they were cut from the same mold.
"Dammit, how many times have you shouted sinceing in?"
Beside them, a young Beastman with animal ears, tail, and facial tattoos, looking like a rebellious gangster, shook his head in disbelief while wearing an annoyed expression.
The Amazoness twins and the Werewolf youth, positioned conspicuously, engaged in a yful argument.
However, the three individuals standing next to these three were even more imposing.
They formed a trio of Pallum, Elf, and Dwarf.
Pallum, shorter and smaller than anyone present, with a childlike appearance.
An Elf with emerald long hair and a white robe, holding a silver staff, with long pointed ears and extraordinary beauty.
A robust Dwarf, d in thick armor, slightly taller than the Pallum but shorter than the Elf, visibly muscr.
These three individuals, as if guarding something, smiled at everyone, radiating a benevolent feeling.
Riezel''s vision swept over these three, but shortly afterward, it seemed as if something had irresistibly attracted his attention, and his gaze uncontrobly lingered on thest person''s body.
However, before he could thoroughly observe this person, a loud voice interrupted him, breaking into this warm gathering.
"I missed you so muuuuuuch¡ª!!!"
Loki, shouting like a child, rushed out, heading towards the leading group. No, more urately, she was charging towards the figure who had captured Riezel''s attention.
"AIS~!!!"
Like an uncle seeing a beloved niece, Loki screamed strangely and pounced on the figure.
The entire crowd witnessed this.
They saw the scene where the gentle long golden hair suddenly moved.
*BOOM!*
Apanied by an explosive sound, the long golden-haired figure sidestepped, delivering a punch to Loki''s stomach.
"GAH!"
Loki immediately made a muffled cry, expelling all the air from her lungs, and copsed in front of the golden-haired figure.
"...I''m back, Loki."
A voice devoid of any excitement or hesitation emanated from the golden-haired figure''s mouth.
The clear and pleasant voice revealed that the long golden-haired figure was undoubtedly a young and beautiful girl.
And indeed, that was the case.
The girl standing in front of the fallen Loki still retained a hint of childishness in her appearance. She seemed quite young, her slender body adorned in a light azure outfit. Her skin was delicate and smooth, with remarkably well-defined features. Her beauty easily rivaled that of Elf and Goddess.
She had a pair of eyes that matched her hair color, subtly radiating a transparent glow. A mysterious aura surrounded her entire being as if she had stepped out of a painting, appearing almost unrealistically beautiful.
The only downside was theck of expression on her exquisite face, resembling a doll and giving off a sense of detachment.
Confronted with this excessively beautiful doll-like girl, Loki could only manage to lift her face with difficulty.
"Your skills have improved again, Ais..." Loki forced a smile uglier than crying.
"Well, Loki, serves you right, I guess?" Tiona, the lively Amazoness girl, approached with her face full of delight at Loki''s misfortune.
"We''re tired, Loki. Can you not bother us right now? Let us rest well, okay?"
Another Amazoness girl, who seemed more mature than the lively one, appeared while sighing.
"Tch."
The Werewolf youth also wore an impatient expression, showing no respect for the Goddess.
However, there was no ufortable atmosphere between the two sides. Instead, there was a natural sense of harmony, indicating a not just good but excellent rtionship¡ªone where they could interact without reservation or hesitation.
Family.
Riezel observed this scene before him, seeing the scene that seemed somewhat distant and foreign to him.
At this moment, the trio that had been watching from the sidelines approached.
"We''re back, Loki."
The Elfdy¡ªor more precisely, the High Elfdy, regal like a queen, spoke in a serious yet slightly warm tone towards Loki.
"Get up quickly, don''t lie down."
The Dwarf uncle cheerfully pulled Loki up, looking as if he were effortlessly lifting a doll.
Finally, the shortest person in the group, with hair-like sheaves of wheat andke-like azure eyes, approached with an appearance more youthful than anyone else present, the Pallum.
"The expedition has ended smoothly with no casualties, but the gains aren''t noteworthy. I''ll exin the detailster. For now, let everyone take a good bath and rest, Loki."
With an unexpectedly mature tone, the Pallum reported to Loki.
"No problem!" Loki suddenly grinned like nothing happened, addressing the group. "Well then, everyone, good job and rest well!"
""Yes!""
The returning members responded one after another.
"Those who stayed, bring in the spoils we brought back." The Pallum, in a matter-of-fact tone, instructed the people around.
"Yes, Captain!"
The remaining members immediately went to help with moving things.
Only Riezel remained standing in ce, watching the group entering Twilight Manor withughter and conversation, his gaze fixed on the three top executives throughout.
Not only Riezel, but the rest of the Familia members, whether those staying at the base or those on the expedition, looked at the three top executives with admiration and affection.
It was only natural.
After all, those three individuals were the pinnacle of Loki Familia, the backbone of this Familia.
They were powerful.
They were renowned worldwide.
Among the adventurers engaged inbyrinth exploration, all adventurers were categorized into ''High-ss Adventurers'' and ''Low-ss Adventurers'' based on their level.
Low-ss Adventurers referred to adventurers at Level 1, while High-ss Adventurers was the title given to adventurers who had experienced a level up, reaching Level 2 and above.
High-ss Adventurer was further divided into ''Third-ss Adventurer'', ''Second-ss Adventurer'', and ''First-ss Adventurer''.
Adventurers at Level 2 were considered Third-ss Adventurers.
Adventurers at Level 3 and Level 4 were ssified as Second-ss Adventurers.
Adventurers at Level 5 and above were recognized as First-ss Adventurers.
Generally, if a Familia had a third-ss adventurer, it was considered to have gained some status in Orario, stepping out of the realm of a small Familia.
Therefore, if a Familia had a first-ss adventurer, it held significant influence in Orario.
A Familia with multiple first-ss adventurers could be considered one of the top Familia in Orario and even worldwide.
Loki Familia, precisely one of these top Familia, stood as one of the most prominent.
Tiona Hiryute, Level 5, Amazoness, Loki Familia''s Executive, bearing the alias¡ªCrusher.
Tione Hiryute, Level 5, Amazoness, Loki Familia''s Executive, bearing the alias¡ªJormungand.
Bete Loga, Level 5, Werewolf, Loki Familia''s Executive, bearing the alias¡ªVanargand.
These three were the Amazoness twin sisters and the Werewolf youth who initiated the conversation earlier. They were the first-ss adventurers within Loki Familia.
The other trio had even more impressive backgrounds.
Finn Deimne, Level 6, Pallum''s Hero, Loki Familia''s Captain and Top Executive, bearing the alias¡ªBraver.
Riveria Ljos Alf, Level 6, a High Elf and Elven Royalty, Loki Familia''s Vice-Captain and Top Executive, Orario''s strongest mage, bearing the alias¡ªNine Hell.
Gareth Landrock, Level 6, Dwarf''s Warrior, Loki Familia''s Top Executive, bearing the alias¡ªElgarm.
These three were the strongest members of Loki Familia, leading the Familia from its early days to its current glory, all Level 6, a rarity in all of Orario.
As for thest person...
Riezel once again turned his gaze toward the doll-like girl walking among the group, a bit silent and reserved.
"Ais Wallenstein, Level 5, Loki Familia''s Executive, the strongest swordswoman, bearing the alias¡ªSword Princess..."
His few whispered words faded away like the wind.
"Um?"
The golden-haired girl about to enter the tall tower seemed to have heard something, turned her head, and looked in Riezel''s direction.
Their eyes met in an instant.
At that moment, in their eyes, it seemed as if there was only each other.
Chapter 16: Uncanny Resemblance
Chapter 16: Uncanny Resemnce
Riezel''s figure had a feature somewhat simr to Ais.
That was the faint, transparent glow in their eyes.
Even though his eyes were purely ck,pletely different from Ais''s dazzling gold, others couldn''t see any simrities. However, when they stared at each other, if a third person was observing them carefully, they would be surprised to discover an uncanny resemnce in their eyes.
Both had a hint of transparent radiance.
Both had a touch of indifference.
Both also carried a determination imperceptible to outsiders.
Riezel and Ais found themselves momentarily stunned when their eyes met for the first time. They discovered that the gaze of the other resembled their own, creating a strange sensation of seeing another version of themselves, like looking into a mirror and seeing their own eyes reflected.
This peculiar feeling held them in a prolonged gaze, seemingly forgetting the people around them and neglecting to avert their eyes, lost in a wordless connection.
Eventually, Riezel was the first to break free from this strange state. Under Ais''s gaze, he nodded in acknowledgment, then turned around to join other members, assisting in transporting the spoils brought back by the expedition party.Ais watched Riezel silently, her transparent golden eyes shing slightly.
"Miss Ais?"
A voice suddenly brought her back to reality.
It was an Elf girl standing behind Ais, more like a follower than apanion. She tied her chestnut-colored long hair into a lengthy ponytail that hung down her back. With pointed ears peeking through a strand of hair on either side of her face, she looked younger than Ais but possessed a breathtakingly beautiful face.
"Lefiya..."
Ais, realizing the Elf''s presence, subconsciously said her name.
"Yes!" Lefiya repeatedly nodded. Somewhat uncertain, she asked timidly. "What were you looking at?"
"I..." Ais was about to answer but was interrupted by another girl who had pounced on her back.
"I saw it!"
With such a lively voice, precisely another executive of Loki Familia, a Level 5 first-ss adventurer, and Ais''s peer, the Amazoness Tiona.
"Ais was just looking at a boy! Heehee!" Tiona teased first, then looked towards Riezel, puzzled. "By the way, who''s that boy? We haven''t seen him before, right?"
"Idiot." Tione, seemingly drawn into the conversation, crossed her arms, nced at the busy Riezel with no interest, and spoke without any enthusiasm. "Since he''s someone we haven''t seen before, he''s either a newly joined rookie or not from our Familia."
"Bu-But he''s helping with the lifting..." Lefiya couldn''t help but nce at Riezel a few times and murmur. "Since he''s helping and inside our base, he must be a rookie, right?"
"Ohh! So that''s how it is!" Tiona looked like she had just realized something. "A rookie, and a male at that! Umu, umu! Loki hasn''t recruited a male into the Familia for who knows how long."
"Don''t you notice the revolting behavior Loki''s got going on? She''s all about those cute and pretty girls, isn''t she?" Tione rolled her eyes. "But Ais, you''re actually paying attention to a rookie, and what''s more, he''s a dude. That''s pretty unusual."
On the side, Lefiya nodded vigorously, staring at Riezel''s figure, and for some unknown reason, with a slightly vicious expression.
Ais, unaware of this, remained silent amid the continuous verbal onught. Her gaze continued to follow Riezel''s back, lost in thought.
This scene made the Amazoness twin sisters exchange a knowing nce.
"Hmm... It''s really my first time seeing her like this..." Tione expressed surprise, then added with a snicker. "Could it be that our doll princess has finally reached puberty?"
"If everyone knew, it would definitely be interesting, yeah?" Tiona said innocently, then added with a mischievous grin. "Especially Loki and Bete."
Her words smoothly caught the attention of those who were curious.
"Oy, foolish Amazoness, what are you saying about me again?!" Bete red at Tiona.
"Bleeh bleeh bleeh!" Tiona stuck her tongue out at him. "Not telling you, just figure it out yourself! Hmph!"
"This moron..." Bete looked visibly displeased.
Just as the two were about to quarrel, Gareth, breaking away from the conversation between Finn and Loki, shouted at everyone.
"Don''t y around there! Hurry up and go in for a bath and sleep! People are waiting in line behind to use the bathroom!"
The admonition finally quieted everyone down, and they quickly entered the manor, making use of the time to clean up and rest.
Only Ais remained standing in ce, causing Riveria to approach slowly.
"What happened, Ais?"
Riveria maintained her solemn tone, but her gaze toward Ais was gentler than toward anyone else, not like looking at a junior in the Familia but more like looking at her own daughter.
"...Nothing."
Ais chose not to voice her feelings, nor did she look again at the busy Riezel. After a slight acknowledgment, she turned and walked away.
Riveria watched Ais''s back with a hint ofpassion in her eyes, shortly afterward shifting her gaze to Riezel''s figure.
''A rookie...?'' Riveria pondered.
No one knew that everything happening here was being observed by Loki, who was paying careful attention.
''So, they discovered that kid''s presence so quickly, ehh?'' Loki observed calmly, feeling oddly pleased.
"Loki?" Finn, who was conversing with Loki, looked at the suddenly silent Goddess and called her name.
"Sorry, sorry, got slightly absent-minded~" Loki snapped back to reality, giving a casualugh. "You guys go handle your own things, rest a bit, and we''ll talk about anything important tonight."
"Okay." Finn nodded. "I''ll go in first. We can deal with the spoils tomorrow."
"Go ahead." Loki waved her hand, dismissing her Familia Captain.
After the members of the expedition left, Loki grinned and shouted in Riezel''s direction.
"Kiddo,e back early tonight, don''t make too much trouble, okay!"
The shout from behind made Riezel pause for a moment. He knew Loki was fulfilling the promise fromst night, introducing him to his ''mentor'' for magic.
"I know!"
Riezel could only suppress the somewhat restless thoughts in his mind and abandon the n to delve deeper into the dungeon today.
===
Time flies by quickly.
As the day darkened once again, Orario weed back adventurers returning safely from the dungeon, along with themon folk finishing their day''s work.
It seemed like only at this time people would disregard their identities and racial differences, mingling together on the lively and rxed streets.
This atmosphere was undoubtedly the most intense in Twilight Manor today.
Perhaps it was because everyone from the expedition party had returned, Loki Familia became much livelier than the past two days, and the atmosphere was quite vibrant.
After great rest, numerous members who returned from the expedition finally shook off the fatigue of consecutive battles. They shed their equipment and immersed themselves in the rxed and pleasant atmosphere of the Familia.
Normally, at this time, the Familia would begin settling the gains from the expedition. Even Finn as the captain, considering the hardships of the expedition, empathized with the members and decided to handle the spoils tomorrow, dealing with things other than spoils at this moment was still tolerable.
For example, many Familia members were eager to update their status with Loki, to see how much they had grown this time and if they could umte valuable Excelia for a level up.
Unfortunately, Loki seemed to have no mood to handle this today. ying the role of a whimsical Goddess, she postponed the tasks to update everyone''s status.
"Let''s talk about it in a couple of days!"
Loki left that sentence for the helpless Familia members, who had no choice but toply.
After the expedition, the main task for the Familia was handling the spoils. There were few other tasks toplete, allowing everyone to enjoy a rare period of leisure before the next expedition. Hence, many were not in a hurry.
In this situation, all the executives of the Familia gathered in Loki''s divine room.
"It seems like everyone has rested well." Loki looked at the state of mind of her children and nodded in satisfaction.
However, Bete seemed a bit unhappy about this.
"What''s up? Why''d you call us all here out of the blue?"
He seemed to beining that the Goddess disrupted his ns. But his eyes kept drifting towards Ais, his tail wagging back and forth, proving his words were insincere.
"To call us all here suddenly is indeed rare." Tiona said while holding onto Ais''s arm affectionately which made Bete secretly annoyed.
"I thought you would only call Captain for a talk." Tione crossed her arms. "I don''t mind though, as long as Captain is there, I''ll be there."
Finn could only show a face full of helplessness as he heard Tione''s statement.
Riveria shook her head and sat beside Ais, waiting quietly for Loki to speak.
"Why did you call all the executives here?" Gareth stroked his long beard, looking at Loki and making an inquiry.
Throughout, Ais made no movements or sounds and stayed silent.
Loki, with hands on her hips, proudly spoke.
"No worries! I just want to introduce a troublesome brat to everyone."
Upon hearing that, everyone was momentarily stunned.
""Introduce someone?""
They were all even more confused.
Who could make their Goddess, who usually had no proper manner, treat affairs so seriously? What''s more, she gathered all the executives just to introduce someone?
Everyone present looked at each other, curiosity building up.
Chapter 17: Introduction
Chapter 17: Introduction
At this moment, Riezel had no idea that Loki had already gathered the entire Familia''s first-ss adventurers for him.
He ran through the streets, ncing at thepletely darkened sky, and couldn''t help but sigh.
''I''mpletelyte now...''
With Loki''s prior instructions, Riezel had initially nned to explore only the 7th Floor, not going any further to avoid wasting too much time and returning to the Familia toote.
But due to his visible growth in strength after the status update, he found himself getting stronger, and even on the 7th Floor, there was no longer any excitement. Unable to hold back, he descended to the 8th Floor.
This decision led to an uncontroble situation.
''Why did I get so excited again andpletely forget about the time?''
Riezel pped his forehead, unable to suppress another sigh.
He knew it was his bad habit.In this second life, he became extremely eager for excitement and change. Now, with the effect of the skill ''Endless'', he attained the highest rank of development abilities, making his stamina and energy seem inexhaustible. If he immersed himself in something, it was only natural for him to forget the time.
If it weren''t for his growling stomach begging to be filled, he might''ve kept on with the killing spree, not giving a second thought to heading back.
''I hope Loki hasn''t waited too long.''
Riezel quickened his pace to return to the Familia.
With his current speed and almost limitless stamina, he made good time. Before long, he smoothly returned to the Familia''s base, back to Twilight Manor.
"Oy! Riezel!"
As Riezel prepared to enter the manor directly, a voice came from above, causing him to halt.
Looking up, Riezel realized that Loki was leaning out of a window on the top floor of the central tower, waving at him.
"You''re finally back!" Loki shouted gruffly. "Hurry up ande up; everyone''s waiting for you!"
Without further ado, Riezel nodded in understanding and headed straight to his room. He stripped off his dirty clothes and armor, ced his weapons by the bed, tidied himself up a bit, and then quickly made his way to the divine room.
"Here he is! Come in quickly!"
Without waiting for Riezel to knock, Loki, as if anticipating his arrival, opened the door and ushered him inside.
He entered the room, instantly bathed in the gazes of everyone present. ncing around, he instantly raised his eyebrows in surprise.
''Well, well, all the Familia''s first-ss adventurers are here?''
As Riezel thought like that, the people in the room also observed him.
''It''s him...'' Ais, who had been silent in the corner, gently froze upon seeing Riezel.
"Aren''t you the rookie Ais was spying on today?" Tiona eximed in surprise.
Her words contained so much information that everyone present, including Riezel, was left stunned.
""Ais was spying on someone?""
Finn and Gareth simultaneously eximed and wore puzzled expressions.
''So, Loki was talking about him?'' Riveria also gave Riezel a once-over.
"Indeed..." Tione, staying by Finn''s side, was somewhat surprised as well.
Only Bete stared nkly for a while, then exploded.
"You foolish Amazoness! What bullshit are you spouting again?!" Bete snapped with bared teeth. "Ais would never spy on such a small fry, right?!"
"You''re the one being foolish!" Tiona, annoyed, retorted bluntly. "Why don''t you go ask Ais herself?!"
All eyes turned to Ais.
"I..."
Ais, with a slightly embarrassed expression, struggled to exin and ended up blushing, not out of timidity, but out of embarrassment.
After all, why did Tiona have to phrase it in such a way that could be easily misunderstood? So, Ais didn''t want to speak and dared not look at Riezel''s expression at this moment.
Riezel, on the other hand, also didn''t dare to nce at Ais. Although Tiona''s bizarre statement made him pause for a moment, he quicklyposed himself, taking the initiative to change the topic.
"I''m sorry for beingte." Riezel apologized to all his Familia''s seniors present.
"Tch!" Bete, with a disdainful expression, turned away, seemingly uninterested in saying anything to Riezel. Instead, he red at Tiona, irritated by her unpleasant phrasing.
Everyone fell silent, looking towards their captain.
"Are you the rookie Loki mentioned?" Finn gave Riezel a generous smile.
Despite Riezel''s attitude, Finn remained friendly, even expressing some appreciation.
"Venturing into the dungeon until this time, you''re a hard worker one."
As the captain, Finn wouldn''t me someone for being a littlete, especially considering the rookie''s achievement who ventured into the dungeon until this hour.
"Thank you for your understanding."
Riezel also didn''t underestimate Finn, despite his deceptive appearance.
After all, the Pallum before him, who looked like an underage human child, was not only a Level 6 first-ss adventurer but also considered a hope and a hero within his race. He had led Loki Familia for decades, turning it from a newly established small Familia into one of the strongest Familia in Orario. With numerous adventures and a personal epic, he was a legendary figure known worldwide.
So, whether it was the Elven royalty like Riveria or the distinct and independent personalities of the Familia executives present, they all sincerely respected Finn who seemed tock any authority.
Even Loki as the Familia''s Goddess was now just smiling and watching everything unfold,pletely giving the stage to Finn. This clearly demonstrated his ability and prestige.
In addition, despite his youthful appearance, Finn was already 42 years old, older than Riezel in his previous life.
All in all, Riezel had no reason to underestimate Finn.
On the other hand, Finn was filled with goodwill and curiosity as he faced Riezel calmly standing before him.
"Loki couldn''t stop praising you. She was just singing your praises endlessly in front of us, y''know?" Finn chuckled. "To be the subject of Loki''s admiration, it''s a rare thing... Honestly, I''m quite curious about you."
"Yeah, yeah!" Tiona couldn''t hold back any longer. She raised her hand and shouted eagerly. "Loki really admires you! We''ve never seen her talk about a guy so much before!"
"Yeah, there are quite a few girls..." Tione added with perfect timing and spoke mysteriously. "But Loki only praised their looks and figures."
Everyone present immediately nodded in agreement.
"..."
Loki, who had been smiling, lost her smile after hearing that statement.
''Did they just tantly talk shit about me? I''m your Goddess, for fuck''s sake! You guys are totally enjoying this!''
"Hmph! Serves you right." Bete threw in a remark from the side, almost causing Loki to snap.
"Okay, enough fooling around." Gareth pped the table, stopping the atmosphere that was gradually turning sour. "I''m genuinely curious. This kid must have some talent to be praised so much by Loki."
"I heard you joined the Familia just a few days ago and received the blessing around the same time..." Riveria interjected. "Loki mentioned you have something to ask of us. Just tell us. As long as it''s not too much, as members of the same Familia, we''ll absolutely try to help you."
Her attitude matched that of the others towards Riezel¡ªfriendly.
However, the lone Werewolf Bete still stood there, sporting a disdainful expression and a hint of impatience. It appeared that he didn''t quite fancy Riezel.
"Just a small fry who received the blessing a few days ago. I don''t know why you guys are being so attentive to him." Beteined grumpily, making the atmosphere subtly tense.
"Bete!" Finn warned with a furrowed brow, causing Bete to snort lightly, not pushing it too far.
"Ignore him."
"He''s just foul-mouthed."
The twin sisters, Tiona and Tione, approached Riezel andforted him.
Ais shifted her gaze back to Riezel and observed him with worry.
But Riezel only nced at Bete who showed no remorse on his face and calmly shook his head, unfazed.
"Thanks for the concern; I''m fine and not bothered at all." Riezel pondered for a moment, then continued. "But, speaking of which, I do have an awkward request. I was hoping seniors could lend me a hand."
"Heh~ What is it?" Finn chuckled and was still a bit unclear about it.
After all, Loki had gathered everyone here to introduce Riezel, and the only reason could be for this so-called awkward request. In other words, she was indirectly telling them to assist Riezel.
With this thought in mind, Finn exchanged nces with the other two top executives, waiting for Riezel to speak up.
In this silent situation, Riezel finally opened his mouth.
"I want to consult about magic."
With just one sentence, everyone blinked in surprise.
"Consult about magic?" Riveria, who was known as the strongest mage in Orario, became intrigued when the request involved magic.
"Yes." Riezel nodded. "I''ve awakened a magic, but to use it, I need to meet certain conditions."
The specifics of these conditions didn''t need much exnation. In short, he needed someone he could consult with to be able to use his magic.
"What kind of magic is it?" Tiona couldn''t contain her curiosity.
Finn, Riveria, and Gareth all looked directly at Loki.
"Well~ His magic is somewhat simr to Lefiya''s Elf Ring." Loki chuckled and remarked mysteriously.
With just one sentence, everyone simultaneously raised their eyebrows in surprise, and the way they looked at Riezel also started to change.
Chapter 18: First Mentor
Chapter 18: First Mentor
Lefiya Viridis.
This morning, she was by Ais''s side, always following behind her like a fangirl. Even though Lefiya wasn''t present, in the hearts of the executives present, the position of that Elf was quite significant.
The reason was straightforward.
Lefiya, who was a junior and treated as the second string in Loki Familia, had already received a blessing due to her formal education in the School District. Unlike someone like Riezel, who joined as an ordinary person, she joined the Familia with a bestowed blessing.
She was a legitimate mage who not only possessed outstanding ''MAG'' and magic but also had specialized skills that enhanced her magical prowess.
As a rearguard mage, she was considered perfect, even though she was only a Level 3, and not a Level 5 or higher first ss adventurer. With her skills and excellent ''MAG'', she wielded firepowerparable to a Level 5 first ss mage.
In other words, Lefiya was a genius with a full bag of innate magical talent. Even as a junior in the Familia, this Elf was highly regarded by the Familia executives.
Especially for Riveria, who was also a mage and an Elf, there was a subtle sense that she was grooming this junior as her sessor.
And who was Riveria?High Elf, Elven royalty, Orario''s strongest mage, and Loki Familia''s Vice-Captain, as well as Top Executive. She was adorned with a halo.
As the sessor to such a character, Lefiya''s lowest achievement in the future will be as the second inmand of the Familia, or perhaps even surpassing Riveria to be the world''s strongest mage.
Lefiya, as a magical genius, not only possessed three magic but one of her magic was particrly special.
She could cast any magic of the Elf race, a magic known as the ''Elf Ring''. As long as she fully understood the magic''s effects and chant, she could cast any Elven magic.
Now, Loki was saying that Riezel''s magic was somewhat simr to Lefiya''s ''Elf Ring''. Didn''t that mean this rookie in front of them, like Lefiya, could cast anyone''s magic as long as he fully understood its effects and chant?
"This is truly surprising..." Gareth couldn''t help but exim.
"Yeah..." Riveria also marveled. "I didn''t expect another mage like Lefiya."
"Mage? Him?" Loki raised an eyebrow. "You must be kidding me. This kid, bing a rearguard and peacefully casting magic from behind? Nah! He can''t be a mage in any way!"
Thinking about Riezel''s rapidly growing status, she felt a headacheing on.
"I think this kid seems to be of the same type as Ais, both being problem children who won''t settle down unless they go on a rampage amid the monsters." Loki remarked.
Her statement made everyone look at Riezel in a somewhat awkward manner.
"Same type as Ais...?"
"Really...?"
The Amazoness twin sisters were whispering to each other.
Bete frowned, while Finn tapped the desk with his finger, lost in thought.
Meanwhile, Riezel and Ais once again nced at each other unintentionally.
Riezel immediately looked away while Ais remained expressionless with eyes flickering with a subtle light.
''Like me...?'' Ais recalled the strange resemnce in his eyes earlier, reminiscent of her own reflection in the mirror.
Inside the room, an eerie and unfathomable mystery-filled silence emerged for no apparent reason.
*p!*
"Okay, stop overthinking it." Loki pped her hands, redirecting everyone''s attention. "Let''s focus on solving this kid''s problem. Who''s gonna teach him magic?"
As soon as the question was thrown out, two people immediately dered their exit.
"Don''t count on me." Bete''s voice was cold. "I have no interest in teaching a small fry like him."
After saying that, as if touched by something painful, he didn''t linger any longer and left the room directly.
No one said anything as they watched this scene unfold. Clearly, they thought Bete was better off leaving, and they let him go without a fuss.
"I can''t do it either."
The second person to announce their exit was the lively and cheerful Tiona. However, her reason was different from Bete''s.
"I don''t have magic. Even if you ask me to teach him, what can I teach?"
Tiona looked dejected, her face filled with resentment.
Magic was such a power; it could awaken from the start or never find the right trigger, leaving someone unable to use it their entire life. she was clearly in thetter category, so even though she was a Level 5 first ss adventurer, she still couldn''t use any magic, sticking to pure closebat.
"So... Finn, Riveria, Gareth, and Tione will teach?" Loki confirmed.
"I''ll pass." Finn thought carefully and shook his head regretfully. "My magic has too many obvious side effects. It''s not suitable for a beginner adventurer to learn. He''s better off not learning my magic."
"If Captain says so, I''ll pass too." Tione immediately followed Finn''s lead. "My magic doesn''t have much power. It''s better to let Riveria teach him."
"Right, let this stubborn Elf be his teacher!" Garethughed. "Anyway, she''s like a mom who likes to meddle with her kids. Let her handle his magic training."
"Who''s a mom!?" Riveria red at Gareth but didn''t reject the proposal.
If she could add a powerful rearguard mage to the Familia, she wouldn''t refuse, especially considering that Riezel seemed to be a genius rookie with even fewer restrictions than Lefiya.
Lefiya''s Elf Ring was limited to the Elf race, allowing her to learn and use Elven magic. Riezel''s magic, on the other hand, based on Loki''s on-the-spot inquiry, was undoubtedly not restricted by race.
With various races present, including Elves, Pallums, Dwarves, Amazonesses, and Beastmen, Riezel, if able to learn the magic of everyone present, would practically be able to learn all the magic in the world.
This potential, this innate skill, surpassed even Lefiya''s.
In this way, it was only natural for her not to ignore such a potential.
As the strongest mage in Orario known as ''Nine Hell'', if there was a way for him to learn her magic, no one would want to refuse.
Just as everyone was thinking that way, Riezel suddenly spoke up.
"Can I learn magic from Miss Ais?"
Instead of getting dejected, Riezel gazed at Ais andpletely ignored the others.
"Me?" Ais was instantly stunned.
"..."
Everyone collectively paused for a moment, then simultaneously furrowed their brows.
Including Loki.
"Kiddo..." Loki hesitated, looking like she had something to say. "I think you should try someone else."
"Right." Finn agreed, with a calm face. "Ais''s magic is a bit unique. Even if your magic can learn and use other people''s magic, whether you can sessfully learn her magic is really uncertain."
The rest also looked at Riezel with strange expressions, then exchanged nces between Riezel and Ais.
Only Tiona, with a puzzled expression, spoke up.
"Isn''t that great? Ais''s magic is so powerful. If he could learn it, our Familia would have two super-poweredbatants in the future. We¡ª"
"You better keep quiet."
Tiona''s mouth was immediately covered by Tione''s hand. Ignoring her sister''s struggle, Tione dragged her away out of the room.
"Let me teach you instead." Riveria said while staring at Riezel solemnly. "Ais''s magic, to some extent, is dangerous to use. Even if you can learn it, I don''t rmend you to use it. Moreover..."
''Moreover, Ais absolutely wouldn''t want to teach it to anyone. Her magic holds a special significance for her.'' Riveria didn''t voice her thought but nced at Ais.
Ais had already lowered her head, making it impossible for anyone to discern her expression.
The atmosphere in the room underwent another subtle change.
''As I thought, is this matter a bit sensitive?'' Riezel didn''t feel surprised by their reactions.
As someone familiar with the original work, he naturally understood why everyone reacted the way they did when he expressed his desire to learn Ais''s magic.
Tiona and Tione seemed fine; they probably weren''t aware of the hidden details.
But the three top executives and the Goddess, as the higher-ups of the Familia, undoubtedly had some understanding of Ais''s situation.
Despite knowing this, Riezel still brought up the idea.
There was no other reason.
"I''ve heard about Miss Ais''s magic, and I believe it''s the most suitable magic for me at this moment."
Riezel spoke sincerely and openly, shifting his gaze directly at Ais.
"Although it may sound abrupt and even presumptuous, it''s very important for me. Could you please agree to my request?" Riezel hesitated for a moment and added. "I really want to be strong quickly."
The weight carried by his words was easily felt by everyone present.
"Want to be strong quickly..." Ais muttered, finally moved, and lifted her head.
The third gaze exchange between the two of them took ce again, while the others fell silent, refraining from saying anything more.
"..."
Silence permeated the room.
It wasn''t until muchter that Ais finally spoke up.
"I''ll teach you."
After she uttered those words, Riezel immediately bowed his head to her, expressing gratitude.
"Thank you very much."
And so, he gained his first mentor in life.
Chapter 19: Ultra-Short Chant Magic
Chapter 19: Ultra-Short Chant Magic
Twilight Manor, Courtyard.
In this small courtyard, shaped like a circle around the central tower, Riezel stepped out from the manor, carrying a slender sword as his main weapon.
Several towers stood side by side, causing the courtyard to be somewhat dimly lit. Despite well-cared-for flowers and nts flourishing around, shadows still lingered.
This resulted in a peculiar situation where, even though it was broad daylight, the light in this ce wasn''t quite sufficient, making one question if it was still nighttime.
Fortunately, the courtyard was equipped with small fountains and magic stonempposts. The soft glow from the magic stonemps alleviated the inconvenience, at least to some extent.
Walking through the courtyard, Riezel made his way to the corner.
*Swish¡ª!*
Suddenly, the sound of something slicing through the air resonated. It was the sound created by the movement of a sword swinging through the air.
Riezel halted his step, turning his gaze towards the source of the sound. In the next moment, heid eyes on the girl he was supposed to meet here.The doll-like girl with golden hair held a bright silver sword, engaging in training.
Her calm expression turned indifferent and her eyes became extremely sharp. With each swing of her sword, she cut through the air sharply, creating shes of silver light, astonishingly fast.
Chopping vertically, shing horizontally, cutting diagonally, thrusting forward, and making swift slices¡ªa girl, as beautiful as an Elf and as mysterious as a Goddess, stood on a lush green patch of ground, continuously wielding her beloved sword.
It was as if she perceived an unseen enemy right before her, or perhaps feared that she mighte to a standstill. She danced alone in an intense swordy, lost in the rhythm of her own movements.
Observing this scene, Riezel remained silent, refraining from disturbing her or making any unnecessary moves, simply standing in ce and watching with his eyes bright and focused.
He was learning.
Learning her swordsmanship and attempting to understand the trajectory of her sword swings.
Unfortunately, her sword was too fast, to the point where he couldn''t keep up with her movements. All he could see were silver streaks dancing in the air, and nothing more.
Despite this, he did not feel bored. He continued to watch attentively until the sunlight descended from the sky, illuminating the entire courtyard.
"Huff..."
Finally, Ais stopped.
She raised her sword upward, then sheathed it. After finishing her exercise, she turned towards Riezel.
"Sorry..." Ais said somewhat apologetically, lowering her eyes slightly. "Made you wait."
"No." Riezel shook his head and calmly responded. "I should thank you for letting me observe your training."
"Really?" Ais tilted her head, seeming a bit puzzled, and hesitated. "Was it helpful for you?"
"Of course..." Riezel paused, then nodded. "After all, as you can see, like you, I also wield a sword."
He raised the weapon in his hand, bringing it into Ais''s view.
"A sword..." Ais was somewhat surprised and somewhat astonished. "You''re really not a mage?"
"At least, I''m not the kind of pure rearguard mage..." Riezel responded and thought for a moment. "I prefer charging into the enemy directly rather than staying at the back and using magic."
''After all, that''s undoubtedly more exciting.'' Riezel said the true reason in his mind.
Ais then recalled Loki''s remarks from yesterday.
¡ªI think this kid seems to be of the same type as Ais, both being problem children who won''t settle down unless they go on a rampage amid the monsters.
As she thought about that, Ais couldn''t help but feel a bit of closeness to him. She just felt that this rookie, highly praised by Loki, was quite simr to herself in various aspects.
Now, he even wanted to learn her magic.
Just thinking about it, Ais couldn''t help but feel aplex mix of emotions.
"...Can I ask you a question?"
Driven by theseplex emotions, Ais turned her head to Riezel and asked.
"Go ahead."
Riezel seemed to have some idea of what Ais was about to ask, with his expression remaining unchanged.
"Why me?" Ais carefully chose her words but ended up saying them somewhat clumsily. "Riveria is willing to teach you. Even with the strongest mage in Orario offering to do so, why choose me when you could learn from her?"
''My magic isn''t as shy as Riveria''s or Lefiya''s, with powerful effects and range.''
That was how Ais saw her own magic.
Riezel also knew that if he wanted to be powerful, generally epted magic in line with people''s expectations of the term, learning from Riveria would be the best choice. Her magic was known for its firepower, capable of incinerating enemies even higher-leveled than herself, or scorching arge area around.
Inparison, Ais''s magic, though unique,cked that decisive power and firepower. Therefore, under normal circumstances, one would prefer to learn Riveria''s magic.
Unaware of Ais''s thoughts, Riezel had his own considerations.
"As I mentioned yesterday, I personally believe that your magic is the most suitable for me at this moment."
He exined while looking directly at her face.
"As everyone knows, all magic in the world shares amon usage requirement¡ªyou must recite a fixed chant, also known as chanting."
As she heard his reason, Ais nodded in agreement.
Chanting was the only way to use magic.
It served as the trigger for magic, stabilized one''s ''Mind'' to smoothly convert the basic ability of ''MAG'' into fuel, and released the phenomenon known as magic.
This held true in both the main world and this world.
Generally speaking, the longer the chant of magic, the more time it took to chant, and the more astonishing the power and effects of the said magic.
However, this didn''t mean that magic with a lengthy chant was a good thing.
"Magic with a long chant may indeed be extremely powerful; on the other hand, the time it takes to cast bes long, leading to various problems."
That was how Riezel saw it.
"Setting aside interruptions and unexpected events during casting, for the growth of status, having magic with a long chant is not a good thing."
Magic that took time to cast inevitably had many limitations in its usage, with few opportunities to use it.
And if there were fewer chances to use magic, the growth of ''MAG'' became less optimistic.
Whether it was ''MAG'' or other basic abilities like ''STR'', ''END'', ''DEX'', or ''AGI'', the way to make them grow was to use them frequently.
If one didn''t get the chance to use them regrly, it meant that basic abilities rted to the power and effects of magic, such as ''MAG'', were challenging to improve.
Because of this, many mages put a lot of effort into finding opportunities to unleash their magic.
However, the power of magic was extraordinary, a supernatural force that could cause massive destruction with just one strike. Inside the city, it was generally difficult to find opportunities to use it.
Even when entering the dungeon and casting magic in it while facing attacks from monsters, whether mages could maintain theirposure and focus to smoothly chant their magic was another uncertainty.
Therefore, the improvement of ''MAG'' was acknowledged to be more challenging than other basic abilities and considerably more so.
Simrly, once this ability was enhanced, the direct impact was a significant improvement in one''s magic power, effects, and more.
The reason Riezel chose Ais''s magic was that, in his view, within the entire Loki Familia, only her magic was the easiest to use.
"If I''m not mistaken, your magic should belong to the ultra-short chant type, right?"
Riezel''s inquiry was met with a confirming gesture from Ais.
Basically, magic was divided into ultra-short chant, short chant, long chant, and ultra-long chant.
The longer the chant, the stronger the magic, but the usage time and convenience would decrease. Conversely, the shorter the chant, the weaker the magic, but it would possess the convenience of being able to be activated quickly.
"Ultra-short chant magic is the easiest magic to use."
Riezel stated his purpose clearly.
"I just want to learn magic that''s easy to use, magic that can be used frequently. That''s the way to train ''MAG''." Riezel calmly smiled and continued. "And once ''MAG'' is improved, the scale and effectiveness of magic will also increase. When I learn other magic in the future, the power and effects of the magic won''t be limited by the low ''MAG''. They might even show stronger power and effects because my ''MAG'' has been improved."
He had long decided that his first magic had to be an ultra-short chant magic. Only by getting a hold of ultra-short chant magic first, could the growth potential of his future magic be ensured.
Of course, this would inevitably cause a problem.
That was, the magic he learned would inevitably not have too much power and effect. However, in the face of the swordswoman before him, this problem did not exist.
Because the only magic Ais possessed, ssified as an ultra-short chant magic, actually belonged to an extraordinary type.
Its effects were not only not weak but rather acknowledged as strong.
How strong?
Strong enough that Ais, despite being only Level 5, while there were influential figures at Level 6 and Level 7 above her, could still stand out and be the strongest swordswoman in everyone''s eyes.
Therefore¡ª
"Could you please use your magic?" Riezel requested with an earnest expression.
"..."
After a moment of silence, Ais responded.
"Tempest."
*Whoosh¡ª*
The wind began to swirl around her body.
Chapter 20: Ariel
Chapter 20: Ariel
In the courtyard, an unknown and beautiful scene quietly unfolded.
The wind was picking up.
The wind was gathering.
Visible air currents, like a yful fairy, suddenly swept in from all directions, wrapping around Ais''s body.
In this visible wind, the girl, enveloped by the gentle breeze, had golden hair that shimmered like sand, dancing in the air.
It was a sight as beautiful as a painting.
"This is my magic." Ais said calmly while being surrounded by the wind as if she had transformed into a wind spirit.
Riezel stared intently at the wind around her body, memories in his minding to life.
Ariel.That was Ais''s only usable magic, an enchant-type magic.
Enchant-type magic could attach a certain magical attribute to oneself or objects one touches, enhancing one''s power and abilities.
Ais''s Ariel was a wind element enchant-type magic.
The chant for this magic consisted of only one word, an ultra-short chant. This made it exceptionally fast to cast, with a difficulty level surprisingly lowpared to other magic.
When activated, the magic provided the caster with the protection of the wind, the power of the wind element, control over wind force, and the ability to wrap wind around the body and weapon.
It served as both protection and assistance in attacks, increasing speed, and even granting the ability to fly short distances. It was almost an all-in-one package of attack, defense, speed, and support, with the only drawback being its inability to perform long-distance attacks.
Now, this magic was unfolding before Riezel''s eyes, imprinted in his memory.
At this moment, he felt it.
His memories were stirring.
"Tempest."
As if by instinct, Riezel chanted the ultra-short chant he had just heard a few seconds ago. The stirring memories immediately responded to his chant.
*Whoosh¡ª*
The wind swept in again.
However, this time, it came from all directions. It started off faint, but gradually, the powerful wind created by the atmosphere became more and more spectacr, wrapping around Riezel''s body.
''My magic...'' Ais''s attractive eyes widened involuntarily.
Not only Ais but even Riezel in the courtyard failed to notice that, above, several windows were open, allowing lines of sight to peek through, gazing in their direction.
"Seeded...?" Loki muttered in astonishment as she looked at Riezel effortlessly using Ais''s magic. Her expression was quiteical, unsure if she was crying orughing.
"That rookie actually pulled off Ais''s magic?"
"This is going to be interesting."
The Amazoness twins peeked from their room, clearly witnessing everything.
"Tch!" Bete clicked his tongue silently and turned away.
Meanwhile, Finn, Riveria, and Gareth gathered in the same room, looking at each other in dismay as they watched a boy and a girl entwined with the wind in the courtyard.
"It really worked..." Finn sighed emotionally. "It seems our rookie, in terms of uniqueness, might be the best in the entire Familia."
"Isn''t that obvious?" Gareth quipped, his muscr arms crossed. "If he can learn Ais''s magic, could it be that kid isn''t an ordinary human like Ais?"
At his spection, Riveria remained silent, only staring at Riezel''s figure, then at Ais''s with her brow slightly furrowed.
She knew very well how special Ais''s magic was.
At first nce, it seemed like just a typical enchant-type magic with nothing extraordinary. Enchant-type magic wasn''t even that rare in Orario; there were probably dozens of adventurers with enchant-type magic, and even in Loki Familia, Ais wasn''t the only one with it.
Butpared to those enchant-type magic, Ais''s enchant-type magic had a strong difference.
The ultra-short chant was just one of the characteristics of this magic.
The true uniqueness of this magic, visible only through use, was something impossible to discern with the naked eye.
"Riezel Brynhart?" Riveria muttered. "I wonder if letting him learn Ais''s magic is a good or bad thing."
Hearing her mutter, Both Finn and Gareth remained silent.
It wasn''t until after a while that Finn broke the silence.
"Regardless, we have a highly potential genius in our Familia, which is a good thing." Finn smiled slightly. "Train him well, and he might be another Familia''s backbone in the future."
"Yeah..." Gareth chuckled, stroking his long beard. "I get it now. Loki gathered us all, and introduced that kid to us, not just for us to simply teach him magic, no?"
"She wants us to focus on cultivating him, right?" Riveria looked at Finn. "What''s your n, Finn?"
"For now, I don''t n to do anything special..." Finn bit his thumbnail, thinking for a moment. "He joined the Familia just two days ago, and he''s had the blessing for only two days. Now is precisely the time for him toy the foundation and rify his own path. If we interfere hastily, it might be counterproductive."
"Oh?" Gareth raised an eyebrow. "Are you worried we''ll lead him astray?"
"That''s right." Riveria agreed with Finn''s view. "We don''t know enough about him, and hisbat style hasn''t fully developed. If we interfere randomly, he might be influenced by us."
Everyone should have their own path, their own development¡ªthe one that suits them best.
Riezel was still too young in their eyes, and his time for growth was too short. Before he rified his own development and path, if he was influenced too much by others, he might end up on a path that waspletely unsuitable for him.
That was not good and must be avoided.
Therefore, Finn didn''t n to intervene too early in Riezel''s growth stage.
"Later, I''ll go have a chat with Loki and see if she can spill some beans..." Finn said with a smile. "Judging by her attitude yesterday, there''s probably something special about Riezel''s body that we don''t know about yet. We need to understand it before making any ns."
"What else is that kid hiding?" Gareth muttered with anticipation. "Hmm, what could it be? Damn, it''s really intriguing!"
"It could be skills or other magic..." Riveria said while looking thoughtful. "Either way, Loki''s attitude definitely signals something."
In just a few words, the three top executives of Loki Familia settled on a n for dealing with Riezel.
This also indicated that from this moment on, he officially entered the attention of Familia higher-ups, garnering importance.
However, the three top executives, as well as those secretly observing, were unaware that they were still underestimating him.
What happened next would shatter their perception of him, making them reconsider and truly understand his uniqueness.
===
Ais continued to gaze silently at Riezel, who was surrounded by swirling wind, confirming his current state.
''Really learned...''
Ais found it challenging to describe her feelings at this moment.
Seeing someone else, like her, using ''Ariel'' didn''t bring joy; instead, it stirred up some bittersweet emotions. After all, this magic held significant meaning for her.
Suppressing the emotions about to surge within, Ais''s eyes flickered for a moment as she nced at the sword gripped in Riezel''s hand.
She hesitated for a moment, then looked directly at his face.
"Want to give it a try?" Ais asked calmly.
Observing himself and curious about the changes in his body, Riezel understood her intention upon hearing her question.
"Draw your sword." Ais said calmly. "Let me see what your wind looks like."
After saying that, she unsheathed her sword, revealing a bright silver sword.
However, she didn''t grasp the sword hilt; instead, she held and raised the scabbard and casually tossed the sword aside.
Seeing this, Riezel''s eyes flickered.
The girl in front of him was the strongest swordswoman in Orario, a true first ss adventurer.
She was powerful.
At least, for his present self, she was an object almost impossible to reach.
Leaving aside everything else, just the difference in their levels was like heaven and earth, something iparable.
In this world, just one level gap alone represents a huge difference.
Moreover, with each level up, the increase in power could be described as a whole evolution.
Therefore, in this world, let alone facing a Level 5 first ss adventurer, even a Level 2 third ss adventurer, Riezel had almost no chance of winning at the moment.
But so what?
Facing a powerful opponent and being able to throw a challenge at any time was quite exciting, wasn''t it?
*Ba-dump!* *Ba-dump!* *Ba-dump!*
His heartbeat elerated, and a familiar excitement surged in his heart.
"Please teach me."
As he unsheathed his sword, Riezel wasted no time in assuming a stance, pointing the sharp tip towards Ais''s throat.
In his eyes, a hint of coldness emerged,pletely contradictory to his inner feelings.
"..."
Ais, who had been acting nonchntly, seemed to sense something. Her heart tightened while her body subtly tensed up.
It felt as if she was being stared at by a ferocious beast¡ªa sensation that gripped her heart. Though not intense or dangerous, it still made her subconsciously tighten her guard.
*Crack!*
In that instant, Riezel forcefully stepped on the ground with the wind swirling around his body. With the aid of ''Ariel'', his figure turned into a bullet, charging towards Ais, whose pupils had contracted, marking the beginning of the battle.
Chapter 21: Evolving
Chapter 21: Evolving
*ng!*
The sharp edge of a sword shed with a silver scabbard in midair, creating a resonant sound of metal collision.
In the narrow courtyard, two figures wrapped in wind collided with each other, causing the surrounding airflow to be chaotic under the friction of the wind.
Riezel charged recklessly at Ais, his slender sword rising and generating numerous arcs of light, shing toward the girl.
*ng!* *Cling!* *ng!* *Cling!*
Sessive collision sounds echoed throughout the courtyard.
Facing Riezel''s relentless charge and merciless shes, Ais effortlessly danced with her scabbard, deflecting all iing shes of silver.
Wind collided with wind; sword shed against sword.
The exchange between the swordsman and swordswoman appeared equal, yet one continuously attacked while the other never took a step back, an ongoing spectacle.Keen observers could discern who held the advantage in this battle.
Regardless, Riezel felt as if he were facing not a person but an immovable mountain. No matter how he sprinted or swung his sword, he couldn''t shake his opponent.
However, confronted with this formidable opponent, he felt no fear. Instead, his blood boiled, while his eyes sparkled.
Yes.
He enjoyed it.
He enjoyed fighting a strong opponent.
He enjoyed the urgency, where any mistake could lead to death at any moment, a battle on the brink.
Driven by this mentality, he unleashed all his strength.
*ng!* *Cling!* *ng!* *Cling!* *ng!*
The collision sounds seemed even more intense and never-ending.
Riezel maneuvered around Ais,unching a variety of attacks towards her slender figure. de lights and sword afterimages appeared from all directions, shing towards her entire body.
There was a forceful cleave aimed at her back.
A vertical cut targeted her ankles.
A sudden thrust aimed at her shoulders.
A direct cut towards her abdomen.
Riezel showed no signs of holding back or avoiding vital points; each sh he swung seemed as if he intended to kill Ais for real, with every strike carrying tremendous power and lethality.
Unable to make a dent in the powerful swordswoman without pulling out all the stops, he understood the gap between them and believed that she wouldn''t sumb to this degree of attack. So he attacked with full dedication.
Ais, in response, didn''t disappoint him, standing there motionless, effortlessly deflecting every one of his shes with her scabbard.
The girl didn''t just parry with her scabbard; she used various straightforward techniques to neutralize his attacks.
Facing a forceful cleave towards her back, she swayed her scabbard from the side, skillfully deflecting the powerful blow with minimal effort.
Against a vertical sh aimed at her ankles, instead of dodging, the girl lifted her foot and kicked his sword grip, robbing it of strength.
A thrust targeting her shoulder was blocked by the scabbard, emphasizing finesse over force. Though the attack was threatening, it was easily parried.
Even the attempt to cut her abdomen had no effect; the scabbard rebounded the strike, sending it back, causing him to lose control and step back.
Gradually, Ais shifted from defense to offense, using the seemingly harmless scabbard to leave marks on Riezel''s body.
Her scabbard swung at an incredible speed, while the attacks were sharp. Even without aid from the wind, each strike created a howling gust, hitting him hard.
Unable to track the scabbard''s trajectory, Riezel abandoned defense, focusing all attention on relentless attacks, turning his shes into arcs that became faster, fiercer, and deadlier.
Watching Riezel, who seemed like a cold and ruthless sword demon, relentlessly attacking Ais, those in the manor witnessing the scene through the windows couldn''t stay calm.
"Are you kidding me?" Tiona murmured unconsciously.
"Wasn''t he a rookie who recently received a blessing?" Tione wore a disbelief expression.
"Hey! Loki, you fool!"
Even Bete, who returned to the window without anyone noticing, stared at the intense battle below. Angered by what he witnessed, he shouted in Loki''s direction.
"Are you sure that brat was just an ordinary guy who got blessed a few days ago? There should be limits to joking!"
Not only Bete but Finn, Riveria, and Gareth were left speechless, one after another looking towards Loki.
"A rookie?" Gareth said doubtfully. "With this skill and ability, he''s already an expert even in Level 1."
Indeed, Riezel''s disyed strength surprised everyone, defying the expectations of the Familia''s first-ss adventurers who initially only wanted to gauge the rookie''s potential.
"Ahh, shit..." Loki scratched her head tiredly. "Just as I thought, it''s gonna be like this..."
Evidently, the reactions of her children were within her expectations.
''That kid''s damn growth speed; it''s strange not to surprise other kids who are growing at an ordinary pace.''
Loki recalled the events fromst night.
Last night, after Ais agreed to Riezel''s request and promised to teach him her magic, he didn''t immediately leave. Instead, he sought Loki''s help for the third status update.
...
Riezel Brynhart
Level 1
STR: F385 ¡ú D555
END: F380 ¡ú D548
DEX: E431 ¡ú C623
AGI: E449 ¡ú C637
MAG: I0
...
The total proficiency points in all basic abilities had risen to over 700! In the third status update, Riezel''s growth speed remained astonishingly rapid and ridiculous! Especially in ''DEX'' and ''AGI'', both had entered the C-rank!
This was something even adventurers who had worked hard for several years in Level 1 could not achieve.
As mentioned before, those who could develop basic abilities to A-rank were extremely rare, and those who reached S-rank were even rarer. Upgrading to B-rank was already considered a genius, and there weren''t many in Orario.
Yet, Riezel achieved C-ranks in two basic abilities in just three days.
Due to this fact, Loki spent the night yesterday doubting her own existence, not to mention others.
And if others were in such a state, let alone Ais, who faced Riezel head-on.
"Ugh!" Ais''s golden eyes stared at the continuously attacking Riezel, her pupils slightly contracting.
In his perception, she was an immovable giant mountain, but in her perception, he seemed like a constantly evolving pupa, seemingly small but gradually growing wings, turning into a moth flying towards the me.
In terms of basic abilities alone, the current Riezel had surpassed more than 90% of Level 1 adventurers, bing one of the top experts in Level 1.
With the enchant-type magic ''Ariel'' bringing about an increase in basic abilities, he hadprehensive improvements in attack, defense, speed, and more. As long as he didn''t encounter opponents at Level 2, he could handle them with ease.
Of course, that kind of strength was almost negligible in Ais''s eyes.
As the universally recognized strongest swordswoman with the strength of a first-ss adventurer, Riezel was not impressive in front of Ais, who had been a Level 5 adventurer for three years.
However, through Loki''s words, Ais also knew that Riezel was just an ordinary human who received a blessing just three days ago and had never received a blessing before.
To possess a strength equivalent to an experienced expert in Level 1 within three days? This fact stimted the deepest part of Ais''s heart, surprising even herself.
Even more surprising for her was that, with their ongoing battle, Riezel was still evolving.
Specifically, he seemed to have found the key to controlling ''Ariel'', starting to enhance the wind on his sword or directly detonating it under his feet to increase his attack speed and movement speed. He had truly be a gust of wind, swiftly approaching.
Moreover, as time passed, his sword became sharper and less chaotic, bing somewhat familiar to Ais.
''Is he learning my swordsmanship?'' Ais''s heart shook uncontrobly.
She was correct.
Riezel was indeed learning her swordsmanship.
''Is this how I should swing a sword?''
In the continuous attacks, his eyes reveal strands of enlightenment, changing his sword movements step by step.
Bing simpler!
Bing faster!
With exceptional memory, Riezel observed Ais''s movements carefully, noting every technique she used, and relying on his inhuman growth speed to reproduce and master them.
This was an unexpected harvest.
Riezel, who originally only wanted to learn magic from Ais, only realized this at this moment.
''I should learn not only magic.''
''I should grow not only in status.''
''Mybat skill,bat technique, also need learning and growth.''
In his previous life, Riezel had only learned Taijutsu for self-defense. So, where did he learnbat techniques used for actual fights, especially sword technique?
No, he hadn''t learned at all.
But now, he had the opportunity to learn.
The changes and transformations that he had undergone in Ais''s eyes were no different.
''Too fast!'' Ais eximed in her mind. ''He''s changing way too fast!''
Her realization caused ws in her seemingly wless movements.
''Right there!'' Riezel''s eyes suddenly lit up, capturing these subtle imperfections.
*ng!*
With her seemingly effortless sh, Ais retreated.
''An opportunity!'' Riezel instinctively realized that this was the only opportunity in this battle that could pose a threat to her.
Without hesitation, he aimed straight at Ais''s exposed chest and thrust his sword forward.
Chapter 22: Doubt
Chapter 22: Doubt
"..."
Everything came to a standstill.
Time was frozen.
Ais gazed at the sword tip thrusting towards her chest. Her pupils, which had already contracted, narrowed even further.
"Ais¡ª!"
Someone suddenly screamed Ais''s name in panic.
Upon hearing this voice, Ais finally snapped back to reality. Her pupils, which were about to shrink to the size of a pin, suddenly burst with vivid colors.
*BOOM!*
A burst of wind wrapped around her body, transforming into a powerful shockwave that sent everything around her flying.Riezel felt an overwhelming forceing from the front and was instantly sted away, crashing into the courtyard wall.
"Argh¡ª!" Riezel couldn''t help but cough out all the air from his lungs as his back stung with pain.
The wind surrounding his body dispersed upon colliding with Ais''s wind, so he endured the wave of the wall impact with his body directly, causing intense pain throughout.
"Are you okay?!"
Ais eximed and hesitated for a moment, an unusual hint of concern appeared on her face. Not just her, but even the onlookers were startled by the sudden turn of events.
"Something''s wrong!" Tiona shouted in a panic.
"Wrong my ass! It''s all your fault! Why did you scream?!" Tione pped Tiona hard, scolding her sister.
The one who had screamed Ais''s name earlier was Tiona. If it weren''t for her scream, Ais wouldn''t have instinctively used her full strength.
"I only saw Ais almost getting stabbed! I couldn''t help but scream, okay!" Tiona rubbed her throbbing forehead, tearfully defending herself.
"You dumbass Amazoness!" Bete immediately cursed. "Ais used magic and had wind protection. How could that guy''s sword possibly hit her?"
Indeed, even if Ais hadn''t unleashed the full force of her wind to repel Riezel, his attack would likely not have caused any significant damage.
The protection of ''Ariel'' would shield the user''s body. Even if Riezel''s sword had hit, it probably would have been blocked by the wind.
So, Tiona''s scream waspletely unnecessary.
"I''m sorry..." Tiona seemed to realize this too, muttering awkwardly with a hint of guilt.
"Alright, stop staring." Finn interrupted the argument. "Let''s check on the rookie''s condition first."
With that, Finn jumped directly out of the window,pletely disregarding the fact that they were dozens of meters high.
"These brats, why are they so impulsive?" Gareth scolded while following suit and jumping down.
Meanwhile, Riveria had already descended ahead of them.
Seeing this, Bete, Tiona, and Tione followed suit, one after another, jumping from the window into the courtyard.
Only Loki remained, with one leg on the windowsill, appearing as though she was about to jump. However, upon realizing the ground was far below, her mouth twitched.
Feigning nonchnce, she quietly retracted her leg.
"Meh, forget it, as long as Finn and Riveria are there..."
Having sealed her Arcanum, Loki wisely avoided the fate ofnding like a box right then and there.
One after another, Loki Familia''s executives entered the courtyard, gathering around Riezel.
"Are you okay?" Riveria was the first to approach, helping Riezel up while cing a hand on his body, seemingly checking something.
"...I''m sorry."
Ais also came forward and apologized while looking at Riezel, who was standing unsteadily. She lowered her head, full of disappointment, resembling a child who had done something wrong.
Even Tiona apologized by gazing at him with eyes full of regret.
*Cough! Cough!*
Riezel coughed a few times, took a deep breath, felt the pain in his chest diminish, and then looked at the people present.
"I''m fine, no need to worry." Riezel shook his head.
His words made everyone observe his expression for a moment. After confirming that he was indeed okay, they all sighed in relief.
"That''s good..."
Finn seemed like he wanted to pat Riezel''s shoulder but found that he couldn''t reach the shoulder. He gave up andughed.
"Luckily, the wind helped you offset some of the impact. Otherwise, you might have to stay in bed for a few days."
"You kids really went overboard." Gareth, with a disapproving look, snorted coldly. "A little sparring is fine, but actually going all out? Do you want to kill or injure your Familiapanions?"
"Indeed." Riveria said with wrinkled brows. "Ais, your reaction was too intense. You should reflect on it."
"Uhh..." Ais''s head lowered even further, her expression more dejected.
"It''s not her fault." Riezel, now fully recovered, defended her. "I wanted to spar with Miss Ais myself, and her counterattack was only natural."
"Even so, you guys went too far..." Tione sighed. "Seeing the way you looked like you wanted to kill Ais just now, I almost thought you were seriously fighting to death. Really, it reminded me of some unpleasant memories back home."
"Yeah, yeah!" Tiona nodded repeatedly, agreeing.
She had been genuinely scared just now, recalling some unwee memories. Hence, if they wanted to me someone, it was mostly Riezel''s fault. Immersed too deeply in the battle, and too trusting in Ais''s strength, what should have been a more casual spar gradually turned into a serious fight. It could be said that he brought it upon himself.
"It''s my fault."
Riezel admitted with self-awareness, knowing he had been too aggressive. Seeing Ais''s dejected expression, he quickly reassured her.
"Please don''t me yourself anymore. After all, it''s my fault. You were just defending yourself, and you didn''t do anything wrong."
Hearing his words, Ais nodded, but there was still a hint of dejection on her face, making him feel a bit guilty.
However, before he could fully console her, Bete''s voice interjected.
"For such a trivial matter, what''s there to fuss about?" Bete stared at Riezel intensely, resembling a lone wolf intimidating something. "I''m asking you, brat, did you really just receive the blessing three days ago?"
With his question, everyone turned their attention to Riezel.
The still dejected Ais, who seemed particrly focused on this topic, also raised her head and looked over.
Riezel was momentarily surprised by the question but quickly understood what was happening, so he nodded.
"Yes, I received the blessing three days ago."
His statement was met with Bete''s blunt rebuttal.
"Who do you think you''re fooling, huh?" Bete spoke with his usual foul mouth. "You trying to tell me you''ve grown this much in just three days? I ain''t buying your bullshit!"
Bete''s skepticism was obvious. He didn''t believe Riezel could progress so quickly, and that was perfectly reasonable.
"Judging by your recent performance, even without considering Ais''s magic you used, logically speaking, you should have at least one or two basic abilities at D-rank, maybe even C-rank..." Finn calcted precisely, pondering Riezel''s status.
"At least D-rank basic abilities, possibly not just one?" Gareth spected aloud. "Man, when we reached this stage, it took us nearly a year, right?"
"The fastest among us should be Ais." Riveria nced at the doll-like girl. "But even Ais took about half a year back then."
"Eh?" Tiona eximed with surprise. "Doesn''t that mean he surpassed Ais''s efforts in just three days?"
With her statement, everyone fell silent.
Especially Ais, who stared intently at Riezel, seemingly particrly concerned about this topic.
Riezel could only bask in the various intrigued looks from everyone, inwardly smiling wryly.
He certainly knew why everyone reacted so strongly.
After all, even Ais took so long to reach this stage initially, let alone others. Achieving such results in just three days was undoubtedly hard for people to ept.
Ais was the world record holder for the fastest advancement to Level 2. At the tender age of 8, it took her just a year to level up to high-ss adventurer sessfully.
Her innate skill was nothing short of being the best in the world.
However, Riezel disyed a skill that surpassed her by far and even surpassed it by so much that people found it hard to believe. But he himself didn''t think much of it.
After all...
''The protagonist only took about a month to level up sessfully, and at Level 1, every time his status was updated, total proficiency would increase by hundreds of points. What I did is nothingpared to him, right?''
Precisely because of this, when Loki doubted his own growth as godly, Riezel himself felt that there was nothing great about it.
The things the protagonist could effortlessly achieve with cheat after cheat, Riezel only did the same. What''s there to be surprised about?
This world was also not the only one. In another anime world, faster growth and even bing a monster who rises to the top overnight, would not be umon.
Therefore, Riezel really didn''t think it was a big deal, so he maintained his calm andposed attitude.
"You can go ask Loki. Three days ago, when I received her blessing, my back was probably as in as can be. She knows best."
Upon hearing Riezel''s reasoning, everyone exchanged nces and simultaneously turned, heading toward Loki''s room.
"Youe too!"
"I want to see if this is real."
The Amazoness twins each grabbed one of Riezel''s arms and dragged him with them.
Ais followed closely behind, with a determined stride.
This made Riezel realize that his status was inevitably exposed.
Chapter 23: Astonishment and Envy
Chapter 23: Astonishment and Envy
Riezel Brynhart
Level 1
STR: D555
END: D548
DEX: C623
AGI: C637
MAG: I0
...
MAGICAlmighty
- Memorize magic.
- Activate specific magic based on memory.
- The strength of the magic is determined by the basic ability of ''MAG''.
- Only effective for valid magic.
...
SKILL
Fool''s Obsession
- Extraordinary increase in growth speed.
- Extraordinary increase in growth limit.
- The deeper the obsession, the stronger the effect.
- The effect is greatly enhanced in dangerous situations.
Endless
- Obtains the highest rank development ability ''Healing Power''.
- Obtains the highest rank development ability ''Spirit Healing''.
- Obtains the highest rank development ability ''Abnormal Resistance''.
- Improve obtained development abilities.
Self Redemption
- Immune to body interference.
- Immune to mental interference.
- The status can be updated independently by consuming the corresponding God''s blood.
- Can ept and enhance the effects of friendly buffs on oneself.
...
Riezel and every executive of Loki Familia were in Loki''s divine room at this moment.
"..."
Reading Riezel''s status that had just been tranted by Loki, whether it was the three top executives leading the Loki Familia or the executives like Ais and the others, all fell into a death-like silence.
Riezel, brought here by Loki, exposed his status as he intended with her cooperation.
The backbones of the Familia stared at the parchment held by Finn, looking at the ridiculous status on it, their breath gradually bing erratic.
Especially Ais, her gaze was almost fixed on the skill called ''Fool''s Obsession''¡ªor rather, on the effect of ''Extraordinary increase in growth speed.''
At some point, her hands had quietly clenched.
Everyone could only exchange stupefied nces, their gazes frequently moving back and forth on Riezel and the parchment in Finn''s hands, feeling their heads spinning.
No choice.
The amount of information brought by Riezel''s status was too much for them, leaving them in confusion.
Among everyone present, only Riezel remained calm from start to finish.
As for Loki, her face wore a mischievous grin, enjoying the spectacle as she watched everyone''s reactions.
"As you can see, this kid has incredible potential. Right from the get-go, he not only awakened one magic and three skills but, whether it''s magic or skills, they''re all super unique and absurd."
Loki spread her hands wide as she spoke.
"That''s why this kid''s growth speed is so fast. He only got a blessing from me three days ago, and before that, he had none, and I can vouch for that."
As the Goddess''s words reached everyone''s ears, they not only failed to shatter the silence but left them even more speechless.
However, Riezel''s standing in the hearts of everyone present was gradually bingpletely different.
"At first, I thought he was just a rookie with great potential, but did we seriously underestimate him?" Finn chuckled. He knew very well that if Riezel truly possessed these exaggerated magic and skills recorded on the parchment in his hands, Riezel''s existence would mean something significant.
Not just Finn, even Riveria and Gareth, the oldest members in the Familia, were aware of this.
"Could this kid be the one who will shatter the legend of only one Level 7 in all of Orario...?" Gareth''s hushed words sent shockwaves through everyone''s hearts.
Level 7.
This was something that had never happened in Loki Familia, a level that only one figure in all of Orario had reached even after searching far and wide.
That person was considered Orario''s ultimate weapon, a legendary character on par with ancient heroes, enjoying fame worldwide.
Finn, Riveria, and Gareth had been striving for that realm for who knows how many years, but they had yet to seed.
Even the genius members of Loki Familia, whether it was Bete, the twin sisters Tiona and Tione who became Level 5 at a young age, or Ais, the record holder for the fastest ascent to Level 2, all of them were true geniuses with innate potential among the world''s top characters.
However, in the three top executives'' eyes, the chances of these geniuses reaching Level 7 were equally slim, with Ais being the only one with a somewhat usible chance.
But now, in Riezel, everyone saw the possibility of him breaking through that level. At least, the three top executives felt this way.
In such a situation, he could no longer be described simply as a ''rookie with potential''. He was clearly a supernova possessing the ''hero'' characteristic!
Once again, everyone looked at him, their eyes filled with variousplex emotions.
"Tch!" Bete couldn''t help but click his tongue, then turned around, walking away with an irritated pace.
"Where are you going?" Riveria frowned and asked as she saw Bete''s back.
"Dungeon." Bete replied coldly and strode away without looking back.
"Make sure not to spill the beans, Bete." Loki reminded with a mischievous grin on her face that never faded while her squinted eyes slightly opened.
"I''ve ssified Riezel''s status as Familia''s top secret. Initially, I was only going to spill the beans to Finn. Fortunately, Riezel''s cool with you guys knowing, so I''m lifting the ban on spilling the beans to you. Just be careful not to blurt it out carelessly, okay?"
Upon hearing her warning, Bete came to a halt. He knew well how crucial one''s status information could be.
If exposed to others, it could turn into a deadly situation if targeted, especially for someone like Riezel, with such outrageous magic and skills. If his information leaked, there was a 90% chance of attracting the attention of Loki Familia''s enemies or falling prey to those with ulterior motives.
Considering such possibilities, normally, details of one''s status would be shared sparingly, even amongpanions within the same Familia, except for close rtives.
Bete himself followed this principle; even within the Familia, very few knew all of his abilities.
In Riezel''s case, he should have been extra cautious about safeguarding his status information. Even among the Familia executives present, only Finn, as the Familia''s captain responsible for coordinating all members, would need to know some details. For the rest, it wouldn''t be surprising if they remained ignorant, regardless of how well the information was kept confidential.
However, Riezel chose to disclose it to them.
Despite Bete being a rather unpleasant senior, Riezel still chose to let him know his status.
Realizing this, Bete was once again realized and astonished.
"Who would do such a stupid thing!"
Leaving a grumpy remark, Bete left the room more violently and impatiently.
Tiona and Tione exchanged nces and then turned to leave as well.
"Where are you two going?" Riveria inquired helplessly.
""Dungeon.""
The twin sisters'' responses were almost synchronized.
Seeing even the Amazoness twins were leaving, Riveria sighed and pressed her forehead with her hand.
"Those kids just came back from an expedition yesterday. Today, there''s a lot of work to be done with the loot, and yet they abandoned it all to go to the dungeon. What''s going on?"
"Guhahaha! They must have been stimted, those little rascals."
Riveria''s sigh of resignation was met with Gareth''s involuntaryughter, and he hit the nail on the head.
Bete, Tiona, and Tione were indeed stimted.
Stimted by Riezel''s inhuman potential.
Stimted by Riezel''s rapid growth speed.
"Did they realize there''s a monster chasing them from behind, worried their junior might surpass them?" Loki chuckled, looking like she enjoyed the chaos she caused.
"You knew it would turn out like this, yet still intentionally make this happen, no?" Finn looked at Loki helplessly.
"Well, isn''t that great?" Loki chuckled skeptically. "Maybe this can bring new energy and motivation to those kids. Just thinking about it gets me excited."
"You Gods always enjoy watching these unpredictable developments unfold..." Gareth discontentedly remarked. "Now, all the work of handling loot falls on us old folks. Can''t those little rascals take care of the elderly?"
"Well, since it''se to this, let them do as they please," Riveria said tiredly, shook her head, and then looked towards Riezel. "It''s tough for you to reveal detailed information about your status like this. Don''t worry, despite Bete, Tiona, and Tione seeming hasty and impatient, they know their limits. They won''t casually expose your secrets."
Her voice softened as she spoke to him.
"I know." Riezel calmly smiled at Riveria. "Otherwise, I wouldn''t have chosen to reveal it."
Based on his understanding of the original work and familiarity with the important characters of Loki Familia, he believed that everyone present could be trusted.
Even with Bete''s shitty attitude, Riezel knew that deep down, he wasn''t a bad guy; it was just a result of his difficult experiences that made him speak harshly.
So, Riezel chose not to hide the details of his status. This decision was made with future development in mind. After all, he would inevitably need to seek advice from these Familia seniors in the future, asking them to guide him.
Whether it was magic orbat skills, he had a lot to learn, and showcasing his potential like this, gaining the attention of Familia executives, was necessary.
Loki seemed to see through Riezel, and doubts crept into her mind.
''This kid didn''t have this attitude when he received a blessing three days ago.''
At that time, she thought he wouldn''t easily integrate and mingle into the Familia. Who would have thought that once he recognized all of Familia''s executives, he would start demonstrating his value? Quite clever.
"You can consult us anytime; it''s okay. We''d be happy to guide a rookie with unlimited potential like you." Finn also sensed Riezel''s intentions.
Riveria and Gareth nodded in agreement.
"Thank you." Riezel bowed his head to everyone in gratitude.
Unbeknownst to him, Ais, who had remained silent behind him, was watching him intensely.
In her eyes, there was nothing but envy.
Chapter 24: Pressure
Chapter 24: Pressure
The events that took ce in Loki''s divine room were known only to the executives of Loki Familia.
But from that day on, members of Loki Familia were surprised to find out that, for some reason, the executives like Bete, Tiona, Tione, and even Ais, who had recently be even more silent than before, were constantly running outside every day.
The frequency of their appearances in Twilight Manor dropped drastically, with them ignoring the handling of loot and even skipping celebration banquets upon returning from the expedition.
This puzzled many members of Loki Familia, leading to widespread spection.
"Yo, what''s the deal with them?"
"Why are they running outside all the time?"
"Is there some urgent business they''re dealing with?"
"I heard someone spotted them venturing into the dungeon before sunrise and noting back until way past bedtime. Is this some spontaneous burst of determination?"
"But seriously, why?"The members were filled with questions, and some even approached the three top executives for answers, only to receive a more confusing response.
"They''re just feeling pressure. Don''t bother them; let them go."
This was the consistent response from the three, leaving the Familia members who got wind of the information somewhat at a loss.
"Pressure?"
"Do the executives feel it too?"
"Who could be putting pressure on them?"
This was the most perplexing aspect.
Unfortunately, the three top executives had no intention of exining, just smiling and brushing off the matters, leaving the Familia members curious but unable to press further.
Riezel also learned about this, and although somewhat surprised, he didn''t find it surprising.
As Loki had mentioned, anyone with apetitive spirit and ambition would feel pressure when chased by someone with a cheat behind them. Especially these executives, who were originally talented.
They were not like the three top executives, who were older and more mature. It''s natural for them to have somepetitiveness and refusal to lose.
In terms of age, the executives were quite young after all.
For example, the Amazoness twins, Tiona and Tione, despite being Level 5 first ss adventurers, were only 17 years old, the same age as Riezel in this life.
Ais, the strongest swordswoman in Orario, the record holder for the fastest ascent to Level 2, was only 16 years old this year, one year younger than Riezel.
Bete was a bit older at 22 this year, butpared to the three top executives, he was still a youngster.
Finn, the seemingly young Pallum, was already 42 years old, and Gareth was 56. Riveria, as a High Elf with a long lifespan, was said to be only second to Loki in age within the Familia. No one dared to ask, fearing that a careless question might turn them into ashes.
Compared to those three, Ais and the other executives were indeed young, exining Gareth''sints about them being restless and not growing up.
In this situation, although Riezel was a rookie, he was in the same age group as the four executives.
Given that, being seen as rivals was only natural.
Even though Riezel was well aware that, if he counted the age from his previous life, he was definitely the elder among the executives, with an age only slightly younger than the three top executives in the Familia. However, in the eyes of outsiders, he undeniably appeared as a young junior.
This greatly stimted thepetitive spirit among the group of talented boys and girls.
''Loki clearly knew this would happen, so she deliberately used me to stimte them, right?''
Riezel understood this point but had no objections.
It was normal for the God of Familia to want their children to work harder and progress further. If his joining could stimte the talents in Familia to work harder, it would undoubtedly be a good thing.
Of course, considering Loki''s personality, that Goddess probably also wanted to enjoy the spectacle for her own entertainment.
For this reason, Riveria protested to Loki for a while, making the Goddessugh off the matter for quite some time before the tension eased.
Riezel did hear Loki mutter something once.
¡ªThe only thing to worry about is Ais. That girl, if she gets too stimted and does something reckless, I''ll probably get my head knocked by Riveria''s staff.
Riezel took her muttering to heart. Because, he also noticed that since learning the details of his status, Ais''s emotions seemed to be somewhat unstable.
Originally not very good at expressing her emotions, the girl who seemed a bit aloof was often referred to as the ''doll princess'', appearing silent and difficult to understand.
However, after that day, Ais not only became even more silent but also returned homete and always dirty. When she saw Riezel, who came back in a sorry state every day due to exploring the floors beyond his safe ability, she was even more stubborn.
Riezel found this intriguing. After all, he knew what kind of person Ais Wallenstein was and understood the wishes she held in her heart.
¡ªI really want to be strong quickly.
When he asked her to teach him her magic before, he had pinpointed that important line. His line could also be said to be a vivid portrayal of her innermost feelings.
With the appearance of that line, Ais was moved and willing to teach him her magic.
Therefore, he was well aware that the girl named Ais Wallenstein, like himself, was longing to get stronger, an unquenchable desire.
If his growth stimted her, leading her to act recklessly, he would naturally feel worried about her. So, he decided to talk to Loki about this matter. However, the Goddess seemedpletely unconcerned.
"Don''t worry; we all know our limits."
In Loki''s divine room at night, Loki updated Riezel''s status as usual and chatted.
"How much Ais does do crazy stuff, Finn and the others keep a close eye on her. It''s not at the point where you need to worry."
Her face showed no signs of worry; instead, she appeared rxed. One hand slid on his back, and the other held a bottle of wine, drinking sip by sip until her face turned red.
"Are you sure you guys can handle it?"
Ignoring the drunken Goddess, Riezel furrowed his brows as he inquired.
"Rx, rx~" Lokiughed drunkenly. "When it''s really unbearable, the ''Mama'' can''t help but make a move to stop her."
''...Does this Mama refer to Riveria?'' Riezel raised a brow.
Indeed, as the senior in Familia, Riveria showed a warmth that typical royal family members did not have, and her care for the juniors could be considered the greatest among the Familia''s higher-ups.
Like a mother, she watched over many people in Familia, especially Ais. She practically raised Ais from childhood, and there was almost no difference between her and her own biological daughter.
Even toward Riezel, who had just joined Familia, Riveria showed a caring and loving side. Now, she was probably the one secretly paying the most attention to Ais''s situation.
If she judged that Ais couldn''t continue like this, it was indeed possible for her to intervene.
"Yosh!"
While Riezel was lost in thought, Loki''s rxed voice rang out.
"Here, this is yourtest status."
She handed over the parchment to him, who took it and began reading.
...
Riezel Brynhart
Level 1
STR: D555 ¡ú C678
END: D548 ¡ú C666
DEX: C623 ¡ú B772
AGI: C637 ¡ú B793
MAG: I0 ¡ú F314
...
"Tch, tch, another exaggerated growth spurt."
Loki, gulping her drink, whether trying to drown herself in alcohol to numb the creeping sensation of Riezel''s rapid growth or simply getting used to it, wore a grin.
"With a total proficiency increase of over 850, especially the growth in ''MAG'', it''s enough to scare any God. You''ve been using Ais''s magic a lottely, huh?" Lokiclicked her tongue in amazement.
She had a point.
In recent times, Riezel indeed focused heavily on practicing magic for the growth of ''MAG'', making frequent use of ''Ariel''.
And the results proved it to be a wise decision from the start.
The ultra-short chant magic was very convenient and easy, with an activation speed of just one second. Unlike other magic that would lose its effect after a single st, enchant-type magic''s effects wouldst for a while, not immediately wearing off. During this time, Riezel was effectively using magic.
Such frequent magic usage was naturally reflected in the growth of ''MAG''. Coupled with the nature of enchant-type magic, which required him to charge into the frontlines and engage in closebat even after using magic, it simultaneously worked as training for other basic abilities.
He didn''tg behind in any aspect of improvement.
"However, the growth speed in other basic abilities has decreased..." Riezel said with a certain uneasiness.
"Be content, kiddo." Loki rolled her eyes, speaking grumpily. "Take a look at the stage your status has reached. If you don''t slow down, I might start suspecting you''re not mortal but some God''s illegitimate child."
As one approaches the S-rank, the growth of basic abilities naturally slows down. With Riezel having two abilities reaching B-rank, the growth of basic abilities slowing down was a fair and reasonable oue.
"By the way, considering where you''re at now, you''re probably ready for a level up, yeah?" Loki nced at Riezel, tossing out a question while holding her bottle of wine. "What''s your take?"
At her question, Riezel fell into deep thought.
Chapter 25: Anticipation
Chapter 25: Anticipation
If you asked an adventurer what change they anticipated the most in their status, their answer was likely to be only one¡ª''Level''.
It wasn''t about obtaining magic or skills with peculiar effects, nor was it about a significant boost in basic abilities. It was about the evolution of body and mind, the increase in level.
Especially for a Level 1 beginner adventurer, leveling up was undoubtedly the most eagerly awaited thing. Because, from this step onwards, they truly embarked on an extraordinary path.
Falna existed as a catalyst for growth, an elerator for getting stronger. In other words, it didn''t enable those who couldn''t get stronger to break their limits and get stronger. Instead, it elerated the process for those who could continue getting stronger.
It all boiled down to whether a person had the growth potential. If there was growth potential, Falna could expedite the process by umting Excelia to stimte growth, bing a nourishment for growth.
Unfortunately, without growth potential, even with Falna, one could not grow further. This was why people who could develop basic abilities to S-rank were rare, and even those at A-rank and B-rank were scarce. Their potential was depleted, preventing any further growth. umting Excelia wouldn''t increase proficiency even a bit.
In light of this, despite the disparities in strength at Level 1, people in this level still belonged to the realm of the ''ordinary''. They could umte Excelia to push their bodies to the limit of mortal but couldn''t truly transcend and possess monstrous strength.
Especially for mortals without any racial advantage, even if they pushed their bodies to the limit through training, at best, they could only shatter a rock.
Could they really bring down a whole mountain?It was unattainable.
The mortal body had its limits, no matter how one grew, one wouldn''t be godly. But once they experienced leveling up, everything changed.
The so-called ''body and mind evolution'' was just as it sounds, a genuine transcendence, officially entering the realm of superpower.
Whether ''Human'' or ''Demi-Human'', even if they exhausted their potential at Level 1, reaching the limit of their mortal body, once they sessfully leveled up, a transformation worthy of being called ''body and mind evolution'' urred.
This transformation was not only evident in getting stronger but also in the ''vessel'' bingrger and broader.
After leveling up, the body transcended to another level, bringing forth new potential and possibilities. It gave a chance for those who reached a bottleneck, unable to progress, to have the opportunity to grow and get stronger once again.
This was leveling up.
As Loki had said, leveling up was approaching the level of the Gods. The higher the level, the more frequent the transcendence, the more thorough the evolution of body and mind, and the closer one got to the Gods.
So, the phenomenon of leveling up could be seen as a step-by-step bing a God. Who wouldn''t yearn to level up?
However, leveling up was not something that could be casually done.
"In general, to level up, you need to meet two conditions."
Loki swayed the bottle of wine in her hand, intentionally or unintentionally remarking.
"One is to bump up one of your basic skills to the sixth rank, that is, D-rank. Second, obtain ''High-Rank Excelia'' by pulling off a remarkable exploit, mostly by defeating opponents stronger than yourself."
The first condition provided a solid foundation for leveling up.
If the basic umtion was insufficient, it was like building a tall skyscraper on an unstable foundation. Even if you built upward, the only result was likely to be a copse.
Simrly, to achieve body and mind evolution, to bring about individual sublimation, it was impossible without a certain foundation.
The second condition was to provide an ample supply of the so-called nutrients for leveling up and evolution.
Just as ordinary Excelia could promote the growth of basic abilities and even awaken magic and skills, to level up, one still needed enough Excelia.
However, at that point, the required Excelia was not something ordinary Excelia could satisfy. As Loki had said, it had to be ''High-Rank Excelia''.
This kind of advanced Excelia was what Loki referred to as an exploit.
That is, defeating opponents stronger than oneself.
That is, taking life-threatening risks.
That is, creating challenging endeavors that leave asting impact.
Once these actions were aplished, the recipient of the blessing would obtain more advanced Excelia than usual, achieving the so-called exploit.
When the umtion of exploits was sufficient, the evolution of body and mind would be triggered, allowing individuals to advance and enter higher domains.
This was leveling up.
"Defeating opponents stronger than myself, huh...?" Riezel muttered and a smirk unconsciously appeared on his lips.
Seeing him like this, Loki sobered up from the alcohol.
"Well, well... It seems this didn''t just fail to scare you, but got you excited instead?" Loki retorted speechlessly. "Usually, when people hear they gotta take down opponentsstronger than themselves, they''d be hesitating, maybe even freaking out, y''know? But you''re truly something else... Instead of hesitating or scared shitless, you''re practically sounding the war horn for battle."
Wasn''t that the case?
Fighting against opponents stronger than oneself usually meant having no chance of winning, right?
No chance of winning implied a high possibility of death.
Upon hearing that leveling up required such conditions, who wouldn''t hesitate?
Only Riezel, unexpectedly, was smiling.
"It''s not that bad..." Riezel quickly hid the uncontroble twitch at the corner of his mouth. "Even if the opponent is stronger, there are examples of the weak oveing the strong, and there are many of them. Otherwise, there wouldn''t be so many high-ss adventurers in this world."
Indeed, even though the requirements for leveling up were strict, there were still quite a few who managed to achieve it in the end.
Why?
Because being weaker than the opponent allowed forpensation through skill, reversal through tactics, and even a plethora of plots and tricks.
To be more direct, wasn''t magic also a miraculous trump card?
If you happened to encounter an opponent stronger than yourself, then, by risking it all and casting a super-long chant wide area annihtion magic, unleashing the power to scorch the sky and boil the sea, could it be that it was impossible to burn down a stronger opponent in one go?
All these possibilities hinged on the potential of the weak triumphing over the strong.
Of course, there was also a simpler method.
"I suggest you find someone to form a party." Loki advised. "Facing stronger enemies, challenging them in a party setup, using thebined strength to tackle the opponent¡ªthat''s the shortcut to obtaining High-Rank Excelia and achieving exploit."
In short, if you couldn''t win a duel, you just ganged up on them. Challenging stronger opponents in this way could also yield exploits.
However, by doing so, Excelia was distributed among all the members of the same party, which might have led to insufficient umtion of High-Rank Excelia for a one-time level-up.
But if once wasn''t enough, then didn''t a few more times enough?
This was why the conditions for achieving exploits were so strict, and yet many people still managed to level up sessfully.
Challenging in a party setup was both safe and reliable.
"Luckily, this Familia''s got loads of kids, and there are plenty of high-level kids. They can guide you safely as you level up." Loki nced at Riezel and grinned. "If you need anything, just give me a shout."
The meaning of her words was clear; he just needed to directly tell her if he needed help and she would help arrange a party to guide him.
This was also one of the advantages of joining a big Familia¡ªsomeone to lead you, someone to take care of you, someone to guide you, and someone to protect you. There was no need to worry about not progressing; only the concern of whether one''s potential was enough.
In a weaker Familia, finding apanion to form a party was a big problem.
From this perspective, Riezel''s initial choice to join Loki Familia was undoubtedly a wise one. Otherwise, why would so many people have hoped to join a big Familia?
It was clear that the connections and resources of a big Familia were too advantageous.
Only...
"Party, huh?"
Riezel unconsciously furrowed his brow, leaving Loki at a loss for words.
"Oh, c''mon, kiddo! Wouldn''t it be awesome if someone had your back? You never know what kind of troubles mighte your way if you go solo!"
Looking at Riezel''s hesitated face, Loki ground her teeth, holding back the urge to smash his head with the wine bottle.
"Meh, fuck it. Expecting you to grow up all nice and steady is probably wishful thinking. Since your status hasn''t hit its peak, let''s get you used to groupbat first. We''ll figure out the details when it''s time to level up!"
Looking at Riezel''s growth potential, there was no doubt that he hadn''t fully unleashed his potential at Level 1.
Given this trend, upgrading all his basic abilities to the A-rank was undoubtedly possible, and even reaching the highest S-rank was a visible possibility.
But could the power after leveling up from the strongest S-rank be the same as leveling up from the minimum D-rank?
Both were level-ups, and the power gained after leveling up was the same. However, it was clear that those with higher status in the initial S-rank would be stronger.
"Heh, I''m actually looking forward to seeing if you can pull off the miracle of hitting S-rank on all basic abilities." Loki chuckled.
"All S-rank?" Riezel muttered quietly.
That was indeed a miracle. At least, as far as he knew, even in the original work, only one person came close to this achievement.
That legendary character, dubbed Orario''s ultimate weapon, with a staggering Level 7, had four basic abilities in his status reaching S-rank, just one short of achieving S-rank on all basic abilities.
Apart from that individual, there was no second person in the original work with such terrifying basic abilities.
Of course, the protagonist of the original work was an exception.
He not only achieved S-rank on all basic abilities but even surpassed them, reaching a realm unheard of and unseen by even the Gods.
Riezel looked at the parchment in his hand, his eyes flickering. Compared to the protagonist, could he touch the possibility that made the Gods amazed?
''I''m kinda looking forward to it.''
Riezel smiled and said with anticipation inside his mind.
Chapter 26: Forming a Party
Chapter 26: Forming a Party
The next day.
After Riezel finished preparing, he didn''t immediately leave Twilight Manor to head to the dungeon. Instead, he stayed in the courtyard like other members.
In his hand, he held a piece of parchment with a scribbled message written inmonnguage.
¡ªI''ve found you a party member. Although her level is higher than yours, I and the other three top executives, feel that she still needs to hone herbat ability. Perfect timing, you two team up, form a small party, and train together.
Clearly, it was a message written by Loki.
In the morning, just as Riezel stepped out of his room, the message was already ced on the floor by the door, waiting for him to pick it up.
''Looks like Loki really found me a partner, nning to train mybat ability in a party, huh?''
Riezel was somewhat helpless, but he didn''t oppose the idea and silently came here, waiting for his party member to arrive.
Although going into the dungeon with someone meant he couldn''t act as freely as before, honing groupbat was indeed necessary. Especially when his level increased, and he needed to delve into deeper floors or even go on expeditions. Most likely, he would have to go with the other members. Considering this, starting to train groupbat now, though a bit early, was eptable to him.Of course, Loki''s arrangement probably had something to do with preparing him for future exploits and leveling up. He might be nning to have him join the Familia''s seniors for a secure experience gain.
Riezel had no choice but to follow the Goddess''s arrangement for now.
''I just wonder who my partner will be... Would it be a first-ss adventurer from the Familia executive?''
''No, definitely not.''
If they went into the dungeon with him, it wouldn''t be honing groupbat; it would be showing off in front of the rookie and overpowering monsters for the rookie to see.
Considering Loki''s message, the party member should be a junior member within the Familia, not too different in level from Riezel, and with some apparent issue in their abilities.
''Who could it be?''
Riezel searched his memories of the original work.
But before he coulde up with an answer, hurried footsteps echoed through the courtyard.
"So-Sorry! I''mte!"
Apanying the frantic footsteps was a nervous, timid voice filled with anxiety.
In front of Riezel appeared an Elf girl dressed conservatively with a touch of natural elegance while holding a staff. She had tea-colored long hair tied behind her head, and like a small animal, she swayed her tail-like hair in panic.
From the slightly tender face of the girl, it was clear she was no older than fifteen. Indeed, she was a junior member from Loki Familia, just as Riezel had expected.
However, he never expected that the one assigned to be his party member would be such a highly anticipated rising star in the eyes of the Familia''s higher-ups.
"Are you Lefiya Viridis?" Riezel expressed his surprise.
Yes.
The neer was precisely Lefiya Viridis.
Capable of using more than three types of magic, and proficient in the special magic called ''Elf Ring'', one of the only two in Loki Familia who could do so.
"Eh?" Lefiya slightly surprised. "D-Do you know me?"
"Of course." Riezel regained hisposure and gave a faint smile. "You''re the vice-captain''s chosen disciple and sessor, the future executive member of the Familia. Even as a rookie like me who recently joined the Familia, I''ve heard about your name."
Not to mention, this girl was an important supporting character from the original work and one of the heroines.
It would be strange if Riezel didn''t know her.
However, in his view, the behavior of this girl seemed to be more anxious and nervous.
"Sessor and all that... I''m still too early for that!" Lefiya wore a stressed expression.
Clearly, the expectations of the Familia''s higher-ups had put considerable pressure on her.
Seeing her reaction, Riezel naturally wouldn''t continue adding pressure to this girl who was younger than him. So, he slowed down his tone a bit.
"Since you''re here, it means you are indeed my party member, right?" Riezel confirmed, just to be sure.
"Yes!" Lefiya nervously said. "Although I''m not very reliable, I''ll do my best to keep up with you. Please advise!"
After saying that, she even gave a deep bow to him.
As he saw this, he took a step back, avoiding this gesture.
"Don''t do that..." Riezel said with a somewhat subtle look. "Technically, I should be the one saying that. You got the roles mixed up, y''know?"
Lefiya was a Level 3 second-ss adventurer, two levels higher than Riezel, who was just Level 1. Moreover, he was a rookie who recently joined the Familia. Even though she was still a Familia junior, her seniority was much higher than him.
Under such circumstances, logically speaking, what she said should be said by him. He should be the one feeling nervous and anxious, not the other way.
However, why did the positionpletely flip, with her seeming like the rookie, and him the senior?
It was nothing but absurd.
But his expression and response, once again, didn''t make her feel at ease; instead, it made her even more nervous.
"I''m still immature, unable to care for juniors as Lady Riveria does..." Lefiya looked like she was on the verge of tears.
She clearly wasn''t the type with a stable mindset. In her eyes, she wasn''t mature enough. Yet, was she supposed to guide a rookie relying on level and seniority, who also happened to be two years older and seemingly tough like Riezel?
It was definitely impossible!
"Okay... Calm down..."
Seeing the girl in a panic, Riezel tried to calm her down.
"From now on, we''ll be forming a party and fighting together. In that case, let''s be more natural with each other. You don''t have to be too polite, and definitely don''t use honorifics with me."
"I-Is that okay?" Lefiya, after hearing this, rxed a bit but still seemed somewhat tense.
"It''s okay."
Seeing Lefiya finally calm down, Riezel spoke straightforwardly since he wasn''t a fan of beating around the bush.
"Honestly, I''ve got the upper hand in this situation. It''s a bit unexpected to be on equal terms with a senior in the Familia who''s at a higher level than me. If you''re not into it, I''ll tone it down and switch to using polite speech with you."
"Well... Okay then..." Lefiya carefully observed his expression and, seeing that he maintained a clear gaze without any emotional changes, reluctantly nodded.
Only then did Riezel smile, while pondering the thoughts of the Familia''s higher-ups.
Without a doubt, the fact that his party member would be Lefiya, the future backbone of the Familia, was definitely an arrangement made by the higher-ups.
Even though she had some immature aspects, the significance of sending the vice-captain''s sessor to his side, forming a party with a rookie who had recently joined the Familia, to hone their groupbat ability was absolutely not ordinary.
Upon careful consideration, Lefiya would be the one likely to inherit Riveria''s position in the future and possibly be the Familia vice-captain. Clearly, she had to be someone who could be the future backbone of the entire Familia.
In this regard, the fact that the higher-ups sent Lefiya to form a party with him held a meaningful implication.
''Are they already treating me like another Lefiya, someone in need of special training and attention?'' Riezel pondered, unsure of how to express his feelings about this.
Was he happy about this attention? Or did he feel pressure for his future?
''Loki really put me in a position where I don''t know whether to be happy or not...'' Riezel thought wryly.
Nevertheless, despite his inner thoughts, he maintained a natural and calm demeanor on the surface.
"Are you ready?" Riezel looked at Lefiya''s face and asked.
"Yes, I''m ready!" Lefiya nodded heavily. "I''ve got twenty regr potions, ten high potions, ten poison cures, twenty magic potions, and I even prepared two elixirs. Nothing can go wrong!"
Riezel was left almost speechless by her words, and couldn''t help but look at her with an extremely strange expression.
"Wha-What happened?" Lefiya asked nervously. "Is my preparation not enough?"
"No..." Riezel sighed. "Your preparation is more than enough. It''s so much that I feel overwhelmed..."
Potions, especially the high ones and magic potions, were valuable recovery items that only skilled pharmacists with the ''Mixing'' development ability could create. Their effects were almost instantaneous, surpassing the speed of ordinary medicines and providing recovery in just a few seconds.
Lefiya had prepared arge quantity of these expensive recovery items, including regr potions to quickly restore stamina, high potions to treat most injuries rapidly, and magic potions to swiftly recover the mind.
But what caught him off guard was the addition of elixirs, the most effective high-ranking recovery potions on the market. Each elixir was worth a fortune, with a market price of 500,000 valis,parable to some third-ss equipment.
Lefiya had prepared two of them, spending at least 1 million valis for this party operation alone.
Was this girl that rich?
Riezel, who usually only brought weapons, armor, and a bit of food and water when heading into the dungeon, looked at the visibly nervous Lefiya in silence.
Chapter 27: Familiar Figure
Chapter 27: Familiar Figure
Dungeon, 1st Floor.
At the entrance to this floor closest to the surface, Riezel and Lefiya descended the stairs.
Apanying them were other adventurers¡ªBeastmen, Dwarves, Elves, and even Amazonesses.
Among them, Riezel and Lefiya didn''t stand out much. Aside from a few male adventurers casting slightly lustful nces at her, the two hardly drew anyone''s attention.
Lefiya, however, seemed a bit uneasy. She tightly gripped her staff, carrying a massive backpack on her back, and followed behind Riezel, taking each step cautiously.
He chatted casually with her until theypleted the descent of the stairs and set foot on the soil of the 1st Floor.
"So, just like we discussed earlier, I''ll take the role of vanguard, and you''ll be the rearguard for firepower support. Is that okay with you?" Riezel asked.
"N-No problem!" Lefiya quickly nodded, not expressing any objections.
"Great. Then, I''ll leave it to you." Riezel nodded and instructed. "Since we''re short one member in our party, as the rearguard, you might face some risks. I''ll do my best to keep any monsters away from you. Just focus on chanting your magic."Typically, dungeon exploration was most effective with a party of three, handling attack, defense, and support roles. The vanguard took on the main offensive role, drawing enemy attention, and blocking their advance. The mid-guard defended against enemy counterattacks and supported the vanguard. The rearguard primarily provided long-range support, using magic attacks, bows, or crossbows, and also handled recovery for frontline injuries.
The Guild and Familias organized exploration using this party example, as a party of three was considered the minimum requirement for dungeon exploration unless conditions didn''t allow it.
In situations where a partycked a member, bing a party of two, the burden on each member increased, and the likelihood of encountering unexpected dangers rose.
Lefiya, being a pure rearguard mage, could do little other than long-range attacks and support with magic. Considering this, Riezel took on both the vanguard and mid-guard roles himself.
In other words, he had to act as the vanguard, charging forward, attracting enemy attacks, and intercepting all monsters to prevent any from reaching her position. This burden was indeed heavy, making Lefiya feel somewhat guilty.
"Sorry for not being of much help..." Lefiya said while avoiding eye contact with him.
"Don''t say that." Riezel shook his head. "You''re a rearguard mage; that''s your role. You shouldn''t be doing things beyond your responsibilities."
With that, he took out a map, unfolded it, andid it out in front of them.
"Considering our party was just formed, and we don''t know each other well yet, let''s take it easy today. We''ll probably be fine exploring up to around the 9th Floor. What do you think?"
Lefiya, who was a Level 3 second-ss adventurer, even as a pure rearguard mage with no closebat abilities, held the advantage in levels. Floors with only Level 1 monsters were unlikely to cause fatal injuries to her. Therefore, unless they descended to the 13th Floor with Level 2 monsters, she would likely only sustain minor injuries even if attacked.
However, considering it was their first time cooperating as a party, going directly to the 10th to 12th Floors withrger monsters might have posed some risks. Therefore, Riezel temporarily set the goal for the 9th Floor.
Although he personally wanted to go further down, today''s goal wasn''t seeking excitement but honing groupbat. He had to abandon the idea that could be criticized by everyone and focus on the ''safety'' issue that he wasn''t too keen on before.
However, while Riezel felt he had sufficiently considered safety, Lefiya was startled by his idea.
''9th Floor?!''
Lefiya looked into Riezel, filled with shock.
''No way, right? He just became an adventurer not long ago, and he even received the blessing recently. He''s aplete rookie. How can we run off to such a deep floor?''
She thought with worry.
As someone who apanied Familia seniors on distant expeditions, she had ventured to depths around the 50th Floor. Naturally, a mere 9th Floor wouldn''t scare her.
But Riezel had joined the Familia not long ago. Even though Lefiya couldn''t quite adopt a senior attitude in front of him, she knew how dangerous it could be for a rookie to venture into the 9th Floor.
It was a floor that only seasoned adventurers, considered skilled even in Level 1, could tackle, and that too in a proper party.
For Riezel, a rookie who had joined the Familia less than a week ago, going to such a floor only with her, who was still immature in her own right, and taking on the roles of vanguard and mid-guard simultaneously was, to put it bluntly, a reckless move.
"No worries." Riezel assured as he sensed her reluctance. "It''s just the 9th Floor. It won''t pose any danger to me."
With his current status, the 9th Floor held almost no difficulty for him.
Without delving into details, his basic abilities like ''DEX'' and ''AGI'' were already at B-rank, with ''STR'' and ''END'' at C-rank.
ording to the safety exploration requirements for Level 1, from 8th to 10th Floors needed a basic ability between E-rank and C-rank, while the 11th and 12th Floors required B-rank to S-rank.
Therefore, he could easily explore down to the 11th Floor or even the 12th Floor without a problem.
"But..." Lefiya, who was still unaware of all this, was somewhat concerned and hesitated.
Seeing her like this, Riezel didn''t insist.
"How about we try exploring first and decideter how far down we can go?"
At his suggestion, Lefiya breathed a sigh of relief and nodded repeatedly.
"Then let''s go." Riezel put away the map and smiled at her.
Looking at the calm and steady smile on his face, Lefiya seemed to find reassurance and started to smile as well, which was rare.
At this moment, she had no idea that the calm and steady demeanor she perceived was just a surface impression.
Soon enough, her understanding of him would shatter into pieces.
===
Dungeon, 6th Floor.
This floor was deeper than the 5th Floor, often referred to as the first casualty line for adventurers, and far more dangerous than the 5th Floor.
On this floor, there lurked a creature known as the War Shadow.
It had a humanoid silhouette, devoid of any fur or skin-like texture, its entire body seemed as if coated in ck paint. The head formed a cross, the face resembling a mirror, presenting a heteromorphic monster strikingly simr in height to a human shadow.
The War Shadow, along with the Killer Ant on the 7th Floor, earned the moniker ''rookie assassins''.
While their attacks were predictable, they possessed astonishing power and speed. With arms boasting an impressive reach, they could extend from various angles.
Their sharp ws could effortlessly sever heads, much like a longsword. For rookie adventurers who had only faced low-level monsters like Kobolds and Goblins, they posed a deadly threat.
Especially when the numbers of War Shadows umted, even a seasoned Level 1 adventurer could risk their life if surrounded.
Considering this, many adventurers regarded War Shadows as one of the most threatening monsters on the upper floors. Dealing with one or two was manageable, but encountering a group of them, unless you were at a higher level, was a challenge rarely undertaken.
However, today, a rookie who had recently received a blessing shattered this unspoken rule between adventurers in the most brutal manner.
*Pu-chi!*
Apanied by a sound resembling the cutting of flesh, a silver sword swiftly sliced through a War Shadow''s neck, sending its cross-shaped head soaring.
Riezel, wielding a slender sword, darted among a group of War Shadows.
The numerous War Shadows surrounded him, extending their sharp ws, intending to disembowel him. Yet, their usual speed and attack range were ineffective before him.
With bullet-like speed, Riezel effortlessly dodged the sluggish War Shadows. His sword easily pierced through countless sharp ws, creating shes of de light, disemboweling, and killing War Shadows on the spot, without stopping.
From a distance, it looked like a phantom flickering among a group of War Shadows, creating waves of de light and afterimages, engaging in a one-sided massacre that was particrly awe-inspiring.
"..."
Lefiya, who watched from a distance, was left in awe.
Originally nning to chant her magic for support,pletely forgot her duties and stared nkly at the rookie wreaking havoc among the monsters.
''...Is he really a rookie?''
''Such an experienced movement.''
''Such beautiful swordsmanship.''
''Could a rookie really achieve such feats?''
''Are rookies this strong nowadays?''
''Then, what am I?''
''A useless trash?''
Lefiya started to doubt herself, dumbfounded by the scene before her eyes.
But most surprisingly, amidst Riezel''s ruthless onught, she perceived a familiar figure. A figure she had admired, idolized, and cherished for a long time.
''Miss Ais...?''
''Mr. Riezel''s fighting style... Why does it resemble Miss Ais''s so much?''
Lefiya was confused.
Chapter 28: The Calm Before the Storm
Chapter 28: The Calm Before the Storm
The battle ended quickly.
In the midst of the storm of shes, not a single monster survived, all turning into a scattered mess of limbs and debris, leaving Riezel victorious.
"What happened?"
Returning with his slender sword in hand, Riezel was puzzled as he saw Lefiya standing there with a nk expression.
"No-Nothing!" Lefiya snapped back to reality, shaking her head while hesitating as she looked at him.
"Just say what you want to say."
Seeing her hesitation, Riezel spoke up.
"T-That..." Lefiya stuttered for a moment. "Do you know Miss Ais?"
Clearly, witnessing his fighting style so simr to Ais''s, Lefiya began to doubt their rtionship. She even recalled that not long ago, when she and the others returned from the expedition, Ais seemed to have noticed the newly joined Riezel and was quite attentive to him.This unavoidably made Lefiya think too much, and her gaze towards Riezel changed.
In response to her question, Riezel raised an eyebrow while smiling faintly.
"Are you that concerned about my rtionship with Miss Ais?"
Without hesitation, Lefiya nodded, then quickly shook her head afterward.
"I-I''m just a bit curious!"
Her face turned inexplicably red, with a guilty look.
Seeing her funny reaction, Riezel chuckled and answered her question.
"I consulted her about magic and coincidentally learned some of her swordsmanship. Apart from that, there''s nothing else between us."
Instead of calming Lefiya, his exnation left her stunned.
"Consulted about magic?" Lefiya looked perplexed.
"Yeah." Riezel nodded. "I have magic with a nature simr to your ''Elf Ring''."
"Oh..." Lefiya instantly understood. But precisely because she understood, she became even more astonished.
"Does Mr. Riezel have the same magic as me?" Lefiya was extremely surprised.
"Well, somewhat simr." Riezel didn''t borate much and simply agreed with her.
''Does that mean... He learned Miss Ais''s magic...?'' Lefiya muttered quietly inside her heart.
Her first thought wasn''t about getting closer to him, who had the same type of magic as her, but rather, an instinctive urge to shout.
''So envious!''
Without warning, she looked at him with eyes filled with envy, almost as if there was a great divide between them.
''Why isn''t Miss Ais an Elf?''
Lefiya couldn''t help but puff her cheeks as she thought about her magic, which was restricted to learning only from the same race.
"Okay, let''s keep moving." Riezel chuckled awkwardly, quickly changing the topic and turning to leave.
"Wait a moment!" Lefiya hurriedly stopped him. "We haven''t collected the magic stones yet!"
After saying that, she jogged over to the corpses of War Shadows that Riezel had just defeated. She took out a knife she carried with her, digging out a small crystal from the chest area of one of the War Shadows.
That crystal was a magic stone, a crystallization of magical energy obtained from a dungeon monster''s body. It could be used to create various incredible magic stone products, such as the magic stonemps in Twilight Manor''s courtyard.
Due to the Guild''s monopoly on dungeon resources, they managed the purchase of these stones, processing them into products, and shipping them to other countries for big profits.
Adventurers actively explored the dungeon to exchange the magic stones they obtained from monsters for money with the Guild.
It was said that the stronger the monster, therger and more valuable the magic stone in its body. Inparison, magic stones from the 6th Floor wouldn''t fetch much, perhaps not even a thousand valis.
Nevertheless, money was money.
Lefiya enthusiastically dug out more magic stones, causing the monster corpses, now devoid of magic stones as their cores, to rapidly lose color and turn into dust.
This was the fate of monsters without cores. Their corpses couldn''t even be preserved, as if they never existed in the first ce.
asionally, only some particrly developed parts could be left behind, called drop items. These could be used as materials for weapons, armor, and potions, exchanged for money with the Guild, or sold to merchants in need.
Besides magic stones and drop items, the dungeon also contained special minerals, nts, and natural products with unique properties. Adventurers sought these as treasures and hoped for wealth, especially for some exceptionally precious and rare items that could fetch a fortune on the market.
In essence, most adventurers entered the dungeon for this purpose¡ªto strike it rich overnight. Familias like Loki Familia considered these resources crucial for their operations.
The dungeon was indeed an incredible ce, both magical and dangerous.
Watching Lefiya collect the magic stones and toss them into herrge backpack, Riezel rubbed his nose.
He dared not tell her that he had never bothered to collect any magic stones or drop items in the dungeon before. The former great young master, who couldn''t wait to rush into the dungeon and ughter everything in his path, had never developed the habit of managing resources properly.
"Can I say Ipletely forgot about this?"
Riezel couldn''t help but say that as he saw Lefiya so energetically collecting magic stones to therge backpack swaying behind her.
"Or maybe I can carry the backpack for you?"
Upon hearing his suggestion, Lefiya decisively shook her head in refusal.
"Mr. Riezel is the vanguard and even takes on the role of the mid-guard. Your responsibility is to charge forward and defeat monsters. How can you fight while carrying such a big backpack?" Lefiya said with an earnest expression. "In the dungeon, if there isn''t a dedicated supporter to apany us, it''smon for the rearguard to take on the role of a supporter. You just have to be vignt."
She referred to a supporter as someone who specialized in recovering and storing magic stones and drop items.
These people were typically not strongbatants, their purpose was to free adventurers'' hands and bodies, preventing them from fighting with heavy backpacks or items.
In Orario, some less powerful people specialize as supporters and take on employment from adventurers. Inrger Familias with generally strong adventurers, supporters were often temporarily filled by lower-level juniors or rearguards.
Lefiya was a rearguard and obviously had no intention of handing over the supporter''s job to Riezel.
"But your level is higher than mine..." Riezel emphasized.
"But I don''t need to charge into the fray, so it''s fine." Lefiya asserted firmly. "On the contrary, a vanguard like you absolutely cannot add too much weight to the body. No need to worry."
As for whether it was appropriate for a girl to run around with such arge backpack, Lefiya didn''t even bring it up.
Even as a pure rearguard mage with limited closebat ability and lower physical endurance, she was still a bona fide Level 3 second-ss adventurer. Carrying a backpack was easily manageable for her.
"Fine..."
Seeing her stubborn attitude, Riezel had to give up.
If not for the awkward issue of how to exin, he would have suggested putting the backpack in the Dimensional Magic Cube''s storage space.
With the existence of storage space, he didn''t need to worry about the weight problem.
Unfortunately, he couldn''t say that, so he could only watch her diligently retrieve every magic stone and continue to carry therge backpack.
"Done!"
After a while, Lefiya finally ran back.
"Let''s go." Riezel nodded, turned, and walked away.
"W-Wait for me!"
She hurriedly caught up, temporarily setting aside another question in her mind. But this question lingered throughout the day in her heart.
''Even though he''s a rookie who recently received a blessing, why is he so powerful?''
Staring at his figure speeding up and charging into the group of monsters ahead without fear nor hesitation, this question persisted in her heart.
===
Amid Riezel and Lefiya boldly pushing forward as a newly formed party, little did they know that right after they left, an anomaly erupted in the very ce they had just departed from.
*Crack¡ª*
It started as a faint cracking sound.
On the dungeon walls, a crack appeared without any warning, emitting a subtle gleam from within.
*Ba-dump! Ba-dump!*
A heartbeat seemed to echo within, growing louder with each passing moment.
This spectacle wasn''t umon in the dungeon. Any adventurer had encountered this phenomenon more or less. Because this was the sign of a monster about to be born.
Indeed, monsters in the dungeon were birthed this way.
They didn''t exist as life in the dungeon from the start; rather, they incubated and hatched within the dungeon.
Just like birds breaking out of their shells, monsters would emerge from the dungeon walls at regr intervals, ensuring an endless supply and an unchanging number of monsters in the dungeon.
This exined why the types of monsters encountered on each floor were typically fixed.
Each species had a designated birthce and rarely ventured to other floors unless something unexpected urred.
Of course, exceptions existed.
And now, this exception was unfolding on the 6th Floor.
This was the so-called anomaly.
*Crackle¡ª!*
Amidst the grating cracking sounds, the dungeon walls were giving way, allowing a massive figure to emerge from within.
*ROAAAAAARRR¡ª!!!*
Before long, an ear-splitting roar reverberated through the floor, causing it to tremble slightly as if offering a blessing for its emergence.
Chapter 29: Abnormalities
Chapter 29: Abnormalities
Dungeon, 9th Floor.
On this floor, close to the 10th Floor, were numerous chambers and short pathways. The ceiling, nearly ten meters high, let in a luminous glow resembling sunlight, dispelling the darkness.
The wood-colored walls were covered in moss, and the ground was carpeted with short grass, creating a small meadow. Bathed in the luminous glow from above, it gave the illusion of walking in a wilderness rather than an undergroundbyrinth.
Different from the previous eight floors in terms of terrain and environment, this floor presented a chaotic mix of monsters that had appeared on the earlier floors, all enhanced and ready to hinder adventurers aiming for the 10th Floor.
No new species of monsters appeared here; instead, creatures like Kobold, Goblin, and War Shadow from previous floors showed up in stronger forms.
At this moment, groups of red-colored monsters appeared on the meadow,unching attacks against adventurers who intruded into their territory.
These creatures resembled ants but with a distinctive feature¡ªtheir entire bodies were a vivid red, and they were muchrger than ordinary ants.
Killer Ant, appearing from the 7th Floor onward, was considered a rookie assassin along with the War Shadow from the 6th Floor.
With sturdy shells and developed ws, Killer Ant excelled in both attack and defense. In times of crisis, it could emit pheromones imperceptible to the naked eye, summoning itspanions.It was a powerful monster, even more threatening than War Shadow. Adventurers rarely dared to confront a Killer Ant directly, let alone face a group of them.
However, facing this group of Killer Ants that would terrify low-ss adventurers, Riezel fearlessly blocked their path.
In the background, a bright and melodious voice soon echoed.
"Unleashed streak of light, bow limbs of the holy tree. You are an expert of the bow."
This was a chant, the chant to awaken magic.
"Shoot, sniper of the fairies."
Lefiya held her staff with her eyes closed, and shortly after, a deep golden magic circle appeared on the ground beneath her, slowly revolving.
"Prate, arrow of absolute uracy."
On her raised staff, a dazzling magical energy condensed into light.
"Arcs Ray!"
The next second, the gathered light on the staff was released.
*Whoosh¡ª*
A colossal magic beam, resembling a curved arrow of light, plowed through the meadow and surged towards the approaching swarm of Killer Ants.
*Squeak!*
The Killer Ants, sensing danger, hastily halted their charge, but they were struck head-on by the iing beam.
Riezel witnessed Lefiya''s released beam curving in midair, continuously hitting many Killer Ants.
The affected Killer Ants either evaporated within the overflowing light or lost a significant portion of their bodies. Even attempting to dodge was futile as the curving beam quickly caught up to them.
Her magic relentlessly eradicated the monsters, reducing their numbers without mercy.
*Squeak!*
Three Killer Ants, closer to the two than the rest, leaped with ear-piercing shrieks toward Riezel recklessly while ignoring the magic beam.
Riezel''s eyes flickered, and his figure finally moved.
Bursting with astonishing speed, he advanced instead of retreating, swiftly reaching them before they could attack.
*Pu-chi!*
A silver sh of an agile sword severed the head of one Killer Ant.
Upon closer inspection, the sword''s edge didn''t strike directly on the ant''s hard shell but sliced through a vulnerable spot around its neck before severing its head.
*Squeak!*
*Squeak!*
The remaining two Killer Ants angrily cried out, raising their aggressively wed limbs. Without hesitation, they flicked Riezel''s sword.
As his sword got flicked, Riezel remained unfazed. Not only did he keep hisposure, but he drew his secondary weapon, a short sword.
With a swift sidestep, he avoided their w strikes.
The short sword in his hand moved rapidly, carrying a chilly gleam as it stabbed into one of the Killer Ants'' mouths.
*Kiiik!*
The Killer Ant attempted to let out a scream of agony, but its mouth was pierced by the short sword, causing only an inaudible whimper.
Ignoring the monster''s dying wail, Riezel twisted his hand holding the sword and mercilessly crushed the head of the Killer Ant, causing a spray of blood.
*Squeak! Squeak! Squeak!*
Thest surviving Killer Ant, sensing the danger, straightened its upper body and emitted rhythmic cries.
This was its special skill¡ªcalling for reinforcements.
Unfortunately, there were no other Killer Ants nearby.
*Pu-chi!*
With a decisive sh, Riezel cleanly severed the upper body of thest Killer Ant. His sword cut through its body at the joints, leaving it split in two.
The meadow finally returned to calm.
"Is it over?" Lefiya, positioned in the rear, released the staff she had been nervously gripping.
"It''s over..." Riezel observed the surroundings and nodded. "There shouldn''t be any more monsters in the vicinity."
"Thank goodness..." Lefiya patted her chest in relief, cing the magic potion she had been holding back into her backpack.
"How was it? Are you okay?" Riezel asked as he saw her condition. "You used magic quite a few times, can your mind handle it?"
"I''m fine..." Lefiya forced a somewhat strained smile. "The pressure from the upper floors isn''t too much, and I don''t need to infuse too much mind to use magic. So, I''m okay."
In this world, the fuel for magic wasn''t stored in the ''Gate'' like in his main world; it was the so-called ''Mind''.
Magic consumption depleted the mind, and the stronger the magic, the greater the mind consumption.
To maintain a sufficient supply of mind at all times for using magic, Lefiya constantly held a magic potion.
Whenever she felt her mind depleting, she would immediately take a magic potion, using its effects to restore her mind.
"Don''t you have development abilities like ''Spirit Healing'' that can automatically restore the mind?" Riezel asked.
"No." Lefiya shook her head quickly. "That''s not an easy-to-obtain ability. I heard you need to regrly use magic and consume your mind to a significant extent. Among the people I know, only Lady Riveria possesses that development ability. I still have a long way to go..."
She had a low opinion of herself, even a hint of an inferiorityplex, which caused him to frown.
"In my opinion, your abilities are excellent." Riezel said with an earnest expression. "Like the magic you just used, that ''Arcs Ray'', it''s supposed to be a short chant magic with not much power. However, when you used it, a magic that should have been just a ''ray'' turned into a ''light beam'', a rare level of power for Level 3, right?"
The magic Lefiya had just used¡ª''Arcs Ray'', was one of the three magic she possessed. It was an arrow-type magic that emphasized speed and had a short chant.
Although it had an automatic tracking feature that made Riezel raise an eyebrow, it was supposed to be a low-power single-target magic. Yet, due to her powerful ''MAG'' basic ability and skill assistance, what should have been a rtively weak single-target attack had turned into a beam-like group attack.
This level of capability was something no ordinary Level 3 could achieve. Only those truly top-tier first-ss mages could manage it.
Riezel had personally experienced Lefiya''s magic firepower that could rival a Level 5. It was indeed exaggerated, said with no trace of politeness.
The only problem was...
"Your chanting speed seems a bit slow. Is it because you''re nervous?" Riezel pointed out.
"Uhh..." Lefiya immediately lowered her head in embarrassment.
"I think I understand why Loki said you need to train..." Riezel chuckled. "Even though your magic is excellent, your temperament is a bit fragile. Your mind and emotions are all over the ce, which is dangerous when using magic that requires a calm mind at all times."
Without a strong heart, how could you calmly chant magic and cast it when threats approach?
Lefiya''s problemy here, despite her natural talent being excellent, there were indeed some immature aspects.
"Sorry..." Lefiya felt a bit discouraged and her pointed ears drooped.
"Don''t mind it. Just ovee your shorings, it''s not a big deal." Riezelforted her. "Okay, let''s call it a day. Tomorrow, think about how to solve your issue."
"Okay!" Lefiya naturally had no objections and repeatedly nodded.
The two began to pack up their things, picking up the magic stones and drop items from every Killer Ant''s corpse, and preparing to return.
Now it was gettingte, and it was probably dark outside. Adventurers who had been exploring the dungeon one after another were heading back. This allowed Riezel and Lefiya to avoid encountering monsters on the way and walk smoothly on the clearly marked paths used by adventurers, making their way up without hindrance.
In this way, the two quickly returned to the 7th Floor and stepped onto the 6th Floor.
"Hmm?" Riezel suddenly raised his head.
"Kya!" Lefiya, who was following behind him, let out a surprised cry as she bumped directly into his back.
However, he paid no attention to this and instead frowned while looking ahead.
For some reason, he felt something was wrong.
The airflow was abnormal.
The atmosphere was abnormal.
This was due to the perception of his wind element magic, Ariel.
As a wind enchant-type magic, even when not in use, the user''s sensitivity to the wind would rtively increase based on the special nature of this magic.
After learning Ariel, Riezel discovered this and sensed some abnormalities because of it.
"Wha¡ªWhat happened?" Lefiya asked puzzled while holding her forehead where she bumped.
However, the moment she finished speaking, Riezel''s heart suddenly skipped a beat.
"Get down!"
Without hesitation, he immediately pushed down the surprised Lefiya.
*BOOM!*
At the same time, a dark shadow flew over their heads and collided with the dungeon wall, creating a resounding crash.
Chapter 30: A Life-and-Death Battle
Chapter 30: A Life-and-Death Battle
Amidst the explosion-like noise, the walls of the dungeon crumbled, countless debris scattered, and a cloud of dust rose, covering the surroundings.
Lefiya, who had been tackled by Riezel, stared dumbfounded at the scene and took her a while to react. She only saw a gigantic w, resembling a wild beast''s w, thrust into the wall and prating it.
"Don''t just stay there!"
As Lefiya struggled toe to her senses, Riezel yelled, yanked her up, and rolled to the side.
*BOOM!*
The next moment, another explosion-like noise urred.
Once again, the gigantic w flew in and crashed down on the spot where both of them had been moments ago, shattering the ground.
Dragging Lefiya, Riezel rolled a considerable distance before finally getting up and looking toward the direction from which the w hade.
As he looked, his pupils contracted, almost doubting his own eyes.*ROAAARRR¡ª!*
A roar like that of a demon swept in from the front, raising countless dust and dislodging numerous rocks.
A creature with a head like a dragon, a body like an elephant, roaring like a bull, with sturdy limbs and sharp ws, covered in thick fur.
It resembled the Behemoth from Western mythology that Riezel had seen in his previous life. Though not as terrifying as the myths, it still stood at around four to five meters tall.
Even at just four or five meters, the creature was much taller than Riezel and Lefiya, undoubtedly a giant beast, a powerful monster that radiated a tremendous sense of oppression.
It was panting, saliva dripping from its mouth. Its sharp ws held a severed limb, making it look incredibly gruesome.
"Wha-What kind of monster is that?!" Lefiya couldn''t help but scream.
Her charming face turned as pale as paper when she saw the ferocious beast breathing heavily, drooling as if it had been starving for ages, with a pair of crimson eyes fixed on both of them.
Even Riezel couldn''t help but change his expression.
For one, he also didn''t recognize this demon-like creature. Whether in the monster index of upper floors provided by the Guild or the records in the Familia library, there was no mention of such a creature.
Secondly, from the creature''s body, he felt a suffocating sensation, indicating a significant threat.
Undoubtedly, this was a very powerful monster.
''Why would an unknown monster appear on the 6th Floor?'' Riezel pondered in confusion.
Not only did its appearance not match any monsters in his memory, but it was also arge species that should only appear on the 10th Floor and above, not something the 6th Floor could breed.
This made sparks seem to burst in his mind, recalling a term mentioned in a book.
''Irregr...''
This was the term used when encountering situations in the dungeon that deviated from basic patterns. Although the dungeon was a den of monsters, it still adhered to certain known rules and principles.
For example, which types of monsters appeared on which floors were fixed. Moreover, the deeper one went into the dungeon, the stronger the monsters became.
Under normal circumstances, monsters usually didn''t cross floors. Even if it happened, it was usually limited to adjacent floors, and significant jumps between floors rarely urred.
Such rules had been explored, confirmed, and documented in books for adventurers worldwide to study.
However, the dungeon was alive, not dead.
It could birth monsters.
It could autonomously repair damaged terrain.
It could even, seemingly intentionally, spawn numerous monsters out of the blue, forming hordes to attack adventurers in times of trouble.
asionally, it created exceptions, special cases, as if retaliating against intruders on its territory.
Any such urrence that broke existing confirmed knowledge and dungeon rules was termed an irregr.
And now, both Riezel and Lefiya had encountered one.
They faced this rare irregr.
*ROARRR!*
The monster roared, shook off the limbs hanging from its ws, and raised its three sharp ws, aiming at both of them.
Seeing this, Riezel reacted almost instantly as he knew that the monster''s ws could fly.
*Whoosh¡ª!*
The w in the monster''s hand violently shot out in front of his gaze.
The speed was as fast as lightning.
*BOOM!*
The sharp and massive w struck the dungeon wall for the third time, exploding the surface with a muffled popping sound, raising dust, and scattering rocks everywhere.
This excessively powerful attack not only had astonishing speed but also a terrifying destructive power. Even a slight graze would likely have left any ordinary low-ss adventurer severely injured.
While carrying Lefiya, Riezel narrowly avoided it at thest moment but still got blown away by the shock wave. He crashed into nearby rocks, shattering them.
"Mr. Riezel!"
Lefiya only realized what was happening as she looked at him, who protected her. Unfortunately, he can''t afford to respond to her at the moment.
The ferocious monster, enraged by their evasion and failing to secure its target, began roaring and charging ahead with tremendous power.
It smashed rocks and obstacles in its path, carrying a rolling dust storm, heading straight for Riezel and Lefiya like a berserker.
This relentless charge left no time to catch a breath, undoubtedly reaching a deadly climax.
Fortunately, Riezel was mentally prepared this time. While still carrying Lefiya, he spun around and kicked the fragments of the recently shattered rocks, turning them into projectiles that struck the monster''s head.
*ROAAARRR¡ª!!!*
The monster let out an angry howl as its head took a direct hit from the rock projectile. In pain, it was forced to halt its charge.
"Lefiya!"
Riezel finally took advantage of the brief moment to catch a breather and shouted at his only partypanion.
"Find a chance to use your magic!"
Leaving those words behind, he pushed her aside, unsheathed his sword at his waist, and with a stomp of his foot, turned into a bullet, shooting towards the monster.
*ROARRR!*
Seeing this, the monster was even more enraged as it raised its front w, sweeping it toward him mercilessly.
Riezel found himself couldn''t dodge this sweep.
Due to terrain restrictions on the 6th Floor, they found themselves in a narrow passage. The monster, with its imposing size blocking the entire path, could unleash attacks that practically covered the entire surface of the passage.
As Riezel charged at the monster like this, he couldn''t avoid this sweeping attack that covered the entire passage unless he chose to retreat. Otherwise, he would have to take this strike head-on.
But faced with this almost unavoidable sweep, he didn''t choose to retreat.
"Tempest!"
Riezel chanted his magic.
Soon, a surging and overwhelming wind wrapped around his body, covering him entirely. He transformed into a gust of wind.
Without hesitation, he met the monster''s w head-on.
"Miss Ais''s magic...?!"
After being pushed aside by Riezel and falling to the ground, Lefiya eximed in surprise, her eyes widening as she witnessed the scene where he used Ariel.
Although she had already learned from his mouth that he had learned Ais''s magic, seeing it with her own eyes still surprised her. What surprised her even more was that after he cast the magic, he became invincible, just like Ais in her impression.
*ng!*
A deafening metal collision sound suddenly rang out, unleashing a shock wave-like energy.
Riezel with his slender sword, winding the wind around the sword edge. With a heavy strike, he shed fiercely with the monster''s sweeping w, creating an intense collision and sh.
Ariel gave him tremendous enhancement while also heightening the effectiveness of his weapon, enabling him to smoothly deflect the monster''s w and close in as he poured all his power into the strike.
*ROAAARRR!*
The monster erupted in anger and roared while raising its other arm to m forcefully into the front.
As he saw this, Riezel quickly lunged forward and struck the monster''s chest with his sword.
*Pu-chi!*
The sound of the flesh tearing apart was not unexpected. But his wind-enhanced sh failed topletely break through the monster''s flesh; it only tore through its fur, leaving a shallow wound. Compared to its massive body, the wound seemed almost insignificant.
On the contrary, the monster''s swing was unparalleled in power, delivering a thunderous impact on Riezel''s body.
*BOOM!*
Like arge truck colliding with an oil tanker, the collision echoed loudly.
Riezel, whose figure was only slightlyrger than the monster''s fist, was hit by its pir-like strike and was sent flying.
"Mr. Riezel!" Lefiya let out a mournful cry.
*ROARRR!*
The monster immediately roared in her direction, causing her to shudder and retreat in fear.
Despite being a Level 3 second-ss adventurer, she was intimidated by a monster from the 6th Floor. As a result, her staff lost its purpose in her trembling hands.
¡ªFind a chance to use your magic!
Riezel''s voice from before echoed in her ears, urging Lefiya to rise and resist. But her brain was like a nk space, frozen in ce and trembling helplessly.
As a result, the monster grinned maliciously, raised its ws, and aimed for her head.
However¡ª
*Pu-chi!*
A silver light, apanied by a violent wind, shed by and shed at the monster''s arm, causing it to burst into a spray of blood.
*ROAAARRR¡ª!!!*
The monster''s malicious grin turned into a howl of pain, and its ws involuntarily dropped.
The next second, a gust of wind kicked up the dust, rushing towards the howling monster, with the chilly sword light rising from the swift wind.
With a cold expression on his face and fiery emotion in his eyes, Riezel unleashed a powerful sh.
A life-and-death battle, where mistakes were not allowed, unfolded at this moment.
Chapter 31: Ais Wallenstein
Chapter 31: Ais Wallenstein
Babel, za.
As night fell, the magic stonempposts around the za lit up one by one, casting a bright glow that illuminated the towering limestone tower.
Ais emerged from the tower, her dazzling golden hair untamed, and her body bore traces of dirt and disarray.
Even so, she still attracted countless gazes, bing the center of attention.
"Look, it''s the Sword Princess."
"The Loki Familia chick?"
"Yep, as beautiful as ever, no less than Goddesses."
"Guess she just got back from the dungeon, huh?"
"Totally, always diligent. Came back from an expedition and straight into dungeon dives every day.""Despite being Level 5, she''s known as the best swordswoman in Orario..."
"If only I could be a first-ss adventurer..."
"C''mon dude, it''s not that simple, you know?"
Amidst the crowd discussions, various emotions converged in the gazes directed at Ais¡ªadmiration, love, envy, and astonishment.
As one of the most famous figures in Orario and the mascot of Loki Familia, she inevitably drew attention wherever she went, not to mention her beauty that rivaled Goddesses.
Ais was ustomed to it¡ªor rather, she had long stopped caring.
She kept her head slightly lowered, walking through the crowd, her mind upied with other thoughts.
Perhaps, she was thinking about her own problems.
Her gaze grazed her own back, and the first thing that came to her mind was today''s battle and the aplishments gained yesterday.
...
Ais Wallenstein
Level 5
STR: D535 ¡ú D536
END: D531 ¡ú D532
DEX: A813
AGI: A810
MAG: A888
Hunter: G
Abnormal Resistance: G
Swordsman: I
...
This was thetest achievement Ais obtained after updating her status at Loki''s divine room yesterday.
If this result were to leak, many people in Orario would have been astonished.
Both ''STR'' and ''END'' had reached D-rank.
''DEX'', ''AGI'', and ''MAG'' simultaneously reached A-rank.
Even the development abilities were usually obtained only when leveling up, Ais had three of them. Although their ranks were not very high,pared to situations where adventurers leveled up without even gaining any development abilities, this achievement was considered excellent, enough to make others envious.
With no trace of politeness, Ais''s status was at a top tier among Level 5.
In Orario, and even worldwide, there were very few individuals with a status higher than her in the Level 5 category.
However, when thinking about her own status, Ais felt a slight gloom.
''Too slow...''
That''s what she was thinking.
These days, Ais had been tirelessly exploring the dungeon, delving into floors that regr adventurers found challenging to reach.
The floors she reached were at least in the floors below the 20th Floor, and every day she faced monsters ssified as at least Level 3 by the Guild.
On such floors, amidst such groups of monsters, Ais killed countless monsters every day, from dawn before the sun rose to dark nightfall, returning home looking disheveled and weary.
However, despite all the hard work, after those few days, only the proficiencies of ''STR'' and ''END'' had slightly improved, while the other basic abilities hadn''t budged at all. This had made her mood unpleasant since the night before.
At that time, seeing Ais in this state, Loki decided to speak up.
"I say, Ais, what you''ve achieved is pretty impressive, you know? Remember, you''re Level 5. Your status could grow in just a few days of killing monsters way below your level ismendable already. Not everyone can pull that off."
With her usually squinted eyes wide open, Loki looked at Ais with a serious expression.
"To achieve such results, children at your level usually struggle for several years, even more than a decade. Since you leveled up to Level 5 only three years ago and have reached high status, your potential is considered the highest in our Familia. Even Finn and Gareth didn''t grow as fast when they were at Level 5."
"We hope you all be stronger and more outstanding, but everything has its limits. Even we as Gods, don''t expect our children to be heroes overnight."
"You''re already running fast; running any faster might make you stumble."
"So, sometimes, you have to know when to stop, understand?"
Loki''s sincere advice echoed in Ais''s heart. But in the end, she was still dissatisfied with her growth speed.
It had been over three years since she reached Level 5, and she knew she had achievedmendable results at this level.
However, knowing the recent growth in her status was minimal, the frustration it brought wouldn''t stop.
In the dungeon, she battled monsters for days, yet the proficiency improvement in her basic abilities was only two points. How could she be happy with that?
A while ago, she fought in the deep floors below the 50th Floor with her familia for about two weeks, defeating numerous monsters ssified as Level 4 or even higher. However, in the end, she only gained a total of about ten points in basic abilities proficiency.
It was too slow.
Too slow for her satisfaction.
Too slow, making her heart shrouded in despair.
Especially after seeing someone growing at a speed that could be considered breaking the rules, her feelings were not just dissatisfaction but urgency and impatience.
How much longer would it take for her to be strong enough at this rate?
''Fool''s Obsession...?''
Ais recalled that unheard-of and unseen skill, her mind filled with thoughts.
A skill that could elerate growth and enhance one''s potential limit.
Why didn''t she have such a skill?
''...What kind of obsession would trigger that kind of skill?''
Based on the discovered ability of falna, whether it was magic or skill, it was all rted to one''s nature or interests.
In other words, it was the crystallization of longing, the fruit of imagination or fantasy.
It sounded like a miracle that could turn fantasy into reality, just by thinking about it. But in reality, it wasn''t so.
In this world, countless people desired to get stronger quickly, but among them, had anyone awakened a broken skill that could elerate growth and enhance potential ridiculously?
If it was something that man could think of, why didn''t she have it?
Could it be that her wishes and feelings of wanting to get stronger were lost to that man?
Could it be to possess a skill like ''Fool''s Obsession'', merely having fantasy was not enough?
The more exaggerated the skill, the more astonishing its effects, and the more it tested one''s innermost thoughts and heart. Only when these inner thoughts and hearts were recognized and strong enough could they materialize during the blessing process.
''What kind of obsession made him awaken such a skill...?''
Ais fell into contemtion over this question. In her mind, there was only the face of a young man who seemed calm andposed but carried a sharpness and excitement in his eyes.
Ais Wallenstein yearned for power.
An insatiable yearning.
Because she had a wish, a grudge.
For this, she had to get stronger as soon as possible.
Embracing this wish and grudge, she continued to pursue the secret of getting stronger.
However, just as Ais was about to leave the za and enter the main street, she noticed somemotion.
"Hurry to the Guild...!"
"We must report this...!"
"Something''s wrong! Something big is happening!"
"An irregr appeared on the 6th Floor, there are casualties among the adventurers...!"
A group of adventurers who had just returned from the dungeon were in disarray on the street, their terrified appearance and bloodstained bodies causing Ais to stop in her tracks.
"Irregr?" Ais furrowed her brow slightly as she heard the term that used to make adventurers nervous.
Especially the following words caught her attention even more.
"Someone witnessed a Human swordsman fighting an unknown monster, and there''s a female Elf by his side!"
Unluckily, Ais happened to know of such abination. Abination that had just appeared today, surprising even herself.
She overheard the familia''s members discussing it when she left the manor in the morning.
''Could it be Riezel and Lefiya?'' Ais felt somewhat uneasy.
In the upper floors where a party of three was the norm, would it be a coincidence for a party consisting of only a Human and an Elf to appear?
Ais didn''t think so.
"6th Floor..."
Muttering to herself, Ais turned around and began to run.
Her destination was the dungeon.
===
Dungeon, 6th Floor.
As soon as Ais stepped into this ce, the unease in her heart turned into reality.
There was no other reason.
She saw, on this floor that only rookie adventurers used to explore, manyy on the ground, lifeless, with high-quality body equipment. It was evident that their strength was impressive, adventurers who would have traveled deeper into the dungeon.
Their corpses painted the ground and walls with crimson blood, their gruesome deaths making her deeply ufortable.
This told her that there was indeed an irregr here, a powerful unknown monster had appeared.
In her mind, shes of two familiar figures, lying in a pool of blood with a lifeless expression, crossed her thoughts. Ais forcefully shook her head to dispel the images, yet her pace unconsciously quickened.
"Is it over here?"
Not long after, Ais noticed a tremendous noise, like the sounds of something in fiercebat. She hurriedly made her way to the source of the noise.
Before long, she arrived at the battlefield.
Soon, she saw the familiar figure of her junior.
"Lefiya!" Ais unconsciously yelled.
However, instead of Lefiya, who used to run over with a moved and happy expression upon hearing her call in the past, this time she just stood there, staring nkly ahead.
Ais followed her gaze and, in turn, lost her own voice.
*ROAAARRR¡ª!!!*
A massive, unique breed of monster appeared in the narrow passage, emitting an ear-splitting roar.
In that roar, there was anger, hostility, berserk, fury, hysteria, and, finally, a hint of fear.
*ROARRR¡ª!!!*
Soon, Ais saw the massive monster she had never encountered before, roaring in agony.
In front of it, a fearless figure drenched in blood charged and rushed forward.
Chapter 32: Overcoming the Challenge
Chapter 32: Oveing the Challenge
*Rumble!*
It sounded like something was making noise.
*Crack!*
It seemed like something was cracking.
The cavernous passage quivered repeatedly, apanied by a constant roar that filled the air, signaling the unrest in this ce.
But all of this had beenpletely abandoned by Riezel, automatically dismissed, overlooked, and cast aside.
Wrapped in the garment of the wind, he focused entirely on the enemy before him, with eyes that saw nothing else.
Whether it was his elerating heartbeat, his boiling blood, or even the impact and pain that swept through his entire body. Riezel, who was single-mindedly set on defeating the enemy in front of him, ignored it all.
Two figures, onerge and one small,pletely disproportionate, engaged in a deadly struggle under these circumstances.*ROAAARRR¡ª!!!*
With the usual roar, the massive monster swung its powerful arms consecutively, sweeping everything around¡ªthe ground, walls, and even the ceiling¡ªcausing destruction everywhere, with the deafening roar and tremors echoing.
Under the monster''s rampage, the terrain in this area had been drastically altered, bing uneven with scattered debris flying around, creating a chaotic scene.
Sand and dust filled the air and the monster unleashed its power recklessly, instilling fear in anyone who witnessed it.
However, only those observing from the sidelines knew that such outbursts were utterly futile.
Because it hadn''tnded a single blow on its opponent.
Enveloped by the wind, Riezel, with a body seemingly too smallpared to the monster, fearlessly charged toward the formidable enemy.
The monster swung its arms continuously, its powerful hands creating a whistling sound with each sweep. However, Riezel anticipated each move and skillfully dodged them.
His evasive maneuvers were unpredictable, sometimes sidestepping, other times lowering his head, asionally leaping into the air, and at times rolling on the ground in a seemingly awkward manner. Yet, his movements were fluid, devoid of any excess or stagnation, and executed seamlessly. The monster''s powerful arms, full of strength, could onlynd in empty spaces, causing meaningless destruction on the ground, walls, and ceiling.
While smoothly evading, Riezel never forgot to close in on his opponent. His speed showed no signs of slowing down, swiftly closing the distance with the monster.
In the next moment, silver lights flickered.
*Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!*
Several sword lights sliced through the monster''s body, cutting through its fur and flesh, and causing blood to seep out.
Riezel unleashed his maximum speed and skill, shing multiple times while closing in to inflict damage as much as possible.
*ROAAARRR¡ª!!!*
The monster could only howl in pain, swinging its arm to smash the iing tiny figure. However, it ended up hitting the ground and stirring up countless dust, missing its target.
Riezel seemed to anticipate the monster''s counterattacks, or perhaps he saw through its attack patterns. He withdrew before the monster swung its massive arms, turning into a gust of wind swirling around the monster.
*Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!*
In an instant, several silver lights soared again, and sharp sword edges apanied by surging wind, once again cutting through the monster''s body.
The wounds were not significant, even small.
However, Riezel aimed to umte damage, umting the results of the battle, and marking the monster''s massive body with numerous scars.
Evidently, he intended to continue fighting in this manner, relentlessly battling until he brought down the monster.
*ROAAARRR¡ª!!!*
The monster roared in fury, its massive body swinging, arms iling wildly, unleashing a chaotic force that created an astonishing spectacle. Despite its formidable disy, it couldn''tnd a single blow on Riezel.
He danced around the monster, moving with extreme speed, shing his sword to create a dazzling disy of silver light and shadows around its body.
His fearless figure, with a seemingly reckless yet decisive fighting style, eventually created an impressive imposing manner and charisma. Onlookers couldn''t help but be influenced, captivated, and forget their own purposes.
Ais was no exception.
Just like Lefiya, she stood there frozen, watching the battle of Riezel unfold after she abruptly entered the battlefield. The intensity and determination in his eyes made herpletely forget to act.
"There!"
Other adventurers soon rushed over. Seeing the battle between Riezel and the monster, they were ready to make a move, but Ais stopped them.
"Stop!"
Sword Princess, who rarely showed emotions or expressions, unexpectedly yelled sternly, startling the adventurers prepared to intervene. They froze in their tracks.
"Sword Princess?"
"You''re here too?"
"Why did you stop us?"
The neers seemed to be high-level and high-ss adventurers, eithering up from the lower floors sensing themotion, or receiving a message about the irregr and rushing to resolve the situation.
They were puzzled, not understanding why Ais was preventing them.
To their questions, she had only one sentence.
"He''s challenging the monster..." Ais stared straight ahead, watching Riezel''s fearless figure battling the monster with all he had. "We can''t disturb him."
At her words, the adventurers looked at each other in confusion. However, soon they were also captivated by the ongoing battle.
*BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!*
The unparalleled monstrous strength of the massive monster continued to rampage through the dungeon passage, the explosion and roar echoing endlessly without stopping.
Riezel, enveloped by the wind, flicked away all the debris, dispersed all the dust, and even ignored the impact and shock waves. He danced dangerously close around the monster, evading every attack that came his way.
His sword had swung countless times.
The wounds he inflicted on the monster seemed countless.
Aches permeated his body as if it were screaming at him to stop, to give up.
But he ignored all external factors, fully dedicated to defeating the monster.
*ROAAARRR¡ª!!!*
Eventually, the monster''s roar carried less anger but more fear.
The wounds covering its body were numerous, and the once enraged monster now noticed something was wrong.
Its blood overflowed excessively.
The umtion of too many wounds began to affect its movements and speed, instilling a sense of fear inside the monster''s heart.
Realizing the danger, the monster stopped swinging its massive arms and recklessly charged toward Riezel.
*BOOOM¡ª!!!*
Riezel had just prepared to lunge forward tounch another attack when the monster''s sudden and unexpected charge hit him head-on. His entire body was shoved forward, dragged along by the monster''s massive body.
*BAAANG!*
A stone pir, pressed against Riezel by the monster, was shattered, exploding into a shower of sand and debris.
*ROAAARRR¡ª!!!*
Seizing the opportunity for a counterattack, the monster relentlessly pushed forward, ramming into Riezel without stopping. It crashed into rocks and smashed against walls, pulverizing everything in its path.
Riezel, bearing the brunt of the charge, narrowly avoided coughing up blood.
"Mr. Riezel!" Lefiya''s scream mixed with a mournful cry.
Ais''s pupils contracted, her figure tensed, and instinctively, her hand gripped the sword at her waist, ready to draw.
However, at this moment...
"Unleashed streak of light, bow limbs of the holy tree. You are an expert of the bow."
A familiar chant suddenly echoed, leaving Ais dumbfounded.
"Th-That''s...?!" Lefiya cried out again, her voice filled with astonishment.
"Shoot, sniper of the fairies."
"Prate, arrow of absolute uracy."
The chanting continued, causing a radiant light to converge in front of the monster.
"Arcs Ray!"
Apanied by a deep, cold shout, the brilliance transformed into a light arrow, exploding in front of the monster''s face.
*BOOOM¡ª!!!*
A thunderous sound, a burst of magical arrows, sent the unstoppable monster flying.
Riezel, enveloped by the wind, reappeared before everyone with blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. However, in his hand, there was a shimmering magical light, revealing to the onlookers who had cast the magic just moments ago.
"Mr. Riezel learned my magic...?" Lefiya was stunned senseless as she realized this.
But that''s exactly what happened.
Due to her previous use of magic in front of Riezel, he confirmed the magic, memorized the chant, understood its effects from her exnation, and, with his knowledge of the original work, fulfilled the conditions one by one. Thus, he directly learned her magic and employed it in this crucial moment.
Watching the monster being sted away, Riezel suppressed the blood rising in his throat and extended his hand once again.
*BOOOM¡ª!!!*
"Arcs Ray!"
*BOOOM¡ª!!!*
"Arcs Ray!!"
*BOOOM¡ª!!!*
"Arcs Ray!!!"
With a swift chanting, Riezel unleashed a rapid-fire barrage of three ''Arcs Ray''.
The light arrows of magical energy burst forth in quick session, tearing through the air and evaporating dust, each one mming into the monster''s body before it could react, let alone get back on its feet.
*BOOOM¡ª!!!*
A massive explosion ensued.
The bombardment of the three magical arrows caused fiery explosions on the monster, scorching its massive body.
*ROAAAAARRR¡ª!!!*
The monster let out a painfully loud roar, repeatedly retreating from the magic bombardment. Its body was now stained with gruesome blood.
At this moment, the wounds inflicted by Riezel earlier proved to be highly effective.
The magic, which would have been considerably mitigated by the monster''s resilient fur, now had a much greater impact due to the extensive injuries he had inflicted on it, severelypromising the monster''s defensive capabilities.
As a result, the mes generated by the magic burned through its massive body, causing it to howl in agony and retreat further.
Unnoticed by the struggling monster, Riezel seized the opportunity tounch another charge.
"Tempest!"
The wind roared.
"Tempest!!!"
This was the peak output, the ultimate release of ''Ariel''.
The wind enveloping his body surged violently, transforming from a gentle breeze to a raging storm.
With both hands tightly gripping his slender sword, Riezel converted all of his ''mind'' into magic, channeling the force of the magical wind onto the sword.
*Pu-chi¡ª!*
As the chilly silver light streaked through the tempest like moonlight, the most significant tearing sound to date echoed.
The thrust of the sword edge, wrapped in the tempest, traversed the monster, sessfully piercing its massive body.
*ROAAA¡ª*
The monster''s roar abruptly ceased.
*Peng!*
The slender sword, wrapped in the wind, suddenly exploded and shattered into pieces.
Riezel passed through the monster''s massive body and fell to the ground. Behind him, the monster slowly toppled, its massive body revealing a gaping wound.
Its life was finally extinguished.
Chapter 33: Commotion
Chapter 33: Commotion
The thrust of the sword edge, wrapped in the tempest, traversed the monster, sessfully piercing its massive body.
*ROAAA¡ª*
The monster''s roar abruptly ceased.
*Peng!*
The slender sword, wrapped in the wind, suddenly exploded and shattered into pieces.
Riezel passed through the monster''s massive body and fell to the ground. Behind him, the monster slowly toppled, its massive body revealing a gaping wound.
Its life was finally extinguished.
"..."
Silence.When the monster waspletely pierced, gradually losing its life, and crashed to the ground, all the spectators present fell into a profound and wordless silence.
*Cough!*
It wasn''t until the sound of Riezel''s cough echoed that he, who had also fallen to the ground, struggled to get up. Only then did everyone in the vicinity react, and their attention immediately focused on his body.
Especially Ais and Lefiya, realizing what had happened, hurriedly ran toward him.
"M-Mr. Riezel! Are you okay?!" Lefiya looked visibly distressed as tears welled up in her eyes.
"I''m fine..."
Riezel shook his head, but his body was tormented by a wave of pain, causing his knees to buckle, almost falling to the ground again.
Luckily, a delicate hand reached out from the side, supporting him just in time.
"Don''t move recklessly."
Ais, with her translucent golden eyes fixed on Riezel as if wanting to engrave the image of him bravely fighting with blood all over into her heart.
"You used Ariel too much. Your body can''t handle such a heavy burden, coupled with your injuries. It''s best not to move around casually."
As the true master of Ariel, no one understood the side effects of this magic better than Ais.
Being able to unleash such a special and powerful enchant-type magic with a short chant, the side effects were obvious and ced a significant burden on the enchanted target.
Whether it was the body or the weapon, as long as it was enchanted by the wind force of Ariel, it would bear this burden.
Therefore, in the situation where Riezel had just released Ariel''s maximum output, his weapon shattered, and his body endured an unimaginable burden, making him look precarious.
"Ri-Right! We have elixirs!"
Lefiya spoke with a flustered tone and immediately took out an elixir from her backpack. She opened the bottle cap and awkwardly fed it to Riezel.
He didn''t refuse; after taking the elixir, he immediately felt a clear stream flowing through his body.
The visible injuries on his body began to heal at an astonishing speed, while the burden on his body, which had endured immense stress, finally eased.
"Hahh..." Riezel exhaled gently, standing upright with Ais''s support.
"Don''t move recklessly." Ais scolded him again, with a faint hint of me on her face, as if reproaching him for not listening to her advice.
"Okay..." Riezel had intended to shake her off, but seeing her frowning in reproach, he had no choice but to give up.
"Lefiya." Ais finally turned towards her junior, who stood there looking a bit lost. "Help him tidy up the loot and then we head back."
Understanding that Riezel needed rest the most right now, Ais decisively made this decision.
"Got it!"
Lefiya, feeling like she''d been granted a reprieve, finally found something to do and hurriedly ran over to the massive monster''s corpse.
Coincidentally, the corpse had turned into a pile of dust, scattered into the air, leaving only a transparent crystal and a faded w.
Lefiya picked up the crystal and the w before running back to Riezel and Ais''s side.
"Let''s go, back to the manor."
Ais nced around, looking at the adventurers who seemed to be approaching them. She supported Riezel, who was still having trouble walking, and decisively turned to leave.
Lefiya soon followed them.
The adventurers who had wanted to get closer to Riezel stopped in their tracks when Ais took him away directly.
"Who''s that adventurer?" One of the adventurers asked.
"No idea."
People shook their heads in session.
"Judging by the appearance of Sword Princess, could it be from the Loki Familia?"
"Why haven''t we seen him before?"
"Maybe a rookie?"
They exchanged opinions, showing that Riezel''s recent battle had indeed affected and impressed many, creating a stir.
"Let''s go, spread the news."
Some people exchanged nces and then left one after another.
The rest either prepared to spread the information or gathered intelligence.
The scene suddenly became deserted, gradually returning to silence. Only the damaged terrain was slowly repairing itself, appearing strangely eerie and untouched by mortal knowledge.
===
An irregr appeared on the 6th Floor of the dungeon.
This incident not only spread rapidly in an extremely short amount of time but also caused quite amotion.
It resulted in significant casualties.
At the time of the irregr appearance, many adventurers were on their way back, directly passing through the 6th Floor and encountering this unexpected event.
Coincidentally, this irregr appeared on the 6th Floor, rtively close to the surface, within reach of novice adventurers.
In other words, many of those who encountered the irregr were low-ss adventurers with limited strength.
These low-ss adventurers met their demise without any surprises. Some died, others were injured, and the resultingmotion naturally became quite significant, making the entire night in Orario lively.
People hurriedly shared the news, and the Guild was promptly alerted, dispatching personnel to investigate the scene and gather information from those who witnessed the irregr.
Not long after, the Guild released some announcements to the public.
¡ªThe irregr is an unknown monster suspected to be a rare species never seen before. It is temporarily named Crocodile Dragon, ssified as a dragon species monster, and will be categorized as Level 2.
¡ªThe monster has been resolved by the Loki Familia. In theing days, the professionals from the Guild will conduct surveys to confirm safety and ensure there is no further danger before releasing the investigation results.
¡ªDuring this period, we rmend that Level 1 low-ss adventurers temporarily avoid the 6th Floor.
Announcements like these were not only posted on the bulletin board at the Guild headquarters but also sent to various familias.
On this night, many people were destined to lose sleep.
===
Loki Familia''s Base, Twilight Manor.
In the divine room, Loki looked at the Guild announcement that had just been handed to her, examining the contents written on the parchment before tossing it onto her desk.
"So, what do you all think?" Loki asked the three top executives of her familia whom she had summoned to this room.
Finn, Riveria, and Gareth, the higher-ups of the familia, had been brought to the divine room and were now informed about the entire situation.
"Hmm, ssified as Level 2?" Gareth crossed his arms and spoke in a muffled voice. "What''s more, it appears on the 6th Floor, so close to the surface... It seems like low-level adventurers won''t be able to enter the dungeon for a while."
"It doesn''t affect us much. After all, most members of our familia are high-ss adventurers." Finn said while biting his thumbnail. "But, to think a dragon species would appear on the 6th Floor and a rare one at that. That''s something we didn''t expect."
In the various dungeon floors, rare species were a small fraction, with numbers far lower thanmon monster types. These were known as rare species, not necessarily stronger but possessing some unique characteristics.
Dragon species or dragon-type monsters, on the other hand, were a different story.
Dragon species were widely recognized as the most powerful monster type in the dungeon. Whether appearing on the deeper floors or, as in this case, on the upper floors ssified as Level 1, if monsters were connected to the legendary creature ''Dragon'', their power would be unimaginable.
For example, the Crocodile Dragon that appeared this time was both a rare species and a dragon species, ssified as Level 2. Its strength might even surpass that of an Infant Dragon, a rare species appearing only on the 11th and 12th Floors, known for being able to wipe out parties of low-ss adventurers.
Such powerful monsters should typically appear in the middle floors from the 13th Floor onward. Yet, here was a Crocodile Dragon appearing on the ssified Level 1 upper floors, as if the dungeon were ying a malicious joke on them.
"As expected, it''s the dungeon after all. Unexpected events are not surprising to happen at any time..." Finn muttered to himself.
Having battled in the dungeon for decades, Finn knew well that this mysteriousbyrinth held many unsolved mysteries. While it attracted countless explorers, it also posed unimaginable threats to the people.
No one knew if one day the dungeon might rebel or riot, allowing once-suppressed monsters to surge back to the surface. Therefore, no matter how vignt and prepared one was, it wasn''t an exaggeration when it came to thisbyrinth.
"Just didn''t expect a monster of that caliber would be taken care of by that kid, guhahaha!" Garethughed. "That kid''s got some talent, eh..."
At his words, everyone joined inughter.
Who could have anticipated that a dragon species, ssified as Level 2, would be defeated by their familia''s rookie who had recently joined?
Finn, having learned the details from Ais and Lefiya, smiled slightly.
"Only a week since receiving the blessing, he already challenged a Level 2 dragon species, and not only seeded but returned unscathed. Our rookie is quite something..."
Finn could imagine the uproar this event would cause once it became known.
"How is he doing now?" Riveria showed some concern.
"ording to Ais and Lefiya, aftering back, that kid just went straight to sleep."
Loki spread out her hands.
"Can''t me him, challenging a monster like that, even dying wouldn''t be surprising. It''s already good that he came back in one piece. His body isn''t seriously injured; the main issue is the heavy burden of using Ais''s magic. He needs some good rest."
Finn, Riveria, and Gareth exchanged nces.
"As I thought, it''s not because of the monster; it''s all because of Ais''s magic, isn''t it...?"
Riveria''s whisper plunged everyone into silence.
Chapter 34: Status Update
Chapter 34: Status Update
Ariel.
As mentioned before, this wind element enchant-type magic was quite special.
No, it should be said, it was exceptionally unique.
While ordinary enchant magic could enhance the user and their weapon, the effects of those enchant magic were usually not too outrageous.
At least, ultra-short chant enchant magic like ''Ariel'' was definitely not expected to be too powerful.
Unless it was an ultra-long chant enchant magic with a chantparable to wide area annihtion magic, the strengthening and enhancement of regr enchant magic were quite limited.
But ''Ariel'' was different.
This ultra-short chant enchant magic could be used with just one chant and had extremely powerful effects. It not only boosted the explosive enhancement of basic abilities but was also versatile in offense and defense, possessing almost omnipotent utility except for long-distance attacks.
This had surpassed the realm of enchant magic; even those ultra-long chant enchant magic were faintly inferior, not to mention regr enchant magic. It was impossible to achieve such significant effects.Enchant magic that was faintly superior to even ultra-long chant enchant magic but could be activated with just one chant demonstrated the abnormality and uniqueness of ''Ariel''.
Ais, who possessed this magic, was known as the strongest swordswoman, bing one of the city''s strongest adventurers. This was due to the anomaly of this magic''s power and enhancement.
This was a kind of magic that allowed one to challenge opponents of higher levels.
Ais, despite being a Level 5, was more than a match for even the Level 6 individuals in the city with her Ariel.
This wasn''t like Lefiya, who sacrificed her other basic abilities. She focused solely on ''MAG'', upgrading it to the highest rank, andplementing it with skills to achieve powerful firepower beyond her level.
Ais, without sacrificing any other basic abilities, solely relying on one magic, possessed the capability to fight someone with a higher level, truly shocking anyone.
Said without a trace of politeness, if one considered pure basic abilities alone, Ais with ''Ariel'' might even surpass Level 6 adventurers like Finn and the others.
It was understandable that Ariel would put a significant strain on the body and weapon. One slight mistake could lead to the breakdown of the body.
However, the side effect of ''Ariel'' was actually not that significant, considering how amazing the results it brought. An excessively powerful power that didn''t bring a burden to the user would be a strange thing.
That was why people who didn''t know might not believe that a mere Level 1 rookie adventurer could defeat a Level 2 dragon species monster alone.
But the Loki Familia''s higher-ups knew very well that Riezel had such a capability.
"In itself, that kid''s status is alreadyparable to the level beyond Level 1, akin to the veterans among low-ss adventurers. Add to that exceptional wind enchant magic from Ais, he can take down a higher-level Crocodile Dragon is not impossible."
"Not to mention, he''s also mastered Lefiya''s magic, covering the only gap that Arielcks, which is long-distance attacks."
Observing the three top executives of her familia, Loki exined with a grin, leaning back with her legs crossed on the couch.
"I just can''t believe that with the kid''s ridiculous growth potential, he''d be worse than the pig of that slut (Ottar)."
Hearing their Goddess''s malicious remarks, Finn, Riveria, and Gareth pretended not to hear, maintaining theirposure.
But they also admitted that from Riezel, they saw the potential to surpass that man. This made the three top executives especially hopeful.
"Looks like those stinky executive kids are really under pressure, huh..." Gareth smirked.
"Lefiya needs to step up too." Riveria said while closing one eye. Thinking about the matter of her disciple, she silently decided to give her extra lessonster.
Only Finn, biting his finger, suddenly turned to Loki with a question.
"Challenging a Level 2 dragon species monster in lower level condition, that''s definitely considered a great exploit for a Level 1, right?"
His statement made everyone fall silent.
"Loki..." Finn looked at Loki solemnly. "Is he about to level up?"
Riveria and Gareth also turned their gaze towards Loki.
To Finn''s question, Loki''s reply was only one sentence.
"Although I haven''t seen his status yet, but most likely, yes."
The impact of her statement was easily imaginable.
"Reaching Level 2 after receiving a blessing in less than a week...?" Riveria murmured. "Now, Orario is really going to be shaken."
"Heh, even the fastest Ais took a year originally. But that kid did it in just one week, huh? Truly impressive..." Even Gareth couldn''t help but chuckle.
"How''s his proficiency?" Finn was somewhat worried. "With his potential, he should be able to reach S-rank on all basic abilities, don''t let his potential go to waste."
When people of the same level contended, what factors could determine their victory or defeat?
Undoubtedly, it was the difference in basic abilities. The basic abilities developed before leveling up were the decisive factor.
As mentioned before,paring someone who leveled up with basic abilities on the S-rank with someone who leveled up with basic abilities on the D-rank, the difference in power was self-evident.
The improvement during leveling up was the same for everyone, so the difference in basic abilities before leveling up became the gap between two individuals.
Of course, an adventurer''sbat techniques, experiences, tactics, magic, and skills were also decisive factors. Just looking at the basic ability alone couldn''t determine the final oue. However, it was still an advantage, and not ignoring it was undoubtedly a wise choice.
In such a situation, unless Riezel truly couldn''t continue to grow his basic abilities, Finn wasn''t in favor of letting him level up now.
If it were ordinary familia members, instead of being entangled in the improvement of those basic abilities, it was better to significantly enhancebat power through leveling up since exploring the dungeon was a life-threatening activity.
No matter what, the improvement gained from leveling up was iparable to the improvement of a few ranks in basic abilities. Moreover, leveling up could unlock new potential and elevate oneself to another level.
Considering these undeniable benefits, abandoning the growth of the current level and directly focusing on the growth of the next level was a wise move.
However, Riezel''s growth speed couldn''t be treated the same as other adventurers, as his potential seemed bottomless. For him, taking some time to develop basic abilities was a very wise decision.
"He''s already growing fast enough. Let him slow down a bit; it''s not a bad thing." Finn said what he believed.
Loki, although deeply agreeing with him, chose to respect Riezel''s opinion.
"Let''s talk about it when the kid wakes up." Loki shook her head. "If he wants to level up, I can''t stop him; it''s ultimately his decision. I can only advise and can''t make decisions for him."
Finn, Gareth, and Riveria nodded.
"Honestly, I really can''t wait..." Loki said with a yful smile. "After this battle, how absurd will his growth be?"
Poor her; she had no idea what she was about to witnesster.
===
Twilight Manor, Riezel''s Room.
As the sunlight streamed in through the window, casting its warmth onto the bed, Riezel finally woke up.
"Damn, it''s so dazzling..."
He raised his hand to shield his eyes from the direct sunlight, squinting as he slowly sat up. With this movement, a slight soreness instantly surged through his entire body.
However, this didn''t ruin his mood; it actually relieved him.
"Well, looks like the injuries aren''t that bad."
If it was only soreness, it meant it was not due to injuries but rather the strain from forcefully boosting the output of Ariel hadn''tpletely subsided.
Though it posed its own problem,pared to being injured, a little soreness was manageable for him.
He definitely didn''t want to lie in bed and nurse his wounds for another month.
"Lefiya''s elixir works wonders. If I have money, it''s best to keep some on hand. I could even use the Dimensional Magic Cube to bring some back."
This kind of magic potion could heal even fatal wounds¡ªif conditions allowed, it was best to be prepared. He seriously considered this issue as he got out of bed, dressed, and left the room.
His destination was Loki''s divine room.
Yesterday, after she came to check on him, she instructed him toe find her once he woke up.
Twilight Manor felt somewhat deserted since it was still early. Riezel walked all the way without encountering anyone, reaching the top floor of the central tower and entering Loki''s divine room.
At this hour, she still had a sleepy look on her face.
"You''re up early, kiddo."
The Goddess looked at him with resentment, as if ming him for interrupting her beauty sleep.
"Did you pull another all-nighterst night?"
Riezel asked while walking into the room and instantly smelled a strong scent of alcohol. Looking at the empty bottles on the floor, it was clear why this unreliable Goddess was in a bad mood upon waking up.
"Not an all-nighter, just had a bit more to drink." Loki extended her finger, making a small gesture.
Unfortunately, all he could see between those fingers was a vast universe.
"Drink a little less."
Riezel advised Loki, to which she nonchntly replied ''Yes, yes, yes'', clearly not taking it to heart.
"C''mon, let''s update your status quickly!" Loki said with enthusiasm while patting the seat in front of her.
Riezel nodded, took off his shirt, and sat down in front of her.
"Ahh, I''m really looking forward to this!"
Loki seemed to be in a good mood as she spoke, swaying and shaking her head left and right. She quickly pricked her fingertip and started working on his back.
"Let me see what you''ve got this time¡ª"
Before she could finish her sentence, however, she suddenly stopped.
"W-Wh-Wha-What the fuck is this¡ª?!!!"
Loki couldn''t help but curse loudly in shock.
Chapter 35: SSS
Chapter 35: SSS
...
Riezel Brynhart
Level 1
STR: C678 ¡ú SSS1285
END: C666 ¡ú SSS1273
DEX: B772 ¡ú SSS1327
AGI: B793 ¡ú SSS1309
MAG: F314 ¡ú SSS1280
...Loki rubbed her eyes in disbelief, making sure she wasn''t seeing things. Convinced it wasn''t an illusion, she was finally dumbfounded.
She didn''t even bother handing the tranted parchment to Riezel; instead, she silently stared at his back, feeling dizzy.
"Loki?" Riezel looked at Loki''s expression and tentatively called her, but she didn''t react at all.
"Holy crap! What the hell is SSS¡ª?!" Loki suddenly shouted, clutched her head, and screamed hysterically.
"SSS?" Riezel raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised but not as excited as her.
Loki, who didn''t see his reaction, continued to hold her head in shock and shouted madly.
"What the heck is this?!"
"What the fuck is this?!"
"Are the proficiency limits for basic abilities 999 and S?! What in the fuck''s name is this SSS?!"
"I''ve never heard of such a thing!"
Loki was genuinely shocked, really, really shocked.
Although she had only been in the lower world for a few decades, as Goddess of one of Orario''s strongest familias, she naturally had a lot of information at her disposal. Thanks to her shameless personality, she dared to inquire and meddle in everything, and other Gods more or less gave her some face, revealing some of the lower world''s secrets to her.
Thanks to this, her knowledge was quite extensive. As she managed one of Orario''s strongest familias, she was very familiar with the blessing granted to the familia''s children.
But even so, she never heard of basic ability breaking through the highest limit of S-rank and surpassing the limits of blessing.
At least, within her knowledge spanning a thousand years from heaven to the lower world, such a thing had never happened. Of course, it was also possible that it had happened, but she just didn''t know about it.
However, this was indeed the first time she had seen such a possibility, naturally leaving her shocked.
''Leaving aside the SSS, the total proficiency increase of over 3200 is also absurd for fuck''s sake!''
So far, Riezel''s growth speed had been astonishing, even frightening. However, there had never been a time like this, where his basic abilities simultaneously increased by several thousand.
Especially ''MAG'', it shot up from F to SSS straight away¡ªcouldn''t be anything but absurd.
The rest of the basic abilities were the same¡ªnot progressing one rank at a time but directly leaping over four or five ranks. It was beyond absurd; it was the embodiment of absurdity.
''Could it be...?'' Loki suddenly remembered something.
She recalled the effects of ''Fool''s Obsession'', which not only extraordinarily increased growth speed and growth limits but also enhanced its effects under specific conditions.
¡ªThe deeper the obsession, the stronger the effect.
¡ªThe effect is greatly enhanced when in dangerous situations.
''Fool''s Obsession'' had these two effects, and Loki had an epiphany.
In a life-and-death battle against a Level 2 Crocodile Dragon as a Level 1, a fight of this degree could definitely be considered a ''dangerous situation'', right?
Considering how deep Riezel''s obsession ran, Loki could understand. He must have bepletely excited during his battle with a powerful opponent, igniting his inner fighting spirit and intensifying his obsession.
Both effects were triggered, naturally amplifying this skill to a significant extent.
That was why, the growth rate this time was so absurd, multiplying several times over, resulting in the current oue.
All basic abilities at SSS!
The potential barrier for the mortal of the lower world known to the Gods, the limits of blessing, had been shattered to pieces!
"Loki."
Just as Loki was feeling absent-minded about this, Riezel''s somewhat helpless voice reached her ears.
"Why don''t you let me see my status?"
He was curious and eagerly anticipating his current status.
Loki took a deep breath, and shortly afterward, she looked at him with seriousness.
"Don''t get too scared, okay?" Loki said with a hesitant tone.
At her words, Riezel smiled disapprovingly.
''Scared? Impossible.''
From her yell, he could probably guess what had happened.
''So, did my basic abilities upgrade to SSS?''
He wasn''t shocked by this news. Because he had known about this possibility for a long time.
In the original work, the protagonist grew to this rank more than once after acquiring cheats, surpassing the theoretical limit of status. So, Riezel had long known that beyond S, there were the ranks of SS and SSS.
900-999 was S.
1000-1199 was SS.
1200 and above were SSS.
This possibility had been proven by the protagonist in the original work, and Riezel had also hoped that he could break through the limit of status, reaching a stage that no one else had reached.
As expected, when Loki handed the parchment with the tranted text to him, he saw his status written on it.
"All SSS...?" Riezel muttered in surprise. He already anticipated that several of his basic abilities would reach ''SSS'', but he didn''t expect all of them to hit that rank.
If he remembered correctly, even the protagonist seemed to have only SSS in the basic ability he excelled in, which was ''AGI'', while the rest of his basic abilities only reached SS at best.
And here he was, with SSS in all basic abilities, receiving a perfect report card.
In other words, was he stronger than the protagonist?
"Hahaha..." Riezel couldn''t help butugh.
"You can stillugh, kiddo?"
Loki had been watching him, observing his reaction. Seeing him only slightly surprised and calmlyughing, she couldn''t help butment.
"This is a big thing that could shake the entire Orario and even the entire lower world. I don''t know how to handle it, how to react, and you''re justughing? You''re truly a madd!"
"Well, what else can I do?" Riezel surprisingly remained calm as he smiled at her. "I''ve only received the blessing for a few days. You expect me to be shocked? I can''t muster up shock that quickly."
Loki was momentarily speechless.
Indeed, considering the short time he had received the blessing, even if he were told that the limit for others was S and he broke through to SSS, he probably wouldn''t grasp the magnitude of it.
Unlike her, who had spent decades in the lower world, handling countless blessings, witnessing something like this was bound to shake her worldview.
Back in the day, when she had just descended from heaven, she probably would have a simple thought like ''I''ve hit the jackpot'' or something simr.
Unfortunately, she had operated a familia for decades, mingled in Orario for years, and had a deep-rooted understanding of blessing. It was inevitable that she would be shaken by such an extraordinary urrence.
''Is this what they call the unknown potential of mortal?''
Loki sighed, holding her forehead tiredly. After a while, she finally chuckled.
''Okay, I guess I understand why those damn fellows are so crazy about the unknown and potential of the lower world. This kind of thing that even surprises me is indeed exciting.''
Having survived countless ages, Gods probably detested nothing more than things that never changed.
So, they needed entertainment.
So, they needed excitement.
For this, they didn''t hesitate to not use their ''Arcanum'', transforming into fragile being like mortals, indulging in the pleasures of the lower world, and chasing the unknown.
Loki was part of that, and after the initial shock, excitement and thrill filled her heart. As a result, she looked at Riezel differently now.
"Good thing you''re in my familia, kiddo..." Loki said faintly. "Otherwise, if I found out there''s a kid like you outside, I might not hesitate to use any means to snatch you away."
This was a choice that all Gods might make upon learning about the ''unknown'' within Riezel''s existence.
Riezel Brynhart, this child''s body harbored something that the Gods pursued.
"Heehee... Hehehe..."
Thinking about having such a child in her familia, Loki couldn''t help butugh and relish the thought.
"Stopughing." After confirming his status, Riezel rolled his eyes at her. "Besides gaining growth in status, is there no other aspect of gain?"
Due to the skill ''Self Redemption'', he had a certain level of perception and understanding of his own status.
This skill, which granted him the ability to independently update his status, seemed to be telling him that what he gained went far beyond just this.
And indeed, it was.
"Challenging that monster at Level 1, how could you not have umted enough exploits?" Loki sighed emotionally. "Your high-rank excelia is already maxed out."
Riezel naturally understood the meaning of that statement.
"Level up." Loki said with a smile. "You can level up now."
Hearing this, his eyes lit up.
Obviously, this news was something to be happy about for him. Breaking the limits of his status was undoubtedly a good thing. However, the periodic improvement of basic abilities still couldn''tpare to the boost from leveling up.
If one''s basic abilities could rapidly push the body to its limits or even break through them, then leveling up changed one''s life.
The improvements gained at that point far surpassed the ranks of a few basic abilities.
"How? Ready to level up now?" Loki confirmed with a smirk.
"Let''s level up." Riezel nodded and replied without hesitation.
This wasn''t just because he urgently wanted to enhance his strength, but also because he could feel that his growth had reached its limit.
At Level 1, his potential had been fully unleashed, leaving nothing untapped. In such a situation, staying at this level would be meaningless. Since that was the case, he naturally wouldn''t hesitate.
However...
"Before leveling up, there''s one thing that needs confirmation." Loki said while looking directly at Riezel''s eyes. "You need to choose a development ability."
A development ability that only had a chance of appearing when leveling up.
Riezel sessfully triggered it.
Chapter 36: Development Ability
Chapter 36: Development Ability
When leveling up, could anyone learn development abilities?
It depended.
It wasn''t just about luck but rather depended on one''s umted excelia up to now.
Simr to basic abilities, enhancing a particr basic ability required one to take corresponding actions. Only by engaging in activities that utilized that ability could one umte the necessary excelia to foster its growth and transform it into actual progress during a status update.
While potential and innate skills mattered, in general, the development abilities learned during leveling up depended on the actions one had taken. As long as one took specific action and umted enough excelia to trigger development ability, that ability would appear during level up, avable for learning.
On the other hand, if one hadn''t gained noteworthy excelia to meet the conditions for learning development ability, even if they leveled up, they wouldn''t acquire any development ability. In this situation, if suitable excelia was obtained, even multiple development abilities might appear for selection.
Currently, Riezel found himself in such a state.
"You''ve triggered four development abilities, but you can only choose one to learn if you want to level up immediately. It''s decision time, kiddo."
Loki informed him and conveyed the four development abilities he triggered."The first development ability is ''Hunter''."
This was a development ability specialized in dealing with monsters, triggered by defeating arge number of monsters within a short period of time.
Once learned, the status of the adventurer possessing this development ability would be strengthened when encountering monsters of the same type they had fought and gained excelia from.
Since this ability could only be learned at Level 2, it was quite challenging to obtain, making it a valuable ability. Considering adventurers often explored dungeons and regrly faced monsters, ''Hunter'' was highly sought after by adventurers and even various Gods. It was a development ability most adventurers hoped to acquire.
Although Riezel had only received the blessing for about a week, he delved into dungeons every day and immersed himself in battles. As a result, he defeated a significant number of monsters within this short period, sessfully triggering the learning condition for ''Hunter''.
"The second development ability is ''Abnormal Resistance''."
This was the previously mentioned ability that could resist abnormal symptoms such as poison, triggered by sustaining damage from abnormal statuses.
In the upper floors of the dungeon, a monster known as Purple Moth frequently released poisonous powder, posing a threat to adventurers. Therefore, most adventurers experienced attacks from abnormal statuses early on, making this development ability rtively easy to obtain.
Thanks to this, most adventurers could acquire ''Abnormal Resistance'' when reaching Level 2. This made ''Abnormal Resistance'' almost a guaranteed benefit for everyone upon leveling up to Level 2, avoiding the awkward situation where adventurers leveled up without gaining any development ability.
Riezel had also been bothered by Purple Moths frequently, so it was normal for him to trigger this development ability.
The first two development abilities mentioned were practical and easily triggered by adventurers who frequently entered dungeons and dealt with monsters daily.
Even Loki Familia''s first-ss adventurers had mostly acquired these two development abilities, and the same went for other adventurers.
However, the next two development abilities were different.
"The third development ability is ''Swordsman''."
Loki chuckled and tilted her head.
"This is a rather rare development ability, something only top-notch swordsmen can trigger. In our familia, only Ais has this ability, and she learned it when she reached Level 4. You, on the other hand, fulfilled the learning conditions just after reaching Level 2. If Ais finds out about this, she''s bound to feel frustrated."
The effect of this development ability was quite simple; it enhanced the holder''s status when using a sword as equipment. The higher the ability''s rank, the greater the boost, even at the initial I-rank, there was still a noticeable improvement.
If nothing unexpected happened, Riezel tended to lean towards choosing ''Swordsman''.
Although ''Hunter'' was an ability that could only be learned when reaching Level 2, making it rtively precious and the type that you missed out on if you didn''t grab it in time. However, its effectiveness was limited to dealing with monsters you had defeated before. For Riezel, who wouldn''t be permanently living in this world but instead traveling through various worlds, its utility would be significantly reduced.
As for ''Abnormal Resistance'', there was no need to select it since his skill already provided the identical ability on the highest rank. Why waste valuable learning opportunities on a low-rank ''Abnormal Resistance''?
In this way, Riezel naturally leaned toward choosing ''Swordsman''. However, the appearance of the fourth development ability made him hesitate.
"The fourth development ability is ''Lightweight''."
Loki''s words momentarily stun him.
"Lightweight?"
Riezel furrowed his brow, confirming that he had never heard of this development ability. If even he, who was familiar with the original work, didn''t know about this ability, then its rarity became apparent.
"I''ve never heard of this ability before. Even the development abilities records logged by the Guild, which has documented all known abilities, don''t have any mention of it." Loki looked at Riezel with an increasingly evident and thickening smile on her face. "This is a seriously rare development ability, and you could totally be the first to uncover it. Isn''t this just your hidden potential shining through?"
In other words, it was unique.
"Let''s choose this one, kiddo. I feel like this ability should be powerful!" Loki continued with a somewhat excited and agitated tone.
As a Goddess pursuing the unknown, seeking excitement, and entertainment, she naturally didn''t want to miss out on this one-of-a-kind treasure of an ability.
However, the one in question paid no heed to the overly excited Goddess.
"What''s the effect of this development ability?" Riezel asked calmly.
"I''m not sure..." Loki shook her head. "But based on my understanding, it should be an ability that sacrifices defense in exchange for extraordinary speed."
The vision and observational skills of Gods were extraordinary. Even with only vague and fragmented words, they could judge the approximate effects and types of development abilities based on the tendency of excelia when triggering that ability.
"If my understanding is correct, after learning this ability, the more you reduce the equipment and weight on your body, the more agile you be..." Loki exined.
This development ability was designed to enhance ''DEX'' and ''AGI''. In contrast to the ''Swordsman'', who required a sword to trigger effects, the effect of ''Lightweight'' was activated by reducing the weight of the body''s equipment.
So, as Loki exined, it was about sacrificing defense for extraordinary speed.
Due to the requirements of ''Lightweight'', once this development ability was acquired, Riezel would likely have had topletely forgo heavy equipment in the future. Especially heavyweight equipment like metal armor, equipping them would have rendered ''Lightweight'' useless.
Considering that the fewer the body''s equipment, the greater the enhancement, he might have even had to reconsider using the leather armor he had been relying on all this time.
This meant his defense would have been reduced to a minimum. On the other hand, his ''DEX'' and ''AGI'' would have seen a significant boost.
"Looking at your status, it''s clear that your power lies in ''DEX'' and ''AGI''. Combined with consistently wearing lightweight leather armor, this development ability will be triggered, right? Of course, considering this unique development ability has never appeared before, there might be other conditions to fulfill to trigger it. In any case, the rarity of this ability is extraordinary. If you don''t choose now, you might not have the chance to obtain it again in the future."
Loki seemed to be enticing him with a mischievous expression on her face.
"So, what''s your decision, kiddo?"
Having heard all this, Riezel had no room for choice.
''Hunter'' and ''Abnormal Resistance'' were not choices. ''Swordsman'' was valuable, but it could be learned at Level 4 like Ais, so there was no need to rush.
Considering all factors, did he really need to ponder over his choice in the first ce?
"Okay, let''s level up." Riezel decided.
Loki immediately got excited.
"Okay! Let''s do this!"
With a burst of enthusiasm, she moved behind him, and in no time, the level-up process wasplete.
...
Riezel Brynhart
Level 2
STR: I0
END: I0
DEX: I0
AGI: I0
MAG: I0
Lightweight: I
...
After leveling up, basic abilities were all reset to their initial values, and Riezel finally set off from Level 1.
The umted basic ability proficiency so far hadn''t disappeared but existed in atent form. This was why the higher the growth of basic abilities before leveling up, the stronger one became after leveling up.
Only magic, skills, and development abilities wouldn''t be reset, especially development abilities. No matter how high someone''s level was, development abilities wouldn''t reset, making it extremely difficult to improve them.
Take Ais, for example. She acquired ''Hunter'' when she reached Level 2 at the age of 8. However, despite practicing for many years until now, her ''Hunter'' only reached G-rank, advancing by just two ranks.
''Swordsman'' was even more extreme. Ais acquired it at Level 4, and after several years, it was still staying at I-rank. This illustrated how challenging it was to improve development abilities.
It was not without reason that Loki considered Riezel''s ''Endless'' to be abnormal and ridiculous. After all, it granted him three development abilities of the highest rank.
"Well, well, your presence always triggers some jaw-dropping growth, y''know."
Loki remarked with a pleased smile while patting his shoulder.
"Anyway, congrattions on bing a Level 2, kiddo!"
Upon hearing the congrattion from his Goddess, Riezel smiled faintly and nodded.
Chapter 37: The Depressed Elf
Chapter 37: The Depressed Elf
At this moment, the sun had already risen in the sky, illuminating the entire urban district of Orario.
The liveliness within Twilight Manor was gradually increasing, and members were bustling around, making it no longer as deste as it was initially.
Riezel emerged from the divine room, receiving curious nces from several familia members along the way.
Needless to say, the news of his battle with the irregr on the 6th Floor had started to spread.
However, he paid no attention to those looks. Instead, he pondered the words Loki had said to him when leaving the divine room.
"Looks like Lefiya''s spending too much time on some confusing or minor issue. Wanna go see what''s up with her?"
The Goddess''s sudden parting words left him stunned at the time.
"Sinceing back yesterday, that girl''s been visibly depressed. Riveria mentioned it to me, suggesting it might be better for you, the involved party, to talk to her." Loki added, smiling wryly.
Leaving those words, she turned and went back to sleep, leaving him with no choice but to leave.Thinking about Lefiya, Riezel hesitated for a moment but ultimately decided to check on her. But he had no idea how to find her.
As the base of Loki Familia, Twilight Manor wasposed of many tall towers. Apart from the central tower, there were a total of seven towers surrounding it.
The lower halves of these variously shaped towers were interconnected, with only the circr courtyard surrounding the central tower standing independently.
The upper halves had stone-built aerial corridors extending to other towers, allowing people to move between the towers. Facilities such as libraries and dining halls were scattered in different towers, without any order.
Except for the central tower, the seven towers were mainly divided into three for men and four for women.
In other words, living areas for men and women were separate.
If Riezel wanted to find Lefiya, the first choice was naturally to go to her room. This meant entering the living area for female members, giving him a somewhat ufortable and awkward feeling of entering a female dormitory.
''Maybe I should check in the public area first.'' Riezel tentatively decided on this.
However, before he could start looking for Lefiya, he encountered two familia''s executives on the way.
"Hey, isn''t this the very impressive rookie?"
"Indeed."
Like looking into a mirror, the Amazoness twin sisters, identical in appearance but different in body size and hairstyle, appeared on the way and coincidentally met Riezel.
"Miss Tiona, Miss Tione."
Riezel stopped and greeted the two executives with a head bow.
"C''mon, don''t be so formal!" Tiona said with an innocent smile. "Just call me Tiona."
"Call me Tione too." Tione said while sizing him up for a moment, a smile on her face carrying a hint of meaning. "Captain values you a lot; I guess he thinks you''ll soon climb into the executive positions. If that''s the case, just call us by our names directly."
As executives of Loki Familia and first-ss adventurers unparalleled in Orario, even within their own familia, most members held a respectful attitude towards Tiona and Tione.
This was the status of a first-ss adventurer and the treatment that came with being the familia executive.
The two were not unustomed to the respectful attitude of others. However, it was evident that it didn''t suit Riezel.
Just the thought of his skill called ''Fool''s Obsession'' that broke the rules, made Tiona and Tione feel it was better not to regard him as an ordinary rookie.
"What are you up to?" Tiona asked with a tilted head. "nning to head into the dungeon?"
"I heard you just went through a fight with an irregr monster, weren''t you still in bed yesterday?" Tione sighed. "Getting out of bed today and nning to dive into the dungeon again, aren''t you a bit too eager? It puts pressure on us, y''know."
The two sisters hadn''t been spared from his adventurous spurstely, but their words weren''t meant to intentionally taunt him.
Riezel noticed their concern and shook his head.
"I''m not nning to go into the dungeon today. Just looking for Lefiya."
"Lefiya?" Tiona seemed surprised at the mention of the name.
"Come to think of it, you guys formed a party, right?" Tione realized.
"Yeah..." Riezel nodded. "Do you two know where she is?"
Seemingly, he asked the right people.
"Lefiya... I just saw her heading to the reception room." Tiona told him and added with a puzzled expression. "But she seemed a bit out of spirits. Is she hungry or something?"
"Who do you think she is, you?" Tione retorted without much kindness. "Besides, if she''s really hungry, she should be going to the dining room, not the reception room."
"You''re right!"
Tiona suddenly enlightened and grinned, not feeling embarrassed at all about her sister''s scolding. Instead, she appeared optimistic, giving off a lively and cheerful vibe.
"The reception room, huh?" Riezel nodded thoughtfully. "Then I''ll go find her."
"Sure!"
"Go ahead."
The Amazoness sisters stepped aside, giving way to him.
As he walked away, the two exchanged a silent nce, both deep in thought.
"Do you sense it, Tiona?" Tione asked in a low voice.
"Yeah..." Tiona was somewhat less carefree than before as she stared at Riezel''s back. "His movements have be different, and the way he walks is somewhat unnatural. It''s like a burst of power causing ack of coordination. A very obvious sign of someone not yet ustomed to their newfound power."
"That''s what it seems like?" Tione quietly said. "Did this guy just level up?"
"Probably..." Tiona replied and nodded. "After all, only a level-up can cause such a sudden surge in power and make your body struggle to stay in sync. This guy clearly hasn''t adapted to his current body yet."
Having said that, the two fell silent once again.
"Only seven days..."
"Yeah..."
The silent reflection made the atmosphere between the two feel a bit tense.
"Dungeon?"
"Yep..."
Today''s ns were quickly confirmed by the two sisters.
However, both of them had a feeling. They felt that no matter how hard they tried, it might all be in vain since that rookie would quickly catch up.
However, just sitting back and not putting in any effort wasn''t an option for the two Amazonesses. Not to mention them, even the Werewolf youth, who had just turned the corner and happened to catch a glimpse of the rookie, couldn''t help but click his tongue.
"Boring."
Bete left with a displeased remark, leaving the ce.
===
Twilight Manor, Reception Room.
This room was dominated by shades of orange, with a dignified style, directly facing the corridor.
Inside the room were several sofas and chairs that immediately hinted at their hefty price, and a round table covered with a tablecloth. The decor exuded a sense of luxury, ensuring that no matter the status of the guests, they wouldn''t feel neglected.
However, this reception room didn''t quite seem like a dedicated space for entertaining guests. Instead, it appeared more like a leisure space for members of the familia to rx.
At this very moment, Lefiya was seated in a chair, sighing.
She had been in this state for quite some time. Many familia members who happened to witness her condition came up, expressing concern, but in the end, only received a somewhat reluctant smile from her.
To avoid affecting others with her worries, Lefiya fled to this ce.
However, when alone, not only did it fail to improve her mood but also made her feel gloomier, even experiencing a hint of self-istion.
"Someone like me¡ª"
Lefiya''s attractive lips muttered those somewhat self-deprecating words. But another voice suddenly interrupted.
"What''s wrong with someone like you?"
"Eh?!" Lefiya was startled at the sudden voice.
It was only then that she noticed someone had entered the reception room and was standing right in front of her.
That someone happened to be the one she was a bit hesitant to face.
"M-Mr. Riezel?" Lefiya said while trembling with fear.
"Why do you look like I''m about to devour you?" Riezel chuckled. "If others see this, they might think I''m using my age to bully a senior."
"Sorry..." Lefiya immediately looked apologetic.
"Rx, it''s not that serious." Riezel looked at the still-trembling Lefiya. "What happened to you?"
"..." Lefiya remained silent.
"Still thinking about yesterday?" Riezel said casually as if yesterday''s experience was not a life-and-death battle but rather a mere game.
However, his attitude right now caused a conflict within Lefiya''s heart. After a while, she took a deep breath and stood up.
"I''m sorry!"
Lefiya suddenly apologized and bowed deeply to him.
Seeing this sudden action, Riezel awkwardly scratched his cheek.
"You''re really bothered by yesterday''s events, huh?"
He sighed tiredly and shortly afterward spoke straightforwardly without hesitation.
"You feel useless because you couldn''t help and could only watch from the sidelines, am I right?"
Hearing those blunt words, Lefiya''s shoulders immediately trembled. Without a doubt, he hit the nail on the head.
As she slowly raised her head, her face was filled with guilt and deep regret.
"Mr. Riezel encouraged me to use magic whenever I could... and yet, I couldn''t be of any help at all and just stood there in a daze from start to finish. Even though we''re supposed to be a party, and my level is even higher than yours... I just couldn''t do anything useful. Someone like me is truly useless and ipetent."
The more she spoke, the more she felt depressed.
Chapter 38: Lefiya Viridis
Chapter 38: Lefiya Viridis
Riezel might not be aware, but in the beginning, when Lefiya discovered that the familia''s top executives had arranged for her to form a party with him to explore the dungeon, she was determined to grow.
She was well aware of her problem.
Unlike the other familia executives who started their careers as adventurers, ustomed to battling monsters and even engaging in intense life-or-death struggles from the beginning, she hailed from the School District.
In simple terms, she was a top student who grew up in the ivory tower, and her thoughts and awareness greatly differed from adventurers who faced life and death every day after receiving their blessings.
Before joining Loki Familia, she had grown up in a very stable environment without worrying about anything, and by the time she became an adventurer, she was already a high-ss adventurer.
In reality, she struggled to adapt to highly intense battles.
Being a dedicated rearguard and having a somewhat nervous disposition, she was generally fine in battle. However, if any unexpected situation arose, her heart would tense up, nervous, and couldn''t calm down for quite a while.
For a mage, this was undoubtedly very dangerous.
After all, mages primarily used magic as their primarybat method. Chanting and casting magic¡ªthese were the only things a mage could do.Chanting magic typically required a stable mentality andposure. Without these, how could one smoothly and wlessly chant magic?
When using magic, one needed a stable mentality, a calm heart, and aposed demeanor to keep chanting without panicking when monsters attacked them. This way, their ''Mind'' could be refined into magic and cast sessfully, annihting monsters.
Being a mage seemed like just staying in a safe ce and casting magic from a distance, but in reality, it required a stronger heart than vanguards and midguards.
In this aspect, she was undoubtedly a failure. She had lost herposure in battle more than once, causing the use of her magic to fail.
Precisely because of this, in her heart, she felt unworthy of the attention from the familia''s top executives, and even more so, she couldn''t live up to the name of a genius.
Top executives like Finn, Riveria, and Gareth oftenforted her. Even other executives such as Ais regarded her highly. They extended a helping hand without finding fault, allowing her to join their parties, but she still frequently got nervous to the point of forgetting to chant magic.
Therefore, she always felt that she couldn''t keep up with them, always dragging them down when she was with them.
With this mindset, she agreed to form a party with Riezel, a Level 1 rookie who had recently joined the familia withoutint. Despite her level being higher than his, she didn''t dare to consider herself a senior. Instead, she embarked on the adventure with the mindset of someone seeking guidance from him.
Yes, she wanted to take this opportunity to truly grow, to correct her ws.
She valued this chance greatly.
Bing a party with the executives meant being a burden, and joining parties with same-level familia members might cause trouble for them. In this situation, exploring with a rookie lower in level and trying out differentbat approaches together, suited her purposes more.
But, the results were disappointing¡ªno, it was even worse than disappointing; her performance was undoubtedly at its lowest.
Thinking about how Riezel had saved her multiple times yesterday, remembering her own panicked state, she felt extremely ashamed.
During his life-and-death battle with the Crocodile Dragon, as a rearguard mage, she should have found an opportunity to cast magic and help him defeat the powerful monster. However, in the end, she just stood there in a daze,pletely unresponsive, like a statue.
On the other hand, Riezel, despite possessing less strength than the monster and being a rookie who had just started less than a week ago, never showed a trace of fear. Instead, he faced challenges head-on fearlessly, unafraid of life or death, putting on an unprecedented and unparalleled performance.
That posture and that demeanor¡ªeven she had to admit that the impression and impact he left on her at that moment were unimaginably significant.
At one point, she even saw the figure of someone she admired the most when she witnessed his struggle against the monster. In her heart, those two figures ovepped to some extent.
Inparison, her performance was simply abysmal.
Realizing this, after returning home, she fell into deep self-loathing, unable to free herself from it.
"Someone like me, no matter where I go, always ends up being a burden..."
Lefiya spoke with her head down, extremely frustrated.
"Mr. Riezel should form a party with more powerful familia members so you won''t be dragged down..."
At this point, her tone was not just frustrated but also carried a hint of self-deprecation and self-loathing.
A heavy, oppressive silence settled in the reception room, making the atmosphere ufortably tense.
Just when she was about to give in to the urge to escape, Riezel finally spoke.
"Lefiya... Why did you be an adventurer?" Riezel asked with a tranquil tone like a stillke.
Upon hearing that question, Lefiya was slightly stunned and quickly lifted her head to look at his face. Riezel gazed directly at her face with a calm expression without any fluctuations.
"I..." Lefiya was at a loss. Why did she be an adventurer?
As she became silent again, Riezel continued.
"Some do it for fortune."
"Some do it for fame."
"Some do it for power."
"Some do it for survival."
"People who choose to be adventurers have their own reasons and desires. Otherwise, no one would choose a job where they could lose their lives at any moment."
His voice was surprisingly serene, which gave an unexinable feeling.
"What about you? What are you in it for?"
"I... I..."
Lefiya was still at a loss.
"Can''te up with an answer?" Riezel said with an understanding tone, unsurprised by her reaction.
"Yes..." Lefiya involuntarily lowered her head again and murmured. "I... I don''t know why..."
Indeed, she couldn''t express it. It felt like there was a reason, but that reason must be insignificant, or at least that was what she believed.
"Maybe you just haven''t found a rock-solid reason to confidently tell others that you won''t let them down or yourself down, a reason that makes you proud."
Riezel spoke as if he could read her thoughts.
"But you know, it''s okay... You''ll find your own reasons sooner orter. When you find that reason, you''ll realize you can do things just like anyone else. After all, the only difference between you and me is right there."
His words resonated deeply in Lefiya''s ears.
For some reason, she couldn''t shake the feeling that she wouldn''t forget these words, especially considering his calm expression as he delivered such impactful words to her.
"When there''s a reason that forces you to do something, the courage youck will surelye along. But never numbly go with the flow; you can be confused, you can be puzzled, but never numbly go with the flow. That''s... truly fearful..."
Riezel''s words carried an indescribable power and significance. Unfortunately, Lefiya didn''t have the chance to delve into the reasons behind it.
"You''re still immature; that''s a fact. However, I dare not say I''m mature either, so we''re even." Riezel finally showed a hint of a smile. "I think we should continue as a party like this. Do you have any other thoughts?"
"Of course not!" Lefiya quickly shook her head like a tambourine. After hesitating for a while, she trembled again. "Can I really do this?"
Riezel didn''t answer her question but just looked at her eyes calmly, conveying everything with his eyes.
Seeing those serene and calm eyes, Lefiya took a deep breath.
Right here and now, she once again made up her mind to grow.
To avoid letting herself and her idol down, while simultaneously ensuring she didn''t disappoint the young man before her, whose figure ovepped with the idol she admired the most.
===
After parting ways with Lefiya, Riezel returned to his room to take his secondary weapon, a short sword. Because his main weapon broke when he fought the Crocodile Dragon, he could only use this for now.
After grabbing the sword, he made his way to the courtyard.
However, when he arrived, he found that someone else was already in this ce.
*Whoosh!*
A swordswoman with golden hair wielded a silver sword, dancing gracefully and producing a continuous, sharp sound of cutting wind.
Riezel stood silently, watching her performance for a while, but soon noticed that she had stopped her movements.
Ais stopped swinging her sword, but she didn''t sheathe it. She just calmly stood there, turned her head, and looked at him, who had appeared in the courtyard.
The two of them stared into each other''s eyes, and for a moment, neither of them chose to speak.
After silently staring at each other for a while, Ais finally opened her mouth.
"Want to practice together?"
As he heard her question, Riezel was slightly surprised.
"You''re here to practice, right?" Ais said while tilting her head slightly. "To adapt to your new power."
"...You noticed?" Riezel remained silent for a while before saying with helplessness. "It seems like I made it too obvious, huh..."
"Yes." Ais nodded. "For someone else, it might not be a big problem, but your increased power is quite big. Your movements are noticeably uncoordinated and might affect yourbat abilities."
Riezel did achieve an unprecedented full SSS in all basic abilities this time.
Before facing the Crocodile Dragon, the highest rank of his basic abilities was only B. However, after defeating it and undergoing a status update, all his basic abilities skyrocketed to SSS in one go.
Combined with leveling up to Level 2 and gaining a development ability called ''Lightweight'', which was further boosted by ''Endless'', his body after leveling up indeed needed some adjustments, to say the least.
"Want to practice together?" Ais asked again.
"Sure." Riezel naturally had no objections and nodded heavily.
Before long, the sound of swords shing echoed in the courtyard.
He continued to grow fiercely and rapidly. Just as his ''Endless'' skill indicated, it seemed as if there was no end in sight to his growth.
Chapter 39: The Goddess of Beauty
Chapter 39: The Goddess of Beauty
Orario, Babel.
At the top of the tower that seemed to suppress the entrance to the dungeon like a lid, the highest floor was extravagantly decorated, equipped with everything one could imagine.
The interior wasvish to the extreme, allowing a sweeping view of the entire city''s district in the eyes of the room.
Soon, a giant shadow pushed the door open and walked in.
It was a huge Beastman, with short, earth-red hair and boar ears, possessing a robust physical body resembling rock, standing over two meters tall.
The Beastman entered the high-ss room as he was the only one allowed to freely pass in and out. He reached the deepest part of the room, facing a rectangr observation ss that upied an entire wall.
There, wrapped in a ck sheer evening dress, with a slender yet voluptuous figure and waist-length silver hair, was a stunning Goddess.
"Lady Freya."
The Beastman halted not far from the Goddess, as if a devout believer, bowing respectfully to the beautiful Goddess known as Freya."Ottar?"
Freya didn''t turn around, only swaying a cup of red wine while responding casually.
Her voice was extremely sweet, like heavenly nectar or earthly wine. Even catching a hint of it gave the sensation of wanting to be intoxicated by it.
"What happened? Is there something you need?"
Freya inquired with her sweet voice, making the Beastman known as Ottar, show even more reverence.
"I have something to report to you." Ottar solemnly said. "It''s about a rookie from the Loki Familia."
Hearing this, Freya finally took her gaze away from the beautiful scenery outside the window.
"Loki?" Freya swayed the wine in her hand as if recalling or savoring something. After a while, she indifferently said, "I have heard recently that her familia has recruited a rookie with an amazing talent."
"Yes." Ottar said indifferently. "I believe attention should be given to that rookie, so I came here to report."
"Oh?" Freya suddenly became interested and smiled slightly. "A child that can make you say something like that has piqued my curiosity."
With that, she finally turned around.
With this turn, as if all the light in the world gathered simultaneously on her body, the surroundings dimmed.
This was only natural.
Because Goddess Freya was exceptionally beautiful.
As beings that came from heaven, Gods generally possessed near-perfect appearances. Except for some deliberately existing in the world in the forms of the elderly or children, almost all Gods had faces that could cause national disasters.
And the beautiful appearance of Freya was exceptional even among these generally perfect Gods.
In this world, there were various Gods of Fire, Gods of Water, Gods of War, or Gods of Death, controlling various concepts in various fields, with each God being unique.
Among these numerous Gods, the concept controlled by Freya was precisely the concept of ''Beauty''.
She was a genuine Goddess of Beauty.
"Tell me..." Freya, gazed at Ottar with her autumn-like beautiful eyes, her most powerful and loyal follower. "What kind of child has caught your attention?"
At her question, Ottar answered with a calm and steady voice.
"His name is Riezel Brynhart, a rookie who joined Loki Familia just over a month ago. He is a Human, 17 years old this year, but has caused a huge stir in Orario several times and gained considerable fame."
His eyes glowed with deep radiance as he exined.
"His growth speed was astonishing. In just over a month, he went from being an ordinary mortal who had never received a blessing to someone who achieved incredible feats repeatedly. In that short time, he leveled up from Level 1, a low-ss adventurer, to Level 4, a second-ss adventurer. The Guild was so surprised that they sent people to Twilight Manor several times to verify."
His exnation left even the Goddess of Beauty amazed.
"What? He leveled up from Level 1 to Level 4 in just over a month?"
Such an absurd piece of news would have made Freya think Ottar was intentionally teasing her if she didn''t know he couldn''t joke like that. Even so, she remained somewhat skeptical.
"Does such a mortal really exist?" Freya wondered, still in disbelief.
No choice.
Even the Sword Princess, who held the record for the fastest level up to Level 2, took a whole year to achieve such a feat, bing the most talented individual acknowledged by the world and various Gods.
Now someone was telling her that a rookie, who had received the blessing not long ago, shattered this record in just over a month and leveled up not just once, but several times during this short period.
How could the Goddess of Beauty not be surprised?
The incredibleness of such a feat was unimaginable, even for the Gods.
However, all of this was reality.
"Fifty-two days ago, Riezel Brynhart officially joined Loki Familia and received a blessing."
"Forty-five days ago, Riezel Brynhart defeated an irregr known as Crocodile Dragon on the 6th Floor and officially leveled up to Level 2."
"Thirty days ago, Riezel Brynhart, along with one party member, encountered a monster feast on the 16th Floor during exploration. After a battlesting several hours, he sessfully defeated all the monsters and leveled up to Level 3."
"And as of today, Riezel Brynhart has been confirmed to have gone alone to the 17th Floor, awakened Floor Boss Goliath, and ultimately seeded in defeating it, officially leveling up to Level 4."
Ottar listed Riezel''s feats as if they were treasures in a deep voice.
"All these feats have been officially acknowledged and recognized by the Guild, and the Guild has made them public."
Hearing all of these, Freya fell silent.
Because each of Riezel''s aplishments was enough to shock the world.
Forty-five days ago, the irregr on the 6th Floor was self-evident. After the inspection from the Guild, it was confirmed that the Crocodile Dragon born at that time could be ssified as a Level 2 dragon species. To defeat such a monster at Level 1 was truly incredible.
Simrly, ''Monster Feast'' was also considered as irregr, a phenomenonmonly witnessed only from the 10th Floor onwards.
Generally, the number of monsters appearing on each floor of the dungeon was fixed. They wouldn''t increase beyond a certain number, and when they decreased, new monsters would break through the dungeon walls. During this period, the interval between the birth of the next monster varied depending on the floor, but it never exceeded about a day.
But Monster Feast was different.
This was a phenomenon where numerous monsters were born instantly in the same area.
Once this phenomenon urred, even a ce that was empty just a second ago would be filled with monsters in the blink of an eye, trapping adventurers in a life-or-death situation.
Such a predicament typically urred in the middle floors where Level 2 monsters were prevalent.
At that time, Riezel, who was also Level 2, managed to engage in a death battle with Lefiya and sessfully defeated all Level 2 monsters. It was nothing short of a miracle.
As for floor bosses, they were even more terrifying than irregrs.
Monsters in the dungeon were usually born in no more than about a day, but some monsters required a specific cycle before spawning.
These monsters appeared only after several weeks or even months and were restricted to specific floors. They not only possessed bodies that far exceeded the size ofrge-species monsters but also exhibited unparalleled strengthpared to other monsters on the upper floors, leaving adventurers and monsters on the upper floors in awe and fear.
The Guild officially named these monsters ''Monster Rex''. However, adventurers usually called them ''Floor Boss''.
Their strength was spected to be the level of monsters on the floor they were on, plus two.
In other words, if the other monsters on the floor were mostly ssified as Level 1, the floor boss would be on Level 3. If the other monsters were ssified as Level 2, then the floor boss would be on Level 4.
Floor bosses were monsters that adventurers had to form arge party to challenge and conquer.
The first floor boss in the dungeon was residing on the 17th Floor, known as ''Goliath''¡ªa monster with arge body reaching seven meters.
Although Goliath was ssified as a Level 4 floor boss, due to its massive size, it was essentially an ''Endurance (END)'' specialized monster.
This floor boss could easilypete with Level 5 adventurers in terms of ''END'' alone. It was impossible for a Level 3 adventurer to single-handedly defeat such a monster without leveling up.
Yet, Riezel did it.
All of his deeds eventually create a stir in Orario, prompting the Guild to send someone to Loki Familia to verify.
"Riezel Brynhart..."
Freya whispered softly, her eyes filled with an inexplicable radiance.
"Loki is still as fortunate as ever, actually finding such a child. I wonder how brilliant this child''s ''brilliance'' is..."
Her sensual whisper did not shake Ottar.
"How should we deal with this situation, Lady Freya?" Ottar asked respectfully.
He came here and reported Riezel''s situation truthfully for this reason. After all, Freya Familia was one of the strongest familias in Orario, along with Loki Familia.
Loki Familia was both apetitor and a formidable rival with whom a sh was not surprising at any time. For this reason, he came to report to his Goddess as soon as he received the news.
Hearing Ottar''s question, Freya extended her slender fingers, tapped her cheek, and fell into thought.
After pondering for a while, she finally spoke.
"Ensure everyone keeps a close eye on this child. If there''s any news, report it to me right away."
After saying that, a beautiful smile appeared on her stunning face.
"As for me... I''ll find an opportunity to personally taste him myself."
Chapter 40: Progression
Chapter 40: Progression
Twilight Manor, Courtyard.
At this moment, there were still people practicing in this ce.
Riezel and Ais were unleashing a vast disy of sword shes, engaging in an intense sword dance.
Unlike before, today''s sword dance not only surpassed any previous ones in intensity but also showcased a level of skill umon for both of them.
Riezel seemed to have transformed, effortlessly moving his body, creating bursts of energy with each casual motion. His speed was enough to break the sound barrier.
The sword in his hand sent out countless chilly sword shes, resembling a storm of relentless attacks, ceaseless and boundless, an endless fast attack aimed at Ais.
Faced with this new Riezel, Ais no longer confronted him with just her scabbard as she used to. Instead, she wielded her silver sword, Desperate, maneuvering through the storm of sword edges that he weaved.
She swiftly parried and struck back, with no trace of her previous calm demeanor in every move.
In the rtively narrow courtyard, a swordsman and swordswoman fiercely battled, chasing each other at a terrifying speed. Their figures weaved through a flurry of sword glows and shadows, leaving traces on the ground. The atmosphere waspletely disrupted, creating a scene that was soul-stirring, with the wind and dust in turmoil."A-Amazing..."
Lefiya, holding two towels, stood on the side while trembling in anxiety as she watched their battle¡ªtruly pitiable.
The sword shes between Riezel and Ais had reached a point where onlookers were left awestruck.
*DING!*
At a certain moment, with the fierce sh of their two swords, the two figures, chasing and intertwining at astonishing speed, finally separated.
Riezel''s figure kept retreating, moving back several meters.
Ais, on the other hand, only took a step or two back, faring better than him.
"..."
"..."
They stayed silent and looked into each other eyes, maintaining a standoff, creating a tense atmosphere in the gradually calming air.
It wasn''t until after a while that the two finally broke the standoff, seemingly as if on cue, simultaneously sheathing their swords.
"Th-Thanks for your hard work! Mr. Riezel! Miss Ais!"
Seeing them finally stop, Lefiya snapped back to reality and quickly approached, handing towels to Riezel and Ais.
"Thanks."
"Thank you."
Riezel and Ais both expressed their gratitude and epted the towels at the same time, their movements perfectly synchronized, as if looking into a mirror, giving off an incredible sense of understanding.
"Muu..." Lefiya, whether feeling heartache or jealousy, puffed her cheeks slightly as she observed this scene.
Unfortunately, neither Riezel nor Ais noticed her; their attention was focused on each other.
"Judging by your movements, you should be adapting quite well by now, right?" Ais spoke with an indeterminate emotion in her voice.
"Not bad..." Riezel said with a slight smile. "Although the transitions between some moves still feel a bit unnatural, it''s close enough. Now, all that''s left is to familiarize myself with the current power of my body."
"That''s good." Ais nodded while staring directly at his face. "You''ve really be very strong now. Even though you just leveled up, you seem more powerful than many Level 4 adventurers I know."
Upon hearing her statement, Riezel maintained a calm expression on his face, but inside, he felt different.
After over a month had passed since the Crocodile Dragon''s incident, he had progressed from a Level 1 low-ss adventurer to a Level 4 second-ss adventurer and was quite satisfied with the effort he had put into reaching this point.
Even the protagonist in the original work took four and a half months to go from Level 1 to Level 4, while Riezel managed to do it almost three months faster. If he wasn''t satisfied with this achievement, he believed he would be tempting the wrath of the heavens.
Moreover, whether leveling up from Level 2 to Level 3 or from Level 3 to Level 4, he fully cashed in on his potential, choosing to level up only after achieving SSS in all basic abilities. This approach resulted in a better potentialpared to the original work''s protagonist, not to mention ordinary adventurers.
In addition, the development ability''s choices of ''Swordsman'' at Level 3 and ''Lightweight'' at Level 2 significantly enhanced his power. Coupled with a month of frequent sparring with Ais, Riezel had acquired exceptional swordsmanship from her.
Despite having just reached Level 4, his power was already on par with the top Level 4 adventurers.
And this didn''t even take magic into ount.
Considering magic, including the overpowered one like ''Ariel'', Riezel could probablypete with Level 5 first-ss adventurers.
This was evident from the fact that he could push Ais, a Level 5 seasoned adventurer, back a step or two in a direct confrontation, unlike the surprise attack heunched over a month ago during a moment of her vulnerability.
However, every advantage has its downside.
Riezel''s rapid improvements meant that every leveling up caused a surge in power that his body struggled to adapt to. Hence, the sparring sessions with Ais were crucial for him to limate to his current body''s power.
In summary, he had indeed grown significantly, getting much stronger.
Although he still felt that his current self wasn''t strong enough, achieving this level of advancement in just over a month still made him satisfied.
Of course, this kind of progress, if seen through the eyes of Ais and Lefiya, who were equally eager to grow and get stronger, would leave both of them withplex feelings.
Especially Lefiya, as Riezel''s party member and witness to his struggles since Level 1, admired him but also felt frustrated with herself.
"Mr. Riezel is already at Level 4, yet I''m still at Level 3. It''s really embarrassing..." Lefiya sighed in resignation.
Ais, standing nearby, wore a serious expression as she felt an indescribable pressure from him.
Even though she could currently outmatch Riezel slightly, witnessing his rapid growth at a rate bordering absurd, she felt that soon, he would catch up.
After all, she was Level 5, and with just one more level up, he wouldpletely catch up to her. At that point, considering his disyed power, potential, and innate talent, could she still exceed him?
The more Ais thought about it, the more tense and pressured she felt.
"Please don''t say that..." Riezel shook his head, addressing Lefiya. "I only took advantage of some convenient skills. With your potential, you should be able to reach Level 4 quickly, right?"
As far as he knew, Lefiya had already developed ''MAG'' to C-rank. ording to the leveling-up rules, achieving a D-rank in any basic ability would qualify her for a level up. She already had the qualifications; the only thing shecked was an outstanding exploit to gain high-rank excelia, which wasn''t too difficult for her to achieve.
Given the existence of several first-ss adventurers in Loki Familia, they could assist and support her in umting enough high-rank excelia, as long as she genuinely wished to level up.
As long as Lefiya willed it, leveling up to Level 4 wasn''t that difficult.
What was challenging was leveling up to be Level 5, the starting point of first-ss adventurers.
To reach that level, mere exploits weren''t enough. One must umte more high-rank excelia and defeat stronger enemies than before. Exploits sufficient to propel one to Level 5, even the Level 6 top executives might not be able to assist inpleting.
It was precisely because of this reason that in Loki Familia, there were quite a few second-ss adventurers at Level 3 and Level 4, but only four Level 5 first-ss adventurers.
Probably because the high-rank excelia required to reach Level 5 wasn''t something easily umted.
''I wonder how long it''ll take for me to reach Level 5?''
Riezel, whileforting Lefiya, was also pondering this in his heart.
To reach Level 2, he took 7 days.
To reach Level 3, he took 15 days.
To reach Level 4, he took 30 days.
By this calction, could he sessfully reach Level 5 before the 100 days of dimensional travel end?
''It seems I''ll need to put in more effort than before.''
That was what Riezel''s heart was thinking, something that would once again make Ais and Lefiya feel emotionallyplicated.
"By the way, Mr. Riezel..." Lefiya suddenly seemed to remember something and looked at him.
"What''s up?" Riezel snapped back to attention and faced her.
"Just now, before I came here, I bumped into Lady Riveria. She asked me to tell you that after the sparring session with Miss Ais, you must go visit Captain."
"Captain?" Riezel puzzled. "Does Captain need something from me?"
"I don''t know." Lefiya shook her head. "But since it''s Captain, there should be something important to discuss."
"Is that so...?" Riezel pondered, and shortly afterward nodded. "Gotcha, then I''ll go see him."
"Um." Lefiya had no objections.
"Be careful on the road." Ais also spoke up.
In front of the two girls, Riezel turned and walked into the manor while waving his hand.
"I-Is Miss Ais free now?" Lefiya, seeing him leave, immediately became somewhat hesitant and shyly asked. "Would you like to go out together?"
What a pity, her invitation was met with Ais''s blunt refusal.
"No, I need to practice a bit more."
Feeling the pressure and stimted by Riezel''s rapid progress, Ais had no other thoughts and just wanted to seize the time to get stronger.
"..."
Lefiya''s shy expression suddenly became forced, looking somewhat stiff and helpless, almost on the verge of tears.
===
On the other side, Riezel was making his way through the corridor, entering the northern tower.
Inside Twilight Manor, among the three towers designated for male use, Finn''s private room and office were located in the northernmost tower, directly opposite of manor''s main entrance.
Riezel, relying on memory, arrived at the room and knocked on the door.
*Knock!* *Knock!*
"Come in."
Finn''s response came immediately from behind the door, prompting Riezel to push open the double doors and step into the room.
The sight before him was the office connected to Finn''s private room.
Being the office of the familia''s top executive and captain, the room was naturally quite spacious. The interior not only featured bookshelves covering an entire wall but also vibrant carpets and even an elongated grand clock, giving off a sense of steady warmth.
Finn was seated at the back of the office, behind arge desk that seemed mismatched with his small stature.
The office wasn''t upied solely by him; Riveria and Gareth, the other two top executives of the familia, were also present.
''They all here?''
Riezel expressed some surprise inwardly.
His instincts told him that something important might be about to happen.
Chapter 41: Expedition?
Chapter 41: Expedition?
"Wee."
As Riezel strolled through the door, Finn, engaged in a conversation with Riveria and Gareth, turned his head and greeted him.
The other two also simultaneously turned their heads, focusing their gaze on his body. Their eyes held a look one gives upon finding treasure¡ªfilled with satisfaction and contentment.
"Captain, Lady Riveria, Mr. Gareth."
Riezel greeted each of the three top executives of the familia one by one. His attitude wasn''t overly respectful, but he maintained a proper amount of courtesy.
"Don''t be too formal, just rx, okay? Just call my name directly."
Riveria, breaking from her usual seriousness and strict demeanor, smiled at him.
"Don''t be nervous, kid. We old folks just want to have a chat with you, not to scold you. Regarding you going out on your own to take on the floor boss of the 17th Floor, Loki will be the one who will talk about it with youter. We''re not ying the bad guys this time."
Gareth spoke with a smirk while stroking his beard, making Riezel feel a bit awkward.Naturally, he wouldn''t tell Gareth that Loki had already scolded him. After all, he hadn''t informed anyone about his n of soloing the floor boss. Even Lefiya had someints about it.
If he hadn''t seeded and leveled up, which diverted some of Loki and Lefiya''s attention, he might still be getting scolded by those two.
Surprisingly, Ais seemed to be deep in thought since he sessfully defeated the floor boss. She had been wearing a thoughtful expression all morning, making him somewhat worried that the doll princess might be influenced by him, leading to some reckless and dangerous actions.
In this situation, Gareth''s teasing made him feel a bit uneasy.
"It''s really a mess..." Riveria toned down her smile a bit, indicating that she didn''t entirely approve of his risky actions.
"How''s it going? Have you adapted to your new strength?" Finn asked with a smile.
Only Finn, who looked at Riezel, a super rookie who jumped from Level 1 to Level 4 in just over a month, spoke with a smile akin to a friendly brother, which relieved Riezel a bit.
"It''s getting there..." Riezel replied truthfully. "With a couple more real battles in the dungeon, I should fully adapt."
"That''s good." Finn nodded. "The main reason we called you here this time is to check on your progress and prepare for the uing expedition."
"Expedition?" Riezel was surprised at first, but soon, his eyes lit up.
"That''s right, an expedition." Finn, seeing Riezel''s expression, was somewhat helpless but also understanding. "It''s been over a month since ourst expedition. It''s time for our familia to venture into the dungeon again."
As one of the exploration-type familia in Orario, Loki Familia had always been at the forefront of dungeon exploration.
Just as adventurers explored dungeons as their main job, it was inevitable for big familias tounch expeditions into the dungeon.
However, for familia like Loki Familia, which needed to venture to the depths below the 50th Floor each time, the preparations alone took a lot of effort.
Not to mention the resources required during expeditions, which often involved spending a considerable amount of time preparing. Food and water were secondary, as they could be obtained in the dungeon. The main preparations usually involved weapons, equipment, medicine, and special items to deal with various situations.
Therefore, big familias generally embarked on an expedition every 1 to 2 months.
Now, it was the time.
Finn, Riveria, and Gareth called Riezel here for this reason.
"Even though you''ve only been part of familia for less than two months, technically, you shouldn''t be immediately involved in such a significant familia activity like an expedition. But, hey, you''re already Level 4 and we three want you to join us on the next expedition. It''s a decision the three of us made, with Loki personally giving the green light. If you have any objections, feel free to voice them here." Finn exined with a friendly smile.
Objections? Riezel didn''t have any.
Delving into the depths of the dungeon, battling high-level monsters that most people steer clear of¡ªthis was exactly what he had been hoping for. He had been eagerly anticipating an expedition for a while, and now that the opportunity was here, he wasn''t about to pass it up.
"I have no objections." Riezel replied without hesitation. "Please make sure I get to participate."
He didn''t hide his excitement and eagerness.
This left Finn and the other two exchanging puzzled nces, followed by awkward smiles.
"See? I knew this kid would be excited..." Gareth remarked, feigning irritation.
"We thought you''d be less trouble than Ais and the other kids, but it looks like we need to keep a close eye on you too..." Riveria sighed.
"No objections, of course, are the best..." Finn chuckled and shook his head. "But considering the importance of the expedition and it''s also your first time, think about whether there''s anything you need to prepare for."
His words prompted Riezel to sink into contemtion.
There wasn''t much he needed to do to prepare.
For others, it might involve preparing armor and stocking up on medicines, but for him, thanks to his ''Lightweight'' development ability, he preferred minimal equipment. Because of that, he had abandoned armor since reaching Level 2.
He also didn''t need medicines to restore stamina or mind because his ''Endless'' skill already granted him ''Healing Power'' and ''Spirit Healing'' development abilities at the highest rank, making him hardly feel fatigued. Coupled with the highest rank ''Abnormal Resistance'', he was also fearless against abnormal statuses.
Apart from high potions and elixirs for treating injuries, he didn''t have much of a demand for other types of medicine.
During the expedition, the familia would take care of most of the medicine preparation, while Riezel hardly needed to fuss over that.
In essence, his preparations were minimal. Though not entirely since there was one important thing he needed to sort out.
Riezel involuntarily shifted his gaze to his waist where a sword hung, strapped to his side.
Finn noticed this.
"Ahh, I see... Are you having trouble with your weapon?" Finn asked in one breath, hitting the nail on the head.
Riveria and Gareth exchanged a nce, surprisingly showing no signs of confusion.
"Is it because of Ais''s magic?" Riveria spoke up.
"Yeah..." Riezel nodded, sighing. "Due to the magic, my weapon couldn''t keep up with my current power."
The weapon he currently used was custom-made when he reached Level 2. In the past battle against the Crocodile Dragon, his main weapon shattered under the strain of Ariel''s maximum output.
Afterward, he found a reputable weapon shop, provided the Crocodile Dragon''s w Lefiya had retrieved as raw material, andmissioned the cksmith there to forge a new weapon.
In the end, for 800,000 valis, with some financial assistance from Lefiya, he sessfully obtained third-ss equipment, the sword he now wielded.
For third-ss equipment, it should be more than enough for a second-ss adventurer''s main weapon. At least, if an average adventurer had it, they could continue using it even up to Level 4 without being held back by their weapon.
However, for him who possessed overpowered magic like ''Ariel'', capable of putting an enormous strain on weapons at any time, using this third-ss equipment made from the Crocodile Dragon''s w was bing somewhatcking.
Moreover, he had now reached Level 4; even when he was at Level 2 or Level 3, it was already quite risky.
For example, during the encounter with the monster feast on the 16th Floor, to break through and protect Lefiya, he once again unleashed Ariel''s maximum output, resulting in a crack in the sword.
During the duel with the floor boss of the 17th Floor, he also once again unleashed Ariel''s maximum output.
At this moment, not just one but several cracks already appeared on his sword, almost breaking it outright.
The damage from these two incidents forced him to spend a considerable amount of money on repairs.
Now at Level 4, his power had soared once again, and his Ariel was undoubtedly stronger than before. If he used Ariel inbat, even without reaching its maximum output, he could potentially destroy his sword.
It was seriously affecting his ability to fight.
Especially since he had acquired a development ability called ''Swordsman'', not having a good sword in hand would greatly impact hisbat power.
"If there''s anything I need to prepare thoroughly, it''s probably finding a strong and sturdy weapon." Riezel said earnestly to the three top executives, considering it the only thing he currently needed to focus on, a top priority.
""Weapon?"" Riveria and Gareth nodded simultaneously.
"Okay..." Finn hesitated for a moment. "In that case,e with me to Hephaestus Familia."
Hephaestus Familia.
This was the unparalleled cksmith familia in Orario.
In Orario, there were familias of various types, from exploration-focused ones to those engaged in business activities. Hephaestus Familia fell into thetter category.
Their main business was selling various weapons and equipment, and most of the members were advanced cksmiths, those who had acquired a development ability known as ''cksmith''.
"I have a batch of orders to ce there. Since you need a good weapon, might as welle with me."
Finn extended an invitation to Riezel.
"Thank you!" Riezel nodded heavily.
Not long after, the two of them walked out of the office and left Twilight Manor.
Chapter 42: Hephaestus Familia
Chapter 42: Hephaestus Familia
Orario, Northeast Street.
This was Orario''s proud magic stone production hub, adjacent to the industrial zone''s manufacturing sector.
Under Finn''s guidance, Riezel entered this ce.
Unlike the northwest street, mostly popted by adventurers, pedestrians here were mostlyborers in work uniforms.
There was a middle-aged human with strong muscles, carrying equipment.
A beastman walked alongside a merchant, engaged in conversation.
Several dwarves, robust and muscr, were arguing and shouting.
A cksmith with weapons on his back loudly advertised, seemingly introducing his proud creations.
The sound of iron being hammered echoed everywhere, and the metallic scent filled the air. This was an entirely industrial street, with hardly any buildings other than factories, workshops, and forges. Not even a single woman or child could be seen.Walking down such a street, Riezel and Finn, with their vibrant clothes, looked somewhat out of ce.
Fortunately, both of them were unfazed by such trivial matters. Their strong characters made them appear natural andposed, walking step by step toward the center of the street, undisturbed by the curious and scrutinizing gazes.
Before long, they arrived at a particr workshop.
It was a in building.
Seemingly not well-maintained, the building was covered in coal ash. The sound of iron striking seemed more intense and resonant here than anywhere else.
"We''re here." Finn stood in front of the workshop and turned his head to Riezel.
"Here?"
Despite some spection, Riezel couldn''t help but be surprised when he realized this building was their destination.
The workshop didn''t really look like a facility important figures from Hephaestus Familia would use.
As a cksmith familia specialized in selling equipment, Hephaestus Familia''s reputation in Orario and the world rivaled that of Loki Familia.
The reason was simple.
If Loki Familia was one of the strongest familias in exploration, then Hephaestus Familia was the strongest in smithing.
The Goddess of this Familia was the renowned Goddess of Smithing, Hephaestus.
The familia organized by this Goddess not only attracted numerous cksmiths but also had aprehensive talent cultivation system. It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say Hephaestus Familia was a prestigious school for cksmiths.
With so many skilled cksmiths gathered, including advanced ones with the ability to possess ''cksmith'' development ability, it was easy to imagine the excellence of the weapons produced by this familia.
Back then, Hephaestus Familia had be a premium brand worldwide. Products from this familia enjoyed the highest honor among peers. Any equipmentbeled ''Created by Hephaestus Familia'' immediately gained the admiration of countless people, and its value skyrocketed.
In a situation like this, the one who could get Finn to personally show up andmission an order had to be an important figure and higher-up of Hephaestus Familia.
An important figure from the renowned Hephaestus Familia was staying in a ce like this was beyond surprising for Riezel.
On the other hand, Finn could onlyugh when he saw his reaction.
"Don''t mind it. Most famous cksmiths have this kind of personality. They''d rather huddle in a dirty workshop, hammering away at iron, than sit in a fancy office. The one we''re looking for stands out among this group."
Finn exined while ncing at Riezel''s face.
"If we arranged to meet somewhere else, who knows when this person would have time? But if it''s here, this person will be one hundred percent present."
After saying that, he went ahead and pushed open the door.
"Let''s go. We''ve already given notice. Since no one came out to greet us, we''ll just go in ourselves."
Finn entered and led the way. Riezel followed suit and quickly caught up with Finn as they entered a spacious forging workshop.
The ce was dimly lit, with only a few magic stonemps shrouded in darkness. Deep inside, a faint red glow emanated from the forge, and the air was thick with the smell of iron. This atmosphere would make most people want to keep their distance.
"Tsubaki! Are you there?" Finn shouted towards the forging workshop, seemingly unfazed by the surroundings.
"I''m here!"
A voice responded the next second.
With a powerful response, a figure emerged from the forging workshop, bathed in the glow of the forge.
Surprisingly, it was a woman.
She had a beautiful face, long limbs, ck hair, red eyes, and wore an Eastern-style work outfit. Her lower half was d in bright red hakama, while the upper half was wrapped in white fabric, attracting attention.
Her skin was tan, darker than the wheat-colored skin of Tiona and Tione, and she wore an eyepatch on her eye, giving her a unique appearance.
This attractive woman weed Finn with enthusiasm.
"Hey, Finn! It''s been ages!" The woman called Tsubaki eximed with a grin. "You''re still rockin'' that youthful charm. Come here, let me hug you!"
She moved in for a hug, not minding the presence of someone else.
"No thanks." Finn avoided her with a nonchnt movement. "Goddess Hephaestus isn''t here?"
"Yeah, she''s not here." Tsubaki pouted. "She''s been in a bad moodtely, probably because her friend crashing at her ce is a total cker. She''s got loads of resentment for that freeloader. I guess she''s too caught up dealing with that mess to bother with us."
Finn didn''t react to her words, but Riezel, who stood nearby, raised an eyebrow without a trace. Unfortunately, neither of the two noticed this.
After chatting for a few moments, they turned to Riezel.
"Let me introduce her to you..." Finn said with a smile, ncing at Riezel. "Tsubaki Collbrande, Captain of Hephaestus Familia, a top-tier cksmith among many in Orario. Plus, she''s a Level 5 first-ss adventurer, with a reputation that''s no less impressive than mine."
He was about to introduce Riezel when Tsubaki interrupted.
"Riezel Brynhart, Loki Familia''s rookie. A supernova who rose from Level 1 to Level 4 in just over a month. How could I not know him? Everyone''s buzzing about him in Orario, especially the Gods. I heard they''re all digging for info on him. Even my Goddess is keeping tabs. Finally got a chance to meet you!"
"Hello." Riezel nodded to her, maintaining a calm expression without any hint of self-satisfaction.
"Hmm? Seems like he''s got a calm and serious vibe, huh?" Tsubaki said while scratching her head. "I can''t really deal with this kind of personality, y''know."
"Don''t worry, Tsubaki." Finn took the opportunity to tease her. "Don''t be fooled by his current appearance. Even I would be cautious if this boy loses it. He''s not as calm as you think."
"Oh? Seriously?" Tsubaki''s eyes lit up, then she burst outughing. "That''s awesome. Imagine if everyone had this deathly aura like you old folks, it''d be so dull, y''know."
She said that whilepletely disregarding gender differences, wrapping her arms around Riezel''s neck.
"Rookies gotta have that rookie vibe, y''know. All that energy, a little wildness¡ªthat''s what makes them cute." Tsubaki grinned. "What if you crash at my spot for a bit? I''ll make sure you''re all good, huh?"
"Cut it out, Tsubaki. Aren''t you just looking for a freeborer to swing that hammer for you?"
Finn, with no trace of politeness, swatted away her hand on Riezel.
"Don''t mess with the future backbone of our familia. If anything happens to him, be ready for Loki and Riveria toe after you."
"Ugh, okay, okay... You''re no fun." Tsubaki gave in and mumbled. "If that Goddess of Mischief and Elf Princess are both eyeing him, I''m screwed..."
Finn shot her a look that said ''As long as you know'', making her raise her hands in surrender, while Riezel, who almost couldn''t keep up with the situation, just rubbed his nose awkwardly.
But, honestly speaking, her tight embrace felt not bad at all.
Quite soft.
Wondering what Riezel was thinking, Tsubaki ced her hands on her hips and got down to business.
"Okay, enough with the jokes. Give me the order." Tsubaki reached out her hand to Finn. "You''re here for spare weapons and equipment for your familia expedition, yeah?"
Bulk ordering spare weapons was precisely Finn''s goal.
While members of Loki Familia had their preferred weapons, they would wear out, and different situations demanded different weapons. Therefore, when going on expeditions, besides medicine, the most essential preparation was spare weapons.
Especially useful in group battles, long-range weapons yed a crucial role and required significant preparation for effective offense and defense.
In light of this, every familia, regardless of which, would order arge quantity of weapons as spares for each expedition. For a big familia like Loki Familia, preparing for an expedition beyond the 50th Floor required even more.
So, on every expedition, Loki Familia wouldmission arge order from the forging business familia, and Hephaestus Familia often took up these orders.
It could be said that Loki Familia was a regr customer of Hephaestus Familia, and Tsubaki, as the captain of Hephaestus Familia, had a close rtionship with them.
Given this background, she naturally understood Finn''s purpose ining today.
But today was a bit different.
"Here''s the order. Get it done as quickly as possible." Finn handed a parchment to Tsubaki. "Besides this, I also need you to create a weapon for your so-called supernova."
"Oh?"
Tsubaki took the parchment without looking at it and instead nced at Riezel¡ªmore precisely, she was looking at the sword at his waist.
"Nice workmanship, but it shows plenty of wear and tear already. Probably been patched up a bunch, yeah?"
The discerning eye of Orario''s strongest cksmith was truly sharp. She urately assessed the sword''s condition with just a nce, all the while grinning.
"Seems like this third-ss equipment doesn''t suit its user. Wanna hire me to whip up a new one? Just spill your requirements."
Chapter 43: Durandal
Chapter 43: Durandal
Inside the workshop, facing Tsubaki''s curious gaze, Riezel didn''t hesitate much and immediately stated the requirements he had thought about in advance.
"I need a sword that is as sturdy as possible, not easily damaged, and preferably with the Durandal attribute."
Durandal.
As the name suggested, it was an attribute that made weapons indestructible and absolutely resistant to damage.
Weapons crafted by advanced cksmiths with the ''cksmith'' development ability often carried some magic attributes, magic effects, or special attributes like Durandal. It was a rtively rare and advanced special attribute.
Ais''s sword, Desperate, was an example of first-ss equipment with the Durandal attribute.
Given her use of Ariel, which put a huge strain on weapons and could potentially lead to their destruction, she custom-made her sword to prolong the time she could spend in battle without breaking her sword.
With this scenario in mind, Riezel, who was also prone to weapon damage due to possessing Ariel naturally considered a weapon with the Durandal attribute as his first choice.
"Wait, you want special equipment with Durandal?" Tsubaki eximed with evident enthusiasm. "Looks like it''s gonna be quite a big order."Indeed, special equipment with the Durandal attribute, even for Hephaestus Familia, was considered a big order.
To put it bluntly, it was expensive as heck.
Special equipment with the Durandal attribute was at least second-ss equipment, and sometimes even first-ss equipment, with a price tag that was definitely not trivial.
Speaking frankly, even second-ss indestructible equipment could fetch tens of millions of valis, and it was not umon for first-ss indestructible equipmentto sell for hundreds of millions of valis.
And this was precisely the problem that gave Riezel a headache.
"My budget isn''t too generous. If it''s too pricey, let''s forget about Durandal." Riezel added with a wry smile. This was also why he said ''preferably'' rather than insisting on it.
With a price tag of at least tens of millions of valis, it was a significant burden for him, who had only been in the adventurer business for a little over a month.
Even though since teaming up with Lefiya, he no longer ignored magic stones and drop items, returning home every day with a full load, he still couldn''t umte that much wealth in just over a month.
Since reaching Level 2, Riezel and Lefiya had explored the middle floors beyond the 13th Floor. They earned hundreds of thousands of valis a day, and if they split it, each person got close to a hundred thousand valis.
At that rate of earning money in a month, Riezel had only earned a few million valis, including the 800,000 valis he needed to repay Lefiya for lending him the money for his current weapon.
Fortunately, during the duel with the 17th Floor Boss Goliath, he not only obtained arge magic stone but also a drop item called ''Goliath''s Skin''.
The value of a floor boss''s drop items was self-evident.
Adding to this was the significant earnings from the monster feast encountered on the 16th Floor a month ago. After selling all the magic stones and drop items, his savings were barely around 10 million valis.
This amount, if used to buy second-ss equipment, was just enough.
Second-ss equipment could be good or bad.
The good ones were not much worse than first-ss equipment, while the bad ones were just a bit better than third-ss equipment. Therefore, the prices for second-ss equipment fluctuated greatly, ranging from a few million valis to even a staggering ten million valis or more for those that were pushed to astronomical prices.
Unfortunately, the Durandal attribute fell into the category of special attributes. Most special equipment with Durandal was of high quality and rarely priced below 10 million valis.
Riezel, eager for a weapon with the Durandal attribute, found himself constrained by a limited budget. If there was no other option, he would have to settle for Tsubaki forging sturdy second-ss equipment.
Honestly, it felt like wasting a precious opportunity.
The finest cksmith in Orario was right in front of him, and her creations were undoubtedly top-notch. Any order from this master smith would typically warrant first-ss equipment.
Riezel was practically asking this renowned cksmith to create second-ss equipment, and it felt like a missed opportunity.
But with no money, there was no choice.
He epted reality.
If Tsubaki wasn''t willing to forge second-ss equipment, he would have to look for another cksmith.
If Finn hadn''t suggested it, Riezel wouldn''t have even considered ordering a weapon from Tsubaki, the strongest cksmith in Orario.
Originally, he intended to wait until Finn settled his ordermission for the expedition and then have another cksmith from Hephaestus Familia take on his own order. However, with Finn''s suggestion, he decided to just go for it.
Considering Finn''s and Loki Familia''s reputation, even if Tsubaki wasn''t interested in his request, other cksmiths from the familia would likely take it up, right?
Just as Riezel was lost in thought, Finn suddenly spoke up.
"Help him forge the best Durandal attribute weapon, Tsubaki."
Finn''s unexpected words left Riezel stunned.
"Captain?" Riezel looked at Finn in surprise.
"I know your budget is tight, so this time the familia will advance the funds for you." Finn smiled at the astonished Riezel. "With your growth speed, it won''t be long before even second-ss equipment won''t keep up with your strength. When that happens, the weapon you just bought will be abandoned, which is a waste of money."
As someone who had watched Ais grow, Finn understood the troubles that came with possessing overpowered magic called ''Ariel''.
Second-ss equipment.
Special equipment at this level was suitable as the main weapon even for Level 5 first-ss adventurers. It should have been more than enough for a Level 4 like Riezel.
However, Ariel was an unreasonable magic, not only affecting the user''s body but also the weapon. Ais had faced this problem before, eventually spending a considerable amount of money to order a custom weapon with the Durandal attribute.
Now that Riezel had gained the same magic, avoiding this issue was crucial. It could be said that a Durandal weapon was the most suitable for the user of Ariel.
Though its performance was slightly lower than other same-level weapons, the feature of not easily breaking was priceless for Riezel and Ais, who were prone to damaging their weapons.
Finn genuinely believed that, with Riezel''s growth speed, he would soon be a first-ss adventurer.
At that time, a weapon that barely met the requirements would once again fall behind his strength, resulting in abandonment.
Instead of that, it was better to be prepared early with the best one.
"The expedition is about to begin, and when the timees, even if you''re not the main force, you''ll still be a powerful vanguard. A good weapon is essential to unleash your full potential. It''s a good thing for you, for us, and for our familia." Finn patted Riezel''s thigh and smiled.
"..." Upon hearing that, Riezel fell into silence for a while before finally nodding. "I understand."
"Everything cool?" Tsubaki jumped in at the perfect time, shooting a nce over at Riezel. "So, am I grabbing this order? Any other request?"
"None." Riezel shook his head, then thought for a moment before adding, "If possible, I''d like the sword to be as light as possible."
This was, of course, a request made to trigger the ''Lightweight'' development ability effect. A lighter weapon would enhance the effectiveness of ''Lightweight'', amplifying its strengthening effects on his ''DEX'' and ''AGI''.
Therefore, Riezel''s only requirements for his weapon were that it should be sturdy and lightweight. He didn''t mind sacrificing other advantages as long as these two criteria were met.
Even if his weapon''s performance wasn''t outstanding or its power wasn''t strong enough, he couldpensate with the enhancement from Ariel. Just like how he didn''t need armor¡ªwith the wind protection from Ariel, there weren''t many attacks that could prate and harm him through the armor of wind.
"Got it!"
Tsubaki pped Riezel on the back with a hearty chuckle.
"I''m gonna forge the sickest sword for you! Just wait until you see how high my sword takes you, and you''ll be the hero that blows the minds of all the Gods!"
===
At the same time, on the 30th Floor of Babel, a Denatus was in session.
"No time for chit-chats!"
Loki, sitting in her seat, abruptly stood up, propped one foot on the table, and yelled with a menacing expression.
"The umpteenth Denatus! Let''s get this started already!"
""OHHH¡ª!""
With her deration, an astonishing cheer erupted.
Taking a closer look, the hall transformed into a temple that upied the entire floor, and numerous Gods were present.
In the spacious hall, aside from solemn rows of stone pirs, there was only arge round table in the middle, devoid of anything else.
The walls at a distance were entirely made of enormous ss, surrounded by the vast sky of thirty floors. The unusually high ceiling made the whole space incredibly expansive, seemingly endless.
Gods from various familias in Orario sat around therge round table one after another, and thanks to Loki''s deration, a tremendous cheer echoed.
"Here we go!"
"Finally, the day hase!"
"I couldn''t wait any longer!"
"So curious!"
"Hey, Loki! Satisfy our curiosity!"
"Yeah!"
Various Gods, regardless of gender, joined in the excitement.
Their target, naturally was the main character of this meeting¡ªLoki.
"Cut the crap!"
Loki was equally blunt, not mincing words and throwing in a few curses for good measure.
Chapter 44: Denatus
Chapter 44: Denatus
Denatus.
This was a meeting held only once every three months in the Labyrinth City, Orario.
Due to the participants being gods, this meeting was revered by the world as Denatus. In reality, it was just a gathering for various gods to alleviate boredom and seek entertainment.
Originally, it was merely a gathering of idle gods chatting about trivial matters to pass the time. As more gods joined, the meeting grew in scale.
Over time, the nature of the gathering changed, and it became a tform for various gods to share thetest information from the lower world, exchange opinions on operating familia, and even make resolutions that could impact the entire Orario in cooperation with the Guild.
Thanks to this, whether good or bad, any matter discussed and resolved in Denatus influenced the entire adventurermunity and the entire Orario.
The reason for Loki''s bad mood lies here.
After all, nobody knew better than her that in such grandiloquent asions for eloquence, a god who was more capricious and eager for entertainment and excitement than anyone else would start unpredictable topics.
Just like at this moment."Don''t be too harsh, Loki."
"C''mon, we just wanna know about that rookie in your familia."
"Haven''t the kids been spreading rumorstely?"
"Did your child really go from Level 1 to Level 4 in just over a month?"
"What method did he use?"
"Spill the beans!"
"That''s right, that''s right!"
Various gods had been anticipating this moment for a long time. Though seated in their respective seats without getting up, their gazes simultaneously converged on Loki''s body. They wore expressions of excitement so intense that, on a spiritual level, they surrounded her.
Watching these gods reveling in what seemed like a newfound amusement, Loki visibly wore an unpleasant expression.
With a child in her own familia making such incredible progress, she was naturally both proud and happy.
If it were a different asion, she wouldn''t mind having a few drinks and then boastfully praising Riezel as the darling of the world and the hero of fate, making others envy and admire.
But here, if she did that, it would only backfire.
These so-called gods, who thirst for the unknown and entertainment, would undoubtedly not mind doing something she least wanted to see when she was at her proudest.
Gods were creatures like that.
Even a passing thought that arises from a moment''s whim could lead to action, disrupting the entire Orario both spiritually and physically.
Therefore, Loki''s mood was not only very bad but her expression also didn''t look good.
"Why? Isn''t it normal for my kid to hit it big?" Loki, giving a menacing look, scanned every god and muttered in a deep tone. "Are you nning some sneaky moves behind my back? Alright then! If you''re itching for trouble and death, just bring it on!"
The notorious and violent side of the infamous evil goddess Loki made many of the excited and muddled-headed gods present shudder, quickly averting their gazes.
She was Loki, the goddess of one of the strongest familias in Orario.
If they really upset her, once Loki Familia starts trouble, even some major familias would inevitably suffer damages and may even be expelled from Orario.
Gods couldn''t use ''Arcanum'' in the lower world, but the stronger the familia, the more experts within, and therger the influence. If it came to conflicts or even wars between familias, few familias in Orario could match Loki Familia.
Therefore, many gods felt a bit intimidated by Loki. Some gods started to gaze elsewhere and cursed inside their hearts, no longer pressing for answers. Of course, some gods werepletely unafraid of her.
"Don''t be so angry, Loki. This is a rare meeting."
A voice as melodious as silver bells suddenly echoed in the hall, making various gods reveal intoxicated expressions one after another.
Especially the male gods, each sporting an enamored and foolish look.
However, when Loki heard that voice, her heart sank. She knew the most troublesome character had just entered.
Seated across from her, seemingly in a standoff, was the unmistakably prestigious Goddess of Beauty, Freya.
"Freya, huh?" Loki had this unpleasant look. "Why would a nympho like you even show up here? Ain''t you busy with your horny pets?"
At Loki''s insult, Freya only smiled, making the air in the entire hall seem sweeter.
"It''s been too long... I felt a sudden urge to drop by and see what was happening." Freya said with a smile. "Of course, I''m also a bit curious about that rookie of yours who''s making quite a buzz."
"Thanks but no thanks!" Loki replied ungraciously. "Can''t the pets you kept satisfy you?"
Despite Loki''s reproach and insult, Freya seemed unfazed.
"It seems you''re quite protective of that child..." Freya said with a smile as bright as flowers. "How about introducing him to me?"
"Tch!" Loki tantly clicked her tongue in annoyance.
Loki and Freya were old acquaintances. Back in heaven before various gods descended to the lower world, the two had dealings with each other.
However, saying their rtionship was good was difficult.
They had cooperated before, appearing close in front of others. They had also been enemies, engaging in a serious battle. Now, both of them had familias regarded as the strongest in Orario¡ªboth rivals and enemies.
In this situation, Loki knew what the goddess named Freya was up to. Without a doubt, she had her eyes on Riezel. Although not thoroughly, once this nympho goddessid eyes on him, things could spiral out of control.
"Are you sure you want to do this, Freya?" Loki, rarely revealing her nature as an evil goddess, showed a ferocious expression.
"..."
Now, the atmosphere in the entire hall seemed to freeze, bing incredibly oppressive.
Various gods instantly closed their mouths. One after another, they lowered their heads, cold sweats breaking out on their foreheads. Especially when they saw Freya''s increasingly intense smile, their hearts pounded.
This was a genuine conflict of gods.
''Fight, fight, fight, fight, fight...''
In such an exciting situation, several gods couldn''t help but think like that. This was truly a case of enjoying the show without worrying about the consequences.
However, where there were gods, fearing that the world wouldn''t be in chaos, there were gods who found such conflicts annoying.
"Alright, Loki, Freya, this is not the ce for your quarrel. Calm down."
A goddess spoke with a feeble voice, sitting not far from Loki. She had ming red hair and a vibrant red dress.
The red-haired goddess''s beauty was no less than Loki''s, and it wasparable even to Freya as the Goddess of Beauty. However, an eyepatch over her right eye somewhat diminished her overall aesthetic.
The one-eyed, red-haired goddess''s abrupt interruption eased the tension between Loki and Freya.
"Since even Hephaestus had said so, I guessed I''d have to yield." Freya shrugged her fragrant shoulders. "I didn''t want my children to miss out on the best equipment in the future."
The red-haired goddess was none other than Hephaestus. The goddess of the strongest cksmith familia in Orario and the legendary Goddess of Smith.
"What, so you''re here..." Loki grinned at Hephaestus. "I heard you''re taking care of that poor runt. I thought you wouldn''t show up."
"Don''t say that..." Hephaestus sighed. "I''m even wondering if it would have been better not to help her back then."
"It''s not toote to do that now, y''know~" Loki smirked. "Just kick that poor runt out of your home and let her fend for herself, yeah?"
Surprisingly, Hephaestus was considering it.
Not that she was heartless, but the lifestyle of the so-called ''poor runt'' from Loki''s mouth had fallen to a point where she couldn''t bear it. The resolute and hardworking Goddess of Smith wouldn''t be bothered to this extent otherwise.
Should she just throw her friend out for real?
Hephaestus began to seriously contemte the idea.
Watching this unfold, Loki''s eyes were squinting more as if she were thinking of some underhanded schemes.
Unfortunately, there was a more important matter she needed to do.
Loki was fully aware that she would be surrounded and forced to endure all her displeasure as she attended this meeting, all for the sake of this matter.
"Looks like you guys don''t have any other matters going on!" Loki pped the table. "Since that''s the case, let''s just start awarding aliases to the kids who''ve leveled up."
Yes, awarding alias.
This was one of the segments of the Denatus, a grand event in the lower world.
Anyone who leveled up and became a high-ss adventurer, whether they were the lowest Level 2 or the highest Level 7, would have their name mentioned here, and bestowed with a unique alias by various gods.
For example, Ais, her alias was ''Sword Princess''.
For example, Lefiya, her alias was ''Thousand Elf''.
Originally, Riezel was supposed to receive an alias when he reached Level 2. However, the previous Denatus had already urred before he leveled up to Level 2, so it was temporarily put on hold.
Until today, over a monthter, as Riezel had already reached Level 4, the Denatus was officially convened again. It must be said, this was the first time in history.
Various gods couldn''t help but feel emotional as they thought of Riezel.
Back then, Loki Familia''s Sword Princess, at the age of 8, reached Level 2 in just a year. All the gods at that time found it unbelievable.
Her growth speed was already quite bizarre. Forget about Orario, it even shocked the entire world. But now, there was another child with even more bizarre growth.
If Riezel weren''t from Loki Familia, most gods might have recklessly rushed to get him, no matter what.
At this moment, the goddess of the said child acted like a guard dog, baring her teeth at everyone.
"Let me make it clear, if anyone dares toe up with a messy alias for my kid, don''t me me for getting pissed." Loki threatened, making all the gods present quickly straighten their faces and think seriously.
Only Freya, looking at Loki''s ferocious appearance, slowly curled her lips.
Her expression was beautiful yet chilling.
Chapter 45: Alias
Chapter 45: Alias
Orario, Guild Headquarters.
As the dusk approached, heralding the onset of night, the Guild headquarters, resembling a grand temple, was bustling with a crowd of people.
One after another, people gathered in front of the bulletin board, gazing at the parchment papers affixed to it, immersing themselves in the livelymotion that turned the scene into a bustling market.
Numerous parchment papers adorned the bulletin board, but at this very moment, the one capturing the attention of everyone present was the one prominently disyed in the center.
It seemed as though even the Guild itself was boasting about the achievements and extraordinary nature of this particr parchment.
The contents of the parchment were meticulously written.
...
Riezel Brynhart
Affiliation: Loki FamiliaRace: Human
Age: 17
Profession: Adventurer
Current Floor: 17th Floor
Notable Achievement: Riezel Brynhart, an adventurer from Loki Familia, achieved a great feat on the 17th Floor by single-handedly defeating a Monster Rex, Goliath. This aplishment, spanning one month, marked his official level up to Level 4, earning him the alias¡ªTrickster Swordsman.
...
Posted on the bulletin board were sheets of parchment, precisely confirmed by the Guild and publicly announced adventurers'' information. The aliases decided upon in Denatus were now ringly disyed andid out for everyone to see.
This time, however, people were particrly focused on the most dazzling and intriguing individual among them. As they looked at the parchment posted in the middle of the bulletin board, discussions broke out without hesitation.
"Yo, is this Riezel Brynhart, that rookie from Loki Familia everyone''s been buzzing about?"
"The heck! He''s already hit Level 4?"
"He took down a floor boss alone? Seriously, is this some kinda joke?"
"But the Guild vouched for this info. How could it be fake, dude?"
"So, those rumors from earlier might be true? This dude was just a Level 1 a month back?"
"Who''s leveling up from Level 1 to Level 4 in just over a month? Is this for real?"
"The Sword Princess took a whole year for her first level up, but this rookie pulls off multiple levels in just over a month?"
"I''m having a hard time wrapping my head around it, y''know?"
Adventurers, one after another, expressed excitement, skepticism, astonishment, confusion, envy, and disbelief, creating a chaotic atmosphere in the Guild Hall. The Guild staff''s loud shouts couldn''t even quell the growingmotion.
"He''s here!"
Until a momentter, with a loud shout from an adventurer near the entrance, the crowd lost their mor.
A young man walked in from outside, heading straight towards the bulletin board.
"Is that Riezel Brynhart?"
"The Loki Familia rookie..."
"Dude, why are you still calling him a rookie? He''s Level 4 and got himself an official alias now, y''know."
As the crowd lowered their voices and involuntarily made way, creating a path, Riezel walked through the cleared path, making his way to the bulletin board where the parchment with his information was posted.
"Trickster Swordsman?"
Reading his alias, Riezel muttered it in a speechless tone, and his expression became subtly awkward.
''Loki called me over all mysteriously, looking all smug, to tell me to check my alias... If someone didn''t know, they''d think I received some impressive alias, but this...?''
He couldn''t quite figure out how good or bad his alias was. He couldn''t even see how he was rted to an alias like this.
Calling himself a swordsman was fine, as he indeed was one, even possessing the ''Swordsman'' development ability; there was no dispute there.
But where did this ''Trickster''e in?
His swordsmanship, learned from Ais, was very orthodox. It really had nothing to do with the term ''Trickster''.
Could it be that the gods perceive him as a schemer employing tricks in his swordsmanship?
Riezel was somewhat bewildered with his assumption.
However, he knew that this alias was actually not that awful.
If his memory served him right, any alias born on this so-called Denatus was likely meant to challenge the shame of the alias receiver, at least 9 out of 10 times.
Because the gods had an advanced perspective and a proneness for entertainment, the aliases they bestowed were often considered cool by mortals in this world but would make modern people cringe with embarrassment.
Think about Loki; she even threw around a term like ''humblebrag'' before. It showed god''s perspective was ahead of their time.
Suppose she hadn''t attended the Denatus, restraining various gods from recklessly giving him a cringe alias, he''d probably have been stuck with an alias like ''Breezede Prince'' or ''Tempest Sword Emperor'' by now.
Inparison, this ''Trickster Swordsman'' was much better¡ªor rather, tame.
''Now that I think about it, isn''t Loki considered to be the God of Mischief or Trickery in mythology?'' Riezel suddenly remembered the legend of Loki in his previous world.
Could the ''Trickster'' in his aliase from there?
Perhaps because he was the child of Evil Goddess Loki, who was skilled in trickery, mischief, and deception, they gave him the alias ''Trickster Swordsman''?
''Okay... Whatever...'' Riezel reluctantly epted this interpretation.
Seeing everyone around watching and sizing him up, with some adventurers even eyeing him, ready to approach and say something, he quickly turned away.
From the reactions around him, it was clear that only a few truly admired him. Most adventurers regarded him with skepticism and envy, which was expected for a neer like him.
This was only natural.
While others spent several years, even decades, reaching certain levels, he effortlessly reached them in just over a month. It challenged the darker aspects of mortal, which was understandable.
Not wanting to attract unnecessary attention or give others a chance to vent, Riezel turned and left, exiting the Guild headquarters and turning into a secluded alley, nning to take a shortcut back to Twilight Manor.
However, something unexpected happened.
"¡ª!"
Riezel suddenly stopped, furrowing his brow. A feeling of being watched crawled up his spine, sending a slight chill to the back of his neck.
"Who?" Riezel asked, silently stood in ce, waiting.
"Hmph."
Soon, a cold snort echoed in the dark alley.
Riezel abruptly turned around, looking towards a shadow.
In that shadow, a figure d in a ck hooded cloak silently appeared.
"Are you the Trickster Swordsman?"
The figure''s voice, unmistakably male and filled with displeasure and even hatred, emanated from the neer, deep and unforgiving.
"..."
Riezel didn''t answer; he only ced his hand on the sword at his waist, staring at the ck-cloaked figure.
This behavior only intensified the ck-cloaked figure''s displeasure and hatred.
"I asked you a question. Are people from Loki Familia like this? Don''t they understand basic manners?"
Those words and that tone only earned a cold look from Riezel.
"Manners are for those who also practice them. Do you think you have any?" Riezel said expressionlessly.
"Oh?" The ck-cloaked figure sneered. "Your mouth is sharp, but I wonder if your sword is the same?"
With that, the ck-cloaked figure raised a hand.
*Swish¡ª!*
*Swish¡ª!*
*Swish¡ª!*
In an instant, several ck blurs leaped down from the walls in all directions, surrounding Riezel. They also wore ck hooded cloaks with their faces obscured.
*Schwing!*
Seeing this, Riezel immediately unsheathed his sword.
Except for the first ck-cloaked figure, who seemed to be their leader, the rest of the ck-cloaked figures one after another drew weapons from under their cloaks and charged toward him,unching an assault without hesitation.
For a moment, various weapons such as daggers, spears, swords, and halberds were raised or swung down by them from different angles, leaving no opening for Riezel to evade and forcing him to defend.
The all-epassing attack left him with no room, making it nearly impossible to find space to dodge, and could only choose to parry.
This also told him that these attackers were not just a random group.
Judging by their coordinated attacks, these people must have fought together for several years and developed good teamwork.
Their strength was also impressive, definitely not ordinary adventurers.
''Level 2 third-ss adventurer? No! These people are at least Level 3 second-ss adventurers or even more...''
As that thought shed through his mind, Riezel took action.
*Whoosh!*
Apanied by the whistling sound of the wind, his figure blurred, rushing with lightning speed towards one of the attackers who hadn''t closed in yet. His sword turned into a silver sh, ruthlessly shing out.
*ng!*
The attacker was shocked, hastily raising their weapon to block the iing strike, but was pushed back by the tremendous impact.
Unperturbed, Riezel elerated again, leaving the previously repelled attacker behind and charging towards another.
*ng!* *Cling!* *ng!* *Cling¡ª!*
Soon, metal collision sounds mixed together.
Riezel, moving like the wind, flickered back and forth. His slender sword shed out repeatedly, allowing the de of his sword to cut through several attackers in quick session.
Complex as it may seem, the entire process took less than two seconds.
Within those two seconds, Riezel, with his astonishing speed and swordsmanship, not only disrupted their coordination but also forced them all to retreat.
"What!?"
"Very strong!"
"Are you fucking kidding me?!"
"Is he really Level 4?!"
The attackers were astonished one after another.
Even the leader of these attackers, who had been watching while leaning against a wall with crossed arms, had contracted pupils and clicked his tongue in annoyance.
"Damn this guy! Is he really a freshly Level 4?"
Riezel was clearly a Level 4 that could easily rival the top-tier ones. Among the attackers surrounding him, there were also several Level 4. Yet, after working together, they were still forcefully repelled by him in a single exchange.
"Continue! I want to see how much skill this guy really has!" The leader expressed his annoyance.
At their leader''s words, the attackers suppressed their doubts and once again rushed toward Riezel.
Watching this, a cold glint appeared in Riezel''s eyes.
Chapter 46: Grudge
Chapter 46: Grudge
*Thud!*
In the dim depths of the alley, the sound of a falling body emerged, announcing the conclusion of a battle.
Each attacker, d in a ck cloak,y on the ground without exception. Some lost consciousness, othersy there wailing, their bodies stained with blood. Around their bodies, whether on the ground or the walls, sword marks were engraved.
Riezel stood among these fallen attackers with his sword dripping with blood. His expression was stern, resembling a ruthless executioner.
The scene triggered various shifts in the gaze of the leader of these ck-cloaked attackers, who leaned against a wall in the shadow. However, from start to finish, this ck-cloaked leader didn''t make a move and didn''t intervene in the fight at all.
"What a good skill and temperament." The leader blurted out, praising Riezel, but the tone carried a piercing sarcasm. "Someone like you doesn''t seem to be from the loving Loki Familia but rather more like one of us."
Witnessing Riezel''s fight, the leader began to acknowledge him to some extent.
Although Riezel had just leveled up to Level 4, his skills andbat techniques far exceeded the average Level 4. In one-on-many situations, he could effortlessly crush a group of adventurers with the same level.
This strength truly made people take notice.The thing that surprised the leader was Riezel''s speed, nearly rivaling a first-ss adventurer specialized in ''AGI''.
With outstanding speed and remarkable swordsmanship, Riezel could easily maneuver through the group''s attacks, systematically defeating each attacker without trouble.
The result was the sessful defeat of the attackers, while Riezel himself remained unscathed. He didn''t even break a sweat or breathe heavily, leading the leader to conclude that he undoubtedly possessed ''Healing Power'' development ability and at a very high rank at that.
Just leveled up to Level 4, but already had such capabilities. Even the leader couldn''t help but admit that Riezel, even though irritating, was indeed special.
However, there was still something irritating about Riezel that made the leader couldn''t shake that particr feeling.
As a result, the leader''s tone remained unpleasant.
"You might as well switch sides." The leader sarcastically remarked. "If youe to our side, I could rightfully beat you into shape."
At those words, Riezel''s expression remained unchanged. He just stared at the ck-cloaked leader silently, and after a while, spoke up.
"Vana Freya?"
As that name came out, the ck-cloaked leader''s face hidden under the hood froze.
Riezel keenly sensed the change in the atmosphere around the leader and instantly understood that his guess was correct.
"Allen Fromel, Level 6, Freya Familia''s Vice-Captain, Orario''s fastest, bearer of the alias¡ªVana Freya." Riezel calmly revealed the identity of the ck-cloaked leader. "It''s really you, huh..."
As his words fell, the leader fell silent for a moment, and soon a faint murderous aura began to emanate from him.
The ck-cloaked leader¡ªor rather, Allen Fromel, stepped forward, removing the ck cloak from his body and revealing his true face.
It was a young catman, somewhat short and small in stature, but with sharp eyes and expressions.
"How did you figure out it was me?"
The renowned ''Vana Freya'' shot Riezel a sharp look.
However, Riezel remained unshaken.
"All those who attacked me were at least Level 3, and there were even several Level 4. Yet, it was clear they were following your orders. So, your strength is likely above these people."
"Tomand experts with Level 3 and Level 4, the possibility of being a Level 5 or higher is very high. In Orario, there aren''t too many familias that can have a first-ss adventurer. At most, there are only a handful."
"Considering all this, there''s only one familia left that dares to attack members of Loki Familia so brazenly, and that''s yours. With this in mind, isn''t the answer obvious? Other than your Freya Familia, who else could pull off something like this?"
Riezel calmly exined with a tranquil expression.
As for why he could guess Allen''s identity, it was even simpler.
"A first-ss adventurer from Freya Familia, with such a foul mouth¡ªwho else but you, Vana Freya?"
This deduction was based on his knowledge of the original work. After all, he had never seen Allen or heard any rumors about him after he arrived in this world.
But Allen was unaware of this.
Riezel''s analysis, as it reached his ears, only led him to think that perhaps some rumors about him had reached Riezel''s ears, allowing Riezel to guess his identity.
In fact, foul-mouthed rumors about him were not umon.
Anyone familiar with Loki Familia and Freya Familia would know that in these two familias, there was a Level 5 ''Vanargand''¡ªBete Loga, known for his foul mouth, and a Level 6 ''Vana Freya''¡ªAllen Fromel, who was equally notorious for his sharp tongue.
Both of them were first-ss adventurers specializing in ''AGI'', often beingpared by gods and adventurers alike, leading to a deep-seated animosity between Bete and Allen.
Of course, all of this was irrelevant now, since, at this moment, Allen was only furious about his identity being exposed and Riezel indirectly insulting him for having a foul mouth.
"Bold of you to say those words right in front of me..." Allen remarked with an overflowing murderous aura. "Just a mere Level 4, do you think you can fight me?"
With those words, he vanished.
His figurepletely merged into the darkness, moving at a speed akin to a war chariot charging forward.
*Whoosh¡ª!*
Carrying a howling momentum, he blinked and appeared in front of Riezel in an instant.
In his hand was a splendid spear, its elegance entuated as it sliced through the air like lightning, thrust towards Riezel.
*Swish¡ª*
At that moment, time seemed toe to a halt.
Against someone who was a Level 6 and dubbed as the ''City''s Fastest'', Riezel couldn''t react in time.
Dodging? Not possible!
Counterattacking? Not possible!
Blocking? Not possible!
Not possible... Not possible... Not possible... Every possible method proved futile!
Feeling the imminent danger, Riezel made a seemingly reckless move without hesitation.
He advanced instead of retreating.
*Pu-chi!*
Apanied by the sound of flesh tearing, the spear pierced through Riezel''s shoulder, emerging from his back.
"What?" Allen was shocked by this scene. He hadn''t expected Riezel to take such a reckless action.
If Riezel hadn''t advanced, he had only intended to pierce through Riezel''s shoulder, causing some flesh wounds at most. However, Riezel willingly stepped forward, offering his entire shoulder, allowing the sharp long spear to prate through his back.
In a sh of blood, Allen''s pupils contracted, losing that split second of reaction, and in that split second, a tempest swept through.
"Tempest..."
A low voice, as if from hell, resounded clearly in the alley.
Ignoring his pierced shoulder, Riezel awakened the power of ''Ariel'' and concentrated all the wind force onto his sword''s edge. He swung it down towards the visibly rmed Allen with all his might.
"Tch!"
Allen''s expression changed rapidly as he uttered a surprised sound. He instinctively unleashed the speed that made him the best in Orario, attempting to retreat.
However, Riezel''s empty hand tightly gripped the spear piercing his shoulder, leaving Allen with no room to retreat.
*Pu-chi!*
The sound of tearing echoed once again.
In the burst of blood, the catman abandoned his spear, narrowly avoiding the extremely fast sh imbued with wind force, escaping the fate of having his head severed on the spot.
Yet, Allen was a step too slow. Arge gash was cut open directly in front of him, blood staining the dark alley.
"Y-You bastard?!" Allen clutched his wound, ring at Riezel with intense anger.
"Ugh..." Riezel pulled out the spear embedded in his shoulder and tossed it aside, meeting Allen''s furious gaze with a calm gaze.
Blood flowed profusely from his shoulder, yet he seemed indifferent, his face pale as he looked up at Allen.
"A mere Level 4, so what?" Riezel sneered. "You Level 6 isn''t that impressive though."
"Son of a bitch!"
Allen was so enraged that he lost hisposure. The murderous aura emanating from his body intensified, surpassing its previous intensity by an unknown factor.
The city''s fastest adventurer was truly provoked.
Faced with this enraged Allen, Riezel remained calm andposed, his expression unchanged. Only his eyes revealed an icy coldness, as if at absolute zero.
That coldness, like a bucket of cold water, not only extinguished the mes of anger in Allen''s heart but also sent shivers down his spine.
Instinct told him that if he went all out again and charged forward, Riezel would absolutely risk and do everything to cut off his head no matter what.
Even if the opponent was a Level 6 first-ss adventurer, if Riezel abandoned defense and engaged in a life-and-death battle without regard for his own safety, the probability of Riezel''s swordnding on his head would be no less than 70%.
Realizing this, Allen''s face contorted.
"Damn lunatic!" Allen cursed. He didn''t want to y a life-for-a-life game with this human in this boring task. "I''ll remember you, Riezel Brynhart!"
He stared at Riezel intensely for a while as if trying to memorize every detail of his appearance. After a while, he leaped up,nding on the roof of a building and disappearing from sight.
Riezel watched Allen''s disappearing figure quietly untilplete silence enveloped the surroundings. Only then did he clutch his shoulder and kneel down on one knee, unable to endure the pain.
*Crack¡ª*
The wind dissipated, and a crack appeared on his sword.
ncing at the crack on the sword and feeling the intense pain in his shoulder, Riezel murmured after a while.
"Freya, huh...?"
The image of the Goddess of Beauty shed in his mind as he silently licked his own blood.
"I''ll remember this grudge..."
Chapter 47: A Hole
Chapter 47: A Hole
"Strange..."
A perplexed murmur echoed softly inside an opulent room, a corner where no one could hear it.
Freya stood by the window, her beautiful eyes wide open, gazing at a corner of the city, filled with confusion in her eyes.
She had witnessed the confrontation between Riezel and Allen¡ªor rather, through some special means, in a manner close to ''irvoyance'', she observed the process of Riezel and Allen''s sh.
This was a skill only she could master, beyond the reach of the other gods.
Therefore, even though the ce where they shed was at a considerable distance from her ce, she could still ''see'' what was happening. But precisely because of this, she was both amazed and puzzled.
"The first time I''ve seen a soul like that..." Freya''s beautiful brows tightly furrowed as she murmured.
The Goddess of Beauty, Freya, possessed a pair of unique eyes.
They were called the ''Discerning Eye'', capable of seeing the essence of the souls of those in the lower world. These were eyes one was born with, not falling under the category of Arcanum, which was prohibited for use in the lower world. It was an innate skill, a trait that was practically useless in heaven.However, in the lower world, with this pair of eyes, she could perceive the potential of mortals more keenly than any other god. As long as she could observe the souls of these mortals, she could judge one''s potential based on the brilliance of their soul.
After all, any hero, anyone wielding the power of a hero, would have a soul that shone brilliantly, it was impossible to be as ordinary as amoner.
In heaven, she used this ability to grasp the colors of the souls of those ascending to heaven (the deceased), selecting favored individuals as her own collectibles and embracing them in her arms.
These so-called ''collectibles'' were what mortals called heroes.
Therefore, it was not strange for Freya Familia to be one of the strongest familias in Orario, on par with Loki Familia, and even surpassing them in some aspects. The reason was that the goddess of this familia could recruit children with extraordinary potential ahead of other gods, gradually making her familia stronger.
Freya also had a deep affection for children with extraordinary soul brilliance. It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that she loved such children deeply.
In light of this, after Riezel disyed exceptional potential, she immediately set her sights on him.
However, his soul made the Goddess of Beauty, who could see through the soul of every mortal, full of astonishment and suspicion.
"It''s not the dazzling brilliance or the extraordinary colors, but the difference in ''shape''?"
The soul seen by her Discerning Eye right now was such an unprecedented thing.
In the past, the souls of those in the lower world, when viewed through her eyes, either had different colors or emitted varying degrees of brilliance. Based on the disy of ''color'' and ''brilliance'', she chose whether to add them to her collection based on her preferences.
Up to now, she had seen various souls of heroes disying different colors and brilliance.
Some had unique colors.
Some radiated brilliant and dazzling light.
All of these were things she liked and loved.
But Riezel was different.
In her Discerning Eye, his soul had neither extraordinary colors nor brilliant radiance, only twisting like a vortex.
No, it wasn''t a vortex.
It was a ''hole''.
A colorless, brilliant-less,pletely unclear shape, twisting like a ck hole, as if it could engulf everything, ferment, blend, and mix inside.
This ''hole'' seemed to be telling her not to expect or see what was inside or casually judge its value, blocking her line of sightpletely.
From that ''hole'', all she could see or feel was only one emotion.
That was the obsession not to ept interference from anyone.
That was the unwillingness to be scrutinized and judged by anyone.
That was the essence of Riezel''s soul. He was rejecting those who were reaching out to him, silently indicating to them that his future could only be decided and chosen by himself.
Indeed, it was a kind of obsession.
If one''s existence could be observed and scrutinized casually by others, their future from that moment would have been fixed, confined within the range of what others ''saw''.
Riezel would not ept such a future.
"Fufufu~ very interesting..."
After the initial surprise, Freya became intrigued.
"Unwilling to be seen by me (goddess), unwilling to be judged by anyone (world), persistently and twistedly advancing, what kind of existence do you really want to be?"
Suddenly, she developed a burning desire.
A desire to see what was brewing inside that ''hole''.
"Fufufu... So that''s how it is... This is the unknown that various gods have been pursuing all along... Fufufu..." Freya chuckled.
Herughter was captivating, enough to conquer nations. It was aughter of unparalleled beauty.
"Looks like I''m really going to have a confrontation with Loki this time..." Freya mused. "Even I, just thinking about getting involved with her, can''t help but feel a bit scared."
It was not without reason.
Loki was the Goddess of Mischief who once triggered doomsday in heaven, deceived and tricked various gods several times, causing them to turn against each other, nearly unleashing a true cmity.
Even Freya, at the thought of shing with this Evil Goddess, couldn''t help but have reservations.
"But then again, it''s a kind of fun."
"Let''s take it slow."
"After all, I''m not in a hurry..."
Freya smiled and walked away.
She still had to go check on her little cat (Allen) who got identally injured due to her own mischievous sense of humor.
===
At this moment, night hadpletely fallen.
Riezel, covered in bloodstains, took advantage of the night and walked into Twilight Manor, under the doubtful gazes of the gatekeepers.
He had intended not to attract anyone''s attention and go straight to his room, but unfortunately, he wasn''t able to do so.
"Riezel?"
Apanied by a surprised voice, someone had returned to familia shortly after him.
Riezel stopped, feeling somewhat helpless.
"...What happened to you?"
A swordswoman with dazzling golden hair, fully armed, returned from outside and coincidentally met him as he was about to enter the manor. Seeing his bloodstained appearance, her transparent golden eyes were filled with surprise and seriousness.
Although Riezel felt helpless, he turned to face Ais.
"Ais, did you go to the dungeon?" Riezel asked calmly as he assessed the fully armed Ais.
"Um..." Ais nodded. "After you went out with Captain, I went to the dungeon."
She was still so diligent and progressive, obviously affected by him.
"Then you have to be careful." Riezel smiled slightly. "If Riveria finds out, you''re in trouble."
At his words, Ais couldn''t help but shrink her head.
She was most afraid of Riveria, who was like a mother figure, always apanying her, guarding her growth, and taking care of her. Riveria had scolded her many times for not resting properly after an expedition and for excessively diving into the dungeon.
Her progress was good and her effort was alsomendable, but Ais''s amount of effort far exceeded others. There was a concern that she might overwork herself to the point of exhaustion.
In a sense, Ais and Riezel were indeed simr.
Both were someone willing to risk everything, including their lives, to be stronger as quickly as possible, seizing every opportunity for growth.
From Riezel''s usual recklessness, it was apparent that Ais''s degree of recklessness was no less.
However, there were some differences between them.
Riezel had self-awareness and insisted on following his own path, regardless of how others perceived him. Meanwhile, Ais was still a bit hesitant and timid, always afraid of being lectured by Riveria.
"Don''t change the subject." Ais ignored his words and stared at him with a serious expression. "Are you injured?"
"...I guess so." Riezel pursed his lips. "Just a minor injury though, already healed."
A wound that could be healed with elixir should be considered minor in his perspective.
"You''re lying." Ais mercilessly exposed his lie. "Yourplexion is terrible; clearly, you''ve been seriously hurt."
That was where his w lies.
While a potion could stop bleeding and heal injuries, it couldn''t easily conceal the paleness caused by a significant loss of blood.
Ais was precisely concerned about that.
She couldn''t fathom how, with Riezel''s current strength, he ended up seriously injured. If he followed the usual routine of entering the dungeon and defeating monsters, it wouldn''t have led to this. Unless he delved into the deeper floors below the 37th Floor or encountered an irregr.
However, returning on the same day from the deeper floors below the 37th Floor was impossible. If an irregr appeared, it would be reported to the Guild immediately and spread among adventurers, but she hadn''t heard any such news.
In a nutshell...
"You fought someone...?" Ais whispered. "A powerful one?"
"..." Riezel fell silent, then pondered. ''This girl, all cool and aloof, is actually pretty intelligent?''
Seeing her intense stare, he could only nod and answer.
"Don''t tell anyone; I want to solve it myself."
"..."
Ais remained silent for a while, but eventually, nodded her head in agreement.
"...Okay."
However, from her hesitant eyes, he could tell that she was somewhat conflicted and uneasy. Ais, seemingly cold but inexperienced, clearly didn''t know how to handle the current situation.
Observing her behavior, Riezel unconsciously extended his hand and gave Ais a headpat. She froze, involuntarily raising her head to look at him.
Meeting her eyes, he only smiled.
"Don''t worry. I''m not one to take a loss easily."
Upon hearing his confident words, Ais lowered her head in silence. Her face, partially obscured by her bangs, turned slightly red.
Chapter 48: The Busy Familia
Chapter 48: The Busy Familia
In the following period, members of the Loki Familia were surprised to find that Riezel, who was already an early riser and dedicated to dungeon exploration every day, became even more diligent than before.
Due to the uing expedition, Loki Familia was now extremely busy. Even the executives were ordered not to enter the dungeon and instead stay at the manor, helping with the preparation for the expedition.
Lefiya was also asked by Riveria to stay behind and assist.
This left Riezel once again as a lone wolf.
Initially, everyone thought he would stay in the familia to help prepare supplies for the uing expedition. However, after Lefiya was left behind and Riezel became a solo adventurer again, he worked even harder.
He would often leave before dawn and return onlyte at night, appearing weary and dust-covered, as if he had traveled a great distance.
Oddly enough, the higher-ups in the familia, upon learning of this, chose to ignore his act without any objection.
"Why can''t we go, while Riezel can head to the dungeon without pitching in for the expedition preparation?" Tiona protested to Finn.
Before Finn could respond, Tione approached and quickly restrained Tiona."Don''t question Captain''s decisions!"
The elder sister of the Amazoness twins wore a fierce expression, nearly intimidating Lefiya, who happened to be present.
"The expedition is imminent. Even if we let you go to the dungeon for this short period, you won''t gain much growth, will you?" Gareth bluntly shuts down Tiona with ack of patience.
The implication was clear¡ªrather than wasting this time to strive for minimal growth, it was better to stay in the familia, recuperate, and at the same time handle some expedition-rted tasks.
However, Riezel was an exception.
"For us, the progress during this short period is indeed minimal, but it''s different for him." Riveria added, leaving Tiona speechless.
The executives finally understood why the rest of the familia had been assigned tasks by the higher-ups while Riezel had not.
Preparing expedition supplies¡ªwhether there was one more or one less person involved didn''t matter. It was better to let Riezel continue to explore the dungeon, utilizing his extraordinary growth speed to the fullest.
This way, he could confidently face his first expedition as an adventurer with an even stronger stance.
"Focus more on the uing expedition, all of you." Finn said confidently, observing the silence that had fallen over everyone. "Only through expeditions can we delve into deeper floors, face more challenging monsters, and defeat stronger enemies."
That was the true path to elerated growth for them.
Without expeditions, the most they could explore would be the middle to lower floors, where the monsters were rtively weakpared to first-ss adventurers like them. Killing these weak monsters, no matter how many, would provide little growth.
Rather than dwelling on minimal growth, it was more effective to shift their focus to the uing expedition and make thorough preparations. This was the most efficient way for Level 5 and above to grow.
Of course...
"Though it''s a different story for that boy..." Gareth muttered, casting a sense of mncholy that plunged everyone into deeper silence.
It was only at this moment that everyone realized something.
Riezel, who only explored up to the 17th Floor, after this expedition, what kind of growth would he achieve upon reaching deeper floors?
With only reaching up to the 17th Floor, he managed to level up from Level 1 to Level 4 in just over a month. So, upon entering floors deeper than the 17th, how much excelia would he gain?
Not to mention, a single expedition, a round trip alone taking more than a week, and adding the time needed for exploration, it could easily exceed half a month.
With at least a half-month expedition, how would his body, which leveled up several times in just over a month, change?
"Perhaps, after this expedition, Riezel will be just like you all..."
Riveria threw out those words to the group of Level 5 executives and remained silent thereafter. However, just these words alone instantly created tremendous pressure in the hearts of every executive.
"No way, right?" Tiona wailed. "Is he going to be Level 5 after returning from this expedition? Is he trying to kill us?"
"He really is a freak..." Tione also had no words. "It seems being caught up is only a matter of time. We might as well lie t."
"I''m already lying t though..." Lefiya murmured silently as she heard Tione''s words.
As a witness to Riezel''s growth, Lefiya transitioned from admiration in the beginning to diligent efforts in the middle. Butter on, she decided to lie t when he officially reached Level 4, surpassing her in all aspects.
It was not because she didn''t want to work hard or pursue him; she simply couldn''t catch up at all.
She watched Riezel step by step to reach his current level with her own eyes. Her understanding and admiration for his desperate efforts, as well as his repeated help and rescue, made her start to question life.
Now, she admired and idolized him even more, and there were fewer feelings of unwillingness.
After all¡ª
''Mr. Riezel and Miss Ais are bing more and more alike....'' Lefiya blushed unnaturally, stealing a nce towards the corner of the room.
There, Ais sat alone, hugging her knees, staring nkly at everyone, lost in thought.
While outside the door, Bete, who had just been about to protest upon hearing the words of the three top executives, silently turned away upon witnessing the oue of Tiona''s protest.
All these scenes were observed by Loki with interest.
''Kukuku, there''s going to be some fun.''
Whether taking pleasure in other people''s misfortune or for some other reason, Loki silently giggled while leaning against the window, watching her busy childrening in and out of the manor.
===
Time passed quickly.
As each day went by, Loki Familia started transporting boxes of supplies from various ces in Orario back to their base.
Among these supplies were pre-ordered spare weapons, various items and tools that coulde in handy for special asions, and potions packaged in crates, containing all kinds of recovery items.
Some members were busy with various tasks, while others, during their rest periods, collectively headed to Loki''s divine room, forming a long line in front of it.
All of this was in preparation for the uing expedition, a final round of status updates before venturing into the dungeon.
In ces like the dungeon, adventurers wouldn''t be able to update their statuses anymore. At this time, it was crucial to make the most of it and enhance their strength whenever possible.
Due to this, Loki hadn''t left the divine room in a while, and her faint shouts ofint could be heard from within.
"Can I even get a break?!"
Although Loki was both frustrated and helpless, she was doing the only thing she could to help her children improve their strength and increase their chances of survival inside the dungeon.
Riezel, watching the long line in front of the divine room, also understood that she was likely busy during this period.
''Well, let''s just wait then.''
He thought for a moment and decided to give up on finding Loki for a status update. After all, excelia wouldn''t disappear. Even if there were no status updates, it would umte over time.
There was no need to rush.
Since the seniors of the familia had allowed him to explore the dungeon on his own when everyone was busy with the expedition preparation, he didn''t want topete with them over who could update their status first, especially when it would happen sooner orter.
As a result, everyone in the familia had their own tasks, and Riezel also had his. Both sides seemed to have reached an unspoken agreement, not interfering with each other, quietly anticipating the day of the expedition.
Until one day, as Riezel prepared to head to the dungeon, he received a summon from Finn.
"Your weapon is ready." Finn informed with a smile.
Hearing that, Riezel''s eyes instantly lit up.
===
Northeast Street, Tsubaki''s Workshop.
Riezel and Finn, just like thest time, walked hand in hand, once again visiting this ce.
As soon as they entered, Riezel spotted Tsubaki.
"Finally, you''re here!"
Tsubaki greeted him with a refreshing smile as she walked through the door. Without any unnecessary words, she gestured directly to the side.
"Come take a look at your sword."
Upon hearing this, Riezel nced at Finn for a moment.
"Go ahead." Finn, with a smile on his face, nodded at him, indicating for him to go forward.
Only then did Riezel approach and stand next to Tsubaki.
There, a long box containing a weapon was casually ced on the table. The box was open, so he almost instantly saw the content inside.
It was a sword with a slender shape and an overall somewhat dark silver-gray color. The sword''s edge was thin, almost transparent like crystal.
At first nce, it didn''t appear to be a weapon designed for killing. Instead, it reminded him of the short sword he had obtained from Loki when he first joined the familia¡ªa piece of beautiful art specifically meant for collection.
At this moment, Tsubaki''s slightly satisfied voice sounded, entering his ears.
"I whipped up this weapon using orichalcum as the main material, threw in some mithril, and imbued it with the tooth of wind beast. It took me seven days, but I finally created this beauty."
Orichalcum was an extremely precious and rare metal, also known as adamantite, universally recognized as the world''s hardest metal. Weapons with the Durandal attribute were primarily made from this metal.
Mithril was a refined metal with excellent magic conductivity, favored by most adventurers skilled in magic as the main weapon material.
As for the wind beast, it was a rare species that appeared on the 40th Floor of the dungeon, known for its strange speed. It was a monster with a rtively low ssification level but extremely difficult to defeat.
Each of these three materials was extremely expensive and rare. Ordinary adventurers might never encounter one of them in their entire life, let alone acquire them.
Yet, Tsubaki had used all three to forge this sword.
"Now, this baby is yours."
Listening to her satisfied voice, Riezel''s eyes focused on the sword in front of him, slightly gleaming with excitement.
Chapter 49: Fool and Hermit
Chapter 49: Fool and Hermit
*Whoosh!*
A silver arc shed through the dim workshop, cutting the atmosphere in half with a chilly gust.
Riezel took a dark silver sword into his palm, gripping this gorgeously forged weapon like a work of art. With just a gentle swing, his expression revealed surprise.
"So light..."
Despite being a sword crafted with precious metals and refined materials, he felt as though he were holding a feather¡ªweightless.
In theory, a sword this light would likelyck significant power. However, this sword seemed to defy that expectation. The thin de edge was incredibly sharp, effortlessly slicing through the air.
"How''s that? Not bad, yeah?" Tsubaki looked at his surprised expression with a hint of pride on her face. "Because you said you wanted it as light as possible, I threw in a wind beast''s tooth and mithril,bining three rare materials to forge it. Ordinary master cksmiths couldn''t pull off something like this, ya know."
If one wanted to forge equipment with the Durandal attribute, using orichalcum as the main material alone was enough. Orichalcum, as the hardest metal, was designed for creating equipment with the Durandal attribute and served as their primary material.
Using only one main material for forging would undoubtedly make the process easier. However, for Riezel, Tsubaki unexpectedly added two more precious materials."Wind beast''s tooth lightens the weapon without messing with its sharpness or toughness."
"Mithril, on the other hand, enhances the sword''s magical energy conductivity. I heard from Finn that you excel in wind element enchant magic and can enhance your weapon with it, so I figured why not toss in some mithril?"
"In this way, this sword''s got crazy sharpness and endurance, excellent magical energy conductivity, while also lightweight. Of course, the most crucial aspect is that it doesn''t interfere with Durandal."
As Tsubaki exined, she grew more excited and proud, eventually bursting intoughter.
"For this sword, I''ve gone without sleep for several days, sparing no effort. Among all the equipment I''ve forged, this one''s easily in the top three, if not my most proud creation."
For Orario''s strongest cksmith to be this proud, the quality of the sword could be easily imagined.
"The quality of this sword should surpass even Ais''s Desperate." Finn, after observing the sword for a while, said with a serious expression.
Ais''s Desperate, despite being first-ss, fell slightly behind other first-ss equipment due to its focus on endurance and its affinity with the Durandal attribute.
Riezel''s sword, on the other hand, was different.
While it also focused on endurance and the Durandal attribute, as top-notch first-ss equipment, even if its performance and power did not reach the highest, it still ranked among the best in first-ss equipment.
Adding to its extremely low weight, which allowed ''Lightweight'' to be pushed to its limits, and its excellent magical energy conductivity, which could make ''Ariel'' usage smoother and more powerful, such a top-tier weapon already surpassed Ais''s Desperate in every aspect.
No wonder creating this weapon took Orario''s strongest cksmith, Tsubaki, an exhausting seven days. Considering its overall excellence, it was not strange for her to im it could rank in the top three among her creations and even say it was her proudest creation.
Without a doubt, it was the perfect weapon for Riezel.
Tsubaki kept her promise and forged the best sword for him.
"Oh right, got something for you too." Tsubaki remembered something, darted into the forging workshop, and emerged with another weapon.
It was a short sword.
"Upon your request, I''ve forged this secondary weapon for you. It''s not asplicated as it''s crafted mainly from orichalcum, a pure Durandal attribute weapon and second-ss equipment. It''s kinda basicpared to other second-ss equipment, like a lesser version of Sword Princess''s Desperate."
Tsubaki''s attitude towards this weapon seemed somewhat indifferent as she tossed it to him casually.
Riezel weighed the short sword and found it to be heavier than the main weapon. As for its appearance, unlike the morous main weapon, it was a simple, bright silver color. Yet, as a secondary weapon, it was considered decent.
"Okay, I''vepleted the order as promised." Tsubaki nced at his face. "Now, it''s up to you to give them names."
Hearing her words, Riezel was slightly surprised.
"Didn''t you say it was your proudest work?" Finn asked strangely. "Why don''t you name it yourself?"
"Nah, forget it." Tsubaki shook her head. "This sword is custom-made for your monster rookie here, ya know? Apart from him, I bet there''s no one else in all of Orario more suited to wield it and unleash its full potential."
Perhaps Ais, who also possessed ''Ariel'', was suitable for this sword. However, shecked ''Lightweight''. Using such a light sword all the time wouldn''t have made much sense for her.
Therefore, the true power and performance of this sword could only be brought out by Riezel.
"It feels like this sword was born solely through my hands and passed it on to you." Tsubaki scratched her head, seemingly helpless while spreading her hands. "Given that, it''s on you to give it a name, no?"
With her saying so, Riezel naturally had no reason to refuse.
"Name, huh...?"
Riezel fell into contemtion. Various thoughts shed through his mind, eventually settling on his most powerful skill¡ªFool''s Obsession.
"Well then... Let''s go with ''Fool''."
He made up his mind.
His persistence and his desire¡ªif they were truly just a fool''s obsession, then let himself, this fool, foolishly go to the end.
"Fool, huh?" Tsubaki pondered, then nodded. "What about the secondary one?"
Without much thought, Riezel decided.
"Let''s call it ''Hermit''."
Fool and Hermit.
Riezel''s main and secondary weapons finally found their ce.
"Thank you, Tsubaki." Finn approached as matters were settled.
"Oh, no problem, I had a st too." Tsubaki chuckled. "Forging weapons for a rookie who''s breaking Sword Princess''s records, getting called as a monster even by gods¡ªit''s a win-win for me too, y''know."
For adventurers, if they gained fame, their weapons would often be famous as well. Therefore, cksmiths preferred forging weapons for adventurers with potential and strength. If the adventurer gained significant fame, the creations of those cksmiths would also attract attention.
This was the main approach to attract customers and the best way for a cksmith to be famous.
In this situation, Tsubaki naturally had no objections to forging weapons for Riezel. In fact, she was more than happy to do so. After all, he seemed destined for greatness, a future hero known throughout the world.
As long as he could make a name for himself, even leave a mark in history, she would be riding on his sess.
"If your monster rookie bes a hero remembered for generations, his sword might end up in a museum. By then, my name as a cksmith would truly go down in history."
Tsubaki hugged Riezel''s neck and patted his back whileughing.
"Don''t disappoint me, okay?"
Listening to her words andugh, Riezel smiled in response.
"I''ll do my best."
Afterward, he stored away his two new swords, one long and one short.
===
Riezel''s weapon problem finally found its solution at Tsubaki''s ce.
With two special weapons featuring the Durandal attribute, he would no longer need to worry about his weapons getting damaged in battles.
Finn also confirmed the backup weapons order for the expedition with Tsubaki. Once they had discussed and agreed upon delivery for the following day, Finn and Riezel set off for home.
It was worth mentioning that, based on the price provided by Tsubaki, Riezel learned the pricing for his main and secondary weapons, totaling 180 million valis.
Yes, 180 million.
This left him silent for a long time. It wasn''t until the journey home that he expressed his gratitude to Finn.
180 million valis was definitely a price he couldn''t afford at this moment. If it weren''t for the familia''s support, he would at most n to get a main weapon at the level of Hermit.
As for Fool, with his current fund, it was definitely out of his reach. The debt he owed to the familia was indeed quite significant.
Finn, however, shrugged it off with a carefree smile.
"As long as it helps you."
Finn spoke while looking directly at his face.
"Though mentioning this might add some pressure, we do have high expectations for you. We hope you can take our familia to greater heights, reaching ces that even we haven''t stepped into."
"Just keep pushing forward, and we''ll handle the rest for you. Don''t let us down, okay?"
Every word of Finn was deeply etched in his mind.
In response, Riezel nodded with a solemn expression; everything was understood without the need for more words.
===
In the blink of an eye, several days had passed.
On this day, Twilight Manor was unusually quiet.
All the members seemed to be silently gathering their strength, preparing for something. Each one was fully armed and assembled at the entrance of the manor.
Riezel also had prepared early in the morning. He didn''t wear any armor, only a battle suit for easy movement.
Draped in a dust-resistant cloak and armed with two swords, he walked out of his room.
Before leaving, he paid a visit to Loki''s divine room. When he came out, he had an additional piece of parchment in his hands.
...
Riezel Brynhart
Level 4
STR: I0 ¡ú A847
END: I0 ¡ú A825
DEX: I0 ¡ú S969
AGI: I0 ¡ú S971
MAG: I0 ¡ú S933
Lightweight: H
Swordsman: H
Mage: I
...
Looking at the content on the parchment, Riezel quickly smiled.
Shortly afterward, he crumpled the parchment containing histest status and headed towards the manor''s entrance gate.
Chapter 50: Looking Forward to the Future
Chapter 50: Looking Forward to the Future
Twilight Manor, Front Yard.
Familia members gathered in this ce, busy moving things in and out of the manor''s entrance gate, creating a constant flow of people.
Large cargo boxes filled with supplies were ced on carts, and the three top executives directed everyone for the final inspection of items. Even several executives joined in to organize tents and other supplies.
Tiona, however, stealthily snacked on some emergency rations, getting caught by Bete and Tione, resulting in a barrage of scolding.
Everyone had their respective tasks at hand. Even Lefiya was by Riveria''s side, helping check the list of items. The only exception was Ais, standing alone with a look of wanting to help but not sure how, truly a breath of fresh air in the crowd.
Riezel happened to walk out of the manor and immediately caught Ais''s eye.
"Riezel." Ais called out with a sigh of relief as if finding sce. But her call also drew the attention of others present.
"Mr. Riezel!" Lefiya instinctively wanted to run over but then remembered she had work to do and stopped abruptly.
"Hmph." Bete released Tiona and coldly snorted. "Don''t go too far."The rest of the familia members also turned their gaze toward Riezel, watching this familia rookie who had be a legendary character in Orario in just over a month. Some were envious, some were admiring, but there was no hint of jealousy or hatred.
After all, he was their junior, their family, and theirrade. The more outstanding he was, the stronger their familia became, which was a good thing for them.
It must be said that Loki, despite being unreliable, didn''t choose anyone with a problematic character and personality. No wonder Allen sarcastically referred to them as a loving familia.
In just over a month, Riezel had observed the behaviors of these familia seniors and kept them in mind.
This was something he hadn''t experienced even in his previous life, in a family with blood ties.
The affection he never experienced, in the end, wasn''t obtained in the family with blood ties but in this familia connected by a goddess.
Perhaps, it was a kind of irony.
Since he wasn''t someone with many words, he silently kept all of this in his heart and began to approach everyone in silence.
"You''rete, Riezel!" Tiona immediately jumped out, teasing him with a yful grin.
"Sorry." Riezel replied and nced around, realizing he was indeed thest one to arrive. Even though it wasn''t past the departing time, he still apologized sincerely.
"Just ignore her; she just wants to change the topic from her snack stealing." Tione exposed her sister''s intentions.
Finn, Riveria, and Gareth also approached.
"How''s it going?" Finn asked with a slight smile. "Are you ready?"
Riezel responded with a smile and nodded. He knew Finn wasn''t asking about preparations for the expedition but rather about his updated status for the uing journey.
Clearly, he had visited the divine room to update his status before departure, and all three top executives could tell.
"Haha, this is really something to look forward to!" Gareth eximed loudly. "After umting for over a dozen days, with your growth speed, you should have gained a lot, yes?"
"Judging by your reaction, you must have made quite some progress." Riveria observed his expression and smiled. "Could it be that you''re already Level 5?"
With that sentence, all the surrounding members held their breath and fell silent, especially the familia executives, even Ais and Bete couldn''t help but unconsciously perk up their ears.
"How can it be that simple?" Riezel, seeing their reaction, smiled wryly.
The umtion of over a dozen days had indeed greatly improved his status. He was now at Level 4, and logically, the development of basic abilities should have be much more difficult.
Still, in just over ten days, he managed to train ''DEX'', ''AGI'', and ''MAG'' to S-rank, while ''STR'' reached A-rank. This growth speed was still astonishing.
However, no matter how one looked at it, in just over ten days, it was impossible for him to level up to Level 5.
"Without achieving any exploits and umting high-rank excelia, at most, it can only make me go further on Level 4. There''s no way I can level up, right?" Riezel stated calmly, making many people secretly sigh with relief.
They were somewhat nervous, afraid that he would say he was already Level 5.
It was not that they didn''t want him to progress, but the fact was too challenging for their heart, easily causing people to lose confidence in continuing to strive.
Unfortunately, it seemed like the top executives of the familia felt the excitement was not enough. One after another, they spoke up, shattering the silent celebration and relief in everyone''s hearts.
"For this expedition, our goal is the super-deep floors you''ve never reached, perhaps even unknown floors that no one has ever reached." Finn exined with a smile. "Along the way, there are plenty of opportunities for you to umte high-rank excelia."
"Yeah, not to mention there are also the floor bosses. Just defeating them and gaining high-rank excelia, even if it doesn''t let you level up, should help youplete arge part of the exploit umtion, right?" Gareth added while stroking his beard.
"Although fighting in parties will distribute the excelia, it''s safe." Riveria looked at Riezel with a solemn expression. "This time, you can''t act recklessly like before. Remember to cooperate well with everyone; don''t be like some misbehaving kid, rushing out at every opportunity."
As she mentioned ''misbehaving kid'', her gaze subtly shifted to Ais.
"..." Ais felt extremely embarrassed and awkward, quickly turning her head away, looking guilty.
Riezel also hesitated to speak. He really couldn''t guarantee whether he could control himself or not, suddenly bursting out like that.
Lefiya really wanted to assert that she had a say on this point. It wasn''t without reason; during the time Riezel and she were in a party, not once did he give a heads up before suddenly charging out.
"Ah~ah, looks like we''re adding another Ais to our party." Tiona reveled in other people''s misfortune.
"I''m telling you guys, don''t cause trouble for Captain, okay?" Tione warned while shaking her head as she gazed toward the reckless duo.
"Small fry is just small fry; you better not slow us down, boy." Bete even threw a cold remark from the side.
Riezel and Ais immediately looked at each other in bewilderment,pletely clueless as to how they suddenly became targets. But the two dared not say anything, just standing there in silence, one scratching his head, the other looking down.
"Okay, that''s enough all of you, let them off." Finn chuckled, turned, and looked in the direction of the central tower of Twilight Manor.
There, in the highest room, Loki, not behaving properly as always, was sprawled over the window, gazing in the expedition party''s direction with a loose smile on her face.
However, for some reason, everyone could sense encouragement, care, and a subtle trace of indiscernible affection in the goddess''s gaze directed towards them.
"Go..."
It was as if everyone heard Loki''s faint whisper carried by the wind. This whispered encouragement, riding on the wind, ignited a me in everyone''s hearts. Including Riezel, who was no exception.
"Alright!"
Finn''s childish face began to look serious, bing more dignified. From this moment on, this Pallum was no longer the amiable familia senior but the captain of the strongest familia in Orario.
And the captain''smand was only one.
"Let''s set off!"
""OOOHHH¡ª!!!""
With Finn''smand, a neat and tidy shout soared to the sky, echoing throughout Orario.
That was a battle cry.
That was a trumpet call.
All the people busy in the city, whether civilians or adventurers, were drawn to that magnificent shout in that split second, turning their heads to look in the direction of Loki Familia''s base.
Before long, many saw a fully armed and imposing group marching through the streets, heading towards Babel.
"Loki Familia is going on an expedition!"
"It''s Loki Familia!"
"Loki Familia is heading into the dungeon!"
People hurriedly informed each other, causing pedestrians on the way to automatically split, moving to the sides, making way for Loki Familia.
At that moment, what people saw was the strongest adventurer party in Orario, with countless experts renowned worldwide. The envy, admiration, and awe hidden in their eyes were almost impossible to conceal.
Riezel blended in, attracting the attention of many, being watched.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, Riezel keenly sensed that among the countless gazesing from all directions, there seemed to be one that was different.
He became aware of this particr gaze and unconsciously turned his head to look.
At that moment, he saw, saw someone familiar.
In the crowd gathered on the side, there was a youth.
The youth had red eyes and white hair that seemed too old for his age, with a face carrying innocence and a hint of childishness, probably only about thirteen to fourteen years old.
In the crowd, that youth was particrly inconspicuous.
But in those red eyes of his, there was a more intense sense of envy, awe, and yearning than anyone else.
And finally, as if making a decision, the youth, after a lingering nce in the Loki Familia expedition party''s direction, squeezed out of the crowd and headed towards the entrance of what seemed to be the base of a certain familia.
Seeing this scene, Riezel almost immediately concluded that the youth was looking for a familia to join.
"What are you looking at, Mr. Riezel?"
Walking alongside him, Lefiya noticed his unusual behavior and asked with doubt.
Only then did Riezele back to his senses and see the puzzled look from Lefiya and Ais nearby.
"Nah, it''s nothing."
Riezel shook his head, but suddenly smiled, a particrly bright one. This smile made the hearts of Ais and Lefiya, who had never seen him smile like that, skip a beat.
Shortly afterward, the two girls heard his voice.
"I''m just looking forward to the future..."
"Looking forward to my future..."
"Looking forward to his future..."
Apart from Riezel himself, no one could understand the meaning of his words. However, that wasn''t important since the gate to the dungeon began to appear before his eyes.
Riezel stared at the massive tower, and the me in his heart burned even more fiercely.
Chapter 51: 50th Floor
Chapter 51: 50th Floor
In a certain dungeon floor, a destend where not a de of grass grew.
It was a vast expanseposed of rocks and gravel, everything tinted in shades of reddish-brown.
The flying sand pervaded the barren earth.
The turbid air expanded in the space.
In this floor that looked like it had been deserted for ages and where people basically never set foot, a war erupted.
*ROAAARRR¡ª!!!*
*ROAAARRR¡ª!!!*
Apanied by chilling roars, a horde of monsters, stepping with footsteps heavy enough to stir the ground, charged like a stampeding herd. They raised dust as they advanced,unching an attack.
These monsters had two twisted horns, reminiscent of goats, necks swollen with ugly horse-like faces, their size easily surpassing that of an adult. Muscles bulged, bodies were robust, and in their hands, they wielded club-like objects resembling fossilized bones, much like the appearance of savage barbarians.This vicious horde of monsters not only exuded powerful strength at first nce but was far beyond the monsters on the upper and even middle floors of the dungeon.
They were at least Level 3, and their numbers were vast, resembling a barbaric tribe dwelling in the wilderness. The momentum of their charge was as intimidating as a vast army, instilling fear in anyone who witnessed.
Their target was the intruders who had abruptly entered this floor.
"Release!"
A Pallum, situated in the rear,manded in this wilderness.
At hismand, the rearguard, already holding bows and arrows, simultaneously released their stretched bowstrings. Arrows made of refined iron formed a rain of arrows, slicing through the space and pouring down onto the oing horde of monsters.
*Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!*
In the next moment, arrows effortlessly pierced through the bodies of monsters, either prating their heads or prating their torsos, causing them to scream in agony, falling one by one, turning into dust.
On this destend, chunks of not-insignificant magic stones appeared, but they didn''t catch anyone''s attention.
The monsters,pletely disregarding their fallenrades, some with several arrows sticking out of their bodies, continued to charge forward, snorting and roaring in anger, their crimson eyes wide open, heading towards the intruders with even more astonishing power.
Facing such a fearless charge, many monsters eventually end up in front of the Loki Familia expedition party.
Seeing this, the Pallum remained calm, issuing orders with a calm demeanor.
"Vanguard, raise your shields! Hold them back!"
"Midguard, spread out! Look for opportunities to support!"
"Rearguard mage, get ready to chant!"
Finn''s voice incredulously reached everyone''s ears, wiping away the tension and unease, prompting everyone in the expedition party to disy determined expressions and start executing the orders.
The dwarves and beastmen, wielding massive shields, took decisive steps forward, forming a shield wall and courageously facing the onught of the vicious monster army.
The midguard, consisting of humans, pallums, and amazoness, tightened their faces and scattered in all directions.
The exceptionally beautiful elves began gathering one by one around each other and led by Riveria, they started chanting their magic.
"Lefiya! Stay focused! Pay attention to your chant!"
Riveria, in a supportive position, cautioned Lefiya at her side.
"Yes!"
Lefiya responded and took a deep breath, tightened her staff, and began chanting magic alongside her fellow adventurers.
*BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!*
Meanwhile, at the vanguard, monsters had already shed with the Loki Familia. Wielding heavy clubs, they roared and attacked, causing the dwarves and beastmen with massive shields to repeatedly retreat, their faces turning red.
"Get lost!"
Gareth, on the other hand, not only didn''t retreat but charged forward like a small tank. Wherever he went, monsters were sent flying like ser balls, an anomalously awe-inspiring scene.
The midguard, responsible for support, also made their move.
"HAAHHH!"
Tione wielded a pair of curved knives, her ck hair dancing in the wind. Like brown-colored lightning, she flew back and forth, each graceful rotation of her slender arms precisely slicing through the chests of monsters one by one, destroying their core.
"HYAAA!"
Tiona, with an equally fierce shout, charged towards another group of monsters. In her hands, she held an exaggeratedlyrge double-ded sword, spinning like a windmill, transforming into a ferocious meat grinder, cutting all the monsters in her path in half.
"Come on!"
The werewolf youth, Bete, had a ferocious expression on his face. He unleashed his speed to the fullest, faster than Tione, more vicious than Tiona. He had no weapons in his hands but wore a pair of iron boots on his feet. His figure on the battlefield often went unnoticed until, in the blink of an eye, a monster was sent flying by his kick, creating muffled sounds around everyone like thunder.
Such intense fighting, such a death battle, could only be described as war.
Among Loki Familia''s adventurers present, only three hadn''t joined the fray.
One was naturally positioned at the rear, issuingmands as the captain¡ªFinn.
The other two were a swordsman and a swordswoman.
The swordsman had ck hair.
The swordswoman had golden hair.
They stood on either side of Finn, like bodyguards, their eyes tightly focused on the battlefield.
"It''s time."
Finn''s iparably calm voice resonated at a certain moment.
"Riezel, Ais."
When this call came from Finn''s mouth, the two sprang into action.
*BANG!*
In the sudden burst of powerful wind, Riezel and Ais, like bullets being fired, charged out. The air stirred around the bodies of the two and whirlwinds came out of nowhere.
Riezel and Ais, like two hurricanes, fearlessly and without hesitation, crossed everyone present and plunged into the midst of the monster horde.
All those present only felt a gust of wind blowing past them, and in the blink of an eye, the two had arrived amid the monster horde.
*Scwing!*
Their sword was drawn in the nick of time.
*Whoosh!*
Without mercy, their swords swung down.
As Riezel and Ais charged into the monster horde, sword shes erupted with each ruthless strike.
*Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!*
In an instant, monsters were sliced open, their bodies severed in half.
A vast amount of blood sprayed into the sky.
Anguished howls btedly echoed.
Riezel and Ais turned into storms of sword edges, their expressions were cold to the point of heartlessness, unleashing countless shes that cut down each monster without mercy.
sh after sh.
Swing after swing.
Not a single monster could react in time.
Not a single person could sense the shiver rising in their hearts at that moment.
At this point, Riezel and Ais were genuine war machines, reducing any monster in their path to fragments, cruel yet beautiful.
"Amazing...."
Someone had unconsciously halted their movements, gazing at the ughter scene, muttering in fascination or perhaps daze.
"Tch..." Bete clicked his tongue, seemingly annoyed by something.
Everyone held a mixture of awe and, unbeknownst to themselves, admiration, transfixed by the two swordsmen employing identical swordsmanship, relentlessly harvesting the lives of the monsters.
Until¡ª
"Retreat!"
At Finn''smand, everyone snapped back to reality, collectively and decisively withdrawing from the battlefield.
Riezel and Ais also came to a halt, showing no reluctance to leave, and promptly retreated.
In that split second, a massive magic circle appeared on the ground.
Led by Riveria, every elf mage stepped into her magic circle, an unusual air swirling around them, making their dresses dance elegantly and beautifully.
"Rea Laevateinn!"
Riveria''s voice faintly echoed, and one by one, every elf mage around her also invoked the names of their magic, awakening supernatural miracles.
Thus, pirs of fire erupted.
Thus, arrows of mes descended.
It was a pure fire element wide area annihtion magic, a cmitous force with wide-ranging destructive power.
They summoned this power, causing mes to either burst radiantly or rain down like a storm.
For a moment, the monsters were ruthlessly covered by mes, their bodies engulfed, roars reced by thunderous explosions, gradually vanishing amid the scorching heat.
The destend was enveloped in hot air, lingering for a long time.
===
Several hourster.
A campsite sprung up on the ground, nestled in the wilderness.
Amidst the noisymotion, the sounds of metal scraping and casual chatter filled the air.
Adventurers carried various equipment; some drove iron stakes into the ground, others ran around delivering messages, and some prepared food, lighting campfires, creating a lively atmosphere.
This was Loki Familia''s expedition camp.
On a floor that seemed far from the depths of the underground, the Loki Familia expedition party had built this camp as their base, gathering together.
"You''re really amazing, Riezel!"
In one corner of the camp, Tiona danced with excitement.
"They''re fomoires, y''know?! Level 4 monsters that are seriously tough to handle alone. And what''d you do? You sliced them up like it''s no big deal! You''re not Level 4; you''re totally a Level 5 top-tier adventurer with that kinda strength!"
Tiona was genuinely impressed, and even Tione, standing nearby, eyed Riezel with a strange look as if he were a humanoid monster.
Meanwhile, Ais and Lefiya exchanged bewildered looks as they watched him surrounded by the excited girls, their thoughts in turmoil.
''Mr. Riezel is really getting stronger...'' Lefiya''s gaze wasplicated.
''He''s getting stronger again...'' Ais silently pondered, feeling a bit restless.
Surrounded by the enthusiastic group of girls, Riezel chuckled, not sure how to react. He lifted his head to gaze at the high ceiling.
This was the dungeon''s 50th Floor.
Now, it had been almost two weeks since the Loki Familia expedition party ventured into the dungeon.
He had ovee many challenges, finally reaching this floor.
''This expedition really turned out to be the right choice.''
Reflecting on the journey, Riezel smiled with contentment.
Chapter 52: Lively and Heartwarming
Chapter 52: Lively and Heartwarming
On this expedition, Riezel truly gained a lot.
Before this, the highest floor he had reached was the 17th Floor.
There, he encountered Floor Boss Goliath and engaged in a life-and-death battle, eventually seeding in advancing to Level 4.
Since then, although he delved into the dungeon every day, due to the need for a round trip on the same day, he typically only went down to around the 20th Floor, and anything below was unknown territory for him.
So, for these two weeks, Riezel followed the Loki Familia expedition party, delving deeper into the dungeon, and also witnessing many unheard-of wonders.
For example, from the 19th to the 24th Floor was abyrinth-like area known as the ''Large Tree Labyrinth'' which resembled an underground forest. From the 25th Floor to the 27th Floor was an area full of water known as the ''Water City'', renowned as a water paradise. From the 30th Floor downward, there was the wilderness area, encountered from time to time.
These strange and amazing sights, if not seen with one''s own eyes, no one would believe they exist in the dungeon.
Although Riezel knew about these wonders from the original work, experiencing them with his own eyes was an entirely different feeling. The genuine amazement and awe from the heart truly expanded his horizons, and that was no exaggeration.
Of course,pared to the dungeon''s geography, what truly benefited him was the countless monsters he encountered during the expedition.The Guild, which managed the city, ssified various floors of the dungeon based on their difficulty, generally dividing the explored floors into different tiers.
The 1st Floor to the 12th Floor was the ''Upper Floors'', where the local monsters were mostly ssified as Level 1.
The 13th Floor to the 24th Floor was the ''Middle Floors'', with local monsters mostly ssified as Level 2.
The 25th Floor to the 36th Floor was the ''Lower Floors'', with local monsters mostly ssified as Level 3.
And from the 37th Floor onward, it was the ''Deep Floors'', where the local monsters were at least ssified as Level 4.
Before this, Riezel had only ventured into the middle floors and hadn''t entered the lower floors.
In this situation, the fact that he was able to advance to Level 4 was already a miracle. If it weren''t for encountering the monster feast and floor boss, umting the exploit needed to level up would be basically impossible.
Until this expedition, Riezel finally had the opportunity to enter the lower and even the deep floors.
With that reason, the number of monsters he slew and the amount of excelia he gained could be easily imagined.
Especially the subjugation of the floor bosses, jokingly referred to as the ''Four Heavenly Kings'' by various gods.
The floor boss of the 17th Floor, the colossal giant monster, Goliath, was ssified as Level 4.
The floor boss of the 27th Floor, the colossal dragon monster, Amphisbaena, was ssified as Level 5.
The floor boss of the 37th Floor, the colossal skeleton monster, Udaeus, was ssified as Level 6.
On this journey, Loki Familia encountered these three floor bosses and, as a party, embarked on a battle against them.
In the first battle against the 17th Floor''s Goliath, due to the lower ssification level, Loki Familia''s executives always advocated ''don''t make a move'', leaving it to the lower-level members of the familia to handle, to umte battle experience and high-rank excelia.
In the second battle, against the 27th Floor''s Amphisbaena, the executives still didn''t make a move. Level 4 members within the familia took the lead in the mainbat roles, with the rest acting as support.
In the third battle, against the 37th Floor''s Udaeus, the executives finally stepped in. The main attackers were Ais, Bete, Tiona, and Tione, with the top executives leading the charge.
In these three battles, Riezel participated in all but Goliath. However, instead of taking on a vanguard role, he supported from the midfield or provided long-range magic attacks from the rear, not particrly standing out.
Though, after two floor boss battles, he still gained a considerable amount of high-rank excelia. Despite the excelia being distributed among all participating members in the party battle, as Finn and the others mentioned, exploits were still exploits. It would umte and make leveling up less challenging.
Along with the monsters they faced along the way and the numerous powerful fomoire they just defeated on the 49th Floor, Riezel had a hunch.
''After this, maybe I can really advance to Level 5.''
With that thought, his mood improved significantly. After all, Level 5 was the domain of ''First-ss Adventurers''.
Orario gathered countless adventurers and familia, and the distinction of adventurers of different levels was particrly evident.
Among them, Level 1, known as ''Low-ss Adventurers'',prised about half of the adventurers in Orario, with ''High-ss Adventurers'', perhaps even less than half.
In this group of high-ss adventurers, less than half were Level 2, functioning as ''Third-ss Adventurers''. Only a few sessfully ascended to Level 3 and Level 4, achieving the status of ''Second-ss Adventurers''.
However, whenpared to first-ss adventurers at Level 5 and above, second-ss adventurers in Orario were the majority.
Just take a look at Loki Familia.
As one of Orario''s strongest familias, there were only four Level 5 members in the entire Loki Familia.
Freya Familia was the same, having only four Level 5 members.
In other words, all in all, Level 5 adventurers in Orario added up to just a handful, maybe not even thirty. This meant, as long as one became a Level 5 first-ss adventurer, they qualified to be considered a top-tier expert in Orario.
If Riezel could sessfully reach Level 5 after this expedition, he would also have the confidence to deal with troubles in the main world.
''Too bad, Balor didn''t show up.'' Riezelmented.
On this matter, he was quite disappointed.
The floor boss of the 49th Floor, Balor, was ssified as Level 7.
As the leader of the so-called four heavenly kings, Balor was confirmed to be the strongest floor boss so far.
No familia, including Loki Familia, which had reached the 58th Floor, had encountered a floor boss stronger than Balor.
If this Level 7 floor boss appeared, Finn, Riveria, and Gareth would probably have to personally join the battle, going all out, and coordinating with the support of everyone to have a chance at defeating it.
And if such a monster were sessfully defeated, the high-rank excelia obtained would undoubtedly be massive. Even if it were distributed among the party members, it could help most adventurers below Level 5 to level up.
Riezel was a bit regretful that he didn''t get the chance to encounter this rumored strongest floor boss. If they managed to defeat this floor boss, he would surely level up this time, right?
Just as he casually pondered such thoughts, a disgruntled voice awakened him.
"Hey, Riezel, are you even listening to us?!"
Tiona''s voice sounded like an angry child, bringing him back to reality. He immediately saw her staring at him with puffed-up cheeks.
"What are you thinking over there? You look so absorbed!" Tionained.
Tione, Lefiya, and Ais were also watching him, making him shake his head to dispel his wandering thoughts.
"Sorry, got a bit lost in thought there." Riezel apologized to everyone.
"Are you tired?" Lefiya asked, not minding his behavior, and spoke somewhat worriedly. "Well, it''s understandable since it''s your first expedition after all. Not everyone can adapt to the environment andbat intensity here. Mr. Riezel, you should take care of yourself."
"Yup." Tione nodded in agreement. "Humans are naturally fragile, and this is a floor that normal Level 4 adventurers can''t even reach. It''s normal to feel out of ce."
"Hey, in thatst battle, you weren''t pushing yourself too hard to keep up with Ais, were you?" Tione asked, suspiciously. "If you were, I''d suggest taking a good rest. Not many in the familia can match Ais''s pace, you know. Heck, even we sometimes struggle. But you? You were right there with her, ying monsters left and right without missing a beat. Just be careful not to burn yourself out, okay?"
Riezel didn''t respond to her words because Ais spoke up first to deny it.
"Riezel isn''t forcing himself." Ais shook her head. "Riezel is really strong."
Others might not see whether he was pushing himself, but does Ais really not see it?
She and Riezel had practiced together countless times, knowing exactly how he looked when he was pushing himself and how effortless he appeared when in control.
Although his performance against the fomoire surprised her, just looking at his face, unflushed and unbreathless, she knew that kind of battle didn''t even make him break a sweat.
In other words¡ª
"Riezel''s current strength is really no less than Level 5."
After saying that, Ais fell silent and didn''t say anything more.
Not just Ais, even Lefiya and the two amazoness sisters fell silent. They just stared at Riezel as if he were a bizarre creature.
Under the scrutiny of the girls, Riezel quietly took a step back.
"I''m going to find something to do."
Leaving those words behind, he turned and ran.
"Hey, stop!"
"Don''t run!"
Tiona and Tione, without thinking, immediately chased after him.
"Ehh?" Lefiya blinked, still notprehending what had happened.
However, soon, a gust of wind blew by again. It was the wind kicked up by Ais, and surprisingly, she also chased after Riezel.
"Wa-Wait! Miss Ais!" Lefiya, no longer dazed, hurriedly caught up.
Several beautiful girls were chasing a boy in the camp, making everyone else in the camp bite their fingers.
"Don''t fool around! You bunch of idiots!" Bete, almost hit by Tiona, hastily protected the pile of firewood he had just painstakingly collected with a furious expression.
But Tiona and the rest paid no attention.
"C''mon! Obediently strip yourself!"
"Just let us have a look! What''s the big deal?!"
"We just want to see your back."
"Eeeeh?! So, chasing Mr. Riezel was for this?!"
The girls'' screams and exmations echoed one after another, turning the entire camp into chaos. It wasn''t until the three top executives appeared that themotion stopped.
"Alright, enough ying around, it''s time to eat!" Riveria shouted toward Riezel and the four girls.
""Yes!""
Their panicked response finally came, yet the atmosphere remained lively and heartwarming.
Chapter 53: Cadmuss Spring
Chapter 53: Cadmus''s Spring
The 50th Floor was a safe floor where monsters didn''t spawn.
There were quite a few safe floors like this in the dungeon. While it wasn''t guaranteed that no monsters would appear, fewer monsters wereing from other floors, so staying on a safe floor reduced the chances of sudden idents or attacks. That was why these safe floors became the preferred resting areas for adventurers in the dungeon.
The Loki Familia upied a cliff on the 50th Floor, which was easily guarded and hard to attack, making it their camp.
The camp had been mostly set up, and the familia members had finished their busy tasks, gathering around the campfire for a meal.
Arge pot sat on the fire in the center of the camp, and everyone gathered around it, rxing and chatting while eating.
Riezel sat in a corner, holding a bowl of soup. Before he could take more than a few sips, a helpless expression appeared on his face.
"Hum! Hum! Now let''s see where you''re going to run." Tiona sat to his left, looking like she had caught him, wearing a smug expression.
"Seriously, I just got scolded by Captain." Tione, sitting on Tiona''s side, was a bit annoyed, chewing on wild fruits to satisfy her hunger and frustration.
"..."Ais sat on the right, not holding soup or wild fruits, just munching on her rations, looking like she wasn''t getting much nutrition.
As for Lefiya, she had already broken.
"Aahh... Sitting between Mr. Riezel and Miss Ais..."
The Elf sandwiched between Riezel and Ais seemed inexplicably happy, with a blush of happiness on her face.
Looking at this scene, Riezel looked around.
Sure enough, many people cast envious and jealous nces at him, even Bete was grinning angrily, seemingly eager to deliver divine punishment to him, who was surrounded by thend of warmth and tenderness.
''...Let''s just ignore it.'' Riezel could only bury himself in his soup, pretending he didn''t see anything.
When everyone had eaten their fill, Finn, as the leader of the expedition party, finally spoke up.
"I''ll say a few words first."
His voice captured everyone''s attention.
"Firstly, thanks for your hard work, everyone." Finn, with a smile rarely seen since entering the dungeon, continued. "We''ve safely reached the 50th Floor this time, without any casualties or losses. This alone is worth celebrating. But, the real test is still in front of us."
He toned down his smile a bit.
"Our goal has never been reaching the 50th Floor, but rather the unexplored territory¡ª59th Floor."
This was a floor Loki Familia had yet to conquer.
The highest floor Loki Familia had reached was the 58th. Therefore, exploring and conquering the 59th Floor became the familia''s primary objective.
"No doubt, the floor we''re about to reach is an area untouched by many familia in Orario, not even Freya Familia has entered the 59th Floor."
Finn''s words echoed in everyone''s ears, causing them to hold their breath.
"If our familia can sessfully reach the 59th Floor, exploring this unknown territory, regardless of the loot, our reputation alone will make us famous throughout Orario, etching our names into history."
Forrge familia like Loki Familia, dungeon exploration was no longer just about gaining wealth and power; fame was also essential.
With enough fame, Loki Familia could continue to grow, attracting more adventurers to join and gaining more convenience and benefits from the Guild and the city. This solidified the familia''s unshakable position in Orario.
Therefore, at Loki Familia''s level, the need was no longer just operational funds for survival, as smaller familia required, but rather fame and glory.
For the sake of fame and glory, even certain benefits could be sacrificed as a price.
In this context, reaching the 59th Floor became Loki Familia''s top priority.
"However, before heading to the 59th Floor, we need toplete amission." Finn changed the topic. "I need to send a few elites to the 51st Floor to collect a specified amount of water from Cadmus''s Spring."
As soon as his words fell, the expressions of many present members changed.
"Seriously? Are we going to mess with that troublesome Cadmus''s Spring?" Tiona, sitting on Riezel''s side, groaned.
Ais also raised her head, looking at Finn seriously.
Riezel''s mind was filled with information about Cadmus''s Spring.
It was a very rare geyser scattered on the 51st Floor. The water collected from this geyser could be used to make very valuable potions.
In the business type familia, especially those focused on medicine or alchemy, there was a demand for this type of spring water.
Well-known medicinal familia, especially those with a reputation, had a high demand for this water, which could only be collected from super-deep floors. To meet this demand, Loki Familia, as an exploration-type familia capable of reaching the 51st Floor, had received this kind of task more than once to collect a specified amount of spring water.
Such tasks were typically referred to as adventurermissions.
Familia without the strength to reach specific floors and gather their own materials often issue adventurermissions to more powerful familia. They offer a certain reward in return for the familia collecting materials for them.
This time, Loki Familia received such amission.
However, this was by no means an easy task.
"Cadmus''s Spring has a guardian." Finn said with a serious tone.
"Cadmus, nicknamed the ''Strong Dragon'', is a dragon species monster. The spring water from Cadmus''s Spring is basically this monster''s possession, and it swallows up most of it every time it erupts."
In other words, to obtain the water from Cadmus''s Spring, they had to face this dragon. The ssification level of this dragon was Level 6.
It was a rare species specialized in strength. If talking about ''STR (Strength)'' alone, Cadmus exceeded even the 37th Floor''s floor boss, Udaeus.
This was why most familiar members'' expressions changed color at the mention of it. Even Tiona couldn''t help but groan, while Ais became serious.
Of course, if that was the only issue, thismission wouldn''t be too troublesome.
After all, Udaeus had been defeated by Loki Familia countless times before, and with the familia''s strength, there was no need to fear a single dragon, right?
The problem was, this time, Finn nned to send out only a few elites.
"A limited amount of water can be collected from one Cadmus''s Spring. To reach the specified amount, we have to go to two different geysers."
"We''ve been in the dungeon for two weeks already, and our supplies are running low. Considering that, afterpleting this adventurermission, we still need to go to the 59th Floor and the return journey will take at least five or six days, we can''t spend too much time on the adventurermission to avoid depleting our supplies."
"Therefore, we need to split into two parties, head to the two geysers simultaneously, to improve efficiency, and shorten the time. Also, since the location of the geysers can''t amodate too many people, it''s better to have fewer people. This way, the operation will be more convenient."
Finn exined,ying out each consideration.
"First-ss adventurers will be the main priority of thismission, with only a few of them being dispatched, while the rest will stay back at the camp."
Finn began selecting themission''s participants. Naturally, the first to be considered were the top executives and executives. Since the priority was on first-ss adventurers, they couldn''t escape.
"Gareth, Bete, and I will form one party, and bring in a Level 4 as a supporter."
"Ais, Tiona, Tione, you three will be in a party together, and find a reliable supporter as well."
"Riveria will stay at the camp, responsible for defending it."
As Finn made his arrangements, the participants nodded in session. However, Bete, with a frown, voiced his concerns.
"Oy, oy, is it okay not to have a Level 6 in the second party?"
Facing a Level 6 dragon species monster stronger than the 37th Floor''s floor boss, it was indeed worrisome that the second party didn''t have a Level 6 member.
Finn, however, seemed to have considered this thoroughly.
"Are you okay with this, Ais?" Finn, ignoring Bete''sint, turned to Ais and calmly asked.
"No problem." Ais replied with an expressionless face, leaving Bete speechless.
Everyone knew why Finn specifically asked Ais. It was because her strength was no less than that of Level 6. With her Level 5 status and Ariel, she could undoubtedly disy powerparable to Level 6.
With Ais in the second party, even facing a strong dragon wouldn''t pose too much of a problem.
Riezel, on the other hand, seemed to have noticed something fishy.
''Is Captain grouping them like this to toughen up the familia executive''s capabilities?
The Level 5 executives were destined to be the backbone of the familia. Whether it was Ais or the Amazoness sisters, they were all still young, not even eighteen yet. At this age, in Riezel''s previous life, they wouldn''t even have finished high school yet.
To give these future backbones of the familia as much training as possible and develop their independent act capabilities, Finn deliberately arranged for these three girls to form a party.
As for Bete, who was also a Level 5, his age was already twenty-two and had experienced much more than others, so he didn''t need much worrying about.
The only problem was that relying solely on these three girls to act, even if they were strong, was a bit concerning in terms of their approach to situations.
After all, these three weren''t the type to calmly handle emergencies and make proper arrangements and decisions. Having only these three in action was bound to lead to some unexpected events.
"Then..." Finn turned his head to Riezel. "Riezel, go with them."
With those words, everyone''s attention once again focused on Riezel.
"Me?" Riezel was taken aback.
"Yup." Finn nodded with a faint smile. "Since what we need is the ''strength'' of first-ss adventurers, with your strength, do you think you can escape thismission?"
Everyone understood the implied meaning in Finn''s words. His point was straightforward. Like Ais, he believed that Riezel already possessed strength not inferior to Level 5.
It wasn''t just Finn who thought so. After discussions among familia''s top executives, such as Riveria and Gareth, they unanimously agreed that Riezel now had strengthparable to Level 5.
Therefore, this time, Finn not only wanted to train Ais, Tiona, and Tione but also to focus on training Riezel.
Chapter 54: Is This Party Really Okay?
Chapter 54: Is This Party Really Okay?
Now, Riezel indeed had strength no less than Level 5.
Although he was currently at Level 4, before this, he leveled up three times in a row and leveled up with all basic abilities at SSS, boasting atent ability higher than the average adventurer.
Most people, before leveling up, managed to get one or two basic abilities to B-rank at most, with very few reaching A-rank, let alone S-rank. Only prodigies like Ais, Bete, Tiona, Tione, and others who became Level 5 adventurers at a young age had the possibility of developing their basic abilities to S-rank.
For example, Lefiya, considered to be Riveria''s sessor, matched Level 5 attack power while at Level 3. Besides skill assistance, the main reason was she reached an S-rank in ''MAG'' before leveling up to Level 3.
Just getting one basic ability to S made her stand out among mages of the same level. Riezel, with all basic abilities at the unprecedented SSS, umted even more astonishingtent basic abilities.
With such circumstances, Riezel considered by Ais to be no weaker than Level 4 expert adventurers was to be expected.
Now at Level 4, he had three basic abilities at S-rank and the remaining two at A-rank. This status, undoubtedly, put him at the cream of the crop among Level 4.
Being the cream of the crop at Level 4, coupled with thetent basic abilities umted from previous levels, purely in terms of status alone, he was not inferior to those Level 5 adventurers.
Plus, he also possessed ''Lightweight'' and ''Swordsman'', two development abilities specialized forbat. Although both development abilities were only at H-rank, his ''Endless'' skill would boost the obtained development abilities. Therefore, the amplification of the two development abilities for him became quite significant.Therefore, even without using magic, Riezel, in his normal state, was enough to rival Level 5, and he might have even outssed ordinary Level 5 adventurers.
Precisely because of this, when he faced the Fomoire horde on the 49th Floor, even charging alongside Ais, he could hold his own without being at a disadvantage.
Finn, Riveria, and Gareth observed and understood this in Riezel''s performance along the way. Astonished, they decided, after careful consideration, to treat him as an executive equivalent to a Level 5 adventurer.
Why else did Finn arrange Riezel and Ais together?
Not just because they had be the party''s trump card capable of challenging higher levels. It could be said that in terms of importance within the party, Riezel even surpassed Bete, Tiona, and Tione, reaching a point where he could be mentioned in the same breath as Ais.
The three top executives unanimously believed that the three familia members they needed to focus on developing were Riezel, Ais, and Lefiya.
While Bete, Tiona, and Tione were certainly prodigies, Riezel, Ais, and Lefiya stood out as super prodigies.
Especially Riezel, whose potential exceeded even Ais and Lefiya, could no longer be called just a super prodigy but should be referred to as an anomaly.
In summary, since they wanted to hone their capabilities, Finn naturally considered including Riezel in thismission as reasonable and fair.
"Are you okay with this, Riezel?" Finn chuckled, repeating the same words he had used when asking Ais.
"A strong dragon?" Riezel muttered, then said with a calm tone. "Of course, no problem."
Thinking about facing a Level 6 dragon species, he had no reservations. He weed challenging strong enemies.
"Riezel, don''t act recklessly, okay?" Riveria said while observing his enthusiasm as if she could read his thoughts. "Whether it''s Ais or Tiona, they are girls whock restraint and don''t know their limits. As a man, you have to keep an eye on them."
"I don''t know if putting you in this party is the right call..." Gareth grumbled. "You''re like the second Ais, equally unreliable..."
Hearing that statement, Riezel instantly fell silent.
Ais, who was affected by the conversation, blinked, then lowered her head, focusing on her food.
Riveria turned to Lefiya.
"Lefiya, you also go."
"Me?" Lefiya was startled to be singled out.
"You''ll be their supporter." Riveria added.
However, this made Riezel more certain that these three top executives had already discussed privately to toughen up the younger members.
"Raul, you''re with us." Gareth caught another person.
"Me too...?"
A Human youth, who had been cowering within the crowd, looking afraid of being called out, made a face of despair.
"C''mon, cheer up a little!"
A Cat girl sitting beside the Human youth pped his shoulder, making him nod with a tearful expression.
Riezel nced at these two.
Both the Human youth and the Cat girl were longstanding members of the Loki Familia, joining even before some of the executives. Their levels had reached Level 4.
On several asions, Riezel had seen Finn and the others handing overmand of the party to these two when deciding not to make a move. For example, Raul was in charge of directing the battles against Goliath and Amphisbaena.
Clearly, these two were also young members receiving special attention from the top executives.
If Loki Familia''s members were ssified in terms of potential and importance, these two would be in the third rank.
Riezel, Ais, and Lefiya were in the first tier.
Bete, Tiona, and Tione were in the second tier.
The Human youth, Raul, and the Cat girl, Anakitty, belonged to the third tier. In this tier, there was also Alicia, an Elf girl, and Elfy, a Human girl.
As for the rest, they would have to be pushed further back.
This was Riezel''s unofficial ssification based on the original work and his understanding of the familia.
Ultimately, he wasn''t very familiar with familia seniors like Raul.
In over a month since joining the familia, he had been busy every day, only engaging in deeper conversations with Lefiya and Ais, and to some extent, the executives and top executives. His interactions with other members were limited to mere nods. Consequently, he didn''t pay much attention to Raul and the others.
Just like now, knowing Raul joined Finn''s party, Riezel only nced at him and then moved on without further interest.
"That''s settled then." Finn decisively confirmed the entire arrangement with a firm tone. "After dinner, you all go back and take a break, then we set off. Let''s try to wrap up themission today."
Upon hearing this, everyone nodded in session, indicating their understanding.
"Heehee, teamed up with Riezel." Tionaughed foolishly by Riezel''s side, seemingly unaware of the reason for her joy.
"I''d rather join Captain''s party." In contrast to her little sister, Tione had a downcast expression. The way she looked at Finn became pitiful.
Among the Amazoness twins, the elder sister was undoubtedly Finn''s loyal fan. Of course, there was another loyal fan in this party.
"Ple-Please guide me, Miss Ais..." Lefiya wore an expression of uncertain joy and, finally, spoke softly to Ais.
"Sure." Ais simply nodded, not saying much.
Even so, Lefiya turned her dilemma into happiness, and her eyes toward Ais began to sparkle with starlight.
''Is this party really okay?'' Riezel finally began to worry.
Two brain-dead diehard fan girls, a goofy and naive innocent girl, and a seemingly aloof but actually naturally awkward doll-like girl.
Suddenly, he felt a wave of concern.
''It seems like I really can''t mess around this time...''
Riezel sighed tiredly.
===
Several hourster.
Leaving behind Riveria and the rest of the expedition party at the base camp, Finn led hismission party to set off to the 51st Floor.
"Take care of yourselves. If you encounter danger, just abandon themission; your life is the most important."
After advising the secondmission party, Finn took the lead with Gareth, Bete, and Raul. Riezel, Ais, Lefiya, Tiona, and Tione waited for a moment before also departing.
The structure of the 51st Floor resembled a typical underground maze.
The walls, floors, and ceilings, neither stone nor soil in material, all presented a deep graphite color, as if deliberately designed. The naturally formed underground passages had several corners and intersections, making it easy for those who entered to lose their way.
The party walked along the wide straight passage, illuminated by the phosphorescent glow above, but their pace was far from slow.
"Cadmus''s Spring should be over there." Lefiya, as usual, carried arge backpack and held a map in her hand, directing everyone.
"Ahh! Monsters iing!"
Tione shouted as she looked in the direction Lefiya pointed, her eyebrows raised. But her voice was quickly drowned out by the roars of the monsters.
*ROOOAAARRR¡ª!!!*
Ais drew a sword from her waist, her gaze bing extremely sharp.
In front of them, a horde of rough and shiny ck rhinoceros-like monsters charged forward, walking on their hind legs.
"ck Rhinos!" Lefiya tensed her nerves.
ck Rhinos, monsters appearing on the 51st Floor, had astonishingly tough skin, capable of easily deflecting most weapon attacks. Even Level 5 adventurers would find them challenging.
Recalling the information about these monsters, Riezel reached for his waist, preparing to draw Hermit, but hesitated for a moment since Ais and Tiona had already rushed ahead.
This scene made him abandon the idea of charging forward.
''Perfect...'' Riezel''s eyes shed slightly. ''Let''s try out the new magic I learned right here.''
With this decision, he began to chant. Under his feet, a magic circle expanded.
''Mage''.
It was the development ability Riezel chose upon reaching Level 4.
It brought various auxiliary effects, such as strengthening the magic''s power, expanding the range, and optimizing the efficiency of ''Mind'' when using magic. It was proof of an advanced mage.
At this moment, Riezel finally awakened and used this development ability.
Chapter 55: Ten Magic
Chapter 55: Ten Magic
During this period, Riezel almost devoted himself to exploring the dungeon day and night, but he never forgot about possessing magic known as ''Almighty''.
After learning Ais''s ''Ariel'' and Lefiya''s ''Arcs Ray'', he considered practicality and various factors and learned quite a few magic from others.
Without a doubt, with Lefiya as his partypanion and having traveled through the dungeon together for over a month, aside from her ''Elf Ring'', Riezel effortlessly learned her remaining magic.
Riveria, as the strongest mage in Orario, individually possessed nine kinds of magic. Naturally, Riezel didn''t miss the chance to seek guidance from her whenever she had time. In the end, he learned five magic from her.
In addition to these, Riezel also acquired a powerful magic from Finn, designed to be a trump card for turning the tables in trouble.
With all of those learned magic, coupled with the previously learned ''Ariel'' and ''Arcs Ray'', Riezel, like Riveria, now possessed nine magic.
This was also the reason he was able to trigger the learning conditions for a developmental ability known as ''Mage''.
This development ability was proof of being an advanced and expert mage since obtaining it wasn''t easy. Generally, it was a patent for pure rearguard mages, while adventurers who could only use one or two magic to assist inbat, would find it impossible to trigger ''Mage''.
Even someone like Ais, whose wind enchant magic was considered to be overpowered, couldn''t trigger ''Mage''.The rest of the members in the familia were simr, treating magic as an auxiliarybat method rather than the primary one, making it practically impossible to trigger ''Mage''.
Riezel, on the other hand, sessfully triggered ''Mage'' after reaching Level 4, relying on his astounding number of magic and usage rate. This development ability could enhance the power of magic, the effects of magic, the range of magic, and many more, making it an almost omnipotent magic-specific auxiliary development ability.
However, at this very moment, he wasn''t using any of the nine magic he had previously learned. Instead, he was employing a magic he had recently learned by chance.
"Follow blindly the sun in the sky."
"Blossom, armor ofurel, so that all will flee from thee."
Stepping onto the magic circle, Riezel chanted a brief chant.
"Raumure."
As the name of the magic was uttered, a deep green light membrane appeared around everyone present.
Ais and Tiona, the first to dash forward, were the first to feel the change in their bodies.
Their speed suddenly skyrocketed, especially Ais, who was already as fast as the wind. In an instant, she vanished, appearing in front of a ck Rhinos.
The ck Rhinos was startled and halted its charge, leaving Ais with widened eyes, seemingly at a loss.
On the other hand, Tiona directly attacked a ck Rhinos in front of her without hesitation.
"HYAAA¡ª!"
Amid her tender shout, Tiona, with her petite frame, swung the enormous double-ded sword, delivering a striking blow that sliced through the ck Rhinos in a sh.
The once proud tough hide of the ck Rhinos considered to be on par with first-ss equipment, seemed as fragile as paper before the dazzlingly fast sh of her sword, easily tearing it apart.
"S-So fast?!"
Even Tiona herself seemed surprised by her own prowess. Her exmation happened to snap Ais out of her bewilderment.
*Pu-chi¡ª!*
With a sh of a silver sword, a cold arc of light cut through the massive body of a ck Rhinos, cleaving it in two with a seemingly effortless strike.
Ais executed an extremely fast sh, effortlessly breaking through the tough hide of the ck Rhinos.
While it was true that she wielded first-ss equipment, Desperate, capable of piercing the ck Rhinos'' tough hide, the attack enchantment formed by the sudden surge in speed under the deep green light membrane was equally crucial.
"What the heck happened...?" Tione, who had just unsheathed her curved sword, was astonished by the disy of Ais and Tiona.
"Protection magic?" Lefiya finally reacted, reflexively blurting out at the sight.
As everyone was astonished by the sudden disy of Ais and Tiona, Riezel''s voice suddenly rang out.
"Limited duration, move fast!"
His brief words snapped everyone out of their astonishment. Without hesitation, theyunched a fierce assault on the numerous ck Rhinos before them.
"Lefiya!" Riezel shouted at the Elf who remained by his side, not rushing into the fray.
"Yes!" Lefiya''s grip on her staff suddenly tightened as she took a deep breath.
In the over a month since teaming up with Riezel to explore the dungeon, Lefiya had undergone significant growth. The determination she made in the reception room that day had driven her continuous efforts over the past month. Although her growth might not have been as eye-catching as his astonishing speed, she had indeed made considerable progress.
Now was the time for her to showcase the results of her efforts.
"Proud warriors, snipers of the forest."
Lefiya slowly closed her eyes, as if the vicious monsters and brutal roars before her didn''t exist at all. It was as if even the battles of herpanions had faded away. With an ethereal voice, she chanted her magic.
"Take up your bows before the advancing plunderers."
"Answer the call of your brethren and ready your arrows. Tinge them with me, themplight of the forest."
"Release them, the fire arrows of the fairies."
"Falling like rain, burn away the savages."
This was thest of the three magic in her possession.
Unlike the single-shot offensive magic like ''Arcs Ray'' or the summoning magic of ''Elf Ring'', this was pure and renowned for its destructive power and attack range¡ªa wide area annihtion magic.
"Fuside Farica."
As the magic circle expanded from beneath her feet, Lefiya raised her staff, turning magical energy into a fiery red radiance that soared into the sky.
In the next moment, the red radiance transformed into an endless rain of fire, descending from the sky.
*BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!*
Explosions, explosions, and explosions.
Explosions filled the air as the rain of fire descended, hitting the ground in a split second, creating a continuous session.
Thebyrinth was suddenly illuminated by the fire, and the ground shook continuously from the bombardment. Countless ck Rhinos were enveloped by the rain of fire, directly hit, and consumed by mes.
In an instant, arge sea of fire appeared, burning thebyrinth with crackling and rattling sounds.
This was Lefiya''s fire element wide area annihtion magic and the reason she was considered to rival Level 5 in attack power.
Under the burning of this magic, ck Rhinos, known for their tough hides that only first-ss equipment could pierce, were helpless. They quickly turned into burned charcoal, falling one after another with wailing and screams.
Clearly, it was only magic unleashed by a Level 3, but it incinerated a vast group of monsters that even Level 5 would find challenging.
This was Lefiya''s magic.
Her excessively outstanding ''MAG'' and the support of skills allowed this Level 3 Elf to burn through arge group of monsters spanning two levels.
As long as she could chant magic steadily and release it steadily, she would be stronger than the average Level 5.
In the past, due to mental immaturity, she couldn''t achieve stable magic chanting. But now, this w had gradually improved through continuous coordination with Riezel.
"So hot!"
"Waaah!"
"Ugh..."
One after another, Tione, Tiona, and Ais escaped from the sea of fire, and the deep green light membraneon their bodies gradually disappeared.
"Sorry!"
Done chanting, Lefiya finally opened her eyes, realizing that she had almost affected everyone, and started to panic.
"Don''t worry, they''re fine." Riezel, as if expecting this oue, reassured her.
The magic he used, known as ''Raumure'', not only enhanced the speed but also excelled in defense.
It was a protection magic he unexpectedly learned from someone else, reinforcing ''END'' and significantly strengthening ''AGI''.
The effect of magic was proportional to the user''s ''MAG''. With Riezel''s SSS-rank in ''MAG'' at every level, plus his current level''s ''MAG'' in S-rank, it yielded surprisingly good results.
With the amplification from the ''Mage'' development ability, when Riezel cast protection magic, even the somewhat minor enhancement of ''END'' that ''Raumure'' originally had was remarkably impressive.
Thanks to this, even if the girls were hit directly by Lefiya''s ''Fuside Farica'', they wouldn''t suffer heavy injuries, only being affected slightly, which wouldn''t harm them at all.
''Raumure'' was a magic mentioned in the original work, and Riezel coincidentally remembered its detailed effects. Therefore, as long as someone cast this magic in front of him, he could witness it with his own eyes and memorize it with ''Almighty'' to effortlessly learn it.
Recently, when Loki Familia was preparing for the expedition, Riezel happened to see the user of this magic in the middle floor of the dungeon, using it right in front of him.
Thus, he easily acquired this protection magic and ultimately possessed ten types of magic, surpassing Nine Hell Riveria, who possessed only nine.
Naturally, no one knew about this.
"What kind of magic is this?"
Tiona and Tione returned, looking at the gradually disappearing light membrane on their bodies with great astonishment.
Ais also gazed at him, her eyes full of curiosity.
They couldn''t help but be bewildered, the magic just now was powerful. Although not on the level of overpowered enhancement like ''Ariel'', it was still quite astonishing magic, making Ais feel that her strength had soared when influenced by it.
"Just a magic I unexpectedly learned."
Riezel didn''t exin too clearly because he saw monsters being attracted by themotion they caused, seemingly approaching.
"Let''s leave here first."
He stopped his magic circle and spoke seriously to everyone. Although the girls were curious, they had to suppress their curiosity and quickly follow his footsteps, leaving.
Before long, numerous monsters appeared, roaring while lingering at the edge of the sea of fire.
The sea of fire burned slowly as if it would never extinguish, dispelling the darkness inside thebyrinth.
Chapter 56: Abnormality
Chapter 56: Abnormality
The following journey of Riezel and his party was undertaken with a policy of avoiding battles as much as possible.
Their sole objective was Cadmus''s Spring where they had to face off against a Level 6 dragon species. At this point, saving energy as much as possible was crucial to concentrate all their energies against the strong dragon.
Even Lefiya was urged by Riezel not to use magic unless absolutely necessary, to prevent wasting mind.
Although she had plenty of mind recovery potions, considering they still had to reach the 59th Floor and face multiple battles along the way, it was best to minimize the usage of supplies.
Finn also supported this approach.
After two weeks of the expedition, the familia''s supplies were running low. To ensure they had supplies for the return journey and to avoid unnecessary consumption of items and medicine, conservation became a top priority.
In this situation, even Ais, who usually charged toward monsters without hesitation, dashed without waiting to see the monster, ignoring them. Tiona followed suit, stashing away herrge double-ded sword and following behind. Tione, without saying a word, was determined not to waste anything unnecessarily and followed Finn''s instructions.
Among all of them, only Riezel was somewhat carefree. Although he didn''t go too wild, he still charged at monsters when he saw them, while maintaining the effect of ''Raumure'', enhancing everyone with his protection magic.
"You''re wasting too much mind." Tioneined about his extravagance."It''s okay. I have ''Spirit Healing''." Riezel casually responded, stopping her dissatisfaction.
His nonchnt answer left Tione speechless.
"Freak..." Tiona muttered in frustration.
Ais and Lefiya, on the other hand, felt a bit conflicted.
Riezel''s high-ranked ''Spirit Healing'', which was an outstanding development ability for any mage, probably recovered a massive amount of mind every second, right?
With ''Spirit Healing'' on that kind of rank, even if Riezel continued to use magic without stopping, it seemed unlikely that he would run out of mind.
How could Ais who frequently used mind-consuming magic and Lefiya who relied on magic as her primarybat method not feel conflicted?
''I really want it.''
Ais and Lefiya thought the same thing at the same time. But unfortunately, it was just a wish.
Thus, the entire group faced only a few unavoidable battles, and otherwise, their journey proceeded smoothly.
Due to having a map, even with poor terrain andplex roads resembling a maze, they continued moving toward their destination without trouble. As they progressed, the group suddenly felt that the number of monsters seemed to be decreasing.
"Howe it feels like there are fewer monsters around?" Tiona was the first to express confusion about this.
"Is it because we''ve deviated from the main route?" Lefiya, looking at the map, voiced her confusion as well.
Cadmus''s Spring was located deep in the 51st Floor, just slightly off the main route leading to the 52nd Floor.
"Butst time we went to find Cadmus''s Spring, there seemed to be quite a few monsters around here..." Tiona expressed her confusion again, causing Tione to furrow her brows.
Ais also lowered her gaze, pondering.
Riezel appeared thoughtful but couldn''t help but feel a flutter in his heart.
''I can''t help but feel like this situation was mentioned in the original work?''
As soon as he had this thought, Riezel''s exceptional memory came into y. He carefully recalled the plot of the original work, and a lightning bolt suddenly shed in the back of his mind.
"Could it be that thing...?" Riezel couldn''t help but whisper.
""What?""
Including Ais, all the girls heard his murmur and stood there confused.
At this moment, Riezel suddenly turned to Lefiya.
"Lefiya, how far is the spring from here?"
His sudden question left Lefiya at a loss.
"It... It should be not far from the cavern at the end of this road."
Although somewhat bewildered, she quickly answered his question. But almost as soon as she finished speaking, Riezel rushed out.
"Mr. Riezel?!" Lefiya cried out in surprise.
""Riezel!""
Tiona and Tione were also momentarily stunned.
Only Ais, seeing him dash out all of a sudden, transformed into a gust of wind without hesitation and followed suit.
"Wait!"
"What are you doing?!"
"Miss Ais!"
Tiona, Tione, and Lefiya finally couldn''t stand still and quickly started running, charging ahead.
At this moment, Riezel had already rushed into the cavern at the end of the road, and upon entering the cavern, he immediately stopped in his tracks.
"Riezel."
Ais followed closely, standing by his side, but shortly afterward, her eyes opened wide.
"What happened to you?!"
"Why are you running!"
"Huff... Huff..."
Tiona, Tione, and Lefiya also arrived, the first twoining, while thest caught her breath. But the next moment, the scene that caught the three''s eyes made them, like Ais, widen their eyes.
Before them, the cavern, for some unknown reason, had suffered brutal and inhumane devastation. Whether it was the walls, the floor, or even the ceiling, everything seemed to have been damaged. Either filled with cracks orpletely shattered, it was in aplete mess.
Many trees that grew here were either snapped or ttened.
That was not all.
What truly surprised everyone was the signs of corrosion everywhere, causing some parts of the trees to turn deep purple, emitting ck smoke, and giving off an indescribable stench.
"What''s going on?"
"How did it be like this here?"
Tiona and Tione looked at each other in bewilderment.
"..." Ais stayed silent and deeply furrowed her brows.
"Ahh, the spring!"
Unconsciously stepping back, Lefiya''s peripheral vision caught a glimpse of a corner of the cavern. There, a pool of spring water sat, radiating a mysterious dark blue brilliance, extremely dazzling.
It was Cadmus''s Spring, and it seemed like there was still a lot of water inside, as if it hadn''t been swallowed by the dragon guarding this ce.
"Wait, where''s the dragon?" Tione immediately noticed the abnormality.
Indeed, the strong dragon that should have been guarding this area was surprisingly absent¡ªor rather, it was no longer here.
Everyone involuntarily shifted their gaze to the front of the spring. There, arge amount of dust was piled up.
"...Could that be the corpse of Cadmus?" Tiona''s unintentional murmur silenced everyone.
All eyes were fixed on the remains of the monster, now reduced to a pile of dust, clearly disintegrated after losing its core.
"..."
A prolonged silence hung in the air.
There was no doubt that the monster guarding this area was now dead. But the question remained¡ªwho had killed a Level 6 Cadmus?
"It couldn''t have been the work of adventurers, right?" Tione whispered. "It seems like we''re the only familia undertaking an expedition during this period..."
Familias with the ability to venture to this floor were already scarce in Orario and only a handful of them. As far as she knew, only Loki Familia had been actively exploring the dungeon recently.
Therefore, it was highly unlikely that another familia had ventured to this ce recently.
In other words...
"Did the monsters fight each other...?" Tiona murmured to herself.
Hearing that, a chill ran through everyone''s hearts. It was not without reason since they were well aware that if monsters were killing each other, things were about to getplicated.
Monsters generally did not attack other monsters. If monsters did attack each other, there were usually only two possibilities.
The first was a sudden, idental event.
A monster could lose its sanity due to some ident, making it attack indiscriminately until one side waspletely defeated.
The second possibility was an irregr.
In the dungeon, some monsters enhanced their strength by consuming the magic stones of others, voraciously devouring the cores of their kin to continuously get stronger.
These monsters, known as strengthened species, gained immense power by consuming the magic stones of other monsters, surpassing their original ssification levels.
These monsters were rarer than rare, and their ability to continuously get stronger by feeding on magic stones could even make them a greater threat than floor bosses.
Such monsters pose a significant danger, as they might attack adventurers for their magic stones by crossing into other floors and creating havoc. If discovered, the Guild would immediately issue a bounty and might even assign adventurers to hunt them down.
Now, the question was, which category did the current situation fall into?
"Did you see any magic stones, Ais?" Tione asked with calm emotion.
"No." Ais responded briefly.
"There''s a drop item!" Lefiya, sharp-eyed, spotted a pair of wings amidst the dust and picked them up.
"Isn''t it weird that there''s no magic stone but there''s a drop item?" Tiona pressed her forehead. "I''ve got a bad feeling about this, seriously."
"A strengthened species that can devour a strong dragon, Cadmus?" Tione''s expression twisted slightly. "This joke is not funny at all, y''know..."
At her words, before anyone could react, Riezel, who had been staring at the entire cavern, turned and walked away.
"Riezel!"
"Oh, c''mon, what now?!"
Seeing Riezel''s behavior, everyone turned like startled birds.
"Let''s head back to the camp." Riezel said briefly without looking back.
If his memory wasn''t wrong, this expedition was the same as the one in the original work where Loki Familia encountered those ''creatures'' for the first time, then the situation at the camp was probably not going well.
''Seriously...'' Riezel sighed. ''Of all times, why do I run into them on my first expedition?''
This luck, not sure if it was good or bad.
"Let''s go!" Riezel took a step forward, picking up his pace toward the direction of the 50th Floor.
The girls exchanged confused nces and, one after another, followed him.
The entire group rushed out of the pathway and entered the main route of the 51st Floor, heading into the spacious terrain.
Suddenly¡ª
"AAAAAAHHH¡ª!"
A sudden piercing scream echoed through the air.
Chapter 57: Concurrent Chanting
Chapter 57: Concurrent Chanting
The entire group rushed out of the pathway and entered the main route of the 51st Floor, heading into the spacious terrain.
Suddenly¡ª
"AAAAAAHHH¡ª!"
A sudden piercing scream echoed through the air.
"The voice just now...!?"
As the piercing scream echoed in thebyrinth and reached the ears of Riezel and his party, they all came to a sudden halt.
"That''s Raul''s voice!" Tiona eximed.
"Captain!" Tione panicked as well.
"What''s going on?!" Lefiya was at a loss.Ais furrowed her brow, ready to dash out, but Riezel grabbed her wrist.
"It''s here!"
He held her hand, his gaze piercing like a sharp de pointing towards a fork in the path. There, a tremor, starting from a distance and intensifying, gradually approached them.
Before long, several figures rushed out from the fork in the path.
"Captain!" Tione turned worry into joy.
Unfortunately, her joy was too early.
"Run!"
Leading the way, the agile and renowned Pallum Hero, Finn, shouted to Riezel and his party in panic.
Behind him, Gareth and Bete, who were usually fearless, were also fleeing in haste. Raul, serving as a supporter, was carried on Bete''s back, emitting ck smoke and a putrid smell, looking barely conscious.
Before Riezel''s party could fully react to this shocking situation, ''it'' appeared.
It got covered in yellow-green hues. The swollen and seemingly tender green outer skin disyed colorful veined marks.
Numerous short legs formed its lower body, while its upper body seemed to rest on the elongated lower part like a small mountain, with thin, t arms extending from both sides. At the front, four cracks somewhat resembled fingers.
It was a worm.
Or rather, it was a monster that looked like a worm.
As the worm monster, towering at a height of four meters, moved forward, shaking up and down, it collided with the ceiling, almost equaling the width of the passage,pletely blocking it.
*Rumble¡ª*
It crashed against the walls on one side, relentlessly chasing Finn and his party from behind.
"Wh-What is that?!" Lefiya couldn''t help but let out a panic scream, her face turning pale.
Not just Lefiya, even Ais, Tiona, and Tione, the three of them, instinctively took a step back, their faces disying a look of absolute horror.
The mighty Level 5 first-ss adventurer, the prodigy executives of Loki Familia, were now shocked by this disgustingly grotesque monster that defied all physiological eptance.
Only Riezel, upon seeing Finn and his party, wasted no time and began chanting.
"Follow blindly the sun in the sky, so that all will flee from thee."
"Blossom, Armor of Laurel."
"Raumure!"
The deep green light membrane shimmered, one by one enveloping the bodies of Finn, Gareth, and Bete, causing their speeds to suddenly skyrocket.
""What is this...?""
The trio were momentarily stunned, but shortly after, they once again heard Riezel''s voice.
"Unleashed streak of light, bow limbs of the holy tree. You are an expert of the bow."
"Shoot, sniper of the fairies."
"Prate, arrow of absolute uracy."
"Arcs Ray!"
The next moment, an arc of light sted out like a beam, narrowly passing over the heads of Finn and his party, and hitting the massive worm monster.
*BOOM!*
*AAAKKKK¡ª!!!*
The monster''s entire body exploded like it was on fire, a massive st that burned away a significant portion of its charging figure, emitting a broken trumpet-like scream.
This attack finally alleviated the situation somewhat, allowing Finn, Gareth, and Bete to quickly escape the pursuit of the worm monster, relying on the enhancement provided by Riezel''s protection magic.
"Captain!"
Seeing Finn and his party safe, Tione was overjoyed and prepared to greet them. But Finn, Gareth, and Bete didn''t loosen their expressions.
"Move!"
"Don''t just stand there!"
"You morons! Hurry up and run!"
The trio, while rushing towards Riezel and his party, shouted in haste.
"Let''s go!" Riezel still took the lead in reacting, lifting the startled Lefiya and running with a swift turn.
Ais, almost instinctively, followed closely behind.
Tiona and Tione stood there, dumbfounded after a while, finally understanding why Finn, Gareth, and Bete had bolted without hesitation, even Riezel choosing to retreat.
Because the monsters chasing them weren''t just one.
When Riezel sted the first worm monster with his magic, behind it, one after another, more worm-shaped monsters appeared, trampling their kin''s bodies and charging straight toward them.
"Are you kidding me?!"
"Run!"
Tiona screamed while Tione''s face turned pale. Without hesitation, the two turned and ran.
In that split second, the top experts and prodigies of the Loki Familia scrambled in panic, fleeing in all directions¡ªa spectacle that would shock onlookers who know them.
Fortunately, the enhancement effect of Raumure was still in y; otherwise, they might have been caught up by those huge worm monsters.
"What the heck is that, Finn!" Tiona finally caught up, shouting at Finn.
"Got no clue!" Finn replied, eyeing the shimmering membrane covering his body, then ncing at the calm Riezel. "Can''t recall anything about those creatures in my memory."
This was a serious problem.
As the captain of the familia, Finn always had a meticulous and strategic approach. Every time they ventured into the dungeon, he not only memorized information about various monsters on each floor but also meticulously noted down the map of the dungeon.
In terms of memory, Finn was not inferior to Riezel at all. Even for the terrain of the 51st Floor, he remembered it crystal clear.
Now, leading at the forefront, Finn ran without hesitation, even without checking the map, through twisting and turning paths and numerous forks, which clearly was not random running. Yet, he imed there was no information about these worm monsters in his memory.
This could only mean one thing.
These monsters had never appeared before, just like the Crocodile Dragon that appeared on the 6th Floor back then.
"Irregr..."
Ais murmured softly, making everyone''s expressions turn serious. Especially when they saw what was happening behind them, their scalps tingled even more.
*AAAAKKKK¡ª!!!*
*AAAAKKKKKK¡ª!!!*
*Rumble¡ª*
Gigantic worms chased them like tanks or war chariots while extending their t arms to grab any unfortunate monsters they encountered.
Everyone witnessed a ck Rhinos desperately struggling, only to be swallowed whole by one of the worm monsters. The other monsters met the same fate, hunted by these worm monsters without exception, all bing their prey.
"¡Are they devouring magic stones?" Tione said with an almost groaning tone, causing everyone''s hearts to plummet.
"Strengthened species? So many of them?!"
Lefiya, being carried by Riezel as they ran, had no time to be embarrassed; her charming face turned as white as paper as she eximed with fear.
It wasn''t until now that the girls understood why Finn, Gareth, and Bete were running. Because they were facing a horde of strengthened species.
Creatures rarer than rare species, each appearance prompting the Guild to issue an immediate bounty, were now appearing in the group.
Could the situation get any worse?
Unfortunately, it could.
"Get down!"
Riezel, who had been silent all this time, suddenly yelled. Maintaining the posture of holding Lefiya, he grabbed Ais''s hand and abruptlyy down.
"Down!"
Finn''s response was nothing short of quick. Trusting Riezel''s sudden warning, he alsomanded everyone to get down.
In that split second, a purple, liquid-like jet sprayed out like a high-pressure water gun, hitting the wall in front of them.
*Sssttt¡ª!!!*
The wall hit by the purple liquid dissolved at a visible speed, turning into a puddle of mud in an instant.
This scene immediately reminded Ais and the other girls of Cadmus''s Spring. In that ce, there were many traces of things being corroded and dissolved by something simr.
"Could it be?!"
"They killed Cadmus!"
Tiona and Tione eximed in unison.
"Raul!"
Ais also understood why Raul ended up in such a miserable state, being carried away by Bete. It was because he was directly hit by that liquid acid, suffering from corrosion.
"It''s definitely these monsters..." Riezel, who had been silent all along, muttered as he finally confirmed his spection. His gaze on the worm monsters became sharp.
The pursuing worm monsters, in the trembling eyes of everyone, one by one raised their upper bodies, opening their sticky mouths and spraying liquid shots towards them, letting the purple acide at them one after another.
"Watch out your back! Don''t touch that liquid!" Finn shouted.
No one was reckless enough to ignore his warning, especially when faced with such a terrifying acid.
Immediately, everyone began to dodge, shifting positions, or swiftly jumping to and fro to evade the iing liquid shots.
*Scwhing¡ª!*
Ais unsheathed her sword, seemingly ready for a fight.
"Ais, hold up!" Bete suddenly yelled. "If you slice those monsters, the acid inside their bodies will burst out and stter everywhere. Raul got hit by that mess too!"
With that reminder, Ais had to halt her steps that were about to charge forward.
"Riezel!" Gareth called out to Riezel. "Can you pull off another magic?!"
Since closebat was not an option, they had to resort to long-range attacks, and among them, Riezel was the only one capable of executing them.
"Arcs Ray!"
Without hesitation, Riezel, who had alreadypleted his magic chant, unleashed a beam of light in an arc, cutting through space and hitting the acid-spewing worm.
"Arcs Ray!"
"Arcs Ray!"
"Arcs Ray!"
*AAAKKKKKK¡ª!!!*
One after another, chants and releases, creating sessive arcs of light that strike one worm monster after another, making them emit pitiful cries.
The explosions and cries mixed together, giving the air a hint of the smell of gunpowder, vibrating through the entire dungeon floor.
Everyone watched as Riezel, still carrying Lefiya, calmly dodged liquid shots while continuously chanting and sting magic calmly.
Seeing this scene, their gazes changed.
"Concurrent chanting...?" Finn''s whisper held both amazement and relief.
"Damn monster!" Bete couldn''t help but curse.
Chapter 58: A Race Against Time
Chapter 58: A Race Against Time
It was obvious that magic required extreme concentration and the correct chant to be cast.
Generally, the more powerful the magic output, the longer the chant. Casters needed to exercise more precise control to prevent the gradual transformation of magical energy into uncontroble force, leading to failed magic activation or idental magical energy explosions, potentially harming themselves and others.
So, whether it was a mage or anyone else, when using magic, they all stood in ce, focusing on chanting, preparing to cast their magic with full concentration without exception.
However, there were those who could multitask, chanting magic while taking action in other aspects.
They could multitask, handling both chanting andbat, turning into high-powered mobile artillery, calmly and steadily destroying enemies.
This thrilling and special technique of multitasking, conducting bothbat and magic simultaneously, was called ''Concurrent Chanting''.
Those who could flexibly use this skill were extremely rare experts, even among high-ss adventurers.
It was equivalent to defusing a bomb with both hands while fighting, a dangerous technique that everyone knew was incredibly difficult to master.
But once mastered, even rearguard mages who typically required protection or someone''s protection in battle could transform into mobile artillery that roamed the entire battlefield, bing nightmares that haunted their enemies¡ªa one-man army.Now, in front of Loki Familia''s members, there was such a formidable presence demonstrating this special technique.
"Arcs Ray!"
As Riezel deftly dodged another stream of acid shot, swiftly unleashing his magic to knock down yet another worm, the top executives of Loki Familia who watched this spectacle were utterly stunned.
Attacking, dodging, moving, chanting¡ªRiezel handled four actions simultaneously, yet there was no sign of disorder in his magic. It was calmly unleashed, hitting one worm after another.
This scene left not only others but even Lefiya, who had always been with him, astonished.
Such proficient, calm, stable, and diversified concurrent chanting, even Lefiya had only seen it in her mentor, Riveria.
Thanks to this, Riezel alone overwhelmed the horde of worm monsters that rushed forward like war chariots, causing explosions to continuously erupt at the entrance of the passage, shattering the ceiling and walls into fragments piled up together.
*AAAKKKKKK¡ª!!!*
The worm monsters growled in anger. Not only were they forced back by grand explosions time and again, but they were also hindered by the piled-up rubble.
"Rubble?" Finn''s eyes light up, then shouted to Riezel. "There it is! Riezel! Hit above!"
Hearing that, Riezel paused, and shortly afterward, understood Finn''s meaning. Without dy, he dashed like the wind, narrowly avoiding another acid shot, and raised his hand to cast short-chant magic that he had used countless times before.
"Arcs Ray!"
*BOOOM!!!*
This time, the tracking light arrow didn''t hit the monsters but struck the ceiling, shattering it right at the entrance of the passage.
*Rumble¡ª*
As a result, countless rubble fell, crashing to the ground. Gradually piling up, they formed a huge pile of stones, blocking the passage entirely.
*AAAAAKKKKK¡ª!!!*
The worm monsters screamed, attempting to charge forward but failed.
The continuously falling rocks eventuallypletely blocked the entire passage, trapping the horde of worm monsters on the other side.
The roaring noise gradually diminished and soon disappearedpletely.
"Yatta!" Tiona cheered.
"Captain!" Tione ran toward Finn''s direction.
"Did we make it...?" Gareth breathed a sigh of relief.
"Fuck! At least we''re rid of those disgusting shits." Bete spat in disdain.
Only Ais ran towards Riezel''s direction.
"Are you okay?" Ais quickly asked and stared at his body intensely.
"I''m fine." Riezel shook his head, calmly setting Lefiya down from his arms.
"Mr. Riezel, for you." Lefiya quickly rummaged through her backpack, taking out a mind recovery potion and handing it to him.
It was her instinctive move.
In Lefiya''s eyes, Riezel had just released so much magic that his mind was surely depleting fast.
"Ahh..."
After handing over the potion, she just realized that he might not actually need a mind recovery potion. With his highest-rank ''Spirit Healing'' development ability, even if he carelessly cast magic, it was far from depleting his mind.
This made her feel a bit awkward. For a moment, she didn''t know whether to continue offering the potion or retract it.
"Thanks."
Seeing Lefiya''s awkwardness, Riezel smiled and epted the mind recovery potion from her hand.
"Mr. Riezel..." Lefiya looked at him with a mix of gratitude and admiration. ''Indeed, Mr. Riezel is like Miss Ais! He seemed cold on the surface but was actually a kind and thoughtful person!''
The elf nced at Riezel and then at Ais beside him, feeling a sense of double joy.
At this moment, Finn and the others finally caught up.
"Is everyone okay?" Finn nced at everyone.
Everyone shook their heads one after another, except for Bete, who smirked.
"We had a narrow escape, but this guy we''re dragging along might not make it."
Bete was, of course, referring to Raul, slung over his back.
"Ugh... urgh..." Raul unconsciously groaned, his body still emitting smoke and a foul odor, looking very miserable.
"Why aren''t you guys helping him recover?" Tiona was getting anxious.
"Lefiya, elixir." Tione urged.
"Here!" Lefiya immediately took out an elixir from her backpack.
"Give it to me." Gareth took it, pulled open the bottle cap, and poured the potion over Raul''s body.
"We''ve lost all our items..." Finn sighed and shook his head. "Raul is the supporter of our party, but unfortunately, he got drenched by those monsters'' acid. Look at him now; everything on his body is basically impossible to survive, all instantly dissolved."
"All of it?" Tione was stunned.
"Yeah..." Bete said through gritted teeth. "Not just our items, even our weapons got dissolved. Those fucking monsters are basically the bane of closebatants like us."
Upon closer inspection, whether it was Finn, Gareth, or Bete, their weapons were all gone. Especially Bete, his boots were still emitting smoke, obviouslypletely dissolved.
"Thank goodness I didn''t charge in and hack at them..." Tiona''s forehead was dripping with sweat.
Even Riezel had his eyes twitched.
No choice.
Finn''s, Gareth''s, and Bete''s weapons weren''t ordinary equipment; each one was almost first-ss equipment, and it was basically impossible to obtain them for less than a hundred million valis on the market.
Now they were all dissolved, the cost of loss would be quite hefty.
"I messed up this time..." Finn said in reflection. "If we had a mage in our party, our situation would definitely be much better."
Dealing with those worm monsters could only be done from far away as Riezel did. Otherwise, once you got close, your weapons would dissolve.
Injuring those worm monsters in close proximity was the same as injuring yourself. Finn''s mistake was not having a mage in his party, leaving them helpless against those worm monsters. They had no other choice but to flee.
"Thanks to you this time, Riezel." Finn shifted his mood and looked at Riezel with a grateful expression. "It''s really impressive how you did concurrent chanting so effortlessly."
Riezel only gave a slight smile, appearing calm in response to Finn''s praise.
Indeed, concurrent chanting was a sophisticated skill, but its main core trick was actually quite simple.
It was all about keeping a calm mind.
As long as your mind was calm and could stayposed in the face of danger, achieving concurrent chanting wasn''t as difficult as it seemed. A bit of practice was all it took.
Riezel had a natural advantage in this aspect.
Facing imminent danger, he never panicked or got nervous. Instead, he became more excited and thrilled, probably because of the circumstances of his previous life that made him this way.
Therefore, while concurrent chanting might seem like an advanced technique to others, for him, it was almost like a natural thing.
This made Riezel not particrly proud or happy with aplishing concurrent chanting. Even when praised by Finn and looked at admiringly by others, he didn''t make a big deal out of it.
"Let''s quickly head back to the camp."
More concerned with the situation at hand, Riezel changed the topic.
Finn also understood his implication.
"...Is the camp in danger?" Finn''s expression turned serious.
""The camp in danger?""
Everyone was equally surprised.
"I have a bad feeling, feel like something is going to happen over there." Riezel said calmly to everyone.
Of course, this was just a way to brush off some questions. In reality, he was sure that something had happened at the camp.
During this expedition, Loki Familia encountered a new species of monster, facing many irregrs that could devour even the strong dragon, Cadmus. This was an incident mentioned in the original work.
After confirming that this expedition matched the one mentioned in the original work, Riezel was almost certain that the camp, like their current situation, had been attacked by these monsters.
"Oy, is this for real or what?" Bete asked, somewhat skeptical.
"Don''t tell me these monsters could actually go to the safe floor, climb down from the 51st Floor to the 50th Floor?" Tiona blurted out something beyond her wildest imagination.
"Strengthened species have this uncontroble craving for magic stones, so they often cross floors to devour other monsters to get stronger or even attack adventurers carrying magic stones. We''ve been ying monsters and collecting magic stones all the way here, and all those magic stones are piled up in the camp..."
Tione said her assumption while biting her nails, causing a widespread sense of unease among everyone.
"Don''t say that..." Finn said solemnly. "My thumb is throbbing in pain... Let''s get back as soon as possible."
Everyone agreed and nodded simultaneously.
Without a word, they all started running toward their camp location.
*Psssttt¡ª*
At the same time, the pile of rocks blocking the passage began emitting ck smoke, gradually dissolving and revealing the slowly emerging bodies of yellow-green worms.
A life-and-death race against time was about to begin.
Chapter 59: Accident
Chapter 59: ident
Dungeon, 50th Floor.
When the twomission parties returned to this floor, the scene that greeted them immediately signaled that the worst had happened.
*BOOM!*
An explosion echoed from a cliff, its rock surface covered in yellow-green grime.
People were yelling.
Monsters were roaring, destroying, and trampling everything in their path.
"Looks like we''re under attack again..." Finn stared at the ck smoke rising from the cliff, his expression grim.
"Riveria!" Ais panicked and had an even more intense reaction. Finally abandoning self-restraint, she shot out like an arrow.
"Miss Ais!" Lefiya was surprised.Almost simultaneously, another form on Lefiya''s side turned into an afterimage and leaped out.
"Mr. Riezel!"
Seeing Riezel also charging out, Lefiya couldn''t hold back and followed suit.
"Dammit!" Bete cursed and rushed ahead.
Tiona, Tione, and Lefiya, not to mention Finn, Gareth, and Raul, who had just caught their breath, also rushed toward the cliff without hesitation, driven by bad premonitions.
Ais was the first to reach the destination.
She climbed the cliff, dashed through the forest, and soon saw an open in with a t rock tform serving as a makeshift camp.
However, the once orderly camp was now almost a ruin. Every member flocked together and engaged inbat with many enormous worm-like creatures attached to the rocks.
"Quick! Raise your shields!"
Riveria, protected in the middle, shouted urgently.
Around her, all the expedition party members formed a circle. Dwarves and beastmen held shields at the forefront, blocking the corrosive acid sprayed by the worm monsters, protecting everyone.
Unfortunately, this wouldn''tst.
The acid from the worm monsters was too powerful. Even their thick shields quickly dissolved upon contact with the acid. They could only throw away shields one after another, using this extremely wasteful method to resist the onught of the worm monsters.
The rearguard, protecting Riveria, used magic and arrows, asionally hitting one to two worm monsters, causing them to explode on the spot and spray countless acids, corroding every corner of the camp.
This scene was like a nightmare.
Seeing this scene, Ais charged ahead without hesitation.
*Pu-chi!*
As a silver light shed, a worm monster, ready to attack, was cut in half by a sword. As it screamed and sttered arge amount of acid, expedition party members defending the camp felt a gust of wind blowing in front of them.
Ais drew her sword without saying a word, flipping through the air several times to skillfully dodge the sshing acid liquid. She soonnded in front of everyone.
"Ais!"
"Miss Ais!"
Riveria and the others eximed with delight.
"ARGHHH!"
Just as everyone''s attention was drawn to Ais''s sudden appearance, a beastman at the corner of the circle of shields was knocked away by a worm monster, exposing a catgirl who was preparing to take out a potion to heal herpanion.
"Aki!"
Raul, who had just climbed up the cliff, happened to witness this scene and shouted in panic with cracked eye sockets.
The catgirl was Anakitty.
"...Eh?"
Anakitty didn''t even react, only turned her head to look at a massive worm monster that appeared in front of her, her mind nk.
The monster''s grotesque mouth opened wide towards her, spraying arge amount of acid liquid that poured down like torrential rain, ready to envelop her body.
"Tempest!"
In the nick of time, a short chanting appeared.
*WHOOSH¡ª!*
A sudden hurricane swept through, and a figure following closely behind Ais exploded, blowing away the smoke and atmospheric dust, and increasing his speed dramatically.
Riezel, like a hurricane passing through, blew away all the worm monsters in his path with his tornado, making it seem like an uninhabited space. In the blink of an eye, he appeared in front of Anakitty.
*Swish!*
As a high-pressured acid shot out, Riezel''s Hermit easily sliced through it, causing an explosion of purple liquid. The liquid sshed around but was flicked away by the wind surrounding him.
"Are you okay?" Riezel asked calmly and didn''t turn around, only staring at the worm monster in front of him, speaking to the catgirl behind him.
Anakitty didn''t reply.
She just stared nkly at the youth''s back in front of her, at the swordsman wrapped in a hurricane. For some reason, she had lost her words.
Hearing no answer, Riezel felt strange and wanted to turn his head to her, but the worm monster in front of him took action again.
*AAAKKKKKK¡ª!!!*
It emitted an angrily frustrated scream, continuously spraying acid toward him.
"Be careful!"
Seeing this, Riveria couldn''t help but shout, only to find it unnecessary.
Riezel didn''t even bother to dodge and just waved his sword casually, one by one cutting away the oing acid shots. The sttering liquids were also blocked by the wind enveloping his body, unable to touch his body at all.
Seeing this, not only Riveria but also Finn, who had followed along, instantly understood.
Ariel countered the acid of the worm monster and effortlessly kept them from getting anywhere near Riezel''s body.
In other words, anyone using Ariel could easily take on these worm monsters that were the nemesis of closebatants.
"Tempest!"
Ais, realizing it, immediately chanted Ariel, summoning the power of the wind just like Riezel did. Both of them exchanged a nce and, without a word, rode the wind and charged out.
*AAAAKKKKKK¡ª!!!*
Several worm monsters sensed the two approaching hurricanes. One after another, they turned away from attacking other people and instead aimed at Riezel and Ais, spraying countless streams of acid at them.
Faced with the purple acid barrage raining down like a storm, both Riezel and Ais didn''t dodge. Instead, they elerated, letting the wind of their bodies collide with the oing acid storm, deflecting them all.
*Swish!*
Finally, the sword light erupted.
Riezel and Ais rushed into the worm monster horde in tandem. Their weapons carried the force of the wind, turning into streaks of sword light, ughtering the worm monsters one by one without mercy.
*Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!*
Each worm monster was instantly gutted, cut down by both of them, emitting a piercing scream, and sttering countless streams of purple liquid.
Riezel and Ais were like two wolves charging into a flock of sheep, one on the left and one on the right, one in front and one behind, like two tornadoes, charging back and forth, killing one worm monster after another with their swords, causing the purple liquid to spray continuously around them.
Not long after, the ground, walls, and the nearby forest were corroded by the sttering acid, emitting ck smoke and gradually melting.
Only Riezel and Ais,pletely ignoring the acid spraying towards them, charged through with Ariel fearlessly, killing worm monsters one after another, wailing without end.
"Well done!"
"Nice!"
Tiona and Tione couldn''t help but shout as if releasing pent-up frustration.
"Mr. Riezel, Miss Ais, amazing...!" Lefiya eximed like a fangirl, sping both hands with endless admiration shining in her eyes as she observed the scene.
"Aki! Are you okay?!" Raul rushed over in a panic, making a big fuss.
"I-I''m fine..."
Anakitty, who had been staring nkly, finally came to her senses. Her eyes were fixed on Riezel''s figure, who was ughtering monsters in the horde, eyes shining with admiration.
"Tch, all the glory''s been stolen."
Bete had an extremely displeased look as he gazed at the scene. If it weren''t for his weapon being destroyed, he absolutely wouldn''t hesitate to join the fray. He would charge up and smash at least one or two worm monsters. Watching Riezel and Ais fight while he just stood helplessly was not something his pride would allow.
"Looks like we''ve dodged a crisis, huh?"
Finn expressed with relief as he and Gareth approached Riveria. They observed Riezel and Ais effortlessly ughtering the worm monsters, which somewhat eased their minds.
Need to admit, they were genuinely scared this time. A horde of strengthened species from the deep floors attacked in droves, coupled with their corrosive acid¡ªif it weren''t for Riezel and Ais, getting through this crisis wouldn''t have been so easy.
As he watched the sttering of acid spreading, almost reaching their side, Finn quickly gave an order.
"Everyone retreat! Don''t linger here!"
Hismand brought unwilling expressions to many faces.
"So, the camp is destroyed, huh?"
"Well, looks like this expedition is done for..."
Tiona and Tione spoke tiredly one after another and sighed with resignation.
Their camp,pletely destroyed and corroded by the worm monsters, now showed no signs of anything intact, including food, tools, and equipment.
All supplies, just like Raul''s backpack on his back, were dissolved to nothing.
Now that Finn had ordered a retreat, there was no doubt that they wouldn''t be able to continue the expedition.
"No choice... Weapons destroyed, supplies nearly gone. Even if we survive this trouble, we don''t have the ability to continue to the 59th Floor, and can only retreat." Gareth shook his head lightly.
"A bunch of disgusting shits! Next time, I''ll definitely kick their fucking asses!" Bete cursed, expressing what everyone was thinking.
"This time is a failure, but we''lle back next time..." Finn calmly said. "We were unprepared this time,cking effective means to deal with these new species monsters. But next time, I swear, we will turn the tide."
Just like when they arrived at the 58th Floorst time and were forced back by the monsters of that floor, Finn never feared failure.
If it doesn''t work this time, then next time.
If not next time, then the time after.
Make Loki Familia, one of the strongest in Orario, give up?
Make the world-renowned ''Braver'' give up?
Impossible.
At this moment, numerous ideas shed through Finn''s mind as he had already outlined the strategy for the next expedition.
However, in the next moment, an unexpected ident happened.
A dazzling array of colorful particles suddenly fell from the sky,nding on Riezel and Ais who were in the middle of ughtering the worm monsters.
In the next second, those countless particles suddenly lit up.
*BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!*
A massive explosion suddenly engulfed the horde of worm monsters, along with Riezel and Ais.
""RIEZEEEL¡ª!""
""AIIIS¡ª!""
Shouts ofmentation echoed through the sky from every member of Loki Familia.
Chapter 60: New Monster
Chapter 60: New Monster
At the edge of the cliff, the explosions of fire erupted one after another, expanding outward.
Every member of Loki Familia watched as this sudden sea of fire appeared, each one losing theirposure.
Especially Lefiya, who witnessed Riezel and Ais being engulfed by the fire, staggered and almost fainted.
Luckily, Finn, Gareth, and Riveria held everyone back; otherwise, they would have absolutely charged forward without thinking.
"Those two are fine!"
Riveria''s words had just echoed when two gusts of wind blew away the fire waves, revealing Riezel and Ais emerging from the mes almost simultaneously, a bit messy but with no apparent injuries.
"Mr. Riezel! Miss Ais!"
Lefiya eximed with joy, and the others were relieved as well. However, Riezel and Ais stared straight ahead, their expressions bing solemn. Lefiya was about to run over to check on them, but the two stopped her.
"Don''te, Lefiya!" Ais called out without looking back."Wh-What happened?" Lefiya had to stop in her tracks, standing there in surprise.
At that moment, Riezel''s voice slowly resonated.
"A big one ising."
His tone was calm and indifferent, but the content made everyone present uneasy. It wasn''t until after a while that everyone understood what he meant by ''a big one ising''.
*BOOM!*
A massive arm extended from below the cliff, mming onto the cliff face, and creating a loud noise. A t-shaped arm seemed to be supporting something as a gigantic figure slowly rose from below the cliff, entering the eyes of everyone present.
""...""
At that moment, every adventurer present fell silent.
Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a monster about six meters tall.
Simr to the worm monster, it had a yellow-green body and t-shaped arms, like an erged version of the worm monster, but with significant differences in overall appearance.
For example, the upper body, like a mountain, was no longer beast-like but had smooth, curving humanoid features. Whileits t-shaped arms were no longer just outlines; they resembled fish fins, with pairs on each side, two on each upper arm.
Several tube-like organs hung down from the back of its head, while the colorful hues on its yellow-green body seemed chaotic as if a mysterious deadly poison had invaded. The intense colors extended to the upper half of its face, whichcked a nose, eyes, and mouth¡ªonly contours, reminiscent of a female humanoid features.
This monster''s appearance was akin to a worm metamorphosing into a butterfly, strangely beautiful in a way. However, this less-than-ttering beauty was overshadowed by its massively protruding,ck-of-smooth-lines, and downright ugly purple-ck abdomen.
"AAAAAAAAAA¡ª!!!"
The female-like worm monsters crawled up from the cliff as if hatching from an egg, emitting an excited, soprano-like scream into the world.
The piercing sound made several people present feel physically ufortable, prompting them to vomit directly.
"What... What the hell is that?!"
"Does the dungeon have a monster like this?!"
Tiona and Tione let out screams one after another that sounded almost miserable.
"Another disgusting piece of shit!" Bete spat on the ground without hesitation.
Meanwhile, the expressions of Finn, Riveria, and Gareth turned serious.
"Oy, oy, this doesn''t look good at all..." Gareth''s whisper echoed the thoughts of most people present.
It wasn''t just because a colossal monsterparable to a floor boss appeared before them, but also because of its undisguised malice.
After the female-like worm monster screamed, it started to move.
It opened its four t arms as if intending to embrace someone gently. But with this movement, colorful particles spread from its embrace.
Without a doubt, this monster was the source of the massive explosion just now.
"Fall back!" Finn ordered in a hair-trigger voice, causing everyone present to twitch, turning around without hesitation and running with all their might.
"Ais!"
"Got it!"
Riezel and Ais also chose not to confront it head-on and retreated as fast as possible.
The colorful particles fell like pollen, scattering across the entire cliff.
Then¡ª
*BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!*
Tremendously intense explosions urred one after another without any surprise.
All the particles that touched the ground and the remnants of the camp turned into tiny but powerful bombs at this very moment, exploding sessively.
A fire wave surged, heat churned, and the exploding mes were like a fiery red tide, engulfing everything with astonishing power, destroying everything in its path.
Under such massive explosions, the cliff finally crumbled and copsed like a torrent.
Every member of the expedition party could only dodge and jump amidst the torrent of rubble, stepping on shattered pieces of the cliff, sliding down from the edge, and being chased by the rubble.
Some even jumped down without any regard for safety.
If it weren''t for Finn and other first-ss adventurers assisting, many lower-level members would have surely met their demise.
"Lefiya!" Ais, wrapped in the wind, held onto the falling Lefiya as if flying through the air.
As for Riezel, he briefly danced in midair with Ariel and left all the rescue work to Finn and the others. Without dy, he dispersed the me and darted toward the female-like worm monster, alone.
The arms under the monster, which caused the massive explosion, swayed and waved, running on the cliff walls like a spider.
It was evident that it had no intention of letting anyone present escape. It chased after everyone down the cliff, apanying the rushing torrent of rubble. At the same time, it lifted its upper body, allowing the featureless facial area to split open, revealing a grotesque mouth.
*PSSST¡ª*
The intense corrosive acid was immediately sprayed out by the female-like worm monster.
The scale and speed were much stronger than the normal worm monster. If the acid sprayed by the worm monster was likened to a high-pressure water gun, what the female-like worm monster sprayed out was more like a high-pressure water cannon.
Many people became targets of the monster, watching helplessly as arge amount of corrosive acid approached, their faces showing a look of fear.
Seeing this, Riezel immediately began to chant.
"Unleashed streak of light, bow limbs of the holy tree. You are an expert of the bow."
"Shoot, sniper of the fairies."
"Prate, arrow of absolute uracy."
"Arcs Ray!"
The arrow of light was released and quickly caught up with the acid in motion.
*BOOOM!*
The arrow of light and the acid collided immediately, exploding each other.
Riezel immediately used Ariel to intercept the sshing acid.
*Sizzle* *Sizzle* *Sizzle*
An incredible corrosive sound echoed as the exploding acid touched the cliff walls and the ground, makingrge holes wherever it made contact.
Under such corrosion, the cliff wall immediately copsed after bing riddled with holes, making the torrent of rubble evenrger while emitting thick ck smoke.
"W-We''re saved..."
The expedition party members who were almost hit by the acid let out relieved sighs.
"Move quickly!" Riezel shouted at them.
""Yes!""
The expedition party members, originally supposed to be seniors, unconsciously followed hismand without hesitation.
This was the change brought about by strength.
In a situation where even the familia executives had to flee, Riezel came alone to confront countless monsters, protecting them. Just this act alone was enough to earn the respect of everyone.
However, the crisis was far from over.
*Rumble¡ª*
The female-like worm monster, seeing its attack blocked by Riezel, immediately changed its target and locked onto him. Its huge body swung, charging like a train.
*BANG!*
Riezel was about to make a move when the monster swept out its t-shaped arm, hitting his body and sending him flying.
"Mr. Riezel!" Lefiya, held by Ais, couldn''t help but shout in panic.
Watching Riezel get hit, everyone''s face turned pale.
"Despite its big size, how can it move so quickly?" Finn furrowed his brow.
It was well-known thatrge monsters shared amon weakness¡ªthey were not adept at precise and fast movements.
However, this female-like worm monsterpletelycked this disadvantage. Its massive body charged forward while agilely changing direction. The range of motion for its t-shaped arms was also extensive, not only delivering confusing and rapid movements but also whipping like a flexible whip. It didn''t have the natural drawbacks ofrge monsters.
Of course, the most fearsome aspect was the corrosive acid as this acid could dissolve even a cliff.
Among everyone present, probably only Riezel and Ais with their ''Ariel'' were capable of withstanding it. This was the most challenging part because it rendered Level 6 like Finn useless.
Even if they seed in killing these worm monsters, their weapons and bodies would be corroded by the exploding acid inside the bodies of these monsters,pletely sealing off the possibility of closebat. This made Level 6 closebatant experts like Finn and Gareth incapable of approaching and forced to retreat repeatedly.
Originally, a rearguard mage like Riveria could still be useful. But now, looking at the size of the female-like worm monster and its bulging abdomen, Finn had reason to believe that if she used her magic on this monster, once it fell, it would likely self-destruct on the spot, just like the previous worm monsters.
With a monster this massive self-destructing, how much acid would it release?
Finn strongly suspected that when this monster self-destructed, the surrounding area would be enveloped in corrosive acid. In other words, once they killed this monster, most, if not all, of the people present would die.
Things were really bing more troublesome.
''We have to retreat.''
As Finn finished pondering and made a decision, suddenly¡ª
"Arcs Ray!"
An arrow of light came from a distance, hitting the female-like worm monster clinging to the cliff wall and knocking it down with a thunderous roar.
Riezel, covered in the wind, dived in, crashing directly into its body.
*BOOOM!*
With a tremendous sound, he transformed into a tornado, carrying the monster away from everyone.
""Mr. Riezel!""
""Riezel!""
Everyone eximed in session, panic was evident in their voices. Meanwhile, Finn remainedposed as he quickly grasped Riezel''s n.
''Does he want to take that monster away from this area, fighting it alone?''
Chapter 61: Hero
Chapter 61: Hero
Finn''s assumption was correct.
Riezel, familiar with the corrosive acid of the female-like worm monster, recognized the extent of the hindrance and threat it posed to everyone and decided to handle it alone.
Therefore, he mustered his ''Mind'', converting a significant amount of it into magical energy, further transforming it into the wind. He adjusted Ariel to almost maximum output, creating a tornado-like force, and bing a streak of light.
Charging through, he pushed the massive monster far away from everyone.
*BOOOOM!*
With a heavy impact, it mmed onto the ground, shaking the earth beneath. Dust and gravel erupted like intermittent geysers, sweeping towards Riezel, only to be dispersed by the wind enveloping his body.
Wrapped in the force of the wind, he ascended into the air, the magic circle beneath his feet rotating as he began chanting once again.
However, before he could finish his chant, countless pollen-like light particles suddenly scattered from the dust.
*BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!*Consecutive explosions erupted in a corner of the 50th Floor, causing the fire wave to expand once again.
*Rumble¡ª*
The ground shattered, the forest burned to the ground, and the exploding mes and shockwaves engulfed everything, including Riezel.
He could only feel a surge of heat, his body bombarded by the chaotic explosions. If not for the protective wind of Ariel, his body,cking even a single piece of armor, might have turned into ashes instantly.
"Raumure!"
Riezel endured the onught of the explosion,pleting the chant for protection magic. A deep green light membrane illuminated from the raging wind, covering his body.
His ''END'' and ''AGI'' surged, especially the astonishing boost in ''AGI''.
With the dual protection of Raumure and Ariel, Riezel finally felt shielded from the high temperatures and explosive shocks.
At this moment, he increased the output of his ''Mind'', boosted the scale of his magic, and let the fierce wind break through the exploding mes, extinguishing the surrounding fires.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAA¡ª¡ª!"
The female-like worm monster, seemingly enraged by Riezel''s actions, climbed to its feet and emitted a high-pitched scream toward the airborne tornado.
Riezel, looking down on the grotesque monster, slowly curled his lips.
*Whoosh¡ª!*
The next moment, he dove downward, transforming into a stream of light that violently shot toward the monster''s massive body.
The female-like worm monster, seemingly prepared, opened its mouth, and the purple acid turned into a high-pressure water cannon, sting toward the airborne Riezel.
In the next moment, he shed with the acid in mid-air, creating an intense conflict.
*Whoosh¡ª*
After a short while, the raging wind around Riezel''s body forcefully separated the acid. He continued his charge, engaging in closebat with it.
*Pu-chi!*
A sh of a sword, shed through the female-like worm monster''s body, causing acid to spray out from its massive body and making it scream.
*BOOM!*
The robust, t arm of the monster swept like a whip, hitting Riezel and sending his body flying, crashing into the distant rock wall, shattering it. But almost at the same time as the rock wall shattered, he came again with a fierce wind, colliding with its massive body.
*BOOOM!*
This time, the female-like worm monster was sent flying, falling into a forest, and crushing numerous trees.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAA¡ª!!!"
It screamed in anger.
Four t arms gathered and then spread, causing countless bursts of pollen-like particles to scatter like confetti, raining down on Riezel immediately.
*BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!*
A grand explosion urred once again, causing fire and st waves to rise, hot winds and high temperatures sweeping through as if hellish mes were erupting from the underground, terrifying everyone.
However, Riezel didn''t even have an ounce of fear.
He stood firm, enduring one astonishing explosion after another without flinching, still enveloped in the fierce wind. Like flowing light, he continuously darted around the female-like worm monster''s massive body,unching relentless attacks without stopping.
*Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!*
His sword shed, purple blood sprayed, and wind-powered shes continuously fell on its massive body mercilessly. One sh after another cut through its flesh, making it wail in pain.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAA¡ª!!!"
*Sizzle!*
The purple liquid, resembling blood, sprayed out, dissolving the entire forest, frequently causing ck smoke and a foul smell to rise. Yet, the wind-wrapped Riezel remained indifferent to this and kept using his wind to blow away the acid while shing at the female-like worm monster''s body.
Soon, a chorus of chanting voices could be heard.
"Proud warriors, snipers of the forest."
"Take up your bows before the advancing plunderers."
"Answer the call of your brethren and ready your arrows. Tinge them with me, themplight of the forest."
"Release them, the fire arrows of the fairies."
"Falling like rain, burn away the savages."
Attacking, moving, and chanting, Riezel once again demonstrated superb concurrent chanting, releasing magic learned from his partypanion.
"Fuside Farica!"
And thus, a rain of fire descended.
*BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!*
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA¡ª!!!"
The rain of fire from above hit the female-like worm monster one by one, causing explosions on its body, making it finally scream in agonizing pain.
""...""
All expedition party members were staring at this scene, collectively shaken.
They gazed at the distant battle, at the streak of light that transformed into a flowing light, wrapped in the fierce wind, constantly colliding with the massive female-like worm monster without stopping.
Even when thrown by the female-like worm monster''s t arms or bombarded by bursts of explosion, Riezel valiantly charged at it, shing and chanting magic repeatedly, turning it into a wailing mess.
The shock in their hearts at witnessing this scene was beyond imagination.
"Is this how Riezel fought...?" Tiona muttered in a daze.
The rest fell silent for a long time.
Among everyone present, except for Ais and Lefiya, not many had truly witnessed how Riezel truly fought.
Even though he had disyed considerable strength throughout the expedition journey, earning recognition and respect from many senior members, that level ofbat couldn''tpare to the intensity of the current life-and-death battle.
Due to the advice of Finn, Gareth, and Riveria, Riezel maintained a rtively low profile on this expedition.
During the floor boss subjugation, Riezel, with his diverse magic and skills, yed a crucial role as a rear guard, providing long-range support.
In the Fomoire subjugation, while he charged into the monster horde alongside Ais and disyed impressivebat prowess, it was still a coordinated group effort, excellent but limited to that.
At least, Lefiya was aware of how restrained Riezel had been throughout this expedition. In normal circumstances, he would have charged ahead alone, confronting monsters in a life-and-death battle without hesitation.
During those moments, Riezel was at his strongest. He feared no opponent; the stronger the opponent, the more excited and thrilled he became.
He faced any challenge fearlessly, regardless of the difficulties ahead, always charging forward without hesitation.
Using magic for long-range attacks from the rear?
Coordinating with party members in group battles?
While these tactics were safe, they weren''t what Riezel truly wanted. It could be said that at this very moment, he showed his true self, his true strength.
As a result, the female-like worm monster, which left Finn and other Level 6 adventurers helpless and forced the entire expedition party to retreat, found itself in a losing position against the fearless swordsman who fought bravely and relentlessly.
"Trickster Swordsman? That''s bullshit! Loki got the alias wrong, didn''t she?" Gareth eximed loudly.
"Indeed..." Riveria sighed. "If she witnessed this battle with her own eyes, she wouldn''t have given him that alias."
Finn smiled slightly, looking at the familia members around who were staring in awe at the ongoing battle.
"Take a good look."
Finn''s voice slowly spread.
"Watch this battle, watch that youth."
"I can assure you that he will reach heights even beyond our grasp, bing the hero that various gods have long awaited."
"I''m not asking you to catch up to him, but at least, don''t get left behind by him."
That was what Finn truly believed.
"Hero..." Tiona whispered, watching as Riezel''s appearance gradually shone.
"Well, I''m not surprised..." Tione remarked, casting a nce at Finn beside her, pondering who knows what.
"That brat..." Bete''s expression twisted slightly, his tone harsh, but his gaze never wavered from Riezel''s figure.
"Mr. Riezel..." Lefiya even sped her hands in front of her, gazing into Riezel''s battle, admiration gradually welling up.
The rest, more or less were also shaken, developing a sense of respect for Riezel.
Even Ais, wordlessly gazing intensely into Riezel''s figure with her golden eyes, unknowingly harbored emotions that even the girl herself didn''t notice, blossoming bit by bit.
Bathing in numerous eyes filled with either admiration or infatuation, Riezel, unaware of the thoughts of his fellow familia members, initiated another charge against the heavily wounded, female-like worm monster.
*Swish!*
Riezel unsheathed his sword.
It was not Hermit he had been using all this time. Since the beginning of the dungeon expedition, he had never drawn the other sword hanging at his waist. Not because he was reluctant to use it, but because he believed that the first opponent for this sword had to be worthy.
Therefore, throughout the dungeon expedition, Riezel had been using Hermit. Until this moment, facing the female-like worm monster, he finally unsheathed this sword.
As the feather-light slender sword was gripped, his speed suddenly increased.
"Tempest."
A gust of wind blew, swirling around the sword.
"Tempest!"
A violent storm swept across the battlefield.
Wielding the first-ss equipment, Fool, Riezel appeared like a spiral wind tornado, charging forward while kicking up countless dust.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA¡ª!!!"
The female-like worm monster finally felt the deadly crisis and screamed hysterically. It started to scatter explosive pollen-like particles and spray acid recklessly.
Yet, under the onught of the raging wind, none of it reached Riezel''s body.
*BOOOM!*
The tornado leaped and crashed heavily into its body.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA¡ª!!!"
The female-like worm monster let out a miserable howl, purple liquid sttering.
*BOOOOM¡ª!*
The next moment, the tornado pierced through its body, creating arge hole.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAA¡ª!"
Amid the unwilling scream, the female-like worm monster''s massive body soon fell and met its demise.
Chapter 62: The End of Expedition
Chapter 62: The End of Expedition
In the deste and uninhabited safe floor, beneath a rocky wall, Loki Familia''s expedition party gathered.
Some were packing their meager belongings, others were tending to the injured, a few were running back and forth, and some asionally nced into the distance, their faces revealing a lingering anxiety.
In the direction they frequently nced at, a massive crater, seemingly struck by a meteor,y there.
The crater emitted ck smoke, a foul odor, and some purple liquid dripping and flowing, continuously corroding and dissolving the surroundings, erging the crater.
This was the aftermath of the explosive demise of the female-like worm monster. When its entire body was pierced, it self-destructed. A significant amount of corrosive acid sprayed from its body, ultimately leaving behind a crater on the 50th Floor, resembling a volcanic vent or a meteor crater.
Just the thought of that moment sent shivers down everyone''s spine. As a result, their grateful and respectful gazes were directed toward a figure in another direction.
Riezel sat there, surrounded by numerous familia''s members.
"Here, take this; it''s water."
"Here, use this; it''s an elixir.""Dumbass, Mr. Riezel isn''t injured. No need for an elixir; stamina recovery potion and mind recovery potion are enough."
"No, I heard Mr. Riezel has Healing Power and Spirit Healing development abilities, so stamina recovery potion and mind recovery potion arepletely useless."
"Then just drink water!"
"No, eat something!"
"Please use it, Mr. Riezel!"
The members of the familia argued one after another, offering items to Riezel in session, which he found somewhat overwhelming.
"Everyone, you don''t have to be so polite. You''re all my seniors; there''s no need for this, okay..." Riezel helplessly uttered these words.
After defeating the female-like worm monster, Riezel, upon returning, received polite and warm treatment from everyone. This made him feel ufortable and awkward. He could only lower his posture and gesture to the others.
Unexpectedly, the lower his posture, the more enthusiastic their attitude and the more respectful their gazes.
"Don''t worry about such things, Mr. Riezel."
"Yeah, while seniority is important, strength matters more. You''re already the familia backboneparable to an executive. It''s only natural for us to respect you."
"Rather, even though we''re a senior, being surpassed by you, we should feel embarrassed, no?"
"Yeah, don''t mind us, and take a good rest. You were on the verge of copsing when you just got back, y''know."
The members spoke one after another,pletely ignoring Riezel''s words and instead praising him even more. This left him unsure of how to react, so he could only cast a pleading nce at some familiar faces.
Unfortunately, that didn''t change anything; instead, the scene became even more lively.
"I think you should just ept your fate, y''know?" Tione stood to the side, wearing a smirk that seemed to revel in other people''s misfortune as she looked at him.
"Who made you perform so well, Riezel?!" Tiona bounced over, happily wrapping her arms around his arm. "You were just like a hero a moment ago!"
"Umu, umu!"
Lefiya nodded repeatedly, her eyes and expressions surpassing those of the surrounding members. It left no doubt that if it weren''t for her somewhat reserved personality, this elf would havee forward to show concern like the rest, probably even more excessive.
Even Ais approached, casting a brief nce at his face before speaking.
"You should take a good rest for a while; otherwise, you might not be able to moveter."
As someone with plenty of experience, she was well aware of his current condition. He had overloaded his magic usage, putting a significant strain on his entire body, just like during thest Crocodile Dragon incident.
With the protection of ''Ariel'' and ''Raumure'', Riezel wasn''t injured and didn''t need healing. The consumed stamina and mind were being replenished by his ''Healing Power'' and ''Spirit Healing'', so his condition wasn''t as dire as others might think.
The only issue was that he had once again unleashed the maximum output of ''Ariel'', bearing a huge burden. Right now, he probably felt aching all over his body, nearly copsing from exhaustion as others believed.
Apart from having a good rest, there was no need for any other solution.
Therefore, Ais made that suggestion.
"I know..." Riezel naturally understood his current state and nodded. "Just give me ten minutes; I''ll sit for a while."
His words earned him the concern of those around him.
"Do you really not need water?"
"What about food?"
"Don''t you want a potion?"
"Should we help with some massage?"
The genuine concern from everyone made him smile wryly.
For a moment, in the corner where Riezel was, various noisy voices rose and fell, never quiet down.
"For fuck''s sake, these morons need to shut the hell up. If any more of those disgusting monsters show up, let''s see how they deal with it." Bete stood atop a tree, observing the scene where Riezel was, muttering with a hint of displeasure, then turned his head to stay vignt all around.
Finn, Riveria, and Gareth, who were chatting with each other, were also drawn to themotion. They nced over and exchanged a smile.
"That boy is now the hero of the familia, huh..." Gareth remarked, and whether it was out of irritation or amusement, he shook his head.
"There''s nothing wrong with that..." Riveria said calmly, closing one eye. "With Riezel''s performance, not having this treatment would be strange."
"Heh, even Aki is getting in on this, that''s really something, alright." Finn chuckled and added ament.
Upon closer inspection, the catgirl indeed mingled among the crowd around Riezel, taking the opportunity to hand over a towel to him. However, as he was surrounded by many, he seemed oblivious and appeared somewhat helpless.
Anakitty seemed a bit disappointed by this.
Her behavior made Raul, standing nearby, wear a face as if he''d seen a ghost,pletely dumbfounded.
Gareth, observing this, was surprised.
"That girl, never thought she''d have such an initiative. That boy really has some talent, eh..."
As Loki Familia''s second-string group''s leading figure, Anakitty''s past performances were much better than Raul''s.
Although Raul was also favored by the higher-ups in the familia, this youth had some personality issues. Not only was he not good at dealing with sudden urrences, but he was sometimes overly timid and scared of trouble, causing quite a bit of concern.
Anakitty, on the other hand, was different.
Outstanding in every aspect, calm andposed, with exceptional courage, she had always supported the first-ss adventurers in the familia from the rear. Not only did she have considerable fame and poprity within the familia, but various gods also looked favorably upon her.
Due to her calm demeanor, various gods even privately referred to Anakitty as ''Lady Cat''.
Anakitty also earned ''Alchat'' as her alias, an alias that instantly enamored various gods. She was a high-born cat person with a captivating blend of beauty and an icy yet fiery nature, possessing both looks and elegance.
Now, the Lady Cat whom various goddesses envied was making such a behavior. No wonder Gareth was surprised, and no wonder Raul was dumbfounded.
"It seems it''s not just about strength and personality. Riezel and Ais are alsopeting in poprity with the opposite sex, fufufu..." Riveriaughed.
"The more outstanding he is, the less pressure we''ll have in the future... That''s a good thing, no?"
Finn remarked and turned his attention back to the main topic, after ncing at Riezel for a moment.
"Seeing Riezel like that, there shouldn''t be any major problems. But what about the other members?"
At Finn''s question, Riveria and Gareth spoke in session.
"We''ve already checked. Although many are injured, and quite a few were affected by that corrosive liquid, luckily, they all received timely treatment, and it''s currently not life-threatening."
"Yeah, with a little rest, they should be able to continue moving."
Their answers made Finn nod with relief.
"If that''s the case, then let''s inform everyone and get ready to return."
While Riveria and Gareth understood Finn''s decision, they also felt a bit helpless.
"What a disgrace, we didn''t even make it to the 58th Floor this time..." Gareth sighed.
"There''s no other way when facing something unexpected like this, we''ll just have to leave it for next time..." Riveria gazed at the corroded crater, speaking as if lost in thought. "Where on earth did these monsterse from...? We still haven''t figured that out..."
The sudden appearance of new species of monsters caught the expedition party off guard.
"They''re all strengthened species, not just a few, but plenty of them..." Gareth said solemnly. "Given this situation, there''s no guarantee we won''t run into them again next time."
"Then let''s be prepared..." Finn said calmly. "Wegged behind this time, but we can''t allow this to happen again."
"Guhahaha, obviously!" Garethughed.
All three of them were Level 6 experts. If it weren''t for being unprepared this time and hindered by that corrosive acid, it would be impossible for them to end up as mere spectators and leave everything to their juniors.
Not to mention Finn''s group, even Bete, Tiona, Tione, and others were all holding back their frustration.
When the order from the captain was given, despite feeling unwilling, everyone could only ept it and start the journey back.
About half an hourter, all members of Loki Familia''s expedition party arrived at the entrance to the 49th Floor, officially beginning the journey back.
Riezel, who was at the back, took ast look at the 50th Floor.
''The expedition is over, huh...''
In his heart, an inexplicable feeling of emotion was growing. For two weeks, his first expedition ended with a fierce battle.
''Not bad.''
Riezel suddenly smiled, not feeling regret in his heart.
Having defeated that female-like worm monster and engaged in a deadly battle with such a creature, he naturally gained a massive amount of high-rank excelia.
''Going back this time, I should be able to reach Level 5, right?''
With such expectations, Riezel set out on his journey home.
The 50th Floor soon returned to its state of obscurity, sinking into silence once again.
Chapter 63: Anticipation
Chapter 63: Anticipation
The return journey at the end of the expedition wasn''t something worth praising.
At least, for the usual Loki Familia, it was truly like that.
As arge familia capable of battling in the deep floors below the 50th Floor, the obstacles encountered on the way back could be considered trivial.
In the past, once Loki Familia''s expedition party set out on the return journey, there was only one result¡ªsmooth sailing.
But this time, due to the corrosive acid of the worm monsters destroying their supplies and even dissolving their equipment, the expedition party faced quite a bit of trouble on the way back.
Not to mention, just filling their stomachs alone became a problem.
With only a handful of emergency rations left, they had to forage in the dungeon for food. Every day, they had to find a safe spot to camp and go out to pick wild fruits and vegetables to stave off hunger. This activity itself took up a considerable amount of time on the return journey.
Encountering monsters was no different.
With many members unable to fight due to the loss of weapons and armor, some had to go into battle unarmed, resulting in increased risks and time dys.If it weren''t for the formidable strength of Loki Familia''s members and powerful swordsmen like Riezel and Ais, who could single-handedly take on thousands, the time dys could have been much worse.
Thanks to this, the expedition which usually took around five or six days to return to the surface smoothly, took nearly eight days to seed this time.
On this particr day, it happened to be dusk.
When Loki Familia''s expedition party emerged from Babel, the attention of surrounding adventurers was immediately drawn to them. Wherever they went, they were always the center of attention, a fate that came with being one of the city''s strongest familias.
However, everyone was too tired to care about the gazes and discussions around them.
"Yatta! Finally back!" Tiona shouted loudly, raising both her hands to the sky.
"Can''t you stop being so noisy every time? It''s embarrassing!" Tioneined on the side but visibly rxed.
The rest of the expedition party showed more or less the same expressions, even Riezel wasn''t an exception.
''Back, huh...''
Looking at the sunset on the horizon, Riezel himself felt like it had been a long time since he returned.
Although the dungeon had various wonders, they were still underground after all. Unable to see the sky and constantly on guard, fighting monsters every moment, it was fine for a short time, but if itsted too long, anyone would feel particrly stressed.
Not that Riezel felt that way.
Once, he survived in the wilderness for several months, so why would he feel stressed after less than a month in the dungeon?
However, at that split second of seeing the sky, he couldn''t help but feel a sense of relief.
''Guess I just didn''t notice those stressed feelings deep down...'' Riezel thought quietly. ''Shows I''m still just a normal human, huh?''
As he thought like that, a smile formed on his face.
''Alright, time to go home.''
Meanwhile, the mask of captain that Finn had been wearing on his face all along slipped away, revealing the usual amiable appearance that everyone knew.
Everyone immediately started chatting andughing, simultaneously rxing the tension that had been gripping their hearts. They walked out of the square in front of Babel in groups, heading toward the street where Twilight Manor was located.
Along the way, whether they were adventurers or ordinary citizens, they all paid attention to Loki Familia''s expedition party, offering nods of respect. Surely, before long, news of their return from the expedition would spread one by one to the ears of every familia in Orario.
Before long, the gate of Twilight Manor gradually appeared ahead.
The familia members guarding the gate were originally standing there expressionless, with a solemn demeanor. However, their expressions changed when they saw the returning expedition party led by Finn.
"It''s Captain!"
"Captain is back!"
"The expedition party has returned!"
Before long, surprised announcements filled Twilight Manor.
""Captain!""
The two gatekeepers quickly saluted Finn and the rest.
"We''re back." Finn smiled at them. "Open the gate."
""Yes!""
The two gatekeepers immediately opened the gate.
"Yahoo~! We''re back!" Tiona was the first to rush in.
"I''ve already said it''s embarrassing! Can''t you get it?!" Tione groaned, covering her face at her sister''s antics.
"It''s always freaking noisy when we get back. What a moron." Bete grumbled, irritation evident in his tone as he gazed at Tiona''s figure.
"Miss Ais, we''re home."
"Um..."
Lefiya simply expressed joy, earning a gentle response from Ais.
The expedition party walked into the front yard and arrived at the front of the manor.
The remaining members of the familia were already waiting at this ce, offering warm wees and inquiries to the expedition party''s members. Of course, in this situation, a certain goddess, who had been eagerly waiting, was naturally not absent.
"Finally, you guys are back!"
Inside the manor, a figure swiftly dashed toward the expedition party¡ªto be more urate, toward the female members of the party.
"A¡ªI¡ªSSS¡ª!!!"
Just like the first time Riezel saw the expedition party return to the familia, Loki recreated the scene and charged straight at Ais.
In response, Ais, along with Tiona, Tione, and the rest of the female members, promptly turned around, avoiding Loki''s iing tackle.
However, Lefiya stood in ce dumbfounded and unable to react. As expected, Loki managed to tackle her head-on.
"Kyaaa¡ª!"
Lefiya let out a scream resembling that of a vited maiden, shortly before being pinned to the ground.
"Mwehehehe, Lefiya, long time no see! Let Mama Loki see if you''ve grown~"
"N-No, don''t!"
Apanied by a sly chuckle, the pitiful Elf, who fell victim to the Goddess''s yful antics, let out a desperate cry.
"Save me! Mr. Riezel!" Lefiya extended a hand in Riezel''s direction, pleading with a bright red face.
"Alright, quit ying around, Loki."
Originally, Riezel had no intention of paying attention to Loki''s nasty interests but seeing Lefiya''s eyes brimming with tears made him unable to bear watching hispanion being toyed with by this shady goddess.
As a result, he extended his hand, grabbing Loki''s back cor and lifting her up like a cat.
"Ayyo! What are you doing, Riezel?! Don''t disturb my rare leisure time!" Loki struggled and protested.
"Do you have the nerve to mess with a fifteen-year-old girl?" Riezel shot a look at her face. "If you want entertainment, go y with Uncle Gareth."
"Who wants to touch a short and stout stinky old man!" Loki said without reservation.
"Sorry for being a short and stout stinky old man..." Gareth''s mouth twitched.
"Everything okay, Lefiya?" Riezel ignored Loki, tossed her aside, then extended a hand to pull Lefiya up.
"Hiks... Almost got touched..." Lefiya, both relieved and pitiful, sobbed softly.
"I''m sorry, Lefiya..." Ais, seeming guilty about avoiding Loki''s direct hit that led to Lefiya falling victim to the goddess''s evil scheme, apologized.
"I-It''s okay!" Lefiya naturally refused Ais''s apology, shaking her head hastily.
"Loki, seriously, don''t bully Lefiya, okay!" Tiona scolded with hands on her hips.
"My goodness, can''t you find a different way to wee us back?" Tione looked annoyed.
"Okay, okay, calm down." Loki, like flipping a switch, said beaming with joy. "It can''t be helped, okay?! My kids finally returned safely, I''m just too happy!"
"You..." Riveria sighed. "Since we''ve rarely returned unharmed, can''t you let us save some energy?"
Everyone around nodded in agreement.
"Enough with this bullshit! We''ve been in that demon-filled dungeon for so long, and our bodies stink. Get out of the way; I need a bath!" Bete stepped forward, kicking Loki several times, clearly in a bad mood.
"Okay, okay! Geez, kids these days just love rejecting their parents. Is this what they called a rebellious phase?"
Loki pretended to sigh, making Bete couldn''t help but give her another hard kick, finally making her yelp in pain and give way.
Seeing this spectacle, Finn, who had beenughing silently, finally spoke up.
"Everyone, go line up for a bath! ording to tradition, today''s a day off, and all the work is pushed to tomorrow. Loki, we''ll talk about the reportter. The losses this time are serious, and there are some important matters we need to discuss."
"No worries, no worries~ Everyone, go take a bath and rest, okay!" Loki eximed with a smile. "Anyone who wants to find me to update their status cane to the divine room, but not too many, or I won''t do it."
At their goddess''s words, two people had a reaction¡ªRiezel and Ais.
"Sure, it''s always you two itching to update your status..." Loki rolled her eyes. "Alright, you two go first tonight, and the rest can chime in next time."
No one objected to her decision¡ªor rather, some were even looking forward to it.
"Hey, hey, Riezel, think you can hit Level 5 this time?" Tiona asked curiously, piquing everyone''s interest.
"Not sure..."
Riezel was confident but not one to brag, so he kept it vague. Even so, many were anticipating his status update, including Ais, who was the most curious.
After all, he was already powerful. If he leveled up to Level 5, how much more powerful would he be?
For some reason, everyone was eager to know this.
===
Night fell amid bursts of noise.
After the returning expedition party had bathed and eaten, most of them went back to their rooms, making Twilight Manor exceptionally quiet.
Riezel, having also bathed and eaten, returned to his room before heading to the top floor of the central tower¡ªLoki''s divine room.
*Knock!* *Knock!*
"Loki, are you there?" Riezel knocked on the door.
"Yeah, yeah, juste in."
Upon hearing Loki''s response, he pushed open the door and walked in.
Chapter 64: Battle Adept
Chapter 64: Battle Adept
Loki''s room was, as always, a mess.
Whether it was the furniture or the various items she had collected, everything was randomly ced and piled up, with no order whatsoever.
Meanwhile, the person in question was nonchntly sitting on a chair, while another one was ced in front of her.
Loki grinned at Riezel as he walked in.
"Looks like you''re a stepte, huh?"
Her words caught him off guard for a moment, but he quickly caught on.
"Has Ais already been here?" Riezel asked as he took a seat in front of her.
"She left not too long ago." Loki shrugged. "If you hade a minute earlier, maybe you could''ve seen how depressed Ais was."
"Seems like she''s not satisfied with her own growth..." Riezel furrowed his brow, muttering to himself."Well, it is what it is..." Loki tapped the back of the chair with her fingers. "That girl puts too much pressure on herself. Don''t know when she''ll settle down and stop doing things that worry everyone."
Her tone sounded indifferent, but he could sense a hint of care from it.
"You really spoil Ais, huh..." Riezel sighed.
"Isn''t it obvious?" Loki chuckled. "Ais is my treasure, y''know. If she died, I probably wouldn''t even want to stay down here. I would''ve chased her soul all the way to heaven to bring her back."
"Would you really?" Riezel didn''t buy her words.
Though this goddess might not have integrity, her equal affection for everyone in the familia was evident. Riezel doubted Loki would sacrifice everyone just for Ais alone.
"When did you start learning to challenge my authority, kiddo?" Loki grumbled. "Anyway, let''s drop that topic, and let''s talk about you."
She straightened up, focusing her eyes on him. Her eyes, which were squinted before, opened slightly wider.
"Tch, tch, I heard everything from Finn, y''know... Dealing with those strengthened species monsters is a big blow for us, no doubt. But you, kiddo, seemed to handle it like a pro. Finn, Gareth, and Riveria couldn''t stop singing your praises, even throwing around ideas for a new alias for you."
In other words, those three top executives believed Riezel might level up this time.
After all, Denatus urred every three months, and adventurers who leveled up during that time would be discussed at the meeting. Those who leveled up could earn the privilege to be mentioned in the next Denatus and possibly receive a new alias bestowed by various gods.
Even those with existing aliases could be mentioned again after leveling up, giving them the chance to obtain the privilege to change their aliases.
For example, Bete, who once held the alias ''Fenris'', only gained the alias ''Vanargand'' after another level up.
If Riezel seeded in leveling up this time, he might have the opportunity to change his alias in the next Denatus. Of course, he could choose not to change it.
However, judging by the intentions of Loki and the three top executives, it seemed like they were all inclined to give him a new alias.
However, Loki seemed a bit displeased about it.
"Is ''Trickster Swordsman'' not good enough? I think this alias is pretty cool, y''know?"
On this matter, Riezel chose not toment.
He couldn''t see anything good about it anyway. All he could discern from this alias was Loki''s quirky taste inbeling him, proudly dering to the world that he was her possession.
"Alright, Loki, let''s update my status already, okay?" Riezel diverted from the topic, turned away from her, and took off his shirt.
"Yeah, sure, sure~" Loki said while acting a bit difficult. "I just wanna see if you''ve really grown that much after your first expedition."
She picked up a needle, pricked her fingertip, and began working on his back.
Before long, his new status was revealed.
...
Riezel Brynhart
Level 4
STR: A847 ¡ú SSS1277
END: A825 ¡ú SSS1258
DEX: S969 ¡ú SSS1363
AGI: S971 ¡ú SSS1385
MAG: S933 ¡ú SSS1392
Lightweight: H ¡ú G
Swordsman: H ¡ú G
Mage: I ¡ú H
...
"Hahh... You''ve reached the end of Level 4, huh? Why I''m not surprised?"
Loki sighed as she looked at Riezel, who was staring at the parchment in his hand.
"Another SSS-rank in all basic abilities, even the development abilities are all ranked up. Your bullshit growth speed, I really don''t know when it will start to slow down."
If she hadn''t already gotten used to it, or rather, be numb to it, she would have jumped up by now.
Mainly because Riezel''s growth was truly inhuman.
There was no issue with the growth of basic abilities; Riezel had always been like that. Every proficiency improvement in basic abilities had been no less than 500. If he umted it over time and dyed updating his status, it was impossible for it to be less than 1000.
But the growth of his development abilities was truly eye-rolling.
Just look at Ais. From the first time she leveled up at 8 years old until now, her first development ability ''Hunter'' had been in her hands for eight years, but it stayed at G-rank. It had only progressed two ranks from I-rank.
But Riezel?
The first development ability ''Lightweight'' had only been owned for about three months, and by then, it had already caught up with Ais''s eight years of achievements.
''Luckily, Ais isn''t here, or she would be totally wrecked...'' Loki sighed inwardly.
Riezel ignored Loki, who was shaking her head, and focused on reading his current status.
"How''s my umtion of high-rank excelia?" Riezel asked.
It was the most crucial point, and Loki''s answer did not disappoint him.
"As you expected, it''s already maxed out." Loki chuckled. "Congrats, you can level up, kiddo."
Her answer made Riezel''s mouth involuntarily lift up. Sure enough, he could level up and was about to be a Level 5 first-ss adventurer.
"It took seven days to reach Level 2."
"Fifteen days to reach Level 3."
"Thirty days to reach Level 4."
"Now, from when you became Level 4, it''s exactly been 45 days."
Loki, whetherughing or crying, had a face so twisted that it could be used for street performances.
"Only a month and a half... you''ve leveled up again. You''re a monster among monsters, seriously..."
She couldn''t find any other words to describe Riezel''s absurd growth speed. What was even more absurd was that not only was he leveling up fast, but each time before leveling up, all his basic abilities were at SSS; the umtion oftent basic abilities was ridiculously high.
With a fewbat development abilities, skills, and magic, his true strength definitely surpassed those at the same level.
ording to Finn''s report, Riezel could already match a Level 5 when he was at Level 4.
What about after reaching Level 5? Could he possibly contend with Level 6?
Loki dared not think further.
"Okay, c''mon, time for you to level up."
The umtion of basic abilities had reached its limit and potential, and Riezel had no reason to stay at the current level.
Loki quickly got to work, and his status was soon reset.
...
Riezel Brynhart
Level 5
STR: I0
END: I0
DEX: I0
AGI: I0
MAG: I0
Lightweight: G
Swordsman: G
Mage: H
Battle Adept: I
...
From this moment on, Riezel officially became a Level 5 first-ss adventurer.
In just over three months, starting as an ordinary mortal with no extraordinary power, he rose to prominence at an astonishing speed that caught the attention of various gods and evolved into the fastest mortal to reach the first-ss adventurer status in history.
"Well, well... Tomorrow''s Orario is gonna get lively again it seems..." Loki remarked, relishing in other people''s misfortunes.
Riezel''s mood was not bad either.
Level 5 might not be considered top-tier in this world, but it certainly made him a significant expert. In the current Orario, the highest-level adventurer was only Level 7, and there was only one of them. Even Level 6 had fewer than ten people.
Excluding those fewer than ten top-tier experts, the strongest among the rest were those at Level 5. Therefore, bing Level 5 meant that Riezel had truly entered the ranks of experts, and no one would think of him as just a rookie with astonishing growth speed.
''With my current strength, I should be able to protect myself even if I return to the main world, right?'' Riezel pondered silently.
However, soon another thing caught his attention.
"Wait, Battle Adept?" Riezel murmured, pondering his new development ability.
Soon enough, Loki''s voice chimed in at the perfect time.
"With this level up, you triggered quite a few development abilities, but they''re all the same thing you don''t need, like ''Healing Power'', ''Spirit Healing'', ''Abnormal Resistance'', and the like. Your skill already has those, and they''re even at the highest rank, so there was no reason to choose them before, and there''s no reason now."
"Besides these development abilities, the only one worth learning is this ability." Loki said while pointing toward his new development ability. "So, I directly chose it for you this time."
"What''s the effect?" Riezel nodded. "I don''t think I''ve heard of this development ability before."
"Don''t say you haven''t heard of it; I haven''t either. It''s probably as rare as your ''Lightweight'', an ability that only you triggered the learning conditions for..."
Loki struggled not to look at him like he was a monster.
"As for the effect, if my hunch is right, this ability might be an advanced version of ''Hunter''."
''Hunter'' was a development ability that enhanced one''s basic abilities when encountering monsters one had defeated before.
''Battle Adept'', being an advanced version of ''Hunter'' naturally had a simr effect.
"If nothing goes wrong, having this development ability in the future, when you encounter enemies you''ve defeated before, your basic abilities will get a boost."
Loki spoke while raising a finger.
"This boost not only surpasses ''Hunter'' but might not be limited to just monsters in the dungeon anymore."
In short, from now on, no matter what kind of enemy Riezel encountered, as long as they were the same kind of being he once defeated, the effect of ''Battle Adept'' would be triggered, boosting his basic abilities.
He almost instantly understood the benefits of this development ability.
It was not without reason, the triggering conditions for the ''Battle Adept'' effect were not individual-based.
For instance, ''Hunter'' triggered its effect based on the type of monster one had defeated. If one had defeated a ''Goblin'' once, the next time they encountered another ''Goblin'', the effect of ''Hunter'' was triggered. If one had defeated a ''Killer Ant'', the next time they encountered another ''Killer Ant'', the effect of the development ability was simrly triggered.
Following this logic, if ''Battle Adept'' was an advanced version of ''Hunter'', it meant that as long as Riezel defeated a ''Human'', the next time he encountered another ''Human'', the effect of this development ability would also be triggered.
This was essentially an omnipotent enhancement ability.
Chapter 65: Approaching One Hundred Days
Chapter 65: Approaching One Hundred Days
''This is really a blessing in disguise.''
Upon realizing the effects of his newly acquired development ability, Riezel was pleasantly surprised.
Every time he defeated an enemy, the next encounter with the same kind of enemy triggered the ability, boosting his basic abilities.
This was undeniably an excellent development ability.
Originally, ''Hunter'' was already a valuable ability, but now having the better version of it, not only did it eliminate the restriction to only monsters, but the enhancement it brought was also greater than that of a ''Hunter''.
This was undoubtedly a stroke of luck. It was not without reason; not everyone could acquire development ability when leveling up.
Take Ais, for example. She leveled up from Level 4 to Level 5 without triggering any development ability.
Given such precedents, Riezel didn''t believe he would acquire development ability every time he leveled up. As a result, he was mentally prepared for that.
Little did he know that not only had he acquired a new development ability, but what he got was also a rare and powerful one, simr to ''Lightweight'', with conditions that no one else had ever triggered.The effects were beyond words, truly powerful. If this didn''t bring him astonishment, he might incur the wrath of the heavens.
"Another development ability forbat, huh? How do you always manage to trigger these power-boosting abilities?"
Even Loki remarked in amazement.
So far, all the development abilities Riezel acquired werebat-oriented abilities that enhanced his power.
''Lightweight'' allowed him to boost ''DEX'' and ''AGI'' by reducing weight and equipment.
''Swordsman'' enhanced all basic abilities by simply wielding a sword.
''Mage'' amplified the power, effects, and range of magic.
Adding ''Battle Adept,'' which enhanced all basic abilities when facing an enemy of the same kind as the once defeated enemy, Riezel''s development abilities, acquired with each level-up, were allbat-oriented.
Thanks to this, he could probably defeat opponents with a higher status just by relying on the enhancement from his development abilities alone, not to mention his astonishing umted SSS-ranktent basic abilities.
"I can only say, no wonder you awakened a skill like ''Endless''. Maybe you really have a natural knack in this area that others don''t?" Loki seemed to grasp something.
Endless¡ªthe skill provided Riezel with three highest-ranked development abilities¡ªHealing Power, Spirit Healing, and Abnormal Resistance. It even boosted the effects of already obtained development abilities.
In essence, this skill greatly boosted various aspects of his development abilities, crucially enhancing his strength. Being able to awaken such a skill was enough to show that he had a natural talent in the development ability aspectpared to others.
''On second thought, does this kid have any shoringspared to others?'' Loki started to ponder.
No need to dwell on his basic abilities; each time, they were all SSS, crushing all adventurers.
Development abilities were the same, triggered every level up, repeatedly acquiring valuable and rare development abilities.
Not to mention magic; although he only had one magic called ''Almighty'', with this magic alone, he could make all mages bow down in awe.
His skill? No need to talk more about it. His three skills¡ªone more ridiculous than the other, one more insane than the next. Without them, there was no way her familia had the current Riezel.
His growth and potential on the ''Falna'' were off the charts, unmatched throughout history. Even the strongest adventurer from the Freya Familia, Ottar, couldn''t hold a candle to his growth and potential.
Logically, an anomaly like Riezel should have a weakness, likely inbat skills and experience. Even if the hardware quality was top-notch, if the software wasn''t up to par, it wouldn''t have worked.
Yet, Riezel didn''t have a weakness even in that regard. He had just sparred a few times with Ais and picked up bits and pieces of her swordsmanship. Hisbat experience had skyrocketed from repeatedly diving into the dungeon and battling countless monsters.
It was just absurd.
Was there nothing he wasn''t good at?
Loki was in doubt.
It was precisely at this moment that Riezel, who had been staring at the parchment tranting his status, suddenly spoke.
"I''ve been with the familia for three months now, right?"
The sudden question brought Loki back to reality.
"Yeah, three months..." Loki nodded and then sighed. "More precisely, it''s been 97 days."
Riezel joined Loki Familia on the first day he arrived in this world, receiving a blessing from Loki. After that, his leveling-up times were countable.
7 days to Level 2.
15 days to Level 3.
30 days to Level 4.
45 days to Level 5.
When they got added up, it was exactly 97 days.
So, it had been 97 days since Riezel joined Loki Familia, and it had been 97 days since he arrived in this world.
"97 days, huh...?" Riezel fell silent for a while, then nced at Loki. "I might have to leave for a while."
At his statement, Loki raised an eyebrow.
"Leaving for a while?" Loki stared at Riezel. "Where?"
To her question, Riezel''s reply was very brief.
"Back to where I was before I came here."
His tone was indifferent.
He didn''t forget that the time limit for dimensional travel was one day in the main world, precisely a hundred days in this world. Now, the time limit was approaching, and he had to say a temporary goodbye to this side.
Loki stared at Riezel for a long time, then rxed her shoulders.
"How long are you going to be away?" Loki asked with an uninterested tone, not delving further into the matter.
This caught Riezel somewhat off guard.
"You''re not even asking where I''m going?"
"Does it matter?" Loki shot a nce at him casually. "In our familia, tons of kids are like you, carrying secrets and the burden of unfathomable mysteries on their shoulders."
She had no intention of prying into his privacy; it wasn''t important to her.
"As long as you''re my kid..." Loki grinned. "What you''re up to isn''t important. What matters is when you''ll be back, kiddo."
Upon hearing this, Riezel chuckled.
"It shouldn''t be too long, I think?"
That was the truth.
Though he was returning to his main world ording to the instructions of the Dimensional Magic Cube, when he finished his dimensional travel, the time ratio between the main world and the target world of dimensional travel would reverse.
In other words, the scenario where Riezel spent a day in the main world while 100 days had already passed in the world of Danmachi wouldn''t ur.
During dimensional travel, the time ratio was based on Riezel himself as the reference point. Therefore, while he was in the world of Danmachi for a hundred days, only one day would have passed in the main world, and vice versa.
This time ratio adjustment remained the same even if he traveled to another world. Even in a world different from his main world, it would still be a hundred days passing on his side while only one day passed in other worlds.
All time ratios worked this way, using Riezel''s actual time as the reference to determine time speed. No matter which world he was in, time flowed faster in the world he was in and slower in other worlds.
Considering this, Riezel wasn''t worried that upon leaving, everything here would have changed drastically when he returned.
Based on the time ratio, even if he spent a year in another world, only around three to four days would have passed in this world.
Therefore, Riezel answered Loki''s question with ease and calm.
"Shortest, a few days; longest, around a month. In short, I''ll surelye back." Riezel promised.
After all, this world was the first ce where he made a name for himself and the first ce where he felt the warmth of ''home and family''.
Even though dimensional travel to the personally selected world required ten times the energy, Riezel would absolutely find a chance toe back.
Typically, umting a month''s worth of energy was needed for random dimensional travel, so with ten times the energy, that meant umting ten months. He would endure, even if it took this long.
Of course, ying it safe, he still set a maximum deadline of one month in this world''s time. In terms of the time ratio, after he left this world, if a month passed here, over eight years would have passed on his side.
Over eight years, yet he still couldn''t gather enough energy for dimensional travel to the personally selected world? Impossible.
"A month, huh?" Loki breathed a sigh of relief. "Well, that''s not too long."
"Yeah..." Riezel smiled at Loki. "Remember to wait for me toe back before going on another expedition; I''m looking forward to revenge."
"No worries~ Every expedition needs a couple of months of preparation anyway. As long as youe back on time, you won''t be left behind." Loki said while nodding. "When are you nning to set off?"
"In a few days." Riezel thought for a moment. "I also won''t enter the dungeon during these days."
"Then spend some good time with your familia''s friends." Loki patted his shoulder. "Remember, they''re all here waiting for your return, kiddo."
Hearing her words, Riezel nodded silently.
===
After leaving the divine room, Riezel descended the steps along the central tower.
As he walked, he suddenly came to a halt.
There, in front of the steps, by a window next to the passage, a silent girl stood, gazing at the scenery outside.
*Whoosh¡ª*
A gentle breeze swept in, tousling the girl''s golden long hair, making its silky strands sway and flutter.
"Ais?" Riezel unconsciously called out.
It seemed like Ais had just noticed his presence as she turned her head to him after hearing her name being called.
Under the moonlit night, the two locked eyes¡ªone on the steps, the other by the window¡ªcreating a strangely beautiful scene.
The breeze continued to caress them both as they remained bathed in the wind, silent for a long while.
Chapter 66: Same Emotion, Same Obsession
Chapter 66: Same Emotion, Same Obsession
In the well-lit Twilight Manor, where lights shone brightly, the ce where Riezel and Ais met had little illumination.
Moonlight streamed in from the window, casting a glow on both of them.
Riezel sighed slightly as he watched Ais, who stood there in silence.
At first nce, she seemed no different from usual, still wearing her emotionless demeanor with no expression on her face. However, Riezel, being perceptive, sensed that her mood wasn''t great.
She was dejected.
Her emotions were low.
Just like Loki mentioned before, this girl seemed somewhat depressed.
Witnessing the girl who had taken care of him since he joined the familia, not only teaching him her magic and swordsmanship but also often sparring with him, he couldn''t just ignore her.
"What are you doing here?"Riezel approached, leaning against the window like Ais, gazing out at the night scenery, and asked.
"..." Ais remained silent, only staring into the distance.
Hearing no response, Riezel nced at the piece of parchment she was holding.
"Wasn''t the gains good this time?"
At his questions, Ais fell into another momentary silence, then handed the parchment to him without speaking.
"I can see it?" Riezel asked while furrowing his brow.
Ais nodded, allowing him to take the parchment.
On the parchment was her recently updated status.
...
Ais Wallenstein
Level 5
STR: D549 ¡ú D555
END: D540 ¡ú D547
DEX: A823 ¡ú A825
AGI: A821 ¡ú A822
MAG: A899
Hunter: G
Abnormal Resistance: G
Swordsman: I
...
Upon seeing her status, Riezel probably understood why Ais was feeling so depressed. Not because of anything else, but simply because her gains this time were really bad.
An expedition, struggling in the dungeon for over three weeks, reaching the deep floors, dealing with countless high-level monsters, yet, her total proficiency only increased by less than 20.
Such progress was truly disappointing. At least, for Riezel, who had never experienced proficiency growth below 500, this number was a bit unsettling.
"Don''t worry too much. It''s not that you didn''t work hard, but your status is almost at its peak."
Riezel could only say that.
He wasn''t deliberatelyforting her. In his view, the main reason for Ais''s poor growth was because her status had reached its limit.
''STR'' and ''END'' were not her strong suits; reaching D-rank for both was already quite good.
''DEX'' and ''AGI'' were already at A-rank, and pushing them further would lead to the highest S-rank. Considering the principle that progress slows down as you approach S-rank, the improvement in these two abilities would be minimal was purely normal.
Not to mention ''MAG''; it was just a point away from S-rank, and it wouldn''t be easy to raise it.
In summary, Ais''s slow growth this time wasn''t her fault; it was because she had almost reached the potential limit of Level 5.
"I know." Ais finally spoke but her voice wasn''t as calm as usual; it carried a hint of exhaustion. "At this point, I''ve hit the limit. Even if I y thousands or tens of thousands of monsters, my basic abilities won''t increase much... I can feel it."
At this moment, she didn''t have much room for growth. Her current status was her limit; there wouldn''t be much room for significant development. For over three years, she had been stuck at Level 5, with a wall called bottleneck blocking her way. It made any significant advancement seem unattainable.
Ais realized this and therefore felt lost.
"And you?" Ais turned her gaze towards Riezel. "Leveled up?"
"Yeah..." Riezel met her gaze and nodded.
"As expected..." Ais''s eyes became somewhatplex as she whispered. "In just three months, you caught up to me..."
This blow, at this moment, was truly powerful for her.
But Ais knew it was inevitable. As someone who had watched Riezel rise from the beginning, she was well aware of how fast he grew and how much potential he had.
Thinking back to when he was still Level 1, forcing her to retreat with a single sword trust, she could roughly sense that this man, so simr to herself, would catch up soon.
Now he had, but she couldn''t widen the gap, still stuck in ce.
"How should I do it?" Ais couldn''t help but speak up.
"What?" Riezel raised an eyebrow.
She was staring at him intently.
"How can I get stronger as fast as you? What''s your secret?"
Ever since she saw Riezel''s status, Ais had been eager to uncover his secret. She practiced diligently with him, sharing her swordsmanship without reservation, all the while keen on observing him closely, hoping to understand his fast growth of getting stronger.
However, all she witnessed was him running extremely fast, constantly moving forward, climbing steadily, rapidly approaching her level at an astonishing speed. Yet, she couldn''t discern any specific method or secret.
Normally, Ais wouldn''t voice such thoughts. But at this moment, overwhelmed by her desire to get stronger, she couldn''t contain herself, expressing her yearning openly.
This left Riezel momentarily silent.
"Sorry." Ais suddenly realized what she had said, looking at him apologetically. "I asked something that might trouble you."
Indeed, answering her question wasn''t easy for Riezel. He couldn''t just say he did nothing extraordinary, only repeatedly cut down monsters every day to achieve such progress, right? That would sound dismissive.
After organizing his thoughts, Riezel spoke up.
"Actually... I understand your urgency to get stronger... I''m just like you after all, eager to be stronger than anyone else to fulfill my long-cherished wish."
"Wish?" Ais was intrigued.
"Yeah..." Riezel said indifferently. "I want to break free from anyone''s control, escape their control and maniption, run toward the direction and path I desire, no longer helpless, no longer drifting with the current, no longer being used..."
This was a feeling only Riezel understood, something Ais couldn''tprehend. However, hearing the word ''wish'', she unknowingly resonated with him.
"So, you''re like me..." Ais looked at him with a moreplex expression.
She had her own wish, a wish that she wanted to fulfill, which exined her eagerness to be stronger. Riezel knew this, even knew the undisclosed wish in her heart. Hence, he could utter such words.
"It seems we''re quite alike in many ways, but that should be the most alike, right?" Riezel chuckled lightly, his words echoing in her ears.
"We''re all trying to get stronger to fulfill our long-cherished wishes, so I really get where you''reing from..." Riezel said while locking eyes with Ais. "Unfortunately, in this regard, I can''t offer you any mature advice. After all, I''m still figuring things out myself. I''m just a bit luckier than you, having grabbed a chance to achieve my goals... I''m really sorry."
If there were any secrets to his power-up, he would surely share them with Ais. He was more than willing to impart his knowledge to her.
But he didn''t.
His rapid growth was primarily due to the influence of ''Fool''s Obsession''. This was something he couldn''t share with others. Therefore, Riezel waspletely incapable of addressing Ais''s troubles and questions.
"The only thing I can probably do is, well, listen to your worries..." Riezel chuckled. "If there''s something you want to talk about, something that''s bothering you and you don''t know who to tell, just tell me. If this can help you reduce some confusion and lessen your worries, I''m more than willing to be your listener."
His words made Ais focus her gaze towards his eyes.
Riezel didn''t avert his eyes, just continued to lock eyes with her.
The eyes of the two didn''t share the same color but had the same emotion, the same obsession.
Watching those eyes so simr to her own, for some reason, Ais did feel a bit less depressed.
"Thank you..." Ais took a deep breath and expressed his gratitude to Riezel.
"No problem..." Riezel said casually, noticing Ais perk up a bit. "Feeling better?"
Ais nodded, redirecting her gaze out the window.
"Since there''s no room for growth at my current level, let''s move on to the next one then..."
Her golden eyes now seemed more resolute as she dered that.
What did her words mean, he wouldn''t fail to understand.
''Level up, huh...'' Riezel thought inwardly.
That was Ais''s only way out.
Since Level 5 had reached its limit and progress seemed impossible, Ais had to find a way to reach Level 6. Only by leveling up could she make a significant leap in strength, and her body would be stronger, unlocking new possibilities and potential.
If she couldn''t achieve that, she wouldn''t experience any significant growth in the future.
"Good luck, then." Riezel stared at her, who had made a determined decision. "If there''s anything I can help with, just let me know."
That was the extent of support he could provide.
"Thank you..." Ais thanked him once again.
The two simultaneously looked out the window, silent.
Moonlight spilled over them, casting a lingering glow.
===
The conversation between Riezel and Ais happened without anyone knowing.
Even the top executives of the familia, on the first day back from the expedition, were too focused on resting to pay much attention to anything else.
The rest of the expedition party members followed suit, one after another, starting their recovery.
The three-week expedition left many feeling physically and mentally exhausted. At times like this, the only remedy was to rest well for everyone to get back to health.
It wasn''t until the next day that news spread not only within Loki Familia but also throughout Orario.
¡ªRiezel Brynhart sessfully leveled up to Level 5.
This news created a citywide uproar.
Chapter 67: Shocking Announcement
Chapter 67: Shocking Announcement
Riezel Brynhart
Affiliation: Loki Familia
Race: Human
Age: 17
Profession: Adventurer
Current Floor: 51st Floor
Notable Achievement: Riezel, an adventurer affiliated with the Loki Familia, embarked on a deep floor expedition with his familiar and actively participated in numerous floor boss battles spanning over a month and a half. Eventually, he officially leveled up to Level 5.
...
When this announcement was posted on the bulletin board in the first-floor lobby of the Guild main building, everyone who saw it had their eyes opened wide.They gathered in front of the bulletin board, double-checking the information and even questioning the Guild staff at the counter.
The result was always the same.
The information was urate, without a doubt.
As a result, the Guild exploded.
"Is this a joke or something?"
"Getting to Level 5 in, what, a month and a half? Are you freaking kidding me?"
"Trickster Swordsman has be a first-ss adventurer, huh?"
"He was just a normal dude who got blessed three months ago, wasn''t he? This is fucking bullshit, man!"
People were moring.
People were arguing.
People were in disbelief.
People were jealous.
Riezel reaching Level 5 and bing a first-ss adventurer caused a stir much greater than any of his previous deeds. Unfortunately, this time, the severity of the situation waspletely different from before.
In the past, whether reaching Level 2, Level 3, or even Level 4, although shocking and impressive, Riezel had only be a second-ss adventurer and a third-ss adventurer.
In Orario, there were still quite a few adventurers in these sses.
Therefore, even though he rapidly rose with a speed that amazed and sparked envy and jealousy, he only became one among the many high-ss adventurers.
In the eyes of many, while Riezel was undoubtedly worth attention, what difference did it make if he reached Level 4? Adventurers at this level were not rare, and they didn''t pose a threat to others or their familia.
Therefore, various gods might have been interested in this rapidly rising rookie, adventurers would discuss his feats as a topic more than once, but the appearance of a Level 4 adventurer was, for many, just a not-so-significant and rare event.
In Orario, people reached Level 4 every now and then; it was nothing extraordinary.
Riezel was just one of them, albeit with a significantly faster level-up speed, considered talented and full of potential.
However, this time was different.
"Dude, we''re talking Level 5 here! They''re top adventurers in Orario, boasting powerful strength that only a few well-known big familias can have!
"All in just a month and a half, huh? If it''s true, that''s wild, y''know?"
"What a damn joke!"
Bing a Level 5 first-ss adventurer was not just like bing an adventurer at any other level. Being at this level not only made anyone one of the top experts in Orario but also put one at the level of leading figures in top familias, even among those well-known and influential familias.
Take Hephaestus Familia for example.
It was famous in Orario alongside Loki Familia and Freya Familia as the best cksmith familia of Orario. Tsubaki, the captain of this familia with the alias ''Cyclops'', held the status of Level 5 first-ss adventurer.
Meanwhile, the majority of top familias in Orario, trailing just behind Loki Familia and Freya Familia in both fame and strength, also followed the same pattern. Without exception, the higher-ups of these familias, holding the position of captain, were also Level 5 first-ss adventurers.
It could be said that the reason these familias held a powerful position in Orario was because they had Level 5 first-ss adventurers.
As for Level 6 and above, besides Loki Familia and Freya Familia, no other familia in Orario had adventurers at this level.
This was why Loki Familia and Freya Familia were considered Orario''s strongest familias because only they possessed Level 6 adventurers. Apart from these two familias, all the other top familias in Orario, without exception, had their highestbat power limited to Level 5.
At this moment, Riezel managed to be such a high-level presence in just a short month and a half, even though he was just an ordinary person without a blessing three months ago.
Themotion caused by this was beyond anything in the past.
Thanks to this, news of Riezel''s rapid level-up spread to the higher-ups of various familias and gods at an astonishing speed.
Soon enough, these familia higher-ups and gods were obviously blown away by the news.
===
"Lady Freya."
In the suite at the top of Babel, Ottar once again visited, reporting to the Goddess of Beauty, who stood by therge French windows.
"Riezel Brynhart has be Level 5."
Upon hearing that information, Freya, dressed in a ck sheer evening dress, halted her actions of swaying the wine ss in front of the French windows.
"...He has be a first-ss adventurer already?" Freya spoke in a hushed tone.
"Yes." Ottar solemnly said. "It seems Goddess Loki went to the Guild early in the morning to report the matter. After confirmation from the Guild, the news has already been announced."
"Loki, huh..." Freya swayed the wine ss and chuckled lightly. "She seems eager to show off in front of us."
"Allen already knows about this." Ottar continued, seemingly unaffected by her teasing. "He''s not in a good mood and raging in the wilderness, venting his frustration."
"Fufu, let him be..." Freya shook her head with a chuckle. "That child has always been one to hold a grudge. Last time, he did some hateful things on my orders and ended up getting hurt. Now, the one he fought with has leveled up to Level 5, so it''s only natural he''s in a bad mood."
"What about Riezel Brynhart?" Ottar asked with his head down. "Loki Familia gained an executive-levelbat power. For us, it''s not something to be happy about."
After all, Freya Familia and Loki Familia were rivals. Suddenly having an additional first-ss adventurer in Loki Familia was not advantageous for Freya Familia.
Freya, not indifferent to the situation, pointed her slender and fair fingers at her chin before turning to Ottar.
"What do you think?" Freya asked Ottar. "About Riezel Brynhart."
Without much hesitation, Ottar gave his answer.
"If you see him as a threat, I am willing to make a move."
Implying that if she gave the order, he wouldn''t hesitate to eliminate this threat.
"That won''t do..." Freya sighed with a smile. "Just look at Loki''s behavior. That boy is her treasure now. If we casually harm him, our familia might end up in a full-scale war."
Such a situation would be avoided deliberately by both sides and even the Guild, as the city manager, would not allow it.
In principle, the Guild strictly prohibited big familia from engaging in conflicts within Orario because each big familia yed a significant role in the city. Business-type familia naturally contributed to the city''s economic development, and exploration-type familia provided the strength needed for the Guild''s various tasks, especially dungeon-rted tasks.
Furthermore, Loki Familia and Freya Familia, being the strongest, were the mainstays in dungeon exploration and city defense.
Therefore, as the city manager, the Guild wouldn''t silently watch these two big familias sh without intervening.
"Starting a war, that shouldn''t happen." Freya looked at Ottar, her expression unchanged. "Anyway, I''m asking you like this is not from our familia''s perspective but more like wanting to hear your personal opinion."
Hearing that, Ottar raised his head.
"Personal opinion?"
"Yes..." Freya''s lips curled up. "Don''t need to consider my thoughts. For you, Ottar, how is Riezel Brynhart as a person?"
At her question, Ottar fell into silence.
Freya, unfazed, just smiled at him and waited.
After a while, Ottar spoke.
"I''m looking forward to it."
His face remained firm and calm, but in his eyes, there was a newfound fighting intent that hadn''t been there before.
"If he can truly continue to grow, perhaps one day, he could rece Finn as my opponent."
How high this evaluation was, anyone hearing Ottar''s words would understand.
No choice.
"Can''t believe Orario''s only Level 7 would make such an evaluation." Freya''s smile on her face deepened.
"He''s worthy of it."
The man regarded as the city''s ultimate weapon admitted.
"Well, let''s not worry about him for now." Freya took a sip of wine. "I also want to see if he can catch up to you."
She was curious about Riezel¡ªvery, very curious.
A soul as peculiar as his, she had never seen in her entire life.
She was eager to know whaty deep within his soul.
This curiosity and thirst to explore made her feel both refreshed and amazed.
In the past, with her Discerning Eye, she always gathered souls with extraordinary radiance, being infatuated with heroes possessing such souls. But this kind of feeling, not infatuation, not admiration, but purely curiosity, an itching desire to explore the unknown, something she had never experienced before.
Freya''s attitude toward Riezel was currently in a state of curiosity and observation.
Chapter 68: Whats Going On?
Chapter 68: What''s Going On?
The same discussion wasn''t just happening within Freya Familia.
Many familias received the rted news and sessively paid attention to Riezel''s situation. Even Loki Familia stirred up quite a bit because he truly reached Level 5.
"Mr. Riezel already hitting Level 5..."
"His strength has long surpassed that of a first-ss adventurer, right?"
"Got ourselves a new executive in the familia. Our power''s skyrocketed big time."
"Think we can outdo Freya Familia now?"
"Nah, not really. They got a Level 7 hanging around."
In the corridors of Twilight Manor, members chatted while walking, their tones and expressions filled with excitement.
"Aah dammit! Got caught up after all!"Upon receiving the news, Tiona immediately let out ament.
"Don''t shout. Instead of screaming about being caught up, think about how not to get surpassed so quickly." Tione seemed calm about it.
"Tch." Bete, hearing every member discussing Riezel, scowled and walked away from the manor.
"Miss Ais! Mr. Riezel reached Level 5!" Lefiya said excitedly as she ran into Ais in the cafeteria.
"Hmm." Ais, who had long been aware of this, had the smallest reaction. There was only a slight ripple in her eyes as if contemting something.
As for the higher-ups of the familia, they were currently gathered in Finn''s office discussing the same topic.
"Though expected, when something like this really happens, it makes you want to yell, huh?" Gareth remarked as he sat with arms crossed on a chair, making it creak under the weight it wasn''t supposed to bear.
"Only a month and a half has passed..." Riveria stood next to a desk, holding the Guild''s report in her hand. She looked at the information about Riezel recorded on it. "That skill called ''Fool''s Obsession'' is really too absurd."
"I wonder if his growth speed will slow down..." Finn took a sip of the drink on the table and chuckled. "If it doesn''t, maybe soon even we''ll be caught up, right?"
"Guhaha! Isn''t that a good thing?" Garethughed. "But, that kid still has a long way to go."
"It shouldn''t happen so quickly this time, right?" Riveriamented. "It''s not that easy to reach Level 6."
Indeed, reaching Level 6 was no easy feat.
The exploits that could make a Level 5 level up were notparable to those of the earlier levels. At this level, taking risks and achieving significant exploits was a challenging task.
If the risk was too low, and the opponent was not strong enough, then umting a decent high-rank excelia was impossible. If the risk was too high, and the opponent too strong, it was equivalent to walking into a death trap.
At Level 5, facing necessary risks and challenging powerful opponents meant facing considerable danger. The magnitude of the risk and the strength of the opponent were easily understood.
One wrong move, fail to achieve the exploit, and one would end up dead¡ªa loss not worth the gain.
This was also why there were only a few Level 6 adventurers in Orario, and all of them concentrated on Loki Familia and Freya Familia. It was because those who challenged powerful opponents and took sufficient risks either died or did not seed.
Before Level 5, adventurers could rely on familia seniors, teamwork, and parties to easily defeat strong opponents and umte enough high-rank excelia. But once at Level 5, even with help from Level 6 adventurers, it was not so easy to umte enough exploits for leveling up.
Looking at Ais, Bete, Tiona, and Tione, who had been Level 5 for quite some time¡ªat least several years¡ªthey had participated in countless dungeon expeditions and defeated many powerful monsters. Yet, they still hadn''t umted enough exploits for leveling up.
Loki Familia participated in at least two to three floor boss battles during each expedition. Udaeus, ssified as Level 6, and Balor, ssified as Level 7, were clearly stronger than Loki Familia''s executive, making them capable of providing the necessary high-rank excelia for exploits.
However, despite numerous attempts to defeat them, they still couldn''t level up. This demonstrated how difficult it was to reach Level 6.
If the executives chose to defeat Udaeus or Balor alone, there was a possibility of achieving a significant exploit and leveling up sessfully. However, since they were in a party, the excelia would be split, making it much harder for them to umte enough exploits.
Especially when it came to taking down the Level 7 floor boss, Balor, the three top executives of Loki Familia were the main force. The executives could only assist from the sidelines, with the bulk of excelia concentrated on the bodies of the three top executives, while the other executives received only a meager share.
With these factors stacking up, leveling up from Level 5 to Level 6 proved to be quite challenging. If one wanted to achieve Level 6, one had to be willing to risk it all, and there was no other way.
One careless move could end up losing their life.
"With Riezel''s growth speed, no matter what, leveling up is definitely easier for him than for others." Finn said with a grin. "I don''t think this level will be a hurdle for him."
With the assistance of a skill like ''Fool''s Obsession'' elerating his growth, Riezel''s rate of exploit umtion was undoubtedly faster than others. Because of this, Finn didn''t believe Riezel would be stuck at this level like the rest of the executives.
"I just wonder how much time he''ll take..." Finn mused. "Half a year? Or maybe a year?"
He couldn''t really estimate the next level-up time for Riezel who climbed from Level 4 to Level 5 in just a month and a half.
"Guhahaha! Maybe he won''t need any time at all!" Gareth continued tough heartily.
"I just hope he doesn''t go too wild..." Riveria added.
She hoped Riezel would slow down a bit. Otherwise, it meant he would take on big risks again.
As an active Level 6, Riveria had the most say in the risks involved in leveling up from Level 5 to Level 6. She just hoped he would be more restrained, take it slow, and grow steadily¡ªthat would be the best scenario.
Unfortunately, Riezel seemed anything but restrained; sooner orter, he was bound to get into some serious trouble.
Riveria was a bit worried about that.
"One Ais is already giving us a headache, and now there''s another one making things even messier. Hahh... Seriously..." Riveria sighed.
Finn and Gareth exchanged nces at her reaction but remained silent.
Dealing with this kind of stuff was Mama Riveria''s job. They, two big guys, weren''t cut out for handling such delicate matters.
Anyway, Riveria would find a way to talk to Riezel and maybe keep him in check. That was one less thing for Finn and Gareth to worry about.
"By the way, we need to handle the aftermath of the expedition today..." Finn said while looking at the other two. "We took quite a hit this time, and there wasn''t much gain. We need to quickly deal with the loot ande up with a better strategy for the next expedition."
"Yeah..." Gareth nodded. "Those little rascals have rested enough; it''s time to touch some grass and get things done."
"We also need to discuss how to deal with those new species of monsters..." Riveria added. "Getting our current tasks sorted out quickly is a good idea."
Upon hearing her words, Finn stood up.
"Yosh, let''s call everyone and gather at the main gate."
Riveria and Gareth nodded in agreement.
===
Post-expedition affairs were always the first thing to deal with upon returning from the expedition.
The loot brought back from the dungeon, whether it was magic stones or drop items, needed to be exchanged for money to fund the uing activities.
The worn-out weapons and armor, along with the need to replenish items for the many expedition party members, required maintenance. The operation of the familia needed funds, and preparations for the next expedition involved purchasing various supplies¡ªall of which required money.
Therefore, handling the loot became a top priority after returning from an expedition.
During these times, Loki Familia, aside from leaving some members to guard the manor, mobilized almost everyone capable of swiftly processing arge amount of loot in exchange for the needed funds.
Even the executives weren''t exempt.
Last time, Riezel couldn''t participate in this matter. He just joined the familia during the previous expedition, still a rookie at that time, so the loot management task didn''t fall on his shoulders.
But not this time.
Riezel participated in the expedition, sessfully leveled up, and became a first-ss adventurer just like Ais. As a first-ss adventurer in Loki Familia, he was now, just like her, considered an executive and the main force of the familia.
Since he was now an executive and a vital part of the expedition party, it was natural for him to contribute to handling the loot.
After receiving the summons, Riezel immediately headed to the main gate.
"Hey¡ª! Riezel! Over here!"
Seeing Riezeling out, Tiona immediately waved, beckoning him over.
However, when he looked closely, Riezel noticed Tiona stood out among the group. The other members, seemingly out of respect for the executives, maintained a somewhat delicate distance.
Tiona stood alongside Tione, surrounded by the rest of the members as if they were rallying behind her. She positioned herself right in the middle, with only Ais and Lefiya by her side.
With Tiona''s call and wave, all familia members around instantly turned their attention to Riezel.
Honestly, this situation made him a bit ufortable. The respectful and admiring looks from the members toward him gave him an itchy feeling on his spine.
"C''mon,e over here already!"
A clueless amazoness was still yelling over there, clearly not nning to let Riezel off the hook.
What could he do? Only one thing, go over.
"Hey."
Riezel greeted Tiona, Tione, and Lefiya, then looked at Ais.
Ais was also looking at him.
As they made eye contact, seemingly recalling the events fromst night, both of them smiled slightly, as if on cue.
The difference was that his smile was somewhat in, while Ais''s smile seemed a bit shy.
""??????""
Witnessing this scene, everyone had question marks floating above their heads.
''What''s going on with these two?''
Chapter 69: Riezel and Ais
Chapter 69: Riezel and Ais
"What''s up with you guys?"
Tiona''s gaze wandered back and forth between Riezel and Ais, her curiosity evident as she asked.
"Hmm, what''s going on?"
Tione, not maintaining her usualposed demeanor, showed a rare expression of interest, staring at Riezel and Ais with a teasing glint in her eyes.
As everyone knows, amazonesses were a rather warlike female warrior race, known for their bold and adventurous nature. Since this race only consisted of females andcked males, they had to rely on males from other races in order to reproduce.
Because of this, amazonesses had a tendency to plunder men and highly valued rtionships between men and women. In this regard, they always acted boldly, without the shyness that other races had.
Thanks to this, among the amazoness race, there were many with chaotic lives. Since the entire race consisted only of females, their behavior was considered quite vulgar by more conservative races like the elf race.
Although Tiona and Tione had grown up in Loki Familia since childhood and weren''t as vulgar as other amazonesses, the reverence for rtionships between men and women was deeply ingrained in their genes.
Usually, Loki Familia''s members were quite disciplined. Even the familia top executives, who were at least forty years old, hadn''t disyed any overt romantic rtionships.Within the familia, there was no one getting married or even forming romantic rtionships.
Now, with the sudden appearance of such signs, involving Riezel and Ais at that, Tiona and Tione couldn''t help but feel a rare excitement.
While others may not be as excited as the twins, they all still wore subtle and peculiar expressions.
Especially Lefiya, with her cute mouth agape, looking stupefied.
Unfortunately, Riezel''s and Ais''s next actions didn''t satisfy the onlookers.
"What about Bete?" Riezel, as if nothing had happened, withdrew his gaze, put away his smile, and calmly asked.
"Bete didn''te." Ais, also resuming her usual somewhat aloof and stoic expression, replied to him.
"It doesn''t matter what that stinky wolf is up to." Tiona, not caring about Bete''s whereabouts, instead focused on Riezel''s and Ais''s recent eye contact and smiles. "I mean, did you two do something we don''t know about?"
Her question gave off a sense of mischief.
*Whistle~* Tione couldn''t help but whistle and frivolously remarked. "Riezel and Ais, huh? To be honest, that''s a possibility I never imagined."
When girls gather, gossip is an inevitable topic since they never shy away from discussing such private matters.
Who''s showing signs of developing certain rtionships, who''s exchanging meaningful nces, and even who might have a secret crush or ns to confess¡ªthese were the usual subjects.
Yes, familia was akin to a big family, but not everyone in familia was rted by blood. With dozens, even hundreds, of peopleing together, both men and women, it was impossible for nothing gossip-worthy to happen.
Surprisingly, Ais rarely partook in such discussions. Not that she was unpopr, far from it. With a beautyparable to a goddess and someone considered a princess by various gods, her poprity in Orario had always been in the top three.
In the familia, aside from Riveria, who was a high elf royalty, hardly anyone could match Ais''s poprity. Countless admired her, and admirers of this doll princess could fill the city gates if they gathered together.
Rumor had it that the number of individuals with ulterior motives approaching Ais had easily reached a thousand. However, due to an overly protective elf figure with an almost unhealthy affection for her and thanks to her rtionship with the goddess who always acted unreasonably, all these people met their untimely end, including some gods.
Even within Loki Familia, among the male members, more than half secretly admired Ais. Nevertheless, the female members themselves couldn''t be excluded.
Lefiya, who somehow got her eyes spinning in confusion at this moment, might have something to say about that.
Even Bete, the werewolf with a seemingly rough personality that bordered on gangster-like, hadn''t hidden his affection for Ais. Almost everyone in the familia knew about his feelings for her, except Ais herself.
But what about Ais?
There had never been a hint of scandal surrounding her.
Topics teasingly discussing who was getting close or acting suspicious with whom had never been associated with her.
The reason was simple.
Ais spent her days either in the dungeon or practicing her swordsmanship. She was the kind of person whose expression rarely changed, appearing aloof to others¡ªa bona fide doll princess.
How could such a person have any ambiguous scandal?
So far, there had never been any indication within the familia that Ais was developing any kind of rtionship with the opposite sex. If there were, that person would likely find themselves tied up in a sack, candles lit, and guaranteed to be the subject of envy, jealousy, and hatred from fellow familia members, including the goddess herself, which would lead to their ultimate destruction.
Ais had also never gotten particrly close to any member of the opposite sex. Although she had been with Loki Familia for quite some time, the opposite sex closest to her, aside from Finn and Bete, was probably Riezel, who had been sparring with her frequently and gradually getting to know her better.
Now, with these two suddenly showing signs, not just Tiona and Tione, but the others also lowered their voices, perked up their ears, and silently paid attention to Riezel and Ais.
Unfortunately, when it came to this topic, Ais tilted her head, lookingpletely clueless, while Riezel remained calm throughout.
"You guys are thinking too much; nothing happened between us." Riezel said calmly while shaking his head. "Onlyst night, when I was updating my status, we had a little chat about our growth."
"Um." Ais nodded, indicating agreement.
"Hmm~ Really~?" Tiona seemed a bit skeptical.
"Yes." Riezel remained calm. His serious demeanor convinced many that he was telling the truth.
"Hahh... As I thou¡ªGah!"
Raul let out a sigh of relief and mumbled something on the side, only to be elbowed by Anakitty, causing him to cry out in pain.
"Umu, umu! Mr. Riezel and Miss Ais often discuss topics rted to their growth! It must be just that!" Lefiya, who had finally recovered, dered loudly, seemingly enthusiastic.
"Meh,me..." Tione regretfully said. "I thought Ais was finally catching on."
"???" Ais tilted her head again, a question mark appearing above her head.
That expression, that appearance, directly overwhelmed many men and women present.
''So cute!''
''What cute creature is this?!''
In their hearts, everyone was howling like a beast, especially a certain elf who was on the verge of screaming right then and there.
"What are you doing?"
At this moment, a voice from the direction of the manor suddenly intervened.
Finn, Riveria, and Gareth walked out of the manor together, arriving at the entrance.
"Why is it so noisy? What are you guys talking about?" Gareth asked with a furrowed brow.
"No-Nothing!"
Seeing their superiors all appearing together, everyone immediately shook their heads, sitting up straight.
"It doesn''t feel like nothing to me..." Riveria gave a meaningful look to everyone.
Finn seemed to have a suspicion; he looked at the calm Riezel and Ais, then at the other members sitting upright, and chuckled.
"Since there''s nothing else, let''s get ready to set off." Finn briskly changed the subject.
"Set off? Now?" Tiona asked in astonishment. "What about Bete? That dumb wolf hasn''t shown up yet."
"Forget about him!" Gareth said, fuming with rage. "That rascal ran off to the dungeon alone and doesn''t give a damn to anyone."
Everyone exchanged nces and then simultaneously looked at Riezel.
"..."
Riezel remained silent and unconsciously averted his gaze.
He could guess what was the reason.
Bete running off to the dungeon was definitely because Bete got stimted by him. The lone wolf was naturally proud, and it was simply impossible to expect him to admit defeat to Riezel like how Tiona, Tione, and others were.
The top executives also knew Bete''s personality. Though they said otherwise, they were only somewhat worried that the werewolf youth, stimted by Riezel, might take unnecessary risks to enhance his strength to level up.
Exploits were difficult to achieve after all, especially for Level 5.
If Bete went to challenge powerful monsters or venture into dangerous territories, the likelihood of losing his life was at least seventy to eighty percent.
"Let him be; he should know his limits." Finn consoled everyone for a moment before speaking up. "I''ll start organizing the tasks, so listen up, everyone."
With that, Finn started to give instructions.
"As usual, Riveria, Gareth, and I will handle the magic stones at the Guild for valis."
"Raul and Aki, each of you takes some drop items and sells them at the familia we visited before."
"For themissions of Cadmus''s Spring and medicine-rted drop items, Ais, Tiona, Tione, and Lefiya, you four will handle it together."
Finn turned to Riezel.
"Riezel, you''ll go with them and take a good look. Perhaps in the future, you''ll need to handle these tasks independently."
"Yes." Riezel naturally had no objections to this arrangement.
Finn then went on to give instructions one by one, make arrangements, and finally, apuded.
"Okay, everyone, follow the nned itinerary and head to your respective destinations. Lastly, there''s a celebration feast tonight for those returning from the expedition; make sure not to miss it. Any questions?"
Finn scanned everyone, checking each face. Seeing no one raise their hands, he pped his hands.
*p!*
"Okay, let''s set off!"
""OHHH!""
With a chorus of acknowledgments, everyone began to disperse.
"Let''s go, Riezel." Ais called out.
"Yeah."
Riezel nodded and soon followed the four girls.
Chapter 70: Dea Saint
Chapter 70: Dea Saint
In Orario, all the magic stones brought out from the dungeon have to be exchanged for money at the Guild.
The Guild, being the manager of the city, directly monopolized the production of magic stones from the source. They processed these magic stones into products and sold them around the world, earning a huge amount of money for themselves and the city.
Therefore, magic stones could only be exchanged for money at the Guild and could not be sold elsewhere, or else the Guild would crack down on it.
But drop items were a different story.
Drop items could be used as materials for creating weapons, armor, and even medicine. Though they could also be exchanged for money at the Guild, the price was fixed, the lowest in the market.
While the Guild monopolized magic stones, it didn''t control the buying and selling of drop items. In many familias, exchanging magic stones at the Guild made sense, but selling drop items was more profitable in business-type familias.
Especially for those confident in their negotiation abilities, bargaining with business-type familias for precious drop items was not impossible. However, selling them on your own might lead to being tricked.
Many beginner adventurers fell into this trap, hoping for a high price but ending up being scammed and potentially losing money.
Of course, this risk was unlikely for the well-known and prestigious familias. After all, no one would want to offend a big and powerful familia, especially those capable of retrieving valuable resources from the deep floors of the dungeon.Many merchants, shops, and business-type familias feared upsetting them and being cklisted, which was a significant loss for those in need of deep floors resources to create high-rank weapons, armor, medicine, or items.
In this situation, Loki Familia, as one of the strongest andrgest exploration-type familias, didn''t need to worry about being deceived. Aside from higher-ups like Finn exchanging magic stones for money at the Guild, other members could confidently form small groups or operate independently.
Riezel''s group had also arrived at the northwest street, walking down the adventurer street toward their destination¡ªDian Cecht Familia.
"A familia specializing in medicinal stuff, huh?" Riezel mumbled in thought.
"Yes." Lefiya, for once not gripping her staff, walked beside him and exined softly. "Dian Cecht Familia is a familia focused on healing and medicinal areas. Their main activities include selling potions they''ve developed and providing professional healing services and special items to the public."
This familia had quite a reputation in Orario.
Not only did they sell advanced medicines and items not found in other stores or familias, but they also offered superior healing services than the Guild''s healing facilities. They were highly praised by adventurers.
Many adventurers with injuries that couldn''t be healed even with elixirs have received treatment at Dian Cecht Familia, and most have fully recovered. Some even had their sight restored, while others with severe injuries installed prosthetics in this familia, enabling them to lead normal lives without hindrance.
Therefore, despite Dian Cecht Familia''s high prices for goods and services, making it unaffordable for many adventurers, it remained a shop worth frequenting for familias with above-average financial resources and wealth.
"This time, ourmission to collect water from Cadmus''s Spring on the 51st Floor ising from Dian Cecht Familia..." Tioneined. "They dumped this annoyingmission on us. I''m totally gonna chat with Airmid about it."
"Don''t go causing trouble, Tione." Tiona said casually while pursing her lips. "Airmid is a good girl; it''s definitely her shady god who came up with this idea. If you offend her, be careful she denies you her healing services next time."
"I''m not in a condition where I need Airmid''s healing..." Tione paused slightly. "But you''re right... If you anger Dea Saint, even Captain will have a headache. For Captain''s sake, I''ll endure."
"Whatever." Tiona stuck out her tongue at her sister. "What a love-struck fool, Finn clearly doesn''t want anything to do with you."
"Who said that?!" Tione shouted as if hit in a sore spot. "Captain clearly loves me!"
"Meh."
Tiona immediately distanced herself from her, making Tione frustrated.
Ais and Lefiya watched the amazoness twins yfully quarreling, one with a confused expression and the other awkwardly smiling, following them from behind as they continued forward.
Only Riezel squinted his eyes as he heard their conversation.
''Dea Saint, huh...''
He remembered.
This person was an influential figure that appeared in the original work.
How influential?
Recalling the abilities of this Dea Saint, Riezel''s mind suddenly became active.
"If I could gain that magic..." Riezel muttered quietly to himself, a smirk forming on his lips.
Soon, the entire group arrived in front of a massive building.
It was a structure constructed with pristine white stones.
On the building, an insignia featuring a ball of light and herb patterns was decorated. It was the emblem of Dian Cecht Familia, just like Loki''s clown design, a symbol of the familia.
"We''re here!" Tiona took the lead, and upon reaching their destination, she immediately pushed open the door.
Inside was a storefront.
It seemed to be a ce dedicated to selling medicine, with shelves filled with medicine lining the walls and various drugs disyed behind the counter directly opposite the entrance.
Many adventurers were browsing around, and each one''s equipment was impressive, clearly indicating they were high-level adventurers.
The one in charge of the counter, upon seeing neers, smiled slightly and bowed.
"Wee, everyone from Loki Familia."
A girl, who seemed like a regr staff member, greeted them. However, she clearly had the typical vibe of an important character in a story.
She was a human girl with delicate features, standing at less than 150 centimeters tall. Despite her petite stature, she sported long, silver-white silky hair, and herrge eyes were adorned with longshes. She wore a uniform predominantly in white, instantly suggesting the role of a ''Healer''.
The moment Riezelid eyes on this girl, he couldn''t help but ovey her image with that of the priest who had once healed his wounds in the main world.
Ais and the others, familiar with the girl, approached and exchanged greetings.
"Long time no see, Airmid."
"It''s been a while, Miss Airmid."
Ais and Lefiya greeted in session.
"Miss Ais, Miss Lefiya, it''s been a while."
The girl behind the counter, known as Airmid, responded with a sincere smile.
''Airmid Teasanare...'' Riezel scrutinized the silver-white-haired girl carefully.
In Orario, Airmid Teasanare''s name was far from unknown. She served as the face of Dian Cecht Familia and was a Level 2 healer with exceptionally advanced and rare healing magic. She was considered a ''Saint'' by various gods and adventurers.
Lefiya, valued by the familia for her attack power exceeding her level, shared the spotlight with Airmid.
Like Lefiya, this human girl possessed extraordinarily potent magic despite being only a Level 2 third-ss adventurer. Her presence, role, and value surpassed even those Level 5 first-ss adventurers.
Considering this, when facing Airmid, everyone conversed with her as equals.
"Hello." Riezel nodded in greeting.
"And who might you be...?"
Airmid looked at him with doubt, prompting Tione to answer.
"This is our monster rookie who recently joined our familia."
Her words made Airmid blink in realization.
"I see..." Airmid observed him for a moment, then nodded. "You must be Mr. Riezel Brynhart, right?"
"You know me?" Riezel raised an eyebrow.
"You must be joking..." Airmid smiled slightly. "In the present-day Orario, those who don''t know you are the minority."
After all, he was the rookie who had climbed from Level 1 to Level 5 in just over three months, causing quite a lot of controversy.
The evidence was clear as adventurers around, upon hearing their conversation, immediately cast their eyes toward Riezel.
"Is he Riezel Brynhart?"
"Trickster Swordsman, huh?"
"The monster rookie of Loki Familia..."
Adventurers with clearly high levels cast scrutinizing nces at Riezel one after another.
Riezel paid no attention to those looks, only smiled at Airmid and stopped speaking. Although she was somewhat curious about him, she didn''t show it.
"Are you all here today for the adventurermission?" Airmid intended to get down to business.
"Yep." Tione replied. "We brought the water from Cadmus''s Spring. Can you confirm it?"
After saying that, she took off the backpack she had been carrying and pulled out bottles of spring water.
It was the water Finn''s party had collected.
During the spring water collection, Riezel''s party sensed trouble ahead of time and opted not toplete the task. Instead, they left Cadmus''s Spring as soon as possible, almost causing themission to fail.
Fortunately, Finn''s party collected the spring water, and it seemed to be enough for themission.
Airmid picked up the water bottles one by one and confirmed them.
"This is indeed the water from Cadmus''s Spring, and the quantity is satisfactory." Airmid said with a smile. "Thank you for your hard work. I have the reward prepared for you."
She took out a medicine box from under the counter, and inside the box were bottles of potions.
"Elixir?" Riezel recognized these potions.
"Yes." Airmid nodded. "ording to the agreement, the reward forpleting this adventurermission is twenty doses of the highest quality elixir."
One dose of the highest quality elixir was worth 500,000 valis. Twenty doses meant a whopping 10 million valis.
''We''re making quite a bit on this one, huh?''
Riezel suddenly remembered the amount of water in Cadmus''s Spring. If only he had taken all that water with him.
Unfortunately, there was no ''if'' in this world.
Chapter 71: Top-Class Healing Magic
Chapter 71: Top-ss Healing Magic
Apart from the adventurermission, Riezel''s group had brought a bunch of stuff to sell during their visit to Dian Cecht Familia.
Within Dian Cecht Familia, they independently developed special items like potions and healing items, creating a demand for drop items that could be used as materials.
Finn handed over some drop items that could be used as medicinal materials to Riezel''s group, asking them to sell them off.
Among these items were the wings of Cadmus that Lefiya casually picked up in the cave at Cadmus''s Spring.
This was a very precious drop item, not only appearing on super deep floors like the 51st Floor but also dropping from the body of the strong dragon, Cadmus. Just that fact alone was enough to fetch a high price.
Tione and Airmid engaged in a heated debate over the wings, arguing vehemently until they finally settled on a deal for 12 million valis.
"12 million valis..." Riezel marveled.
Selling a single drop item for 12 million valis was truly eye-opening for him. It was already equivalent to the transaction price of quite valuable second-rank special equipment. If they aimed higher, they might even be able to buy his Hermit.
Indeed, everything brought out from the super deep floors was precious, whether it was the spring water from Cadmus''s Spring or the drop items from Cadmus, each worth at least 10 million valis or more.On this journey, Riezel''s group alone earned several tens of millions of valis. If they added the money Finn and the other groups earned by exchanging magic stones at the Guild, Loki Familia made at least a few billion valis from this expedition.
A few billion valis!
Riezel, who had worked hard until now, had earned nearly 10 million valis. However, this expedition alone brought in many times more loot than what he earned since he became an adventurer.
However, there was still a significant loss.
Despite seeming like a lot, a few billion valis would probably not make much of a ssh in a big familia like Loki Familia. Not to mention that the main weapons of the first-ss adventurer members were almost all first-ss equipment worth over a billion valis each, even if it was just a little short.
On this expedition, except for a few people, everyone''s weapons dissolved due to those worm monsters.
These dissolved weapons meant a loss of several billion valis.
Adding to that was the loss of other items like spare weapons, medicines, and backup items. This expedition was undoubtedly a real blow to Loki Familia.
If they could achieve their goal, sessfully reaching unexplored floors of the 59th Floor, they might be able topensate for the losses.
Unfortunately, due to those worm monsters, Loki Familia, with a massive loss of resources, couldn''t continue the expedition. As a result, the highest floor they reached on this expedition was only the 51st Floor, not even reaching the final floor they had reached in the previous expedition.
What''s even more infuriating was that the worm monsters causing all this could self-destruct. When they did, they released a massive amount of corrosive acid, dissolving everything around them. Their magic stone and drop items didn''t even leave a trace, only causing continuous losses without any gains.
Thanks to this, Loki Familia had a loss of several billion valis in this expedition. Right now, they were just trying to patch up the losses as much as possible.
Fortunately, this was still manageable for Loki Familia, if any other familia faced this kind of loss, they''d probably just straight-up disband on the spot.
Several billion valis, thebined wealth and assets of some big familias probably didn''t evene close to this.
Loki Familia not only had to make up for the losses but also had to shell out more to prepare for the next expedition. The whole member had to rece their main weapons, and that needed some serious nning.
Finn, Riveria, and Gareth knew this, so they wanted to wrap up the aftermath of the expedition as soon as possible to discuss the next steps.
"Okay, let''s seal the deal at this price."
Tione finally negotiated a deal with Airmid, wearing a satisfied expression.
Ais, Lefiya, Tiona, and Riezel could only watch from the sidelines, unable to get involved in this kind of battlefield.
Seeing the two savvy women finally settling on a price, Riezel took a step forward.
"Miss Airmid." Riezel looked at Airmid with an earnest expression. "Can I ask you to show me your healing magic once?"
His out-of-nowhere request caught everyone off guard.
"What''s up, Riezel?" Tiona wondered. "Are you injured or something?"
She thought he wanted Airmid to treat his injuries.
""Magic?""
Ais and Lefiya, on the other hand, caught on and their eyes started to sparkle.
"Well, well..." Tione chuckled after a moment, realizing what he was up to. After all, she had seen his status before and could guess what he aimed.
Only Airmid tilted her head in confusion as she nced over Riezel''s body.
"You don''t seem to have any particrly obvious injuries. Is it some hidden illness? If so, we can rmend some really useful items."
Hearing that, Riezel shook his head.
"I don''t want healing items."
What he wanted was her magic. He wanted to learn her famous magic, the special magic of Dea Saint, Airmid Teasanare.
In Orario, she was already a legend.
Airmid''s magic was top-ss healing magic capable of healing wounds, stamina, status ailments, and curses. What made it even more amazing was its sustained effects and ability to heal multiple targets within its range.
She could even selectively choose the effects of the magic when casting it, making it a truly versatile and omnipotent healing magic. With this magic alone, as long as she stood on the battlefield, her party could participate in any battle with almost zero casualties, even against a floor boss.
Therefore, even though she was only a Level 2 third-ss adventurer, just about to step into the threshold of high-ss adventurers, she was the most valuable talent that any party or even army could desire.
A healer who could support an entire frontline alone.
Furthermore, it was this magic that earned her the alias of ''Dea Saint''.
In Loki Familia, it wasn''t like they didn''t have healers, butpared to this girl, those healers couldn''t even be considered in the same league¡ªit was likeparing heaven and earth.
Riveria, the strongest mage in Orario, once admitted that when it came to healing magic, she was nowhere near Airmid.
This evaluation was no joke.
Out of the nine types of magic that Riveria possessed, three were specifically for recovery and healing. But even if she added up all three, they might not even be a match to the single healing magic of Airmid.
Because of that, Riveria decided not to teach those three healing magic to Riezel and taught him other magic instead. If he could learn Airmid''s magic, there was simply no need to bother with Riveria''s three healing magic that, whenbined, couldn''t match up to a single healing magic of Airmid.
Truthfully, Riezel had been eyeing Airmid''s magic for quite some time.
Her magic had a considerable presence in the original work, and he knew its specific effects, so he didn''t need anyone to exin the magic to him. All he needed was for the user of the magic itself to demonstrate it once in front of him, confirming its existence firsthand with his own eyes.
Of course, Riezel couldn''t just tell the truth about this.
If Dian Cecht Familia found out he wanted to learn their most treasured and special magic, would they allow it? After all, he wasn''t in the same familia as them; he was an outsider. Within the same familia, they''d be thrilled to have as many top-ss healing magic users as possible. However, when it was a different familia, it turned into apetition, apetitive rtionship.
If another familia mastered their special magic, what would Dian Cecht Familia do in the future for their business?
They''d probably be racking their brains all day, wondering if there would be a newpetitor in the market offering simr services.
"I know when Miss Airmid personally uses your healing magic, the fee must be high..." Riezel said calmly. "I''ll pay the full price, so please use your healing magic for me once."
Seeing him seemed so adamant, Airmid was puzzled but didn''t ask further questions. Some patients do act like this because, suffering from some hidden illness, they desperately hide their condition.
Maybe this rumored monster rookie also had some hidden illness?
She better not to pry.
After all, it was all about healing service. Using her healing magic for treatment, and then paying up was her usual routine. Her familia provided healing services, so she had no reason to refuse.
"Alright then, let me take care of you." Airmid stepped out from the counter. "Need to head to the treatment room?"
"Nah." Riezel shook his head. "Right here is fine."
"Alright." Airmid didn''t insist. "Let''s get started then."
With that, she opened her hands and closed her eyes.
"Healing droplets, tears of light, eternal sanctuary."
Her chant echoed in the room as if a saint was offering a song to the gods.
"Compose a medicinal hymn - three hundred, sixty, and five. The melody of the healer''s almanac saves all things."
"Come, destruction of evil."
"The burial of wounds, interment of disease."
"Curses be gone in the light of vitality."
"In the name of all that is holy - I heal you."
This was a truly long magic chant.
Under Airmid, a pure white magic circle spun open, causing countless light particles to float out.
"Dia Fratel."
That was the name of the top-ss healing magic in the entire Orario, a name even heard outside the city.
Watching the light particles floating toward him, Riezel immediately smiled.
Chapter 72: Hostess of Fertility
Chapter 72: Hostess of Fertility
Night quietly descended.
As the evening glow gradually gave way to the night, members of Loki Familia, who had been running around various parts of Orario, returned one by one to Twilight Manor.
Therge amount of drop items and precious resources taken by them had disappeared, reced by bags filled with glittering gold coins.
Riezel''s group also returned to Twilight Manor, with bags containing millions of valis and boxes of elixirs. They could be considered returning with a full load.
Of course, while the familia returned with plenty, Riezel himself had spent quite a bit of money.
Asking Airmid to use her famous top-ss healing magic for aprehensive healing session came at a price¡ªa whopping 1 million valis, twice as expensive as the highest quality elixir.
But the money spent was well worth it.
For 1 million valis, he could secure the permanent right to use the top-ss healing magic of Dea Saint. Such a sum would be willingly spent by people all over the world if they were given the same choice.
Riezel was no exception; he paid the amount without hesitation.Airmid''s magic was now officially learned by him.
From this perspective, he could also be considered returning with a full load. However, for the familia itself, the money earned today couldn''t quite fill the gap.
"We gotta tighten our belts a bit for a while..." Gareth muttered in front of everyone, indicating how precarious their familia''s situation was.
On the other hand, the goddess herself seemed unconcerned.
"Forget all that for now! Let''s not stress about troublesome things until tomorrow. Today''s all about feasting. Don''t overthink it; just chow down and enjoy your drinks!"
With her deration, Loki led the members of the expedition party out of the manor, under the envious gaze of the remaining members.
Having a grand feast upon returning from an expedition was Loki Familia''s tradition.
In the name of rxing the tired expedition party, Loki, who loved alcohol, would throw a big feast on the day after the expedition party''s return, allowing them to enjoy themselves.
ording to her, the fact that they coulde back safe and sound was reason enough to celebrate. So, regardless of the expedition''s sess or failure, profit or loss, as long as there were no living sacrifices or significant losses, the celebration feast had to be held no matter what.
The familia could cut costs anywhere but not with this celebration feast.
The three top executives had no objections to their goddess''s statement. Clearly, they also agreed tofort the hardworking members of the familia who went on the expedition.
Thus, Loki Familia''s expedition party, numbering several dozen people, under the leadership of their goddess, headed to West Street.
Unlike Northwest Street, known as the Adventurer Street, West Street housed many ordinary citizens.
The Guild''s main industry centered around the worldwide trade of magic stone products and employed numerousborers responsible for manufacturing these items in Orario. The number of these workers surpassed that of adventurers exploring dungeons, and they typically resided on the bustling West Street, living with their families.
As a result, West Street boasted arge residential area, with numerous establishments like taverns, inns, pubs, and restaurants standing side by side. Many adventurers liked to unwind here after dungeon exploration, shedding their equipment for rxation.
Loki Familia had finally arrived on this street and found a particr building.
It was a two-story stone building of a pub.
Its setup resembled an outdoor cafe, with several open-air seating arrangements outside the entrance. Inside, a lively atmosphere wafted out, indicating the prosperity of the business.
Outside the door, a signboard bearing the pub''s name read ''Hostess of Fertility''.
''Hostess of Fertility?''
Reading this name, Riezel, who was chatting casually with Lefiya, suddenly halted in his footsteps.
However, Loki didn''t hesitate for a moment and strode in with a somewhat swaggering gait as she entered the pub.
"Mama Mia! We''ve arrived!" Loki''s loud shout upon entering instantly silenced the noisy chatter inside the pub.
Many heads turned to look outside, only to find many members of Loki Familia.
"It''s Loki Familia!"
"So many?"
"Oh, I get it, they are here for some celebration party, maybe?"
Some cried out in surprise, others whispered to each other, and some clearly weren''t experiencing this scenario for the first time, disying an understanding expression.
Inside the pub, a female host who seemed to be the proprietress standing behind a bar-like service counter nced at Loki and the members of Loki Familia, lightly snorting.
"Syr, greet the guests."
This robust woman, resembling a Pugilist in physique, was not at all intimidated by Loki Familia''s reputation. On the contrary, she disyed an attitude of indifference, calling out to the interior of the pub.
"Coming,ing!"
Apanied by a light response, a girl who seemed to be from the human race hurriedly emerged from inside the pub.
She wore a white women''s shirt and a knee-length, tender leaf-colored vest skirt. Over the skirt, she tied a longer apron around her waist. With glossy dark gray hair tied into a short ponytail, she looked innocent and cute¡ªa snow-white, delicate girl.
"Yo, isn''t this Syr?" Loki immediately approached and teased. "Been ages, looking even more beautiful, huh?"
"Thanks for thepliment, Lady Loki." Syr replied with an innocent smile matching her appearance while subtly dodging Loki''s lecherous hand. "But please, don''t harass female staff."
"Meh, no big deal." Loki unforgivingly retorted. "It''s not like we''re losing anything. We''re all women, better for us than those stinky men, yeah?"
Ignoring Loki''s unreasonable statements, Syr turned to the people behind Loki.
"Pleasee in, Lady Loki has already reserved a table, but the number of people is a bit much. We have only one table avable inside, the rest can sit in the outdoor seating area, is that okay?"
That was a reasonable request.
If the entire expedition party entered the pub, there would be no space for other customers. Considering the guests'' feelings and the impact on business, they couldn''t just push everyone outside.
"No problem." Finn nodded. "Just give us one table inside, the rest will stay outside."
"Thanks for your understanding." Syr bowed to everyone and skillfully dodged the advances of a persistent and inappropriate goddess. "Now, please follow me inside."
Syr turned and led the way to the reserved table.
"You guys stay outside." Finn instructed a portion of the group.
"Sure!"
"No prob!"
"Yes, Captain!"
Everyone nodded without objections.
Being able to enter the pub meant a special status within the familia.
Finn, Riveria, Gareth, Ais, Tiona, Tione, and other first-ss adventurers were all going inside. Lefiya could also enter, apanied by Raul and Anakitty from the second string.
"Riezel, youe in too." Finn beckoned to Riezel who stood at the pub entrance.
Riezel nced at the tall and sturdy proprietress grinning at him inside and then at Syr leading the way. Eventually, he took a step and walked into the pub.
By now, the pub was nearly full.
Adventurers of various races seemed to have gathered here, drinking, eating, and even ying together. Only one particrlyrge space in the middle remained vacant, contrasting with the lively atmosphere.
The interior was decorated with wooden panels, and the magic stonemps on the ceiling provided subtle lighting, creating a stable and romantic atmosphere.
Led by Syr, the group entered, drawing the attention of many. Especially Riezel, walking alongside Ais and Lefiya, attracted considerable interest.
"Yo, is that the dude from all those rumors?"
"Should be. He''s like the only new face around here."
"Tch, tch, he looks mad young, right?"
"Yeah, pretty young; he''s only seventeen after all. The Sword Princess is even younger than him though."
"No way, for real?"
"Yeah, Sword Princess hit Level 2 at eight. It took her eight more years to hit Level 5. This dude is just built differently."
"Hmm, he doesn''t strike me as all that impressive. Going from Level 1 to Level 5 in just over three months? Nah, I''m not buying it."
"The Guild said it though. You think they''d lie?"
"I''m just saying, sounds suspicious to me."
Simr discussions continued, maybe because some people had a bit too much to drink, so their voices weren''t well concealed.
Lefiya and several familiar members frowned at this, somewhat angry. Finn, Riveria, and Gareth also nced over, making them shut up.
On the contrary, Riezel appeared indifferent as he basked in numerous gazes and casually joined his familiapanions at the table.
"Enjoy your meal!" Syr, apanied by two catgirl staff, served food and drinks to everyone and then stepped back with a smile.
"Yosh!" Loki stood up and raised her ss. "Well, for everyone who worked hard on the expedition, cheers!"
""Cheers!""
*Clink!*
Everyone raised their sses one after another and clinked them together.
The atmosphere suddenly became lively.
Following Loki''s lead, the group first drank, and after a while, they began to reach for the delicious dishes on the table.
Since it was a feast, there were naturally no rules for dining. Loki didn''t follow any formalities either and just settled with a few words before indulging in eating and drinking, finishing a whole cup of wine.
The rest were the same, chatting,ughing, or savoring wine and delicacies, showing their familiarity with each other.
"M-Mr. Riezel, I''ll toast to you..."
Lefiya, sitting on Riezel''s left, shyly raised her ss to him.
"Sure, let''s have a drink." Riezel smiled and clinked his ss with her, then turned to the other side. "Ais, aren''t you drinking?"
"Um." Ais sat upright on his right, holding a drink and sipping it delicately.
Just as Riezel was about to say something else, he suddenly felt two pairs of gazes on him, each with a slightly different vibe.
Those gazes made him pause for a moment, and he instinctively turned his head to see where they wereing from.
In the next moment, Riezelid eyes on two people.
Chapter 73: A Chance Encounter
Chapter 73: A Chance Encounter
In the corner of the bar counter, there was a boy and a girl.
The girl was the one who had just guided everyone from the Loki Familia, a girl named Syr.
She stood beside the boy, chatting away while sneakily ncing over to the Loki Familia''s direction¡ªor more precisely, toward Riezel''s direction.
It wasn''t until she caught Riezel''s gaze that her face turned a little red. She awkwardly lowered her head, resembling a shy little girl caught peeking at her crush.
The boy talking to Syr, on the other hand, was shooting looks at Riezel that were filled with envy, admiration, and longing.
With white hair, red eyes, and a somewhat youthful face, he looked around thirteen to fourteen years old. Overall, he gave off a harmless vibe, like a naive boy.
Riezel recognized this boy.
On the day of the expedition, this boy had also cast simr nces at him and the others from the crowd.
''He''s here too, huh?'' Riezel said inwardly, quickly recalling the original work.He remembered that in the original work when the Loki Familia returned from their expedition, they disturbed a group of Minotaur residing on the 17th Floor. These Level 2 monsters scattered and fled, making their way to the 5th Floor.
In the end, one of them targeted this boy. It was only thanks to Ais''s intervention that he didn''t meet his end on the 5th Floor.
However, perhaps due to Riezel''s presence, this expedition had some differences from the original work.
Despite encountering the worm monsters mentioned in the original work, they didn''te across any Minotaur on the 17th Floor, and nomotion sent them running to other floors.
As a result¡ª
''We didn''t meet in the dungeon, but here we are.''
Honestly, Riezel felt tempted to approach and get to know the boy better. After all, as far as he knew, this boy was the only one in this world who couldpete with him in growth potential.
The boy seemed weak right now since Riezel could tell he was a Level 1 rookie who had recently received a blessing. Yet, given three months, maybe this boy could reach Riezel''s current position.
Even though some of the original plots had changed, Riezel didn''t believe it would affect the boy''s growth. After all, this boy was this world''s protagonist, this world''s main character with limitless potential. Given the right opportunity, this potential would explode sooner orter.
Furthermore, this opportunity could be anything.
At least, looking into the boy''s red eyes, Riezel had a feeling that this boy would absolutely make strides toward his side.
''Too bad...'' Riezel shifted his gaze away.
He couldn''t go over there because there was someone next to the boy.
Moreover, it happened to be someone he didn''t want to get involved with, someone he didn''t want to touch for the time being.
"Mr. Riezel?"
While Riezel was pondering such things, a soft voice from the elf girl next to him, awakened him from his reverie.
"What are you looking at?"
Lefiya looked in the direction he had just been watching, puzzled.
Ais also nced in the same direction, coincidentally locking eyes with Syr, who gave her a slight smile. Ais responded with a slightly awkward nod.
"Nothing..." Riezel withdrew his scattered thoughts, holding his drink, andughed. "Just happened to see an interesting guy."
"Interesting guy?" Lefiya asked curiously. "Who?"
"A little guy." Riezel said to Lefiya. "If you''re interested, I''ll introduce you next time."
He was just saying it casually, but her reaction was much bigger than he had imagined.
"I-I''m not interested in men at all!"
Panicked, Lefiya blurted out that statement without thinking.
"..."
A hush fell over the entire room.
"Eh?"
Lefiya was first stunned, then suddenly realized what she had just said, realizing how dreadful it sounded.
Everyone in the pub, including the people at the neighboring table, stared at her with strange and awkward expressions.
"I mean, Lefiya..." Tione looked at Lefiya as if she were looking at a warrior. "This kind of thing is better discussed privately y''know... Why shout it out in public?"
"Heh~ So, Lefiya is someone like that, huh~?" Tiona blinked and said in a teasing tone. "No wonder... I always felt your gaze toward Ais was a bit off."
"Looking at me?" Ais looked genuinely confused.
"Lefiya..." Riveria squinted her eyes, the cold gleam in her eyes looking at her disciple making it somewhat intimidating.
As for Finn and Gareth, they seemed to be pretending not to hear, while the rest either gave Lefiya teasing nces or pretended not to hear.
In the end, Loki, who was already a bit tipsy, held her drink andughed loudly.
"Mwahahaha! Lefiya, that''s bold of you, but you''re right. Who likes stinky men anyway? If you''re gonna like someone, it better be a cute and pretty girl!"
That was a lethal blow!
"N-No... I... I mean I didn''t¡ª?!"
Lefiya''s mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water, desperately trying to exin something but failing to find the right words.
Especially when she saw Riezel suddenly fall silent, wearing a face of embarrassment and not daring to speak, while Ais still looked confused,pletely clueless about what was happening.
"Hiks... Wuaaaaah...!"
Lefiya burst into tears and rushed out.
"Lefiya?!"
"Where are you going?!"
"Calm down!"
Everyone cried out in surprise.
Even Riezel and Ais couldn''t stay seated as they watched Lefiya shedding tears and preparing to run out of the pub. They quickly chased after her in session.
What followed was a chaotic scene.
To catch the elf who tried to escape in embarrassment and almost jumped into the river, everyone put forth a great effort.
"Please let me disappear and vanish from this world!"
Lefiya''s shout echoed in various corners of the pub, causing quite amotion.
""Hahahaha!""
In the beginning, the people in the pub looked at the Loki Familia with awe. However, after witnessing this farce, they all burst intoughter.
"Hmph!"
The robust proprietress, referred to as Mama Mia by Loki, watched themotion with a couple of snorts, but a smile lingered on her face.
The pub waitress rushed forward to help, turning the entire pub into a lively scene. Even the familia members on the outdoor seats were drawn into the spectacle.
"Hahhh... It''s turned into quite a mess..." Syr remarked while wearing a cheerful smile.
The white-haired boy sitting next to Syr, as seen in his eyes, became even more envious and fascinated as he saw this scene.
"Is this Loki Familia...?"
The white-haired boy stared at the chaotic scene of Loki Familia with his red eyes as if witnessing something dazzling.
"Does Mr. Bell really like Loki Familia?" Syr, noticing his expression, asked with some interest.
"Well... Uhh, I only admire their atmosphere..."
The white-haired boy, known as Bell, seemed a bit embarrassed.
"I''m just drawn to the lively atmosphere of Loki Familia, that''s all..." Bell added softly. "Because my familia members consist only of me, I yearn for that kind of feeling where everyone is together, havingpanions... Isn''t that where heroes belong?"
He gazed into the distance with a longing expression.
"Someday, I also want to..."
In the unnoticed hidden corner inside the pub, a white-haired boy quietly made a wish that no one believed in but had the ability to influence the future.
The only witness to this scene was Syr.
She observed Bell, with a gaze containing an unnoticed and subtle fascination.
This fascination persisted until she shifted her gaze toward the Loki Familia''s side. Her attention was fixated on a specific person within the familia, her lips curving into a barely noticeable smile.
===
A feast thatsted untilte at night was finally dered over.
Most of the guests in the pub had left, leaving only a few drunkards sprawled on the tables.
"I want to die..."
Lefiya, drunk and with rosy cheeks, seemed intentionally avoiding something as shey on Ais''s back, mumbling words of despair.
"It''s okay, Lefiya, let''s go back." Ais, unusually gentle, said softly to Lefiya.
"Hiks... Miss Ais..."
Lefiya, whether moved or something else, had eyes brimming with tears and blush, looking unusually cute.
"Mwhahahahaha!"
Completely drunk, Lokiughed uproariously while being carried on Riveria''s back, who wore a disdainful expression.
"Alright, let''s go back." Finn signaled to the familia members and set off on the way home.
"Let''s go, let''s go!"
"That dumb wolf, didn''te back in the end, huh?"
Tiona and Tione, still sober, chatted with everyone as they walked back home. Almost everyone was drunk, guided by the few who managed to stay sober, heading back toward the Twilight Manor.
Meanwhile, only Riezel still remained at the pub.
"Thanks for everything."
After expressing his gratitude and handing a bag of coins to Mia, Riezel prepared to leave.
At the entrance of the pub, Syr, who happened to be cleaning a table, saw this scene. After a moment of hesitation, she gathered her courage to approach him.
"Umm..."
With a hesitant look, she had her cheeks slightly blushing.
"..."
Riezel looked at the girl quietly, and after being silent for a while, asked.
"Do you need something?"
"No-Nothing!" Syr waved her hand, a bit nervously. "I just wanted to wish you good luck."
Her hesitant and slightly blushing look really resembled a fan seeing her idol.
Riezel gazed at her face for a while before showing a faint smile.
"Thanks, I appreciate it."
Immediately after, he turned and left without any lingering feelings.
Syr kept watching his back until his figure disappeared from her sight.
"Syr! Come help!"
Someone inside the pub suddenly called.
"Coming!"
After answering the call, Syr immediately smiled and bounced back inside the pub.
It was evident that this girl was in a very good mood.
Chapter 74: Defeat
Chapter 74: Defeat
The joyous time always passes quickly.
After a lively celebration feast, Loki Familia''s activities transitioned to the right track.
Everyone had their own tasks to take care of.
Finn, Riveria, and Gareth, the top executives and higher-ups of the familia, needed to prepare for the next expedition. The rest of the familia members, following the three top executives'' orders, began investing the money earned from the expedition in various areas.
Tiona, Tione, and several others had to go for weapon maintenance.
Bete, due to his absence yesterday, was caught and scolded by the three top executives. Today, as he intended to go to the dungeon again, he got caught once more and was ordered to handle misceneous tasks.
Even Lefiya was not idle. With a few elves, she helped Riveria gather information, seemingly intent on finding out about the new species of monsters.
In such a situation, Riezel and Ais unexpectedly found themselves with some free time.
After all, both of them wielded Durandal weapons. While they still required maintenance, they weren''t as worn out as the weapons of other members. Furthermore, with Bete handling misceneous tasks, the two didn''t have anything to do.As a result, Riezel once again proposed a sparring match with Ais.
Naturally, she had no reason to refuse.
The young girl knew that he needed to adjust to his power every time he leveled up to avoid any inconsistencies in his body.
This time was no different.
Riezel had reached Level 5 with the expected feelings of imbnce. He urgently needed someone to spar with to adapt to his current power.
As was customary, Ais casually agreed.
However, the oue of this sparring match waspletely different from the past.
*ng!*
When Ais raised her sword to block the thunder-like strike that came at her, the astonishing power from Riezel''s bright silver sword made her groan involuntarily, forcing her to retreat.
Riezel''s form had turned into a blurry phantom, giving the impression of teleportation with every flicker. Even Ais struggled to catch his incredible speed. Her golden eyes narrowed to pinprick size, while her entire body tensed up, showing no hint of underestimation.
*Whoosh!* *Whoosh!* *Whoosh!*
Suddenly, Riezel closed in on Ais, and the sword in his hand transformed into bursts of cold light, thrusting toward her body at a very fast speed.
''?!''
''So fast!''
''Too fast!''
Ais barely managed to react.
She relied on her keen senses and exceptional abilities to barely counter Riezel''s attacks, wielding her sword to deflect the rain of sword tipsing at her.
Fighting with all her might, Ais found herself constantly retreating, unable to stop the relentless attack from Riezel.
On the contrary, Riezel not only grew stronger with each sh but also moved with a fluidity that seemed to have no bounds. Whether it was attack speed or movement speed, everything continued to improve, leaving Ais feeling trapped in a storm that only intensified, making each attack more challenging for her.
Until finally¡ª
*DING!*
With a loud metallic collision sound, her sword was flicked away.
''No!''
Just as Ais eximed inwardly in panic, Riezel''s silver sword pointed directly at her throat. Her movements came to aplete halt, her expression frozen in ce.
""...""
Silence enveloped the surroundings.
"Sorry!"
Realizing he might have gone a bit too far, Riezel quickly withdrew his sword and apologized.
"..."
Ais remained silent, her hand clenched slightly.
She had lost.
She had lost to Riezel.
"Ais?" Riezel looked at the now-silent Ais with a hint of worry. "Are you okay?"
"...I''m fine." Ais shook her head, then looked at himplex expression. "You became stronger than me."
It was an unbelievable turn of events.
Riezel had just reached Level 5, while Ais had been struggling at this level for over three years, maintaining a superior status. However, at this moment, Ais, a seasoned and veteran Level 5, lost to Riezel, who had just reached Level 5.
The impact it brought was greater than she had imagined.
"It''s just a sparring, doesn''t mean much, right?" Riezel said softly, trying to console Ais.
Indeed, it was just a sparring, not a life-and-death battle. Saying he was stronger than her based on this sparring alone was too hasty.
But Ais could sense that he was merelyforting herself.
What did sparring or practice prove?
What would demonstrate his power then?
A life-and-death battle?
Ais had witnessed Riezel''s strength in such situations more than once!
If she couldn''t even win during sparring, how could she beat him in the so-called life-and-death battle?
Thinking about his battles at Level 1 against the Crocodile Dragon and at Level 4 against the female-like worm monster, Ais''s emotions became even moreplex.
Thisplex feeling lingered until the end of their sparring match.
Later on, Ais left.
She left the training ground and Twilight Manor, disappearing somewhere unknown.
Back in his room, Riezel, having put down Hermit, couldn''t shake off theplicated look and expression Ais had when leaving.
Eventually, he stood up.
"No, I can''t just leave that girl alone."
Worried, Riezel left the room to find Riveria.
===
At this moment, Riveria was in Finn''s office, discussing the familia affairs with Finn and Gareth.
"Wait a sec, you actually defeated Ais in sparring? You''ve gotten this strong already?"
Gareth eximed in shock upon hearing Riezel''s exnation. Riveria and Finn were no better either.
Ais was not just anyone.
Even before Riezel appeared, various gods considered her the most talented individual in the lower world. Despite her young age, many saw her as the strongest Level 5, capable of challenging Level 6 with the help of her magic, Ariel, making herparable to Level 6 adventurers.
The moniker of the strongest swordswoman wasn''t just a mere moniker but a well-deserved reputation. Even within Loki Familia, apart from the three Level 6 top executives, Ais was the strongest adventurer.
The fact that Ais lost to Riezel in a sparring match was indeed surprising for the three top executives.
"It was just a friendly match, and I happened to win by luck..." Riezel exined carefully.
Unfortunately, the three weren''t fools and didn''t buy it.
"If it was just luck, Ais wouldn''t be so affected by it..." Finn said calmly while looking meaningfully at Riezel. "You should understand that better than anyone."
"..." Riezel instantly fell silent.
Did he understand? Of course, he did.
Despite his excuse, he had realized through this sparring match that his strength did indeed surpass Ais''s.
Histent basic abilities were extremely high, and his development ability was stronger than others at his level. All his development abilities belonged to thebat type, amplifying his status. Even though he had just reached Level 5, he was no less powerful than anyone at this level.
Even though Ais was the strongest Level 5, it didn''t matter. Without development abilities to enhance her power and only possessing the ''Swordsman'' development ability, which was lower ranked than Riezel''s, she couldn''tpete with him at all.
If she had an advantage in other aspects, like superior swordsmanship, it would be a different story. Unfortunately, Riezel had mastered her swordsmanship, leaving her without an edge.
Considering his umtedtent basic abilities, development abilities, and the variety of magic at his disposal, Ais couldn''t match up.
Knowing this, Riezel couldn''t help but feel somewhat responsible.
As she saw the conflicted expression on Riezel''s face, Riveria spoke up.
"You don''t have to me yourself..." Riveria said gently, trying tofort him. "It''s not your fault."
"Yeah..." Gareth added. "If you were intentionally trying to bring Ais down, that would be a different story. But you were just doing what you normally do and sparring like you usually do, where''s the fault in that?"
"Ais won''t me you for sure and likely ming herself..."
Finn also chimed.
"She''s always been eager to go above and beyond, constantly pursuing power. Besides getting stronger, there''s almost nothing else in her eyes."
"You winning against her today might make her feel she''s still weak, and getting surpassed quickly is also a big blow to her."
"In short, she''s dissatisfied with herself."
At Finn''s exnation, Riezel fell into silence. His perspective was blunt, hitting the core of the matter.
Riezel knew Ais was dissatisfied with her own growth and desired more power. The three top executives were also well aware of this. It could be said that she had this dissatisfaction and tendency from the start and the oue of her sparring with him was just the spark that ignited the fuse.
"So, what should we do now? We can''t just sit idly, can we?" Riezel asked while looking at the three top executives.
"Of course..." Riveria furrowed her brows and made a worried expression. "Knowing her temperament, she''s probably already delved into the dungeon, likely nning to do something dangerous."
Ais''s current condition was more worrisome than Bete''s yesterday.
Bete, at least, should know some limits.
Ais, on the other hand, was different.
If that girl were to lose control, she might throw caution to the wind and recklessly ughter monsters without stopping.
"Looks like we can''t just stand by, after all..." Finn pondered for a moment. "I''ll send someone to look for her."
"I''m going as well." Riezel dered without hesitation.
"I''ll join." Riveria turned to Finn. "Sorry, I''m just a bit worried about that child."
"No problem, go ahead." Finn agreed with a nod. "We''re not in a rush anyway. Let''s find Ais first and then decide."
Everyone nodded in agreement and began to move.
Chapter 75: Searching Ais
Chapter 75: Searching Ais
Babel, za.
At this moment, adventurers were pouring into the dungeon one after another, exploring in fervor.
When Riezel and Riveria, along with some members of Loki Familia, appeared at the scene, they were immediately spotted by quite a few people.
However, they soon dispersed, approaching adventurers who had visibly spent more time around or the Guild personnel stationed inside Babel, seeking information.
Ten minutester, they regrouped in front of Babel, exchanging gathered intelligence.
"No surprises, Ais did indeed enter the dungeon..." Riveria said while sighing. "The Guild personnel inside Babel imed to have seen Ais fully armed. If that''s the case, she must have entered the dungeon."
"I confirmed as well, someone saw Ais entering the dungeon." Riezel looked at Riveria. "Although some time has passed, catching up with her now is not impossible."
"You''re right..." Riveria sighed. "But it doesn''t mean we will."
It wasmon knowledge that with Ais''s speed, after these few hours, she must have descended to a certain floor.In various aspects, she resembled Riezel.
Riezel excelled in ''DEX'' and ''AGI'', and judging by Ais''s status, her main specialty was also ''DEX'' and ''AGI'', where she achieved A-rank in both.
With her swift speed, delving into the dungeon for a few hours was enough for her to reach below the 10th Floor.
Even if she focused on moving quickly, given her speed, it wouldn''t be impossible for her to reach the lower floors below the 20th Floor.
Riezel might have a chance to catch up, but for Riveria and the rest, it was quite difficult.
Riveria, being Level 6, excelled in ''MAG'', but basic abilities like ''STR'', ''END'', ''DEX'', and ''AGI'' were not her strong suit.
At this moment, her ''MAG'' had reached S-rank, but her ''AGI'' was only at C-rank. Even withtent basic abilities from the previous level factored in, her speed still couldn''t match Riezel and Ais.
The rest of the group was even less capable.
The highest level among those brought by Riveria was only Level 4, making it impossible for them to catch up with Ais.
"Alright, Riezel, you go first and find Ais, while we''ll catch upter." Riveria ced her hopes on him. "Is that okay with you?"
Riezel shook his head.
"No problem."
He was already Level 5 now, and even alone, he was more than capable of delving into the deeper floors.
Starting from the 37th Floor, the deeper floors could be easily handled by him. Unless he encountered an irregr, he wouldn''t face any life-threatening situations. But even if he ran into an irregr, he would undoubtedly face it head-on after having plenty of experience.
"No time to waste, I''ll set off first."
With that, Riezel''s figure shed, turning into a gust of wind, rushing into Babel. The strong wind he stirred up along the way drew exmations from onlookers, leaving some irritable adventurers cursing.
Riveria watched him leave, then turned to the rest of the searching group.
"Two of you stay here and guard. The rest, follow me inside."
"Yes!"
The searching group members responded one after another.
After a while, Riveria, along with several members of Loki Familia, entered the dungeon.
===
The dungeon today seemed unusually quiet.
Although there were plenty of adventurers, causing quite amotion, as Riezel dashed through, he didn''t encounter many monsters. The roars that were usually faintly heard upon entering the dungeon were also absent today, giving thebyrinth an eerie sense of tranquility.
Some adventurers found this situation strange and even frustrating.
"Yo, what''s up with the dungeon today?"
"Haven''t spotted a single monster, what gives?"
"Did someone already wipe them all out or something?"
"But that doesn''t make sense."
Adventurers discussed one after another, and Riezel, who happened to overhear everything, furrowed his brow.
"Could it be Ais? That girl... Maybe she''s been taking out all the monsters since entering the 1st Floor and making her way down?"
With her strength and speed, if she really did that, the upper-floor monsters would have been wiped out in no time. It wouldn''t have been surprising if the dungeon couldn''t spawn new ones fast enough. If this was her doing, it proved that she was indeed getting a bit impatient.
After all, no matter how many upper-floor monsters she ughtered, Ais, who was already at Level 5, wouldn''t have gained a bit of excelia.
In the past, she wouldn''t indiscriminately ughter monsters in the dungeon like this. She would quickly dive down and explore after reaching a certain floor. It was an unwritten rule that high-level adventurers should avoid making moves on upper-floor monsters to ensure enough monsters for lower-level adventurers to fightter.
Even Riezel rarely engaged upper-floor monsters after reaching Level 2, and Ais, needless to say, wouldn''t make moves on upper-floor monsters unless absolutely necessary.
Now, she was disregarding even this unwritten rule, indicating that her mentality was indeed bing a problem.
Riezel remained silent, but his speed increased significantly. He rushed through the dungeon, frightening many adventurers who witnessed the scene.
All they could see was a gust of wind, a shadow passing at an astonishing speed. They couldn''t confirm the identity of the shadow and were left with expressions as if they had seen a ghost.
Riezel paid no attention to them, focusing on speed and advancing deeper into the dungeon, startling many witnesses.
In order to boost his speed, Riezel even chanted the protection magic, Raumure, significantly increasing his ''AGI''. If it weren''t for the side effect of ''Ariel'', he would have used it to travel faster.
This showed that he was also feeling a sense of urgency.
In this way, Riezel continued deeper, quickly crossing the upper floors from the 1st to the 12th, and entering the middle floors starting from the 13th.
From this floor onward, the frequency of monster appearances was much higher. Even if they were defeated, the dungeon quickly spawned new ones. Hence, after entering the 13th Floor, Riezel finally saw scattered monsters.
*ROAAARRR¡ª!*
A ck creature, resembling a wolf or a dog, spewing mes from its mouth, roared at Riezel as he entered this floor.
"Scram!"
Without looking back, he shot the creature a re, and it flinched before running away.
He continued downward, maintaining his speed without any reduction.
Ten minutester, he reached the 14th Floor.
Seventeen minutester, he reached the 15th Floor.
Thirty minutester, he reached the 16th Floor.
In less than an hour, Riezel entered the 17th Floor, smoothly reaching its end and entering arge underground area.
This area was a rectangr prism with arge circr entrance, at least 200 meters long. The width was about 100 meters, and although the height from the ground to the ceiling was less than 20 meters, it was higher than other ces. The entire structure was made of rough rocks, except for the unique construction of the left wall.
The surface of the wall was extremely smooth, like a mirror without seams, extending from the entrance of the hall to the deepest end, covering the entire wall.
"The Big Wall of Grief?"
This was thest obstacle on the 17th Floor, known as the dungeon''s wall that gave birth to a particr monster.
In this peculiar Big Wall of Grief, only a specific monster was born.
This was the master of this area.
Up to this floor, among the seventeen floors, it was the most powerful and fearsome existence.
The 17th Floor''s floor boss, Goliath.
The Big Wall of Grief was the wall that gave birth to Goliath.
Unless Goliath was defeated and it was not time for it to be reborn, anyone entering this area would inevitably face the crazy attacks of the dungeon''s first floor boss.
Any attack from giant monsters like Goliath, who stood at least seven meters tall, would give headaches to any adventurer not yet a first-ss adventurer.
Riezel was not unfamiliar with this ce.
Originally, when reaching the limit of Level 3, to achieve a great exploit, he came here alone, fighting Goliath one-on-one.
In that battle, even he faced the brink of death several times but brushed against it.
Goliath was a Level 4 monster, a floor boss with a massive body. At that time, when Riezel was only Level 3, fighting such a massive monster had been extremely disadvantageous. Even with all his basic abilities at SSS and an overpowered enchant magic like ''Ariel'', it was an extremely difficult battle.
If Riezel hadn''t been so excited and reckless in that battle, whether he could defeat Goliath or not would have been uncertain.
It had been precisely because of this challenging battle that he could achieve a great exploit and advance to Level 4.
Of course, the current him, facing Goliath again, could easily crush it. However, what he could do, others could naturally do as well.
For example, a swordswoman who was Level 5 like him.
"..."
Riezel stood before a pile of ashes, looking at the untouched magic stone on top, remaining silent for quite some time.
After a while, he abandoned the enormous magic stone and rushed onto the 18th Floor.
===
Meanwhile, a golden-haired swordswoman entered the 19th Floor from the entrance of the 18th Floor.
"Not enough..."
The golden-haired swordswoman murmured softly, watching the path ahead.
"I must be stronger..."
Chapter 76: A Race Against Time
Chapter 76: A Race Against Time
The 18th Floor of the dungeon was a special ce.
Simr to the 50th Floor, it served as a safe zone where no monsters spawned, marking it as the first secure floor in the dungeon.
However, in contrast to the gray wilderness atmosphere of the 50th Floor, the 18th Floor was known as the ''Under Resort''. It stood as a rare spectacle in the dungeon, akin to the ''Large Tree Labyrinth'' and ''Water City''.
The floor showcased an endless, natural grasnd, vastkes, and surrounding forests. A small ind nestled in the center of argeke, and amid the distant grasnd, a towering tree stood.
The hollow of the tree led to the entrance of the 19th Floor, the ''Large Tree Labyrinth''.
It was a sight that could only be witnessed in this paradise.
Of course, the most talked-about characteristic here was the abundant blue crystals.
On the 18th Floor, blue crystals grew everywhere¡ªsomerge, some small, some towering like pirs, and others scattered like bushes along the paths. Even the ceiling of the entire floor was covered in uneven crystals.
These crystals emitted a radiant glow, with the brightness changing over time, mimicking a day and night cycle.Legend said that there was a simple town on the ind in the center of theke, established by adventurers as a way station and resting ce during their explorations.
As a result, people lived on the 18th Floor, with inns, shops, and the like.
However, the charges were absurd.
Anyone attempting to sell their backpack full of loot there would face extreme haggling, resulting in minimal profits.
Thanks to this, the town on the 18th Floor had gained infamy as a ck market in the industry. Most merchants there were also rough and impolite scoundrels. With just one wrong move, adventurers could end up getting ripped off, leaving many itching with frustration.
But Riezel wasn''t interested in this town at all and it didn''t even cross his mind right now.
''Ais must be heading down.''
Given Ais''s current temper, there was no way she would linger in a town like this.
Therefore, Riezel was not keen to stop on this floor and headed straight for the giant tree in the center of the grasnd, entering the 19th Floor through the tree''s hollow.
Starting from this floor, monsters weren''t killed indiscriminately anymore.
The lower one went in the dungeon, the wider the terrain became.
From the 19th Floor onward, the ''Large Tree Labyrinth'' had arge area.
There wasn''t just one road leading to the entrance of the 20th Floor; trying to indiscriminately kill all monsters here was not only difficult but also a waste of time.
Ais evidently understood this point.
She finally stopped her reckless ughter, causing the number of monsters to sharply increase from the 19th Floor onward, posing a hindrance to Riezel on his journey.
With the terrain expanding and the area widening, finding someone here would undoubtedly be challenging.
It was possible that Ais might be staying in some corner of this floor, engaged inbat with some monsters.
If Riezel were to abandon the search on this floor and continue downward, there was a bigger chance he would pass by Ais.
''With her personality, it was inevitable that she''d keep pushing forward at a time like this.''
Riezel thought without much hesitation,pletely convinced of it. He could probably guess what Ais intended to do on this reckless journey.
The night beforest,ing out of Loki''s divine room, Ais, unsatisfied and gloomy about her growth, had already revealed her n for the next step.
She nned to level up.
Ais was readying herself to step into the next level. This was her original n, only pushed forward due to setbacks in her sparring match with Riezel.
With this in mind, her destination became quite clear.
To achieve the exploits needed for leveling up, she requires a powerful opponent.
This opponent must be stronger than Ais at her current level.
Furthermore, her current level was the pinnacle of Level 5; stronger than that would only be monsters ssified as Level 6.
Monsters of this level, even if they delved into the 50th Floor, wouldn''t encounter any. Even on the 51st Floor, there was only one monster that fit the criteria, which was Cadmus.
Heading to the 51st Floor would take too much time. In the expedition, at least five or six days were needed, but going alone would take even more time, not less.
Ais definitely couldn''t wait that long.
Given this, there were only two types of opponents she could choose.
Either a strengthened or rare species with generally higher powerspared to monsters on the same floor.
Or¡ª
Floor Boss!
On the 27th Floor, there was a Level 5 floor boss, Amphisbaena.
This massive dragon species monster, posing a threat to other Level 5 adventurers, proved only slightly challenging for Ais, who could use ''Ariel'' to ignore one level. It obviously did not meet her requirements, and she certainly would not have chosen to challenge it to fulfill the needed exploits.
In this case, the opponent she selected was a floor boss one level stronger than Amphisbaena.
''37th Floor''s floor boss, Udaeus...''
This Level 6 floor boss was the powerful opponent Ais yearned for.
Therefore, her destination was only one.
''37th Floor!''
When Riezel pondered up to this point, he found himself in a dilemma. It was not without reason; his time left in this world was running out.
The day he returned from the expedition, it had already been 97 days in this world, leaving only thest three days to stay.
The next day, which was yesterday, he spent the entire day dealing with familia affairs andter attended a celebration feast at the Hostess of Fertility.
And today was the second day.
In other words, it was almost two days since the return from the expedition.
Once tomorrow passes, the day after tomorrow around this time, Riezel will leave this world and return to the main world.
It was an irreversible process.
The time limit for dimensional travel was a day in the main world, clearly stated in the ''Dimensional Magic Cube''s Instructions.''
When the time was up, his consciousness in this world would dissolve on its own and be brought back to the main world by the Dimensional Magic Cube.
In other words, in about a day, if he couldn''t find Ais, he might not even have the chance to say goodbye to everyone and would directly return to the main world.
As he thought to this point, in his mind, the face of the golden-haired girl with ack of emotional expression suddenly appeared.
"Tempest..."
*Whoosh¡ª*
With a whispered chant, a storm swept around Riezel''s body.
Yes.
He couldn''t afford to worry too much now.
He just wanted to quickly find Ais to prevent anything unexpected from happening to the girl who took care of him.
As for the side effect from Ariel, it no longer mattered to him.
*ROAAAAARRR¡ª!*
*ROAAAAARRR¡ª!*
The nearby monsters naturally sensed themotion caused by Ariel and started howling, rushing toward Riezel''s direction.
These monsters with bear-like and massive bodies were known as Bugbears, arge species of monster appearing from the 19th Floor onwards. Their ssification level was Level 2, making them quite a powerful foe for adventurers of the same level.
Unfortunately, they picked the wrong target.
*Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!*
When the storm passed, several Bugbears rushing toward Riezel were cut into countless pieces, as if disassembled. The chunks of meat scattered into ashes, leaving only magic stones on the ground.
Riezel ignored all of these, speeding toward the 20th Floor''s entrance.
===
Dungeon, 37th Floor.
This was a floor known as the ''White Pce''.
Within this floor, all the walls were of a murky white color, and the entire floor resembled a castle, consisting of as many as five concentric walls. The staircase leading to the 38th Floor was located at the center of the floor.
To proceed to the 38th Floor, one must head to the central area of this floor.
To reach the central area of this floor, one must navigate through open passages between the concentric walls and climb up and down several uneven surfaces.
Unfortunately, the scope of this floor was extremely vast, almostparable to a city. The terrain formed a huge maze structure. If one were to run around randomly in such a ce, getting lost would be easy, and there was even a chance of being trapped forever, never finding a way out.
To reach this floor, it generally took about two to three days.
However, with Ariel''s eleration, Riezel managed to arrive at this floor in about a day.
"Hahh... Hahh..."
Every part of his body ached, almost causing him to stumble and fall to the ground.
Ignoring the ache in his body, Riezel gritted his teeth and continued to move forward.
The ceiling overhead seemed so high that it was almost invisible, giving a sense of boundlessness.
The area was filled with dim darkness, with only intermittent luminescence on the murky white walls lighting the way enough to proceed.
Riezel pushed his aching body to its limit as he hurried toward the massive cavern in his memory.
*ROAAARRR¡ª!!!*
Yet, even before he could sessfully arrive, he heard it.
It was a roar that shook the entire floor, a vicious howl reverberating through the entire dungeon walls and floors.
"!?"
Riezel''s heart tightened as he pushed his somewhat exhausted body toplete the final stretch, bursting into the massive cavern.
In the next second, he finally saw it.
He saw the entrance to the cavern, with a golden-haired girl standing there, her back facing him, pulling out a sword and standing against the wind.
"Ais!" Riezel subconsciously yelled out.
However, his voice was mercilessly drowned out by a roar so enormous it was astounding.
*ROAAAAAARRRRRR¡ª!!!*
The roar of an enormous monster echoed through the space.
In front of the golden-haired girl, a monster gradually emerged from the soil,ing into Riezel''s view.
Chapter 77: Complex and Chaotic Emotion
Chapter 77: Complex and Chaotic Emotion
*Crack!*
The ground was cracking.
In the enormous cavern, the earth shattered like ss, creating sudden cracks that raced in all directions.
Before long, the cracks swelled, soil rolled all around, rocks shattered, and dust filled the air.
*BOOOM!*
A massive pitch-ck monster burst through the ground, shaking off rocks and sand clinging to its massive body. It let the debris fall as it made the cavern violently tremble.
*ROAAAARRRRRR¡ª!!!*
A roar echoed from the massive monster emerging from the earth. It sounded like a cry and an angry howlbined, turning into shockwaves that rolled in all directions.
The monster resembled a gigantic skeleton, entirely ck, with sharp spikes protruding from every corner of its bones. These spikes glowed with an eerie and dangerous sharpness, instilling fear in anyone who saw it.Its lower half remained buried underground, but just the bone section above the pelvis reached nearly ten meters in height. The head sprouted two horns resembling a demon, and deep within the massive eye sockets flickered strange and dangerous red mes, truly horrifying.
At the center of this massive monster, within the chest cavity, a magic stone muchrger than usual was embedded like a heart, protected by thick chest and rib bones.
This was the floor boss of the 37th Floor, Udaeus!
Without any surprises, Ais, standing in the middle of the cavern with her back to the floor entrance, immediately caught the attention of this floor boss.
*BOOM!*
Apanied by a rumbling sound, the massive skeleton monster swept its massive bone arm, sending Ais flying.
"!!!"
Witnessing this scene, Riezel''s heart, tightly strung, snapped. Without hesitation, he extended his hand toward one of the two swords hanging at his waist.
Facing the 37th Floor''s floor boss, a Level 6 massive-sized monster, Riezel almost instinctively reached for Fool under Hermit, ready to use this first-ss equipment ranked in the top three in Orario.
But before he could draw his sword, a voice stopped him.
"Don''t!"
The scream from Ais froze Riezel''s movements.
Shortly afterward, he saw Ais, thrown by Udaeus''s blow, standing unsteadily from beneath the cracked wall.
"Don''t do anything..."
Ais stared intently at him as she spoke.
In her transparent golden eyes, rare and intense emotions appeared.
It was a determination.
It was a resolve.
With Ais looking at him with such eyes, Riezel couldn''t help but halt his hand reaching for Fool.
"Tempest!"
Shortly after, Ais loudly chanted her exclusive magic and activated the overpowered wind enchant-type magic, enveloping her body in chaotic gusts.
With help from ''Ariel'', she finally began to sprint.
*ROAAAAARRRRRR¡ª!!!*
The massive skeleton monster roared once again, swinging its bone arm, stirring up gusts of wind and sand, forcefully sweeping toward her.
Ais seemed to be attempting to evade, leaping slightly with the help of the wind. However, just as she was about to leap, her body froze mysteriously.
This freeze was undoubtedly deadly.
*BOOM!*
The massive bone arm brutally struck Ais, sending her flying once again, crashing into the wall at the other end of the cavern, shattering it to pieces.
"Ais!" Riezel couldn''t help but shout in panic.
Ais didn''t respond; she just stubbornly got up again, charging at Udaeus once more.
Udaeus continued to swing its giant bone arm, carrying frightening force and emitting thunderous roars and vibrations throughout the massive cavern, showcasing the immense power typical of floor bosses.
From this astonishing disy of power and noise, it was clear that this floor boss, like the others, possessed terrifying strengthparable to the giant species.
Under such power, the cavern quickly suffered devastation.
The ground became pockmarked, cracks and holes marring the walls all around. Stones and debris flew like bullets, even forcing Riezel to dodge several times.
Fortunately, Udaeus''s strength, while powerful, also had amon weakness shared by every giant species¡ªslower movements.
Though still threatening, with Ais''s speed, she shouldn''t be easily hit.
However, reality proved otherwise.
Amidst Udaeus''s indiscriminate destruction, Ais, despite her efforts to evade, was repeatedly hit somewhat easily. Like a cannonball, she was either mmed into the wall or crashed onto the ground, raising dust and sending stones flying, looking extremely miserable.
After being hit several times, even with Ariel''s wind protection, she began to umte injuries.
''How did this happen?'' Riezel was genuinely stunned. ''Why does Ais keep getting hit often? With her speed, dodging Udaeus''s attacks should be a piece of cake!''
This confusion lingered until he noticed the unnatural stiffness in her movements, finally uncovering the answer.
''Could it be that Ais is now just like me, enduring aches and soreness due to the side effects of Ariel?''
Upon getting this answer, Riezel finally understood why, despite using Ariel himself, he couldn''t catch up to Ais.
It seemed that, like him, she was also using Ariel without stopping to hasten her journey. This seemed like a rather foolish course of action.
After all, her goal was the floor boss of the 37th Floor, a Level 6 Udaeus.
Facing such a monster, logically, one should avoid unnecessary battles before reaching the 37th Floor, saving stamina and preserving mind to be in the best possible condition for the battle.
Ais, however, used Ariel in advance for the sake of speed.
Not only did it consume most of her mind, but her body also suffered Ariel''s side effects. Facing a floor boss with a higher level in this kind of state was practically suicide.
Yet, Riezel could understand; it must have been a helpless action.
To reach the 37th Floor, considering the possible obstacles along the way, not to mention the time required, it would take at least two or three days.
Ais entered the dungeon with minimal supplies,cking provisions and food. Rushing through a two to three-day journey in the dungeon without proper supplies would leave her with no strength or stamina to fight Udaeus upon reaching the 37th Floor.
Instead of ending up in a weakened state during the battle, she preferred enduring Ariel''s side effects and the loss of mind. At least this way, she would have the strength to fight.
Combined with the urgency she felt, Ais ultimately decided to use Ariel to speed up her journey, preventing Riezel from catching up with her. She sessfully arrived at the 37th Floor before him, but the cost was high.
As expected, in the following battle with Udaeus, Ais was easily overwhelmed.
*BOOM!*
Udaeus''s massive bone arm hit Ais once again, sending her flying and crashing onto the ground, rolling a considerable distance beforeing to a stop.*Schwing!*
Riezel didn''t intend to watch any longer and quickly unsheathed Fool.
"Don''te!"
Ais''s pained scream stopped him as she forced herself to unsteadily get back on her feet.
This time, Riezel had no intention ofplying with her demands.
However, Ais''s next word, caused his expression to stiffen, and the step he was about to take froze.
"Please..."
Her whisper created more turmoil in him than he had imagined.
Not for anything else, but because Ais Wallenstein, in a vulnerability he had never heard nor seen before, was pleading to him.
Her plea made his steps, which he could take at any time, impossible to move forward.
"You''re gonna die!" Riezel could only take a deep breath and yelled.
"No..."
Ais stood up, pointing her sword toward the massive skeleton monster ahead, and took a deep breath.
"I will win!"
Her fragile tone was reced by a resolute and determined one.
Riezel really wanted to argue.
If she were in her optimal condition, he wouldn''t doubt her winning.
He recalled in the original work that she indeed could take down Udaeus alone, achieving a great exploit and leveling up to Level 6 with Ariel''s help.
Ais''s true power, with such overpowered magic, was more than a match for Level 6. For her, Udaeus was undoubtedly a difficult opponent, but not an unbeatable one.
In other words, if she was at her best, able to unleash a hundred percent of her power, Riezel would trust her, trust this girl, and let her confidently take on the challenge.
However, the problem was that she wasn''t in her best condition now.
To speed up her journey, she had been using ''Ariel'' nonstop, resulting in both body and mind fatigue.
In this condition, expecting her to showcase a hundred percent of her power was wishful thinking; even seventy to eighty percent was highly unlikely.
In this situation, what did she have to fight Udaeus?
How could she win?
Riezel really wanted to counter Ais like that.
Unfortunately, just as the words reached the tip of his tongue, he found himself unable to say them.
Ais''s gaze crossed the distance between them,nding on his eyes.
In those transparent golden eyes, there was still determination and resolve, but now, there was a lot more pleading.
As a result, Riezel fell silent and couldn''t advance any further.
His emotions, rarely seen, became extremelyplex and chaotic.
Chapter 78: The Battle of Ais
Chapter 78: The Battle of Ais
Considering it rationally, there was no doubt the most crucial thing for Riezel to do at this moment was to go all out against Udaeus.
Even though Udaeus was a floor boss ssified as Level 6, his strength now had surpassed even Ais''s, which meant he could take on Udaeus entirely on his own.
In the original work, Ais also managed to defeat Udaeus on her own in a perilous battle. Since Riezel was now stronger than her, there was no reason for him to fear the floor boss of the 37th Floor.
At the very least, he could have retreated with her, avoiding this floor boss very easily. He surely had the confidence for that.
However, that was just a rational perspective.
If looked at from an emotional standpoint, it was a different story.
If Riezel didn''t know anything, didn''t know Ais''s desires, didn''t know why the girl craved such strong power in her heart, he could have just jumped into action without thinking too much.
Unfortunately, he knew the original work, knew what wishes and sorrows resided in Ais Wallenstein''s heart.
This made it impossible for him to decisively join or interfere in her fight.Of course, monsters like Udaeus didn''t consider and care about human emotions.
*ROAAAARRRR¡ª!!!*
Udaeus let out a roar, mming its fist into the ground without mercy.
*BOOOM!*
Fortunately, this punch couldn''t reach Ais.
At this moment, she had already distanced herself from Udaeus. Unless it pulled its lower body out of the ground to pursue her, at this distance, its fist couldn''t touch her at all.
Yet, seeing Udaeus''s fist smash into the ground, not only Ais but Riezel''s expression also changed slightly.
*BANG!*
As the ground shattered, sharp spikes, resembling both rocks or bone spikes, emerged.
These spikes were pitch-ck, matching Udaeus''s body color. They shot up from the underground, piercing toward Ais''s direction.
''Here ites!''
Seeing this scene, both Riezel and Ais felt a momentary tension.
Anyone who had faced Udaeus before or paid attention to information about it would know that this floor boss had two special abilities.
Some might wonder why this massive floor boss didn''t pull its lower body out of the ground and remained in that position.
What they didn''t know was that Udaeus actually had no lower body.
It was like a tree with roots firmly nted underground. A massive tree with its upper body visible to others, capable of disying incredible strength, while its lower body consisted of numerous boneponents branching out from the pelvic area.
The spikes that looked like rock or bone spikes were, in fact, parts of Udaeus''s body. The entire area Ais was in right now was, in essence, Udaeus''s lower body spread across the vast underground cavern.
As long as it was willing, it could make its parts buried underground break through the surface, attacking the entire cavern it was in. It could even block the entrance, not letting anyone escape from this ce.
This was one of Udaeus''s special abilities, being able to summon upturned spikes to attack its enemies. It could also summon them to use as shields against enemy attacks, truly a dual-purpose weapon.
Thanks to this ability, Udaeus could unleash area attacks, a rarity among the floor bosses. Even facing a group of dozens of adventurers with high levels, it remained unfazed.
Not only that, another one of Udaeus''s abilities significantly reduced the numerical advantage before it.
*ROAAAARRRR¡ª!!!*
The massive skeleton monster roared, causing the ground all around to continuously crack and shatter.
However, this time, what emerged from the ground were not bone spikes but small skeleton monsters.
They were like shrunken versions of Udaeus, human-sized but entirely white skeletal beings known as Spartoi.
Spartoi were monsters that roamed the 37th Floor, ssified as Level 4. Yet another ability of Udaeus precisely allowed it to summon countless Spartoi to fight as soldiers for itself.
As a result, at this moment, whether it was spikes or soldiers, all of them under Udaeus''s roaringmand charged toward Ais.
"Ugh...!"
Ais tried to dodge, attempting to create distance from the monsters, but the pain coursing through her head to toe once again tormented her body, making her speed impossible to unleash.
Just as she was about to be hit by the violently approaching spikes, Riezel''s voice echoed.
"Follow blindly the sun in the sky, so that all will flee from thee."
"Blossom, Armor of Laurel."
"Raumure!"
Apanied by the chanting of magic, a deep green light membrane appeared, enveloping Ais''s body.
Her speed suddenly skyrocketed, swiftly dodging the iing spikes.
Before she could fully react, Riezel''s voice rang out again.
"Healing droplets, tears of light, eternal sanctuary."
This was apletely new chant, and it was only recently that Ais heard it.
Unlike before, when she heard Airmid chant this magic with a solemn and devout voice, this time she heard a man''s voice.
"Compose a medicinal hymn-three hundred, sixty, and five. The melody of the healer''s almanac saves all things."
"Come, destruction of evil."
"The burial of wounds, interment of disease."
"Curses be gone in the light of vitality."
"In the name of all that is holy - I heal you."
"Dia Fratel!"
The top-ss healing magic was activated, and pure white particles of light descended from the sky, swirling out from a white magic circle, andnding on Ais''s body.
At this moment, Ais could clearly feel the pain and soreness coursing through her entire body rapidly easing. She subconsciously turned her head and looked toward the entrance of the cavern.
There, Riezel stepped on a pure white magic circle, gazing at her.
Through his eyes, she understood what he wanted to convey.
¡ªAt least let me handle this bit of support.
Riezel chose not to rush out anymore but to support Ais in his own way from the back.
Feeling her body gradually recovering, injuries improving, and even the soreness under her skin easing, she tightened her grip on her sword.
"Thank you, Riezel..."
Ais whispered and quickly raised her head, her eyes revealing a powerful resolve.
Without hesitation, she charged forward.
*BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!*
Numerous Spartoi rushing toward Ais shuddered, collectively exploding.
With the wind enveloping her body, she charged into the midst of the monster horde, like a storm sweeping through.
*Swish!* *Swish!* *Swish!* *Swish!* *Swish!*
Her sword shed dozens of times in an instant, exploding every Spartoi in her path.
*ROOOAAAAAARRRR¡ª!!!*
Seemingly angered by this, Udaeus immediately summoned more spikes, shooting toward Ais without stopping.
She didn''t dare to be careless; her footsteps and figure dodged in rapid session, avoiding Udaeus''s long-range attacks with astonishing speed and agility.
*Whoosh¡ª*
Seeing Ais getting closer, mes flickered in Udaeus''s eye sockets. Its thick bone arm, carrying a strong gust of wind, quickly swung toward her without mercy.
Just as Ais was about to dodge, she suddenly realized there was no escape.
The spikes shot out by Udaeus, varying in length and width, were essentially a part of its body and wouldn''t disappear.
Because Udaeus had just shot out numerous spikes, even if they didn''t hit her, they would allnd on the ground, forming a mountain of spikes. Some were as small as pointed needles, standing upright, while others were asrge as stone pirs, upying a considerable space in the cavern.
Although Ais sessfully dodged the shooting spikes, those on the ground deprived her of some of her foothold.
In other words, her movement space was restricted.
Under the pressure of countless spikes, she had little room to dodge,pletely unable to avoid the oing arm attack from Udaeus.
*BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!*
Udaeus''s massive arm, thick and robust,ced with a forceful gust, swept away anything in its path indiscriminately. Just before reaching Ais, it preemptively swung, shattering spikes, breaking the earth''s surface, and thundering toward her at great speed.
The power of this attack surpassed anything Udaeus had unleashed before.
Ais, relying on instinct and experience, realized she couldn''t withstand this kind of attack. Even with Ariel''s protection and Raumure''s defense, taking a direct hit would leave her undying but severely wounded.
"Tempest!"
In the face of crisis, Ais increased the output of Ariel.
*Whoosh¡ª*
A massive gust of wind enveloped her body, and with a step on her foot, she soared into the air.
*BOOOOM!*
Udaeus''s powerful arm attack missed, crashing into the ground, and sending a spray of soil and stones into the air.
Ais, riding the wind, remained suspended in midair and quickly flew toward Udaeus.
Ariel''s enhancement was almostprehensive, assisting in every aspect except long-range attacks. It not only enhanced attack power and protected the user''s body but also increased speed, enhanced weapons, and provided short-range flying ability.
Ais took advantage of Ariel''s features, whipping up a frenzy of wind as she charged toward Udaeus with powerful momentum.
*ROAAAARRRR¡ª!!!*
The mes in Udaeus''s eye sockets burned more fiercely as both of its bony arms rose to meet Ais.
*Rumble¡ª*
In the vast cavern, vibrations and tremors incessantly shook the surroundings.
With only one spectator, Ais engaged in a true life-and-death battle against her chosen powerful opponent.
Chapter 79: Important Lesson and Self-Reflection
Chapter 79: Important Lesson and Self-Reflection
A colossal epic showdown between a human and monsters unfolded for over an hour.
In this span, the fierce battle reduced the vast cavern to bits and pieces, almost turning it into a ruin.
A mountain of bone spikes spread all over the wreckage, with the remnants of Spartoi scattered in every corner, mingling with the debris, resembling a graveyard unearthed.
Riezel stood at the entrance of the cavern throughout, observing the carnage, never intervening from start to finish.
No choice.
Once he interfered in this fight, he could potentially snatch away Ais''s excelia, jeopardizing the umtion needed for her exploit.
As a result, aside from the first two support magic, he didn''t lift a finger, quietly watching the battle unfold.
He witnessed Ais being sent flying numerous times.
He also saw Ais staggering to her feet repeatedly, shouting as she charged at the massive floor boss.Udaeus summoned spikes and its skeleton soldiers repeatedly, encircling Ais. Even when she charged and closed in, it howled and mmed its colossal arm down, repeatedly pushing her to the brink.
It could be said that without Riezel''s two magic as her support, Ais would likely be incapable of continuing the fight.
Fortunately, his two magic effects were extraordinary.
''Raumure'' could enhance ''END'' and ''AGI'', its power depending on Riezel''s ''MAG''. Now that he was at Level 5, this magic''s enhancement and duration were quite powerful, providing significant aid to Ais.
''Dia Fratel'' was a top-ss healing magic in this world, not only healing wounds but also restoring stamina, expelling poison, dispelling curses, group healing, and even having its effects sustained. Thanks to this magic, Ais''s body maintained the healing effects, repeatedly healing her injuries and stamina.
To ensure these magic effectssted as long as possible in her body, Riezel poured his entire mind into them when chanted them, maximizing their effects and prolonging their duration.
With these two magic, Ais could stand up, charge, swing her sword, and fight again and again, disying perseverance and resolve bordering on extraordinary.
Of course, when Riezel thought this way, he didn''t know that Ais had seen his performance during his past battles in a simr light.
Every time she got sent flying, crashing to the ground, almost unable to stand due to pain and suffocation, the first image in her mind was Riezel.
For instance, at Level 1, he got rammed by a Level 2 Crocodile Dragon, then thrown, shattering pirs and rocks countless times. Despite all that, he never gave up; instead, he went all out, chanting magic and swinging his sword non-stop until he finally sent the monster''s massive body flying.
By Level 4, despite being repeatedly sent flying by the massive female-like worm monster with its t-shaped arms, he relentlessly charged toward it, shing countless times without giving up.
Lastly, thest image that surfaced in her mind was when he advanced at an astonishing speed to stand before her, cing his sword at her throat.
These images only strengthened her resolve, backing her up as she stood up and charged at Udaeus again and again, just like Riezel, whom she unknowingly considered a ''hero''.
If Riezel learned swordsmanship, magic, and the style ofbat from Ais, then Ais learned perseverance and resolve from Riezel.
Maybe she hadn''t even noticed it herself, but from him, she saw so many dazzling things and started to unconsciously yearn for and admire them.
To others, it seemed like Riezel and Ais were alike in many aspects.
Ais felt the same way as she always kept thinking¡ª
¡ªI want to run forward, just like him.
¡ªI want to keep moving forward, just like him.
It was an obsession.
An endless future.
It was also a form of redemption.
Realizing all of this, Ais''s transparent golden eyes reflected Riezel''s figure running ahead. She suddenly felt the urge to chase after him, desperately picking up her pace.
"Tempest!"
A whirlwind, almost like a storm, wrapped around her entire body.
"Tempest!!!"
Her sword-wielding hand exerted constant pressure, causing the wind entwined around her to surge upward.
At this moment, Ais, d in the hurricane, wielding the sword of the wind, rushed toward Udaeus at tornado-like speed. Her figure at this moment unmistakably ovepped with the past Riezel.
Just like he once did, she unleashed a decisive and final blow, cutting down the almost unbeatable monster.
However, unlike Riezel, the wind that Ais was about to unleash was a move with a name that could rival powerful offensive magic, capable of breaking through everything.
¡ªCalling out the name when using a finishing move can boost your attack power, Ais!
The words of a certain shady goddess echoed in Ais''s mind, prompting her to shout out loud.
"Lil Rafaga!"
Named by her goddess and recognized by her friends, this was a one-hit-kill move.
Soon, the golden-haired girl transformed into a spiral of powerful wind and lunged forward with lightning speed!
*BOOM!*
The mountain of bones was pierced.
*BOOM!*
Many Spartoi got crushed.
A swirling gust of powerful wind surged forward, piercing through everything, prating through all.
*ROAAAARRRR¡ª!!!*
Amidst the dying roar of Udaeus, the gust of powerful wind soon thundered upon its chest.
Instantly, the skeletal structure protecting Udaeus''s chest shattered, exposing an enormous magic stone that radiated a dazzling glow right before Ais''s eyes.
Her sword didn''t lose its momentum and thrust directly into the massive magic stone.
*ROAAA¡ª¡ª¡ª*
Udaeus''s roar abruptly ceased.
*Crack!*
Not long after, the magic stone emitted a cracking sound.
Fissures appeared little by little, gradually spreading all over the entire magic stone, and finally exploded.
*ROAAAAAAARRRRRR¡ª!!!*
This time, it wasn''t the usual angry roar, but a dying one.
Udaeus howled to the sky, disintegrating and copsing entirely as it burst open, turning into a cloud of dust.
The golden-haired girl drifted in the powerful wind around her. Weakly, she released her sword from her hand and, with the sparkling fragments of the magic stone, descended from midair.
Before losing consciousness, she saw him.
The figure whom she had just been gazing at and chasing inside her mind flew toward her.
===
"Dia Fratel."
In a daze, Ais heard a voice.
A warm sensation enveloped her entire body, gradually easing the tormenting pain and soreness.
She feltfortable after a long time, except for her head, which felt like mush with a slight throbbing.
This was a symptom of mind exhaustion.
The effects of healing magic and recovery magic could only act on the body, not the mind.
Thus, even if the injuries and pain of the body could be healed, the mind fatigue was a different matter.
However, if oveing a powerful enemy only required paying this small price, it was considered a win.
Of course, all credit goes to that man¡ªthe man who traveled from afar, who ultimately chose to support her from the back, chanted magic for her, and pushed her forward.
Ais opened her eyes and saw him.
Kneeling on one knee amidst the cavern''s ruins, he cradled her body, his foot nted firmly on a pristine white magic circle, channeling magical energy into a healing miracle. Countless light particles flowed into her body.
Ais met his gaze, and he returned it.
Their eyes locked, yet silence reigned.
She remained wordless, unsure of what to express.
Simrly, he simply observed her, offering no intention of speech.
"Sorry..."
Almost instinctively, Ais lowered her head and uttered an apology. Unfortunately, her apology didn''t evoke any response from him.
After an ufortable silence, a sigh finally reached her ears.
"I''m the one who should apologize..." Riezel said in a low voice. "You haven''t done anything wrong."
Unconsciously, Ais raised her head and looked at his face.
From his eyes, she saw self-me and reflection.
"I messed up..." Riezel confessed softly, almost as if talking to himself. "I''ve always been focused on my own growth, getting stronger, moving forward, trying to live my life differently from my previous one, less numb and more free... But in doing so, I unknowingly left many people who cared for me behind, not only running ahead alone but also neglecting their feelings..."
This incident truly taught him a deep lesson.
Ais took a heavy blow because of him.
In his relentless pursuit of testing his new power and adapting to his growth, he sparred with her without considering her feelings. He even went so far as to hold his sword to her throat.
Struggling for nearly ten years, only to be surpassed by a rookie who joined the familia just over three months ago and had a sword pointed at her throat by that same person¡ªit must have been a very unpleasant feeling for Ais.
Thinking up to this point, Riezel felt it was the perfect time for some self-reflection.
"In the future, I need to pay more attention to the people around me..." Riezel whispered, smiling as he gazed at the girl in his arms. "Thank you for helping me realize this important lesson, Ais..."
In his previous life, he didn''t get the family, friendship, or love he wanted. In this life, he couldn''t let history repeat itself. Even if he wanted to progress and run forward, he couldn''t forget that in this second chance of his life, many people were caring for him and apanying him on his journey.
Realizing this, Riezel felt his restless heart calming down.
Of course¡ª
"You too..." Riezel nced at Ais''s golden eyes, his smile growing more genuine. "Don''t forget, you''re not alone... People are watching over you by your side."
At his words, she just silently stared at his face, observing the genuine smile on it.
Her heartbeat unknowingly quickened.
Chapter 80: Return
Chapter 80: Return
It must be said that it was definitely the right decision for Riezel to learn ''Dia Fratel'' from Airmid.
Its ability to single-handedly support an entire frontline was truly astonishing. Even after Ais fought for over an hour, getting beaten up by Udaeus, with bruises all over, this magic managed to restore her to her original condition in less than a minute.
Such an incredible recovery effect, even Airmid herself might not be able to achieve it.
But then again, she was a Level 2. Using the same magic in the hands of a Level 2 versus a Level 5, there was bound to be a difference.
Since Riezel''s ''MAG'' was already off the charts, the magic he cast and the one Airmid cast were iparable.
As a result, Ais could quickly bounce back, with only her mind slightlycking, making her look a bit tired.
But that was more than enough.
As long as she didn''t use magic, she should still be able to fight at full power.
"What?" Ais looked at Riezel in surprise. "You''re noting back with me?""Yeah..." Riezel nodded.
Indeed, he wasn''t nning to go back with her¡ªor rather, he didn''t have the time to go back with her anymore.
In order to catch up with Ais, he spent a whole day and a half, using up thest bit of his time limit in this world.
He could feel the Dimensional Magic Cube in his mind slowly starting to turn, seemingly about to open.
For this reason, he wouldn''t be able to go back with her.
However, Ais was clueless about this.
"Is there something you need to take care of?" Ais looked at him, seemingly ready to stay with him.
However, he shook his head.
"I do have something to take care of, and it''s not a small one..." Riezel exined. "Since your problem is resolved, I''m preparing to leave."
Even the most clueless person would understand the hidden meaning behind his words. Once he leaves, it might not be easy for him to return anytime soon.
"I''ve already talked to Loki, and I was nning to tell everyone soon, but it looks like it''s toote now..." Riezel smiled at her. "Just tell Loki for me, say that I''ve already set off."
Ais instantly fell silent.
"Go." Riezel urged slightly, sensing his limited time. "Riveria is on her way to find you. Head back, and you''ll meet her soon."
Upon hearing that, Ais looked deeply into his eyes, and Riezel looked back with a smile on his face.
They stared at each other for a moment before she nodded.
"I''ll be waiting for you at home." Ais said in a rare, gentle tone.
Hearing the term ''home'', Riezel''s eyes widened slightly, and his smile became even more warm and genuine.
"Yeah, I''ll congratte you in advance on leveling up." Riezel nodded.
This time, Ais was almost certain to level up. By then, she would be Level 6, and her strength might surpass his again.
"But, I''ll catch up to you soon." Riezel said fearlessly.
"..." Ais watched him quietly for a moment before responding. "...I''ll be waiting for you."
"Alright, go."
"Um."
Ais retreated a few steps, but her gaze remained on his body.
Shortly afterward, as if letting go of something, she abruptly turned around and sprinted away.
Riezel watched her leave until her back was no longer visible, and only then did the transparent cube in his mind begin to rotate.
[The time limit has reached zero, dimensional travel is about to conclude, initiating inspection.]
[User detected possessing unique powers of this world and will return with the user after dissolving the consciousness body.]
[User detected carrying unique items of this world and can return with the user by consuming energy.]
[A list of unique items has beenpiled, please proceed with your selection.]
With such messages received by Riezel, a list of items, invisible to others, suddenly appeared in his mind.
[1: Loki''s God Blood (70)]
[2: Fool (5)]
[3: Hermit (2)]
[4: Battle Suit (1)]
[5: Elixir (1)]
[6: ...]
That was a list of items that Riezel had carried on his body.
Some items, like Fool and Hermit, were strapped on his waist. Others, such as the elixir and recement battle suit, were stored in the Dimensional Magic Cube''s storage space for his use as needed.
Now, the Dimensional Magic Cube had detected all these items and had created a list for him to choose from.
In the Dimensional Magic Cube''s instructions, section five stated that when carrying items for dimensional travel, the corresponding energy consumption needed to be based on the value of the items.
Following this rule, if he wanted to bring certain items back to the main world, he had to use the energy of the Dimensional Magic Cube. After this energy was consumed, the chosen items would assimte into the Dimensional Magic Cube, enabling them to travel dimensionally with him.
At that point, whether these items returned with him to the main world or apanied him to other worlds, it was all possible. The selected items could travel dimensionally with him at all times without further energy consumption.
As for the powers, it wasn''t asplicated. As exined in the Dimensional Magic Cube''s instructions, it would return with him after his consciousness body dissolved without consuming any energy.
Riezel immediately checked the current energy of the Dimensional Magic Cube.
[Dimensional Energy: 100]
The Dimensional Magic Cube could automatically absorb energy from each world. When it had umted enough energy for one month, it could perform dimensional travel.
The cube absorbed 1 unit of energy per day, totaling 30 units in a month.
In other words, one dimensional travel required 30 units of energy, and if there was a need to travel to a personally selected world, it required ten times the energy, which meant 300 units.
Having spent a hundred days in the world of Danmachi, the Dimensional Magic Cube had absorbed a hundred days'' worth of energy, resulting in the current energy of exactly 100 units.
Originally, Riezel thought the cube absorbed energy based on the main world''s time. However, he realized that the energy absorbed by the cube followed the same ratio as the time he spent in other worlds. This meant that the cube followed his time as the reference point.
After all, energy existing in the dimensional world could be said to be all-epassing. The main world was a world, and this world was also a world, with no significant differences.
Finished pondering, Riezel quickly considered the items he needed to take back with him.
Firstly, there was ''Loki''s God Blood''.
This was something Riezel requested from Loki upon knowing he was about to leave. After leaving this world, if he wanted to update his status, he would have to do it independently, as he couldn''t rely on her anymore.
Therefore, he naturally needed Loki''s blood as the essential medium to update his status, ensuring that after leaving this world, his status could still be updated, and he could continue to grow.
Hence, he asked Loki for a small bottle of her blood, causing her to grumble and almost ascend to heaven on the spot.
With this bottle of blood, Riezel could perform hundreds of status updates.
God''s blood was undeniably expensive.
While the units of energy consumed by other items were only in single digits, even Fool only required 5 units of energy. In contrast, this bottle of god''s blood needed a whopping 70 units of energy, truly a rip-off.
However, Riezel had no choice.
This was the blood of the gods, and regardless of the cost, he must take it with him. For his own growth and future, he had to reluctantly ept this price.
Next, Fool and Hermit also had to be taken along.
These two were Durandal attribute weapons, the most suitable weapon for him. Especially Fool, not only sharp and handy, but also extremely light. It would allow him to fully utilize the effect of ''Lightweight'' development ability, further boosting his ''DEX'' and ''AGI'', so he definitely had to bring them along.
The rest didn''t matter much.
The battle suit was a durable piece of clothing he bought casually in the market, nothing special. If it weren''t for the fact that dimensional energy had a specified minimum unit, which was 1 unit, this clothing wouldn''t be worth the price.
The elixir, on the other hand, was worth its 1 unit cost of energy. After all, it was the most effective potion in this world, capable of quickly healing almost any injury that wasn''t fatal or limb-severing. Spending 1 unit of energy to take it away was definitely not a loss.
Of course, if he hadn''t learned the top-ss healing magic ''Dia Fratel'', he would probably have taken some back. Unfortunately, he had already learned healing magic more astonishing than the effects of elixir, rendering it somewhat redundant.
The remaining items were misceneous things¡ªmagic stones, various spare potions, and even food and water. There was no need to consume dimensional energy to bring them back to the main world.
In summary¡ª
"A bottle of god''s blood and two weapons, huh? That''s all the stuff I need to take with me."
Riezel quickly made his selection.
[Loki''s God Blood (70)]
[Fool (5)]
[Hermit (2)]
Three items were chosen, totaling 77 units of energy.
[Dimensional Energy: 23]
After confirming the remaining energy, Riezel concluded the process.
[Selectionpleted, starting execution.]
[Item assimtion sessful.]
[Dimensional travel concluded, initiating the return procedure.]
Riezel''s body instantly faded away, appearing as if it had vanished into thin air, leaving no trace behind.
His consciousness was absorbed by the Dimensional Magic Cube, which had opened inside his mind, entering the dimensional channel and heading back toward the main world.
Soon, the 37th Floor of the dungeon became silent, returning to its dormant state.
Chapter 81: The Frenzel Family
Chapter 81: The Frenzel Family
In ancient times, there was a man who dreamt of a butterfly.
Upon waking up, the man couldn''t tell if he had turned into the butterfly in his dream or if the butterfly had dreamt of bing him.
Riezel''s current feelings were somewhat simr.
Waking up in a daze on a somewhat familiar bed, he briefly questioned whether the three-plus months in Orario were real or just a dream. Maybe his current self was just the imagined existence of the monster rookie named Riezel in the Loki Familia.
Fortunately, the sensation of the slowly rotating transparent cube in his mind reassured him that both of his selves, in this world and the other, were indeed real.
"Hahhh..."
Riezel let out a breath and sat up, his gaze gradually restored to sobriety and calmness. He moved his limbs slightly, feeling the power he possessed in the world of Danmachi.
"It reallyes with me..."
Feeling the presence of power and the faint warmth behind him, Riezel knew that his back was now marked with the blessing called ''Falna''.It was the result of his efforts in Danmachi for over three months, now entirely brought back to this world without any sense of difort.
As for Loki''s blood and the two swords, Fool and Hermit, chosen by him to bring back, they nowy quietly in the Dimensional Magic Cube''s storage space, waiting for him to retrieve them at any time.
All of this told him that the three-plus months he spent in Danmachi were not in vain. Those efforts had now transformed into his power, bing his means of survival in this dangerous world.
With these thoughts in mind, Riezel''s lips curled slightly.
He quickly uncovered the nket and got out of bed.
This was the first time he had walked out of bed in this world. When he first arrived, he had been recovering on this bed for a whole month, without the chance to get up.
''If I had the power I have now back then, I wouldn''t have had to lie in bed for a month...''
His injuries at that time, for the current him, were something ''Dia Fratel'' could solve effortlessly.
Unfortunately, he was powerless at that time and did not even have enough energy in the Dimensional Magic Cube for a month''s worth, making it impossible for him to perform dimensional travel.
Just as he was about to walk to the window, draw back the curtain, and take a good look at the outside world, a knock on the door suddenly echoed.
"Mr. Riezel, are you awake?"
It was the voice of the maid working in this mansion.
She seemed to be specifically in charge of bringing him meals, and during the month he spent recovering here, the mostmon sound he heard was the polite knock on the door.
"I''m awake,e in." Riezel replied naturally as if he had never left this room from start to finish.
The maid outside seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and immediately opened the door.
"You can get out of bed now?" The maid looked at him standing by the bed. "That''s great!"
"Thank you for your help these days." Riezel expressed his gratitude. "I''m alright now. Where is yourdy?"
"Lady Yuri is in the courtyard." The maid answered respectfully. "She mentioned that if Mr. Riezel wakes up and can move, you can find her in the courtyard."
"I understand..." Riezel nodded and examined his body. "Could you please help me find a set of clothes?"
Due to lying in bed for the entire recovery period, he was currently dressed in something more like loungewear rather than suitable for going out.
Given Yuri''s noble status and the fact that she was his lifesaver, he couldn''t afford to meet her in such clothes now that he had fully recovered.
"Please wait a moment."
The maid seemed prepared as if she had anticipated this. She left for a while and returned with a set of clothes in her hands.
"These are the clothes prepared for you by Lady Yuri."
The maid handed the clothes to him, even ready to assist him in changing.
"No need, I can manage on my own." Riezel politely declined.
The maid had taken care of his daily needs for a month, so he didn''t want to trouble her further.
"Then, I''ll take my leave."
The maid didn''t insist, bowed her head, and left the room.
Riezel quickly changed into the new clothes and found them unexpectedly luxurious.
''Why does it look so much like noble clothing...?''
Riezel looked at his reflection in the window ss, feeling somewhat speechless.
This outfit resembled court attire, white with purple patterns, adorned with numerous pendants and chains, transforming him from his previously sickly appearance into someone resembling a medieval European noble.
This kind of extravagant and almost exaggerated clothing brought back many unpleasant memories for him.
In his previous life, he had worn such ridiculous outfits frequently, attending various social events. However, he never got used to it, finding it rather tiresome and repulsive.
''Whatever, living under another''s roof, don''t expect too much...'' Riezel sighed and suppressed the thoughts about his appearance, stepping out of the room.
This was his first time stepping out of this room, taking an actual and powerful step into this world.
He really wanted to see what this world was like.
The mansion where he was staying was rather luxurious. After a quick tour, he realized that this mansion was muchrger than he had imagined. In terms ofnd area, this mansion was much bigger than Twilight Manor.
Although Twilight Manor was indeedrge, its actual space wasn''t that vast due to being built as a series of high towers extending upward.
This mansion, on the other hand, was different.
It wasn''t tall, roughly equivalent to a four-story building, with only the first floor being rtively high, while the other floors weren''t that elevated.
But this mansion had a very vastnd area, not only long and wide but also surrounded by a courtyard that spread around the mansion.
In the courtyard, there were green nts, flower beds, a fountain, a small pavilion, and even two flowing streams, resembling an estate. However, despite being such an estate, it was only something like a secondary residence of the Frenzel family, not the main residence.
Riezel searched his memory, recalling the knowledge of this world.
The ce he was in now was located in a kingdom located in the eastern part of the Akasha continent, known as the Jinas Kingdom.
Akasha continent was an extremely vastndmass with many countries. Among these countries, most were small countries, with only four being considered major countries.
Jinas was one of these four major countries, with a vast territory, abundant resources, and a highly developed magic civilization, considered one of the few great nations of magic in the world.
The Frenzel family, in particr, belonged to the nobility of Jinas, which was a family of marquis.
How did they work?
It was quite simple.
In this world, regardless of the country, the royal family was the supreme ruler, the master of the country. Beneath the royal family were the nobles, each with their own privileges determined by the rank of their titles.
''Duke'', ''Marquis'', and ''Count'' were considered major nobles, enjoying the highest level of privileges within the kingdom.
''Viscount'' and ''Baron'' were considered minor nobles, not reaching the status of the top three, yet still elevated abovemoners and merchants.
Among them, a duke held the highest position and the greatest privileges, a title bestowed only upon close rtives of the royal family.
In other words, marquis was the highest title attainable by ordinary people, with status and privileges second only to the royal family and its close rtives.
The Frenzel family was one such marquis family in Jinas.
From this, one could see how respected Yuri''s status had been. Of course, her significance was not solely derived from being a member of a marquis family.
ording to the memory of the original Riezel, the evaluation of Yuri had always been consistent.
¡ªThis girl is undoubtedly one of the most impressive characters in the world.
Riezel himself also fully agreed with this evaluation and still believed in it to this day.
With this in mind, he stepped out of the mansion and went into the courtyard.
The courtyard was vast and expansive, making it challenging to find someone in this ce. However, he remained calm and casually strolled around before spotting his target in a pavilion.
"Riezel!"
The one calling him was none other than the master of this residence¡ªYuri Frenzel.
Yuri, a nobledy simr in age to Riezel, was dressed in a sensible outfit, exuding a noble air from head to toe. Her waist-length, shiny silver hair flowed down her back, as always, radiating elegance and beauty.
This beautiful nobledy sat in the pavilion, seemingly enjoying afternoon tea. Her captivating eyes fixated on him, portraying a good mood.
Beside Yuri stood a maid.
Her age was close to Riezel''s, around twenty or younger. Not tall, a bit shorter than him, but delicate as a twinkling gem. Her appearance was outstanding, though with a hint of coldness and aggressiveness. If one ignored the teapot in her hand and her attire, one might believe she was a female knight, despite her somewhat domineering demeanor.
Riezel was not unfamiliar with this maid.
She was Yuri''s personal maid, always at her side, specifically tasked with attending to her needs.
Her name was Marilyn Impesh.
When Riezel approached, Marilyn noticed him but only gave a fleeting nce before ignoring his presence.
He did the same, casting a brief nce at her before arriving in front of Yuri.
"Not a bad outfit, and you seem to be in good spirits. Looks like you''ve fully recovered." Yuri said casually, revealing a beautiful smile.
"It all thanks to your help." Riezel replied with a faint smile.
"Have a seat." Yuri nodded and gestured toward the seat opposite her.
Riezel didn''t hesitate and took a seat in front of her.
The two had known each other for quite some time, and finally, they had the chance to sit down and have a proper conversation.
Chapter 82: Strategic-Class Magician
Chapter 82: Strategic-ss Magician
"Marilyn."
Yuri called the maid by her side.
The maid remained silent, only to pull out a teacup from seemingly nowhere and ce it in front of Riezel, pouring a steaming cup of ck tea for him.
The aroma of the tea was pleasant, catching even Riezel, who was usually indifferent to tea, off guard.
He quickly picked it up and took a sip.
As soon as he tasted it, he regretted it immediately.
This was ridiculously sweet!
It felt like at least a dozen spoons of sugar had been added, sweet enough to almost dissolve his tongue!
His lips twitched a few times, wanting to say something but eventually giving up, forcing a faint smile.It was not without reason.
He saw Yuri seemed to enjoy the tea, disying a satisfied expression. It was evident that she was extremely pleased with this sweet tea.
Riezel wasn''tcking in social awareness and wouldn''t deliberately point out anything at this moment.
At the same time, Yuri also observed his behavior.
Seeing him sitting there in silence with a faint smile adorning his face.
"Seeing you in such high spirits, I feel relieved. When the servant went to deliver your meal yesterday and got no response after knocking, I thought you were resting and didn''t want to disturb you. But you stayed in your room for a whole day, without eating or drinking. If the protective magic system of this mansion hadn''t been activated, I would have thought something happened to you again." Yuri said with relief.
One could imagine that if Riezel had appeared even a bitter, she might have sent someone into his room to check on him. After all, he had once faced an assassination attempt in this mansion, so it was natural for her to be concerned.
"I''m sorry for worrying you..." Riezel said as he put down the teacup and looked at her. "But, as you can see, I''m good now, so there''s nothing to worry about."
"I can see that." Yuri nced over his body, nodding satisfactorily. "You''re indeed in much better shape than yesterday."
He no longer looked sickly and hisplexion wasn''t pale anymore. He appeared lively, even his gaze was different, like a sword ready to be unsheathed at any moment, sharp and surprising even herself.
However, no matter what, his recovery was a good thing.
"What are your ns now?" Yuri casually stirred the ck tea in front of her with a spoon as she asked nonchntly.
Riezel didn''t hesitate much in responding.
"Since my injuries have healed, I''ve naturally decided to leave. I can''t trouble you any longer."
He had made this decision before returning.
The Frenzel family was different from the Loki Familia.
Loki Familia was akin to his true family since its members were connected by Loki''s blood, making them no different from a blood-rted family and her children, so staying there just felt right to him.
But the Frenzel family was different.
Riezel had no ties here, and the original Riezel had no connection whatsoever with this marquis family; otherwise, he would have been ecstatic.
Yuri was merely his savior, taking him in solely to allow him to recover from his injuries. It was a kind and well-intentioned gesture, but now that he had recovered, he didn''t feel right staying here and continuing to trouble her any further.
Being from a marquis family, she had already shown great kindness by allowing a stranger and countryside boy like him to stay and recover.
However, Yuri frowned at his answer.
"Is that really okay?" Yuri stopped stirring her tea and met his gaze with a serious expression. "There are still people outside who want to kill you. If you stay here, they might hesitate, but once you leave, they won''t have any reason to hold back."
In other words, leaving this mansion might immediately expose Riezel to danger and another assassination attempt.
He couldn''t be oblivious to this.
"But they are after me, not you." Riezel said indifferently. "I don''t want to trouble you anymore."
"I don''t mind, y''know." Yuri smiled slightly. "It''s rare to find a friend with whom I can have a conversation with. Even if you choose to stay, you''re more than wee."
"But I can''t hide here forever, can I?" Riezel looked directly at her eyes. "I have to face this sooner orter."
Hearing his resolute words, Yuri fell silent. Not just her, even Marilyn stealthily nced at him, seemingly surprised by his words.
"What''s wrong?" Riezel found their reactions strange.
"Nothing..." Yuri shook her head, sighing. "I just feel that you''re not quite like the rumors say..."
Riezel fell silent.
He knew what she meant.
As someone from a marquis family, Yuri could easily investigate him and learn about his past¡ªor rather, she had likely discovered what kind of person the original Riezel was.
What kind of person was this world''s Riezel?
Someone with the courage to leave the countryside and travel far to the city in pursuit of a higher status¡ªbrave and ambitious.
However, upon the discovery of his talents and the following ttery from the nobility, he lost his original purpose. He became arrogant, spending his days fooling around with a group of noble children, a countryside boy corrupted by the allure of the city.
In the eyes of others, could someone like him be considered a good person?
His manner and evaluations in the eyes of others were likely quite poor. But for Yuri, who had witnessed Riezel''s various performances with her own eyes so far, such evaluations naturally differ.
If the original Riezel had known that someone outside was spying on him, ready to kill him at any moment, he would have been scared to death by now. Even if Yuri urged him to leave, he wouldn''t be willing to do so, no matter what.
Moreover, upon seeing Yuri, an influential figure from a marquis family, he might have considered it a rare opportunity. If he could curry favor with someone from a marquis family, wouldn''t he easily attain the position and privileges he desired?
These were things the original Riezel would definitely have considered.
Meanwhile, as Riezel was busy pondering matters concerning the original Riezel, Yuri suddenly spoke again.
"Even though you say that, I still think it''s better for you to stay here for now."
Her words prompted him to lift his gaze and nce over, and after a moment of silence, he threw a question.
"Have you investigated the one who targeted me?"
Yuri''s words made Riezel consider that possibility.
Unfortunately, he was about to be disappointed.
"Just like before, I couldn''t find anything because they cleaned up their tracks really well..." Yuri shook her head. "But it''s so tidy that I''m starting to suspect it might not just be some influential figure keeping an eye on you like we first thought."
At her spection, Riezel''s brow furrowed.
"What do you mean?"
Yuri didn''t answer immediately and seemed to be lost in thought, looking down at the cup of tea in front of her before finally asking a question.
"You should know who I am, right?"
At her question, Riezel couldn''t help but pause, then truthfully provided an answer.
"In this kingdom, almost everyone knows you. You''re the head of the Frenzel family, one of the marquis families in Jinas. Plus, you''re the chief court magician of this kingdom, holding the title of Strategic-ss Magician¡ªone of the strongest magicians on the continent."
Indeed, this was Yuri''s true status and the reason he considered her one of the most impressive characters in this world.
This seemingly rich youngdy, though simr in age to him, was not some typical daughter of a marquis or an heir to the family. Instead, she had taken over the position of the Frenzel family''s head and was granted the title of marquis personally by the king.
The Frenzel family, once a fallen noble house, rose to prominence under this talented youngdy, bing a major noble in Jinas, with authority over ten thousand people.
Moreover, the reason she could achieve this was precisely because Yuri Frenzel, this extraordinary woman, was an exceptional character.
Despite her young age, she possessed the power to be the chief court magician of the kingdom.
Two years ago, she became one of the most powerful magicians on the continent, earning the title of ''Strategic-ss Magician'', causing amotion throughout Jinas.
She could be considered the brightest and most dazzling star in Jinas.
However, upon hearing Riezel''s answer, Yuri justughed.
"The strongest magicians on the continent?" Yuri said with a hint of self-deprecation. "Just someone who can use magic most advantageous for war, that''s all. Such a tool for war hardly qualifies as the strongest magician, right?"
Hearing her response, Riezel was at a loss for words.
He understood why she would say such a thing.
In this world, magic was generally divided into three sses.
These three sses were ''Combat-ss'', ''Tactical-ss'', and ''Strategic-ss''.
Combat-ss magic referred to lower-power magic with a narrow attack range, suitable for one-on-onebat or small group battles.
Tactical-ss magic had greater power and a wider attack range, capable of destroying a vige in one blow or an entire army.
Strategic-ss magic, on the other hand, was extremely powerful, with a broad attack range, capable of instantly destroying a city or even a small country.
Although it might have seemed that strategic-ss magic was the strongest andbat-ss magic was the weakest, in reality, it was not the case.
While strategic-ss magic was terrifyingly powerful, its conditions for casting were strict, making it almost impossible to use in a fight, especially a fast-paced one. Its only use was as a massive weapon of destruction forrge-scale wars, akin to nuclear weapons.
Combat-ss magic, although less powerful, had simple casting conditions and was the mainstream method in fights.
Many magicians actually believed that mastering strategic-ss magic didn''t necessarily make one the strongest; it was just a tool for war. A truly powerful magician was one who excelled inbat-ss magic.
However, this perspective might have been popr in the magician circle but had little relevance in the view of countries.
The reason was simple.
In a world where numerous countries and forces vied for dominance on a continent in constant war, what mattered to a country was not an expert who could win fights one after another but a weapon that could be invincible on the battlefield and instantly destroy their enemies.
Thanks to this, whether it was Jinas or other countries, magicians capable of using tactical-ss and strategic-ss magic were highly valued.
If a magician could use tactical-ss magic, they were instantly granted a noble title and weed into the kingdom.
If a magician could use strategic-ss magic, that was even more incredible. The kingdom considered them a national treasure and, to win them over, the kingdom might even grant them a title of major noble, providing them with great privileges.
The original Riezel had precisely this in mind when, upon discovering his abundant magical energy, left home without hesitation. Because to cast tactical-ss or strategic-ss magic, the primary requirement was a significant amount of magical energy within one body.
Yuri was a sessful example of this.
Bing a Strategic-ss Magician, she was regarded as one of the strongest magicians on the continent, securing the then-current status of the Frenzel family.
Yet, Yuri herself seemed indifferent to all this.
Chapter 83: Heretic Assassin
Chapter 83: Heretic Assassin
As someone who inherited the memories of the original Riezel, Riezel saw mostly positive memories about Strategic-ss Magicians from the original Riezel''s perspective.
No choice.
The original Riezel came to the city to strive for sess, all for the sake of bing an elite, for bing a noble.
Formoners like him aspiring to be nobles, there were only a few methods.
Either he had to achieve remarkable feats and receive the kingdom''s recognition, or he had to climb high and either marry into nobility or join a noble family. Alternatively, he could make the kingdom value him and offer a title to win him over.
The original Riezel chose thest method.
With his naturally abundant magical energy, bing a Tactical-ss Magician wasn''t a very difficult task. In fact, with enough effort and talent, bing a Strategic-ss Magician wasn''tpletely impossible either.
If he could at least be a Tactical-ss Magician, he would immediately receive a promotion and a noble title, thus bing a bona fide noble. Not to mention, if he could be a Strategic-ss Magician, he could be recognized as a national treasure of the entire Jinas, bestowed with the title of a major noble¡ªan existence like Yuri, one person above ten thousand.
With such calctions in mind, the original Riezel naturally harbored feelings of longing and admiration for Strategic-ss Magicians.Not only him, but most people in this world also held admiration and longing for Strategic-ss Magicians, considering them the most powerful magicians in the world.
As long as they could smoothly unleash strategic-ss magic, they could instantly destroy a city or even a small country. This kind of power seemed no different from that of a god to the ordinary people.
Only thosecking sufficient magical energy like Combat-ss Magicians, who no matter how hard they tried couldn''t cast strategic-ss magic, would hold the belief that a true expert should specialize inbat-ss magic.
Strategic-ss magic was merely a weapon for war, impractical and solely military-oriented, causing disdain among magicians who couldn''t cast strategic-ss magic.
This viewpoint wasn''t entirely wrong.
ording to Riezel''s understanding, the conditions for releasing strategic-ss magic were indeed strict. Just the chanting time alone was longer than even the lengthiest chants, often requiring several minutes or even tens of minutes of chanting for a single strategic-ss magic.
Such lengthy chants and chanting times were impractical in the rapidly changing dynamics ofbat.
Let alone strategic-ss magic, even tactical-ss magic required a minute or several minutes of chanting time, making it unsuitable for fast-paced battles.
Furthermore,bat-ss magic often only required a few seconds of chanting, and some were even chantless, making them entirely suitable for direct battle.
In a one-on-one battle, a magician not proficient inbat-ss magic, even if they were a Strategic-ss Magician, could be easily defeated in an instant. Even losing to a street hooligan isn''t an impossible scenario.
As a result, tactical-ss magic and strategic-ss magic were almost useless in direct battle, only finding utility on the battlefield and in wars.
Moreover, the power and scope of these two types of magic were too vast, making them unsuitable for use in densely popted areas. This was particrly true in the city, where using them would be a disaster.
In principle, the major countries strictly prohibited the use of tactical-ss and strategic-ss magic without authorization.
All of these made the situation quite interesting.
In order to enhance national strength and increase the country''sbat power and deterrence, major countries were desperate to recruit Tactical-ss Magicians and Strategic-ss Magicians.
Yet, apart from wars, the use of tactical-ss magic and strategic-ss magic was strictly prohibited and not allowed.
This had ced significant restrictions on many Tactical-ss and Strategic-ss Magicians. Unless necessary, major countries may not even allow them to leave their territories without authorization.
It could be said that Tactical-ss and Strategic-ss Magicians were under constant surveince wherever they went, whether by their own country or by other countries.
Therefore, people like Strategic-ss Magicians were generally regarded as tools of war, despised by those beyond the ordinary residents.
From Yuri''s indifferent response, it was evident that she didn''t find pride in her identity as a Strategic-ss Magician, even somewhat fed up with it.
Riezel quietly sympathized with his savior in his heart and began to speak.
"You suddenly mentioned your identity to me. Could this be rted to me being attacked?"
He considered this possibility; otherwise, why would Yuri bring up an identity she was not a fan of for no reason?
Sure enough, there was a reason.
"While tactical-ss and strategic-ss magics are almost useless in direct battle, if used on the battlefield, their usefulness and supreme power are undeniable."
Yuri exined with a sigh.
"Any country on the Akasha continent eagerly seeks magicians of these two sses. However, if an enemy country possesses such magicians, it poses a significant threat to them."
Hearing that, Riezel immediately squinted his eyes.
"Are you saying that I was attacked because of that reason?"
"Yes." Yuri nodded. "Truthfully, I suspected it when you were attacked. It was only after I couldn''t find any clues about the attacker that I thought the one who attacked you might be someone from the Heretic Assassin, who has recently be a topic of discussion."
Heretic Assassin.
Riezel was familiar with this name.
It was because of an event that had urred in the past few years.
As Riezel began pondering, Yuri continued.
"In recent years, many people in major countries have been unexpectedly assassinated, dying under mysterious circumstances. Some were nobles, some were prodigies who gained fame. Although they seem unrted, they have amon point¡ªthey are either Tactical-ss Magicians or those who have outstanding magical energy, with the potential to be Tactical-ss or Strategic-ss Magicians."
The sudden, unexined deaths of these talented individuals had shaken various countries, and the news had spread throughout the entire continent, bing a significant topic of discussion.
Gradually, even ordinary residents came to know that there was a group of people who targeted Tactical-ss Magicians, Strategic-ss Magicians, and people with the potential to be both.
"Some suspect that they were secretly formed by one or multiple countries, operating as an assassination unit specifically targeting the war assets of foreign countries."
"Some believe they are a self-formed criminal group of Combat-ss Magicians who failed to be Tactical-ss or Strategic-ss Magicians, driven by motives of revenge and frustration."
"There are also those who specte that they oppose the use of magic in war, opposing the excessive focus on tactical-ss and strategic-ss magic by major countries. They united as terrorists to change this phenomenon."
"This is the Heretic Assassin, an underground organization that has gained a reputation in recent years."
The reason Yuri suspected that this organization targeted Riezel was because of their objectives.
Their targets were users of tactical-ss and strategic-ss magic, as well as people who have the potential to be proficient in both.
Riezel happened to fit these criteria.
"Each time they act, their cleanup is remarkably thorough. After several years, no country can uncover anything, suggesting that one or more countries likely support them."
This was her reason for believing that the Heretic Assassin was behind Riezel''s assassination.
The attackers shared many simrities. The cleanup was executed too well, suggesting the support of at least one country behind them. Even the Frenzel family''s intelligencework couldn''t find anything.
"If it''s indeed them targeting you, leaving here is definitely not a good choice." Yuri advised seriously. "Your enemy is a terrorist organization on a national level, and you won''t be able to handle them alone."
Hearing her reasoning, Riezel''s brow furrowed deeply.
His current situation was indeed tricky.
While he wasn''t afraid, if his attacker was truly such a big terrorist organization, he wouldn''t be arrogant enough to think he could handle everything alone.
Their unexpected strength, with his current strength, might only allow him to defend himself temporarily, not forever. He was not reckless, blindly plunging into danger without considering the consequences.
If there was a solid reason, he could risk everything for a challenge, but without a necessary reason, he wouldn''t recklessly face big danger. This wasn''t an adventure; it was just falling into someone else''s conspiracy, deceit, and malice.
Unfortunately, he detested these kinds of things the most.
"Stay here for now..." Yuri said gently, looking at his furrowed brow. "I''ve secretly leaked information about your injuries. If all goes well, you should be out of danger soon."
"Injuries?" Riezel was puzzled at first, then realized. "You mean the damage to my ''Gate''?"
"Yep." Yuri chuckled. "Your ''Gate'' is damaged, so you can''t use magic anymore. Maybe this isn''t entirely a bad thing."
If this news reached the ears of the Heretic Assassin''s people, they might abandon any ns to assassinate him. After all, their goal was people capable of using tactical-ss and strategic-ss magics, and without the ability to use magic, Riezel would lose his value as their target.
"Just stay hidden here for a while; there''s no shame in it, y''know." Yuri suggested.
"What about you?" Riezel asked, looking into her eyes. "If it''s indeed them, aren''t you their target too? Aren''t you afraid?"
Yuri, being a Strategic-ss Magician, logically should be the Heretic Assassin''s primary target.
However¡ª
"Have you ever heard of a Strategic-ss Magician being killed so far?" Yuri casually tossed out a question, leaving him in silence.
In the Akasha Continent, there were only eight existing Strategic-ss Magicians, and all of them were still alive and well.
"Don''t worry. Even if I wanted to die, this kingdom wouldn''t allow it." Yuri sarcastically remarked before continuing. "Just stay here for now, wait until the storm passes, and then make different ns."
Upon hearing that, Riezel considered for a moment and nodded.
Staying here might be a good idea since this way he could have an easier time delving into the power system of this world.
"Is this settled then?" Yuri asked, seeing him nod, and seemed pleased. "Come, join me for afternoon tea."
As he looked at the tea in front of him, hisplexion stiffened.
In that split second, he began to question whether his decision was a mistake.
Chapter 84: The Library
Chapter 84: The Library
''Okay, let''s set aside the matter of tea for now.''
Ignoring the excessively sweet ck tea, Riezel was genuinely grateful for Yuri''s kindness. Not only did she save his life, but she also weed him to stay, providing temporary protection.
He was determined to remember this favor.
Therefore, he didn''t rush to leave and sat in the pavilion, engaging in conversation with her. He observed that she genuinely enjoyed talking with him.
Perhaps she simply liked having someone with whom she could chat freely, and he happened to be that person.
When he was still recovering from his injuries, she often came to visit him. Sometimes they discussed important matters, while other times they engaged in casual conversation. Regardless, she always appeared happy.
Considering Yuri''s status as a marquis and a renowned Strategic-ss Magician on the Akasha continent, why would she personally visit him and engage in conversation with someone like him?
Even if she rescued someone and brought them back for recovery out of kindness, it wasn''t necessary for her to personally check on them. Instructing others to take care of him would have been sufficient.
Hence, as Riezel could sense Yuri''s goodwill, he was willing to y along. They chatted, relieving boredom and providing a distraction.
Initially, she might have only shown interest in him due to his potential to be a Tactical-ss or Strategic-ss Magician. However, as their interactions increased, her visits became more frequent. Now, simply sitting with him, chatting and having tea, made her content and happy, leaving him unsure how to react.
However, since she enjoyed talking to him, Riezel naturally did so. It was also an opportunity for him to learn about this world and understand Jinas through her perspective.
The original Riezel, a naive countryside peasant with limited knowledge, only possessed basicmon sense. In contrast, Yuri, a high-ranking noble of the kingdom and chief court magician, had an understanding of the country and continent that others couldn''t match.
During the month of recovery, Riezel learned a lot about this world through conversations with Yuri. Engaging in conversation with her now also proved beneficial for him, allowing him to quickly grasp the intricacies of this world and learn some hidden truths.
Until¡ª
"My Lady."
An old butler entered the pavilion, bowing to Yuri as he spoke.
"The son of the Basolo family hase to visit."
With these words, the joyful expression instantly vanished from Yuri''s face.
"I know..." Yuri responded expressionlessly. "Escort him to the guest room; I will be there shortly."
"Yes." The butler responded curtly, retreating.
Yuri''s face regained expression, though it seemed less than pleased.
"What''s wrong?" Riezel inquired, observing the situation.
"...Nothing." Yuri intended to say something, but after a moment''s thought, she seemed to dismiss the idea and sighed. "I''m sorry, I need to attend to a guest..."
It was evident that this so-called guest was not someone she weed.
"It''s okay." Riezel, though somewhat concerned, didn''t want to press further. "You go ahead, I''ll be fine on my own."
"Um." Yuri smiled. "You can return to your room or wander around, just don''t leave this mansion. You''re free to go anywhere within this building."
As she spoke, she took out a crystal from her pocket.
"This is for you." Yuri handed the crystal to him.
Examining it, Riezel soon expressed his surprise.
"Is this a magic crystal formunication?"
"Fufu, yes." Yuri chuckled. "Consider it a gift. If you ever need to, you can use it to contact me."
"But isn''t this too much?" Riezel hesitated. "I remember this thing is quite expensive."
Magic crystals were items simr to the magic stones in the world of Danmachi. They were raw materials for making magic items, allowing various magical effects to be inscribed, creating a variety of special items for convenience in daily life, and many more.
The magic crystal she gave to him was formunication, allowing conversation regardless of distance, as long as the crystal had touched before, it would record the toucher''s magical energy wavelength.
Inparison to the limited signal range of phones and cell phones from his previous life, this magical item was far superior.
Though there was the inconvenience of having to touch crystals to record magical energy wavelengths, the ability to have a conversation anywhere outweighed the drawbacks. {T/N: Like saving phone numbers.}
The original Riezel, despite being friendly with many noble children, did not possess amunication magic crystal himself. Therefore, he knew how expensive this item was.
However, for Yuri, it seemed like a trivial issue.
"Ah, this little thing is nothing; I have plenty. Marilyn has one too, so don''t hesitate to use it." Yuri smiled warmly. "It''s for the sake of easymunication."
Now that he wouldn''t simply lie in bed, there was a need for a way to contact others.
"I''ve already recorded my wavelength in this magic crystal, and Marilyn''s as well. If it''s inconvenient to contact me, you can also reach out to her."
Yuri''s words made Riezel nce at Marilyn.
However, Marilyn, who stood by Yuri''s side, seemed indifferent, as ifpletely unaware of his gaze.
"Alright."
After some consideration, Riezel ultimately epted Yuri''s good intentions and took the magic crystal.
"Oh, by the way..." Yuri suddenly remembered something. "If you find yourself bored, you can go check out the library."
However, upon hearing that, Marilyn''s expression unexpectedly changed.
"My Lady¡ª"
Marilyn furrowed her brows and wanted to say something, but Yuri silenced her with a nce.
"What''s wrong with this library?" Riezel asked with a slight bewilderment as he observed Marilyn''s reaction.
"Nothing, don''t worry." Yuri chuckled, shaking her head. "It won''t harm you in any way. Whether you want to go or not is up to you."
Leaving those words behind, she stood up, turned, and walked away.
Surprisingly, Marilyn red silently at Riezel and then left somewhat indignantly.
Alone in the pavilion, he watched the departing master and servant, lost in thought.
''It seems like this so-called library is not a ce one can enter casually...''
After deliberation, Riezel decided to check it out.
Just as Yuri had said, he didn''t believe she would harm him; otherwise, he would have died long ago.
As a result, he left the pavilion, ready to enter the mansion for the library. However, before entering the mansion, he encountered many people.
Outside the gate, at a distance from the courtyard, there was not only a luxurious carriage but also many people dressed as knights, standing in a tidy formation.
After ncing and finding nothing interesting, Riezel entered the mansion.
===
The Frenzel family''s library seemed to be on the top floor of this luxurious mansion. It was located next to Yuri''s exclusive study, not too secluded in position.
However, when Riezel asked the servants about the library''s location, they looked at him with surprise. Shortly afterward, they notified the bodyguard, who came over to inquire.
Upon learning that he was seeking the library with Yuri''s permission, the bodyguards exchanged bewildered nces and then directed him in the right direction.
As Riezel left, he distinctly observed envy and even jealousy in their eyes. Though, he didn''t know why, he didn''t care and continued his journey.
Later, on his way to the top floor, he encountered about three waves of people who tried to stop him. Each time, they only allowed him to pass after confirming he had Yuri''s permission.
This further convinced him that this library was undoubtedly an important ce.
Strangely, for such an important ce, there were surprisingly few people guarding its entrance.
Riezel, puzzled, examined the library''s door before pushing it open and stepping inside.
At this moment, he failed to notice that as he opened the door, a tiny magic circle appeared for a split second on the door handle.
The magic circle shed briefly¡ªappearing and disappearing so quickly that he didn''t catch the abnormality.
After Riezel entered the library, the library door closed automatically behind him.
Inside, he surveyed the entire library.
It was a very ordinary-looking library.
Not toorge but not small either, filled with numerous books neatly arranged on exquisite bookshelves.
However, strangely, there was no scent of paper in the air.
Approaching one of the bookshelves, Riezel picked up a book. As he held it, he finally understood why people in this mansion were so nervous about the library.
It was because the books here were all unique.
For instance, the book he held in his hands now was titled¡ªIntroduction to Elementary Magic.
Yes.
This was a magic book that taught people how to use magic and provided guidance on how to be a magician.
''Are all the books here some kind of magic book for teaching magic?''
Riezel''s gaze at the library changed instantly.
Was this really a library?
It seemed more like a ce of magic knowledge inheritance!
No, it wasn''t just about magic knowledge.
Riezel discovered that on one shelf, there were books rted not to magic but to swordsmanship.
"Swordsmanship?"
Riezel suddenly became interested.
If the original Riezel''s memory was correct, then swordsmanship in this world was something special.
Chapter 85: Swordsmanship
Chapter 85: Swordsmanship
Life began with magical energy.
This was themon sense of this world.
However, the amount of magical energy one possessed varied¡ªsome had more and some had less. The amount remained constant throughout one''s lifetime and wouldn''t increase, no matter what one did.
Therefore, even though everyone in this world had magical energy, very few could be magicians.
In this world, approximately 90% of people had so little magical energy that they couldn''t even release the simplest form of magic.
Among the remaining 10%, roughly 90% of them would exhaust all their magical energy even if they were to release a single magic.
As a result, there were very few magicians because people with enough magical energy were scarce. This was a matter of fate, and despite any unwillingness, reality remained unchangeable.
So, were those without the ability to use magic destined to live ordinary lives?
Certainly not.In this world, there was a system designed for those who could not be magicians¡ªswordsmanship.
The swordsmanship in this world was not just a technique or skill; it was a method of honing one body.
By practicing swordsmanship, people could stimte the magical energy inside their bodies that could not be used for magic. They channeled all their magical energy into refining their bodies, honing their physical prowess, and thus gaining superhuman power.
Those born with abundant magical energy could be magicians.
Those born with insufficient magical energy could be swordsmen.
These were two different paths that led to extraordinary powers. The former required innate talent, while thetter emphasized effort and circumstances.
This world was a world of swords and magic, with no third power system.
Riezel found the swordsmanship in this world interesting.
After all, he himself was a swordsman.
''Let''s take a look at this world''s swordsmanship.'' Riezel set down the magic book in his hands.
While these magic books might be worth thousands of gold, to be honest, they held little significance for him. His ''Gate'' was damaged, rendering him unable to independently practice this world''s magic. Moreover, he was not inclined to study it.
If he truly needed any magic, he could simply memorize it with ''Almighty'', using the stored memory to unleash the magic through it.
As a result, there was no need for him to rigorously study magic. Knowing the specific effect of the magic was enough; afterward, he could have someone demonstrate the said magic in front of him.
When using magic memorized with ''Almighty'', Riezel would spend his ''Mind'', not the magical energy from the damaged ''Gate''. This meant that even if his ''Gate'' waspromised, it wouldn''t restrict him at all.
As a result, his interest in the magic books in this library was minimal. Instead, he found himself more intrigued by the swordsmanship.
Without dy, he approached another shelf that held books on swordsmanship and picked one up.
The collection wasn''t extensive.
Compared to the magic books, the number of swordsmanship books in this library was overwhelmingly low, around ten to twenty.
Riezel picked up one of them and started reading.
Indeed, the book documented a particr swordsmanship, along with exnations.
¡ªSwordsmanship epasses all techniques that utilize the magical energy within one''s body to temper and enhance physical strength.
¡ªPracticing swordsmanship can rapidly enhance one''s body, enabling even those with limited magical energy to elevate themselves and be extraordinary beings.
¡ªSwordsmanship is mainly divided into three sses.
¡ª1. Elementary Swordsmanship.
¡ª2. Advanced Swordsmanship.
¡ª3. Special Swordsmanship.
¡ªPracticing different types of swordsmanship leads to different growth and oues.
Riezel quickly scanned through the summary and discovered that the swordsmanship system had its own difficulties.
As mentioned in the book, swordsmanship sses existed, with the growth being slower for elementary swordsmanship and faster for advanced swordsmanship.
This was primarily due to the varying levels of magical energy stimtion by the swordsmanship, which affected the efficiency of tempering the body using magical energy.
Elementary swordsmanship had a lower stimtion of magical energy, resulting in slower growth, while advanced swordsmanship had a higher stimtion, leading to faster growth.
Especially when practicing special swordsmanship, ording to the book, the practitioner''s growth speed would be unimaginably fast. Excessive stimtion of magical energy could even cause the practitioner to manifest supernatural phenomena when using sword techniques, giving it traits and effects simr to magic.
For example, someone who practiced special swordsmanship might infuse wind into their shes, creating sts of storm. Another might unleash mes into their shes, resembling the effects of me magic, resulting in explosive improvements in powers.
The book mentioned one such special swordsmanship.
¡ªThe swordsmanship passed down by the royal family of Jinas is a type that can cultivate spiritual power. Once mastered, even without using a sword to attack, one can evoke spiritual power to intimidate enemies, even stunning them."
¡ªOrdinary people facing members of the royal family often feel the invisible pressure of spiritual power before even making physical contact. Even if they don''t lose consciousness immediately, their strength is greatly diminished, and only one out of ten survives.
¡ªSuch special swordsmanship exists in various countries, with only minor differences in quantity.
¡ªRegardless of the type, as long as one practices special swordsmanship, they have the potential to be the strongest swordsman and attain the title of ''Sword Saint'' in due time.
¡ªSword Saint is the highest honor for a swordsman, a title achievable only by those with the ability to vie for the strongest position.
¡ªIf a Strategic-ss Magician is considered the strongest force in wars, then a Sword Saint is the strongest force in one-on-onebat.
¡ªIn other words, those who gain the title of Sword Saint are nearly invincible in duels.
¡ªOnce, in pursuit of the title of Sword Saint, countless swordsmen confronted each other, engaging in intense fights, leading to many historically significant bloody events.
¡ªJust as Strategic-ss Magicians are considered the strongest magicians in the world, Sword Saints are also perceived as the strongest swordsmen.
¡ªWith a multitude of swordsmen in this world vying for the title, thepetition for the strongest is fierce and intense. A small mistake could even result in a disaster.
¡ªOf course, only swordsmen who have practiced special swordsmanship have the qualifications topete for the title of Sword Saint. Ordinary swordsmen are not eligible.
¡ªDue to the unique nature of special swordsmanship, most of these great swordsmanship have been collected by the royal families of major countries or are held by powerful noble families. They rarely end up in the hands of outsiders.
''Is there special swordsmanship here?''
Riezel became more interested as he put down the swordsmanship book in his hands.
The swordsmanship described in this book was advanced swordsmanship, quite valuable for ordinary people, and much better than elementary swordsmanship at least. However,pared to special swordsmanship, it was not considered much.
Riezel had a faint suspicion.
''Yuri asked me toe to this library, maybe so I could look up swordsmanship here.''
His ''Gate'' was already damaged and couldn''t be used for magic anymore, confirming the fact that he couldn''t be a magician again.
Although Yuri mentioned that there were treasures in this world that could repair a damaged ''Gate'' and that there was hope of using magic again if found, she hadn''t found these treasures yet. This implied that such items were extremely rare and not easily found or obtained.
Without finding such treasures, did that mean Riezel would be a useless person for the rest of his life?
Yuri wouldn''t want to see that happen.
Hence, she suggested to him toe here and focus on practicing swordsmanship.
Practicing swordsmanship could independently trigger magical energy. Even if his ''Gate'' was damaged, it wouldn''t pose any hindrance.
Throughout history, many magicians whose ''Gate'' was damaged eventually seeded in transitioning to swordsmen. Extraordinary individuals who changed their path and became Sword Saints often had simr experiences.
Yuri, recognizing this potential, extended the opportunity to Riezel.
Unbeknownst to her, he also harbored the desire to practice swordsmanship from the beginning.
''Even though my Gate is damaged and I don''t rely on it much for magic practice at the moment, this body naturally has plenty of magical energy. It''d be a shame not to make use of it.''
With Riezel''s innate abundance of magical energy, his growth speed after practicing swordsmanship would also be remarkable.
Swordsmanship was initially designed for those with low magical energy, but people with abundant magical energy could still excel in it. While others struggled daily to practice swordsmanship, using their meager magical energy to refine their body, those who possessed abundant magical energy could achieve far more.
Yuri likely thought it would be a waste not to make use of Riezel''s innately abundant magical energy and thus entertained the idea of assisting him in practicing swordsmanship.
If that was the case, perhaps there was a powerful swordsmanship she specifically left for him in this library.
Riezel quickly scanned the bookshelf for swordsmanship books and eventually found the one in a hidden corner.
¡ªHoly Dragon Sword Style.
This was a long-standing special swordsmanship.
Riezel''s eyes brightened as he opened the book.
Upon opening it, he saw an image of a swordsman confronting a great dragon, preparing for dragon ying.
Below the image, there was a caption.
¡ªHoly Dragon Sword Style, a special swordsmanship created by ''Dragon Sword Saint'' Efastin Tussanlo, has been passed down for four hundred years.
¡ªWhen ''Dragon Sword Saint'' mastered the Holy Dragon Sword Style, his body was honed to rival that of a great dragon. He even possessed magic resistance equivalent to a dragon. Even direct hits from tactical-ss magic left no scars on his body.
¡ªThis swordsmanship has an extremely high difficulty and requires huge innate magical energy. Without sufficient magical energy, one cannot sessfully practice it throughout their life.
¡ªFor neers wishing to practice this swordsmanship, it is crucial not to blindly train.
Chapter 86: Disappointment
Chapter 86: Disappointment
At this moment, Riezel was stunned.
He had never expected that the special swordsmanship he had found in this library would be such an extraordinary one¡ªa swordsmanship that could transform one''s body like a dragon.
Practicing swordsmanship and bing a dragon?
What kind of concept was this?
Regardless, his first impression was disbelief, but shortly afterward, excitement crept in.
The fact that the requirements for practicing this swordsmanship aligned with him, needing individuals with abundant magical energy, made him even more intrigued. Ordinary people wouldn''t stand a chance of sessfully practicing it.
''Could it be that Yuri specifically chose this swordsmanship for me?'' Riezel couldn''t help but think so and decided he would ask about thister.
For now, he was eager to see and learn this special swordsmanship. As for the warning about the extremely high difficulty of practice mentioned in the captions, he chose to ignore it.
With the existence of ''Fool''s Obsession'', his growth speed and limits were significantly boosted. If he couldn''t master this swordsmanship, then perhaps no one could.With that mindset, Riezel started reading the ''Holy Dragon Sword Style''.
However, as he read further, his eyebrows began to furrow, and the excitement in his eyes gradually faded.
''No fucking way... This swordsmanship is actually missing the crucial breathing style?'' Riezel thought speechlessly.
Yes, this swordsmanship had a w.
Swordsmanship typically consists of two essentialponents¡ªthe swordsmanship itself and the breathing technique, also known as the breathing style.
All swordsmanship in this world involves practicing sword techniques while employing a specific breathing technique to stimte magical energy within one''s body. This approach enhances magical energy, invigorating the body and gradually enhancing its power, step by step.
In other words, the breathing style in swordsmanship was the key to allowing practitioners to transcend the ordinary.
Without a breathing style, any swordsmanship was just amon sword technique, a set of moves, or skills. While it might have contributed to the body, itcked the stimting effect of magical energy and the refining effect on the body.
Naturally, without a breathing style, even if one practiced special swordsmanship, it was impossible to develop special abilities like releasing me or wind into their sword shes. It might have evencked the said astonishing growth efficiency.
The Holy Dragon Sword Style in Riezel''s hands was missing this crucial breathing style, leaving only sword moves and sword techniques.
Such special swordsmanship, not to mention being stronger than advanced swordsmanship, fell short even whenpared to elementary swordsmanship without the apanying breathing style.
In short, this Holy Dragon Sword Style was nothing more than a disappointment.
''Why is the breathing style that should be the most important missing?'' Riezel pondered. ''Could it be intentionally separated and stored elsewhere?''
If that were true, wouldn''t it mean that Yuri didn''t bring him here to learn this special swordsmanship?
Riezel felt a bit confused.
''Whatever, let''s go ask.''
He decided to not dwell on it; if there were questions, he would just go and ask her directly.
However, Riezel decided to memorize the Holy Dragon Sword Style. With his extraordinary memory, even if he didn''t take the book out of the library, he could recall all the content after spending some time.
''Done.''
About half an hourter, he closed his eyes, recalled the memorized information, confirmed its uracy, put back the book of Holy Dragon Sword Style on the shelf, and left.
===
At this moment, the sky was still early.
After leaving the library, Riezel had initially nned to go directly to find Yuri. However, considering that she was likely entertaining a guest at this moment, he abandoned this n and headed toward the courtyard.
He wanted to practice the Holy Dragon Sword Style in the courtyard for a while, to see if there was anything special about this special swordsmanship thatcked the crucial breathing style.
With nothing else to do and no dungeon to challenge in this world, Riezel could only use this method for training and confirmation, while passing the time.
However, just as he descended the stairs, preparing to go to the first floor, he was intercepted by someone.
"Hello."
A middle-aged man with a beard, dressed like a steward and somewhat resembling a shrewd merchant, stopped Riezel.
"You are...?"
Riezel stopped in his tracks, looking at the man with a merchant-like appearance.
"I am the steward of the Basolo family."
The Basolo family''s steward bowed to Riezel, his face full of smiles, but his tone carried an imperceptible arrogance.
"Basolo family?" Riezel raised his eyebrows.
Wasn''t that the family to which the son, whom Yuri didn''t particrly like, belonged?
"Do you have business with me?" Riezel asked straightforwardly, not disying a hostile attitude but not overly humble either.
"There is indeed a something..."
The steward, seeing Riezel''s calm demeanor, looked a bit disappointed, but still smiled.
"Young Master, since you can freely move around here, your status should be quite high, right?"
"I''m just a guest here, living here temporarily. Nothing to do with status." Riezel answered indifferently. "If you have something to say, say it directly, no need for beating around the bush."
"If that''s the case, then I''ll be direct."
The steward suddenly approached with a smile, handing over a heavy pouch to Riezel.
"Please ept this, Young Master."
Upon seeing the pouch, Riezel''s heart stirred.
Although he hadn''t seen what was inside the heavy pouch he held, judging from the feel, it was likely to be coins, like the currency circting in Orario. He had brought money before, so he could naturally judge from the touch what was inside.
But¡ª
"What does this mean?" Riezel raised the heavy money pouch in his hand, a look of intrigue shining in his eyes as he gazed at the steward.
The steward seemed not to notice and simply touched his own beard, smiling.
"This is just a small deposit; you can do anything with it." The steward said with an apologetic smile. "If you feel it''s not enough, then you can provide a bit of information to me, and I''ll certainly add a little more."
"Information, huh?" Riezel raised an eyebrow. "Such as?"
"For example, some information rted to Marquis Frenzel..."
The steward blinked, disying a look of ''you know what I mean'' on his face.
"It could be anything, from personal hobbies to family secrets. As long as you''re willing to reveal it to our Basolo family, my young master will surely reward you generously."
Upon hearing that, Riezel knew exactly what the steward of the Basolo family''s intention was.
He wanted to gather information about Yuri.
Whether it was personal hobbies or family secrets, he was interested in it all. As for why he was gathering this information, it was not hard to guess that it wasn''t for anything good.
Thinking back to Yuri''s displeasure when she heard someone was visiting, Riezel suddenly understood her a bit.
Undoubtedly, this Basolo family must have done such things quite often.
"Alright..." Riezel smirked, collecting the heavy money pouch in his hand. "Although I don''t know any family secrets, I do know a personal hobby of Yuri¡ªI mean, Marquis Frenzel."
"What is it?" The steward became energetic instantly.
"Marquis Frenzel seems to enjoy drinking unique-vored ck tea." Riezel expressionlessly said. "Such as the very bitter kind... She seems quite fond of it."
"Very bitter ck tea, is it?" The steward was slightly stunned. "Are there people out there who actually enjoy bitter tea?"
"That''s why I called it unique." Riezel chuckled. "If someone can apany Marquis Frenzel for her favorite afternoon tea, her mood will surely be excellent."
"I see..." The steward nodded understandingly and then smiled. "Thank you for the information, Young Master. I''ll look for you next time."
With that, the steward left with enthusiasm, leaving only Riezel behind.
"So, this is the nobility of this kingdom, huh..." Riezel muttered as he watched the steward''s departing figure.
In his tone, there was a mixture of annoyance and sarcasm.
The steward''s demeanor and behavior once again reminded him of some unpleasant experiences from his previous life.
"Tch, whatever, it''s none of my business." Riezel turned and left.
Right now, he just wanted to practice swordsmanship; that way, he could properly dispel the slight frustration building up in his heart.
===
*Swish¡ª*
In the courtyard, next to the pavilion, Riezel wielded a wooden sword, dancing with the sword skillfully.
He started with a downward sh, followed by a quick lift and a diagonal cut. After a swift return, he executed a powerful thrust, causing the air to whistle.
As he swung the sword, not only was his speed surprisingly quick, but there was also a sense of powerful and forceful momentum. Whether shing or thrusting, it felt like an explosive burst of power.
When Riezel finally stopped, he realized that practicing swordsmanship in this manner had left him drenched in sweat after just one session.
''This Holy Dragon Sword Style is no joke...'' Riezelmented inwardly, somewhat amazed. ''Being able to use all muscles with just a few movements and having such a marvelous power application technique, no wonder it''s considered special swordsmanship.''
Examining the effects of training with the Holy Dragon Sword Style, Riezel was surprised at its effectiveness.''This swordsmanship is far superior to Ais''s swordsmanship... If continued, it might yield some amazing results.''
Riezel felt both astonished and regretful.
''Continuing like this, even at my level, could have some benefits, right?''
He marveled at the thought and felt a tinge of disappointment.
''Unfortunately, the most important breathing style is missing; otherwise, this swordsmanship would be incredibly strong.''
Without the breathing style, he still experienced some benefits, but he still wondered whether the absence of the breathing style was intentional or idental.
While practicing, Riezel casually contemted this matter. However, after a while, he noticed a suddenmotion.
"I won''t give up! Miss Yuri!"
A young man dressed as a noble suddenly appeared at the mansion''s gate, shouting toward the inside. Apanying him was the shady-looking steward from before, voicing support.
Riezel paused his movement, observing the noble-dressed young man.
The young man continued yelling and causing a ruckus, soliciting assistance from his escort.
Before long, Yuri emerged from the mansion.
However, her expression didn''t look too pleased.
Chapter 87: Marriage Proposal?
Chapter 87: Marriage Proposal?
Riezel had no idea what Yuri and the young master of the Basolo family had discussed.
The distance was too far, and unless the young master and his subordinates shouted loudly as they did just now, he couldn''t hear any sound.
However, Yuri''splexion didn''t look good.
Riezel could tell that she had said something to the young master with a cold expression that made him particrly excited, continuously eximing phrases like ''No!'' ''It''s impossible!'' and ''I will never give up!''.
That appearance, how to describe it? It was like a devoted dog rejected by his goddess.
In fact, it really seemed like that.
Shaking his head to disperse these useless thoughts, Riezel stopped paying attention to themotion and continued practicing swordsmanship by the pavilion.
Each practice session left him sweating, yet due to the rapid stamina recovery thanks to the ''Healing Power'' development ability, he felt no exhaustion.
It was indeed a peculiar sensation.After practicing like this for about half an hour, the Basolo family''s young master, who resembled a defeated dog, finally ran off with tears and snot, leaving his steward and subordinates hastily chasing after him.
Not long after, the luxurious carriage parked outside the door was driven away, and the neatly arranged knights followed suit, creating quite a stir.
Only then did Riezel put down his sword, wipe the sweat off his forehead, and look at Yuri''s figure.
She remained standing at the mansion''s entrance, her expression unchanged even as the Basolo family''s people departed. She conversed with Marilyn¡ªor rather, issued some instructions, only letting Marilyn leaveter.
Shortly afterward, Yuri finally made eye contact with Riezel.
It was only at this moment that her expression eased a bit, with a lingering sense of helplessness in her eyes as she walked toward him.
"You''ve been here the whole time?" Yuri asked with a casual tone as she sat down in the pavilion, observing Riezel, who was drenched in sweat and holding a wooden sword.
"Yeah..." Riezel shrugged, cing the wooden sword borrowed from the bodyguard aside. "Your suitor or something?"
He was, of course, referring to the son and the so-called young master of the Basolo family.
"I guess so..." Yuri expressed indifference, her tone in. "A troublesome one."
"Hmm..." Riezel smirked, tossing a money pouch onto the table. "I find him pretty straightforward, y''know? Managed to bribe his way to me. I''m guessing people in this mansion must''ve been bothered quite a bit by his people."
At his words, Yuri remained silent, only staring at the money pouch on the table with an expression of annoyance.
Without a doubt, such incidents were not urring for the first time.
After a long while, she suddenly spoke.
"I have to return home..."
Yuri''s words initially surprised Riezel, but he quickly understood.
"To the Frenzel territory?"
As a marquis of Jinas, the Frenzel family naturally possessed territory. Located to the north of Jinas, the climate was cold, not with constant snowfall but characterized by a perpetual winter, making it unsuitable for arge poption.
Considering Yuri''s status and position, she could have requested a central territory from the kingdom, but she didn''t. Despite the Frenzel family''s decline, they still held onto their ownnd.
After being granted a marquis title, Yuri reimed her family''s ancestral territory and didn''t seek additionalnd. This led to the Frenzel family''s holdings being in remote areas within Jinas.
The main residence of the Frenzel family was within that territory, while the current mansion in the royal capital served as their secondary one.
In other words, Riezel was currently in the Frenzel family''s secondary residence in Jinas''s royal capital.
Due to her role as the chief court magician, Yuri often had to leave her territory to handle work in the royal capital, hence her ownership of a mansion here. Now, she seemed prepared to leave the royal capital and return to her territory.
Riezel couldn''t believe that this had nothing to do with that young master of the Basolo family.
"What''s going on, really?" Riezel finally asked the crucial question.
Yuri seemed reluctant to speak, but seeing his direct and sincere gaze, she fell silent for a while before sighing.
"The Basolo family has proposed a marriage alliance to my family..." Yuri said in a grim mood. "It seems my family has agreed."
Upon hearing this, Riezel''s expression became peculiar.
"What? Your family agreed to a marriage proposed by someone else?" Riezel questioned in a surprised tone. "Can they even decide such things for you?"
One couldn''t me him for saying so.
If Yuri were just a mere wealthy daughter from a noble family, it wouldn''t be unusual for her family to arrange a marriage. Noble families were often involved in such alliances.
However, the peculiarity arose from the fact that it concerned Yuri.
The reason was simple.
In the Frenzel family, Yuri was the head of the family.
Because she took over the Frenzel family, bing a Strategic-ss Magician, the kingdom regarded her as a treasure, and it was because of her that the family had its current standing.
Therefore, she was the sky of the Frenzel family, the true ruler and a decisive master.
In the Frenzel family, who had the authority to decide her marriage?
Perhaps even the King of Jinas himself, when considering arranging a marriage, had to take into ount Yuri''s mood. Otherwise, if this Strategic-ss Magician became discontent, it would be a disastrous situation for the kingdom.
In such a situation, who could decide to marry her off?
Riezel''s evaluation of her as ''one of the most impressive characters in this world'' was not just a casual remark.
It was understandable that he seemed to be getting a bit confused.
"My father agreed to this without my consent."
With just one sentence, Yuri revealed to him how helpless she was.
However, after saying that, she noticed that hisplexion had also be somewhat unpleasant.
"What''s wrong?" Yuri asked doubtfully.
"...It''s nothing."
Naturally, Riezel wouldn''t tell her that her words reminded him of his grandfather''s unteral decision in his previous life, forcing him to marry the overweight daughter of a nouveau riche family.
"So, you''re going back to oppose this marriage?" Riezel asked as he understood why she suddenly decided to go back.
To his question, she has only one response.
"Without my consent, this so-called marriage won''t stand."
Yuri''s indifferent words were entirely different from her usual demeanor in front of Riezel.
In front of him, she appeared as a girl whocked friends, enjoyed chatting with friends, and found happiness even in small things. But at this moment, she was a strong and cold head of a major noble family.
This was the true nature of the girl, a facade she usually disyed in front of others.
"Then I wish you a safe journey." Riezel could only say a farewell.
However¡ª
"What are you talking about?" Yuri said somewhat oddly. "Aren''t youing with me too?"
"Huh? Me? Why?" Riezel was taken aback, pointing at himself.
"Of course..." Yuri chuckled as she looked at his surprised expression, her mood finally improving. "Are you nning to stay here and wait to be attacked by that so-called Heretic Assassin?"
"Doesn''t this ce have a magic defense system?" Riezel was genuinely puzzled. "It should be safe for me to stay here, right?"
"That''s when I''m here..." Yuri exined. "The magic defense system in this residence is set up to protect me and operates fully only when I''m present. Once I leave, the defense system automatically shuts down most of its functions to conserve energy. It''s a magic program set by the kingdom''s court magicians when they arranged the defense system in this residence. Even I can''t control it."
With that exnation, she found it necessary to take him along for his safety.
"You must be kidding, right?" Riezel was speechless.
"Nope, I''m serious." Yuri said, quite amused. "You don''t want toe home with me?"
"Heh..." Riezelughed lightly and rolled his eyes, which was rare.
Was this a question of willingness? No, it was a matter of reason!
"In what way and reason should I go home with you? As a homeless guy you brought in from outside or something?" Riezel said with a raised eyebrow.
"Pfttt..."
His words made Yuri''s burst intoughter.
But that was not wrong.
Being brought home by a woman of simr age, neither rtive nor friend, would easily lead to misunderstandings.
In the medieval era, especially, bringing in someone unclear from the outside could be a matter of great seriousness, almost as severe as being mistaken for a criminal.
"Okay..." Yuri thought for a moment. "I''ll tell people at home that I invited you home as a guest in the name of a friend from the academy."
"Friend from the academy?" Riezel was stunned.
"You do know, right?" Yuri smiled and said, "I used to be a student at Spriller Academy. Although we''re the same age, I graduated early. Strictly speaking, I can be considered your senior, no?"
At her words, Riezel was at a loss.
Spriller Academy was regarded as the most prestigious national magic school on the continent. There were four such magic schools in total on the Akasha continent, each established by one of the four major countries and located within their respective capitals.
Spriller Academy, founded by Jinas, stood as the most prestigious magic school, and it was the very ce attended by the original Riezel.
Yuri, on the other hand, had already graduated early, making her his senior.
"Alright,e home with me, Junior~" Yuri said with a teasing smile. "I''ll take good care of you~"
Hearing her teasing, Riezel''s eye corner twitched, and he didn''t feel like talking anymore.
Chapter 88: Bodyguards
Chapter 88: Bodyguards
After discussing the matter of returning home with Riezel, Yuri finally left.
Though she mentioned wanting to go home, given her status, returning to her territory involved many arrangements in the royal capital that needed to be taken care of first. Otherwise, even if she wanted to leave, it wouldn''t be possible.
At the very least, she needed to visit the royal pce and report the matter. Otherwise, as a chief court magician and a Strategic-ss Magician, leaving the royal capital without authorization might cause unnecessary trouble.
This made Riezel understand a bit more why she sarcastically referred to herself as a tool of war. She indeed gained status, privileges, fame, and poprity, but at the same time, she lost her freedom.
''Nobility, huh...''
Riezel sighed softly in the pavilion, and shortly afterward, he suddenly remembered something.
''Crap, I forgot to ask about the Holy Dragon Sword Style...''
It seemed that this matter would have to be temporarily set aside.
Yuri''s current mood was not particrly pleasant, and Riezel was not eager to trouble his benefactor for his own concerns.''Never mind, I''ll ask next time.''
He was not in a hurry, so decided to resume his practice.
He picked up a wooden sword ced beside him and began swinging it again.
First, he would master the swordsmanship in the Holy Dragon Sword Style. That would never be a wrong choice.
Even if the crucial breathing style was missing, mastering the swordsmanship would still increase his strength. If heter had the opportunity to obtain the breathing style, he could seamlessly integrate it, skipping the familiarization process entirely.
This was a genuine practice of special swordsmanship that could transform one''s body akin to a dragon.
As a result, Riezel practiced the swordsmanship over and over again until it was nearly dark.
===
The next day, he experienced what it meant to have sore muscles.
''Practicing the Holy Dragon Sword Style actually made my muscles sore?''
Riezel wasn''t frustrated; instead, he felt happy.
If it could make his muscles sore, it meant that this swordsmanship indeed affected him.
This motivated him to decide that starting from today, he would practice the Holy Dragon Sword Style every day.
''Without the dungeon, there''s no way to grow through defeating monsters. I can only persist in training like this.''
Self-training also served as a means to enhance status.
Falna acted as both an elerator and a stimulus for the growth of abilities. With regr use of a particr ability, one could gain experience and results. When updating the status, excelia could be extracted from this factor to enhance it.
Persisting in daily training like this would allow his status to grow even without defeating monsters or enemies.
''If there''s a way to acquire the Holy Dragon Sword Skill''s breathing style and practice this special swordsmanship, even if not hunting monsters, my status could rapidly grow, and there might even be a chance to level up.''
After all, transforming oneself into a dragon through swordsmanship could be considered a great exploit, right?
Of course, it was hard to say.
In the world of Danmachi, Riezel had never heard of anyone achieving an exploit through self-training and leveling up as a result. The original work also never mentioned anyone leveling up by means other than defeating powerful monsters or undertaking formidable adventures.
But in a situation without the dungeon and monsters to hunt, Riezel could only persist in training this way.
This kind of training continued for a full three days.
During these three days, aside from eating, drinking, bathing, sleeping, and taking care of personal needs, Riezel spent most of the time practicing swordsmanship in the courtyard pavilion.
Many people in the mansion noticed this scene, and through word of mouth, for some reason, news of him switching to swordsmanship spread.
With Yuri intentionally spreading the news, many people already knew that Riezel''s ''Gate'' was damaged and could no longer use magic, rendering him unable to be a magician in the future.
Considering this, his shift to swordsmanship did not seem too abrupt.
Moreover, as time passed, people began to treat it as a scenic view of the Frenzel residence. Many servants and even bodyguards secretly watched Riezel practice swordsmanship, gossiping about it and creating quite a bit of discussion.
However, with the spread of this news, some troublesome individuals, in the end, still came knocking at the door.
===
On this day, after finishing his usual swordsmanship practice, Riezel was just about to go back for a good bath when he was informed of something by the servant.
"Someone is looking for me?"
Upon hearing the servant''s words, Riezel was quite surprised.
"Yes." The servant stood in ce meticulously, speaking respectfully to him. "The visitor ims to be a servant of your friend, stating that they have a letter they would like to deliver to you."
With that, the servant handed a letter to him.
Taking it, Riezel furrowed his brows slightly, but still opened the letter and began reading its contents.
After a while, his tightly furrowed brows remained unchanged.
This letter was indeed from his so-called ''friend'', more urately, it should be said to be from the friend of the original Riezel.
He was well-regarded by many due to his naturally abundant magical energy, which attracted the attention of numerous noble children to his side.
And this letter was sent precisely by one of these noble children.
His name was Archie Rhein, the second son of the Rhein family, a count family in Jinas.
Among the group of noble children gathered around the original Riezel, most were from viscount and baron families, with only two being from the count family. These two, being of major noble status, held higher positions and identities than the rest, thus leading the group.
Archie Rhein was one of these leaders, and he was particrly fond of taking charge.
Initially, when the original Riezel first entered Spriller Academy and gained some reputation, Archie approached him, showing concern and care, and soon after, brought him into this small group of noble children.
Whenever the original Riezel went out fooling around, it was Archie who took the lead, almost always the one to invite him.
In other words, the decline and loss of motivation of the original Riezel could be attributed to Archie, ounting for at least half of the reasons.
Archie was the typical ''bad influence''.
If parents knew about him, they would certainly advise their children with solemn warnings not to be friends with such a bad influence.
Now, somehow, he got wind of Riezel''s rtionship with the Frenzel family and sent him a letter through his servant.
While the letter contained a lot of irrelevant pleasantries and greetings, the main purpose seemed to be just one.
That was, he wanted Riezel to hang out and meet with everyone.
The so-called ''everyone'' undoubtedly referred to those noble children who used to fool around with the original Riezel.
"So be it..."
After recalling memories of those noble children, Riezel let go of the letter in his hand.
"Let''s go meet them."
With a calm tone, he let the letter fall, blown away by the wind. Only then did he turn and leave, returning to the mansion.
===
Frenzel Mansion, Top-Floor Office.
"You want to go out?"
Yuri, who was busy with some paperwork and sat at her desk was surprised to hear Riezel''s request.
"Yeah..." Riezel nodded. "An old friend invited me out for a meeting."
"Is that okay?" Yuri expressed hesitancy. "Don''t forget, you''re likely still being watched by the Heretic Assassin."
"But as I said before, I can''t hide forever. I have to move on." Riezel smiled slightly. "Regardless, I can''t just stand still and need to do something, no?"
Although he epted her proposition and temporarily stayed on her side, it didn''t mean he wanted to rely solely on her protection. He also wanted to turn from being passive to taking the initiative, wanting to know how strong the enemies he faced really were.
Facing a terrorist organization at the national level, he might indeed be in over his head. But avoiding them for the rest of his life was not his intent.
This was also an opportunity for him.
He wanted to go out, explore, and test the reactions of various parties. Whether it was the original Riezel''s acquaintances or the assassin who attacked him, without probing and understanding, how could he n for the future?
If he were to be attacked again, Riezel could use it as a chance to verify his power in this world. Now that he had reached Level 5, he wanted to see where he stood.
Yuri was unaware of his train of thought, but she could somewhat guess that he wanted to test the reactions of those who were secretly observing him. She didn''t know his current power, and her perspective naturally leaned toward considering it dangerous.
However, Riezel''s approach couldn''t be entirely dismissed. Going out like this could at least test whether the Heretic Assassin had abandoned pursuit due to the news of damage to his ''Gate''.
After pondering, Yuri had an idea.
"How about this..." Yuri stared at his eyes. "I''ll assign two bodyguards to you. How does that sound?"
"Bodyguards?" Riezel frowned.
"You can''t go out alone, can you?" Yuri replied irritably. "What if you run into danger? Without someone to protect you, do you think you can survive?"
''I believe I can.'' Riezel replied inwardly and couldn''t voice it aloud.
He hadn''t figured out how to exin to her that he was different now, no longer defenseless and powerless. Therefore, even though he understood her stance and reason, he was still quite conflicted.
On the other hand, Yuri was extremely decisive at this moment.
"That''s decided then." Yuri turned to Marilyn. "Marilyn, bring Ain and Ian over."
Marilyn nodded and quickly left the office. It didn''t take long for her to return, bringing two people with her.
They were two knights.
Moreover, they were two beautiful female knights with striking and ssy appearances.
"Let me introduce them."
Yuri smiled slightly, introducing the two female knights.
"These two are my attendants, Ain and Ian, bound by a contract with me."
Chapter 89: First Friend
Chapter 89: First Friend
Contract.
It was a power that only magicians could wield.
Because magicians often required chants and time to prepare when casting magic, contracts were born out of necessity.
Initially, the purpose of contracts was to allow magicians to enlist bodyguards under certain conditions, ensuring protection during the preparation of magic and defending against enemies.
However, as time passed and history unfolded, contracts evolved into various forms, used in different aspects of life such as restraints, agreements, or even envement of others.
Rules established through contracts had to be executed once activated, or else they triggered a punishment mechanism.
For instance, ves deprived of their human rights were usually bound by a very contract facilitated by a magician. Once the contract was sessful, the ve had to unquestionably obey the master''smands or face consequences ranging from torture to loss of life.
The original Riezel''s grandfather was a ve to a rural merchant, obedient to his master''s everymand. Upon discovering the original Riezel''s innate and powerful magical energy, the grandfather didn''t hesitate to offer his own grandchild to his master.
Fortunately, the original Riezel managed to escape. Otherwise, the ignorant rural merchant would have exploited his talents, potentially subjecting him to a very contract, a lifetime of envement.Inparison to the rights-depriving very contract, the attendant contract was much more fair.
When a magician needed a bodyguard for protection, they often proposed the establishment of an attendant contract.
Unlike the domineering and rights-ignoring nature of the very contract, the attendant contract emphasized equality. The magician proposing the contract had to agree to fulfill the wish of the prospective attendant for the contract to be in effect.
Under this contract, the magician had to wholeheartedly strive to fulfill the attendant''s wish; otherwise, the contract became void. On the other hand, if the magician sessfully fulfilled the attendant''s wish, the contract became effective, and the attendant had to protect their master with all their might, or face the consequences outlined in the contract.
Hence, the attendant contract was the mostmonly used means for magicians to enlist bodyguards.
Many influential magicians, especially nobles whocked neither wealth nor status, often possessed the ability to fulfill numerous wishes, attracting a multitude of attendants to ensure their safety.
As a marquis, a chief court magician, and a Strategic-ss Magician, Yuri naturallymands numerous attendants, each possessing considerable power.
Marilyn was Yuri''s first attendant, having served her for a long time and earning her trust. The two female knights brought by Marilyn were also attendants who had formed contracts with Yuri.
Riezel nced at the two neers for a moment.
Whether it was Ain or Ian, both seemed to be in their early twenties and considered to be in the prime of their youth.
Among them, Ain appeared slightly older, with a mature appearance and sharp, resolute eyes. She sported a side ponytail of purple hair cascading over her shoulders, and at her waist hung a longsword, giving off a reliable aura.
Ian looked younger than Ain but older than Riezel, Yuri, and Marilyn. Although not as mature as Ain, her figure was graceful. Wearing a serious expression, her deep blue hair was braided into a twist hanging in front, giving off an equally reliable vibe.
The two wielded different weapons.
Ain wielded a longsword resembling a greatsword but not asrge, while Ian brandished a slender sword resembling a rapier¡ªboth ssy and appealing. At first nce, they exuded a sense of reliability.
""My Lady.""
The two female knights, wearing less armor, bow their heads respectfully to Yuri, showing great respect.
"Ain, Ian." Yuri nods to the two attendants. "I have a task for you."
The two female knights step forward simultaneously.
"Pleasemand." Ain lowers her head, awaiting orders.
"As long as my Lady wishes." Ian speaks earnestly.
"Do you recognize this person?" Yuri points at Riezel. "I need you to protect him outside and safely bring him back."
Upon hearing this, Ain and Ian both turned their gaze to Riezel.
Riezel nodded in response.
The two female knights exchanged nces and then turned their attention back to Yuri.
""Yes!""
Without asking for reasons or expressing objections, the two women readily ept the task.
Yuri looked back at Riezel.
"Ain and Ian became my attendants a long time ago. Their strength is outstanding, ranking among the top five of all my attendants. With them protecting you, your journey should be much safer."
"Alright, I will bring them along." Riezel could only ept her arrangement.
"That''s good." Yuri first smiled, then became serious. "Be careful with everything. If you encounter any difficult dangers, immediately retreat, and don''t act recklessly. Understand?"
Her advice may sound a bit excessive but conveyed a clear sense of concern.
"Don''t worry." Riezel lightly smiled. "I know my limits."
After saying that, he left Yuri''s office.
"Go." Yuri urged Ain and Ian with a nod, and the two of them bowed their heads before following Riezel.
Once the footsteps of the three gradually faded away, Marilyn finally spoke up.
"Is this really okay, my Lady?" Marilyn asked in a low voice.
"With Ain and Ian on his side, his safety should be guaranteed." Yuri didn''t look at Marilyn, still gazing in the direction of the door. "He''s right... We can''t keep him locked up here forever."
"He''s truly a fearless man..." Marilyn''s tone sounded very impolite; it could even be said she spoke harshly. "I heard he used to be ignorant and ipetent, spending his time in drinking and pleasure, a country boy who was easily swayed by a group of young nobles. But looking at his current actions, it''s hard to imagine he was someone like that before."
"At first, I was also surprised, you know..." Yuri smirked. "I thought he was feigning calm, deliberately putting on an act or something... Now it seems that might be his true character..."
Yuri couldn''t help but recall the scene when she first met Riezel.
Back then, he was already lying in a pool of blood, barely alive. When she arrived and scared off the attackers, she saw a strong sense of vignce and hostility in his eyes.
Thinking about that look in his eyes, Yuri had to admit that the initial reason their rtionship had developed to its current state was because of that particr moment.
In those eyes, she seemed to see a wild beast imprisoned, a fierce tiger robbed of its freedom, venting anger to everything around it.
It was at that moment that she felt a connection.
As a result, she brought him back.
As a result, she became interested in him, personally checking on his condition and gradually considering him an important friend.
"Friend, huh...?" Yuri mumbled, and a hint of coldness flickered in her eyes. "He''s my first friend... I can''t let the rats in the gutter harm him..."
===
At the same time, outside the gate of the mansion.
"Thank you." Riezel looked at Ain and Ian, who walked behind him and expressed his gratitude to them.
"No need." Ain said calmly without changing her expression. "This is thedy''s order, and we are just following her order."
"Yes." Ian also spoke with a rigid tone. "As long as it''s thedy''smand, we will do our best to fulfill it, no matter what it is."
"Even so, I still want to thank you..." Riezel said calmly. "This time going out, there may be some dangersing our way. If we really encounter something unexpected, you don''t need to worry about me."
Leaving those words behind, he did not give the two female knights a chance to respond and turned away.
"What does he mean?" Ian frowned.
"..." Ain remained silent, only watching his back with a meaningful gaze.
Though they each had their own thoughts, they didn''t hesitate to follow in his footsteps. Even though they didn''t understand the meaning behind his words, what they had to do would not change.
===
Jinas''s royal capital was a grand city called ''Yeluvia''.
The city was bustling, with most buildings resemblingrge chalk-white buildings. At first nce, it appeared majestic, giving one a sense of entering a medieval magical kingdom.
The residents of Yeluvia were predominantly wealthy, giving the city a more morous appearancepared to other urban areas.
Being the capital of the kingdom, anyone residing here had to possess some capital of their own.
Naturally, the city overflowed with various nobles.
Due to the location of the royal pce, nobles frequently came and went. Some served the king as court nobles within the pce, while others owned territories outside the city.
Even honorary and local nobles could be found here, creating a diverse mix of people.
In this location, Riezel, who had left the Frenzel residence, found himself in a za of Yeluvia.
In front of a fountain in the za, a group of noble children had gathered.
"Riezel! Over here!"
Someone called out to Riezel.
Riezel, busy observing the surroundings, immediately lifted his gaze and looked in the direction of the voice.
He spotted the group of noble children from his memories. They were dressed in a refined manner, with carriages parked nearby and bodyguards standing by.
He had to admit, the grandeur of their meeting was quite impressive.
The one who called out to him was the leader of the group, Archie Rhein, who keenly noticed him and waved his hand.
Chapter 90: Noble Children
Chapter 90: Noble Children
Archie Rhein was a young man with a striking appearance. Even among a group of noble children dressed in dazzling attire, he managed to draw attention, bing the center of discussions.
At this moment, several females surrounded him, seemingly vying for the opportunity to converse with him. Envy and jealousy cast from nearby malepanions.
Riezel''s arrival initially went unnoticed by the group. However, the most popr figure, Archie, was the first to notice him and warmly weed him.
"My buddy, it''s really good to see you again!"
Leaving the group, Archie strode toward Riezel, arms open as if to embrace him. However, before Riezel could react, two people stepped forward, namely Ain and Ian.
The two female knights, who were silently following Riezel from behind, positioned themselves between Riezel and Archie, blocking his approach.
"Hmm?"
Archie halted, staring at the two female knights in surprise. Others followed suit, and soon a murmur arose.
"Who are these two female knights?""They look so beautiful..."
The outstanding looks of Ain and Ian caught the attention of the nobles, with many admiring their beauty.
Ain and Ian, however, remained indifferent, focused on protecting Riezel. Their actions were unmistakably aimed at safeguarding him from unfamiliar and suspicious characters.
As attendants, preventing unknown and potentially threatening figures from approaching their master was a mandatory skill. Since Yuri had entrusted them with Riezel''s protection, they acted with themitment expected of those safeguarding their master.
Observing this scene, Riezel finally spoke up.
"It''s okay, you two can step back."
Upon hearing his words, Ain and Ian silently retreated a step, returning to their positions behind him. Yet, their vignt expressions persisted, eyes fixed on anyone approaching him, ready to intervene at a moment''s notice.
What was initially a lively atmosphere became somewhat awkward and tense due to Ain and Ian''s unexpected actions. Bodyguards from all around subtly moved closer, especially Archie''s bodyguard, hand on the hilt of their sword.
Fortunately, at this tense moment, Riezel broke the silence.
"I hope I wasn''t toote?"
Stepping forward, Riezel spoke to Archie with a casual tone.
"Of course not." Archie, finally grasping the situation, nced briefly at Ain and Ian before returning his warm smile to Riezel. "We were delighted that you coulde. It had been a month since west saw you, y''know."
Just as he finished speaking, however, another voice chimed in.
"Looks like you''re doing well, Riezel."
The speaker was a man with slightly dark skin and a robust body.
Not as handsome as Archie, he exuded an athletic vibe, the type that seemed to enjoy running under the sun¡ªa rugged and appealing man, likely to attract those who appreciate strong, muscr men.
Approaching much like Archie, he nced over Riezel from head to toe before breaking into a smile.
"Your condition is better than I imagined. I thought you might be too scared to leave the house by now."
Seemingly teasing but carrying a hint of underlying sarcasm, Riezel turned his gaze toward this robust man. Drawing from the memories of the original Riezel, he easily identified this man.
Senna Lahm, the third son of the Viscount Lahm Family, a year older than Riezel and a somewhat awkward acquaintance. Although the original Riezel might not have sensed any subtle animosity, Riezel, from the man''s sly smiles, deduced that this man harbored some dislike for him.
Undoubtedly, this had to do with the Lahm family being a vassal to the Rhein family, which exined Senna''s submissive attitude toward Archie. In essence, he was Archie''s servant and likely developed a bit of resentment due to Archie''s continuous friendly attitude toward Riezel.
As Riezel was lost in thought, others took this opportunity to step forward.
In total, six people approached.
Among them, four were male, and two were female.
The four males had distinctive looks¡ªone tall, one short, one fat, and one skinny, forming a peculiarbination of tallness, shortness, fatness, and skinniness. Walking together, they created an irresistiblyical sight.
Some were children of a viscount family, and some were from a baron family. As they approached, they immediately gathered around Senna, giving off an aura of reverence toward Archie.
As for the two females, one was a girl with striking red hair that immediately caught Riezel''s eye, while the other was a young girl with a curious expression, ncing around in all directions. The two formed a vivid contrast, prompting him to take a closer look.
These four males and two females, along with Archie and Senna, totaled eight people¡ªthe noble children who had been mingling with the original Riezel.
Seeing everyone gathered, Riezel''s eyes subtly flickered, hinting at thoughts unknown, though his face remained calm.
"Apologies for the wait. I didn''t expect you all to arrive so early." Riezel said with a calm tone.
Upon hearing that, Archie was the first to smile.
"Hey buddy, we were just dying to know how you''re doing," Archie said, arms open but holding back from a hug this time. "Heard you got attacked and took some serious injuries? Man, we were freaking out, you know. Hope you''re alright."
"Yeah..." Senna maintained his mysterious half-smile. "If we had known you''de out unscathed and even formed a rtionship with the Frenzel family, we wouldn''t have worried at all."
His words caused the gazes of the noble children present to subtly flicker. The red-haired girl and the curious-looking girl even cast a nce at Ain and Ian standing behind Riezel, their thoughts unclear.
In contrast, Riezel paid no attention to Archie''s words or Senna''s theatrics. He merely nced meaningfully at Archie before speaking up.
"This time, I really hit a jackpot."
Encountering Yuri, such a kind and life-saving benefactor, Riezel did feel that his luck was not bad at all. Of course, to those present, his words carried a different meaning. In their ears, his remark likely referred to his rtionship with the Frenzel family.
Being acquainted with the famous, talented, and beautiful youngdy of the Frenzel family, who was a Strategic-ss Magician and national treasure at such a young age, was bound to make countless noble children jealous.
This youngdy, simr in age to Riezel, was already the head of the family. One must know that the Frenzel family was a marquis family, second only to a duke. Many, including the fathers of these noble children present, would be eager to establish connections with this youngdy, known for both beauty and strength.
Yet, this exceptional and talented youngdy chose to take in Riezel.
As that fact crossed the minds of some noble children present, their hearts filled with jealousy, except for Archie, who still showed genuine warmth toward Riezel.
"Anyway, as long as you''re okay." Archie patted Riezel''s shoulder. "Today, it''s on me. Let''s celebrate your smooth recovery."
"Celebrate?" Riezel paused for a moment, then said with a hint of strangeness in his voice. "Where are we celebrating?"
"Do I even need to say?" Senna took over the topic, revealing a smile understood only by men. "Of course, we''re going to a ce that will make everyone happy!"
His words brought forth meaningful smiles from the four tall, short, fat, and skinny youths.
Seeing this, Riezel knew exactly what these guys were up to.
Even Marilyn knew that Riezel used to spend time with these guys, indulging in drinking and pleasure. With the memories of the original Riezel, he was well aware of their nature.
"Forget it." Riezel immediately shook his head. "If that''s the case, you guys go ahead. I''m not going."
"Why?" Senna asked with a surprised face. "Aren''t you the best at this kind of thing?"
To be honest, hearing someone evaluate him like that left Riezel genuinely somewhat stupefied.
"You guys better not involve me. I don''t want to be kicked out." Riezel said tly.
With that answer, everyone fell silent and quickly understood.
"You''re right..." Archie smiled wryly. "If I were you, I wouldn''t dare to mess around either."
"Meh... It''s different when you need to climb up to a thigh of big shots, huh..." Senna remarked sourly.
At this point, the red-haired girl, who had been silent all this time, finally spoke up.
"Hmph, it''s because your thoughts are too gross." The red-haired girl snorted coldly, wearing a disdainful expression. "Do you forget we girls are here too? You really want to drag us along to that ce?"
The curious-looking girl who had been observing everything joined the red-haired girl in casting a disdainful nce at the male group.
"Hey hey hey, don''t take it seriously, okay?" Archie''s wry smile deepened. "How could we really go? It''s just a casual joke, okay!"
""That''s right!""
Senna and the four tall, short, fat, and skinny youths immediately nodded repeatedly in agreement.
"Alright, let''s head to the market then. I heard there''s a bunch of new stufftely. It''s been a while since I went. Let''s go and check it out." Archie suggested.
"That sounds about right."
The red-haired girl finally expressed satisfaction.
Chapter 91: Royal Market
Chapter 91: Royal Market
Archie''s mention of the market wasn''t about the ordinary day-to-day market where one could buy groceries, meat, and various daily necessities¡ªthe kind of market anyone could stroll into.
In Yeluvia, such ces did exist, but what he referred to was a ce essible only to nobles and wealthy merchants.
Its purpose was not significantly different from a regr market, but the items sold were entirely different.
In that exclusive market, various magic items, magic weapons, magic books, swordsmanship books, and even ves were on sale.
During their leisure time, many nobles and wealthy merchants enjoyed browsing this market, looking for valuable purchases. Some idle noble children also liked to pass their time at this ce. Especially females, who naturally enjoyed shopping, were particrly fond of such ces.
Hence, the two noble girls found Archie''s suggestion satisfactory, while the other noble boys raised no objections.
Of course, Riezel knew that this was also a result of everyone present giving face to the red-haired girl.
As mentioned earlier, in this small group, everyone else was from minor noble families, such as viscounts and barons. Only two people were from the count families, which were the major nobles.
Archie Rhein was one of them, and the other was precisely the red-haired girl, Carrera Elliott.Like the Rhein family, the Elliott family was also a count family. Carrera was the eldest daughter of this family, neen years old, the same age as Archie, making her one of the older members of this small group.
Though Archie held a leading position in the group that was almost unshakable, he couldn''t ignore Carrera''s opinion. When she was present, he often entertained her, going to ces she liked.
Honestly, Riezel was a bit puzzled about why a rich youngdy would join this group and spend her days seeking thrills like a delinquent.
Especially Carrera¡ªording to the original Riezel''s memories, she seemed to have joined this small group voluntarily, unlike the others who were either brought in by Archie or intentionally joined for connections with the Rhein family.
There was also a somewhat immature and curious-looking girl who joined the group with Carrera. Her name was Sylvanie Roxy, fifteen years old, undoubtedly the youngest within the group. She followed Carrera like her shadow, believing that without Carrera, she wouldn''t have joined this group on her own.
Carrera''s motives were known to none except Archie, who had some understanding. The original Riezel was equally clueless, never even contemting the issue at all. However, the original Riezel was initially willing to join this small group not only due to Archie''s influence but also Carrera''s influence.
If one were to ask why?
"Does this world''s Riezel actually like Carrera?"
In a luxurious carriage, as Riezel muttered and recalled various aspects of the group''s dynamics, he suddenly discovered something somewhat shocking.
"What?" Ian overheard his inadvertently mutter words, unable to hear clearly, and thus showed a bit of curiosity.
Ain, on the side, also cast a nce in his direction.
"It''s nothing, don''t mind it."
Riezel remembered that Ain and Ian were both in the carriage, protecting him nearby. As a result, he shook his head and brushed it off.
Though Ian furrowed her brows, slightly dissatisfied with his dismissive attitude, she didn''t mind adding a few more words since she had already spoken.
"Forgive my frankness, Mr. Riezel..." Ian stared seriously at him. "But this second son of the Rhein family seems a bit untrustworthy. I don''t rmend getting too close to him."
"Oh? On what basis?" Riezel''s attention shifted as Ian spoke, immediately turning to her.
"In his eyes, there''s harbored ambition."
It was Ain who answered him, not Ian, but this answer made him smirk.
"Ambition, huh? That''s one way to put it..." Riezel muttered to himself.
If it weren''t for ambition, why would a son of a count family pull in a countryside boy like Riezel into his group full of noble children?
The groupprised nine individuals, eight of whom were nobles, leaving Riezel as the solemoner¡ªsignifying something suspicious.
It meant that before Riezel joined, Archie and the rest weren''t willing to ept anymoners into their group.
If that was the case, why was Riezel an exception?
Because he had value to exploit.
Someone with the potential to be a Tactical-ss Magician and even a Strategic-ss Magician was someone anyone would want to recruit.
Yet, as Riezel recalled, he discovered an interesting fact.
Apart from Archie, no one in the entire Spriller Academy had shown closeness or goodwill toward the original Riezel. This was not normal, and he refused to believe that no one had ulterior motives if they knew his potential.
''Those people... most likely stopped by Archie, right?''
Archie seemed intent on keeping the potential of Riezel under wraps.
With a group of children from other noble families gathering around Archie, it seemed to Riezel that Archie was tirelessly recruiting these noble children to build his own circle of influence.
Why was Senna subtly at odds with Riezel? Simply because he thought Archie valued Riezel more than him, recognizing Riezel''s future potential, and felt jealous as a result?
Carrera joining this group with Sylvanie was probably a result of Archie''s careful maniption too. Otherwise, he wouldn''t be so friendly toward her, clearly intending to build a good rtionship.
Everything was carefully nned.
''Does that guy really think I''d believe his nonsense, thinking he''s been worried about me?'' Riezel chuckled inwardly.
If Archie was truly concerned about him, why was thereplete silence from Archie when he was recuperating? Yuri had sent someone to Spriller Academy to request leave on his behalf so Archie should''ve known his condition.
If Archie were genuinely worried, Yuri''s representative would have brought back some information, such as Archie searching for him or something simr.
Unfortunately, there was nothing.
Furthermore, since his ''Gate'' was damaged and he could no longer continue as a magician, Yuri discreetly leaked this information long before he recovered from his injuries, hoping to evade further assassination attempts.
With all these reasons, Archie should have known about his poor condition long ago but chose to remain silent¡ªor perhaps he didn''t even care in the first ce.
Riezel found this intriguing.
He understood that Archie indeed knew about his condition and precisely because of that, Archie decided to abandon and ignore him, as he had be a waste with no further use. Yet, why did Archie knock now, not earlier orter, but precisely after news spread about him turning to swordsmanship and being taken in by the Frenzel family?
Senna''s remarks earlier were also full of bitterness, clearly envious of his growing rtionship with the Frenzel family.
Was there really no special reason behind their behavior?
Ain and Ian, these twopetent attendants, also noticed some clues behind Archie''s group behavior and decided to warn him. After all, if he handled this poorly, it might affect Yuri, who was their master.
Finished pondering, Riezel turned to Ain and Ian.
"Do you two know anything about him?"
The two female knights exchanged nces, and after a moment, Ian spoke up.
"Rumors are telling that Count Rhein is preparing to appoint his heir soon."
"I see..."
After hearing that information, Riezel understood something, and soon, his expression returned to calm.
''Let me see then... What you actually want to do, Archie.''
===
Yeluvia, Royal Market.
This exclusive upscale market, open only to nobles and wealthy merchants, was situated in the city center near the pce.
Carriages escorted by bodyguards made their way to this ce, stopping at the entrance of the market. Extraordinarily dressed individuals disembarked from the carriages and only then did the carriages proceed to the adjacent open space for parking.
Riezel and the others, following Archie''s lead, entered the Royal Market.
At the market''s entrance, stationed personnel scrutinize the identities of those entering, allowing only nobles and wealthy merchants through. Ordinary residents, and even their bodyguards, were halted and denied entry.
With Archie and others present, Riezel was naturally allowed to enter, but Ain and Ian were stopped. However, when they showed a token engraved with a snowke pattern to the personnel at the gate, they were immediately allowed through.
This scene caught the attention of many, causing Archie and the others to look at each other in nk dismay, their eyes flickering, wondering what was going on in their minds.
After a while, the group entered the Royal Market and stopped at the za near the entrance.
"Do any of you have something specific you want to buy?" Archie asked, holding a parchment listing various items provided upon entry.
Some items on the list were marked, indicating their rarity or recent arrival, capturing the interest of many.
"I want to check out the ve district." Senna raised his hand, having just been eyeing a batch of newly arrived and exceptionally beautiful female ves.
""We want to go too!""
The four tall, short, fat, and skinny youths also eximed simultaneously, all sharing Senna''s interest.
Observing the directions many male nobles and wealthy male merchants were heading, it became apparent that they too were heading toward the ve district.
Only Carrera and Sylvanie furrowed their brows slightly upon hearing the ve district.
"I want to buy a magic item." Carrera dered.
"I want to check out the new jewelry." Sylvanie added, expressing a different preference.
"Okay, what about you, Riezel?" Archie, seemingly anticipating this situation, turned to Riezel for his input.
"I''m open to anything." Riezel replied nonchntly. "Although, if possible, I''d like to see what swordsmanship they have here."
Upon hearing his words, everyone reacted with intrigue.
"You''re not seriously considering switching to swordsmanship, are you?" Senna asked while observing Riezel with a subtle sense of amusement.
Chapter 92: Like a Different Person
Chapter 92: Like a Different Person
Riezel certainly knew why Senna took pleasure in his misfortune.
Because, in the eyes of the general public, the status of a magician was undoubtedly higher than that of a swordsman.
This was not only because those qualified to be magicians were rare, but also due to the national situation.
For the sake of war, forbat power, countries needed Tactical-ss Magicians and Strategic-ss Magicians as military weapons. Therefore, whether in any country, the training and emphasis on magicians far surpassed that of swordsmen.
This could be observed from the existence of national magic schools like Spriller Academy in this world.
Schools specialized in training magicians were present in all major countries, but there was not a single one exclusively for training swordsmen.
Therefore, in the eyes of the world, magicians were considered noble, a symbol of status. Simply bing a Tactical-ss Magician or a Strategic-ss Magician could easily grant one a title, turning them into a noble. Such national policies made countless people dream of bing magicians, and that was self-evident.
Even for those with insufficient innate magical energy,cking natural talent, and unable to learn and use tactical-ss or strategic-ss magic, being a magician specializing inbat-ss magic alone could still aplish many things.
For example, as mentioned earlier, the very contract could only be cast by a magician. If a ve trader wanted to engage in this type of business, they would undoubtedly have to pay a hefty sum to hire a magician.This applied to various aspects, such as writing magic spells into magic crystals to create various magic items, coborating with cksmiths to manufacture magic weapons, and other tasks that required magicians.
Tasks such as crafting potions with unique effects, designing magic defense systems, and undertaking special construction projects were impossible without magicians.
Thanks to this, magicians with even justbat-ss magic were sought after by various factions. Mastery inbat-ss magic alone could ensure formidablebat power. Magicians were respected and adored wherever they went.
In contrast, swordsmen, relying on swordsmanship, might be stronger than most magicians inbat. However, apart frombat, they could hardly do anything else.
Therefore, a magician switching to swordsmanship and bing a swordsman was seen by most people as a self-demotion¡ªfrom a noble upper-ss individual to an ordinary individual.
Unless truly unavoidable circumstances arose that forced them to change, no magician would willingly transition to bing a swordsman.
If Riezel chose to study swordsmanship, he would basically be giving up the path to bing a noble and a rare prodigy. Unless he achieved great feats or became an unbeatable figure like a Sword Saint, gaining recognition and nobility as a swordsman would be extremely challenging.
If Riezel came from a noble background, there might be a chance to inherit the family and be a noble. However, being amoner, and even a rural one, after studying swordsmanship, expecting the same admiration and acim as before would be impossible.
Senna precisely took pleasure in this, feeling a sense of ''Schadenfreude''. {T/N: Schadenfreude is the experience of pleasure, joy, or self-satisfaction thates from learning of or witnessing the troubles, failures, pain, or humiliation of another.}
But¡ª
"Still better than continuing to be a failure, right?" Riezel''s expression remained calm as he nced at Senna. "Moreover, with my magical energy, after switching to swordsmanship, mybat strength should not decrease but might even increase. Dealing with a few student-level magicians should not be too difficult."
Hearing that, Senna''splexion immediately stiffened. The rest of the group were also startled by his words, falling into silence.
"That... Ahahaha..."
Archie, who sensed trouble, quicklyughed awkwardly, preparing to defuse the situation. However, before he could do so, Riezel had already changed the topic.
"Since everyone wants to see different things, let''s split up for now." Riezel suggested. "Let''s meet back here in an hour, alright?"
While saying this, he nced at everyone in the group.
"Okay."
"Let''s do that."
"I have no objections."
"Me neither."
Under Riezel''s influence, the four tall, short, fat, and skinny youths in the group unconsciously responded.
This time, Archie''splexion slightly stiffened.
"Alright then." Riezel, without further ado, left, while Ain and Ian followed suit, mimicking his steps.
The onlookers couldn''t help but cast envious nces at him, impressed by the outstanding appearance of the two women following him.
Shortly after, Carrera and Sylvanie also left.
Only Archie and the other five remained, standing in ce, momentarily losing all reaction.
After a while, Senna was the first to express anger.
"Dammit..." Senna muttered through gritted teeth. "That country boy really thinks he can boss us around? Who does he think he is?"
Archie remained silent, his expression not looking too good.
The four tall, short, fat, and skinny youths dared not even make a sound, timidly standing in ce.
Why did they respond so obediently to Riezel''s orders just now? Were they tired of living? If Archie pursued this matter, they would be in trouble.
Fortunately, Archie, though displeased, did not vent his anger on them. Rather than being angry, he felt more puzzled.
"Why does it feel like he''s changed somehow?" Archie doubted. "Was he the type to give orders to others before?"
He felt that the current Riezel''s demeanor seemed unfamiliar, like a different person.
Senna, however, didn''t find anything strange.
"What''s so odd about it?" Senna coldly snorted. "He''s climbed up with the Frenzel family. Maybe he thinks he''s made it and looks down on us low-ranking nobles, that''s why he''s acting so arrogant now."
Upon hearing the Frenzel family, Archie''s eyes flickered, but Senna''s words were clearly not finished yet.
"Hey Archie, why do we still need to invite that country boy out?" Senna asked, visibly upset. "He can''t even be a magician anymore, and we''re going to be from two different worlds from now on. The academy is even discussing whether to cancel his enrollment and expel him. You said before that he became worthless, and we shouldn''t bother with him anymore. So why suddenly invite him out again?"
"You don''t understand..." Archie said expressionlessly. "He, as a person, may have lost his value. But he struck luck and formed a connection with the Frenzel family. This rtionship, if left unused, would be a waste, no?"
"...You''re right." Senna licked the corners of his lips. "If we can get to know Marquis Frenzel through that country boy, then we''ll have a powerful backing."
Upon hearing that, Archie also smiled, butit was a cold smile.
''If Marquis Frenzel can put in a good word for me, my father will surely stop considering my useless elder brother as the heir, right?''Archie clenched his fists and became more determined.
That was his goal.
His family was on the verge of appointing its new head soon.
The next Count Rhein and head of the Rhein family were about to be known throughout the royal capital.
But a problemy here.
In this world, titles and family head positions could be inherited by descendants, but in most cases, it was the eldest son who took over as the heir.
Of course, this wasn''t absolute.
If the eldest son was ipetent, some sensible nobles would consider a child with better abilities as the heir.
However, such people were the minority.
Most nobles, when choosing an heir, tended to favor the eldest son.
Archie''s father, the current head of the Rhein family, had been one such person.
Archie could be sure that,pared to himself, his father would have preferred to choose his elder brother as the heir.
This made him very unwilling.
In terms of ability, he believed he was not inferior to his elder brother, and in many aspects, he even surpassed his elder brother by far. In terms of connections, although he seemed to be fooling around outside, he had also built a considerablework.
On the other hand, his elder brother had mediocre magical energy and couldn''t even be a magician. His elder brother''s swordsmanship had been disappointing as well since he couldn''t even defeat a bodyguard.
In every aspect, his elder brother had been mediocre and iparable to him.
Yet, his father still believed that the eldest son should be the heir.
Why?
Just because that damn brother of his had been born one or two years earlier?
He refused to ept that bullshit!
''As long as I can establish a connection with the Frenzel family, my father should choose me as the heir even if he''s reluctant, right?''
After all, that woman was a prominent figure in the kingdom, one of the continent''s only eight Strategic-ss Magicians, possessing the power to determine the future of the entire country.
Being able to form a connection with such an existence was a great fortune for the Rhein family. For the sake of the entire family, his father, as the head, would undoubtedly choose him as the heir, striving to maintain this rtionship.
"Let''s go and do our own things for now..." Archie said to the rest of the group. "When the opportunityes, let Riezel introduce us to Marquis Frenzel."
""Yes.""
Senna and the other four immediately nodded.
===
On the other side, Riezel had long since forgotten about Archie and the others. Following the directions on the sign, he arrived at a store specializing in selling swordsmanship books.
"Wee."
The store owner immediately stepped forward personally and greeted Riezel.
"Excuse me, are you looking for swordsmanship?"
He nced rather impressively at Ain and Ian, then turned to Riezel, who clearly held the leading position.
"Yeah..." Riezel nced around and asked. "What kind of swordsmanship do you have here?"
"We have many swordsmanships, a total of 1137, including 840 elementary swordsmanship and 297 advanced swordsmanship." The store owner respectfully exined. "Most of these swordsmanshipe from various territories within Jinas, with a few originating from other countries. Which one would you like, sir?"
"I don''t care about their origin..." Riezel nced at the store owner. "I just want to see some special swordsmanship. Got any?"
Upon hearing that, the store owner first paused, then shortly afterward, made a bitter smile.
"Sir, please don''t joke around..." The store owner shed a wry smile. "Special swordsmanship usually appears at auctions. How could it possibly be found in a store like mine?"
Although Riezel understood what the store owner meant, he couldn''t help but feel a bit disappointed upon hearing that.
Chapter 93: The Most Famous Swordsmanship
Chapter 93: The Most Famous Swordsmanship
In a world devoid of dungeons to explore, Riezel felt the need to grow rapidly, and practicing swordsmanship became a necessary task for him.
Otherwise, if he wanted quick growth, he would have to enter the battlefield to have numerous enemies to confront.
This made him realize that perhaps, in the future when he travels to other worlds, he might encounter simr situations. Not every world was like Danmachi, where there were plenty of monsters posing a threat to humanity that he could confront.
If in the future, he traveled to more peaceful worlds without enough enemies to confront, his growth would stagnate.
This was something that must be avoided.
Therefore, he felt that his immediate priority was to find swordsmanship to practice, ensuring that his growth would note to a standstill.
As long as there was swordsmanship to practice, he wouldn''t have to worry about his growth stagnating, no matter which world he traveled to in the future.
Among the many swordsmanships, the unquestionably fastest-growing one after practice was special swordsmanship.
Therefore, he decided to find a special swordsmanship to practice.Originally, the Holy Dragon Sword Stylepletely met his requirements, but unfortunately, this swordsmanshipcked the crucial breathing style. While he intended to persist in practicing the existing part first, for his future growth, he still needed to find aplete special swordsmanship to practice.
In this situation, he was thinking that maybe he could find a special swordsmanship to practice in the Royal Market. But the reality proved that even in this upper-ss society market open only to nobles and wealthy merchants, it was still challenging to find special swordsmanship.
''An auction, huh?'' Riezel pondered for a moment before asking the store owner. "When is the next auction?"
In the Royal Market, auctions were held every once in a while, and many people knew about it.
The auction was organized by the supporters behind the Royal Market, and the items appearing in the auction were generally precious things not found in the market. Sometimes, even rare treasures would appear, attracting thepetition of various nobles.
It was said that during the auction, even dukes and members of the royal family might attend.
Since the store owner mentioned that special swordsmanship would only appear in auctions, Riezel naturally wanted to take a look.
But¡ª
"Not every auction will have special swordsmanship." Ain was as sudden as ever, speaking without any warning.
"Is that so...?" Riezel was momentarily stunned.
"Yes." Ian nodded seriously. "There aren''t many special swordsmanship on sale to begin with. Royal families and major nobles of various countries hold most of them. Some particrly powerful special swordsmanships are even considered important legacies by them, such as the War King Sword Style of Jinas''s royal family."
The War King Sword Style was the legacy swordsmanship of Jinas''s royal family, allowing the practitioner to evoke spiritual power and use it against their enemies.
The power of this swordsmanship was formidable, much more potent than ordinary special swordsmanship. As a result, Jinas''s royal family considered it a legacy, proving the uniqueness of this swordsmanship as it has been passed down through generations.
Special swordsmanship like this, highly valued by royal families and major nobles of various countries, was usually more powerful than ordinary special swordsmanship.
However, this did not imply that other special swordsmanship was unremarkable.
Generally, even minor nobles could not possess special swordsmanship. Only royal families and major nobles had the possession of special swordsmanship; they even possessed multiple special swordsmanship as backup.
After all, swordsmanship sometimes demandedpatibility, and not everyone was suitable for its practice.
The Holy Dragon Sword Style was a prime example.
Not only was it extremely challenging to learn, but it also required a naturallyrge amount of magical energy within one''s body. The conditions were strict, and even if someone wished to pass it down as a legacy, finding a suitable practitioner from their descendants was not guaranteed.
The same applied to special swordsmanship inherited by royal families and major nobles in various countries. It might not be suitable for all descendants to practice.
At this point, having additional special swordsmanship avable for practice within the family became crucial. Without it, many descendants who didn''t meet the conditions for inheriting the swordsmanship might be left with no choice but to practice advanced swordsmanship, struggling to achieve sess throughout their lives.
For this reason, royal families and major nobles in various countries had a habit of collecting special swordsmanship as much as possible. Whenever new special swordsmanship emerged, theypeted to obtain it, intending to leave it for suitable descendants.
As a result, special swordsmanship was essentially monopolized by royal families and major nobles. The few instances of special swordsmanship that ended up outside were extremely rare, and people with special swordsmanship were reluctant to sell them easily as they were considered precious.
"If you want to acquire special swordsmanship at the auction, it might truly depend on luck, sir."
"Perhaps someone outside has luckily obtained a special swordsmanship but, due to ack of money or personal need, decided to auction it here."
"Or maybe some noble family has fallen on hard times and has to auction off the special swordsmanship in their collection to survive."
The store owner exined to Riezel several possibilities.
"Such situations are not somon, though. So, even in the Royal Market''s auction, it''s not guaranteed that special swordsmanship will be auctioned. Sometimes, it might not appear for a decade or even several decades."
In other words, Riezel''s n to obtain special swordsmanship from the auction has also hit a dead end.
"Hahh... this is getting troublesome..."
Riezel rubbed his forehead tiredly, while Ain and Ian, standing behind him, fell into silence. However, just when he was at a loss, the store owner seemed to think of something and hesitated.
"Actually... I do have a somewhat damaged special swordsmanship. Would you like to take a look, sir?"
The store owner made a surprising offer.
"Damaged special swordsmanship?" Riezel became more attentive. "Bring it here; I''d like to see it."
The store owner acknowledged and quickly ran inside the store. Shortly afterward, he returned with a book.
"This one."
The store owner handed the book to Riezel.
Riezel took it and nced at the title on the cover, but the moment he read the title, his eyes widened.
Clearly and distinctly, the cover of this swordsmanship book disyed a name¡ªHoly Dragon Sword Style.
Yes, it was the very Holy Dragon Sword Style that he was familiar with.
"Wh-What the heck?"
Riezel was dumbfounded.
On the other hand, perhaps intrigued, Ain and Ian leaned over for a look, both wearing expressions of sudden realization.
"I see, this is indeed that special swordsmanship..."
"No wonder, the only special swordsmanship that would appear in the store is probably only this one."
The two female knights remarked one after another.
"Do you know this swordsmanship?" Riezel, regainingposure, looked at Ain and Ian.
"We do." Ain replied briefly.
"This is the special swordsmanship created by the Dragon Sword Saint, Efastin Tussanlo, hailed as the strongest Sword Saint four hundred years ago." Ian exined attentively. "The reputation of this swordsmanship is extremely high. It''s not an exaggeration to say it''s the most famous swordsmanship on the continent."
Unfortunately, upon hearing that exnation, Riezel was only getting confused.
"You don''t know?"
Seeing his confusion, Ian was astonished and decided to continue her exnation.
"Four hundred years ago, the Holy Dragon Sword Style sparked a big conflict, resulting in the deaths of several Sword Saints. Numerous groups fought bitterly, creating deep-seated grudges that persist until today, leading to ongoing deadly conflicts."
Seemingly a well-documented historical event, many people were aware of it.
Riezel, however, remained oblivious, mainly because the original Riezel had no interest in history and hailed from a rural background,cking broad knowledge.
It was only now, after hearing Ian''s exnation, that Riezel finally understood why the Holy Dragon Sword Style was the most famous swordsmanship on the continent.
Firstly, it was obviously powerful.
Secondly, the conflict it triggered four hundred years ago had a profound impact on the world.
Thanks to this, he also understood why the Holy Dragon Sword Style was iplete¡ªnot because Yuri took away the breathing style from it and stored it separately, but because of the intense conflict four hundred years ago.
"Four hundred years ago, after the death of the Dragon Sword Saint, the Holy Dragon Sword Style he created became the subject of intense conflict due to its overwhelming power, attracting many greedy individuals."
"The conflict was intense, involving not only various forces from across the continent but also numerous interventions from other Sword Saints."
"As a result, many lives were lost, leading to enmities among major forces. The book of the Holy Dragon Sword Style also suffered destruction in this chaotic conflict, and its essential breathing style was destroyed, leaving only the swordsmanship itself."
Ian shared what she knew.
"Four hundred yearster, the swordsmanship fragment of the Holy Dragon Sword Style has be spread widely. It''s not only present in Yeluvia but is also collected by some people inrger cities."
Coincidentally, Yuri''s library possessed a fragment of this swordsmanship, which Riezel happened toe across. Clearly, he had previously misunderstood; this swordsmanship was not intentionally left for him to practice by Yuri but was merely a preserved fragment in her library.
Many such fragments existed, even in this store.
Yuri indeed contemted whether he would be interested in learning swordsmanship, but she was not at the point of casually presenting him with a special swordsmanship for practice.
"The Frenzel family was once in decline and had only recently risen under the control of the Lady. So, there is no legacy of special swordsmanship within the family. If Mr. Riezel wishes to practice special swordsmanship, it won''t be as simple as it seems..." Ian added.
Upon hearing her words, Riezel''s heart quickly sank to the bottom of the valley.
It seemed that this matter of swordsmanship was indeed troublesome.
Chapter 94: An Accidental Information
Chapter 94: An idental Information
"Customers, please take your time!"
Amidst the store owner''s warm farewell, Riezel, apanied by Ain and Ian, exited the store.
In the end, he didn''t purchase any swordsmanship books.
Since he knew that special swordsmanship was probably out of his reach, he naturally wouldn''t buy swordsmanship from this ce. Although the store had quite a few advanced swordsmanship, with some being quite impressive, he felt that Yuri''s library, with its dozen or so advanced swordsmanship, was the best choice.
While the Frenzel family had recently risen andcked a strong legacy, being a marquis family led by a Strategic-ss Magician, the advanced swordsmanship Yuri could collect wouldn''t be too shabby.
Therefore, if Riezel only wanted advanced swordsmanship, he was more inclined to choose from Yuri''s library.
Of course, he still had a lingering doubt.
''Is the breathing style of the Holy Dragon Sword Style really destroyed?''
Having experienced the uniqueness of the Holy Dragon Sword Style, Riezel was not eager to give up on this swordsmanship. As a result, with a bit of hope, he turned to Ain and Ian for confirmation.Unfortunately, their answers were cruel.
"It''s really gone, totally destroyed." Ian said with unwavering belief. "ording to the historical records, the book containing Holy Dragon Sword Style was obtained by a Sword Saint who was attacked by several other Sword Saints. Driven to desperation, this Sword Saint destroyed the book in despair. Although it waster pieced together, its most crucial breathing style could never be restored."
This was also why the swordsmanship part of the Holy Dragon Sword Style spread so widely. It was the patched-up iplete version, not treasured by many, and had been copied countless times over four centuries, ultimately spreading to every corner of the continent.
As for the most important breathing style, it was truly lost.
"This is the fact confirmed by the Theocracy''s priests using the precognition system magic." Ain said with indifference, eliminating any lingering hope in Riezel''s heart.
Since even the priests using the precognition system had confirmed this fact, there might truly be no hope for the breathing style of the Holy Dragon Sword Style.
Riezel, not one to be indecisive, epted the reality. If something couldn''t be done, he wouldn''t dwell on it any longer.
The other special swordsmanship was the same. Since they were difficult to obtain, he decided to choose advanced swordsmanship to practice first.
"Let''s go, we''ll check out other stores."
After making that decision, Riezel shook his head and focused entirely on choosing advanced swordsmanship. Ain and Ian naturally had no objections and followed behind him, browsing the stores in the Royal Market.
For an hour, he continued to explore various stores, examining the advanced swordsmanship books. Yet, the result was still somewhat unsatisfactory.
The swordsmanship avable for sale in the market, even the advanced ones, didn''t really stand out. While some were indeed excellent, they were only that¡ªexcellent, not reaching the level of power that impressed him.
''It seems like I''ll have to stick to Yuri''s library for now.''
Understanding it was futile to continue, Riezel stopped browsing the stores.
Seeing that it was almost time, he walked back with Ain and Ian, returning to the entrance za of the Royal Market where everyone was supposed to gather.
However, when he arrived, no one was there yet.
After about five minutes, the two noble girls were the first to return.
"We''re back." Carrera held Sylvanie''s hand, looking satisfied.
She adorned her vibrant red hair with an exquisite hairpin, wore a beautiful ne around her neck, and had a bracelet on her wrist that looked like a work of art. Her hands were full of shopping bags, clearly indicating a sessful shopping spree.
"Heehee, delicious~"
Sylvanie also had added some essories to her appearance, more on the cute side than Carrera''s elegance. In addition to her numerous bags, she held something like an ice cream cone, licking it with each swipe, a look of bliss on her face.
The two girls seemed to have had a great time shopping, and there was even a hint of lingering excitement in their eyes as if they hadn''t had enough fun yet.
"Where are Archie and the others?" Carrera, noticing that only Riezel had arrived, casually asked.
"They haven''te yet." Riezel gave a simple reply, not saying much.
Carrera''s eyebrows slightly raised, and a somewhat uncertain expression appeared in her eyes as she looked at him.
In fact, not only Archie but Carrera had also noticed the change in Riezel.
As the onlymoner in this small group, Riezel used to be a somewhat insecure guy, disying a timid demeanor in front of the rest of the group. He would agree with whatever other people within the group said, only standing up for himself when in front of outsiders, giving off an air of being a noble and experiencing a sense of superiority.
Additionally, Carrera observed that this future great magician, whom Archie had brought into their group, seemed to be in love with her when he first joined.
He would asionally steal nces at her, genuinely listen to what she said, even memorizing it all. Sometimes, he would even tantly try to please her, and all of these actions were quite in to see. He would also eagerly run over to help her carry her bags and packages and wore a happy expression if she gave him something.
However, today''s Riezel was entirely different from the past.
From start to finish, he remained calm and indifferent, his gaze no longer dodging due to insecurity or timidity, daring even to give orders to the group.
He was entirely changedpared to the past.
Now, hepletely ignored her, no longer trying to please her as before. His gaze, once infatuated, now treated her like an irrelevant stranger.
Senna thought Riezel''s boldness and arrogance were due to his connection with the Frenzel family, but Carrera didn''t agree.
For no apparent reason, Riezel''s expression was too calm, too in, and his demeanor reflected the same. There was no trace of the self-satisfied look he used to have when mingling with nobles in public.
During her shopping spree, Carrera even discussed this matter with Sylvanie but still couldn''t make any sense of it.
However, she remembered Sylvanie identally blurted out a sentence.
''Maybe it''s because he''s been through life and death, so his personality has changed a lot.''
As Carrera thought of Sylvanie''s words earlier, she silently nodded.
It was possible.
Experiencing something close to death, gaining a different perspective on things, and thus undergoing a personality change were quite normal things to happen.
"We''re back."
At that moment, Archie''s voice interrupted Carrera''s train of thoughts.
Archie, Senna, and the four tall, short, fat, and skinny youths seemed to be acting together, and now they were all back, joining the rest. However, the expressions on their faces were not very good, a look of anger but reluctance to speak.
Especially Senna, his discontentpletely written on his face.
"What happened to you?" Sylvanie curiously asked.
"Hmph, could it be that your desired female ve was bought by someone else?" Carrera asked disdainfully.
It seemed she guessed right.
"Don''t say..." Senna said ill-humoredly. "That guy is too horrible, he didn''t leave any for us and bought them all."
The four tall, short, fat, and skinny youths nodded in agreement with Senna''s view.
"That guy?" Carrera asked, intrigued. "Which guy is so wealthy that he bought all the ves you wanted?"
The value of a ve depended mainly on the individual.
If they were onlybor without any skills, the value would be very low, and a wealthy merchant could buy arge batch at once without much cost.
But if they had additional value, that was a different story.
For example, if they possessed impressivebat abilities, their value would skyrocket. Moreover for female ves, their appearance was their greatest additional value. The more beautiful they were, the more valuable they became.
In the case of ves specially marked on the Royal Market''s promotional parchment, their looks were undoubtedly top-notch, and their prices were definitely high. Someone who could buy all these ves, not leaving a single one for others, was truly rich.
Carrera and Sylvanie were curious about the identity of this so-called guy.
Riezel, on the other hand, paid no attention to their discussion, not even casting a nce at them. However, in the next moment, Archie''s words suddenly caught his attention.
"He said he is the son of the Basolo family." Archie revealed.
"Basolo family? You mean that marquis family?" Carrera asked in surprise.
"Yeah..." Archie nodded and helplessly added. "He''s the eldest son of the Basolo family, the chosen next heir of the family. He bought almost all the valuable ves in the ve district."
"When we got there, it seemed like he was only interested in buying ves withbat abilities. But as soon as he spotted the female ves we had our eyes on, he just swooped in and grabbed them without a second thought!" Senna eximed, her face full of indignation. "Isn''t he just too cocky?"
"So what if he''s cocky?" Carrera shook her head. "He''s from a marquis family and the chosen heir at that. Do you really want to pick a fight with him?"
Hearing that, Senna instantly fell silent.
Fight with the heir of a marquis family? Him, someone from a mere viscount family? No, he didn''t want to be kicked out of Yeluvia.
"Just let it go, Senna..." Archie sighed. "We can''t afford to provoke him. Let''s just forget about it."
Everyone very much agreed with his words. The difference in status brought by noble titles was evident from this situation.
Only Riezel, upon hearing their discussion, squinted his eyes.
''Buying all ves withbat abilities, huh?''
Smelling something fishy, he began to ponder.
Chapter 95: Ambush
Chapter 95: Ambush
The Basolo family''s affairs didn''t cause much of a stir in the royal market.
In this exclusive market open to nobles and wealthy merchants, spending extravagantly was nothing out of the ordinary. The real attention-grabbing events, however, usually urred only during the monthly auctions.
That was the battlefield where nobles, wealthy merchants, and various powerful forces fought tooth and nail, and it was there that truly great acts could capture the spotlight.
Although Archie and his friends were unhappy with the domineering behavior of the Basolo family, they couldn''t afford to provoke them and had to swallow their frustrations this time.
Riezel, on the other hand, returned empty-handed, failing to obtain the desired swordsmanship.
Meanwhile, Carrera and Sylvanie, the only girls within the group, returned almost loaded with goods. As soon as they left the royal market, their bodyguards swiftly loaded all their purchases onto the carriage. Anyone unaware might have thought they were wholesale merchants stocking up.
The entire group''s gathering came to an end just like that.
"I''ll head back first." Riezel said calmly to the group.
"So soon?" Archie hastily tried to persuade him. "Not staying for the second half?""No, it''s about time." Riezel shook his head. "I''m currently living under someone else''s roof, so it''s not good to stay out toote."
His reasoning left Archie, who had wanted to persuade him to stay longer, with no choice but to give up.
What could he say when Riezel brought up Yuri?
Archie couldn''t provoke Riezel''s rebellious temperament with statements like ''don''t be such a killjoy'' or ''men need freedom'' like he used to. Times had changed; he couldn''t stimte Riezel''s rebellious nature with those words anymore.
"Alright..." Archie said with regret. "Let''s find another opportunity to get together next time then."
"Sure." Riezel nodded faintly, then turned away without any lingering sentiment and walked toward the exit.
There, a carriage arranged by the Frenzel family had already been brought over by the coachman.
Riezel entered the carriage, followed by Ain and Ian, who walked in without looking back, not sparing a nce at Archie''s group.
Before long, the carriage departed, leaving the group of eight standing silently. They watched as the carriage adorned with the Frenzel family crest faded into the distance, seemingly caught in a mix of emotions.
"We''re leaving too." Carrera finally spoke, still holding Sylvanie''s hand.
"Oh..." Archie didn''t try to keep her and just looked disinterested. "Careful on the road."
Carrera pursed her lips, neither confirming nor denying. She just intended to leave with Sylvanie as soon as possible.
However, before departing, Carrera uttered a sentence.
"I advise you not to scheme against him. He''s different from before, no longer the naive country boy easily swayed by your tricks."
"...I don''t know what you''re talking about." Archie smiled slightly. "Riezel is my good friend. Why would I trick him?"
"If that''s how you want to put it, then consider it that way." Carrera looked meaningfully at him. "I''m just reminding you based on our long-standing friendship. Whether you choose to listen is up to you."
After saying that, she was silent for a while before sighing.
"I have a feeling that the severe injury over a month ago truly transformed Riezel."
Leaving behind that contemtive remark, Carrera, along with the silently pondering Sylvanie, walked toward their carriage and left.
"..."
Archie, with a stern face, stared at Carrera''s departing carriage, remaining speechless for a long time.
Watching Archie like this, the four tall, short, fat, and skinny youths dared not even breathe loudly.
Only Senna could gather the courage to ask Archie.
"Weren''t you supposed to get Riezel to introduce you to Marquis Frenzel? Why haven''t you spoken up?" Senna asked doubtfully.
"Are you dumb?" Archie retorted coldly. "Lost contact for over a month, and the moment we meet, I want him to help introduce me to her. If you were in his shoes, how would you feel?"
Needless to say, suspicions would arise, questioning if Archie deliberately arranged this meeting for that purpose.
Hearing the reason, Senna instantly fell silent.
"We can''t rush this..." Archie said with a calm demeanor. "Carrera is right; Riezel has indeed changed. If we still treat him like the old him, we might end up in trouble."
Hence, he suppressed his inner impulse and refrained from being too hasty.
"Let''s give it some time and invite him out more often during this stretch. Once he lets his guard down, we can bring up this topic." Archie suggested in a calm tone.
He had that amount of patience and waiting.
"Following your lead." Senna nodded.
Little did Archie and Senna know that there wouldn''t be a next time.
===
"After going back, inform the servants that any letters or meeting requests from Archie and his people are to be declined." Riezel calmly spoke while gazing at the scenery outside from inside the carriage.
Ain and Ian both looked puzzled.
"Is that okay?" Ian questioned. "Aren''t they your friends, Mr. Riezel?"
"They need to truly consider me a friend for that to happen." Riezel retorted without hesitation. "After meeting them, you''ll also probably understand. Except for Carrera and Sylvanie, the rest have their own agenda."
The way Archie and his group acted was close to outright telling Riezel that they were in cahoots.
Whether it was Senna or the four tall, short, fat, and skinny youths, they had likely all been recruited by Archie and were now under his control.
Though the Rhein family''s second son appeared to spend his days fooling around, he was secretly building his own influence and umting connections.
His group was the fruit of his efforts.
Riezel had reason to suspect that the Lahm family, to which Senna belonged, as well as the families behind the four tall, short, fat, and skinny youths, had already been won over by Archie and had be his supporters, much like Riezel himself, who was also recruited and chosen for his innate talent to be a future Tactical-ss Magician.
However, Carrera and Sylvanie''s positions were a bit delicate.
Sylvanie seemed to leave the decision to Carrera without any notable actions. Carrera, on the other hand, had a somewhat estranged rtionship with Archie, appearing to be part of the group but keeping a certain distance.
Unlike the others, Carrera wasn''t as harmonious with Archie.
All of those were things the original Riezel hadn''t discovered. Riezel only grasped their personalities and attitudes after this meeting.
After understanding them, he made a decisive decision¡ªthese people weren''t worth befriending.
"From now on, it would be better not to meet them ever again." Riezel decided firmly.
"A wise choice." Ain agreed with a nonchnt expression. Without a doubt, she had also formed a negative impression of Archie and his group after observing them.
"Yes, it''s for the best." Ian said, looking thoughtful. "At least, this way, the Lady won''t be involved."
However, as Riezel was about to respond, he suddenly froze.
""Hmm?""
Ain and Ian looked at silent Riezel, puzzled, but shortly afterward, they seemed to notice something and began to squint their eyes.
In the perception of the three, the carriage that had been running steadily suddenly came to a halt.
All around, for some unknown reason, it became eerily silent. There were no more voices except for the coachman who had jumped off the carriage, frantically preparing to run away.
"Halt!" Ain shouted coldly, swiftly leaping out of the carriage with a swoosh, catching the coachman who was about to run away.
The coachman was instantly frightened and screamed loudly.
"It''s not my fault! Those guys threatened me to bring the carriage here! I had no choice!"
The coachman''s scream prompted Riezel and Ian to step down from the carriage. Riezel remained calmlyposed, while Ian''s face turned serious, gripping her sword tightly.
The three surveyed the area and realized they were in a secluded dark alley, surrounded by buildings, only a couple of narrow alleys led elsewhere.
The stone brick pavement underfoot was spacious enough to easily amodate the luxurious carriage of the Frenzel family, resembling a small square.
Ain threw off the yelling coachman and positioned herself in front of Riezel. Ian did the same, standing side by side with Ain, her sharp gaze focused ahead.
"Come out!" Ain eximed coldly.
"..."
Silence surrounded them; no one responded.
However, Riezel knew those people had arrived¡ªthe people who had caused severe injuries to the original Riezel and the reason for his transmigration.
*Whoosh¡ª*
Suddenly, a faint sky-splitting sound emerged.
*Whoosh!* *Whoosh!* *Whoosh!* *Whoosh!* *Whoosh!*
In the next moment, countless sky-splitting sounds echoed sessively. Arrows tore through the sky, shooting from above the buildings in all directions.
Riezel, Ain, and Ian were instantly surrounded by a rain of arrows, with no way up or down.
Fortunately, the two female knights were already prepared.
"Quick, take cover!"
Ian embraced Riezel, and with a swift step, turned into a blur, flying away to avoid the iing arrows.
*Scwing!*
Ain drew her longsword from her waist and swept it horizontally to deflect the iing arrows.
*Cling!* *ng!* *Cling!* *ng!*
In the open space of the dark alley, the sound of arrows piercing the stone brick ground continued, turning the area into a battlefield filled with arrows.
*Swoosh!* *Swoosh!* *Swoosh!*
At the same time, several figures leaped down from the tops of the buildings andnded on the ground.
Chapter 96: Sword Master
Chapter 96: Sword Master
*Thud!* *Thud!* *Thud!* *Thud!*
Multiple stepping sounds erupted as the heels of the attackersnded, descending from the sky.
Uponnding, they swiftly glided toward Riezel''s direction.
Magical energy fluctuated subtly in their bodies, and one by one, unsheathed their swords, aiming directly at him.
Riezel, held by Ian, looked up and saw faces adorned with half masks. These masked attackers were cloaked, wearing iron masks that covered only their noses and mouths, their eyes fixed on him with murderous intent.
In such a situation, Ian wouldn''t allow them to approach any further.
After releasing Riezel, she made a swift move and instantly appeared in front of the attackers, almost like teleportation.
"HAAAHHH!" Ian shouted and swung her sword, creating a ripple of magical energy, shing through the frontmost attacker.
*ng!*The attacker hastily raised their sword, intending to parry, but was sent flying along with their weapon, creating a resonant sh of metal.
*Whoosh¡ª*
Ian swiftly moved, shing and repelling each attacker, disying unmatched power.
On the other side, Ain swung her sword fiercely, creating a roaring wind that deflected iing arrows. In the next moment, with a stomp on the ground that shattered the ground, she soared onto the roof of a building, disappearing from sight.
*Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!*
The next instant, blood sttered atop the surrounding buildings, the glistening light of a sword flickering in the midst of it.
Soon, the rain of arrows finally ceased.
*BOOM!*
Seeing this, Ian kicked away an attacker charging at her. Wanting to finish them as soon as possible, her sword transformed into continuous shes of light, creating a spectacle of swordy as she shed every attacker in front of her.
Undoubtedly, these attackers were highly skilled, almost superhuman by Riezel''s previous life''s standards. However, facing the two swordswomen as graceful as flowers, they had no chance, instantly crumbling before their prowess.
"Hmph!"
A cold snort of a man suddenly resounded.
A tall figure leaped from the rooftop of a building, but beforending, he forcefully kicked the wall of a building, causing it to crack open. His body transformed into a bullet, heading straight toward Ian.
"¡ª?!"
Sensing danger, Ian''s expression changed slightly. She abruptly turned and, without hesitation, used a quick sh to emit a sh-like strike toward the neer.
*DING!*
The two swords shed in mid-air, sparking intense sparks and a loud noise.
Ian attempted to kick, but the newly arrived attacker''s reaction was faster. In mid-air, his waist twisted, body spiraled like a top, flying toward the rear.
"Who?" Ian asked coldly as she held her slender sword in one hand, pointing horizontally, while the other hand gripped a scabbard at her waist.
Not answering, the attacker coldly eyed Ian and abruptly dodged to the right, evading a heavy strike from behind.
*BOOM!*
Arge blood-stained longsword, resembling a greatsword, fiercely cleaved into the ground, shattering the floor and raising a cloud of dust.
Ain appeared behind the attacker at some point, but unfortunately, her attack didn''tnd. However, there was no trace of disappointment on her face as she coldly watched the attacker evade her attack; her eyes were sharp with determination.
"Tsk." The attacker clicked his tongue as he nced at Ain, then at Ian, left speechless. "The two bodyguards by the target''s side are unexpectedly two Sword Masters. No wonder there are no others around."
Unlike magicians, the level of swordsmen couldn''t be easily confirmed by appearance. The levels of magicians could be distinguished quite easily, but swordsmen were different. Even those who practiced special swordsmanship could lose to someone who had spent a dozen or more years on elementary swordsmanship if their abilities werecking.
As a result, swordsmen were not like magicians; their level and strength couldn''t be easily discerned. However, to address this, each country on the Akasha continent had established systems to measure the strength and level of swordsmen.
The title of ''Sword Master'' was born out of this.
When a swordsman possessed strength far beyond the average, they would be awarded the so-called ''Sword Master Medal'' by the royal family or local nobles, signifying honor and ability.
Ordinary swordsmen were considered soldiers, merely lower-level novices.
However, Sword Masters were different.
Jinas had regtions that anyone receiving the Sword Master Medal could, if willing, join the kingdom''s knightly order and be a court knight, leading a group of knights. Major nobles also weed Sword Masters, and their loyalty was highly valued. Sometimes, their treatment even surpassed that of highly skilled magicians.
Yet now, two swordsmen of Sword Master caliber existed in the same ce, at the same time.
Yes, Ain and Ian were Sword Masters who had received the Sword Master Medal.
Withbat abilities equivalent to facing a thousand opponents, their strength was enough to make Yuri entrust Riezel''s safety to them without worry. Among her many attendants, Marilyn excluded, these two were the strongest.
Faced with two powerful Sword Masters, the lower half of the attacker''s face, covered by an iron mask, seemed to contort.
It was only at this moment that Ain and Ian got a clear look at each other''s appearance.
This newly arrived attacker was a burly man, wielding a wide-ded sword, with no cloak on his body, but still wearing the same mask as the other attackers, covering the lower half of his face.
"Who are you?" Ain asked, sounding overbearing.
The burly man didn''t answer, only turned his gaze toward Riezel, who was watching coldly from the side, then nced at his people in cloaks all around, speaking in a low voice.
"Go kill the target."
After saying that, the burly man rushed toward Ain.
Unexpectedly, despite his thick and strong body, he moved surprisingly fast, like a charging tank or war chariot, creating a whistling sound of strong winds, blurring Ain''s eyes.
"Ian, protect Mr. Riezel."
Leaving those words behind, Ain also charged toward the burly man, not willing to show weakness.
*ng!*
The intense metal collision sound echoed in the next moment.
*ng!* *Cling!* *ng!* *Cling!* *ng!*
Following it were innumerable sword lights, colliding with each other, creating sparks and bursts of collision sounds, upying a corner of the dark alley.
Ain and the burly man engaged in a heated battle as soon as they shed.
Ain swung her longsword fiercely, effortlessly producing streaks of sword light with explosive sounds, aiming to cut the burly man in half.
The burly man rotated his wide-ded sword like a windmill, using heavy sword edge flicks to counter each of her attacks, and dissipated the sword light unleashed by her.
They moved and shed relentlessly, leaving marks on the ground and walls around them.
''Is this man also a Sword Master?''
Seeing the battle of the two, Ian looked dignified, not standing still but following Ain''s instructions, swiftly moving to protect Riezel.
The other attackers, crawling up from the ground, showed no fear even when their conditions were already miserable. Like emotionless machines, they advanced instead of retreating, surrounding Ian.
Ian tightened the slender sword in her hand, unaffected, waiting for them to approach. Only when they came close did sheunch an attack, sending out countless cold sword lights to pierce them.
However, these attackers were clearly fearless.
Some blocked her attacks with their swords and were forced to retreat by the crisp collision sounds. Others didn''t react in time, receiving cuts on their shoulders, sides, thighs, and even their jaws, blood spraying. Yet, they continued to relentlessly charge at her, ignoring their injuries and attacking her like machines, overwhelming her in no time.
Their reckless disy truly surprised Ian.
*Whoosh!*
Suddenly, an arrow flew from somewhere, aiming straight from Riezel''s behind.
"NO!" Ian, hearing the whistling sound of the arrow, abruptly changed her expression and without hesitation, turned and rushed toward Riezel.
"Damn it!" Ain, who was locked in a fierce battle with the burly man, wanted to provide support but was forced back by the wide-ded sword''s three consecutive strikes, making her retreat.
The attackers once again swarmed Ian, hindering her movements.
Without anyone interfering, the arrow violently shot toward Riezel without hindrance, its icy arrowhead aimed toward his head.
Unfortunately¡ª
*ng!*
It was intercepted by a bright silver short sword.
In a sh of silver light, with a crisp sound, the iing arrow was deflected effortlessly.
Riezel stood still, unmoving.
With the bright silver short sword gripped in his hand, his body maintained a posture as if he had just casually swung it to the side.
His expression stayed calm, his gazeposed.
At that moment, everyone froze and wore expressions of shock.
Chapter 97: Awe
Chapter 97: Awe
"Mr. Riezel, you..."
The closest to Riezel, Ian, had already halted her steps, staring at him who held a bright silver short sword with a face filled with shock.
The others were in a simr state, their reactions momentarily dyed at seeing him effortlessly flicking away the arrow with his sword.
Originally considered useless in the eyes of everyone, Riezel, supposed tockbat ability, suddenly became the center of attention.
However, when everyone was still in a daze, the unexpected happened.
*ng!*
The first to react was the burly man, who seized the opportunity to forcefully cleave Ain, catching her off guard and sending her body flying. Ignoring the sparks erupting between them, he turned, disying astonishing speed that defied his body size, charging toward Riezel like a bull.
"Stop!"
"Mr. Riezel!"Cries from Ain and Ian rang out, but it was already toote.
The burly man didn''t waste any words. Looking into Riezel''s eyes, he emanated a murderous aura as his wide-ded sword, like falling thunder, descended upon Riezel''s head with formidable power.
The burly man''s strike cleaved through the air, carrying intense magical energy.
*Swish¡ª!*
The whistling wind it created turned into a shockwave, causing Riezel''s hair to flutter wildly and his forehead to sting.
For an ordinary person, such a powerful strike would easily cleave through any resistance and split them in half. Even a Sword Master, if struck so violently, would undoubtedly meet certain death.
Of course, provided the strike hit.
*BOOM!*
When the explosion-like muffled sound echoed, the burly man''s forceful strikended on the ground, much like Ain''s earlier longsword strike, shattering it to pieces.
*Rumble¡ª*
Cracks spread like veins across the ground, and debris scattered in the tumultuous shockwave.
"What?!"
The burly man stared at his missed strike, pupils contracting. As he still contemted what had happened, in the next moment¡ª
*Pu-chi!*
A silver gleam shed, grazing the side of the burly man''s torso and slicing it open.
Riezel moved silently to the burly man''s side, his expression cold and indifferent. The short sword in his hand moved extremely fast, leaving a trail of blood flowers.
"Gah¡ª!" The burly man groaned in pain.
Disregarding his own injuries, the burly man swung his sword in retaliation without hesitation, lifting his heavy wide-ded sword to create a dust storm, shing at his side.
Unfortunately, his strike missed again, only stirring up a chaotic shockwave.
In the next moment, Riezel''s figure suddenly appeared on the other side of the burly man.
*Pu-chi!*
A sh of silver once again mercilessly cut through the side of the burly man''s torso. It created a symmetrical pattern with the previous wound as his blood spurted forth.
"AAARGHHHHH¡ª!!!"
Bearing severe injury, the burly man''s body wavered, but he still held on, refusing to copse. Instead, he roared in a frenzied manner,unching a furious and reckless attack on Riezel.
Bleeding profusely, with wounds tearing open, the burly man paid no attention to them. He focused on swinging his wide-ded sword like a meat grinder, creating a fierce gust of wind without stopping.
*Swish¡ª!* *Swish¡ª!* *Swish¡ª!* *Swish¡ª!*
The burly man''s sword edge whistled through the air. Coupled with consecutive sword light and powerful wind, he attacked Riezel from various directions, aiming to kill him without mercy.
"Impressive determination."
Riezel finally broke his silence, his tone was as calm as his gaze, with only his figure resembling a leaf, swaying back and forth amidst the sword light and wind.
His movements were minimal, his steps untroubled. With the slightest evasion through retreats, sidesteps, rotations, and steps, he gracefully avoided the burly man''s relentless attacks.
In the next second, Riezel finally counterattacked.
Like a sh of cold light, his bright silver short sword moved silently, blurring his hand. In an instant, it pierced through the storm of sword edges created by the burly man,nding on his body.
*Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!*
Whether it was the sword tip or the sword edge, Riezel''s short sword swiftly passed through the burly man''s body in the blink of an eye, cutting him open without resistance.
The burly man''s body iled like tree branches in a storm, wildly swinging, as blood sprayed from every corner of his body. Before long, his entire body was covered in sh wounds, battered and bloodied.
"ARGHHH!"
Under such severe injuries, the burly man finally couldn''t hold on any longer. He let out a painful cry as the wide-ded sword in his hand dropped to the ground. Kneeling on one knee, he became a miserable figure drenched in blood.
This man, who could rival a Sword Master, was utterly powerless against Riezel.
This was only natural.
From the earlier battle between the burly man and Ain, as well as Ian''s performance, Riezel quietly observed them and had roughly estimated the strength of these so-called Sword Masters.
In his eyes, the strength of Sword Masters should be roughly on par with Level 5 adventurers with the worst basic abilities.
In Danmachi, as long as one basic ability reached D-rank, it met the minimum requirements for leveling up, and at that point, umting enough exploits allowed for a smooth level-up.
In other words, the worst status would be leveling up with the condition of ''only one basic ability reaching D-rank'' each time. Leveling up with this circumstance each time was undoubtedly quite terrible, since on the same level, disregarding magic and skills, meant being at the bottom.
Facing such people, Riezel could effortlessly defeat several of them when he was still Level 4, even without using his magic.
Now, as a Level 5 first-ss adventurer, even without using magic, he could already surpass Ais who was at the pinnacle of Level 5. Considering all of this, he was basically no different from Level 6.
In this scenario, how could a Level 5 with the worst status have any chance of fighting back against him?
If Riezel were to use his magic, he could instantly annihte anyone on that level.
It was worth noting that among the magic he learned, there were severalrge-scale, wide-ranging destructive magic.
With wide-area annihtion magic like ''Fuside Farica'' in his hand, plus ''Mage'' development ability and the extraordinary umtion oftent basic ability of ''MAG'', wiping out a vige or an army with a single magic attack was not an impossible feat for him.
Interestingly, to destroy a vige or an army with a single magic attack was considered tactical-ss magic in this world.
In other words, upon returning from the world of Danmachi, although he was not yetparable to the top-tier experts in this world such as the unbeatable Sword Saints inbat or Strategic-ss Magicians capable of destroying cities with one attack, he still stood as a top-tier existence within the middle.
As a swordsman, he surpassed the Sword Masters capable of facing a thousand foes in this world.
As a magician, he was not far behind the Tactical-ss Magicians of this world.
At least, Ain, Ian, and the blood-soaked burly man were definitely not his opponents, even if he didn''t go all out.
Nheless, Riezel''s current performance was somewhat horrifying to those unaware of his true power.
"The intelligence was wrong, retreat."
One of the attackers whispered, took a step back, and prepared to escape. The other attackers also retreated without hesitation, preparing to leave.
"No!"
"I won''t let you!"
Finallying back to their senses, Ain and Ian quickly focused their attention on the fleeing attackers in the area and quickly rushed forward with their swords drawn to intercept.
While their battle continued, the battle between Riezel and the burly man was nearing its end.
"Speak, where are you people from?" Riezel asked, calmly holding a short sword and standing unguarded in front of the burly man without any expression.
"Heh..."
In response, the burly man only let out a cold sneer, and shortly afterward, there was no more movement.
Feeling somewhat suspicious, Riezel frowned and quickly kicked the burly man down with one foot.
*Thud*
The burly man''s body fell, making no further movements.
He was dead.
Purple-ck blood flowed from the corner of his mouth, evidently poisoning himself.
Riezel stared at the lifeless burly man, silently contemting.
Not long after, the entire dark alley finally fell silent, and all battle noises ceased, returning everything to calm.
Shortly after, Ain and Ian returned.
They returned victorious, defeating all the attackers.
The strength of these two female Sword Masters, even if they were Level 5 with the worst status, was not something ordinary swordsmen could handle.
"Are you okay, Mr. Riezel?" Ian quickly inquired.
Ain remained silent, staring at him with a peculiar expression.
"I''m fine..." Riezel withdrew his gaze from the lifeless body of the burly man. "What about your side? This guymitted suicide. What happened to the others?"
Upon hearing that, both Ain and Ian fell into silence.
Evidently, the fate of other attackers was simr. At least, whether it was Ain or Ian, they both wanted to capture someone alive.
After all, the identity of these attackers was unknown. Since they had been targeted and attacked, it was only natural to inquire about their identity and origin, as well as the mastermind behind them.
Unfortunately, like Riezel, Ain and Ian were also helpless and returned empty-handed.
"Where did these peoplee from?" Ian gazed at the lifeless burly man and muttered. "They can abandon even a Sword Master without hesitation, resorting to suicide without a second thought once failed... Most major nobles wouldn''t dare to do that, right?"
Sword Masters were powerful warriors, capable of facing thousands in a battle. In arge kingdom like Jinas, they were considered crucialbat power. Which faction would be willing to abandon such skilled people?
Yet, such a thing had happened.
''Could it be the Heretic Assassin...?'' Riezel pondered, squinting his eyes.
That underground organization, supposedly backed by at least a country, seemed even moreplicated to him.
"Let''s go." Riezel shook his head and sheathed Hermit. "Have the Frenzel family send some people to collect the corpses and investigate. Maybe we can find something."
""Yes!""
Ain and Ian unconsciously agreed and nodded in response. Their attitude right now was no different from when facing their own master.
Riezel''s sudden disy of exceptional strength left these two female Sword Masters in awe, making them instinctively follow his instructions. Unlike the previous situation where they obeyed him due to Yuri''s orders, this time, they didn''t even consider her when obeying him.
As a result, Ain returned alone to the Frenzel residence to bring some people back to clean up the aftermath, while Riezel and Ian waited.
Only after Ain returned with some people did the three of them sit back in the carriage, driven by the newly arrived coachman, heading back to the Frenzel residence.
Chapter 98: Shadow
Chapter 98: Shadow
The Frenzel Mansion, Top-Floor Office.
At this moment, Riezel had already returned and was sitting before a desk, recounting everything that had happened today to Yuri.
Ain and Ian stood behind him, asionally adding a word, causing Yuri to stare straight at Riezel in silence.
"...Why are you looking at me like that?" Riezel asked with an awkward tone.
Yuri''s intense gaze made him a bit ufortable, and yet, she just continued to stare at him, as if trying to see through him.
No choice.
"Don''t you want to exin?" Yuri said to him with a tone of uncertainty. "You... defeated a Sword Master effortlessly, really?"
Indeed, Ain and Ian had informed her about how Riezel defeated the burly attacker. Her gaze at him became increasingly uneasy, while Marilyn on the side also stared at him, giving off a feeling as if ready to interrogate him with force.
In response, Riezel appeared nonchnt."Hahh... What do you want me to exin?" Riezel sighed before smiling. "Do I have to exin how fabulous I am to you?"
"Fabulous?" Yuri showed a puzzled expression.
"It means very amazing..." Riezel answered, then paused for a second before continuing as if changing the subject. "First of all, you didn''t ask, and I can''t just simply tell you how amazing I am, can I?"
After all, he wasn''t a narcissist or a pretentious guy who liked to brag about himself without reason.
"But isn''t this a bit too much?" Yuri grumbled. "Didn''t you just start learning swordsmanship? I''ve never heard that you practiced it before. You''re clearly an expert who can easily defeat a Sword Master."
That was the part that surprised her.
She had long investigated Riezel, knowing all about his life''s story. Among these stories, nothing was proving that he had practiced swordsmanship. Even in the past, his attitude toward swordsmen waspletely no different from how other magicians viewed them.
He had a somewhat disdainful view¡ªmagicians were noble beings, while swordsmen were mereborers who understood nothing but killing.
That was the arrogant mindset held by most magicians.
In the past, Riezel was someone like that, aiming to be a Tactical-ss Magician, even a Strategic-ss Magician, to obtain a noble title from the kingdom, and bing a noble. He genuinely looked down on swordsmen who could only serve as tools for the kingdom and nobles.
Such Riezel, even during his time at the academy, already showed signs of being ignorant and ipetent, so how could he possibly study swordsmanship?
Yet, all of those facts shed entirely with the exceptional ability he disyed earlier.
As a result, Yuri was genuinely surprised and amazed to learn that he effortlessly dealt with a swordsman of Sword Master caliber.
Riezel was well aware of this situation.
Considering the original Riezel''s behavior, suddenly revealing such exceptional strength would undoubtedly astonish and raise doubts among those who knew him.
However, Riezel had no intention of hiding it from Yuri.
"I only had a little luck..." Riezel said with a faint smile. "I''ll tell you more about it when the opportunity arises."
The implicit meaning behind his words was that, in this situation, it wasn''t really appropriate to bring up this matter.
It was only natural.
Riezel didn''t want to make the Dimensional Magic Cube situation widely known.
Even though Yuri was his lifesaver, when it came to this unbelievable matter, whether Yuri believed it or not was another story.
For that reason, he didn''t n to exin too much.
Yuri seemed to sense the implicit meaning behind his words, and although there was some difficulty epting it, Riezel''s unflinching gaze and focus softened her heart.
"Alright, let''s leave this topic for now..." Yuri sighed and redirected the conversation. "If we consider the oue of this incident alone, it''s quite worth celebrating."
Wasn''t it?
Despite the ambush, not only was Riezel unharmed, but he also gained sudden and powerful strength, undoubtedly bringing a sense of relief to her. At least now, he had some means of self-defense, avoiding the helpless situation he had been in before.
It was indeed a good thing.
"It''s just a pity that they allmitted suicide. Trying to find out who instigated them and whether they were from the Heretic Assassin might be challenging." Yuri expressed regret.
"Is there no way to investigate?" Riezel inquired.
"Investigation''s definitely needed, but whether we''ll get results is hard to say..." Yuri paused briefly before continuing. "From what you''ve said, they chose suicide without hesitation when they realized their task couldn''t bepleted. It suggests they''re adept at handling such situations, swiftly taking action to conceal their secrets in the face of failure."
In such circumstances, even if they investigated, it was likely they wouldn''t find satisfying evidence.
Because they already had a well-established set of responses like a code of conduct, it was certain they had considered what kind of investigation would follow once the one executing the task died and their people''s corpse was taken away.
"Based on this point, I believe that even if we ask a court magician to use special magic to trace the memories of the corpses, it probably won''t work all that well."
What Yuri said was made sense.
Being able to abandon an expert Sword Master and let him and all those attackers willingly poison themselves to death after the task failed without hesitation, the mastermind behind them surely considered that their corpses would be investigated, and clues would be gathered using magic.
"If I''m not mistaken, those corpses are likely nted with counter-perception magic, mind magic, memory magic, and other means... So, we''ll most likely not find any useful clues in our investigation." Yuri added.
Upon hearing her exnation, Riezel furrowed his brow, but he didn''t feel disheartened either.
''Can''t investigate, then so be it... At least, it''s not without gains.'' Riezel remarked inwardly.
Through this attack, he understood two things.
One¡ªthe enemy had not given up on taking his life.
Two¡ªfor now, he could protect himself.
Knowing his power level in this world, he wasn''t in a hurry. If even a Sword Master could be easily defeated by him, any attempted attack on him would likely require a Sword Saint or a magician of the same level.
Riezel didn''t believe that someone would go to the lengths of sending a SwordSaint to deal with a ''somewhat talented'' minor character like himself. It was a matter of price, a question of whether it was worth it. He believed they might hesitate before deciding whether to act against him.
This realization brought Riezel some peace of mind.
"I''ll ask the royal pce''s court magician or the church''s high priest toe and see if they can do something..." Yuri didn''t give up. "If there are any leads or information on this matter, I''ll inform you."
"Got it." Riezel nodded in agreement.
The two continued discussing some details for a while before he finally left the office.
In the office, only Yuri, Marilyn, Ain, and Ian remained.
Yuri''s rxed attitude toward Riezel instantly vanished as her face quickly became expressionless.
"Speak." Yuri directed her gaze at Ain and Ian. "What have you two found?"
She keenly sensed that Ain and Ian had something to say. Otherwise, they would have walked away after their task waspleted rather than staying in the office to discuss more confidential topics with Riezel.
Hearing their master''s question, Ain and Ian exchanged nces.
"My Lady..." Ian lowered her voice. "The skills of those people seem somewhat like those from the Shadow."
Upon hearing that, not only Yuri''s but even Marilyn''s expression changed abruptly.
"Are you sure?" Yuri unconsciously leaned forward.
"I''m not certain, but it really seems like it..." Ain chimed in, unusually talkative. "I''ve fought with the Sword Master. Even though he wields a seemingly heavy broadsword, his speed, which doesn''t match his big body, and hisbat style, which minimizes all movements and sounds thate with his actions, resemble the Shadow''s favored swordsmanship, the Hazy Strike Sword Style."
As Yuri heard the exnation, her face gradually sank, while her hands ced on the desk tightened bit by bit. A dreadful magical energy emanated slowly from her body, and a cold expression appeared on her face.
"In other words, the people who targeted Riezel weren''t the Heretic Assassin, but rather the Shadow Knights working directly for the royal family?" Yuri''s words, spoken slowly and deliberately, sent shivers down one''s spine.
It was a secret known to only a select few of high status.
Within Jinas, there existed an assassination unit.
Members of this unit were referred to as the Shadow Knight. Only those belonging to the royal family could be aware of their existence and possessed the privilege to mobilize them.
Since Ain and Ian mentioned that the attackers resembled the ''Shadow'', it strongly suggested that the one who attacked Riezel was likely the Shadow Knights.
Now, the question was, who could dispatch the Shadow Knights to assassinate Riezel?
The answer was almost self-evident.
The only thing Yuri couldn''tprehend was why someone from the royal family would target Riezel. However, before she could figure out this matter, Marilyn, who had remained silent, suddenly spoke up.
"In the past, Mr. Riezel seemed quite close to the daughter of the Elliott family."
With a simple remark from Marilyn, Yuri understood everything.
Because the Elliott family was a vassal of a certain duke family.
Furthermore, this duke family had been rather unruly in recent years, harboring thoughts deemed uneptable for the current king and the royal family.
In such a situation, when a promising future great magician like Riezel suddenly made contact with someone who was rted to this duke family, it was only natural for some people from the royal family to react strongly.
In other words, Riezel simply had be entangled in political struggles, almost bing a pawn in political machinations.
"Marilyn, prepare the carriage."
Yuri stood up and spoke with a cold tone and expression.
"I''m going to the royal pce."
Chapter 99: Breaking Steel Sword Style
Chapter 99: Breaking Steel Sword Style
Next day, early morning.
In the courtyard next to the Frenzel mansion''s pavilion, Riezel stood with a wooden sword, ready for an attack, his eyes were tightly shut.
Maintaining his posture unchanged, the hand holding the sword showed no sign of trembling. His entire body stood still, resembling a swordsman statue.
"Huu..."
"Haa..."
Despite his stillness, Riezel softly breathed, sometimes inhaling arge amount of air and then exhaling it. His breathing rhythm became peculiar, fluctuating between fast and slow, loud and nearly inaudible. The volume of his inhtions and exhtions varied.
One moment, he took in an abundant amount of air, and after a while, the air he exhaled was meager. In the previous moment, he didn''t inhale much, but when he exhaled, a considerable amount of air was expelled.
Riezel continued this unique breathing pattern, creating an odd rhythm.
As time passed, subtle fluctuations of magical energy emanated from his body, like invisible steam rising, swirling around him.After a while, he suddenly opened his eyes and finally moved.
*Swish¡ª!*
The sharp sound of cutting through the air echoed.
Riezel swiftly swung his sword, as if an opponent appeared before him,unching an attack.
His speed was astonishing to the point that the sound of the wooden sword slicing through the air was exceptionally clear. His wrist and arm moved flexibly, carrying an indescribable power, repeatedly striking at an imaginary enemy before him.
Upon closer inspection, his sword movements not onlycked hesitation but were also remarkably fluid, flowing as if he were dancing gracefully and seemed pleasing to the eye.
However, the surrounding atmosphere around Riezel''s body was chaotic. Each swing from his wooden sword seemed as if a steel sword was wielded, giving a sense that it could cut through anything. Its power was overwhelming, making his momentum grow stronger.
Simultaneously, the magical energy swirling around his body slowly seeped into his muscles, as if being absorbed by his entire body.
In this way, while practicing his swordsmanship, Riezel umted momentum over time. After a while, an astonishing oppressive aura emanated from him, causing passing servants to feel a shiver down their spines and even rming some guards.
It wasn''t until about half an hourter that he finally stopped.
"Huff..."
A breath of stale air escaped his mouth, forming a small vortex that swept all around.
Riezel''s entire body became damp, soaked in sweat, though his breathing remained untroubled, his muscles trembled slightly as if reaching a limit or experiencing pleasure.
Feeling the condition of his body, he couldn''t help but reveal a satisfied expression.
"Sure enough, my theory was right..." Riezel muttered to himself. "With the abundant magical energy of this body, once I practice swordsmanship, activate the magical energy in my damaged ''Gate'', and use it to strengthen my body, progress bes amazingly fast."
On this day, he officially began practicing this world''s swordsmanship.
Just now, his peculiar breath was the breathing style ingrained in his practiced swordsmanship. Coordinating with the swordsmanship recorded in the book, he smoothly activated the magical energy inside him and began absorbing it into his body.
Fortunately, the effect was satisfactory.
Although only half an hour of practice had passed, Riezel could already feel the changes in his body.
''Let''s update my status.''
Deep in thought, Riezel couldn''t help but retrieve a bottle of Loki''s blood from the Dimensional Magic Cube''s storage space.
Riezel pulled open the bottle, poured out a drop of Loki''s blood, and dabbed it on his forehead.
This was the effect of the ''Self Redemption'' skill, a way to autonomously update status.
Since he couldn''t touch his own back and modify the status on his back, he could only trigger the effect of ''Self Redemption'' in this way, letting the skill handle the updating of his status independently.
In this situation, Loki''s blood seeped into Riezel''s forehead, disappearing from view.
At this moment, if someone were to remove his clothes and look at his back, they would see a shimmering light curtain.
Sacred text floated out of the light curtain as if assembling something, undergoing changes, interweaving, colliding, and covering each other.
When the sacred text returned to his back and the light curtain disappeared, his mind was suddenly filled with a series of mental images.
epting these mental images, he read his new status.
...
Riezel Brynhart
Level 5
STR: I0 ¡ú G284
END: I0 ¡ú G257
DEX: I0 ¡ú F312
AGI: I0 ¡ú F331
MAG: I0 ¡ú F305
Lightweight: G
Swordsman: G
Mage: H
Battle Adept: I
...
''Is this the status updated by ''Self Redemption''?'' Riezel curiously observed the status in his mind and secretly nodded. ''Total basic ability proficiency has increased by over 1400. For my current level, achieving this level of growth speed is quite impressive.''
After about six days back in the main world, he had already raised his three favored basic abilities, ''DEX'', ''AGI'', and ''MAG'' to F-rank, and also raised ''STR'' and ''END'' to G-rank. This growth rate was considered cheatingpared to adventurers who struggled for years at Level 5 to see significant improvements.
Of course, his current growth speed was mediocrepared to his past self, but he was no longer a rookie; he was a genuine first-ss adventurer now.
With higher levels, the growth of status slowed down, which was to be expected. Additionally, he could no longer enter the dungeon and hunt monsters daily in this world.
However, the fact that he managed to raise the total basic ability proficiency by over 1400 in just six days through self-practice was something that would envy any adventurer.
''If there were a special swordsmanship to practice, my growth speed should increase further...'' Riezel thought inwardly with a hint of regret. ''Unfortunately, for now, I can only choose a superior advanced swordsmanship to practice.''
His chosen swordsmanship that came from Yuri''s library had a simple name¡ªBreaking Steel Sword Style.
Practicing this swordsmanship not only had a more efficient growth rate than ordinary advanced swordsmanship but, in theter stages, it would allow magical energy to cover the weapon, significantly enhancing its performance.
Breaking Steel Sword Style''s effects, such as cutting through steel, breaking enemy weapons, and even destroying enemy body armor, could be considered a kind of magic attribute or magic effect.
For that reason, it was quite close to the domain of special swordsmanship.
While Breaking Steel Sword Style was an advanced swordsmanship, it was the most powerful in its ss, closely approaching special swordsmanship. If its effects on body refining, magical energy absorption, and growth promotion were not slightly weaker than special swordsmanship, it could easily have entered the domain of special swordsmanship.
Nevertheless, this was the best and strongest swordsmanship that Riezel could find in Yuri''s library. So, when he saw it, he chose it without hesitation.
Though he regretted being unable to practice genuine special swordsmanship, Breaking Steel Sword Style was an advanced swordsmanship closely resembling special swordsmanship, which satisfied him just as well.
''I''ll practice this swordsmanship in my free time and try to develop the ''Break Steel'' technique soon.''
While making that decision, Riezel picked up his wooden sword and resumed practicing. But this time, he was not practicing Breaking Steel Sword Style; he was practicing Holy Dragon Sword Style.
''This swordsmanship may not bring effective growth to my status, but it innately possesses powerful sword techniques. Studying and honing it can still improve mybat skills.''
Riezel found it challenging to let go of Holy Dragon Sword Style. After all, it was the first swordsmanship he encountered, and it held a unique ce in his heart. He was reluctant topletely abandon it.
''After this, let''s spend an hour each day practicing Holy Dragon Sword Style.'' Riezel decided.
And so, he alternated between practicing two swordsmanship while improving his own status andbat skills, spending a considerable amount of time near the pavilion in the courtyard.
It wasn''t until around noon that his routine was unexpectedly interrupted by a carriage entering the Frenzel residence.
ncing at the carriage, Riezel noticed Yuri and Marilyn stepping out of it.
"Oh, did they go out?" Riezel paused, slightly taken aback. He had been practicing swordsmanship here since early morning and hadn''t seen Yuri and Marilyn leave.
Yuri noticed his figure and waved at him. Returning the gesture with a wave, Riezel put down his wooden sword and walked over to her.
"Good morning." Yuri greeted. "Are you practicing swordsmanship?"
"Yeah..." Riezel nodded. "Where did you go?"
"The royal pce... I had some matters to take care of." Yuri replied casually.
As for the specifics of the matters, she didn''t borate, and he didn''t press further either.
"You didn''t happen to go outst night, stayed up all night, and just came back now, did you?" Riezel remarked in astonishment as he observed the faint signs of weariness on her face.
"...Did you notice?" Yuri chuckled before shaking her head. "Don''t worry about it. If solving things only requires a bit of fatigue, then it''s definitely a win for me."
Her words carried a sense of mysteriousness.
Riezel silently watched her face, refraining from further conversation. No wonder he didn''t notice her departure at all; she had already departed sincest night, after all.
"By the way..." Yuri lifted her gaze to his eyes. "Prepare yourself. We''re probably leaving the royal capital tomorrow and returning to my territory."
"Tomorrow? Got it." Riezel nodded.
Yuri smiled at him and, apanied by the silent Marilyn, immediately headed back inside the mansion.
After watching the two enter the mansion, Riezel turned back and resumed his swordsmanship practice near the pavilion.
However, this time, he practiced with even more determination and effort.
Chapter 100: Everyones Responses
Chapter 100: Everyone''s Responses
Yuri''s instructions about leaving the royal capital were given swiftly.
Under the orders of this youngdy, the entire mansion''s servants and guards sprang into action, making preparations for tomorrow''s journey.
Apanying her on this trip would be Riezel and Marilyn, while Ain and Ian serve as her attendants. Additionally, a fully manned knightly order of one hundred would act as her bodyguard, escorting her back to the Frenzel territory.
It was only today that Riezelid eyes on the Frenzel family''s knightly order.
Nobles had the privilege of forming a knightly order, a fact Riezel was well aware of.
While they couldn''t match the kingdom''s knightly orders, which could number in the thousands, the higher the noble rank, therger the knightly order under theirmand.
A baron had one hundred men.
A viscount had three hundred men.
A count had five hundred men.A marquis had seven hundred men.
A duke had one thousand men.
This was a privilege granted by the kingdom, giving nobles a certain degree of military authority.
Yuri was a marquis, and not just any marquis at that.
As a Chief Court Magician and a Strategic-ss Magician, she enjoyed several privileges. The kingdom allowed her to expand her knightly order by an additional one hundred, granting her a force of up to eight hundred knights.
Under hermand, these eight hundred knights were divided into eight squads. One squad remained by her side as a bodyguard, while the remaining seven guarded the Frenzel territory, ensuring its safety.
In other words, wherever she went, she was apanied by at least one hundred knights as bodyguards, showcasing both grandeur and considerablebat power.
These knights differed from the mansion''s guards who patrolled, stood watch, and maintained order. They were genuine soldiers with powerfulbat skills.
Ain and Ian were responsible for supervising and training these knights, so Riezel had not encountered them before today nor had he met anyone from the Frenzel family''s knightly order.
Today marked the summoning of this knightly order back to the residence. They stood in formation around the mansion, awaiting the signal to depart, their appearance was neat.
Riezel took a rough estimate and observed the strength of this knightly order.
''Calcting with the lowesttent basic abilities, these knights are probably between Level 3 and Level 4...'' Riezel thought to himself.
This was a hundred second-ss adventurers!
Even considering Loki Familia, excluding the strength of executives, they were probably no match for this knightly order, right?
Furthermore, there were at least seven hundred of these knights left within the Frenzel territory.
Adding Sword Masters like Marilyn, Ain, and Ian, all equivalent to Level 5 adventurers with the lowesttent basic abilities, the Frenzel family''sbat power was strong enough to leave Riezel speechless.
He might not lose to any one of these people, but facing so many alone would be troublesome. Not to mention, within the Frenzel family, there was also Yuri, a Strategic-ss Magician.
This was someone whose magic could burn down a city or a small country in a single strike akin to a nuclear weapon.
With such attack power, even Riveria, renowned as Orario''s strongest mage, was far surpassed.
In other words, Yuri, as a Strategic-ss Magician, was definitely stronger than Level 6 Riveria by a significant margin.
At least, Riezel didn''t believe that Riveria, even at Level 7, could unleash magic that could destroy a city or even a small country in a single strike.
Therefore, conservatively estimating, Yuri''s attack power should surpass Level 7. With such attack power, if she sessfully released her magic, Riezel would probably be dead even if he had ten lives.
Of course, the usage requirements for strategic-ss magic were strict; it wasn''t easy to release.
However, with eight hundred knights equivalent to second-ss adventurers guarding, plus numerous Sword Master attendants, Riezel didn''t have confidence in breaking through this defense before Yuri cast her strategic-ss magic on him.
This showed how powerful herbat power was.
''Now that I think about it, a Strategic-ss Magician already has attack power surpassing Level 7. What about the power of a Sword Saint, hailed as invincible inbat?'' Riezel couldn''t help but wonder.
As far as he knew, there were three ways for a swordsman to achieve the title of Sword Saint.
First, acquire a Sword Master Medal, attain the status of Sword Master, challenge other Sword Masters, and upon consecutively defeating a thousand of them, one would receive a kingdommendation, be awarded a Sword Saint Medal, and ascend to the rank of Sword Saint.
Second, acquire a Sword Master Medal, achieve the status of a Sword Master, challenge a Sword Saint, and upon defeating them, one would simrly receive a kingdommendation, be awarded a Sword Saint Medal, and be recognized as a Sword Saint.
Third, gain worldwide recognition for possessing the strength of Sword Saint, obtain a rmendation from another Sword Saint, and if the royal family acknowledges and believes that one genuinely qualifies as a Sword Saint, one can be officially awarded the title of Sword Saint in a public ceremony.
Those were the three ways to be a Sword Saint, each requiring strength as proof. It was undoubtedly much more challenging than bing a Tactical-ss or Strategic-ss Magician by being able to cast magic at the corresponding ss.
The path to bing a Sword Saint was a road paved with pure strength, and every Sword Saint was a genuine powerhouse.
In this way, the fame and poprity of a Sword Saint were unquestionable, even magicians who held themselves in high regard dared not underestimate such figures.
The status of a Sword Saint might be slightly less than a Strategic-ss Magician''s, but it far surpassed that of a Tactical-ss Magician.
Calcting it all like this, Riezel started to form spection.
''Sword Saint... Even the worst should be around Level 7, right?'' Riezel could only estimate; he hadn''t seen a Sword Saint in action, so he wasn''t sure about the specific strength of characters at this level.
However, to be recognized as a Sword Saint, one had to defeat a thousand Sword Masters, and consecutively at that. If one were only a Level 6, who had a strength of just above Sword Masters, it would be an impossible feat.
Therefore, a Sword Saint should be able to match up against at least a Level 7 adventurer at the lowest, ording to Riezel''s spection.
''It seems that whether it''s a Sword Saint or a Strategic-ss Magician, I still have a long way to go, huh...'' Riezel finally felt the pressure.
In this world, he was positioned as a Sword Master and a Tactical-ss Magician. While an average Sword Master might not be his opponent, he could only be considered an outstanding swordsman among them, falling short ifpared to Sword Saint.
He wasparable to a Tactical-ss Magician in terms of magic, notgging too far behind.
Such him could be called a powerhouse, but definitely not the top powerhouse in high-endbat power.
Unfortunately, he couldn''t ck off and took it slow since he also had a seemingly mysterious organization targeting him. With an organization backed up by at least a country, even if they didn''t have a Strategic-ss Magician, they probably had one or two Sword Saints.
''I need to work harder...''
Riezel was already considering finding an opportunity for his second dimensional travel.
On the day of his return, he had 23 units of dimensional energy left. The Dimensional Magic Cube absorbed one unit of energy per day. Now, around six days had passed, so he had gained a total of 30 units of energy, enough for a random dimensional travel.
''This worldcks dungeons, and there aren''t many enemies to defeat. Even though practicing swordsmanship hasn''t halted my growth, if I want to grow faster, I should go to other worlds.''
Even if he ended up in a peaceful world, he could use the different time ratio to train for a while in other worlds.
''Alright, I''ll take some time off and then dive into another dimensional travel...'' Riezel made a decision.
And so, as everyone in the Frenzel residence was busy preparing for the journey, the news quickly spread, reaching many who were interested in Yuri.
Among them were also some with malicious intentions.
===
"What? She ns to return to her family territory?"
Archie, who was making hidden arrangements at home, quickly stood up upon hearing the news from his subordinate.
He was anxious.
''No, in a few days, father will choose his heir. If she isn''t in the royal capital at that time, what am I going to do?''
Archie paced back and forth, unable to sit still, and in the end, left the house. He got into a carriage heading toward the Frenzel residence as quickly as possible.
However, apart from him, another person had an extreme reaction to Yuri''s n to leave the royal capital and return to her territory.
"Hurry! Issue the orders! Carry out the n as scheduled!"
A somewhat frail-looking young man yelled at his steward, his face filled with urgency.
"Yes, Young Master."
In front of the young man, the steward hastily responded while bowing his head before hurrying downstairs.
The young man remained alone in the room, sitting on the sofa, murmuring absentmindedly.
"I won''t give up... I won''t give up... I won''t give up..."
His voice faintly revealed a hint of distortion.
As for the other nobles and even the royal family, they silently monitored the situation without making any specific arrangements. Particrly, the royal family seemed topletely ignore Yuri''s impending departure. When someone brought it up, they would change the topic.
No one knew that justst night, Yuri had visited the royal pce, met with the king, and talked for the entire night. As a result, today, all the princes and princesses were scolded by the king and confined within the pce.
Riezel was unaware of this, unaware that trouble was on his way, and unaware that he would soon be at the center of attention for the first time in this world.
Chapter 101: Accident
Chapter 101: ident
Next to the Frenzel mansion, by the courtyard pavilion, Riezel was practicing swordsmanship when he suddenly received a message from a servant.
"Someone wants to see me?" Riezel furrowed his brow but didn''t disrupt his rhythm. He maintained a steady breath, simultaneously dancing with his sword.
"Y-Yes." The servant replied nervously, lowering his head.
Watching Riezel continuously spin the air, his wooden sword dancing like a whirring whirlwind, exuding an imposing aura, the servant unconsciously swallowed his saliva hard.
"I''m not avable." Riezel continued practicing, his voice unwavering. "Just tell them I''m busy practicing swordsmanship."
With that, he spun the wooden sword in his hand, forcefully shing.
*Whoosh¡ª!*
A gust of wind erupted along the trajectory of the sh, blowing away all the surrounding dust. Though his swift sh clearly didn''t hit anything, inexplicably, it left a deep mark on the ground.
*Gulp!*The sound of the servant swallowing his saliva became exceptionally clear. He hurriedly took the instruction and left hastily.
===
"Practicing swordsmanship, you say?"
Archie muttered speechlessly while raising both eyebrows.
Outside the gate, the Rhein family''s carriage was parked, with several bodyguards standing next to it. Archie and his bodyguards were nervously eyeing the knights neatly arranged all around, awaiting Riezel''s appearance. Yet, he was instead informed of such an excuse by the servant.
"Yes." The servant wiped away non-existent sweat and spoke respectfully. "Mr. Riezel is indeed upied right now. He''s at a crucial point in his practice, and we dare not disturb him casually."
Though the servant''s words were quite subtle, Archie still understood what they meant.
However, returning home was not an option for him.
"Can I go in to see him? We''re good friends." Archie insisted.
He didn''t care whether Riezel was at a crucial point in his practice. This time, if he couldn''t see Marquis Frenzel, there might be no chance in the future. By then, his family situation would be settled, and his father would undoubtedly appoint his useless elder brother as the heir.
If that happened, it would be too troublesome.
Therefore, he definitely needed to see Riezel, no matter what. If it weren''t for the fact that this was the residence of Marquis Frenzel, Archie, as the second son of a count family, wouldn''t have hesitated to barge in.
Hearing Archie''s adamant request, the servant became anxious.
Since Riezel didn''t intend to meet Archie, the servant could simply ignore Archie and ask him to leave. But firstly, Riezel was just a guest and wasn''t part of the Frenzel family, so the servant couldn''t just turn away all visiting guests because of his instruction. Secondly, Archie was a major noble, making the servant hesitate to offend him.
If it were Yuri''s orders, the servant would unquestionably follow them.
With her backing him up, the servant didn''t need to worry about any consequences. However, since the instruction came from Riezel, he had to consider whether offending Archie was worth it.
Fortunately, as the servant wrestled with his decision, someone capable stepped forward.
"What''s all thismotion about?" Ian walked out of the mansion, observed the situation, and approached while furrowing her brows.
"Miss Ian." The servant hastily greeted, bowing his head.
"Hello, Miss Ian." Archie smiled and greeted warmly. "Do you remember me?"
Unfortunately, his seemingly friendly attitude was purely for show.
"You''re the Rhein family''s second son; I naturally remember." Ian nodded towards Archie, then said expressionlessly. "Excuse me, do you have any business here?"
Her businesslike demeanor left Archie stunned, freezing him in ce.
"I-I''m here to ask Riezel about something..."
He could only smile awkwardly, revealing his purpose.
"Mr. Riezel is likely busy." Ian politely declined, seemingly aware of his true intentions. "Tomorrow, we''re heading to the Frenzel territory, and he will apany us. Since it''s alreadyte, he must have many preparations to make. Why not wait until we return, and then Young Master Archie can catch up with Mr. Riezel?"
''Wait until you guys return? What''s the point then!'' Archie felt an urgency within him, his impatience causing a hint of irritation in his tone. "I have something really important to discuss with him, so let me meet him. He''s just a guest, right? There''s no need to be so considerate toward him."
Upon hearing that, Ian''s frown deepened, and she looked at Archie as if she were dealing with a clown.
Indeed, Riezel Brynhart was just a guest of the Frenzel family, with no deep connections to them. But the point was that he had a good rtionship with the head of the family herself!
Did this young master think that her master would just persuade anyone to stay, allowing them to live in her home without paying, and even have ess to her master''s important hidden library?
Except for Miss Marilyn, she and Ain were her master''s most trusted attendants. Yet, her master unhesitatinglymanded the two of them to act as his bodyguards.
Wasn''t that enough to indicate his significance to her master?
With such a rtionship, even if he was a stranger with no deep ties to them, or even an enemy, as long as it didn''t involve a deeply personal conflict, they had to get along and show respect to him.
How could this young master dare to say there was no need to be so considerate toward him?
Did this Rhein family''s second son actually appear somewhat clever but turn out to be so dumb and foolish?
Little did Ian know that Archie wasn''t dumb or foolish; he simply didn''t know and realize the strong bond between Riezel and Yuri.
In Archie''s eyes, Riezel was merely taking advantage of the opportunity after being kindly brought back to Yuri''s ce for treatment due to his severe injuries. He guessed that Riezel used ttery and deception to gain sympathy from her, who then continued to amodate him.
In other words, Archie thought Riezel was using his injuries as a pretext, considering this as a rare opportunity to stay in Yuri''s ce and have this big shot as his backing.
However, Archie didn''t know that Riezel actually intended to leave, but Yuri''s persistent efforts to keep him convinced him to stay temporarily under her asylum.
Riezel was genuinely grateful for Yuri''s kindness, even though he never explicitly expressed it. If given the chance in the future, he would surely repay her generously. However, she didn''t care and regarded him as her close friend, treating him with unconditional kindness.
The situation was far from Archie''s imagination, as their rtionship was even better than he couldprehend.
As a result, Ian''s tone became more aggressive.
"Sorry, without Mr. Riezel''s permission, we can''t just let you in. Young Master Archie, please leave."
Without waiting for Archie''s response, Ian turned and left.
"You¡ª?!"
Archie was instantly furious, but the stares from the surrounding knights caused much of his anger to dissipate.
"Please leave."
Even the hesitated servant earlier now became fearless and directly chased Archie away.
There was no need to make things difficult.
With even the attendant most trusted by Yuri giving orders, the servant naturally wouldn''t hesitate any longer.
"Tch!" Archie, feeling helpless, could only click his tongue, disregarding his usual polite image.
He clenched his fists and, with a stride full of anger, prepared to leave. However, at this moment, an unexpected sound of explosion erupted.
*BOOM!*
At the edge of the Frenzel residence, an explosion urred, unleashing exploding mes and shockwaves, causing ck smoke to billow from that corner.
"What the¡ª?!"
"Explosion?!"
One by one, the Frenzel family''s knights were shocked, unable to maintain theirposure and solemn posture.
*BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!*
Explosions without any warning appeared all around the walls of the Frenzel residence, causing sessive billows of ck smoke.
"Quick!" Ian turned back and shouted orders. "Go and see what happened!"
Her orders restored calmness among the knights.
""YES!""
With a simultaneous loud response, the knights dispersed, each investigating on their own.
''Perfect opportunity!''
Archie, observing the weakened defense at the main gate because of the distracted knights, felt a surge of joy. Seizing the moment when everyone was off guard, he stealthily slipped into the Frenzel residence.
Surprisingly, the magic defense system that should have been triggered strangely showed no reaction to Archie sneaking in.
===
Meanwhile, Riezel was feeling some strange sensations in his body.
"What''s going on?"
*BOOM!*
Awakened by the sudden explosion, he looked around in surprise at the rising ck smoke. Before long, he discovered something glowing on his chest.
Riezel jerked an object out of his inside breast pocket, only to find it was a money pouch. His heart tightened as he unhesitatingly threw the pouch to the ground, causing the coins inside to scatter.
Among the coins, one emitted a radiant glow.
As the brilliance shimmered, waves of magical energy fluctuations appeared, causing an unknown effect that plunged the entire Frenzel residence into an eerie atmosphere.
"Wh-What is this?!"
"The money! It''s glowing!"
"AAAAHHHH!"
Inside the mansion, some servants and bodyguards also had glowing money pouches, with coins rolling out.
*Thud!*
Riezel crushed the glowing coin underfoot, a cold gaze appearing in his eyes.
"Basolo..."
At this point, he understood what had happened.
He had been used.
Used by the Basolo family.
Chapter 102: Invasion
Chapter 102: Invasion
Royal Capital, Yeluvia.
When the Frenzel family encountered trouble, many people noticed themotion happening at the Frenzel residence.
However, before anyone could react, as they rushed toward the Frenzel residence, an invisible barrier rose from the ground, enveloping thend near the residence.
"Barrier magic?"
"Is it a tactical-ss barrier?"
"No, this level of barrier magic can only be solved by Tactical-ss Magicians in the court."
"Who is it? Who sent Tactical-ss Magicians to deal with the Frenzel family?"
"Enough chatter, report the news quickly!"
Knights and scouts from various forces, after a preliminary investigation of the situation at the Frenzel residence, returned one after another to report.The royal family reacted swiftly, while the nobles were stirred into action, each addressing the situation in their own way.
For instance, the royal family, upon receiving the news, immediately dispatched court magicians to destroy the barrier magic and rescue the Frenzel family.
Those with friendly ties to the Frenzel family also prepared to lend a hand, while some nobles, driven by self-interest, also sent assistance.
Of course, some people observed silently from the shadows, indifferent to the situation.
Meanwhile, inside the barrier, a group of people gathered.
They were all ragged, some even appearing skinny, giving the impression of refugees struggling with hunger and cold.
Amon feature among them was a cor around their necks engraved with a rune.
They watched as the barrier rose behind them, enclosing them inside. Some showed worry, others looked anxious, and some disyed outright fear, yet not one chose to escape.
"Is it starting?"
The leader of the group, a sharp-eyed man, murmured quietly, casting a sharp gaze toward the side.
There, appeared two figures.
One was a steward with a cunning appearance, while the other was a magician draped in a long robe.
"Are you ready?" The steward asked, wearing a sly expression.
"We''ve been ready for a while." The sharp-eyed leader coldly snorted.
"That''s good..." The steward seemed unconcerned, even saying somewhat proudly. "In that case, set off immediately."
"I know..." The sharp-eyed leader stared intently at the steward. "But don''t forget what you promised us."
"Of course." The steward grinned. "As long as this n seeds, my young master will release you from the very contract, abolish your status as a ve, and grant you freedom."
Upon hearing that, the other ragged ves, regardless of whether they wore uneasy or fearful expressions, all had a glimmer of hope in their eyes.
Only the sharp-eyed leader continued to look at the steward with cold disdain.
"Hope you guys can deliver on your promises."
Leaving those words behind, the sharp-eyed leader departed in a particr direction, precisely toward the Frenzel mansion.
"Let''s go!"
"We''reing too!"
"For freedom!"
"Let''s do it!"
The other ves, one after another, started to show determination, following the sharp-eyed leader, and heading toward the direction of the mansion.
Not long after, the ves at the scene cleared out, leaving only the steward and the magician.
"With this, everything is ready..."
The steward finally breathed a sigh of relief, turned around, and bowed to the magician.
"Thank you for your assistance this time. If it weren''t for the barrier magic you set up, once something happened to the Frenzel family, various factions, even the royal family, would absolutely intervene."
When a Strategic-ss Magician was attacked, the kingdom would naturally react strongly. After all, they were a national treasure, embodying a country''s greatest deterrent and military power. Hence, the kingdom would not just stand by if its Strategic-ss Magician were attacked.
Therefore, by taking action against the Frenzel family this time, they were taking a significant risk. Without a Tactical-ss Magician setting up a barrier, their wishful thinking would shatter in an instant.
For that reason, the steward had to express gratitude to the magician.
However¡ª
"Don''t misunderstand. I didn''t intervene for the sake of your Basolo family. I only did it because it''s most advantageous for His Grace."
The magician showed no gratitude, even looking at the steward with a hint of threat.
"This is the only chance. If you fail, we might have to face the retaliation of that madwoman. Last night, she caused a scene at His Majesty''s ce, leading to the confinement of all royal family children, including the crown prince. If she really goes serious, even His Grace might suffer. Do you understand what I mean?"
Upon hearing that, the steward swallowed nervously and quickly nodded.
"Un-Understood! We won''t fail."
"Hope so..."
After leaving those vague words, the magician turned and left.
Watching the magician disappear down the road, the steward''s friendly smile gradually vanished before he spat on the ground.
"Tch, just a mere Tactical-ss Magician who got the viscount title... Withouttching onto a duke''s thigh, do you think you could swagger in front of our Basolo family? What a clown!"
The steward''s face was full of displeasure.
Although reluctant, he must admit that with the assistance of this magician, the Basolo family''s actions could proceed much more smoothly.
Including those special items that could temporarily disable the Frenzel residence''s magic defense system¡ªif it weren''t for the fact that the magician provided those, it wouldn''t be so easy to deal with the Frenzel residence''s defense.
He could only say it was no surprise that someone backed by a duke family could casually take out such rare and precious items. The influence of the royal family''s rtives and connections truly demonstrated remarkable power.
"Fortunately, Young Master also chose to ally with that person..." The steward expressed some relief with a hint of joy in his demeanor. "Next is to create amotion and then capture themoner who upset Young Master..."
As his voice just fell, several masked people appeared from all directions, surrounding him from behind.
"Go." The steward smiled as he gave an order. "Bring Riezel Brynhart to the Young Master."
Upon hearing his order, the masked people quickly dispersed without a word, disappearing from sight.
===
The Frenzel residence''s magic defense system was paralyzed.
This fact was confirmed only after a few minutes had passed since the consecutive explosions.
With the magic defense system down, the residence lost its means of alert and defense against external threats, plunging into chaos. Especially for ordinary servants with almost nobat power, facing such a sudden situation had already thrown them into a panic.
"Don''t panic!" Ain led a group of knights into the mansion, loudly giving instructions. "Everyone, follow the knights'' instructions and head to the basement for shelter!"
Under her lead, the servants in the mansion finally avoided falling into panic, following the knights to seek refuge.
*BOOM!*
The sound of explosions continued outside, making the exploding mes and ck smoke increasingly intense, approaching the mansion.
Ain tightened her grip on the longsword at her waist, restraining the urge to rush out and focusing on guiding the servant within the mansion.
As for the outside, it had to be temporarily entrusted to Ian.
===
On the other side, Ian had now discovered the cause of the explosion.
"An alchemical bomb made by alchemy magic? Seriously?"
Ian gritted her teeth as she stared at the fragments of alchemical bombs scattered around the corner of the destroyed wall.
There was no need to think twice; they had fallen victim to a hostile attack and not because of an ident.Someone had put alchemical bombs in the vicinity, explosives imbued with the power of the explosion system magic. With enough quantity, they could even rival the destructive power of tactical-ss magic.
The fact that a batch of these bombs had been buried all around the residence without them noticing was nothing short of disgrace!
"It seems the magic defense system has been malfunctioning for a while, only fully copsing just now..." Ian muttered as she watched her surroundings.
Even if it hadn''t fully copsed, a malfunction in the magic defense system would disrupt the rm functions. The culprit had probably calcted this, allowing them to nt arge number of alchemical bombs so close to the mansion without being noticed.
Fortunately, they didn''t dare bring the alchemical bombs inside the mansion. Otherwise, countless servants would have perished in the explosion.
Just as Ian was grateful for this, suddenly, a group of people rushed out from the surroundings.
"Hold it!"
"Who are you people?"
"Don''te any closer!"
"Halt!"
The knights spotted this group of people and loudly warned them. Unfortunately, not only did these people not listen, but they also viciously aggressively charged forward.
One by one, the knights stepped forward to intercept, only to be met with their attacks.
"Halt!" Ian ced her hand on the hilt of her sword, about to rush out, but her expression soon changed.
She quickly turned around, drawing her sword to block a sudden attack.
*DING!*
A heavy sword struck heavily against her raised sword, sparking friction.
"Oh? Have we caught a big fish?" A sharp-eyed swordsman, d in tattered attire, remarked with a sneer.
"A ve?" Ian noticed the cor around the swordsman''s neck and spoke in surprise.
"Don''t call me ve!"
The sharp-eyed swordsman roared in anger andunched a fierce attack against Ian like a madman.
===
The same scene unfolded in various corners of the Frenzel residence.
Arge group of ves seemed to emerge from nowhere, storming into the residence, and fighting with knights and guards.
Riezel, with furrowed eyebrows, observed the chaotic battle outside through the mansion window.
''What are these people plotting?''
He was somewhat uncertain. While the sudden invasion surprised everyone, he couldn''t fathom its significance.
''Their target must be Yuri, right?''
Without dy, Riezel headed decisively to the top floor of the mansion to meet Yuri. However, after just walking several steps, he abruptly halted.
Ahead, a group of masked people suddenly appeared, blocking his path.
Chapter 103: A Cripple? No, a Powerful Monster!
Chapter 103: A Cripple? No, a Powerful Monster!
"..."
In the constantly echoing explosions within the Frenzel residence, the corridor where Riezel stood remained eerily silent, creating an atmosphere of utter stillness.
Riezel sensed a faint fluctuation of magical energy, causing an abnormal stagnation in the surrounding air. It felt as if this area was isted from the outside world, and whatever happened in this corridor would go unnoticed beyond its confines.
''Barrier magic, huh?''
Riezel shifted his gaze toward the group of people that had suddenly appeared in front of him.
This group was small, consisting of about four people, each masked and dressed in a uniform resembling that of swordsmen. From their body build, they were undoubtedly males and seemed like trained assassins. Weirdly, they exuded a strange aura that didn''t quite fit in with their surroundings.
Among the four, three had swords at their waists, while the remaining one wore a magician''s robe over his swordsman attire. Clearly, three were swordsmen and one was a magician.
Riezel sensed a faint magical energy emanating from the magician, indicating that he was responsible for the barrier magic isting this corridor from the outside.
The next moment, one of four, seemingly in a leadership position, spoke."Riezel Brynhart."
He spoke in a cold and mechanical tone.
"Someone wishes to meet you."
In a single sentence, their objective became clear.
"Me?" Riezel furrowed his brow, speaking as if thinking aloud. "Your target is me and not Yuri?"
No, it couldn''t be.
Causing such amotion and attacking the residence of a marquis who was also a Strategic-ss Magician just for him? Impossible.
"I see, am I something like a side task?" Riezel grasped the situation.
Indeed, that was the case.
"As a meremoner, you stubbornly refuse to leave Marquis Frenzel, shamelessly getting close to her, even deceiving her to befriend you. All of this is your sin."
He spoke again in an ice-cold, mechanical tone.
"Consider yourself lucky. Since our young master wants to deal with you personally, you won''t be executed by us on the spot. Surrender willingly and you might live a little longer."
As soon as those words were spoken, the other three chimed in.
"Surrender willingly."
"Surrender willingly."
"Surrender willingly."
They spoke as if chanting a mournful song at a funeral, their voices equally mechanical and chilling, sending shivers down the spine. If it were anyone else, no matter how strong their mental fortitude, they would likely feel ufortable witnessing this disy.
Unfortunately, Riezel was built differently.
"Ahh, I see..." Riezel released his tightly furrowed brow and responded indifferently. "Considering the deeds your Basolo family has been up to in this mansion¡ªbuying people left and right and taking advantage of the situation to set us up¡ªhow could you not know about my rtionship with Yuri?"
Someone like Archie might not be aware of the extent of the rtionship between Riezel and Yuri, but the Basolo family had made their presence known, frequently visiting the Frenzel residence more than once.
Undoubtedly, every time they visited, their steward was busy buying off the servants in the Frenzel residence left and right to gather information.
The interactions between Riezel and Yuri might be unknown to outsiders, but anyone in this residence was certainly well aware of them.
During the month Riezel was recuperating, Yuri made no effort to hide her actions. She visited his room daily, and once he was back on his feet, they had more than one afternoon tea session in the pavilion in the courtyard.
All of that obviously couldn''t escape the eyes of various servants.
From what Riezel had learned, it seemed that the eldest son of the Basolo family intended to marry Yuri by bypassing her and arranging a marriage directly through her father.
The recent attack upon his return from the Royal Market might be rted to this, and it wouldn''t be surprising if they wanted to eliminate him, who was too close to Yuri, in the process.
Riezel estimated it was likely a misunderstanding.
However¡ª
"I''m sorry but... I''m not interested in ying house with your young master."
Ignoring the eerie atmosphere of the four masked men, Riezel wasn''t intimidated at all. Instead, he calmly walked toward them.
"Step aside." Riezel warned in a calm voice.
The four masked men fell silent, and in the next moment, the strange aura emanating from them turned into a murderous aura.
*Whoosh¡ª!*
The next moment, the three masked swordsmen, like wound-up machines, suddenly elerated, rushing forward and creating a gust of wind. At the same time, the masked magician began chanting magic, intensifying the fluctuations of his magical energy.
The four of them attacked Riezel without hesitation or mercy.
Judging by their swiftness, it seemed they had no intention of capturing him alive.
In response, Riezel''s footsteps remained steady, maintaining his pace, still walking calmly toward the front.
As both sides advanced, they quickly collided.
The three masked swordsmen quickly drew their swords, creating three sword lights as they stabbed toward Riezel.
In that split second, Riezel''s footsteps swayed slightly, his figure blurred, passing through the three iing sword lights.
One of the three masked swordsmen abruptly felt his vision blur as Riezel suddenly appeared in front of him.
*BANG!*
A swift kicknded heavily on his chest, causing a burst of impact and a muffled sound.
*Cough!*
The masked swordsman expelled air from his lungs, thrown back by the forceful blow, crashing into the wall, creating ripples in the barrier that precisely separated this corridor. Without it, he would have surely broken through the mansion wall and flown outside.
Riezel''s thunderous kick was indeed powerful and merciless.
"¡ª?!"
The other two masked swordsmen immediately halted their steps, seemingly stunned by the sudden turn of events.
Only the masked magician''s magic chanting continued, and after a moment, the magical energy fluctuations from his body echoed out.
"Blindness."
"Confusion."
"Paralysis."
In one breath, the masked magician chanted three types of magic, each capable of inflicting negative statuses on enemies.
''Blindness'' deprived enemies of their sight, rendering everything invisible.
''Confusion'' stripped enemies of their reason, making rational thought and calmbat impossible.
''Paralysis'' caused enemies'' movements to be sluggish, as if struck by an electric shock, hindering smooth actions.
These three magics werebat-ss magic, not overly advanced, but when used against swordsmencking the ability to cure negative statuses, they were enough to disgust any swordsmen.
In a state of blindness, confusion, and paralysis, plus an additional three swordsmen attacking from the sides, anyone in this kind of situation would undoubtedly feel hopeless and despair.
The two stunned masked swordsmen who had not yet been attacked by Riezel quickly regained theirposure. They suppressed their surprise, intensified their murderous auras, and thrust their swords toward his arms.
They nned to pierce through Riezel''s arms from left to right, disabling his hands first before gradually overpowering him.
While they imed to capture him alive, their actions revealed that capturing him unscathed was not their intention.
If he resisted, they would sever both arms.
If he did not yield, they would then sever both legs.
This ruthless approach would continue until Riezelpletely lost his ability to resist, allowing him to be brought back for questioning.
This was the approach of those who lived in the darkness, devoid of any trace of humanity.
Unfortunately for them, they had targeted the wrong person.
*ng!* *Cling!*
A bright silver short sword silently appeared in Riezel''s hand, effortlessly blocking the two iing swords with an indifferent expression.
Riezel''s expression, eyes, and movements¡ªthere was no sign of someone who had lost their sight, reason, and suffered paralysis at all.
""What?!""
Including the masked magician, all of them were utterly stunned upon watching this absurd scene.
Little did they know, Riezel possessed a skill called ''Endless'', and within its effects, there was an effect providing him with the highest-ranked ''Abnormal Resistance'' development ability.
*BANG!*
As Riezel swung another kick, itnded square on the face of one of the masked swordsmen, sending him sprawling backward, blood streaming down his face.
"H-Huh?"
The remaining masked swordsman, devoid of the earlier mechanical and cold demeanor, now resembled a frustrated brute, stunned and speechless. Instinctively, he distanced himself from Riezel, preparing to retreat. However, a silver sh rendered all his movements meaningless.
*Pu-chi!*
As an extremely fast strike transformed into a silver sh, it shed through the retreating masked swordsman''s body apanied by the tearing sound of flesh and a stter of blood.
"AGHHH¡ª!"
The masked swordsman let out a scream, a straight line of blood appearing at the center of his body, stteringrge amounts of blood everywhere.
Riezel maintained the posture of swinging his sword, tilting his head slightly to avoid the blood sttering onto his face.
Three masked swordsmeny defeated¡ªtwo kicked away and one cut down, all incapacitated and unable to rise again.
"How can this be?!"
The lone masked magician, now the sole survivor, retreated a step while shouting in disbelief.
ording to the Basolo family''s intelligence, Riezel was supposed to be a cripple, with his Gate damaged. Even if there were rumors of him practicing swordsmanship, how could he have be so powerful in just a few days?
From the Basolo family''s perspective, capturing Riezel should have been an easy task. Little did they expect that the supposed cripple would transform into such a powerful monster.
"Dammit!"
The masked magician, now fearful and intimidated, watched as Riezel shifted his gaze toward him.
Without hesitation, the masked magician turned and fled with all his might.
Just as Riezel was about to pursue, he halted. He sensed that the barrier enveloping the corridor was being rapidly broken down.
*Crack!*
Before long, the barrier shattered, reconnecting this corridor with the outside.
*BANG!*
Meanwhile, the masked magician, who fled in panic, soon collided with the one who broke the barrier, only to be kicked back by a maid apanying them.
"Are you okay?"
Upon hearing that question, Riezel saw Yuri apanied by Marilyn approaching him.
"Yuri?"
Riezel raised his eyebrows, expressing his surprise.
Chapter 104: A Fait Accompli
Chapter 104: A Fait Apli
Riezel hadn''t expected that when he nned to find Yuri, she woulde over first.
This youngdy, along with her maid, appeared unharmed. Not a single hair was out of ce, and their clothes were unruffled either. They carried themselves with calmposure as if the invasion of their residence was nothing more than a mere game. Their steps toward him were oddly slow and unperturbed.
"It seems worrying about you was unnecessary..." Yuri remarked, ncing at the masked people lying in pools of blood or slumped in the corner.
Marilyn also nced at Hermit in Riezel''s hand, saying nothing, standing half a step behind, guarding her master.
"Why did youe here?" Riezel said while wiping the blood from the de of Hermit. "It''s dangerous here; you shouldn''t havee out."
His tone carried a scolding he hadn''t even realized was there.
"It''s fine. Marilyn is with me, after all." Yuri picked up on his scolding tone and the corners of her mouth curled up slightly. "If I didn''te out, no one would lift the tactical-ss magic barrier shrouding this ce. I had toe out to end this farce."
"Farce?" Riezel raised his eyebrows slightly. "Why do you say that?"
"Because no one would be stupid enough to believe I''d have an ident in the royal capital." Yuri said indifferently. "Including the one who nned this attack.""Basolo family..." Riezel whispered.
"Yep..." Yuri responded mockingly. "They made their attack so obvious. If something really happened to me, they would be finished."
No one would believe the Basolo family could sessfully hide their involvement in nning this attack since even Riezel himself immediately figured out who was manipting him and who orchestrated this attack.
If he could, how could others not see it?
As Yuri said, the attack was too ringly obvious. Only the abruptness of it led to uncontroble chaos. Once the situation was dealt with, it would be easy to trace back the responsible party.
Other than that, all those servants and guards who took the Basolo family''s money and indirectly helped them sabotage the Frenzel family''s magic defense system could each be a witness.
In such a scenario, if Yuri, the national treasure-level magician of Jinas, came to harm, the royal family would undoubtedly be furious. The Basolo family would incur the wrath of the entire kingdom and face severe punishment.
In this world, a Strategic-ss Magician was that important. Any loss would significantly weaken a country''s military power and threat level. If the Basolo family dared to do such a thing and made it so obvious, it was akin to digging their own grave.
No matter how foolish, even a marquis family wouldn''t be foolish enough to stoop this low.
Therefore, in the eyes of some wise and perceptive individuals, this attack was nothing but a circus.
Riezel also realized this, understanding Yuri''s importance.
"You''re saying that the Basolo family attacked here solely for another purpose?" Riezel realized this.
"Um..." Yuri nodded, her beautiful face showing a hint of disgust. "They probably orchestrated this attack to stop me from leaving the royal capital and returning to my territory to cancel the marriage arrangement between our families."
It sounded illogical to his understanding, but Riezel grasped the details.
The Basolo family nned this attack not to harm Yuri but to create a false impression of ''Marquis Frenzel being attacked''.
A very important Strategic-ss Magician, being openly attacked in the royal capital, beneath the king''s feet, was bound to cause amotion.
After themotion, the kingdom would be tense, fearing another attack on Yuri. Thus, if the Basolo family manipted things a bit, they could make the royal family and other major nobles do their best to keep her in the royal capital, ensuring her proximity for protection and preventing her from venturing outside.
That was the Basolo family''s goal.
"What''s the point of all this?" Riezel said somewhat speechless. "Even if they force you to stay here and prevent you from returning to your territory to cancel the engagement, the Basolo family can''t just forcibly marry their son to you, right?"
He really didn''t understand the meaning behind these actions.
Yuri was clearly unwilling to marry the Basolo family''s son.
Even if her father approved, so what? As long as she didn''t agree, could the Basolo family really force her into marriage?
Forcing marriage upon a Strategic-ss Magician?
Did they think she had no temper?
However, Riezel momentarily forgot that this wasn''t the modern world he was once in, but a world simr to medieval Europe.
"They naturally wouldn''t dare to forcibly marry the Lady, but once the marriage arrangement is confirmed, she might actually have to marry."
Marilyn suddenly chimed in, leaving Riezel stunned.
It seemed illogical, but she wasn''t speaking without reason.
In this world, nobles enjoyed privileges but also faced constant scrutiny, needing to consider their noble status and reputation in everything they did. Matters like marriages, which might seem less serious amongmoners, were handled differently by nobles.
It was akin to the confined lives of youngdies in ancient times, bound by their parents'' wishes and matchmaking.
Yuri, due to her abilities and unique position, wasn''t entirely voiceless like those powerless youngdies, but in certain aspects, she was indeed still bound by limitations.
Otherwise, why would she mock herself as a tool for war without freedom?
Based on her position and the impact on the country, Yuri was frequently restricted. She couldn''t freely use tactical-ss or strategic-ss magic, couldn''t casually leave the national borders, and couldn''t go wherever she pleased without the royal family''s permission.
All of that was a representation of herck of freedom.
If the attack of the Basolo family did indeed have an impact, causing the royal family and nobles to join forces in keeping Yuri from leaving the royal capital, would she still defy the royal family''s orders and just walk away?
In that case, the Frenzel family might face charges of treason in a matter of minutes, and a mass execution wouldn''t be an impossible oue.
Therefore, if Yuri were restricted to the royal capital and not allowed to leave, the Basolo family, through negotiations with her father, might actually solidify the marriage.
At that time, with a bit of publicity, the public would believe that the two families were about to unite in marriage.
As a result, there would be extensive political, economic, military, and even societal cooperation between the Basolo and Frenzel territories.
Over time, the two territories might be inseparable.
If things escted to that point and Yuri still refused to fulfill the marriage, there could be unrest between the two territories. This could range from impacting interests to potentially affecting people''s lives in their territories.
If the unrest became too big, it could even affect the entire residents of Jinas.
In such a situation, even the king himself might order the marriage to prevent chaos and upheaval in the kingdom.
If Yuri still didn''t want to marry under these circumstances, she would have to abandon her status, her family, and even her homnd, leaving this country behind.
But would the kingdom allow a Strategic-ss Magician to leave so easily?
Impossible.
What if this Strategic-ss Magician became a criminal in the future, using highly harmful strategic-ss magic against Jinas? What if this magician were recruited by an opposing country, threatening Jinas''s security?
All these concerns would turn Yuri into an enemy of the kingdom. At that time, her best oue might be an assassination, and the worst oue would be one¡ªa public execution.
This was what they called a ripple effect.
Someone like Yuri, even with a slight movement, could provoke extreme reactions from others.
If the king could confine his own children because of her, giving her face, it was possible he might order her assassination if she didn''t return the favor.
The Basolo family targeted this vulnerability, resorting to these tactics to forcibly keep Yuri, buying time to establish a ''fait apli''. {T/N: Fait apli means something that has already happened or been decided before those affected hear about it, leaving them with no option but to ept it.}
"Is that even possible?" Riezel asked speechlessly.
He had encountered political and business maneuvers like this in his previous life, but the dynamics of this world were different from his previous life. His experiences from before weren''t entirely applicable in this world, making it genuinely eye-opening for him.
Yet, there were still some aspects he found perplexing.
"Even if that is the case, isn''t it a fact that the Basolo family attacked you? Aren''t they afraid of consequences?" Riezel was puzzled by this.
Yuri shook his head.
"What consequences? The people who attacked this time were ves, and none of them belonged to the Basolo family. Even these masked people, it''s doubtful if we can confirm any of their identities, and the Basolo family can easily im ignorance of them. Even if the ves are proven to be theirs, they could just exin it away as a rebellion, finding plenty of ways to justify themselves."
In the Akasha Continent, incidents such as ve rebellions were not umon urrences.
After all, who would want to be a ve for their entire life? When faced with inhumane treatment and the harsh reality of having their human rights stripped away, ves would rebel and resist.
Furthermore, canceling the very contract was not impossible.
Contracts were not absolute; they were merely tools used by magicians and could be both cast and undone by them.
The attendant contract was fine and safe since the terms were equal, establishing a stable rtionship between the two parties, which made their cancetion somewhat difficult.
However, the very contract, being such a one-sided and forceful contract, was a whole different story.
Chapter 105: Counterattack Plan
Chapter 105: Counterattack n
The birth of contract.
The initial purpose was to allow magicians to control powerful helpers, ensuring that these helpers whom they called attendants would protect them while chanting magic, thus ensuring the smooth casting of magic.
Thus, the attendant contract was the first and original form of contract magic, with the most stable mechanism and the most reasonable procedures.
Once this type of contract took effect, not only was it powerful, but the difficulty of forcibly terminating it was also huge. Especially when the master fulfilled the wishes and conditions proposed by their attendant during the contract, the power of the contract would significantly increase.
Because the master had already fulfilled the promises made in their contract, the attendant who had had their wish granted naturally couldn''t back out. Otherwise, wouldn''t it leave the master empty-handed?
Taking this into consideration, mechanisms were established when the attendant contract was created. Once the master fulfilled the attendant''s wishes or conditions during the contract, its power would increase dramatically, making it difficult to cancel.
Due to this, some attendants, when intentionally forming an attendant contract, wisely set a predetermined time for the contract to take effect, promising to serve for a few years or even decades. Once the time limit was reached, the contract would automatically be released, preventing them from being entangled for a lifetime.
Given these factors, once the attendant contract was in effect, it was nearly impossible to terminate it, and only some extremely rare and specific methods could forcibly cancel an already effective attendant contract.
However, the very contract, being one-sided and forceful, was a different story altogether.This type of contract magic, which deprived people of their human rights and required unconditional obedience to the master''smands, was no longer considered contract magic but rather a form of domination, maniption, and brainwashing.
Such contracts were highly unstable, with a very imbnced structure, making it less difficult to forcibly cancelpared to the attendant contract.
In general, as long as a magician''s magical energy was stronger than the magician who cast the very contract, any magician could forcefully cancel and terminate the very contract.
Some powerful swordsmen could also resist the effects of a very contract based on their power.
For example, a swordsman who practiced special swordsmanship and activated the attributes within their magical energy, thus making their sword technique akin to magic, could mostly resist the very contract.
Take the Holy Dragon Sword Style as an example.
Swordsmen who practiced this special swordsmanship would develop a bodyparable to that of a great dragon and possess an anti-magic attribute. They could even withstand the direct impact of tactical-ss magic, which meant forcibly nting a very contract into their bodies was basically impossible.
Even without practicing special swordsmanship, as long as a swordsman had power surpassing the magician who cast the very contract, they could activate their magical energy through their swordsmanship, break free from the contract''s constraints, and regain their freedom.
Therefore, there were various means to abolish the very contract, providing those enved with the possibility of resistance. This resulted in incidents of ve rebellions every year on the Akasha Continent, as some ves saw hope in breaking free from their very.
Exploiting this dynamic, the Basolo family orchestrated the attack on the Frenzel residence using ves without fear or concern.
"I bet they''ll im that an unknown magician had offered freedom to the ves as a condition, inciting these ves to attack this ce."
Yuri spoke, pointing to the tactical-ss barrier enveloping the entire Frenzel residence.
"Well, this time, a Tactical-ss Magician is definitely involved. But the thing is, the Basolo family doesn''t have any Tactical-ss Magician under theirmand, so they have a valid excuse to justify themselves."
Even a perceptive person could see that the Basolo family couldn''t escape involvement in this matter.
But, even if that were the case, so what?
"In the end, as long as nothing happens to me, the kingdom and the royal family can turn a blind eye to this incident. That''s politics for you." Yuri remarked helplessly.
After all, within the royal capital, there were plenty who preferred her to stay in the royal capital.
The royal family, in particr, wanted Yuri under their watchful eyes to make themselves feel at ease. Other nobles also had their own ns and agendas; some even harbored grievances against the Frenzel family, disliking her Strategic-ss Magician status and not minding causing trouble for her behind the scenes.
In the midst of all this, if the Basolo family utilized their connections both openly and covertly, they could smooth things over and blur the lines between major and minor issues.
Of course, bystanders might choose to ignore this incident, but Yuri certainly wouldn''t.
If the Basolo family truly did all of this, Yuri would undoubtedly retaliate. Yet if what they did could secure the marriage, the Basolo family was more than willing to pay the price. After all, as both of them were marquis families, she wouldn''t go so far as to destroy their family.
At most, they would have to pay some price for her retaliation, and this price was something they could afford.
Therefore, as long as Yuri, this important Strategic-ss Magician, remained unharmed and the royal family''s bottom line wasn''t breached, the Basolo family was fearless.
The only uncertain factor was the Tactical-ss Magician.
Their identity was unknown, and their involvement would undoubtedly raise suspicions from various factions, including the royal family.
Yet, this wasn''t necessarily a bad thing.
Wasn''t suspicion good?
The more the royal family suspects, the more they worry that some unknown party might be targeting Yuri, making them more prone to keep her in the royal capital.
At the same time, the Basolo family could shift all responsibility for the masked people who attacked Riezel to the suspected Tactical-ss Magician, thus cleaning themselves entirely.
Thisplex web of schemes made it crystal clear how the royal family and the nobles would react. It was precisely because of this understanding that the Basolo family dared tounch such a tant attack, confident in predicting the responses of the royal family and nobles.
However¡ª
"But, that is assuming I''m okay..." Yuri chuckled without any apparent reason. "If something truly happens to me, the Basolo family will be in deep trouble, even if they don''t end up dead."
Her words carried hidden implications that Riezel could discern.
"Are you suggesting...?" Riezel looked at her, surprised.
"They''re trying to y tricks, right? Well, let them try then." Yuri grinned. "After this incident is over, everyone will know I''m seriously injured."
As her words came out, Riezel felt a tingling sensation on his scalp.
For the Basolo family''s n to work seamlessly, it was crucial that Yuri, this key character, remained unharmed. If anything went wrong with her, the Basolo family would be finished, and the royal family and the kingdom''s major nobles wouldn''t turn a blind eye.
They would thoroughly investigate the incident, identify the mastermind behind the attack on the Frenzel residence, and take appropriate action.
The illusions created by the Basolo family would be useless once Jinas began a serious investigation.
"Let''s go." Yuri said cheerfully. "Let''s take care of things here first. Once the barrier is removed, I won''t be able to move around freely here anymore."
It was precisely for that purpose that she seemed so rxed, taking her time without rushing to remove the tactical-ss barrier covering the Frenzel residence.
"Is this really okay?" Riezel said hesitantly. "Even if you pretend¡ªI mean, even if you''re seriously injured, letting the Basolo family be held ountable, the fact that you were attacked will still be true. If news of your serious injury spreads, the royal family will be even more concerned about your safety, and you won''t be able to leave the royal capital, right?"
"So what?" Yuri retorted nonchntly. "As long as the truth about this mess gets out, can the Basolo family still continue proposing a marriage with my family?"
Certainly not.
Once news spread about Yuri being seriously injured due to the Basolo family''s nned attack, she would have every reason to reject the marriage. The residents in her territory would also refuse to cooperate with a noble who harmed their lord.
In this case, the Basolo family''s ns to create a ''fait apli'' would also fail.
"Moreover, I still haven''t received any instructions from the King to stay, have I?" Yuri continued casually. "As the one seriously injured in this incident, it''s reasonable and fair for me to escape this ''unsafe'' royal capital and return to my own territory to save my life, isn''t it?"
Reasonable and fair? What a load of crap!
If she were seriously injured in the royal capital, the reasonable and fair thing to do would be to escape to the royal pce, seeking the protection of the royal family. This would truly be a reasonable and fair course of action.
Yuri''s move indicated that she was preparing to y a political game.
In case she actually slipped out of the royal capital and the royal family saw that the situation was already resolved, even if they suspected something fishy about Yuri''s ''serious injury'', they could only turn a blind eye and choose to ignore it.
The Basolo family had their own tricks and games, so it was only natural that Yuri, as the head of the Frenzel family, could y as well.
After all, political maneuvering between nobles was not umon in any kingdom, and the royal family might even appreciate it.
If all the nobles suddenly stoppedpeting with each other, the royal family would be on edge, overly suspicious of a coup d''etat, fearing that the next day they might wake up to find their dynasty over.
Considering this, as long as it did not touch absolute red lines, the royal family generally turned a blind eye to the power struggles between nobles, whether it was the Basolo family plotting against the Frenzel family or the Frenzel family retaliating against the Basolo family.
"However, there''s a problem we need to address." Yuri changed the topic, bringing Riezel back to reality.
"What is it?" Riezel asked instinctively.
"The currentmotion is not big enough..." Yuri said faintly as she gazed outside the window. "Only this level of chaos is not enough to prove that something big has happened here, something that could harm a Strategic-ss Magician protected by multiple Sword Masters and a hundred skilled knights."
As the saying goes, to prove that someone was burned alive in the fire, there needs to be a sufficiently intense ze.
"It would be best if a tactical-ss magic is unleashed here, causing widespread destruction." Yuri addressed the problem.
"The Lady can''t do it herself." Marilyn indifferently chimed in. "Her magical energy is too distinctive. If some court magician were to investigate, it would surely be exposed."
The question was, where could they find an unknown Tactical-ss Magician at this time and in this situation?
This was the only loophole in Yuri''s n that hadn''t been resolved yet. If this loophole wasn''t addressed, she would have to resort to other means.
"Using items like alchemical bombs as substitutes should achieve the same effect, though the cleanup afterward might be a bit troublesome..." Yuri exined with a sigh.
Upon hearing that, Riezel remained silent.
After a while, he sighed.
"As long as a tactical-ss magds here, right?"
Hearing his sudden question, Yuri and Marilyn looked at him in wonder.
"Alright. Leave it to me then."
After saying that, Riezel left the corridor without waiting for Yuri''s answer, heading directly to the exit.
Yuri and Marilyn exchanged a confused nce, both having an incredible spection in their minds.
''Could it be...?''
Chapter 106: My Friend
Chapter 106: My Friend
The explosion in the Frenzel residence had ceased, though it was unclear when.
The alchemical bombs buried all around the residence seemed to have detonated, no longer causing harm.
The surrounding walls had copsed, allowing ck smoke and exploding mes to billow. The ground, as well as all sides of the residence, became pockmarked as if it had suffered a fierce artillery attack.
At first nce, the situation seemed dire. But upon closer inspection, apart from the courtyard being affected, the luxurious mansion had suffered almost no damage with no casualties.
Yes.
Everyone emerged unscathed since the unarmed servants had sought refuge in the underground cer.
The knights and guards, with some injuries but nothing serious, remained in the area. In contrast, the ves who had attacked the Frenzel residence were now experiencing heavy casualties.
Somey on the ground, others in pools of blood.
Some were restrained by the knights and guards, while others were tied up with ropes, each looking rather pitiful.Even the sharp-eyed ve, now lying beneath Ian''s sword, wore a face filled with regret.
Proven by reality, it was simply impossible for these ves to ovee a hundred-strong knightly order led by a Sword Master.
The Frenzel family''s knightly order possessed a strength that left even Riezel astonished, generally ranging from Level 3 to Level 4.
How could a group of people fallen into very pose a threat to knights who trained daily and had experienced numerous battles?
The sharp-eyed ve did show some strength, probablyparable to Level 4. Unfortunately, he happened to face a Sword Master equivalent to Level 5, and the oue was easily predictable.
If there were any Sword Masters among these ves, the Basolo family would have surely recruited them, rather than sending them as sacrificial pawns.
After all, very few Sword Masters became ves because there weren''t many magicians capable of imposing a very contract on a swordsman of this caliber. Only Tactical-ss Magicians and above could enve a Sword Master.
Even if a Sword Master was enved, they were considered the most preciousmodity. If one appeared in the royal market, it would be auctioned as the highlight of the event, not something the Basolo family could casually buy in bulk in the ve district.
Therefore, the ves who attacked the Frenzel residence, despite possessingbat abilities, ultimately fell short of the knights trained under major nobles. Otherwise, the nobles wouldn''t bother training their own knights and would simply buy ves directly.
Among this group of ves, the only standout was the sharp-eyed ve; while the rest couldn''t measure up at all. Perhaps it was precisely because of this that Ian chose not to kill him and spared his life.
As Ian prepared to send all the ves away, Ain, who was responsible for dispersing personnel and protecting the servants in the mansion, suddenly appeared with amand.
"Go into the basement and wait?" Ian was momentarily surprised, but in the next moment, Ain''s whispered words in her ear made her show a look of sudden realization.
With a group of knights and ves, they all quickly entered the basement.
Unbeknownst to them, someone had climbed onto the roof of the mansion.
It was none other than Riezel.
"Have they all taken shelter?" Riezel muttered as he looked down at the entire residence from above.
After confirming that there was no one in sight, he raised his head, looking at the tactical-ss barrier overhead.
"Basolo family, huh?" Riezel squinted his eyes, suddenly smiling. "Since they used me, I''ll personally take this bit of interest."
He was someone who held grudges after all.
In his previous life, many unpleasant things had happened to him, and although he had grown numb to them, he always remembered and vowed not to repeat them in this life, even at the cost of his own life.
In the past when ambushed by the Freya familia in the world of Danmachi, Riezel also took note of this grudge and vowed to settle it. Now, with the Basolo family''s scheme of using that pouch of gold coins on him, how could he not repay this debt?
Therefore, after learning about Yuri''s n, he took on this task that would add fuel to the fire without hesitation.
"Okay, let''s begin..." Riezel closed his eyes.
Among the eleven types of magic he possessed, there were three wide-area annihtion magic with destructive power on par with tactical-ss magic.
One, learned from Lefiya, was the me element wide area annihtion magic, ''Fuside Farica''.
The other two were learned from Orario''s strongest mage, Riveria Ljos Alf.
Being a high elf and member of elven royalty, she possessed a technique called ''Chant Connection''.
It allowed her to segment and connect the chants of her three magic, showcasing different effects and powers.
Through the flexible use of chant connection, she could break down each of her magic into three levels, allowing her three magic to manifest in a total of nine different forms.
Hence, Riveria received praise from various gods and earned ''Nine Hell'' as her alias.
Riveria''s nine magic was actually onlyprised of three magic, which were attack magic, defense magic, and healing magic. However, with the chant connection, these three magic were divided into nine types, bing three attack magic, three defense magic, and three healing magic.
Riezel learned a total of five magic from Riveria, leaving four untouched.
Of these four untouched magic, three were healing magic, as she believed her healing magic couldn''t match Airmid''s ''Dia Fratel'', so she chose not to teach them to him.
The remaining one, which was one of three attack magic, had the strongest power and effects, situated on the third level. The reason for not teaching this particr magic was solely its overwhelming power.
Riveria hesitated to use it even in the dungeon, fearing it could harm allies, destroy the terrain, and lead to casualties on one''s own side. In the city, the consequences would be even more catastrophic.
Regardless, she still taught him both the first and second levels of her attack magic, along with the other three defense magic.
Now, what Riezel was about to use was precisely the second level of Riveria''s attack magic, the most potent among the three wide-area annihtion magic he mastered.
"The me will soon be released."
A solemn chant echoed from Riezel''s mouth.
"Creeping war, unavoidable destruction. The horn of battle sounds aloud, the cruelty of conflict will envelop all."
A fiery-red magic circle emerged beneath his feet.
"Come, crimson mes, the ruthless inferno."
The magic circle began to expand, spreading across the entire roof.
"You are the avatar of hellfire. Sweeppletely, bring a close to the great war."
The temperature in the air began to rise, letting the scorching aura permeate all around.
"Burn them through, Sword of Surtr - my name is Alf."
Riezel slowly opened his eyes, transforming a substantial amount of his ''Mind'' into magical energy, releasing it.
"Rea Laevateinn."
The me-red magic circle expanded extremely fast at that moment.
*WHOOSH¡ª*
In the next second, massive mes appeared.
It burst forth from the magic circle as if red fire had erupted from the depths of hell itself, instantly dyeing the entire area crimson.
The temperature in the atmosphere quickly soared, increasing to a level that ordinary people would find unbearable.
The intense heat raged, filling every inch of the tactical-ss barrier without leaving a gap.
Soon, the ground ignited, the courtyard ignited, the flora ignited, and even the only undamaged mansion was mercilessly set aze, thoroughly engulfed in mes.
The red fire, capable of burning everything to ashes, raged throughout the entire Frenzel residence, shrouding everything in mes.
This was a sea of fire that could incinerate everything within a radius of several kilometers.
Riezel stood on the gradually burning mansion rooftop, watching everything unfold. His face and eyes seemed to be on fire, glowing red.
After a while, he turned around, leaped, and jumped down from the mansion rooftop.
Only the sea of fire remained, continuing to burn as if it would never extinguish.
Yuri, who had retreated to the edge of the barrier, was momentarily stunned senseless.
She saw a massive magic circle appear over the mansion, and mes descended from the sky, enveloping the entire Frenzel residence.
"He actually unleashed a tactical-ss magic..."
Staring at the astonishingly high-temperature sea of fire, Yuri seemed somewhat in a daze. On her side, Marilyn was also gazing at the scene, her eyes flickering.
"My Lady..." Marilyn said in a hushed voice. "Mr. Riezel''s seems to hide something..."
Hearing her maid''s words, Yuri pursed her lips and remained silent.
Hiding something?
Wasn''t that obvious?
He was clearly bedridden and dying not long ago. Yet, after getting up and recovering from his injuries, he could effortlessly defeat a Sword Master from the Shadow and casually unleash tactical-ss magic.
Both swordsmanship and magic were at such a high level, almost unbelievable.
Before being bedridden, Riezel definitely didn''t possess such power. If he had, he wouldn''t have been on the brink of death, almost killed by someone.
The question was, why did hepletely change after that incident? Not just in terms of power, even his personality seemed to have transformed, like a different person.
"Should we investigate him again, My Lady?" Marilyn carefully weighed her words, pondering what exactly she suggested.
Yuri understood that Marilyn suspected Riezel of having some ulterior motives. Logic also told her that she should do what her maid suggested, to uncover whether he was intentionally hiding some unknown plot.
However¡ª
"I don''t want to doubt my friend." Yuri stated simply before turning away. "Once Ain and Ian have everything arranged, tell them toe and meet us outside the royal capital."
After saying that, she left directly.
Marilyn, however, stood in ce, her eyes still flickering as she watched Yuri''s departing figure.
Marilyn knew Yuri was avoiding.
Bing a marquis at the age of seventeen was naturally impossible for an idiot. Yuri was wise and intelligent, evident in her nning to counterattack the Basolo family.
However, her past had been too restrictive and oppressive. Now that she had finally gained a friend with whom she could share her true thoughts and be her true self, she didn''t want to treat him with the overly suspicious mindset typical of nobles.
Riezel was a rare and her only friend.
Yuri was unwilling to lose him, subconsciously rejecting anything that might lead to losing this ''connection''.
For that reason, she could do anything for this friend and could ignore everything for them as well.
However¡ª
''For us, the most important one is you, not Riezel Brynhart...'' Marilyn looked toward the sea of fire behind, a cold glow appearing in her eyes.
Several secondster, Marilyn turned and left, following Yuri''s footsteps.
Chapter 107: Exposed
Chapter 107: Exposed
*PENG!*
The tactical-ss barrier finally shattered.
The sudden shattering of the barrier enveloping the Frenzel residence caught everyone watching outside off guard.
"What''s happening?"
"Fire?"
"This heat and mes..."
"It''s tactical-ss magic!"
Various surprised scouts reacted one after another.
Without hesitation, they retreated from the Frenzel residence''s perimeter to avoid anyplications and needed to ry the information to their superior as soon as possible.Unbeknownst to these scouts, several people had escaped from the other end of the Frenzel residence, leaving this chaotic ce and the royal capital behind.
Apart from these people, someone else was actually stumbling and fleeing from another direction.
It was none other than Archie.
"I-I made it out...?"
Archie, looking at the mes chasing behind him, ran out while tears of joy streaming down his face.
"Yes! I made it out!"
Recalling the recent events, he still felt a lingering fear.
In his search to see Riezel and Yuri, he had sneaked into the Frenzel residence alone, narrowly escaping danger several times. What made it worse was he didn''t get to see them at all, as all he encountered were only knights and ves.
He first ran into some knights, then suspected of being one of the attackers, resulting in a pursuit. Shortly afterward, he encountered some ves and they also attacked him without reason, forcing him to use magic to fight back.
As he fought the ves and was pursued by the knights, both sides soon met and engaged in their own fight, dragging him into it as well.
Whether knights or ves, they treated him as their enemy, wanting either to capture or kill him.
He had to fight back and exin himself at the same time, running in circles until he managed to escape the chaotic Frenzel residence.
However, in his escape, he witnessed an unforgettable scene.
''Riezel wasn''t worthless at all!''
Recalling thest scene he witnessed, Archie found it hard to believe.
He saw with his own eyes Riezel appearing on the roof of the mansion. He also witnessed Riezel chanting powerful magic, unleashing the hellish red fire, sting toward the entire residence.
Before long, the entire Frenzel residence fell into a sea of fire.
Archie himself narrowly escaped the pursuit of mes, almost getting burnt to ashes. Fortunately, he managed to escape and discovered this huge secret.
''What? His ''Gate'' is damaged?''
''What? Can''t be a magician anymore?''
''What a bullshit! He''s not only unharmed but also grown stronger, bing a Tactical-ss Magician!''
Archie felt he had a sudden revtion.
Why was Riezel looked upon favorably by the Frenzel family, even allowed to stay at their residence?
Obviously, because Riezel was a Tactical-ss Magician and thus recruited by the Frenzel family, bing one of their people!
The reason Riezel pretended to be useless was merely to deceive the other nobles, to fool other factions, serving as a hidden trump card for the Frenzel family!
In the eyes of many nobles, this wasn''t a rare urrence. Many of them also secretly employed various means to enhance their family''s strength without others knowing.
In Archie''s view, Riezel was deliberately hidden by the Frenzel family, a card moved into the shadows.
Because of that, Riezel was dered a cripple publicly, yet still allowed to reside in the Frenzel residence as if he were just lodging there. His so-called practice of swordsmanship was also a facade, only meant to divert attention.
Now, with the Frenzel residence unmistakably under attack and a tactical-ss barrier hinting at the involvement of a Tactical-ss Magician, it was only natural for Riezel, also a Tactical-ss Magician, to be dispatched to confront the enemy magician.
''I always wondered why that country boy got so damn cocky all of a sudden. Turns out, he''s already be a Tactical-ss Magician. Damn him! Obviously, he doesn''t feel the need to bow and nod to our rtionship anymore.''
Archie felt both relieved and jealous.
If he were also a Tactical-ss Magician, he wouldn''t have to worry about being abandoned by his family.
As for Riezel, if he had known that Riezel had be a Tactical-ss Magician, he shouldn''t have thought Riezel was worthless before and ignored him. He should have taken advantage of that time to build a better rtionship with Riezel. Perhaps he could make this Tactical-ss Magician his subordinate.
Who would have thought the oue would be like this?
''Fuck, can''t do it. I''ve got to make good use of this information.'' Archie cursed silently and began to ponder. ''The guy who stayed in the Frenzel residence is actually a Tactical-ss Magician. If this news spreads, it''s bound to attract the attention of major nobles and even the royal family, including my father...''
As a result, Riezel would be under intense scrutiny and would be thoroughly investigated by various factions to determine his origin.
When the time came, everyone would know that he used to have a good rtionship with Riezel and they were in the same small group. They had even gone to the Royal Market together recently, chatting andughing, which solidified the credibility of their rtionship.
''In that case, considering I have a Tactical-ss Magician as a friend backing me up, who also has a decent standing in the Frenzel family, even if my father is super stubborn, he can''t just brush off my feelings, right? He will undoubtedly have to take my feelings into ount when appointing my elder brother as the heir.''
As he thought like that, Archie''s eyes lit up.
''Yes! This is the way to go!''
''Then there''s only one thing I need to do...''
''Spread the news about Riezel Brynhart being a Tactical-ss Magician! The wider, the better!''
With that decision firmly in mind, Archie quickened his pace, distancing himself from the chaotic scene.
Not long after, news that would drop the jaws of many in the royal capital began to surface, bing known to all.
===
On this day, there were many hot topics in the royal capital, Yeluvia.
¡ªThe Frenzel residence faced an attack by rebellious ves, suspected to have been incited by a Tactical-ss Magician from a foreignnd, which sparked the entire incident.
¡ªMarquis Frenzel, while engaging the enemy, fell victim to an ambush, sustaining severe injuries. Only with the protection of her attendants did she manage to narrowly escape the royal capital.
¡ªMiraculously, all the knights and servants emerged unharmed, seeking refuge in the basement, with no reported casualties.
¡ªDuring a critical moment, the one who bravely confronted the foreign Tactical-ss Magician and shifted the course of events was a Tactical-ss Magician named Riezel Brynhart.
Such pieces of news spread throughout the royal capital after the tactical-ss barrier on the Frenzel residence was destroyed and reinforcements from various factions quickly entered the scene.
This news shocked the entire royal capital.
"Marquis Frenzel is seriously injured and escaped the royal capital?"
"Isn''t this very bad?"
"Who did it?! Who dared to attack our country''s Strategic-ss Magician?!"
"Who is this foreign Tactical-ss Magician?"
"Investigate! We must investigate as soon as possible!"
Various factions were shaken, feeling uneasy, and began to take action one after another.
The royal family, in anger, dispatched their kingdom knightly order and court magicians to both rescue Yuri and execute the audacious criminals.
Some also noticed that something was amiss, while others were astonished by the rapidly changing news.
"Frenzel family has a Tactical-ss Magician?"
"Riezel Brynhart, huh?"
"Isn''t he the guy who had loads of rumors flying around not too long ago?"
"He''s a Tactical-ss Magician?"
"This is seriously mind-blowing."
People expressed astonishment, disbelief, and contemtion.
For example, some noble children, especially Senna and Carrera, were truly shocked upon hearing this news and found it hard to believe Riezel''s sudden identity as a Tactical-ss Magician.
"How can he be a Tactical-ss Magician?" Senna was unwilling to ept reality.
"No wonder..." Carrera seemed to understand something and sighed.
As for the mastermind behind it all, the eldest son and young master of the Basolo family, upon learning the news, was dumbfounded.
"No! Impossible!"
The young master erupted in anger, kicking a trembling steward, who knelt before him.
"You son of a bitch! How dare you?! How dare you hurt her!"
The enraged young master continued to kick the steward, ignoring his pitiful cries, filled with both anger and fear.
"It''s impossible! She''s a Strategic-ss Magician, for fuck''s sake! How could she get seriously injured by a bunch of useless ves?!"
"This makes no sense!"
"No sense at all!"
As he shouted with anger and confusion, the young master began to grasp the severity of the situation.
Everything he had done was solely to prevent Yuri from leaving the royal capital and returning to her territory.
As long as she was unharmed, even if his family had to bear her wrath afterward, the royal family wouldn''t investigate too deeply. His father could smooth things over, after all.
But now, with Yuri in trouble, the nature of the situation changed.
Attacking a marquis family could be excused as a mistake, but seriously injuring a Strategic-ss Magician was a crime. The royal family would not turn a blind eye to it.
Moreover¡ª
"How could that damnmoner be a Tactical-ss Magician?! What the fuck is happening?!"
The young master''s anger red.
Initially, he was indifferent to Riezel''s existence since he didn''t consider a meremoner with a damaged Gate a threat.
Did Riezel deserve Yuri? Certainly not!
However, as Riezel and Yuri''s interactions became more frequent and their rtionship seemed to improve, he started to feel uneasy.
Thanks to this, he nned to take advantage of the attack to bring back that lowbornmoner, deal with him properly, and make him understand that not every woman in this world could be touched, especially one already reserved by him!
Who would have thought that the oue would be like this?
"Young Master!"
A servant suddenly rushed in, visibly terrified.
"Th-The people from the royal family ca-came! T-The Lord asked you to go over!"
''Ended...''
After thinking like that with despair, the young master suddenly felt his vision cking out before copsing to the floor.
""Young Master!""
The shouts of the steward and the servant echoed throughout the room.
Chapter 108: Departure
Chapter 108: Departure
Yeluvia, Outskirts.
This ce was a vast grasnd, situated a distance away from the city walls of the royal capital.
The grasnd stretched as far as the eye could see, seemingly enclosing the entire royal capital. Only eight major roads extended from various city gates of Yeluvia, cutting through the grasnd and extending outward.
They were the main roads leading to the royal capital, as well as the main roads when leaving the royal capital, heading toward various territories of Jinas. Each main road had been meticulously maintained, giving it a clean and refreshing appearance.
After leaving the Frenzel residence¡ªRiezel, Yuri, and Marilyn, made their way out of the royal capital, arriving at this grasnd divided by the eight main roads.
Their location was quite remote, far from the main roads, making it difficult to encounter anyone. However, this also meant that the three didn''t have to worry about being found, waiting here for Ain and Ian''s arrival.
The wait stretched for several hours.
After several hours, a carriage finally approached from the direction of the main road, crossing the grasnd and reaching the spot where they were.
"Sorry for the dy, My Lady.""We''rete."
Looking a bit disheveled, Ain and Ian step down from the carriage, bowing in apology to the casually observing Yuri.
"No problem, can''t me you..." Yuri shook her head. "The tasks I gave you were indeed a bit much. It''s already impressive that you managed toplete them in just a few hours."
As the ones that were deliberately left at the Frenzel residence by Yuri, Ain and Ian indeed had a heavy workload. They had to gather knights, guards, and servants to extinguish the fire.
Moreover, they had to deal with the royal family and various representatives from major nobles. Finally, they needed to settle the knights, guards, and servants before finding an opportunity to locate Yuri.
It was quite challenging for both of them toplete so much work in just a few hours.
Yuri understood that and didn''t pressure Ain and Ian to hurry. She didn''t even me them for making her wait for several hours.
"How''s everything? Is everything sorted out?" Yuri casually inquired.
"Yes!" Ain replied immediately.
"Everything has been taken care of, My Lady." Ian reported diligently. "The fire at the residence has been extinguished, and temporary amodations have been arranged for the guards and servants. We''ve also disclosed the news of your serious injury to the royal family''s representatives. Afterpleting all this, we brought the knightly order out together in the name of searching for you and smoothly left the royal capital."
Now, the knightly order had been divided and dispatched by Ain and Ian, departing in various routes. They were executing a mission of ''finding theirdy'' while heading toward the Frenzel territory.
As a result, only Ain and Ian arrived in this ce.
The rest did not know that Yuri was actually here, let alone understanding her n. They genuinely believe theirdy was seriously injured, with some worrying and others anxious.
After all, to deceive others, one must first deceive their own people. Considering this, only the five people present here truly know Yuri''s true n and current condition.
"Very well." Yuri nodded in satisfaction.
At this moment, Riezel, curious on the side, asked.
"What''s the situation in the royal capital now?"
Upon hearing his question, Ain and Ian quickly turned their attention to him.
Their demeanor had changedpared to before.
If Riezel''s previous disy of power, surpassing that of an ordinary Sword Master, had earned recognition from Ain and Ian, making them no longer view him as a mere guest, then today''s performance had subtly made the two lower their guard and show him some respect.
After all, he wasn''t just a highly skilled Sword Master but also a Tactical-ss Magician.
Either having one of these identities alone wouldmand respect, let alone both.
Ain and Ian had never heard of anyone in Jinas who excelled in both swordsmanship and magic, achieving such feats before.
A Sword Master and a Tactical-ss Magician, Riezel, with both of these identities, would likely hold a position just below a Sword Saint and a Strategic-ss Magician.
In the face of such a figure, showing some respect, if not awe, was deemed necessary by Ain and Ian.
As a result, Ian was the first to answer Riezel''s question in a formal and respectful tone.
"The royal capital is in chaos right now. No one could have anticipated that a Strategic-ss Magician residing in the royal capital would be severely injured due to a plotted attack. Furthermore, no one expected the Lady would choose to flee the royal capital. As a result, whether it''s the royal family or major noble families, everything is in chaos. Even those who tried to stay out of it are getting involved."
Yuri''s n with the fake escape truly yed out well.
Initially, many major forces in the royal capital viewed this incident as a joke, as perceptive people understood that the attack was orchestrated by the Basolo family since their goals were not hidden from the royal family and nobles.
In this situation, everyone who knew the inside story treated the incident as a foolish joke, a circus, even Yuri herself thought so.
However, Yuri had a surprise in store, intending to turn the tables and shatter the dismissive attitude of those watching.
With her move, this event would undoubtedly escte. As long as her safety remained unconfirmed, the royal capital would likely never find peace.
This was Yuri Frenzel''s retaliation.
Not only against the Basolo family but also against those who only coldly observed, remained indifferent, and chose to ignore the Basolo family''s actions, allowing Marquis Frenzel to be attacked unjustly.
Especially the royal family, Yuri undoubtedly harbored long-standing grievances to them. Even without Riezel''s earlier involvement in political struggles, the fact that she faced various restrictions and became so constrained in her freedom persisted.
Now, presented with an opportunity to make a retaliation, she had no qualms about doing so.
''Powerful women are not to be trifled with, huh...''
Riezel marveled, silently evaluating Yuri in his mind, then asked again with apparent nonchnce.
"What about the Basolo family?"
"The direct members of the Basolo family have all been taken to the royal pce by the kingdom knights. Especially their eldest son, with the highest suspicion. There''s a possibility he''s been colluding with a Tactical-ss Magician from foreignnds. The King is preparing to interrogate him personally."
Ian exined, her tone betraying a hint of satisfaction. The nearby Ain also couldn''t hide a sense of satisfaction in her eyes.
Undoubtedly, Yuri wasn''t the only woman holding a grudge; these two were equally vengeful.
Of course, Riezel had no right to judge others since he was also someone who held grudges.
"It seems everything is going smoothly." Yuri smiled ambiguously. "Since that''s the case, let''s depart to the Frenzel territory."
"Are we really going, My Lady?" Ian questioned. "With this incident, it should be impossible for the Basolo family to n any marriage, right?"
"Who knows?" Yuri replied indifferently. "There''s always another Basolo family. I don''t want another marriage proposal to suddenly appear in my life without me knowing."
In other words, this trip to the Frenzel territory was undoubtedly a must for her.
"There are things that my father, who arbitrarily decides my marriage, won''t understand unless I exin to him personally, face-to-face. Besides, I can''t really disappearpletely, or chaos won''t be limited to just the royal capital."
Yuri exined calmly while looking at the blue sky.
"If I, a Strategic-ss Magician, disappear for a long time, not just Jinas, but the surrounding countries will take action. Whether the so-called humanoid bomb has truly disappeared or is roaming outside freely is a crucial matter for any country. If I disappear for too long, the consequences will be significant. I can''t afford to y around with that."
She needed to appear in the right ce at the right time to ease the minds of many, and returning to the Frenzel territory was a good choice.
"Let''s go." Yuri took the lead and headed toward the carriage.
Marilyn, Ain, and Ian quickly followed, while Riezel stood still, watching Yuri''s back, pondering.
After a while, everyone finally boarded the carriage.
Riezel, Yuri, and Marilyn entered thepartment, while Ain and Ian sat in the driver''s seat.
Riezel nced around the luxuriouspartment and spoke up.
"So, we''re taking the carriage to Frenzel territory like this?"
It was not surprising for him to ask like that.
The Frenzel territory was remote, located north of the royal capital, near the border area. If they only use a carriage, it might take a couple of months.
Riezel did feel a bit ufortable on such a long journey. Inside the carriage, he could neither practice swordsmanship nor engage inbat. If he had to spend a couple of months in the carriage, it would be too distressing.
Fortunately, things weren''t as bad as he thought.
"We''ll take the carriage to Trantia first." Yuri answered. "There''s a grand canal there. We''ll take a ship through the water route, and it''ll only take three days to reach the Frenzel territory."
"There''s a grand canal in Jinas?" Riezel asked with astonishment.
"Of course." Yuri smiled. "This grand canal was excavated by many magicians, workers, and craftsmen called upon by the king centuries ago. It flows through various territories of the kingdom. Through it, anyone can quickly reach any territory governed by any noble without having to endure the dull and lengthy journey by carriage."
After saying that, she shouted toward the driver''s seat.
"Let''s depart!"
Hearing their master''smand, Ain and Ian quickly drove the carriage toward the other side of the grasnd.
Chapter 109: Closer
Chapter 109: Closer
*Ssh¡ª*
The water rippled, creatingyers of ripples and the sound of waves.
Under the clear blue sky that stretched for miles, a vast canal flowed through numerous ins and mountains, extending in all directions across thend.
On the water, a massive wooden ship sailed through the waves, creating intense sshes as it moved forward.
Waves resonated loudly, making the water''s sound never-ending.
Before long, on the deck of the ship, a figure slowly walked up to the front, gazing into the distance.
"What a fantastic view..."
Looking at the endless water and the clear blue sky, Riezel expressed rare words of admiration in a somewhat joyful tone.
It had been a day since they left the royal capital, Yeluvia.Following Yuri''s instructions, everyone spent a day on the carriage, arriving in the city of water, Trantia. From there, they boarded a seemingly prepared ship and sailed along the grand canal that flowed through various territories of Jinas, heading toward the Frenzel territory.
They adhered to the principle of not revealing their identities throughout the journey. Thus, no one noticed their arrival in Trantia. The ship''s captain and sailors also seemed oblivious to their presence, never engaging in conversation with them.
Riezel didn''t understand the reason behind this, but he assumed it was the work of the Frenzel family, so he chose not to dwell on it.
Right now, the ship had officially set sail, and they would reach the Frenzel territory in three days.
Holding a wooden sword, he initially nned to practice on the ship deck but couldn''t resist stopping to appreciate the scenery after seeing it.
"How massive is this canal?" Riezel unconsciously mumbled to himself. "I can''t even see the shore, it''s like entering the sea..."
Although no one answered his question, it prompted a response.
"Hmm~ so you still care about that kind of thing?"
Apanied by a pleasant voice, Yuri emerged from the cabin, walking to his side and leaning against the railing, looking into the distance.
"Just a casual remark." Riezel responded.
He wasn''t surprised by her arrival. He didn''t even cast a nce in her direction but continued to gaze at the water''s surface with a smile on his face.
"I was thinking about what I would do if you got seasick..." Yuri said casually, as if liberated from something, andughed lightly. "Jinas isn''t a coastal country after all, so people rarely have the chance to take a ship. Many people feel uneasy the first time they board a ship, so I was wondering if you needed a potion for seasickness."
"You''re worrying too much..." Riezel smirked. "Unfortunately, I''ve had experience with ships, so I won''t be needing your potion."
In his previous life, he sought thrills and even survived in the wilderness, so how could he not have experienced sailing?
He not only traveled across the sea but also took on the challenge of deep-sea diving. He even dared to surf in a tsunami and had the idea of confronting sharks in the ocean. If it weren''t for the intervention of fellow travelers at the time, he might have crossed that line one or two times.
For someone like Riezel, seasickness was out of the question.
Truthfully, this scenery shouldn''t have elicited admiration from him.It was just an ordinary canal after all, nothingpared to the wonders of the sea in his previous world, let alone the Water City from the 25th to the 27th Floors in Danmachi''s dungeon.
Perhaps it was because his mood wasn''t as suppressed as it had been in his previous life, or maybe he didn''t need to be constantly on guard against monster attacks as he did in the dungeon, he could now appreciate the current scenery with a lingering sense of peace.
"Why did youe out?" Riezel turned his head to Yuri. "It''s quite windy outside. Being a delicate magician, you don''t want to catch a cold."
"Talking about me again... Aren''t you a magician yourself?" Yuri replied casually without much thought.
"..."
Each of their words left both of them momentarily speechless, especially after Yuri mentioned ''magician''. As a result, the silence hung between the two of them, dispelling the peaceful atmosphere that had prevailed until now.
"Alright, let''s go back."
Yuri, as if to break the somewhat awkward atmosphere, spoke in a light tone and prepared to turn away. However, Riezel''s sudden question stopped her.
"Aren''t you going to ask? Aren''t you curious why my ''Gate'' is damaged but I can still use magic?" Riezel asked casually with a calm expression.
Upon hearing that, Yuri paused.
"What are you hesitating about, Missy?" Riezel shot her a nce and grinned. "I thought you would ask me this kind of question on our journey, but it seems like you''ve been avoiding it, making me a bit awkward, y''know."
After saying that, he threw in another remark.
"This doesn''t seem like you at all, Yuri."
Indeed, it didn''t seem like Yuri.
Before this, whenever she spent time with him, she generally seemed very cheerful. It was almost as if she spoke whatever came to her mind and didn''t need to consider anything, let alone think about anything.
It felt very rxing and very enjoyable.
However, during the day before leaving the royal capital, she often seemed to deliberately avoid bringing up this somewhat sensitive topic.
This resulted in Yuri giving Riezel a sense of being cautious and speaking to himself very carefully, which made him feel extremely awkward and ufortable.
"Feel free to ask whatever you want..." Riezel said in a calm tone. "No need to be so cautious with me."
Upon hearing that, Yuri stayed silent.
Riezel didn''t press her either and simply waited quietly.
After a while, Yuri took a deep breath, turned around, and looked at Riezel''s face with a serious expression.
"If I ask you, will you answer?" Yuri questioned.
She stared at him intently, as if trying to read his thoughts and see through his eyes. In response, his demeanor remained calm, even disying a faint smile.
"You''ve misunderstood something here..." Riezel looked at her eyes. "If I wanted to hide something, I wouldn''t have revealed all of those in front of you from the beginning."
Upon hearing that, Yuri realized he had a point.
Did it make sense?
If he truly wanted to conceal something, he wouldn''t have so openly disyed his abilities in front of her.
When ambushed by the Shadow, Riezel indeed showcased his abilities as a swordsman, but one could argue it was due to danger, a necessity for self-defense. However, using tactical-ss magic in the Frenzel residence was entirely his own decision, voluntarily disying it in front of her.
What did this mean? It meant Riezel had no intention of hiding his ability to use magic in the first ce.
With this realization, Yuri''s tension eased, and she finally let go of the day-long worry.
Riezel''s calmness all this time also assured her that it was indeed the case. Whether it was about how he was being severely injured, recovering at her ce, or developing a friendship with her, these were all genuine acts, not intentional and driven by any ulterior motives.
Realizing this, she suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of joy.
"So, what''s your story?" Yuri concealed her joyful emotions, pretending indifference. "How did you suddenly regain the ability to use magic?"
"Hmm... it''s a bit tricky to exin..." Riezel scratched his head, shrugging. "Just consider it as a stroke of luck, on the night you saved me."
"Luck...?" Yuri murmured while blinking confusedly, feeling somewhat speechless.
"Yeah," Riezel nodded. "The me before that day, the one you knew from the rumors, wasn''t wrong. It wasn''t until that near-death experience that I decided to change and became the person I am now, realizing my true purpose in life. The powers I have now, whether it''s swordsmanship or magic, all came after I met you and recovered from my injuries."
He smiled slightly as he exined.
"So... you don''t need to be confused or doubt anything. Just consider it as me finding a pot of gold or something, since nothing has changed."
Despite the bizarreness in his exnation, Yuri could still sense his sincerity. His calm tone and open attitude allowed his words to touch her heart, creating a resonance.
Yuri gazed straight into his eyes, and Riezel returned the gaze.
The two exchanged silent nces for a long time before, almost simultaneously, breaking into a profound and understanding smile.
"Okay, I believe in you..." Yuri nodded, bringing back the ease and joy of the past.
"Thanks." Riezel responded briefly.
At this moment, there was no need for more words.
Needless to say, the distance between them instantly disappeared, and if anything, it seemed even closer than before.
"Oh, by the way..." Riezel seemed to remember something. "Can you teach me magic?"
"Teach you magic?" Yuri raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Can''t you already use it?"
"My method of using magic is quite special since my Gate is still damaged after all. For me to use magic, I need to meet some specific conditions and can''t use it on my own." Riezel exined. "That''s why I want you to teach me how to use your magic. That way, maybe I can try to replicate it."
"Is that so...?" Yuri nodded and lost in thought.
However, her contemtion didn''tst long.
"If you want to learn from me, I have no problem teaching you..." Yuri looked at him with a yful smile. "But I can be quite strict, you know?"
"Huh? Pfttt, hahahaha..."
Her yful remark left Riezel momentarily stunned, followed by a burst ofughter.
Afterughing for a while, he sighed with relief before gazing into her eyes with a somewhat solemn expression.
"Then... please be strict with me, Teacher!"
"Pfft..."
Riezel''s response and behavior prompted Yuri to cover her mouth and giggle¡ªa giggle surprisingly sweet and pure.
Chapter 110: Four Major Magic Systems
Chapter 110: Four Major Magic Systems
Riezel, Yuri, Marilyn, Ain, and Ian had separate rooms in the ship''s cabin.
Among them, Yuri''s room was located deepest in the cabin and was thergest in size, which was estimated to be enough for five people. After agreeing to teach him magic, she brought him back to this room and sat down in front of a round table in the center.
Afterward, Yuri, sitting in front of Riezel, prepared something.
It was a strange-looking object, somewhat resembling argepass and a bit like a clock as well.
In the center of thepass was set a palm-sized gem, filled with water, and the area around the gem was evenly divided into four parts, each with seven markings.
"What''s this?" Riezel looked at thepass and doubtfully asked.
Yuri, however, didn''t answer his question but instead made a contemtive gesture.
"You started attending Spriller Academy two years ago, right?" Yuri suddenly asked.
"Yeah..." Riezel, though feeling curious, still honestly answered her question. "It''s been exactly two years this year, and graduation is still three years away."Spriller Academy, as one of the highest educational institutions on the continent, operated on a five-year student system.
Those with the talent to be excellent magicians could take the entrance examination for Spriller Academy at the age of fifteen, and upon passing, they could enroll.
After enrollment, students could spend up to five years at the academy, until they reach the age of twenty. If they fail the graduation exam, their enrollment would be revoked, and they couldn''t im to be graduates of Spriller Academy.
The original Riezel entered the academy at the age of fifteen and was now seventeen, exactly two years since.
As a girl the same age as Riezel, Yuri graduated early, spending only a year at Spriller Academy. But in that year, shepleted all her studies, so her knowledge was actually higher than that of any other student at the academy.
Upon learning about his situation at the academy, Yuri nodded in understanding.
"Since that''s the case, you haven''t started learning professional magic knowledge yet." Yuri said, looking at his face.
"Professional magic knowledge?" Riezel wasn''t quite clear about what she meant.
"In other words, you still don''t understand enough about what the field of ''magic'' is."
After saying that, Yuri began to exin.
"Spriller Academy is a five-year magic academy. The first two years are basically about teaching the basics, which is some elementary magic. It''s only in the third year that the academy starts spreading professional magic knowledge, allowing you to rify your position and understand your magicpatibility."
"In this world, there are countless types of magic, countless in number."
"There''s elemental system magic that can unleash mes, lightning, or freeze everything into ice."
"There''s also mind system magic that can alter cognition, manipte minds, and toy with all living beings."
"In addition, there are also explosion system magic, precognition system magic, summoning system magic, strengthening system magic, and so on."
"But generally, all magic in the world can be ssified into four major systems."
After saying that, Yuri pointed to thepass in front of her. Around thepass''s gem, in the four equally divided areas, there were lines of small text.
Those four lines of small text respectively read:
¡ªTransformation System.
¡ªControl System.
¡ªInterference System.
¡ªStructure System.
"These are the four major magic systems, and all magic in the world is ssified under them."
Yuri''s voice echoed softly as she continued her exnation.
"Transformation system refers to all magic that attaches one or more attributes to magical energy, enabling it to take shape instantly upon release. For example, elemental system magic directly attaches elemental attributes such as ''Fire'', ''Water'', ''Lightning'', or ''Wind'' to magical energy before shaping it into magic. The effects are evident the moment it is released. Magic of this kind, which transforms magical energy into other attributes before release, is known as transformation system magic."
"Control system refers to all magic capable of controlling or dominating external substances or concepts. For instance, summoning magic can summon beings like monsters or puppets, and control them forbat. Such magic falls under the control system, including maniption of the earth, maniption of nts, and simr magic."
"Interference system epasses all magic that can affect oneself or others. Mind system magic I mentioned earlier falls into this category, capable of interfering with minds, cognition, emotions, and memories. Strengthening system magic also falls into this category, involving interference with oneself, whether strengthening the body or enhancing the mind. Even recovery system magic and healing system magic belong to the interference system."
"Structure system includes all magic capable of forming material substances. Alchemy magic falls into this category, whether refining gold or crafting other substances. Any magic used to refine or manufacture something belongs to the structure system. Magic weapons, magic items, potions, and simr magic items are generally crafted by magicians proficient in structure system magic."
"These four are the major magic systems, forming the basic framework that epasses all magic in the world."
"Now, here''s the question."
"When magicians want to learn magic, can they just study whatever kind of magic they want, based on their interests?"
"The answer is no."
"Just as everyone''s body differs subtly and everyone has different areas of expertise, typically, there will be people who are more suited to one or more systems. After all, excelling in the magic systems that suit you best will make it easier to seed in it."
"This is what''s known as ''magicpatibility''."
"Magicians learning magic in the systems where they are more likely to excel, which is where their magicpatibility is higher, is the wisest course of action."
Yuri exined what she knew about magic energetically to Riezel while tapping thepass in front of her.
"This is the magic item used to test one''s magicpatibility."
ording to her view, everyone hadpatibility in each magic system, it was just a matter of whether it was high or low.
"Calcting one''s overall magicpatibility to a total of ''100'', this value is distributed among the four major magic systems. Whichever system has the highest value indicates one''s higherpatibility with that system."
"Magicpatibility ranges from a maximum of ''70'' to a minimum of ''10''. Even in the case of extremely highpatibility, where one has the highestpatibility in one of the four major magic systems, the other three systems will still have at least ''10''patibility. So, one''s highestpatibility in one system is capped at ''70''."
Yuri pursed her lips before continuing her exnation.
"For example, tactical-ss magic, regardless of the type, requires a magician to have at least ''50''patibility within the corresponding system to cast the magic, otherwise it cannot be used."
"The Tactical-ss Magician who previously created the tactical-ss barrier magic at my ce proved his ''50'' magicpatibility in the structure system, as they were able to construct a barrier magic of such scale and magnitude. Without this degree ofpatibility, bing a Tactical-ss Magician is simply impossible."
"Strategic-ss Magicians have even stricter requirements forpatibility, requiring the highestpatibility of ''70'' within a certain magic system. Without this, even with abundant magical energy, strategic-ss magic cannot be cast."
"Magical energy andpatibility, both must meet requirements for magicians to have the potential to cast corresponding ss of magic."
With that, Yuri ced her hand on the gem of thepass.
*Zing¡ª*
The gem immediately emitted a bright light, causing water to flow out from within. The water flowed toward the four areas around the gem, gradually filling the spaces inside.
However, the water flowed most abundantly into the control system area, quickly reaching the seventh mark and filling the area, while the water in the other three areas only reached the first mark, much less than the former.
"This is my magicpatibility..." Yuri said as she withdrew her hand.
The water in thepass quickly flowed back, soon refilling the empty gem. At the same time, the glow emanating from the gem soon faded.
"This is the testing method for magicpatibility. It''s the knowledge that only bes widespread at Spriller Academy in the third year. By then, you''ll be testing your own magicpatibility and starting professional magic studies."
Yuri stated with a smile.
"If you want to learn magic from me, you''ll need to test your magicpatibility first. It''s best if it aligns with my magic system though."
Yuri was a Strategic-ss Magician proficient in control system magic. Hence, if Riezel also had highpatibility with the control system, learning magic from her would be extremely beneficial.
However, in the case he had the lowest magicpatibility of ''10'' in the control system, he could still learn, albeit with increased difficulty. Naturally, this also meant some advanced magic from the control system might be beyond his grasp.
"Of course, this is what I considermon sense." Yuri added with a meaningful tone. "If your so-called ''stroke of luck'' can defy thismon sense and allow you to learn my magic, that''s a different story."
Upon hearing that, Riezel fell silent.
Chapter 111: Magic Compatibility
Chapter 111: Magic Compatibility
Riezel, with his magic ''Almighty'', truly had the ability to break through what Yuri referred to asmon sense.
Regardless of whether he hadpatibility with the control system, as long as she exined the detailed effects of the magic and demonstrated it in front of him, that magic would belong to him.
Therefore, whether hispatibility was good or bad, to be honest, it didn''t have much of an impact on him. However, he was still quite curious about hispatibility with the four major magic systems.
As for Yuri, after knowing Riezel''s miraculous feats, she didn''t think his magicpatibility would be bad.
"Well, even though I don''t know yourpatibility with the control system, you should have onepatibility that can reach fifth grade." Yuri suddenly said, causing Riezel to pause.
"Fifth grade?" Riezel asked doubtfully.
"It meanspatibility of ''50''." Yuri exined when she noticed his confusion. "These termse from the four highest academies on the Akasha continent. To simplify the assessment of students''patibility, the four academies have set grades for eachpatibility."
"Compatibility ''10'' is considered first grade."
"Compatibility ''20'' is second grade.""Compatibility ''30'' is third grade, and so on."
In other words, Yuri''spatibility with the control system was at the highest seventh grade, while herpatibility with the other three systems was at the lowest first grade.
Earlier, Yuri mentioned that Riezel had onepatibility that could reach fifth grade, indicating he had apatibility for a major magic system that could reach ''50''.
"Why are you so sure I can reach fifth grade?" Riezel was a bit puzzled.
Upon hearing his question, Yuri rolled her eyes.
"Why do you think you were considered to have the potential to be a Tactical-ss Magician before? Even if your magical energy is abundant enough to cast tactical-ss magic, if you don''t havepatibility reaching at least fifth grade in one of the major magic systems, you couldn''t learn tactical-ss magic you know?"
"Now here''s the question¡ªeven before you underwentpatibility testing, why did everyone consider you to have the potential to be a Tactical-ss Magician and even a Strategic-ss Magician? Isn''t it because of your performance at the academy, gaining recognition from the academy higher-ups?"
Eventually, Yuri''s exnation made Riezel realize.
Even though he hadn''t undergonepatibility testing, the original Riezel must have shown some degree of talent during magic training at Spriller Academy. His talent gained recognition from the higher-ups at the academy, who believed he had thepatibility to cast tactical-ss magic.
As a result, rumors of the original Riezel having the potential to be a Tactical-ss Magician and even a Strategic-ss Magician emerged precisely for this reason.
Therefore, since it was possible to use tactical-ss magic, it proved that he had onepatibility for a major magic system that could reach fifth grade.
"Of course, having highpatibility just means being able to use high-difficulty, high-ss magic. As I mentioned before, some magicians can be powerful solely by usingbat-ss magic."
Yuri added a mild warning as she noticed his thoughtful expression. She was a little concerned that he might becent and arrogant.
"Take that friend of yours, the second son of the Rhein family, for example. It is said that he has fourth-grade transformation system, third-grade interference system, second-grade control system, and first-grade structure systempatibilities. Although he can''t use tactical-ss magic, he can flexibly usebat-ss magic from two to three major magic systems, and his magic usage is extremely cleverly coordinated. That''s why, even after just three years of enrollment, he can hold his own against Sword Master-level experts."
Perhaps Yuri had already forgotten, but saying this was akin to telling Riezel that she was investigating the people around him (out of a protective instinct).
Fortunately, he didn''t mind this detail; he just nodded to show he understood.
Compatibility, like magical energy, was better to have more of, but it was certainly not a necessity.
Generally speaking, if one just consideringbat, having fourth-gradepatibility in a major magic system waspletely eptable. This grade ofpatibility, aside from tactical-ss magic and strategic-ss magic, could basically allow one to learn anybat-ss magic within that system.
Masteringbat-ss magic, even if it couldn''t be a weapon capable of annihting armies, cities, or even countries in one strike, could still be a sniper rifle capable of precisely targeting any enemy.
Yuri always held onto this mindset, never feelingcent or arrogant about being a Strategic-ss Magician. Inbat, which was usually fast-paced, without the ability to use strategic-ss magic or even tactical-ss magic, she might not necessarily defeat a Sword Saint.
"That being said, bing a Tactical-ss Magician is certainly a great achievement in itself."
Yuri seemed to change the subject, starting to console Riezel.
"Whether it''s bing a Tactical-ss Magician or a Strategic-ss Magician, the demands on magical energy andpatibility are extremely high."
"In this world, some people possess abundant magical energy, yet theirpatibility might fall short. Some have highpatibility butck enough magical energy. Because of this, few can be Tactical-ss Magicians, let alone Strategic-ss Magicians. That''s why there are merely eight Strategic-ss Magicians across the entire continent."
"Tactical-ss Magicians in Jinas are also few, at most twenty to thirty people. In total, there are probably only around a hundred Tactical-ss Magicians on the entire continent."
Yuri''s meaning was that being able to be a Tactical-ss Magician, even if one couldn''t becent, should be a source of pride.
"C''mon, let''s see how yourpatibility fares." Yuri pushed thepass toward Riezel.
Riezel''s attention was immediately diverted, looking at thepass in front of him. He extended his hand and ced his palm on the gem.
*Zing¡ª*
The gem immediately radiated light, causing water to flow out from it.
Before long, all the water flowed into the four designated areas.
Riezel and Yuri watched closely.
...
Transformation System: First grade.
Control System: Second grade.
Interference System: Fifth grade.
Structure System: Second grade.
...
Riezel''s magicpatibilities were fifth grade for the interference system, second grade for the control system and structure system, and first grade for the transformation system.
"Interference system reaching fifth grade? That''s surprising..." Yuri muttered, somewhat taken aback.
"Is it strange?" Riezel asked.
"No, just... unexpected..." Yuri shook her head. "Among the four major magic systems, the transformation system is widely known for itspatibility and proficiency, while the interference system is the opposite. Though not particrly rare, magicians proficient in interference system magic are the fewest."
"Among the eight current Strategic-ss Magicians, four specialize in the transformation system, two in the control system, and two in the structure system. Not a single one specializes in the interference system."
"Even among Jinas''s Tactical-ss Magicians, those proficient in the interference system are the fewest."
Yet Riezel had fifth-gradepatibility in the interference system, making him almost certain to excel in it.
"Though not asmon, some magicians still use interference system magic as an auxiliary means, like your friend I mentioned earlier. But magicians with fifth-gradepatibility in the interference system are indeed rare."
After saying that, Yuri began to understand what Riezel had said earlier.
He had indeed used special means to sessfully cast that tactical-ss magic, which burned her residence. After all, his first-gradepatibility in the transformation system was the lowest among allpatibilities.
However, during their time at her residence, the tactical-ss magic he cast was clearly fire magic from the transformation system.
With Riezel''s first-gradepatibility, casting tactical-ss magic that required fifth-gradepatibility was impossible. This proved that the tactical-ss magic he had used before was not cast through normal means.
Realizing this, Yuri breathed a sigh of relief.
Sure enough, Riezel hadn''t deceived her.
"Besides reaching fifth grade in the interference system, your control system is only at second grade. Though not high, I still have control system magic I can teach you." Yuri''s mood instantly brightened, her face bearing a smile. "Having second-gradepatibility in the control system might make learning my control system magic a bit of a stretch, but still, this is my specialty. So, what do you think? Do you still want to learn from me?"
Riezel didn''t say anything in response to her question; he simply looked at her with a smile.
Seeing his smile, Yuri also smiled, then quickly reached out her hand and ced it on thepass in front of her.
"Dposition..."
After her voice resounded, a fluctuation of magical energy suddenly appeared in her hands, bing visible to the naked eye. The fluctuation resembled a vortex spinning in her hands.
When it touched thepass, something incredible happened.
Thepass began to dpose, not shatter nor destroyed, but entirely broken down into three parts¡ªa gem, water, and a wooden te.
Upon seeing this phenomenon, Riezel''s eyes widened as he seemed to realize something.
''Could it be... a chantless magic?''
Yes, Yuri''s magic was actually a chantless magic. Not an ultra-short chant, not a short chant, not even a long chant or an ultra-long chant, butpletely without a chant.
"This is dposition magic, the magic I use most often and the one I excel at the most."
Yuri''s voice slowly echoed.
"Everything has its structure. If you unravel this structure, you can dpose these things into different substances, returning them to their original state."
"That''s what dposition magic is all about, instantly permeating the interior of an object and unconditionally breaking it apart, causing the object to lose its original function and form."
"Studying dposition magic to the end will allow you to dpose all substances, even to the point of changing them to nothing."
After saying that, the purple vortex in Yuri''s hand became more intense.
At this moment, Riezel felt an extremely dangerous aura emanating from it.
Soon, Yuri gently pressed the purple vortex onto the gem, water, and wooden te.
The next moment, whether it was the gem, water, or wooden te, they all disappeared into nothingness. They had been dposed to the point of nonexistence; even their very existence had dissolved.
Understanding this, Riezel''s mind had only one thought.
''This time, I''ve hit a jackpot.''
Chapter 112: Imaginary System
Chapter 112: Imaginary System
Dposition magic.
A magic that could unravel the structure of any object, rendering it devoid of its original function and form, even transforming it back into nothingness.
Riezel almost instantly grasped the terrifying nature of this magic.
Especially as the purple vortex intensified in Yuri''s hand, he sensed a dangerous aura emanating from it, stimting his survival instinct. It was as if a voice in his mind was desperately shouting ''Run!''.
The more he stared at it, the more his whole body wanted to tremble uncontrobly.
There was no doubt that once he touched this purple vortex, he would surely die, and not even a speck of flesh would remain in this world, directly dposed into nothing.
"Is this dposition magic also part of the control system?" Riezel suppressed the trembling in his heart and asked Yuri.
"Um, that''s right." Yuri nodded. "All magic that can control and dominate external substances and concepts falls under the category of control system. The essence of dposition magic is to invade the structure of things and unravel them, which is undoubtedly a form of control and domination over external substances."
"Of course, since it also affects the body, it somewhat touches upon the realm of the interference system. However, the interference system affects both one''s body and others directly. On the other hand, dposition magic targets substances, with the body being just one aspect of it, not its primary focus. So, dposition magic still falls under the category of control system."With that, Yuri dispersed the purple vortex in her hand, causing the dangerous aura that stimted Riezel''s survival instinct to quietly dissipate.
He couldn''t help but exhale a breath, closing his eyes and beginning to remember the magic he had just witnessed.
The specific effect of the magic¡ªconfirmed.
The specific manifestation of the magic¡ªconfirmed.
The memory¡ªformed.
Next¡ª
*Buzz¡ª*
As the air trembled, an astonishing surge of magical energy quickly emerged from Riezel''s body and gathered in his hand.
"What... is this..." Yuri, who had been smiling, suddenly stood up, showing an expression of shock.
Before her eyes, Riezel, who was closing his eyes, raised one of his hands.
There, a vortex of magical energy began to intensively rotate, appearing in his hand as if it were burning like mes.
This scene was exactly the same as when she had just used dposition magic earlier.
"So... you really learned this magic?" Yuri couldn''t believe her eyes.
In truth, dposition magic wasn''t as difficult as it seemed.
Being able to dpose objects was not wrong. Just like she did at first, breaking down apass into three parts¡ªa gem, water, and a wooden te¡ªwas something many people could achieve.
Some magicians proficient in the structure system, particrly those involved in crafting magic items, sometimes used dposition magic as an auxiliary magic. After all, magicians involved in crafting magic items often needed to break down various objects to facilitate further processes.
Therefore, dposition magic wasn''t as difficult to learn as it seemed. Even magicians with first-grade control systempatibility could still learn it.
However, while learning was easy, achieving mastery like her, who could disassemble the structure of any object and cause total destruction, even reducing them to nothing, was incredibly difficult.
At least, as far as she knew, there might be only her on the entire Akasha Continent who could utilize dposition magic to such an extent.
After all, the first magic she learned was dposition magic, so she had a unique understanding of it. Through continuous study, she evolved her dposition magic to a terrifying degree.
In the past, she became a Tactical-ss Magician because she had created a tactical-ss scale of dposition magic.
Even when she became a Strategic-ss Magician, it was for the same reason. It was due to creating a strategic-ss scale of dposition magic that she gained overnight fame.
In this world, there was no one better than her in understanding and using dposition magic.
Thus, her initial idea was to first teach Riezel the most basic dposition magic, simply being able to disassemble objects into severalponent parts, then gradually deepen his understanding, spending one to two years to refine his dposition magic.
Eventually, even if he couldn''t use tactical-ss or strategic-ss dposition magic like herself, he could push his dposition magic to the limit ofbat-ss magic.
For a magician with second-grade control systempatibility, such achievements would be impossible theoretically. But she had some expectations for his so-called ''stroke of luck'', thus she had this idea.
Who would have thought that in just a blink of an eye, Riezelpleted his study of dposition magic? Judging by thepression level of his dposition magic, it was almost identical to when she used it herself earlier!
The trembling sensation Riezel just felt, the fear of being disintegrated into nothing in an instant, was now present in Yuri''s body, telling her that he had indeed mastered this magic to the same extent as herself!
''So, this is what he called a ''stroke of luck''? But what kind of ''luck'' could lead to such an absurd thing?''
Her mind was struggling to keep up with reality.
However, something was off.
"You... Why does your dposition magic feel different from mine?" Yuri finally voiced the most pressing question.
Indeed, although both of their dposition magic was at the same level, the nature of the dposition magic he used seemed somewhat different from hers.
The evidence was clear¡ªYuri''s dposition magic manifested as a purple vortex, while Riezel''s dposition magic appeared as a crimson vortex.
His me-like crimson vortex, to Yuri, felt peculiar.
"Different?" Riezel paused slightly, opening his eyes and gazing at the crimson vortex in his hand.
Yuri also looked on, her eyes flickering.
"Don''t move."
Shortly after saying that, she raised her hand and used her dposition magic once more, causing a purple vortex to emerge.
She brought the purple vortex close to the crimson vortex in Riezel''s hand, allowing them to make contact.
In the next moment, something incredible happened.
*Bzttt!*
The purple vortex that made contact with the crimson vortex suddenly exploded, being dposed by thetter.
Yes.
Riezel''s dposition magic dposed Yuri''s dposition magic.
"What''s going on?"
Now, Riezel was truly shocked.
On the other hand, Yuri stared nkly at the unchanged crimson vortex in Riezel''s hand before speaking slowly, word by word.
"Imaginary... system...patibility..." Yuri turned her gaze toward Riezel''s eyes. "You actually have ''Imaginary System''patibility..."
At this moment, her look at him resembled that of someone observing a super rare animal.
"Imaginary system?" Riezel muttered, his face bewildered. "Wasn''t it supposed to be four major magic systems? Howe there''s a sudden mention of the imaginary system?"
What did this mean? Did this mean there was actually a fifth major system aside from the four major magic systems?
While Riezel''s mind was in turmoil, Yuri sighed and began to exin.
"The imaginary system doesn''t belong to the major magic systems, because it''s different from any other system, yet it can integrate with any system."
She sat down, exhaling deeply.
"In this world, there is no magic from the imaginary system, but there exist four types of magic systems with imaginary names. They are the ''Imaginary Transformation System'', the ''Imaginary Control System'', the ''Imaginary Interference System'', and the ''Imaginary Structure System''... Now, do you understand what I mean?"
In response to her question, Riezel simply shook his head. Seriously, he had only learned about the four major magic systems today; how would he know about the existence of the imaginary system?
"Let me exin..." Yuri hesitated for a moment. "The term ''Imaginary'' refers to the idea of ''originally didn''t exist'', meaning it''s a hypothesis or a conjecture."
"The imaginary system is different from the four major magic systems. It has no term of first-grade, second-grade, or third-gradepatibility. It''s either ''there'' or it''s ''not''. It''s simply a distinction between ''0'' and ''1'', with no ''10'' or ''70''."
"In this world, there is truly no magic from the imaginary system, but when using magic from the four major magic systems, magicians with imaginary systempatibility often cause unknown changes in their magic."
"For example,mon magic from the transformation system like fire magic, when used, releases mes that burn everything to ash. However, if the user has imaginary systempatibility and releases fire magic, the mes produced won''t burn the object, but freeze it into ice."
"Any magic from the transformation system that can cause such a peculiar effect is what we call imaginary transformation system magic."
"The precognition system magic I mentioned earlier is also a form of imaginary interference system. Generally, magic from the interference system can only affect something like memory, mind, soul, and other things that truly exist. But precognition system magic affects something vague like future, time, or destiny."
"In short, magic from the interference system that can interfere with something that ''originally didn''t exist'' is called imaginary interference system magic."
"Your use of dposition magic has now be a form of imaginary control system magic, not only capable of dposing substances but also capable of dposing magic itself."
"People with imaginary systempatibility are extremely rare. Not only is it impossible to test if someone has it or not, but they also have certain peculiarities. Some have two hearts, some have three eyes, and some are like heteromorphs; in short, they have different body features from normal humans."
"These body features are something that ''originally didn''t exist'' in this world. Schrs in the field of magic believe that it is precisely because they have such peculiar body features that they possess imaginary systempatibility."
After exining all of that, Yuri gave Riezel a curious look.
"Now, the question is... why do you havepatibility with the imaginary system? Do you also possess something that ''originally didn''t exist'' in this world?"
Her question plunged Riezel into silence.
Something that originally didn''t exist in this world?
Of course, such a thing existed.
After all, he was someone who originally didn''t exist in this world.
Chapter 113: Frenzel Territory
Chapter 113: Frenzel Territory
Later on, Yuri told Riezel that although his dposition magic had turned into imaginary control system magic, the imaginary trait might not necessarily appear in other magic.
"Most magicians with imaginary systempatibility only have one or two magic with the imaginary trait that causes unusual changes, while the rest of their magic remains normal." Yuri exined.
She also informed him that this seemed to be rted to thepatibility between the user and the magic itself rather than to the magic system. The better thepatibility between the user and the magic, the more likely the imaginary trait would appear in that magic.
Judging from this perspective, Yuri believed that Riezel''spatibility with dposition magic should be high. Even though his control systempatibility was only second-grade, thepatibility between dposition magic itself and him was irrelevant to magic systempatibility.
Therefore, Riezel''s dposition magic had be an imaginary control system magic, but the rest of his magic might not necessarily follow suit.
To prove this point, on the same day, Yuri also taught him several kinds of magic.
They included transformation system magic, interference system magic, and structure system magic, not limited to control system magic alone.
It wasn''t until then that Riezel realized that although Yuri specialized in the control system, she was not ignorant of magic in other systems.
"Even though mypatibility in other systems is only first-grade, considering their usefulness in battles and daily life, it''s beneficial for both me and other magicians to learn some magic from other systems." Yuri exined the reason.She also gave examples to him, such as the battle he experienced in the Frenzel residence before.
At that time, Riezel was ambushed by people sent by the Basolo family. During the fight, he was subjected to various kinds of interference magic by one of them.
Interference system magic, which could inflict negative statuses and effects on others, generally required another interference system magic to dispel if one got affected.
Another example was barrier magic, simr to the one that enveloped the Frenzel residence.
If someone was trapped with barrier magic, they would need corresponding magic to break free from the barrier constraints. This kind of magic usually fell under the interference system. Because of this, every magician would learn some interference system magic to prevent being secretly attacked and ambushed with this kind of magic.
On the other hand, magic from the structured system could also be handy in many situations.
For example, when facing environments with spreading toxic gas andcking appropriate protective gear, it would be necessary to use structure system magic to create an emergency gas mask.
While on the move, items like ropes, blocks of wood, knives, or iron could all be created using structure system magic. Since the difficulty of creating them wasn''t high, mastering this magic would naturally be a good thing.
Transformation system magic had even more uses. It could start fires, produce water, generate electricity, summon winds, and even repel insects and track targets. Learning these kinds of magic would always be helpful.
Yuri took various factors into ount and mastered a variety of magic from different systems, leaving Riezel with the impression that if this woman were stranded on a desert ind, she would thrive until a ripe old age without any problems.
Thanks to this opportunity, he learned various kinds of magic from her. Though they were insignificant, they could be useful in times of need. Learning them was quite reassuring and better than nothing.
After learning various kinds of magic from Yuri, Riezel tried each one as she had suggested. True to her words, unlike dposition magic, none of them turned into imaginary system magic.
Apart from that, the eleven magic he learned from the world of Danmachi remained unchanged, retaining their original effects and appearances.
Currently, among the magic Riezel had mastered, only dposition magic had transformed into an imaginary control system magic. His other magic had not undergone any changes.
This left him with a faint feeling.
''Magic that can transform into an imaginary system magic is probably only the magic learned in this world.''
Magic he learned in other worlds shouldn''t be affected by his imaginary systempatibility. However, even if he were to learn the magic in this world, it remained uncertain whether another imaginary system magic, like his dposition magic, could emerge.
''Well, if it''s not there, then it''s not there.''
After some consideration, Riezel decided to let things take their course.
At least, after his dposition magic became imaginary control system magic, not only substances but even the magic itself could be dposed. This change was undoubtedly very pleasing.
Such a powerful magic could already be used as a trump card.
Most importantly, dposition magic was chantless magic, able to be activated and released at any time in an instant, which further increased its practicality and convenience.
''Since I have ''Mage'' and have umted a lot of ''MAG'', as long as I can skillfully use this magic, there''s no reason I can''t enhance its power and range of effects in the future, right?''
As long as he kept growing, kept leveling up, his dposition magic would eventually possess destructive power on a tactical-ss and strategic-ss scale.
As he thought like that, Riezel''s regard for dposition magic was already above that of ''Ariel'', another overpowered magic.
Ariel was an enhancement type.
Dposition magic, however, was an offensive type.
Riezel''s mind was already teeming with various ways to use dposition magic, making him eager to try.
Fortunately, he had enough patience and didn''t lose his sense of reality. He temporarily set aside issues concerning dposition magic and focused on learning various useful magic as well as magic theory and knowledge from Yuri.
¡ªKnowledge is a magician''s greatest wealth. Only with sufficient magic theory and knowledge can a magician go further.
Adhering to that principle, Yuri taught Riezel theories and knowledge of magic quite diligently.
As she imed before, she was indeed a quite strict teacher, and if it weren''t for Riezel''s good memory, he might have had trouble keeping up.
This was how he spent three days traveling on the ship.
===
Three dayster, the ship finally entered Frenzel territory, entering the northern region.
This ce was forever winter, with very low temperatures.
Throughout the year, one couldn''t get by with anything less than winter clothing, as even in autumn, it was too cold without them.
It was said that the first half of the year was rtively warm, while the second half was snowy throughout. Hence, half of the year in Frenzel territory was always a white snowfield.
Yuri''s timing for this return was quite apt, as it was currently the first half of the year, so there was no snowfall.
When it snows, the river freezes, and as a result, ships be unable to navigate. When that happened, everyone had to switch to horse-drawn carriages, spending quite some time before they could return to Frenzel territory.
Finally, the ship arrived at the city where the Frenzel family''s main residence was located¡ªUndine.
It was a city of moderate size but held significant geographic importance. If Yeluvia was considered the capital of all Jinas, then Undine was the capital of the Frenzel territory.
While not as bustling as Yeluvia, it exuded an exotic charm, serving as a major trading hub where merchants and caravans conducted business or passed through, making it quite lively.
The Frenzel family''s main residencey in the heart of Undine.
"We''ve arrived, My Lady."
Ain and Ian, who drove the carriage, were the first to disembark and helped Yuri out of the carriage.
Marilyn followed closely behind Yuri, step by step.
Riezel was thest to disembark, catching sight of a huge manor resembling a white castle.
"Is this the main residence?" Riezel murmured.
"Let''s go." Yuri beckoned everyone to enter the manor together.
However, this youngdy didn''t seem at all like a child returning home after a long absence. Her expression was cold, her gaze sharp, devoid of any joy of returning home. Her demeanor was more akin to entering a battlefield than returning home.
Nevertheless, Yuri''s return drew quite a crowd.
"Wee back, My Lady."
A steward bowed at the entrance.
""Wee back, My Lady!""
Many voices, neat and tidy, rang out in tandem.
At the entrance, on either side of the steward, many people stood, forming two lines along a long red carpet, bowing respectfully in the direction of the carpet.
Among these people were knights and maids, roughly numbering around a hundred or so.
The grandeur they disyed was quite luxurious.
Unfortunately, Yuri didn''t even nce at them, proceeding forward along the red carpet. Only upon reaching the entrance did she finally stop and speak.
"Where''s my father?" Yuri''s voice was exceptionally cold.
"Ma-Master just happens to be out of the house..." The steward hurriedly approached, his voice filled with nervousness.
"Not here?" Yuri quipped. "Did he run away?"
"That..."
Cold sweat dripped from the steward''s forehead.
Yuri unleashed an unpleasant aura as she nced at the steward.
"Tell him I need to speak with him and I need him toe back immediately."
"Uhh..." The steward looked visibly troubled.
Upon seeing his reaction, Yuri had only one thing to say.
"If he doesn''t want toe back and talk things out with me, that''s fine." Yuri suddenly smiled. "But, don''t me me for doing something irrationalter, just like in the royal capital."
Her words and smile, devoid of any hint of warmth, made the steward''s legs go weak.
What exactly happened in the royal capital had already spread, and of course, the steward was aware of it. Now, seeing hisdy return unharmed, he felt both relieved and apprehensive. There was just too much information to process, leaving him no choice but to specte.
"I-I will inform the Master toe back as soon as possible!" The steward could only speak up with a stiff tone.
Upon hearing that, Yuri continued walking.
"I''ve invited my schoolmate toe over, so prepare the best room for him."
Leaving behind those words, she quickly entered the manor.
Marilyn, Ain, and Ian remained silent throughout, following her footsteps.
Watching all this, Riezel''s heart secretly trembled.
''What a queen...''
Yuri was truly a scary woman when angry, no doubt.
Chapter 114: The Youngest Child
Chapter 114: The Youngest Child
The main residence of the Frenzel family was remarkably simr to their secondary residence located in the royal capital, Yeluvia. Whether it was theyout or the decor, there wasn''t much of a difference between the two; the only distinction was that the former wasrger, appearing more luxurious.
The main residence also boasted a vast courtyard,plete with two pavilions and much more upscalendscapingpared to the secondary residence.
There were three fountains in this residence, rumored to be custom-made using magic-rted technology. Even during the snowy half of the year, they never freeze over, continuously spouting water with a constant flow.
After spending about an hour in his assigned room, Riezel couldn''t resist and made his way to the courtyard.
Along the way, he encountered many maids, servants, and guards, even several knights. Each of them respectfully bowed to him, disying better manners than those in the second residence in the royal capital.
However, to Riezel, this wasn''t just a matter of distance; it was an excessive disy of formality.
''Did Yuri grow up in this kind of ce?''
He couldn''t help but think he had discovered the reason behind Yuri''s peculiar personality. Living in a ce like this year-round would undoubtedly make one feel suffocated.
He had never been to the Frenzel family''s main residence and didn''t know what it was like here before, but now that he was here, the atmosphere in this ce was undeniably heavy and solemn.''Formerly fallen noble, huh...?''
Thinking back on the history of the Frenzel family, Riezel shook his head and headed toward a pavilion.
He wasn''t here to practice swordsmanship.
Although he hadn''t trained with his sword during the three days on the ship or the day traveling from the royal capital to Trantia, totaling four days, he couldn''t help but feel a bit itchy. But right now, instead of focusing on swordsmanship, he wanted to focus on his magic.
Of course, Riezel still brought his wooden sword, leaning it against the side. If things went smoothlyter, he nned to practice with it again.
"Dpose."
Riezel muttered as he raised one of his hands.
Soon, a crimson vortex emanated from his palm, causing the surrounding air to tremble and convulse. He gazed at the crimson vortex in his palm for a moment before suddenly directing it off to the side.
*BOOM!*
As the crimson vortex surged forth like a sh, it unexpectedly slipped from his hand, crashing onto a nearby rock and sting it into a cloud of smoke.
''Sure enough, dposition magic can still work from a distance. My hunch was right.'' Riezel sighed with relief.
The ability tounch distant attacks would directly determine the practicality and versatility of dposition magic. If it couldn''t be cast from a distance and required physical contact to take effect, its utility would be greatly diminished.
However, there was no need to worry now.
''Just as Yuri said, as one delves deeper into the study of dposition magic, its versatility bes exceptionally high. It can not only be used for long-range attacks but also various aspects...''
Riezel remarked inwardly, and once again, unleashed dposition magic, creating a crimson vortex.
However, this time, he didn''t raise his hand, nor did he concentrate the magic in his palm. Instead, he released it from his entire body.
Instead of a crimson vortex, this resulted in crimson waves enveloping his entire body, giving him the appearance of being engulfed in mes. Crimson waves, resembling tongues of fire, danced around his body, creating an impressive and magnificent spectacle.
Unfortunately, such a spectacle came with a price.
*Crack!* *Rumble!* *Rumble!*
After a while, sessive rumbling sounds rang out.
These sounds emanated both from his body, shrouded in dposition magic, and from beneath his feet. Soon, his clothes began to tear and disintegrate, followed shortly by the ground under his feet, which dissolved and disappeared.
"Crap!"
Riezel hurriedly ceased the use of dposition magic, preventing further disaster. Looking at his now-tattered clothes and the two connecting craters beneath his feet, he felt a sense of guilt.
Fortunately, he had deliberately restrained himself from exerting too much power; otherwise, he might have gone naked, and there would have been more than just two small craters on the ground.
Since dposition magic didn''t affect the user, Riezel had been careless, thinking that experimenting a little wouldn''t hurt, which resulted in his current sorry state.
If it was him in the past, he would need to sneak back to his room to change clothes, apologize to Yuri, and ask her to send someone to repair the ground.
But now? Not anymore.
Riezel ced a hand on his body, recalling the original appearance of his clothes in his mind before using a certain magic.
The next moment, with a sh of light, his tattered clothes miraculously repaired themselves.
This was a structure system magic he had learned from Yuri, capable of creating clothes. First, he used magic to create fabric, then he modified it midway to shape it into clothes.
Finished with his clothes, Riezel pressed a hand onto the floor and activated another kind of structure system magic.
This magic was used to create stone materials, following the same principle as before, creating them halfway and then shaping them ording to the impression in his mind, thus producing stones of different shapes and sizes.
As a result, the ground was also repaired by using magic, restoring it to its original state.
''No wonder Yuri didn''t seem to care at all when her mansion was burned down.''
With magic like this existing, wanting to rebuild a mansion would be easy if one disregarded any concerns about the amount of magical energy needed.
''This world is quite interesting...''
Riezel gained a deeper understanding of the magic in this world.
Although the magic in Danmachi was diverse, it was mostly magic closely rted tobat and adventure. In there, people never used magic in their daily lives; they only used it in battles and adventures, which seemed impressive.
Nevertheless, he felt that the magic in this main world was on the right path. Regardless of the type of invention or the power of the magic, the ultimate goal was convenience, enabling people to do more things more easily.
This world''s magic had already shown a tendency to be integrated into daily life. With such development, a civilization with advanced magic technology was bound to emerge in the future.
''So, what''s next...''
After Riezel repaired his clothes and the ground, he turned around, ready to continue studying the application of dposition magic, when suddenly¡ª
"Are you the man Elder Sister brought back?"
A very unfriendly voice suddenly interrupted Riezel, breaking his train of thought.
Riezel frowned, turning back to look at the source of the voice, but upon looking, he saw nothing.
"Where are you looking?! Down here!"
The unfriendly voice began to show irritation, directing Riezel''s line of sight downward, toward his own feet.
Finally, he saw the voice''s source.
It was a little boy.
He was about a meter tall, looking around seven or eight years old, dressed in very luxurious clothes, his face full of pride, resembling a scion of a major noble family.
"...And who might you be?" Riezel was taken aback and began to ask.
"Rude!" the boy shouted at him. "When meeting a noble,moner should bow. Don''t you know thismon sense?"
"Well, I do..." Riezel blinked his eyes. "But isn''t it alsomon sense to be polite when talking to adults? Don''t you even know this?"
"...You have a point."
The boy suddenly realized, immediately straightening up his body. As he was about to bow his head, he suddenly came to his senses, stomping his foot in irritation.
"Wait! You''re amoner! I''m a noble! You should be the one who bows to me, not the other way around!"
"So, who are you then?" Riezel ignored the boy''s frustration. "You say you''re a noble... Are you from the Frenzel family?"
"That''s right!" The boy raised his head proudly. "I am Isaac Frenzel! The fifth son of the Frenzel family!"
Upon Isaac''s self-introduction, Riezel remembered the situation at Yuri''s family, as she had told him before.
ording to her, her grandparents had passed away, while her parents were already separated. Her mother returned to her home and took her elder sister along. It had been about two years since theyst visited.
In this generation, there were a total of five children¡ªtwo sons and three daughters, with Yuri being the third child.
Yuri had an elder brother who was four years older and an elder sister who was two years older. Her elder brother stayed with her father, while her elder sister stayed with her mother.
There were also two younger siblings¡ªa younger sister and a younger brother, with the younger sister being three years younger, now fourteen years old, and the younger brother being eight years younger, now nine years old.
It was quite obvious that the little boy in front of Riezel was the nine-year-old younger brother.
"Fifth son, huh?" Riezel couldn''t help but murmur to himself. "So, this boy is the youngest then..."
"Youngest my ass!" Isaac suddenly seemed as if he had been pricked, starting to jump around and shout in anger. "I''m not the youngest!"
"What?" Riezel eximed, surprised. "Does your family have more younger siblings?"
"Huh...?" Isaac''s voice became hesitant, but he still answered in a roundabout way. "My parents are still young, having two or three more children is definitely not a problem!"
In other words, this Frenzel family''s youngest child believed that he had a few ''reserved'' younger siblings.
"Hou? Really?" Riezel narrowed his eyes, saying with no hint of politeness. "But aren''t your parents separated? Is it even possible for them to have more children?"
"I... No... Ugh..."
Isaac immediately had a constipated expression, wanting to refute but unable to, feeling extremely ufortable.
Not long after, tears began to well up in his eyes.
''Bruh, you can''t be serious...'' Riezel''s eye twitched slightly. ''Is this brat about to cry?''
Just as he was thinking like that, Isaac somehow held back his tears.
"You rude guy! How dare you bully me! You leave me no choice! I challenge you to a duel!" Isaac shouted angrily and gritted his teeth.
"..."
His deration echoed in the silent courtyard for a long time.
Riezel fell silent, while Isaac still had a teeth-gritting appearance.
After a while¡ª
*Thud!*
With a fist knocking on Isaac''s head, the so-called duel came to an end.
"I win." Riezel calmly withdrew his fist, his expression tranquil like a stillke.
"Wuaaaa¡ª!!!"
The fifth and youngest child of the Frenzel family finally let out a loud cry.
Chapter 115: Future Brother-in-Law?
Chapter 115: Future Brother-in-Law?
Isaac''s magnificent crying eventually caused amotion within the Frenzel family.
Upon hearing the cries, the knights rushed over, each one taken aback to see Isaac holding his head, squatting in front of Riezel, and sobbing uncontrobly.
"Young Master Isaac!"
"Someone attacked Young Master Isaac!"
"Quick! Surround him!"
Without hesitation, the knights drew their swords, encircling Riezel, and assigning a few to protect Isaac.
"Charge!"
The leader of the knights immediately ordered, ready to lead the charge and capture Riezel, but, just as an unnecessary conflict was about to erupt, a sudden voice stopped everyone in their tracks.
"You shall not be rude to my elder sister''s guest!"With that rebuke, all the knights came to a halt.
Riezel also lifted his gaze, looking toward the source of the voice.
Walking briskly from the manor''s gate was a figure, a figure of a young girl.
She bore a striking resemnce to Yuri, with bright silver hair cascading down her shoulders, swaying gently as she walked, giving off a sense of standing tall against the wind.
However, unlike Yuri''s ever-changing demeanor, sometimes innocent like a child, sometimes cold like a queen, and sometimes elegant and noble like a nobledy, this girl''s expression was overly serious, her gaze too stern, giving off an impression of early maturity.
"Young Lady Mediste!"
Seeing the approaching girl, the knights one after another kneeled on one knee.
"El-Elder Sister Mediste?!"
Isaac, who had been crying heavily, abruptly stifled his tears, as if he had seen something terrifying.
The girl, known as Mediste, reached Isaac and showed a severe look.
"Isaac, what trouble are you causing now?" Mediste asked with a severe tone.
"I-I''m not causing trouble!" Isaac shook his head like a tambourine, then pointed at Riezel,ining and arguing. "It''s all because of him¡ª"
Before he could finish his sentence, however, she pped his hand away from pointing at Riezel.
"I don''t recall teaching you to point at guests." Medistered at her younger brother. "It seems you need to retake some etiquette sses, Isaac. Make sure to free up some time tonight."
"No, please, Elder Sister Mediste!" Isaac cried out loudly, tears streaming down his face once again.
"A man isn''t allowed to cry at the drop of a hat!" Mediste said mercilessly. "Can you still call yourself a member of the Frenzel family by acting like this?! Alright, you must clear the schedule for tomorrow night too!"
Upon hearing that, Isaac rolled his eyes and copsed to the ground, feigning unconsciousness.
Ignoring her younger brother''s yacting, Mediste turned to Riezel and gave a nod of respect.
"Sorry for this inappropriate disy."
She spoke with her tone now notably different from before. It wasn''t stern or harsh but rather carried a sense of openness and grace. Her manners were impable, neither too formal to make Riezel ufortable nor too casual.
It was evident that this etiquette was honed through rigorous training, showing her dedication.
"You''re Yuri''s little sister, right?" Riezel finally spoke, his voice softening a bit as he looked at the seemingly mature young girl.
"Greetings, I''m Mediste Frenzel, the fourth daughter of the Frenzel family." Mediste nodded reservedly. "Our family head, Yuri Frenzel, is my elder sister. And this boy lying here is my younger brother. Sorry for the trouble he''s caused you; I''ll make sure to give him a strict lesson and make him apologize to youter."
At the mention of a ''strict lesson'', Isaac, lying on the ground, couldn''t help but twitch involuntarily, followed shortly by trembling, resembling someone trapped in a nightmare.
This made Riezel cast a slightly sympathetic nce at the boy on the ground, but it onlysted a moment before he withdrew it.
Truthfully, this boy was too arrogant.
While it could be attributed to youth and immaturity, disying such an arrogant demeanor at such a young age made him wonder if this boy might grow up to be a spoiled brat like those Chinese young masters in wuxia novels.
So with that in mind, he decided to ''bully'' the boy a bit, perhaps to let him experience some of society''s harsh realities and understand itsplexities.
However, witnessing Mediste''s stern attitude toward Isaac, Riezel realized he might have been worrying unnecessarily. With an elder sister like her, if this boy still managed to be a spoiled brat in the future, he would actually be impressed.
Nodding inwardly at Mediste''s stern attitude, Riezel smiled faintly before responding to her apology.
"No need for apologies. Young Master Isaac is right. I''m just a meremoner, so a noble like him doesn''t have to apologize to me. Please, Young Lady Mediste, just educate him properly."
''Then I''d rather apologize!'' Isaac, lying on the ground pretending to be dead, roared in his mind.
Unfortunately, Mediste couldn''t read her younger brother''s mind.
"I will..." Mediste nodded earnestly as if she had taken on a sacred mission. "But please don''t call me ''youngdy''. You are the guest of the family head, my elder sister. So, please, just call me Mediste."
"Is that okay?" Riezel asked with a raised eyebrow. "I''m just amoner, y''know?"
"It doesn''t matter if you''re amoner or not..." Mediste shook her head. "You are considered a valued guest by my elder sister, and so far, you''re the first. In that case, we cannot be disrespectful to you."
Upon hearing that, Riezel understood.
This fourth child of the Frenzel family, Mediste, seemed not only intelligent and attentive to etiquette but also deeply respectful of Yuri.
No, it wasn''t just Mediste; Isaac, the youngest child, was the same.
Otherwise, why would Isaac immediately question whether he was a man brought back by his elder sister? Upon closer inspection, his unfriendly tone at that time did indeed carry a hint of jealousy.
Could it be that this boy, out of admiration for his elder sister, imagined that she might be taken away by a bad man, and out of jealousy, came to pick a fight? If that were the case, Riezel couldn''t help but think that this boy was much cuter than he had imagined.
But¡ª
"You said I''m the first guest Yuri has ever brought home?" Riezel raised his brows.
"Yes." Mediste confirmed without hesitation. "There have been plenty of guests who came to visit her on their own initiative before, and they''ve been treated well by her as well. But it''s the first time she has brought someone home like this on her own initiative."
As she spoke, Mediste couldn''t help but sneak a nce at Riezel.
When she first found out that her elder sister had brought someone home, especially a young man, she was equally surprised. But after the initial shock wore off, she became intensely curious about this man.
What kind of man did his elder sister bring home?
Could he be her future brother-inw?
If so, that wouldn''t be too bad.
After all, this man looked pretty good. Despite being amoner, he showed no signs of subservience or ttery when facing a noble. He remained calm throughout, even managing to subdue Isaac, who was quite a troublemaker. This kind ofposure surely indicatedpetence.
Since her elder sister said this man was her schoolmate, it meant he was a student at Spriller Academy.
Being able to attend one of the top four academies in the Akasha Continent, suggested he had significant potential as a magician. He might even have the potential to be a Tactical-ss Magician. Once a magician reached this ss, they would immediately be recognized by the royal family and be a noble.
Even if he were just a minor noble like a viscount, notparable to major nobles like the marquis family of Frenzel, given his young age, it wouldn''t be difficult for him to earn merit on the battlefield and be promoted to a countter on. Moreover, once he became a count, he would be a genuine major noble, only one rank below a marquis.
With such qualities, he could be considered suitable for her elder sister.
At this moment, Riezel was unaware that he was being analyzed and evaluated by Yuri''s younger sister, whom he had just met, with even his future prospects being considered.
If Mediste hadn''t concealed her thoughts well, Riezel might have suspected that he was being treated as Yuri''s secret boyfriend, being judged and evaluated by her family members.
He simply silently took note of Mediste''s words, gaining a deeper understanding of Yuri''s oppressive life at home.
Yuri, who seemed to enjoy chatting in front of him like a friendlydy, really seemed to have no friends.
Riezel sighed inwardly, then turned his gaze to Mediste''s face.
"In that case, I''ll just call you Mediste directly, and you also don''t have to use honorifics with me. I don''t like that kind of formality."
"Uhh... Okay." Mediste wanted to refuse politely, but seeing his calm gaze, she paused and softly agreed. "Since it''s your request, I won''t be formal anymore."
She was not only intelligent but also adept at reading people.
Riezel''s evaluation of Mediste rose another notch.
Meanwhile, on the ground, the pretended-dead boy was quietly squirming, evidently intending to leave this troublesome situation behind.
"Isaac." Mediste calmly andposedly spoke.
"Yes!" Isaac straightened up instantly, as stiff as a bamboo pole. In his eyes, his elder sister seemed like an executioner.
"Clear your schedule for the night after tomorrow as well, understand?"
"I... understand..."
At this moment, Isaac felt the urge to run away from home.
In the next moment, a maid suddenly appeared and quickly approached the three of them.
"Young Lady Mediste, Young Master Isaac. Master and Young Master Sefaz have returned." The maid informed respectfully while bowing her head.
Unexpectedly, after the maid finished speaking, the somewhat rxed atmosphere immediately shifted.
Isaac fell silent, while a gloom passed over Mediste''s face.
"I understand..." Mediste said with her head lowered. "We''ll head over right away."
After saying that, she shed an apologetic look toward Riezel.
"No need to worry about me, just go ahead." Riezel said, nodding with a gentle smile upon noticing her expression.
Mediste apologized briefly before leading the hesitant Isaac away.
Riezel watched them leave, lost in thought.
Chapter 116: Family Conflict
Chapter 116: Family Conflict
Meanwhile, inside the meeting room of the Frenzel main residence.
This was a huge room located on the top floor of the central building in the Frenzel main residence.
Theyout of the room was simple, but the decor was quite luxurious. The furniture and carpets ced within were all high-end items of considerable value. Especially notable was a round table situated in the middle. Its craftsmanship was exquisite, and the quality was superb. The wooden tabletop was so polished that it was almost shining, capable of reflecting clear images like a mirror, making it highly ornamental.
"Excuse me."
"Ex-Excuse me."
Mediste''s polite voice and Isaac''s timid voice resounded at the same time from outside the meeting room''s door.
*Creak¡ª*
The door was pushed open by two knights standing outside, allowing the two to enter.
Upon entering, ignoring Isaac who kept his head low, Mediste was the first to notice the people right next to the round table.There were three men of different ages.
Among them, two were seated, and one was standing, clearly indicating their status.
Mediste''s gaze primarily fell on the two seated men.
Seated on the left was a young man around twenty years old, with dazzling golden hair tied into a small ponytail. Despite his handsome appearance, he had a careless demeanor, constantly ncing around, giving off an air of frivolity.
He was Mediste''s elder brother, the eldest son of the Frenzel family¡ªSefaz Frenzel.
Seated beside Sefaz, upying the main position at the round table, was a man with hair as golden as Sefaz''s, aged over forty and in his middle years. Yet, traces of his youthful charm remained evident, as there wasn''t a single wrinkle on his face, and his noble attirecked any creases.
He was Mediste''s father, the oldest of the Frenzel family in this generation, and the former family head¡ªAlderman Frenzel.
"Greetings, Father. Greetings, Elder Brother." Mediste greeted, solemnly bowing her head, seemingly trying to conceal her emotions
"Greetings, Father. Greetings, Elder Brother..." Isaac also followed suit, finallying to his senses and hastily joining his elder sister in the courtesy.
"Mediste and Isaac, huh?" Alderman lightly uttered.
"Well, well, Little Brother, Little Sister, how have you been?" Sefaz eximed warmly as if it had been ages since hest saw his younger siblings, enthusiastically greeting them.
In truth, he had indeed been away for a long time.
He often stayed out all night, disliking staying at home and preferring to stay at his so-called friends'' houses, his whereabouts highly suspicious.
He once imed he was out doing business and couldn''t return home due to inconvenience, but Mediste knew he was lying; otherwise, their paths wouldn''t have crossed on the street thest time she went out.
At that time, his carriage seemed to be heading toward the city gate, andter on, she learned that he would often leave Undine without knowing where he was going. Of course, she had no intention of revealing these things.
"We''ve been doing well." Mediste replied politely. "Isaac has been obedient, and everything at home has been peaceful. Thank you for your concern, Elder Brother."
"That''s good, that''s good." Sefaz smiled, seeming quite content, and repeatedly nodded.
However, Mediste, who was adept at reading people, could sense the insincerity and perfunctory nature of his words.
Needless to say, his warmth was faked and his concern nonexistent. His face was like a mask, making her hesitant to trust his every word and action.
Compared to her elder brother, her father, Alderman, always maintained a stern demeanor, appearing awe-inspiring.
"What about Yuri?" Alderman coldly asked. "Calling us back in such a manner, only to be absent herself. It seems like bing the family head has really boosted her confidence,pletely disregarding my exist¡ª"
Before his words could finish, however, a voice interrupted from outside the door.
"I''m here."
With the arrival of the voice, the doors of the meeting room were once again opened.
Yuri arrived, apanied by Marilyn, entering the meeting room together.
"Elder Sister..."
"Elder Sister!"
Mediste felt a sense of relief and quickly bowed her head to Yuri, while Isaac seemed to find his backbone and let out a joyful shout.
"Mediste, Isaac, you''re already here?"
Yuri didn''t even nce at Alderman or Sefaz, only focusing on Mediste and Isaac. As she nced at her two younger siblings, a faint smile finally appeared on her cold face.
At this moment, Yuri seemed to have returned home, seeing her own family. Mediste and Isaac were equally delighted to see their admired elder sister. In contrast, Alderman and Sefaz seemed like outsiders.
The rtionships among the Frenzel family members, who got along well and who didn''t, were evident from this scene.
Alderman simply looked on with indifference and spoke up.
"Since everyone is here, let''s all take a seat."
Upon hearing her father''s words, Mediste wanted to remind him that the seat her elder sister should be in right now was the one he was currently upying. As the family head, her elder sister should be the one sitting in the main seat, not her father.
Unfortunately, Mediste knew that even if she said so, it would be useless.
Many who knew the inside story of the Frenzel family understood that, in fact, although Alderman passed the position of family head to Yuri, he himself neverpletely relinquished the authority that came with it.
Regardless of the situation in the royal capital, here in the Frenzel territory, Alderman was the one who held control, wielding the authority of the territory''s lord.
No one in the meeting room found this abnormal.
The reason was simple.
When Yuri became the head of the Frenzel family, she was only twelve years old, not even an adult. At that age, she became a Tactical-ss Magician and was thus summoned by the king.
However, instead of being granted a noble title and forming her own noble family, since she had already assumed the position of the Frenzel family''s head passed down by Alderman, she was unable to establish her independence.
During that period, as a declining noble family, the Frenzel family was merely a baron family, and their territory was gradually being reimed by the kingdom. Only Undine remained under them, deemed the primary territory of their family.
In the end, after Yuri assumed the position of the Frenzel family''s head and became the new Baron Frenzel, she went to the royal capital to receive her award as a Tactical-ss Magician.
Considering she was technically already a noble with baron status, the king promoted her from baron to viscount, thus elevating the Frenzel family''s status to that of a viscount family.
It wasn''t until three yearster when she was fifteen years old and became a Strategic-ss Magician that she suddenly gained overnight fame, causing amotion throughout the kingdom and even across the entire Akasha Continent. As a result, she was summoned by the king again and skipped the title of count, being directly promoted to marquis.
Despite being regarded as the foremost talent in Jinas, Yuri was, after all, still young. Moreover, after being appointed as a Chief Court Magician, she often had to stay in the royal capital to handle kingdom affairs, leaving all matters within her territory to others.
With such understanding, people believed that Alderman took on the role of Frenzel territory''s acting lord for the sake of his still-young daughter.
Only those like Mediste, who knew the inside story, knew that Alderman was never entrusted with the role of acting lord at all, as he never relinquished the authority of the territory''s lord in the first ce and always maintained a firm grip over the territory from beginning to end.
People believed Yuri Frenzel was the head of the Frenzel family, but they didn''t know that the territory of the family had always been under her father''s control behind the scenes, never actually passing into her hands as the current family head.
In other words, within the Frenzel territory, the one making decisions was Alderman, not Yuri.
Even Riezel was unaware of this hidden truth since Yuri had never mentioned it.
Yuri herself didn''t even care about it in general, paying no attention to her father upying the main seat, nor did she follow his order to sit down.
"I need an exnation."
As Yuri faced Alderman and spoke those words, the faint smile on her face when facing Mediste and Isaac vanishedpletely, leaving her with an expressionless face.
The atmosphere in the meeting room plummeted instantly because of her words.
Mediste remained silent.
Isaac didn''t dare to even breathe heavily.
Marilyn, like the man standing behind Alderman, watched silently.
Sefaz wore a nonchnt expression, almost ready to put his legs up on the table if it weren''t for the tense atmosphere.
Only Alderman and Yuri remained¡ªone with a stern face, the other expressionless, confronting each other.
"I haven''t even asked you for an exnation yet, and you dare to demand one from me?" Alderman said coldly. "Look at what you''ve done in the royal capital. Now the rtionship between our family and the Basolo family ispletely ruined. Do you realize that?"
"I need an exnation."
Yuri ignored his words and just stared at him, repeating her words, seemingly calmer than before. But behind this calmnessy a terrifying sense of oppression.
"...Is this how you talk to your own father?" Alderman''sposed face was starting to look unpleasant.
Yet, she repeated the same words.
"I need an exnation."
Her cold words sent chills down the spines of everyone present.
"Mind your manners, Yuri Frenzel!" Alderman yelled with veins bulging on his forehead, clearly enraged.
To his yell, Yuri didn''t say another word, simply turning and walking away, heading toward the exit.
Upon seeing this, everyone in the meeting room had an instant realization.
Once she walked out of that door, things would be irreparable.
Yuri was definitely capable of causing a major incident without blinking since her status as a Strategic-ss Magician granted her that privilege.
"Return at once, Yuri Frenzel!" Alderman couldn''t contain himself, abruptly standing up, emanating tremendous magical energy from his body.
At this moment, the entire meeting room shook.
Chapter 117: Past Glory
Chapter 117: Past Glory
Alderman Frenzel was a magician.
Within the entire Frenzel family, only Alderman and Yuri possessed the talent to be magicians.
His magical energy was immense, so much so that bing a Tactical-ss Magician posed no problem. It was only because none of his magicpatibilities reached fifth grade that he couldn''t be a Tactical-ss Magician.
Even so, Alderman undeniably possessed magical energyparable to that of a Tactical-ss Magician.
Therefore, when he got angry and his magical energy was unleashed along with his angry emotions, the entire meeting room shook, even startling the knights outside the room.
Unfortunately, he chose the wrong person to confront.
Magical energyparable to a Tactical-ss Magician?
So what?
Such a level of power was incredibly fragile in the presence of a Strategic-ss Magician.*Buzz¡ª*
As the atmosphere began to tremble, a far more massive and overwhelming surge of magical energy burst forth, instantly overpowering Alderman''s magical energy. His magical energy was instantly suppressed, retracting around his body, unable to vent any further.
Yuri, on the other hand, was different.
The magical energy within her body was like the pressure in the depths of the sea, filling the entire meeting room like an avnche. It prevented further shaking but distorted the air in the room.
In the face of this distortion, Mediste was already struggling to breathe, Isaac''s eyes were rolling back, and even Sefaz no longer had his usual carefree demeanor as his gaze toward his younger sister was now filled with seriousness.
Fortunately, this pressure came and went quickly.
Perhaps considering Mediste and Isaac''s presence, Yuri quickly reined in her terrifying magical energy, restoring calmness.
"..."
Silence spread through the meeting room.
After a while, Yuri turned back, looking at her father''s unpleasant expression.
"Exin."
Her voice was as cold as snow.
This was undoubtedly her final ultimatum, thest chance she gave her father.
Realizing this, Alderman, though his face was extremely unpleasant, dared not to act high and mighty anymore.
"What exactly... are you dissatisfied with?" Alderman asked while gritting his teeth. "The Basolo territory borders ours, and both they and us are marquis. If we negotiate this well-matched marriage agreement, the two territories can share resources and cooperate. Our family will then be more prosperous and powerful. Isn''t that a good thing?"
At his words, Yuri onlyughed,ughed out of frustration.
"You''re right, that''s indeed a good thing..." Yuri squeezed the words out as if they wereing from her throat. "But you didn''t have my consent."
"I am your father!" Alderman mmed the table and dered loudly. "If not me, who else has the authority to decide your marriage?!"
That was what he believed.
It was not strange.
In this world resembling medieval Europe in Riezel''s previous life, especially in the noble society, it was quite normal for parents to arrange marriages for their children.
Alderman clearly didn''t see anything wrong with his actions.
However¡ª
"It''s because of old-fashioned and stubborn thinking like yours that Mother got disappointed, disappointed to the point where she didn''t even want to look at your face anymore."
Yuri''s cold words froze Alderman''s expression.
Two years ago, his wife left officially him and went back to her parent''s home, all because she couldn''t stand his attitude anymore.
At that time, he was nning to marry off his eldest daughter, Yuri''s elder sister, to someone from a duke family as a concubine.
Originally, it wasn''t a big deal.
Being a concubine to someone from a duke family was akin to entering the royal family directly. It was considered an honor, even if she was only a concubine.
However, the problem was that Alderman intended to marry off his eldest daughter not to any duke''s son but to the then-retired and former duke, a nearly seventy-year-old man. Plus, the reason he gave at that time was to make the Frenzel family great again.
As a result, his wife took their then seventeen-year-old eldest daughter and left, never to return, causing Alderman''s dream of climbing up to a duke family to go down the drain.
Nevertheless, being reminded of this incident by his daughter, Alderman took a deep breath and instead calmed down.
"Did you forget?" Alderman gazed deeply at his daughter, emphasizing each word. "Restoring the past glory of the Frenzel family is our family belief, a belief passed down by generations from our ancestors."
His words plunged everyone present into silence.
''Restore the Frenzel family to its former glory'' was the first line stipted in the Frenzel family''s ancestral belief, the most important one.
Once upon a time, the Frenzel family was a highly prosperous family, with a legacy spanning nearly two hundred years.
The first head of the Frenzel family, the very first ancestor, just like Yuri, was a Strategic-ss Magician.
As a national treasure and a strategic-ss military asset of Jinas, he achieved many feats for the kingdom and became a renowned hero of the time, leading the Frenzel family to its peak prosperity.
Back then, he had four children and took in seven disciples.
Surprisingly, out of these eleven, two became Strategic-ss Magicians and eight became Tactical-ss Magicians, with the remaining one, after realizing he couldn''t advance further in the path of magic, resolutely turned to swordsmanship and eventually became a Sword Saint.
Four children, seven disciples, a total of eleven people, among whom there was one Sword Saint, two Strategic-ss Magicians, and eight Tactical-ss Magicians¡ªnone of them was mediocre.
Without surprise, this undoubtedly shocked countless people at the time and left many countries in awe.
Thanks to this, at that time, the Frenzel family quickly reached the pinnacle in both reputation and strength. Not to mention duke families, even the royal family and all the countries on the continent dared not underestimate this family.
People even referred to the Frenzel family of that time as the most prestigious family on the continent and believed that this family was the strongest noble family in Jinas.
Unfortunately, all of this was ultimately just fleeting glory, a momentary splendor.
When the first-generation family head passed away and those eleven people also gradually departed from this world, the Frenzel family never again produced another Strategic-ss Magician, not even a Tactical-ss Magician.
After all, bing a Tactical-ss Magician or a Strategic-ss Magician depended on personal talent and ability, not on bloodline or legacy. It was not umon for the descendants of powerful magicians tock the talent to be magicians themselves.
The fact that the four children born to the first-generation family head and the seven disciples he took in achieved such heights could only be attributed to sheer luck, as they all happened to possess remarkable talent and ability. In the end, after these eleven people passed away, there was no such luck again for the new generation, as each one of them was just ordinary.
As a result, the Frenzel family began to decline.
However, for the descendants who had personally witnessed the glory, prosperity, and prestige of the Frenzel family, how could they resign themselves to their family''s decline?
Therefore, they regarded that past glory as something the Frenzel family must reim, inscribing it into their family teachings, passing it down from generation to generation, tellingter generations that they must prioritize the prosperity and glory of the family and reim the former glory before anything else.
This obsession, this stubborn belief, had persisted to this day.
Alderman Frenzel was precisely the faithful executor of this obsession and belief.
He didn''t view his own children as insignificant or tools; even if possible, he also hoped they could find happiness. However, these matters were insignificant in the face of the family''s beliefs and grand cause. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have handed over the position of family head to her still twelve-year-old daughter, Yuri.
Within the family, Yuri wasn''t the eldest child nor a son, but rather the third child and second daughter. ording to standard noble tradition, the position of the family head would never be passed to her but to her elder brother, Sefaz.
However, because she had the talent to be a Tactical-ss Magician, and even the talent to be a Strategic-ss Magician, Alderman didn''t hesitate and directly passed the position of family head to Yuri. He knew that as soon as she took the position of family head, the Frenzel family would be a major noble family.
In the end, he was right.
As for the reason why Alderman still held control of the Frenzel territory, it was not because he coveted power. It was simply because he believed Yuri couldn''t manage the affairs in the royal capital while handling the territory simultaneously, as she was too impulsive and fundamentally not ready for such heavy responsibility.
Consequently, in order to prevent the Frenzel territory from declining under her leadership, he didn''t dare to relinquish the territory''s authority.
In truth, if Yuri could do everything perfectly, allowing the family to rise steadily and restore its former glory, Alderman wouldn''t mind giving up his authority entirely.
In Alderman''s eyes, the grand cause of the family was everything, and all else could bepletely ignored and sacrificed for this grand cause. Yet, it was precisely because of this way of thinking that nobody in the family liked him.
"Our family is already a major noble, so there''s no need to climb any further in wealth or connections." Yuri protested.
"No, it''s not enough..." Alderman said without hesitation. "When our family was at its peak, our territory directly upied a tenth of the entire kingdom. Now we have less than a fiftieth of that, far from what it used to be."
"Hmph, why don''t you just usurp the throne directly then?" Yuri mocked. "Seize the king''s position and the entire kingdom will be yours."
"Insolent!" Alderman snapped. "Do you think you''ve earned the right to say anything you want now?!"
"It''s still better than just talking and dreaming like you do, dreaming of the impossible!" Yuri retorted coldly. "I don''t care what you want to do¡ªwhether it''s to expand the territory, make the family prosper, or even reim your position as the head of the family¡ªI can give it all back to you anytime. But if next time I find out you''ve made such a marriage arrangement without my consent again, I''ll go to Mother and break ties with this stupid family!"
"You dare?!"
"You bet I am!"
Soon, the father and daughter faced off in the meeting room, throwing insults and curses at each other relentlessly, showing no mercy whatsoever.
By the end of their argument, Alderman was visibly very enraged, his palms clenched and veins bulging on his forehead.
In the next moment, however, he suddenly dered something shocking.
"If that''s what you want, let''s settle who submits to whom ording to our family tradition, with the War Festival!"
With his deration, the faces of everyone present changed drastically.
Chapter 118: Fighting Competition?
Chapter 118: Fighting Competition?
The argument that took ce in the meeting room, Riezel naturally knew nothing about.
He could guess that Yuri would have some kind of argument with her father, probably not a small one, but he had no idea about the oue of this argument.
He was busy practicing dposition magic and swordsmanship in the courtyard, and by the time he snapped out of it, it was almost dark.
"Well, let''s go back."
ncing at the darkening sky, Riezel, who was sweating despite not having breathed heavily, returned to the manor, ready to wash himself.
At this moment, Riezel finally encountered almost all the members of the Frenzel family.
They just came downstairs and happened to meet him.
"Mr. Riezel."
Mediste was the first to greet him with a bow, the courtesy still so polite and graceful.Isaacpletely ignored him but also didn''t confront him again, seemingly mindful of his family members around.
Yuri and Marilyn walked somewhat behind, and upon seeing him, their previously expressionless and cold faces rxed slightly.
As for Alderman and Sefaz, both almost immediately directed their gaze toward his body.
"You''re Riezel Brynhart?"
Alderman looked at the young man who appeared to be of Yuri''s age before him, sweating all over and holding a wooden sword for some reason.
There was a slight ripple in Alderman''s stern gaze as he gazed at Riezel.
"Yes, I am." Riezel nodded, his expression unchanged.
He could guess Alderman''s identity, probably Yuri''s father. Among the people present, only he seemed old enough to be the father figure, while the others were mostly younger than him.
However,pared to Alderman, Riezel''s attention was somewhat drawn to the man behind him.
He was a man with his eyes closed all the time, never opening them, with a sword at his waist, and appeared to be over thirty years old.
Among the people present, except for Marilyn, all the others had either golden or silver hair. Yet, this closed-eyed swordsman had brown hair, and his appearance and aura were quite different from those of the Frenzel family, which made Riezel realize that this swordsman probably wasn''t rted to the Frenzel family.
ording to Yuri, among her family members, males inherited their father''s golden hair, while females inherited their mother''s silver hair.
Sefaz and Isaac had golden hair, while Yuri and Mediste had silver hair.
It was truly remarkable how strong the gics of this family were.
This also proves that the closed-eyed swordsman emitting a mysterious aura was not a direct rtive of the Frenzel family, probably just like Marilyn¡ªa subordinate or an attendant.
As it turned out, that was the case.
Seeing the closed-eyed swordsman constantly following behind Alderman, his entire aura seemed to be locked onto Alderman. If there was even a slight movement around Alderman, this swordsman would immediately react.
The others either consciously or unconsciously ignored him. Even in the meeting room just now, the swordsman''s presence was pitifully low, not saying a word or making any action from start to finish.
Surprisingly, Riezel was the first to notice his presence.
There was no other reason.
Riezel could feel it, this closed-eyed swordsman was powerful. Though not enough to make him feel endangered, he still sensed a threat from this swordsman.
This swordsman, at the very least, was stronger than Ain and Ian, by quite a margin. This sensation was familiar to him since he had felt it before from the three top executives of Loki Familia¡ªFinn, Riveria, and Gareth.
''This is getting interesting...''
Riezel felt a long-lost sense of excitement.
Meanwhile, Alderman, who didn''t realize that Riezel was now paying more attention to his attendant than to himself, actually broke into a rare smile after sizing up Riezel.
"I heard about you, young man... You''re pretty good." Alderman praised for no reason.
At his praise, Riezel was stunned for a moment.
''What does he mean by that?''
Unbeknownst to Riezel, he had actually be quite famous in the royal capital, Yeluvia.
While themon people might still be unaware, the well-informed nobles had received news of a Tactical-ss Magician on Yuri''s side.
Alderman was aware of the significant events that happened in the royal capital and naturally knew about Riezel. Although he was very displeased with what his daughter had done, he was rather pleased with Riezel.
After all, Riezel was a Tactical-ss Magician who belonged to Yuri, which was tantamount to being a part of the Frenzel family.
After so many years, the Frenzel family weed another Tactical-ss Magician aboard, whichwas a good thing.
In its heyday, the Frenzel family had two Strategic-ss Magicians and eight Tactical-ss Magicians. Alderman, who was well aware of this history, was eager to restore the family''s former glory. Therefore, he warmly weed and rejoiced in Riezel''s addition as their family Tactical-ss Magician.
With this in mind, Alderman nced at his daughter beside him before patting Riezel''s shoulder.
"Keep up the good work."
Alderman tried to rx his demeanor, showing his goodwill toward Riezel.
"Although the Frenzel family may not offer you much at the moment, as long as you remain loyal to this family, rewards will naturallye your way."
Alderman was currently contemting how to solidify Riezel''s rtionship with the Frenzel family. The bond between this young man and the family was not very strong after all.
During the Frenzel family''s heyday, those eleven figures who made the entire continent tremble were either the children or the disciples of the first-generation family head, which clearly established an incredibly strong bond with the family.
But Riezel?
He had almost no direct rtionship with the family.
While Riezel was considered to be Yuri''s person, given her cold and aloof personality, Alderman doubted she could capture this young man''s heart. So, to prevent this rare Tactical-ss Magician from slipping away, he was considering whether to marry Mediste to Riezel.
Marriage was the most convenient and powerful proof of a rtionship, after all.
Any noble would consider marriage alliances to expand their family connections, strengthen theirwork, and facilitate alliances and cooperation.
For this rtionship to truly be secured, Riezel needed to be part of their family as a son-inw.
Alderman didn''t express his idea outright.
He simply spoke earnestly with Riezel for a few moments, then intentionally or unintentionally shifted the conversation toward Mediste, causing Yuri and the others, who somehow realized something was off, to furrow their brows.
As for Riezel?
Unfortunately, his attention wasn''t on the youthful and beautiful Mediste but on the closed-eyed swordsman behind Alderman.
Unaware of this, Alderman, seeing Riezel''s continued gaze at his back, thought Riezel was gazing at Mediste and had taken his words to heart. Feeling quite satisfied, he added a few more remarks, and onlyter did he leave contentedly.
The closed-eyed swordsman immediately followed behind, eyes closed but steps steady, firmly trailing behind Alderman.
"Good luck, young man."
Sefaz finally spoke at this moment, smiling meaningfully at Riezel.
"I look forward to your future performance."
After saying that, Sefaz also left.
Mediste and Isaac exchanged a few words with Yuri before walking away together¡ªor rather, Isaac attempted to escape, only to be caught by the ear by Mediste, who dragged him away despite his protests.
Soon, only Riezel, Yuri, and Marilyn remained.
Riezel didn''t turn around to look at Yuri until the closed-eyed swordsman''s figure had vanished from his sight. When he finally did, he noticed something off in her expression.
"What''s wrong?" Riezel asked in confusion. "Did the conversation not go smoothly?"
"...No, it''s mostly settled..." Yuri shook her head. "It''s just that man''s stubbornness, thinking I can''t see through his scheme."
He didn''t quite understand the meaning behind her words, but he grasped the general idea.
"Since it''s mostly settled, you shouldn''t be randomly arranged for marriage again in the future, right? That''s good then." Riezel nodded with a faint smile.
Even if Yuri''s father were to arrange another marriage, Riezel didn''t think he would seed. With her influence, denying any marriage arranged by her father wasn''t easy, but it wasn''t particrly difficult either.
If her father were sensible enough to learn from the incident that just happened and refrain from such actions in the future, they could all coexist peacefully. But if not, given Yuri''s somewhat unpredictable personality, she might as well not acknowledge him as her father.
As Riezel was still in the middle of his musing, Yuri thought for a moment before shifting her gaze to his face and speaking up.
"I have something I want to ask for your help with."
Yuri looked straight at his eyes, with a hint of anticipation in her eyes.
"Hmm? Go ahead." Riezel replied casually, feeling somewhat surprised but not hesitating.
Whether it was out of gratitude for saving his life or for taking him in, he had every reason to help her unconditionally. Not to mention, she had tirelessly helped him, ensuring his safety, granting him ess to her important library, and even teaching him her magic unconditionally, which led to his significant growth and aplishments.
With their rtionship, if Yuri needed his help, Riezel wouldn''t hesitate to help. Even if it involved some danger, he didn''t mind taking the risk.
Perhaps sensing his inner thoughts, Yuri''s anticipatory eyes quickly filled with warmth.
"I want to invite you to participate in the uing family fightingpetition hosted by my family, known as the War Festival." Yuri exined.
"War Festival?" Riezel raised his brows. "A family fightingpetition?"
"Yes." Yuri nodded, then grabbed his hand. "C''mon, let''s talk about it back in the more private room."
With that, Yuri led Riezel, apanied by Marilyn, in the direction of her room.
Chapter 119: War Festival
Chapter 119: War Festival
As the name suggests, the so-called ''War Festival'' referred to a festival that centered on battle. This was a tradition that had been passed down by the Frenzel family for nearly two hundred years.
Originally, it had been an annual event used to validate the growth of the family''s descendants and to urgeter generations to continuously improve themselves. However, over time, this festival gradually evolved into a tradition used by the Frenzel family to resolve internal conflicts.
Whenever significant disagreements arose within the family or irreconcble conflicts emerged among family members, the Frenzel family would hold this festival, and the victor would be able to make any demands they wished of the loser.
"Ahh, I see..."
Inside Yuri''s room, after listening to the whole story and the general situation, Riezel nodded.
"So, in other words, you and your father ultimately decided to use this festival to resolve your conflict?"
He understood Yuri''s intention.
"Well, I guess so..." Yuri said calmly, showing neither approval nor disapproval. "Although the tradition of War Festival has disappeared for decades, and we haven''t held such a festival in all those years, my father is someone who regards everything the family once had as the highest ideal to pursue. It''s not surprising that he would restore this family''s traditions."
During the meeting earlier, when Alderman mentioned the War Festival, everyone''s expressions changed, not because they were surprised, but because they hadn''t expected this man to suddenly bring up their family tradition that hadn''t been seen for decades at such a time.In a way, Alderman was indeed a bit reckless.
Not only did he cause discord within the family for the sake of its prosperity, but he also had a single-minded desire to revive various deeds of the family''s past, which felt somewhat crazy.
Nevertheless, Yuri herself was disdainful of this so-called family tradition.
Alderman thought he could make herpromise by the oue of the War Festival, but little did he know that she had never considered such a thing since she also had some other ideas for this festival.
"Leaving that aside, my father values family glory and prosperity more than anything else. If he were to be defeated in the War Festival, he absolutely would adhere to the family tradition and, as the loser, ept whatever demands I make."
With this in mind, Yuri decided to participate in the War Festival.
"What do you n to demand from your father?" Riezel was somewhat curious.
"I want him to bring back my mother and my elder sister." Yuri answered coldly. "Whether he kneels down and apologizes or seeks sympathy through self-sacrifice, he must make my mother and elder sister want to return."
Upon hearing that, Riezel could fully imagine how miserable Alderman would be then.
That man clearly had a strong sense of pride and ced great emphasis on family honor and glory. If he were to go and apologize to his wife and daughter, whom he had driven away because of his past decisions, it would be an even more unbearable ordeal for him than death.
Yuri Frenzel, this woman was truly someone who held grudges. After retaliating against the Basolo family and various forces in the royal capital, she was now beginning to retaliate against her own father.
Truly a terrifying woman.
Of course, Riezel himself didn''t care.
Since Yuri had needed his help, he would naturally help as much as he could.
"What kind of festival is this going to be?" Riezel ventured to ask. "Since it''s called a ''war'' festival, the content should involve fighting, right?"
"Yes, it''s like a fightingpetition." Yuri affirmed his words and began to exin.
The oue of the festival was decided by three rounds of one-versus-one fights.
In this War Festival, both sides sent three people into the arena, where one of the three participants must be the one who proposed the War Festival, while the other two could be chosen from outside, whether they were one''s own attendants or other external supporters.
However, in those three rounds, there were corresponding restrictions.
In the first round, both sides could only send swordsmen into the arena.
In the second round, both sides could only send magicians into the arena.
In the third round, there were no restrictions, either swordsman or magician could enter directly.
The final result was determined by two wins out of three rounds, with the one who won two rounds first being dered the victor.
Having understood the rules, Riezel finally grasped why Yuri had sought his help.
"Because I''m both a swordsman and a magician, I can participate in any round, huh? Is this why you need me?" Riezel murmured.
"More precisely, it''s because you''re not only a powerful swordsman but also an outstanding magician that I need you." Yuri rified with a chuckle.
In order to maximize the chances of winning the War Festival, she needed him to be the trump card on her side.
Judging by the power he has shown so far, his winning odds were extremely high no matter which round he participated in, especially in the third round, where his advantage as a master of both swordsmanship and magic was unparalleled.
At that time, whether Alderman sent a swordsman or a magician, Riezel would had a chance to win, and a significant one at that. At least, in Yuri''s view, as long as her father didn''t send a Sword Saint, Riezel had a good chance of winning.
However, did Alderman even have the capability to bring in a Sword Saint to assist him?
The answer was naturally no.
Although the Frenzel family held the title of marquis, they had only recently risen in the past few years, no different from newly established nobles. Compared to other marquis families that had existed for decades or even centuries, their foundation was still rtively shallow.
Within the Frenzel family, they had managed to recruit several Sword Masters, but the idea of obtaining a Sword Saint was simply out of the question. Such figures typically only served royal families, duke families, or were major nobles themselves, so it was unthinkable for the family to be able to invite them.
If it was just a matter of inviting them to attend the festival and show face, then Yuri could still handle it, but expecting them to participate in the fight was highly unlikely. If even she, who was in her current status, found it challenging, then let alone Alderman.
From Yuri''s perspective, if there were no Sword Saints, Riezel''s chances of winning would be quite high. In such a scenario, she wanted him to step in, represent her side, and be prepared to enter the arena in the third round of thepetition, securing the final victory.
"I will participate in the second round, and I believe my father will do the same." Yuri continued.
She and her father were both magicians. Either they will make their move in the second round or in the third round.
To avoid losing two consecutive rounds right away and directly letting her father win, she had to make her move in the second round. This way, even if her side lost the first round, it wouldn''t directly result in defeat.
She was certain that her father, like herself, had the same concerns and ideas. Therefore, it was almost certain that they would encounter each other in the second round.
"Could you defeat your father?" Riezel furrowed his brows.
Unfortunately, in this kind of direct one-on-one confrontation, neither tactical-ss magic nor strategic-ss magic could be used. Their preparation time was too long to be effective in the fast-paced battle.
However, if it were Riezel, then it didn''t matter.
After all, he could use concurrent chanting, allowing him to chant magic even duringbat without worrying too much about his magic not being released due to lengthy chanting and enemy disturbance.
But Yuri couldn''t do what he could¡ªor rather, people in this world couldn''t.
Concurrent chanting required a calm and stable mind while fighting, using a technique simr to multitasking¡ªfighting while chanting magic.
However, not only was the magic of this world not connected to the ''Mind'', but magicians in this world also generallycked the ability for closebat. When facing enemies, they rely on their attendants to fend off enemies, buying time to chant magic and gradually transforming the magical energy stored in their ''Gate'' into magic.
Because of this, concurrent chanting couldn''t be used by the magicians of this world.
In fast-paced battles, they could only usebat-ss magic that could be quickly released, while tactical-ss magic and strategic-ss magic were of little use.
Although Yuri was a Strategic-ss Magician, without the ability to use tactical-ss magic or strategic-ss magic, it was truly uncertain whether she could defeat her father usingbat-ss magic alone.
Fortunately, Riezel was overly worried.
"What do you think I''ve been doing since bing a Strategic-ss Magician?" Yuri rolled her eyes at him, then confidently smiled. "Back when I just became a Strategic-ss Magician two years ago, it was indeed difficult to say, but now..."
Even if she didn''t finish her sentence, Riezel understood.
Yuri, who had taught him her magic before, constantly reminded him not to becent. As a Strategic-ss Magician with such an attitude, she obviously must also harbor doubts and constantly remind herself not to becent. After achieving the status of a Strategic-ss Magician, she must have devoted herself to enhancing herbat-ss magic.
Especially the dposition magic, a terrifying magic with devastating power, which she treated as her specialty. Once cast, this magic dposed any object into nothingness. What could Alderman use to defend against such a formidable magic?
"With just the two of us alone, victory is definitely in our hands." Yuri stated confidently.
However, Riezel wasn''t as optimistic as her.
The reason was simple.
"Will that swordsman who always followed behind your father also join the War Festival?" Riezel asked, eyeing her.
"That swordsman?" Yuri paused for a moment, then shook her head, somewhat uncertain. "I''m not sure, maybe?"
"Maybe?" Riezel asked, puzzled. "Don''t you know him?"
"I don''t..." Yuri replied frankly, shaking her head. "I''ve never seen him before. He must have been recently taken on as an attendant by my father?"
It was no wonder she believed so strongly in her victory. She had no idea that the closed-eyed swordsman who followed her father was powerful.
However, instead of worry, Riezel''s lips curved into a smirk, clearly excited.
Wasn''t this the perfect opportunity for a good fight?
Chapter 120: Mysterious Swordsman
Chapter 120: Mysterious Swordsman
Riezel truly wanted to have a match with the mysterious closed-eyed swordsman who followed Alderman.
Aftering to this world, he could no longer rampage through the dungeon like before, and could only rely on practicing swordsmanship and magic to hone himself.
In this world, he had only engaged in actualbat twice.
One was against the burly Sword Master who ambushed him, and he easily won. The other was against several masked people who blocked him inside the Frenzel mansion, and he also easily defeated them.
While those fights were satisfying, he still wanted an opponent who could match his strength. Fighting against such an opponent would allow him to gain more excelia, experience more growth, and ignite a sense of excitement within him, truly killing three birds with one stone.
Since that mysterious swordsman gave him a feeling simr to facing Finn, Riveria, and Gareth, it indicated that this swordsman was at least equivalent to a Level 6 adventurer.
An opponent of this level was worthy of his full effort.
Riezel hoped this swordsman would participate in the War Festival so he could face him. He just didn''t know whether this swordsman would appear in the first round or the third, but he hoped it would be the third.
After finishing pondering the mysterious closed-eyed swordsman, Riezel looked at Yuri and asked another question."Who do you n to send out for the first round? Marilyn?"
Yuri didn''t need to answer this question since Marilyn herself was the one who answered.
"I''ll go..." Marilyn said calmly, though her expression showed uncertainty. "But I probably won''t win."
"Huh? Why?" Riezel was somewhat surprised by her answer.
Yuri took over from Marilyn.
"The first one to go on my father''s side will probably be my elder brother, Sefaz." Yuri exined. "Although my father has many attendants and knights, none of them have reached the level of a Sword Master yet. So, for the sake of winning, my father will definitely have my brother assist him."
"Oh?" Riezel raised his brow. "So your brother is a Sword Master?"
"Yes..." Yuri answered indifferently. "In my family, only my father and I have the talent to be magicians. The rest of my siblings, including my mother, cannot perform magic due to insufficient magical energy and can only pursue the path of swordsmanship."
"However, Mediste doesn''t seem to have the aptitude for swordsmanship since she has never sessfully mastered it. On the other hand, Isaac is too impulsive and reckless, often skipping swordsmanship sses. So, neither of them is at the level to call themselves swordsmen yet."
"Only my elder brother and elder sister have been practicing swordsmanship since childhood. Now both of them have achieved the title of Sword Master, especially my brother. He may seem frivolous, but he''s a genius in swordsmanship. He obtained the title of Sword Master five years ago, and his strength is probably stronger than Marilyn, Ain, and Ian under normal circumstances."
Yuri informed Riezel that Marilyn obtained the title of Sword Master three years ago, while Ain and Ian obtained it one year ago.
Based solely on the time, these three couldn''tpare to Sefaz. As long as he hadn''t neglected his training in recent years, he wouldn''t lose to Marilyn, Ain, and Ian.
However, Riezel was more concerned about details Yuri mentioned subconsciously just now.
''What does she mean by ''normal circumstances''?''
Riezel was about to ask this question in his mind when she suddenly spoke up again.
"You know, I''ve never really understood my elder brother..." Yuri said, furrowing her brow. "I always feel like he''s hiding something... Ever since before, his actions have been suspicious, especially after my father handed over the family head position to me, causing my brother to lose his qualification as the family heir. He''s be even more unpredictable since then, always out doing who knows what..."
As she spoke, her eyes betrayed deep suspicion and a hint of wariness.
This fearless youngdy, who feared neither heaven nor earth nor even the royal family, dared to retaliate against anything, had begun to harbor suspicions and wariness about her own elder brother.
"It seems like my father knows something but never tells me... He never even inquires about what my brother is up to or arranges any marriage for him, which is very suspicious..."
Yuri couldn''t help but say a few more words, before shaking her head shortly after.
"But regardless, my brother still listens to my father and has always been by his side since childhood. My father should make him take action this time, so he will definitely show up."
Yuri believed that her elder brother would be the first to act.
The reason was simple.
"That''s just the way he is... If someone entrusts him with something, he''ll either try his best to avoid it or, if he can''t, he''ll quickly resolve it. He dislikes troublesome things after all..."
"Why not let me go first then?"
Riezel became somewhat interested in fighting Sefaz after Yuri''s exnation.
However, Yuri disagreed.
"Not worth it." Yuri shook her head. "If you go out as a swordsman in the first round, you can''t use magic. It''s better to avoid situations where you can''t give your all."
Only swordsmen could participate in the first round, so if Riezel went out, he could have only used swords, not magic.
The same went for the second round. If he went out, he could have only used magic, not swords.
So naturally, Yuri didn''t want to waste Riezel, such an excellentbat power, in other rounds, and wanted him to fight unrestricted in the third round.
By now, everything had be very clear.
''The first round, Marilyn against Yuri''s elder brother, she was likely to lose.''
''The second round, Yuri against her father, she was confident she could win.''
''So, does that mean... the oues depend on my performance in the third round, huh?''
As Riezel pondered that, he was unsure how to react.
"Or maybe... you do not need to fight at all?" Yuri suddenly grinned. "Perhaps my brother actually has neglected his swordsmanship over the years and lost to Marilyn. So, you wouldn''t need topete in the third round."
This youngdy truly had confidence in herself, believing she could win against her own father.
In such a situation, Riezel didn''t feel it appropriate to say something like, ''Maybe we lost the first two rounds, so I won''t have topete either.''
Of course, with the situation bing clearer, it dawned on him that he might indeed face off against that closed-eyed swordsman. After all, ording to Yuri''s assessment, her brother would attend the first round, while her father would attend the second. Thus, in the third round, it was highly likely her father would send in that swordsman.
Yuri was uncertain of the swordsman''s strength, but her father surely knew. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have brought the swordsman along to the meeting of the Frenzel family, which was an internal matter.
This demonstrated the swordsman''s value, at least in her father''s eyes.
Yuri mentioned that under her father''smand, there were no Sword Master attendants or knights. With this in mind, it was probable that her father had recently recruited this swordsman and kept him as a trump card for the final showdown.
This realization only heightened Riezel''s anticipation.
Facing off against an opponent of equivalent strength to that of a Level 6 adventurer would undoubtedly make for an exciting fight.
===
While Riezel and Yuri were discussing the War Festival, in a secluded alley of Undine, the mysterious closed-eyed swordsman, who had been on Riezel''s mind recently, silently appeared.
He still had his eyes closed and a sword at his waist as he walked confidently through the alley, heading towards the darkness. His pace was not quick, but rather slow, almost as if walking through a swamp, dragging one step at a time.
As he walked, a few figures gradually approached him.
"Hey, blind guy, what are you doing alone in a ce like this?"
A mocking voice rang out.
"It''s dangerous to walk alone at night, y''know."
Apanied by such words, several dangerous-looking thugs emerged from the darkness and surrounded the swordsman, forcing him to stop.
"Hey, blind guy, how about coughing up some money?"
The leader of the thugs licked his lips, chuckling softly.
"We''re here to teach you a lesson, show you how sketchy these alleys get after dark. Handing over some money seems fair, don''t you think?"
Upon hearing that, the closed-eyed swordsman remained motionless.
It was another thug who, upon seeing the sword hanging from the closed-eyed swordsman''s waist, hastily spoke up.
"Hey Boss, watch out! This guy''s got a sword. Maybe he''s a swordsman."
As soon as these words were spoken, the bodies of every thug tensed up.
However, the leader still acted carelessly.
"Like, seriously, who cares if he''s a swordsman? Who knows if this guy is just a trash swordsman practicing elementary swordsmanship? I mean, a truly powerful swordsman wouldn''t be hanging out in sketchy alleys in the dead of night, right?"
Upon hearing their leader''s words, the thugs instantly believed his words and rxed. But at the same time, the closed-eyed swordsman finally spoke up.
"Do you know what color blood is?"
His voice was hoarse, sending chills down one''s spine.
However, without waiting for the thugs to respond, the closed-eyed swordsman spoke again.
"Not knowing is okay, just take a look beneath you."
Upon hearing that, every thug lowered their head.
In that instant, they saw it.
Red.
A ring red.
There was no doubt, it was the color of blood.
*Click*
A soft sound suddenly emerged.
It was the closed-eyed swordsman, sheathing the sword he had unsheathed at some point.
Only then did the thugs realize that just moments ago, unnoticed by everyone, this swordsman had drawn his sword and silently shed them with his sword.
"You..."
The leader of the thugs trembled, pointing his finger at the closed-eyed swordsman, then copsed, his body bathed in blood.
*Thud* *Thud* *Thud* *Thud* *Thud*
The rest of the thugs followed suit, falling one after another into the pool of blood, losing their lives.
"It seems like even trash like you all bleed red too..."
The closed-eyed swordsman spoke calmly, squatting down and pressing his hand into the blood, looking at the red stain on his palm.
"Hahaha... Hahahahahahahaha¡ª"
He suddenlyughed, hisughter was as sinister as a malevolent demon''s.
Chapter 121: A Noble? Not in This Lifetime!
Chapter 121: A Noble? Not in This Lifetime!
The next day, the Frenzel family became slightly livelier than usual.
Because many people had received the news that in a few days, the Frenzel family would be hosting the War Festival.
At first, many people were unfamiliar with the term ''War Festival'' and felt confused, not knowing what it was all about.
The War Festival, which hadn''t been held for decades, was suddenly announced to be brought back, so it was quite normal that many people hadn''t caught on yet.
It wasn''t until Alderman vigorously began promoting the revival of the War Festival to enliven it that people finally understood what the War Festival was about.
Now, the whole Frenzel territory was buzzing.
"Are Lady Yuri and Sir Alderman really going to join in this fightingpetition?"
"Yeah, sounds kinda interesting."
"It''s been forever since the Frenzel territory had an event this lively.""I''m getting pretty pumped!"
Many people were discussing it one after another in such a mood.
However, Alderman didn''t actually publicize the true significance of the War Festival.
In other words, although people knew that Yuri and Alderman were preparing to participate in the fight, facing off against each other, they didn''t know that the purpose of hosting the War Festival was to make the other partypromise to their demands.
This was a conflict and decision-making within the direct line of the Frenzel family, and it wasn''t convenient for those below and outsiders to know about it.
Therefore, knowing about the War Festival''s existence, people were simply looking forward to it and discussing it, but they didn''t notice anything amiss. Only a few intelligent individuals clearly sensed an abnormality.
"Marquis Frenzel caused quite a stir in the royal capital, and now she suddenly set up this War Festival thingy?"
"The Basolo family is pretty hostile toward the Frenzel family right now. With Sir Alderman''s way of doing things, shouldn''t he try to ease the tensions between them first?"
"It''s not that simple... There must be something we don''t know about."
"Let''s find out then."
The people who reacted like this were either some nobles or spies sent by certain countries or members of some mysterious force who had been deliberately monitoring the movements of the Frenzel family.
They keenly sensed that there was more to this and began to take action in secret. Moreover, believe it or not, they actually found the answer.
After all, the War Festival was once a tradition of the Frenzel family. While today''s people might not understand and know its purpose, an observant and knowledgeable one would surely find out how the Frenzel family used to hold the War Festival and why it existed.
This wasn''t some particrly significant secret; anyone with a bit of influence could investigate and surely find out.
Thanks to this, they learned the reason behind the revival of the War Festival.
"It appears Marquis Frenzel and Sir Alderman have reached an irreconcble conflict."
"Is it due to the marriage with the Basolo family?"
"Definitely worth keeping an eye on."
With ulterior motives in mind, these people began to act one after another.
Even those who were previously indifferent to the affairs of the Frenzel family showed considerable interest in the War Festival itself.
"This is a great opportunity to get a close look at the strength of the Frenzel family."
"Since Strategic-ss Magician Yuri Frenzel will also participate, it might be the only chance to see her power up close."
"The War Festival is open to the public, right? When does it start?"
And so, whether ordinary people or those with ulterior motives, turned their attention to the War Festival.
The Frenzel family did not conceal any information and directly broadcast relevant news.
The War Festival was a celebration, a tradition, and naturally, it would not be conducted in secrecy. It waspletely open to anyone, but if one wished to watch, one needed to buy a ticket.
Alderman''s decision to revive the War Festival and hold it in Undine''srgest training field was carefully calcted.
The training field was typically used for training knights, and magicians also practiced magic there, making it a venue capable of withstanding all kinds of fights, as long as tactical-ss and strategic-ss magic weren''t released, of course.
Moreover, the field also had audience seats with a modest capacity of about five thousand people, which was sufficient.
Alderman nned to sell tickets for four thousand four hundred of these seats to the public, allowing anyone with tickets to enter and watch the War Festival. As for the remaining six hundred seats, they were reserved for special invitations.
He seemed to be preparing to invite the local nobles from the Frenzel territory to watch the War Festival, even nning to invite some dignitaries to attend.
It was clear that he was determined to make the War Festival grand and lively, a high-ss event, which truly made Yuri feel displeased.
"I feel like he''s using me... Did he n to revive the War Festival from the start?"
Yuri couldn''t help but suspect, venting her frustrations to Riezel.
Riezel hadn''t anticipated that this so-called War Festival would end up bing so widely known. After all, he wasn''t particrly fond of being in the limelight, reluctant to be evaluated and scrutinized in public.
Most importantly, this would likely expose his true power once and for all. After all, before this, everyone had treated him like a useless cripple.
However, upon further thought, he honestly felt indifferent.
''Well, I''ve already be famous in the royal capital anyway.''
As Riezel thought that, he honestly couldn''t wrap his head around it.
Yuri seemed to have been keeping tabs on developments in the royal capital and finally got wind of information that his status as a Tactical-ss Magician had been widely known.
Now, any noble with half a brain already knew that Yuri actually had a Tactical-ss Magician by her side, and that person was none other than him. He had recently been rumored to have lost his ability to use magic because of his damaged Gate and had to resort to mastering swordsmanship.
This rumor inevitably made many people secretly curse Yuri for her cunningness.
To think that a Tactical-ss Magician had been quietly recruited by her and then portrayed as a cripple hiding away. Had it not been for the Basolo family''s farce, exposing this secret card that the Frenzel family had deliberately concealed, one might have fallen victim to this deception.
The royal family seemed quite concerned about this matter as well, so upon contacting Yuri, they wasted no time in urging her to return to the royal capital and bring Riezel along.
The reason, of course, was to bestow a noble title upon Riezel.
Any Tactical-ss Magician could be received by the king in the royal pce and be granted a noble title in front of the nobles. Moreover, it wasn''t the lowest rank of baron, but a step higher¡ªa viscount.
For Tactical-ss Magicians, once ennobled, the lowest rank was always a viscount. For those like them, if they could achieve some merit on the battlefield, they would immediately be promoted to the rank of count and be major nobles.
As for Strategic-ss Magicians, if they managed to achieve it and didn''t have a noble title, they would immediately be major nobles by being granted the title of count. On the other hand, if they already had a noble title, they were unconditionally promoted by one or even two ranks on the spot.
Yuri had been such a case.
As she became a Strategic-ss Magician at the age of fifteen, she directly ascended from viscount to marquis, achieving a two-rank promotion in an instant.
Now that Riezel''s status as a Tactical-ss Magician had been exposed, the royal family naturally wished for him to return posthaste, bestow a noble title upon him, and directly imprint him with Jinas''s mark to prevent other countries from poaching him.
When Yuri told Riezel about this, she even apologized, saying she hadn''t expected the news to spread so widely, resulting in the entire noble circle being aware of it now.
What Riezel couldn''t understand was this.
''How did it get exposed anyway?''
At that time, after the knights and guards had already suppressed the ve invasion, all of them, including the servants, had taken refuge in the basement under Yuri''s instructions.
In other words, logically speaking, nobody should have known about him using Rea Laevateinn.
So how did this get exposed?
''Was there an outsider witnessing me casting Rea Laevateinn at that time?'' Riezel expressed doubt.
If that were the case, then this person was quite lucky.
If a tactical-ss wide area annihtion magic had been unleashed without a tactical-ss barrier to block it, the entire vicinity of the Frenzel residence would have likely turned into a sea of mes.
For this person to stay within the barrier, within the range of Rea Laevateinn, and still survive, they either had some skills or were just incredibly lucky.
Riezel sighed at this thought, then stopped dwelling on it.
If the exposure happened, it happened. He wouldn''t die from it anyway; at most, he would just be the target of assassination again.
But in a way, he actually weed it.
As long as they didn''t send someone on the level of a Sword Saint to deal with him, these assassins, no matter how many came, would only serve to increase his excelia.
Of course, he had no intention of returning to the royal capital and epting any noble titles or positions the kingdom might offer.
In his previous life, he had suffered enough persecution in that world full of conspiracy and deceit among the upper society. Now that he had finally distanced himself from that world and gained freedom, there was no way he would go back to it.
A noble? Not in this lifetime!
As a result, Riezel told Yuri about his decision.
"I had a feeling you would say that. Okay, don''t worry, I''ll do my best to dy and make excuses for you." Yuri took on this task seriously.
However, as news of him spread, Riezel found himself being pestered by others as well.
One day, just as he was about to practice magic as usual, he was intercepted by someone who suddenly appeared.
"Teach me magic!"
Speaking with such an air of arrogance was none other than¡ª
"It''s you, the brat¡ªI mean, the youngest child."
Looking at Isaac who had suddenly popped up, Riezel couldn''t help but blurt out.
"Who are you calling a brat?! Also, I already told you I''m not the youngest child, dammit!" Isaac jumped up and shouted in anger. "You insolent fellow! Address me as young master!"
Seeing him behaving like an annoying noble brat again, Riezel couldn''t help but feel the urge to give him another knock on his head.
"Are you sure you want me to call you young master?" Riezel said while clenching his fist tightly.
"Forget it, I won''t argue with you..."
Seeing that familiar fist, the ever-flexible Isaac ultimately chose to magnanimously forgive Riezel''s impoliteness.
However¡ª
"But you have to teach me magic!"
Isaac continued to insist, leaving Riezel puzzled.
Chapter 122: Magic Crystal?
Chapter 122: Magic Crystal?
"You want to be a magician?"
With raised eyebrows, Riezel asked Isaac, who stood in front of him.
"Duh!" Isaac rolled his eyes and spoke with no trace of politeness. "Who doesn''t want to be a magician?"
''Well, that''s true...'' Riezel admitted in his heart.
In this world, being a magician symbolized nobility, symbolized status, and without a doubt, many people aspired to it.
Like the original Riezel, dreaming of bing a Tactical-ss Magician, gaining a noble status, and being honored as a noble, it was safe to say that there were plenty of people like him. Even noble descendants hope to be magicians themselves, especially Tactical-ss or Strategic-ss Magicians.
However, reality was obviously more cruel than they imagined.
"Your elder sister said that only she and your father in the entire family have the talent to be magicians, while you, due to insufficient magical energy, can only pursue the path of a swordsman. Don''t you know about this?" Riezel asked with a puzzled tone.
Yes.It was this matter that made him puzzled.
Logically, Isaac should know about this since he was already attending swordsmanship sses. Even if no one told him, he should have guessed that he didn''t have the talent to be a magician, right?
It was truly perplexing that Isaac suddenly wanted him to teach magic.
"I''m sure my father and elder sister have mistaken me, maybe I happen to have the talent to be a magician, they just haven''t noticed it yet?"
When saying that, Isaac looked resolute and unwilling to ept defeat, but Riezel keenly noticed a hint of unwillingness in his eyes.
Apparently, this nine-year-old boy refused to believe in reality.
It was understandable.
At Isaac''s age, how could he understand that ''talent'' was something inborn and unchangeable?
At this age, Isaac certainly wouldn''t be convinced by evaluations from elders. He wouldn''t believe that if someone said it was not possible, then it was not possible. Even if it was true, he must be an exception.
This was a mindset shared by people of his age.
Perhaps, he also wanted to prove to his father and elder sister that they were wrong and that he could actually be a magician.
"Ahh, I see... It''s probably because of this that you keep avoiding swordsmanship sses and never seriously study swordsmanship, huh..."
Riezel seemed to understand Isaac''s behavior now, and indeed, it seemed to be the case.
"I don''t want to learn swordsmanship and be a swordsman." Isaac said with disdain. "I want to be a powerful magician, like my elder sister, honored by the kingdom, and make our family stronger and more stronger. Swordsmanship sses are pointless."
Sure enough, this boy avoided studying swordsmanship and attending swordsmanship sses for this reason.
But still, reality was cruel.
"Listen, to be a magician, having enough magical energy to cast magic is the bare minimum. Even if you dream of bing a magician, if you don''t have the necessary magical energy, you won''t be able to cast a single magic." Riezel exined, choosing not to deceive the boy, thus revealing the harsh reality.However, his exnation seemed to ignite Isaac''s rebellious spirit.
"Are you going to say the same thing as my father and elder sister?!" Isaac shouted. "I don''t care. Just teach me what you need to, whether I seed or not is my concern, not yours!"
"That''s a valid point. Whether you learn or not is up to you; I shouldn''t get in your way." Riezel acknowledged his words, but shortly afterward, turned his gaze to his eyes. "But whether I teach you or not is my concern too, no?"
"You¡ª!" Isaac became infuriated instantly.
Being a noble, if he had demands, others shouldply with them, that was how things worked within his family.
Why did this guy really like to go against him? Did this man really think he was so great just because he had his elder sister to protect him?
He admitted that this guy was indeed somewhat impressive, but even after he had ''humbly'' begged like this, this guy still refused.
This guy was truly a damn scoundrel!
There was no other choice; he would have to resort to ast-ditch effort.
"I can give you money!"
"I''m not short on money for now."
"I can give you my precious magic items!"
"I don''t want any magic items for now."
"I-I can introduce you to women!"
"I don''t need a woman for now. Also, please stop that; you''re starting to sound like a wicked and nasty young master."
"What do you have to be dissatisfied about?"
"I''d like to ask you back, based on what you''ve said, do I have anything to be satisfied about?"
"In that case, how about I give you a magic crystal that can record images? It also contains scenes of my three elder sisters bathing!"
"...Pass."
It must be said that for the sake of learning magic, Isaac was truly willing to go all out, willing to use anything as bargaining chips.
Riezel''s gaze at this boy became increasingly strange, feeling like there was something off about him, yet also seemingly normal in every way. This feeling was quite odd, but it didn''t stop him from seeing Isaac as a troublemaker brat.
Luckily, Riezel didn''t need to intervene; this boy was about to face consequences on his own.
"Ahh, so that''s how it is... A magic crystal that can record images, is it?"
A voice, sounding as though it emerged from hell, suddenly echoed behind Isaac.
"I''ve never heard of such a thing. Shouldn''t you exin this to me properly, Isaac?"
As the voice resonated, Isaac, who was about to reach into his pocket to take out the so-called magic crystal, froze entirely. He showed a frightened expression, and shortly afterward, the terror on his face turned into despair.
*Pak!*
A hand forcefully mmed onto Isaac''s shoulder, grabbing hold of him, and preventing his escape.
Mediste''s face appeared behind Isaac, her slightly childish yet exceptionally beautiful face frosted over with coldness, darkness swirling in her eyes.
"It seems like the two of us need to have a serious talk, don''t you think, Isaac?" Mediste''s voice was particrly cold and terrifying.
"A-Ah... Aah..." Isaac let out a sound akin to a broken doll, a voice resembling that of a dying man.
At that moment, delicate and fair hands swiftly sped around his neck.
*Crack!*
The next second, Isaac''s neck twisted almost ny degrees, emitting a bone-cracking sound, his eyes rolling back as he copsed to the ground.
"My apologies, Mr. Riezel."
Mediste appeared from behind Isaac and bowed her head to Riezel.
"My brother seems to have lost his senses, speaking nonsense. Please forget what he just said, and ept my deepest gratitude."
After uttering those undoubtedly emotionless words, she raised her head, her gaze and expression both seemed to have lost their luster.
"Then, I''ll take my leave."
Seeing Mediste''s eyes devoid of their usual brilliance, Riezel was somewhat taken aback.
"Uh, yeah, take care..." Riezel could only respond awkwardly.
"Then, excuse me." Mediste bowed her head once again and turned to leave.
However, she still held Isaac''s nape in her hand, dragging her younger brother directly toward the other end of the corridor.
In Riezel''s eyes, it seemed as if arge predatory animal was dragging its prey into a corner to devour it.
''Frenzel family''s women are truly terrifying...''
Whether it was Yuri or Mediste, neither of them was to be trifled with.
Lost in thought, Riezel didn''t realize that the turned-away Mediste was currently feeling somewhat devastated.
Perhaps it was because of the matter her father mentioned to herst night.
¡ªI''m nning to marry you off to Riezel Brynhart. Be prepared at all times.
Her father''s absolute words lingered in her brain, leaving her with aplex mix of emotions.
As a result, for a short while, Mediste didn''t dare to meet Riezel.
As for shocks or resistance, surprisingly, she didn''t show any.
Surprise?
What was there to be surprised about?
Her father was always like this, and she knew it long ago. She had mentally prepared herself for her marriage arrangement long ago, so nothing was surprising.
Resistance?
How could she resist?
Her two elder sisters had the ability to resist, but pitifully, she didn''t.
After all, she wasn''t like her eldest sister, skilled in swordsmanship, or like her second-eldest sister, who was a great magician.
She was just an ordinary girl.
With her abilities, what could she do to resist?
Let alone herself, even her eldest sister who was a Sword Master could only resist their father with their mother''s support. Otherwise, her eldest sister alone wouldn''t be able to resist their father at all.
Only her second-eldest sister, Yuri, truly possessed the ability and privilege to resist their father solely with her own power. Because of this, she admired her second-eldest sister the most and aspired to be someone like her.
Unfortunately, she could only dream, since she was the most useless daughter in this family. Obeying marriage arrangements obediently and living a somewhat happy life was the best future she could hope for.
With suchplicated emotions, Mediste dragged Isaac away.
Meanwhile, Riezel, who remained oblivious to her thoughts, watched as Mediste hurriedly left with her younger brother. Just as he was about to turn and leave, he noticed an item on the ground.
"Hmm? Magic crystal?" Riezel raised his eyebrows and picked it up.
The crystal-shaped item that had fallen to the ground looked very simr to themunication magic crystal he had received from Yuri, so he immediately recognized it as some kind of magic crystal.
"Did this fall from that brat?"
Suddenly, he remembered what Isaac said earlier and realized what thing contained in this magic crystal was.
As a result, he fell into a long, long silence.
"...I''ll just keep it for now."
After a long time, Riezel quietly tucked the magic crystal into his pocket and left the scene.
As for what kind of cruel interrogation and punishment Isaac would face from his elder sister for losing the magic crystal afterward, that had nothing to do with him.
Chapter 123: Grand Opening
Chapter 123: Grand Opening
In the blink of an eye, a week had passed.
On this day, the War Festival hosted by the Frenzel family was officially announced open, making the city of Undine much livelier than usual.
Citizens pointed and gestured in the direction of the training field, which served as the arena for the fight, seemingly discussing the War Festival.
One carriage after another proceeded in the same direction, most likely heading to the training field.
Outside the training field, the Frenzel family''s people stood guard.
Some were responsible for maintaining security and order, others for guiding and collecting entrance tickets, while some weed VIPs arriving in luxurious carriages, allowing everyone with tickets to enter one after another.
In such a scenario, Riezel''s group also arrived quietly.
They remained the same old members, with Riezel, Yuri, Marilyn, Ain, and Ian, the group of five, walking together without any other members.
On the opposite side, the lineup was quite grand.Apart from Alderman, Sefaz, and the mysterious closed-eyed swordsman, many knights and attendants were apanying them.
At first nce, Riezel''s group seemed somewhat outnumbered, but the attention of most people was actually focused on them.
"Is that Marquis Yuri Frenzel?"
"Those three women behind her, are they all her attendants?"
"I heard they''re all Sword Masters."
"Amazing... Each one is so beautiful..."
"Yeah..."
People started discussing one after another enthusiastically, while Alderman''s group, despite appearing more grand, didn''t attract much attention.
It couldn''t be helped.
Alderman''s group was mostly men, and their fame wasn''t high either, except for Sefaz himself being a Sword Master, the others weren''t well-known, including Alderman himself.
Of course, when mentioning fame, it referred to strength.
People recognized Alderman as the former head of the Frenzel family, but in the end, he was just a Combat-ss Magician. He wasn''t even a Tactical-ss, let alone a Strategic-ss Magician.
As a result, his support in this festival focused onbat wasn''t very high.
On the other hand, in Riezel''s group, Yuri herself was one of the continent''s only eight Strategic-ss Magicians, while Marilyn, Ain, and Ian were all Sword Masters.
Although they were fewer in number, each one was elite, and of course, beautiful. After all, people were visual creatures, naturally more inclined to pay attention to something or someone beautiful, so it was understandable for their group to be more popr.
Even Riezel himself sparked considerable discussion.
"That''s Riezel Brynhart, right?"
At one of the specially invited seats, a young nobleman dressed in finery turned to his attendant beside him for confirmation.
"Yes, he is indeed Riezel Brynhart." The attendant respectfully replied.
"Quite young, huh..." The young nobleman remarked. "Bing a Tactical-ss Magician at such a young age. While not quite on par with Marquis Frenzel, he''s certainly stronger than most Tactical-ss Magicians in the kingdom. No wonder the royal pce''s people insisted I abandon all my work and rush over here just to bring this young man back for ennoblement."
This young nobleman hade from the royal capital, traveling a long distance. Apart from him, there were many other VIPs in the special seats, each with their own purposes.
Riezel was the focus of attention for many, with some evening specifically for him.
"Is he the Tactical-ss Magician mentioned in the intelligence report, the one who hasn''t been ennobled yet?"
"Yes, that''s him."
"Good, let''s find an opportunity to approach him and see if we can recruit him to our country before Jinas gets their ws on him."
In corners of the audience seats, whispers like these were happening, as if darkness pervaded everywhere.
And so, the opening time of the War Festival arrived right on time.
===
In the center of the training field, the two sides about to face off finally met.
"Are you ready?" Alderman looked at his daughter standing opposite him, asking without any expression.
"Let''s get started already." Yuri didn''t waste any words, simply dropping this statement before turning to walk back with the others.
Riezelgged behind, his gaze involuntarily flicking to the closed-eyed swordsman standing behind Alderman. But after gazing at the closed-eyed swordsman, he suddenly frowned.
"What''s wrong?" Yuri noticed his unease and asked in a lowered voice.
"Haven''t you noticed?" Riezel continued to frown, looking at the closed-eyed swordsman. "There seems to be some sort of change in him..."
"Really?" Yuri seemed not to have noticed.
Not only her, but Marilyn, Ain, and Ian also seemed not to have noticed any anomaly. Only Riezel had a feeling that something had changed about the closed-eyed swordsman.
The closed-eyed swordsman''s aura became somewhat dangerous, somewhat horrifying.
If, when Riezel first saw this closed-eyed swordsman, he felt like he was facing powerful experts like Finn, Riveria, or Gareth. Now, the feeling he got from this closed-eyed swordsman was more like facing a floor boss, full of oppression and terrifying monster-like presence.
Although the feeling of power remained just as strong, perhaps even stronger than before, the change in the closed-eyed swordsman made him feel more hostile and filled with bloodlust.
Strangely, he felt an urge to immediately cut down the closed-eyed swordsman, which made no sense and left him quite puzzled.
"Alright, don''t think too much about it." Yuri patted his shoulder. "Whatever it is, let''s talk after the War Festival is over."
Riezel nodded, taking one more deep look at the closed-eyed swordsman before following Yuri and the others, leaving the center of the training field.
On the other hand, Alderman remained in the center and chanted a magic. It was a small magic that amplified his voice to deliver the opening speech.
"Ladies and gentlemen, it is with great pleasure that I extend a warm wee to each and every one of you gathered here today! I am deeply grateful for your presence at our Frenzel family''s War Festival!"
As Alderman''s voice reverberated loudly, the audience immediately quieted down.
"War Festival has been a tradition of our Frenzel family since its birth, once widely known. Unfortunately, we, theter generations, have been incapable of maintaining the brilliance of our ancestors. Eventually, this tradition faded away, not mentioned for decades."
"Now, the Frenzel family finally has the opportunity to reim some of its former glory, and it''s time for the revival of this family tradition."
"Today, I, Alderman Frenzel, along with the family head, will recreate the War Festival, hoping that our ancestors will bless our family and restore its past glory."
After Alderman delivered the opening speech, he didn''t waste much time and went straight to the point.
"The rules of the War Festival are as follows..."
Alderman announced the rules of the War Festival to the audience, which included three rounds with two victories needed to win, consisting of three fights with specific limitations on participants for each round, and so on.
Additionally, he made a special reminder.
"The War Festival is a tradition, a ritual... As such, it strictly forbids both sides from seriously harming their opponents, let alone killing them."
"Any vition of the safety regtions, regardless of which side, will be punished by the Frenzel family, even if it''s me or my daughter, who is the family head."
"As for determining the winner, it will be based on destroying the medals worn by the participants."
After saying that, Alderman took out a medal and wore it on his left shoulder.
"Participants from both sides must wear this medal on their left shoulder."
"Once one side''s medal is destroyed, victory will be decided, and the one who destroys it will im the win."
"Additionally, once a participant has taken part in a round, they cannot participate again. Each participant is only allowed to participate once."
These were roughly the rules, with the rest being just some precautions, such as the training field employing barrier magic to protect the audience when the fight began, so the audience didn''t need to worry about being affected by the fights.
"Now, each side, please send out a swordsman to participate in the first round of swordsmen."
After dering that, Alderman left the center of the training field, and not long after, someone from his side entered.
"Good afternoon, everyone!"
Sefaz stepped onto the center of the training field, waving and greeting all around. His performance was akin to a football yer entering the field, which indeed drew cheers from the audience, especially the teenage girls.
"Kyaaa¡ª!"
"Kyaaa¡ª!"
"Young Master Sefaz¡ª!"
When they saw the first participant to enter was the handsome Sefaz, they all screamed one after another.
It must be said that the genes of the Frenzel family were indeed excellent. Handsome men and beautiful women, not a single one was mediocre. They were much better looking than the celebrities from Riezel''s previous life.
"As expected, the first one to enter is my elder brother..." Yuri murmured as she watched her elder brother waving to the audience while approaching the center of the training field.
"I''ll go." Marilyn said calmly.
"Um, go ahead." Yuri nodded. "Don''t force yourself, just do your best."
"Understood." Marilyn bowed her head slightly, then calmly walked toward the center of the training field.
*Whistle~*
*Whistle~*
The stunning maid made a bold entrance, this time prompting a chorus of wolf whistles from the men.
"Ahh, are you my opponent?" Sefaz looked at Marilyn across from him and chuckled. "This could be tricky."
"Lie." Marilyn spoke without a trace of politeness. "You clearly don''t think I could be your opponent."
"Then you''ve misunderstood me..." Sefaz shrugged casually. "If you unleash your family''s specialty and use that swordsmanship, you would definitely be one of the opponents I least want to face."
Upon hearing that, Marilyn remained calm and quietly took out her weapon.
"Come."
Her calm and indifferent voice made Sefaz reveal a meaningful smile as he unsheathed the sword hanging from his waist.
In this manner, the first round of the War Festival had finally begun.
Chapter 124: Aldermans Self-Confidence
Chapter 124: Alderman''s Self-Confidence
""OOOOOOHHHHHH¡ª!!!"""
In Undine''srgest training field, cheers erupted without stopping, echoing through the air since the beginning of the fight.
Just from the cheers alone, one could tell how thrilling the fight being held in the training field truly was.
The sword sh between Marilyn and Sefaz heated up the atmosphere right from the beginning.
*ng!* *Cling!* *ng!* *Cling!*
Amidst the intense shing of swords, two figures inside the training field continuously weaved and collided, causing sparks and gusts of wind to burst forth.
Marilyn and Sefaz moved around the training field like streams of light, sometimes chasing each other, sometimes crossing paths, sometimes changing positions, and sometimes engaging in fierce shes.
Afterimages and sword shes kept appearing, and the sound of sword shes was constant, showcasing extraordinary speed and intense fighting.
To get a clear view of the fight between the two, many magicians had already used magic to enhance their vision, while the others had thetest model magic items at their disposal, allowing everyone to barely make out the thrilling duel between Marilyn and Sefaz, resulting in waves of cheers.Riezel''s eyes were also fixed on the training field, taking in every detail of the fight between Marilyn and Sefaz.
Even from his perspective, the fight between these two had a lot of attraction.
Especially Marilyn, who had always been Yuri''s quiet maid in the background, now revealed her strength, which surprised him.
Marilyn wasn''t using typical swords, but a pair of thin short swords resembling twin swords from some movies he had watched in his previous life.
She was like an assassin, gripping her swords in reverse, with each movement of her elbow producing a sword sh, enveloping Sefaz in a barrage of sword shes like a.
Her attack speed was surprisingly fast, and her attack angles were unusually tricky, giving a sense of being undefendable. Her speed was also remarkable as if her movements had been meticulously studied, with a unique charm in every move and glide.
If it weren''t for Riezel''s keen battle instincts, he might have lost sight of Marilyn several times due to her peculiar movements, fluttering like leaves in the wind.
From this, it could be seen that she was more inclined toward an agility and technique-oriented swordsman. Although her attack power wasn''t great, it waspensated by the terrifying number of attacks woven together by her attack speed.
Faced with such opponents, even a slight mistake could result in being shed dozens or even hundreds of times in an instant, leading to instant defeat.
Based on this performance alone, Riezel was certain.
''Marilyn''s strength, evenpared to Ais, probably isn''t much different...''
His evaluation of Marilyn was this high, indicating just how strong she was.
Unlike Ain and Ian, who were equal to Level 5 with the lowesttent basic abilities, Marilyn''s strength was not much inferior even whenpared to a prodigy like Ais.
At least, without using Ariel, it wouldn''t be easy for Ais to take down Marilyn.
This maid truly lived up to the reputation of Yuri''s strongest attendant, as an ordinary Sword Master wouldn''t stand a chance against her.
It was just a pity that Marilyn, such as she was, encountered a tough opponent.
''Marilyn is about to lose...''
As Riezel clearly observed the fight, facing Marilyn''s storm-like assault, Sefaz had been on the defensive, but he clearly had more to give. His face still wore a somewhat cheeky smile as he wielded a typical Western-style sword.
Even though it was clearly a sword, in Sefaz''s hands, it seemed to transform into a whip, twisting and turning like willow branches, its trajectory unpredictable. Yet, despite this swordy, it precisely blocked all of Marilyn''s fierce sword attacks, protecting his entire body, never letting her she within a meter of his body.
Marilyn kept pressing forward, shing relentlessly and always elerating, making her sword attacks denser and the shes more frequent. Even so, Sefaz could still protect himself wlessly, deflecting every one of her sword shes aimed at his left shoulder multiple times with flicks from his sword, only sparking off me particles in the end.
Compared to Marilyn''s disy of swordsmanship, Sefaz seemed unremarkable, yet for some reason, she couldn''tnd a single effective attack on him.
Sefaz''s performance not only made some knowledgeable audience solemn but also made Riezel look deeply at this eldest son of the Frenzel family.
''Sefaz Frenzel, this guy''s strength is probably not far from Level 6.''
As Yuri and Marilyn had previously spected, this man''s strength was not to be underestimated, surpassing Marilyn by far.
Riezel admitted to himself that even if he were to step in, he wouldn''t be able to defeat Sefaz without going in earnest.
However, what made Sefaz terrifying was that from his confident and casual attitude, it could be seen that he still held back some strength, not revealing it all.
''Interesting...''
Riezel held Sefaz in high regard, while the audience was extremely satisfied, finding the fight thrilling.
Such an intense fightsted for a full fifteen minutes.
After fifteen minutes, Marilyn began to feel her stamina waning, with noticeable declines in both movement and attack speed.
It seemed like Sefaz had been waiting for this split-second opportunity.
"It seems I''ve won."
Sefaz, whose aura hadn''t shown any signs of instability, seized the opportunity while Marilyn gasped for breath and her stamina was depleted, thrusting out his sword.
*Whoosh¡ª!*
This thrust was much faster than any of his previous attacks, shing across the training field like a ray of light, leaving Marilyn unable to react.
When she finally reacted, the medal on her left shoulder had already cracked in half, falling to the ground.
"The first round goes to... Sir Alderman!"
The announcer''s voice rang out right away, announcing the result of the first round of the War Festival.
Marilyn stopped moving and looked at the broken medal on the ground while panting. After a moment, she raised her head, and her eyes showed a disturbing fluctuation of mysterious power.
"Oy, oy, calm down!" Sefaz quickly raised his hands in surrender. "I don''t want to get into a serious fight with you, or I''d die. Please spare me, okay?"
His plea made the mysterious power in Marilyn''s eyes disappear.
"Hmph." Marilyn coldly snorted, then turned away from the training field, eliciting apuse from the audience.
"What a scary woman..."
Sefaz, with a hint of yfulness, patted his chest before turning back to Alderman''s side.
"Well done, Sefaz." Alderman praised as his son returned.
"You tter me." Sefaz waved off. "Can I focus on watching the show now?"
"Up to you." Alderman replied indifferently. "Just remember, you can''t leave until the War Festival is over."
"Yes, yes~" Sefaz responded nonchntly.
Meanwhile, Marilyn returned to Yuri''s side to apologize.
"I''m sorry for losing, My Lady."
Even though she was apologizing, her tone and expression strangely remained calm.
"It''s okay." Yuri shook her head. "It was as expected."
Ain and Ian quickly approached.
"You worked hard."
"You''re getting stronger."
The two female knights generouslyforted and praised Marilyn.
On the other hand, although Riezel didn''t speak, he nced at her a few times.
Marilyn didn''t say another word, silently returning to stand behind Yuri, resuming her role as the silent and reserved maid.
At this moment, Yuri stood up.
"It''s my turn."
Yuri''s voice had just fallen when the announcer''s voice sounded outside.
"Next, each side is to send out a magician to participate in the second round¡ªa battle of magicians!"
Upon hearing the announcer''s words, everyone turned to look at Yuri.
"My Lady, be careful."
"Go for it, My Lady."
Ain and Ian spoke up in session.
"Good luck." Riezel added, offering his encouragement.
"Don''t worry." Yuri replied with a smile, stepping onto the center of the training field with calm and confident strides.
"It''s Marquis Frenzel!"
"Marquis Frenzel is entering!"
"Kyaaa! Lady Yuriii¡ª!"
In the audience seats, bursts of cheers and screams erupt, fully showcasing Yuri''s high poprity.
After all, she was the publicly recognized head of the Frenzel family and lord of the Frenzel territory. She was young, beautiful, brimming with talent, renowned worldwide, and known to everyone.
As one of the continent''s only eight Strategic-ss Magicians, solely by this status alone, her poprity would never be low, perhaps even the highest among the War Festival''s participants.
Compared to her, the audience''s response was ratherckluster when Alderman made his entrance. He himself seemed unconcerned, squinting his eyes as he looked at his daughter walking into the center of the training field.
It wasn''t until this moment that he realized his daughter seemed to have grown quite a bit.
In such a situation, Alderman couldn''t help but speak up.
"You''ve already lost the first round. As long as I win this second round, you''ll bepletely defeated."
No one knew his intention in saying that.
"Do you think I''ll lose?" Yuri calmly faced her father, whom she didn''t particrly like, yet a rare smile appeared on her face.
"Indeed, you''re certainly talented, much more so than I am..."
After saying that, Alderman remained silent for a while, and shortly afterward continued with indifference.
"But in a situation where you can''t use tactical-ss magic or strategic-ss magic, do you think you can defeat me, who has spent decades studyingbat-ss magic?"
Due tocking the magicpatibility to be a Tactical-ss Magician, Alderman had spent the past few decades focusing on studyingbat-ss magic.
With thebat-ss magic expertise honed over many years of intense study, he simply couldn''t imagine losing to his daughter, who couldn''t use tactical-ss or strategic-ss magic in this War Festival.
"In this War Festival, the ultimate victor will be me." Alderman dered confidently.
Unfortunately, he was bound to be disappointed.
*BOOM!*
When a burst of purple vortex passed his body like a hurricane,nding on the ground near him andpletely disintegrating it into nothingness, the confidence on his face froze.
The entire training field fell silent.
Everyone was shocked, watching the center of the training field, watching Yuri emanating purple fluctuations all over her body.
"Unfortunately, I can''t see where your chance of winning lies..." Yuri''s voice echoed throughout the training field.
Alderman wordlessly stared at his daughter across from him, a bead of sweat dripping down his forehead, as obvious as it could be.
An unequal one-sided fight was about to unfold.
Chapter 125: Checkmate
Chapter 125: Checkmate
As a magician, Aldermancked thepatibility to be a Tactical-ss Magician, but his magicpatibility was not poor by any means.
With fourth-gradepatibility in the transformation system and control system, as well as first-gradepatibility in the interference system and structure system, his magicpatibility was indeed outstanding, just a step away from Tactical-ss Magicianpatibility.
Although this step seemed like a heavenly ridge and impossible to ovee, the path of a magician could still be described as smooth sailing for Alderman with fourth-gradepatibility in the transformation and control systems.
Because of this, he immediately took splendid action at the beginning of the second round.
First, he chanted defensive magic at the fastest speed, raising a barrier.
In a battle between magicians, casting a magic defense barrier was the first action any magician would take, allowing oneself to withstand the opponent''s magic attack while also buying time to chant other magic to counterattack.
If the opponent were a swordsman, the first thing to do would be to create distance or force them to retreat and find a way to cast a physical defensive barrier that would ce oneself in a safe environment. Afterward, one could slowly chant powerful magic that could determine the battle''s oue.
Needless to say, if the opponent were a magician, the physical defense barrier would be almost useless since the magic defense barrier would be the most practical choice.
As for defensive magic that simultaneously possessed both physical and magic defense effects, such magic did not exist inbat-ss magic; only in tactical-ss magic could one find such a perfectbination.Therefore, judging which type of defensive magic to use inbat was essential for abat-ss magician who could not afford any mistakes.
Alderman took impable action by swiftly erecting a magic defense barrier and chanting magic from the control system, summoning two earth puppets from the ground in front of him.
These two earth puppets were about two meters tall, bulky in size, resembling small giants. The moment they were summoned, they immediately stepped forward and charged toward Yuri.
At this moment, Alderman had already started chanting another magic from the transformation system, preparing to attack her withrge-scale, high-powered elemental magic while his earth puppets tangled Yuri.
All of this happened within a matter of seconds.
Since the beginning of the fight, Alderman had been chanting magic fluidly,pleting three actions in one breath¡ªraising a magic defense barrier, summoning earth puppets, and attaching attributes to his magical energy for the elemental magic attack.
His use ofbat-ss magic became incredibly natural and swift, a demonstration of excellence without exaggeration.
It could be said that Alderman''s series of actions, even if written into textbooks, would have no problems whatsoever.
However, a problem arose here.
"If things continue like this, Sir Alderman might not be able to win."
On the specially invited seats, the young nobleman from the royal capital sighed after just a nce at the battle before making such an evaluation.
"Eh?"
The young nobleman''s attendant nearby was quite engrossed, even finding Alderman''s smooth flow of magic usage impressive. However, upon hearing his master''s words, he was stunned.
"Why? I thought Sir Alderman''s performance was brilliant?"
"It was brilliant indeed..." The young nobleman didn''t deny it, but he still didn''t look favorably upon Alderman. "It just... his fighting style is too rigid."
Being textbook-level exemry might sound like high praise, but to some, it was worthy of criticism. Becausebat was ever-changing, what actions to take in a battle couldn''t simply be copied from textbook content.
Alderman''s mastery of magic was proficient, even remarkable. He could consecutively cast three different types of magic systems in a short time, seamlessly convert magical energy, and effortlessly cast magic without any difficulty. Such mastery of magic is something that even many Tactical-ss Magicians and Strategic-ss Magicians couldn''t achieve.
Yet, the young nobleman still shook his head in apparent regret.
"However, mastering the technique of using magic is one thing, using it inbat is another."The following events would prove his point.
Facing Alderman''s textbook-level magic usage, Yuri remained calm from start to finish and also took action the moment he did. However, unlike him, who cast a magic defense barrier first to protect himself, she stood there chanting magic without using any defense barrier.
"Foolish daughter!" Alderman eximed loudly. "As a magician, how can you not first think of using defensive magic? What are you even thinking?"
Yuri''s approach was akin to standingpletely defenseless in front of her opponent. Not to mention Alderman''s forting release of powerful elemental magic, even a punch from his charging earth puppets would have left her severely injured.
After all, magicians were not like swordsmen who trained their bodies. Even a hit from an ordinary person could cause prolonged pain. For magicians, engaging inbat without using defensive magic was akin to inviting death.
Yet, Yuri remained silent, even closed her eyes, and continued chanting her magic without care.
Suddenly, the change began.
*BOOM!*
Just as the two earth puppets were about to reach Yuri, the ground beneath them suddenly exploded, swallowing them into tworge pits.
"A trap?!"
Alderman''s pupils contracted, but he didn''t stop chanting and continued with his magic chant. He still had a magic defense barrier, which could withstand Yuri''s magic attack a few times. Even if the feigned attack of his earth puppets failed, he should still have enough time to cast his magic sessfully.
As he thought like that, Aldermanpletely failed to anticipate that the magic Yuri would unleash next was not specifically for him.
*BOOM!*
As the familiar purple vortex shed, the ground beneath Alderman''s feet vanished, bing a pit.
Indeed, the magic Yuri released wasn''t aimed at him but rather at his foothold.
"AHHH¡ª!"
Alderman felt a lightness beneath his feet and let out a startled cry as he tumbled into the pit. Not only was his magic chanting interrupted but he was also left in a state of dizziness.
His magic defense barrier couldn''t defend against physical damage as this fall alone nearly broke his bones.
As Alderman tried to get up, Yuri''s voice rang out at just the right moment, reaching his ears.
"The way you use magic is as rigid and old-fashioned as you are. You reallyck flexibility and adaptability. Even if you studybat-ss magic for decades, yourbat ability won''t improve much."
After saying that, Yuri sessfully unleashed her next magic.
It was a swamp magic.
Alderman, lying in the pit, suddenly found his surroundings bing soft. Rocks turned into marsh, and the earth flowed like water, gradually engulfing him and trapping him in the swamp.
"Ugh!"
Alderman quickly chanted weight-reducing magic, coupled with levitation magic, and soon broke free from the swamp.
Unfortunately, just as he escaped from the swamp, a sandstorm descended from above, pouring down like torrential rain, directly pouring into the pit, and washing him down.
Now, Alderman''s situation was extremely grave.
Below was the swamp, where he would be engulfed once trapped.
Above was the sandstorm, striking him relentlessly, making it impossible for him to fly.
Whether swamp or sandstorm, both were physical existences, but ironically, Alderman''s magic defense barrier was useless against such things.
''No! I can''t use this magic defense barrier anymore!''
Gritting his teeth, Alderman dispelled his magic defense barrier and quickly chanted physical defense barrier.
When the physical defense barrier was formed, the sandstorm that had descended from the sky and rushed toward him was separated by the barrier. The swamp beneath him was also parted, finally allowing him to break free.
Alderman hurriedly rushed out of the pit, pushing aside debris along the way, and finally returned to the surface.
""WHOAAAAAA¡ª!!!""
In the audience seats, a burst of uproar immediately erupted.
It was not without reason.
Alderman, who had just emerged from the pit, was quite different from before.
The previous Alderman was elegantly dressed, like a refined middle-aged gentleman, calm and handsome. But the current Alderman was covered in mud, swamp water, and gravel, looking utterly miserablepared to before.
''Damn it!'' Alderman felt humiliated and cursed inwardly.
In this state, he had no idea that the audience was roaring not just because of his miserable appearance but also because a figure had already appeared by his side.
*Buzz¡ª!*
A purple vortex fluctuation formed on the figure''s fingertip, tapping Alderman''s back.
Sensing the touch, Alderman''s body froze.
"..."
The entire training field fell silent once again.
"You''re easier to deal with than I imagined..." Yuri remarked calmly, her words piercing her father''s self-respect deeply.
"When... did you...?" Alderman gritted his teeth, squeezing the words out of his throat with difficulty.
"Fufufu, obviously when you fell into the trap I set." Yuri said whileughing. "Don''t look so surprised. I walked over slowly and waited for you here for quite some time, y''know? I knew you would try to escape this trap by using a physical defense barrier, but that way, you wouldn''t be able to defend against my magic attack, no?"
This was a checkmate.
"Admit it, you can''t keep up with this era anymore."
"Whether it''s your fighting style, your magic, or your thoughts and beliefs."
"They''re all outdated."
After saying those words, Yuri calmly turned and walked away.
"The second round''s winner goes to... Marquis Frenzel¡ª!!!"
""OOOOOOHHHHHH¡ª!!!""
Upon hearing the announcement, Alderman copsed to the ground.
His face was filled with shame.
Chapter 126: Final Round
Chapter 126: Final Round
"Victory!"
In a corner of the VIP seats, a small figure cheered.
It was none other than Isaac.
Not only Isaac but even Mediste was present.
The siblings huddled together in the corner of the VIP seats, unnoticed by anyone as they witnessed the entire process of their family members fighting each other.
Initially, when Marilyn lost to Sefaz, these two siblings were somewhat worried that Yuri might also lose. However, Yuri reassured them in the most direct way possible that there was no need to worry.
Their elder sister effortlessly defeated their father!
Instead of feeling upset, this filled the two siblings with joy.
"Indeed, Elder Sister Yuri is the strongest! Whether it''s Elder Brother or Father, none are Elder Sister Yuri''s opponents!" Isaac shouted with excitement. "She is what I want to be! I really want to be a great magician like her!"Mediste didn''t say anything, but there was a longing and admiration in her eyes as she watched Yuri leave the center of the training field.
For young Mediste and Isaac, Yuri, who could directly defeat their fearsome father, was the most admirable figure.
Now that their elder sister had won, the two siblings felt only joy, no sadness. Moreover, they knew what promise their father would have to fulfill once she won.
It would be the best oue if this could bring their mother and their eldest sister back home and reunite the family.
"The final round is up next..." Mediste muttered with a hint of anticipation in her eyes.
"The one who''s going topete is that guy, right?" Isaac''s expression soured. "He better not mess up."
"He won''t." Mediste shook her head. "Mr. Riezel is a Tactical-ss Magician. He shouldn''t lose to those attendants and knights under Father''smand."
"Who knows?" Isaac lightly snorted. "He can''t use tactical-ss magic in this War Festival, so who knows if he can win?"
At his words, Mediste''s brows furrowed.
Apart from her, many others present had guessed who would bepeting next.
"Next up should be Riezel Brynhart, right?"
The young nobleman from the royal capital showed a mixture of anticipation and curiosity.
"It should be him." The young nobleman''s attendant replied. "Although Marquis Frenzel still has two Sword Master attendants, the one she sends out as the main act must be that Tactical-ss Magician."
Everyone believed that Yuri wouldn''t consider Ain and Ian as the final acts.
After all, this was thest round, the decisive battle of the War Festival.
In such an important moment, she wouldn''t send out her two female attendants weaker than herself and her maid. For this reason, the one who woulde outst must be the Tactical-ss Magician, Riezel Brynhart.
"Is it because hisbat-ss magic proficiency is better than Yuri Frenzel''s? Is that why he''s cedst?"
"If that''s the case, then his value is even greater than we imagined."
"Let''s keep watching. If he truly has the strength, we''ll spare no effort to bring him back to our country."
Many people with ulterior motives began to make such ns, preparing to take a good look at Riezel''s strength.
Including the young nobleman, he was no exception.
Unaware of all this, Riezel, along with Marilyn, Ain, and Ian, greeted Yuri, who returned victorious.
"Well yed, My Lady."
"I didn''t expect My Lady to be so skilled withbat-ss magic."
Ain and Ian were both somewhat surprised, looking as if they hadn''t expected Yuri to easily defeat Alderman.
Marilyn, on the other hand, remained calm, evidently already aware of the oue. Among those present, perhaps only this silent maid understood Yuri''sbat strength best.
As for Riezel, though he hadn''t seen Yuri demonstrate her strength, he was confident in her nheless, and as expected, she emerged victorious.
"Congrattions." Riezel offered a brief congrattion.
Yuri smiled gently at him but quickly suppressed it in the next second.
"Now it''s your turn." Yuri stared straight at his face.
Riezel didn''t respond, only giving a calm smile, everything was understood without words.
''It will be a showdown with that swordsman, right?''
His gaze began to fluctuate as he thought about the peculiar feeling the closed-eyed man had given him.
===
Meanwhile, on Alderman''s side.
When Alderman returned with a messy appearance andplexion, everyone fell silent.
"My, my~ didn''t expect to lose."
Only Sefaz, speaking casually as if it didn''t concern him.
''That sister of mine... it''s only been two years since she became a Strategic-ss Magician, but she already has this kind of power?'' Sefaz cast his gaze toward Yuri''s direction, his eyes serious.
His younger sister truly was a once-in-a-century super genius. Even if he went all out, he might not even be her match at all.
"Terrifying indeed..." Sefaz murmured, his meaning unclear.
Alderman paid his son no mind since he wasn''t in the mood to deal with him now.
He had lost and lost so badly, really badly.
Though it was frustrating for him, what he cared about more was the oue of the final round.
"Jill Dardis."
Alderman turned his gaze and called out the closed-eyed swordsman''s name who had been by his sidetely.
"...?"
The closed-eyed swordsman, Jill Dardis, didn''t speak, only calmly raised his head. Although his eyes were closed, he seemed to be ''looking'' at Alderman.
"Do you feel confident about winning?" Alderman asked solemnly. "Only three people on my daughter''s side haven''tpeted yet. It''s unlikely she''ll choose Ain and Ian, but rather Riezel Brynhart. Are you confident you in defeating him?"
To be honest, Alderman himself was quite unsure.
Mainly because Yuri decided to ce Riezel in the final round, he couldn''t shake the feeling that this young man might have more ability than he imagined. Undoubtedly someone who was not easy to deal with.
On the other hand, he also had confidence in Jill; otherwise, he wouldn''t have ced him in the final round. However, to say he knew much about Jill was hard to say since he had only met Jill not long ago.
At that time, Jill was surrounded by a group of monsters.
Monsters were creatures with magical energy simr to human swordsmen, honing bodies far superior to ordinary animals where some of them could even use supernatural powers like magicians.
Originally, they were just ordinary animals, but due to their inborn stronger magical energy, they gradually evolved their bodies and abilities in the wilderness and, as they continued to breed, formed tribes in various corners of the world.
The most talked-about monster was the legendary great dragon, known as the king of monsters, capable of spewing mes that could instantly destroy a city.
Four hundred years ago, the Dragon Sword Saint relied on his research on dragons to create the Holy Dragon Sword Style, bing the strongest swordsman of the time.
Although what Jill encountered in the wilderness was not dragons but a group of wolf-like creatures the size of elephants, among them was a wolf king whose strength might be able to match that of a Sword Master.
However, despite being surrounded by such a group of monsters, they were unexpectedly in in the blink of an eye by Jill who had been closing his eyes all along.
As he witnessed that scene, Alderman was astonished on the spot and immediately extended an olive branch to Jill, intending to recruit him as his attendant.
Unfortunately, Jill did not agree immediately.
"I''ll just stick by your side for now."
At that moment, Jill simply uttered such a sentence and began to follow him everywhere.
Alderman assumed Jill was trying to see if he was worthy of being someone he could pledge loyalty to, so he dly agreed, bringing Jill home and even keeping him by his side constantly to show his appreciation.
It wasn''t until today that Alderman finally let him take action, handling thest round of the War Festival.
For this reason, Alderman wasn''t sure if Jill could defeat Riezel since he didn''t know the true strength of this closed-eyed swordsman.
However, instead of answering Alderman''s question about whether he could defeat Riezel or not, Jill suddenly asked a strange question.
"Do you know what color his blood is?"
Upon hearing the unexpected and strange question, Alderman was confused.
"What?"
"Just curious..." Jill muttered indifferently as he walked away, lost in his own thoughts.
"What does he mean?" Alderman furrowed his brow, puzzled.
Only Sefaz, watching Jill''s back, narrowed his eyes and pondered something unknown.
===
"The rounds of swordsmen and magicians have both ended!"
The War Festival''s announcer dered to the audience.
"Both sides have one win and one loss, and this final round will directly determine the ultimate winner between them!"
"Now, please wee the final participants¡ª!"
""OOOOHHHHHHHH¡ª!!!""
The announcer''s voice elicited loud cheers from countless people in the audience seats.
Since the War Festival had reached its climax, they were excited and eagerly anticipating the uing round.
*Tap* *Tap* *Tap* *Tap* *Tap*
In this festive atmosphere, Riezel and Jill finally stepped onto the center of the training field.
Standing a distance apart, they fell into an indescribable silence.
"..."
The entire audience was also affected, gradually quieting down.
Until one secondter.
"Begin!"
With the announcer''s loud promation, someone suddenly disappeared from the scene.
It was none other than Jill.
*Whoosh¡ª!*
In an instant, Jill surged forward at an astonishing speed, closing the distance between him and Riezel to zero.
*Swish¡ª!*
In Jill''s hand, a long and sharp sword, drawn seemingly out of nowhere, sliced through the air and aimed at Riezel''s neck.
This sh was as fast as lightning.
This sh exuded a murderous intent.
No one could react.
No one couldprehend what had happened.
The closed-eyes swordsman suddenlyunched an attack, aiming directly for Riezel''s vital point, making it a killing move!
Yes!
He intended to kill Riezel!
However¡ª
*DING!*
Sparks scattered as Jill''s sh, full of murderous intent, was easily flicked away. It was intercepted by a bright silver short sword that came out of nowhere, deflecting it upwards.
"?!" Jill''splexion suddenly changed.
However, before he could react, Riezel, with an icy coldness in his eyes, swiftly counterattacked.
*Pu-chi!*
The bright silver short sword shed extremely fast across Jill''s chest, causing blood to spurt out.
In the next second, Jill copsed in front of Riezel, covered in blood.
Witnessing this scene, the entire training field instantly fell into silent stillness.
Chapter 127: Swordsman and Magician
Chapter 127: Swordsman and Magician
In the training field, silence hung heavy, like the breath of death.
Every single soul present¡ªbe itmoners or nobles, even those with ulterior motives¡ªfound themselves plunged into a state of bewilderment and shock, unable to react at the moment.
Yuri and the Alderman, representatives of their respective groups, stared wide-eyed at the scene unfolding in the center of the training field. They watched as Jilly t before Riezel, who held a bright silver short sword in his hand, his sudden action leaving everyone stunned.
It took a moment before the audience erupted.
"Wh-What''s going on?!"
"Did he... kill the guy?"
"Murder?"
"Did he just break the rules?"
These were the immediate questions in everyone''s mind. Only a few individuals, shaken from their stupor, rose to their feet."That man actually tried to kill Riezel?!" Yuri''s voice carried a hint of anger.
Marilyn, Ain, and Ian wore cold expressions, their gazes piercing across to the Alderman''s side.
Yet on the Alderman''s side, apart from Sefaz, who remained silent and uninterested, the rest wore expressions of confusion and disbelief.
"Wh-What happened?" Alderman was at a loss.
"Something seems off here."
After muttering that, the young nobleman who had been lounging among the honored guests suddenly stood up.
"Elder Sister Mediste, what''s going on?" Isaac waspletely flustered.
"I... I don''t know either..." Mediste appeared equally puzzled.
Eventually, the murmurs of the audience began to rise, confused by the sudden turn of events.
However, at this moment, Riezel in the center of the training field moved once more.
*BOOM!*
With an explosive sound, Riezel forcefully kicked out in front of him, sending a cloud of dust billowing into the air.
His foot aimed straight for Jill''s head as if intent on crushing it like a melon.
Unfortunately, the blow nevernded.
Just as Riezel''s merciless kick was about to connect, Jill, still lying on the ground, suddenly sprang to life with no warning. Like a wild beast on all fours, he swiftly darted backward with incredible agility and speed, narrowly evading Riezel''s attack.
"He''s alive!"
"That guy is alive!"
Seeing this, the audience erupted into gasps.
Jill, bathed in the exmations of others, was on all fours on the ground, his head hanging down, unable to discern his expression.
In this state, surprisingly, the bleeding from his chest had already stopped, and the wound wasn''t as deep as everyone imagined.
However, as everyone looked at Jill like this, for some reason, a chill crept into their hearts.
"That swordsman is indeed as Riezel described, something''s off..."
At this moment, even Yuri, usually slow to catch on, sensed that something was amiss. Not just her, but everyone else too, sensed something peculiar about Jill from this moment onwards.
A chilling sensation rose in the hearts of many, causing their gazes upon Jill, on all fours with blood seeping from his chest, to gradually resemble those of someone observing an injured wild beast.
Only Riezel, with an indifferent expression, looked at Jill calmly.
"Aren''t you going to stop ying dead?"
Riezel''s somewhat mocking remark didn''t elicit a response from Jill. He remained on all fours, with his head bowed, only raising one hand to touch his chest.
"It hurts... it hurts... it hurts... it hurts... it hurts..."
Jill''s voice, faint as if in a trance, intensified the eerie feeling in everyone''s hearts. He began to stare at his hand, staring at the blood on it for a while before suddenlyughing like a maniac.
"So, my blood is red too, huh...?"
"Red... vibrant... and warm!"
"Hehehe... Hahahahahahahaha¡ª!"
Over time, theughter from the blood-stained swordsman grew louder, eerie, and chilling until, after a while, his voice abruptly stopped.
He forcefully lifted his head, his tightly closed eyes suddenly opening.
Surprisingly, the whites of his eyes were entirely crimson, like the eyes of a demon.
"IT! HURTS! YOU BASTAAARD¡ª!"
Jill roared, his figure shing, bursting forth.
*Whoosh¡ª!*
His speed was even faster than the attack on Riezel at the beginning of the scene, several times faster!
*DING!*
Jill''s sword cleaved down, carrying with it ear-piercing sonic bursts, forcefully striking against Riezel''s bright silver short sword, causing a resounding ng like a struck bell.
Riezel raised his short sword, blocking Jill''s swift strike head-on, his gaze still as cold as before.
"Hahahaha!"
Jillughed out loud, his single-edged sword in hand turning into countless afterimages, attacking Riezel with astonishing speed.
*ng!* *Cling!* *ng!* *Cling!*
The intense metal collision sound rang out instantly.
Riezel''s sword shed extremely fast with Jill''s sword, causing the collision sound to continue without stopping.
Their figures disappeared on the spot, turning into two ghostly afterimages, entangling with each other, darting around the field, engaging in intensebat.
*ng!* *Cling!* *ng!* *Cling!*
In an instant, sparks flew, strong winds swept through, and dust and sand seemed to be stirred up like flying debris, turning the entire training field into what resembled a battlefield, as if thousands of troops were charging, swirling up clouds of dust and smoke.
Some people were left stupefied by the scene.
Some were thrown into chaos by it.
Whether the audience or directly involved participants in the War Festival, as they watched Riezel and Jill''s intense battle, not a single one didn''t wear a bewildered expression.
"He... He..."
Even the young nobleman from the royal capital, upon witnessing Riezel engaging in fiercebat with Jill, was left with a nk expression.
"Isn''t he supposed to be a magician...?"
This was the first thought of many who knew Riezel''s identity.
What did they see?
They saw the Tactical-ss Magician they were paying attention to now engaging in intense closebat as a swordsman!
The intensity of this closebat and the power it carried, was even more terrifying than the earlier fierce battle between Marilyn and Sefaz, two expert Sword Masters!
Riezel Brynhart, was this young man actually not a Tactical-ss Magician but a Sword Master?
Was the intelligence mistaken?
However, this thought was immediately proven wrong in the next moment.
"Unleashed streak of light, bow limbs of the holy tree. You are an expert of the bow."
"Shoot, sniper of the fairies."
"Prate, arrow of absolute uracy."
A cold chanting emerged between the two fighters, causing a thick concentration of magical energy to gather in Riezel''s hand.
"Arcs Ray!"
With a flick of his sword, Riezel unleashed a light arrow from his hand in an extremely fast swoop, turning the unforeseeable light arrow into artillery fire, sting toward Jill without mercy.
Jill reacted swiftly, his figure bounding like a wild beast, darting back and forth on the ground, jumping extremely fast to evade the iing barrage.
However, the light arrow transformed into a beam of light and continued to chase after him relentlessly, no matter how he jumped or changed direction, it pursued him steadfastly, tearing through space, leaving behind long trails of light.
Before long, Jill was caught up by the beam of light.
*BOOOM!*
An astounding explosion urred in the split second when the beam of light hit Jill.
mes erupted, engulfing Jill''s body, raging in the training field, illuminating not only the entire field but also the stunned faces of the audience.
Everyone was either shocked, bewildered, or trembling as they gazed at Riezel.
Especially Sefaz, Alderman, Isaac, Mediste, and some unknown guests.
Finally grasping an unbelievable fact, they all stood up in tandem.
"What the heck?! He''s actually both a swordsman and a magician?!"
"A Sword Master and a Tactical-ss Magician? You can''t be serious... Man, this is bullshit..."
"Holy shit!"
Countless exmations broke the silence of the audience seats.
"A Sword Master and a Tactical-ss Magician..."
On the VIP seats, the attendant of the young nobleman wore a look of disbelief.
"Th-This can''t be true, right...?" The young nobleman trembled, murmuring incessantly. "Am I seeing this right? He''s not just a Tactical-ss Magician but also a Sword Master?"
Meanwhile, Isaac, who watched also had his eyes widened in disbelief. Not just him, even Mediste''s pair of beautiful eyes were wide open.
''What a surprise, I thought she was holding a ghost card, turns out it''s a deadly knife hidden up her sleeve?'' Sefaz cast his gaze toward Yuri across the training field.
In contrast, Alderman was utterly stupefied.
The sessive urrences had surpassed the ability of this old-fashioned former head of the Frenzel family to handle, leaving him unable to react at all for the moment.
In the entire training field, only Yuri''s group remained indifferent to the situation. In fact, she even gave instructions to Marilyn and the others.
"Clear the audience! Quickly!"
She had a feeling that whatever happened next would be dangerous enough to threaten the audience. Driven by this intuition, she decided to evacuate the audience while already beginning to chant her magic, ready to act at any moment.
Meanwhile, the two in the center of the training field had again entered intensebat.
"Hahahaha!"
Jill burst out from the exploding mes, his skin burnt and blistered all over, yet heughed cheerfully, his eyes glowing red as he charged toward Riezel again.
"I must have your blood! Give me your blood! Give me your blood!"
Jill raved and roared, his sword shing like a storm, while waves of blood-like crimson magical energy emanated from his body.
Empowered by this crimson magical energy, Jill''s attacks seemed even stronger, each strike forcing Riezel to retreat.
As Riezel defended against Jill''s attack, his expression inevitably grew increasingly serious.
Meanwhile, as Yuri witnessed this scene, she momentarily paused her chanting of magic. As she gazed at Jill''s figure bathed in crimson magical energy, she soon remembered something and then muttered a name.
"Demon Sword Style..."
Finally, she understood what was wrong with Jill.
Chapter 128: Demon Sword Style
Chapter 128: Demon Sword Style
Yuri''s discovery was actually noticed by others as well.
When Jill''s body began to emanate ayer of crimson magical energy, growing stronger under its enchantment, many people noticed the problem with this swordsman.
"Ahh, so that man is a Demon Swordsman who practices Demon Sword Style, huh?"
The young nobleman from the royal capital eximed, his expression suddenly enlightened.
"Demon Sword Style?"
The young nobleman''s attendant, upon hearing his master''s words, immediately showed a shocked expression.
"Isn''t that the swordsmanship that caused chaos three years ago?"
"Yeah, that one." The young nobleman nodded.
This was something widely known even by ordinary people.Just three years ago, a group of very peculiar swordsmen suddenly appeared in various countries across the continent.
They were powerful swordsmen, not only were they powerful swordsmen on the level of Sword Masters, but without exception, each of them had eyes that glowed crimson.
What they wielded was not a typical sword, but a curved-de sword resembling a saber with a single cutting edge. In battle, they would unleash crimson magical energy that enhanced their strength, making them virtually unbeatable opponents.
Such an extremely powerful and eerie group of swordsmen naturally quickly attracted the attention of many countries, prompting them to send people one after another to make contact with this group of swordsmen, intending to uncover the secret behind their peculiar strength.
At some point, this secret eventually spread.
It turned out that these swordsmen were so peculiar and powerful because they all practiced a very unique swordsmanship.
Typically, in swordsmanship, whether elementary, advanced, or special, practitioners stimte the magical energy within their Gates through breathing, absorbing magical energy to hone their bodies and be stronger.
But this particr swordsmanship was different.
When practicing this swordsmanship, swordsmen didn''t strengthen themselves by absorbing magical energy within their Gates, but rather by absorbing the blood of those who died by their swords to hone their bodies.
In other words, swordsmen who practiced this swordsmanship didn''t rely on practice to improve themselves, but rather on ughter.
The more people they killed, the stronger they became.
The stronger the people they killed, the stronger they became.
This was the swordsmanship that once caused a great uproar on the Akasha Continent¡ªDemon Sword Style.
This swordsmanship was suitable for anyone to practice, as long as they were willing to kill and willing to feed on blood, they had no trouble bing stronger.
With such unique swordsmanship, this group of swordsmen caused trouble everywhere, resulting in countless killings, but each one became stronger than the next, none weaker than Sword Masters.
"The swordsman who fights Riezel Brynhart right now matches almost perfectly with the characteristics of those swordsmen mentioned in the rumors. He wields a curve-de sword with one cutting edge, has crimson eyes, and unleashes crimson magical energy during battle, continuously growing stronger. It can be confirmed that he is indeed a Demon Swordsman who practices Demon Sword Style."
As the young nobleman spoke with confidence, his attendant was still filled with uncertainty.
"But didn''t they say this group of swordsmen had already been wiped out? Even the swordsmanship book of Demon Sword Style had been destroyed, right?"
Yes, both Demon Swordsmen and Demon Sword Style were no longer in existence.
Needless to say, these swordsmen were just too crazy, too fond of ughter, causing numerous disasters. Because of this, one after another, many countries dispatched their knights to hunt down these swordsmen and eventually seeded inpletely eradicating them.
As a result, Demon Sword Style also fell into the hands of these countries.
However, they all unanimously decided to destroy this swordsmanship since it was too dangerous, and its side effects were too dreadful.
No choice.
In order to get stronger, those who practiced Demon Sword Style would engage in countless killings throughout their lives.
Of course, if it were just that, it wouldn''t have reached the point of being destroyed.
The problemy in the fact that after practicing this swordsmanship, practitioners would increasingly crave blood, bing more and more frenzied, to the point where they could substitute blood for three meals a day.
Practicing this swordsmanship could make people addicted and attracted to blood, especially the blood of the strong, which could attract them even more.
With such side effects, it was natural that any sane person would steer clear of it.
Many countries also feared that someone would disregard everything to pursue power by practicing this swordsmanship, each bing a Demon Swordsman disrupting the peace of the nation.
For this reason, they decided to destroy it.
In this way, theoretically, both Demon Sword Style and Demon Swordsmen who practiced it should no longer exist.
However¡ª
"Do you really believe it just because others say it''s been destroyed?"
Upon hearing the young nobleman''s question, the attendant was speechless.
Indeed, just because others said it had been destroyed, was that really the case?
This peculiar and unique swordsmanship, which could turn anyone as strong as Sword Masters, and even stronger without hindrance, even with its side effects, how many would willingly destroy it?
Not to mention, the ones who made such statements were the leaders of various countries on the Akasha Continent. Who knew if they said one thing publicly but did another behind closed doors?
This kind of swordsmanship, which allowed one to get stronger by just killing, would definitely be coveted by ambitious individuals, while some would want to use it to develop a powerful army of killers to destroy their enemies.
Given this, the statements of the so-called destruction of Demon Sword Style by various countries should be taken with a grain of salt.
"Moreover, nobody knows if any of these Demon Swordsmen, who were said to be annihted, managed to escape and survive."
After saying that, the young nobleman shook his head and narrowed his eyes as he looked at Jill, who was gradually losing his sanity in the training field.
At this moment, Jill was indeed nearing madness.
"Give me your blood! Give me your blood! GIVE ME YOUR BLOOOOOD¡ª!"
As the crimson hue in Jill''s eyes was illuminated by the crimson magical energy, it was almost indistinguishable from that of a demon''s eyes. There was no trace of rationality inside, only an infinite craving for blood and the peak enjoyment of ughter.
*DING!*
When a metal collision sound rang out louder and stronger than any previous collision, Riezel, who had been continuously defending against Jill''s fierce attacks, was finally knocked back.
His feet scraped against the ground, his body unable to stop its backward momentum, plowing a deep trench on the ground, sending gravel and debris flying everywhere.
"Hahahahahaha!"
Jillughed loudly, excited like a fierce demon emerging from hell, not giving Riezel any time to catch his breath, darting toward him like an arrow released from its bow.
Seeing this, Riezel knew he had to get serious.
"Follow blindly the sun in the sky, so that all will flee from thee."
"Blossom, Armor of Laurel."
"Raumure."
As the protection magic that highly reinforced ''END'' and ''AGI'' was chanted, Riezel''s body was enveloped in a deep green membrane.
"Tempest."
With the addition of Ariel, Riezel once again used this overpowered magic, revealing its prowess for the first time in a world other than Danmachi.
*Whoosh¡ª!*
The air in the training field began to surge, turning into streams of air currents that entwined around Riezel''s body. With howling winds, the deep green light coated the air, turning the originally invisible and colorless wind into a deep green hue.
Riezel, wrapped in deep green winds, met Jill, whose body was permeated with crimson magical energy.
*BOOOM¡ª!*
Amid the astonishing collision, a shock wave exploded outwards, blowing away sand and breaking the ground, sending countless stones and debris flying.
"What?!"
"Fuck!"
"Stones! Stones are flying toward us!"
In the audience seats, people watched as stones and debris mixed in with the shock wave flew toward them, plunging them into panic.
Fortunately, these stones and the shock wave were all blocked by the suddenly appearing transparent barrier.
It was none other than the barrier of the training field.
After not being used since the first two rounds, it finally proved its worth in this third round.
Upon seeing the barrier, the audience breathed a sigh of relief and finally calmed down. However, this caused them to bepletely absorbed in the battle taking ce on the training field.
*ng!* *Cling!* *ng!* *Cling!*
In the ruined training field, two swordsmen wrapped in the deep green wind and crimson magical energy were shing at each other at astonishing speed, causing the sword lights to constantly flicker, collide, disappear, and fly in all directions.
Riezel''s Hermit had already be a blurry silhouette in his hand, apanied by his movements that turned into endless sword lights shing toward Jill''s whole body with a speed as swift as the wind.
Jill, on the other hand, shed out crimson sword lights, aiming straight for Riezel''s neck, heart, head, and even his eyes. Despite not having as many sword lights as Riezel, he targeted vital points with deadly precision.
Without a doubt, this ignited anger within Riezel.
Although his gaze and expression remained calm, Riezel no longer attempted to defend himself against Jill''s shes. As he allowed these shes tond on his body, he cut through Jill''s countless sword lights with Hermit, violently aiming toward Jill''s body.
Seeing this, the crimson hue in Jill''s eyes deepened, seemingly provoked by Riezel''s reckless behavior. Ignoring Riezel''s shes, he broke the sound barrier with his sword and aimed it at Riezel''s head.
This mutual suicidal action, however, did not result in mutual destruction.
*DING!*
Jill''s sword, arrivingter, fiercely struck Riezel''s forehead, but was flicked away by the wind enveloping his body, causing nothing but a burst of sparks, inflicting no damage.
"What?!"
Jill eximed in shock, his crimson eyes widening in an instant. However, before he could react further, Riezel''s attack had alreadynded on his body.
*Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!*
The sound of flesh tearing apart echoed, causing blood to stter.
Riezel''s shesnded respectively on Jill''s cheek, side, thigh, shoulder, and positions of major arteries, mercilessly cutting open these areas.
Jill, with wounds appearing all over his body as if struck by lightning, trembled violently and was sent flying backward.
"Arcs Ray!"
Riezel quickly recited a short chant, unleashing a more powerful Arcs Ray, shooting a light arrow the size of his body at Jill.
*BOOOOM!*
In the next second, an explosion shook the entire training field, causing exploding mes to sweep over the audience seats along with the shock wave.
As this happened, the transparent barrier protecting the audience immediately trembled.
Chapter 129: Ill Crush You Into a BLOODY PULP RIGHT NOW!
Chapter 129: I''ll Crush You Into a BLOODY PULP RIGHT NOW!
"Did he win?"
Watching as Jill vanished without a trace into the exploding me, courtesy of Riezel''s magic, the audience couldn''t help but wonder.
Upon learning that Riezel was a Tactical-ss Magician and an expert swordsman on the level of Sword Master, many people began to lean toward him, hoping he would emerge victorious in this War Festival.Not only did they not know Jill, but many hadn''t even realized he was once a notorious Demon Swordsman three years ago. They simply judged him as someone not to root for based on his peculiar behavior.
On the other hand, Riezel, young and handsome, proficient in both swordsmanship and magic, was highly respected. His prowess far surpassed that of an ordinary character, leading many to favor him and hope for his victory.
It could be said that Riezel''s poprity among the audience at this moment was almost on par with Yuri''s.
As a result, the audience couldn''t help but anticipate the final oue.
Even the young nobleman from the royal capital, unknown guests from a foreign country, and the Frenzel siblings were all eagerly anticipating and feeling nervous about it.
"He should have won, right, Elder Sister Mediste?"
Even Isaac, unknowingly setting aside any grievances he might have had with Riezel, stared at the training field, his voice tinged with nervousness."I don''t know..." Mediste shook her head, her eyes also betraying nervousness.
She hoped Riezel would win. Not only because he represented her elder sister''s side, but also because this man might very well be her future husband.
Initially, she had been pessimistic about her father''s arrangement to marry her off to him. However, after witnessing his performance today, she suddenly felt that maybe it wasn''t so bad.
In any case, she definitely wished for his victory.
Meanwhile, Yuri hoped desperately that Riezel would finish off Jill once and for all, potentially averting any further unexpected events. She had already dispatched Ain and Ian to scatter the audience but unfortunately, their efforts yielded little result.
All the audience was too absorbed in the battle between Riezel and Jill, and with the barrier protection in ce, many didn''t think there was any danger and were reluctant to leave. This made her feel increasingly anxious, sensing that trouble was brewing.
Because of this, she earnestly hoped Riezel could deal with Jill directly, even if it meant viting rules or resorting to lethal measures. However, dealing with a powerful swordsman like Jill, whom Riezel had evaluated as a Level 6 expert adventurer, wouldn''t be that easy.
"AAAAAAHHHH¡ª!!!"
Suddenly, Jill''s furious howl echoed throughout the training field, causing the exploding me to tremble.
*BOOM!*
Before long, the exploding me burst open.
Covered in burns, with charred skin, Jill relied on the crimson magical energy enhancement to unleash a powerful swing of his sword, creating a surging airflow that dispersed the exploding me.
"Hahaahaa... Hahahahaa..."
Jill gasped for breath violently, yet stillughing as he did so.
"Very strong... it hurts... very strong... it hurts... very strong, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts! It fucking hurts! DAMN BASTARD¡ª!"
As hisughter subsided, Jill suddenly turned his face, yelling hysterically at Riezel. His frenzied appearance was indeed frightening, causing several audiences to involuntarily step back and tremble.
However, Riezel, despite looking somewhat battered himself, calmly observed Jill, who seemed to have sustained no serious injuries, with a slight furrow of his brow.
"What a tough bastard..." Riezel muttered.
Jill was indeed tough. Having been hit by Arcs Ray twice, and having been shed multiple times, he still looked lively, almost inhuman.
It was worth noting that Riezel was already at Level 5, with a remarkable umtion oftent basic abilities unmatched by anyone else. With the assistance of his ''Mage'' development ability, the power of his Arcs Ray had surpassed even the original owner of the magic, Lefiya.
Lefiya was known for her Level 5 attack power as a mage, so Riezel''s attack power, theoretically speaking, was not inferior evenpared to Riveria, the strongest mage in Orario.
Such a degree of attack power, let alone against a Level 6 opponent, would be strong enough even against a Level 7. If it didn''t hit, that was another matter, but once it did, Riezel doubted that a Level 7 could withstand his magic unscathed.And yet, Jill endured two hits like nothing. Although not entirely unscathed, he was far from being incapacitated. For this reason, describing him as ''tough'' was entirely fitting.
However, Riezel could sense that Jill hadn''t fallen yet not because of his strong defense, but because of his remarkably robust vitality.In gaming terms, his maximum health point was so high, even with two perfect hits from Arcs Ray, it wasn''t enough to push him to the brink of defeat because of his abundant health points.
Moreover, despite Jill''s entric and peculiar behavior, akin to that of a berserker, hisbat intuitions were undeniably sharp.
With its tracking capability, Arc''s Ray hitting him was unavoidable, no matter how hard he dodged. Yet, this man managed to evade almost all of Riezel''s fast shes, aiming away from vital points.
The first time they shed, when Riezel swung his sword toward Jill''s chest, he suddenly sensed danger and instinctively paused his charge in a split second, resulting in only a superficial cut. During the recent sh, Riezel abandoned defense and went on the full offensive, shing at Jill repeatedly, but most of the vital points were still evaded due to his keen intuition.
In the end, Riezel only managed to hit non-vital points such as Jill''s cheek, thigh, and side, with the only threat being a near miss of the major artery.
Jill''s crimson magical energy was also peculiar, not only making his body stronger as the fight dragged on but also seeming to have a strange effect on manipting the flow of blood within other people''s bodies.
If not for Riezel''s Self Redemption, grantingplete immunity to physical and mental interference, he might have been affected by this effect. At best, he would feel ufortable, and at worst, it could lead to ruptures inside his body, allowing Jill to absorb his blood.
''What''s the deal with this guy?''
Riezel, who did not know about the events three years ago, waspletely clueless about the existence of Demon Sword Style and Demon Swordsman.
The original Riezel had been farming in the countryside until the age of fifteen when he ran away and, by a stroke of luck, took part in the entrance exam for Spriller Academy, and entered this prestigious school.
At the age of fourteen, which was three years ago, his understanding of the outside world was limited, so he waspletely ignorant of Demon Sword Style and Demon Swordsman.
This resulted in Riezel having no clue about Jill''s origin, only finding him mysterious and dangerous.
However, this didn''t stop Riezel from dealing with Jill as he wasn''t one to turn the other cheek. Since Jill wanted to kill him, he wouldn''t hesitate to retaliate.
However, just as Riezel was thinking this, the next thing Jill would do was something that would thoroughly enrage him.
*Whoosh¡ª*
Enveloped in crimson magical energy, Jill suddenly turned around and transformed into a human-shaped projectile, dashing toward a certain direction.
Standing in that direction was none other than Yuri.
"My Lady!"
Marilyn snapped into action, her usually calm and expressionless face showing rm for the first time as she drew her dual swords, prepared to protect Yuri.
"?!!!"
Yuri, who had been watching Jill all along, had her expression changed abruptly when she saw him rushing toward her at incredible speed.Both of them tried to react, but their response speed couldn''t match Jill''s speed at all. He was like a wounded wild beast, disying a speed even faster than before.
"Let me patch myself up first!" Jill yelled, his sword slicing through the air, aiming for Yuri''s throat.
He was in pain now, his whole body ached, and he understood that he wasn''t Riezel''s opponent.
If things continued like this, he would definitely lose to Riezel.
If he couldn''t kill Riezel, he couldn''t drink his blood.
He wanted Riezel''s blood, the blood of an expert, the blood of the strong.
For this reason, he must find someone to drink their blood, be stronger, and then challenge Riezel again.
With this thought in mind, Jill didn''t hesitate much, charging straight at Yuri, who happened to enter his field of vision.
Unfortunately, this turned out to be the biggest mistake Jill Dardis would make in his life.
"Tempest!"
When such a voice echoed through the training field, reaching everyone''s ears, a hurricane arrived.
*WHOOSH¡ª!*
As the frenzied wind howled across the entire training field, transforming Riezel into a gust of raging wind, he swiftly darted across half of the training field as the wind swept through.
*Pu-chi!*
Jill''s sword descended, leaving behind a ssh of crimson blood, sttering into the sky.
However, his sh didn''t hit Yuri''s throat butnded on a hand that suddenly appeared in front of her.
*BANG!*
At the same time, a kick, apanied by the raging wind, struck heavily against Jill''s chest, sending him flying.
*Cough!*
Jill spewed forth a mouthful of blood before flying backward and crashing into the wall surrounding the audience seats, shattering it.
"Riezel!" Yuri''s expression changed instantly as she emitted a startled cry.
Riezel, surrounded by raging wind, suddenly appeared before Yuri, blocking Jill''s recent sh with his own hand.
*Drip* *Drip*
Despite the pain from the wound on his hand, with blood dripping from it, Riezel disregarded it and merely raised his gaze, fixating on Jill crawling out from the rubble, his eyes exuding unprecedented rage.
"Blood... BLOOD¡ª!" Jill struggled to rise while yelling wildly.
Upon hearing his yell, Riezel had only one response.
"You want blood that much?"
"No problem..."
"I''ll crush you into a BLOODY PULP RIGHT NOW!"
Chapter 130: Ended
Chapter 130: Ended
Struggling to rise from the pile of rubble, Jill''s consciousness hadn''t fully awakened yet. He only felt the pain coursing through his body, instinctively craving blood.
As he raised his body, suddenly, he was locked onto by a terrifyingly intense murderous intent.
The thick and suffocating murderous intent sent shivers down his spine, starting from the soles of his feet and rushing all the way to his crown, abruptly jolting him awake from his trance-like state.
Upon this awakening, Jill immediately saw Riezel, enveloped in raging wind, his robes billowing and fluttering noisily in the gusts of wind. The ferociousness of Riezel''s gaze and the constant flurry of lethal attacks he endured till now finally stirred a sense of fear in him.
Despite being influenced by his swordsmanship and bing addicted to blood, Jill had notpletely lost his senses.
Three years ago, when all Demon Swordsmen were besieged by the knights dispatched by various countries, teetering on the brink of life and death, while others seemed to go mad and charge out excitedly to sh with the knights, Jill, subconsciously sensing danger, overcame his desire for blood, and chose to flee in fear.
Because of this, Jill barely survived that massacre, living in the wilderness ever since, adhering to the principle of self-control. He sustained himself on animal blood, battling monsters, gradually satiating his thirst for blood, and slowly getting stronger.
It wasn''t until Jill encountered Alderman in the wilderness that he couldn''t resist the craving for human blood anymore and decided to indulge. However, he didn''t act immediately by killing Alderman on the spot for his blood. Since he had decided to indulge, he naturally wanted to make the most of this opportunity.
Therefore, feigning interest in following Alderman, Jill actually intended to infiltrate the human-inhabited city to hunt humans.In the week leading up to the War Festival, he often went out at night, seemingly strolling around the city, but in reality, he was secretly hunting humans, reveling in the blood of thugs or thieves lurking in the darkness.
When the War Festival began and the training field was crowded with people, he would unleash his ughter there, satisfying himself to the fullest, then escape Undine and retreat into the mountains, evading pursuit by the kingdom''s knights.
His first targets were obviously the experts who participated in the War Festival.
Like Riezel Brynhart, a Tactical-ss Magician.
Like Yuri Frenzel, a Strategic-ss Magician.
Step by step, by eliminating these experts first, he could eradicate potential threats and strengthen himself with their blood. Following that, he would hunt down the weaker ones, steadily progressing, feasting on their blood, rapidly boosting his own strength, perhaps even ascending to the status of Sword Saint, bing a Demon Sword Saint.
For this reason, Jill had restrained himself until now.
Unfortunately, luck wasn''t on his side.
With his strength, originally speaking, whether facing Yuri, Marilyn, Ain, Ian, or others, he could have found a way to catch them off guard and kill them with a single strike, letting their blood spill on the spot.
However, his opponent happened to be the only one with strengthparable to Level 6, an anomaly excelling in both swordsmanship and magic¡ªRiezel Brynhart.
After being injured by Riezel and instinctively stimted by his great strength, Jill could no longer suppress his craving for the blood of the strong, descending into a semi-trance-like state of madness.
However, now, faced with Riezel''s undisguised murderous and terrifying aura, his rationality instantly returned, and the feeling of fear surged back into his heart.
Unfortunately, it was all toote.
*BANG!*
Just as Jill''s heart began to tremble, the ground beneath Riezel erupted, and he suddenly vanished on the spot, disappearing without a trace.
"?!!!"
Jill''s heart skipped a beat, but still, relying on his sensitivity to blood, he sensed Riezel''s trail.
"Here!"
Without hesitation, Jill swung his sword to the right, letting out a whistling sound of crimson magical energy, disrupting the atmosphere, and aiming at the sudden figure that appeared there.
However, Riezel disregarded this swing entirely, rushing forward at once and lunging straight at Jill.
*DING!*
Jill''s forceful swingnded on the whirlwind surrounding Riezel''s body, just like before, it was easily flicked aside.
*Pu-chi!*
At this moment, Riezel''s sh finally surged from his hand, its speed surprisingly quick, as if it traversed space and time, slicing across Jill''s shoulder, causing his flesh to tear and blood to stter.
''Too fast!'' Jill''s pupils contracted sharply.
Riezel''s sh just now waspletely beyond Jill''s response, much faster than before. No, it wasn''t just his attack speed, even his movement speed had increased significantly.
*Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!*
Apanied by the sound of tearing, Riezel''s figure seemed to truly transform into an invisible and colorless wind, flickering and darting around Jill''s body, unleashing shes that struck various parts of his body, leaving him covered in wounds and bleeding heavily.
"AAAAAAAAAHHHHH¡ª!!!"
As Jill roared furiously, he continuously swung his sword imbued with crimson magical energy, creating booming sounds and whistling through the air. Pitifully, despite his efforts, he couldn''tnd a single hit on Riezel''s body, who effortlessly dodged with astonishing speed.
Jill''s missed shes only struck nothing, sending streaks of crimson sword light flying, leaving cracks in the ground and walls.
*BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!*
The rubble and dust flew up once again, turning the entire training field into chaos,bined with the howling wind, giving a sense of devastation.
It was only then that Jill suddenly noticed the change in Riezel''s weapon.
The weapon held in his hand was no longer a bright silver short sword but a somewhat dark silver long sword.
Thin as a cicada''s wing, the sword edge was nearly transparent, with a beautiful and noble appearance that did not look at all like a metal product but rather like a crystal so translucent.
Yet, this sword, which seemed more like a work of art than a weapon, exhibited astonishing sharpness and power in Riezel''s hands.
*Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!*
With Fool in hand, Riezel pushed Lightweight to its limit, increased by the enhancements of Ariel and Raumure. His speed had reached a level where even Jill, someoneparable to a Level 6 expert, couldn''t react at all.
Even before returning to this main world, Riezel''s strength had surpassed that of Ais, who was evaluated as capable of challenging opponents at a higher level.
Such was Riezel''s prowess that, if he went all out, even someone like Finn, Riveria, and Gareth at the pinnacle of Level 6 would find him a difficult opponent.
Although he had only recently leveled up to Level 5, the umtion of SSS basic abilities on every level and the acquisition of variousbat-type development abilities allowed him to surpass Ais, a top-ranked Level 5, even without using magic.
Now, with the addition of Raumure and Ariel, even facing Jill was no longer challenging for Riezel.
As Riezel''s sword light sped forth with astonishing speed, Jill found himself subjected to a relentless attack, his body seeming to burst open, blood and wounds blossoming continuously, leaving him battered and miserable.
"AAAAAAAAHHHHHH¡ª!!!"
Facing dire situations, Jill finally erupted, his crimson magical energy turning deeper crimson, enhancing his strength further, finally matching Riezel''s speed and allowing him to react.
However, Riezel disregarded Jill''s counterattacks entirely, allowing Jill''s crimson shes to rain down on his body without blocking or dodging.
With the boosted END from Raumure and the wind protection from Ariel, even Jill''s powerful shes were ultimately deflected one by one, leaving only a few shallow wounds on Riezel''s body that oozed a little blood, doing little else.
On the other hand, Riezel''s shes became faster and fiercer, not only splitting Jill''s skin but nearly stripping his flesh from head to toe, leaving several deep wounds on his shoulders and thighs where bone could even be seen.
Despite this, Riezel showed no signs of relenting, seemingly intent on crushing Jill into a bloody pulp, his speed and ferocity undiminished, shing relentlessly, again and again!
His merciless executioner-like performance caused many in the audience to show expressions of horror, with some even closing their eyes in fear.
Finally, Jill broke down.
"GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!"
*BOOOM!*
Jill roared and swung his sword toward the ground, shattering it and creating a violent shockwave and billowing dust.
In response to this furious attack, Riezel seemed rather indifferent.
As the dust settled, Riezel calmly lifted his hand as a fluctuation of crimson vortex appeared above it.
Riezel''s trump card, hidden until now, finally made its debut.
With a thunderous force akin to a storm, the crimson vortex tore through the earth and sky, closing in on Jill as he attempted to flee.
Unfortunately, before Jill could react, it was toote.
*Bzzzttt¡ª!*
The crimson vortex struck Jill, engulfing his bodypletely.
"NO, NO, NOOOOOO¡ª!!!"
Jill let out a despairing cry before his body disintegrated within the crimson vortex, like a dungeon monster deprived of its core, turning to ashes and vanishing without a trace.
A cruel and brutal battle finally ended.
Riezel dispelled the wind and emerald green membrane around his body.
"It seems you didn''t even deserve to be a bloody pulp..." Riezel muttered, watching with cold eyes the spot where Jill''s body vanished to nothingness.
With this oue, the War Festival finally came to a close, with Riezel as the ultimate victor.
Chapter 131: After the War Festival
Chapter 131: After the War Festival
The War Festival finally came to an end.
Naturally, the entire process and details of this War Festival spread widely afterward.
Sefaz emerged victorious over Marilyn, telling the world that this Frenzel family''s eldest son was still a prodigy.
Since bing a Sword Master five years ago, his strength had not stagnated but made significant progress instead. He was now considered a powerful Sword Master with the potential to be a Sword Saint.
Yuri, on the other hand, defeated Alderman, showcasing not only her prowess as a Strategic-ss Magician but also her adept use ofbat-ss magic. She had surpassed her father and was now capable of holding her own in battles.
Of course, the most talked-about event was the third round between Riezel and Jill, which was full of unexpected twists and turns.
Technically, Riezel should have been considered the loser in this War Festival since he killed Jill, which was expressly prohibited by Alderman before the War Festival began. Riezel knowingly vited this rule, which should have led to his disqualification or even his judgment being sought by the Frenzel family.
However, Jill was a Demon Swordsman, a dangerous swordsman proficient in Demon Sword Style. Not only did he attempt to kill Riezel at the beginning of the battle, but he also targeted Yuri, who was not only the head of the Frenzel family but also a Strategic-ss Magician and a Marquis of the kingdom.
Therefore, If anyone had vited the rules first, it was Jill.Murder attempts against Riezel could be overlooked since Jill hadn''t seeded and had almost been killed by Riezel in retaliation. Furthermore, in a fightingpetition, Jill''s actions could be seen as a miscalction or ident in the heat of the moment, a perspective shared by most of the audience.
Apart from Yuri, who sensed trouble early and dispatched people to disperse the audience, everyone else thought like that, allowing the War Festival to continue uninterrupted.
However, Jill''s attack on Yuri was undoubtedly a clear vition of the rules, leaving no room for discussion. Because of this, Riezel could be considered the winner from that moment onward. His immediate action of killing Jill on the spot was merely seen as a way to protect Yuri.
Hence, the ultimate victor of the War Festival was Yuri''s group.
As for Jill''s status as a swordsman who practiced Demon Sword Style, it didn''t cause much of a stir.
People were more interested in Riezel, who managed to excel in both swordsmanship and magic, achieving significant feats in both. He was not only a powerful Sword Master but also a Tactical-ss Magician.
"I never imagined there could be someone in this world who excels in both swordsmanship and magic."
"Same here."
"You know, swordsmen typically stick to swordsmanship because their magical energy isn''t enough to be magicians. But someone with ample magical energy to be a magician chooses to dive into swordsmanship as well? That''s wild, y''know."
"And yet, Sir Riezel not only pursued both but also excelled in them... What a legend."
"Having him join the Frenzel family is great."
People continued to discuss these matters enthusiastically, indicating that this topic would be one of the hottest this time. Even those with ulterior motives couldn''t help but join in the excitement.
"Let''s head back and report on Riezel Brynhart first. Afterward, we''ll find a way to contact him."
"Yeah, we need to find a way to bring him to our country."
"A Sword Master and a Tactical-ss Magician, huh... Tch, tch, makes you wonder how he pulled that off."
"Such a skilled magician, yet still focusing on swordsmanship. First time seeing someone like him."
"Alright, let''s stop chatting. Time to head back and deliver the news. I''m sure the higher-ups will want to hear about this."
And so, some were biding their time, others were finding ways to contact their superiors, while some were keeping a close eye on Riezel, attempting something.
Among them was the young nobleman from the royal capital.
"Send an invitation to the Frenzel family." The young nobleman ordered his attendant. "I must meet this incredible guy."
"Yes." The attendant responded immediately.
It could be said that Undine was both lively and filled with hidden movements. Countless people were watching the Frenzel family, watching Riezel, unsure of what action would be taken.
As for Riezel himself, he also sensed the changes happening around him.
===
On this day, the weather was clear.
Even though the War Festival was already yesterday''s news, the discussions it sparked remained lively. While Undine was still bustling, the Frenzel family had returned to a brief calm.
Riezel walked through the corridors, encountering many servants, guards, and knights along the way.
"Sir Riezel."
"Sir Riezel."
"Lord Brynhart."
Like this, whether they were servants, guards, or knights, they all stopped in their tracks and respectfully bowed to Riezel as soon as they saw him.
Their attitude and level of respect had undoubtedly be much more intense and sincerepared to a week ago when they treated Riezel as a guest. Some even went as far as to regard him as a noble, addressing him directly as ''Lord Brynhart''.
"Hello."
Riezel nodded in acknowledgment to them, returning the gesture, but inwardly, he felt somewhat displeased.
After all, he didn''t like being treated as someone important, respected, or even feared excessively by others. Such situations were something he had had enough of in his previous life, and he certainly didn''t want to see them again in this world.
Unfortunately, there was no way around it.
The social ss consciousness in this world was deeply ingrained. Given Riezel''s demonstrated strength, the servants would undoubtedly worry about being disrespectful to him and whether they would face consequences if they didn''t act properly.
Even though Riezel was not a noble and was currently just amoner, as a Tactical-ss Magician, bing a noble was just a matter of time. Anymoners in the Frenzel family who understood this point already regarded him as a noble. Coupled with his intimidating strength, they wouldn''t dare to show any disrespect.
''Hahh... I miss Loki Familia...''
Riezel couldn''t help but think of Twilight Manor.
In there, although he gradually earned the respect of familia members with his growing strength and was no longer treated as a rookie, they never ced themselves beneath him. They simply respected, admired, and supported him as the backbone of the familia, akin to a family member.
He had felt ufortable with these disys of respect at times, but it was just that¡ªdifort. He didn''t feel averse to it or reject it.
Members of the same familia were like family, connected by the blood of their god. They didn''t share blood ties, but their blessings came from the same god who, like their own parent, inscribed the same sacred text on their backs. Therefore, considering they shared the same blood, it was entirely appropriate.
In such circumstances, familia members respected him but didn''t fear him. If they were to sit together at a drinking table, ny percent of them would dare toe over and toast him until he was t out.
That was what he had always dreamed of¡ªa true family and home''.
''I''ve be more sentimentaltely...'' Riezel chuckled, shook his head, and continued walking ahead.
However, as he walked, he quickly bumped into the familiar boy, who popped out from a bush nearby.
"Teach me magic!"
Isaac blurted out immediately upon appearing, just like before. However, unlike his previous arrogant demeanor, this time his eyes were shining as he looked at Riezel.
Those eyes resembled those of a passionate young man who had found his goal.
Yes, after witnessing Riezel''s battle, Isaac also regarded Riezel as his role model and someone to take inspiration from.
Yet, Riezel still had not changed his mind.
"No."
He mercilessly rejected the boy.
"Why not?" Isaac said extremely disgruntledly. "What''s your problem with me?"
"It''s not that I have a problem with you..." Riezel squinted his eyes. "It''s just that I don''t want my first disciple to be a dumb little twerp like you."
"Who are you calling a dumb little twerp?!" Isaac eximed breathlessly. "I''m very smart, okay?! And I''m not little!"
"Sorry, didn''t see that in you..." Riezel said with no trace of politeness. "You seem dumb to me, and you are indeed little, kiddo."
"Don''t call me kiddo! You disrespectful jerk!" Isaac yelled angrily.
He was furious and quickly charged toward Riezel.
*BANG*
Isaac was thrown back,nding on the ground.
"..."
Watching him lying there without moving an inch, Riezel didn''t know what to say.
"Alright, stop messing around, Isaac." Mediste chimed in as if timing her entrance perfectly. "Don''t mind him, he''s just fooling around."
She nodded to Riezel and then gave a slight bow. Her gaze, no longer evasive, now sparkled with an inexplicable radiance.
However, this clearly made Riezel hesitant to meet her eyes directly. For some reason, he felt that after the War Festival, something was off in the way this girl looked at him.
Previously, Mediste was a well-mannered, courteous girl, but these past couple of days, she seemed to have be a bit mischievous and would often do things that made him feel awkward.
"Just came out from your father''s room?" Riezel decided to change the subject.
"Yes..." Mediste nodded, sighing. "He still refuses toe out of his room... Seems like he took a big blow this time."
Alderman''s condition was one of the changes after the War Festival.
After the War Festival ended, he locked himself in his room, refusing to see anyone.
It was understandable.
"Losing miserably to his own daughter with countless eyes watching, while the attendant he favored turned out to be a dangerous man almost destroying his carefully revived family tradition¡ªone blow after another... Considering his overly conservative views and pride, it''s normal for him not to cope well."
Mediste exined her father''s condition, surprisingly serious.
Chapter 132: Special Guest?
Chapter 132: Special Guest?
Undoubtedly, Alderman messed up big time at the War Festival.
War Festival, meticulously nned to revive his family tradition and take a firm step toward reiming his family''s former glory, ended up being aplete disaster.
Initially filled with confidence, Alderman was toyed with, defeated, and even scolded in public by his daughter, feeling truly humiliated. Even his soon-to-be attendant, whom he had brought from outside, turned out to be a troublemaker, nearly causing a huge mess.
This was truly a blunder among blunders.
Moreover, to make matters worse, it was Riezel, someone from Yuri''s side, who ended up dealing with Jill and became the hero of the day.
What was Alderman''s role in this incident?
Nothing.
He couldn''t do anything, just stood in ce dumbfounded the whole time. By the time he snapped out of it, it was all over and everything had concluded smoothly.
While Riezel and Yuri had gained immense prestige, what about him? He became theughingstock in many people''s eyes, losing face to the point of no return.For Alderman, it was indeed a serious blow.
Because of this, he retreated to his room upon returning home, feeling too ashamed to face anyone. His behavior only made Mediste, who had once feared him, scorn him.
''What are you doing? Acting like a child? Is that what a mature man, an acting lord of territory, would do? Hiding away when you''ve done wrong?''
As Mediste thought like that, she couldn''t believe that the father who once seemed so decisive and formidable turned out to be nothing but a paper tiger.
Was his ability to handle pressure even weaker than her own?
It was truly embarrassing.
Even Isaac, who had just gotten up from the ground, looked indignant andined.
"After the War Festival, Elder Sister Yuri handled the aftermath, even Elder Brother Sefaz pitched in a bit. But Father? Instead of helping, he''s just hiding, totally ignoring the mess he made. What''s up with him?"
Even a nine-year-old boy like Isaac couldn''t stand to watch.
Evidently, this time, Alderman had truly disgraced himself, losing all his dignity in front of his children.
"Mr. Riezel, how is your injury?"
Mediste seemed unwilling to mention her embarrassing father any further, shifting her concern to Riezel.
"I''m fine now."
Riezel raised his hand and waved it, indicating that he was fully healed.
Yesterday, to protect Yuri, Riezel bravely blocked Jill''s powerful sh with his bare hand, resulting in a deep gash on his left hand.
Jill had clearly used all of his strength on that sh, even breaking through Ariel''s wind barrier surrounding Riezel''s body in an instant, leaving it unable to block the sh.
Regardless, with Ariel''s wind diminishing some of the sh''s power, coupled with the added boost of END from Raumure, the injuries Riezel sustained weren''t severe at all. As for the few minor wounds he received frompletely abandoning defense during the subsequent fight, they were even less of a concern.
Yesterday, Riezel had used Dia Fratel on himself for treatment, effortlessly healing all his injuries. Now, he didn''t have even a little bit of injury on him, as if nothing had happened.
"That''s good..." Mediste rxed her expression.
It seemed that she was quite concerned about his injury.
"If there''s nothing else, I need to go find Yuri." Riezel said to the two siblings. "She just sent someone to fetch me."
Upon hearing that, Mediste understood instantly.
"Guests?" Mediste hinted.
"Probably." Riezel nodded.
After the War Festival ended yesterday, the Frenzel family, besides handling the aftermath, also received many visitors, which were nobles invited from afar by the Alderman to witness the War Festival.
Now that the War festival had ended, how could they not pay a visit to the Frenzel family and greet its head?
Moreover, they were very interested in Riezel, who had demonstrated astonishing strength at the War Festival yesterday, expressing their wish to meet him through Yuri.
Riezel knew about this but chose not to meet them.
He could easily guess the intentions of these so-called nobles. It was probably because they were impressed by his performance at the War Festival and wanted to see if they could win him over, or at the very least establish some connection with him.
Honestly, he had long grown tired of these upper-ss society''s antics.
As a result, citing his injury as an excuse, Riezel refused all meeting requests from these nobles, leaving them all to Yuri to handle.
Yuri also knew that Riezel didn''t like these kinds of things, and she herself hoped that he could properly rest because of the injury she had caused him. Consequently, she readily intercepted all meeting requests from the nobles, preventing them from disturbing him.
She even dispatched the knightly order to patrol Undine, looking for any suspicious individuals lingering in the city to prevent some malicious people from causing trouble in Undine for Riezel''s sake.
Thanks to Yuri''s efforts, yesterday and this morning, Riezel had a peaceful time without any disturbances.
But this time, it seemed he really had to meet a rather special guest whom he couldn''t evade.
"I heard that someone quite influential from the royal capital hase, and they''ve specifically asked to meet me. Even though your sister said I''m resting, they''ve said they will stay at Undine until I''m avable." Riezel shrugged. "I don''t want your sister to be too troubled, so I guess I''ll just go and meet this guest."
Since Yuri had specifically sent someone to fetch him, it proved that this guest''s status was definitely not low or ordinary, or else she could simply decline them without much trouble. Because of this, Riezel decided to meet this guest.
"Then we won''t bother you." Mediste, understanding the situation well, obediently stepped aside to make way for him.
On the contrary, Isaac,cking in tactfulness, continued to hop over to Riezel.
"When will you teach me magic?" Isaac grumbled, his face showing discontent. "Are you afraid I''ll take advantage of you? I won''t, okay? Even though I don''t know why the magic crystal with thetest recording was lost, I have others. We can discuss it in detail!"
Upon hearing Isaac''s nonsense, the corner of Riezel''s eye twitched. Without a second thought, he turned and walked away.
"Hey, wait¡ª" Isaac was about to call out to Riezel when a hand gripped the back of his neck.
"...Did I hear you correctly? You actually have others?"
A voice as cold as ice echoed, causing Isaac to shiver and break out in a cold sweat.
"That... That''s just a magic crystal recording of you sleeping! Absolutely nothing indecent!"
Isaac quickly tried to defend himself.
"Don''t worry, Elder Sister Mediste, I''ve learned my lesson this time. I''ll only bring out proper recordings for the trade. I definitely won''t bring out recordings of you changing clothes!"
At his words, veins bulged on Mediste''s forehead.
''You think I''m talking about what kind of recording you''re bringing out? No, it''s about why you''re always recording those kinds of things!''
Mediste thought with anger before holding her brother''s hand with a strong grip.
"Come with me!"
Dragging Isaac along, she led him into a corner.
"AHHHHH¡ª!!!"
Three secondster, Riezel, who had turned into another corridor, heard a scream that seemed to pierce the sky.
"What a troublemaker brat..."
Riezel muttered under his breath and quickly left themotion scene.
===
The Frenzel family''s reception room was on the first floor.
Guided by a servant, Riezel made his way to this room.
*Knock* *Knock*
"Come in."
Yuri''s voice came from inside, prompting the knights guarding the doors on either side of the reception room to extend their hands and push the door open for Riezel.
Riezel stepped inside, only to be greeted by two pairs of eyes locking onto him.
In the reception room, there were a total of four people.
Yuri sat on a sofa, with Marilyn standing behind her.
Facing Yuri were two strangers whom Riezel had never seen before.
They were a pair of men, one sitting across from Yuri, and the other, like Marilyn, standing behind the sitting one.
Across from Yuri sat a golden-haired man, probably in his mid-twenties, dressed quite appropriately, bearing a striking resemnce to the noble Riezel knew from his previous life.
"Finally, we meet, Sir Riezel Brynhart."
Surprisingly, the golden-haired man quickly stood up when he saw Riezel, performing a noble gesture without a hint of arrogance, leaving an extremely positive first impression.
"Riezel." Yuri also stood up and smiled at Riezel. "Let me introduce you. This is Marquis Phillip Charlier from the royal capital."
From her simple introduction, Riezel gleaned a lot of information.
Firstly, this guest named Phillip not only hailed from the royal capital but was also a noble of no lesser status than Yuri.
Though Riezel wasn''t sure about the status and reputation of the Charlier family in the royal capital, Yuri''s use of ''Marquis'' to address him indicated that just like her family, the Charlier family was also a Marquis family of Jinas.
Moreover, since he was addressed as ''Marquis'', it could be inferred that like Yuri, he had already be the head of his family, which meant the current Marquis of Charlier.
"Nice to meet you, Marquis Charlier." Riezel greeted back with a calm demeanor.
"No need to be so formal, just treat me like any other guest."
Phillip responded with a friendly smile before introducing his attendant.
"Right, he is my attendant, Glimann, about your age, eighteen this year. Despite being young, he''s already a skilled swordsman, holding a Sword Master Medal for three years, y''know? You two should get to know each other."
His words made Riezel nce at Glimann.
Glimann also nced at Riezel, with a hint of fighting intent in his eyes.
Seeing this, Riezel was slightly taken aback before raising an eyebrow.
He felt it.
This Glimann was a powerful swordsman.
At least, not weaker than Marilyn.
Chapter 133: Not Ordinary Relationship
Chapter 133: Not Ordinary Rtionship
Riezel was honestly amazed.
He had to admit that there were so many powerful people in this world, such as now, where a swordsman equivalent to a Level 5 first-ss adventurer just casually popped out.
If this were in the world of Danmachi, it would probably cause quite a stir.
However, it made sense.
A marquis who came from the royal capital with an attendant by his side would truly be unworthy of his status if his attendant wasn''t at least a Sword Master.
"Hello." Riezel nodded as a sign of courtesy.
"Hello." Glimann returned the gesture, but the fighting intent in his eyes remained undiminished.
Obviously, this man was very interested in Riezel¡ªor rather, he really wanted to spar with Riezel.
At the War Festival, Riezel''s disyed strength impressed this swordsman, sparking a desire in him to challenge Riezel.Unfortunately, the current timing wasn''t right.
Glimann resisted the urge to challenge Riezel, opting instead to stand behind Phillip and focus on his duties as an attendant.
"Please, have a seat and let''s chat, Riezel." Yuri invited, patting the seat next to her.
Riezel didn''t hesitate much, naturallying to her side and sitting down.
However, this seemingly natural move didn''t escape Phillip''s eyes, who suspected there was more to it. He nced at the little distance between Riezel and Yuri, secretly surprised.
''It seems that the rtionship between Riezel Brynhart and Marquis Frenzel is even better than I imagined...''
Before this, Phillip, like everyone else, thought that Riezel was a talent recruited by Yuri into the Frenzel family, serving as her capable subordinate. However, judging by their interaction and the distance they disyed right now, he could be absolutely sure that their rtionship was not as simple as superior and subordinate.
At least, Phillip had never heard of Yuri letting anyone, let alone someone of the opposite sex, sit so close to her.
''Is it to warn me? Or...'' Phillip''s thoughts raced.
He somewhat suspected that Yuri did this intentionally to hint to him not to speak out of line and warn him that Riezel had someone backing him up. But Riezel''s action of sitting next to her was so natural that it was impossible to doubt if there was any deliberate intention behind it.
Even if there was, it couldn''t be denied that the rtionship between both of them was not an ordinary superior-subordinate one.
Realizing this, Phillip toned down his casual demeanor a bit.
At the same time, Riezel finally spoke up.
"I wonder why Marquis Charlier wanted to meet me?"
Riezel didn''t beat around the bush, diving straight into the topic.
Yuri remained silent, quietly listening on the side.
"Why, huh...?" Phillip suppressed some misceneous thoughts and smiled. "The main reason I came all this way to find you this time is because of the royal family''s orders."
Upon hearing that, Riezel wasn''t surprised. Ever since he learned that his identity as a Tactical-ss Magician had been exposed, he had anticipated something like this would happen sooner orter.
"Is it because I used tactical-ss magic in the royal capital without permission that the royal family wants to punish me?" Riezel smiled faintly as he spoke.
In principle, all major countries indeed prohibit magicians from using tactical-ss and strategic-ss magic in cities because of the potential harm it could cause. Especially strategic-ss magic, once unleashed, could potentially wipe out an entire city in an instant.
Therefore, all countries on the continent explicitly forbid magicians from casting tactical-ss and strategic-ss magic without permission.
Vitors will be punished, with fines being the lighter penalty and even capital punishment being a possibility for more serious offenses.
Riezel had used tactical-ss magic without permission in the royal capital, so ording to thew, he was liable to be pursued and punished by the kingdom.
Of course, Riezel brought up this topic merely to shift the focus of the conversation, with a hint of perfunctoriness in his tone.
In response, Phillip shook his head with an involuntaryugh before beginning to exin.
"It''s not about that. Sure, you used tactical-ss magic in the royal capital, but firstly, it was to repel an attack from a foreign Tactical-ss Magician targeting the Frenzel family, which is understandable. Secondly, it didn''t cause meaningful damage, and only the Frenzel family itself suffered considerable losses, with their mansion being directly destroyed. That''s why, the royal family has decided not to pursue your vition this time, so you can rest assured."
That was probably one of thepensatory measures made by the royal family. They also knew that they had definitely angered Yuri this time and thus sought to make amends.
However, Riezel didn''t care about such matters at all. Whether the royal family pursued it or not was irrelevant to him. Even if they wanted to punish him, whether Yuri agreed or not was another matter.
No matter what, the reason Riezel used tactical-ss magic in the royal capital was to repel a powerful foreign enemy; at least, this was the overall justification. If this were considered a crime, should he just stay silent and watch the Frenzel family being attacked, and Yuri being harmed or even killed?
If this were the case, there would definitely be a lot of controversy.
In such circumstances, Riezel wasn''t worried at all about what might happen to him. Even if they did something, he didn''t really care.
At worst, he would just leave Jinas.
However, it was obvious that Jinas wasn''t going to let him go.
"The main reason I came this time was for your ennoblement." Phillip revealed his true purpose. "Since you have be a Tactical-ss Magician, ording to the kingdom''s regtions, you are eligible to visit His Majesty the King, receive a promotion, and be granted the title of viscount."
''Sure enough, this man hase for that matter, huh...'' Riezel''s expression remained calm, and his mind was equally undisturbed. "Just for that? You came all the way here just to inform me about my ennoblement?"
A marquis, the highest-ranking noble status just below the royal family, had actuallye all the way to the Frenzel territory, situated on the northern border, solely for Riezel''s ennoblement? Even though he happened to be a rare Tactical-ss Magician, it seemed like a bit too much trouble.
If it were to recruit a Tactical-ss Magician as his own subordinate, that would be understandable. But to do the royal family''s bidding, with no benefits whatsoever, a marquis need not go to such lengths.
Facing Riezel''s question, Phillip hadn''t even begun to exin when Yuri answered first.
"Marquis Charlier''s visit isn''t just for your ennoblement; it''s also to confirm my situation."
She spoke with the same calm expression as Riezel.
It must be said, this scene made the two of them seem quite like a married couple.
Phillip felt somewhat awkward but still answered Riezel with a half-sighed, half-smile.
"Indeed, bringing the instructions from the kingdom regarding your ennoblement is the purpose of my trip, but confirming the status of Marquis Frenzel is also my purpose."
Who let Yuri leave the royal capital with the excuse of ''escaping with severe injuries''?
Now that she had finally appeared in her own territory, naturally, the royal family would send someone to check on her, to see if she was really okay.
"Now that it seems Marquis Frenzel is well, I can rest assured."
Phillip didn''t mention the oddities of this topic at all, nor did he inquire whether Yuri had really been seriously injured, as if deliberately avoiding this sensitive topic, he glossed over it.
"Did the royal family send you here to try and persuade me to return to the royal capital once it''s confirmed I''m fine?"
As Yuri asked with a half-smile, Phillip''s expression became helpless.
"Ahaha... Marquis Frenzel is indeed perceptive..." Phillip said helplessly. "But, judging by your current condition, it seems there are no ns for you to return to the royal capital, right?"
"As you can see, I''m quite busy now." Yuri answered straightforwardly. "A Demon Swordsman has just appeared in my territory. Considering the possibility that he may have aplices who could threaten my territory, I must find a way to deal with this matter promptly. Moreover, with my family''s War Festival revived, I have numerous responsibilities to handle. Unfortunately, my father is currently unavable to assist, leaving me swamped with work. I can only ask Marquis Charlier for understanding."
"...Understood." Phillip remained silent for a while, then gave up. "I will report your situation to His Majesty, I believe His Majesty will understand."
"Thank you." Yuri nodded.
"What about Sir Brynhart?" Phillip turned to Riezel. "Are you not intending to return to the royal capital with me?"
Facing Phillip''s direct question, Riezel answered even more directly than Yuri.
"Sorry, but I don''t n on heading back to the royal capital anytime soon..." Riezel shook his head, his tone indifferent. "Everyone is aware of the multiple attacks I faced there, nearly costing me my life once. It was a truly traumatic and terrifying experience, you know? So, for now, I''d rather stay in Frenzel territory and savor some peaceful days."
His answer made Phillip feel a bit awkward.
No choice.
The hidden meaning behind Riezel''s words was clear. He indirectly expressed to Phillip''s face that ''the security in the royal capital is so terrible''.
Honestly, it left Phillip, who represented the kingdom, somewhat speechless.
Riezel had been attacked multiple times and narrowly escaped death was a fact well-known among the nobles of the kingdom. Making matters worse, the Frenzel secondary residence in the royal capital also suffered an attack and was destroyed.
Riezel''s bringing up the royal capital''s security issue made it really hard to argue against.
"The royal family is already investigating the mastermind behind the attacks. I believe before long, those daring criminals will face the kingdom''s judgment."
In the end, Phillip could only say that to assure Riezel.
"Well then, let''s consider returning to the royal capital after the kingdom''s judgment is out then." Riezel nodded and finally let out a smile.
Yuri also smiled, looking particrly happy.
Seeing their smiles, Phillip realized that Riezel seemed to have been waiting for that kind of response from him.
Realizing this, Phillip sighed inwardly.
What else could he do?
He could only ept this oue and convey Riezel and Yuri''s words about not returning to the royal capital yet. As for how the higher-ups would handle this matter, it was no longer his concern.
He had done his best.
Chapter 134: Becoming a Sword Saint?
Chapter 134: Bing a Sword Saint?
After discussing the main topics, Phillip didn''t leave immediately. Instead, he chose to chat with Yuri about some short stories involving their parents, seemingly aiming to ease the tension in the air.
Now it was Riezel''s turn to be left out, sitting aside and watching Yuri and Phillip engage in conversation, talking on and on.
However, the so-called short stories Phillip and Yuri discussed were either about the actions of some noble family or the kingdom''s internal affairs. In the eyes of outsiders, it seemed quite grand, giving off the impression that these two were indeed important figures.
However, Riezel could tell that Yuri wasn''t particrly interested in these kinds of topics. Maybe when she talked about such topics, it didn''t feel like casual chatting but more like discussing national affairs, without any rxation or joy.
''Could it be that this girl likes chatting with me because of this?'' Riezel suddenly realized this point.
Whenever Yuri chatted with him, she always appeared cheerful and happy, which waspletely different from her current calm andposed demeanor.
It became clear to him that she probably enjoyed genuine casual conversations between friends rather than discussions that easily strayed into discussions about noble circles and national affairs like now.
Watching Yuri sitting there, calmly conversing with Phillip, Riezel silently thought to himself.
''I should chat with her more often when there''s nothing else to do... That should make her happy, right?''Thus, after about half an hour, Phillip finally stood up.
"Now that everything we needed to discuss is done, I''ll return to the royal capital." Phillip said, bowing his head slightly. "When you two return to the royal capital, I''lle to visit."
"Take care." Yuri nodded, not saying much more.
Behind her, Marilyn stepped forward, ready to escort Phillip out.
Phillip finally left the reception room with Glimann, leaving the Frenzel family behind.
It was worth mentioning that before leaving, Glimann cast a nce at Riezel, showing a hint of reluctance. Unfortunately, Riezel had no mood to pay attention to this eager swordsman.
"Is this how it ends?"
Watching Phillip and Glimann leave, Riezel couldn''t help but ask Yuri.
He was naturally referring to Phillip easily giving up on persuading both of them to return to the royal capital.
"I thought he would linger a bit longer..." Riezel muttered to himself.
"No point." Yuri shook her head, answering his question, "As long as I have a valid excuse, he can''t force me to return to the royal capital, and it''s the same for you."
On the surface, Riezel was still Yuri''s person.
In other words, even if Phillip or the kingdom hoped Riezel would return to the royal capital, ept his noble title, and be a noble of Jinas, they still had to consider Yuri. With her there to support Riezel, they wouldn''t dare to take any forceful actions against him.
However¡ª
"They certainly won''t give up so easily either..." Yuri turned to him, speaking quite earnestly. "Your current strength has beenrgely exposed. Being a powerful Sword Master and a Tactical-ss Magician simultaneously, with suchbat power, such talent, this kingdom is bound to not easily let you go."
Mainly, they were worried that if they couldn''t win Riezel over, he might run to another country and be their asset.
A Tactical-ss Magician, while not on the level of a Strategic-ss Magician who could determine the oue of a war, possessed powerful military capabilities that could sway the course of a war.
Such people were scarce even inrge countries like Jinas, numbering only twenty to thirty. If they could have more, it would undoubtedly be beneficial. Not to mention, Riezel was also a powerful swordsman with formidablebat abilities.
"Your value now exceeds that of an average Tactical-ss Magician, just below Sword Saint and Strategic-ss Magician."
Yuri pointed out the crucial points.
"To the kingdom and the royal family, someone like you is worth the cost to recruit. This visit from Marquis Charlier could be seen as a simple recruitment, but it could also be a test. They need to know your stance toward the kingdom to decide how to entangle you in this country."
Upon hearing that, Riezel unconsciously frowned.
"From the looks of it, you really don''t want to stay in Jinas." Yuri noticed his troubled expression and chuckled.
"Not exactly..." Riezel shook his head. "I don''t mind staying in Jinas, but I don''t want to be a noble, let alone be used as a tool by Jinas."
His rejection wasn''t toward the kingdom itself but rather the deceit and machinations he might encounter within it.
Bing a noble and entering the inner circle of the kingdom meant exposing himself to these things, again, like in his messy previous life.
He wanted to avoid it at all costs.
Yuri seemed to understand what was going on in Riezel''s mind and fell silent for some reason.
After a moment of pondering, she finally spoke up.
"If that''s the case, then perhaps you need to think of a solution. With me around, the kingdom won''t resort to using force against you, but there are still methods to trap someone in this country, as much as they want."
Riezel didn''t doubt her words.
After all, Jinas was one of the four major countries on the Akasha Continent.
It was evident that the influence of a major country, once set in motion, could be quite problematic.
At that time, Riezel might very well find himself already manipted by unknown arrangements, grateful to be sold off and counting money for others with tears in his eyes. In such a scenario, he might even willingly head to the royal capital and ept the noble title and position he originally rejected.
It wasn''t an exaggeration at all.
Nevertheless, Riezel didn''t believe he could engage in a battle of wits and bravery with a powerful country like Jinas. Even Yuri, a Strategic-ss Magician, had many restrictions ced on her, so what could he possibly do?
With this in mind, Riezel suddenly got an idea.
"How strong do you think I need to be for even a powerful country like Jinas to think twice before offending me?"
At his sudden question, Yuri was momentarily stunned.
Looking at her reaction, Riezel lightly continued.
"Since they have ways to deal with me, I''ll get stronger until they dare not make any rash moves, fearing the consequences if I uncover their schemes. That way, I won''t have to worry so much about being manipted, right?"
His words plunged Yuri into silence once again.
After a while, she sighed.
"Then be a Sword Saint..." Yuri revealed the solution.
"A Sword Saint...?" Riezel turned his head to her.
"Yes." Yuri nodded heavily. "Bing a Sword Saint means even the royal family will have to think twice before acting against you. Not as a Strategic-ss Magician, but as a Sword Saint. That''s the only way to achieve what you want."
Even a Strategic-ss Magician didn''t have freedom, as evidenced by Yuri''s own circumstances.
So what if you are a nuclear weapon? Isn''t control over nuclear weapons still in the hands of the country, something they can manipte as they wish?
The kingdom might see Strategic-ss Magicians as important military and war assets, but they had never feared such weapons.
One of the reasons was the royal pce located in the royal capital, Yeluvia.
The royal pce had a defense system set up to hinder the flow of magical energy. Be it tactical-ss magic, strategic-ss magic, or evenbat-level magic, none of it could be used within the royal pce.
As the saying goes, strategic-ss magic only proves effective on the battlefield while in some ces, there might be means to counter it.
However, Sword Saints were different.
Sword Masters alone could single-handedly defeat thousands of opponents as if strolling through an empty field. Considering this, one could only imagine the terrifying strength possessed by Sword Saints.
With such a presence causing chaos in the royal pce, unless an equally skilled Sword Saint was dispatched to stop them, who could halt their rampage?
Sword Saints symbolized personal prowess and force, not directed toward countries or their armies, but toward the powerful figures in authority behind them.
Because of this, the royal family wasn''t too afraid of magicians.
Although, the defense systems where they resided were not to be trifled with, the strict conditions for using high-ss magic and the time it took for the magic to take shape provided the royal family with ample reaction time.
However, the royal family certainly feared a powerful swordsman capable of slicing through their defenses in the blink of an eye and cutting their necks without them even realizing what had happened.
This was why many in the magician circles looked down upon Tactical-ss Magicians and Strategic-ss Magicians, believing mastery ofbat-ss magic to be essential.
If a magician''sbat strength rivaled that of a Sword Saint, even if they were not Tactical-ss or Strategic-ss Magicians, the threat they posed in the eyes of powerful figures like the royal family would surpass that of Tactical-ss and Strategic-ss Magicians.
Strategic-ss Magicians intimidated countries.
Sword Saints intimidated individuals.
They were two different types of existence, each carrying its own significance.
If Riezel desired status, fame, wealth, and significant privileges, then bing a Strategic-ss Magician was the way to go. However, if his goal was to intimidate a specific individual or group by instilling dread, then bing a Sword Saint would be the better option.
"Of course, if you can achieve both, the whole world will be at your disposal¡ªyou can go anywhere without worry." Yuri added, her eyes betraying a hint of anticipation.
In fact, her words were not without reason.
She just felt that perhaps this incredible feat was within Riezel''s reach.
"A Sword Saint, huh...?"
Riezel murmured, closing his eyes, and pondering what he should do next.
''If that''s the case, then so be it...''
''It''s time for another dimensional travel...''
Chapter 135: Second Dimensional Travel
Chapter 135: Second Dimensional Travel
Frenzel Family Main Residence, Riezel''s Room.
After leaving the reception room, Riezel went straight back to his temporary room and locked the door behind him.
Just moments ago, he had told Yuri that he wanted to rest in his room for the day, without needing food or being disturbed, and if she wanted to discuss anything with him, they could do it tomorrow.
Yuri readily agreed, advising him to rest well and take care of his injury, assuring him that there was no rush to address anything until he was fully recovered.
Evidently, she assumed his injury from yesterday hadn''t fully healed yet, which was why she didn''t question his request.
However, since his injury had alreadypletely healed, it was naturally impossible for him to go back to rest and recuperate. Having decided to embark on dimensional travel again toward the goal of bing a Sword Saint, he didn''t want any further dys.
Besides, now that Yuri''s marriage arrangement matter had been resolved and they had dealt with the situation in the royal capital, including the conclusion of the War Festival, there shouldn''t be any other important matters to worry about in the short term.
''Even if something important were happening, one day without me wouldn''t be a problem, right?''
No matter how much time passed in other worlds, only one day would have passed in this main world after all. In just one day, he couldn''t believe anything serious would happen.Nevertheless, considering safety, Riezel decided to take some precautionary measures.
"O Word Spirits - fulfill my wish."
"Veil of the woods - my name is Alf."
"Veil Breath."
Riezel cast a magic.
In the next moment, ayer of greenish magic membrane appeared around his body, resembling a cloak, enveloping him.
The magic he cast was one of the three defensive magic taught by Riveria to him, capable of resisting attacks.
Among the three defensive magic taught by Riveria, this magic ranked second, with outstanding protective capabilities, far more reliable than the enhancement of END by Raumure.
Since Riezel had poured most of his mind into this magic, as long as he wasn''t repeatedly attacked, it shouldst for a long time and continue to be effective until he returned from dimensional travel.
During the previous dimensional travel, he had no means to protect his body left behind in the main world while his consciousness journeyed to other worlds. At that time, he was desperate to gain power and couldn''t think too much, hastily embarking on dimensional travel to the world of Danmachi.
But this time, since he had enough power for self-protection, he couldn''t leave his body in the main world defenseless during dimensional travel. If it weren''t for him being at the Frenzel family''s ce, he even considered using his strongest defensive magic.
Unfortunately, this strongest defensive magic was a barrier magic. If he used it, it would undoubtedly envelop the surrounding area and be noticed by others, causing significant disturbance.
Reluctantly, Riezel had to abandon that idea and resort to using Veil Breath for protection.
Afterpleting these steps, Riezel also set up some simple magic at the door lock and other ces, which would notify him if anyone opened the door or entered the room after he woke up.
Yuri had taught him these simple magic.
Surprisingly, this setup came in handy.
''Before doing dimensional travel, let''s update my status.''
Riezel took out Loki''s blood from the storage space and let a drop fall onto his forehead. Soon enough, a faint aura emanated from his back, forming floating sacred texts, one after another.
Before long, his status was freshly updated.
...
Riezel Brynhart
Level 5
STR: G284 ¡ú D570
END: G257 ¡ú D555
DEX: F312 ¡ú C611
AGI: F331 ¡ú C637
MAG: F305 ¡ú C632
Lightweight: G ¡ú F
Swordsman: G ¡ú F
Mage: H ¡ú G
Battle Adept: I
...
Thest time he updated his status was back in the royal capital.
After leaving the royal capital, Riezel first rode in a horse carriage for a day to reach Trantia, then took a three-day ship ride to the Frenzel territory, and spent another week preparing before the War Festival began. When he added up these scattered moments, it had been about two weeks since hisst status update.
In less than two weeks, his total basic ability proficiency had increased by over 1500. In a world without dungeons or monsters to defeat, this was quite impressive.
Of course, the most pleasant surprise was that three development abilities had been upgraded by a rank.
''Well, I''ve been practicing my swordsmanship and magictely, so both the Swordsman and Mage development abilities should show some growth...''
As for the increase in rank in Lightweight, it seemed to have urred because he hadn''t been carrying heavy loads in training orbat.
As for Battle Adept, it didn''t change at all. Considering it was closely rted tobat, and he had only been in a few battles since returning to this world, it was normal that it hadn''t progressed.
Overall, Riezel was quite satisfied with his growth this time. Now, he could face the uing dimensional travel in the best possible condition.
After finishing his status update, Riezel sank his consciousness deep into his mind, focusing on the transparent cube slowly rotating within.
But first, he checked his remaining dimensional energy.
[Dimensional Energy: 40]
When he returned to this world, Riezel had 23 units of dimensional energy left. Now, after about half a month, it had umted to 40 units.
A random dimensional travel required 30 units of dimensional energy, so his remaining dimensional energy was more than enough.
''Dimensional Magic Cube, activate the dimensional channel.''
Riezel instructed the transparent cube in his mind.
Before long, just like the first time he performed dimensional travel, the transparent cube in his mind began to rotate.
[Instructions epted, starting the activation of the dimensional channel.]
[Sufficient energy, beginning the construction of the dimensional channel.]
[Built sessfully.]
As the transparent cube rotated, each grid separated from the main body, disintegrating into countless transparent cubes. They spun and intersected with each other, ultimately forming a channel that extended to the depths of the consciousness sea, disappearing into the void.
[Finished with the opening of the dimensional channel, the information collection has beenpleted.]
[Searching information highlypatible with the world on the other side of the channel from the user''s memory, now arranging it.]
[Sessfully arranged.]
[Connected World: Demon yer (Kimetsu no Yaiba)]
[Time Scale: 1:180]
[Dimensional travel is the descent of consciousness, in which the user''s consciousness is materialized in another world. Death of the consciousness after materialization will not affect the user, but the dimensional travel will end at the time of death. Please be careful.]
In the split second following the sessful construction of the dimensional channel, the Dimensional Magic Cube also ryed the message of this dimensional travel to Riezel''s mind, which he received instantaneously.
Riezel was immediately taken aback.
''Demon yer?''
Riezel''s memories were triggered instantly, recalling the original work''s worldview, settings, plot, and important characters one by one.
At this moment, his exceptional memory proved invaluable, allowing him to smoothly recall most of the information about this world. It couldn''t be said that there were no missing parts, but at least the important parts were remembered.
This was a world set in the Taisho period.
The Taisho period spanned from July 30, 1912, to December 25, 1926¡ªa total of fifteen years.
For Riezel, who had lived until after 2020 in his previous life, it was an era over a hundred years ago.
In that era, there existed a group of swordsmen fighting in the shadows against monsters tracing back to a thousand years ago, monsters known as ''Demons''.
These were not like the monsters from the world of Danmachi, banished by humans into the dungeon, unable to return to the surface. Rather, they were humanoid creatures that fed on humans to survive.
Demon fed on humans, gnawing on flesh, taking lives without mercy, utterly ruthless, causing numerous tragedies.
Most people were unaware of their existence.
Those who knew either perished by their hands or suffered greatly, having experienced firsthand the tragedies caused by demons. Because of this, these people spontaneously formed a group, united, wielding swords, determined to exterminate all demons in the world.
This was the main story of the world of ''Demon yer'', revolving around the struggle between ''Demons'' and ''Demon yers'',posing a tale that was both exciting and tragic.
''If it''s this world...''
Riezel felt a mix of excitement and concern.
Excitement, because this world had a power system that intrigued him.
Concerned, because while this world had demons and other creatures to challenge, if he remembered correctly, demons weren''t exactly abundant. He couldn''t simply go about killing them as he did in Danmachi to rapidly grow stronger.
''Besides, the time ratio is different than before? 1:180?''
In other words, Riezel could spend a total of six months in the world of Demon yer, a full half-year.
Half a year seemed long, longer than the time he''d spent since transmigrated, but considering the situation in that world, whether he could umte enough exploits to level up within this half-year was still uncertain.
Fortunately, there were still some things worth exploring in that world.
Thinking about the power system of that world, a few ideas shed through Riezel''s mind.
''Maybe it''s worth a try...''
If his ideas could be realized, he might gain an entirely new power.
''Even if it fails, six months of effort will surely result in some growth, not a loss.''
With that mindset, Riezel reaffirmed his determination,y down on the bed, and closed his eyes.
After a while, his breathing steadied as if he had entered the realm of dreams.
However, his consciousness was no longer in this world; it had traveled through the dimensional channel constructed in his mind to another world.
The entire room immediately quieted down, leaving only the sound of Riezel''s breathing, creating a peaceful atmosphere.
Chapter 136: Demon
Chapter 136: Demon
The feeling of dimensional travel was, in general, no different from the first time.
In what seemed like a tunnel where even time lost its meaning, Riezel flew like a ghost, continuously heading toward the other end of the seemingly endless tunnel of light, flying for a long, long time.
It wasn''t until he felt like he was passing through an invisible barrier that his vision brightened and his ethereal body began to feel a heaviness, giving substance to his otherwise weightless consciousness.
Before long, the feeling of being dropped came over him, and Riezel sensed that he hadnded safely on solid ground.
''Arrived?'' Riezel thought in wonder before opening his eyes.
However, even though he had opened his eyes, his visible range was strangely very limited, which startled him slightly. He soon discovered that he was in pitch-ck darkness.
He heard the wind all around, apanied by the rustling of trees. He smelled the air, carrying a thick scent of soil, while the ground beneath his feet felt somewhat soft. He saw the sky, but it was dark and overcast, with neither the moon nor a single star visible.
Needless to say, it was now nighttime.
Eventually, Riezel found himself deep in the mountains and forests under the cover of darkness.''How did I end up in the mountains?''
Riezel frowned before raising his hand.
*Bsttt¡ª*
A burst of light immediately rose from his palm, forming a me that illuminated all around.
This was a simple magic personally taught by Yuri, an ignition magic within the transformation system. It seemed insignificant, but as she had said, it coulde in handy when necessary.
After lighting this small me, Riezel confirmed that he had indeednded in the deep mountains, surrounded by trees and bushes. In such a night devoid of moonlight and starlight, being in the depths of the mountains and experiencing pitch darkness was quite normal.
''Not even sounds of birds or insects?''
Riezel felt the terrifying silence around him.
It was a far cry from his first-dimensional travel when he arrived directly in Orario''s urban district, bustling with crowds.
Such a silent night in the deep mountains, staying here for too long would feel quite horrifying.
"I hope no demons are lurking around..." Riezel muttered.
The demons he referred to were not the typical evil demons in some legend or folklore but the man-eating monsters of this world.
In this world, some demons looked indistinguishable from humans, some had obvious differences in appearance, and some were outright heteromorphs. They had nothing to do with the fictional existence of ''demons'' and could not be considered the same kind of creature.
Demons of this world generally had stronger bodies and greater strength than humans, possessing what could be termed immortal. Even if injured, they would immediately recover.
Some powerful demons could even regenerate if cut in half, making them seemingly undying in the eyes of ordinary people.
Such a group of demons had only one weakness¡ªthey couldn''t stand sunlight.
Once exposed to sunlight, they would immediately turn to ashes. Because of this, demons only became active after the sun had set, and during the daytime, they were nowhere to be seen.
''Immortal monster, huh...?''
Riezel''s eyes flickered, allowing the firelight to dance around his body.
After discerning the direction, he began to move.
''Anyway, let''s go down the mountains first...''
However, even after walking for a long time in the pitch-ck mountains, Riezel still hadn''t heard any sounds of birds or insects, which was quite unusual.
''Let''s go up the tree and take a look.''
Riezel didn''t continue walking aimlessly; instead, he leaped up like an arrow shot from a bow onto a tall tree, gazing out from the treetops.
Gazing from this great height, he finally spotted a glimmer of light in the pitch-ck mountains.
It was the light emanating from a small house halfway up the mountains.
''Someone actually lives in these remote mountains?''
After thinking that, Riezel didn''t hesitate any longer. With a swift movement, he flew out like a bird in flight, rapidly heading toward the house.
*Tap*
In less than a minute, he descended from the sky andnded in front of the house.
"Who''s there?"
Seemingly startled by the slight noise Riezel made uponnding, a cautious voice resounded from inside the house, reaching his ears.
"..."
Riezel squinted his eyes at the small house ahead of him, silent for a moment before responding.
"Just a lost traveler in the mountains. I spotted this house and figured I''d seek some help."
Upon hearing his response, the person inside seemed to fall silent and didn''t speak again. After a while, the door of the house suddenly opened, and someone stepped out.
Surprisingly, it was a beautiful woman in a kimono with fair skin, which immediately caught his eye.
"Come in."
Upon seeing Riezel standing at the door, the woman''s eyes flickered slightly before she spoke with some coldness.
"Sorry for the trouble." Riezel made a gesture of respect and then followed the woman into the house.
The interior of the house was very simple, with no extra rooms. A quick nce revealed the four wooden walls that made up the entire house and minimal furniture. There was only a fire burning in the middle, cooking a pot of meat.
"..."
As Riezel gazed at the pot of meat, his expression turned cold.
"Fufufu, wanna have some?"
The woman''s mockingughter resounded, chilling as if a gust of icy wind, sent shivers down one''s spine.
Yet, what sent shivers down the spine even more were her next words.
"I just cut off the neck of someone living in this house, ready for a feast, but then you suddenly showed up... Well, since it''s an unexpected addition to the meal, I tossed him in the pot for a little reheating. Care for a taste?"
As she spoke, the woman''s voice had changed. Once cold yet pleasant, it had now turned hoarse and sinister, akin to a demon''s chuckle.
"So... this is what they call a man-eating demon, huh?"
Riezel didn''t turn to the woman and simply remarked with a calm tone.
Knowing about demons was one thing but actually encountering one was another.
Before seeing them firsthand, Riezel regarded the existence of this world''s demons merely as knowledge and imagination. But now, seeing this demon woman and her brutality with his own eyes, he couldn''t help but feel disgusted.
"You bunch of scum really deserve to die..."
Before his voice could fade, however, the woman behind him already moved.
Approaching silently from behind like arge carnivorous beast, she lunged at Riezel with astonishing speed, aiming to bring him down for a feast.
Unfortunately, the lunge missed its mark.
"What?"
The woman raised her head and swiftly turned toward the direction of the firelight. With the firelight illuminating her body, her appearance hadpletely transformed.
Her once slightly beautiful face now sported fangs, her eyes fierce and terrifying. Her head elongated like that of a snake, and even her once fair skin was now wrinkled like snake scales, resembling a terrifying snake monster.
"Where?! Where is my prey?! Where''s my food?!"
As the demon woman growled furiously, a cold response came from her left.
"Right here."
Unfortunately, she didn''t have time to react.
*Pu-chi!*
With a sh of silver light, a dazzling sh sliced through her neck in the blink of an eye, severing her head.
Appearing from the side, Riezel brandished a bright silver short sword and swung it at the demon woman without giving her a chance to react.
His sh was merciless and swift, revealing his determination to kill her on the spot.
However¡ª
"You bastard! Are you a Demon yer?!"
The demon woman, whose head had been chopped off, not only failed to die instantly but, even as her head rolled on the ground, she let out a furious roar at Riezel.
At the same time, her headless body didn''t copse but instead started moving again, continuing to lunge at him.
This was this world''s ''Demon''.
Whether their heads were chopped off or their bodies dismembered, they wouldn''t die. If her head were reattached to her body, she could quickly return to normal without any harm done.
For ordinary humans, except for Demon yers who knew how to kill demons, killing one could be nearly impossible unless they were brought into sunlight.
However, Riezel obviously wasn''t ordinary.
Facing the headless demon woman''s body lunging toward him, Riezel didn''t dodge or swing his Hermit again. Instead, he extended a finger toward the body and swiftly tapped it.
*Bzzzt!*
There was a slight sound as Riezel''s finger touched the demon woman''s body.
"Dpose."
His ice-cold voice slowly spread.
In the next moment, a crimson light appeared at the tip of his finger before transforming into a wave and then into a vortex, spreading from his finger.
Before long, the entire body of the demon woman was instantly encased by the vortex, freezing in ce.
*BOOM!*
In no time, the headless body suddenly burst without any warning, turning into countless fragments, and vanishedpletely.
"AAAAAAAHHHHHH¡ª!!!"
As soon as her body vanished, the demon woman''s head on the ground unleashed a hysterical scream.
She was horrified to find that her body was gone.
Not chopped into pieces, not burst like just seen, but disappeared to nothingness directly, as if it never existed in the first ce.
"Yo-You monster!"
Seeing the iprehensible scene and unfathomable power of this young man, the demon woman was terrified.
*Crash!*
Without hesitation, she crashed through the window, letting her head fly out.
Unfortunately, before she could fly far, a fluctuation of crimson waves surged out from the wooden house, resembling a beam of light, catching up with her head in an instant.
*Bzzzt!*
As the crimson beam hit her, it disintegrated her head into nothingness.
Chapter 137: Mugen Train
Chapter 137: Mugen Train
Inside a small wooden house, illuminated by the flickering mes, everything fell into tranquility.
Riezel extended his finger toward the shattered window, witnessing the final moments of the demon woman before slowly lowering his arm.
Turning around, he nced at the gruesome pot, sighing momentster.
"Well, I guess this is vengeance for you... Rest in peace..."
After uttering those words, Riezel walked out of the house, swinging his hand as he did, causing a gust of wind to blow, scattering the fire cooking in the pot and sttering it onto the wooden floor, walls, and ceiling.
As he walked away from the house, with his back turned, mes soared behind him.
The entire house was engulfed, burning fiercely in the darkness of the night, dispersing the darkness that once enveloped the mountains.
Gradually, the sounds of birds and insects began to emerge.
Riezel didn''t look back again.Following the path leading down the mountains from in front of the house, he left behind this gloomy ce.
===
The day gradually brightened as sunlight spilled onto the earth.
At the foot of the mountains, a small town also began to bustle.
People gathered in twos and threes, chatting, working at the market, creating a lively scene.
At this moment, the world seemed to have a bit of life and excitement, not as horrifying as before.
Riezel, descending from the mountains, attracted quite a bit of attention as he entered the town.
"Where''s that guy from?"
"Never seen that face before."
"Is he a merchant from outside?"
"...Not sure."
People quietly observed Riezel walking down the street, discussing one after another, casting curious, doubtful, and wary nces at him.
''Am I really that strange...?'' Riezel was a bit puzzled.
Due to the nature of his consciousness being materialized upon arrival, every time Riezel engaged in dimensional travel, the clothes on his body were not those he originally wore, but rather local casual attire provided by the Dimensional Magic Cube upon materializing his consciousness.
Therefore, his clothes weren''t the noble clothes he wore in the main world but rather a verymon kimono.
Naturally, he wasn''t used to wearing a kimono and wanted to change it, but wasn''t it too early?
In theory, he should not stand out from the surrounding people.
Originally, when he dimensionally traveled to the world of Danmachi, appearing directly in Orario''s urban district didn''t attract any attention. However, this time, it drew so much attention that it puzzled him.
But soon he understood.
In his previous life, the Taisho period was over a hundred years ago. In this period, unless it was one of those bustling big towns, ces like small towns and viges probably had very few people.
With fewer people, the interactions between them became more frequent, and the probability of knowing each other also increased significantly.
This small town was located at the foot of the mountain, probably far from the big town. Usually, one could only see familiar faces, so it was rare to see strangers.
Moreover, Riezel came down from the mountain, traveling a long way. Even if he didn''t look dirty, there was a feeling of being dusty and weary, which would attract the attention of the town''s residents who rarely saw outsiders.
It seemed not so hard to understand.
In the end, Riezel let go of his random thoughts and began to stroke his chin, pondering.
''By the way, where am I now?''
The most urgent thing now should be to figure out where he was and ideally determine the original work''s timeline he was in.
Was it before the main story began or after?
"Selling newspapers!"
At the right moment, a newspaper vendor passed by Riezel''s side.
"Please give me one."
Riezel quickly reacted, stopped the newspaper vendor, and asked for a newspaper. As payment, he simply tossed a gold leaf to the vendor.
"I... I can''t make change for this, Mister!"
The newspaper vendor was taken aback by Riezel''s extravagant gesture.
Who would buy a newspaper by casually throwing gold for payment?!
The poor vendor was just a youth doing odd jobs, how could he have ever seen such a scene before?
He was extremely flustered.
"It''s okay, you keep it."
Riezel spread out the newspaper, looking at it while speaking indifferently.
"It''s not worth much anyway."
He wasn''t joking; he genuinely thought gold wasn''t worth much. Because the gold he used was created directly through structure system magic.
When Yuri taught him structure system magic, she taught him how to transmute various metals like iron, silver, copper, and gold using magic, allowing him to effortlessly produce gold using magic.
Alchemy magic was the mostmon magic in the structure system magic.
Since the Akasha Continent had already perfected this magic system, transmuting gold using magic was something that even a beginner magician with first-gradepatibility in the structure system could aplish.
As a result, gold was practically worthless on the Akasha Continent and didn''t even count as a precious metal. The currencies used by various countries were magic gold, magic silver, and magic copper, synthesized using special forms and structures.
These magic metals had a higher value than ordinary gold, silver, and copper. They essentially reced gold, silver, and copper in variousmercial and economic aspects. When made into currency, they would also have special magic runes attached to them, making them impossible to counterfeit.
Because of this, magic gold, magic silver, and magic copper were considered precious metals in the Akasha Continent. Meanwhile, ordinary gold, silver, and copper had lost their original value, depreciating to the point where they were almost as worthless as roadside pebbles.
Therefore, when Riezel said gold wasn''t worth much, he wasn''t just casually saying it.
However, to the ears of the newspaper vendor, it meant something else entirely.
Looking at Riezel''s demeanor right now, he seemed like a nouveau riche upstart. If the newspaper vendor were living in modern times, perhaps he would secretly envy and resent Riezel''s humblebragging.
Unaware that he had be a master of humblebrag in the eyes of the newspaper vendor, Riezel was busy flipping through the newspaper.
There was plenty of information written on it, like the current date and popr events happening in various big towns, ranging from trivial to involving national affairs, almost everything was documented.
Riezel scanned through it all and finally stopped at a certain spot.
¡ªThe man-eating Mugen Train is back in operation, there were no abnormalities after inspection.
The font of this news, the phrase ''man-eating'' was especially highlighted, allowing people to sense a faint ironic undertone. It was as if they were saying the so-called ''man-eating'' was nothing but baseless talk.
''Mugen Train, huh?''
He finally figured out which timeline he was in.
''Did I really arrive during this arc?'' Riezel mused, quite surprised.
After all, the ''Mugen Train Arc'' happened quite far into the main story.
''I couldn''t have arrived at a better time.''
This arc was a significant part of the main story, as it was also from this point that demons known as ''Upper Rank'' started to appear one after another.
Demons of this world were categorized by rank.
Some had just been newly transformed into demons, and their power was not too differentpared to humans. Others had been demons for a while, having consumed many people, and were known as ''Lower Rank'' with stronger power.
Moreover, there was an organization of demons known as the ''Twelve Kizuki'', boasting potent demon blood and ranking among the strongest demons, with demons of Upper Rank and Lower Rank among them.
The Twelve Kizuki referred to the twelve most powerful demons, second only to the progenitor of all demons, the Demon King.
Among them, six were Upper Rank, and six were Lower Rank.
Together, they formed the so-called Twelve Kizuki, humanity''s greatest predators and enemies.
In the original work, a strong Upper Rank appeared in the Mugen Train Arc. And now, with Riezel''s arrival, he found himself right in the middle of it.
''Coming early is not as good asing at the right time, is that what they say?''
Riezel chuckled, confirming the time and location of the Mugen Train''s operation as mentioned in the newspaper.
Before long, he folded the newspaper, grabbed a map he bought from the market, and headed west.
===
West Side of the Town, Train Station.
When Riezel arrived here, it was already dusk.
Blending into the crowd, he seemed like just an ordinary passenger, casually making his way toward the station. He bought a bento from a little girl selling them, not caring about the gold he handed over, nor the little girl''s startled cry of ''Grandma!'', nor the bewildered looks from passersby.
Riezel simply walked into the station calmly.
Everyone around was getting ready to board the train, either luggingrge suitcases or with their families in tow.
Riezel, on the other hand, was alone, empty-handed, looking more like a sightseer than a traveler.
Yet, he dutifully queued up for his ticket, entered the station, and stood on the tform waiting for the train. No one knew his identity, let alone that this seemingly young man possessed power beyond humans.
Truth be told, Riezel quite enjoyed the procedure.
In his previous life, he was always escorted around, paying attention to appearances wherever he went. His former self could never have imagined that now he could blend in with the ordinary people, squeezing into a train station, and buying a ticket by himself.
In the world of Danmachi, there was a time when he led a very ordinary life, but his focus at that time was solely on delving into the dungeon and ying monsters to be strong as soon as possible before the dimensional travel ended. There was hardly any time for him to indulge in the life of an ordinary person.
While on the Akasha Continent, let alone ordinary life, with Yuri by his side, he lived more like a noble than the actual noble themselves.
''I''m just an ordinary guy...''
Only at times like these would Riezel find himself wanting to say those words to Yuri, who didn''t exist in this ce.
Unfortunately¡ª
"Well, the journey ahead might not be an ordinary one though..."
Muttering softly as he looked at his ticket, Riezel''s voice was barely audible.
Soon enough, with a st of a train whistle, a train arrived at the station.
Chapter 138: Breathing
Chapter 138: Breathing
Mugen Train.
The name sounded grand, easily leading one to believe it was something extraordinary.
However, in reality, the so-called Mugen Train merely referred to a train named ''Mugen (Infinity)''.
This train wasn''t unknown; perhaps it was because trains in this era weren''t as prevalent as inter years, so anything rted to trains tended to make headlines in newspapers.
Recently, something peculiar happened on this train.
It was said that passengers aboard the Mugen Train, upon its arrival at the terminal station, inexplicably vanished.
Even though not everyone on the entire train disappeared at once, every so often, someone would board the train and then mysteriously disappear, with witnesses seeing them get on but no one witnessing them disembarking.
This incident caused quite a stir, making headlines several times and garnering significant attention.
As a result, a rumor began circting that said ''Mugen Train will eat people''.When Riezel saw the newspaper, the reason for the headline specifically mentioning ''man-eating'' was apparent.
Thanks to this, the Mugen Train underwent repairs recently, only resuming service after maintenance workers confirmed there were no anomalies on board.
And so, today marked the Mugen Train''s first journey back in service.
*Tooot!* *Tooot!*
As the loud whistle pierced the night, the Mugen Train, with its dark steel front and wooden carriages, rolled in from the other side of the rail tracks and halted at the tform.
People queued up orderly to board, entering the carriages and finding seats.
With a ticket in hand, Riezel quickly blended in and settled into a window seat, looking like an aspiring young man about to embark on a journey.
Behind him, a few passengers engaged in conversation.
"Is this the train that eats people?"
"Don''t be crazy. How could there be a man-eating train in this world?"
"Well, if it were real, I''d totally wanna see which part of the train does the munching."
"Maybe it''s the lotive?"
"Hahaha..."
The passengers chatted andughed, treating the man-eating train rumor as amusement.
On the other hand, Riezel remained calm and didn''t turn to look at them.
If these passengers were characters in a horror film, they might be the first batch of sacrificial victims.
Ignoring the passengers'' conversations, Riezel took out the bento he had bought at the station and prepared to fill his stomach.
Unexpectedly, as he opened the bento box, a loud voice echoed from behind.
"Don''t underestimate it!"
It was genuinely a booming voice, enough to make one''s eardrums ache.
"What the¡ª!"
"Hey, who are you?!"
"Damn loud!"
A few passengers behind Riezel seemed to be startled by the sudden outburst.
However, the owner of the voice seemed not to pay attention to the reactions of the passengers, continuing to speak.
"Whenever rumors arise, there''s always a reason! We must not treat potentially dangerous situations lightly! We must be extra careful, you hear me?! Everyone!"
As the voice''s volume increased, the owner of the voice seemed deliberately intent on shouting, which attracted the attention of the surrounding passengers.
"What''s wrong with this guy?"
"No idea..."
"Let''s switch to another carriage."
Several passengers suddenly felt the need to keep their distance and quickly left, not staying in this carriage any longer.
Apparently, many passengers shared the same sentiment, causing the rtively crowded carriage to suddenly empty out quite a bit, bing somewhat colder and silent.
Only then did Riezel lower his hands from covering his ears, partly narrow his eyes, and turn to look behind him.
In the next moment, a figure entered his field of vision.
It was a striking young man.
The young man had very conspicuous yellow hair, styled quite uniquely, resembling a burning me, with even some edges of his hair dyed red.
He also had thick ck eyebrows, sharp eyes, and wore a brown uniform with a white haori adorned with a feather pattern and mes at the edges, giving him a very unique appearance that clearly marked him as a unique character.
Of course, this was nothingpared to therge number of bento boxes the young man was carrying in his hands.
Seeing this unique young man and therge number of bento boxes he was carrying, Riezel couldn''t help but silently remark to himself.
''Just boarded the train and already encountering an important character?''
The conspicuous and distinctive appearance of this young man allowed Riezel to recognize him with just a nce.
At the same time, paying no attention to the surrounding gazes, the young man continued to wear a smile, calling out to the passengers heading toward another carriage.
"Remember to be extra careful, and shout loudly if you encounter danger, okay?!"
His booming voice ultimately resulted in those few passengers running even faster.
Seeing this scene, the young man merely nodded in satisfaction, as ifpleting some mission, then turned and sat down.
The spot he chose to sit was exactly where those escaping passengers had been sitting, right behind Riezel.
Riezel didn''t bother to look back at the young man, just lightly smiled and began eating his still-warm bento. It was a high-quality beef hotpot bento, albeit slightly cooled down, but it still carried a unique vor.
Since arriving in this worldst night, Riezel hadn''t eaten a thing, so this bento came just in time to fill his stomach.
However, he wasn''t fully focused on savoring the bento; instead, he mechanically ate while gradually shifting his attention to the young man behind him.
Even though he didn''t turn around to look, Riezel could keenly sense that this young man''s breathing was different from the others.
Specifically, the way he breathed was peculiar.
Whether in rhythm or frequency, this young man''s breathing differed from that of normal people. While it might not be evident on the surface, in reality, he was inhaling a considerable amount of air into his lungs, yet exhaling very little. It made one wonder where all that air was being sent.
''So this is the breathing technique of this world?'' Riezel pondered silently.
Indeed, this world also had its own breathing technique, known as ''Breathing Style''.
However, unlike the breathing style of the Akasha Continent, which was merely a supplementary method for swordsmen''s practice, the breathing style of this world served as the mainbat support, created to allow humans to confront demons with their frail bodies.
Its primary purpose was to enhance heart and lung function, drawing inrge amounts of oxygen through a special breathing technique to elerate blood cirction in a short time. This could significantly boost one''s physical abilities in an instant, temporarily granting them physical prowess equivalent to that of demons.
Its full name was ''Total Concentration Breathing''.
One of the major reasons why the Demon yers in this world could contend with demons, engage inbat with them, and even subdue them, was this ''Total Concentration Breathing''.
Most people that were proficient in Total Concentration Breathing were members of an organization called the ''Demon yer Corps''.
At this moment, the young man sitting behind Riezel, who left a strong impression, was undoubtedly a Demon yer who had mastered a breathing style.
Listening to the breath of this young man, Riezel gradually had an idea.
''Is it like this?''
Riezel consciously adjusted his breathing to align with the young man.
For him, this wasn''t difficult.
Due to his practice of Breaking Steel Sword Style, he had already specialized in breathing techniques. So even though it was a different world, with different effects and functions, his experiences allowed him to quickly grasp this world''s breathing technique.
Moreover, having an example right near him, it didn''t take long for Riezel to adjust his breathing frequency to be almost identical to that of the young man behind him.
In this split second, Riezel indeed felt the oxygen he inhaled into his body energizing his bloodstream, elerating blood flow, and strengthening his heart and lungs, resulting in a surge of power within him.
''Interesting...''
Feeling all of this, Riezel''s lips curled upward as he breathed in once again.
This strange sensation caused him to be somewhat immersed, momentarily ignoring themotion around him.
However, soon enough, a voice startled Riezel awake.
"It''s not just about inhaling arge amount of air, finding the right moments to inhale and exhale is also important, youngster!"
As that familiar booming voice echoed once again, Riezel was finally brought back to reality. Turning his head to the side, he discovered that someone had already taken a seat next to him.
It was the young man with the me-patterned haori.
With a plethora of bento boxes in hand, the young man quietly sat beside Riezel, holding an open bento box, eating while shing a wide smile at him.
"Keep it up, keep breathing! The state you were in just now was good. If you can maintain that kind of breathing state, you''ll be ready in no time!"
It was evident that the young man had noticed Riezel mimicking his breathing. However, not only did he not mind, but he also offered guidance, appearing as if he were a mentor.
"Sorry..."
Riezel naturally wouldn''t continue as if nothing had happened after being caught red-handed by the other party; he apologized, bowing his head slightly toward the young man.
"Your breathing is quite unique and interesting, so I unconsciously imitated it without asking. My bad."
However, the young man seemed unfazed, continuing to eat his bento.
"Delicious!"
After taking a bite, the young man immediately praised loudly.
Riezel soon noticed that the bento the young man was eating seemed to be from the same ce as his.
"Delicious!"
Once again, the young man praised loudly before looking at Riezel.
"I''m Rengoku Kyoujurou! What is your name, youngster?"
Needless to say, the young man with the me-patterned haori was none other than Rengoku Kyoujurou, the me Hashira of the Demon yer Corps, one of the most important characters in the Mugen Train Arc.
Chapter 139: Flame Hashira
Chapter 139: me Hashira
Since demons had a powerful group known as the Twelve Kizuki, further divided into Upper Rank and Lower Rank, each with distinct strengths and ranks, the Demon yer Corps also had hierarchies with differences in status and strength among its members.
Demon yers affiliated with the Demon yer Corps were generally ssified into ten ranks¡ªKinoe, Kinoto, Hinoe, Hinoto, Tsuchinoe, Tsuchinoto, Kanoe, Kanoto, Mizunoe, and Mizunoto.
Kinoe was the highest, while Mizunoto was the lowest.
Generally, the higher the rank, the stronger they were, and the better their treatment, status, and authority within the Demon yer Corps. However, Kinoe was actually not the highest rank within the Corps.
The Demon yer Corps was led by a leader known as ''Master (Oyakata-sama)'' and the nine strongest Demon yers known as ''Hashira (Pir)''.
The Master was someone who led the entire Demon yer Corps, while the Hashira were nine highly respected swordsmen who supported the Corps, surpassing all other ranks within it.
Each Hashira was named after the breathing style they used.
For example, there were five fundamental breathing styles in this world¡ªme, water, wind, lightning, and stone. A Hashira who excelled in a particr breathing style would be named ordingly.
The Hashira who used me Breathing was called me Hashira, the Hashira who used Water Breathing was called Water Hashira, and so on.Rengoku Kyoujurou, a Demon yer with a strong personality, was the me Hashira of the Demon yer Corps, one of the strongest swordsmen of this era.
At the same time, he stood as the most admirable and awe-inspiring swordsman, ready to confront an Upper Rank destined to arrive at this Mugen Train¡ªa confrontation that would mark the end of his battle and his life.
Riezel cast his gaze upon the young man who illuminated the darkness around him like a me.
"Hmm? What''s up, Bento Boy!"
Kyoujurou, devouring his bento, oddly addressed Riezel with a peculiar nickname, perhaps noticing that Riezel''s bento was from the same ce as his.
"You''re the one who looks more like a Bento Boy..." Riezel couldn''t help but retort but decided not to dwell too much on the topic. "Well, since someone like you is on this train, it seems like this train is going to run into trouble soon, huh..."
Upon hearing that, Kyoujurou''s bento-eating pace slowed down.
"Ahh, it seems you know a thing or two about us!" Kyoujurou nodded earnestly, his smile undiminished. "But don''t worry! With me here, everything will be alright!"
Kyoujurou''s words, spoken with such loud volume, attracted more attention than just a passing nce. Nevertheless, he didn''t mind if others overheard, and neither did Riezel.
"This train is packed with two hundred people. Can you really handle all of them alone?" Riezel asked, continuing to munch on his bento while gazing ahead.
"Umu! You think it must be too tough for me?" Kyoujurou admitted calmly, without any hint of evasion.
Although he was a Hashira, one of the nine strongest Demon yers of this era, fighting demons while protecting two hundred lives was indeed no easy feat. If they were ordinary demons, it would be manageable since ordinary demons were no match for the me Hashira, as they were simply a matter of one sh. Even the Lower Ranks wouldn''t stand a chance against a Hashira.
It was not strange since to be a Hashira in the Demon yer Corps, there were two requirements to fulfill.
One was to eliminate fifty demons and the other was to defeat a member of the Twelve Kizuki.
Consequently, most of the Hashira in the Demon yer Corps had personally defeated demons from the Twelve Kizuki. While they may have only defeated the Lower Ranks, it was enough to demonstrate their strength.
Regardless, the number of people missing on this Mugen Train had already exceeded forty. If they had all been eaten by a demon, then this demon involved must be far from ordinary.
Just as people gain nutrition from eating meat, demons also grow stronger and stronger from consuming humans. The more they ate, the stronger they became, and the more humans they could consume.
If an ordinary demon wanted to engage in mass consumption of humans, they might not be able to digest them all. This meant that since the Mugen Train had already ''consumed'' over forty people, the demon on this train should be at least a Lower Rank due to this level of consumption.
While Kyoujurou may not fear a Lower Rank, protecting two hundred lives while fighting them was no simple task.
However, what if the demon on this train weren''t a Lower Rank but an Upper Rank?
Not only were the Upper Ranks the strongest demons just beneath the Demon King, but their members hadn''t changed at all in nearly a hundred years. They had never been defeated and had even killed many Hashira, proving their strength was far beyond that of the Lower Ranks.
If the Upper Ranks were to appear in Mugen Train, perhaps Kyoujurou''s own survival would be in question, let alone protecting others.
However¡ª
"Even so, I will fulfill my duty and not let a single person lose their life before me!" Kyoujurou crossed his arms and dered loudly toward the train''s ceiling. "You can all rest assured!"
His statement startled all the passengers in the carriage.
In the eyes of others, Kyoujurou, who had been shouting and saying nonsensical things, seemed no different from a madman. Only Riezel could sense a strong and resolute determination in his seemingly loud words.
This young man truly thought like that, determined not to let anyone lose their life in front of him.
Even if the demon about to appear was an Upper Rank, he would fight to the end to protect everyone on this train. Those who felt the strength in his words would probably feel reassured, just as he said.
However, Riezel, looking at this young man, had a different thought.
"You''re here to protect everyone, but who''s here to protect you?" Riezel remarked casually, still munching on his bento.
A casual remark, yet it made even the me Hashira, who spoke so boldly, pause.
Kyoujurou didn''t know that Riezel was also speaking from the heart.
After all, in the original work, although Kyoujurou did manage to keep all two hundred people on the train alive, in the end, he lost his own life.
Riezel genuinely admired Kyoujurou, hence why he said such a sentence.
Kyoujurou, for the first time, looked at Riezel, smiling at the youngster before him who was eating a bento just like him.
"Umu, the responsibility of the strong is to protect the weak, not to use the talents bestowed by heaven to harm others or enrich one''s own pockets!"
Kyoujurou''s voice was still loud, still powerful, but this time, his voice not only contained power but also conviction.
"Protecting everyone here is my responsibility!"
As for himself?
"Where there is a responsibility, there is belief! What does danger matter? Just stand tall and live with your head held high!"
Kyoujurou patted his chest andughed heartily.
"Don''t you dare underestimate me, Bento Boy, for my heart is aze!"
¡ªLive with your head held high, set your heart aze.
This was the me Hashira, Rengoku Kyoujurou.
"..."
Riezel fell silent and didn''t speak, only quietly finishing his bento, eating until thest bite. Finally, he ced the empty bento box down and, following the customs of this world, sped his hands together.
*p*
"Thanks for the meal (Gochisousama deshita)."
In the next moment, Riezel turned his head and faced Kyoujurou.
"The responsibility of the strong is to protect the weak, you say?" Riezel stared directly at Kyoujurou''s eyes, suddenly smiling. "If you say it like that, my responsibility is to protect you, isn''t it?"
"What?" Kyoujurou was taken aback.
"Isn''t it?" Riezel continued to smile. "After all, I''m stronger than you."
Even though his words were filled with unusual calmness and indifference,pletely unlike Kyoujurou''s loud and powerful tone, it was precisely these calm words that gave Kyoujurou an incredible sense of security.
"Stronger than... me...?"
Kyoujurou rarely murmured before revealing a big smile shortly afterward.
Like sunlight, like mes, a fierce and cheerful smile.
"What an incredible youngster!" Kyoujurouughed heartily. "But unfortunately, I am a thousand times stronger than you imagine, so let me protect you!"
"No, no, no, I think I should be a hundred thousand times stronger than you imagine." Riezel said very earnestly, shaking his head. "So, let me protect you."
"Then I am a million times stronger than you imagine! Let me protect you!"
"Then I am ten million times stronger."
"Then I am a hundred million times!"
In the end, the two of them carried on with this bizarre argument in the quiet train carriage, leaving people dumbfounded yet with an inexplicable urge to smile.
As the argument progressed, a third voice suddenly burst in, overshadowing the two.
"This lord is a billion times stronger than you both! If you don''t believe it, let''s settle it once and for all!"
Apanied by such a loud shout, a figure rushed extremely fast from behind the ss of the empty carriage door.
"Boar Rush!"
*BOOM!*
Shouting like this, the figure smashed through the carriage door, bringing countless wood chips with it and rushing into the spot where Riezel and Kyoujurou were.
"Stop it! You dumbass!"
"Calm down! Inosuke!"
Upon closer inspection, there were actually two people hanging on to this figure, looking like they were about to cry, but their efforts to stop the former were futile.
As for the one who crashed through the door, it was¡ªsomeone with a boar head?
"Mwahahaha! Where''s the me Hashira? Let''s settle this once and for all!"
The boar-headed figure stood with hands on hips,ughing loudly.
Chapter 140: Three Main Characters
Chapter 140: Three Main Characters
The train carriage, which had turned coldly quiet due to the presence of Kyoujurou, suddenly became lively again with the abrupt entrance of three people.
"Huh? Who are you...?" Kyoujurou tilted his head, looking at the three neers.
Riezel also nced at the three.
They were three youths, much like Kyoujurou himself, each with a striking personality.
"He-Hello, Mr. Rengoku! Sorry for the intrusion!"
One of the three nervously blurted out.
He was a youth with ck-burgundy hair and matching eyes, a hint of innocence in his features, a scar on his left temple, and a pair of hanafuda earrings with a sun symbol on both of them, dressed in a ck uniform with a ck and green checkered haori.
"Someone please stop this fool! I can''t stand it anymore!"
Unlike the former polite speaker, this time it was a youth with the same uniform but wearing a yellow haori adorned with triangr patterns and short golden hair, who paid no attention to Kyoujurou and continued yelling and screaming.Both of them were clinging to the boar-headed youth who had barged in earlier, desperately trying to restrain him. Unfortunately, they were easily shrugged off.
"Mwahahaha! So, you''re the me Hashira?"
The boar-headed youth continued to shout enthusiastically.
In all honesty, he truly looked like a wild boar.
Judging by his voice, he seemed to be of a simr age to the other two, yet he wore no uniform, only a gray boar mask on his head, deer fur draped around his waist, bear fur around his feet, and he was bare-chested, wearing only ck baggy hakama pants, giving him aical appearance.
These three youths, whether in appearance or fashion, werepletely different from regr people.
Such entric ways of dressing could either be attention-seeking clownery or some big shots who were indifferent to public opinion. Although they were not yet big shots, these three were important characters in the original work.
They were the main characters in the world of Demon yer, the focal point of the main story''s development, and also members of the Demon yer Corps.
"Oh, it''s you?"
Kyoujurou''s expression shifted from puzzlement to realization upon seeing the burgundy-haired youth.
"That''s right! I''m the me Hashira!"
Kyoujurou proudly dered upon recognizing his fellow members from the Demon yer Corps. However, as he affirmed their camaraderie, the boar-headed youth made a move.
"Boar Rush!"
Without even thinking, the boar-headed youth charged straight toward Kyoujurou.
"Wait! Inosuke!"
"Dumbass!"
"The burgundy-haired youth and the yellow-haired youth immediately shouted in session and moved to restrain the boar-headed youth. Unfortunately, they were toote, as his head had already closed in on Kyoujurou''s face."
Fast and forceful, it was truly like a wild boar in a charge. If Kyoujurou were to be hit, it might be just a moment before he flew out, crashing through the walls of the carriage and flying outside.
However¡ª
"Well, calm down, Boar-Head Boy."
Kyoujurou''s calm voice resounded not in front of the boar-headed youth charging ahead, but behind him.
"I just made an important friend here. Can''t let you hurt him, can we? Are you calm now?"
*Thud!*
Saying so, Kyoujurou''s haori fluttered slowly as he appeared behind the boar-headed youth, pressing him down on the ground.
"What?!"
Beneath the boar mask, the boar-headed youth''s eyes widened with surprise.
"So fast!"
"Couldn''t see a thing!"
Just as the burgundy-haired youth and the yellow-haired youth were getting up, they also witnessed this scene and were equally shocked.
Only Riezel remained seated, not moving at all.
He even ignored themotion and casually reached out to grab something from the plethora of bento boxes brought by Kyoujurou.
"I''m not full yet. Can I have one of these?" Riezel casually asked.
"Of course! Go ahead!" Kyoujurou replied enthusiastically.
"Thanks." Riezel opened the bento box and started eating.
Only then did Kyoujurou look toward the three bewildered youths still standing there, grinning broadly.
"Do you guys want some too? My treat!"
Kyojuro''s words were met with three simultaneous shakes of the head like tambourines being yed in unison.
"Is that so? What a pity!"
Although Kyoujurou said that, his face still bore a cheerful smile as he let go of the boar-headed youth and sat back beside Riezel.
"Are you okay?" The yellow-haired youth quickly helped up the boar-headed youth before grumbling. "I''ve told you not to be so impulsive. He''s a Hashira, and we''re just rookies at the lowest rank. How could we possibly win against him?"
"We''re really sorry, Mr. Rengoku!" The burgundy-haired youth kept bowing over and over to Kyoujurou. "Inosuke didn''t mean any harm!"
"Umu! I forgive all of you!" Kyoujurou crossed his arms and nodded solemnly. "Are these two your friends?"
"Yes!" The burgundy-haired youth quickly introduced his two friends. "These two are Agatsuma Zenitsu and Hashibira Inosuke."
Agatsuma Zenitsu was the yellow-haired youth, while Hashibira Inosuke was the boar-headed youth.
"Ahh!"
The burgundy-haired youth remembered something and introduced himself to the nearby Riezel, who was eating bento.
"I''m Kamado Tanjirou, nice to meet you."
Kamado Tanjirou, a new recruit of the Demon yer Corps, had only joined a few months ago and was still a novice. However, the special abilities and experiences of this youth might even surpass those of Hashira.
"Hello."
Riezel nced at Tanjirou and nodded toward him. Of course, besides nodding, he also couldn''t help but nce at Tanjirou''s back.
There, Tanjirou carried arge wooden box, from which a faint and steady breathing could be heard.
Riezel nced at the wooden box for a moment and then looked away.
"So, Young Mizoguchi, how did you end up here?" Kyoujurou asked without turning his gaze away.
"...My name is Kamado Tanjirou, not Mizoguchi..." Tanjirouined softly, then answered. "We were sent here because the victims of the Mugen Train have been increasing, so they asked us to support you."
"To be honest, I didn''t want toe at all..." Zenitsu chimed in without much confidence. "This is a mission that even the Hashira need to handle personally... Sending us low-ranking members to support? We''re going to die, aren''t we? We''re definitely going to die!"
In the next moment, tears welled up in Zenitsu''s eyes, looking like he wanted to escape.
On the other hand, Inosuke had already stood up and crossed his arms, menacingly.
"The demon we need to deal with is this iron beast, right? I figured that out a long time ago!" Inosuke said in a loud voice. "Yosh! Leave it to me! Boar Rush!"
He charged, rushing toward the wall of the carriage.
"Stop it, you moron!" Zenitsu quickly grabbed Inosuke, yelling hysterically. "I''m telling you, this is a train! A goddamn train, not some iron beast, and it''s definitely not a demon!"
"Eh?" Tanjirou looked at Zenitsu in disbelief.
"...Why are you giving me that look?! Why do you find it so unbelievable?!" Zenitsu snapped, going crazy. "You two are just a couple of hicks who haven''t even seen a train before for fuck''s sake! Aaahhh! I''ve had enough of this shit!"
"Hahahaha!" Kyoujurou burst intoughter. "You guys are quite amusing!"
''No, they''re just in crazy...'' Riezel retorted inwardly while quietly eating his bento on the side.
After a while, everyone finally calmed down and sat down one after another.
"Hahaha! Hahahaha!"
Inosuke stood by the window, vigorously patting it, as if he was challenging the train, making Zenitsu, who sat beside him, look utterly fed up.
Tanjirou, on the other hand, sat across from Riezel and Kyoujurou, carefully cing the wooden box he had on his back beside him, treating it like the most precious treasure.
As Tanjirou said, he and his two friends were sent by the Demon yer Corps to support Kyoujurou.
Because more than forty people had gone missing on the Mugen Train, suspected to have been eaten by demons. Moreover, several Demon yers sent here had also lost contact, so the higher-ups thought Kyoujurou might need assistance, and thus they sent Tanjirou and the other two.
Although the three of them were only newly recruited Demon yers and their ranks were not high, they had recently encountered a Lower Rank, Lower Five Rui.
In the battle against the Lower Five, the Demon yer Corps suffered heavy casualties, prompting the Master to send two Hashira to support.
Surprisingly, by the time the two Hashira arrived, Zenitsu and Inosuke had already dealt with their respective demons, while Tanjirou had disyed astonishingbat power in his fight against the Lower Five, nearly sessfully beheading him.
As a result, although the ranks of these three youths were not high, theirbat abilities were impressive, catching the attention of the higher-ups in the Demon yer Corps and even gaining high regard from the Master and several Hashira.
This time, Tanjirou, Zenitsu, and Inosuke were sent because of a rmendation from a Hashira.
"I see, Kochou rmended you guys?" Kyoujurou nodded heavily. "In that case, you''ll stay with me. I also want to observe you, Young Mizoguchi."
Upon hearing that, Tanjirou lowered his head, a hint of gloom appearing on his face.
Chapter 141: The Beginning
Chapter 141: The Beginning
Actually, within the current Demon yer Corps, while there were certainly high-ranking people who supported and valued Tanjirou, many others didn''t acknowledge him.
It was because of a simple reason¡ªTanjirou had vited the rules of the Demon yer Corps.
As a Demon yer of the Demon yer Corps, Tanjirou not only sheltered a demon, who was considered their enemy but also kept this demon by his side.
Yes, the wooden box that he carried around so carefully actually contained a demon.
As a result, he faced hostility from many Hashira within the Demon yer Corps. Only the Water Hashira and the Insect Hashira could be considered to stand by his side, choosing to support him.
As for Kyoujurou, the me Hashira, although he did not show hostility toward Tanjirou because the Master acknowledged his situation, it was still a bit early to say that he had fully epted Tanjirou and chosen to support him.
Kyoujurou''s current attitude toward Tanjirou could be described as one of temporary observation, as evidenced by when he told Tanjirou that he wanted to observe him.
Tanjirou was aware of this, which was why a hint of gloom appeared on his face.
Fortunately, he recovered from this gloom very quickly."I believe in Nezuko."
Tanjirou dered firmly, cing a hand on the wooden box beside him as he looked at Kyoujurou.
"She will surely gain Mr. Rengoku''s approval."
"Umu!" Kyoujurou nodded, maintaining a smile. "Naturally, I hope so too!"
Hearing that response, Tanjirou smiled.
Generally speaking, Kyoujurou was actually quite benevolent toward Tanjirou. He was not like some of the Hashira who tantly acted hostile toward Tanjirou for sheltering a demon.
Perhaps realizing this, Tanjirou began to rx his expression.
"Umm... Are you also a member of the Corps?" Tanjirou finally shifted his attention to Riezel.
This mysterious young man, who looked only one or two years older than him, seemed to have a good rtionship with the me Hashira, but he was not wearing the uniform of the Demon yer Corps, leaving him somewhat uncertain about this young man''s identity.
Tanjirou''s question was soon answered by Kyoujurou.
"This Bento Boy is going to be my Tsuguko!" Kyoujurou dered loudly.
''Ahh, I see! So this big brother is Mr. Rengoku''s sessor?'' Tanjirou thought, finally understood.
The term ''Tsuguko'' didn''t refer to an adopted child but rather to the apprentice and sessor of Hashira. They were usually direct subordinates of Hashira, with lower rank but considerable status and influence within the Demon yer Corps. They were often regarded as proxies for the Hashira.
''When Mr. Rengoku said this big brother is his Tsuguko, does that mean he is Mr. Rengoku''s apprentice? So, he is also a user of me Breathing?'' Tanjirou pondered inwardly. ''Miss Shinobu mentioned that only someone like Mr. Rengoku who understands me Breathing as a me Hashira might know something about the technique I used against the Lower Fivest time. Does Mr. Rengoku''s Tsuguko also know something about it?''
With those thoughts in mind, Tanjirou couldn''t help but want to know. But before he could ask, Riezel spoke first.
"No." Riezel denied it briefly.
"Wh-What do you mean by no?" Tanjirou was taken aback.
"I am not Tsuguko of the me Hashira."
Riezel nced at Kyoujurou, who was smiling beside him, then turned his head to Tanjirou.
"We just met on this train, and before this, we were strangers and had no idea of each other''s existence."
"Eh?" Tanjirou''s eyes widened as he turned to Kyoujurou, surprised. "I-Is that true, Mr. Rengoku?"
"Don''t worry about these minor details!" Kyoujurou said confidently and firmly. "This Bento Boy will be my Tsuguko! This is my decision!"
Upon hearing that adamant answer, Tanjirou couldn''t help but be dumbfounded, while Zenitsu, who was currently engaged in a fierce battle with Inosuke, couldn''t help but chime in.
"Doesn''t that mean you haven''t got his consent yet?"
Zenitsu''s words summarized the situation quite urately.
In any case, Riezel waspletely unaware of the matter of being a Tsuguko from start to finish and had no ns to be Kyoujurou''s apprentice or sessor.
"Since you guys just met on this train, doesn''t that mean this big brother here is actually an outsider?" Zenitsu, being quite sharp, grasped the crucial point.
"..."
Everyone instantly fell silent.
"Are you serious?! Involving ordinary people in our mission isn''t allowed, right?! It could be dangerous!"
Although timid, Zenitsu was still kindhearted. Upon realizing that Riezel was just a bystander, he immediately stood up in a panic.
"Are you seriously discussing our mission and the Mugen Train incident so openly in front of an outsider?! Aren''t you afraid of causing chaos?!"
Zenitsu sure liked to make a fuss, looking like he hadn''t seen much of the world.
"It''s okay, you guys don''t have to worry about me."
Without even setting down his bento box, Riezel spoke calmly to Tanjirou and Zenitsu.
"Even though I''m not part of the Demon yer Corps and indeed just a bystander, don''t be fooled by appearances. I do have some understanding of your circumstances. Besides, I can protect myself."
Upon hearing that, Zenitsu was speechless and didn''t know what to say.
Tanjirou also fell into silence, gazing at Riezel, lost in thought.
It was Inosuke, who had been wild and erratic just moments ago, now leaning against the window, casually chimed in.
"He''s telling the truth, y''know... I can sense it... he is strong, probably even stronger than the me Hashira next to him."
"Oh?" Kyoujurou raised an eyebrow.
Oddly enough, Inosuke''s nonsensical remark gained Tanjirou''s approval.
"Inosuke is right..." Tanjirou nodded earnestly. "Big Brother''s words just now didn''t carry the scent of lies, and I can detect an incredible scent emanating from him. It''s the kind of scent that only a swordsman honed through a thousand trials would have..."
"Hmm?" Kyoujurou raised his eyebrow again.
"Seriously? You guys serious?" Zenitsu was bewildered by all this, but shortly afterward, he began to ponder as he gazed at Riezel. ''Now that I think about it... I can hear some strange sounds from him, kinda spooky...''
"Umu!" Kyoujurou crossed his arms, nodding thoughtfully.
Only Riezel, upon hearing the words of the three youths, spoke with genuine surprise.
"Your abilities are indeed quite special."
If someone else were to hear the words of Tanjirou, Zenitsu, and Inosuke here, they would surely find it nonsense.
However, Riezel knew that the words of these three had reasons behind them.
Whether it was Tanjirou, Inosuke, or even Zenitsu, each of them possessed an exceptionally sensitive and sharp sense.
Tanjirou had a sharp sense of smell.
Inosuke had an incredibly sensitive sense of touch.
Zenitsu had a heightened sense of hearing.
These three youths could each perceive information and clues through smell, hearing, and skin sensations that ordinary people couldn''t confirm, stronger even than some famously sensitive animals.
Precisely because of this, these three became this world''s main characters, forming a group not only because they were like-minded, but also because they were equally special.
As Riezel was about to say something else, someone walked into the carriage.
"Please show your tickets."
A train conductor dressed in a train staff uniform spoke weakly and without strength.
Everyone in the carriage then noticed the conductor of the train approaching, seeming a bitckluster, not only speaking sluggishly but also with a weary expression on his face.
"Please show your tickets..."
Undoubtedly, this conductor was here to check passenger tickets.
"Yosh, let''s get the tickets checked first." Kyoujurou said to everyone. "We''ll deal with the restter."
""Yes!""
Agreeing, the three youths nodded.
One by one, the passengers presented their tickets, handing them over to be hole-punched by the conductor.
Seeing this scene, Riezel''s eyes flickered.
As someone familiar with the original work, he knew that this was not a good idea.
Neither Kyoujurou nor the three main characters knew that the tickets for the Mugen Train had been tampered with by a hidden demon onboard, with demon blood mixed into the ink on the tickets.
Once the conductor hole-punched the tickets, the hidden demon would use the blood on the tickets to cast an illusion, hypnotizing all the passengers holding tickets.
For this reason, this ticket checking was actually dangerous.
Nevertheless, Riezel had no intention of stopping it.
Because he knew not only the tickets but the entire train had been tampered with by the demon.
If the members of the Demon yer Corps were not hypnotized but instead took action immediately, it was very likely to provoke an extreme reaction from the hidden demon, leading the demon to attack the entire train directly.
Since there were still two hundred passengers on this train, if something unexpected happened, it would definitely be a big trouble.
In that case, it was better to take matters into his own hands while everyone was hypnotized and asleep so he could defeat the demon without any nuisance.
"Please show your ticket..."
Before long, the conductor had now approached Riezel, asking him to show his ticket.
Riezel calmly took out his ticket and handed it to the conductor, allowing him to hole-punch it.
He wasn''t afraid of being hypnotized.
Beingpletely immune to mental interference from Self-Redemption and possessing the highest rank development ability of Abnormal Resistance from Endless, he was impossible to hypnotize.
Unfortunately, as he thought like that, Riezel forgot one thing.
Within the skill effects of Self Redemption, there was an effect that said¡ªCan ept and enhance the effects of friendly buffs on oneself.
In other words, if the hypnosis had no negative effects on him but instead benefited him, he would still be affected, and it would also be enhanced.
*Ding¡ªling¡ª*
In this calm, Tanjirou''s hanafuda earrings adorned with sun symbols gently swayed, emitting a barely perceptible pleasant tinkling sound.
Chapter 142: Sun Breathing
Chapter 142: Sun Breathing
*Ding¡ªling¡ª*
Suddenly, the sound of wind chimes could be heard.
Somewhat distant, yet also strangely close.
*Ding¡ªling¡ª* *Ding¡ªling¡ª*
The rhythmic tinkling of the wind chimes seemed to stir and call out to Riezel, it sounded pleasant and captivating.
In a daze, Riezel followed the sound of the wind chimes, slowly walking in a particr direction.
"Wait a sec... Where the hell is this...?"
As Riezel snapped back to reality, his mind emerging from the haze, he suddenly realized he was in an utterly unfamiliar ce.
"Mountaintop?"Indeed, Riezel found himself atop a mountain.
It was a seemingly lofty peak, almost touching the sky, bathed entirely in the sunlight, making the sun appearrger than it actually was.
"How did I end up here?" Riezel frowned.
Wasn''t he on the Mugen Train just a moment ago?
One second he was getting his ticket checked by the conductor, and the next moment he was in a ce like this.
"Don''t tell me I get hypnotized... Is this inside a dream?"
Realizing what had happened, Riezel felt a twinge of amazement.
He, with the highest rank of Abnormal Resistance development ability and immunity to mental interference from Self Redemption, got hypnotized by a demon?
He couldn''t believe it.
Yet, the undeniable reality before him told him that whether he believed it or not, he had indeed entered a dream.
The evidence was clear¡ªdespite being on the mountaintop with strong winds and intense sunlight, he couldn''t feel the breeze brushing against his body, nor could he sense the warmth of the sun.
"Fascinating..."
Confirming this, Riezel murmured to himself.
After observing his surroundings for a moment, Riezel quickly reached out his hand and grabbed his own neck, preparing to snap it.
This was the most effective way to break free from the demon''s dream¡ªkilling oneself in the dream would lead to waking up.
However, just as Riezel was about to snap his own neck, a deep voice suddenly reached his ears.
"Sun Breathing consists of thirteen sword forms."
When this unexpected voice echoed in his ears, Riezel''s movement to snap his neck halted. It was only then that he noticed he wasn''t alone on this mountaintop.
Seemingly out of nowhere, a figure of a man appeared not far from him, facing away, exuding a mysterious aura.
He had ck hair tied up in a high ponytail with red edges, dressed in a red haori, holding a sword in hand, and standing against the backdrop of the sun in the sky.
*Ding¡ªling¡ª*
The familiar chimes sounded again, but this time it came from the earrings of the mysterious man¡ªno, mysterious swordsman.
On the swordsman''s ears were a pair of hanafuda earrings with sun symbols. When one looked carefully, these earrings were undoubtedly identical to the ones Tanjirou wore on his ears.
"You..."
Riezel paused his words, staring at the swordsman standing before him, facing the sun, unable to move.
"Huuu... Haaa..."
In the next moment, the swordsman began to breathe in and out without any apparent reason.
Taking inrge amounts of air, the swordsman maintained his position with his back to Riezel and began demonstrating a strange breathing technique right in front of him.
Clearly, this breathing resembled Kyoujurou''s me Breathing in some ways, yet it was entirely different.
Kyoujurou''s breathing was powerful, with each exhale bringing a faint sensation of heat as if breathing out mes rather than air.
While the breathing of this swordsman indeed felt simr to Kyoujurou''s me Breathing¡ªpowerful and emitting a slight heat like mespared to his me Breathing, this swordsman''s breath not only carried the burning and destructive power of mes but also a sense of endless energy.
As the swordsman breathed toward the sun, the mysterious aura emanating from him intensified, as if he were no longer human but had transformed into a spirit.
Like a spirit, the unknown swordsman began to dance.
"Sun Breathing - First Form - Dance."
With a faint whisper, the swordsman released a sh forward.
*Swish!*
It was an arcing sh.
His sh was swift, appearing like a fleeting ray of sunlight. As it cut through the air, mes suddenly ignited, forming the trajectory of a sun, slicing through the void and the atmosphere.
"Sun Breathing - Second Form - Clear Blue Sky."
The swordsman smoothly transitioned into the next attack, his sword turning naturally.
Leaping high into the air, he twisted his body and brought down the ming sword from above, carving another sun trajectory. As it shed onto the ground, the mes transformed into a ming wheel, spreading out in all directions.
Wherever the ming wheel passed, everything was scorched by the mes, leaving behind charred marks and terrifying sword scars that seemed capable of cleaving the entire mountaintop, disying astonishing power.
In this manner, the swordsman continued to dance, repeatedly showcasing his swordsmanship.
"Raging Sun."
"Fake Rainbow."
"Fire Wheel."
"Burning Bones, Summer Sun."
"Sunflower Thrust."
"Sr Heat Haze."
"Setting Sun Transformation."
"Beneficent Radiance."
"Sun Halo Dragon Head Dance."
"me Dance."
Each dance represented a sword form.
Each sh represented a sword technique.
The swordsman repeatedly practiced these twelve sword forms, facing the sun, with his back to Riezel, enveloped in mes, dancing like a me spirit.
No.
He was not a me spirit, but a sun spirit.
Riezel began to feel a sense of illusion as if this swordsman had flown out from the rising sun he faced, even though mes were rolling around his body, but wherever his sword passed, it seemed capable of cutting through the air, the earth, everything, burning all existence, yet strangely, it didn''t evoke fear but rather a marvelous sense of closeness to nature and a mysterious captivated feeling.
It wasn''t mes that destroyed everything, but a radiant me that expelled every evil.
It wasn''t just high temperatures that evaporated matter, but a holy light that purified vile darkness.
"Huuu... Haaa..."
As the swordsman danced amidst the billowing mes, he continuously unleashed sharp and powerful swordsmanship while breathing rhythmically.
Although the breaths were not very pronounced, they echoed distinctly in Riezel''s ears, allowing him to directly feel the intricacies of this breathing.
Watching all this, feeling all this, unknowingly, Riezel slowly released his hand from his neck.
He immersed himself in the swordsman''s sword dance.
He was deeply attracted by the swordsmanship practiced by the swordsman, unable to look away, unable to remember anything else.
Every sh, every sword form wielded by the swordsman, resembling the sun spirit, deeply imprinted in Riezel''s mind, imprinted deep in his heart, making him unable to forget no matter how hard he tried.
Gradually, even Riezel was drawn by the wondrous breathing sound echoing in his ears, unconsciously mimicking it.
"Huuu... Haaa..."
Just as he had imitated Kyoujurou''s breathing on the train, Riezel began to mimic the swordsman''s breathing.
Regardless of frequency, number of times, amplitude, timing, quantity, or rhythm, Riezel unintentionally drew closer and closer to the swordsman.
*Ba-dump!* *Ba-dump!*
Eventually, the beating of his heart began to elerate, while the flow of his blood also quickened.
His lungs expanded continuously, allowing Riezel to inhalerger and fiercer air.
Breathing in suchrge quantities of air, under normal circumstances, he might have worried about oxygen toxicity, but at this moment, he abandoned all thoughts and focused wholeheartedly on following the swordsman''s breathing, immersing himself in the other''s sword dance, almost unable to control himself.
In this state, Riezel failed to notice that as his breathing changed, the power surging from within him became stronger and more intense.
It was a power far beyond what he had experienced while imitating Kyoujurou''s me Breathing.
A breathing style far more powerful than me Breathing, far surpassing the breathing style mastered by any Hashira of the Demon yer Corps, appeared before Riezel''s eyes.
It seemed as if the swordsman intentionally wanted to pass on this breathing style to Riezel, moving over and over again, demonstrating tirelessly.
After hundreds of repetitions, the swordsman seemed to have endless energy, not tired at all, not fatigued in the slightest. His hand holding the sword didn''t even tremble, and his posture remained wless from start to finish.
However, there was only one problem.
"Sun Breathing consists of thirteen sword forms."
Every time he moved, the swordsman mechanically uttered that sentence, but from start to finish, only twelve sword forms were disyed in front of Riezel by the swordsman.
''Dance'', ''Clear Blue Sky'', ''Raging Sun'', ''Fake Rainbow'', ''Fire Wheel'', ''Burning Bones, Summer Sun'', ''Sunflower Thrust'', ''Sr Heat Haze'', ''Setting Sun Transformation'', ''Beneficent Radiance'', ''Sun Halo Dragon Head Dance'', and ''me Dance''.
Clearly, the sword forms demonstrated by the swordsman remained only these twelve, never reaching the thirteenth sword form after countless repetitions. Yet, the swordsman repeated that sentence time and again, telling Riezel repeatedly that the breathing style named ''Sun Breathing'' indeed consisted of thirteen sword forms.
Why?
Perhaps only Riezel, who was familiar with the original work would know why.
Just as Riezel''s breathing synchronizedpletely with the swordsman''s, and all the swordsman''s sword forms were engraved into his mind, etched into the depths of his heart, the swordsman finally stopped moving.
"...I''ll leave it to you."
At the very end, Riezel heard that barely audible murmur from the swordsman.
*Ding¡ªling¡ª*
As the swordsman''s earrings swayed, the sound of wind chimes resounded again.
Riezel felt as if the scene before him was fading away, his consciousness gradually drifting, slowly disappearing from this dream.
Chapter 143: Fierce Battle in the Train
Chapter 143: Fierce Battle in the Train
After slumbering for who knew how long, Riezel''s consciousness began to return.
As the dream faded away, Riezel could clearly feel himself returning to reality, back to the state of sitting on the train.
It was as if he had been dozing off, his body gently swaying with the movement of the train, the sound of the train whistle bing clearer in his ears. Everything became real again, unlike in the dream where even the wind and sunlight had no sensation.
However, with the return of sensation and sensesing back, Riezel was surprised to find that his surroundings had drastically changed.
*BOOM!*
A tentacle resembling a meat pir swung past him, hitting an empty seat and smashing it to pieces.
The once somewhat deste wooden carriage now resembled the inside of a giant intestine, with wooden walls transformed into fleshy walls from which flesh-like tentacles sprouted and thrashed wildly.
"What the hell?" Riezel looked at the scene with a hint of astonishment.
"Hey! You finally woke up, Bento Boy!"Just as Riezel felt perplexed, a familiar hearty voice reached his ears.
Not far away, Kyoujurou stood, wielding a Japanese sword known as katana with a ck and red de, fighting off tentacles attacking from all directions.
"Huuu... Haaa..."
Kyoujurou assumed an Iai stance, lowering his body, inhaling arge amount of air, simultaneously breathing and murmuring.
"me Breathing - Fourth Form - Blooming me Undtion."
mes erupted from Kyoujurou''s sword as he swung it like a windmill, shing extremely fast in all directions.
In an instant, a vortex of mes appeared in the carriage filled with flesh walls and tentacles, sting outward with his sh.
*Pu-chi!*
All the iing tentacles were instantly cut into pieces as if melted by the high temperature of the vortex of mes.
Kyoujurou continued to wield his zing sword, relentlessly cutting through the attacking tentacles.
*Swish!*
*Swish!*
Even so, the tentacles on the train seemed endless. Just as they were cut off, new ones immediately sprouted from the flesh walls and swarmed toward Kyoujurou.
Just as Kyoujurou was about to counterattack, a silver sh of light passed by at a high speed.
*Pu-chi!*
Although the silver light merely grazed the tentacles, they were immediately shredded into countless pieces as if cut by a cutting machine.
Riezel, holding a bright silver short sword, appeared behind Kyoujurou as if teleporting, his speed too fast for Kyoujurou to react.
Seeing Riezel, Kyoujurou''s pupils contracted for a moment before a big smile spread across his face.
"Ohh! Just like Young Mizoguchi, Crying Boy, and Boar-Head Boy said, Bento Boy, you''re really something!"
After saying that, Kyoujurou directly exposed his back to Riezel, swiftly slicing through the tentacles that attacked him with a flick of his zing sword.
Riezel seemed even more rxed than Kyoujurou, just standing still, casually swinging his sword with fast shes. Each tentacle that came at him was effortlessly sliced into pieces by the silver light shing extremely fast.
"What''s the situation now?"
Riezel took a moment to ask Kyoujurou behind him.
"Umu! It''s not good at all!" Kyoujurou responded straightforwardly. "In short, it seems we''ve been targeted by the demon hidden on this train since we boarded. When the conductor checked our tickets, we all got ensnared by the demon''s Blood Demon Art and ended up in some kind of dream. If Young Mizoguchi hadn''t snapped us out of it, things could''ve gotten messy!"
While everyone was trapped in the dream, Tanjirou was the first to figure out how to break free and return to reality, thereby awakening everyone else.
In truth, the reason everyone was under remote hypnosis was because the tickets were contaminated with demon blood.
Tanjirou managed to burn everyone''s ticket, allowing them to wake up except for Riezel. Since Riezel was not truly under the demon''s hypnosis, he remained in the dream, causing Kyoujurou to stay and fight the tentacles to protect him.
Without a doubt, this development was almost identical to the original work.
Nevertheless, as Riezel suspected, the demon behind the scenes didn''t just tamper with the tickets but also manipted the entire train.
The reason the train looked grotesque, turning into flesh walls with tentacles everywhere, was that the demon on this Mugen Train had merged with the train itself, turning it into his own body.
In other words, where Riezel and the others were now was not the Mugen Train, but within the demon''s body disguised as it.
"It seems the demon wants to devour all two hundred passengers on the train at once, so we decide to split up. Some are going to find that demon and behead them, while others are protecting passengers in other carriages!"
Kyoujurou exined as he pushed forward like a pir of fire, shing through countless tentacles all the way, even cutting through several other carriages.
In these carriages, where tentacles were reaching for sleeping passengers, they all turned into meat chunks shattered by Kyoujurou''s swift charge and shes. He continued to charge and sh through several carriages in session, then in the blink of an eye, turned back like a pir of fire, his speed leaving people amazed.
"That''s it! The situation is very serious!"
Despite saying that, the smile never left Kyoujurou''s face, giving off not a hint of tension but rather a feeling of being inplete control.
Seeing this, Riezel responded with a faint smile as well.
With a flicker of his body, he turned into a hurricane, rushing out in an instant, and passing through several carriages.
*Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!*
Where the hurricane passed, sword lights burst out like a storm, shing through tentacles reaching for passengers, reducing them to pieces.
In no time, Riezel returned to his original position.
Along the way, not only were the tentacles sliced apart, but even the flesh walls were cut into a bloody mess, temporarily preventing their regeneration.
"Huh?" Kyoujurou''s expression changed once again, clearly shocked.
It couldn''t be helped, since the strength disyed by Riezel greatly surpassed his imagination. Such strength would undoubtedly qualify him as a Hashira within the Demon yer Corps.
No, even as a Hashira, it seemed that Riezel at this moment surpassed even that.
"I told you, didn''t I?"
Riezel paid no heed to the surprise he caused Kyoujurou with his performance.
"Fighting a powerful demon while protecting two hundred passengers at the same time is challenging even for you."
"Yeah! I admit my shorings!" Kyoujurou nodded in acknowledgment before eximing loudly. "But it''s alright! No matter what, I will protect everyone here! I won''t let anyone die, definitely!"
In the next moment, the mes on Kyoujurou''s body suddenly burned even more fiercely. As he prepared to exert himself both mentally and physically, ready to make a desperate effort, Riezel stopped him.
"No need for that..." Riezel said frankly. "We''re inside the demon''s body, so as long as we stay on this train, we''ll be constantly fighting this demon and struggling to protect the passengers inside. Instead of just defending, we should focus on finding a way to evacuate them."
As if understanding Riezel''s words, the surrounding flesh walls writhed, immediately sprouting countless tentacles, attacking him.
*Whoosh!*
A silver light suddenly shed, cutting off all the tentacles in one strike, causing them to fall to the ground.
*BOOM!*
Meanwhile, Kyoujurou once again transformed into a fiery pir, dashing extremely fast through several carriages, cutting off tentacles one by one, before returning to Riezel''s side.
"I understand what you mean, but the train is moving at its fastest speed. How do we evacuate two hundred passengers from here?" Kyoujurou asked, his sword ignited, raising the temperature inside the entire carriage.
"Simple, let''s stop the train first."
Riezel answered calmly, swinging countless sword lights to cut off tentacles and flesh walls, then turning his head to Kyoujurou.
"Later, I will stop or even dismantle this train. When that happens, you must evacuate all the passengers as soon as possible. Is that all right?"
"Hmm? Do you have a way to stop this train?" Kyoujurou paused for a moment, then without hesitation, he promised. "No problem! I''ll get all the passengers out as soon as the train stops!"
"Good."
After cutting off several tentacles, Riezel turned around, looked at Kyoujurou, and warned.
"Be careful."
"Ouh!" Kyoujurou grinned, without looking back. "You too!"
Riezel smiled softly, then disappeared on the spot.
Feeling Riezel''s aura disappear behind him, Kyoujurou''s smile grew stronger on his face.
''The journey this time is truly amazing! Getting to know such an outstanding friend, I, Rengoku Kyoujurou, feel deeply honored!''
Inside his mind, Kyoujurou was overjoyed but at the same time, he also felt a bit puzzled.
''But... I can''t help but feel that Bento Boy''s breathing has changed somehow... What a strange feeling... Maybe just my imagination?''
As Kyoujurou thought like that, tentacles came at him again.
''Umu! Let''s focus onpleting the mission first!''
Kyoujurou concentrated, pushing away distracting thoughts, enveloped by mes, rushing toward other carriages.
===
*Toot¡ª!*
In the wilderness, atop the railroad tracks, a train sped through the darkness, emitting bursts of steam whistles and the sound of its wheels. However, this train was now covered in flesh walls everywhere, looking somewhat grotesque and nauseating.
"Inosuke! Hurry up!"
At this moment, Tanjirou was running on the roof of the train, shouting at the boar-headed youth beside him as he ran.
"I know! Watch me!"
"Boar Rush!"
Inosuke wielded two saw-like swords, charging recklessly toward the front of the train.
*BOOM!*
However, just then, a figure smashed through the train''s wall, leaping onto the heads of the two.
"Eh?"
Tanjirou looked up, astonished.
"Bi-Big Brother?"
Chapter 144: Lower One
Chapter 144: Lower One
The one who flew out from the Mugen Train was naturally Riezel.
He broke through the train''s flesh walls and soared out from within, leaping high in front of Tanjirou and Inosuke, like an arrow released, slicing through the night sky andnding ahead on the train tracks.
*Toot¡ª!*
At the same time, the train, with its long whistle and the sound of its wheels, rushed like a rampaging steel beast toward Riezel, who hadnded on its tracks.
"Danger!"
Seeing this scene, Tanjirou, standing on the roof of the train, was greatly terrified.
"Oy! Bento Eater! Get out of there fast!"
Even Inosuke was panicked, roaring angrily in Riezel''s direction.
Although both of them were from the countryside and grew up in the mountains without much exposure to the world, it didn''t stop them from understanding how dangerous Riezel''s current actions were.It was obvious that being hit by such arge steel vehicle would result in serious injuries, not to mention that the train was still moving at an astonishing speed. Once hit, it was absolutely impossible for Riezel to survive without severe injuries.
Moreover, the train was now merged with a demon, making it basically impossible to stop, not even to slow down.
Riezel''s act ofnding on the train tracks and standing in front of the train was tantamount to seeking death.
Even so, Tanjirou and Inosuke were shocked to find that Riezel not only didn''t choose to evade but instead stood firm, facing the rampaging steel beast heading toward him with an extremely calm expression.
"Dammit!" Inosuke couldn''t help but rush forward.
Not only him, but Tanjirou also drew his ck sword and charged forward.
"Inosuke!" Tanjirou shouted anxiously. "We have to cut off the demon''s head before Big Brother gets hit!"
"I know!" Inosuke responded loudly.
Both of them tightened their grip on their swords, emitting a barely noticeable warmth.
Their swords were known as ''Nichirin Swords'', weapons specially made for the Demon yer Corps, forged from special materials called ''Scarlet Crimson Iron Sand'' and ''Scarlet Ore'' that absorbed sunlight, possessing properties that emitted energy simr to sunlight.
The reason why the Demon yer Corps could hunt demons was two¡ªfirstly, because its members all mastered the ''Breathing Style'', which allowed them to unleash powersparable to those of demons, and secondly, because of these Nichirin Swords.
Generally speaking, demons were unkible as long as they were not exposed to direct sunlight. Not only their injuries would quickly heal, but even limbs could be reattached or regenerated effortlessly. It was urate to say they had an immortal body.
However, if their head was severed by Nichirin Swords, they would be killed instantly, without a chance of recovery.
After all, this weapon was forged from special ore that absorbed sunlight, cutting off a demon''s head with a Nichirin Sword was almost the same as exposing them to sunlight.
Therefore, when Demon yers were sessfully selected to join the Demon yer Corps, they each received a Nichirin Sword tailored for them as their weapon for ying demons.
Now, since the demon controlling the Mugen Train had merged with the train itself, turning it into the demon''s body, there must be a vital point somewhere on the train simr to a demon''s neck. By severing this point and cutting off the demon''s head merged with the train, they could kill him and stop the train.
Tanjirou and Inosuke had climbed onto the roof for this purpose, while Zenitsu remained inside the carriage, protecting the passengers.
However, now that Riezel suddenly appeared and was about to be hit by the train, the two of them had to behead the demon as soon as possible and y him; only then could they save Riezel.
Unfortunately, they barely had time to find the demon''s vital point, let alone cut off his neck.
Tanjirou and Inosuke knew that the demon''s neck was likely buried under the front of the train, so they tried to locate and sever it as soon as possible, but time simply didn''t allow it.
"No! It''s toote!"
"Quick, dodge! Bento Eater!"
Tanjirou and Inosuke could only run on the roof of the train, shouting urgently.
In this situation, Riezel, bathed in the ring light of the charging train, slowly raised one hand.
"Dpose."
A red vortex surged in Riezel''s palm.
*Toot¡ª!*
With the whistle of the roaring lotive, the train finally collided, hitting Riezel''s body hard.
Tanjirou and Inosuke showed expressions of despair one after another.
However, the scene of blood sttering and flesh being torn apart they imagined did not ur.
*Buzz¡ª!*
With a sound resembling a tremor, Riezel''s hand, reaching out toward the oing train, first made contact with the lotive, allowing the red vortex to pass through his palm like a hurricane, instantly transmitting to the entire body of the train.
Following that, Riezel suddenly punched with his fist.
*BANG!*
Amidst an ear-splitting roar, the train,pletely covered by red waves, was dismantled under the influence of Riezel''s fierce punch.
*BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!*
With a series of exploding sounds, the train burst apart section by section, the front separated, and the carriages disconnected from each other, bing fragmented.
Riezel did notpletely dpose the train into nothingness; he just roughly dismantled it. After all, there were passengers on the train, including Kyoujurou and the three main characters. He didn''t want to risk dposing them all into nothingness.
Therefore, he only dismantled the train, causing the front to separate, the carriages to disconnect, and the wheels to burst, turning into fragments falling all around the train tracks, making various parts fly in the air.
Undoubtedly, this scene was an exceptionally magnificent sight.
Of course, Tanjirou and Inosuke, standing on top of the train, naturally were thrown off.
"AAAHHHHHH¡ª!!!"
"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME¡ª?!"
Witnessing the spectacr scene of a train being crushed by a punch before their eyes, Tanjirou and Inosuke found themselves flung into the air, screaming in shock as their shouts echoed far into the distance.
Naturally, neither of them knew what ''magic'' was.
In their eyes, Riezel appeared to have punched the oing train with his bare fist, causing it to fall apart.
In reality, when Riezel used dposition magic on the train, it had already begun to dpose. However, because he only broke down its structure, the train hadn''tpletely dposed yet.
It was like a set of building blocks; before being knocked over, it could still maintain its train appearance. Consequently, Riezel simply punched it, breaking apart the blocks and causing the train to be dismantled.
Nheless, Tanjirou and Inosuke were oblivious to theplexities of the situation. All they knew was that Riezel had punched the train and it fell apart.
"That was way too strong, right?! Too strong, wasn''t it?! Too strong!" Tanjirou continued shouting like crazy while still in midair.
"That guy is amazing! Amazing, I tell you! Mwahahaha! He blew up the Lord of the Land, Santarou!" Inosuke danced around in midair excitedly, thoroughly thrilled.
"I''m Tanjirou!" Tanjirou protested.
After flying through the air for a while, the two of them finallynded on the ground together.
"Tanjirou! Inosuke!"
At this moment, Zenitsu emerged from the wreckage of the train carriage, carrying a wooden box on his back, tears streaming down his face in a mixture of fear and relief.
"T-T-T-T-The train fell apart! It derailed! Am I missing any body parts?! Am I?! Please tell me I''m not! That was scary!"
Zenitsu cried out in a dramatic disy, genuinely believing that the train had derailed and worried he might have lost a limb.
Meanwhile, Kyoujurou, upon sensing the train start to stop just as Riezel had said, wasted no time in unleashing the full power of ''me Breathing - Fourth Form - Blooming me Undtion''.
A vortex of mes spiraled through every carriage, stabilizing the derailed train with the impact on each carriage, bringing it to a halt on the train tracks.
"So it really did dismantle!" Kyoujurou remarked, emerging from one of the carriages.
He strolled leisurely as he surveyed the chaotic scene around him, especially the dismantled train before letting out a heartyugh.
As for Riezel, he nced briefly at the lotive, which had been flung off the train tracks andy beside him.
"Ugh... AAAHHH...!"
In the next moment, flesh walls surged continuously from the lotive.
"How is this possible?! How could something like this happen?!"
Within the flesh walls, a boy''s voice cried out in agony and disbelief. Without a doubt, this was the demon''s voice that merged with the Mugen Train.
Riezel happened to know the identity of this demon.
Lower One, Enmu, the most powerful Lower Rank among the Twelve Kizuki, second only to the six Upper Ranks, possessed the power to hypnotize people and manipte dreams at will.
On top of that, he was the only surviving Lower Rank at present.
Due to the Lower Five being indirectly defeated by the three main characters and some Lower Ranks eventually being hunted down by the Hashira, Enmu was thest of his kind. This was because the Demon King, the progenitor of all demons in this world, had recently disbanded the Lower Ranks, executing most of them, except for Enmu.
As the only surviving Lower Rank, Enmu indeed had some amazing abilities. Being able to hypnotize the me Hashira and the three main characters, as well as merge with a train, this kind of ability was beyond the reach of ordinary demons.
Unfortunately, thisst surviving Lower Rank would also meet his end here.
"Impossible! I haven''t lost yet! I must devour everyone here! Kill the Hashira and that little rascal with earrings!"
"GAAAAAHHHHH¡ª!"
Enmu struggled, causing the lotive to lurch.
*Tap* *Tap* *Tap* *Tap*
At the same time, Riezel calmly approached the lotive step by step, his face serene like a stillke.
Chapter 145: A Nightmare
Chapter 145: A Nightmare
As Riezel approached, Enmu naturally felt it.
Felt what?
Naturally, he felt fear.
As a Lower Rank closest to the Upper Ranks, few things could make Enmu afraid. In his eyes, Demon yers seemed no different from ordinary humans. He was not even afraid of Hashira at all and even wanted to kill them to gain merit.
For demons, the Demon yer Corps, which had always been hunting them, was undoubtedly quite annoying.
However, since the Demon King had long ordered the hunting of Hashira, Enmu had never feared them. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have devised a n to merge with the Mugen Train and devour the me Hashira along with the other two hundred passengers.
As long as he could kill a Hashira and consume arge number of humans, he could be stronger and receive the Demon King''s reward.
Perhaps he could evenunch a bloody battle for a position change within the Upper Ranks, bing a neer in the Upper Ranks that had not had a member change in over a hundred years.
Therefore, Enmu had always considered his move on the Mugen Train with a mindset geared toward entertainment and enjoyment. After all, what he liked most was witnessing the suffering and despair of others.Whether it was the Hashira or the two hundred passengers, their agonizing struggles before death would surely be interesting.
Every time Enmu thought of that, he felt a sense of pleasure.
Unfortunately, the reality proved that even demons like Enmu, when faced with iprehensible things, would still feel fear when it was time to fear.
The moment Riezel stopped and dismantled the entire train with a single punch, it became truly iprehensible to Enmu. Especially since the train had already merged with his body, he could feel even more vividly the inexplicable events that had urred in that split second.
It felt as if his whole body was forcibly torn apart by an unknown power, with even the very things that constituted his existence being invaded, controlled, and ripped apart. It was as absurd as watching his own cells being pulled out of his body one by one while wide awake.
As a result, when Enmu saw Riezel approaching him, his mind exploded.
"Eyes of Forced Unconscious Sleep!"
With Enmu''s yell, meat pirs suddenly shot out from the lotive, rushing toward Riezel.
On the meat pirs, countless eyes were growing, staring straight at Riezel, emitting a strange wave that projected onto his body through their gaze.
Demons naturally possessed powers beyond those of humans, powers that ordinary humans couldn''tpare to. In addition to abilities such as an undying body and superhuman physical prowess, some demons'' bodies also possessed special abilities like magic or superpowers¡ªsome with strange effects, others akin to ultimate techniques, offering a wide range of possibilities.
It was known as the ''Blood Demon Art'', a special ability exclusive to demons.
Demons possessing Blood Demon Art generally had stronger abilities than those without. Some particrly powerful demons could even possess multiple Blood Demon Arts.
Enmu''s Blood Demon Art could force his targets into sleep, causing them to experience dreams. What made it terrifying was his ability to control the people, events, and objects within these dreams, keeping those affected by his Blood Demon Art forever immersed without their knowledge.
Once affected by his Blood Demon Art, no matter who it was, their consciousness wouldpletely separate from their physical body, unable to move as long as they didn''t wake up from the dream.
In order to wake up from the dream, there was usually only one way.
That was for the person trapped in the dream to muster the courage tomit suicide. Only then could they wake up from the dreampletely on their own.
If Tanjirou hadn''t woken up this way and burned Kyoujurou''s and the others'' tickets, they wouldn''t have awakened.
Enmu''s Blood Demon Art was truly powerful, as evidenced by the two hundred passengers on the train remaining asleep, lost in their dreams even as the train caused a significantmotion by derailing and had its carriages separated.
Now, Enmu used this powerful Blood Demon Art on Riezel, known as ''Eyes of Forced Unconscious Sleep''.
This wasn''t performed through blood-soaked tickets like the previous long-distance method but rather through direct eye contact for hypnosis. In terms of effect and power, it was definitely much stronger than the previous long-distance hypnosis.
Unless eye contact was avoided, the sess rate of this direct hypnotic technique was one hundred percent, which meant it was unstoppable. Even the Upper Ranks, if caught in this hypnosis, would surely fall.
''This monster has already locked eyes with me, so he will definitely¡ª''
As Enmu thought like that, he froze and suddenly widened his eyes.
''?!''
In front of him, Riezel indeed met the gazes of countless eyes growing on the meat pirs, but instead of being hypnotized, he only furrowed his brow, his face twisted in disgust.
"Disgusting shits..."
After muttering that, Riezel brandished his bright silver short sword, suddenly unleashing several sword lights at incredible speed.
*Swish!* *Swish!* *Swish!* *Swish!*
Several meat pirs were instantly destroyed by the sword lights, cut into countless pieces, and scattered on the ground.
"Eyes of Forced Unconscious Sleep!"
Enmu screamed hysterically and caused the lotive to grow several more meat pirs, making the eyes on the meat pirs all look at Riezel, releasing the full power of hypnosis.
Unfortunately, this power couldn''t even make Riezel''s footsteps falter.
Riezel seemed to feel nothing, calmly stepping forward toward Enmu, step by step.
Enmu stared nkly at Riezel''s figure, who,pared to himself transformed into a massive train, was undoubtedly exceedingly small.
"Is this a nightmare...?" Enmu whispered in a daze.
With those final words, a red vortex swiftly crashed into the lotive where Enmu''s head was.
*BOOM!*
This time, Riezel showed no mercy, delivering maximum output, using dposition magic to its peak, and dposing the entire lotive into nothingness.
*Bzzzt¡ª!*
With the disappearance of the lotive, the flesh walls that were still squirming in the carriages stopped, withered, and thenpletely reduced to ashes.
Ultimately, dposition magic far exceeded the regeneration limit of a Lower Rank, rendering Enmu unable to recover at all.
And so, thest surviving Lower Rank of the Twelve Kizuki met a tragic end.
As for Riezel?
He still stood in ce, looking at the huge pit that appeared with the disappearance of the lotive.
His eyes were calm, devoid of pity.
"Man-eating demon... this is the end you deserve..."
After leaving those indifferent words, Riezel turned around and left, leaving the empty pit behind.
===
Atst, the man-eating incident on the Mugen Train hade to a close.
Not only had the ringleader demon been in, but none of the two hundred passengers were harmed, and the members of the Demon yer Corps emerged unscathed as well.
Such results could only be deemed a perfect victory.
Kyoujurou had already been in contact with the Demon yer Corps, requesting them to send personnel to clean up the aftermath, escort the two hundred passengers back, and return the dismantled Mugen Train to the station.
Unfortunately, the lotive had vanished, leaving only the carriages and parts of the train behind. It remained uncertain whether it could be repaired and put back into operation in the future.
Of course, these were matters of the government, unrted to Riezel or the Demon yer Corps.
After all, the Demon yer Corps was an organization not recognized by the authorities; naturally, they had no reason to worry about matters that concerned the government.
While waiting for the personnel of the Demon yer Corps to arrive and handle the aftermath, Riezel found himself entangled with Kyoujurou.
"Let''s go, Bento Boy!"
Kyoujurou appeared before Riezel, arms folded, staring straight ahead and shouting loudly.
"Come back with me to the Demon yer Corps!"
Shouting like that, Kyoujurou''s gaze was fixed on the other side of the mountain.
"Hey, where are you looking? I''m right here."
Riezel stood behind Kyoujurou, rolling his eyes at Kyoujurou''s body blocking his way.
"Come to the Corps with me!" Kyoujurou continued to face the distance, shouting loudly. "Rest assured! I will rmend you to the Master!"
"Rest assured my ass..." Riezel retorted and pushed aside Kyoujurou blocking his path. "Things haven''t even ended yet, and you''re already asking me to rest assured."
Upon hearing that, Kyoujurou stopped his antics.
"Haven''t ended?" Kyoujurou turned around to look at Riezel, his face confused.
Even the three main characters, who were yfully approaching, were now drawn to Riezel''s words.
"Didn''t Big Brother already take down the demon?" Tanjirou asked with surprise as he grabbed his wooden box from Zenitsu, who hesitated to release it.
"Are there more demons?" Zenitsu, no longer vying for the box with Tanjirou, looked wary.
"More demons? Hah! Bring it on! Whether it''s a train or whatever! Watch as this Lord Hashibira smashes them with his fists!"
Inosuke, his emotions soaring, seemed ignited by Riezel''s earlier disy. He even threw down his beloved swords on the ground, and clenched his fists, eager to try.
Seeing the four''s reaction, Riezel answered calmly.
"It''s an Upper Rank... An Upper Rank ising."
Upon hearing his answer, everyone''s faces quickly stiffened.
Especially Kyoujurou, his expression changed suddenly, and the usual cheerfulness vanished.
Tanjirou, Zenitsu, and Inosuke had even more extreme reactions.
"Coming!" Tanjirou''s nose twitched and his face changed dramatically.
"Wh-What''s that sound? It''s approaching extremely fast!" Zenitsu covered his ears, his face turning pale.
"Over there!" Inosuke quickly picked up his swords and pointed fiercely in a certain direction.
*Whoosh!*
Before long, the sound of wind breaking spread from afar to near as a figure shot toward them like a cannonball.
*BOOM!*
As the figurended with a resounding crash, it stirred up a deafening explosion and a cloud of dust.
"Oh? Enmu died?"
A young voice echoed from the dust.
"Heh, Lower Rank is just Lower Rank after all... Can''t even step up to the te and handle the true strong ones..."
Saying such words, the figure slowly emerged from the dust, and simultaneously, a powerful murderous intent instantly filled the air.
Chapter 146: Upper Three
Chapter 146: Upper Three
"Th-This is¡ª?!"
As astonishing murderous intent permeated the entire area, Tanjirou, Zenitsu, and Inosuke couldn''t help but take a step back, their pupils trembling, seemingly shaken.
Since they each possessed exceptionally keen senses, murderous intent, which even some ordinary people could sense, undoubtedly had a magnified effect on these three youths, causing them a lot of distress.
In this situation, Tanjirou unconsciously gripped his sword, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.
Inosuke resembled an enraged beast, his entire body bristling with sweat-soaked fur.
Zenitsu hugged his head and squatted directly on the ground, his face pale, letting out a sharp scream of fear.
"You three, step back!"
Even Kyoujurou''s expression was grave as he shouted at the three.
He quickly stood in front of Tanjirou, Inosuke, and Zenitsu, body lowered, hand already resting on the hilt of his sword.Only Riezel remained calm, gazing ahead with cold eyes.
In front of them, the figure emerging slowly from the dust finally revealed his full form.
He was a young man with peach-red short hair, golden eyes, deep blue tattoos covering his entire body, and fingernails painted blood-red.
He wasn''t tall and looked even younger than Kyoujurou, wearing a short, sleeveless dark purple-pink haori with an open chest, prayer beads hanging from his ankles, and bare feet.
He looked like a martial artist, clearly someone not to be trifled with.
However, that wasn''t the most important part.
What was most striking was the characters engraved in his eyes.
In his pair of golden eyes, two Japanese characters were engraved.
Left eye - ''Three''.
Right eye - ''Upper Rank''.
This was the characteristic of the Twelve Kizuki, symbols of their rank and identity.
Upper Ranks have characters engraved in both eyes.
Lower Ranks have characters engraved in one eye.
Needless to say, the demon before them, without a doubt, was an Upper Rank.
"Upper Three?" Kyoujurou muttered solemnly.
Upper Three, meaning the third-strongest demon aside from the Demon King, was now standing before them.
"I am Akaza."
The Upper Three, Akaza, nonchntly revealed his name.
However, as he looked toward Riezel and Kyoujurou, his face broke into a smile full of fighting intent.
"Ahh... I see..." Akaza seemed to understand something, his smile turned aggressive. "To think there are two guys with such fighting spirit here... No wonder a Lower Rank dies so easily..."
Akaza''s words were clearly directed at Riezel and Kyoujurou.
Obviously, this Upper Rank had seen through it all, recognizing Riezel and Kyoujurou as the strongest individuals within the group. As for Tanjirou and the other two, Akaza didn''t even put them in his eyes.
"You''re the Upper Three, right?" Kyoujurou asked, his gaze fixed intently on Akaza. "Are you also the mastermind behind the Mugen Train incident?"
Kyoujurou spected that Akaza had appeared here because he, along with Enmu, had orchestrated the Mugen Train incident.
Unfortunately, his spection was wrong.
"Don''t misunderstand, I''m not like those weaklings like Lower Ranks..." Akaza shook his head. "I don''t involve myself in such messy matters. I just happened to be nearby and received an order toe here because of the Lower One''s blunder."
''Order?'' Kyoujurou''s mind stirred. ''Someone who canmand Upper Ranks? Could it be...''
Before Kyoujurou could finish his thought, Akaza had already changed the subject.
"What are your names?"
Akaza surprisingly took an interest in their names, but of course, his question was directed only at Riezel and Kyoujurou.
"I''m Rengoku Kyoujurou, the me Hashira of the Demon yer Corps." Kyoujurou stated his name.
"As I thought, you''re a Hashira."
Akaza showed no surprise¡ªor rather, knowing that the Lower One had been in, regardless of who it was, they would suspect that the culprit was a Hashira of the Demon yer Corps.
Within the Demon yer Corps, only Hashira-ranked swordsmen had the ability to kill the Lower Ranks of the Twelve Kizuki. Other ranks of swordsmen were basically incapable of threatening the Twelve Kizuki. Even Kinoe-ranked swordsmen were equally powerless against the Lower Ranks.
Therefore, for the Twelve Kizuki, the true threats were only the Hashira, and opponents worth noting were likewise Hashira.
"What about you?"
Akaza turned his gaze to Riezel, the smile on his face growing broader.
"Which Hashira are you?"
Unfortunately, faced with Akaza''s question, Riezel remained silent, just watching him quietly.
"Don''t want to answer, huh?" Akaza expressed some regret but didn''t feel annoyed. "Well, strong ones always have a temper and privilege, and you indeed qualify to be arrogant."
With those words, Akaza suddenly raised his head, releasing his full-blown aggressiveness without hiding it.
"But... I''m also strong!"
*Crack!*
As he spoke, Akaza suddenly stomped on the ground, shattering it beneath his feet.
"Technique Development!"
Akaza assumed a martial arts stance, with a firm stance, performing a starting pose, causing a twelve-sided snowke pattern to appear under his feet.
"Destructive Death - Compass Needle!"
As the snowke pattern emitted a bright light, his pair of golden eyes gleamed brightly.
"Danger!" Kyoujurou reacted quickly and stepped forward without hesitation.
*BANG!*
In that split second, Akaza disappeared from the spot.
He broke through the ground, trampling the earth underfoot, darting out as fast as lightning. With a burst of explosive air, he rushed in front of Riezel.
Everyone felt their vision blur.
Akaza had disappeared a second ago, and the next second he suddenly appeared right in front of them, his face wearing an aggressive smile now seemingly inches away.
Tanjirou couldn''t react.
Zenitsu couldn''t react.
Inosuke couldn''t react either.
Even though they had sensitive and keen senses, in the face of such absolute speed, their bodies couldn''t keep up, let alone react.
Riezel, however, calmly moved his finger slightly, preparing to draw his sword. He had no choice since Akaza wasing for him.
*Whoosh!*
With a fearless smile, Akaza swung his fist toward Riezel.
His fist was so fast that even the sound barrier couldn''t keep up until it was about to touch Riezel''s face.
However, Riezel stopped the action he was about to take because¡ª
"me Breathing - Second Form - Rising Scorching Sun!"
A ming de rose violently from bottom to top, shing toward Akaza''s fist, which carried a sonic boom. Seeing the trajectory, the ming de would definitely cut down his arm before his fist could touch Riezel''s face.
"Hahaha!"
However, instead of being scared, Akazaughed madly, twisting his arm and unabashedly striking toward the fire de that was shing toward him.
*DING!*
Akaza''s fist carrying a sonic boom collided with Kyoujurou''s ming de, ultimately resulting in a crisp metal collision sound, causing the two to flick away from each other, and creating distance.
"me Breathing - First Form - Unknowing Fire!"
Kyoujurou engulfed his entire body in mes and with a fierce momentum like a rocket, charged toward Akaza.
"Destructive Death - Disorder!"
Watching the blurred figure of Kyoujurou charging toward him at such speed that even his silhouette was indistinguishable, Akaza''s fighting intent erupted. Instead of retreating, he advanced, striking out with both hands like a machine gun.
*BOOM!*
Amid the exploding sound, Kyoujurou''s charge was blocked by Akaza.
Kyoujurou''s fiery sh was deflected by Akaza''s fist, resembling a barrage of bullets. It seemed as though he was engulfed in a storm of punches, nearly overwhelmed by the countless fist strikes aimed at him.
At this moment, the gazes of a swordsman and a demon instantly shed, sparking intense friction.
*BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!*
In the next moment, the fierce battle between a swordsman and a martial artist erupted without warning.
Unable tond a blow, Kyoujurou unleashed a flurry of mes, enveloping Akaza in a sky-covering, earth-hiding ze. While it appeared that he was attacking every corner of Akaza''s body, his intent was subtly focused on Akaza''s neck, aiming most of his shes at Akaza''s vital points after feinting his attacks.
Unfazed, Akaza met Kyoujurou''s sword with his bare fists, engaging inbat without weapons. His fists repeatedly struck Kyoujurou''s sword, deflecting, knocking, smashing, and even blocking it, leaving numerous blood trails on his hands and spilling copious amounts of blood.
Despite the immense price of this battle, Akaza showed no fear, instead bursting with astonishing determination and fighting intent. With a smile on his face, he swung his fists wildly, unleashing fist strikes as powerful as toppling mountains and overturning seas toward Kyoujurou.
As for the wounds on Akaza''s body, they were healed in less than a second by his terrifying regenerative ability as an Upper Rank.
"Hahaha! Your attacks are futile, Kyoujurou!" Akazaughed loudly before suddenly giving a powerful punch.
*BOOM!*
Another explosion resounded as Akaza''s powerful punchnded on the sword hastily raised by Kyoujurou, sending him flying after creating a shock wave.
"Ugh¡ª!"
Kyoujurou couldn''t halt his momentum as he was sent flying, his feet skidding along the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust and debris.
"Destructive Death¡ª"
Akaza immediately assumed a defensive stance once again, preparing to unleash his fist toward Kyoujurou like a cannonball.
However, he suddenly halted because another figure had appeared in front of him, seemingly out of nowhere.
Maintaining a steady posture, Riezel stood in front of Akaza with a calm expression on his face, but his eyes betrayed a hint of indifference.
With this, Akaza''s opponent was switched.
Chapter 147: Becoming a Demon? Bullshit!
Chapter 147: Bing a Demon? Bullshit!
At this moment, Akaza was very, very excited.
It was because of the man who had appeared in front of him.
"That''s a massive and inspiring fighting spirit!" Akaza couldn''t help but exim.
Sensing ''Fighting Spirit'' was the driving force of Akaza''s Blood Demon Art.
Those proficient in martial arts would naturally possess fighting spirit, it was just a matter of more or less.
Just like how anger generated wrath, when someone had murderous intent toward another, they naturally emitted a murderous aura. Simrly, martial artists naturally emitted a fighting spirit, whether they were swordsmen or something else.
Akaza''s Blood Demon Art, known as ''Destructive Death - Compass Needle'', could sense his opponent''s fighting spirit like apass, making his attacks and evasive actions as precise as if being drawn by a ma. The stronger his opponent''s fighting spirit, the stronger the reaction of the Compass Needle, and the higher the intensity and precision of his corresponding technique or attack.
With this Blood Demon Art as the foundation, Akaza used a series of precise, swift, and powerful martial arts to strike his opponents by sensing their fighting spirit.
For example, the previously used ''Destructive Death - Disorder'' was one of them, a technique based on sensing fighting spirit, capable of striking with unparalleled precision, causing excessive damage.Akaza''s perception of his opponent''s fighting spirit was extremely keen and sensitive, and he could easily discern his opponent''s strength with this technique.
In his perception, the human standing before him emitted a tremendous and awe-inspiring fighting spirit. Such a massive fighting spirit, even for him who survived for hundreds of years, he had never felt it from anyone else.
Not even from that ''person''.
Therefore, Akaza was very interested in Riezel, and facing him like this excited him even more.
"Although it''s not yet condensed, not refined enough, unable to reach the highest domain yet, judging solely from the scale of your fighting spirit, you must be the strongest in this world."
Akaza spoke with his eyes gleamed as he stared at Riezel.
"You must be very strong, extremely strong, even have a chance to reach that highest domain, such an existence like you being just a human, it''s truly a pity."
At those words, Riezel raised his eyebrows slightly but said nothing.
"Hey, what do you say? Wannae over to our side?" Akaza extended his hand toward Riezel, smiling invitingly. "I''ll introduce you to that ''person'' and make you a demon, how about it?"
As soon as he said that, before Riezel could speak, others became excited.
"Don''t listen to him! Big Brother!" Tanjirou was the most excited, so excited that he even overcame his fear and finally managed to shout.
"Bento Boy!" Kyoujurou, who was always calm, also shouted, his usualid-back attitude was nowhere to be seen.
"By the way..." Akaza turned to face Kyoujurou. "Why don''t you join us too, Kyoujurou? Though you may not match up to this guy, your fighting spirit is equally massive. I''ve in so many Hashira, and among them, you surely rank among the best. It''s such a waste for humans, really. Just be a demon, and I promise you''ll be even stronger."
"I refuse!" Kyoujurou answered without hesitation. "I can''t think of any reason to be a demon."
His remark surprisingly caught Akaza off guard.
"Are you kidding me, Kyoujurou?" Akaza chuckled. "Reasons to be a demon can be listed without much effort. Yet you im there''s no reason at all? Truly absurd!"
In a sense, his words weren''t wrong since there were indeed many reasons to be a demon.
For example, once someone became a demon, they wouldn''t die or age. As long as they avoided sunlight, they would live indefinitely. Moreover, no matter how severe their injuries or illnesses, bing a demon guaranteed recovery. Not to mention, they also gained inhuman strength, which was another advantage.
Compared to fragile and powerless humans, bing a demon, in the eyes of most people, wasn''t necessarily a bad thing.
However¡ª
"To be a demon means living in darkness for eternity, unable to see sunlight, and having to feed on human flesh just to keep your sanity. That''s the true absurdity." Kyoujurou countered, his expression serious.
"Butpared to the benefits gained, how significant is that cost?" Akaza said nonchntly. "Even humans spend roughly half of their days indoors, and the rest is wasted on meaningless sleep. Considering just the active hours, humans and demons aren''t so different, right? Humans during the day and demons at night."
"As for eating humans, it''s just a way to get nutrition and be stronger. It should be a good thing. What''s absurd about it? Don''t humans do the same to livestock like chickens or pigs?"
Akaza''s words earned a furious re from Tanjirou and a disapproving headshake from Kyoujurou.
"Our values and perspectives are like the difference between heaven and earth. Continuing this talk is meaningless." Kyoujurou stated firmly. "Regardless, I''ll never be a demon!"
Upon hearing that, Akaza''s smile instantly vanished from his face.
"How foolish... Human existence is nothing but a burden."
"Limited life."
"Limited talent."
"Limited time."
"Limited body."
"Everything about humans is limited."
"With such limitations, how can you chase infinite power and reach the highest domain?"
Akaza''s voice was cold, but his voice carried intensity.
"Only demons, those with infinite time and life, can free themselves from the shackles of the human body, constantly improving themselves, continuously getting stronger, until they reach that highest domain."
"You are such powerful beings, would you really be willing to watch your strength fade away, only to disappear when your body ages and your lifespan ends?"
"If that''s truly what you desire, then you are truly foolish."
Akaza''s words made Tanjirou unable to hold back anymore.
"Where''s the foolishness?!" Tanjirou eximed angrily. "Our lives may be limited, but it''s because of that limitation that many valuable things emerge! That''s not something as shallow as being summarized by mere strength!"
However, his impassioned words only earned a cold response.
"Shut up."
*Whoosh!*
Akaza suddenly swung a powerful punch at Tanjirou.
His punch, although clearly striking through the air, caused a resounding boom in the atmosphere. In no time, his punch transformed into a gust of wind, roaring toward Tanjirou''s head.
*BOOM!*
Akaza''s powerful punch hit, creating an impact like thunder. However, this punch didn''t hit Tanjirou, but Kyoujurou, who arrived just in time and blocked it with his sword.
"Mr. Rengoku!" Tanjirou shouted at Kyoujurou, who appeared in front of him.
"Be careful, Young Kamado." Kyoujurou didn''t turn back, just gave a word of caution.
Akaza maintained his punching posture and spoke to Tanjirou with a cold voice.
"Weaklings should recognize their weaknesses. It''s your weakness that makes you see trivial things as important. As a weakling, how can you grasp that the path of the strong can''t tolerate anything unnecessary? Those are just obstacles holding people back from getting stronger."
After saying that, Akaza looked again at Riezel, who hadn''t moved at all.
"You must understand what I''m saying, right?" Akaza smiled. "No, it''s okay if you don''t understand. When you encounter a situation where you cannot move forward no matter what you do, you will know that your human body is just a shackle. Only by bing a demon can you continue to grow stronger, until¡ª"
"Until you reach that so-called highest domain?"
Akaza couldn''t finish his sentence since Riezel interrupted his words, finally speaking up.
"Yes! Exactly!"
Akaza, seeing Riezel finally speak, immediately showed a happy smile.
"You still have a chance now, you can gain more time to improve yourself!"
"Come on! Be a demon and you can be like me, always fighting, always getting stronger!"
At this point, Akaza had already opened his arms wide, ready to ept Riezel at any moment.
Unfortunately¡ª
"Do you know how much time it took me from being just an ordinary human that you looked down upon to having the power I have now?"
Riezel asked in a calm tone, leaving Akaza stunned.
In the next moment, Akaza got the answer.
"Four months."
Riezel continued, suddenly smiling at Akaza.
"I''ve grown from an ordinary human with no power to this point in just four months."
With those words, not only Akaza but even Kyoujurou and the other three showed expressions of disbelief.
"Impossible!" Akaza vehemently denied it. "Your massive fighting spirit is obviously the result of years of training! It''s basically impossible to achieve it with just a human body in a mere four months!"
He simply couldn''t believe Riezel''s words.
"Just because you can''t do it doesn''t mean others can''t..." Riezel said calmly, raising his eyebrows. "The fact remains, whether you deny it or not."
Akaza''s face immediately darkened.
"What I want to tell you is... what you can''t do, don''t preach it to others as an absolute truth."
Riezel continued in the same calm tone.
"You can''t be consistently strong with a human body? You can''t reach the highest domain unless you be a demon? Who told you that bullshit?"
"At least, I haven''t encountered any bottlenecks yet, let alone know what limits are, so there''s no reason to abandon my human body."
"Besides, in my opinion, what you call the highest domain is not such a difficult domain to reach. Perhaps the next time you see me, I will have already reached it."
"Of course, that is..."
Riezel paused, gazing at Akaza''s face for a while before continuing with a smile that wasn''t quite a smile.
"...if you can leave here alive today."
Upon hearing that, Akaza''splexion immediately turned ugly.
"Technique Development."
He stopped talking and assumed a stance.
"Destructive Death - Compass Needle."
A snowke pattern appeared under his feet, causing his fighting spirit to surge.
Seeing this, Riezel narrowed his eyes and suddenly shouted.
"Rengoku! Lend me your sword!"
Kyoujurou hesitated for a moment, then quickly threw his sword to Riezel.
Riezel reached out and caught the sword.
"As I thought, this kind of sword is more suitable, huh..."
Riezel weighed the sword in his hand as if confirming something, murmuring to himself.
"Huuu... Haaa..."
Shortly afterward, Riezel started to breathe in and out, and gradually, the air around him began to grow increasingly hotter.
Chapter 148: Tsugikuni Yoriichi
Chapter 148: Tsugikuni Yoriichi
As Riezel breathing in and out, the abnormality around him quickly caught everyone''s attention.
''His fighting spirit is... changing?'' Akaza''s eyes narrowed slightly.
In his perception, Riezel''s fighting spirit suddenly changed. It wasn''t a drastic change, still as massive and strong, but there was a sense of dangerous substance flowing within it, at least for him.
Unlike Akaza, the others each sensed the abnormality differently.
"His heartbeat suddenly became so fast!" Zenitsu, who had been crouching with his hands on his head, blurted out nervously.
"There''s a tingling sensation all over my skin, what is he doing?" Inosuke rubbed his exposed arms.
"The rhythm and precision of his breathing have changed..." Kyoujurou sounded surprised and puzzled.
As for Tanjirou, he stared nkly at Riezel at this moment, feeling strangely familiar with something about him.
At this moment, the aura emanating from Riezel''s body gave Tanjirou a sense of deja vu as if he was seeing his deceased father. In a daze, he even felt as if he was looking at a snowyndscape, seeing his father wearing priest attire dancing the Kagura dance.Suddenly, the scene changed, turning into a recent memory.
In a mountain infested with spiders, a demon stood silently.
One of his eyes bore Japanese characters.
Unlike Akaza, who had both eyes engraved with characters, this demon only had his left eye bore two characters.
One was ''Lower Rank'' and the other was ''Five''.
It was unmistakably Rui, the Lower Five who was recently defeated.
Several months ago, Tanjirou encountered this Lower Five and battled with him.
In that battle, Tanjirou was ravaged, subjected to unreasonable violence, repeatedly injured, and knocked down, until his sword broke like a butterfly caught in a spider''s web, bing prey to Rui.
Rui shot threads capable of shredding a human body into pieces toward him, weaving them into a, literally leaving him with nowhere to escape.
However, in the very end, Tanjirou unleashed ''that'' technique.
''Hinokami Kagura - Dance''.
It was the Kagura dance his father once performed in the snow.
It was the dance his father had taught and used.
Just as Tanjirou was forced into a corner facing the arrogantly impossible-to-defeat spider demon, he unleashed the Kagura dance passed down through generations of his family, even resorting to using unknown breathing, unleashing astonishing power, momentarily overpowering Rui.
In truth, the reason Tanjirou came to the Mugen Train to find Kyoujurou, aside from the mission from the Demon yer Corps, was for another reason¡ªhe wanted to ask Kyoujurou if he knew why Hinokami Kagura had turned into a breathing style usable forbat.
All of this was the idea of the current Insect Hashira, Kochou Shinobu.
As one of the few Hashira who harbored goodwill toward Tanjirou, upon learning about Hinokami Kagura from his mouth, Shinobu thought that Kyoujurou, who mastered me Breathing, might know something.
Perhaps because Hinokami Kagura and me Breathing were quite simr in power and characteristics, both employing swordsmanship that conjured mes.
For this reason, Tanjirou came here, to Kyoujurou''s side, to uncover the secret of Hinokami Kagura passed down through generations of his family.
Unfortunately, before Tanjirou could find the opportunity to inquire, the incident on the Mugen Train urred.
And now, Tanjirou was surprised to find himself facing off against the Upper Three, with Riezel holding Kyoujurou''s Nichirin Sword in his hand.
Upon entering the state of Total Concentration Breathing, Riezel''s appearance was identical to that of himself and his father when using Hinokami Kagura.
''What''s going on?''
Unfortunately, Tanjirou couldn''t utter the question in his mind, because he smelled danger.
"Watch out!"
Sensing the scenting from Akaza, Tanjirou couldn''t help but shout frantically at Riezel.
However, before his voice could fully resonate, Akaza''s impending killing move was already unleashed.
"Destructive Death - Annihtion Type!"
A terrifying power suddenly erupted around Akaza''s body, forming a dreadful shockwave, like an explosion, apanying his two fists as it surged toward Riezel.
This was the most powerful technique among Akaza''s martial arts techniques, named ''Annihtion Type''.
It concentrated all his fighting spirit and strength into the palm of his hands, which he used to strike his target with tremendous force, creating two powerful circr shockwaves.
Feeling the increasingly formidable threat from Riezel''s fighting spirit, Akaza no longer held back, directly unleashing this technique.
If Akaza stood in Riezel''s ce, facing the charging Mugen Train on the train tracks, this might not have directly destroyed the entire train, but the lotive that collided directly with this technique would certainly have been crushed.
Such a tremendously powerful attack, like a tsunami, swept out like an exploding shockwave, tearing through the earth, tearing through the air, and thundering toward Riezel.
"?!"
Seeing this, the faces of Kyoujurou and the other three changed drastically, all shouting something to Riezel, but their voices were drowned out by the explosion-like shockwave as they were blown away by the forceful wind and thrown from their position.
Riezel, holding Kyoujurou''s Nichirin Sword, stood directly against this attack, giving the impression of a tiny human about to be engulfed by a tornado, powerless and fragile.
Yet, faced with this utterly destructive attack, Riezel unexpectedly closed his eyes.
*BOOOM!*
A shockwave, like an explosion, instantly engulfed Riezel''s body, shattering the ground beneath him.
But within this astonishing shockwave, mes emerged.
Like the sun rising at dawn.
Like light appearing in the darkness.
As the mes ignited, it suddenly expanded.
*WHOOSH!*
Amidst the roar, the shockwave was sliced in half by the erupting mes.
At this moment, a fierce wind howled, sand filled the air, and the severed shockwave swept in all directions, stirring up an unstoppable gust, whistling as it went.
Meanwhile, the mes that cut through the shockwave leaped into the air, transforming into a dazzling fiery wheel, burning through the atmosphere, pushing back the impact.
Like a fleeting ray of sunlight, it suddenly tore through the void, shing toward Akaza!
In everyone''s eyes, this stunning disy was akin to the embodiment of the sun gracefully dancing into existence.
Akaza only had time to shrink his pupils to the size of a pinhead and couldn''t do anything else, not even change his stance, and remained in the posture of unleashing ''Destructive Death - Annihtion Type''.
At this moment, the flying mes cut through his field of vision, slicing through his fighting spirit, and ultimately slicing through his neck, disappearing behind him.
*Swish!*
"Sun Breathing - First Form..."
Only then did Riezel appear in the spot where the mes vanished, standing behind Akaza, back turned to him, slowly sheathing his sword.
"Dance..."
*Click*
With the clicking sound of the sword sheathing, everything returned to calm in that single moment.
The shockwave vanished.
The mes vanished.
The destructive power vanished.
It was as if nothing had ever existed, as if everything that had just happened was merely an illusion, making the entire scene fall into silence.
"..."
Whether it was Kyoujurou or the three youths, they ally on the ground, eyes wide open, watching everything unfold,pletely devoid of sound.
Even Akaza fell silent.
Riezel also remained silent and standing calmly, his expression unchanged.
Strangely, this silence persisted for who knew how long.
"Hey... what''s your name?"
At a certain moment, Akaza asked in a hoarse voice, a question that had previously gone unanswered.
Riezel didn''t turn around but still heard Akaza''s question.
Yet, upon hearing Akaza''s question, Riezel''s initial reaction wasn''t to give his name but to recall that dream, recalling that swordsman who had meticulously taught him every move of ''Sun Breathing''.
*Ding¡ªling¡ª*
In this silence, the hanafuda earrings on Tanjirou''s ears swayed just right, emitting a wind-chime-like sound.
"Tsugikuni Yoriichi..." Riezel uttered ''his'' name.
"Tsugikuni... Yoriichi¡" Akaza''s voice began to slow down, lowering. "I will... remember that name..."
As his words fell, his head gradually tilted from his neck and fell from his body.
*Thud!*
His body copsed as well, devoid of any remaining aura.
Needless to say, Upper Three Akaza had been defeated.
Facing an enemy whom even the Hashira found terrifying, a young man who had not yet joined the Demon yer Corps, was not a Demon yer, and didn''t even possess a Nichirin Sword, slew an Upper Rank with just one sh.
This was an astonishing feat.
This was a terrifying achievement.
Kyoujurou and the other three stared dumbfounded at the scene, unable to snap out of it for a long time.
''¡Dance?''
Tanjirou, staring nkly at Riezel, recalled the radiant and beautiful sword technique Riezel just disyed and felt his mind in chaos.
Indeed, Tanjiou''s feeling wasn''t wrong. When he saw the movement Riezel had just disyed, it was indeed very familiar to him.
Whether it was the Hinokami Kagura Tanjirou used against the Lower Five on Mt. Natagumo several months ago or the sword technique Riezel just used against the Upper Three, both were named ''Dance''.
''Sun Breathing?'' Tanjirou''s mind was in disarray,pletely losing his ability to think.
Unaware of all this, Riezel had already walked over to Kyoujurou.
"Nice sword but it''s too heavy for me." Riezel smiled faintly as he returned Kyoujurou''s sword.
At his words, Kyoujurou smiled wryly.
After all the struggle, the events of the Mugen Train were trulying to an end.
About ten minutester, several swordsmen wearing the uniforms of the Demon yer Corps, along with a group of masked individuals, swiftly arrived from the other side of the train tracks to clean up the scene, tidying up the aftermath.
Chapter 149: Impossible!
Chapter 149: Impossible!
In the end, the incident of the Mugen Train was ssified as a derailment ident by the authorities.
This was bound to thrust the Mugen Train back into the headlines, and the maintenance personnel associated with the train would inevitably face a series of repercussions.
After all, the Mugen Train had undergone factory inspections beforehand, and it was only after they adamantly dered ''no anomalies'' that the train was allowed to resume operation.
Now, barely setting off, such a major incident urred.
It was impossible for those who previously mocked the ''man-eating'' rumors about the Mugen Train in the newspapers to escape responsibility. Perhaps the only thing worth celebrating was that all two hundred passengers on the train emerged unscathed.
Without a doubt, this might be considered a miracle by many.
As for the existence of the Demon yer Corps, it was never mentioned from beginning to end.
Because the Demon yer Corps was an unofficial organization, strictly speaking, even parading around with swords on the streets was not allowed.
Therefore, how could they be regarded as heroes who saved two hundred passengers?In fact, very few people in the world were aware of the existence of demons. Demons were nothing more than fictional creatures in the eyes of many. Even if someone told them that the incident of the Mugen Train was caused by demons, most people would scoff at the idea.
As a result, whether it was demons or the Demon yer Corps, in this incident, they were destined not to be reported on.
In a sense, the Demon yer Corps, like demons, could only operate in the darkness. Although their existence had a long history, they were grassroots organizations formed spontaneously by people persecuted by demons.
Fame and fortune mean nothing to them.
Regardless, Riezel didn''t necessarily see this as a bad thing.
"Our enemies are demons, human-eating monsters. If we operate conspicuously outside, it''s not impossible for demons to actively attack us, or even attack people around us. That''s very dangerous and must be avoided."
That was the argument Kyoujurou put forward before, telling Riezel that the Demon yer Corps had narrowly escaped being wiped out by demons several times in history by being hidden.
Needless to say, the Demon yer Corps mostly operated covertly and was not publicly acknowledged.
Especially the whereabouts of the Master, the leader of the Demon yer Corps, were top secret. Not only was his location absolutely concealed, but the routes to get there were changed periodically.
Apart from the Hashira, few people know how to reach there.
And now¡ª
"I''ll take you to see the Master! Young Tsugikuni!"
Kyoujurou dered such, even addressing Riezel by the name he said to Akaza.
"Is that okay?" Riezel didn''t refuse, just asked curiously.
"No problem!" Kyoujurou nodded. "It''s more like, it''s what the Master requested. He wants to meet you!"
"He requested?" Riezel was surprised. "Does your leader already know about me?"
"Umu!" Kyoujurou admitted openly. "Because we have Kasugai Crows. My Kasugai Crow has already sent back information about you, Young Tsugikuni!"
Kasugai Crows were a type of crow trained by the Demon yer Corps. Not only could they speak, but they also had distinct self-awareness.
The Demon yer Corps specifically trained these crows to serve various purposes such asmunication between members, transmitting information, and assigning missions, thus creating a fairly convenient intelligencework.
Basically, each member of the Demon yer Corps received a Kasugai Crow when they joined. The Corps relied on Kasugai Crows to assign missions to their members located in various ces, sending them to hunt demons.
At the same time, Kasugai Crows would gather various information and send it to the headquarters of the Demon yer Corps, where the Master resided, ensuring he was informed about thetest events and developments without leaving his abode.
Needless to say, Riezel''s presence and his performance on the Mugen Train were promptly reported back to the headquarters of the Demon yer Corps by Kyoujurou''s Kasugai Crow and delivered to the Master.
As a result, the Kasugai Crow delivered the Master''s instructions to Kyoujurou, expressing a desire to meet Riezel in person.
"How, Young Tsugikuni? Let''s go see the Master together!"
Kyoujurou insisted, pressing down on Riezel''s shoulder even before he could respond as if to prevent him from escaping.
"Okay, okay, let''s just get it over with, but don''t get too close to me."
Riezel pushed away Kyoujurou''s face, which had leaned in too close, agreeing to the arrangement.
Riezel actually wanted to meet the Master of the Demon yer Corps for one simple reason¡ªto ask for a favor.
Upon learning that his destination for this dimensional travel was the world of Demon yer, Riezel had a n in mind from the outset¡ªto gather information about the breathing styles of this world.
Moreover, since collecting breathing styles required involvement with the Demon yer Corps, Riezel had no choice but to do so.
For this reason, upon hearing about the Mugen Train, Riezel headed straight to the train because he knew that Kyoujurou, the me Hashira, along with the three main characters, would be there.
As for Akaza and Enmu, Riezel was merely interested in understanding the strength of the Twelve Kizuki and the general strength of demons in this world; he wasn''t specifically targeting or caring about them.
Now, with Kyoujurou presenting this opportunity to Riezel, there was naturally no reason for him to refuse. With the assistance of the Master of the Demon yer Corps, collecting breathing styles would be a breeze.
"Excellent!" Kyoujurou eximed happily, patting Riezel''s shoulder repeatedly. "No time to waste, let''s set off immediately!"
His words prompted Tanjirou, Zenitsu, and Inosuke to gather around eagerly¡ªor rather, it was Tanjirou who was the most eager.
"Mr. Rengoku, can Ie with you guys?" Tanjirou asked.
"Hmm? Got something important, Young Kamado?" Kyoujurou paused for a moment before adding. "If it''s not urgent, better not casually visit Master''s ce. Meeting Master isn''t something that happens easily."
He said it like that was also to conceal the location of the Master of the Demon yer Corps, ensuring the safety of both the Master and the Corps'' headquarters.
"I just have some questions to ask you two..." Tanjirou exined. "Even if I don''t go to Master''s ce, it''s fine."
Saying so, Tanjirou stole a nce at Riezel, evidently concerned about the rtionship between Hinokami Kagura and Sun Breathing that Riezel had previously used.
"Umu! If that''s the case, then it''s no problem!" Kyoujurou, having learned the whole story, said very frankly. "Since that''s settled, why don''t you alle to my ce first? Let me treat you!"
"Thank you!" Tanjirou said excitedly, smiling as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.
Zenitsu and Inosuke seemed to have no objections.
"Hey! Big Eyes! Do you have something like a lotive there? Let me borrow it to work out my fists a bit!" Inosuke raised his fist and made an unreasonable request.
"Work out your fists? That''s a very good idea!" Kyoujurou nodded earnestly. "But I don''t have one!"
Upon hearing his answer, Zenitsu''s motivation grew stronger.
"If we go to the me Hashira''s ce, we won''t need to go on missions temporarily, and if we don''t need to go on a mission, we won''t need to hunt demons, and if we don''t hunt demons, we won''t encounter any danger so I won''t die!"
Zenitsu said with a torrent of momentum and struck a victorious pose on his own.
"Well said, young man!"
Kyoujurou gave Zenitsu a thumbs-up, saying with much appreciation.
''But that won''t do! Trying to escape missions at my ce? You probably don''t know how to write the word ''Hashira'' of the me Hashira!''
After thinking that way, Kyoujurou had already figured out what kind of mission to assign to Zenitsu.
And so, Riezel, Kyoujurou, Tanjirou, Zenitsu, and Inosuke, the group of five, prepared to set off to the headquarters of the Demon yer Corps.
Meanwhile, the other members of the Demon yer Corps, stayed behind at the scene to clean up the aftermath.
However, not a single person noticed that in a corner, a headless corpse, which had not instantly disintegrated to ash after being beheaded by a Nichirin Sword,y silently, devoid of all vitality, suddenly moved its fingers.
By the time one of the members of the Demon yer Corps came over, there was already nothing left.
===
At the same time, within a luxurious mansion, a figure emitted a dark and dangerous aura.
"Tsugikuni Yoriichi?"
A man stood in front of a bookshelf, seemingly reading a book in his hand, muttering in a daze.
*RIP!*
In the next moment, the book in his hand suddenly tore in half and shattered into pieces by some unknown power.
Unaware of this, his hand holding the fragments of the book was trembling.
"It can''t be..."
As the man murmured, veins bulged on his forehead.
"Absolutely impossible!"
Tsugikuni Yoriichi.
That name awakened a certain unbearable past hidden deep in the man''s heart, making him feel as if this body that had survived for a thousand years was throbbing faintly as if some wound were acting up.
At the same time, a slight fear in his heart was also awakened.
"He can''t possibly still be alive... He''s already dead, that''s for sure..."
Otherwise, he wouldn''t be here.
If Yoriichi were still alive, there would be no way for him to be active again. It was because he confirmed Yoriichi''s death that he appeared again in this world.
Now, hundreds of years have passed, and that man, who was a genuine monsterpared to himself, should have long been dead.
Yet, why did that man suddenly appear again out of the blue?!
"Is someone impersonating him?"
Lowering his head, the man in the study muttered in confusion.
"But the breathing style that beheaded Akaza, it''s indeed Sun Breathing..."
Such swordsmanship, such strength, it was terrifying and powerful just like Tsugikuni Yoriichi he knew.
"No, I must confirm who that human really is before I can be at ease..."
After making a decision, the man pressed his hand to his temple and called out two names.
"Hantengu, Gyokko,e to me quickly."
After the call, a few secondster, two voices echoed in his mind.
""Yes, Lord Muzan.""
Chapter 150: Hashira
Chapter 150: Hashira
ording to Kyoujurou, the headquarters of the Demon yer Corps was known as the Ubuyashiki Estate.
Because the Master of the Demon yer Corps was a descendant of a family called Ubuyashiki who had held this position for generations, the Corps was also established by this family.
As a result, the ce where the Master resided was the headquarters of the Demon yer Corps as well as the residence of the Ubuyashiki family.
Due to the sensitive nature of the location, Riezel wasn''t informed of its whereabouts on the way to the Ubuyashiki Estate. Furthermore, he didn''t have the opportunity to see the route. Instead, he sat with Kyoujurou in a tightly sealed carriage and was transported to the destination without even glimpsing outside.
As a result, when Riezel got off the carriage, he didn''t even know where he was or what this ce was. All he knew was that Kyoujurou had brought him to a very secluded ce and arrived at the courtyard of arge Japanese mansion.
Tanjirou, Zenitsu, and Inosuke did not apany them but were arranged by Kyoujurou to go to his own home. Only Riezel and Kyoujurou came to this estate, and there wasn''t even a servant responsible for guiding them.
Riezel looked around and found the environment here was quite beautiful.
Not only was the ground paved with stones, but there were also flowers and nts specially nted around, along with flowing water and small bridges.
Undoubtedly, the style of the estate was Japanese, with a sense of historical weight and ancient feeling."Yup! We are here!"
Kyoujurou, who brought Riezel to this ce, patted his shoulder and then loudly announced toward the direction of the manor.
"me Hashira Rengoku Kyoujurou and Swordsman Tsugikuni Yoriichi is here!"
With Kyoujurou''s already loud voice, after deliberately shouting aloud, it turned into an echo, reverberating throughout the entire estate, persisting for a long time.
Riezel quietly watched this scene and, at a certain moment, calmly lifted his head.
*Swish!* *Swish!* *Swish!* *Swish!*
In this split second, sky-splitting sounds resounded one after another as several figures flew from all directions to the courtyard.
Theynded on the walls surrounding the courtyard and looked down at Riezel standing in the center of the courtyard, emitting different but equally powerful auras.
"Huh?"
Seeing this scene, Kyoujurou was somewhat astonished.
"Ohh! You guys are here too?"
It was no wonder he would be surprised.
As the deliberately hidden headquarters of the Demon yer Corps, the Ubuyashiki Estate was rarely visited by people on ordinary days.
Even the Hashira rarely gathered here at the same time. Only during the semiannual Hashira meeting did they gather together to discuss the overall management of the Demon yer Corps and future action ns.
Normally, the Hashira were busy with their respective missions, not only responsible for guarding vast areas and collecting information rted to demons but also training to improve their own strength, coupled with various other tasks.
Under normal circumstances, the Hashira would not gather at the headquarters.
After all, the semiannual Hashira meeting had ended recently, so logically, they should have been outpleting missions or dealing with the tasks of the Demon yer Corps. Yet, at this moment, rare as it was, all the Hashira, seldom seen on ordinary days, had gathered together once again.
"You finally made it back, Rengoku."
A petite girl standing on the courtyard walls closest to Kyoujurou greeted him.
She had dark purple curly hair with bangs that ended in purple, purple eyes, and wore a Demon yer Corps uniform with a haori draped over it patterned with butterfly wings, giving her the appearance of a butterfly ready to take flight¡ªexceptionally beautiful.
She was Kochou Shinobu, the Insect Hashira.
"Hey there, Rengoku, heard you made quite a show on the Mugen Train, not bad!"
A young man standing straight with arms crossed, perched on a tree branch like a ninja, remarked with a smile.
He was a muscr young man wearing a sleeveless Demon yer Corps uniform with a jeweled forehead protector and silver chain-like ornament hanging from each side of the headpiece. His silver-white hair was tied into a prominent ponytail, and he carried two swords on his back, exuding a strong aura.
He was Uzui Tengen, the Sound Hashira.
"So-Sorry, Mr. Rengoku, because everyone was curious about what the person who defeated the Upper Rank looked like..."
A shy-looking girl standing modestly in the courtyard spoke guiltily.
She hadrge light green eyes, rosy cheeks, a mole under each eye, and three grass-green and cherry blossom-colored braids cascading down her back. She wore a white haori over a specially modified Demon yer Corps uniform, with a short skirt and green-striped stockings¡ªquite fashionable.
She was Kanroji Mitsuri, the Love Hashira.
"And then? Is that boy the one who defeated the Upper Rank?"
A young man with a white hedgehog-like head, three scars on his face, and a terrifying appearance covered in scars that exuded a vicious aura asked with a somewhat irritated expression.
He wore a white haori with the character ''kill'' on it, his uniform open to reveal muscles, emanating a terrifying vibe, as if he could draw his sword at any moment and strike someone down.
He was Shinazugawa Sanemi, the Wind Hashira.
"He killed an Upper Rank? Unbelievable..."
A young man lurking in a darker corner chimed in.
He had heterochromatic eyes, one green and one gold, the lower half of his face wrapped in bandages, and ck medium-length hair curled like seaweed. He wore a ck and white striped haori, with a white snake coiled around his neck, hissing at Riezel.
He was Iguro Obanai, the Serpent Hashira.
"Aah, so young, looks only a bit older than Tokitou. To fight with an Upper Rank at such a young age, it''s too pitiful, Namu Amida Butsu."
Arge man dressed as a monk and the most muscr among the rest, remarked.
With hands sped together and tears streaming down his face, he had a long scar on his forehead and seemed to bepletely blind. He wore an olive green robe over his Demon yer Corps uniform, with a string of prayer beads in his hands, giving the impression of a monk to those who didn''t know him.
He was Himejima Gyoumei, the Stone Hashira.
At this moment, two people suddenly leaped down from the walls into the courtyard and stood silently, not uttering a word.
Between these two, one appeared calm andposed, seldom smiling or speaking unnecessarily. He had ck hair and wore a Demon yer Corps uniform with a haori draped over it, the patterns on its left and right sides differed.
On the other hand, the second one had long ck hair, the tips tinged with a minty green hue, and his expression was nk and indifferent. He wore a dark, slightly turquoise-tinted Demon yer Corps uniform that resembled more of a kimono than the standard cuffed uniform.
They were the Water Hashira, Tomioka Giyuu, andthe Mist Hashira, Tokitou Muichirou.
"All of you really came! Good, this calls for a celebration!"
With Kyoujurou''s loud promation, every Hashira of the Demon yer Corps gathered here, a rare urrence outside their official meetings.
Riezel''s gaze swept over these neers one by one, identifying their identities. Every Hashira also observed him, some with curiosity in their eyes, others with suspicion.
For example, Wind Hashira Shinazugawa Sanemi and Serpent Hashira Iguro Obanai didn''t hide their suspicions.
"I say, Rengoku, you didn''t send Kasugai Crow back with fake information, did you?" Sanemi said impolitely. "Can this boy really kill an Upper Rank? I don''t buy it!"
"Agreed..." Obanai nodded, twirling the white snake around his neck with a gloomy expression. "Upper Ranks that haven''t had member changes in over a hundred years, even we wouldn''t dare im we could behead one of them. Now, out of the blue, a young swordsman we''ve never heard of ims he seeded in killing one. Unfortunately, I don''t buy it either."
"You two must have teamed up, right?" Tengen pressed his forehead, striking a bizarre pose. "Although not mboyant, in terms of results, this makes it easier for people to ept."
"Ahh, indeed..." Gyoumei said, sping his hands, tears welling up. "Killing an Upper Rank, even if it was teamwork, is still a great achievement."
Wind Hashira, Serpent Hashira, Sound Hashira, and Stone Hashira expressed their opinions one after another, seemingly doubting the uracy of the information.
"Don''t say that, everyone. Perhaps Tsugikuni Yoriichi is a genius like Tokitou?"
Mitsuri intervened, tapping her fingers while speaking up for Riezel. However, after speaking like that, she stole a nce at him, then secretly squealed in her mind.
''Tsugikuni looks so handsome!''
"Um, he does seem smart and talented." Shinobu, who had been eyeing Riezel since his entrance, said with a smile before turning to Muichirou. "What do you think, Tokitou?"
"...I don''t care." Muichirou seemed uninterested in the topic.
As for the Water Hashira, Tomioka Giyuu, he hadn''t spoken a word from beginning to end, standing silently, apparently not one for conversation.
Eventually, Kyoujurou spoke up.
"I''ve already reported everything truthfully through Kasugai Crow. Every word is true, not a single lie. If there''s any deception, I''m willing tomit seppuku!"
Although the me Hashira went so far as to say that, even so, some Hashira were still reluctant to believe it.
"If it''s true, we''ll know if we try it out, right?" Sanemi smirked menacingly and, in front of everyone, drew the sword on his waist.
"Shinazugawa! What do you want to do?!" Kyoujurou shouted in surprise, his eyes widened.
"Tch, don''t fuss. I just want to test the waters, so it shouldn''t matter, right?" Sanemi sneered. "Anyway, he''s not even a member of the Corps, so it wouldn''t be against the rules toy a hand on him, no?"
In the next moment, Sanemi turned his head to Riezel.
"Boy, you dare to take a swing at me?"
Soon, a whirlwind stirred around Sanemi''s body, disturbing the air in the courtyard.
Chapter 151: Wipe the Floor
Chapter 151: Wipe the Floor
In the serene and tranquil courtyard, the surroundings suddenly transformed as if a hurricane had swept through, causing the flowers, nts, and trees to sway, the water under a small bridge to ripple, and the entire cozy ambiance to take on a hint of danger.
As Sanemi raised his Nichirin Sword and pointed it at Riezel, the swirling wind around him went berserk, louder and more forceful than when Riezel used ''Ariel'', causing the stones scattered on the ground to roll one after another.
Every Hashira watched Sanemi in this state, mostly indifferent except for Kyoujurou. Clearly, Sanemi''s provocation intrigued them, and they were eager to see the oue.
"Hey, aren''t you going to draw your sword?!" Sanemi shouted impatiently.
However, Riezel just calmly looked at him, appearingpletely defenseless, not even a shadow of a weapon visible on him.
Seeing this, veins bulged on Sanemi''s forehead, anger evident on his face as if he felt insulted.
"Since you won''t draw your sword, then don''t me me if you die!"
With those words, Sanemi finally moved.
*BOOM!*A sudden gust of wind rose, and like a tornado, the Wind Hashira charged toward Riezel.
"Stop, Shinazugawa!" Kyoujurou eximed hastily.
He couldn''t just stand by and watch his friend being attacked by his ownrade.
However, as he was about to rush forward, he was suddenly held back by someone.
"You stay here and watch, Rengoku."
Obanai appeared behind Kyoujurou, one hand on his shoulder, stopping him.
As Obanai held Kyoujurou back, the tornado-like gust already reached Riezel, sending his kimono fluttering wildly.
Sanemi, in the tornado, clearly showed no mercy as his Nichirin Sword violently cut through the air, aiming squarely at Riezel''s chest.
His attack was undeniably powerful, not inferior to Kyoujurou''s; instead, it was even faster, seemingly capable of slicing through the entire courtyard.
With just this one attack, it was evident that Wind Hashira Shinazugawa Sanemi was no less powerful than me Hashira Rengoku Kyoujurou.
However¡ª
*DING!*
As the sound of a clear, bell-like tone resounded, Sanemi''s sh halted, his sword froze mid-air, and the howling wind dissipated.
Sanemi appeared in front of Riezel, devoid of any momentum.
"What?" Sanemi''splexion suddenly changed.
"Impossible!"
Seeing this, the other Hashira were equally shocked, unable to believe their eyes.
Riezel stood calmly, his kimono finally settling down after being ruffled by the wind. He was unscathed, not even flinching, just extending a hand in Sanemi''s direction.
However, firmly gripped between Riezel''s two fingers was a de.
It was the de of Sanemi''s sword.
"You bastard!" Sanemi shouted, his eyes filled with disbelief. ''He actually stopped my sh with just two fingers? Are you fucking kidding me?!''
"Satisfied?"
Riezel finally spoke, his expression still calm.
"Though I don''t think I need to prove anything to you lot, being bothered by you troublemakers is quite annoying. Consider this as a favor returned." Riezel continued calmly, releasing his fingers from Sanemi''s sword.
*BANG!*
The next moment, with a thunderous explosion, Sanemi was kicked away.
With a speed that caught everyone off guard, Riezel kicked Sanemi like a sh, causing the Wind Hashira to fly out even faster than when he charged at Riezel, crashing into a rock in the courtyard, shattering it.
"Shinazugawa!"
Many Hashira who witnessed this scene cried out in shock.
Some even directly attacked Riezel.
*Swish!*
*Swish!*
Two figures simultaneously cut through the air, appearing on Riezel''s left and right.
"Sound Breathing - First Form - Roar!"
Tengen drew two swords from his back, his muscr arms bulging with immense strength, before bringing down two crimson-hilted swords, creating a tremendous roar with astonishing power.
"Serpent Breathing - First Form - Winding Serpent sh!"
Obanai twisted his body in mid-air, contorting at an unbelievable angle, holding a curved serpent-shaped and double-edged sword. As he twisted and swung, it seemed like a living snake, shing out a serpent-shaped sh from the side toward Riezel.
As the two Hashiraunched their attacks simultaneously, both in terms of momentum and aura, they were truly world-shaking.
Tengen and Obanai were like two contrasting individuals, one attacking in a shy manner, the other in a stealthy manner, directly blocking all of Riezel''s retreat paths.
However, Riezel''s response left everyone dumbfounded.
He stood there motionless, just flicking the sleeve of his kimono.
*Whoosh!*
With just that flick, it stirred up tremendous gusts of wind and impact, sending both Hashira flying with a loud howl.
In the next instant, Riezel flipped his hand, grabbed two small stones blown over by the gust of wind in front of him, and with a flick of his fingers,unched the stones like bullets.
*BANG!*
*BANG!*
Apanied by two muffled sounds, the stone bullets hit the chests of the flying Tengen and Obanai, causing them to fall to the ground in pain.
"..."
In an instant, the entire courtyard suddenly fell silent.
Every Hashira looked at Tengen and Obanai writhing on the ground in pain, then at Sanemi struggling amidst the rubble, speechless.
"He beat three Hashira so easily?" Mitsuri couldn''t help but cover her mouth in shock.
"Hmm... Amitabha..." Gyoumei sped his hands together in prayer, tears no longer streaming down his face.
"My..." Shinobu nced deeply at Riezel, her smile unchanged.
Even Giyuu and Muichirou, who had been silently observing from the sidelines, felt a shiver down their spines, their gaze filled with solemnity as they looked at Riezel.
Only Kyoujurou, as he stopped his movements, let out a sigh.
"Hahh... I couldn''t stop them after all..."
Indeed, he knew from the beginning that the oue would turn out like this.
He wasn''t kidding; he had seen with his own eyes Riezel''s strength and how he faced off against the Upper Three, Akaza.
How could he not know where Riezel''s strength lies?
When facing Akaza, he could distinctly feel he wasn''t Akaza''s match at all.
No doubt, Akaza was stronger than him¡ªor rather, Akaza was stronger than every Hashira currently, and this was something he could confirm without a doubt.
However, even with such strength, Akaza was defeated with just one sh from Riezel.
In such a case, ording to logic, if he faced off against Riezel, he wouldn''t be able to withstand even one sh from Riezel at all.
Among the current Hashira, except for one person who made Kyoujurou feel distinctly inferior, the rest of the Hashira were at best on par with him, and some of them were clearly weaker.
Wind Hashira Shinazugawa Sanemi, Serpent Hashira Iguro Obanai, and Sound Hashira Uzui Tengen, while their strengths were not weak and were among the top-ranking Hashira, individually, Kyoujurou didn''t think he was weaker than any of them.
ording to this fact, even if those three teamed up, how could they possibly deal with Riezel?
At most, Riezel would just turn one sh into three sh.
Kyoujurou wanted to stop them, not only because he didn''t want to see Riezel being harassed by the Hashira but also because he didn''t want them to embarrass themselves further.
Unfortunately, he couldn''t do it.
In the end, this was their own fault.
Of course, the three Hashira who had fallen to such humiliation were definitely not willing to give up.
"You bastard!"
"This isn''t pleasant at all..."
"Tch..."
Sanemi, Tengen, and Obanai stood up sessively, ring angrily at Riezel.
Responding to their res, Riezel simply stated calmly.
"Just give up. You can''t possibly match me without using the Mark, the Bright Red Nichirin Sword, and the Transparent World."
His words stunned every Hashira.
"Mark?"
"Bright Red Nichirin Sword?"
"Transparent World?"
Every Hashira furrowed their brows tightly, looking at each other in nk dismay, seemingly ignorant of what Riezel was talking about.
Riezel didn''t exin either, merely turning his gaze toward the mansion.
"You''ve also seen enough, can youe out now?"
With Riezel''s words, every Hashira quickly brushed aside what he had just said. One after another, they looked toward the direction of the mansion, seemingly realizing something.
Soon, a voice came from inside.
"I''m sorry, I meant no harm. I just wanted to see what the legendary Sun Breathing was like, but unfortunately, couldn''t fulfill my wish."
Strangely, the voice gave a light and airy feeling, calm and gentle, making one feel refreshed.
As the voice echoed, a man supported by someone emerged from the mansion and stepped onto the veranda leading to the courtyard.
""Master!""
Seeing this man, all the Hashira present, whether it was the previously arrogant Wind Hashira and Serpent Hashira, or the silent Water Hashira and Mist Hashira, all kneeled on one knee, bowing their heads.
Without a doubt, this was the highest courtesy and the utmost respect.
Riezel became the only one standing in the courtyard, only his eyes showing a slight tremor as he stared at the man.
No choice.
After all, the appearance of this man was truly out of the ordinary.
Dressed appropriately, elegant and noble in posture, one could tell he was someone of high status, and also a benevolent one.
Yet, despite being such a benevolent leader, the upper part of his face was severely disfigured, his eyes seemed to have already lost sight, and there was a sense of illness emanating from his body, making him look extremely frail.
With just one nce, Riezel could see it¡ªthis man, his time was running out.
Chapter 152: The Origin of Breathing Style
Chapter 152: The Origin of Breathing Style
Ubuyashiki Kagaya.
That was the name of the man who appeared before Riezel.
He was the head of the Ubuyashiki family as well as the 97th-generation leader of the Demon yer Corps.
Every member of the Demon yer Corps, whether they were the Hashira or ordinary members, held deep reverence and respect for their leader, as evidenced by how they addressed him as ''Master''.
Now, this leader was being supported by his wife and daughters, walking out of the mansion together, to a ce where the sunlight could reach, standing opposite Riezel.
"Wee to the headquarters of the Demon yer Corps, Tsugikuni Yoriichi."
Kagaya greeted Riezel with a gentle tone and a serene expression.
"I apologize for not being able to bow. As you can see, I am seriously ill and cannot make too many vigorous movements. Just walking out of the house like this has already drained most of my strength. I hope you can understand."
Although his voice was gentle, it carried a strong charisma, making people involuntarily feel a sense of trust toward him. Even Riezel, when facing him, couldn''t help but slightly rx his usually calm expression."No need to be polite, Lord Ubuyashiki." Riezel shook his head. "I may have been invited, but I am just an ordinary guest, so don''t bother with formality."
In this world, the Ubuyashiki family was an ancient family with a history of over a thousand years, extending from the Heian period to the present day, holding significant influence throughout the country.
This could be seen from the fact that they were able to establish arge organization like the Demon yer Corps without government support and have managed it almost single-handedly until this day.
Moreover, Riezel recalled from the original work that the sries in the Demon yer Corps were quite generous; even the lowest-ranked Mizunoto could receive a monthly sry equivalent to about 200,000 yen in 2019, not to mention the sry of a Hashira.
Furthermore, all these sries were paid by the Ubuyashiki family, along with expenses such as the treatment of injured members, post-demon battle cleanup, and expenses during mission execution, all of which were borne solely by this family.
Such a family undoubtedly possesses vast financial resources; otherwise, it would be impossible to independently manage a big organization like Demon yer Corps for nearly a thousand years.
Naturally, as the head of the Ubuyashiki family and the leader of the Demon yer Corps, Kagaya''s status was extremely prestigious. Inparison, Riezel was just an ordinary young man and really didn''t need any grand gestures.
"That being said, you are neither a member of the Demon yer Corps nor obligated to eradicate demons, yet you helped us defeat the Upper Three of the Twelve Kizuki. For this alone, we are deeply grateful."
Kagaya spoke softly to Riezel and shook his head slightly.
"Members of the Upper Ranks haven''t changed for over a hundred years, which means that in all that time, no one has ever defeated an Upper Rank. On the contrary, we have lost countless Hashira to them."
As Kagaya''s voice turned mncholic, it carried a tinge of sorrow.
It was a sorrow for the once sacrificial victim.
Every Hashira also hung their heads, their eyes clouded with gloom.
Twelve Kizuki, an organizationposed of the highest and most powerful demons, had always been the bane of the Demon yer Corps, a constant thorn in their side.
Many Hashira had hunted Lower Ranks before; however, many had also perished at the hands of Upper Ranks.
Both the Demon yer Corps and the Twelve Kizuki were truly sworn enemies.
Once casualties urred among the Lower Ranks of the Twelve Kizuki, they almost always fell to the Hashira of the Demon yer Corps. Likewise, if casualties urred among the Hashira of the Demon yer Corps, they almost always fell to the Upper Ranks of the Twelve Kizuki.
They were nemesis locked in a cycle of mutual hunting, with the Hashira gaining fame by hunting Lower Ranks, and Upper Ranks earning their greatest merits by hunting the Hashira.
From Riezel''s perspective, this was quite ironic.
After experiencing the event of the Mugen Train and sessfully hunting both a Lower Rank and an Upper Rank, Riezel had roughly gauged the strength of demons and Demon yers.
Beginning with the weakest, a demon newly transformed, possessing diluted demon''s blood, and not yet mastering the Blood Demon Art, was roughly equivalent to a Level 1 adventurer. They were stronger than ordinary humans but not entirely invincible against them.
Those who had mastered the Blood Demon Art, consumed humans, and gained some experience and strength were roughly equivalent to Level 2.
Lower Ranks were roughly equivalent to Level 3.
The Hashira and the Upper Ranks were roughly equivalent to Level 4.
However, the Upper Ranks generally surpassed the Hashira. If they had to be ssified, most of the Hashira were akin to lower Level 4, while the Upper Ranks were at least upper Level 4.
Moreover, demons were naturally unafraid of death; whether their limbs were severed or their bodies pierced, as long as their heads weren''t cut off by Nichirin Swords, they could immediately regenerate. With this advantage alone, they naturally held a significant edge over the Hashira when facing them.
Therefore, once someone in the Demon yer Corps reached the strength of a Hashira, they could easily y Lower Ranks, earn merit, and be a Hashira. However, when facing the Upper Ranks, the Hashira often found themselvescking in strength and were ultimately hunted down by them.
This led to the basic fact that the sessive generations of Hashira had almost all perished at the hands of the Upper Ranks, leading to their deep hatred toward the Upper Ranks.
In fact, this was also the reason why the reaction of the Hashira was so big upon learning that Riezel had in an Upper Rank.
On the other hand, since members of the Twelve Kizuki only met their demise at the hands of the Hashira, the Upper Ranks regarded them as enemies to be eliminated at all costs. Once confronted, they would never let the Hashira go.
Now, with Riezel having in an Upper Rank for the Demon yer Corps, causing an absence in the Upper Ranks, which hadn''t urred in over a hundred years, this undoubtedly marked a monumental achievement for the Corps.
"Plus, with the Sun Breathing reemerging from you, I can already sense it. In our generation, Demon yers and demons may finally settle the score, putting an end to this millennia-old history of mistakes."
Kagaya''s voice became somewhat energized as he spoke.
*Cough!* *Cough!*
However, due to the shift in his emotions, he suddenly started coughing violently.
"Master!"
"Please take care of yourself!"
Every Hashira was shocked one after another, speaking hastily as they saw Kagaya''s wife and daughters supporting him by patting his chest and back to ease his difort.
"Don''t worry, I''m fine... I''m just overwhelmed with happiness."
Kagaya reassured his wife and daughters, patting their hands, then gestured for everyone to rx before turning to Riezel with a smile.
"You truly live up to the name ''Tsugikuni Yoriichi''... Perhaps it''s fate."
Hearing Kagaya''s words, Riezel raised an eyebrow.
"You know Tsugikuni Yoriichi?"
"Of course..." Kagaya replied, looking deeply at Riezel''s eyes.
"Tsugikuni Yoriichi, a swordsman born in the Sengoku era, was the first to master and create the breathing style."
"The Corps began practicing the breathing style under his guidance, giving us the ability to fight demons."
"However, the breathing style he created and used was said to be so powerful that it demanded strict requirements of the user''s body, making it nearly impossible for anyone to learn it."
"As a result, various breathing styles were derived from the one he used."
Kagaya nced at every Hashira kneeling in the courtyard as his voice slowly spread out.
"Water Breathing, Thunder Breathing, me Breathing, Stone Breathing, Wind Breathing¡ªthese are the five fundamental breathing styles. They are branches derived from Tsugikuni Yoriichi''s breathing style."
"After the emergence of these five fundamental breathing styles, the Corps witnessed the rise of many talented individuals who developed derivative styles based on them."
"Love Breathing used by Love Hashira Kanroji Mitsuri is a derivative branch of me Breathing."
"Insect Breathing used by Insect Hashira Kochou Shinobu and Serpent Breathing used by Serpent Hashira Iguro Obanai are derivative branches of Water Breathing."
"Sound Breathing used by Sound Hashira Uzui Tengen is a derivative branch of Thunder Breathing."
"Mist Breathing used by Mist Hashira Tokitou Muichirou is a derivative branch of Wind Breathing."
"In this way, various breathing styles emerged sessively, but the breathing style of Tsugikuni Yoriichi, which served as the origin of all these breathing styles, has been lost."
As Kagaya spoke, a rich smile appeared on his face involuntarily.
"Until my generation, the origin of all breathing styles¡ªthe ancestor and foundation of them all¡ªhas finally been revived in the world once again."
Upon hearing that, everyone couldn''t help but wonder what Kagaya meant.
"Could it be... the Sun Breathing this boy used is the breathing style Master was talking about?"
Sanemi couldn''t help but speak up in shock.
Upon hearing him, the other Hashira cast astonished looks at Riezel one after another, surprised by this sudden revtion.
"Master!" Kyoujurou eximed surprisedly. "Why were we not informed of such an important matter?"
Indeed, whether it was Sun Breathing or Tsugikuni Yoriichi, hardly any Hashira present knew of their existence.
This was very absurd.
Sun Breathing was the origin and foundation of all breathing styles, the strongest breathing style, while Tsugikuni Yoriichi was the one who created this breathing style, bringing it to the world.
Why were such important matters devoid of any records or tales within the Demon yer Corps?
"The reason is simple..."
Riezel spoke up, answering Kyoujurou''s question.
"Because Tsugikuni Yoriichi once made some mistakes and got banished from the Corps. On top of that, the legacy and records about Sun Breathing were brutally destroyed. That''s why there are hardly any records about these two within the Corps."
Riezel''s exnation shook everyone.
"That''s right..."
Kagaya sighed resignedly and lowered his head.
"I must say, it''s a very tragic situation."
Chapter 153: Collecting Breathing Styles
Chapter 153: Collecting Breathing Styles
In Riezel''s eyes, Tsugikuni Yoriichi was undoubtedly the most powerful being in this world. It was not just because he created the first ever breathing style and introduced it to the world, but also because his talent was simply inhuman.
He inherently understood the principles of breathing style, with Sun Breathing being the result of organizing these principles.
He even came with a cheat from birth, not only having the Demon yer Mark on his forehead that greatly enhanced his physical abilities but also reaching the so-called ''highest domain (Selfless State)'' mentioned by Akaza, demonstrating extraordinary strength from childhood.
He also had a history of nearly exterminating the Demon King, who had survived for a millennium, leaving him with psychological trauma. The Demon King was so traumatized that he refused to show himself to the world again until Yoriichi''s dying day.
All these feats made Riezel genuinely believe that Yoriichi, the swordsman born in the Sengoku period, was the strongest existence in this world.
Unfortunately, at the moment when he was most likely to resolve everything and end the tragedy that had spanned a thousand years, he failed.
With this failure, Yoriichi, who was born overpowered, fell from grace.
Not only was he banished from the Demon yer Corps, but he also carried a lifelong regret that he could never let go of. Moreover, it was also because of him that the Corps faced numerous major crises of destruction.
Fearing Yoriichi and his Sun Breathing, the Demon Kingunched a pursuit against anyone who knew about Sun Breathing after surviving the crisis brought by this overpowered swordsman, nearly destroying the Demon yer Corps several times.As a result, the records of Yoriichi and Sun Breathing were lost, with only the Ubuyashiki family, who had always led the Demon yer Corps, retaining some records.
However, at this moment, Kagaya suddenly mentioned something else.
"If I''m not wrong, the Rengoku family should have more or less kept some relevant records."
As Kagaya suddenly brought up Kyoujurou''s family, every Hashira turned their attention to Kyoujurou.
"My family?" Kyoujurou was also somewhat perplexed.
"Yes..." Kagaya nodded. "As you know, the me Hashira has almost always been from your family, making it a long-standing family of Demon yers."
"In the beginning, it was your family''s ancestor who encountered Tsugikuni Yoriichi and introduced him to the Corps, shaping it into what it is today. Even after being banished from the Corps, he still maintained contact with your family."
"Based on this, your family should have records simr to mine. The evidence lies in the fact that your family''s me Breathing style is the closest and most identical to Sun Breathing among all breathing styles."
Sun Breathing and me Breathing were indeed very identical¡ªbreathing styles that manipted mes and experts in me maniption.
However, Sun Breathing wasn''t just about mes; it harnessed the power of the sun. From this perspective, me Breathing could perhaps be considered a lower version of Sun Breathing.
Of course, since the five fundamental breathing styles were all derived from Sun Breathing, they could be seen as lower versions as well.
As for Sound Breathing, Serpent Breathing, Mist Breathing, Love Breathing, and Insect Breathing, since they were derived and modified versions from the five fundamental breathing styles, they should be the lowest. The ones who could really make them shine were probably only the current Hashira.
"Kyoujurou, you aren''t very fond of exploring your family history, are you? Your free time is spent studying swordsmanship, so that''s why you''re not familiar with it." Kagaya said with a smile. "Your father should know more about these. If you''re interested, you can go back and ask him."
Upon hearing that, Kyoujurou fell silent.
"Nevertheless, the strongest breathing style is re-emerging again, and that''s a good thing." Kagaya turned to every Hashira. "You should not disrespect the swordsman who inherits the great ancestor''s name and swordsmanship too much, understood?"
"..."
""Yes.""
Every Hashira bowed their heads and remained silent for a moment before answering.
Even the most unruly Sanemi and Obanai refrained from speaking out against Kagaya. However, what they truly thought in their hearts, only they themselves knew.
As Riezel watched all this, his appreciation for Kagaya couldn''t help but grow even more.
Not because Kagaya spoke up for him, but because, after exining the situation, Kagaya had no intention of pursuing the matter regarding his origin.
Such as why Riezel could use the long-lost Sun Breathing? Or why did he know about Tsugikuni Yoriichi''s existence and even use his name?
Kagaya didn''t ask any of those questions and didn''t even inquire about Riezel''s origin or purpose.
Frankly, allowing Riezel toe here to meet him face-to-face was in itself an expression of trust. Just this alone was enough to make Riezel have a much better impression of him.
"Tsugikuni Yoriichi, would you like to join the Demon yer Corps?" Kagaya asked politely.
His question made all the Hashira present look at Riezel.
Although some of them weren''t quite fond of Riezel, at least his strength was recognized by them. Being able to effortlessly defeat three Hashira, his strength was beyond doubt, proving that his feat of ying an Upper Rank was no mere boast.
On top of that, Riezel also possessed knowledge of the strongest breathing style. If he could remain in the Demon yer Corps, the Corps'' strength would undoubtedly be unprecedentedly powerful. Moreover, if he could pass down Sun Breathing, that would be even better.
Unfortunately, Riezel did not agree.
"To be honest, I wasn''t really keen on joining the Demon yer Corps..." Riezel answered calmly. "I might need some time to learn some secret techniques and train in seclusion. If I stay in the Corps, I doubt I''ll have time for that."
In all honesty, he wasn''t entirely opposed to joining the Demon yer Corps. Joining the Corps would allow him to utilize their intelligencework to find out where demons were to be hunted, thus obtaining excelia.
Unfortunately, as he had suspected before the dimensional travel, demons in this world weren''t plentiful enough to warrant a killing spree. Each demon hunt involved a considerable journey to various towns, taking up a significant amount of time, and usually resulted in only one or so demons being in, making the efficiency of obtaining excelia quite low.
It would be a different story if these demons were powerful.
After all, the stronger the enemy, the more excelia one could gain. If his opponent was powerful enough, all the effort he put into hunting them down wouldn''t be a waste of time.
However, the problem was that he had already figured out that even the Upper Ranks were only equivalent to Level 4 adventurers at best, and at his current level, killing such creatures wouldn''t yield much excelia.
Unless the Demon King himself showed up or the strongest Upper One among the Upper Ranks made a move, he wouldn''t be interested.
As far as he knew, the strength of those two surpassed all the demons in the Twelve Kizuki, possibly even reaching Level 5. Especially the Demon King; if there was anyone in this world who could be his opponent, it might only be this Demon King.
If he encountered these two strongest demons, he would be interested in taking action, whereas for the rest of the demons, he felt that instead of coveting that little bit of excelia, it would be better to stick to his original n and collect the breathing styles of this world to see if he could realize his idea.
If he could seed, then this dimensional travel wouldn''t have been in vain.
Considering all of those factors, Riezel abandoned the idea of joining the Demon yer Corps. Once he joined, he knew they wouldn''t let him train leisurely; they would surely assign him numerous missions to hunt demons.
Because of this, Riezel politely declined Kagaya''s invitation.
However, Kagaya didn''t seem disappointed, and instead, he became quite interested in Riezel''s reason.
"Learning secret techniques and training in seclusion, is it?" Kagaya chuckled gently. "Is there anything I can help you with?"
"Can you?" Riezel asked in surprise.
"Yes, I will help if I can." Kagaya nodded gently. "Even if you don''t join the Corps, as long as there are people in this world who can kill demons, threaten the Upper Ranks, or even threaten the progenitor of demons himself, it''s meaningful to us."
"Is that so?"
Riezel looked deeply into Kagaya''s eyes before asking a question.
"What if I want to learn your Corps'' breathing style?"
His question caught Kagaya and every Hashira off guard, but in the next second, Kagaya nodded without hesitation.
"If it helps you, then naturally, there''s no problem." Kagaya agreed readily with a smile.
In fact, the knowledge of breathing styles wasn''t really a tightly guarded secret, as the Demon yer Corps had appointed several members to teach breathing styles to outsiders, thereby adding fresh blood to the Corps.
Generally speaking, as long as there was an intention and desire, the Demon yer Corps weed anyone interested in learning breathing styles.
"What breathing style do you need?" Kagaya asked.
"Wind, me, Water, Stone, Thunder, these five fundamental breathing styles, I probably need them all..." Riezel answered, then thought for a moment before continuing his words. "As for the other derived breathing styles, I''m not sure if they''ll be useful. We''ll see when the need arises."
His words instantly offended quite a few people."Hmph, just so you know, my Sound Breathing is quite magnificent." Tengen snorted irritatedly.
"Is he looking down on our breathing styles?" Obanai was displeased.
"Oh my, being underestimated..." Shinobu remarked with a gentle smile.
"I''m really sorry if mine can''t be of use..." Mitsuri pouted.
"..." Muichirou remained silent as if lost in thought.
"Kyoujurou." Kagaya turned his head to Kyoujurou. "Let Tsugikuni stay in your ce for the time being, remember to entertain him well."
"Yes, Master!" Kyoujurou instantly agreed and had no objections.
"Alright then, let''s call it a day." Kagaya nodded with a gentle smile. "I hope to see all of you gathered here again next time, don''t be absent."
""Yes!""
All the Hashira answered in unison and bowed their heads in respect.
Chapter 154: Exclusive Nichirin Sword
Chapter 154: Exclusive Nichirin Sword
Eventually, under the invitation of Kyoujurou, Riezel moved into the residence of the Rengoku family.
As a family of Demon yers for generations, the residence of the Rengoku family was kept strictly confidential. Since they had earned the trust of the Ubuyashiki family, their connection with the Demon yer Corps was strong enough to withstand scrutiny. Consequently, their residence was not very far from the Ubuyashiki Estate; one could even say it was in the same town.
Riezel couldn''t help but suspect that this town was specifically established for the Demon yer Corps and those closely rted to them.
Several Hashira had also moved to this town after retirement, though he wasn''t sure where they had gone, it seemed usible that they had established residences here.
If that were indeed the case, the financial resources of the Ubuyashiki family might surpass even his imagination, to create a whole town for residency, showcasing their immense wealth.
The Rengoku family was equally impressive, boasting a rich history, though not on par with the Ubuyashiki family, it was far greater than an average family.
After settling in, Riezel received a brief tour from Kyoujurou.
"My father and little brother also live here, but my father is currently semi-retired, and my little brother isn''t a Demon yer yet, so I won''t introduce them to you for now. Just rx and make yourself at home. If you want to practice, the courtyard is spacious enough!"
After the tour, Kyoujurou assigned a room to Riezel.During this time, Riezel also encountered the three main characters, but they seemed to be engaged in some inexplicable training fervor.
"Hahaha! Let''s settle this, Lord of the Land!" Inosuke excitedly chased after a humanoid lotive figure in the courtyard.
"For fuck''s sake! Why do I have to be the Lord of the Land!" Zenitsu, d in a lotive-shaped costume, yelled furiously while evading Inosuke''s pursuit.
"334... 335... 336... 337..."
Meanwhile, Tanjirou was doing push-ups, seemingly focused on enhancing his stamina, while a wooden box rested on his back as a weight.
The three of them were making a ruckus in the courtyard, which amused both Riezel and Kyoujurou, who watched for quite some time.
"...Should we not disturb them?" Riezel suggested.
"Agreed." Kyoujurou replied with a serious expression.
And thus, Riezel temporarily settled in the Rengoku residence.
At the same time, the Ubuyashiki family acted swiftly, showing considerable importance to Riezel''s request by sending over what he had asked for the very next day.
"Here you go, five books of fundamental breathing styles." Kyoujurou said with a smile as he handed over five books to Riezel.
Even though the five books were not thick, each of moderate thickness, they formed the foundation of the Demon yer Corps. The covers of the books were color-coded ording to their respective breathing styles.
me Breathing was red.
Water Breathing was blue.
Stone Breathing was gray.
Wind Breathing was green.
Thunder Breathing was golden.
Five books with different colored covers were neatly arranged in front of Riezel, presenting an impressive sight.
"These five books are specially curated and updated to thetest editions, packed with insights from different experts. For example, me Breathing includes knowledge and exnations passed down from generations of me Hashira in my family!"
Kyoujurou grinned widely at Riezel.
"Though we can''t arrange for those experts in other breathing styles to provide face-to-face guidance to you, if it''s me Breathing, feel free to ask me anything if you''re unclear!"
A direct guidance from the me Hashira himself, undoubtedly an invaluable opportunity for any average swordsman.
"Alright, thanks." Riezel didn''t refuse outright, simply agreeing.
"Is there anything else I can do for you?" Kyoujurou eximed. "Master has already instructed me to fulfill all your requests as much as possible!"
Upon hearing that, Riezel pondered for a moment before making another request.
"Could you prepare Scarlet Crimson Iron Sand and Scarlet Ore for me?"
Naturally, he was referring to the metallic minerals used to forge Nichirin Swords.
"Oh?" Kyoujurou''s eyes gleamed. "You need a Nichirin Sword?"
"I might..." Riezel chuckled and shrugged his shoulders. "After all, I don''t have one yet, and using Sun Breathing with a Nichirin Sword seems to be a better match."
In this world, swords and katana were essentially the same weapons, otherwise, ''Breathing Style'' wouldn''t be referred to as ''swordsmanship''.
The difference between Nichirin Swords and the ones Riezel usually wielded, was that the former had only one sharp edge, while thetter had two. Additionally, the de of Nichirin Swords was curved, suitable for heavy shes, while thetter''s de was straight, allowing for more flexibility.
Both could be used for performing breathing styles, but they had their differences.
Even though, all of Sun Breathing''s forms were supposed to be performed with a Nichirin Sword, if Riezel wanted to use different types of swords to perform it, he probably had to make some adjustments.
However, he didn''t have any n in that regard at the moment, since he simply thought that if he had a Nichirin Sword, it would at least be pretty useful when dealing with demons. Without it, he would have to rely on dposition magic to kill demons.
However, since he decided to focus on studying breathing styles, he decided to temporarily refrain from using magic.
In that case, acquiring a Nichirin Sword was indeed necessary.
"Shall we take charge of forging your Nichirin Sword?" Kyoujurou asked, brimming with enthusiasm. "You know, the Corps has expert swordsmiths who work in secret, and their craftsmanship is excellent. They''ll surely forge a Nichirin Sword that satisfies you!"
He was not boasting.
The Demon yer Corps indeed had a close coboration with a group of swordsmiths who resided in Swordsmith Vige. Almost all of them were swordsmiths, responsible not only for forging and maintaining all Nichirin Swords of Demon yers but also deeply passionate and dedicated to swordsmithing.
Generation after generation, they researched and forged Nichirin Swords, continuously improving their craftsmanship year by year. They were undoubtedly the elites of the swordsmithing industry.
Not only did each Demon yer have a dedicated swordsmith to forge their Nichirin Sword, but to prevent demon attacks, the location of Swordsmith Vige was highly secretive, with hardly anyone in the Corps knowing its exact whereabouts.
Even entering the vige required blindfolds and nose plugs, with several people specially designated to escort and guide, with the guidance of Kasugai Crows.
Moreover, the order of the route, the guiding Kasugai Crow, and the escorting people changed frequently, ensuring the utmost secrecy,parable to the Ubuyashiki Estate, the headquarters of the Demon yer Corps.
It could be said that in this world, no smith was more skilled at forging Nichirin Swords than swordsmiths from Swordsmith Vige. Even the swords of the Hashira were forged there, which was why Kyoujurou was so proud and eager to rmend them.
Unfortunately, Riezel had no intention of having swordsmiths from Swordsmith Vige forge his sword.
"Just get those two materials ready for me and I''ll handle the rest. I''ve got my own ns." Riezel answered calmly.
Indeed, there was no denying that in this world, Nichirin Swords were considered a particrly special weapon.
However, it was a different story in other worlds.
Whether it was in terms of hardness, power, sharpness, or even endurance, Nichirin Swords could only be considered an ordinary weapon, far from meeting the standards of ''special equipment'' in the world of Danmachi.
In other words, Nichirin Swords couldn''t even be ssified as third-ss equipment, just a rtively outstanding weapon among ordinary equipment.
It could inflict damage on demons, not due to the sword''s performance, but because of the properties of the forging materials.
Capable of emitting energy simr to sunlight, it had a significant effect on demons, but it was utterly useless against anything other than demons.
Such a weapon was naturally not suitable for Riezel.
Even without using ''Ariel'', with his current strength and level, there was a good chance the Nichirin Sword would break if he engaged in seriousbat.
He remembered that Tanjirou''s sword had been broken during the fight against the Lower Five, so he didn''t want to use such a fragile sword.
It was undeniable that the swordsmiths in Swordsmith Vige might have decent skills, but they were ultimately just ordinary people, unlike the advanced cksmiths in the world of Danmachi.
Not only did these advanced cksmiths possess the ''cksmith'' development ability capable of adding special attributes to forged weapons, but they could also process special materials and forge weapons that could cut through the steel-like bodies of floor bosses.
If his Nichirin Sword were to be forged by the swordsmiths in Swordsmith Vige, the result would only be an excellent sword, unable to even touch the edges of special equipment.
For Riezel, who possessed first-ss and second-ss equipment with the Durandal attribute, it was undoubtedly not a good sword.
For this reason, Riezel''s thought was simple¡ªhe would forge the sword himself.
''I may not have the ''cksmith'' development ability or know swordsmithing, but I have magic.''
He had learned structure system magic from Yuri, so while he couldn''t make magic items or alchemy items, if it came to making weapons, he could still manage.
Of course, what he would make wouldn''t be magic weapons, just ordinary weapons.
With his current level, umted ''MAG'', and assistance from the ''Mage'' development ability, the magic he wielded would undoubtedly surpass that of ordinary structure system magicians in terms of power and effectiveness.
''If I use dposition magic to break downrge quantities of Scarlet Crimson Iron Sand and Scarlet Ore, removing all impurities and leaving only the essence, the quality of these two materials would reach the standards of special materials.''
''Afterward, using structure system magic to merge the essences of the two materials with Hermit and transform them into a Nichirin Sword.''
''This way, the quality of my Nichirin Sword should be outstanding, right? By then, I could at least possess a Nichirin Sword with the Durandal attribute.''
With those thoughts in mind, Riezel had already decided.
If he was going to use a Nichirin Sword, then he wanted the best one.
One that surpassed the understanding of everyone in this world, an exclusive Nichirin Sword just for him!
Chapter 155: Who Needs to Become a Dragon When Becoming a Sun is More Exciting?
Chapter 155: Who Needs to Be a Dragon When Bing a Sun is More Exciting?
After chatting for a while, Kyoujurou finally left to fulfill Riezel''s request. He promised Riezel that he would bring arge amount of Scarlet Crimson Iron Sand and Scarlet Ore.
It was not weird for Kyoujurou to make such a promise since there remained a considerable quantity of Scarlet Crimson Iron Sand and Scarlet Ore, as no member of the Demon yer Corpscked a Nichirin Sword.
Even Tanjirou, whose Nichirin Sword had been broken once, quickly acquired a new one, demonstrating the avability of materials for the swords.
What was likely in short supply were swordsmiths with exceptional skills.
However, since Riezel didn''t need someone to provide swordsmithing, he just needed the raw materials for the sword, which wasn''t difficult.
Kyoujurou expressed that he would try to bring back as much as possible after obtaining permission from Kagaya, which was quite thoughtful of him.
''Fortunately, the first Hashira I got to know was Rengoku. Otherwise, if it were someone else, it wouldn''t be so easy to talk to...''
As Riezel thought of the other Hashira in the Demon yer Corps, he increasingly felt that each one of them was a problem child. Inparison, even though Kyoujurou had a unique personality, he was still very kind-hearted and friendly toward others.
As such, handing this matter over to Kyoujurou, Riezel felt at ease.Shaking his head, Riezel stopped thinking about Nichirin Sword and picked up the five books of breathing styles in front of him, starting to read through them one by one.
After about an hour of reading, he had a certain understanding of the five fundamental breathing styles.
''Although the five fundamental breathing styles are all derived from Sun Breathing, each of these breathing styles has its own characteristics and advantages. If I only consider their individual characteristics and advantages, they are not inferior to Sun Breathing.''
For example, Water Breathing, characterized by its softness and versatile sword forms, was very dexterous and agile inbat, able to deal with various situations. It was a breathing style as changeable as flowing water.
Among all the breathing styles, Water Breathing was rather easy to practice. Perhaps it didn''t have the same power as the other breathing styles, but it had the most advantage in prolonged battles. Even Sun Breathing couldn''t match the versatility and endurance of Water Breathing.
Since the birth of breathing styles, Demon yers proficient in Water Breathing had always been the most numerous, resulting in never having a vacancy for the Water Hashira.
Because of this, Water Breathing was the preferred choice for many when practicing breathing styles. Its characteristics of being easy to practice and easy to master made many Demon yers who didn''t consider themselves very talented inclined to practice Water Breathing.
Simr to Water Breathing was me Breathing.
This was a breathing style passed down through generations in the Rengoku family, and it was the breathing style closest to Sun Breathing, as its power ranked among the top of all breathing styles.
Although it wasn''t as easy to practice and master as Water Breathing, me Breathing could be considered the mostprehensive of all breathing styles. With diligent study and effort, once mastered, the user''s strength would increase rapidly and they would quickly rise to prominence.
Just like Water Breathing, there had never been a vacancy for the me Hashira.
As a result, throughout the generations of the Hashira, both me Hashira and Water Hashira have always existed, maintaining the significant presence of these two breathing styles within the Demon yer Corps.
ording to Riezel''s spection, initially, after Sun Breathing, the second breathing style to be born was probably me Breathing. Compared to Sun Breathing, it might not be as powerful, but its destructive power was still very strong.
Despite that, the remaining three fundamental breathing styles also had outstanding characteristics.
For example, Thunder Breathing was considered to be the fastest among all breathing styles, with the strongest explosive force, even surpassing Sun Breathing in terms of speed alone.
For this reason, it demanded extremely high physical qualities from its users, second only to Sun Breathing. It was extremely difficult to practice, as evidenced by the absence of Hashira proficient in Thunder Breathing, indicating the difficulty of mastering it.
Another example was Wind Breathing, which granted each sh of the user a very powerful cutting power, making it the sharpest breathing style.
Not only it could easily slice off any body part of demons, but proficient users could even wrap wind des around their hands and feet, using this breathing style as Taijutsu. Coupled with its speed second only to Thunder Breathing, the strength of those who practiced this breathing style could be vaguely imagined.
Lastly, Stone Breathing was particrly unique.
As the only breathing style among the five fundamental breathing styles without derived branches, not only it was both stable and heavy, but it also excelled in defense and offense alike.
Users of this breathing style often used heavy weapons, making their defense impregnable and their attacks powerful and forceful. Those who were proficient in it could be considered invincible.
Overall, these five fundamental breathing styles, in terms of overall ability, fall short of Sun Breathing. But if one considered only a specific ability, even Sun Breathing would have to admit defeat to them.
"As I thought, they''re quite interesting..." Riezel muttered with relish.
When Kagaya imed that Sun Breathing was the strongest breathing style, Riezel was somewhat skeptical. After all, it still depended on the person who used it.
Among the current Hashira, each one had honed their respective breathing styles to peak proficiency. If going ording to Kagaya''s logic, didn''t that mean anyone who practiced Sun Breathing could defeat them?
Impossible.
It could only be said that if they were at the same level, then indeed, the one who practiced Sun Breathing would be stronger than those who practiced other breathing styles.
But in the end, their strength stilly in their own overall ability.
Even if both sides were at the same level, the one who practiced Sun Breathing wouldn''t have more endurance than someone who practiced Water Breathing, nor would they be faster than someone who practiced Thunder Breathing.
Plus, their shes wouldn''t be as sharp as those who practiced Wind Breathing, and perhaps, their offensive and defensive strength might even pale inparison to someone who practiced Stone Breathing.
Therefore, while Sun Breathing was indeed powerful, its strengthy in being versatile. Compared to the specialized capabilities of the five fundamental breathing styles, it may not necessarily win.
Simrly, breathing styles derived from fundamental breathing styles like Love Breathing, Insect Breathing, Sound Breathing, Serpent Breathing, and Mist Breathing specialize even further in certain aspects than their origins.
Although they were picky about their users and couldn''t be practiced without corresponding talents and special physical qualities, once mastered, they were no less inferior to the five fundamental breathing styles, and in some aspects, even stronger.
However, breathing styles derived from fundamental breathing styles were really picky about their users, like focusing too much on one aspect, which diminished their value for what Riezel was about to do.
"In any case, let''s give it a try."
After memorizing all the five fundamental breathing styles, Riezel picked up a practice wooden sword ced in the room and headed to the courtyard.
===
Mastering the process of five fundamental breathing styles wasn''t too difficult.
Perhaps it was due to Riezel''s own terrifying learning ability and growth speed, or perhaps it was because he had already mastered Sun Breathing, the five fundamental breathing styles derived from Sun Breathing posed little difficulty for him and were easily mastered.
As a result¡ª
"Water Breathing - First Form - Water Surface sh."
In the courtyard, a wave of water suddenly appeared, like a water de shing through the air, instantly cutting through the air.
With a practice sword in hand, Riezel adjusted his breathing. After shing a stream of water in front of him, the rhythm of his breath suddenly changed, causing the water vapor around him to turn into mes.
"me Breathing - First Form - Unknowing Fire."
Riezel dashed forward like a rocket, engulfed in mes. After shing through the air, he turned back and cut off the water waves that had just risen, evaporating them.
In the next moment, Riezel''s breathing rhythm changed again, turning the mes around him into a whirlwind.
"Wind Breathing - First Form - Dust Whirlwind Cutter."
Just a moment ago he was a rocket, now he was a hurricane.
Covered in wind, Riezel surged forward, leaving behind a spiral wind de that cut through the earth.
"Stone Breathing - First Form - Serpentinite Bipr."
As the spiral wind de disappeared, Riezel''s next sh was as heavy as a giant rock, stirring up rebellious dust as it passed through the air.
Finally, as his foot touched the ground, he shattered it, transforming into a lightning ray.
"Thunder Breathing - First Form - Thunderp and sh."
As the sound of thunder ripping through the air echoed, a lightning ray shed in the courtyard, just as the name implies, bing a fleeting thunderp.
When the lightning ray disappeared, Riezel''s figure appeared amidst the crackling lightning current, assuming an Iai stance.
Gradually, the ever-changing rhythm of his breathing calmed down, allowing him to turn his head and look behind him.
There, the surrounding terrain had be a mess, like it had been ravaged by artillery fire, with not a single intact spot.
"Looks like I''ll have to leave some gold for Rengoku to fix his courtyardter..." Riezel muttered, a satisfied expression on his face.
And just like that, he finally mastered the five fundamental breathing styles.
Such a sensational and astonishing feat, if word got out, it would surely shock many people to the core.
While it took others several years, or even a decade, to master one breathing style, Riezel effortlessly mastered not just one, but five at once. If the Hashira found out about this, their will would likely be utterly crushed.
However, for Riezel, the real deal was just beginning.
"I wonder if it can be as I wish..." Riezel murmured. "Using Sun Breathing as the foundation, integrating the swordsmanship of this world with the swordsmanship of Akasha Continent."
Yes, that was what Riezel intended to do in this world.
Upon learning that this dimensional travel was to the world of Demon yer, Riezel immediately thought of the breathing techniques and swordsmanship of both worlds.
''If I''m not wrong, this world''s swordsmanship is called ''Breathing Style'' because it uses a unique breathing technique known as ''Total Concentration Breathing'' as its main method to strengthen the heart and lungs by absorbing arge amount of air, elerating blood flow, temporarily granting strength beyond human limits.''
''On the other hand, the swordsmanship of Akasha Continent uses breathing as a support, stimting and activating magical energy within one''s body, making it absorb magical energy to be stronger.''
''In that case, if I incorporate the breathing technique principles and the swordsmanship from both worlds, wouldn''t I create a perfect blend that not only boosts my strength duringbat but also makes me stronger after each use?''
''Moreover, can I not only make it elerate my blood flow and strengthen my heart and lungs, but also enhance every organ, even every cell, by infusing them with my massive amount of magical energy, thus unleashing astonishing strength?''
Such was Riezel''s n¡ªto merge the breathing technique principles and swordsmanship from two worlds, creating abat style that allowed his strength to explode duringbat and be stronger with each battle.
Once achieved, it would be a special swordsmanship surpassing even theplete Holy Dragon Sword Style.
After all¡ª
''Who needs to be a dragon when bing a sun is more exciting?''
Riezel''s eyes sparkled as a smile formed at his mouth.
Chapter 156: Relentless Efforts
Chapter 156: Relentless Efforts
Riezel''s n wasn''t entirely baseless.
Initially, Total Concentration Breathing already had the effect of enhancing physical ability, but it only strengthened the heart and lungs, as well as elerating blood flow, thereby indirectly boosting the body''s performance and physical prowess.
Akasha Continent''s breathing technique, on the other hand, was merely a support for swordsmanship by stimting and activating magical energy within the body, allowing it to grow in all aspects by absorbing the magical energy.
If this principle could be integrated into Total Concentration Breathing, it would expand the strengthening range of Total Concentration Breathing to the entire body, which was not an impossible feat.
If this feat were to seed, it would allow the magical energy to merge with the elerated blood flow, enhancing its intensity and effect, and would undoubtedly provide him with more enhancement and stronger power when using the breathing style.
Undoubtedly, this was a process of mutual eptance, integration, and harmony. As long as the two were cleverlybined, Riezel''s n was not just empty talk.
For this reason, Riezel chose Sun Breathing as the foundation.
Sun Breathing could produce various breathing styles because it was the origin and foundation of all breathing styles, proofing its immense versatility.
Using Sun Breathing as the foundation, merging the breathing principles of two worlds, and the swordsmanship of two worlds, the sess rate would greatly increase.On top of that, Riezel also had five fundamental breathing styles as a reference.
Each of these fundamental breathing styles had its own characteristics¡ªsome greatly enhance speed, while others greatly improve flexibility. By drawing inspiration from them, he may be able to expand the strengthening range of breathing style to every part of his body.
Coupled with his mastery of Breaking Steel Sword Style and iplete Holy Dragon Sword Style, merging all the breathing of the two worlds into Sun Breathing would elevate the power of Sun Breathing to an unprecedented degree.
It was entirely feasible.
Bing a sun was not just talk, as it was indeed Riezel''s goal.
Drawing inspiration from the Holy Dragon Sword Style, which could hone one''s body into that of a dragon, if he could make the new version of Sun Breathing also have the effect of honing one''s body, then his body might undergo unprecedented changes.
By then, if practicing Holy Dragon Sword Style was to transform a human into a dragon, wouldn''t practicing Sun Breathing be transforming a human into a sun?
Of course, all of that was currently just Riezel''s wishful thinking and theory. Whether it could be achieved, he didn''t know.
However, by integrating the breathing of two worlds into the Sun Breathing, Riezel was still somewhat confident with his theory.
Once this n came to fruition, his gains in this world would be well worth it.
Just imagine, after transformation, not only could Sun Breathing strengthen every cell in his body, but it could even utilize his abundant magical energy, turning it into actual strength to reinforce his body.
How powerful would he be then?
Certainly not weaker than when using ''Ariel'', right?
More importantly, Total Concentration Breathing had another advanced state.
In that state, even as he drifted into sleep, he could maintain full focus, and regte his breathing, keeping his body in a constant state of strengthening¡ªa state known as ''Total Concentration - Constant''.
Swordsmen who could proficiently master Total Concentration - Constant were among the top swordsmen in the Demon yer Corps, and mastering it was also the minimum requirement to reach the strength of a Hashira.
If Riezel''s n seeded, then he couldpletely develop a new form of Total Concentration - Constant for the new Sun Breathing. In that case, he would be as if constantly using Sun Breathing and practicing swordsmanship at all times.
What did this mean?
It meant that Riezel would be stronger each second, even in his dreams, without actively practicing!
In this way, even if he couldn''t hunt downrge numbers of monsters inside the dungeon like in the world of Danmachi and constantly training himself, his status would still skyrocket!
Perhaps this wouldn''t allow him to gain high-rank excelia for leveling up, but it could help him reach his current level''s upper limit at the fastest speed, that was, SSS-rank in all basic abilities.
''Can I really seed?''
Imagining was delightful, and Riezel also believed that his n had no problems, but whether he could seed in integrating the breathing principles of the two worlds with his current Sun Breathing to create apletely new Sun Breathing, he naturally didn''t know.
''Well, I still have to give it a try.''
Various principles from the five fundamental breathing styles, Sun Breathing, Breaking Steel Sword Style, and Holy Dragon Sword Style began to emerge in his mind.
Soon, Riezel closed his eyes.
"Huuu... Haaa..."
Gradually, he started to regte his breathing.
===
To Riezel, the process of fusion was honestly very painful.
Riezel had to constantly adjust his breathing, continuously trying various breathing techniques, borrowing from them, blending them, and even changing them, which had a significant impact on his body.
Sometimes, thepletely disordered breathing made him feel like his lungs were about to explode, his trachea burning as if on fire, exceptionally painful.
During this process, there were often symptoms such as ringing in the ears, sore throat, chest tightness, blood vessels popping up all over the body, muscles tearing, and so on.
He had to admit that it felt a bit like enduring torture.
However, Riezel gritted his teeth and persisted, even disregarding the awful state of his own body.
In any case, with the top-ss healing magic ''Dia Fratel'' in hand, as long as his limbs weren''t blown off and his heart and brain didn''t explode, he could restore himself.
Hence, with the belief that ''as long as I am not dying, then I''ll keep pushing myself to death'', Riezel endured the pain and persisted.
He knew that whether Sun Breathing could sessfully evolve ording to his own n had a huge impact on his future and strength.
At this point, if Riezel didn''t persist, then Riezel wouldn''t be Riezel.
''Isn''t this also a kind of challenge?''
Riezel always liked challenges, otherwise, he wouldn''t have pushed himself so hard before, constantly challenging the limits of his human body, or seeking all sorts of thrills and excitement in his previous life.
If enduring a bit of torment and pain could lead to sess, then for him, it was definitely worth it.
And so, Riezel kept trying, kept persisting,bining various understandings and ideas about breathing styles in his mind. Eventually, he smoothly forgot about time, even forgot to eat and sleep, standing in the courtyard day and night.
"Huuu... Haaa..."
In the courtyard, the sound of breathing with various variations, changes in tone, and fluctuations continued.
During this time, Kyoujurou nced over here, and the three main characters also came to take a look, but they didn''t dare to disturb Riezel, letting him continue his practice.
One day.
Two days.
Three days.
In the blink of an eye, several days had passed, and Riezel still maintained his posture in the courtyard, not moving a step from beginning to end.
On this day, Tanjirou finally couldn''t help but speak up.
"Mr. Rengoku, are you really not going to stop Mr. Tsugikuni?"
Tanjirou stood at the entrance of the courtyard, looking at Riezel''s back as he spoke to Kyoujurou, who was standing beside him, deeply worried.
"He hasn''t eaten or drunk anything for days... If this continues, his health will deteriorate."
"Umu, it''s indeed a serious problem..." Kyoujurou responded, staring intently at Riezel. "However, we can''t stop someone from advancing toward a higher domain."
"Advancing towards a higher domain? But even so, he still needs to eat and rest..." Tanjirou retorted. "Can''t he eat well, rest, and then continueter?"
Tanjirou himself was a hardworking person.
In order to practice Water Breathing and be a Demon yer of the Demon yer Corps, he spent two consecutive years practicing in the mountains, his hands worn out countless times, and his body sustaining numerous injuries.
He knew the hardships involved all too well.
Moreover, after the events with the Lower Five, Tanjirou also underwent the practice of Total Concentration Breathing under the Insect Hashira, which was equally agonizing.
Yet, he persevered through it all.
Therefore, Tanjirou understood very well that the more effort one put in, the more rewards one could reap. Yet, even he wouldn''t go to the extent of not eating, drinking, or sleeping to the point of neglecting basic needs for days.
It was too worrisome and Tanjirou couldn''t help but speak up about it.
"I understand your concerns, Young Kamado. I''m worried too..." Kyoujurou nodded, patting Tanjirou''s shoulder. "But take a good look at that young man''s back. Do you really think you can rush up and stop him?"
Tanjirou instantly fell silent.
Riezel''s back looked so deste, so lonely, yet for some reason, anyone gazing at his figure could sense an unwavering determination, a refusal topromise.
Tanjirou''s sense of smell was keen.
He could smell how hard and painful Riezel''s current situation was just from his body odor, otherwise, why would the scent of sweat and even blood emanate from him?
Riezel was definitely undergoing a practice that others couldn''tprehend and was extremely difficult.
"From his breathing rhythm, you can tell he''s attempting something." Kyoujurou said with a serious expression. "It''s a dangerous attempt. Just listening to his breath makes me uneasy. However, he''s still persisting. I believe whatever he''s attempting now must be important to him."
For this reason, Kyoujurou couldn''t intervene.
"Have faith in him, Young Kamado." Kyoujurou suddenly smiled. "Young Tsugikuni is an incredible young man. I already felt that the first time I met him on the Mugen Train. Master must have seen something in him too, which is why he decided to help him without hesitation. Let''s just trust him and wait here for his sess."
Kyoujurou''s words made Tanjirou turn his gaze toward Riezel.
After being silent for a while, Tanjirou pped his own cheeks, his eyes full of determination.
"I need to work hard too!"
Tanjirou quickly turned and left to continue his training.
Kyoujurou, who watched it all, sighed.
"They''re truly two fine youths... A pity they couldn''t be taken in as my Tsuguko... No, maybe not Young Tsugikuni, but Young Kamado might be worth a try?"
Kyoujurou suddenly stroked his chin, remembering something.
Meanwhile, Riezel, unaware of all this, continued his relentless efforts without a moment''s pause.
Chapter 157: Three Months
Chapter 157: Three Months
Riezel''s relentless efforts turned out to be longer than he had imagined, and more nerve-wracking than anyone else had anticipated.
After persisting in the courtyard for seven days, he finally copsed for the first time.
It was Kyoujurou, who frequently came to check on him, who first noticed Riezel lying in the courtyard and hastily brought him back to the room, calling for a doctor.
Of course, the doctor called by Kyoujurou was none other than the Insect Hashira, Kochou Shinobu.
Aside from being a swordsman, Shinobu was also a proficient pharmacist. She also ran a treatment facility within the Demon yer Corps known as the ''Butterfly Mansion'', which housed nursing personnel without talent in swordsmanship, specializing in providing treatment and rehabilitation for members injured on missions.
In the past, Tanjirou, Zenitsu, and Inosuke had suffered severe injuries after fighting the Lower Five and were sent to the Butterfly Mansion. With Shinobu''s assistance and care, they not only recovered one after another but also mastered Total Concentration Breathing, greatly enhancing their strength.
Therefore, when Riezel had an incident, the first person Kyoujurou contacted was Shinobu, who managed the Butterfly Mansion.
Upon seeing Riezel, Shinobu''s face immediately disyed a troubled expression.
"I really want to ask... what exactly has he done?"Shinobu spoke in a tone that held no glimmer of hope.
"With such a paleplexion and lips almost devoid of color, it''s clear he''s extremely weakened. Plus, with his muscles and body twitching unconsciously, it''s likely he''s enduring inhuman pain, possibly even with internal organs rupturing, especially his lungs. I even suspect they might be damaged; otherwise, how could his breathing be like this?"
In her own words, this was already a severe condition where even immediate death wouldn''t be surprising.
"Take him to the Butterfly Mansion. With his condition, it''s basically impossible for him to recover without lying in bed for two to three months."
With that statement, Shinobu instructed Kyoujurou to send Riezel to the Butterfly Mansion immediately.
However, just when Kyoujurou thought Riezel would indeed need about two to three months to recover and was considering whether to visit him before going on a mission, he was shocked to find out the next day that Riezel had returned as if nothing had happened.
Upon his return, Riezel immediately rushed back to the courtyard and entered that strange breathing state once again.
At that moment, Shinobu followed Riezel and chased him all the way to the residence of the Rengoku family. When she saw Riezel enter the courtyard and fall into that strange breathing state, she remained silent for a long time.
"Monster..."
After muttering like that with a peculiar expression, Shinobu left.
And so, Riezel continued his arduous practice and efforts.
However, different fromst time, this time, he persisted for ten days.
Ten dayster, he was once again copsed and sent to the Butterfly Mansion.
However, just like thest time, the next day, Riezel returned as if nothing happened again, prompting Shinobu, who was still following him, to say something to Kyoujurou.
"I can dissect him, can''t I? I''m getting interested in his body! Maybe there is an impostor (demon) among us."
Shinobu''s serious tone almost left Kyoujurou dumbfounded on the spot.
Despite all the chaos he caused, Riezel remained indifferent to it all, continuing with his own experiments.
With that, time flew by swiftly.
In the blink of an eye, three months had passed.
During this period, Kyoujurou had gone on several missions. Even the three main characters no longer stay at the residence of the Rengoku family and doing missions from the Demon yer Corps instead.
Sometimes they went out demon hunting, sometimes they came back to practice, sometimes they separated, and sometimes they set off together. From initially worrying about Riezel, they gradually grew ustomed to his bizarreness and unreasonableness.
Even at the Butterfly Mansion, under the direction of Shinobu, a bed was often prepared specially for Riezel. Strangely, this bed only got used for a day at a time, and the next day, the patient lying on it was nowhere, leaving directly.
At the same time, what was happening with Riezel was slowly entering the view of the Master of the Demon yer Corps and every Hashira.
Consequently, aside from Kagaya, who found it inconvenient to go out, every Hashira had secretly visited the residence of the Rengoku family over the past three months to observe Riezel for a while.
Some Hashira just took a nce and then left, like Giyuu and Muichirou.
However, some Hashira had been observing Riezel all along, such as Sanemi, Obanai, Gyoumei, Mitsuri, and Tengen.
Some observed for a whole day, and some even observed for several days before silently leaving.
As for Kyoujurou and Shinobu, they had be the Hashira who interacted with Riezel the most.
It goes without saying for Kyoujurou, as Riezel was in his home and their rtionship was the closest. It could be said that Kyoujurou was the only one who had watched Riezel persist all the way through from beginning to end.
Shinobu, on the other hand, became curious about Riezel because of his asional copses and demonstrations of his inhuman recovery, so she started interacting with him and sometimes even personally cared for him.
Even Kagaya would often pay attention to Riezel''s situation through Shinobu''s reports, causing this family head to often show a meaningful expression.
And thus, three monthster, on this day, Riezel''s practice finally weed a change.
===
"Huuu... Haaa..."
It was a rather prolonged inhale, but swiftlypleted within a short time.
Standing in the courtyard, Riezel remained in that familiar spot, as if he had stood there for several decades like a hermit, facing away from the entrance with his chest gently rising and falling.
At this moment, Kyoujurou and Shinobu stood at the entrance of the courtyard, observing Riezel''s back.
Their gazes towards Riezel were akin to those directed at a divine being.
"What an extraordinary breath..." Shinobu whispered, her voice low. "How does he manage it?"
After three months, Riezel''s breathing had undergone significant changes, no longer chaotic as before, nor disorderly as it initially began, it had be peculiar, almost wondrous, evoking an inexplicable sensation.
At least in Shinobu''s eyes, Riezel''s breathing before her at this moment seemed less like a human and more like a transcendent being, surpassing humanprehension.
To the untrained ear, the sound of his breath might seem insignificant, but to the Hashira who had honed their breathing styles to perfection, it resonated like the roar of a great dragon, the exhale of a bright sun, or even the breath of a god.
If Zenitsu were here, he would surely hear the thunderous breath hidden within the air, unmistakably not human.
Presently, Riezel was engaged in such breathwork, surpassing anything in rhythm and intensitypared to before.
"Hmm, I''ve never seen such breathing before..." Kyoujurou muttered with his arms folded. "Young Tsugikuni, have you created a new breathing style?"
Creating a new breathing style wasn''t umon among the Hashira.
Breathing styles like Love Breathing, Serpent Breathing, Insect Breathing, Sound Breathing, Mist Breathing, and others were derived from the five fundamental breathing styles.
Current Hashira like the Love Hashira, Serpent Hashira, Insect Hashira, Sound Hashira, and Mist Hashira found the existing breathing styles not entirely suitable for them, so they innovated and modified the fundamental breathing styles to create their own derived breathing styles.
Throughout history, it wasn''t rare for the Hashira to create their own breathing style.
Considering this, it seemed quite normal for Riezel, the great swordsman who slew the Upper Three, to have the ability to create a new breathing style.
However¡ª
"I don''t think his practice is as simple as that..." Shinobu sighed and paused for a moment before continuing. "Generally, when creating a breathing style, could one be forced to such extent, even several times to the brink of death?"
Upon hearing her reasoning, Kyoujurou remained silent.
"It''s definitely not just a matter of creating a new breathing style, there must be some things we don''t understand that have taken shape in that guy..." Shinobu stared fixedly at Riezel''s back.
"Umu..." Kyoujurou agreed wholeheartedly, nodding heavily. "Young Tsugikuni remains an incredible youth. If my Tsuguko were here and saw the results of his hard work so far, he would surely feel greatly inspired!"
Surprisingly, the Tsuguko in his mouth was none other than Tanjirou.
Yes, Tanjirou eventually became Kyoujurou''s Tsuguko, meaning he had epted Kyoujurou as his mentor.
Moreover, thanks to this rtionship, Tanjirou now always returned directly to Kyoujurou''s ce afterpleting missions, as if considering it his own home.
"Kamado, huh?" Shinobu muttered, remembering the kind-hearted boy.
She and Tanjirou were also old acquaintances, so upon hearing Kyoujurou''s words, she smiled knowingly.
"That''s a shame. I was considering whether to take him as my Tsuguko. After all, he seems to get along quite well with Kanao."
"Well, that''s unfortunate!" Kyoujurou apologized, though there was no hint of regret in his face or voice, he exuded an air of openness and honesty.
Shinobu could only shake her head and smile wryly.
However, just as she was about to say something else, an anomaly suddenly urred.
*BOOM!*
*Rumble¡ª*
A rumbling sound erupted in the courtyard.
It was the sound of the air distorting.
It was the sound of the earth trembling.
A terrifying heat surged from the courtyard, as if capable of evaporating everything, causing the surrounding space to distort.
"What''s happening?!"
"What?!"
Kyoujurou and Shinobu were both shocked, almost reflexively leaping back a considerable distance, lowering their bodies, and assuming a stance ready to draw their swords.
It was an instinctive reaction of their bodies.
Clearly, to have such a reaction meant that these two had sensed danger. Moreover, it was not just any danger, but a remarkably powerful one.
However, in the next moment, they found that the source of the danger was not from any enemy, but from the one they had been observing all along.
*Psssttt¡ª*
At this moment, Riezel''s body standing in the courtyard emitted an extremely fearful heat, making the ground beneath his feet sizzle and emit the smell of scorching as if it were being roasted by fire.
Chapter 158: Pioneer of the Sun
Chapter 158: Pioneer of the Sun
*Whoosh!*
As the massive heat spread throughout the courtyard, a tree suddenly ignited, bursting into mes.
At the same time, the surrounding space began to distort, and before long, the flowers, grass, and trees in the courtyard also caught fire.
Everything around, including the ground, seemed to melt in the face of this astonishing heat and high temperature, gradually losing its original form and dissolving like butter.
"Yo-Young Tsugikuni!"
Unable to hold back, Kyoujurou called out to Riezel in panic.
At this moment, the temperature around had be unbearably high, causing even Kyoujurou, the me Hashira, to break into a sweat.
Not to mention Shinobu, whose forehead was nearly soaked, with her hair sticking to her forehead, and her clothes drenched in sweat, outlining unexpectedly appealing curves on this Insect Hashira''s body.
After Kyoujurou''s voice echoed, the heat pouring out in the courtyard suddenly halted.Soon, the heat began to dissipate, the high temperature fading away, and the anomalies around Riezel''s body disappeared. Only the burning trees and the charred marks on the ground remained, proving that everything that had just happened was not an illusion but reality.
"Huff..."
Standing in the courtyard, Riezel seemed to exhale a breath of relief, opening his eyes.
In his eyes, there was a fleeting bright glow, as hot as fire and as bright as light.
"Are you guys okay?"
Riezel asked with a calm expression as he approached the two Hashira.
Both Hashira shook their heads, still sweating profusely, but seemingly not injured. However, when they looked at the unusual brilliance in Riezel''s eyes, they were filled with indescribable surprise.
"That heat just now was so scary!" Kyoujurou eximed in surprise before asking. "Young Tsugikuni, did you seed?"
Upon hearing that, a smile finally appeared on Riezel''s calm face.
Seeing his smile, the two Hashira understood.
"It seems so... Well, congrats! That''s really something to celebrate, right?" Shinobu said with a beautiful smile, congratting Riezel.
"Um, thank you..." Riezel nodded, his tone tinged with a hint of sigh.
Indeed, it was something to celebrate.
After three months of relentless efforts, nearly a hundred days of life-threatening trials, and enduring endless pain and torment, he had finally seeded.
His previous assumption and theory had beenpletely confirmed.
"Huu... Haa..."
Riezel breathed lightly, drawing in arge amount of air from the surroundings, allowing it to enter his lungs and then spread throughout his body.
In just this second, a monumental change urred within his body.
Every cell in his body became active.
His internal organs, one after another, seemed to be activated, emitting heat.
His blood flowed rapidly, mixing with the magical energy emanating from deep within his body, surging throughout his entire existence.
At this moment, Riezel could clearly feel that the power of his body had undergone a remarkable enhancement, to the point where he even felt like he was using ''Ariel''.
Obviously, this was because of the new and evolved Sun Breathing, a breathing style thatbined the breathing principles and swordsmanship of this world and the Akasha Continent.
It perfectly fulfilled Riezel''s theory, not only extending the strengthening effects of Total Concentration Breathing to every part and every cell of his body but also incorporating the vast magical energy within his body into the blood flow to enhance the effects of honing his body.
It also possessed the breathing style effect of Akasha Continent''s swordsmanship. Each time it was used and each training session, it would allow his body to continuously absorb the stimted magical energy from his ''Gate'', permanently enhancing his body''s strength.
It could amplify strength in battle and assist in growth on regr days, fulfilling Riezel''s initial npletely.
''Now, once I use Sun Breathing, the increase in my strength should not be lower than when I used Ariel before, right?''
''After merging the breathing and swordsmanship of two worlds, my evolved Sun Breathing can be called a Special Swordsmanship in the Akasha Continent, and it''s highly likely to be no weaker than the Holy Dragon Sword Style.''
''My current strength...''
Riezel pondered for a moment, forming some thoughts in his mind.
''I can definitely challenge opponents of higher level.''
Now was different.
Before, Riezel needed to use Ariel, an overpowered enchant-type magic, to gain the capability to challenge higher-level opponents by enduring a tremendous physical burden as a side effect.
Otherwise, he had to reach the limit of his current level by reaching SSS in all basic abilities, so that he could rely on his astonishingtent basic abilities umted over several levels and the assistance of severalbat-type development abilities to challenge higher-level opponents.
However, none of those were necessary anymore now.
Since the enhancement brought by the evolved Sun Breathing was all-epassing, it required no burden on his body nor reaching the limit of his current level.
Now, his Sun Breathing could allow him to have stable strength to fight against a level above, without any side effects.
Just this alone, the importance of Sun Breathing to Riezel had already surpassed that of Ariel. Of course, the gains brought by the evolved Sun Breathing to him were far more than this.
In addition to the effects brought by this new and evolved breathing style, the process of learning it also brought about two changes to his body.
The first change came from his status.
In Riezel''s mind, a status appeared on its own.
...
Riezel Brynhart
Level 5
STR: D570 ¡ú SSS1303
END: D555 ¡ú SSS1300
DEX: C611 ¡ú SSS1385
AGI: C637 ¡ú SSS1393
MAG: C632 ¡ú SSS1399
Lightweight: F
Swordsman: F
Mage: G
Battle Adept: I
...
This was Riezel''s recently updated status.
After three months of relentless efforts, he finally reached the limit of his current level, achieving SSS in all basic abilities.
Although at first nce, he seemed to have only been continuously attempting to develop a new breathing style during these three months without any decent training; in fact, his basic abilities grew because of one of his skills.
In the effects of ''Fool''s Obsession'', it was clearly written:
- The deeper the obsession, the stronger the effect.
- The effect is greatly enhanced in dangerous situations.
Undoubtedly, during these three months, what Riezel had done perfectly triggered these two effects.
Persisting through extreme pain and relentlessly evolving Sun Breathing regardless of danger, this behaviorpletely qualified as ''obsession'' and ''dangerous situations''.
As a result, Riezel''s growth rapidly escted, sessfully reaching the limit of his current level and achieving SSS in all basic abilities.
However, this was not the change Riezel thought about.
The growth of basic abilities was an expected urrence, but not a noteworthy change. The actual change in his status was in the section where his skillsy.
There, besides ''Fool''s Obsession'', ''Endless'', and ''Self Redemption'', emerged a new skill.
...
Pioneer of the Sun
- Be a spiritual being.
- Double magic effects from the light and heat systems.
- Gain resistance to the light, heat, frost, and darkness systems.
- Possess special attack capability against evil entities.
...
Riezel awakened a new skill called the ''Pioneer of the Sun''.
The emergence of this brand-new skill meant that his previous wishful thinking of turning himself into a sun was no longer just a pipe dream.
Although he hadn''t literally transformed himself into a sun, he seemed to have turned himself into a spiritual being, akin to a spirit born from nature and considered a part of nature itself.
Although he still looked like a human, due to the effect of ''Pioneer of the Sun'', his body seemed to have transformed into some sort of spiritual being, possessing characteristics simr to a spirit.
Moreover, he was a spirit born from the sun.
What changes this spiritual body would bring, Riezel wasn''t yet clear. He could only wait to explore them slowly in the future.
Nevertheless, judging from the other effects of ''Pioneer of the Sun'', this skill was definitely unique.
It doubled the effect of magic from the light and heat systems, meaning that light attribute and fire attribute magic would both have double power in his hands.
Without a doubt, this would enhance magic like ''Fuside Farica'' and ''Rea Laevateinn'', two me attribute wide area annihtion magic, to a great degree.
In the future, Riezel wouldn''t fear high temperatures or low temperatures anymore, nor would he dread fire magic or ice magic. No matter what kind of magic was cast upon him, as long as it was from the light, heat, frost, and darkness systems, the damage it could inflict would be significantly weakened.
Furthermore, the special attack capability against evil entities was particrly valuable. This meant that if he faced enemies with evil attributes in the future, he would have a restraining effect on them.
For example, he might be able to y demons in this world even without using a Nichirin Sword. Moreover, many monsters who inhabited the dungeon in the world of Danmachi were also considered evil. Even Demon Swordsmen who wielded evil swordsmanship, once confronted by him in the War Festival, might find themselves severely restrained.
All of these effects were significant enough to fill Riezel with satisfaction.
As for the second kind of change, it came from his senses.
Riezel raised his gaze and looked at Kyoujurou and Shinobu in front of him.
Under his gaze, their bodies gradually became transparent, transparent enough for him to see the insides of their bodies.
He could see their hearts and internal organs.
He could see their muscles and flesh.
He could even see the blood vessel flow in Kyoujurou and Shinobu''s lungs, and based on these signs of flow and the degree of muscle contraction, he could even predict what actions these two would take next.
''So, this is the Transparent World?''
Experiencing this incredible ability with his own eyes, Riezel silently thought to himself, amazed.
Chapter 159: Transparent World and Selfless State
Chapter 159: Transparent World and Selfless State
Transparent World.
It was a world, or rather a state, that could only be seen after striving with all one''s might, enduring pain, and making one''s mind transparent.
People who entered this state could concentrate and shut down unnecessary senses, making their bodies appear transparent and allowing them to see through the condition of the other''s body.
They could observe the flow of blood vessels in other''s lungs, the contraction of muscles, and the activity level of organs, thus predicting and sensing other''s actions, significantly enhancing their own speed of movement, prediction of attacks, and ability to evade.
In simple terms, it was an ultimate sublimation of perception, control, and extension.
Generally, those who mastered the Transparent World could not only hide their fighting spirit ording to their own needs but also elerated their perception, making their enemy''s movements appear slow, and their enemy''s actions almost had no secrets in their eyes.
This was what the Upper Three, Akaza, referred to as the highest domain, known as the ''Selfless State'' or the ''Domain of Supremacy'', the final domain that masters of swordsmanship and martial arts could only see after honing their abilities to the limit.
Riezel, in his three months of relentless efforts, had not only awakened the ''Transparent World'' but had also unknowingly arrived in the highest domain known as the ''Selfless State''.
As a result, once Riezel concentrated and shut down unnecessary senses, focusing all perception of the outside world on what was right in front of him, he could easily make his mind clear, see through the body of people in front of him, and effortlessly observe the signs of life in them.He knew that the Transparent World was quite useful for him.
After all, his perception ability was not that outstanding; at most, he became more sensitive to the flow of wind and atmosphere when using ''Ariel'', or sensing the flow of magical energy.
Now that he had awakened the Transparent World, his perception would be greatly useful in battle, making fighting easier and more efficient.
Truthfully, this was also a pleasant surprise even for Riezel, which put him in a good mood.
Meanwhile, Kyoujurou and Shinobu, who had no idea that they had beenpletely seen through by Riezel, were curious about his current strength.
''How strong has Tsugikuni be now?'' Shinobu thought half-jokingly. ''Has he be unbeatable in this world?''
''Young Tsugikuni, who can easily kill the Upper Three, has now be even stronger...'' Kyoujurou wondered inside his mind. ''Does Master expect something from this?''
At this moment, both of them recalled Kagaya''s words before.
"I can already sense it. In our generation, Demon yers and demons may finally settle the score, putting an end to this millennia-old history of mistakes."
Remembering the rare excitement in Kagaya''s words and face, Kyoujurou and Shinobu nced at each other.
Now, perhaps they also understood and shared the same feeling as Kagaya.
After all, they had witnessed firsthand the astonishing phenomena that urred just now after Riezel seeded in his practice.
With Riezel''s current strength, if there was indeed an opportunity, it was indeed possible to put an end to the millennia-long history of mistakes and finally settle the score between demons and Demon yers.
As they thought like that, the looks onKyoujurou and Shinobu''s faces changed as they looked at Riezel.
"Thanks for your help during this time." Riezel expressed his gratitude to the two. "If it weren''t for you two, I might not have been able to seed so easily."
"Nah, it''s not much to do with us, Young Tsugikuni!" Kyoujuroupletely declined any credit. "We didn''t really help much. Everything was aplished through your own efforts!"
"Yep." Shinobu nodded, but then her tone became somewhat resentful. "Tsugikuni doesn''t need anyone to take care of him at my ce either. Every time you copse in terrible condition, you wake up lookingpletely fine the next day. Besides providing a bed, it''s like I haven''t done anything at all, you know?"
"Umu!" Kyoujurou nodded in agreement, ying along.
After all, all Kyoujurou did was put Riezel on the bed when he copsed and send him to the Butterfly Mansion to recover; he didn''t do anything else, at most providing a ce for Riezel to practice.
Moreover, that kind of help was hardly worth mentioning in his eyes.
Of course, Riezel definitely didn''t think that way.
"You both took care of me, that''s a fact, no need to be modest." Riezel shook his head. "Anyway, I owe you both a favor. If there''s anything you need my help with in the future, feel free to ask."
Upon hearing Riezel''s words, Shinobu was somewhat intrigued.
"Then can I study your body?"
Finally, she revealed her ambitious side.
"Nope." Riezel didn''t even hesitate, rejecting outright.
"Tch." Shinobu pursed her lips, looking disappointed.
"Please make normal requests, thank you..." Riezel sighed.
"Okay, duly noted." Shinobu replied with an unconvincing smile.
"So, Young Tsugikuni, do you still need to continue practicing?" Kyoujurou asked with raised eyebrows.
"I don''t think so..." Riezel pondered for a while before continuing. "I''ve already achieved the breathing style I envisioned, so there''s no need to continue... If there''s anything else to do, it would be to try mastering ''Total Concentration - Constant''?"
"Total Concentration - Constant?" Kyoujurou nodded. "With your abilities, you''ll master it quickly."
Riezel didn''t refute his statement.
Truly, ''Total Concentration - Constant'' wasn''t particrly difficult for him.
Riezel''s learning ability and growth speed were beyond human, to say the least. Moreover, as an adventurer, he had experience venturing into the dungeon which was useful for learning ''Total Concentration - Constant''.
When embarking on dungeon expeditions, it often took a dozen days or more. During this period, adventurers spent their time resting and sleeping in the dungeon.
Any adventurer knew that sleeping in the dungeon filled with monsters was in itself quite dangerous. It required not only calming one''s mind and maintaining a strong mentality to sleep soundly but also staying vignt at all times, as even amid slumber, one couldn''t afford to let their guard downpletely.
Even with party members keeping watch, adventurers needed to maintain a minimal level of vignce toward the surroundings to avoid dangers catching them off guard.
Hence, all high-ss adventurers had a mandatory skill¡ªquickly falling asleep while remaining alert to the surroundings even in their dreams.
Finn had guided Riezel in this aspect during his first dungeon expedition.
For this reason, Riezel had to stay fully focused at all times, maintaining concentration even in his dreams, uninterrupted for twenty-four hours.
For him, mastering ''Total Concentration - Constant'' was just a matter of adapting for a while before seeding. Eventually, he would grasp it, always in a state of heightened breathing and constantly honing his body even in his sleep.
In this way, Riezel''s initial idea of continuous growth over twenty-four hours, capable of tapping into his potential and enhancing his status even without practice, woulde to fruition.
"Oh, by the way, Young Tsugikuni..." Kyoujurou suddenly remembered something. "The thing you asked me to handle before, I''ve already taken care of it."
Upon hearing that, Riezel was first puzzled but then quickly realized.
"Are you talking about the Scarlet Crimson Iron Sand and Scarlet Ore?"
His question was met with an affirmative response.
"Umu!" Kyoujurou grinned. "Do you want to go take a look?"
"Sure." Riezel nodded without hesitation.
"In that case, I''ll head back first." Shinobu smiled as she turned away. "I''ll report to Master about Tsugikunipleting his practice. He should be pleased."
"Gotcha!" Kyoujurou nodded. "I''ll leave it to you, Kochou!"
With that, Shinobu left with a smile.
"Let''s go, Young Tsugikuni."
Kyoujurou turned and quickly led Riezel into his residence''s warehouse.
As for the courtyard, someone quickly came to put out the fire and clean up the mess.
===
"How? Is this enough?"
In a warehouse belonging to the Rengoku family, Kyoujurou confirmed with Riezel at his side.
Riezel didn''t answer immediately, instead gazing at the scene before him, pondering.
Inside the sizable warehouse, piles of ore, shining like jade and steel, formed small mountains.
"Are these Scarlet Crimson Iron Sands and Scarlet Ores?" Riezel muttered to himself.
"Umu!" Kyoujurou eximed. "These are ores that can only be collected from the highest mountains closest to the sun. Bathed in sunlight year-round, they absorb ample sunlight energy, making them the primary materials for forging Nichirin Swords!"
Even without his exnation, Riezel could vaguely sense that these ores indeed emitted a gentle energy akin to sunlight. Although this energy didn''t enhance the quality or structure of the ores, it had a special effect only on demons that were weak to sunlight.
When used in swordsmithing, swords produced from these ores were not fundamentally different from ordinary swords, except for their added effectiveness against demons.
Outside of the world of Demon yer or away from demons as enemies, swords forged from these ores would be entirely ordinary swords. Not only they couldn''t slice through iron like butter, but even cutting through a rock would likely require the skill of a highly proficient swordsman.
However, with so many ores in his possession, they would still serve a somewhat great purpose.
"In that case, I''ll take them. Thanks, Rengoku." Riezel thanked once more.
Shortly afterward, Kyoujurou departed, leaving Riezel alone to survey the warehouse filled with Scarlet Crimson Iron Sands and Scarlet Ores.
"Alright then, let''s get started."
A surge of magical energy quickly rippled through his body.
Chapter 160: New Hermit
Chapter 160: New Hermit
*Buzz¡ª*
As crimson waves surged from Riezel''s body like a tide, the space in the dim warehouse began to tremble faintly.
Under the cover of the crimson waves, the piles of Scarlet Crimson Iron Sand and Scarlet Ore took on the same crimson hue.
"Dpose."
Riezel initiated dposition magic.
Instantly, Scarlet Crimson Iron Sands and Scarlet Ores covered by the crimson waves began to disintegrate¡ªtheir surfaces peeled off, their shells gradually turned to powder and fell apart, and oily ck substances filtered out, dripping onto the ground and seeping into the floor.
Using dposition magic, Riezel removed impurities from Scarlet Crimson Iron Sands and Scarlet Ores, leaving only the most essential parts, causing all the ores in the warehouse to gradually shrink within the crimson waves.
Originally, the sizes of Scarlet Crimson Iron Sands and Scarlet Ores present were simr, ranging from about the size of a ser ball to slightlyrger.
However, under the effects of dposition magic, their internal structures unraveled, impurities were continuously removed, and they ended up reduced to small pieces about the size of ping-pong balls.Yet, despite their small size, not only did their surface colors change drastically, bing as clear and transparent as jewels, but the sunlight energy they emitted was also purer and richer than before.
Clearly, this was because Riezel hadn''t dposed the sunlight energy absorbed by the ores but left it within, resulting in its concentration alongside the essence of the ores.
Before long, only crystalline gemstone-like essences remained in the warehouse, emitting sunlight-like radiance and illuminating the entire room.
Only then did Riezel cease using dposition magic and begin using structure system magic.
Without dy, he fused all the gemstones into one, refining them into a single gemstone.
The process went smoothly, with all the gemstones gathering before Riezel under the influence of his magic, intertwining, converging, and merging with each other, reminiscent of the scene when his Dimensional Magic Cube was in operation.
Soon, a gemstone, about the size of two palms, appeared in front of Riezel.
It resembled a massive diamond, with sharp edges on the surface and a transparent interior, highly ornamental.
It was like a miniature sun, emitting rich energy and warmth, making one unconsciously want to cradle it in their palm.
Riezel extended his finger and touched it, finding that the temperature on the surface was higher than he had imagined.
''If ordinary people were to touch this, wouldn''t their finger be burnt by now?''
Since the present Riezel was unafraid of low or high temperatures, even if he fell into magma, his body might be fine. For this reason, it was not strange for him to regard the temperature on the surface of the gemstone as insignificant.
''Such a gemstone can truly be considered a special kind of magic metal, right?''
Riezel nodded as he observed the gemstone.
Under the effects of dposition magic and structure system magic, the gemstone formed by the fusion of gemstone-like essences was of quality and value no less than many refined metals in the world of Danmachi or many magic metals in the Akasha Continent.
It remained to be seen what kind of sword could be forged using such a gemstone.
''Hmm, there probably wasn''t any cksmith in this world capable of processing this gemstone...''
Riezel stroked his chin and began pondering.
In the world of Danmachi, perhaps advanced cksmiths with the ''cksmith'' development ability might have a way, but the cksmiths in this world definitely couldn''t process such ore.
Since Riezel was in the same situation, he chose to take a different path.
*Swish*
With a flick of his hand, Riezel materialized a bright silver short sword.
It was none other than Hermit.
Under normal circumstances, Riezel always used this second-ss equipment with the Durandal attribute as his secondary weapon. Only when faced with powerful enemies would he resort to using his main weapon, Fool.
However, it was ultimately just second-ss equipment, with slightly lower power and performance than ordinary second-ss equipment. If it weren''t for the Durandal attribute, Hermit''s performance wouldn''t meet his current needs.
Now, Riezel was not only a Level 5 first-ss adventurer but also at the limit of Level 5, so his strength couldn''t be regarded as ordinary Level 5 anymore.
Just do the math¡ªother adventurers, even the most talented ones, could only reach an astonishing proficiency of S999 in all basic abilities with each level up. This meant that by the time they reached the limit of Level 5, their total proficiency from all basic abilities was less than 5000.
What about Riezel?
With each level up, he could surpass the limit, reaching a full SSS in all basic abilities, with proficiency in each basic ability reaching at least 1200 or more. This meant that when he reached the limit of Level 5, his total proficiency from all basic abilities was at least 6000.
Moreover, Riezel consistently acquiredbat-type development abilities with each level-up, enhancing his status in battle and amplifying his magic attack power. As a result, his status had already surpassed that of the most talented prodigies at the same level.
However, the question was, could these prodigies reach a full S999 proficiency in all basic abilities with each level up?
Impossible.
ording to Riezel''s understanding of the original work, even Level 7 Ottar, known as Orario''s ultimate weapon, only had four of his basic abilities reaching S-rank, and not all four of them could reach 999 in proficiency either.
Even Ais, the prodigy who held the record for the fastest level up before Riezel appeared, only had about one or so basic abilities reaching S-rank with each level up.
In summary, even though Riezel was still Level 5, he couldpete with low-middle Level 6 adventurers under normal circumstances, even without using magic or breathing styles, he had a way to defeat them.
However, now, Riezel possessed the capability to consistently surpass one level inbat power.
What does ''consistently surpass one level'' mean?
It meant that regardless of the level, Riezel could have thebat power to ignore one level above him.
If Riezel''sbat power was at low-middle Level 6, then he could challenge someone at low-middle Level 7.
Yes.
After three months of relentless effort, his strength andbat power were now almost equal to low-middle Level 7. Of course, this was under the assumption that he didn''t use magic; once he used magic, his strength would increase even further!
For someone like Riezel, a special equipment slightly inferior in power to regr second-ss equipment, its performance naturally couldn''t keep up with him anymore. If it weren''t for Hermit having the Durandal attribute, it might have been discarded by him by now.
Because of this, Riezel had the idea of ??rebuilding Hermit and intended to turn it into his own Nichirin Sword.
''Sun Breathing is a breathing style that emphasizesprehensive enhancement and power of the swordsmanship.''
''Fool belongs to a lighter, more agile weapon, focusing on attack speed rather than power. Using it with Sun Breathing, although not impossible, ultimately doesn''t match well.''
''On the other hand, weapons like Nichirin Sword are most suitable for this world''s swordsmanship, such as Sun Breathing.''
With such thoughts, Riezel no longer hesitated.
''First, use dposition magic to slightly disassemble the structure inside Hermit. Then, without destroying its Durandal attribute, integrate the gemstone into it.''
In the next moment, Riezel activated dposition magic again, this time covering Hermit with a crimson vortex.
Right now, he controlled it very carefully, fearing that if he exerted too much power, he would destroy the Durandal attribute.
Since it was the most useful weapon attribute for him, if it were destroyed, he would be better off continuing to use the original Hermit. Consequently, he controlled his magic very carefully and meticulously, letting Hermit gradually dissolve in the crimson vortex, turning into a pool of molten steel.
At this point, Riezel threw the gemstone he was holding, letting the crimson vortex cover the silver steel and the crystal-clear gemstone.
Before long, the two merged quickly and soon became a pool of molten iron.
Surprisingly, this pool of iron was crimson, emitting a super high temperature. Once it dripped on the ground, it would definitely burn a big hole in it instantly.
"Refine."
Riezel made a prompt decision.
He stopped using dposition magic and switched to structure system magic to shape the pool of molten iron into a sword.
As for the style of the sword, he had already thought about it.
In his previous life, Riezel had a very favorite sword,known as ''Thousand Demon Daggers''.
This was a powerful weapon in ''Scissor Seven'', known for its offensive nature and uniqueness. Its deprised numerous fragments with a ck handle and a single-edged de. It had blue stripes depicting evil spirit patterns near the sword guard, emitting blue or purple light.
Riezel nned to create his own Nichirin Sword ording to the style of this sword.
And so, while recalling the appearance of Thousand Demon Daggers, he used his magic to construct, allowing the scorching hot molten iron to begin to take shape. Under the brilliance of his magic, the molten iron gradually elongated into the shape of a sword.
After ten minutes had passed, a sword identical to what Riezel had imagined emerged.
It had a ck handle and a single-edged de, and the de indeed looked like it was made up of countless fragments, covered in crack-like textures.
However, unlike Thousand Demon Daggers, the texture near the guard of the sword was not an evil spirit pattern but a divine spirit pattern, emitting a fiery red light like mes.
Seeing the sword take shape, Riezel had another idea and added a word to the top of its handle that read ''Hermit''.
Yes.
Riezel still intended to name it Hermit¡ªstill Hermit, yet no longer Hermit.
Soon, as the brilliance of magic dissipated, Riezel''s exclusive Nichirin Sword was alsopleted.
As Riezel gripped the new Hermit, a sense of heaviness and heat immediately transmitted to him through his palm.
Chapter 161: Bad News and Good News
Chapter 161: Bad News and Good News
''This sword...''
As soon as Riezel gripped the new Hermit, which had be a Nichirin Sword, an expression of astonishment involuntarily crept onto his face.
It couldn''t be helped.
''So heavy and hot...''
Surprisingly, the Nichirin Sword he now held felt as heavy as a war hammer and radiated intense heat that reached the boiling point of water, 100 degrees Celsius.
Such a sword would be impossible for an average swordsman to even hold by the hilt.
''With this weight, Lightweight probably won''t be much use when I use this sword in the future...'' Riezel sighed and lowered the sword.
*Pssst¡ª*
As the sword descended, before it even touched the ground, it emitted a sizzling sound, leaving a small ckened mark on the ground."What the hell..."
Riezel was momentarily stunned and quickly raised the sword again, lost in thought.
After a moment of pondering, Riezel used structure system magic to create a block of iron and threw it into the air.
Watching the iron block in the air, Riezel quickly swung the sword.
*Swish!*
In the next moment, the de of the sword sliced through the iron block as if it were butter, splitting it in two effortlessly and causing it to fall to the ground. However, what was shocking was that the cut edges still emitted a red glow and smoke.
Upon seeing this, Riezel was pleasantly surprised.
''So sharp... No, not sharp...''
Riezel realized that the reason Hermit could cut through the iron block so easily was because of the high temperature condensed on its de. In this high-temperature state, its cutting power became extremely fearsome.
It was more urate to say Hermit burned through the iron rather than cut it.
With such a high temperature, logically, Hermit''s de should have been affected too. Yet, due to Hermit''s possession of the Durandal attribute, its de miraculously maintained its quality and appearance.
''Without a doubt, the performance and power of this new Hermit definitely surpass Fool''s...''
Riezel knew that the new Hermit was undoubtedly first-ss special equipment. He couldn''t believe that the new sword he had refined with magic was so perfect on his first try!
''Is it because I triggered the imaginary system when using magic or did some chemical reaction ur after Hermit fused with the gemstone containing the purest essence of many Scarlet Crimson Iron Sands and Scarlet Ores?''
Riezel wasn''t entirely sure, but he knew one thing¡ªhe might have obtained a special and incredible Nichirin Sword.
''Let''s go try out this sword.''
Riezel couldn''t hold back his curiosity anymore and quickly left the warehouse with Hermit in hand.
===
In the rear of the Rengoku family''s residence, there was a small mountain that looked like the family''s backyard, forming arge expanse of forest.
As Riezel entered the forest, he observed his Nichirin Sword, Hermit.
At this moment, Hermit''s de was changing color.
Any Demon yer knew that this was a characteristic shared by all Nichirin Swords.
Nichirin Swords, also known as the ''Color Changing Katana'', would change color ording to the master of the sword, reflecting the breathing style suitable for the user.
For those suited to Water Breathing, when they gripped a Nichirin Sword, its de would turn blue.
For Thunder Breathing, it was golden.
For me Breathing, it was red.
For Wind Breathing, it was green.
For Stone Breathing, it was gray.
Like Kyoujurou, his Nichirin Sword''s de was red, while Tanjirou''s was ck.
ck Nichirin Sword was a very rare and umon type of Nichirin Sword, and no one knew which breathing style a swordsman suited to it would use.
However, Riezel knew that users of ck Nichirin Swords had extremely highpatibility with Sun Breathing.
Yoriichi''s Nichirin Sword, with its ck de resembling obsidian, only turned red during battle.
As for Riezel''s Nichirin Sword, under his gaze, it slowly turned ck.
Yes, his Nichirin Sword also had a ck de.
However, the crack-like texture on the de did not disappear; instead, it became brighter and more vivid.
When one looked at the ck on the de, it was an extremely thorough, deep abyssal ck, making it feel like staring into a ck hole.
"Huuu..."
"Haaa..."
Riezel adjusted his breathing before suddenly swinging his sword forward.
*Whoosh!*
A great fire burst out.
Amid the terrifying heat, mes suddenly descended from the sky with Riezel''s swing, smashing the ground into pieces.
Before long, the wildfire raged through the forest, igniting countless trees in an instant, and turning the surroundings into a sea of fire.
"Dpose."
Riezel immediately used dposition magic, causing crimson waves to sweep through the entire forest like a hurricane, breaking down the mes into nothingness.
However, the aftermath of the wildfire still remained.
Charred smoke billowed, ckened traces spread all over the ground, and the partially burnt trees made the area look like the aftermath of a fire.
Only then did Riezel sit down on the ground, looking around the surroundings, and then at Hermit, which was now wrapped in mes, gradually smiling.
''Its power is indeed impressive, and on top of that, it really matches well with Sun Breathing...''
Although this new Hermit somewhat limited his Lightweight development ability, it enhanced his attack power and explosiveness.
''From now on, Hermit will be the exclusive weapon for Sun Breathing.''
With that thought in mind, Riezel began experimenting with his other abilities in the mountains.
However, after some attempts, Riezel stopped and furrowed his brow.
There was both bad news and good news.
The bad news was that he couldn''t use magic while using Sun Breathing¡ªor, to be precise, he couldn''t use enchant magic like ''Ariel''.
Perhaps it was because the evolved Sun Breathing stimted the massive magical energy within his body, activating it and incorporating it into his blood flow, which caused a conflict with the magical energy flow affected by Ariel.
Or perhaps it was because Sun Breathing and Ariel had different attributes. If both were used simultaneously, the flow of magical energy within his body would be chaotic, causing issues with the cirction of Sun Breathing.
Because of this, not only could he not use Ariel or protection magic like Raumure to enhance his END and AGI, but he couldn''t use any magic that directly affected his body.
Other types of magic had no impact, as long as they didn''t affect his body, such as magic that directly enhanced his strength or speed.
Clearly, this meant that once he used Sun Breathing, he couldn''t add any other amplifying strengthening magic, support magic, or auxiliary magic.
However, the good news was that by using Ariel and Wind Breathing from the five fundamental breathing styles simultaneously, not only did the effect of Ariel strengthen, but the burden on his body also decreased significantly.
''Is it because Wind Breathing and Ariel have simr attributes, making them highlypatible?''
Riezel was somewhat found the reason behind it.
Not only did Wind Breathing strengthen Ariel, but using a breathing style also automatically increased his physical ability, greatly enhancing his body''s endurance. As a result, the burden caused by Ariel was significantly reduced when he used Wind Breathing.
Riezel felt that the simrity in wind attributes also yed a role, exining why the burden caused by Ariel on his body was not as significant as usual when he used Wind Breathing.
Otherwise, relying solely on the enhancement of endurance by Wind Breathing, it would be far from easy to fully withstand the burden brought by an overpowered enchant magic like Ariel.
It was indeed a blessing in disguise.
''Although Sun Breathing and Ariel can''t be used at the same time, I can split them into two modes for future battles, right?''
Riezel immediately had an idea.
''Hermit pairs nicely with Sun Breathing, allowing me to fight stably across a level. In this mode, my overall abilities are at their strongest, enough topete with opponents ranging from low to mid Level 7.''
''Fool, on the other hand, can be paired with Ariel and Wind Breathing. It maximizes the effect of Lightweight, boosting AGI and DEX, two crucial basic abilities for Ariel. With this mode, I should surpass the speed of an ordinary Level 7.''
If only Ariel was used, the current Riezel would be able tofortably defeat the strongest Level 6, not too far from Level 7bat power.
Moreover, Wind Breathing could strengthen Ariel''s effect and mitigate its burden, likely granting Riezel the strength to rival Level 7. Using Fool in this state, fully maximizing the effect of Lightweight, when only calcting DEX and AGI, ordinary Level 7 wouldn''t stand a chance against him.
On top of that, Riezel could still further enhance his AGI using Raumure. In this state, his other basic abilities might barely reach the limit of Level 7, but his AGI would significantly surpass this, reaching the limit of Level 7.
With this arrangement, Riezel could choose which mode to use based on his opponent.
''Strong attack mode is when I use Hermit as the main weapon with Sun Breathing.''
''Fast attack mode is when I use Fool as the main weapon with Wind Breathing, Ariel, and Raumure.''
''Yeah, this seems doable.''
With that in mind, Riezel took Fool out of the storage space and gripped it in his hand. With a thought, a word soon appeared on its hilt that read ''Fool''.
It wasn''t added for aesthetics or to engrave a crest but to prevent its loss. Whether it was the word ''Hermit'' or ''Fool'' in their hilts, both served as marks for his summoning magic.
As long as these marks didn''t disappear, Riezel could summon these two weapons to his hand through magic. In this way, even if they identally slipped away, he didn''t have to worry about losing them.
Naturally, it was one of the many simple magics taught by Yuri, still seemingly unimportant but quite practical.
As he finished, Riezel put Fool back into the storage space and kept Hermit in his hand.
At this moment, Riezel nned to create a scabbard for Hermit, as the previous one waspletely unsuitable for further use.
However, since Hermit''s de temperature was rtively high, it was challenging to create a scabbard capable of bearing it.
Regardless, Riezel had no choice but to do it, as he truly cherished his new Nichirin Sword dearly.
Chapter 162: Discovered
Chapter 162: Discovered
As Riezel began his endeavor to create Hermit''s scabbard, a conversation unfolded at the headquarters of the Demon yer Corps, Ubuyashiki Estate.
The location was the courtyard where Riezel had previously met Kagaya.
"Tsugikuni Yoriichi''s practice finallye to an end?"
Kagaya once again went to the veranda leading to the courtyard, listening to Shinobu''s report as she knelt before him.
"Yes." Shinobu replied with a smile, bowing her head. "I can confirm it myself; there''s no mistake."
"Um, that''s good to hear..." Kagaya said gently. "And what do you think of his practice results?"
Facing that question, Shinobu answered without hesitation.
"It should be as Master had hoped for."
Her answer held a meaning understood only by Kagaya and the Hashira.Shinobu''s implied meaning was that Kagaya''s previous statement was no mere talk.
"Is that so? So, you think so too?" Kagaya seemed pleased.
"I can''t help it... As someone who has witnessed the results of his practice firsthand, I can''t imagine anyone surpassing Tsugikuni..." Shinobu said softly. "If our enemies are stronger than Tsugikuni, it would be truly despairing."
She expressed herself to that extent.
She genuinely believed that if there existed demons stronger than Riezel, the Demon yer Corps might as well disband on the spot because humans would never be able to defeat such monsters.
But conversely¡ª
"But if there are no demons stronger than Tsugikuni, then the dream of us Demon yers might be closest to fulfillment in our generation." Shinobu''s eyes revealed aplex and hopeful emotion.
"We will definitely achieve that dream..." Kagaya said decisively. "After finally seeing the opportunity to end all of this, we must ensure that all tragedies end in our generation... The stain on the Ubuyashiki family, our shame, must also be cleansed in this generation... This time, we must kill him."
His voice echoed slowly.
"We must kill the Demon King, Kibutsuji Muzan..."
At his words, Shinobu bowed her head deeper.
"Yes."
Her response lingered in the courtyard, not fading for a long time.
===
At the same time, not far from the Ubuyashiki Estate, deep in the mountains, several people were carrying some things, heading toward the town.
They were dressed in matching ck uniforms, with masks covering their faces, looking somewhat like professional personnel from a secret organization.
And indeed they were.
These people were members of the ''Kakushi''.
The Kakushi, who acted as the support unit of the Demon yer Corps, were specifically responsible for post-battle cleanup after battles between Demon yers and demons, as well as other misceneous tasks.
In other words, members of the Kakushi were nonbatants, mostlycking swordsmanship skills, simr to the personnel in the Butterfly Mansion, who supported the Demon yer Corps from the rear.
At this moment, several members of the Kakushi were transporting a batch of supplies to the headquarters of the Demon yer Corps.
"Be careful, don''t bump into anything. These are the daily supplies for the Master and the Hashira."
"So, are we dropping these straight off at the mansion?"
"Anyone wanna swap with me?"
As they talked with each other while making their way toward the town, someone among them quickly noticed an anomaly.
"Hey, what''s that?"
With a surprised voice, the one pushing the cart of supplies pointed ahead on the mountain path.
Everyone quickly looked in the direction he indicated.
"Wait, is that a vase?"
"Seriously? A vase?"
"Why the heck is there a vase in the middle of the road?"
Each of them looked at each other in confusion.
As they had said, right in the middle of the mountain path, there appeared a vase.
It looked quite exquisite and seemed out of ce in these deep mountains, especially standing in the middle of the path, making it both strange and abrupt.
"Where did this vasee from anyway?"
As one of them somewhat impatiently approached to move the vase, something astonishing happened in that split second.
*Swish!*
Suddenly, a hand sprang out from the delicate vase, grabbing his head and dragging him into the vase.
*Splurt!*
"AAAHHHHH¡ª!!!"
As a burst of blood sttered from the mouth of the vase, his scream started out sharp but was abruptly silenced, and all movement ceased.
"What the heck?!"
"I-Is it a demon?!"
"It''s a demon! A demon is here!"
In an instant, the remaining members of the Kakushi plunged into panic, reflexively fleeing to distance themselves from the vase.
Unfortunately, as they rushed into the bushes, screams echoed one after another, only calming down after a while.
At this moment, a figure emerged from the vase, stained with blood.
"Hyo, hyo, hyo... Looks like we''ve caught a big fish this time."
Such mischievousughter¡ªit wasn''t from a blooming young girl but from a particrly hideous creature.
He was entirely pale, resembling a wriggling fish, with purple fins growing on top of his head. Two mouths were positioned where his eyes should be, and two eyes were on his forehead and mouth, with yellow eyeballs and green lips. Several small hands sprouted from various parts of his head and body, making him aplete aberration devoid of any human features.
Upon closer inspection, the eyes on his forehead and mouth were inscribed with Japanese characters.
One eye read ''Five''.
The other eye read ''Upper Rank''.
He was none other than Gyokko, the Upper Five of the Twelve Kizuki.
"I totally didn''t expect this at all... originally ordered by Lord Muzan to track that swordsman named Tsugikuni Yoriichi, we actually stumbled upon the headquarters of the Demon yer Corps during the process... This is truly a great achievement, hyo, hyo, hyo..."
Gyokko excitedly writhed his body as he spoke in the direction of the bushes.
"You agree, right? Hantengu?"
Following Gyokko''s extremely excited voice, a figure slowly crawled out of the bushes.
It was an elderly demon with red eyes, no visible characters in it, arge bump on top of his head, apanied by two curved horns, and a face resembling a scared old man.
"Scary... so scary..." Hantengu shivered, cowering on the ground. "We originally had only one enemy, but now it''s turned into the entire Demon yer Corps! Too scaryyyy!"
Hantengu acted as if he was scared to tears.
"Oh my, if you say that, then I guess I''ll just take all the credit this time, can I? Hyo, hyo, hyo..." Gyokko extended his long tongue, twisting it around whileughing.
"Hiiii..." Hantengu curled up in the grass, seemingly not hearing his words. "I-I need to report this to Lord Muzan, then he will protect me!"
"Don''t forget to mention my name!"
After shouting toward the bushes where Hantengu was, Gyokko turned and looked in the direction of the town while chuckling.
"Hyo, hyo, hyo, looks like my collection will soon have another fine piece of art..."
"But... which Hashira should I use for the new vase? I need to think about it carefully, hyo, hyo, hyo..."
===
"What did you say? You found their headquarters?"
In a luxurious study, a gloomy and ominous voice echoed.
"Tracking down the human who calls himself Tsugikuni Yoriichi, only to stumble upon the hiding ce of those Ubuyashikis instead? Hahaha..."
After hearing the report from Hantengu, the voice''s owner in the darkness chuckled.
"Well, those pests have been bothering me for years. It''s time to get rid of this nuisance."
After saying that, the voice''s owner pondered for a moment before speaking again.
"Hantengu, you and Gyokko stay there for now. I''ll send Daki over to your side."
"That ce is their headquarters, where there will always be a few Hashira stationed. If too many Hashira are staying there, you two might need to step in to make sure no one slips through."
"This time, the three of you will act together. Bring me the heads of those Ubuyashikis, don''t disappoint me."
As the cold voice fell, within the voice owner''s mind, Hantengu''s voice quickly echoed.
"Un-Understood, Lord Muzan."
With that, Hantengu''s timid voice quickly disappeared.
"Ubuyashiki..."
In the study, a menacing whisper filled the air.
"This time, you''re done for..."
===
"Lord Muzan ordered us to wait for Daki toe to support us!"
In the depths of the mountains, Hantengu crawled out from the bushes once again, dragging himself halfway out, and started yelping in Gyokko''s direction.
"Daki? That useless courtesan?" Gyokko stopped his body''s movements and said quite sarcastically. "She''sing for what? To slow us down?"
"Hiii!" Hantengu said coweringly. "It''s Lord Muzan''s order! It would be scary, very scary, to disobey him!"
"...Fine." Gyokko said somewhat unhappily. "Since even the Upper Six ising, then this time it''s certain."
"Three Upper Ranks working together... it''s been a century since we''ve seen this..." Hantengu murmured with a trembling voice. "Thest time more than two Upper Ranks were together was during the summoning 113 years ago... After 113 years, half of the Upper Ranks are somehow together on this task, th-three... odd numbers... Scary! Scary!"
"Hyo, hyo, hyo, I''m actually getting excited~"
Gyokko spread his arms, his body twisting once more, his voice growing increasingly excited.
"Seizing this opportunity, I''ll create several more pieces of artwork."
"Next, it''s time for work."
"Hyo, hyo, hyo... Hyo, hyo, hyo..."
In the darkness, Gyokko''s chillingughter lingered, as if foretelling a storm''s imminent arrival.
Chapter 163: Unexpected Encounter
Chapter 163: Unexpected Encounter
Near the small town, in the forests of another deep mountain.
"Is this okay?"
Riezel appeared, holding a freshly made scabbard in his hand.
It was a scabbard as ck as Hermit, coated with ayer of resin on the surface.
It was the result of his nearly two-hour journey through the mountains.
In order to create a scabbard that could contain Hermit, Riezel used magic to dpose, extract, and refine several types of resin, ultimately refining a highly heat-resistant organic material. In the process, he even managed to synthesize a high-density iron simr to tungsten.
Bybining the two, he finally created this scabbard.
*Click*
Riezel slid Hermit, which had been emitting heat constantly, into the scabbard, causing it to emit a slight sound.Hermit''s de was neither too long nor too short, perfectly fitting into the scabbard, leaving only the hilt exposed.
"Good..." Riezel smiled contentedly.
The feeling of creating his own weapon was different from simply receiving one made by Tsubaki for him.
''Now that the problem about my weapon is settled, and the evolution of Sun Breathing has beenpleted exactly as nned, I guess I''ve pretty much done what I wanted to do in this world, huh?''
If there was anything regrettable, it was not being able to level up.
Before dimensional travel, Riezel intended to gain enough high-rank excelia to level up to Level 6 in this world. Unfortunately, this world wasn''t like the world of Danmachi, with plenty of monsters to defeat.
Not only were demons truly scarce, but they were not particrly powerful either.
In the eyes of the people of this world, the existence of Upper Ranks was already terrifying. But to Riezel, even a Level 4 demon, before evolving his Sun Breathing, could be easily defeated with a flick of his hand, let alone now.
Even the legendary Demon King and the Upper One, who surpassed the rest of the Upper Ranks in strength, were probably only at Level 5 or 6, roughly on par with him in level.
If so, how could ordinary Level 5 be his opponent now?
If he just wanted an opponent, he might be able to achieve it, but what he wanted was an enemy from whom he could gain high-rank excelia.
What kind of enemy could provide high-rank excelia?
Stronger than himself!
Because of this, Riezel felt he might not be able to level up to Level 6 in this world, and as a result, what he wanted to do here was basically over.
Not only had his status reached its limit, but the growth potential of his current level had also been fully maximized. Apart from leveling up, there was really no way for him to make any significant progress now.
In such a situation, Riezel still had nearly three months left before the end of this dimensional travel.
What he could do next was probably just pass the time.
''During these idle times, practicing swordsmanship and magic might raise ''Swordsman'' and ''Mage'' by one or two ranks, and... maybe I can encounter that Demon King?''
''The progenitor of demons who have lived for a thousand years should be considerably stronger than the Upper One. Considering the Upper One is likely a Level 5, I suppose that Demon King would be a Level 6?''
''But even if he''s a Level 6, it probably won''t bring any high-rank excelia...''
Finished pondering, Riezel sighed.
"What should I do...?" Riezel muttered in loss as he walked along the mountain path, his sword hanging by his waist.
Suddenly, he halted in his tracks, furrowing his brow and ncing in a particr direction. He instinctively rested his hand on the hilt of his sword, ready to draw it.
"Please wait a moment!"
A voice interrupted him just before he could unsheathe his sword.
"We mean no harm!"
It was a voice that sounded youthful yet elegantly mature, with a charming tone, along with a melodic voice.
A momentter, two people appeared without warning in the direction Riezel had been observing.
It was abination of a young man and a woman.
The young man was dressed neatly and looked quite proper, like a wealthy son of a wealthy family. His hair was meticulously groomed, but his face had a hint of viciousness, emitting an aura of someone not to be trifled with.
On the other hand, the woman was beautiful, with ck hair styled into arge, low bun. Herplexion was pale, yet her lips were rosy. She wore a deep purple kimono adorned with wavy patterns of light purple branches and red flowers. A beige obi was tied around her waist, making her look like ady from a wealthy family.
The impression they gave was that of siblings, with the elder sister standing in front and the younger brother a step behind and to the side, clearly subservient to the former.
As this sibling-like duo suddenly appeared before him, Riezel''s eyes flickered imperceptibly.
He already figured out their identities.
"Greetings, Sir Tsugikuni Yoriichi."
Greeting Riezel, the beautiful woman in the kimono bowed her head.
"...I didn''t expect to be noticed before revealing ourselves."
Muttering unhappily, the young man at the woman''s side didn''t bow like her.
"Your ability to obscure others'' vision and create illusions, while rare, is unfortunately useless in the ''world'' I currently perceive." Riezel remarked casually as he nced at the young man.
"Tsk."
Upon hearing Riezel''s remark, the young man clicked his tongue, his attitude was somewhat unpleasant.
"Yushirou, show some manners."
Seeing the young man''s attitude, the woman scolded him gently, furrowing her lovely brows.
"Yes, Lady Tamayo."
To the woman''s scolding, the young man named Yushirou begrudginglyplied and immediately changed his bad attitude, bing obedient.
Riezel released his hand from his sword hilt, looking interestedly at the two ''humans'' standing before him.
No, these two were not humans.
"You''re demons?"
Indeed, the pair before him, one male and one female, were definitely not humans but demons. After all, the ability just now to obscure vision and create illusions was undoubtedly a Blood Demon Art.
"Sorry for visiting you in this manner."
Apologizing, the woman named Tamayo bowed her head again to Riezel.
"Please forgive us. This area is near the headquarters of the Demon yer Corps. If we were to expose ourselves recklessly, it could lead to unnecessary misunderstandings, so we came in this way."
Tamayo''s words were sincere, making one involuntarily feel a sense of trust in her. Of course, for any other Demon yer, it would be impossible to trust her under any circumstances.
She was a demon, a man-eating monster, the object of intense hatred for everyone in the Demon yer Corps. Except for people like Tanjirou, who was kind-hearted and had rather special experiences, probably no one would feel a sense of trust toward her because of her sincere words.
If Riezel didn''t know the origins of these two demons, he might have felt the same.
"So, Miss Demon, did you specificallye near the headquarters of the Demon yer Corps like this just to see me?" Riezel asked while raising his eyebrows.
From the moment Tamayo appeared, she called his fake name in this world, so it was obvious she hade for him. As for how she could find him and the headquarters of the Demon yer Corps, he wasn''t surprised.
After all, he knew that the woman who looked like a richdy before him, though a demon, was hostile to the Demon King and had some connections with the Ubuyashiki family. She probably knew about his existence because of this.
As Riezel was thinking like that, Tamayo spoke up.
"I dide to see you, Sir Tsugikuni." Tamayo gazed at him with a serious expression. "Ever since I learned of your existence from Tanjirou, I have been restless. In the end, I made up my mind toe and meet you."
"From Tanjirou?" Riezel was surprised. "Not from the Ubuyashiki family?"
"Yes." Tamayo nodded and began exining. "Tanjirou and I are old acquaintances, we have been in touch with each other. In hisst letter, he mentioned you, praising you as a great swordsman who can easily y Upper Ranks."
"I see..." Riezel nodded, then changed the topic. "Still, you shouldn''t havee just because I can y Upper Ranks, right?"
"That''s part of the reason..." Tamayo fell silent for a while before continuing. "I have been searching for someone who can oppose the Demon King, so your strength is also one of the reasons that brought me here."
"However, that''s not the main reason, is it?" Riezel stated calmly.
His gaze seemed to prate everything, giving Tamayo a glimpse of this rumored great swordsman''s abilities.
Although this made her feel a bit wary, it was mostly reassuring.
For her, who was in opposition to the Demon King, the moreplex Riezel was, the more reassured she felt.
For this reason, Tamayo finally revealed her true reason foring here.
"After learning of your existence, I have indeed been restless... Tsugikuni Yoriichi, this name carries such weight for me, and for Kibutsuji Muzan."
Her words made Riezel cast a meaningful nce at Tamayo.
"Have you met Tsugikuni Yoriichi?"
Although asked as a question, Riezel''s tone was affirmative as he already knew the answer.
"...Yes." Tamayo did not deny it. "I have seen Tsugikuni Yoriichi, the great swordsman who resembled a god of fire. I witnessed the scene where he almost killed Kibutsuji Muzan with my own eyes."
It was clear from her words that Tamayo had perhaps lived longer than any current Upper Rank.
During the Sengoku period, she was already a demon, with a history of following the Demon King.
Consequently, she was the only one who witnessed that ''scene''.
Tamayo witnessed the encounter between Yoriichi and Muzan, and the unforgettable battle that ensued afterward, their first andst memorable battle.
Chapter 164: Not Dead?
Chapter 164: Not Dead?
Before his death, Yoriichi had only one encounter with Muzan.
At that time, the Demon yer Corps had just recently introduced the breathing style principles brought by Yoriichi. Although it had narrowed the gap in strength between humans and demons, Muzan still believed that ordinary Demon yers still could not threaten demons.
Because of this, Muzan did not deliberately seek to eliminate the Demon yer Corps.
Especially after observing the mediocre performance of the elite swordsman of the Demon yer Corps, Muzan became even more convinced that, as a perfect being, he could not be defeated.
As a result, although Muzan had some interest in the breathing style at that time, this interest was quickly extinguished¡ªuntil that day, when he encountered Yoriichi.
During that encounter, Muzan only fought once, but it ended up with Yoriichi delivering a devastating blow that left him unable to recover from his injuries, unable to regenerate his body, and on the brink of death.
At the end of that battle, Muzan fled, splitting his body into more than eighteen hundred fragments to distance himself from Yoriichi, and went into hiding.
From that moment onward, Muzan did not dare to show himself to the world until Yoriichi passed away.
Because of that encounter, Muzan experienced the fear of death for the first time since bing a demon. He also felt deep fear toward the man who seemed to have been born to defeat him, leaving a lifelong trauma.After that incident, Muzan no longer ignored the Demon yer Corps.
In order topletely eliminate the Demon yer Corps, Muzan created the Twelve Kizuki. Even after Yoriichi''s death, he personally attacked the Corps, wiping out all the swordsmen who knew Sun Breathing, and cutting off any legacy of Sun Breathing.
Since then, the Demon yer Corps and the Ubuyashiki family, who led the Demon yer Corps, became thorns in Muzan''s eyes and became the primary targets of the Twelve Kizuki. Over the centuries, they were pushed to the brink of destruction several times by demons, almost facing catastrophic destruction.
This was why the Demon yer Corps went into hiding, refusing to cooperate with the authorities, and began to conceal the whereabouts of their headquarters and the Ubuyashiki family.
All of this was because of one man¡ªTsugikuni Yoriichi.
He was the first human to instill the fear of death in the Demon King, Muzan, and the only swordsman in a millennium who almost killed him.
Tamayo was fortunate enough to witness the scene where Yoriichi almost killed Muzan.
Due to her expertise in pharmacology, Tamayo was turned into a demon by Muzan and kept by his side, trying to use her knowledge to create a drug that could ovee sunlight.
Because of this reason, Tamayo, who was always with Muzan at that time, could witness everything that happened that day.
"I really want to kill Kibutsuji Muzan, I dream about it..."
For the first time, hatred appeared on Tamayo''s beautiful and dignified face as she uttered those words.
"But I know how powerful and terrifying he is... For a thousand years, only Tsugikuni Yoriichi had the ability to kill him, but in the end, he still escaped, just by a hair''s breadth."
Tamayo''s heart was full of helplessness and fury, knowing there was nothing she could do.
ording to Riezel''s understanding of the original work, the reason why Tamayo became a demon was entirely because she was deceived by Muzan. Because of him, she killed her own husband and children, falling into eternal guilt and pain.
It was precisely this guilt and pain that gave birth to her hatred for Muzan.
Needless to say, Tamayo was right in saying that she really wanted to kill Muzan. For Yoriichi''s failure to kill Muzan, she was so regretful that she could bite her lips until they bled.
"After Muzan fled, weakened due to the heavy damage he suffered, his control over me weakened as well. I managed to break free from his control and gain my freedom. At the same time, Tsugikuni Yoriichi spared me and entrusted me with assisting humans in defeating Muzan, and demons he couldn''t defeat."
Tamayo lifted her head and looked at Riezel''s eyes.
"Given those circumstances, can you understand my feelings when I heard the name ''Tsugikuni Yoriichi'' from Tanjirou?"
Did she even need to say it? She was absolutely shocked!
She was so shaken upon learning that a swordsman named Tsugikuni Yoriichi suddenly appeared and easily killed the Upper Three. Her emotions must have been incrediblyplex and intense as she heard the news.
This was why she decided toe here, to find Riezel.
"Beforeing here, I couldn''t help but hope, hope that Tsugikuni Yoriichi was really still alive, even though I knew it was unrealistic..." Tamayo said with a bitter smile. "Until I saw you, I felt like maybe... just maybe, I could continue to hope..."
"Oh?" Riezel said calmly. "Why do you say that?"
"Because I know you''re very powerful." Tamayo answered with a firm tone, staring at him intensely. "When I first saw you, I almost thought I was seeing Tsugikuni Yoriichi himself."
Ever since mastering the Selfless State, Riezel had been able to effortlessly conceal his fighting spirit and aura. This meant that to others, he appeared to be just an ordinary swordsman, with almost no presence whatsoever.
However, that was precisely where the problemy.
Could a swordsman capable of easily defeating the Upper Three really be someone who seemed so unremarkable, so ordinary?
Of course not!
Someone like Riezel, Tamayo had seen once before, hundreds of years ago.
Yes, it was Tsugikuni Yoriichi.
The first time Tamayo saw Yoriichi, he gave her the same impression as Riezel did nowpletely unremarkable, utterly ordinary, devoid of any aura. Yet, it was precisely this unremarkable, utterly ordinary swordsman who dealt a devastating blow to Muzan in an instant.
Since then, the figure of Yoriichi has left a deep impression on Tamayo''s heart.
And now, the figure of Riezel at this momentpletely ovepped with the figure of Yoriichi in Tamayo''s mind.
Just this alone made her unable to help but feel hopeful.
"You might be able to fulfill Tsugikuni Yoriichi''s will, to y that monster once and for all." Tamayo stated with a strong determination.
Riezel could hear the anticipation in her words, as well as a strong sense of hatred and determination.
Her determination, he had seen it in someone else before.
Ubuyashiki Kagaya, the Master of the Demon yer Corps and the current head of the Ubuyashiki family, had shown a simr barely perceptible determination when he spoke before Riezel, dering his intention to end the millennia-long history of conflict between demons and humans.
Kibutsuji Muzan, the Demon King born in the Heian period, had caused too many tragedies.
Every demon was born from his hands, so for every demon that existed, there was a corresponding tragedy. Likewise, the tragedies caused by the killings and man-eatingmitted by these demons could ultimately be traced back to Muzan himself.
Topletely eliminate demons, rid the world of man-eating monsters, ensure that the night was no longer ruled by demons, and make sure humans no longer feared the night or died because of demon brutality, it was necessary to eliminate Muzan.
As long as Muzan perished, then all demons in this world would disappear.
After all, all the demons in this world were transformed from humans by Muzan''s blood, including the demon kept in the wooden box that Tanjirou always carried with him.
Whether it was Tamayo, Kagaya, or even all the Demon yers, including Tanjirou, the Hashira, and all the people who lost their families and suffered because of demons, they all hoped that Muzan would be eliminated.
Muzan was the one whom the Demon yer Corps was willing to sacrifice everything to eliminate, even if it meant gambling with everyone''s lives. No one in the Corps would hesitate about this.
"Since you also go by the name Tsugikuni Yoriichi, then regardless, you must have deep ties with him." Tamayo began faintly.
Riezel remained silent for a while before responding.
"I just received a gift and a message from him..."
"What?" Tamayo froze.
"He said, I''ll leave it to you..." Riezel added calmly, looking directly at her eyes.
Upon hearing that, Tamayo was stunned for a long while.
"Lady Tamayo."
Seeing Tamayo''s reaction, Yushirou couldn''t help but worry as he called out to her, giving Riezel a puzzled re.
"I''m fine..." Tamayo shook her head, lowering it slightly as if wiping something from her eye corner.
But in the next moment, she suddenly said something surprising.
"Besides wanting to see Your Excellency and confirm some things, I also want to tell you two things... the Upper Three, Akaza, might not be dead."
"What?"
It was Riezel who was stunned this time.
''Akaza... not dead?'' Riezel narrowed his eyes.
"It''s true." Tamayo nodded solemnly. "To be honest, I''ve been trying to find a way to study Muzan''s blood, to create a medicine that can turn demons into humans. So I''ve been closely watching demons with strong traces of his blood, intending to collect their blood."
Riezel was aware of this matter as well.
He knew that Tanjirou had epted Tamayo''smission and promised to help her collect demon blood.
Of course, their top priority target was naturally the members of the Twelve Kizuki.
"I''ve also been closely monitoring Upper Three Akaza. During the Mugen Train''s incident, Tanjirou wanted to collect his blood, but couldn''t find his corpse."
"He thought he hadn''t made it in time, and Akaza''s corpse had already disappeared. After all, demons beheaded by Nichirin Swords usually disintegrate to ash."
"But¡ When I calcted the time Tanjirou gave, demons of Akaza''s caliber don''t turn to ash that quickly."
Tamayo exined to Riezel why she thought Akaza might not be dead.
Thanks to her, Riezel soon remembered that not all demons died after being beheaded by Nichirin Swords.
However, just as Riezel remembered this, a loud noise suddenly rang out.
Chapter 165: Invasion (I)
Chapter 165: Invasion (I)
*BOOOOM!*
It was a deafening sounding from the direction of the town.
Not only did the sound resemble an explosion, but it also echoed like thunder. As it reverberated, the town immediately erupted intomotion.
The intensity of the explosion was such that even Riezel and Tamayo, deep in the mountains, could clearly hear it.
It was understandable, one had already awakened the Transparent World, able to perceive the outside world by focusing and shutting off unnecessary senses, while the other was a demon with senses far sharper than those of ordinary humans. Plus, since the town was not far from this mountain, such a significant disturbance naturally would be heard by them.
"Something''s happened..." Riezel muttered.
"Seems just as I expected..." Tamayo said with a calm face. "Kibutsuji Muzan has made his move."
"What do you mean?" Riezel turned his head to her. "Do you mean the explosion just now was caused by him? Did you know about this beforehand?"
Tamayo shook her head."No, I didn''t know Muzan would attack this ce, but I knew he definitely would act... It''s the second thing I wanted to tell you."
"Just like me, he would definitely have an extreme reaction to someone named Tsugikuni Yoriichi."
In Muzan''s entire life, the only thing he feared the most was Tsugikuni Yoriichi. Knowing that someone imed to be Yoriichi, especially someone who easily killed the Upper Three, he would undoubtedly take some action.
In Tamayo''s eyes, Muzan was one of the most cowardly individuals in this world.
He was afraid of death, extremely so.
Because of this reason, he pursued immortality, sought a perfect life, and went so far as to deceive her to ovee sunlight, causing her to transform into a demon,mitting a grave mistake.
The encounter with Yoriichi scared Muzan so much that he didn''t dare to show his face to the world until Yoriichi passed away.
It was enough to prove his cowardice.
Muzan wouldn''t even want his Twelve Kizuki to gather together because he was afraid they might unite against him.
Otherwise, why would the Upper Ranks have not gathered together for 113 years?
It was all because of his cowardice.
As long as it was not absolutely necessary, Muzan wouldn''t let the Twelve Kizuki gather too closely.
Being so cowardly, today, hundreds of yearster, he suddenly learned that Tsugikuni Yoriichi, whom he feared all his life, had reappeared.
As someone who was once closest to Muzan, Tamayo understood his character well.
For this reason, Tamayo came this time not only to see Riezel and confirm his rtionship with Yoriichi but also to inform him that Akaza was very likely still alive and to remind him that Muzan would definitely send someone to track him down and search for his whereabouts.
"Now it seems I''m a step toote..." Tamayo frowned, her beautiful brows knitted together. "If Muzan has truly followed your trail all the way here, then we''re in big trouble."
One must remember that this ce was the headquarters of the Demon yer Corps, a town where Demon yers reside.
People of the Ubuyashiki family were also here, as were many important figures of the Demon yer Corps and the close rtives of its members. Once this ce was exposed, demons would undoubtedly attack.
The recent loud explosion andmotion had already made everything clear.
"..."
Riezel furrowed his brows deeply, then turned around, preparing to leave.
"Please be careful." Tamayo quickly reminded. "Since this ce has been exposed, the demons he sent to attack are definitely from the Upper Ranks, possibly more than one."
Upon hearing that, Riezel lightly smiled at Tamayo.
"Don''t even mention a few Upper Ranks, even if Muzan himself came, I wouldn''t bat an eye."
With that, Riezel lowered his body and made a leaping motion.
*Whoosh!*
As he moved, a surge of mes and terrifying heat swept out from his body.
"Lady Tamayo!"
Yushirou quickly hugged Tamayo, protecting her, as they retreated away from the mes and heat.
"That power..."
Tamayo subconsciously raised a hand to shield herself, watching Riezel, covered in mes radiating astonishing heat, with a look of awe.
*BOOM!*
Finally, Riezel stomped the ground forcefully and shot into the air, sending shockwaves and dust storms to the surroundings.
Before long, Tamayo and Yushirou couldn''t see Riezel''s back anymore, only a streak of fire streaking toward the direction of the town, disappearing into the horizon at an astonishing speed like a meteor.
"That guy..." Yushirou''s face, usually unfazed, couldn''t help but show deep shock.
Tamayo, on the other hand, stared intently in the direction Riezel disappeared, her eyes shining brighter and brighter.
Having witnessed just a glimpse of Riezel''s power, Tamayo now had every reason to believe, believe that this young man could do it.
''If it''s him, then for sure...''
Tamayo anticipated and hoped for it. Her expression was as if she had seen Muzan''s gruesome death right in front of her eyes.
===
Time rewinds ten minutes ago.
As Riezelpleted the creation of Hermit''s scabbard in the deep mountains and encountered Tamayo, in another remote mountain, Hantengu and Gyokko appeared once again.
"It''s going to be a beautiful night, hyo, hyo, hyo..."
At this moment, Gyokko no longer hiding in the forest.
He arrived at a cliff overlooking the small town, his lower body connected to the vase, twisting andughing wildly while looking in the direction of the town.
Meanwhile, Hantengu remained hidden in the bushes, only half of his body poking out.
"Your vases have already been ced in the town, and no one has detected any anomaly..." Hantengu spoke up, visibly frightened. "I''ve seen many Demon yers passing through the town, one after another! If they find me, they''ll surely bully me! It''s terrifying, so scary!"
"Hyo, hyo, hyo... You''ve done well, Hantengu. Among us, you have the highest ability to conceal your presence and won''t be discovered even if you go in."
Ignoring Hantengu''s fear, Gyokko chuckled while covering his mouth with the small hands growing from his face.
"Now we just have to wait for that foolish woman to show up, and then we can move, hyo, hyo, hyo..."
"She''s already here..." Hantengu curled up, trembling. "But she said she won''te to our side; she''ll go straight to the town..."
"What?" Gyokko stopped, his voice turning gloomy. "She dares to act on her own?!"
"Hiii!" Hantengu responded, fear evident in his voice. "She said it''s Lord Muzan''s order, so she''ll naturally obey! But she also said she doesn''t want to see us, two ugly freaks, since seeing us would ruin her appetite for tonight''s meal!"
"Damn woman!" Gyokko eximed in frustration, but then he calmed down. "Forget it. She''s useless anyway, just a spoiled brat favored by Lord Muzan. If she knew that the lord she admires actually doesn''t care about her and only pays attention because of her elder brother, I wonder what her expression would be like? Hyo, hyo, hyo..."
"Hiii!" Hantengu was utterly terrified. "Despair... it''s too despairing... scary, scary, hiiiiii!"
"Enough with the tears, Hantengu." Gyokko sneered. "While that stupid woman hasn''t caused trouble yet, let''s get started."
"Hiii!" Hantengu shivered. "Th-Then I''ll go find the whereabouts of that Tsugikuni Yoriichi!"
"Yosh! Leave the riffraff to me." Gyokko said, spreading his hands. "I still have some artworks to make and let the Hashira or that Ubuyashiki bastards appreciate! Hyo, hyo, hyo..."
With that, he retreated into his vase and disappeared.
"Scary... scary..." Hantengu slowly crawled toward the direction of the town.
Tonight, sleeplessness was inevitable.
===
When night fell, the residents of the town all extinguished their lights and rested in their homes.
Clearly, not many people were engaging in candlelit conversations.
Since this town had deep ties to the Demon yer Corps, everyone knew about the existence of demons and also understood that the night belonged to them.
Even though this town was used as the headquarters of the Demon yer Corps, its residents subconsciously avoided activities at night.
One after another, they returned home as night fell and stayed indoors.
The only people likely to be out on the streets at this time were members of the Demon yer Corps.
At this moment, Shinobu stepped out from the Ubuyashiki Estate, walking toward the direction of the Butterfly Mansion.
Weirdly, she couldn''t shake off the unease creeping into her heart.
"Tonight is really quiet..."
Shinobu gazed at the full moon hanging high in the sky, her eyes flickering, her emotions somewhat unsettled.
"Am I just paranoid?"
She pondered over the full moon for a while, then suddenly tapped her own head and stuck out her tongue.
"I guess I''m just too sensitive. It''s all Tsugikuni''s fault for making me think too much today..."
"Well, I tend to overthink things even on regr days."
"Don''t you agree, Elder Sister..."
Leaving behind those words, Shinobu chuckled self-deprecatingly.
Surprisingly, the smile she usually wore was now absent, like a butterfly losing its dazzling wings as she headed toward the Butterfly Mansion.
However, as she walked, Shinobu suddenly stopped in her tracks.
"Looks like I wasn''t being paranoid after all..."
She whispered to herself before lifting her gaze ahead.
In the distance, a woman had silently appeared, seemingly out of nowhere.
"Lucky me, stumbling upon someone interesting just as I enter the town."
As the unknown woman spoke, her voice brimmed with charisma, power, and self-assurance, apanied by a smirk on her face.
"Heehee, you''re a good-looking one, aren''t you, Missy? Wanna be my meal?"
Looking at Shinobu, the woman chuckled and asked gleefully.
Shinobu remained silent, her face showing nothing but a smile¡ªor rather, a fake smile.
Chapter 166: Invasion (II)
Chapter 166: Invasion (II)
Under the moonlight, the town, barely illuminated by candlelight, wasn''t entirely engulfed in darkness. Since there was still plenty of light, Shinobu could easily discern the unknown woman appearing ahead.
She floated in mid-air, wrapped in sashes, her waist-length hair with green tips cascading like pure white strands. A floral ornament adorned her head, and pink flower tattoos decorated her left cheek and the right side of her forehead.
Her attire was somewhat revealing, portraying a woman of considerable beauty, but her overly pale skin and fine cracks like wrinkles marred her appearance with a touch of ferocity.
At this moment, the woman looked at Shinobu with a flicker of joy in her eyes, a mixture of admiration and a menacing re.
Meanwhile, as Shinobu looked into the woman''s eyes, the Japanese characters ''Upper Rank'' were engraved in her left eye, while ''Six'' was in her right eye, causing Shinobu to narrow her eyes and realize who this woman was.
"Upper Six..." Shinobu muttered, her hand instinctively resting on the sword at her waist.
"That''s right. I''m Upper Six, Daki."
Daki seemed in no hurry to deal with Shinobu and hovered calmly in mid-air, basking in the moonlight while smiling at her.
"You''re a Hashira, right? It''s been a while since I''ve seen a beautiful one... Alright, I''ve decided¡ªyou''ll be the eighth Hashira I eat!"Daki''s words made Shinobu lower her eyelids slightly.
"...So, you''ve eaten so many Hashira?" Shinobu murmured.
"Yes, I''ve eaten many Hashira. Of course, there are even more Hashira I haven''t eaten." Daki seemed to boast. "Not all Hashira are good-looking since I only eat the beautiful ones. Ugly things aren''t even worth a nce, let alone being eaten. So, you should feel honored because you''re beautiful."
"Oh, Ishould feel honored, you say?" Shinobu remarked as she drew her sword.
It was a peculiarly shaped Nichirin Sword with a butterfly-shaped guard, an orange handle wrapped in turquoise cords, and avender-blue de. Its de was slender¡ªor rather, it had lost its de and was reced by a rod with a needle-like tip at the end, resembling an insect''s stinger in appearance and function. On either side of the de were inscribed the words ''Evil Demon'' and ''Destruction''.
"Heh, you want to resist?"
Daki appeared to be in a good mood, admiring Shinobu''s face while mocking.
"Seems like you''ve never faced an Upper Rank before, huh? Just so you know, I''m different from the demons you''ve taken down before, and those Lower Ranks are nothingpared to me. Likewise, mere human swordsmen, even if they''re Hashira, are just as pitifully weak to me. Now that you know, will you obediently let me eat you?"
"Unfortunately, that''s not going to happen." Shinobu responded with a smile. "Although I''ve never encountered an Upper Rank, I''d like to get along with you if possible, but it would be troublesome if I were eaten, no?"
"Hah? Get along? Hahahaha..." Daki burst intoughter. "Stop fooling around, Missy. Do you think I can''t feel your murderous intent just because you''re smiling? You''re clearly itching to kill me!"
Shinobu didn''t argue and just continued to smile. However, there was indeed an unprecedented coldness and murderous intent in her eyes.
"Tch..." Daki suddenly felt annoyed, tilting her head to the side. "You really annoy me, but for the sake of your beautiful face, I''ll spare you from bing reserve food and eat you now."
With that, the sashesfloating around Daki seemed toe to life one after another.
Seeing this, Shinobu adjusted her breath and tightened her grip on her sword, making its de shimmer with a strange hue.
===
Meanwhile, not long after Shinobu and Daki encountered each other, in one corner of the town, Gyokko emerged from a vase.
"Hyo, hyo, hyo..."
He covered his mouth with his small hands, suppressing his smile.
"Well... let''s begin the ughter..."
As his words fell, unknown disturbances began to emerge from various corners of the town.
Upon closer inspection, vases were ced in these corners, each one trembling before disgorging strange aquatic creatures.
These creatures had muscr, humanoid bodies varying in height from two to three meters tall, with some as short as two meters. Instead of humanoid heads, they sported goldfish heads, and their backs were adorned with vases, defying all norms of human aesthetics and anatomy.
Roaring, they extended their wed hands and immediatelyunched attacks on any humans in sight.
*BOOM!*
A loud noise erupted in the town.
"De-Demons!"
"Demons are here!"
"AAAAAHHHHH¡ª!!!"
All the townspeople rushed out of their houses in panic, creating chaos in the streets as they fled.
The aquatic creatures lunged at the humans, roaring as they either mmed with brute force or shed with their ws, sending several members of the Demon yer Corps flying or cut down, leaving them lying in pools of blood.
"Enemy attack!"
"Demon invasion!"
"Quick, notify the Corps! Inform the Master!"
"Protect the residents!"
Swordsmen d in the uniforms of the Demon yer Corps shouted one after another and charged toward the aquatic creatures, their voices filled with rage and determination.
And so, the town descended into chaos, no longer peaceful.
===
*Cough!* *Cough!*
In the Ubuyashiki Estate, Kagaya, despite his increasingly frail body, crawled out of his bed.
"Master Kagaya, please try to remain calm."
Kagaya''s wife, Ubuyashiki Amane, supported andforted Kagaya, but to no avail.
In the next moment, a pitch-ck crow appeared at the window of the room and spoke with a human voice.
"Demon attack! Demon attack! The headquarters is exposed! The town is exposed!"
Needless to say, as the Kasugai Crow of the Demon yer Corps brought such rming news, Kagaya was clearly unable to remain still.
"Amane, which Hashira are still in the town?"
Kagaya grabbed his wife''s hand, inquiring with panic.
"..."
Amane was silent for a while, then suppressed her emotions as she answered.
"...Shinobu is certainly here, Kyoujurou just returned not long ago, so both Insect Hashira and me Hashira are in the town. Love Hashira and Mist Hashira left recently, lingering around the Swordsmith Vige''s area, seemingly preparing to go there. Stone Hashira, Water Hashira, and Sound Hashira are all in their respective jurisdictions. Wind Hashira and Serpent Hashira have entered deep mountains to practice. So, of the nine Hashira, only two are in the town."
From her answer, this was undoubtedly a dire situation.
Out of the nine Hashira, seven were not in the town, leaving the town''s ability to resist demons extremely weak.
Regardless, this was, in fact, the town''s usual routine.
Muzan might have thought that there would be multiple Hashira stationed at the headquarters of the Demon yer Corps, but in reality, there were just a few Hashira, sometimes none at all.
Because thebat force of the Demon yer Corps consisted of only a few hundred people spread across the entire country to hunt demons, especially the Hashira, each responsible for their own area of jurisdiction, were usually busy with their duties and missions.
Actually, this was also the reason why the Hashira council meeting was held every six months.
Because of this, the town where the headquarters of the Demon yer Corps resided was not as heavily guarded as Muzan had imagined.
However, it was more urate to say that Kagaya always advocated against arranging too many Hashira around him. Instead of having them wasted for him, who could die at any moment, it was better to send them out to hunt demons, eliminate as many demons as possible, and protect as many people as possible, bringing the Demon yer Corps closer to its ultimate goal.
As a result, although there were patrols and security provided by other members, there were few Hashira stationed in the town, at most two or three.
At this moment, only Shinobu, who managed the Butterfly Mansion, and Kyoujurou who had recently returned from a mission were present at the headquarters.
*Cough!* *Cough!*
Kagaya couldn''t help but cough a few times, spitting out blood.
"Master!" Amane couldn''t hide her worry in her voice.
Kagaya extended his hand, signaling her to calm down, then spoke with difficulty.
"Have the Corps cover the evacuation of the residents, discreetly assist them, and follow the prepared routes."
Since the Demon yer Corps had faced numerous crises of destruction, their experience of nearly being wiped out several times over the centuries led them to consider how to respond and find a ce of refuge in case of an attack.
Thanks to this, the Ubuyashiki family had prepared many shelters and evacuation routes near the town.
Now was the time for them to be put to use.
"Yes."
Amane immediatelyplied and went to give orders.
*Cough!* *Cough!*
Kagaya coughed again, then looked at the full moon outside the courtyard.
"I hope we still have time..."
His faint voice spread in the moonlit night, lingering for a moment before fading away.
===
*Tap!* *Tap!* *Tap!*
In a flurry of hurried footsteps, Kyoujurou leaped across the rooftops of the houses, fully armed, with the wind beneath his feet and mes swirling around him, propelling him forward at an extremely fast pace.
''Didn''t expect demons to attack the town! I must find Master first!''
Kyoujurou''s objective was clear¡ªto confirm Kagaya''s safety and protect him while evacuating.
Although the town was under attack and screams of the people echoed in his ears, urging him to protect them, ensuring Kagaya''s safety was his top priority.
Kyoujurou suppressed his urge and chose to trust the ability of the other members, rushing toward the Ubuyashiki Estate.
"¡ª?!"
However, as he hurried on, Kyoujurou suddenly stopped and sharply turned toward a spot he had just caught sight of out of the corner of his eye.
"Hiiii!"
An elderly-looking demon with a scared face and two horns protruding from his head peeked out from the corner, trembling as he looked at Kyoujurou, and let out high-pitched cries.
"Do-Don''t bully me! I just wanted to ask where Tsugikuni Yoriichi is!" Hantengu cried from his hiding spot in the corner.
Upon hearing that, Kyoujurou took only one action¡ªhe charged forward.
*BOOM!*
mes erupted, propelling Kyoujurou like a rocket to Hantengu''s front, shing with his sword.
*Pu-chi!*
In the next second, Hantengu''s head was severed.
Chapter 167: Tsugikuni Yoriichi? Isnt He Already Here?
Chapter 167: Tsugikuni Yoriichi? Isn''t He Already Here?
*BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!*
Sessive explosions erupted in a corner of the town, causing several houses to copse in the sts, turning into ruins. Endless sashes seemed to rampage here, like giant pythons, constantly rolling, leaping, and darting, causing these astonishing explosions.
When one looked closely, the edges of these sashes were as sharp as des, cutting through buildings and ground alike, slicing offrge chunks upon contact.
Such a group of sashesravaged and danced like spirit serpents in this area, causing buildings to copse one after another, turning into ruins in session.
Shinobu''s figure flew out from the thick dust, one of her feet touching the ground, avoiding the attacking sashes.
"Don''t keep bouncing around! Just die already!"
Daki also emerged from the dust, shouting loudly as the sashes around her body unfolded and shed through the air, attacking Shinobu from various angles.
Shinobu stopped in her tracks, dodging the sashesshing from the side, then evading those swinging toward her neck from behind. Her movements were as agile as a true butterfly, gracefully dancing even in mid-air, flipping her body and shifting effortlessly.
Until a certain moment, Shinobu suddenly elerated, sprinting forward."Insect Breathing - Dance of the Centipede - Hundred-Legged Zigzag."
*Whoosh!*
Shinobu''s toes burst with astonishing force against the ground, as if they could crack it open, apanied by loud bursts, gliding toward Daki.
Her Insect Breathing was a rather special type among numerous breathing styles.
Unlike other derivative breathing styles, such as Love Breathing, Mist Breathing, Sound Breathing, and Serpent Breathing, which were derived from me Breathing, Wind Breathing, Thunder Breathing, and Water Breathing respectively, Shinobu''s Insect Breathing was a second-generation derivative breathing style.
It was derived from Flower Breathing, which was a derivative breathing style of Water Breathing, one of the five fundamental breathing styles. Among numerous breathing styles, only Shinobu''s Breathing Style was a second-generation derivative breathing style.
Insect Breathing''s sword forms were not named like other breathing styles, which were named after ''form'', but were named after ''dance''.
At this moment, Shinobu was using one of the many ''dances'' in Insect Breathing, utilizing powerful stomps capable of upheaving the ground, winding in all directions to disrupt her opponent, and then seizing the opportunity to attack with her sword.
*Whoosh!*
And so, with speed and agility that even Daki couldn''t react to in time, Shinobu dashed to her front andunched an iparably fierce stab toward her eye.
''So fast!''
Daki was greatly shocked, tilting her head aside, narrowly avoiding the stab aimed at her eye. Yet, in her hurried evasion, though she dodged the direct strike on her eye, her cheek was shed by Shinobu''s sword.
"You... You dare to cut my face?!"
Feeling the stinging sensation on her cheek, Daki grew furious. With a swift motion, she swung her sash, which cut through the air like a steel de aimed at Shinobu.
*ng!*
As Shinobu raised her Nichirin Sword and deflected the iing sash, she was unexpectedly sent flying back by a tremendous force, skimming through the air beforending in the ground with a thud, stirring up clouds of dust.
"Ahh, what a shame..." Shinobu straightened her posture, wincing slightly as if feeling a prickling sensation from the roughnding.
"You damn hypocrite! Stop speaking in that tone and expression!" Daki shouted in rage. "Your attacks are so vicious, yet you pretend to have a harmless, gentle demeanor! It''s disgusting!"
"Well, I can''t help it. I''m a woman. Isn''t it okay to be a little gentle?" Shinobu replied with a gentle smile. "As for you, Miss Demon, despite your arrogant tone, it seems your skills don''t quite match up, do they?"
"What did you say?" Daki''s eyes widened.
"I''m just stating facts?"
Shinobu spun her Nichirin Sword, freeing up one hand to touch her own cheek.
"I once asked Rengoku about how strong an Upper Rank truly is..."
"He said that the Upper Three he fought was exceptionally powerful,pletely outmatching him. If it weren''t for Tsugikuni, he might have died."
"Because of Rengoku''s words, I thought Upper Ranks were generally stronger than the Hashira. Among the current nine Hashira, perhaps only one is capable of soloing an Upper Rank?"
At this point, Shinobu''s gaze toward Daki became more intriguing.
"But it seems your strength doesn''t quite live up to that assessment. Despite fighting with you for so long, you haven''t managed to leave a decent wound on me. Why is that, I wonder~?"
"Could it be because there''s a big power gap between Upper Ranks? If so, the difference in strength between you, the Upper Six, and the Upper Three seems toorge, doesn''t it?"
"With that kind of strength, forget killing so many Hashira, it seems your strength is not much different to Lower Ranks?"
Shinobu''s smile remained gentle, but her words turned somewhat sharp.
"If this is the strength of the Upper Six, then it''s really unfortunate... You won''t be able to defeat me. No wonder you''re at the bottom of Upper Ranks."
Such words, to Daki''s ears, were naturally highly insulting.
"You dare to look down on me?!" Daki eximed loudly. "Watch me tear apart that vicious mouth of yours!"
As Daki prepared to move her sashes once again to attack Shinobu, Shinobu suddenly spoke again with her voice growing low.
"Toote..."
"What are¡ª"
Before Daki could finish her sentence, her movement suddenly halted. Her cheeks began to develop patches, turning a decaying color as if rotting.
"Wh-What''s going on?! Ugh¡ªAGHHHHH¡ª!!!"
Daki suddenly felt an excruciating pain in her face, causing her to scream in agony.
"How does it feel?" Shinobu asked with a smile. "You know, this poison is extracted from wisteria flowers. For demons, it should be quite effective, right?"
As the current doctor of the Demon yer Corps, Shinobu was naturally skilled in poison-making.
Her sword appeared slender and harmless, but in reality, it was coated with deadly poison. Moreover, every time she sheathed her sword, the poison''s form would change.
During battles, she would adjust the poison form based on the situation of the demon she faced. One of the main ingredients in these forms was the poison extracted from wisteria flowers.
Wisteria flowers were a type of nt that demons detested. Merely existing in their vicinity and inhaling their fragrance would cause demons to stay away due to their aversion and repulsion.
Shinobu often used the poison from wisteria flowers to deal with demons.
"Since my poison is that lethal, I''m probably the only one among the Hashira who doesn''t need a Nichirin Sword to kill demons."
After saying that, Shinobu then gestured goodbye to Daki.
"Enjoy thest moments of your agony, redeeming yourself for the sins you''vemitted."
"If you manage to survive, then your sins will be forgiven."
"I''ll be happy to coexist peacefully with you then, Miss Demon."
With those words left behind, Shinobu turned around and left.
"Eghh... Aghh...!"
Daki immediately fell from mid-air, clutching her gradually decaying head, struggling in pain while crying out.
"Save me... Save me, Big Brother!"
Daki shouted and cried pitifully, continuing to call out to someone.
*Glug!*
In that split second, Daki''s back suddenly bulged, causing her to copse on the ground, screaming in agony.
"Hmm?"
Shinobu halted her steps.
She slowly turned around, looking toward Daki. Her smile remained unchanged, but a drop of cold sweat couldn''t help but form on her forehead.
"I see now... So that''s how it is, huh..." Shinobu murmured. "No wonder this Upper Six is so weak... So, the real Upper Six is not her but someone else..."
Along with Shinobu''s murmur, a figure burst out from Daki''s back, piercing through her flesh, and emerged from her body.
"Could you please refrain from bullying my little sister?"
A deep and impatient voice echoed, causing Shinobu''s body to tremble involuntarily.
A vicious and menacing aura surged from the neer, enveloping Shinobu.
"Well, this is getting troublesome..."
Shinobu muttered with a tired sigh, her words drifting far, far away.
===
Ubuyashiki Estate, Courtyard.
Kagaya had already left his room, stepping onto the veranda that connected to the courtyard.
As he listened to themotion outside the courtyard, filled with explosions, screams, and cries that reached his mansion, Kagaya coughed repeatedly before speaking aloud in a certain direction.
"Since you''re here, why note out and meet me?"
Even though Kagaya seemed to speak to no one, he was actually addressing a vase that had appeared in the courtyard at some point.
"Hyo, hyo, hyo, sorry for the rudeness~"
With a sneakyugh, a peculiar demon emerged from the vase.
Who else could it be other than Gyokko?
"This is the first time I''ve faced the leader of the Demon yer Corps like this. Though it''s a rare opportunity and I''d like to say a few more words, honestly, I''m a bit disappointed. I''m so disappointed that I don''t even have the mood for it."
Gyokko chuckled for a while before speaking coldly as he looked at Kagaya''s almost disfigured face and frail body.
"I never thought the respected leader of the Demon yer Corps would be a dying man. A body that''s so diseased and cursed isn''t exactly what I had in mind for the artwork I want to create, which kind of bums me out."
"It''s beyond help, truly beyond help."
"In a situation like this, all I can ask is that you die without resisting. Can you do that for me?"
Finished with his words, Gyokko chuckled before a vase grew out of his hand.
Surprisingly, Kagaya showed not even a hint of fear.
"I will die soon, that''s for sure..." Kagaya admitted calmly, even smiling. "Unfortunately, thest person I see before I die should not be you, but Kibutsuji Muzan. So, I must decline your proposal."
His words made Gyokko chuckle coldly again.
"Hey, this isn''t something you can just refuse, y''know?" Gyokko twisted his body. "The reason I didn''t kill you right away is because I want to ask you something. So, do you know where Tsugikuni Yoriichi is? If you tell me, maybe I could use you as scrap material for my artwork."
Upon hearing that, instead of showing anger or despair, Kagaya''s face became incredibly calm, his smile unchanged.
Actually, the reason was simple.
"You''re looking for Tsugikuni Yoriichi?"
Kagaya''s smile widened, his voice calm as still water.
"Isn''t he already here?"
When those words passed from Kagaya''s lips, Gyokko''s body froze.
Chapter 168: Fire That Cleanses All Evil
Chapter 168: Fire That Cleanses All Evil
"You''re looking for Tsugikuni Yoriichi?"
Kagaya''s smile widened, his voice calm as still water.
"Isn''t he already here?"
When those words passed from Kagaya''s lips, Gyokko''s body froze.
Soon, Gyokko noticed something.
"ze?"
In the sky above the Ubuyashiki Estate, a ze streaked across like a meteor, catching the attention of Kagaya and Gyokko.
Surprisingly, the ze descended toward their location.
"What the¡ª?!"Gyokko was startled, quickly retracting his entire body into his vase, disappearing from sight.
Before long, the meteor-like ze soonnded in the courtyard of the Ubuyashiki Estate with a thunderous crash.
*BOOOM!*
A thunderous roar ensued.
The ze in the courtyard unleashed an astonishing heat and exploding me, turning into a me wave that surged outward.
The temperature in the area skyrocketed rapidly.
The bridges and flowing water in the courtyard were engulfed by the me wave.
Even Kagaya, sitting on the veranda, faced the mes head-on, only for them to suddenly part just before reaching him, leaving sparks on the wooden veranda.
Watching all this unfold, Kagaya looked at the courtyard covered in scattered sparks and let out a bitter smile.
"You went a bit overboard, Tsugikuni Yoriichi."
In response, he received only a faint chuckle.
"Heh, Lord Ubuyashiki, you''re really ying with fire by not fleeing and leaving this mansion."
With those words, as the mes gradually dissipated in the courtyard, a figure emerged from the ze.
"I hope I''m not toote?"
Riezel stepped through the mes, looking at Kagaya.
"Naturally." Kagaya smiled gently.
However, the voice of a third party quickly chimed in.
"You must be Tsugikuni Yoriichi?"
Such unfriendly words naturally came from Gyokko.
In the next moment, a vase appeared silently on the courtyard wall, and Gyokko emerged from it. Only then did Riezel turn to look at him, noticing two eyes on his forehead and mouth.
"Upper Five, huh?" Riezel said calmly.
"Yes, I''m the Upper Five, Gyokko."
Gyokko shifted his body, his small hands swinging, while bloodshot eyes fixed on Riezel''s, appeared somewhat angry.
"How dare you wreck someone else''s stuff right off the bat? Do you have something wrong in your head?"
"Wreck someone else''s stuff?" Riezel was confused for a split second, then quickly realized. "Ahh, you mean this?"
He kicked a shattered vase at his feet.
"Don''t kick it, you damn brute!" Gyokko fumed, veins popping on his face. "That was a vase I painstakingly crafted! An artwork! Even if you''re a monkey, you should know to respect others'' art, right?!"
"Huh? I''ve never heard of monkeys respecting someone''s art before..." Riezel responded indifferently. "And besides, the word ''respect'' is for humans, not for freakish creatures like you. You, a fish that doesn''t look like a fish, a worm that doesn''t look like a worm... Let''s not even talk about whether you have the qualifications to talk about respect, just talking about the art you''re mentioning, I don''t see any art in it."
As soon as he finished speaking, he directly extended his foot, crushing all the vase shards lying beneath him.
"Bastard!" Gyokko''s anger instantly boiled over. "I thought Lord Muzan had sent us to track down an extraordinary big shot, but now it seems like you''re just a muscle-headed monkey, clueless about art, clueless about appreciation!"
He quickly materialized a vase in his hand, veined with aquatic marks.
"Monkeys like you, devoid of any artistic sense, should disappear from this world!"
Gyokko raised the vase.
"Thousand Needle - Fish Kill!"
In the next instant, as the vase in his hand stirred, numerous goldfish poured out of the vase''s mouth like carp leaping through the Dragon Gate. They soared into the air before collectively shooting sharp needles toward Riezel.
What made it terrifying was the sheer number of sharp needles, which was as vast as the countless goldfish surging from the small vase, almost covering the entire sky above the courtyard.
In this way, countless sharp needles, hiding the sky and covering the earth, descended, creating a sky-splitting sound while nketing the entire courtyard.
Naturally, Riezel was among them, still standing at the center.
"Watch out!"
Kagaya couldn''t help but remind in panic, but soon realized that such a reminder was entirely unnecessary.
*Sizzle!*
As the descending needles touched within approximately three meters of Riezel''s body, they instantly melted away in a series of ear-piercing noises.
"What?" Gyokko was stunned by the scene he saw. ''H-He actually melted my ''Thousand Needle - Fish Kill'' with high temperatures?!''
Upon closer inspection, the air and space around Riezel were highly distorted, with phenomena resembling steam and mirages asionally appearing, indicating how high the temperature was there.
Because of this intense heat, the ground beneath Riezel''s feet had long turned ck, and the goldfish, which fell not far from him, were instantly roasted, turning into cooked goldfish in an instant.
''What breathing style is that? I''ve never heard of it before!'' Gyokko couldn''t believe his eyes.
With over a hundred years of experience, as an Upper Rank of the Twelve Kizuki, he had faced Demon yers countless times, including some Hashira.
Gyokko had encountered numerous breathing styles, both those belonging to the current Demon yer Corps and those in the past¡ªhe had seen and dealt with them all.
Even so, he had never witnessed a breathing style causing such an absurd phenomenon.
Using high temperatures to melt his Blood Demon Art? Could a breathing style possess such power?
"Tch!" Gyokko clicked his tongue and raised the small hands on his body, causing vase after vase to sprout forth.
In total, there were ten vases, all adorned with slime-fish veined marks on their surfaces.
"Blood Demon Art - Ten Thousand Gliding Slime-Fish!"
Gyokko quickly directed the ten vases toward Riezel and threw them.
In the next moment, arge group of sharp-toothed slime-fish burst out from the ten vases.
The number of sharp-toothed slime-fish was staggering, seeming as though there were ten thousand of them, forming a massive wave-like fish that flooded the courtyard and swarmed toward Riezel.
The scene of these relentless sharp-toothed slime-fish lunging forward was akin to a swarm of piranhas attacking in the water. Once engulfed, one''s flesh and blood would likely be devoured in an instant.
With such numbers and ferocity, even high temperatures couldn''t withstand them. Except for the initial moment when the sharp-toothed slime-fish at the forefront were charred into charcoal, the rest used the bodies of the charred fish as shields, sessfully reaching Riezel.
However, just as thousands upon thousands of sharp-toothed slime-fish were about to engulf Riezel and consume him, he finally moved.
"Sun Breathing - Sixth Form - Burning Bones, Summer Sun."
A vortex of mes appeared.
It was a sword form very simr to Kyoujurou''s ''Blooming me Undtion''.
At this moment, the swirling mes shed like a vortex, pulling all the sharp-toothed slime-fish into its center.
*Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!*
In an instant, the sound of sharp des slicing through flesh echoed continuously, causing each fish to fall to the ground in pieces.
Upon seeing this, instead of feeling shocked or angry, Gyokko''s mouth twisted into a peculiar smile.
''Heh, naive, my slime-fish isn''t that simple.''
Few knew that Gyokko''s ''Blood Demon Art - Ten Thousand Gliding Slime-Fish'' and even ''Thousand Needle - Fish Kill'' were aquatic creatures imbued with deadly poison.
Goldfish from ''Thousand Needle - Fish Kill'' spat out needlesced with a neurotoxin that could paralyze the body''s nerves.
''Ten Thousand Gliding Slime-Fish,'' on the other hand, had body fluid containing a deadly poison that could easily enter the body through the skin. Hence, the more the slime-fish were cut, the more body fluid containing this deadly poison they would release. If someone touched even a small amount of it, they would be poisoned immediately.
Currently, Riezel had nearly killed ten thousand sharp-toothed slime-fish. While his ability astonished Gyokko, it was undoubtedly an action to hasten his own demise.
''Here''s where you''ll perish from the poison, hyo, hyo, hyo...'' Gyokko thought gleefully, clearly relishing in other''s misfortune.
Unfortunately, he would end up disappointed.
Even after thousands of slime-fish were in, no matter how much bodily fluid sttered, none touched Riezel''s body at all. After all, the intense heat surrounding his body could evaporate even Blood Demon Arts, let alone mere bodily fluids.
Moreover, Riezel wasn''t afraid of poison.
After all, his highest-ranked ''Abnormal Resistance'' development ability was more than just for show.
*BOOM!*
Before long, a vortex of me-like shespletely obliterated all the slime-fish, even dragging the ten vases Gyokko had thrown into the mes, reducing them to ashes.
By the time Gyokko realized something was amiss, the vortex of mes was already upon him.
"Shit!"
The smile on Gyokko''s face froze, and the eyes on his forehead and in his mouth shrank to the size of pinpoints.
Riezel''s figure then emerged from the vortex of mes, coldly staring at Gyokko, wielding a ck-ded sword he had somehow drawn.
*BOOM!*
In the next second, the surging mes erupted from the courtyard walls, resembling a red lotus suddenly blooming under the moonlight.
Within the red lotus, the walls copsed, the ground shattered, and even the courtyard''s bridges were finally affected and utterly destroyed by the mes.
Watching from the veranda, Kagaya, though coughing violently, had increasingly bright eyes.
''This power... this me... this heat... it''s too powerful!''
Kagaya''s heart trembled.
''Is this what he called the evolved Sun Breathing?''
''Why do I feel like the fire from this strongest breathing style resembles the red lotus karmic fire that can cleanse all evil?''
''It''s simply...''
Kagaya couldn''t find suitable words to describe his feelings at this moment.
''It''s simply born to defeat Kibutsuji Muzan!''
''Kibutsuji Muzan... your end has finallye...''
''Finallye!''
Chapter 169: Upper Four
Chapter 169: Upper Four
At this moment, the red lotus fire blossomed in the night, dispelling the darkness and evil, and purifying everything.
Kagaya watched the fire with intense focus,pletely ignoring the destruction of his own courtyard. Of course, he also noticed the sword in Riezel''s hand, though he didn''t know when it had been drawn.
''A ck de?''
Seeing the sword''s ck de radiating intense heat that warped the air, Kagaya was deep in thought.
''Is that the Nichirin Sword he made using thoserge amounts of Scarlet Crimson Iron Sands and Scarlet Ores collected by Kyoujurou?''
Riezel''s sword indeed exuded an indescribable aura of power. Although Kagaya didn''t know how Riezel had forged such a sword, it didn''t stop him from feeling joy.
Riezel, who was already powerful, now wielded a Nichirin Sword with extraordinary power, making it natural for his strength to be stronger.
Now, Kagaya only hoped Riezel would grow even stronger, surpassing the legendary swordsman Tsugikuni Yoriichi from the Sengoku period. Only then would the Ubuyashiki family''s long-held wish have a chance of being fulfilled.
Meanwhile, as Riezelnded back in the courtyard with mes surrounding his body, his brow furrowed slightly."What''s wrong?"
Kagaya asked when he saw Riezel''s expression.
"No, it''s nothing..." Riezel shook his head. "It seems things are far from over."
His words made Kagaya pause for a moment.
Suddenly¡ª
*Thud!*
A figure suddenly fell from the sky into the mansion, hitting the ground with a muffled sound.
*Cough!* *Cough!*
A swordsman holding a red-ded Nichirin Sword, wearing a me-patterned haori, struggled to stand while coughing up blood.
Seeing the neer, Kagaya''splexion instantly changed.
"Kyoujurou!"
Indeed, it was none other than Rengoku Kyoujurou.
"Master..."
Kyoujurou, covered in wounds from sharp weapons and ws, his body emitting charred smoke, looked extremely battered.
"I''m d you''re safe..."
Despite being covered in injuries and on the brink of copse, Kyoujurou showed a relieved expression upon seeing Kagaya, clearly having been worried about his safety.
Riezel saw the pitiful state of Kyoujurou before looking straight up at the sky, making Kagaya realize something.
Kagaya lifted his head with effort and looked up.
Soon, he saw it.
He saw several figures appearing in the sky.
"He''s a tough one, surviving even that! It''s infuriating!"
A demon wielding a tin staff, dressed in a kimono, with horns on his head and the Japanese character for ''anger'' carved on his tongue, spoke in a very agitated tone. His face always seemed to be always twisted in anger.
He then descended from the sky,nding on the ruins of a wall, and looked down at Kyoujurou with vicious eyes.
"My, my, he actually got blown to this ce, but it''s kinda interesting too!"
Another demon, looking exactly like the tin staff demon but dressed as a bare-chested priest, appeared in the courtyard. He had the Japanese character for ''pleasure'' on his tongue and held a maple leaf-shaped fan.
Unlike the angry tin staff demon, this fan demon wore a constant silly grin, making him seem like a fool who had wandered onto the battlefield by mistake.
"Hahaha, looks like we got new toys to y with!"
Yet another demon, identical to the tin staff and fan demons, appeared.
This one had wings, a bird''s lower body, and bird ws for arms. He had the Japanese character for ''joy'' on his tongue and was flying around in the sky,ughing loudly and acting frivolous.
"Is this the time to y? The target is right in front of us, and you''re still not serious. How sad."
A fourth demon, identical to the other three,nded in the courtyard, dragging a cross-shaped spear. He was dressed like a warrior and had the Japanese character for ''sorrow'' on his tongue. Unlike the tin staff and fan demons, he stood alone in a corner, frowning and looking gloomy.
These four distinct demons had now gathered in the courtyard together, facing Riezel and Kagaya.
Seeing these demons, Kagaya''s expression changed again.
No choice.
These four distinct demons, apart from their simr appearances and different attire, shared another striking feature.
In addition to the Japanese characters on their tongues, their eyes also had Japanese characters engraved.
One eye had ''Upper Rank''.
The other eye had ''Four''.
''It can''t be... All of them are Upper Four...?'' Kagaya was dumbfounded.
At this moment, the bloodied Kyoujurou suddenly shouted loudly.
"Watch out! These four demons are clones of the Upper Four!"
===
Time went back a few minutes.
When Kyoujurou was swiftly heading to the Ubuyashiki Estate and encountered Hantengu on the way, heunched a surprise attack without a second thought, chopping off Hantengu''s head in one sh.
At that moment, Kyoujurou was a bit surprised.
''Was it really this easy?''
He hadn''t expected to decapitate the demon so effortlessly.
Although he didn''t know who this demon was, there were clearly no characters carved in the demon''s eyes. Since the demon looked like an ordinary coward, it seemed normal for the demon to be beheaded easily by a Hashira.
Yet, Kyoujurou was about eighty percent sure that this demon should be an Upper Rank.
Otherwise, how could the demon have approached him silently without being noticed by him?
If it hadn''t been for him moving at high speed, causing the demon to make a slight noise while trying to keep up with him, he might not have detected the demon and noticed the anomaly.
Such abilities were definitely not something an ordinary demon could possess.
Whether the demon was approaching a Hashira silently or keeping up with his speed, it all told him that this demon was no ordinary demon.
Because of this, Kyoujurou decisivelyunched an attack without hesitation, knowing that if the demon was indeed an Upper Rank and he didn''t seize the initiative, he might die.
It was clear that the brief encounter with Akaza had left a deep impression in Kyoujurou''s heart, raising his vignce and caution toward the Upper Ranks to the highest.
Yet, despite all this, he was able to easily behead the demon, whom he believed to be an Upper Rank.
''Could I have been wrong?''
Although Kyoujurou initially thought so as he looked at Hantengu''s headless body, he soon dismissed this thought and became convinced that this demon was indeed an Upper Rank.
*Gu-lu*
With a strange sound, Hantengu''s headless body not only didn''t vanish but started to wriggle and change shape.
Not only did the headless body wriggle and change, but even the head, which had been chopped off and was flying through the air, began to swell and expand.
"What?!"
Kyoujurou''s expression instantly changed, and he hurriedly shed at the swelling head with his Nichirin Sword wrapped in mes.
*BOOM!*
As the mes cut through, they caused an explosion in mid-air.
Unfortunately, his ming sh did not hit the swelling head but was blocked by a fan.
"Man, that was close, I almost got cut again."
With a light and yful voice, the swelling head finally took a humanoid form.
A fan-wielding demon, with the Japanese character for ''pleasure'' carved on his tongue, was thus born.
"Upper Four!"
Kyoujurou eventually saw the Japanese characters engraved in the fan demon''s eyes.
Upper Four, the fourth-ranked demon among the Twelve Kizuki, was ranked just below Upper Three Akaza, whom he encountered during the Mugen Train incident.
Realizing he was facing a demon of this caliber, Kyoujurou didn''t hesitate. He gripped his Nichirin Sword tightly and prepared to strike at the fan demon''s head.
Unfortunately, he failed because someone had interrupted him.
"How dare you turn your back on me? How infuriating!"
A voice filled with anger suddenly resounded from behind him.
*ng!*
In the next moment, a tin staff struck the ground, producing a crisp sound and a burst of violent lightning.
*Bzzzt¡ª!*
In an instant, the lightning suddenly erupted, striking toward Kyoujurou.
"AAAHHHHHH¡ª!"
Without time to dodge, Kyoujurou was instantly engulfed by the lightning, his entire body burning and emitting charred smoke.
At this moment, Kyoujurou realized that the headless body of Hantengu had transformed into a demon wielding a tin staff that looked exactly like the fan demon but wore the same kimono as Hantengu.
This tin staff demon, with the Japanese character for ''anger'' engraved on his tongue, also had Japanese characters symbolizing Upper Four in his eyes.
''Upper Four... two of them?'' Kyoujurou was genuinely shocked. ''No, it''s not that there are two Upper Fours, but that the Upper Four had split into two. That cowardly demon had split into two separate demons after being beheaded... Are they like his clones or something?''
He immediately understood what had happened and hurriedly shed out with a life-risking attack, enduring the excruciating pain from the lightning.
"me Breathing - Second Form - Rising Scorching Sun!"
Kyoujurou''s zing Nichirin Sword shed upward, cutting both the tin staff demon and the fan demon in half.
However, this was undoubtedly a bad decision.
In the next moment, after the two demons were split in half, their flesh swelled and expanded like before.
Before long, a half-bird demon and a demon wielding a cross-shaped spear were born.
''This is just...''
Kyoujurou tightened his grip on his sword, speechless.
Clearly, the situation had be much more serious than he had originally thought.
Chapter 170: Three Upper Ranks Gathered Together? Even Better
Chapter 170: Three Upper Ranks Gathered Together? Even Better
In a sense, Kyoujurou faced the most formidable Upper Rank.
In terms of sheer difficulty, Hantengu was far more challenging than Upper Three Akaza, who was ranked just above him.
Demons each had their own characteristics, their own traits¡ªthese were their most unique abilities and talents.
Like the Lower One, Enmu, who orchestrated the Mugen Train incident, was the demon with sleep maniption, able to forcibly put people into dreams. With one misstep, even the Hashira would fall victim andment.
Then there was the Upper Three, Akaza, a demon adept inbat. Whether it was his martial arts or Blood Demon Art, everything about him was geared toward directbat with his enemy.
Compared to these two demons, Hantengu was even more peculiar and more troublesome.
He was a demon that engaged in battle with a Blood Demon Art called ''Emotion Manifestation''.
When Hantengu was in danger, his four strong emotions¡ªjoy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure¡ªmaterialized using ''Emotion Manifestation'', splitting from Hantengu''s body and forming four clones.
These four clones were named ''Urogi'', ''Sekido'', ''Aizetsu'', and ''Karaku'', each inscribed with corresponding characters on their tongues, each controlling a specific emotion, yet having independent selves, capable of fighting individually.They each also control four different Blood Demon Arts.
Urogi was a half-bird demon capable not only of unique flight abilities but also of easily crushing boulders with his bird ws, allowing him to swoop down on his prey like an eagle with high maneuverability. He could also roar out destructively high-decibel sound waves from his mouth, with the power to cause dizziness and even rupture eardrums upon heavier impacts, causing immediate loss of consciousness.
Sekido used a tin staff that could release lightning to attack his enemies.
Aizetsu wielded a cross-shaped spear capable of projecting thrusting attacks over great distances, enabling him to strike his enemies from afar.
Karaku used a maple leaf-shaped fan in his hand to fan out strong winds that could easily crush the ground.
These four clone demons could even freely split into degraded smaller clones to assist in their battles.
Facing such enemies, Kyoujurou not only had to contend with attacks from all sides but also, the more he cut down their bodies, the more enemies there were.
Although the main clones were only pleasure, anger, sorrow, and joy, this type of demon, undying with each cut and making it stronger instead, posed an even greater challenge for Kyoujurou, ifpared to Akaza, who specialized in directbat.
At this moment, Kyoujurou was caught in the middle of the four clones.
Either being struck by lightning from Sekido, targeted by the half-bird Urogi in the air, or directly engaging in a fight with Aizetsu, who repeatedly blocked his zing shes with his spear from afar, along with Karaku, who was lurking nearby, ying and frolicking as if it were a game.
On the other hand, Kyoujurou, who was besieged from both the ground and the sky, was left powerless and couldn''t defend against them at all.
Eventually, Urogi seized the opportunity, emitting a high-decibel sound wave that caused Kyoujurou''s brain to instantly shut down.
Following this, Karaku used his fan to send Kyoujurou flying, tossing him over half a town, pounded by the wind pressure all the way until he reached the sky above the Ubuyashiki Estate.
Only then did the wind pressure dissipate, causing Kyoujurou to fall from the sky and crash into the courtyard, appearing in a sorry state.
All of those events didn''t need Kyoujurou to point out, Riezel, who was familiar with the original work, was well aware.
Therefore, upon seeing Hantengu''s four clones representing pleasure, anger, sorrow, and joy, Riezel immediately knew that Hantengu had already split his body.
At this moment, Riezel focused his senses and activated Transparent World to observe the bodies of Karaku, Sekido, Aizetsu, Urogi, and their surroundings.
''He''s not here?''
Riezel squinted his eyes, showing little change in expression despite not finding anything.
Regardless, in the next moment, the situation seemed to worsen.
Not only did Kyoujurou fall here, but another Hashira also seemed to have followed his step.
*BOOM!*
On the other side of the courtyard, another figure crashed into the Ubuyashiki Estate.
However, unlike Kyoujurou, this figure was thrown down.
"Shinobu!" Kagaya''s eyes trembled.
Indeed, the figure thrown into the courtyard was none other than Kochou Shinobu.
Her condition seemed worse than Kyoujurou''s. Her whole body was badly cut, her clothes dyed red with blood, barely clinging to life.
Soon, two figures leaped down from above,nding in the courtyard.
"Hmph, I''ll devour youter."
Daki remarked disdainfully as she arrived at Shinobu''s side and kicked her with resentment.
Shinobu''s poison on Daki seemed to have deteriorated already, as her rotten head was already restored to its original state.
Next to Daki, there was a male demon.
He was an ugly-looking demon, with messy hair and many ck spots on his body and face. His body was skinny, especially around the waist, almost looking like it could be snapped in half.
His hair was ck and green, and his skin had a pale gray color like it was poisoned. His upper body was bare, wearing loose blue pants on the lower half. His arms were wrapped in red and ck bandages, holding two meaty blood-red sickles.
On top of that, the pupils of his small eyes bore the Japanese characters ''Upper Rank'' and ''Six.''
He truly looked like a humanoid praying mantis, extremely horrifying.
Standing next to a rtively prominent and beautiful demon like Daki, such an ugly demon undoubtedly created a stark contrast.
However, the four clone demons, Karaku, Sekido, Aizetsu, and Urogi, immediately focused their attention on the male demon, not even ncing at Daki.
"So you''vee out, Gyuutarou!" Karaku pped his hands and cheered. "This is getting interesting!"
"Hahaha!" Urogiughed. "I thought you''d keep hiding inside your little sister, Gyuutarou."
"Hmph! Lagging behind, aren''t you?" Sekido said with an indifferent expression. "You should''vee out earlier, but you preferred to hide inside your useless little sister. It''s infuriating."
"How sad..." Aizetsu sighed. "Having to take care of your little sister in such an important mission is truly sad..."
Meanwhile, Daki was bristled with anger as she heard their words.
"Shut up! You four ugly demons!" Daki eximed loudly. "I''m not holding him back! I just haven''t shown my true power yet!"
Naturally, the four clone demons didn''t believe her words at all.
"True power? Do you even have any?"
"I don''t think so! Hahaha!"
"Why did Lord Muzan allow her to be an Upper Six with Gyuutarou?! It''s infuriating!"
"She must have some usefulness, otherwise it would be too sad."
The four clone demons either chuckled, mocked, or sighed, almost making Daki burst into tears on the spot.
"Big Brother! Look at them!" Daki pointed at the four clone demons, actuallyining like a little girl.
"Be good¡" Gyuutarou extended his hand, patting his younger sister''s head.
His voice was somewhat hoarse, his gaze somewhat nervous, but his actions showed that he still cared for his younger sister.
Gyuutarou and Daki were both siblings and Upper Six, butpared to Daki, Gyuutarou was obviously stronger, appearing much more dominant.
It was obvious that the four clone demons only acknowledged Gyuutarou as an Upper Rank, seemingly looking down on his younger sister.
Even though this truly infuriated her, Daki didn''t want to pick a fight with these four. Not because she was afraid, but because it was meaningless.
Just like the emotions they symbolized, Sekido was always angry, Urogi was always cheerful, Aizetsu was always sorrowful, and Karaku was always foolishly happy, never taking anything seriously. Even if she provoked them, their reactions would always be the same, which would only make her angrier and more irritated.
"Damn it, Hantengu of all people, probably hiding by now, huh?" Daki could only fume helplessly, throwing a tantrum. "And what about Gyokko? Where''s that freak gone off to?"
Answering her question was Urogi, who had been flying around in the air.
"Gyokko''s situation seems dire, huh?"
After saying this, he descended, clutching a vase in his bird-wed lower half and tossing it on the ground.
From the vase emerged Gyokko, slowly crawling out.
However, when one looked at him now, his appearance had changed drastically.
Not only did he now have hair, but his body was also covered in hard scales. His upper body had taken on a humanoid form with a robust andrger build, webbed hands, and a lower body resembling that of a snake.
Clearly, this version of Gyokko was markedly different from his slick, smaller previous form, visibly stronger in this state. Yet, even in this form, his scales were burnt ck, and this burn injury seemed unlikely to heal anytime soon, continuously causing him pain.
"Be careful of that boy called Tsugikuni Yoriichi!" Gyokko sweated profusely, shouting to every demon.
"His sword is dangerous, and his swordsmanship is terrifying! My scales are harder than diamonds, but he cut through them with just one sh. What''s worse, the damage from his sh can''t regenerate. If I hadn''t teleported to another vase just now, I would''ve died!"
Upon hearing this, all demons present froze.
"Well done! Young Tsugikuni!"
Kyoujurou eximed with shining eyes, seeming to see a glimmer of victory.
While Kyoujurou and Shinobu faced total defeat, Riezel once again managed to single-handedly defeat an Upper Rank, as he did in the previous Mugen Train incident.
Moreover, from what the demon had said, it seemed to be effortless.
Such news undoubtedly bolstered Kyoujurou''s confidence. Even the barely conscious Shinobu struggled to lift her gaze to Riezel''s figure.
Surprisingly, in this situation, Riezel remained calmer than anyone else. One demon after another appeared, yet it did not affect his mentality in the slightest.
''Upper Four...''
''Upper Five...''
''Upper Six...''
''Three Upper Ranks gathered together? Even better.''
With this thought, Riezel finally opened his mouth.
"You know, I was just thinking about having a chat with Kibutsuji Muzan face-to-face..."
Riezel remarked calmly as he observed the surrounding demons.
"Since you''ve alle this far for me, let''s deal with all of you first."
Chapter 171: Sun Halo Dragon Head Dance
Chapter 171: Sun Halo Dragon Head Dance
"Deal with all of us?"
Upon hearing Riezel''s bold statement, all the demons first exchanged nces, then, except for Sekido and Aizetsu, they allughed heartily.
"I mean, do you even understand your situation right now?" Daki was the first to mock. "Although you don''t look bad, you''re being a bit too optimistic, aren''t you?"
"Interesting, that''s quite a bold statement." Karaku even pped his hands "Facing three Upper Ranks, a mere human dares to speak such bold words, it''s amusing!"
Meanwhile, flying in the air, Urogi burst intoughter.
"I know you, Tsugikuni Yoriichi, you defeated Akaza not long ago and chopped off his head, right? So, you think you can defeat us, who are beneath him in number, just because you handled the Upper Three?" Urogi chuckled. "If that''s really what you think, then it''s indeed amusing!"
"Indeed, solely based on strength alone, Akaza surpasses any one of us here. If you can defeat him, naturally, you can defeat us." Karaku chimed in.
"But let''s not forget, you''re not facing just one Upper Rank, but three. Whether you can deal with us or not, it''s simply impossible." Urogi continued.
"Do you think we''re like Akaza, dead just because our heads got chopped off?" Sekido, gripping his tin staff, red angrily. "Having such naive thoughts is truly infuriating!""Indeed, when ites to survival capability, whether it''s us four, Gyokko, or even Gyuutarou and Daki, we all surpass Akaza..." Aizetsu shook his head, sighing. "Although Gyokko was almost killed by you, saying you could deal with us is truly nonsense. Failing to recognize this reality, as a mere human, is truly sad."
Listening to their mockery and sarcasm, both Kagaya and Kyoujurou felt a sinking feeling.
Riezel also knew that these demons could indeed speak with confidence like this. After all, solely by survival capability, Akaza truly couldn''tpare to these three Upper Ranks.
For Gyokko, even though he had just narrowly avoided being killed by Riezel, generally, with scales harder than diamond, he could block a hit from a Nichirin Sword and could even shatter it. Not to mention, even if someone''s strength surpassed his, he could just retreat into his vase and teleport to another one.
Gyuutarou and Daki were the same.
Although they were only Upper Six, the lowest among the Upper Ranks, especially Daki, whose strength couldn''t even bepared to any Upper Rank, and at most, she was just slightly stronger than a Lower Rank, as siblings, they were demons symbiotic with each other. Killing one of them wouldn''t work; only by simultaneously beheading both of them could they be killed.
On the other hand, Hantengu and his clones were even more troublesome. Not only could they not be killed even if beheaded, but when they were beheaded, they only grew stronger as the number of their clones increased.
In terms of survival capability, Upper Five Gyokko, as well as Upper Six Gyuutarou and Daki, could not bepared to Upper Four Hantengu.
In terms of strength, they couldn''t match Akaza, but solely based on survival capability, Akaza truly couldn''t match them.
Of course, it seemed like Akaza had also achieved a breakthrough in his power since, ording to Tamayo, after he was beheaded by Riezel, he should still be alive. Perhaps his survival capability was now no weaker than these three, maybe even stronger.
But at least, before this, Akaza was rtively ''fragile''pared to these three. As long as someone''s strength could overpower him, they could kill him.
In contrast, these three Upper Ranks wouldn''t be easily killed even if their strength were overwhelmed by someone. Moreover, as long as they did not die, they could just drag the battle out until their enemy tired, and they would emerge as the victors.
"We won''t get tired!"
"Our lives are infinite!"
"We''ll regenerate even if we''re injured!"
"Fragile humans can''t possibly win against us in the darkness!"
Karaku, Sekido, Aizetsu, and Urogi spoke sessively, their words dripping with superiority and arrogance.
"In this world, no human can fight against multiple Upper Ranks, let alone emerge victorious." Daki remarked, tilting her head while grinning widely. "Though I don''t know why Lord Muzan values you so much, if you think defeating Akaza makes you superior, then you''re a fool."
*Whoosh!* *Whoosh!* *Whoosh!*
Perhaps bolstered by theirrades'' words, Gyokko, covered in burns and scars, struggled to rise, emitting a burst of harshughter.
"Hyo, hyo, hyo! That''s right! A mere human can''t possibly defeat three Upper Ranks alone. We''ll drag you down until you''re nothing but a lifeless corpse before the sun rises!" Gyokko eximed with glee.
"From your attitude, it seems like you''ve always had people putting high hopes and expectations on you, making life pretty smooth, right?"
Gyuutarou scratched his head, then grasped it while staring at Riezel with a heavy aura of death in his eyes.
"It''s nice, really nice, but unfortunately, tonight you''ll have to die here."
Clearly, the so-called bullying was probably akin to what Riezel was now facing.
Four clone demons, two sibling demons, and one vase demon¡ªseven demons in total¡ªmocked him, ridiculing him, their gazes upon him as though he were already dead.
Kyoujurou fell silent, gripping his sword tightly and stepping forward, seemingly wanting to fight alongside Riezel.
Shinobu''s eyes flickered slightly, refocusing her mind, struggling to stand up from the ground.
Kagaya said nothing, only watching Riezel''s back, watching the lone swordsman facing seven powerful demons.
In this despairing situation, the silent Riezel finally moved.
Step by step, he approached the group of demons, his expression calm, appearing utterly defenseless, resembling a warrior about to face death.
Yet, as he drew near, for some reason, a chill crept into the hearts of every demon present.
Opposite this chill was a terrifying heat.
Heat radiated from Riezel''s body, distorting the air slightly, leaving behind burned charcoal-like footprints wherever he stepped, causing the demons to feel overheated.
Feeling the chill in their hearts and the heat on their bodies, this alternating cold and heat made even optimists like Karaku and Urogi unable tough, while Daki unconsciously took a step back.
"Do-Don''t be too arrogant!"
In the end, Daki was the one who couldn''t bear the silent pressure first and shouted out.
Immediately, the sashes on her body surged, transforming into steel-like des, attacking Riezel like snakes while cutting through the air.
As Gyuutarou watched his younger sister make the first move, he immediately followed suit.
"Blood Demon Art - Rotating Circr shes - Flying Blood Sickles!"
With a swing of his twin sickles, he shot out numerous crimson shes, razor-thin like des of air, flying straight toward Riezel.
This was his Blood Demon Art, capable of turning his own blood into razor-sharp des andunching them. These des not only had the power to cleave through the earth but also carried a deadly poison. Onceunched, they could change flight paths ording to his will, even wrapping around his hands, providing a versatile ability for both closebat and ranged attacks.
"Blood Demon Art - Sonic Scream!"
"Blood Demon Art - Electricity Generation!"
"Blood Demon Art - Spear Projection!"
"Blood Demon Art - Wind sts!"
Urogi, Sekido, Aizetsu, and Karaku also unleashed their attacks, each using their own Blood Demon Arts.
Urogi opened his mouth in mid-air, unleashing destructive soundwaves that shook the air, crashing toward Riezel.
Sekido struck his tin staff, summoning thunderous lightning that erupted into towering thunderbolts, bursting from the courtyard.
Aizetsu thrust his cross-shaped spear forward, shooting through the air like shockwaves.
Karaku fanned his maple leaf-shaped fan, creating immense raging winds that swept across thend and enveloped everything in their path.
Clearly, the attacks from the four clone demons were incredibly powerful. Coupled with Gyuutarou''s attack, they tore through the earth, lifting, destroying, and ravaging everything in their path, engulfing countless stones, debris, and dust storms.
The entire Ubuyashiki Estate seemed to be struck by a natural disaster, with lightning shing, wild winds raging, shockwaves, soundwaves, and blood-red des dancing wildly, lifting the mansion''s roofs and shattering its walls, swallowing even Daki''s sashes.
"Master!"
Kyoujurou, witnessing this disastrous scene, had no time to think and rushed to Kagaya, shielding him.
"Ugh!"
Shinobu could only protect herself, crouching on the ground and shielding her head, before being blown away entirely.
Facing this disastrous scene, humans indeed felt small and insignificant. Even those revered as Hashira would feel the same.
Amidst such a disastrous attack, Gyokko''s attack seemed rather inconspicuous.
"Blood Demon Art - Killer Fish Scales!"
Gyokko, at an astonishing speed, repeatedly jumped amidst the disastrous scene, using his smooth scales to make his movements unpredictable, heading toward Riezel''s direction.
He didn''t unleash any spectacr attacks like the others but instead, concealed within the disastrous attack, reached out his hands toward Riezel.
If anyone wondered why he used his hands, it was simply because they could turn anything they touched into fish, which was Gyokko''s hidden killing move.
In this way, Riezel simultaneously faced the killing moves of seven demons and was instantly engulfed by them.
''We won!''
All the demons witnessed this scene, confirming it in their hearts¡ª
Until a ze appeared¡ªa dazzling ze.
*Whoosh!*
Like a fiery dragon, it first emerged amidst the disastrous attack, then, as if dancing, tore through the air at an astonishing speed and roamed extremely fast through the courtyard.
Many demons only saw a sudden burst of sparks before the fiery dragon had already danced around them, leaving behind a dazzling trail in the crumbling courtyard as if frolicking around them in a circle.
A momentter, Riezel appeared in the center of the ze, transformed into the head of the fiery dragon.
With a sword emitting fierce mes in his hand, Riezel halted his dancing figure as he arrived behind the group of demons.
Soon, the fire dragons that had danced across the courtyard slowly dissipated into the air.
Everything froze in this second.
"Sun Breathing - Eleventh Form..."
Riezel''s voice faintly rang in the silent courtyard.
"Sun Halo Dragon Head Dance."
As his voice fell, Riezel sheathed his sword.
*Click!*
*Splurt¡ª!*
One by one, heads flew into the air, blood spattering everywhere.
Chapter 172: All Dead
Chapter 172: All Dead
"..."
Silence.
A deathly silence.
As the heads of every Upper Rank flew into the air and dropped to the ground one after another, everyone present was stunned by the heart-wrenching scene.
Whether it was Shinobu, who was blown away, or Kyoujurou, who was hiding amidst the debris of the mansion, their eyes were wide open and lost all reaction.
Their minds were nk.
Their hearts stopped.
Engulfed in shock, they couldn''t believe what they were seeing.
Especially Shinobu, witnessing Riezel fight against demons for the first time, froze, unable to move.*Pa¡ªPa¡ªPa¡ª*
In the Ubuyashiki Estate, the sound of gravel falling to the ground could still be heard intermittently.
At this moment, the estate had already copsedpletely under the catastrophic thunderstorm, with not a single intact spot left to be found.
However, not only was the Ubuyashiki Estate affected, but the surrounding area was as well.
It was either sted into huge craters by the relentless thunder or shattered into fragments by the onught of hurricanes. Combined with the destructive sound waves, shockwaves, blood-red des, and razor-sharp sashes, within a radius of several hundred meters, there was surely not a single intact scenery left.
Even the forests near the estate had copsed over a vast area, the ground seemed to have been thinly shaved, presenting a deste scene of upturned soil, resembling a piece of undeveloped wastnd.
As scenes reminiscent of post-disaster aftermath unfolded, they were ultimately shattered by screams that pierced the sky.
"IT HURTS! IT HURTS, IT HURTS, IT HURTS, IT HURRRTTTSSS¡ª!"
"Why does it hurt so much?!"
"Impossible! It can''t be?!"
"Ca-Can''t regenerate!"
Urogi, Sekido, Aizetsu, and Karaku screamed as their heads fell to the ground, rolling in agony, seeming to be in great pain. Their headless bodies also copsed, unable to split or regenerate, as if suppressed by some mysterious power, causing mes to flicker at their severed necks, burning them.
Not long after, another round of iparably painful screams echoed.
"HO-HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?!"
Gyokko, whose head was protected by scales harder than diamonds, was also beheaded and rolled to the ground, experiencing both pain and disbelief.
''Three Upper Ranks... seven of us... all beheaded in a split second... in just one strike?!''
Gyokko couldn''t believe it and didn''t want to believe it.
Clearly, their opponent was just one human.
Clearly, the Upper Ranks present were demons with survival capabilities stronger than even Akaza''s.
Yet, such a group of demons, working together, were defeated in an instant?
Not to mention Gyokko, even Gyuutarou and Daki screamed in shock.
"Stop joking... STOP JOKIIING¡ª!"
Gyuutarou''s nervous expression and aura of death in his eyes had changed, turning into hysteria.
"Our heads... not only mine... but also my little sister''s... in an instant... by a mere human?! Impossible!"
He certainly understood the severity of the situation.
The fact that his and his younger sister''s heads were both cut off together meant only one thing.
They were going to die.
"Big Brother! Big Brother! Think of something quickly! Think of something!" Daki seemed to realize her fate and finally broke down. "I don''t want to die! I don''t want to die!"
Hearing his younger sister''s breakdown into loud sobs twisted Gyuutarou''s face with anguish.
But what could he do? He was also helpless.
Unfortunately for them, times had changed.
Not only had the current Riezel evolved Sun Breathing and acquired his own Nichirin Sword, but he had also awakened a new skill, making himpletely different from when he fought Akazast time.
His new Hermit was created from a gemstone containing the purest essence of Scarlet Crimson Iron Sands and Scarlet Ores inrge quantities, resulting in a qualitative change in the sunlight energy within, making it far more lethal to demons than ordinary Nichirin Swords.
Therefore, any demon shed by Hermit, even if not beheaded, would disintegrate as if exposed to sunlight for too long.
On top of that, with the emergence of the ''Pioneer of the Sun'', Riezel gained special attack capability against evil entities, possessing the power to restrain them, resulting in not only the suppression of the demon''s regenerative ability but also a significant increase in the damage they received.
Coupled with Riezel''s ''Sun Halo Dragon Head Dance'', which not only caused intense pain akin to being burned by mes of the sun but also temporarily suppressed their regenerative ability, the demons beheaded by him could no longer stand up.
It was an attack that urred within a second¡ªfrom the moment the fire dragon danced out, the fate of these demons was already sealed!
Kagaya was the first to realize this fact.
*Cough!* *Cough!*
The sudden surge of excitement caused Kagaya to cough violently, even coughing up blood.
"Master!"
Only then did Kyoujurou react, quickly supporting Kagaya''s body.
However, Kagaya paid no attention to his own body, instead grabbing Kyoujurou''s hand tightly, with great strength.
"Did you see it? Did you see it?! Kyoujurou!" Kagaya''s voice trembled. "In an instant... it was just an instant... even multiple Hashira couldn''t stand up against an Upper Rank, and yet they got beheaded in an instant... seven of them!"
His excitement even made his tone incoherent.
Of course, Kyoujurou saw it.
It was because he saw it that he could understand why Kagaya was so excited.
The formidable Upper Ranks, the most powerful demons capable of overwhelming even several Hashira single-handedly, the nightmares of humanity who had lived for hundreds of years, and the nightmares of the Demon yer Corps, were now unable to withstand even a single move from Riezel.
Judging by their appearance, they seemed unable to regenerate, unable to recover.
In Kyoujurou''s eyes, this was simply too unreal¡ªso unreal that even he, who had witnessed a simr scene in the Mugen Train incident, still found it hard to believe.
If Kyoujurou felt this way, then so should Shinobu.
"In just an instant..."
Shinobuy next to the fragments of the courtyard wall, her eyes filled with wonder as she watched the figure engulfed in mes.
In the Ubuyashiki Estate, now transformed into a scene of devastation, only the hysterical angry howls and the agonizing screams of the demons remained, telling others that this was not a dream.
Before long, the bodies and heads of these demons began to turn into flying ash, gradually dispersing.
"Big Brother... Big... Brother..."
Daki, the weakest among them, disappeared first, amidst a chorus of loud crying, turning into ashes.
"!!!"
Watching his younger sister gradually disappear, Gyuutarou stared dumbfounded and seemed to yell something, but as his sisterpletely disappeared into ashes, he ceased his yelling and wailing.
As if he had lost the most precious thing in his life, Gyuutarou stared nkly in the direction where his younger sister had disappeared before closing his eyes and also turning into ashes.
"Ahh... My body is disappearing... Am I going to die? Why? Why so fast?" Gyokko was still unwilling to ept this reality.
Perhaps it was due to Riezel''s ''Pioneer of the Sun'', or perhaps it was because of the abundant sunlight energy contained within Hermit. Upper Ranks who shouldn''t have vanished so quickly and could have persisted for a considerable amount of time seemed to be dying at an astonishing speed.
"I still have so many artworks toplete... How could I die here... How could¡ª"
Gyokko muttered for a moment, then remembered something and cast his frantic gaze toward Kagaya.
"At least... At least I should take someone from the Ubuyashiki family..."
It was Gyokko''sst flicker of resistance.
The task given by Muzan was two¡ªfirst, investigate Tsugikuni Yoriichi and kill him, and second, bring back the heads of the Ubuyashikis.
Dealing with Riezel, Gyokko didn''t even dare to consider. But if it was Kagaya, he feltpelled to drag this weak human down with him before he died, no matter what.
However, as Gyokko began to entertain such thoughts, he realized that someone was standing before him.
Riezel, wielding Hermit, appeared before Gyokko at some point, towering over him. After a moment of silence, Riezel lowered his head and whispered something in Gyokko''s ear.
Surprisingly, the whisper made Gyokko''s eyes widen in fear as he looked into Riezel''s eyes.
Before dying, this Upper Five seemed to foresee something. He foresaw the scene where his supreme king would engage in a full-scale war with the monster before him.
With such foresight, such fear, Gyokko finally turned into a gust of flying ash, dissipatingpletely.
As for the four clone demons of Hantengu, they had already disappeared, disappearing even faster than Gyokko, as if deliberately fleeing, deliberately escaping this hellish ce.
With this, all the Upper Ranks who attacked the headquarters of the Demon yer Corps were gone.
Riezel had truly aplished it.
Just as in his deration to the Upper Ranks earlier, he could truly deal with all of them.
"They all dead...?" Kyoujurou murmured subconsciously.
However, little did he know, Riezel heard it and responded while shaking his head.
"No, one should have escaped."
Riezel''s unexpected words left everyone stunned.
===
Near the headquarters of the Demon yer Corps, next to the town.
In a dark corner, a demon, small enough to fit in the palm of a hand, suddenly appeared.
With long horns on his head and a face like a scared old man, it was unmistakably Hantengu.
In truth, this was Hantengu''s true form, the Upper Four himself.
Kyoujurou would never have imagined that, although Hantengu seemed to have split into four, in reality, those four clones were in the end just, clones.
Hantengu''s true body had always been hiding in the shadows, so no matter how many times the clones'' heads were cut off, they could regenerate and split again.
Only by beheading the true body could Hantengu be eliminated.
However, Hantengu''s true body had always lurked in the shadows, never appearing on the battlefield.
Hantengu should have been grateful.
Had he not been absent from the battlefield, even if he had be so small, hiding in the corner, Riezel would have been able to find him using the Transparent World.
When the four clone demons representing Hantengu''s pleasure, anger, sorrow, and joy appeared at the Ubuyashiki Estate, Riezel realized that Hantengu had already split. He attempted to find Hantengu''s true body using the Transparent World, but unfortunately, he couldn''t locate it.
As a result, Hantengu escaped unscathed.
Even so, instead of feeling relief and happiness at still being alive, he felt only extreme fear, akin to facing his king.
"It''s scary... too scary..."
Hantengu shuddered, overwhelmed by fear.
"I must escape!"
Thinking of that human swordsman wrapped in mes, who resembled a demon more than the demons themselves, his innermost feelings werepletely dominated by fear.
In no time, Hantengu began to flee frantically.
Chapter 173: Brutal Truth
Chapter 173: Brutal Truth
The day gradually brightened.
As the sun rose from the horizon, what had been a nightmarish night for the residents of the town finally came to an end.
At this moment, the members of the Kakushi were running back and forth in the town, sometimes cleaning up the aftermath, sometimes aiding the wounded, making the entire town seem unusually bustling.
However, at this point, the town had truly be a disaster area. Everywhere were either copsed houses or debris strewn about, and even pools of blood staining the ground, ringly visible under the sun.
In such circumstances, many Kasugai Crows continued to fly back and forth in the sky, sometimes flying out of the town and then returning, seemingly contacting relevant personnel and sending out intelligence.
With such a major event unfolding, every member of the Demon yer Corps who was out on mission naturally hurried back, especially the Hashira.
One by one, they all returned.
"Master!"
"Master! Are you okay?""It''s such a relief that you''re okay."
All the Hashira gathered in a clean, temporary house, kneeling before Kagaya, who sat at the head of the room on a tatami mat.
Each Hashira entered with a deep sense of concern on their faces, including the previously silent Giyuu and the expressionless Muichirou. It wasn''t until they saw Kagaya safe and sound that a sense of relief washed over their faces.
"It''s good to see you all back."
Supported by his wife and children, Kagaya spoke, looking at the row of kneeling Hashira, his face wearing its usual gentle expression.
However, amidst the relief, the Hashira also began to voice their concerns.
"I mean, Rengoku, what happened?"
Sanemi was the first to question Kyoujurou, who knelt beside Kagaya.
"Why was Master still under threat with you around?"
"You''ve failed as Master''s bodyguard." Obanai said coldly. "You were clearly by Master''s side, yet you appeared like this, causing him unnecessary distress. It''s so unsightly."
At this moment, Kyoujurou did indeed look unsightly, his entire body wrapped in bandages, his clothes stained with blood, turning this once heroic and carefree man into a pitiful sight.
"I have no excuses." Kyoujurou lowered his head, closing his eyes, showing no intention of offering any rebuttal.
In this era, swordsmen still held true to the samurai code.
Swearing allegiance to Kagaya as master meant that being an ineffective bodyguard was a dereliction of duty, a crime.
For Kyoujurou to be held ountable by the Hashira was not umon in this era.
Even Tengen said as much.
"If you were a ninja, this would''ve been a seppuku moment." Tengen chimed in as he crossed his arms. "Need me to do it for you? Though it won''t be pretty."
Facing his rather blunt remark, the other Hashira each reacted in turn.
"I... don''t have any objections."
Muichirou surprisingly spoke up, even though it was with a cold tone. It seemed that this seemingly reckless Mist Hashira truly valued Kagaya''s safety and was angry about his current predicament.
"I have nothing to say."
Giyuu chimed in with closed eyes, appearing detached from the situation.
"Although losing the me Hashira is a significant blow to the Corps, someone has to step up to take responsibility for such a failure."
Gyoumei also chimed in before reciting a Buddhist prayer, looking mournful, tears streaming down his face.
"N-No way, right? Mr. Rengoku did nothing wrong, right?! Master is unharmed!"
Only Mitsuri, very excitedly, spoke up for Kyoujurou, looking very anxious and flustered.
Among the Hashira present, if one were to say who had the closest rtionship with Kyoujurou, it would undoubtedly be Mitsuri.
After all, before bing a Hashira, and even before developing Love Breathing, Mitsuri was Kyoujurou''s Tsuguko.
In other words, Mitsuri was Kyoujurou''s apprentice.
It was also the reason why Mitsuri was able to develop and research Love Breathing as a derivative breathing style of me Breathing and became one of the nine Hashira.
Now, seeing her former mentor being questioned, even falling to the point of having to perform seppuku as an apology, Mitsuri naturally panicked.
Fortunately, Kagaya spoke up to ease the situation.
"Don''t me Kyoujurou too much, none of us expected this incident, Kyoujurou has done well."
"Master." Sanemi spoke up, his expression stern and somewhat terrifying. "I''ve long felt that the security around you is too weak. If an incident like this were to happen again, your situation could be very dangerous. Please consider assigning more Hashira to your side for closer protection."
"I agree." Obanai nodded, his expression grim as he gestured to the white snake coiled around his neck. "This incident serves as a lesson. We can''t afford to repeat it."
"Thankfully, we''re only dealing with the Upper Ranks this time. But if Kibutsuji Muzan himself decides to step in, what then?" Tengen chimed in, sounding dead serious. "As much as I''d love to have a morous showdown with that Demon King, we gotta ensure your safety first, Master."
"Agreed." Muichirou nodded in agreement.
"I''m fine with that." Giyuu chimed in casually.
"Please consider it, Master." Gyoumei pleaded, tears welling up as he pressed his hands together.
"I-I''m on board too!" Mitsuri eximed, noticing the change in topic and eager to go along with it.
Unfortunately, Kagaya shook his head, rejecting their proposal.
"I''ve said it before. Valuablebatants like the Hashira shouldn''t be wasted on a dying man like me..." Kagaya spoke gently. "If I were to pass away, there are plenty in the Ubuyashiki family who could take my ce. My children are all outstanding talents. But if any of you were to fall, it would be a significant loss to the Corps."
Upon hearing this, the Hashira chimed in one after another.
"Please don''t say that!"
"Your life is the most precious thing to the Corps!"
"Losing you would be the Corps'' greatest loss!"
"You should cherish yourself more, Master!"
Every Hashira spoke up one by one, including Kyoujurou, without exception, indicating Kagaya''s revered and high status in everyone''s eyes.
Kagaya was well aware of this, observing the Hashira with increasingly gentle gazes, yet he had no intention of changing his mind.
"Let''s not dwell on my security issue anymore. Since our headquarters have been exposed, we need to relocate to a safer ce as soon as possible." Kagaya said, turning to Kyoujurou. "Are the people in the town all arranged?"
Kyoujurou lowered his head at the question and gave his report.
"Someone from the Kakushi just reported that all the wounded have been taken care of, and the unfortunate casualties have been counted. Thankfully, the casualties aren''t severe."
While the Upper Ranks attacked their respective targets, Gyokko summoned aquatic creatures from his vases to also assault the town. Neither fully human nor demon, these creatures proved powerful, as ordinary Demon yers struggled against them.
Fortunately, this town was the headquarters of the Demon yer Corps, with stationed Demon yers, including some higher-ranked ones. Dealing with a group of aquatic creatures summoned as lower-levelbatants wasn''t much of a problem.
As a result, while there were casualties, they weren''t particrly serious.
Moreover, after Gyokko was beheaded by Riezel, his summoned aquatic creatures disappeared along with him, avoiding further trouble.
"The civilians who are safe and sound have been provided with an evacuation route, with the Kakushi offering full assistance. Only Kochou, due to her severe injuries, has not only partially paralyzed the Butterfly Mansion but may also be unable to get out of bed for a while."
Kyoujurou reported everything clearly.
Except for Shinobu, every Hashira was currently present in this room.
Since her injuries were too severe, as soon as the battle ended, she lost consciousness and hadn''t woken up since.
"Even Shinobu went down?" Mitsuri''s expression darkened.
Knowing this, the other Hashira fell silent, some even clenched their fists.
Since the sudden attackst night had already been ryed to all the Hashira by Kasugai Crows, it was clear that they knew the grim oue Kyoujurou and Shinobu faced against three Upper Ranks the moment they heard the news.
Kyoujurou faced the Upper Four alone, gettingpletely overwhelmed, sent flying, and if not for falling into the Ubuyashiki Estate, he might have been killed by the Upper Four.
Shinobu was even worse off, heavily injured by the Upper Six, nearly losing her life. If it weren''t for Daki''s fondness for beautiful women and her habit of keeping them as reserve food, Shinobu might have been eaten the moment she fell, rather than being brought to the Ubuyashiki Estate by Daki.
Fortunately, although three Upper Ranks attacked together, whether it was Kyoujurou or Shinobu, each only faced a single Upper Rank without being ganged up.
Despite this, both of them still suffered devastating defeats.
"Are these Upper Ranks really that powerful?"
Tengen unintentionally muttered what all the Hashira were thinking at the moment.
"Very powerful..." Kyoujurou said, his tone unusually somber. "Even the weakest of them could easily overpower a Hashira. Most of us probably wouldn''t stand a chance in a one-on-one fight against an Upper Rank."
Such a brutal truth shattered the pride of many Hashira.
"What about that guy?" Sanemi questioned with a vicious re. "Where''s the guy who supposedly took down three Upper Ranks with one attack?"
Upon hearing this, the other Hashira snapped back to attention, all eyes on Kyoujurou.
At the mention of the so-called ''guy'' from Sanemi''s mouth, Kyoujurou''s heavy expression softened a bit.
"He''s with Kochou... He said he has a way to help her recover quickly."
Chapter 174: Take Responsibility?
Chapter 174: Take Responsibility?
Butterfly Mansion.
Usually, the old-fashioned courtyard of the Butterfly Mansion always exuded warmth and provided a truly beautiful view.
Not only were there flowers and nts but also many precious herbs, emitting fragrances that attracted numerous butterflies, making them dance gracefully in the air, a sight to behold.
Located somewhat remotely, the courtyard seemed to have escaped unscathed from the attacks of demons, avoiding destruction.
However, when Riezel arrived at this ce, he found many wounded people. Groans and cries emanated from various rooms, reaching even the courtyard, which overshadowed its picturesque scenery.
"Sorry! Excuse me!"
"Make way! Woundeding through!"
"Hurry, bring the stretcher over!"
One by one, members of the Kakushi brought the wounded into the Butterfly Mansion.Several little girls in white clothes also emerged from the mansion, directing the others to transport the wounded inside while carrying medicine boxes back and forth, seemingly engaged in constant healing work.
Clearly, this bustling scene caused many people, sweating profusely from their efforts, toment.
"There are too many wounded! We can''t possibly attend to all of them!"
"Moreover, Lady Shinobu is injured. We can''t even treat the wounded properly without her..."
"When will Lady Shinobu recover?"
"Enough, let''s focus on our work!"
"Yes..."
Conversations like these intermittently arose from the Butterfly Mansion''s personnel, making Riezel realize how chaotic this ce had be without Shinobu''s presence.
Deciding not to disturb them, Riezel proceeded directly into the courtyard, heading toward the room where Shinobu resided.
Surprisingly, the room was quickly revealed by a hurriedly passing little girl, who seemed too preupied to spare a thought for who Riezel was or why he was here, saving him the trouble of exnations.
Soon, Riezel arrived at a rtively quiet room, pushed open the door, and entered.
What greeted him was a rather ordinary room.
Despite being a sick room, it was decorated warmly, giving no hint of its true purpose.
Shinobuy on the innermost bed, sound asleep.
Riezel closed the door behind him and approached the bed, looking at the sleeping Shinobu.
At this moment, she appeared to have received initial treatment, as the bloodstains on her body had been cleaned, and her clothes had been changed to a patient gown.
Shinobuy in bed, oblivious to his arrival.
As Riezel saw her, her face was pale, lips devoid of color, her hair left untied, cascading into long strands, rendering her appearance much frailer than before. Faintly, he could see bandages wrapped around her body, stained with blood, indicating the severity of her injuries.
"Seriously, your condition is much worse than when I was brought in here before..."
Riezel muttered to himself, then extended his hand and pressed it against Shinobu''s forehead.
Perhaps due to being truly weakened, her temperature seemed high, indicating a fever.
Riezel furrowed his brow, then began chanting a magic.
"Healing droplets, tears of light, eternal sanctuary."
"Compose a medicinal hymn - three hundred, sixty, and five. The melody of the healer''s almanac saves all things."
"Come, destruction of evil."
"The burial of wounds, interment of disease."
"Curses be gone in the light of vitality."
"In the name of all that is holy - I heal you."
A pure white magic circle expanded beneath Riezel''s feet, covering the area of the bed.
"Dia Fratel."
Hepleted the chant, unleashing the top-ss healing magic from the world of Danmachi.
In the next moment, rays of light showered down,nding on Shinobu''s body.
Under these rays of light, her paleplexion visibly began to recover, her once bloodless lips regaining color, and even her high body temperature seemed to gradually return to normal, making the breathing of this heavily injured Insect Hashira stable.
Riezel spared no expense in utilizing his mind, maximizing the effectiveness of Dia Fratel, rendering the healing magic''s effect surprisingly astounding.
At least,pared to the Level 2 Airmid, Riezel, who had reached the limit of Level 5, surpassed her in both level and MAG.
While Airmid was known as the best healer, capable of supporting an entire frontline single-handedly with Dia Fratel, Riezel, with a higher level and much stronger MAG, disyed a naturally evident effect when he unleashed his magic without holding back.
And so, in just about ten seconds, Shinobu seemed to bepletely healed. Although one couldn''t see how the wounds under her bandages were, they must have all been fully healed.
With the healing magic finished, Riezel stopped using it and prepared to move his hand away. However, just as he was about to move his hand away, another hand suddenly reached out and grasped it.
"Elder Sister..."
Shinobu tightly held the hand on her forehead, as if feeling warmth and nostalgia, murmuring unconsciously.
With tears welling up in her eyes, she continued her dreamlike state.
"..."
Watching this scene, Riezel fell into silence.
He looked at Shinobu, who was holding his hand tighter and tighter as if she didn''t want him to leave. Of course, if he wanted to break free, it would have been easy for him, but he decided not to.
Riezel just stood there by the bedside, maintaining the posture of his hand resting on Shinobu''s forehead, quietly watching her sleeping in the bed.
In the end, this went on for a while, for who knows how long.
"Umm..."
At some point, with a vague murmur, Shinobu lying in the bed struggled to open her eyes.
"Are you awake?" Riezel asked lightly.
"Hmm?"
Shinobu''s awareness seemed somewhat blurry, unable to immediately grasp what had happened.
It wasn''t until a whileter that her pupils began to focus, seeing Riezel standing by the bed, seeing herself lying in the bed, and naturally, seeing the scene of herself tightly holding hands with him.
In the next second, Shinobu fell silent.
Riezel didn''t rush to speak, continuing to quietly watch her.
After a while, Shinobu finally spoke with a soft voice.
"Given this situation, can I ask you to take responsibility?"
Her words nearly made him roll his eyes.
"I can''t take responsibility, but paying you could be considered, actually."
After saying this, Riezel freed his hand from Shinobu''s.
"That''s too much."
Shinobuined, though it was unclear whether she was referring to his action of freeing his hand or to his words.
"How do you feel?" Riezel asked calmly. "You shouldn''t be feeling any pain, right?"
"...Indeed, I don''t..." Shinobu sat up, nced at her body, and made a surprise expression. "Wait, how long have I been asleep?"
It was not weird for her to ask this question.
She hadn''t forgotten the multiple injuries she sustained at the hands of the Upper Six.
Without a doubt, those were injuries severe enough to render even the most robust individual incapacitated. ording to her understanding as a professional doctor and pharmacist, recovery to full health would take at least two to three months.
However, now she felt as if all her injuries had healed, aside from the slight difort caused by the bandages wrapped around her body, she no longer felt any difort.
Clearly, this made Shinobu somewhat skeptical, wondering if she had slept for two to three months straight, sleeping until all her injuries had already recovered.
"You''ve slept for a night. The demon invasion happened justst night."
Riezel quickly dispelled her doubts.
"A night, you say?"
Shinobu was truly dumbfounded.
Only one night had passed? Did that mean all of her severe injuries were healed within one night? How could that be possible?
With this astonishment, she quickly thought of something.
"What did you do to me?" Shinobu looked at him with intense eyes.
"Your words will cause people to misunderstand, Missy..." Riezel replied calmly. "I didn''t do anything, okay?"
"Liar." Shinobu didn''t believe a word. "Apart from you, who else could do such a thing?"
It was worth noting that, in the three months prior, Riezel had defied logic more than once.
For the evolution of Sun Breathing, he had been trying desperately. Just when he was at death''s door, he would miraculously recover the next day, continuing his practice as if nothing happened.
Evidently, this made Shinobu suspect earlier that Riezel might have some special body constitution.
After all, in this world, there were indeed some people born with very special body constitutions.
Like Tanjirou, who possessed an extremely keen sense of smell, being able to discern others'' emotional fluctuations by scent alone, which was unbelievably unscientific and nonsense.
Zenitsu and Inosuke were also examples, one with inhuman hearing, the other with an inhuman sense of touch, both manifestations of special body constitutions.
Among the Hashira, there were also quite a few individuals with special body constitutions.
Kyoujurou was born with greater strength than ordinary people, hence he always saw protecting the weak as the duty of the strong.
Tengen, having been a former ninja before joining the Demon yer Corps, possessed a certain degree of poison resistance and tremendous strength, not inferior to Kyoujurou, with even better speed, surpassing the entire Hashira.
Mitsuri''s muscle density was eight times that of an ordinary person. When her body was tensed, her defensive power would significantly increase, making her strength even greater than that of males.
Additionally, there was Sanemi, who possessed a rare blood type that demons found irresistibly attractive, just a whiff of its scent was enough to intoxicate them.
All of these were examples of special body constitutions.
Shinobu had previously regarded Riezel''s abnormal ability to recover as a special body constitution, but now, it seemed like it wasn''t as simple as that.
Nevertheless, she didn''t believe that she could recover from such severe injuries overnight without him having done something to her.
"Could you please tell me~? Tsu~gi~ku~ni~" Shinobu asked with a teasing tone.
Following this, she leaned in close to his face with a mischievous smile, getting very, very close.
Looking at her face up close, which was not only fair-skinned but also extremely beautiful, Riezel was at a loss for words.
Chapter 175: Invitation
Chapter 175: Invitation
Riezel couldn''t help but feel that Shinobu truly looked beautiful.
Even when being this close to her, he couldn''t see pores or even a hint of sweat on her face. All he saw was a wlessplexion, like porcin, and features so perfectly proportioned they seemed sculpted, leaving a very good impression at first sight.
However, the most shocking part was that such a wless face didn''t even have makeup on, what one called a bare face.
To have such exquisite beauty even without makeup, one could only say that such a person, in Riezel''s eyes, could only exist in 2D.
Actually, when it came to appearance alone, many people could rival Shinobu.
For example, Ais was universally acknowledged as beautiful,parable to a goddess. Additionally,pared to Shinobu, Ais was only stronger, not weaker.
Not to mention Riveria, a member of the elven royal family, whose beauty surpasses that of most goddesses, enough to make even goddesses jealous.
Additionally, there was Lefiya, only fifteen years old, with a hint of immaturity and childishness. Yet, as a member of the elf race known for their outstanding beauty, her appearance definitely surpassed that of over ny percent of the world''s poption.
In the Akasha Continent, there were also plenty of beauties, like Yuri, who was no less stunningpared to Ais. Even Marilyn, Ain, and Ian, who served as her attendants, had remarkably outstanding appearances. As for her younger sister, Mediste, who was still fourteen years old, she also possessed an unusually lively charm, the kind of princess who would easily be pampered by anyone in Riezel''s past life.Needless to say, Riezel had never observed beautiful women like them up close before. Hence, when Shinobu''s face got so close to him, it was somewhat challenging for his heart.
As a result, Riezel instinctively pushed away Shinobu''s face.
"Don''t get so close to me." Riezel said with a somewhat heartless tone.
"You''re unreasonable..." Shinobu protested.
"It''s you who''s being unreasonable." Riezel retorted, looking at her face expressionlessly. "I''ve already helped you get better, but you don''t appreciate it and just mess around. Should''ve let youy another two days before healing you..."
"So, you admit it then?" Shinobu stared at him with a peculiar look. "You admit that you''re the one who healed me?"
"Yeah..." Riezel admitted honestly. "I stripped you naked and treated you from head to toe. Happy now?"
Upon hearing this, the smile on Shinobu''s face froze instantly.
Was it the truth? Would her words earlier about him taking responsibility be a reality?
Now, even Shinobu couldn''t help but feel a bit flustered.
She quickly stared at Riezel, trying to discern the truth from his face, but unfortunately, she didn''t have that kind of time.
"Message! Message!"
A Kasugai Crow suddenly flew in through the window, hovering in mid-air while its sharp beak emitted a series of sounds.
"Tsugikuni Yoriichi is requested at the temporary headquarters for a meeting! Urgent meeting!"
Undoubtedly, this was an invitation from Kagaya and the Hashira.
"I''ll be leaving then. You rest well." Riezel stood up.
"Wait! I''ll go with you." Shinobu stopped overthinking and said with a serious tone.
With that, she quickly got out of bed.
"You sure?" Riezel asked tentatively. "Don''t you want to rest a bit more?"
"No need, I feel better than ever physically." Shinobu resumed her cheerful demeanor. "If you are interested, you can work at the Butterfly Mansion. I can request Master for you to receive a sry, any amount you want."
"I''ll consider it." Riezel said casually. "I''ll wait for you outside then."
"Okay." Shinobu picked up her clothes to change.
Riezel turned and headed toward the door, but before he could reach it, Shinobu suddenly asked a question.
"Did I say anything while unconscious?"
Shinobu''s question made Riezel''s footsteps halt.
In the next second, with his back to her, he answered calmly.
"None."
After saying this, Riezel finally left the room, leaving only Shinobu standing still, holding onto her clothes, staring nkly for a while.
"Tsugikuni really enjoys tricking people..." Shinobu muttered softly.
After being silent for a while, she quietly sighed.
Although at that time she had already lost consciousness, she faintly felt the warmth and the hand ced on her forehead, which left a deep impression on her.
Under that long-lost warmth and nostalgic touch, she was well aware that she would involuntarily say something at that moment.
"Forget it, let''s go to Master''s ce first."
Shinobu shook her head, pushing aside theplex thoughts in her mind before finally taking off her patient gown.
===
About half an hourter, Riezel and Shinobu arrived at the temporary headquarters of the Demon yer Corps and entered the room filled with tatami mats.
Kagaya sat at the main seat, apanied by his wife and children.
On the other hand, the Hashira were divided into two rows, sitting on either side like loyal subjects.
As Riezel and Shinobu arrived, they immediately caught everyone''s attention, causing all the Hashira to freeze.
"Kochou!" Kyoujurou eximed first, pleasantly surprised. "You can get out of bed now?"
"Yes, Rengoku." Shinobu replied with her usual smile. "Thanks to Tsugikuni, my injuries seem miraculously healed. As you can see, there''s no longer any problem."
Shortly afterward, she knelt before Kagaya, who was seated in the main seat.
"I apologize for beingte, Master."
"It''s alright, Shinobu. Please, have a seat." Kagaya seemed delighted, his eyes narrowing with a smile.
It was evident that he was in a good mood.
After all, not only had Shinobu already recovered and could resume her duties, but all the Hashira were also gathered again. Despite the life-threatening crisis of three Upper Ranks invading their headquarters, not a single Hashira had fallen.
It was clearly a stroke of wonderful luck.
Just this alone was enough to lift Kagaya''s spirits.
"Yes, Master."
Shinobu responded respectfully before taking a seat beside Mitsuri, exchanging smiles with her.
"You should also take a seat, Your Excellency."
Kagaya had a special seat prepared for Riezel, right across from him.
All the Hashira sat directly on the tatami mats, with only Kagaya and Riezel having cushion-like seats, indicating that Riezel held a very high position of influence in Kagaya''s eyes.
Although some of the Hashira subtly furrowed their brows at Kagaya''s preferential treatment, they had nothing to say.
At this point, Riezel had earned the right to sit on equal terms with the other Hashira and even Kagaya himself.
Last time, Riezel slew the Upper Three.
This time, Riezel had managed to defeat the Upper Four, the Upper Five, and the Upper Six, three Upper Ranks falling under his sword, leaving only two Upper Ranks remaining.
With such achievements and merits, it was worth the Demon yer Corps to regard him as the most distinguished guest.
Of course, Riezel had earlier exined that the Upper Ranks he had truly in were only the Upper Five and the Upper Six, the lowest-ranking Upper Ranks, while the main body of the Upper Four had escaped, not encountering his sword.
Furthermore, the Upper Three appeared to have surpassed his limits and managed to remain alive even after his head was chopped off.
For this reason, up to now, only two Upper Ranks have truly died in his hands, both being the lowest-ranking Upper Ranks, which were the Upper Five and the Upper Six.
However, it couldn''t be denied that there were quite a few Upper Ranks who lost to Riezel, including the Upper Three and the Upper Four. Although they all managed to escape death, it still proved that they were not his opponents and met a crushing defeat at his hands.
With such strength, no one could question it now.
Hence, even Sanemi and Obanai, who had conflicts with Riezel before, though they still didn''t show much expression, acknowledged his treatment to be on par with Kagaya''s.
Riezel naturally noticed the change in attitude among the Hashira, but he didn''t care much. After all, he knew that among these Hashira, there were quite a few problem children, and many had a sharp tongue but a soft heart.
Riezel ignored the gazes of the Hashira and silently sat down in front of Kagaya.
"Do you have something on your mind?" Riezel asked straightforwardly and concisely.
"I have a bit of news." Kagaya smiled at him, cleared his throat, and then continued. "We''re preparing to relocate the Corps'' headquarters."
"Including the Ubuyashiki family, Rengoku family, and all the families of Demon yers in the town, everyone will be relocated along several predetermined hidden routes to another location."
"As for this ce, we must leave behind."
Truthfully, this decision didn''t surprise Riezel.
Once the headquarters of the Demon yer Corps was exposed, the urgent priority was to relocate quickly to avoid another demon invasion.
Whether it was members of the Ubuyashiki family or residents of the town, they were all ordinary people without the ability to resist demons. If they were to face another invasion, the Demon yers would have to protect them while fighting demons, which would be somewhat difficult.
For this reason, relocating the headquarters was necessary.
As for where to relocate, Kagaya soon brought it up.
"We''re preparing to temporarily relocate to the Swordsmith Vige..." Kagaya sighed. "Since the level of secrecy there isparable to our current headquarters, the Swordsmith Vige is undoubtedly the best choice for a temporary headquarters we can think of for now."
After listening quietly, Riezel finally spoke up with a calm voice.
"And then? Why are you telling me all this?"
"I''d like to invite you to join us."
Kagaya answered immediately, gazing at Riezel''s calm eyes, his expression bing more solemn and sincere.
"Has your opinion changed? If I were to invite you to join the Corps again right now, what would you say?"
Chapter 176: I Have What He Wants the Most
Chapter 176: I Have What He Wants the Most
At this moment, if one were to ask what Kagaya wanted most, it would undoubtedly be to keep Riezel in the Demon yer Corps.
Witnessing Riezel''s strength and seeing the potential in his body, Kagaya hade to view Riezel as hope¡ªa hope for humanity to triumph over demons, to end the conflict between humans and demons once and for all.
If it were this youth, he could surely defeat Muzan and make those demons that had persisted in the darkness for millennia disappear forever.
It was the future Kagaya longed to see, the long-standing wish of the Ubuyashiki family and the Demon yer Corps.
If this future coulde to pass before his eyes, even if it meant drawing hisst breath right now, he would be willing to do so a hundred times over.
Therefore, after a three-month break, Kagaya once again extended an invitation to Riezel in front of the Hashira.
As long as Riezel was willing to join the Demon yer Corps, then the next course of action for the Corps would be to spare no effort in finding Muzan''s whereabouts.
Later on, it would be the ultimate showdown between humans and demons, bringing an end to the tragedy in this generation.
If they were victorious, demons would vanish entirely, and no one would ever again be demon food, putting an end to the fear of the night.If they were to fail, for the next few hundred years, there might be no one capable of stopping Muzan and stopping the atrocities of demons.
Undoubtedly, this ultimate showdown would directly determine the future of this world.
For this reason, Kagaya wanted to do everything in his power to make it happen, to tip the scales of war in favor of humankind.
Of course, achieving this future wouldn''t be easy. Even if he managed to invite Riezel, whether the Demon yer Corps could find Muzan remained uncertain.
Muzan''s whereabouts were always a mystery.
For centuries, the Demon yer Corps had never given up on searching for him, yet they had never once seeded in pinpointing his location.
As the progenitor of demons, Muzan possessed the ability topletely mimic others, able to change his appearance at will. Whether it be appearance, gender, or even scent and aura, he could freely change them, making it impossible for anyone to recognize him, even as he roamed among humans.
He was adept at disguise, skilled at blending into crowds, sometimes appearing male, sometimes female, sometimes an adult, sometimes a child, his true form entirely unknown.
With the ability to change anything visible to the naked eye, trying to track down Muzan''s trail was like trying to find a needle in a haystack.
Clearly, the intelligencework of the Demon yer Corps had be quite mature and powerful. With Kasugai Crows freely flying around the world to gather intelligence and the Kakushi assisting behind the scenes, coupled with the longstanding influence of the Ubuyashiki family, even national secrets could easily be obtained by the Corps.
Yet, even so, whenever the Demon yer Corps pinpointed Muzan''s position, he had already changed his appearance and calmly left.
In such circumstances, the Demon yer Corps rarely had the opportunity to directly formte approaches and strategies against Muzan. At most, they could only hunt ordinary demons and treat the Twelve Kizuki as threats to deal with.
Riezel may have the strength to defeat Muzan, but if his position couldn''t be found, it would all be in vain.
Unfortunately, Kagaya couldn''t do anything about it.
He understood that this was the closest he hade to fulfilling the long-standing wish of the Demon yer Corps and the Ubuyashiki family.
If it couldn''t be achieved, then it would be fate.
Kagaya only wanted to facilitate everything as much as possible. At least before he fell, he hoped to see the Demon yer Corps have a chance of defeating Muzan.
However, Kagaya, who was thinking like this, didn''t know that the future he imagined mighte sooner than he thought.
"Actually, I''m not particrly opposed to joining the Demon yer Corps..." Riezel finally answered.
Since the evolution of Sun Breathing wasplete and he had obtained his own Nichirin Sword, even awakening abilities like the Transparent World, joining the Demon yer Corps to hunt demons wouldn''t be a bad choice.
However, there was something he wanted to make clear first.
"However, if I stay in the Demon yer Corps, all of you may always encounter unimaginable dangers."
Riezel''s words left everyone present stunned.
"Unimaginable dangers?" Mitsuri asked, surprised and nervous. "What do you mean? Demons?"
"That''s right..." Riezel nodded lightly. "Shortly after I arrived here, this ce was exposed, and three Upper Ranks were immediately sent over. Do you think that''s just a coincidence?"
Everyone immediately furrowed their brows.
"It''s not a coincidence." Riezel continued. "My appearance caught Kibutsuji Muzan''s attention, so he sent his people to investigate me, track my movements, and ultimately expose this ce."
Tamayo had said that upon hearing the name ''Tsugikuni Yoriichi'', Muzan would surely take action. As a result of this action, Riezel''s presence in this ce was tracked, and the location of the headquarters of the Demon yer Corps was exposed.
"Do you mean that as long as you stay within the Corps, Kibutsuji Muzan won''t give up? He''ll send demons again to find you, attack you, and then the location of the Corps'' headquarters will be exposed again. Is that what you mean?" Kyoujurou asked tentatively.
"Well, isn''t that just perfect?" Sanemi immediately chimed in, gripping his Nichirin Sword at his waist with a fierce look on his face. "I''ve been itching to find demons, to find those Upper Rank bastards! If they dare to attack again this time, I''ll make sure to kill them all."
"Yes..." Obanai''s eyes gleamed with a cold light. "I was just thinking, I want to see if those Upper Ranks are really that powerful."
"Well said!" Tengen crossed his arms, highly approving. "If we could have a magnificent showdown, I''d raise both hands and feet in favor!"
"Amitabha." Gyoumei folded his hands together, chanting the Buddhist mantra, not opposing the others'' opinions.
Giyuu and Muichirou remained silent, but by their expressions, it seemed they were also prepared to engage in battle with demons at any moment.
Shinobu, however, looked silently at Riezel, feeling that things weren''t as simple as they seemed.
At this moment, the opinions of the Hashira were surprisingly unanimous, with none showing a hint of fear.
Evidently, the attack on their headquarters, the destruction of their town by demons, and even their revered Master being in danger¡ªall of this made the Hashira feel both enraged and frustrated.
Coupled with the miserable defeats of Kyoujurou and Shinobu at the hands of the Upper Ranks, it further fueled their sense of unwillingness.
If the Hashira always lost to the Upper Ranks, didn''t that mean they werepletely powerless against the Upper Ranks?
With this thought in mind, even Gyomei, Giyuu, and Muichiro, who were always calm, wanted to fight the Upper Ranks to witness and experience their power, not to mention the hot-tempered Sanemi and Obanai.
Given this, they truly couldn''t wait for the Upper Ranks to appear before them.
Even though the Twelve Kizuki were always searching for the whereabouts of the headquarters of the Demon yer Corps and the Ubuyashiki family, the Corps was also constantly seeking the Twelve Kizuki''s location.
Both sides were sworn enemies, so there wasn''t much to say. As long as no worries were holding them back, they would have gone to battle right then and there¡ªno question about it.
Fear of battle, except for the coward Zenitsu, probably did not exist within the entire Demon yer Corps.
However¡ª
"What if the one who''sing for me is Kibutsuji Muzan himself?"
When Riezel said this with a calm voice, everyone''s expression suddenly changed.
"What?"
Kagaya was also stunned upon hearing this.
===
Time rewound to yesterday.
Before dawn, after Riezel sessfully slew two Upper Ranks, the members of the Demon yer Corps and the town''s residents rushed back and forth, assisting the wounded and tidying up in the aftermath.
At that moment, Riezel returned to the deep mountains and once again met Tamayo and Yushirou.
Tamayo had witnessed Riezel''s entire battle, seeing with her own eyes the scene where he beheaded seven Upper Ranks with a single strike. Because of this, she was now convinced and had no more doubts about his strength.
"You''re a swordsman who''s not weaker than Tsugikuni Yoriichi, I''m convinced of that..." Tamayo said with a nod but then added with an anxious tone. "But I''m worried that Kibutsuji Muzan, who has also confirmed this, will make the same decision as hundreds of years ago after seeing your performance tonight."
What decision?
"He will hide and won''t show up again until you''ve passed away..." Tamayo continued with a worried tone. "If things turn out like that, it will be troublesome."
It was entirely possible.
As Tamayo had mentioned before, Muzan was a coward and very afraid of death. He was so fearful to the point that he rarely allowed the members of the Twelve Kizuki to gather together, worried that they would pose a threat by uniting to rebel against him.
He was afraid of Yoriichi''s strength, so he hid, hiding for decades until Yoriichi passed away, and only then did hee out.
Now, with Riezel overpowering three Upper Ranks with just one strike, such strength, such performance, were likely to once again arouse Muzan''s cowardice, causing this Demon King to hide for decades again.
Tamayo was worried that if things turned out that way, the hope they had finally seen of defeating Muzan would be directly shattered.
"Muzan possessed an ability to disguise perfectly, capable of transforming into anyone in this world and concealing his aura. If he truly wanted to hide, there was simply no one in this world who could find him." Tamayo added.
If even Muzan couldn''t be found, then Riezel''s extraordinary power would be of no use.
Yoriichi was an example of this.
Because Muzan had escaped, Yoriichi, who was undoubtedly an overpowered and cheat-like existence in this world, never again had the opportunity to face Muzan, carrying this regret to his grave.
Tamayo was very afraid, afraid that Riezel would meet the same fate as Yoriichi.
However, after Tamayo expressed her concerns, Riezel denied it with confidence.
"No, this time he won''t hide."
Gazing at the sky, Riezel stated firmly, his expression serene.
"He won''t... hide?" Tamayo blinked slightly in confusion.
"Yeah..."
Riezel nodded calmly, a sudden smile appearing on his face as he turned his gaze toward Tamayo.
"Because... I have what he wants the most..."
Chapter 177: Demon Slayer Mark, Bright Red Nichirin Sword, and Transparent World
Chapter 177: Demon yer Mark, Bright Red Nichirin Sword, and Transparent World
As someone known by Tamayo to be exceptionally cowardly and afraid of death, Muzan had an immense obsession with immortality.
Muzan, the progenitor of demons, was born during the distant Heian period. Even before his birth, his heart had stopped beating in his mother''s womb, and he came into the world stillborn.
Although he eventually survived, he was diagnosed with a terminal illness and was told he wouldn''t live past twenty, always remaining bedridden.
Someone like him should have died a long, long time ago.
However, a doctor developed a medicine to extend his life, thus changing Muzan''s fate.
Yes, Muzan was originally a human who could die and could get sick. It wasn''t until after he took the medicine from that doctor that his body transformed.
He not only regained his health but also obtained eternal life and immense power.
From that moment on, the world saw the emergence of a new kind of monster¡ªa demon.
With that, the so-called progenitor of demons was born this way.After bing a demon, Muzan possessed a body that could recover from any injury, never age, and never die. Despite this, he still pursued perfection, aiming to ovee his weakness to sunlight and be immortal in the truest sense.
As a result, in his search for immortality and perfect life, Muzan abandoned his family and original identity, wandering the world.
Tamayo became a demon was also because Muzan wanted to utilize her expertise in pharmacology to develop a drug that could ovee sunlight.
As someone familiar with the original work, Riezel naturally knew about Muzan''s obsession with immortality and understood what he had been seeking in the world for a thousand years.
"Blue Spider Lily."
Riezel revealed the secret, known to very few.
"Kibutsuji Muzan researched the form of the medicine made by that doctor and discovered that it was actually iplete. It required a nt called ''Blue Spider Lily'' to be a finished product."
Needless to say, Muzan had been searching for traces of the Blue Spider Lily all along toplete the unfinished medicine and be the ultimate immortal monster.
Knowing this fact, after Riezel beheaded the seven demons in the Ubuyashiki Estate, he whispered something into Gyokko''s ear just before he turned to ash.
¡ªBlue Spider Lily is in my hands.
Riezel was certain that these words had already reached Muzan''s ears.
Muzan could give his blood to others, turning them into demons and thereby exertingplete control over them.
Those who became demons through his blood could not only have their minds read when near him but also have their directions and locations sensed. They could even engage in telepathicmunication and share visions, allowing him to know everything happening to them to the greatest extent.
Although this control had its limitations such as decreased precision over long distances or reduced control when his own condition was poor, generally speaking, barring unforeseen circumstances, all demons were under his control, and he knew their every action.
Because of this, Riezel could confidently tell everyone.
"Kibutsuji Muzan definitely heard what I said back then..." Riezel stated calmly. "So, he will definitelye looking for me."
In the face of his obsession with immortality, Muzan, no matter how cowardly, wouldn''t stay silent and hide again as he did hundreds of years ago.
He had been searching for the Blue Spider Lily since the Heian period, for over a thousand years, with no results. Now, with the sudden news of it, no matter what, he would go crazy for it.
Even if he feared and dreaded Riezel''s strength, or was shocked that Riezel knew about the Blue Spider Lily, or even suspected a trap, he would still take action for immortality and a perfect life.
After all, this was his only obsession.
Riezel didn''t believe Muzan could restrain his thousand-year obsession and hide without even attempting to confront him.
"You could say, from the moment I mentioned ''Blue Spider Lily'' to the Upper Five, it was inevitable that Kibutsuji Muzan and I would face each other."
In a room covered with tatami mats, Riezel dered confidently in front of the higher-ups of the Demon yer Corps.
"Perhaps, it won''t be long before we have a battle."
With those wordsing out of Riezel''s mouth, the room instantly fell silent.
Even Kagaya, along with everyone present, had their breaths slightly quickened in that instant.
No choice.
If all this was true, it meant one thing¡ªthe one they had always dreamed of finding and eliminating but could never locate was about to appear.
When that happened, as long as they killed him, all the demons in the world would perish.
No one would be eaten by demons anymore.
No one would suffer from the loss of their loved ones anymore.
No one would despair anymore.
No one would lose their happy lives anymore.
After all, each Hashira had, to some extent, lost their original lives and loved ones to demons. Naturally, this led them to harbor a deep-seated hatred toward demons, resenting them and desiring to exterminate everyst one¡ªespecially Muzan.
Because of him, the demons that killed their loved ones existed in this world.
In other words, the tragedies in their lives were all caused by his actions.
With the imminent appearance of the culprit of everything, how could the Hashira remain calm?
At this moment, several astonishing auras filled the room.
One was surrounded by whirlwinds.
Another had mes igniting on his body.
Another had water flowing around his body.
Some caused anomalies in the atmosphere around them, with sounds like sonic booms or the shadow of a snake rising behind, looking particrly terrifying.
*Cough!* *Cough!*
Even Kagaya started coughing from his intense emotions, coughing so hard that blood dripped onto the tatami. In the next second, his wife and children panicked, hastily patting his back and feeding him medicine.
Riezel watched all this, furrowing his brows, not saying a word. Nheless, at this point, even if he didn''t speak, no one present could ignore him.
"Is everything you said true?"
Sanemi stared at Riezel with bloodshot eyes, squeezing out the words through gritted teeth.
"Kibutsuji Muzan wille to find you? Are you absolutely sure?"
All the Hashira''s gazes instantly focused on Riezel, filled with various intense emotions.
Riezel had expected the members of the Demon yer Corps to be excited if he told them about Muzan''s matter, but he hadn''t expected such a very strong reaction.
In fact, it was actually understandable.
After all, Riezel wasn''t one of the Demon yer Corps, unlike these people who had experienced despair, pain, and the nightmare of having their loved ones taken by demons.
Even if he knew through the original work that the Hashira had various tragic pasts, knowing was one thing, understanding them was another.
In light of this, Riezel had to remind them.
"You all seem to think this is a good thing, but I don''t." Riezel poured cold water on their excitement. "I won''tment on myself, but for you guys, if you face Kibutsuji Muzan, there''s only one oue,plete annihtion."
Evidently, this ssh of cold water extinguished the intense emotions in the hearts of the Hashira. Only a few Hashira, who had very deep grudges against demons, werepletely undeterred.
"As long as we can kill Kibutsuji Muzan, who cares aboutplete annihtion?!" Sanemi shouted. "Even if I die, I''ll drag him to hell with me!"
"No, the problem is, I''m afraid you won''t even be able to do that." Riezel said mercilessly. "You can''t even defeat the Upper Ranks. Even if you all go together, without the Mark, without the Transparent World, without the Bright Red Nichirin Sword, you won''t be able to hurt him at all."
"What did you say?!" Sanemi abruptly stood up.
Riezel nced at Sanemi indifferently, then looked away, showing he didn''t want to talk to him much.
Seeing this, Sanemi lost his temper.
"Sanemi!"
*Cough!*
Just as Sanemi was about to rush over and grab Riezel''s cor, Kagaya spoke up in time.
"Don''t be disrespectful to His Excellency. He saved me, saved the entire Ubuyashiki family, and saved the Corps."
Kagaya''s simple sentence calmed Sanemi down.
At this moment, it was Obanai, who had also had conflicts with Riezel and had never been very friendly, who spoke up.
"What are these so-called Mark, Transparent World, and Bright Red Nichirin Sword you''re talking about?"
His question sessfully shifted everyone''s attention to this topic.
"I remember, Tsugikuni mentioned these three namesst time..." Shinobu suddenly brought up the topic.
"Ah, that''s right!" Mitsuri also recalled it.
"So, what is it? It sounds pretty mboyant to me." Tengen couldn''t help but speak up.
Giyuu, Muichirou, Gyoumei, and Kyoujurou also showed expressions of interest.
Seeing their reactions, Riezel thought for a moment before deciding to exin.
"Well, it doesn''t matter if I tell you..." Riezel crossed his hands over his chest. "The so-called Mark, Bright Red Nichirin Sword, and Transparent World refer to three types of ability."
"The Mark, also called the Demon yer Mark, is a veined mark that appears on the bodies of Demon yers, greatly enhancing their physical abilities."
"The Bright Red Nichirin Sword is an ability that significantly increases damage to demons, even reducing their regenerative abilities."
"The Transparent World is an ocr extrasensory perception that alters your vision, allowing you to perceive other living beings as if they were transparent. Once achieved, it maximizes perception, enables seeing through bodies, and significantly enhances movement speed, attack prediction, and reflexes."
Riezel exined calmly to everyone.
"These three abilities, if you manage to get one, can really boost your strength and make you a bigger threat to demons."
"If you have all three, you might stand a chance against an Upper Rank."
"In fact, even a low-ranking Demon yer with these three abilities could easily pose a threat to an Upper Rank."
Chapter 178: Head Instructor
Chapter 178: Head Instructor
If the emergence of breathing styles allowed humans to confront demons directly, then abilities like the Demon yer Mark, the Bright Red Nichirin Sword, and the Transparent World further enhanced these humans, making them high-endbat power capable of facing even the strongest demons.
Whether it was the Demon yer Mark or the Transparent World, any of these abilities noticeably increased human strength.
Even the Bright Red Nichirin Sword, though useless against anything other than demons, had significant destructive power against them.
Therefore, among the Hashira, all but one had to awaken at least one of these abilities to have the power to confront an Upper Rank.
"So that''s how it is..."
Every Hashira was deeply shocked upon learning the three abilities.
It couldn''t be helped.
Because the legacy of the Demon yer Corps had been lost and destroyed many times throughout history, it remained iplete. Most of the Hashira knew almost nothing about the Demon yer Mark, the Bright Red Nichirin Sword, or the Transparent World.
Only Kagaya, after coughing a few times, spoke up."Regarding the Bright Red Nichirin Sword and Transparent World, I won''t discuss those two abilities. However, in the history passed down within the Ubuyashiki family, I''ve seen records about the Mark."
Kagaya revealed this information.
"Legend has it that during the Sengoku period, some of the first-generation Demon yers, who had pushed Kibutsuji Muzan to the brink several times, had veined marks on their bodies. I believe that must be the so-called Demon yer Mark."
Upon hearing Kagaya''s exnation, Riezel smirked.
"Pushed Kibutsuji Muzan to the brink, huh?"
Riezel was skeptical about this im, but he didn''t correct it.
"That is indeed the Demon yer Mark. Demon yers who awaken the Mark have significantly more strength than ordinary Demon yers. Whether they could push Kibutsuji Muzan to the brink, I don''t know, but they certainly had the power to push the Upper Ranks to the brink¡ªthat''s unquestionable."
Upon hearing this, the Hashira couldn''t stay calm.
"Young Tsugikuni, are you this strong because you''ve mastered the three abilities you mentioned?"
Kyoujurou asked hastily, causing the eyes of every Hashira present to burn with intensity.
If Riezel was strong because he possessed these three abilities, did that mean they could be just as strong if they also acquired them?
Thoughts like this couldn''t help but arise in the minds of the Hashira.
Unfortunately, Riezel dashed their hopes.
"I did awaken the Transparent World, but that''s all. I haven''t awakened the Mark or the Bright Red Nichirin Sword."
His words shocked everyone.
"Just one ability made you this strong?" Mitsuri covered her mouth, looking incredulous.
"No, my strength has nothing to do with how many abilities I''ve unlocked." Riezel shook his head. "Although the Mark and the Bright Red Nichirin Sword are indeed impressive, to me, they''re just that, decent. Especially the Mark, ites with a terrifying price after awakening it. I know how to awaken it, but I don''t n to."
"Price?" Sanemi seemed particrly concerned about this. "What price?"
Riezel nced at him for a second, then answered calmly.
"The Mark is an ability that boosts strength by overdrawing one''s life force. In other words, using the Mark shortens your lifespan. Everyone who has awakened the Mark rarely lived past twenty-five years old."
As soon as Riezel finished saying this, everyone fell silent.
It was because of this side effect that Riezel didn''t n to awaken the Demon yer Mark. In his view, the Demon yer Mark might be good, but it was just that.
Among the Hashira, the weakest one had strength equivalent to lower Level 4, while the weakest among the Upper Ranks was about upper Level 4. In other words, if a Hashira used the Demon yer Mark, even the weakest one would have the power to directly confront the weakest among the Upper Ranks.
It might sound impressive, but just increasing strength from lower Level 4 to upper Level 4 wasn''t that amazing.
In this world, the Demon yer Mark was undoubtedly a strong ability, but to Riezel, it seemed just average.
With an overpowered enchant magic like Ariel that allowed one to challenge opponents with a higher level, an ability that only allowed one to challenge opponents half a level wasn''t that appealing. Without any side effects, it might be worth trying, but with a side effect as severe as reducing one''s lifespan, it was better left alone.
Considering this, Riezel never thought about awakening the Demon yer Mark from the beginning.
As for the Bright Red Nichirin Sword, he had some interest at first, but now, this ability was redundant for someone who had the Pioneer of the Sun.
Against demons, the Pioneer of the Sun''s special attack capability against evil entities was certainly more lethal than the Bright Red Nichirin Sword, not to mention, his Nichirin Sword, Hermit, also had a massively damaging effect on demons.
Moreover, Sun Breathing, as the first and origin of breathing styles, has a sunlight-like restraining effect on demons, like his previous use of ''Sun Halo Dragon Head Dance'', which could temporarily suppress a demon''s regenerative ability, even causing them intense pain.
Because of this, the Bright Red Nichirin Sword was no longer important to Riezel.
Among the three abilities, only Transparent World had significant usefulness to him, while the other two were either uneptable due to their side effects or had be redundant.
Given this, Riezel neither nned to awaken the Demon yer Mark nor to delve into the Bright Red Nichirin Sword, as having the Transparent World was already enough for him.
Of course, this was a different matter for the Hashira.
"As long as we awaken the Mark and the other two abilities, we can defeat the Upper Ranks?"
Shinobu, speaking on behalf of all the Hashira, made the final confirmation.
To her question, Riezel gave a straightforward answer.
"Let''s not talk about the strongest Upper One right now. That guy''s on a whole different levelpared to the other Upper Ranks. But aside from him, as long as you all can use all three abilities, you''ll at least have a chance of defeating the other Upper Ranks in a one-on-one fight."
In Riezel''s view, the strength of the Hashira could be divided into three tiers.
Firstly, there were the Insect Hashira, Kochou Shinobu, the Love Hashira, Kanroji Mitsuri, and the Mist Hashira, Tokitou Muichirou. Since these three were rtively the youngest among the Hashira, their strength wasparatively weaker. They were at the bottom tier of the Hashira, equivalent to lower Level 4.
Next, there were the me Hashira, Rengoku Kyoujurou, the Water Hashira, Tomioka Giyuu, the Wind Hashira, Shinazugawa Sanemi, the Sound Hashira, Uzui Tengen, and the Serpent Hashira, Iguro Obanai. Since these five were the backbones of the Hashira, they possessed rtively stronger strength, equivalent to middle Level 4.
Finally, there was the Stone Hashira, Himejima Gyoumei.
Riezel nced at the monk who was silently weeping with his hands sped together.
Gyoumei was the oldest among the Hashira, already twenty-seven years old. Yet, it was precisely because he was the oldest that he was also the strongest.
As such, the strongest of the Twelve Kizuki was the Upper One and the strongest in the Demon yer Corps was this Stone Hashira, Himejima Gyoumei.
Gyoumei''s strength was approximately equivalent to upper Level 4, making him the only one among the current Hashira who could confront an Upper Rank head-on without the three abilities.
Even so, upper Level 4 was still the weakest strength among the Upper Ranks.
For instance, Gyuutarou, the Upper Six, was roughly at upper Level 4.
Gyokko, the Upper Five, was about the same.
As for the Upper Four, Hantengu, though his ability was tricky, Gyoumei wouldn''t struggle too much if he knew the right strategy.
Gyoumei could even hold his own against the Upper Three, Akaza.
Unfortunately, this was probably his limit.
Going beyond that, without using any of the three abilities, it would be very difficult for him to win.
Especially the Upper One¡ªhe was on a whole other level.
Riezel suspected the Upper One had the strength equivalent to Level 5, so even if Gyoumei used all three abilities, he wouldn''t be able to defeat the Upper One one-on-one.
However, excluding the Upper One, if the Hashira could awaken all three abilities, they would have some chance of victory against the other Upper Ranks in one-on-one¡ªespecially Gyoumei.
If Gyoumei used the Demon yer Mark, the Transparent World, and the Bright Red Nichirin Sword, he would be at least at the limit of Level 4, possibly even reaching middle Level 5. Such strength would give him a good chance of victory, even against the Upper Two.
As Riezel provided the answer, all the Hashira exchanged nces with each other.
"Hmph." Tengen held his forehead. "Since that''s the case, isn''t the solution alreadyid out brilliantly before us?"
Every Hashira''s eyes ignited with mes.
Seeing this, Riezel understood that these people were really ready to go all out.
"You know the way to awaken those three abilities, right?" Obanai asked with a serious expression. "Please, tell us."
Without a doubt, all the Hashira present were willing to bear the consequence of using the Demon yer Mark.
"As long as we can kill the Upper Ranks, kill Kibutsuji Muzan, dying instantly wouldn''t matter, let alone living until twenty-five." Sanemi''s eyes gleamed fiercely.
"Umu, that''s right!" Kyoujurou crossed his arms, a cheerful smile still on his face.
"Amitabha." Gyoumei chanted the Buddha''s name again, tears streaming down even more than before.
Shinobu, Giyuu, and Muichirou remained silent but their expression clearly expressed their intentions.
Even the seemingly weakest and clumsy Mitsuri was the same.
Seeing the Hashira with eyes full of a readiness to die, Riezel fell silent. He understood that saying more would be useless.
"If none of you are really afraid of death, I can grant your wish."
Riezel''s indifferent words seemed quite heartless, but even so, many people in the room cast grateful nces at him, even bowing their heads to him in respect.
Kagaya silently observed everything, neither stopping nor saying more, merely announcing one thing.
"From today onward, the Demon yer Corps will establish a head instructor position, to be held by His Excellency, Tsugikuni Yoriichi."
"Moreover, the status of head instructor is above the Hashira and equal to mine."
"Everyone must obey Head Instructor Tsugikuni Yoriichi''s orders and prepare for the final battle with the demons."
To Kagaya''s announcement, all the Hashira had only one response.
""YES!""
Chapter 179: Infinity Castle
Chapter 179: Infinity Castle
It was a very peculiar space.
What made it peculiar was the chaotic arrangement of the buildings, presenting a very eerieyout.
Some were upside down, some were separated from each other, some ovepped like blocks, and some even sat directly on the walls and ceilings, giving one a feeling of entering a dream or a kaleidoscope, very discordant.
No one knew where this was¡ªor rather, those who knew of this ce were generally not human.
*Plink-Plonk!*
At a certain moment, as the sound of a biwa being plucked suddenly resounded, a figure suddenly appeared as if by teleportation.
"Where is this...?"
Looking left and right, the figure was momentarily startled, then immediately recognized this ce.
"Infinity Castle?"Infinity Castle, a castle unknown to most but indeed existing in this world.
It was the supreme headquarters of the Twelve Kizuki that was not located in any particr spot on the ground but was like this, in a strange space.
Now, someone had clearly summoned demons here, calling forth the few remaining Upper Ranks of the Twelve Kizuki.
For example, the figure who had just appeared.
Peach-colored short hair, body covered in deep blue tattoos.
Clearly, it was none other than Akaza who had once been considered dead by Riezel before.
Meanwhile, just as Akaza appeared, another figure approached him from behind.
"My, my, isn''t this Lord Akaza?"
Saying this, the neer approached Akaza affectionately, smiling brightly.
He was a young man with tinum blond hair and irises that shimmered in a rainbow hue. He wore a red turtleneck with a design that made it look as if the area between his neck and upper chest was covered by a ck substance, which seemed to be dripping slightly down his body and repeating at his wrists and hands, as well as on the small circr bloodstain on the top of his head.
He had a slender build, taller than Akaza, and the Japanese characters for ''Upper Rank'' and ''Two'' were inscribed in his rainbow-like eyes, revealing his identity to those who saw them.
Yes.
He was none other than the Upper Two, ranked second among the Twelve Kizuki, a demon just below the Upper One¡ªDouma.
"Long time no see, how have you beentely?"
Douma reached out his hand, seemingly intending to rest it on Akaza''s shoulder. However, before it could happen, Akaza suddenly punched his outstretched hand, the force was so strong that it instantly exploded his hand.
"Don''t touch me."
Akaza looked coldly at Douma as if saying, ''I''ll kill you if you dare to reach out your hand again.''
Such a vicious attitude, not even shown when facing Riezel, was now disyed by Akaza. It was evident how much disdain this Upper Three held for the Upper Two.
Surprisingly, Douma seemed unperturbed.
"You''re really heartless, y''know? Clearly, I was just showing concern for you."
Douma shook his severed hand, which regenerated in a second, like a torn clothing back to life. If Demon yers were to witness this, they would surely be astonished by his regenerative ability that could restore severed limbs in the blink of an eye.
"Well, looks like you''re doing just fine then." Douma added with a smirk. "I thought after you got your head chopped off once, even if you miraculously survived, there would be some lingering effects."
"Wanna give it a try?" Akaza''s attitude remained icy. "If you want, I can twist your head off your neck right now."
"If that would make you happy, I''m happy to oblige!" Douma''s smile didn''t waver. "Or should I just twist it off myself for you? You can take it home if you like!"
Although Douma seemed to be joking, Akaza knew that if he agreed, this man wouldn''t mind twisting his own head off.
"Tch..."
Akaza clicked his tongue in annoyance, emanating an ominous aura from his whole body. Just as he was about tounch an attack on Douma, a deep voice sounded, stopping him.
"That''s enough..."
The deep voice rumbled like distant thunder, reaching the ears of Akaza and Douma, causing both to turn their heads to the side.
Over there, appearing seemingly out of nowhere, stood another figure.
It was a man wearing a kimono with a purple-and-ck hexagonal pattern and ck hakama pants, his long ck hair tied up into a high ponytail. He also had red me-like markings on the top left side of his forehead and the bottom right of his chin, while a sword hung at his waist, resembling an ancient samurai.
However, what was peculiar was that he had three pairs of eyes on his face with yellow irises and red flesh sclera that had ck straight lines diverging from each iris, with Japanese characters engraved in the middle pair.
Left Eye - Upper Rank.
Right Eye - One.
From this, it was clear that he was the strongest of the Twelve Kizuki, ranked only below the Demon King, the Upper One.
"Kokushibou..."
Akaza red at the neer with hostility, fighting intent, and seriousness.
"Lord Kokushibou! Long time no see!"
Douma, however, remained as warm and affectionate as ever, seeming quite pleased to see the strongest of the Twelve Kizuki, the only Upper Rank ranked above him.
Kokushibou ignored their words, instead fixing his terrifying six eyes on the two.
"This is Lord Muzan''s personal summons... Those who don''t understand the situation... If you continue to fool around... I will personally take action..."
With such words, a pressure strong enough to overwhelm everything around immediately emanated from Kokushibou''s body.
Feeling this pressure, Akaza''splexion grew more and more serious, and even Douma stopped acting carefree.
Akaza, Douma, and Kokushibou then looked ahead together, gazing at the one who had summoned them to the Infinity Castle.
It was a woman holding a biwa, dressed in a ck kimono, with long ck hair, and bangs that hung down to cover half of her face,pletely obscuring her eyes.
Apparently, the biwa sound that had been ying in the Infinity Castle from the beginning was her doing.
"Lady Nakime!" Douma greeted the biwa woman sitting at the other end of the building.
"Where is Lord Muzan?" Akaza inquired.
Nakime was in charge of managing the Infinity Castle.
Although she was not part of the Twelve Kizuki and did not have a number, she was Muzan''s attendant, specifically assisting him, simr to a secretary. Because of this, the demons of the Twelve Kizuki did not treat her as a mere lower-rank demon.
Moreover, the reason Akaza and the others suddenly appeared in the Infinity Castle was also because of Nakime''s Blood Demon Art. In light of this, since she had summoned them with her Blood Demon Art, it was clearly because Muzan had given her such an order.
And indeed, this was the case.
"Lord Muzan has been here for a long time."
As soon as Nakime''s faint voice sounded, Akaza and the others felt as though the space in front of them suddenly twisted and distorted.
Soon, a Japanese-style door opened in front of the three, revealing a room that seemed out of ce in the Infinity Castle.
It seemed to be a study, filled with various bookshelves and books.
Inside the room stood a tall young man wearing a suit with the coat removed, his skin as pale as paper, bowing his head to read a book in front of a bookshelf with his back to the three. Even when he appeared in front of them, he had no intention of turning around, still engrossed in his book.
However, at the first sight of him, the three quickly kneeled down.
""Lord Muzan.""
Akaza, Douma, and Kokushibou respectfully greeted their king.
Indeed, the young man was none other than the progenitor of demons, the Demon King who had been living in the world for over a thousand years¡ªKibutsuji Muzan.
He seemed like an ordinary human man, with no trace of anything unusual emanating from his back facing them. Yet, the moment he spoke, the entire Infinity Castle seemed to tremble.
"Gyokko, Gyuutarou, Daki..."
Muzan''s voice, devoid of any emotion, sounded indifferent as he spoke.
"They''re dead."
With just these words, Akaza, who was kneeling with his head bowed, had his pupils shrink.
"Gyokko and Gyuutarou... dead?!" Douma eximed in shock. "What happened?"
Kokushibou remained silent, only lifting his head, his six eyes showing a hint of surprise.
After all, it had been one hundred and thirteen years since there had been any changes among the Upper Rank, and now, all of a sudden, two Upper Ranks had died at once?
What actually happened?
However, despite the shock of the three, Muzan paid them no attention whatsoever, not even bothering to exin how and why.
"I haven''t been this furious in years..."
Muzan''s voice, carrying a raging fury within its icy coldness, echoed in the ears of the three.
"It''s not because of their deaths, but because of your ipetence."
In an instant, a terrifying pressure, as if it could crush anything into minced meat at any moment, permeated the Infinity Castle with unparalleled rity.
"Because of your ipetence, the Blue Spider Lily has yet to be found, leading to the situation I''m in now."
"What use are you to me?"
"Do you have any value left?"
Each of Muzan''s words shook the hearts of the three, shaking their bodies and causing blood to flow from their mouths, noses, ears, and eyes.
Despite this, the three dared not even breathe a sigh.
After all, it was the first time they had seen their king so furious, and they couldn''t help but feel a little fearful.
It was well known that Muzan was ruthless and cruel.
Generally, when he was this angry, it usually meant someone had to die to quell his rage. Even if they didn''t know what had happened or why their king was so angry, they could only endure it.
Reasoning with him?
Useless.
Muzan was temperamental. He would immediately tear off their limbs if someone tried to reason with him. What made it worse was that even entertaining such thoughts was forbidden since he could even read their minds and hear their innermost feelings.
As a result, even though Akaza, Douma, and Kokushibou were esteemed members of the Upper Ranks and ranked among the top three, they could only bear Muzan''s wrath silently.
After a while, Muzan calmed down slightly.
"I''ll give you onest chance."
Muzan''s voice was cold as he spoke, echoing slowly through the Infinity Castle.
"Get ready... war ising."
Chapter 180: Kokushibous Hatred and Weeping
Chapter 180: Kokushibou''s Hatred and Weeping
War?
Upon hearing Muzan''s deration, Kokushibou, Akaza, and Douma were taken aback.
Unfortunately, Muzan didn''t borate further.
After all, this was just how the Demon King was, not only cruel and ruthless but also viewing the demons he created as tools to find the Blue Spider Lily and eradicate the Demon yer Corps.
He himselfcked human sensibility, a being diametrically opposed to the concept of ''human'' both physically and mentally.
Truly, there were many twisted aspects to his personality.
He was exceedingly brutal and explosively temperamental, exerting absolute terror over demons. Yet, he was also extraordinarily cowardly, afraid of death, with a profound obsession with immortality. Therefore, if someone were to say he looked like a gravely ill person or someone on the brink of death, he would instantly fly into a rage, brutally ughtering them.
Right now, Muzan was undoubtedly in a bad mood.
Not killing one or two people to vent his frustration was already considered very merciful, so why would he bother exining so much?If he were in a good mood, that would be another story.
Unfortunately, Muzan''s current mood was probably the worst he had experienced in his thousand-year existence.
He remembered that thest time he felt this terrible was when he was almost killed by Yoriichi. Now, hundreds of yearster, he was once again on the defensive because of someone with the same name, making him extremely unhappy.
Just thinking about it made him extremely angry.
''In the first ce, why would he know about the Blue Spider Lily?''
It was the one thing that truly baffled Muzan.
Most of those who knew about his search for the Blue Spider Lily were demons transformed by his own blood andpletely under his control. Not only would they not dare to leak any information about the Blue Spider Lily, but they couldn''t even mention hisplete name, without being instantly killed by his curse.
In such circumstances, how did this ''Tsugikuni Yoriichi'', who seemingly appeared out of nowhere,e to know about the Blue Spider Lily? Moreover, how did he not only learn about it but also speak of it in such a manner?
¡ªBlue Spider Lily is in my hands.
Remembering these words, at first, Muzan didn''t quite believe it.
How could it be possible that something he had been searching for a thousand years, something that so many demons had been dispatched to find all over the world and had remained undiscovered, could suddenly be in someone else''s possession?
Moreover, this someone happened to be a Demon yer who could wield Sun Breathing, bearing the name Tsugikuni Yoriichi.
What were the odds of such a coincidence?
Surely, this must be a scam!
Muzan once told himself like this.
Yet, even as he convinced himself like this, another voice persisted in his mind.
What if?
What if it was true?
What if it was true, and he let this opportunity slip by, actually giving up his hope for immortality?
And so, the obsession with immortality drove Muzan to repeatedly try to convince himself, plunging into deep self-contradiction.
After all, it had been a thousand years, and before this, there had been not even a little bit of information about the Blue Spider Lily. Now, with this sudden revtion, he found it hard not to harbor a faint glimmer of hope.
For anyone else, after a thousand fruitless years of searching, upon receiving such news, they would undoubtedly go mad and rush to pursue it at all costs.
Muzan wasn''t exactly known for his restraint or caution¡ªif it weren''t for the fear instilled in him by Riezel''s strength, he would have stormed out long ago.
Clearly, his current inaction was simply due to his cowardly nature.
But in the end, the desire for immortalitypelled Muzan to take action. It was absolutely impossible to let this opportunity he awaited for a thousand years slip away without doing anything.
Driven by this kind of thought, Muzan made his arrangements.
"Nakime, keep an eye on Hantengu. Once you''ve confirmed that he''s out of the Demon yer Corps'' sight, bring him back to the Infinity Castle and inform him of today''s meeting."
Without ncing aside, Muzan ordered Nakime.
"And keep a close watch on every move of the Demon yer Corps. Until everything is ready, you are not allowed to lose track of their whereabouts."
"Yes." Nakime nodded in obedience.
"Gyokko is dead, and the position of Upper Five is now vacant..." Muzan added expressionlessly. "Once you''ve taken care of this matter, this position is yours."
"Thank you for your kindness, Lord Muzan." Nakime''s voice brightened a bit.
At this point, Muzan shifted the topic to the three kneeling Upper Ranks.
"During this time, I want all of you to try to find as many people as possible who can potentially be powerful demons and bring them to me."
Muzan stood with his back to the three Upper Ranks, his expression obscured, but the three could see veins bulging on his neck and temples.
"You can''t find the Blue Spider Lily, but if I ask you to find people, you shouldn''t encounter any problems, right?"
""YES!""
The three hastily agreed.
If anyone dared to raise a question now, their heads would be on the line.
They also spected that perhaps their king was so angry because the Blue Spider Lily had already appeared and fallen into the hands of the enemy.
Finding the Blue Spider Lily was the most important mission entrusted to the Twelve Kizuki by Muzan himself. Now that their mission target had fallen into the hands of the enemy, it was only natural for him to be furious.
Understanding this, the three Upper Ranks knew what to do next.
Prepare with all their might, retrieve the Blue Spider Lily, and present it to their king.
It was the mission the three had grasped.
Once Kokushibou, Akaza, and Douma understood, Muzan, who had been reading their minds, finally turned around to face them.
"Remember, this is yourst chance. If you fail, the Upper Ranks will be disbanded just like the Lower Ranks."
Muzan''s ice-cold voice conveyed to the three how brutal his decision would be.
When Lower Five Rui lost to Tanjirou and was hunted down by the Demon yer Corps, Muzan, who deemed the Lower Ranks useless, disbanded them by killing them all on the spot.
As a result, among the remaining Lower Ranks, only the strongest and the one most to Muzan''s liking, Lower One Enmu, survived, while the rest were all killed on the spot by him.
If the Upper Ranks were also disbanded, the only ones likely to survive would probably be Kokushibou, who was the Upper One, while the rest of the members would likely be killed.
Don''t ever think Muzan would spare talent, as this Demon King was the most ruthless and heartless being in this world.
In the first ce, the Twelve Kizuki were created by him for the purpose of finding the Blue Spider Lily and eradicating the Demon yer Corps. If these two purposes could not be achieved, death would be their only fate.
"Go make preparations."
With these words left behind, Muzan walked away since he also needed to make preparations.
*Plink-Plonk*
Nakime immediately plucked her biwa, causing the door to Muzan''s room to suddenly close, disappearing within the Infinity Castle.
In the next second, the immense pressure pervading the Infinity Castle quickly dissipated, allowing the three Upper Ranks to stand up.
"I didn''t expect things to turn out like this..."
Douma still wore his smiling face as he spoke to his two colleagues.
"It looks like we really have to work hard this time. Lord Kokushibou, Lord Akaza, how do you n to proceed?"
Kokushibou and Akaza both ignored Douma.
"This is ourst chance... I hope you cherish it..." Kokushibou said indifferently, then turned and walked away.
"So cold~"
Douma pouted, then turned to Akaza with a smile.
"By the way, Lord Akaza, do you know what''s going on? Lord Muzan seems to have sent Hantengu, Gyokko, and the two siblings to investigate the one who nearly killed you. Is it rted to him?"
Douma''s words reminded Akaza of that man.
"Is it rted to Tsugikuni Yoriichi?" Akaza muttered with a frown.
However, his mutter clearly reached Kokushibou''s ears as he was about to leave.
"?!"
Kokushibou''s foot, about to step forward, suddenly paused, and then he forcefully turned around.
"You just said... who?"
In this instant, a much more terrifying aura and pressure surged out from him than when he first appeared in front of Akaza and Douma.
Such an aura and pressure awakened Akaza from his musings.
"Lord Kokushibou?" Douma said puzzled. "What''s going on with you¡ª"
*Swish!*
Before he could finish his words, however, a sh of de suddenly shed in front of him.
*Splurt!*
With a tearing sound, Douma''s head was severed by a single sh and rolled to the ground.
At the same time, Kokushibou suddenly appeared in front of Akaza, and before Akaza could react, Kokushibou grabbed his cor.
"Speak..." Kokushibou said in a low voice. "Who did you just say this is rted to?"
"Let go of me, you bastard!"
Akaza was furious, struggling with all his might, but unfortunately, he couldn''t break free at all, as his struggle only invited several sword shes.
*Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!*
With each sh of the sword, Akaza''s four limbs were severed, leaving only his head held by Kokushibou.
"Speak!"
Kokushibou''s tone had be more aggressive.
Such a tone, Akaza had never heard from Kokushibou before.
"...I said it''s Tsugikuni Yoriichi!" Akaza stared at him fiercely and finally told him. "You also know, right?! Not long ago, a human swordsman used a Nichirin Sword to cut off my head, almost killing me! He is Tsugikuni Yoriichi!"
Akaza''s words were exchanged with Kokushibou''s silence.
"Im...poss...ible..."
Kokushibou''s voice began to tremble.
"He said it himself!" Akaza roared in anger. "He uses a breathing style called Sun Breathing, which I''ve never seen on anyone else in the Demon yer Corps. If you don''t believe me, go check yourself!"
His words made Kokushibou''s hand tremble slightly.
"Sun Breathing..."
With that, the trembling voice of the Upper One persisted for a long time.
It sounded like a mixture of hatred and weeping.
Chapter 181: Swordsmith Village
Chapter 181: Swordsmith Vige
Of course, the event that took ce in the Infinity Castle remained unknown, even to the Demon yer Corps, which boasted an exceptional intelligencework.
After all, the space where the Infinity Castle was located could not be discovered or entered, not even by the Kasugai Crow, making it impossible to obtain any useful information.
However, the intelligencework of the Demon yer Corps actually discovered that after their headquarters was attacked by multiple Upper Ranks, the demons'' activities became unpredictable.
Some of them mysteriously disappeared, some became extremely active, and some seemed to have other purposes, no longer staying in one ce but moving from ce to ce.
Some even started killing each other, causing significant chaos, especially the Twelve Kizuki.
With the Lower Ranks disbanded and two Upper Ranks in, their actions became extremely uncontroble.
Not only did they no longer simply hunt for food or kill the Demon yers of the Demon yer Corps, but they also suddenly appeared and disappeared in various viges and towns, their movements and purposes bingpletely bizarre and mysterious.
Upon learning this information, the higher-ups of the Demon yer Corps became highly alert. It was understandable since the abnormal actions of the demons indicated that everything Riezel had said might indeede true.
Muzan was about to take action, meaning the great battle between the Twelve Kizuki and the Demon yer Corps was about to ignite.Clearly, this put all the Hashira on high alert, tightening the strings in their hearts. Moreover, the more impatient Hashira, thinking they might soon have to fight the Upper Ranks and even the Demon King, became eager to improve their strength.
Demon yer Mark, Bright Red Nichirin Sword, and Transparent World¡ªknowing that these three abilities existed, all the Hashira now urgently wanted to possess them.
Only by awakening these three abilities would they have a chance of winning against the Upper Ranks and Demon King. Even the usually rebellious Hashira, who didn''t want to admit this, had no reason to refuse to be stronger.
Unfortunately, the new head instructor did not immediately begin their training. After all, the Demon yer Corps was busy relocating their headquarters, collectively moving to the Swordsmith Vige.
Evidently, this task was not easy toplete.
Not only because the Swordsmith Vige''s location was secret and the routeplex, but also due to therge number of people. Moving so many people to the vige in this situation was indeed not simple.
Training could not take ce on the road, so the top priority was to assist in the headquarters'' relocation, with other matters temporarily put on hold.
To this end, the Hashira were dispersed and assigned to lead several groups of people along designated routes to the Swordsmith Vige.
Riezel, along with the Ubuyashiki family, was among the first group to reach the Swordsmith Vige.
"Is this the Swordsmith Vige?"
When Riezel arrived at the Swordsmith Vige, he took a look around the entire ce.
It really was a vige.
Most of the buildings here were wooden houses, not too big or too small, looking very simple.
Surrounding the vige were watchtowers, seemingly upied by members of the Demon yer Corps regrly, demonstrating how much the Corps valued the vige.
On top of that, the vige was surrounded by mountains and forests on all sides, making it impossible to enter without going through the winding paths in the forest.
In the air of this vige, there was a faint smell of iron and burnt fire, reminding him of the time he entered the industrial area of Orario looking for Tsubaki''s workshop.
Even though the vige''s poption didn''t seemrge, everyone wore a hyottoko mask to signify their identity as swordsmiths.
Meanwhile, as Riezel observed his surroundings, a man who seemed to be the vige chief approached while bringing arge number of people to wee the arriving Demon yer Corps and Kagaya.
"Wee to the Swordsmith Vige, Master."
The vige chief greeted Kagaya with a respectful tone, even bowing his head.
His name was Thikawahara Thin¡ªa name that made Riezel hesitate to speak it.
Thin himself was an elderly and short man. Although his exact age was hidden by his mask, the respect shown by the surrounding swordsmiths made it clear that he was a respected elder in the Swordsmith Vige.
In the Swordsmith Vige, his skills seemed to be the best, and his swordsmithing technique was the most advanced. Many Hashira from the Demon yer Corps wanted him to forge their swords, but only a few seeded, showing the high status of the vige chief.
Yet, in front of Kagaya, this vige chief bowed his head in respect.
"Raise your head."
Kagaya''s physical condition had deteriorated recently, constantly coughing, with disfiguring, rotting scars appearing more on his face and body. Without assistance, he truly couldn''t walk.
Considering his condition, he was carried the whole way by the Kakushi using a wooden sedan chair and was still sitting on it, unable to get down.
Even so, he still wore a gentle expression as he spoke to Thin.
"Thank you for your trouble¡ª"
*Cough!* *Cough!*
Seeing Kagaya cough painfully, Thin quickly responded.
"No, no, it''s no trouble at all! The Swordsmith Vige and the Demon yer Corps are one. We are actually very happy you could relocate here."
What he said was true.
When one saw the Swordsmith Vige, it did not have an aloof or isted atmosphere. In fact, due to their long-term dealings with the Demon yer Corps, both sides had a high degree of eptance and a tacit understanding of each other.
After all, the swordsmiths of the Swordsmith Vige frequently forged swords for the Demon yers, building a rtionship of trust. Because of this, the vige truly weed the arrival of the Corps, especially since the entire headquarters was moving here, greatly enhancing the vige''s security.
After hearing that the headquarters of the Demon yer Corps had been attacked by demons, Thin felt a great sense of crisis, worrying that the location of the vige might be exposed and attacked by demons, especially since demon activity had be abnormal recently.
Clearly, this made him deeply concerned about the safety of the vige and the potential loss of the swordsmithing''s heritage.
However, now that the Demon yer Corps had arrived and moved their headquarters here, Thin couldn''t be more weing.
"Is this the new head instructor of the Corps, Tsugikuni Yoriichi?"
Thin greeted Riezel, who stood nearby, looking a bit out of ce.
They were well-informed and already knew that the Demon yer Corps had established a new position of head instructor, a role equivalent in status to the Master of the Corps.
In other words, this young man held a high position within the Demon yer Corps, with the highest level ofmand, even able to freely deploy the Hashira.
Undoubtedly, he was an influential figure.
Moreover, the fact that this role was taken by a great swordsman who had saved the Demon yer Corps by defeating several Upper Ranks in the recent attack made it even more convincing.
As a result, Thin greeted Riezel with the same respect he showed to Kagaya.
"Don''t mind me, I''m just going with the flow."
Riezel responded calmly, not really caring about such matters.
Truthfully, he wasn''t particrly interested in being the so-called head instructor. He stayed with the Demon yer Corps out of gratitude for the help they provided during his practice period and to use the remaining time in this world to kill demons, hoping to umte more excelia.
He didn''t refuse Kagaya''s invitation for these reasons.
After all, once Muzan died, demons would disappear, and the Demon yer Corps would lose its purpose and eventually disband.
Therefore, staying with the Demon yer Corps didn''t really concern him.
Of course, there were some benefits.
Firstly, the Demon yer Corps had a great intelligencework, which allowed him to obtain information about demons.
Secondly, he could also train the Hashira and help them awaken their abilities during this time to repay the Demon yer Corps for their kindness. Beyond this, he had no intention of taking on the responsibilities of head instructor or managing the entire Corps.
As such, Riezel didn''t truly acknowledge the position of head instructor, seeing himself more as an advisor or consultant.
Kagaya seemed to notice his thoughts but didn''t mind, simply smiling gently.
Thin initially wanted to exchange a few polite words, but when he bowed his head, he suddenly noticed the sword at Riezel''s waist.
"Oooh¡ that sword¡" Thin''s eyes suddenly lit up.
His sudden excitement drew the attention of the surrounding swordsmiths to Riezel''s sword.
Immediately, several skilled swordsmiths noticed something unusual.
"Hey, isn''t that sword look incredible?"
"I can smell an amazing quality from it."
"That''s the kind of iron that''s superior to anything, even if hammered a thousand times!"
"The materials used to forge that de are surely extraordinary!"
Saying these, the swordsmiths grew more and more excited.
"Can I take a look at your sword, Lord Head Instructor?"
Thin, with a fervent attitude, eagerly approached Riezel to make his request.
"I don''t mind but..." Riezel answered with furrowed brows. "Don''t touch anything other than the scabbard."
In the next moment, he removed Hermit from his waist and handed it to Thin.
"What a superb craftsmanship¡"
Thin caressed Hermit''s scabbard, his voice trembling with admiration.
"It''s impossible to see any trace of human handiwork... It''s as if the scabbard was formed naturally from a single piece of iron... It''s so magical!"
"Who forged this scabbard? Could it be a god, or maybe the heaven and the earth itself?"
"Without a doubt... this quality¡ this smoothness... as if made by heaven¡ amazing!"
Without thinking, Thin reached out to grip the handle.
"Stop!"
Riezel quickly called out to stop Thin, but unfortunately, he was toote.
*Pssst¡ª!*
As soon as Thin touched the handle, his hand was burned by an intense heat.
Chapter 182: Divine Sword
Chapter 182: Divine Sword
"AHHH¡ª!"
With a yell, Thin released Hermit''s handle he was holding and blew on his burnt palm.
"Chief!"
"Are you okay, Chief?!"
"Burned? How?"
All the swordsmiths immediately gathered around their vige chief, blowing on his palm along with him.
A group of burly men wearing masks crowding around a small elderly man, blowing on his hand, looked bizarre no matter how one viewed it.
"I told you not to touch anything other than the scabbard."
Riezel reached out and took Hermit back from Thin."What''s going on?"
Although his palm was red and blistered, Thin couldn''t care less about this and quickly asked Riezel.
"Why is the handle of this sword so hot?"
"Not only the handle, but the de also has high temperatures." Riezel exined. "It''s a characteristic of this sword."
As for why it was this way, he certainly couldn''t say.
Should he tell Thin that he had used magic to forge this sword, causing it to transform into first-ss special equipment?
It wasn''t a matter of whether Thin could understand or not; it was a matter of whether Thin would think he was a lunatic.
Fortunately, Thin was only concerned about the sword right now, as his curiosity and thirst for knowledge had been ignited.
"Can you use this sword?" Thin asked eagerly. "Can you unsheathe it and let me see?"
Riezel didn''t answer but instead acted immediately, drawing Hermit from its scabbard.
In the next moment, visible waves of heat emanated from it, causing the air to shimmer slightly.
All the swordsmiths stared at the sword, their eyes wide open.
Not only the swordsmiths but even the members of the Demon yer Corps who hade with Riezel and Kagaya were whispering among themselves as they stared at Hermit.
"What a beautiful sword..."
"Look at the cracks covering the de... they''re like glowing veins..."
"Hey, the pattern near the hilt looks mysterious, like a divine spirit descended from heaven..."
"Is that the head instructor''s Nichirin Sword?"
"It looks sick!"
As the members of the Demon yer Corps expressed their thoughts one after another, the swordsmiths crowded closer to Hermit.
"Wow! Both the de and the scabbard look wless! You wouldn''t even guess they were handmade!"
"What''s this material? It''s giving off serious heat!"
"What kind of iron is this de made from? It''s holding up against crazy temperatures and not deforming at all!"
"Amazing! Like, seriously amazing!"
Eventually, the swordsmiths were going wild, shouting and pping their hands. Some even knelt before Hermit like cult believers, their attitudes fanatical and devout.
Riezel was certain that if the de''s temperature weren''t so high, making it unbearable for even these men ustomed to working at furnaces, one of them would have already grabbed it without thinking.
In the Swordsmith Vige, not only did these swordsmiths dedicate their lives to their craft, seeing it as their purpose, but they also constantly sought to create excellent swords and improve their skills.
Nheless, they were just ordinary people.
They didn''t have blessing, ''cksmith'' development ability, or magic. With their purely human capabilities, no matter how skilled, they could only produce ordinary swords.
Their highest achievements, ced in the world of Danmachi, were weapons that were near third ss, not even qualifying as special equipment. In the Akasha Continent, they weren''t even considered magic weapons, just ordinary iron.
Such weapons struggled to cut through rocks, and their sharpness was their only notable quality.
For this reason, when Riezel presented Hermit, which was equivalent to first-ss special equipment, it was akin to disying a legendary artifact.
Thin gazed at the beautiful de of Hermit for a while, then spoke to Riezel.
"Lord Head Instructor, is this sword for sale?"
As it turned out, Thin wanted to buy it.
Unfortunately¡ª
"No."
Riezel refused without hesitation.
"Please reconsider!"
Thin grabbed onto Riezel, pleading.
"Sell it to me! I''ll treat it as a family heirloom, allowing future generations to study it! Maybe one day, we can recreate the forging technique and improve the world''s swordsmithing and de quality by several steps!"
"Yes! Sell it to us!"
"Name your price!"
"I''ll even build a shrine for you at my house and pray for your long life every day!"
"Me too, me too!"
All the swordsmiths shouted, some even offering money.
Despite this, Riezel remained firm.
"No, just give it up."
Riezel sheathed Hermit, finally lowering the surrounding temperature.
The nearby members of the Demon yer Corps sighed in relief and wiped their foreheads, realizing they were drenched in sweat.
Seeing Thin and the others still not giving up, Kagaya spoke up.
"Please don''t make things difficult for him." Kagaya said gently. "We have a very important battleing up. Head Instructor Tsugikuni Yoriichi is our ace and hope for the Corps. It would be unwise to let him lose his important sword at this time."
His words finally calmed Thin down.
"Then, at least tell me who forged this sword..."
Thin seemed genuinely eager to study Hermit''s forging method.
"I don''t know that either..." Riezel answered calmly, naturally avoiding trouble by calmly fabricating a lie. "I came across this sword by chance."
"Is that so...?"
Thin couldn''t hide his disappointment.
Only Kagaya gave Riezel a meaningful look.
Kagaya knew that Riezel''s sword wasn''t obtained by chance but through Riezel''s own efforts.
Before, Riezel had requested arge amount of Scarlet Crimson Iron Sands and Scarlet Ores from the Demon yer Corps, which he certainly used to forge this Nichirin Sword for himself.
Needless to say, Riezel should know very well how this sword came to be, and it was even possible that he forged the sword himself.
Nevertheless, when asked how Riezel aplished it, Kagaya didn''t know anddidn''t intend to press for details.
Since this was Riezel''s secret, if he didn''t want to say it, the Demon yer Corps would never force him to.
As a result, Kagaya helped Riezel escape from the troublesome situation.
"First, arrange for the Corps and the people who came with us to rest at their amodations." Kagaya instructed. "Also, please help receive the people arrivingter."
Thin seemed quite dejected but still agreed.
With the help of the locals, everyone quickly moved into the Swordsmith Vige.
===
In the following weeks, every so often, the Swordsmith Vige would wee a group escorted by the Hashira, allowing them to settle in the vige.
Meanwhile, the members of the Demon yer Corps, who had been wandering around the world, received a summons from Kagaya, gradually gathering back at the Swordsmith Vige.
With the demons'' activities bing so abnormal, it was difficult for the members outside to have any gains. Since hunting demons had be much harder than before, it was better to call them back, prepare well, and wait for the uing decisive battle.
Kagaya had already discussed this with the Hashira. While they were conducting their training to awaken the three special abilities, the other members of the Demon yer Corps would also undergoprehensive pre-war special training.
For this, Kagaya and Thin jointly developed a forest area near the vige, intending to establish a temporary training ground for the Demon yer Corps.
Everything was in full swing, and the Swordsmith Vige had turned into arge base of operations where Demon yers could be seen running around, passing messages to each other.
On the other hand, Riezel found himself once again surrounded by the swordsmiths.
"Please, let us see your sword!"
In the house assigned to Riezel, it wasmon for several swordsmiths toe by frequently, dropping to their knees in a formal bow right at the entrance, begging him to let them see Hermit.
Some of these people had seen the true form of Hermit at the vige entrance before, while others who hadn''t seen it arrived upon hearing the news, seemingly eager toy eyes on the muchuded sword that had captured the entire vige''s admiration.
The former group sought an opportunity to observe Hermit, hoping to learn a bit about swordsmithing from it and improve their own swordsmithing skills.
Thetter group was a mix of genuine curiosity and disdain, thinking the former group was brainless fools.
After all, their vige had many great swordsmiths who were considered the best in the world.
How could anyone possibly forge a sword that would make them feel inferior?
It had to be a scam!
As some in thetter group thought themselves extraordinary and considered their abilities extraordinary, quite a few were merely unconvinced by the rumor.
Yet, after seeing Hermit, the next day, they also became regr visitors at Riezel''s house, bowing deeply like devout believers.
Gradually, whether it was the swordsmiths of the Swordsmith Vige, the members of the Demon yer Corps, or even ordinary vigers, everyone came to know one thing¡ªthe head instructor of the Demon yer Corps, Tsugikuni Yoriichi, possessed a divine sword.
Yes, a divine sword.
At least, the swordsmiths who had seen Hermit all firmly imed that such a sword was definitely not something a human could forge because only a god could create such a sword.
All of this eventually led everyone to refer to Riezel''s Hermit as a divine sword, and the name of Hermit was recorded in the Swordsmith Vige''s history.
Decadester, it would surely be a true legend.
After a week of this chaos, Riezel''s house finally weed a group other than the fervent swordsmiths, the Hashira.
"Time for special training!"
"Can we start?"
"Let''s train already!"
Clearly, they were already impatient.
Seeing the Hashira like this, Riezel didn''t dy any longer.
"Alright, let''s go."
Chapter 183: Mystery of Demon Slayer Mark
Chapter 183: Mystery of Demon yer Mark
In a week''s time, even though the training ground for the Demon yer Corps had not yet been developed enough for many members to use simultaneously, it was sufficient for a dozen or so people to train together without a problem.
Consequently, Riezel brought a group of Hashira to this ce, an open space surrounded by countless trees, with piles of lumber in the corners from recent logging.
"Is it really here?" Tengen looked at the still-undevelopednd with some disdain. "This ce isn''t shy at all."
"Uh... I think making it shy wouldn''t help much anyway..." Mitsuri said, sweating a little.
"This should have been developed by the vigers and the Kakushi, right?" Kyoujurou looked around and said loudly. "Umu! Not bad! They worked hard!"
"It won''t be long before this ce can be officially used..." Shinobu exined to everyone. "At that time, all the members will be able to train here."
"It doesn''t matter what they do." Sanemi said coldly. "No matter what, the quality of the Demon yers has been decliningtely. How much strength can they really gain from training now?"
"I agree." Obanai chimed in, ying with the white snake around his neck. "Instead of letting weak members participate in the uing battle and lose their lives for nothing, it''s better to exclude them from the start."
"It won''t do." Gyoumei stated calmly, hands sped together and tears flowing. "They joined the Corps because they wanted to eliminate demons, either because they lost their loved ones to demons or had them eaten by demons. If we exclude them in the uing battle that will decide everything, it will surely lead to much resistance, even conflict. If this causes chaos in the Corps before we even start fighting, it will bring more harm than good."Several Hashira began to express their opinions one after another, and for a while, there was some disagreement as they began to argue with each other.
Only Giyuu and Muichirou stood silently on the side, one silent and the other dazed, not participating in the argument at all.
Riezel naturally had no interest in discussing the internal affairs of the Demon yer Corps with the Hashira.
"You can discuss these matters properly after you go back." Riezel interrupted their argument. "Instead of worrying about those ordinary members, you should worry about yourselves first."
"Whether you can awaken the Mark, the Bright Red Nichirin Sword, or the Transparent World is still unknown. Do you really have the leisure to worry about others?"
Upon hearing this, all the arguing Hashira fell silent.
"What should we do?"
Rarely speaking, Giyuu steered the topic back on track.
"Don''t rush." Riezel said calmly. "We need to consider which ability you should try to awaken first."
As soon as he finished speaking, several Hashira immediately expressed their opinions.
"Is there even a question?" Sanemi said with a terrifying smile. "Of course, it''s the Mark!"
"That''s right..." Obanai said in a low voice. "Awakening the Mark, which can directly increase our strength, is the most important for us."
Riezel didn''t think much of the Demon yer Mark, but for the Hashira, it was the most valued of the three abilities.
While the Bright Red Nichirin Sword could enhance killing power against demons, it couldn''t directly increase their strength. Relying solely on this ability against the Upper Ranks wouldn''t necessarily give them an advantage.
Of course, the Transparent World was simr.
While it could enhance their senses and perception, it wasn''t as straightforward as the Demon yer Mark, which directly increased strength.
For this reason, the Demon yer Mark was undoubtedly the ability the Hashira valued and desired the most. If, by the time the decisive battle arrived, they couldn''t awaken all three abilities and only had time to gain one, they hoped it would be the Demon yer Mark.
As for its terrifying side effect, in the determined minds of the Hashira, it was as if they didn''t exist.
"The Mark, huh?" Riezel nced deeply at the gathered Hashira, then continued, "Though I''d like tomend your reasoning, the awakening difficulty for the Mark isn''t low."
"Just spill it! Young Tsugi¡ªI mean, Head Instructor Tsugikuni!"
Kyoujurou, fearless as ever, shouted at Riezel.
"What do we need to do to awaken it?"
"It''s simple." Riezel didn''t hold back, answering frankly. "To awaken the Mark, you just need to reach a body temperature of 39 degrees Celsius and a heart rate of over 200 beats per minute."
Upon hearing his answer, all the Hashira froze.
"Body temperature of 39 degrees?"
"Heart rate over 200 beats per minute?"
"...That''s it?"
They couldn''t help but utter such words.
Not for any other reason but because it sounded too simple.
Indeed, raising one''s body temperature to 39 degrees and heart rate above 200 beats per minute posed a significant challenge for the body to endure.
Still, the Hashira had thought that awakening the Demon yer Mark required a very special method, something so unique it would be difficult to achieve. Otherwise, how could it be that after so many years, not a single Demon yer capable of using the Demon yer Mark had appeared in the Demon yer Corps?
Yet right now, their head instructor was telling them that simply raising their body temperature to 39 degrees and heart rate to over 200 beats per minute would awaken the Demon yer Mark.
This truth truly puzzled the Hashira.
"I know what you''re thinking."
Riezel saw the confusion in their eyes and exined.
"These conditions might not be easy for an average person to meet, but for you, raising your body temperature to 39 degrees and heart rate to over 200 beats per minute during battle isn''t that difficult. Nheless, this is indeed the condition for awakening the Mark."
What he said was indeed the truth, as the original work made this point very clear¡ªthe conditions for awakening the Demon yer Mark were exactly that.
However, the problem was¡ª
''Why hasn''t a single person in the Demon yer Corps awakened the Mark with such a simple condition?''
Riezel was also quite puzzled about this.
From his current perspective, raising one''s body temperature to 39 degrees Celsius and heart rate to over 200 beats per minute during battle was something any Hashira could easily achieve.
The evidencey at the end of the original work, where almost all the Hashira sessfully awakened the Demon yer Mark in battle after learning its awakening conditions.
Riezel also didn''t believe that in all the past battles, there wasn''t someone who happened to raise their body temperature to 39 degrees and heart rate to over 200 beats per minute during intensebat.
Yet the fact was, since the first generation of Demon yers had sessively died due to the side effect of the Demon yer Mark, hardly anyone in the Demon yer Corps had sessfully awakened it again.
''Why is that?''
After pondering carefully, Riezel thought of a reason.
"It seems like the Mark has a particr characteristic..." Riezel continued his exnation. "Whenever a Mark awakens sessfully, it resonates, causing those around to also awaken it."
It was a precise description found in the records of the Ubuyashiki family.
As Riezel recalled those records, he made a spection.
"I believe the first person to awaken the Mark is crucial."
"Awakening the Mark shouldn''t be easy since there must be some conditions that even I''m unaware of that need to be met. However, once someone sessfully awakens it, those around them can more easily awaken theirs."
Of course, his spection had its basis.
During the Sengoku period, many of the first-generation Demon yers within the Corps awakened their Demon yer Marks after Yoriichi joined the Demon yer Corps.
In the original work, after Tanjirou joined the Demon yer Corps andter sessfully awakened the Demon yer Mark, several Hashira easily awakened it using the method mentioned above.
Apart from the periods when Tanjirou joined the Demon yer Corps, the original work did not mention any era in the Corps'' history when arge number of Marked Demon yers appeared.
With this in mind, Riezel continued exining his spection to the Hashira.
"Perhaps the first person to awaken the Mark can only be the user of Sun Breathing or maybe there are other conditions for its awakening."
"In short, once someone sessfully awakens the Mark, those around them can sessively awaken it due to some resonance."
"ording to this spection, it might be challenging for you to awaken the Mark when no one has done it yet, but the difficulty will probably decrease when one of you sessfully awakens it."
Riezel''s spection caused the Hashira to furrow their eyebrows.
"Anyway, just give it a try. First, try raising your body temperature to 39 degrees and increase your heart rate to over 200 beats per minute to see if there are any changes in your body, then decide what to do next."
With Riezel''s suggestion, the tense expressions of the Hashira rxed.
"So, we''re going to fight, right?"
Saying this, Sanemi immediately locked eyes with Kyoujurou.
"Do you want me to be your opponent, Shinazugawa?"
Kyoujurou clearly understood Sanemi''s intention.
"We still have a score to settle, don''t we?"
Sanemi referred to the time when Kyoujurou had just be the me Hashira.
In short, they had some disagreements, thus a brief confrontation.
"Umu! I''m fine with that!" Kyoujurou readily agreed.
In the past, they hadn''t been able to determine a winner because Kyoujurou didn''t want to vite the rules of the Demon yer Corps. Fighting against a fellow member, especially arade, was forbidden in the Corps, something he naturally didn''t want to do out of impulse.
However, now was a different story.
If there was a reason to fight, he wouldn''t refuse.
"Good."
Sanemi showed a fierce grin.
At the same time, the other Hashira also prepared for pairedbat.
Riezel stepped back a distance, watching as all the Hashira paired off and began their respective battles.
Chapter 184: Other Conditions?
Chapter 184: Other Conditions?
Under Riezel''s gaze, all the Hashira quickly decided on their respective opponents.
Kyoujurou and Sanemi were the first to make their choice and formed a group.
As both of them drew their swords swiftly, Sanemi was the first tounch an attack, rushing at Kyoujurou.
Next were Obanai and Mitsuri.
Despite their opposite personalities¡ªone gloomy and indifferent, the other cheerful and lively¡ªthe two formed a group faster than anyone else and seemed to get along quite well.
Riezel remembered that these two had a mutual affection in the original work, where they were a canonical couple.
It was hard to believe that the bubbly and cheerful Love Hashira would be interested in the gloomy and unlikable Serpent Hashira.
Nevertheless, Obanai treated Mitsuri quite well.
In any case, when the Hashira argued, Obanai would often rebut and dampen the spirits of any Hashira who spoke, except when Mitsuri was speaking.Clearly, his soft attitude toward her said it all.
Soon, the two of them moved to the side and began their fight.
Surprisingly, the third group was Shinobu and Gyoumei,another unexpectedbination.
Shinobu was almost like a goddess in the Demon yer Corps. Despite her young age, she managed the Butterfly Mansion quite well and always greeted people with a smile, earning the secret admiration of many members.
In contrast, Gyoumei, known as the strongest Hashira and the backbone of the Demon yer Corps, was often intimidating with his frequent tears and imposing body. Within the Corps, this clearly made the Stone Hashira more respected than admired.
In light of this, within the Demon yer Corps, every Hashira had their own level of poprity.
Shinobu and Mitsuri were among the most popr due to their likable personalities and beauty.
Kyoujurou and Tengen were also quite popr¡ªKyoujurou for his kind-hearted nature and enthusiasm and Tengen for his carefree, honest nature.
However, their odd behaviors, like Kyoujurou''s loudness and Tengen''s narcissism, slightly diminished their poprity.
As for the rest, they were less favored.
Sanemi and Obanai were prime examples¡ªone was violent and vicious, the other gloomy and sharp-tongued.
Their poprity was undoubtedly at the bottom.
Giyuu and Muichirou also had low poprity.
Giyuu''s silent and difficult nature made approaching him a daunting task.
Muichirou, on the other hand, was simply apathetic and always indifferent, though many found his youthful innocence quite endearing.
Adding the tearful and intimidating Gyoumei to the mix, these were the least popr members of the Demon yer Corps.
Given this, it was surprising that Shinobu and Gyoumei paired up so quickly.
Only Riezel, who knew the original work, knew that Shinobu and Gyoumei actually had a very good rtionship¡ªperhaps second only to Mitsuri and Obanai.
When Shinobu was a child, before she became a Demon yer, her family was attacked by demons. Her entire family was killed, leaving only her and her elder sister alive because they were saved.
Yes, it was Gyoumei who saved Shinobu and her elder sister back then.
As a result, when Shinobu and her elder sister decided to be Demon yers and join the Demon yer Corps, they found Gyoumei. It was through his guidance that they joined the Corps.
Shinobu respected Gyoumei greatly.
Gyoumei, in turn, secretly cared about Shinobu.
Despite their age difference of about ten years, they were somewhat like a father and daughter.
Because of this, the two formed a group.
As for thest group, it consisted of Tengen and Muichirou.
There wasn''t any deep connection between these two, as they just saw that the other was alone and naturally paired up.
Thanks to this, a truly lonely soul was born.
"..."
Giyuu silently looked at the enthusiastic battles unfolding, with the Hashira fighting fiercely with each other.
As he noticed the Water Hashira standing alone in the center, isted despite being surrounded by pairs ofrades, Riezel couldn''t help but step forward.
"Hey, you didn''t get hated, did you?"
Riezel''s casual remark seemed to hit Giyuu''s nerve.
"..."
"...No."
Giyuu was silent for a long time before responding.
"Are you sure?" Riezel looked skeptical.
"It''s just a matter of probability..." Giyuu said expressionlessly. "Since there are nine of us, once we pair up, there''s bound to be one person left alone. I just happened to be that person."
After saying this, Giyuu turned his head to look at Riezel''s eyes.
"I wasn''t hated."
Clearly, he seemed to want to emphasize this point.
Riezel didn''t know what to say, so he just gave Giyuu a sympathetic look.
"If that''s the case, stop standing here and go watch their fights from the side. Otherwise, you''d look really pitiful."
"..."
Without saying anything, Giyuu stood alone to the side, enveloped in a gloomy atmosphere.
Riezel stopped paying attention to him and watched the battles from the side.
Undoubtedly, the battles between the Hashira were quite spectacr. It was as expected since they were among the strongest in this world. Although Riezel thought they weren''t that great since they hadn''t awakened any of the three abilities, they were still the top fighters of their time.
When these Hashira fought seriously, the scene was indeed impressive.
Obanai and Mitsuri both used derivative breathing styles.
Obanai wielded Serpent Breathing, with sword movements that twisted and turned like a snake, capable of bypassing defenses to strike directly at the enemy. Mitsuri, on the other hand, used Love Breathing, a breathing style thatbined gentle grace with fiery aggression.
Both of them were undoubtedly skilled swordsmen.
Moreover, the Nichirin Swords they used were also unique.
Obanai''s Nichirin Sword was a curved, double-edged de shaped like a slithering steel snake. Its de was purple, with a gold circr guard engraved with two snakes connected by several nt-like patterns.
In his hands, this steel snake seemed toe alive¡ªeach sh appeared capable of bending and changing direction, always striking at Mitsuri from unseen angles.
On the other hand, Mitsuri''s Nichirin Sword was as soft and flexible as a whip but possessed incredible toughness. Its de was ck with a pink edge, a green handle with pink heart patterns, and a pink four-leaf clover guard with a golden border.
In her hands, this steel whip disyed astonishing power as she wielded it with such speed and frequency that it created a web of shing des, making her attacks seem toe from all directions.
In terms of attack speed and frequency, Mitsuri clearly far surpassed Obanai.
Both of them were skilled swordsmen capable of changing their attack trajectories unpredictably. Watching them fight was quite a spectacle, with the shing des shing around them, sparks flying with each collision.
Meanwhile, the battle between Shinobu and Gyoumei was equally stunning.
Shinobu''s movements were mesmerizing when she used Insect Breathing, flitting about the battlefield like a colorful butterfly. She darted in front of Gyoumei, leaping through the air, sometimes lunging at him like a stinging bee, beauty concealing deadly poison.
Yet, all of her attacks were effortlessly deflected by Gyoumei.
Among the Hashira, Gyoumei was undoubtedly the one who wielded the most striking weapon.
Instead of a sword, his weapon was abination of an axe and a il, linked by a long chain. At first nce, it seemed incredibly heavy, but he swung it with ease, making it whistle through the air.
Gyoumei stood his ground like a massive rock, not moving his feet at all. Each time he swung his weapon, Shinobu''s attacks were flicked aside. His movements appeared effortless, yet they carried immense weight, making Riezel nce at him with respect.
However, one thing was clear¡ªGyoumei had no trouble facing Shinobu at all.
At this moment, the difference in strength between the two was evident.
Although they were at the same level, Gyoumei was equivalent to upper Level 4, capable of direct confrontation with an Upper Rank without losing. On the other hand, Shinobu was only equivalent to lower Level 4.
In fact, the battle between them was somewhat unfair.
If Gyoumei hadn''t abandoned attackingpletely and focused solely on defense, Shinobu might have already been defeated long ago.
Riezel watched them for a while, then lost interest in the stagnant battle and turned his attention to Tengen and Muichirou.
These two were also users of derivative breathing styles.
One used Sound Breathing, which produced loud explosions and immense power inbination with explosives, while the other used Mist Breathing, moving back and forth like a thin mist, making it hard to see his form and trajectory.
Muichirou''s Nichirin Sword was of a standard type, with a pale blue de and a ck handle featuring a golden square guard with four corners, each adorned with a hollow square.
Tengen, on the other hand, wielded dual swords resembling massive cleavers connected by a chain on their red handles, while their des were ck with golden edges and a notch on each edge.
Riezel must admit that their fight was extremely bizarre.
Tengen''s dual swords could trigger violent explosions when swung, creating an impressive spectacle, while Muichirou moved like a ghost¡ªsilent and elusive. It felt like a sh between a mage and a ghost, making it hard to determine who would emerge victorious in such a short period.
Despite this, the most intense battle, however, was undoubtedly between Kyoujurou and Sanemi.
One was enveloped in mes, and the other in a whirlwind.
Their figures werepletely obscured, resembling a zing vortex colliding with a tornado as they chased and collided with each other, producing continuous rumblings and impacts.
Seeing the intensity and ferocity of their battle, one might think they harbored deep-seated hatred, each trying to bring the other down.
However, this wasn''t a mere heated battle.
Clearly, they were both fully immersed in their fight, gradually forgetting to hold back. It became a duel where both sides went all out without any restraint.
However, as he watched their fight, Riezel furrowed his brows.
''Since they''ve been fighting intensely, shouldn''t their heart rates and body temperatures have gotten high? So why haven''t they awakened the Mark?''
With this thought in mind, Riezel believed there must be other conditions required to awaken the Demon yer Mark.
Chapter 185: Success
Chapter 185: Sess
"Huft... Huft... Huft..."
Unknowingly, within the unfinished training ground, the myriad shes of des and booming echoes had vanished without a trace, leaving only the sound of rapid breaths reverberating through the air.
A group of Hashira, who could maintain a steady breath even in their sleep and had honed their breathing style to the extreme, found themselves unable to control their quickening breaths at this moment.
"Two hours?"
Riezel estimated the time and realized that the Hashira had been fighting fiercely for a full two hours without any breaks in between.
Amid such intensebat, continuously fighting for two hours straight, it was no wonder even these Hashira, who had mastered their breathing style to the extreme, couldn''t help but need to take a breather.
Especially Kyoujurou and Sanemi, who were now lying on the ground, unable to get up.
Seeing this, Riezel finally called a halt.
"Let''s call it quits here." Riezel dered to everyone. "It seems my guess was correct; awakening the Mark from scratch isn''t easy."Upon hearing this, all the Hashira struggled to their feet, trying to calm their breaths before gathering around Riezel.
"What should we do next?" Tengen, sweating profusely, pushed back his hair. "We followed your instructions and put on a shy performance, but still couldn''t awaken the Mark. Will all our efforts end up being in vain?"
"It won''t... huft... for sure!" Kyoujurou, still catching his breath, eximed loudly. "Even if we couldn''t awaken it, training like this will surely have its meaning!"
"After fighting for so long, I''m starving..." Mitsuri said tearfully, her hands hanging limply by her sides, clearly exhausted.
"Hold on a little longer. Lunchtime will be here soon." Obanai said softly to her.
"Hmph."
Seemingly unwilling to ept defeat, Sanemi snorted and tightened his grip on his sword before turning to Gyoumei.
"Himejima, I''ll spar with you next."
"Amitabha."
Gyoumei, perhaps the one in the best condition among the Hashira, appeared not to have broken a sweat.
"Wind Hashira is right." Gyoumei nodded. "If one attempt fails, we must continue. We can''t give up just because of one failed attempt."
"Yeah..." Shinobu chuckled bitterly, brushing the dust off her clothes. "Even though it might not be rehabilitation training since my injuries have already healed, it''s still better to keep my body moving. I don''t want to get beaten so badly by an Upper Rank again."
"...Me neither." Muichirou said faintly. "I don''t want Master to face danger again while I''m powerless to help."
Eventually, all the Hashira voiced their determination, lifting the spirits that had been somewhat low.
"Well, it''s my turn next..."
On the side, Giyuu seemed to seize the moment, preparing to form a group.
Unfortunately¡ª
"Mitsuri, how about we spar next?"
Shinobu extended an invitation to Mitsuri.
"Um, sure! I''m down for it!" Mitsuri readily agreed.
As the only two females among the Hashira, the rtionship between Shinobu and Mitsuri was quite solid. Sometimes, Shinobu would even seek Mitsuri''s advice on cooking, so they could be considered close friends.
"Uzui, let''s have a match."
Obanai also invited Tengen.
"Sure thing! Though snakes aren''t exactly mboyant, your eyes are! Let''s have a splendid showdown!"
Tengen, intrigued by Obanai''s invitation, promptly epted.
Even though Tengen, who had a penchant for mboyant things, wasn''t too fond of Obanai''s gloomy personality, Obanai''s heterochromatic eyes seemed to pique his interest.
"Now, it''s just us left, Young Tokitou. Show me what you''ve got!"
Kyoujurou shed a cheerful expression at Muichirou.
"Okay."
Muichirou seemed to have a favorable impression of Kyoujurou, as his expression visibly softened.
And thus, the Hashira sessfully formed groups once again, except for one.
"..."
Giyuu was once again left alone.
However, just as the Hashira were preparing to engage in another round of battles, suddenly, the situation took a turn.
An astonishing imposing pressure emanated from Riezel''s body, causing the faces of the Hashira to change drastically.
"Young Tsugikuni?"
"Tsugikuni?"
Kyoujurou and Shinobu were stunned in session.
"What the¡ªOy!"
"Whoa, wh-what happened?!"
Sanemi couldn''t help but call out to Riezel, while Mitsuri eximed in panic.
At this moment, all the Hashira also showed varying degrees of astonishment, their eyes filled with disbelief as they looked at Riezel.
Riezel had closed his eyes at some point, emitting an astonishingly high temperature from his body, causing both his body temperature and breathing rhythm to change.
"Huhh... Hahh..."
Riezel adjusted his breathing, his chest rising and falling like a bellows.
In this situation, the Hashira could clearly hear his heartbeat.
*Ba-dump!* *Ba-dump!* *Ba-dump!*
As his heartbeat intensified and quickened, coupled with Riezel''s rising body temperature, a dark pattern gradually emerged on his forehead.
Yes.
Riezel had awakened the Demon yer Mark.
Every Hashira who witnessed this scene was incredibly shocked and bewildered.
It wasn''t until Riezel calmed his breath that he opened his eyes and looked at his hands.
"So, this is the Demon yer Mark, huh?" Riezel muttered to himself. "It''s indeed an interesting ability."
Upon hearing his mutter, all the Hashira finally snapped out of their shock and bewilderment.
"Oy, Oy! What are you doing?!" Tengen asked in disbelief. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?!"
Previously, Riezel had explicitly stated that he didn''t want to awaken the Demon yer Mark due to its side effect. Yet here he was, having suddenly awakened it, unleashing this deadly ability that could shorten one''s lifespan to less than 25 years.
For this reason, it was understandable for Tengen to feel disbelief. Even the other Hashira were perplexed and unavoidably moved by Riezel''s actions. Especially Kyoujurou and Shinobu, who had a rtively good rtionship with Riezel, disyed some urgency on their faces.
"Young Tsugikuni!" Kyoujurou shouted loudly.
"Tsugikuni..." Shinobu looked at Riezel with aplex expression.
Riezel lowered his hands, raised his head, and looked at the Hashira before him, whose expressions ranged from astonishment to iprehension to disbelief, with an exceptionally calm expression.
"It can now be confirmed that the first person to awaken the Mark should preferably be users of Sun Breathing." Riezel exined calmly to everyone. "At least, Sun Breathing users are rtively more likely to awaken it when there are no Marked Demon yers around."
Just now, Riezel used the evolved Sun Breathing to raise his body temperature to 39 degrees Celsius and adjust his heartbeat, increasing the frequency to over 200 beats per minute, which resulted in the direct awakening of the Demon yer Mark.
This was enough to prove that the first person to awaken the Demon yer Mark would most likely be users of Sun Breathing¡ªor perhaps only Sun Breathing''s users could be the first ones to awaken it.
In the original work, Yoriichi was born with the Demon yer Mark. After joining the Demon yer Corps, he stimted other Demon yers, causing them to awaken it one after another.
However, when Yoriichi left the Corps and Demon yers with the Demon yer Mark died out, there were no more instances of its awakening among them.
Moreover, the current Hashira also only awakened the Demon yer Mark after Tanjirou did so in the original work. Before that, regardless of how intense their battles with demons were, even to the point of sacrificing their lives, there was no sign of them awakening it.
The prime example of this was Kyoujurou, who died at the hands of Akaza during the Mugen Train Arc.
Clearly, the intense battle between these twosted from night until dawn and from dawn until the sun rose. Kyoujurou fought fiercely until the end, even risking his life to drag Akaza until daylight.
Despite such an intense battle, was it possible for Kyoujurou''s body to still not have a temperature of 39 degrees or an increased heartbeat of over 200 beats per minute?
Impossible.
Kyoujurou, a user of me Breathing, often raised his body temperature during battles. It was also not umon for his heartbeat to intensify due to his breathing style, which strengthened his heart and lungs and elerated blood flow.
However, despite all of this, Kyoujurou still hadn''t awakened the Demon yer Mark.
Meanwhile, it was the other Hashira who awakened the Demon yer Mark effortlessly after Tanjiro''s awakening.
As Riezel thought about this and saw that the Hashira still couldn''t awaken the Demon yer Mark with the method mentioned in the original work, he began to suspect.
"If users of Sun Breathing don''t awaken the Mark first to trigger the awakening of those around them, then perhaps none of you will be able to sessfully awaken it no matter how hard you try."
Riezel exined to the gathered Hashira while touching his forehead where the Demon yer Mark was.
"Now, you can try again and see if you can awaken it."
Upon hearing this, the Hashira fell silent one after another.
Even Sanemi and Iguro stared at Riezel withplex emotions in their eyes.
Seeing this, Riezel spoke up to correct any misunderstandings.
"Don''t misunderstand. I''m not opening this lifespan-reducing ability for your sake, okay?" Riezel said calmly. "I have a way to remove it, so you don''t need to worry."
As soon as he finished speaking, all the Hashira were stunned.
"Is that true, Young Tsugikuni?" Kyoujurou quickly asked.
"It''s true." Riezel nodded.
He wasn''t lying.
It was worth noting that his dposition magic was an imaginary system capable of dposing not only physical things but also immaterial things, such as magic itself.
If that were the case, such magic should be feasible for dposing the Demon yer Mark, right?
Even if it couldn''t, it really wouldn''t matter.
After all, dimensional travel only brought his consciousness, so even if he died, it was just the end of the dimensional travel, without harming his original body. As long as he didn''t awaken the Demon yer Mark on the Akasha Continent with his real body, it shouldn''t have affected his lifespan.
Based on this consideration, Riezel chose to awaken the Demon yer Mark in front of the Hashira without hesitation.
With him awakening the Demon yer Mark, the Hashira should be able to awaken it quickly, right?
As it turned out, Riezel''s assumption was correct.
After he awakened the Demon yer Mark, as the Hashira managed to raise their body temperatures to 39 degrees and increase their heart rates to over 200 beats per minute, they consecutively awakened their own Demon yer Marks.
"We did it!"
Sanemi clenched his fists and eximed in excitement as agreen windmill pattern appeared on his right cheek.
"It''s a sess indeed..."
Obanai looked at his left hand, where a purple snake-like pattern extended up to his left cheek.
"Is this the Demon yer Mark?"
Muichirou touched his face, where a cloud-like pattern stretched from his left temple to his right cheek.
Chapter 186: Overconfident
Chapter 186: Overconfident
Not only Sanemi, Obanai, and Muichirou, but the other Hashira also had awakened the Demon yer Mark.
Shinobu''s Mark was located above her corbone, with patterns resembling an azure butterfly.
Mitsuri''s Mark was on her left neck, with patterns resembling two mirroring hearts with wings.
Gyoumei''s Mark was on both of his arms, with patterns resembling gray-ck fissures.
Tengen''s Mark was on his shoulder, with patterns resembling golden musical notes.
Even the always-alone Giyuu awakened his Mark on his left cheek, with patterns resembling streams of water.
As for Kyoujurou, his Mark was just like Riezel''s, located on his forehead, with patterns resembling deep red mes.
At this moment, all the Hashira had sessfully awakened the Demon yer Mark and felt ecstatic as they tested their newfound power.
"Amazing, it really makes you stronger..." Shinobu''s expression was filled with astonishment as she spoke.
Among the nine Hashira, her strength had always been the weakest, evenpared to most members of the Demon yer Corps.
No choice.
She was petite, standing at only 151 CM tall and weighing a mere 37 KG. At just eighteen, she was one of the youngest Hashira in the Demon yer Corps, second only to Muichirou.
Moreover, being a girl andcking the special body constitution of someone like Mitsuri, Shinobu stillcked decent physical strength despite mastering a breathing style.
Because of this, among the nine Hashira, Shinobu''s physical strength was the weakest, so weak that she couldn''t even cut a demon''s neck with her Nichirin Sword.
However, topensate for herck of strength, she created Insect Breathing, which featured rapid thrusting and movement techniques.
With Insect Breathing, she could unleash astonishingly fast movements and thrusts powerful enough to pierce through rocks. Coupled with her lethal poison, she could kill demons effortlessly.
Now, Shinobu was surprised to find that with the Demon yer Mark, her strength had greatly increased. She believed she should be able to behead demons with her physical strength alone.
"Hahh, this feeling is... fascinating..."
Obanai, who ranked second weakest in strength among the nine Hashira, muttered in admiration.
"I feel super mboyant now! As expected of me, the God of Festivals!"
Tengen struck a pose, looking narcissistic.
"Umm... Isn''t it a bit concerning for a girl to have such powerful strength?"
Mitsuri, feeling like she could effortlessly lift a life-sized boulder above her head, suddenly began to worry about her own girly power.
"Umu! Not bad!"
Kyoujurou cheered loudly as he felt his strength.
Watching the Hashira feel the Demon yer Mark''s power, Riezel nodded in approval.
"Now that you''ve all seeded, I suppose I can get rid of mine."
Riezel spoke calmly, touching his forehead with his finger, where a subtle red light was pulsating.
Under a small crimson vortex on his finger, the Demon yer Mark on his forehead soon vanished. It first turned into scattered broken patterns, then gradually disappeared, like chalk marks being erased from a ckboard, vanishing without a trace.
"..."
As the Hashira watched this scene, they were dumbfounded.
After all, the ability they had all desperately sought was so easily given up by Riezel, leaving them withplex feelings.
However, at the same time, they also felt relieved.
"Looks like it can really be removed..." Shinobu breathed a sigh of relief.
"That''s for the best." Gyoumei said tearfully and emotionally. "There''s no need for a youngster like him to sacrifice his precious life for our long-held wishes."
In his view, Riezel being able to get rid of the Demon yer Mark was definitely a good thing.
Ifter they defeated Muzan and the people here could still survive, they could simply ask Riezel to help remove their Demon yer Marks to avoid dying before the age of twenty-five.
Especially Gyoumei himself, if it weren''t for Riezel''s ability to remove the Demon yer Mark, he might have died very soon. After all, he was already twenty-seven years old, well past twenty-five. If he hadn''t known that Riezel could remove the Demon yer Mark, he wouldn''t have dared to awaken it now.
At this moment, Riezel spoke again.
"Now that you''ve all sessfully awakened the Mark, why not also awaken the Bright Red Nichirin Sword? It''s the easiest of the three abilities to trigger. By using strong grip strength or letting your weapons collide, you can raise the temperature of your sword, turning it into the Bright Red Nichirin Sword. Give it a try."
Truthfully, the awakening method of the Bright Red Nichirin Sword also made Riezel feel full of loopholes.
By using strong grip strength or allowing the Nichirin Sword to collide with another Nichirin Sword, the temperature of the sword would rise, transforming it into a Bright Red Nichirin Sword? If this method were true, why had the Bright Red Nichirin Sword never appeared over the years?
Was the grip strength of the Demon yers, especially the Hashira, not strong enough? Or had their weapons never collided with each other?
It was all nonsense!
In any case, Riezel had tried before, using grip strength strong enough to crush ordinary Nichirin Sword, yet the Bright Red Nichirin Sword still didn''t appear. As for weapon collision, he didn''t even know how many times he had collided with others, yet it still didn''t appear.
In the original work, Tanjirou managed to use the mes created by his younger sister''s Blood Demon Art to raise the temperature of his de, thus awakening the Bright Red Nichirin Sword. However, even though Riezel''s de temperature was already high enough to melt steel easily, the Bright Red Nichirin Sword still didn''t appear on his sword.
It could be seen that the Bright Red Nichirin Sword and Demon yer Mark were of the same nature, both requiring other conditions to be awakened.
For the Demon yer Mark, it seemed that the first person to awaken it must be a user of Sun Breathing, and through resonance, the Marks of others could awaken.
As for the Bright Red Nichirin Sword, it seemed that the user needed to awaken the Demon yer Mark first, only then could the Bright Red Nichirin Sword be awakened.
In the original work, those whoter used the Bright Red Nichirin Sword could only do so after awakening the Demon yer Mark, through strong grip strength and weapon collision.
Before awakening the Demon yer Mark, even Gyoumei, who had the strongest strength among the nine Hashira and could shake the surroundings with just a flick of his weapon, still didn''t awaken the Bright Red Nichirin Sword after countless battles.
While Obanai, who was said to be the second weakest among the nine Hashira in terms of physical strength, could actually awaken the Bright Red Nichirin Sword through grip strength after awakening the Demon yer Mark.
Clearly, this was totally absurd.
Taking this into ount, Riezel made another spection¡ªthe Bright Red Nichirin Sword could be more easily awakened after awakening the Demon yer Mark.
Now, since all the Hashira had sessfully awakened the Demon yer Mark, it shouldn''t be too difficult for them to awaken the Bright Red Nichirin Sword next.
Sure enough, with Riezel''s reminder, some of the Hashira apply a strong grip to their Nichirin Swords, while others increase the de''s temperature through weapon collisions, and eventually, they all sessfully awaken the Bright Red Nichirin Sword.
"Is this the Bright Red Nichirin Sword?"
Some of the Hashira look at their swords in awe.
At this moment, regardless of how bizarre their shapes were, their sword''s des had all turned bright red.
"Incredible!" Kyoujurou eximed. "Truly, we''ve been missing out. We had no idea such ability was hidden within us."
Upon hearing this, all the Hashira nodded in agreement.
Whether it was the Demon yer Mark or the Bright Red Nichirin Sword, they were actually very close to them. As long as they grasped the conditions, they could possess these abilities.
It was just that these so-called conditions were frustratingly unattainable. If Riezel hadn''t deduced the hidden conditions, just relying on the methods mentioned in the original work, trying to awaken these two abilities would be nothing but wishful thinking.
"We still got that Transparent World thingy left, right?"
Sanemi asked Riezel with a spirited tone.
"Teach it to us together! Let''s get it all done in one go!"
Upon hearing his words, the other Hashira nodded repeatedly.
Evidently, they had be somewhat overconfident.
Originally, when Riezel mentioned the Demon yer Mark, the Bright Red Nichirin Sword, and the Transparent World, they thought it would be difficult to awaken all these three powerful abilities before the final battle.
As a result, many Hashira hadn''t considered acquiring all three abilities before the final battle. Instead, they aimed to awaken at least one.
However, just a few hourster, both the Demon yer Mark and the Bright Red Nichirin Sword had unexpectedly awakened and been acquired by them in session.
This obviously filled them with confidence, believing they would definitely possess all three abilities before the final battle began. By then, the Upper Ranks wouldn''t be towering walls blocking their way anymore.
Riezel naturally sensed their expectations and swelling confidence, sohe decided to dampen their spirits a bit first.
"Listen, the Transparent World isn''t like the Demon yer Mark or the Bright Red Nichirin Sword¡ªthere are no shortcuts here." Riezel said calmly. "Upper Three Akaza is an unmatched martial artist who''s been around for at least a century, and he still never managed to awaken it. Don''t think you can just wake it up easily this time."
As soon as he finished speaking, Riezel slowly drew his sword.
"You... Wh-What are you doing?"
Mitsuri asked in fear, taking a step back, while the other Hashira instantly became alert.
Riezel, however, smiled.
"You know, the Transparent World is something that can only be reached by giving it your all and enduring pain."
Upon hearing his words, a bad feeling arose in the hearts of every Hashira.
In the next moment, this bad feeling came true.
"I''ll be your opponent this time. Come at me together."
Riezel''s body emitted a heat intense enough to scorch the air.
"Don''t worry, I''ll use the t side of the de. I won''t kill you or break your swords. But to get you to awaken the Transparent World, don''t expect me to go easy on you, so be mentally prepared."
Surprisingly, his calm words made even some of the toughest Hashira among the nine involuntarily gulp.
Before long, mes erupted in the forest, marking the beginning of this hellish special training session.
Chapter 187: Riezels Reputation
Chapter 187: Riezel''s Reputation
The conditions to awaken the Transparent World, true to its nature, remained vague and ambiguous.
It was said that one could awaken this ability after giving their all and enduring pain, but just like the Demon yer Mark and the Bright Red Nichirin Sword, had no one else fulfilled these conditions before?
Certainly not.
What this world didn''tck was people who had given their all and endured immense pain, but how many of them had awakened the Transparent World among them?
For this reason, the Transparent World must also have other conditions to awaken. Otherwise, Akaza wouldn''t have pursued this domain for over a hundred years, only toe up empty-handed.
Many Hashira sessfully awakened the Demon yer Mark and the Bright Red Nichirin Sword in the original work, but when it came to the Transparent World, the number of people who could awaken it was scarce, only two to three people.
Therefore, in Riezel''s view, the Transparent World should be considered the most difficult of the three abilities to awaken.
In the original work, there was a shback scene where Tanjirou''s father mentioned the Transparent World.
¡ªThe important thing is the right breath and the right movement.¡ªExert maximum force with minimal movement, and gradually, your mind will be transparent.
¡ªIn the beginning, you must remember the movement and the feeling, pick up these elements, open your five senses, and understand your entire body shape down to every blood vessel.
¡ªAt this moment, it will truly be painful, feeling like continuing to struggle will only lead to a dead end. But after remembering and absorbing many things, remove unnecessary parts, leaving only what is necessary for the movement, and close off the rest.
¡ªWhen people want to listen carefully to a sound, they close their eyes, right? Simrly, choose the most necessary thing in that instant.
¡ªOver time, the opening and closing of blood vessels and muscles in the body will be as simple and rapid as blinking, and then the light will appear, and the path will open.
¡ªWhen the mind bes transparent, you can see the Transparent World, which is the domain reached after giving your all and enduring pain.
From what Riezel knew, this scene was probably the most detailed information mentioned in the original work about how to awaken the Transparent World.
It was also because of recalling this past memory that, at the end of the story, Tanjirou sessfully awakened the Transparent World.
Referring to this memory,bined with his own practical experience, Riezel ultimately concluded.
''I can awaken the Transparent World probably because during the evolution of Sun Breathing, I gradually understood the correct breath and movement. Furthermore, to ensure the smooth flow of my breathing and magical energy throughout my entire body, I maximized the use of my five senses, which in turn, helped meprehend my entire body shape down to every blood vessel.''
''In this situation, the pain I felt at that time might not only have been due to the attempt at evolving Sun Breathing but also because unknowingly, I touched upon the conditions for awakening the Transparent World.''
''And then, after three months, as the evolved Sun Breathing graduallypleted, my body subconsciously remembered all the essentials and movements. In the end, I naturally learned how to concentrate, shutting off unnecessary senses, clearing my mind, and enabling me to use the Transparent World.''
Until this point, Riezel finally understood why he could directly awaken the Transparent World. So, after taking this into ount, he began to summarize the method to awaken the Transparent World.
''Firstly, one must learn to concentrate, intensely so, allowing one''s senses to expand, fully recognizing the correct shape of the human body, reaching the point where even every blood vessel can be distinctly felt.''
''Endure the torment brought upon the mind and nerves by this intense concentration, until one can adeptly switch their senses and shut down unnecessary ones.''
''When the nerves withstand unbearable pain brought on by intense concentration, they be resilient, undergo a transformation, and the mind bes transparent.''
''At that moment, the Transparent World is born...''
''I see, the trick lies in concentration!''
Riezel grasped the crucial point.
Clearly, this theory was also confirmed in the original work.
In the original work, Gyoumei,Muichirou, and Obanai eventually awakened the Transparent World.
At that time, it was because they wanted to see through their opponent''s movements, focusing all their attention on identifying their enemy''s weaknesses, that they sessively awakened the Transparent World.
Having unparalleled concentration, fully expanding one''s senses, adeptly controlling and dominating, and freely opening and closing¡ªthe Transparent World would awaken.
"All of you, concentrate!"
Riezel deliberately began training the Hashira in this aspect, but as mentioned earlier, there were no shortcuts this time.
The awakening of the Demon yer Mark could be triggered by someone who already awakened it, and the Bright Red Nichirin Sword would naturally awaken after the Mark was activated. Only the Transparent World required a solid understanding and meeting the conditions step by step to seed.
Because of this, even though Riezel consciously tried to guide all the Hashira to understand, after several days, no one seeded in awakening the Transparent World.
Riezel continued to spar with them, guiding them in battle, pressing them with each encounter, and teaching them to focus duringbat.
Such dayssted for a whole week.
However, for the entire Swordsmith Vige, this week was filled with discussion.
===
*BOOOM!*
Near the Swordsmith Vige, mes suddenly soared into the sky without any apparent reason, apanied by a rumbling sound that shook the entire vige.
Almost everyone in the vige heard the thunderous roar.
However, instead of being startled, they began to discuss spiritedly.
"Seems like it''s that time again, huh? Lord Head Instructor and all the Hashira are at it with their special training."
"Whenever they train, it always stirs up such a fuss. They''re truly the toughest swordsmen in the Demon yer Corps."
"I heard it''s because Lord Head Instructor is whipping the current Hashira into shape, hence the loud noises."
"Ahh, that exins it."
Chatting like this with each other, the swordsmiths remained calm amid themotion.
At first, they had been panicked.
As they heard the sudden rumble and unexpected explosion, the people of the Swordsmith Vige thought that demons were attacking, almost causing chaos.
However, after a week of daily explosions and thunderous noises, they had grown ustomed to it. Especially after learning that the instigator was the new head instructor of the Demon yer Corps, the swordsmiths were even more understanding.
"So it''s the master of the divine sword showing off, no wonder."
Indeed, in the eyes of the swordsmiths, Riezel was almost synonymous with omnipotence.
After all, the appearance of Hermit had elevated his status in their eyes to that of a god, leading to a subconscious belief that, no matter how exaggerated his actions were, they were normal.
Moreover, those who had seen Hermit knew that it emitted super high temperatures. In the hands of its master, a casual swing could ignite a massive fire, as if a god of fire had descended.
Such understanding led the swordsmiths to believe that the mes and explosions erupting repeatedly were caused by the master of the divine sword.
As a result, their attitude toward Hermit became increasingly fervent, and their respect for Riezel also grew.
Of course, the members of the Demon yer Corps had a different perspective.
"What? Lord Head Instructor is training the Hashira?"
"Huh? They still need training?"
"Wait, the mes and noises are caused by the head instructor? Seriously?"
"No fucking way!"
Indeed, this was the reaction of the members of the Demon yer Corps.
Having spent considerable time in the Demon yer Corps and with Riezel having appeared for less than a few months, how could they know how strong he truly was?
Even if some imed that Riezel had single-handedly in multiple Upper Ranks during the demon invasion, it was merely an astonishing feat to hear about. Without witnessing it firsthand, they couldn''t feel its impact.
In contrast, it was the Hashira they felt awe for.
Many in the Demon yer Corps had seen the Hashira disy their prowess, even many Kakushi had witnessed the battles of the Hashira with their own eyes.
In their eyes, the Hashira were undoubtedly powerful figures, akin to gods. Even the Lower Ranks of the Twelve Kizuki were not their match.
Because of this, whether they were Demon yers or the Kakushi, they all greatly respected the Hashira. Many couldn''t help but kneel and bow their heads in front of the Hashira, showing reverence in their demeanor.
Yet, someone told them that powerful figures like the Hashira had been taken for special training by the current head instructor?
It was hard not to doubt the truth of this.
However, this doubtpletely disappeared a few dayster.
The reason was simple.
After nearly a month, the training ground near the Swordsmith Vige was finallypleted, allowing all members of the Demon yer Corps to enter for training.
Needless to say, on the first day the training ground was officially opened, they witnessed a scene that was truly unforgettable and awe-inspiring.
*BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!*
Amidst rumbling sounds, the powerful Hashira, who were akin to gods in their eyes, were sted out by explosions, falling to the ground and rolling a great distance in a sorry state, one by one.
Moreover, in the center of the explosions, Riezel stood still, holding a Nichirin Sword shimmering with a red light that emitted high temperatures, reprimanding the fallen Hashira.
"How many times have I told you, don''t just rely on your eyes and intuition to observe my movements, open all five senses, observe yourself first, then observe me!"
"Discard unnecessary movements, discard unnecessary perceptions, concentrate!"
"Focus!"
"Again!"
Under Riezel''s reprimand, all the Hashira staggered to their feet one by one, covered in dust and ash, looking extremely pitiful.
Even Shinobu and Mitsuri, who were regarded as goddesses, now looked like two little mongrels, with a dusty and dirty appearance.
""HAAAAHHHHHH¡ª!!!""
All the Hashira shouted in unison, attacking Riezel together once again.
*BOOOM!*
After the loud noise, with the explosion sweeping through, they were once again thrown out like trash, rolling to the ground.
Witnessing this scene, the members of the Demon yer Corps were stunned senseless.
Inevitably, they looked toward Riezel with fear in their eyes.
"He actually subdued all the Hashira...?"
From that day on, no one questioned Riezel''s strength anymore.
Chapter 188: Hes Already Mine
Chapter 188: He''s Already Mine
After an unknown period of time, themotion inside the training ground finally subsided.
"Alright, let''s take a break for now."
Riezel, seeing many members of the Demon yer Corps gathered in the training ground, decided to sheathe his sword after some thought, and addressed the Hashira.
""Hahh... Hahh... Hahh...""
All the Hashira had no energy left to respond, one after another copsing to the ground, desperately gasping for air.
"Dammit!"
Sanemi, panting heavily, wore a face full of frustration.
"Tch, couldn''t evennd a hit today..."
Obanai clicked his tongue."Lord Head Instructor... is truly... hard..."
Mitsuri felt like she was about to pass out, so she could only sit on the ground like a duck, struggling to speak.
"As expected of Young Tsugikuni!"
Even Kyoujurou, usually full of energy, couldn''t get up.
"Namu Amida Butsu..."
Gyoumei stopped shedding tears, his whole body filthy as he recited Buddhist chants.
"Really, he''s just too mboyant, that guy..."
Tengen observed that Riezel''s demeanor seemed different from before.
"...A monster."
Muichirouy on the ground without regard for his image, quietly uttering an evaluation.
"..."
Giyuu didn''t feel like speaking, silently staring at the sky, lost in thought.
"If only he had been born a little earlier..."
Shinobu sighed as she looked at Riezel.
However, her remark was met with silence from the Hashira.
After all, they naturally understood what she meant by that.
"Indeed..." Kyoujurou said sincerely. "If Young Tsugikuni had been born a bit earlier, maybe there wouldn''t have been so many tragedies... I wonder, is Kibutsuji Muzan stronger than Young Tsugikuni?"
In the past, the Hashira would never have simply admitted to such a statement.
However, now, they no longer thought that way.
After all, for a whole week, they attacked Riezel countless times, yet they couldn''t even touch the hem of his clothes, being knocked down time and time again.
One must know that this was nine versus one!
Nine Hashira were attacking a single person together, yet they couldn''t even touch his clothes.
Who would have believed it before?
Not to mention, except for Gyoumei, all of them were fighting while using the Demon yer Mark.
Gyoumei, due to his old age, which posed a risk of immediate death upon its use, had Riezel help him get rid of the Demon yer Mark after he had sessfully awakened it previously. As a result, during these days of fighting, he had been fighting without using it.
However, since Gyoumei was already the strongest in the Demon yer Corps, even without the Demon yer Mark, he wouldn''t be weaker than the other Hashira who used it.
With nine Hashira like this, even if they couldn''t defeat Muzan after ganging up on him, they should at leastnd a hit, right?
At least, this was what all the Hashira thought, until Riezel kept them from even touching him, continuously knocking them down for seven days straight.
In their eyes, if Riezel''s terrifying strength was below Muzan''s, then Muzan wasn''t a demon anymore but a god.
"Don''t get ahead of yourselves."
Riezel stepped forward and denied it.
"Tsugikuni Yoriichi from the Sengoku period was also a swordsman much stronger than Kibutsuji Muzan, but he still couldn''t kill him, allowing him to escape."
His point was that being able to win was one thing, but being able to kill was another.
"Even I, facing Kibutsuji Muzan, who can split his body into countless fragments to escape, wouldn''t dare say I can absolutely stop him from getting away. It''s best not to cling too tightly to your delusions."
After hearing Riezel''s words, all the Hashira became energized.
"Head Instructor, how strong do you think he is?"
Shinobu asked a question that everyone was concerned about.
They wanted to know if, at present, they had any chance against Muzan.
However, reality was still cruel.
"Unfortunately, even if you awaken three abilities and can defeat an Upper Rank on your own, it''s still unknown whether you can defeat him even when fighting together."
Riezel honestly expressed his opinion.
He had a rough estimate of Muzan''s strength, but this estimate was mainly based on the original work.
In the original work, as Upper One, Kokushibou''s strength far exceeded that of ordinary Upper Ranks. He could single-handedly confront Gyoumei and Muichirou, both of whom had the Demon yer Mark and the Transparent World, along with Sanemi, who used only the Demon yer Mark.
Yet, despite thebined efforts of the three Hashira, they only managed to defeat him after one of them was killed in the process.
Kokushibou, conservatively estimated, should have a strength equivalent to Level 5.
Meanwhile, even while under the effects of Tamayo''s drug, Muzan still could fight on his own against Tanjirou, Gyoumei, Sanemi, Giyuu, Obanai, and Mitsuri, a total of six people.
Even though these six people either used the Demon yer Mark, the Bright Red Nichirin Sword, or the Transparent World, Muzan could still single-handedly suppress them, forcing them to dy until daylight.
Just this performance alone was enough to prove that Muzan was much stronger than Kokushibou.
However, what made it worse was that this Muzan was not even at his prime.
Firstly, because centuries ago Muzan was nearly killed by Yoriichi, the wound left behind at that time hadn''t fully healed even now, weakening his strength to a certain extent.
Secondly, Tamayo injected Muzan with aplex drug containing four deadly effects.
The first effect turned his demon body into a human body.
The second elerated his aging.
The third prevented his body from splitting and escaping.
The fourth disrupted his cells after the first three had taken effect.
In the final battle, Muzan managed to neutralize the effect that turned him human, but the other three were still active.
In a situation like this, his strength was certainly halved.
Even so, Muzan could still single-handedly hold his own against the protagonist and five Hashira, showing that his strength in his prime would have been even more formidable.
From this, it was clear that Muzan, despite his weakened state, could still outperform Kokushibou, who was at Level 5.
In other words, Muzan might not have been far from Level 6 in his prime.
''Now that I think about it this way, Tsugikuni Yoriichi''s strength seems terrifying...'' Riezel pondered inwardly.
Muzan, possibly at Level 6, almost in by Yoriichi?
What level was Yoriichi then?
He could only say that Yoriichi truly lived up to being the strongest character in the world of Demon yer. Not only was he born with the Demon yer Mark, but he was also the creator of the breathing style and learned the principles of the Transparent World from childhood¡ªa true anomaly.
If Yoriichi were still alive, and if, like Riezel, could receive a god''s blessing and fully unlock his potential, he would undoubtedly be a monstrous figure capable of pushing his limits and raising his basic abilities to SSS.
However¡ª
''I''m not weaker than Tsugikuni Yoriichi now...'' Riezel affirmed inwardly.
In his current state, when adopting a strong attack mode, his strength was already equivalent to middle Level 7, perhaps even surpassing Yoriichi in his prime.
If Yoriichi could defeat Muzan in his prime in an instant, there was no reason Riezel couldn''t do the same. Even if Muzan were really at Level 6, Riezel could still easily defeat him even before learning Sun Breathing, let alone now.While this was true for Riezel, it was a different story for the Hashira.
Even with the Demon yer Mark, the Transparent World, and the Bright Red Nichirin Sword, which inflicted massive damage on demons, the strength of a single Hashira at best reached the limit of Level 4.
Even Gyoumei, who was the strongest in the Demon yer Corps, couldn''t reach Level 5 even after using the Demon yer Mark and the Transparent World. At most, he could only be considered to have stepped partially into it.
If Muzan were in the weakened state seen in theter parts of the original work''s main story, the nine Hashira might have a chance of sessfully defeating him.
However, if Muzan were truly at Level 6, could the nine Hashira, who were not even at Level 5, really seed in taking him down?
It was a big question mark.
Understanding Riezel''s point, every Hashira furrowed their brows.
"Is Kibutsuji Muzan really that strong?"
Tengen wondered aloud, to which Riezel responded with a simple affirmation.
"After living for a thousand years, even a pig can turn into a demon, let alone a ruthless demon like him. Don''t forget that demons grow stronger the more they consume humans. As the progenitor of demons, who else in this world has eaten as many humans as him?"
It could be said that under normal circumstances, no one in this world could surpass Muzan inbat power.
Yoriichi was simply an exception, a miracle.
As all the Hashira looked at him solemnly, Riezel continued his words."I won''t stop you if you want to join the fight. After all, you''ve got deep-seated grievances with demons that I don''t share, so I''ve got no reason to stop you from taking them out."
"However, I don''t support risking your lives by going after Kibutsuji Muzan¡ªit''s unnecessary."
"Your real opponents are the Upper Ranks, many of whom have a history with you."
"That''s who you should be targeting."
"As for Kibutsuji Muzan..."
Riezel turned his body away, ready to leave.
"He''s already mine."
With these words, Riezel left the training ground, leaving the Hashira deep in thought, staring at his retreating figure.
===
"M-Mr. Tsugikuni!"
Meanwhile, as Riezel was about to leave the training ground and return to his house, a voice called out to him.
"Hmm?"
Upon hearing this familiar voice, Riezel halted his steps, turned around, and nced behind him.
Over there, someone was running toward him at a brisk pace.
"Tanjirou?"
Yes.
It was none other than the protagonist, Kamado Tanjirou.
Chapter 189: Hinokami Kagura
Chapter 189: Hinokami Kagura
"Long time no see, Mr. Tsugikuni!"
As Tanjirou approached, he greeted Riezel with a hint of excitement.
"Oh, hey there." Riezel nodded. "It has indeed been a while."
Back when Riezel was first weed into the Rengoku residence by Kyoujurou, he and Tanjirou used to meet quite frequently. However, since he began developing his new breathing style, attempting to evolve Sun Breathing, he hadn''t seen Tanjirou much.
Tanjirou would often drop by when Riezel was experimenting with Sun Breathing, but at that time, he was fully immersed in his experiment, neither noticing Tanjirou nor exchanging greetings with him.
On top of that, after Riezelpleted the evolution of Sun Breathing, Tanjirou went off on missions, away from the headquarters.
From this, if counted, the two hadn''t seen each other for at least a month or two, which could indeed be considered a long time.
After a month or two, there hadn''t been any significant changes in Tanjirou''s body, but his breathing had be much more bnced and stable than before, proving that he hadn''t neglected his practice during this time.
His strength was still steadily increasing, steadily growing."So, you''re in this vige too?" Riezel asked casually.
"Yes!" Tanjirou nodded repeatedly. "Mr. Rengoku asked me toe here to practice. He said a big battle might being, and if I didn''t want to be left behind, I''d better improve my strength as much as I could."
As he said this, Tanjirou cast an admiring gaze toward Riezel.
"I saw your training session just now. You''re truly amazing, Mr. Tsugikuni! Even though the Hashira are so strong, you single-handedly defeated them¡"
Although Tanjirou knew Riezel was strong, especially after witnessing him defeat the Upper Three with a single sh, he hadn''t expected Riezel to be so powerful in just a few months, let alone to be the head instructor of the Demon yer Corps.
He had heard that the head instructor held the same status as the Master, which meant it was above the Hashira!
''Was it too impolite of me to just rush up and say hi like that? Should I bow down first, lower my head even lower than my knees?''
Luckily, as Tanjirou was thinking this, Riezel intervened timely, interrupting his drifting thoughts.
"Honestly, you''re not bad yourself."
Riezel assessed Tanjirou with a nce.
"I can feel that you''ve gotten much stronger than before. Your strength should be close to a Hashira by now, right?"
Riezel wasn''t just making idle talk.
During the incident on the Mugen Train, Tanjirou had already mastered ''Total Concentration - Constant.''
Since ''Total Concentration - Constant'' was the minimum requirement to approach the strength of a Hashira, one could strive to reach the rank of Hashira by learning it.
Additionally, Tanjirou had also be Kyoujurou''s Tsuguko after the incident, so while Riezel was evolving Sun Breathing, he received guidance from Kyoujurou.
Clearly, this made Tanjirou much stronger than he was during the incident. Although he hadn''t reached the strength of a Hashira yet, he wasn''t far off.
Currently, Tanjirou was probably equivalent to the limit of Level 3, just one step away from reaching Level 4, where the strength of the Hashiray.
At this level of strength, disregarding the Upper Ranks for now, the Lower Ranks were definitely no longer Tanjirou''s opponents.
If Tanjirou could awaken the Demon yer Mark as in the original work, he should immediately gain strength equivalent to a Hashira, right?
Unfortunately, the side effect of the Demon yer Mark was a problematic thing. Riezel didn''t want to harm this innocent and kind-hearted boy, so he decided not to mention it.
"No, no, no, I still have a long way to go!"
Tanjirou shook his head repeatedly, not daring to ept Riezel''s high praise.
Riezel didn''t mind either and casually asked again.
"What about your two buddies? They didn''te to this vige with you?"
"You mean Zenitsu and Inosuke? They dide!" Tanjirou said honestly. "It''s just that Inosuke said he wanted to defeat the wild boars and bears in the area, so he headed into the mountains and disappeared. As for Zenitsu, after getting a letter yesterday and reading it, his face suddenly turned pale, and he vanished this morning."
"Is that so?"
Riezel paused for a moment, then quickly back to normal.
"What about your little sister? You didn''t bring her along?"
As he asked this, Riezel gestured to Tanjirou''s empty back.
Tanjirou''s back, where the wooden box that should have been with him at all times was now missing.
"Ahh... that? Ahaha..." Tanjirou chuckled awkwardly. "Nezuko can''t be exposed to sunlight after all. I came here to practice, so I just left her in the dorm."
"Umu." Riezel nodded in understanding. "Well, since you''re here to practice, go find Rengoku; he''s resting over there."
With that, he turned and was about to leave, but Tanjirou suddenly called out.
"Wait, Mr. Tsugikuni! Can I ask you something?"
At his question, Riezel halted his steps, turned around, and looked at Tanjirou with a smile.
"Do you want to ask about Sun Breathing?"
Riezel spoke as if he had seen through Tanjirou''s intention.
"Y-You already knew?" Tanjirou was taken aback.
"I guess so..." Riezel nodded with a faint smile. "Ever since the incident of the Mugen Train, I thought you might ask me about this, but I didn''t expect you to endure until now."
"Ahahaha... it''s because I never found the right opportunity..." Tanjirou chuckled awkwardly while scratching his head.
"Then ask now." Riezel stated calmly, crossing his arms. "I''ll tell you what I know."
"Thank you!" Tanjirou eximed joyfully, thanking him fervently.
"No worries, it''s nothing." Riezel shook his head.
"In that case, I''ll get straight to it."
Tanjirou stared earnestly at Riezel and began to ask the question that had been on his mind for months.
"Excuse me, do you know about Hinokami Kagura?"
"I do." Riezel nodded frankly. "That''s the dance passed down through generations in your family, right?"
"Yes..." Tanjirou took a deep breath and continued, "My family lives on the mountain as charcoal sellers. It''s been passed down for generations, and supposedly, we''ve been in this business for hundreds of years until my generation."
"I had a father, a mother, and many little brothers and younger sisters."
At this point, Tanjirou''s face showed a hint of nostalgia and a tinge of sorrow.
"Two years ago, Kibutsuji Muzan attacked my family, killing them, and turning my little sister, Nezuko, into a demon..."
Tanjirou recounted the painful events, a story well known to Riezel, who was familiar with the original work.
Originally, Tanjirou led a happy, ordinary life, much like most people, just an insignificant member of society. His father, bedridden for years, had passed away earlier, leaving behind a small family.
Before Muzan''s attack, the Kamado family had been rtively content, but after the attack, Tanjirou''s peaceful and ordinary life came to a tragic end.
Due to his job of selling charcoal down the mountain, Tanjirou narrowly escaped death, but his family perished, leaving only one survivor, his younger sister¡ªKamado Nezuko.
Even though Nezuko survived, she fell victim to Muzan''s transformation and became a demon that fed on humans.
If not for the deep bond between Tanjirou and Nezuko, and his sess in awakening her human nature and preventing her from sumbing to her demonic instincts, his younger sister might have be a target for Demon yers.
"My condolences..."
Riezel sighed, merely patting Tanjirou''s shoulder since he was unsure of how to console someone.
"Thank you, but it''s okay... I''ve learned to move forward, not dwell solely on past sorrows."
Tanjirou wiped his wet eyes and shifted the conversation back to business.
"Although my family only sells charcoal, we perform Hinokami Kagura annually to honor the Fire God."
"Hinokami Kagura is our ancestral dance dedicated to worshiping Lord Fire God."
Tanjirou sought answers regarding his family''s traditional dance.
"I just happened to use Hinokami Kagura during a fight with demons and found it to be a super powerful breathing style. Ever since, I''ve been wondering how it became a breathing style..." Tanjirou said, sounding unsure.
Observing his hesitation, Riezel spoke up.
"So, after witnessing my battle, you noticed your family''s dance is identical to the Sun Breathing I used, correct?"
Upon hearing this, Tanjirou nodded in agreement.
"I''ve learned from Mr. Rengoku that Sun Breathing is the original breathing style, the first and strongest one..." Tanjirou said, looking confused. "But why would Hinokami Kagura be so simr to something so incredible?"
In fact, Tanjirou had previously asked Kyoujurou the same question and received an astonishing answer, which Riezel now revealed.
"You must have figured it out by now, right? Hinokami Kagura is actually just Sun Breathing."
Riezel smiled and locked eyes with Tanjirou.
"Actually, you already knew the answer; you just didn''t want to believe it."
"Am I right?"
After bing Kyoujurou''s Tsuguko, Tanjirou had already inquired about his family''s Hinokami Kagura, even demonstrating it in front of Kyoujurou, ultimately receiving confirmation from him.
"Umu! What you just used was the Sun Breathing that Young Tsugikuni used!"
Kyoujurou affirmed it back then.
Even so, Tanjirou still wasn''t convinced.
Why?
Why would Hinokami Kagura, a sacred dance passed down through generations in a family of mere charcoal sellers, be the strongest breathing style?
Actually, the answer was quite simple.
"It''s pretty simple, really... your family is the inheritor of Sun Breathing, simple as that."
Riezel unveiled the secret.
"During the Sengoku period, Sun Breathing''s creator, Tsugikuni Yoriichi, was close to your ancestor and demonstrated all the forms of Sun Breathing right in front of your ancestor''s eyes. Even those hanafuda earrings you wear? They were actually his, given to your ancestor by him."
Clearly, this was why the Kamado family''s Hinokami Kagura was Sun Breathing.
Chapter 190: Treating Nezuko
Chapter 190: Treating Nezuko
Why the Kamado family became the inheritors of Sun Breathing was something that happened after Yoriichi encountered Muzan and allowed him to escape.
At that time, Yoriichi was med and banished from the Demon yer Corps for letting Muzan escape, allowing Tamayo to go free, and for the murder of the then-Master of the Corps by his brother.
Losing both refuge in the Demon yer Corps and the identity of a Demon yer, Yoriichi, in a state of loneliness, encountered two ancestors of the Kamado family¡ªa husband and wife pair who were being attacked by demons.
As Yoriichi saved them, he ultimately became friends with them.
Two yearster, Yoriichi visited them again and told his story to the husband, who had be his closest friend.
At the husband''s request, heter demonstrated Sun Breathing.
As Yoriichi demonstrated every sword form of Sun Breathing, they were deeply imprinted in the mind of the husband, without any loss or distortion.
As a result, the Kamado family''s Hinokami Kagura was born.
Before parting, Yoriichi also gifted his hanafuda earrings to the husband.However, Yoriichi never appeared again after that, never to be seen by the ancestors of the Kamado family.
However, the Sun Breathing personally demonstrated by Yoriichi was passed down in the Kamado family along with the pair of hanafuda earrings.
Because of this, although the Kamado family had been an ordinary charcoal-selling family for generations, they were also the sole inheritors of Sun Breathing in the world.
Otherwise, why would Tanjirou''s father understand the Transparent World?
It was because he was proficient in Sun Breathing since childhood, which inadvertently led to his mastery and awakening of the Transparent World.
Unfortunately, Tanjirou''s father had been very ill and bedridden all year round before passing away three years ago due to his illness.
Given this, considering his talent for awakening the Transparent World without a teacher, if he had joined the Demon yer Corps and formally practiced swordsmanship, he would have definitely be a stronger swordsman than Gyoumei, the strongest in the Corps.
"Oh, I see¡"
After listening to Riezel''s exnation, Tanjirou remained stunned for a long time, still unable to snap out of it.
Truthfully, Tanjirou''s reaction was understandable.
For a in charcoal-selling family to actually be the inheritors of the strongest breathing style and the ancestors of all breathing styles, the feeling was simplyparable to the shock of, ''Oh, I''m actually born rich.''
*Ding¡ªling¡ª*
At the perfect moment, a breeze blew, causing the hanafuda earrings hanging from Tanjirou''s ears to sway gently, emitting a tinkling sound like wind chimes.
The pleasant sound not only made Riezel feel nostalgic but also awakened Tanjirou from his daze.
"...I see now... this must be fate, right?"
Tanjirou muttered and clenched his fists, determination evident in his eyes.
As the creator of Sun Breathing, Yoriichi failed to kill Muzan, but because of this, he encountered Tanjirou''s ancestors by chance and passed down Sun Breathing.
Moreover, as inheritors of Sun Breathing, the Kamado family was coincidentally attacked and almost wiped out by Muzan, leaving only Tanjirou and his younger sister, who was turned into a demon.
Since Tanjirou wanted to turn his younger sister back into a human, he had no choice but to search for Muzan to obtain a method to revert demons back to humans.
With all these coincidencesbined, Tanjirou truly feels the weight of fate.
He must defeat Muzan.
Regardless of whether it was to fulfill Yoriichi''s regret as the inheritor of Sun Breathing or to seek revenge as the eldest son of the Kamado family and find a way to restore his younger sister back, Tanjirou felt he must defeat that Demon King.
As Riezel looked at Tanjirou, whose eyes were filled with determination, he suddenly spoke.
"If you wanna turn your little sister back into a human, maybe I can help."
As if hit by lightning, Riezel''s sudden statement left Tanjiroupletely dumbfounded.
"Wh-What...?"
Although Tanjirou couldn''t believe his ears, Riezel had indeed said it clearly.
"I can help you turn your younger sister back into a human."
Riezel''s casually repeated words plunged Tanjirou into unprecedented excitement.
"Re-Really? Is what you said true, Mr. Tsugikuni?!"
Tanjirou couldn''t help but grab onto Riezel''s clothes in desperation.
"Really."
Riezel wasn''t just saying things randomly.
"Humans be demons because Kibutsuji Muzan injected his blood into them, transforming their body constitution." Riezel exined. "So theoretically, if we can obliterate his blood inside their body, it should be possible to turn them back into humans."
Demons not only fed on humans but also increased their strength by consuming Muzan''s blood¡ªthe more blood he gave them, the stronger they became.
However, if the power within the blood were too strong, weaker demons might not be able to handle it and could end up self-destructing. Conversely, those who were able to handle it could be even stronger than Upper One Kokushibou by relying solely on Muzan''s blood.
From this, it could be seen that Muzan''s blood was the source of the demons'' power. In other words, by dposing his blood within their own, they should revert to being human.
For Riezel, who possessed dposition magic, this was entirely achievable.
"Mr. Tsugikuni... I... I..."
Tanjirou stuttered, ovee with emotion, tears streaming down his face.
"Alright, don''t look at me like that, I just don''t want to see your little sister get hurt because of me."
Riezel shook his head and patted Tanjirou''s shoulder.
"Later, I n to kill Kibutsuji Muzan myself. Once he''s gone, all the demons in the world will disappear with him. If your little sister dies because of this, I''ll feel guilty."
In fact, the original work didn''t really mention what happened to the demons after Muzan died.
Riezel wasn''t sure if they would die along with him or if they would revert to being human. If it was thetter, it would be a good thing, but if it was the former, Tanjirou would have to face the loss of his closest family.
With this in mind, Riezel decided to do a good deed and save Tanjirou''s younger sister first before confronting Muzan.
"Thank you! Mr. Tsugikuni! Thank you very much!"
Tanjirou repeatedly bowed to Riezel, tears streaming down his face, crying in a rather unsightly manner.
"Alright, let''s go." Riezel said with a smile. "Take me to your little sister."
"Yes!" Tanjirou replied loudly.
===
In the Swordsmith Vige, Tanjirou lived in the collective dormitories provided for members of the Demon yer Corps.
The dormitories varied in size¡ªsome wererge, some small, some amodated only two to three people, while others could house around ten. Additionally, they were located on the outskirts of the vige, clearly newly constructed.
Meanwhile, Tanjirou resided in one of the smaller dormitories, which could amodate only three or four people. Naturally, he shared it with Zenitsu, Inosuke, and his younger sister, Nezuko.
Under Tanjirou''s guidance, Riezel arrived in his dormitory and met his younger sister, Nezuko, who had always been kept inside a wooden box.
Nezuko was a girl who seemed to be around the same age as Mediste, about fourteen years old. With waist-length jet-ck hair, she wore a pink kimono with a ck haori over it and had a bamboo tube in her mouth.
Riezel must admit, her appearance was cute, clearly a rare beauty in the making.
At this moment, Nezuko was sleeping soundly on the futonid out on the tatami mat.
"I''m back, Nezuko."
Tanjirou knelt beside the futon, reaching out to gently stroke his younger sister''s head with a gentle and serene expression that Riezel had never seen before.
"Is she asleep?"
Riezel asked as he observed Nezuko for a moment.
"Yes..." Tanjirou unconsciously lowered his voice. "Since bing a demon, Nezuko has often slept like this, spending most of her time sleeping, seemingly maintaining her strength through sleep and suppressing her instinct as a demon, refraining from eating humans."
It must be said that Tanjirou''s younger sister was quite impressive.
After turning into a demon, most people were usually controlled by uncontroble violent tendencies, attacking humans on sight and gradually losing their humanity, even their memories of being human.
Nezuko was the only demon who, through sheer willpower, overcame the instinct to eat humans and retained some of her humanity thanks to Tanjirou''s calls.
Even though she was the only demon in this world who had never eaten a human, her presence had caused conflicts within the Demon yer Corps.
After all, Tanjirou being together with a demon, and even supporting the demon, was a major taboo within the Corps.
Even someone as strong as Yoriichi had been condemned by the Demon yer Corps for sparing Tamayo, let alone Tanjirou, a mere ordinary member. Because of this, the Corps had once considered executing his younger sister, and Tanjirou himself had also almost been executed.
If it weren''t for Giyuu vouching for him and Shinobuter showing favoritism toward Tanjirou, along with Kagaya having some understanding of Nezuko''s situation and allowing her existence, perhaps these siblings would no longer be part of the Demon yer Corps.
Even so, most members of the Demon yer Corps still refused to acknowledge Nezuko. Some even refused to ept Tanjirou, despite Nezuko proving at thest Hashira meeting that she didn''t eat humans.
Luckily, there were now quite a few Hashira who acknowledged Tanjirou.
Kyoujurou bing Tanjirou''s mentor naturally implied recognition of Nezuko.
Mitsuri never harbored biases against Tanjirou and always held him and his younger sister in high regard because she was kind-hearted.
Muichirou seemed to consider Tanjirou and Nezuko''s existence insignificant and chose to ignore them.
Gyoumei seemed to be in a state of observation, with his thoughts unknown.
As for Tengen, while he couldn''t exactly be said to acknowledge Tanjirou and Nezuko, he hadn''t insisted on rooting them out either.
Only Sanemi and Obanai, the two with the worst tempers, worst personalities, and lowest poprity within the Demon yer Corps, still held a grudge against Tanjirou until now.
Of course, as someone who knew the original work, Riezel naturally held an approving attitude toward Nezuko.
He hade here to help her, which in itself was proof.
"Alright, I''m going to begin."
Riezel knelt down on one knee and ced his hand on Nezuko''s forehead.
"Please... I beg of you!"
Tanjirou bowed deeply to Riezel, his face filled with nervousness.
Without bothering with Tanjirou further, Riezel began to use dposition magic.
*Bzzzt¡ª*
Crimson waves soon appeared.
Chapter 191: Quit?
Chapter 191: Quit?
As crimson waves appeared in Riezel''s hand, Tanjirou wasn''t surprised.
After all, swordsmen who had mastered the breathing style could conjure fire, water, wind, and more. Emitting crimson light was no big deal and certainly not surprising.
Filled with anticipation, Tanjirou watched nervously as the crimson waves flowed from Riezel''s hand to Nezuko''s forehead, gradually covering her entire body.
Riezel controlled the dposition magic with precision, careful not to make a mistake that could dpose a person, which would be a disaster. He targeted only the foreign substance inside Nezuko, Muzan''s demon blood that didn''t belong in a human body.
In the next moment, Nezuko suddenly began to convulse.
"Ugh..."
A slightly pained sound escaped from Nezuko''s mouth, muffled by the bamboo tube she was biting.
Tanjirou almost couldn''t resist rushing over, but he held himself back, choosing to trust Riezel.
Nezuko''s shaking intensified, and the sounds she made grew more pained.*Pssst¡ª*
Eventually, her entire body began to emit smoke.
"Nezuko!"
Tanjirou finally couldn''t hold back and called out, but unfortunately, neither Riezel nor Nezuko had the energy to respond to him at this moment.
Nezuko seemed to be enduring unbearable pain, causing her arms and legs to il uncontrobly.
*Chi!*
Nezuko''s sharp ws inadvertently scratched Riezel''s hand, leaving a bloodstain on his arm.
Riezel frowned slightly but didn''t stop,calmly continued to release the dposition magic.
He had initially thought it would be simple¡ªjust dposing Muzan''s blood from Nezuko''s body would restore her to human. Unfortunately, Muzan''s blood had already merged with her flesh,pletely transforming her body inside out. It wasn''t something that could be dposed so easily.
Riezel needed to find and dpose the ''inhuman parts'' within Nezuko without harming other parts. Its difficulty was akin to plucking a thorn from an invisible cell, making one want to cry out that it was impossible.
In the past, Riezel indeed wouldn''t have been able to aplish this. Luckily, the current him had awakened the Transparent World, enabling him to see through bodies, observing the movement of every muscle and even each blood vessel.
As long as he concentrated a bit more, it wasn''t impossible to extract the so-called ''thorn'' embedded in an invisible cell.
In this manner, Riezelpletely shut down all his senses, leaving only the minimum necessary, and focused intensely on observing every cell and every bit of flesh in Nezuko''s body.
Before long, he extracted all the foreign substances he discovered inside, dposing them with dposition magic.
Clearly, this process was cumbersome, lengthy, and tested one''s patience.
At least half an hour had passed, and Riezel was still at it.
Nezuko continued to struggle in apparent pain, emphasizing the difficulty of the task.
After half an hour, the smoke emanating from Nezuko began to lessen, and her pained sounds and struggles gradually eased as well.
About an hourter, as the crimson waves disappeared, Nezuko finally calmed downpletely.
"Phew..."
Only then did Riezel let out a breath and stand up.
"How is she, Mr. Tsugikuni?"
Tanjirou, who hadn''t blinked once during the entire process, kept his eyes glued to Riezel. Seeing that Riezel seemed to be done, he quickly asked.
However, Riezel didn''t respond and merely gave Tanjirou a slight smile before turning to leave.
"Mr. Tsu¡ª"
Tanjirou instinctively tried to call out, but in the next second, he was interrupted by another voice.
"Big... Brother..."
When that faint, drowsy voice echoed in the room and reached Tanjirou''s ears, he felt as if struck by lightning, freezing in ce.
After a moment of daze, tears welled up in Tanjirou''s eyes once again.
===
Leaving Tanjirou''s dormitory, Riezel immediately heard the sound of crying from inside as he stepped outside.
"Poor guy..." Riezel sighed, deciding not to rush off, and instead waited outside.
In the end, he ended up waiting for another half hour.
Finally, Tanjirou came out of the dormitory, wiping away his tears.
"Thank you, Mr. Tsugikuni, thank you so much!"
As soon as Tanjirou saw Riezel, he ran up to him without hesitation, bowing repeatedly.
"Alright, you''ve thanked me plenty of times already."
Riezel helped Tanjirou up, not letting him bow any further.
"No! No matter how many times I thank you, it won''t be enough to express how I feel right now!" Tanjirou said with a tearful but relieved smile. "Nezuko is my only family left. I''ve always been worried, thinking about what I''d do if she never turned back into a human..."
A demon bing human was unprecedented.
Not only had Tanjirou never heard of it, but even in the past records of the Ubuyashiki family, the Rengoku family, and the entire Demon yer Corps, there were no records of demons turning back into humans.
Not even in the original work was there any mention of demons bing humans until Tamayo developed the cure for it.
Although Tanjirou had strong willpower and unwavering determination, he had always been uncertain about whether he could truly turn his younger sister back into a human, until today.
The one who made it possible was the very strong, very mysterious, and very powerful head instructor he had only recently met.
At this moment, Tanjirou made up his mind.
"From now on, you''re my big brother!"
"...No, that''s not necessary." Riezel raised his eyebrows.
"No way! You''re my big brother now!"
"But I think¡ª"
"Big Brother!"
"..."
Tanjirou''s loud voice and determination left Riezel speechless, literally unable to refuse.
It had to be said, as Kyoujurou''s Tsuguko, Tanjirou might not have mastered everything yet, but his loud voice and stubbornness had certainly surpassed his mentor''s.
"Fine, do whatever you want."
Riezel didn''t care anymore.
Back on the Mugen Train, this boy had also called him ''Big Brother'' for a while. Even though it wasn''t the same kind of ''Big Brother'', it didn''t really matter.
As such, he would just ept it.
"Is your little sister okay?" Riezel asked, changing the topic.
"Yeah, she''s fine..."
A gentle expression appeared on Tanjirou''s face as he answered.
"She still seems very tired, so I let her sleep. Tonight, I''ll ask Miss Shinobu toe and check on Nezuko. I just hope she stays healthy."
"Alright." Riezel nodded. "So you''re not practicing today?"
"Um, I''ll be with Nezuko for now..." Tanjirou said apologetically. "I''m worried about her and want to stay by her side for a bit, but once she''s better, I''ll definitelye back!"
"Actually, you could just quit, you know?" Riezel suddenly suggested. "Your little sister''s back to being human, so you don''t need to look for Kibutsuji Muzan anymore. You could take her home and stay away from the battlefield. It wouldn''t be a bad choice for both of you."
Upon hearing this, Tanjirou instantly fell silent.
"You''re only left with Nezuko, right?" Riezel said. "And it''s the same for her. If you keep fighting and end up running into a powerful demon and getting killed, Nezuko won''t have any family left to rely on."
"I¡ª"
"You don''t have to answer now."
Tanjirou opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but Riezel interrupted him.
"Think it over carefully. Also, it''s a good idea to talk it over with your little sister so you don''t have to rush your decision."
Upon hearing this, Tanjirou closed his mouth, showing aplex expression.
"..."
Seeing Tanjirou''s expression, Riezel immediately turned and left.
Seeing him leave, Tanjirou didn''t say anything, only bowing deeply to Riezel''s back.
He knew Riezel was saying those things for his own good.
Still, he really couldn''t make a decision yet.
With this in mind, Tanjirou thought he should really take the time to consider what to do next.
===
In fact, Riezel saying those suggestions to Tanjirou for a reason.
As the protagonist, Tanjirou''s body had many outstanding qualities. If developed properly, he would undoubtedly be an outstanding character, capable of ying a decisive role in critical moments.
However, in the original work''s ending, Tanjirou''s fate wasn''t particrly a good one.
One of his arms had atrophied, one eye had gone blind, and due to using the Demon yer Mark, he wouldn''t live past twenty-five.
Nevertheless, for Tanjirou, this was already a happy ending.
His younger sister had returned to being human, Muzan had been defeated, and he had returned home with his friends to live an ordinary life.
Even though Tanjirou was content with this oue, it actually still left many regrets.
Fortunately, none of this had happened yet.
Since the final battle hadn''t started, Tanjirou''s Demon yer Mark hadn''t awakened, and with himself around, Muzan wouldn''t go unopposed.
Given this, Tanjirou didn''t need to jump into this mess.
If Tanjirou were to die in battle this time, his younger sister would indeed be left all alone.
Knowing this, it would be better not to let him join the fight in the first ce.
However¡ª
''Well, he''s the protagonist after all. If protagonists give up so easily, viins in countless worlds would probably cheer for three days and nights.''
Riezel somewhat anticipated what would happen next.
"Oh, you''re back."
"You''re so slow! I''ve been waiting for you forever."
"Hurry up, let''s continue."
"Let''s go!"
Unconsciously, instead of returning to his house, Riezel went back to the training ground, urged on by the fully re-energized Hashira.
Seeing them, Riezel smiled slightly, drew his sword, and entered the training ground.
Before long, the mes and explosions returned, and the hellish special training resumed.
Chapter 192: Mechanical Doll?
Chapter 192: Mechanical Doll?
The next day, Riezel continued giving special training to the nine Hashira in the training ground, helping them awaken the Transparent World.
Meanwhile, other members of the Demon yer Corps stood by, watching as Riezel tortured and beat all the Hashira. Whenever they found something amusing, they cheered loudly, earning deathly res from Sanemi and Obanai.
One moment they were filled with joy, the next they were miserable. Each of them was eventually caught by the Hashira and taken away for rigorous training.
Kagaya had instructed the Hashira to oversee the training of the lower-ranking members during their free time, pushing them to improve their skills whenever possible.
Originally, this task should have fallen to Riezel as the head instructor, but Kagaya seemed to notice Riezel''sck of interest in training ordinary members, thus assigning the task to the Hashira instead.
Indeed, Riezel had little interest in training these ordinary members.
After all, he wasn''t here to babysit the Demon yer Corps. If the Hashira needed special training, so be it, but why should he bother with the ordinary members?
Although it seemed like Riezel was simply pushing the Hashira around during their training sessions, there were benefits he gained. At the very least, it allowed him to hone his swordsmanship and let his ''Swordsman'' development ability absorb some excelia.
As for the ordinary members, with theirbat power hovering around Level 3 at best, how much training effect could they possibly provide for him?It would be better for them to train on their own.
For this reason, if Kagaya had tasked Riezel with this job, he would have surely declined. Even so, since Kagaya hoped to enhance the overall strength of the Demon yer Corps, Riezel had no reason to object.
After some contemtion, Riezel made his decision known to the Hashira.
"Every morning, I''ll train you all, and in the afternoons, you''ll train the other members."
However, his decision met with both approval and opposition.
Kyoujurou, Shinobu, Mitsuri, and Gyoumei were in favor. They were Hashira who valued helping others, so naturally, they supported anything that could benefit others.
On the other hand, Sanemi, Obanai, Tengen, and Muichirou were opposed. They were displeased at the prospect of their training time being halved and saw little value in improving the meager skills of ordinary members.
In their eyes, only the Hashira were crucialbat power, making the other members'' roles seem insignificant.
In the end, this stark difference in views led to a heated argument.
Only Giyuu remained silent and indifferent as usual, choosing not to engage in the discussion. Ironically, this attitude exined why he had always been isted and alone.
In the end, the argument continued until Riezel put an end to it with a single statement.
"You know, in my eyes, your skills are also insignificant and unnecessary. Why don''t you all stop training and go home?"
His words instantly silenced the Hashira on Sanemi''s side.
With that, the issue was finally settled.
Following Riezel''s decision, the Hashira arranged a training schedule for the entire Demon yer Corps.
In the morning, Riezel sparred with the nine Hashira, while ordinary members engaged in basic physical training.
In the afternoon, Riezel rested while the nine Hashira conducted training sessions with various members, including sparring among other activities.
In the evening, everyone reserved it for rest.
It was decided that this new training schedule would begin from today.
At this moment, Riezel had nearly finished sparring with the nine Hashira, and it was time for them to train the other members.
Riezel left them behind and walked out of the training ground, as he had done the day before.
However, just like yesterday, he was stopped shortly after leaving.
"Big Brother!"
Clearly, that voice and the way of addressing could belong to only one person.
Sure enough, Tanjirou, looking like he had justpleted his training, ran toward Riezel, panting heavily.
However, he wasn''t alone, but had someone with him.
It wasn''t his younger sister, who had just recovered yesterday, nor was it his usual two best friends. Instead, it was a local boy from the vige, wearing a hyottoko mask.
Riezel nced at the boy and felt a sense of familiarity.
Before long, it clicked in his mind who this boy was.
''Is it him?''
As Riezel recalled who the boy was, a sh of insight struck him, reminding him of something from the Swordsmith Vige.
Instantly, his face lit up with curiosity.
At this moment, Tanjirou and the boy had already arrived in front of Riezel.
"Big Brother!"
Tanjirou seemed to have taken a liking to this nickname, calling out happily while smiling.
"Looks like you''ve already made up your mind, huh..."
Riezel turned his gaze toward Tanjirou.
"Yes..." Tanjirou nodded, seeming to have made up his mind. "Nezuko and I have discussed it. We promised to go back together, but not now. It''ll be after everything is over, with Zenitsu and Inosuke."
"Are you really sure about this?" Riezel asked, not trying to persuade him further, just confirming. "If you die, this promise will turn into a lifetime of pain and regret."
"It''s precisely because of this promise that I need to continue training, to be stronger, and to have the necessary strength to survive."
Tanjirou spoke earnestly as he gazed into Riezel''s eyes.
"Nezuko and I havee this far thanks to many people who helped us, pushing us forward."
"Zenitsu, Inosuke, and of course Teacher Rengoku, Miss Shinobu, and Mr. Tomioka¡ªeveryone who''s got high hopes for me. Plus, the Master''s kindness, the will of our ancestors, and the memories of our departed family..."
"It''s because of all of them that I''vee this far."
"If it weren''t for everyone''s support, I would''ve definitely copsed halfway."
Tanjirou''s voice grew stronger.
"Now, everyone''s heading into battle to end it all, to stop the tragedy, willing to risk everything."
"In that case, how could I abandon everyone and run away with just my younger sister?"
"In the future I dream of, I want not just Nezuko to be part of my family, but everyone!"
After dering this, Tanjirou gave Riezel a big smile.
"That''s why, I will fight together with everyone till the end!"
Clearly, this was the conclusion Tanjirou and Nezuko reached after talking through the night.
In any event, the Kamado siblings were naturally people who knew how to be grateful. Even though the bond between them had indeed sustained and brought them this far, their connections weren''t limited to each other but extended to others as well.
Not to mention, they not only harbored deep hatred toward Muzan but also bore a fate inherited from Yoriichi that had been passed down through generations of their family.
In short, they had no reason to evade this battle.
"Sorry to disappoint you after all you had done for us..."
Tanjirou bowed deeply to Riezel.
"No, it''s okay..." Riezel smiled faintly. "I actually had a feeling about your decision earlier. I just hope you can make it to the end and achieve the future you''re looking forward to, without any regrets."
"Yes!" Tanjirou responded loudly.
Seeing the conversation between Riezel and Tanjirouing to an end, the boy beside Tanjirou finally jumped in.
"Are you done talking? Then it''s my turn!" The boy dered.
"Ahh, right... let me introduce him."
Tanjirou seemed to just remember the boy''s presence and quickly introduced him.
"He is Kotetsu, from the Swordsmith Vige."
"I can tell." Riezel nced at the mask on the boy''s face. "So what''s the story? How did you end up together?"
"We didn''t end up together... we just met recently..." Tanjirou said, scratching his head. "He was hiding and peeking from the side... Well, he looked kinda pitiful, so I brought him along."
"I-I wasn''t peeking!" Kotetsu immediately protested. "I just happened to pass by! Yeah, just happened to pass by!"
"Eh, really?" Tanjirou tilted his head. "But weren''t you here yesterday too?"
"What?" Kotetsu was surprised. "How did you know?"
"Because of the smell!" Tanjirou straightened up proudly. "My nose is quite sensitive, y''know!"
"I don''t understand what you''re talking about!" Kotetsu protested.
Nevertheless, he no longer denieding here and began stealing nces at Riezel with a hesitant expression.
"What''s up?" Riezel asked in confusion. "Do you have something to ask me?"
"Well, sort of..." Kotetsu''s voice involuntarily lowered. "I heard you''re the master of the divine sword, so I wanted to ask you something..."
Riezel nodded, gesturing for him to continue.
After much hesitation, Kotetsu finally mustered the courage to ask his question.
"Can you fix a mechanical doll?" Kotetsu asked with a somewhat hopeful voice.
"Mechanical... doll?" Tanjirou blinked his eyes, confused.
As for Riezel, he had a sudden realization upon hearing the boy''s question.
Now, he knew why Kotetsu hade to him.
"Are you referring to Yoriichi Type Zero?"
Riezel''s words surprised Kotetsu.
"Y-You know about Yoriichi Type Zero?!" Kotetsu seemed somewhat surprised.
"Yoriichi Type Zero?" Tanjirou''s face disyed a question mark and his eyes widened. "What''s that?"
Seeing his confusion, Kotetsu began to exin.
"It''s a mechanical doll created by my ancestor forbat training. It can perform 108 different movements and possesses superhuman strength. Many members of the Demon yer Corps who have visited the vige always used it for training, but it''s quite old now, almost falling apart. Recently, fewer peoplee specifically to train with it, and fewer people even know of its existence..."
"Ah, I see!" Tanjirou nodded earnestly.
Seeing his reaction, Riezel doubted whether he truly understood.
However, that wasn''t the priority right now.
"Are you asking me to help you repair Yoriichi Type Zero?"
Riezel voiced Kotetsu''s true purpose.
"Yes."
Upon hearing Riezel''s question, Kotetsu nodded heavily.
Chapter 193: Yoriichi Type Zero
Chapter 193: Yoriichi Type Zero
Yoriichi Type Zero, the existence of this battle-oriented mechanical doll, only came back to Riezel''s memory after meeting Kotetsu.
Its presence wasn''t imposing, but from its name alone, one could discern a connection to Tsugikuni Yoriichi.
In truth, the creator of this mechanical doll created it after Yoriichi, endowing it with strength far surpassing that of ordinary humans. Moreover, it had existed for a considerable time, spanning from the Sengoku period to the present day, easily over three hundred years.
Clearly, the fact that a mechanical doll could persist for over three centuries was truly remarkable in itself, emphasizing its exceptional nature.
It was thanks to Kotetsu''s family, who had taken care of this mechanical doll since the Sengoku period, for over three hundred years up to the present day.
As Riezel thought about this mechanical doll, his interest was piqued, but he also felt a bit confused about Kotetsu''s intentions.
"Why did youe to me?" Riezel asked with a puzzled tone.
In fact, Yoriichi Type Zero was quite old, nearly breaking down and beyond repair.
Unfortunately, by the time it reached Kotetsu''s generation, the necessary skills and knowledge needed to maintain and repair it had been lost, so it wasn''t unusual for him to seek someone to help him fix it.However, the question remained¡ªwhy didn''t Kotetsu approach the highly skilled swordsmiths in the Swordsmith Vige, but instead came to him?
Truly, this was something Riezel couldn''t quite grasp.
However, Kotetsu''s next words would answer his doubt.
"In the vige, apart from my father, there''s no one left who can repair Yoriichi Type Zero, including myself..."
As Kotetsu answered, there was a hint of reluctance in his tone.
A mechanical doll that had survived from the Sengoku period to the present surely harbored remarkable craftsmanship.
While the Swordsmith Vige boasted many skilled swordsmiths, particrly the vige chief who was arguably the world''s best swordsmith, expertise in mechanical doll-making was scarce.
After all, this type of craftsmanship was already niche within the Swordsmith Vige, almost forgotten and overlooked. Because of this, until now, only Kotetsu''s father possessed the ability to maintain, care for, and repair Yoriichi Type Zero.
Sadly, Kotetsu''s father had passed away, leaving Kotetsu as thest inheritor of this dwindling mechanical doll.
However, Kotetsu was merely a precocious child,cking the ability to repair Yoriichi Type Zero, and didn''t even possess the natural talent for swordsmithing. For this reason, in the original work, Yoriichi Type Zero remained damaged until the end.
Fortunately, at this time and this moment, Kotetsu saw hope in repairing Yoriichi Type Zero, whicy in Riezel.
"You''re the master of the divine sword, right?"
Kotetsu asked with a hint of anticipation.
"Many in the vige say the divine sword was actually made by you. Although some skilled swordsmiths led by the vige chief deny this im, stating they don''t smell the scent of a cksmith on you, I want to know, if you really did create the divine sword, can you also repair mechanical dolls?"
Upon hearing this, Riezel finally understood.
Needless to say, Kotetsu harbored a hopeful belief when he sought him out.
"You sure know how to beat a dead horse." Riezel chuckled and shook his head.
"So, um... can you?"
Kotetsu asked, not denying Riezel''s words while looking nervously at him.
After a moment of contemtion, Riezel replied.
"Take me to see Yoriichi Type Zero first, then we''ll decide."
"Alright!" Kotetsu readily agreed.
"Um, can Ie along?" Tanjirou quickly raised his hand.
"Let''s go." Riezel nced at him with a smile. "Perhaps you will find something useful there."
After saying these mysterious words, he took the lead and walked ahead.
Seeing this, Tanjirou and Kotetsu hurried to catch up.
===
Under Kotetsu''s guidance, Riezel and Tanjirou arrived at another stretch of mountain forest.
A clearingy before them, seemingly designated for training purposes, though it appeared neglected fromck of recent use.
"It''s right there."
Kotetsu stepped into the clearing, pointing toward a figure standing tall in the center.
Riezel looked up and immediately spotted the mechanical doll, a relic from the Sengoku period, still intact.
It was dressed in a kimono, resembling an ancient samurai, with its hair styled in a tall ponytail. It had the appearance of a human male, but its expression was stiff and robotic, revealing that beneath its exteriory not supple flesh, but rigid mechanical parts.
It also had six arms, each equipped with a sword, resembling a demon from hell. Even standing motionless, it emanated a faint but eerie sense of dread.
"Is this Yoriichi Type Zero?"
Riezel examined Yoriichi Type Zero with interest.
Tanjirou also did the same.
"This doll..."
As Tanjirou stared at the mechanical doll''s face, he felt a strange sense of familiarity.
Kotetsu stepped in to exin.
"This is Yoriichi Type Zero, abat mechanical doll of my family. It was my ancestor''s greatest creation during his lifetime, unmatched even today."
"ording to my family records, Yoriichi Type Zero was modeled after an extremely powerful swordsman from the Sengoku period."
"The swordsman''s incredible skill left a profound impact on my ancestor, inspiring him to create this mechanical doll."
Kotetsu''s voice brimmed with pride.
"To replicate the swordsman''s skills, my ancestor created Yoriichi Type Zero with multiple action modes, six arms, and six swords."
"Without these modifications, it''s said that the doll wouldn''t even possess a tenth of the swordsman''s strength."
"Hence, Yoriichi Type Zero appears as a six-armed swordsman."
Kotetsu''s words finally dawned on Tanjirou, usually dense and slow to react.
"Yoriichi Type Zero... Yoriichi...?"
Muttering this, Tanjirou looked at Riezel in surprise.
"Just as you suspected." Riezel nodded. "This mechanical doll is designed after Tsugikuni Yoriichi from the Sengoku period, the creator of Sun Breathing, who passed it down to you and me."
Upon hearing this, Tanjirou finally understood why the mechanical doll seemed so familiar to him.
After all, this was the great ancestor who had once befriended and saved his own ancestors, leaving behind the legacy of Sun Breathing for his family. Furthermore, the blood flowing within him told him that the person with that appearance was a great benefactor to his family.
One could even say Yoriichi was his family''s master (sensei) and the master of his family through generations since the Sengoku period.
"..."
Tanjirou fell silent for a while, then bowed respectfully toward Yoriichi Type Zero.
Riezel, however, didn''t share Tanjirou''s deep emotions.
His connection with Yoriichi was not as profound as Yoriichi''s connection with Tanjirou''s family, so he simply continued to examine Yoriichi Type Zero, vaguely recognizing the figure of the swordsman who had demonstrated Sun Breathing to him in his dream.
Eventually, Riezel turned to Kotetsu and threw out a question.
"It should still be functional, right?"
"It should be..." Kotetsu nodded hesitantly. "But Yoriichi Type Zero is quite old now. It can move, but if it''s put intobat again, it might break down immediately."
"If that''s the case, there''s nothing we can do." Riezel nced back at the mechanical doll. "We need to see how much it can move before deciding whether we can repair it. If it breaks before then, it''s just its fate."
Although his statement saddened Kotetsu, it was also the truth.
"Okay, I''ll make it move."
Kotetsu took a key from his pocket, approached Yoriichi Type Zero, and inserted it into a hole in its body.
He then twisted the key, activating it.
*Ka-Ka!*
In the next moment, the sound of metal parts being activated echoed from within Yoriichi Type Zero.
As its eyes lit up slightly as if infused with life, it raised its head.
Seeing this, Kotetsu hurried back.
At the same time, Riezel suddenly grabbed Tanjirou by the arm.
"Eh?"
Tanjirou was taken aback.
"Big Brother?"
His voice conveyed both confusion and a hint of unease as if sensing something ominous.
"You go and give it a try."
Sure enough, as Riezel heartlessly said this, he threw Tanjirou toward Yoriichi Type Zero without hesitation.
"EEEHHHH¡ª?!!!"
Tanjirou immediately let out a series of screams as he was thrown right in front of Yoriichi Type Zero.
*Swish!*
Seeing its target, Yoriichi Type Zero instantly sprang into action.
It extended its six arms and raised its six swords before dashing toward Tanjirou with astonishing speed.
"Wa-Wait?!"
Tanjirou eximed in shock, quickly drawing his own sword.
*DING!*
In the next moment, their swords shed, producing a crisp sound of impact and sparks flying. In the nick of time, Tanjirou hastily raised his sword, blocking the lightning-fast strikeing toward him.
However, Yoriichi Type Zero''s other five arms and swords also moved, like a storm, shing out with a flurry of sword lights, attacking Tanjirou like a torrential downpour.
*ng!* *Cling!* *ng!* *Cling!*
*ng!* *Cling!* *ng!* *Cling!*
For a moment, the sounds of swords colliding echoed fiercely in the empty clearing.
Yoriichi Type Zero seemed possessed by a god of war, its six swords turning into des of minced meat, shing out shes of sword light, cutting out shes with incredible speed and high attack frequency, forcing Tanjirou to barely defend himself.
Seeing this scene, Riezel''s eyes grew brighter and brighter.
''Heh, even though it''s almost falling apart, it still has this kind of strength?''
Looking intently at Yoriichi Type Zero, Riezel made his judgment.
Yoriichi Type Zero should havebat power equivalent to Level 4.
Clearly, this was essentially thebat power of a Hashira, yet it appeared in the form of a mere doll.
''Interesting...''
Riezel was interested in this mechanical doll¡ªor rather, he was interested in acquiring the technology to create it.
Chapter 194: Frightening Prospect
Chapter 194: Frightening Prospect
Ever since Riezel first met Kotetsu and recalled Yoriichi Type Zero, he had been interested in it.
Yoriichi Type Zero, as abat mechanical doll far surpassing ordinary human capabilities, though ultimately unable to match Yoriichi''s prowess, still possessed considerable prowess in this world, not to be underestimated.
In the original work, Muichirou, a Hashira, used Yoriichi Type Zero for training. Despite its significant wear and damage, it could still hold its own against him, proving its capabilities were not inferior to a Hashira.
Surprisingly, such a mechanical doll was actually created solely by a swordsmith without any extraordinary or supernatural powers.
What did this mean?
It meant that with the mechanical doll''s blueprint and sufficient technical skills, such a mechanical doll could potentially be mass-produced¡ªtruly a frightening prospect!
A mechanical doll equivalent to Level 4, if hundreds or even thousands of them were assembled into an army, might eliminate the need for the Demon yer Corps, as demons would have no chance of dominating the world anymore.
Even Muzan would likely retreat if faced with an armyposed of Hashira-level mechanical dolls, unwilling to engage with such opponents.
Abat power at Level 4 was considered elite even within Loki Familia, let alone among the knightly orders of the Frenzel family, where out of eight hundred members, no more than a hundred would reach this level.Moreover, if the conditions were met, these mechanical dolls could be mass-produced in the tens of thousands, even millions.
It was inevitable that Riezel would be interested in this prospect.
Of course, while he entertained the thought, if it were so easy, there would not be just one Yoriichi Type Zero in this world after hundreds of years have passed since the Sengoku period.
Yoriichi Type Zero was the masterpiece of Kotetsu''s ancestor, unique in its kind. Even if this ancestor were reborn, it was uncertain whether he could recreate such a powerful mechanical doll again, let alone anyone else.
Kotetsu''s family, inheriting the technology from their ancestor, had only been able to maintain and repair Yoriichi Type Zero. No one had ever seeded in creating another mechanical doll of this caliber, illustrating how advanced the technology used in its creation was, and how difficult it was to master and replicate such a technology.
In such a situation, even if one had the blueprint and the necessary technical skills in hand, creating such a mechanical doll would be extremely difficult.
However, Riezel didn''t need to fullyprehend the technical aspects since, after all, he was a magician.
If he could forge swords using structure system magic, couldn''t he also create a mechanical doll using it?
After all, this mechanical doll didn''t rely on magic metal, didn''t employ any extraordinary means, and wasn''t an alchemy item, magic item, or special equipment¡ªit was merely a doll with a sophisticated design concept and mechanical technology.
Riezel could perfectly imprint the design into his mind, memorizing every part and material, construction, and cement of the mechanical doll, and then replicate it using magic, mimicking it exactly.
Since it was akin to copy-pasting, he didn''t need to read the text or understand its meaning¡ªone click and it was copied down.
Even if he couldn''t understand what was written in it, the content waspletely consistent with the original version. When others saw it, the information they received and epted would be the same, and the effect it had on both sides was no different.
In this way, Riezel could mass-produce mechanical dolls equivalent to Level 4, effectively carrying a Level 4 army wherever he went.
Riezel couldn''t help but feel chills down his spine as he thought about the idea.
And so, after done pondering, Riezel turned to Kotetsu.
"Your family must have a blueprint for Yoriichi Type Zero, right? Something like its design drawing or concept?"
"Blueprint?"
As Kotetsu nervously nced at the fierce battle between Tanjirou and Yoriichi Type Zero in the clearing, he paused slightly upon hearing Riezel''s question, then furrowed his brow uncertainly.
"Something like that should exist... My father used to asionally look at a book while repairing Yoriichi Type Zero... I think that book might contain this blueprint thingy."
Kotetsu had flipped through that book many times himself, but whether it actually contained the so-called blueprint, he didn''t know since he couldn''t make sense of it. Still, his father had mentioned that the book contained records rted to the mechanical doll left by their ancestor.
After his father''s death, he often reread the book, intending to learn everything about the mechanical doll it detailed, but he still couldn''t understand it.
It was also because of this that he confirmed hecked the talent for swordsmithing, let alone for mechanical dolls, leaving him in despair.
"Can I take a look at that book?"
Riezel asked without knowing Kotetsu''s thoughts.
"...Alright."
Kotetsu hesitated for a while, then sighed resignedly.
"It''s useless to me anyway. Keeping it would only lead to the end of our legacy."
After saying this, Kotetsu reluctantly nced at Yoriichi Type Zero battling fiercely with Tanjirou, then turned and walked away.
Riezel didn''t follow, continuing to watch the battle.
"Water Breathing - Eighth Form - Waterfall Basin!"
At this moment, Tanjirou shouted loudly, descending from above and shing downward with his ck Nichirin Sword, causing a surging water pir to appear around him, a magnificent disy.
However, Yoriichi Type Zero firmly blocked this formidable sh with its two arms holding two swords, deflecting it, while its other four arms wielded four swords to viciously sh, cutting through and dispersing the water pir.
As a result, Tanjirou was sent flying, rolling several times on the ground before crashing into a tree and barely stopping his tumbling.
"Strong... Very strong..."
Tanjirou gasped heavily, his body covered in dirt and disheveled.
Clearly, faced with Yoriichi Type Zero, which could rival a Hashira butcked any emotion as a mechanical doll, it didn''t show any mercy.
Gripping its six swords, Yoriichi Type Zero charged at Tanjirou again, forcing him to defend himself desperately.
For a while, the scene was filled with rolling water tides, while the constant sh of swords echoed in the air.
Riezel frowned slightly as he watched Tanjirou''s desperate and battered appearance.
''It seems like Water Breathing isn''t quite suited for him...''
Seeing Tanjirou''s movement, Riezel noted the problem.
He could tell that when Tanjirou used Water Breathing, not only did he fail to exhibit the breathing style''s characteristic flexibility and fluidity, but he also appeared stiff with every move.
Water Breathing was supposed to be the most stable and durable breathing style for prolongedbat among all breathing styles. Yet, despite Tanjirou having used Water Breathing for such a short time, he already seemed out of breath.
Evidently, this wasn''t just due to exhaustion from fending off his opponent''s fierce attacks, but also because his breathing couldn''t keep up with the gentle rhythm required by Water Breathing.
From this, it was clear that Tanjirou was never a swordsman skilled in the gentle and adaptable ways of Water Breathing but a swordsman burning with ambition, hard work, and determination¡ªa temperament truly unsuitable for practicing Water Breathing.
Tanjirou''s Nichirin Sword also attested to this fact.
Its de, ck like Riezel''s Hermit, told others that Water Breathing wasn''t the most suitable breathing style for him.
''If he used Sun Breathing (Hinokami Kagura) passed down through his family for generations, wouldn''t that change the course of the battle?''
Riezel spected as he watched Tanjirou''s Nichirin Sword.
Currently, Tanjirou possessedbat power close to the limit of Level 3. If he switched to Sun Breathing, he should be able to match Yoriichi Type Zero in a short time.
Unfortunately, Tanjirou couldn''t.
''Yeah, his body is too weak...''
Why didn''t Sun Breathing continue within the Demon yer Corps, instead spawning fundamental breathing styles like me, Water, Wind, Stone, and Thunder? Of course, the reasony in Sun Breathing''s demanding requirements for the practitioner''s body.
Even the swordsmen of the first generation breathing styles couldn''t meet these rigorous demands. Tanjirou, with his frail body, was far from capable of wielding the full power of Sun Breathing.
Riezel even suspected that the early death and chronic illness of Tanjirou''s father might have been due to forcibly using Sun Breathing without the necessary body constitution, leading to his illness.
Riezel himself didn''t face such troubles.
As a first-ss adventurer, his body constitution might even surpass that of Yoriichi, leaving no doubt about his capability to use Sun Breathing.
However, Tanjirou was different.
He was apletely ordinary young man with a weak body constitution. If he were to use Sun Breathing, he would likely copse in intense pain within moments, unable to move.
Seeing Tanjirou on the brink of copse, Riezel prepared to intervene immediately, but just as he was considering his next move, Tanjirou''s breathing suddenly changed rhythm.
"Total Concentration - me Breathing..."
In an instant, the water flowing on Tanjirou''s sword abruptly transformed into raging mes.
"Fifth Form - me Tiger!"
Tanjirou yelled, shing at Yoriichi Type Zero with a gigantic sh resembling a burning fierce tiger.
*BOOM!*
Amidst the thunderous roar, the me tiger roared and collided with Yoriichi Type Zero, causing explosions and shockwaves that sent dust and debris flying everywhere.
Unexpectedly, Yoriichi Type Zero was pushed back by this fierce blow, smoke billowing from its entire body as it crashed into a tree.
''me Breathing?''
Riezel''s foot halted mid-step.
He looked in surprise at Tanjirou, who was readjusting his breathing to calm the rapid inhales.
''So, Rengoku taught me Breathing to Tanjirou, huh?''
Riezel was somewhat taken aback.
Although not Sun Breathing, me Breathing was clearly the closest breathing style to it.
Such a breathing style undoubtedly suited Tanjirou better than Water Breathing, especially with his burning ambition yet inability to freely use Sun Breathing.
As a result, Tanjirou''s movements changed, bing more aggressive and explosive.
mes roared, fire waves swept, and with his sword aze, Tanjirou relentlessly attacked Yoriichi Type Zero, momentarily locking in a stalemate.
After observing for a while, Riezel heard Kotetsu''s voice.
"I''m back!"
Kotetsu hurried back, clutching an old book in his arms.
"Here, this is a book that''s been passed down through my family for generations."
Kotetsu handed the old book to Riezel.
"Thank you."
Riezel thanked Kotetsu and immediately started flipping through the pages. Instantly,plex, obscure texts and intricate drawings filled his vision.
Chapter 195: A Brand-New Mechanical Doll
Chapter 195: A Brand-New Mechanical Doll
Night soon fell.
By this time, Riezel had returned to his house and was sitting on the veranda, flipping through the old book containing records about Yoriichi Type Zero.
Surprisingly, the contents of this old book were extensive, thick with text and illustrations. Even Riezel couldn''t finish reading all of it at once. Hence, he brought the book back with him and promised Kotetsu that once he finished reading it, he would help repair Yoriichi Type Zero.
Truthfully, the task wasn''t difficult.
Once Riezel noted down the blueprint of Yoriichi Type Zero, he could directly use structure system magic to manufacture a new Yoriichi Type Zero.
Providing an old model with newponents was a piece of cake then.
After confirming the internal mechanisms and positions of all the parts within Yoriichi Type Zero, Riezel could easily rece all the internal parts with new ones using his magic. A simple repair of its exterior would then revive thisbat mechanical doll, restoring it to its former glory.
By the way, it seemed that Tanjirou still wanted to confront Yoriichi Type Zero. When Riezel nned to return home, he appeared to still be battling it.
Although Tanjirou briefly regained ground using me Breathing, he was still far from reaching the strength of a Hashira even with Sun Breathing, let alone the weaker me Breathing.As a result, Tanjirou lost to Yoriichi Type Zero again and again, even having a chunk of his hair sliced off by it. Apparently, this infuriated him, causing his stubborn nature to re up, and he vowed not to rest until he defeated it.
Of course, Kotetsu vehemently opposed this.
"Yoriichi Type Zero is almost broken, and you still want to fight it?! No way!"
After saying that, Kotetsu hurriedly took Yoriichi Type Zero back home.
However, Tanjirou''s stubbornness refused to yield.
"Let me fight it one more time! Just once more! After this, I won''t fight it anymore! I promise!"
In the end, as Tanjirou strongly insisted, he ended up following Kotetsu.
Knowing Tanjirou''s temperament, he might very well still be dining with Kotetsu at this moment.
Riezel paid them no mind, focusing solely on bringing the old book back and diligently studying it. Whether or not he understood the contents, he meticulously remembered everything.
"Good, the blueprint is in this book."
At the end of the book, Riezel finally found the blueprint for Yoriichi Type Zero.
Surprisingly, this blueprint not only included illustrations but also detailed textual exnations. It meticulously described Yoriichi Type Zero''s design principles, operational theories, and even set out one hundred and eight motion patterns for it.
From this, it was evident that Kotetsu''s ancestor had devoted considerable care to Yoriichi Type Zero and sincerely hoped that his descendants could inherit his knowledge and ideals, thus advancing the art of mechanical doll crafting.
On thest page, it appeared that Kotetsu''s ancestor had left behind a message.
¡ªWithout a doubt, the birth of Yoriichi Type Zero was a miracle, but its prototype, the swordsman revered as a god by everyone in the Demon yer Corps, was an even more incredible miracle. It makes one wonder involuntarily why such a character was born as a human and not as a god.
¡ªYoriichi Type Zero is undoubtedly the strongest and most outstanding mechanical doll in the world. However, it ultimately failed to fully replicate that swordsman''s power. For someone like me who is determined to reproduce that swordsman''s power in a mechanical doll, it can only be considered an unfinished product.
¡ªUnfortunately, I no longer have time to continue researching and improving. I hope that future generations inheriting my knowledge will continuously refine this knowledge, allowing that swordsman''s swordsmanship to reappear in this world.
From this message, Riezel could discern the writer''s sighs, pride, and regrets.
''Recreating Tsugikuni Yoriichi''s power with a mechanical doll?''
Riezel muttered inwardly, then chuckled.
''If it could really be done, the value of this legacy would probably increase by more than a thousandfold.''
As midnight approached, Riezel closed the old book he had been poring over.
He hadpletely memorized the contents of the book, whether it was the illustrations or the blueprint for Yoriichi Type Zero.
If Kotetsu found out about this, he would surely be astonished, wouldn''t he?
Even an ordinary person couldn''t finish reading through such a thick book in just a day, let alone memorize it. Yet, Riezel not only read it but also memorized it effortlessly in less than a day, almost inhuman.
It was thanks to his exceptional memory that he could effortlessly recall the entire contents of the book.
Now, when Riezel closed his eyes and thought back, the blueprint for Yoriichi Type Zero would appear before him, disying every part andponent on its surface and inside. As he deepened hisprehension of the blueprint, he carefully confirmed the positions, structures, and materials of each part, one after another.
After a while, Riezel extended his hand.
*Shing¡ª*
Suddenly, a burst of light radiated in front of his palm.
It was a glow formed from magical energy.
Before long, the light transformed into a magic circle, flew out from his palm, and hovered above the ground like a scanner, moving upward.
As the magic circle pulsated, a mechanical doll slowly materialized and eventually took shape.
"It''s done..."
Riezel opened his eyes and looked at the mechanical doll before him with a smile. What he saw was a mechanical doll that was truly identical to Yoriichi Type Zero.
He was certain that this mechanical doll was identical to Yoriichi Type Zero, both internally and externally.
The only difference was probably that it didn''t need a key to activate.
Yoriichi Type Zero was activated with a single key and could change itsbat mode based on the opponent''sbat style by twisting its finger joints, thus being regarded as abat training mechanical doll.
However, he felt that if every doll had to be activated with a key and needed a special method to adjust its action, it would be too troublesome.
For this reason, he removed these two functions.
Now, after removing them, how should the mechanical doll be activated, and how should itsbat mode be adjusted to fit the situation?
It was simple.
"Contract."
Riezel extended his hand once more and pressed it against the mechanical doll''s forehead, chanting a contract magic.
Indeed.
He formed a contract with the mechanical doll before him.
It wasn''t an attendant contract, nor was it a very contract; it was a summoning and employing contract.
On the Akasha Continent, contract magic wasn''t limited to just attendant and very contracts.
For instance, the contract magic Riezel was using now wasmonly employed by control system magicians.
Control system magic referred to any magic capable of controlling and dominating external entities or concepts, including but not limited to summoning magic. Control system magicians proficient in summoning magic often used it to summon monsters or dolls and control them forbat purposes.
The summoning and employing contract was precisely the type of magic control system magicians used to control monsters or dolls. By imprinting contract marks on monsters or dolls, control system magicians could summon and employ these entities forbat purposes.
At this moment, Riezel was doing the same.
Once he imprinted the contract mark on the mechanical doll''s forehead, Riezel withdrew his hand.
When one looked at the mechanical doll, a pattern resembling a magic circle was inscribed on its forehead.
"Come."
Riezel stepped back two paces andmanded the mechanical doll.
*Ka-Ka!*
Suddenly, the mechanical doll moved, obediently walking toward Riezel as ordered.
"Stop."
As Riezel issued anothermand, the mechanical doll immediately halted its steps.
"Turn left."
As Riezel gave a new instruction, the mechanical doll turned to the left without hesitation.
"Turn right."
"Move forward."
"Move backward."
"Stay in ce."
When Riezel gave onemand after another, the mechanical dollplied with all of them perfectly.
Seeing this, a smile appeared on Riezel''s face.
''Isn''t this much more flexible than Yoriichi Type Zero?''
Obviously.
Yoriichi Type Zero not only required a key to start but, once activated, it entered a pre-setbat mode and operated ording to that mode¡ªrigid and without flexibility.
If one didn''t adjust the finger positions to change Yoriichi Type Zero''s actions, it might even repeat its movements afterpleting the pre-set actions. As a result, anyone who had fought against it could gradually predict its movement trajectory and action patterns, provided they could persevere.
In the original work, Muichirou could eventually defeat Yoriichi Type Zero, possibly because of this reason.
However, this problem had been solved now.
The newly made mechanical doll no longer operated with a key and predetermined movements but was directly manipted by its creator, Riezel, through contract magic.
With just amand from him, the mechanical doll could move and engage inbat ordingly.
''If I were to personally control this mechanical doll in battle, itsbat effectiveness would probably increase significantly.''
Riezel circled around the mechanical doll while contemting.
''Now that I think about it, maybe the parts andponents on this mechanical doll could be reced...''
Riezel intended to upgrade the materials on the mechanical doll''s body, using metals with simr weight and properties.
Originally, the materials used for the mechanical doll were generally wood, with only the internal parts being metallic. If all these materials were improved, its performance would definitely increase.
As for which metal to use, Riezel needed to conduct thorough testing. Otherwise, if changing the weight or structure of the mechanical doll made its operation difficult and caused its performance to decrease rather than increase, it would be unfortunate.
''Well, there''s still time, let''s try it out slowly.''
At this moment, Riezel was like a child with a new toy, ready to thoroughly enjoy it¡ªhis smile never faded.
And so, the night passed in this manner.
===
The next day, early in the morning.
Riezel, still on the veranda of his house, looked as though he hadn''t slept all night.
It was not without reason.
At this moment, he gazed at the figure before him and exhaled deeply.
"Finally done..."
A brand-new mechanical doll stood before Riezel.
Chapter 196: Yoriichi Type One
Chapter 196: Yoriichi Type One
In the deep woods, a clearing awaited.
As the day broke, this once deserted clearing, where no one dared to tread, now weed an unexpected visitor who had caused quite a stir here just yesterday.
*Ka-Ka!*
Under Kotetsu''s control, Yoriichi Type Zero slowly entered the clearing and stood motionless, resembling a samurai awaiting orders from their lord.
Tanjirou and Kotetsu arrived early and were waiting for Riezel''s arrival.
"He hasn''te yet?"
Kotetsu impatiently scanned the other end of the forest path, eagerly anticipating Riezel''s arrival.
"He might not be here so soon."
Ready forbat with his sword in hand, Tanjirou answered, but upon seeing Kotetsu''s impatience, he added."Morning is when Big Brother and the Hashira train. Perhaps he''lle after their training, which is in the afternoon."
"Afternoon..." Kotetsu couldn''t hide his disappointment. "Do we really have to wait that long?"
Before Tanjirou could respond, he suddenly sniffed the air curiously, his nose twitching slightly.
"It seems Big Brother is here..."
Tanjirou remarked as his nose caught Riezel''s scent.
"Really?" Kotetsu''s spirits immediately lifted.
Before long, they saw Riezel slowly approaching from the end of the path.
Indeed, he had arrived as Tanjirou said.
Surprisingly, before beginning his training session with the Hashira, Riezel had made his way here first.
However, he wasn''t alone.
A figure followed closely behind him, resembling a subordinate.
Upon seeing this figure, both Tanjirou and Kotetsu exchanged surprised looks.
"Yoriichi Type Zero?!" Kotetsu eximed in shock.
"Mr. Tsugikuni..." Tanjirou murmured, staring in disbelief at the figure.
Of course, Tanjirou wasn''t addressing Riezel but rather the swordsman who shared a deep connection with his ancestors and left behind Sun Breathing and the hanafuda earrings to his family, the actual Tsugikuni Yoriichi.
Standing behind Riezel, the figure resembled Yoriichi Type Zero butcked the mechanical appearance, appearing more akin to a living human¡ªa swordsman with a gentle demeanor.
"Sorry for keeping you waiting."
Riezel greeted Tanjirou and Kotetsu with a wide grin.
Although he seemed to be in a good mood, neither Tanjirou nor Kotetsu noticed, their attention wholly captivated by the figure that stopped beside him.
"Wh-What''s going on?"
Kotetsu was utterly confused.
"Big Brother?"
Tanjirou looked at Riezel, then nced at the figure by his side, which closely resembled Yoriichi Type Zero, his eyes filled with disbelief.
"Let me introduce it to you. Its name is ''Yoriichi Type One''."
Riezel exined to Tanjirou and Kotetsu, who looked puzzled.
"Since the first-generation model is called Type Zero, I named this one ''Type One''. How is it? Not too bad, right?"
How could Tanjirou and Kotetsu not understand what he meant?
"Is it also a mechanical doll?" Tanjirou''s face showed even more astonishment.
"No fucking way!" Kotetsu jumped up in shock.
His shock was understandable.
"You made a mechanical doll?! Did you make another Yoriichi Type Zero?! No way!" Kotetsu shouted repeatedly. "Even if you figured out my ancestor''s creation methods, making another Yoriichi Type Zero overnight is impossible!"
Shortly afterward, he leaped directly toward Type One and began feeling around its body. As he touched it here and there, he discovered that Type One was quite different from Type Zero.
Firstly, its outer shell material was clearly different from Type Zero''s wooden feel; it was more like steel¡ªcold and hard.
Secondly, Type One didn''t have six arms and six swords like Type Zero; it only had two hands and a pair of swords.
Thirdly, the humanoid appearance of Type One was also highly realistic, at first nce appearingpletely humanlike, unlike Type Zero, where the lines and joints of the doll were visible on its face and joints.
In light of this, the appearance of Type One was identical to Yoriichi as seen by Riezel in his dream, except that Yoriichi only had one sword, while Type One had two swords.
Due to improvements in materials and performance by Riezel, Type One didn''t need six arms and six swords like Type Zero to reproduce Yoriichi''s swordsmanship, only two swords were enough.
As a result,pared to Type Zero, although Type One had improved performance, itsbat power didn''t increase much. It only went from barely entering Level 4 to roughly equivalent to the middle Level 4.
In terms ofbat power, it was already on par with powerful Hashira like Kyoujurou, Sanemi, Tengen, Obanai, and Giyuu before using the Demon yer Mark, but it still fell shortpared to the Upper Ranks.
However, the change in materials, by using metal inside and out, significantly increased its defensive power and resistance to attacks by an entire level.
In other words, Type One, born from Riezel''s hands and modifications, hadbat power equivalent to Level 4 while being specialized in ''END''.
In terms of END alone, Type One could match Level 5; even ordinary Level 4 opponents wouldn''t leave a scratch on its surface.
In fact, such beings also existed in the dungeon of Danmachi.
It was the floor boss of the 17th Floor, a supersized monster, Goliath.
Goliath was ssified as a Level 4 monster specializing in END. Its skin was so tough that it couldn''t be broken without at least the attack from a Level 5 first-ss adventurer or equipment of second ss or higher.
Type One belonged to the same category as Goliath, just with a smaller size. Yet, despite being smaller, Type One was much faster and more agile than Goliath, which wasn''t necessarily a bad thing.
It was the mechanical doll that Riezel himself created, based on Type Zero with some improvements.
"It can''t be... It can''t be..."
Kotetsu felt as if his worldview was shattering.
He couldn''t believe that the most outstanding mechanical doll invented by his ancestor, crafted with a lifetime''s effort, had not only been created overnight by someone else but also improved to be stronger.
For him, this wasn''t something easy to ept!
"For you."
Riezel handed the old book back to Kotetsu.
"It has been very helpful to me. Thanks a lot."
"..."
Kotetsu looked bewildered at the book Riezel handed him.
After a moment of silence, Kotetsu reached out and took it.
"Can this also be used for training, Big Brother?"
On the other hand, since Tanjirou didn''t have the sameplex feelings as Kotetsu, upon knowing that Riezel had created another mechanical doll, he only felt excitement. He looked at Type One, which resembled a human samurai in appearance, feeling eager to try it out.
"Not just for training, but it can also be put into battle to fight demons." Riezel said calmly. "Don''t worry, I''ll fix Type Zero first."
Upon hearing this, Kotetsu regained his spirits.
"Can you fix it?" Kotetsu hurriedly asked.
"No problem." Riezel smiled at him. "I can even upgrade it if needed."
Since Riezel could use his magic to create Type One with higher performance than Type Zero, he naturally could use his magic to upgrade Type Zero to have the same performance as Type One.
"N-No need..." Kotetsu shook his head. "Just fixing it will be enough."
He was actually a bit afraid that Type Zero would be transformed by Riezel into somethingpletely unrecognizable. After all, it was an heirloom left by his ancestor, the masterpiece of his family.
For this reason, rather than treating Type Zero as abat mechanical doll, he actually saw it as a spiritual support and a symbol of his family.
It would have been fine if only minor improvements were made, but Riezel''s modification was almost like creating a new and different mechanical doll, which frightened him.
As a result, he declined Riezel''s offer.
"Okay." Riezel shrugged casually. "Just fix it directly then."
"What do you need me to do?" Kotetsu asked eagerly. "I have tools at home and a workshop. If you need anything, you cane over."
"No, none of those are necessary." Riezel shook his head. "We''ll do it right here directly. Just wait for me."
With that, he walked over to the center of the clearing and approached Type Zero.
At the same time, Type One immediately followed him like an emotionless personal attendant.
It was yet another thing that shattered Kotetsu''s worldview.
No choice.
A mechanical doll was, after all, just a doll¡ªwithout the necessary controls, it wouldn''t move at all.
However, Type One was clearly different.
It didn''t need Riezel to control it, nor did it require any buttons or switches on its body. If he stopped, it stopped, if he walked, it walked¡ªit was almost like it had a mind of its own.
''So this is the mechanical doll created by the master of the divine sword...?''
Kotetsu began to understand why the swordsmiths in the vige, usually so full of themselves, had been so ecstatic upon seeing Riezel''s sword.
Surely that sword was just like Type One, a creation that surpassed any human understanding or imagination.
With their skills, those swordsmiths could never have imagined why such a sword could exist in this world andmust have seen it as a divine creation, a divine sword.
Now Kotetsu felt the same way.
He could hardly imagine why a mechanical doll like Type One could exist in this world, almost thinking Riezel had created life itself.
Unaware of Kotetsu''s thoughts, Riezel observed Type Zero for a moment, then suddenly used the Transparent World.
''As expected, it''s in here...''
Having confirmed something, Riezel reached out and grabbed Type Zero''s head, giving it a firm twist.
*Snap!*
With a crisp sound, Type Zero''s head was twisted off.
"AAAAAAHHHHHH¡ª!"
Seeing this scene, Kotetsu touched his two cheeks and let out a scream of sheer terror.
Riezel extended his hand again, this time reaching into Type Zero''s neck and through its body.
Before long, he pulled a sword out from inside Type Zero.
Chapter 197: Tsugikuni Yoriichis Sword
Chapter 197: Tsugikuni Yoriichi''s Sword
Riezel extended his hand again, this time reaching into Type Zero''s neck and through its body.
Before long, he pulled a sword out from inside Type Zero.
It was an old sword housed in a worn-out scabbard, looking like it had quite a long history.
"What... What is that...?"
Kotetsu, who had been screaming, saw Riezel pull an old sword out from Type Zero''s body, his eyes widening in shock.
"There''s a sword inside the doll?" Tanjirou was equally surprised.
Clearly, no one had expected that a sword would be hidden inside Type Zero. Only Riezel, as if he already knew about the sword''s existence, drew it out and nonchntly reattached Type Zero''s head.
In the next moment, Riezel reached out, ced his hand on Type Zero''s chest, and used his magic, causing a dazzling magic circle to appear on his hand where it touched the Type Zero.
However, the magic circle shed in and out quickly, appearing and disappearing so fast that Tanjirou and Kotetsu didn''t even have time to react before it was gone.In the blink of an eye, Type Zero had be as good as new, as if it had just been returned from the factory after maintenance, looking pristine and clean.
Nodding his head, Riezel withdrew his hand.
"Alright, this should do it."
Riezel said as he returned to Kotetsu''s side.
"Go check if it''s fixed properly."
"¡Alright." Kotetsu, with a nk expression, stepped forward.
His mind couldn''t keep up with the rapid developments.
First, Riezel created a mechanical doll overnight that was better than his ancestor''s doll. Then, there was actually a sword hidden inside Type Zero that he didn''t know about. Finally, Riezel merely touched its chest and imed to have fixed it.
Evidently, these incredible events had left Kotetsu''s mindpletely overwhelmed.
Now, he felt like nothing mattered anymore. Since it was all beyond his understanding, he might as well pretend he hadn''t seen anything.
Only Tanjirou remained astonished by Riezel pulling a sword out of Type Zero.
"Big Brother... that sword is...?"
Tanjirou asked, looking utterly confused.
Riezel didn''t immediately clear up Tanjirou''s confusion but first raised the old sword and drew it from its scabbard.
In the next second, a rusty de appeared before their eyes.
"This is Tsugikuni Yoriichi''s sword."
Riezel held the rusty sword and said something that shocked Tanjirou and Kotetsu.
"Mr. Tsugikuni''s sword...?" Tanjirou was shocked.
"There''s no need to be so surprised. It''s an easy deduction."
Riezel exined calmly upon seeing Tanjirou''s expression.
"Yoriichi Type Zero was a mechanical doll made during the Sengoku period, so this sword must have been ced inside it during that time. Although the de is rusty, you can still feel a faint trace of sunlight energy, proving it''s a Nichirin Sword."
"Also, the de of this Nichirin Sword has a faint ck color, leaving no doubt that it''s a ck Nichirin Sword."
"In this case, a ck Nichirin Sword preserved since the Sengoku period could only belong to Tsugikuni Yoriichi."
Riezel''s exnation quickly overloaded Tanjirou''s brain, but as the protagonist, he keenly noticed something important.
"Mr. Tsugikuni''s Nichirin Sword is ck?" Tanjirou asked in surprise. "Isn''t a Nichirin Sword with a ck de something only people who are ipetent have?"
What he said was a small yet significant rumor within the Demon yer Corps.
Because Nichirin Swords reflect the breathing style suited to their wielder, anyone who obtained a Nichirin Sword immediately knew which direction to develop their skills.
However, there were two exceptions.
One was the people who couldn''t change the color of their Nichirin Sword.
Nichirin Swords only reacted to swordsmen with a certain amount of skill. If someone who couldn''t even master swordsmanship picked up a Nichirin Sword, it wouldn''t change color.
In other words, those who couldn''t change the color of their Nichirin Sword were recognized as novices and failures within the Demon yer Corps.
The other exception was those who made the de of their Nichirin Sword turn ck.
A Nichirin Sword with a ck de was extremely rare. Throughout the centuries-long history of the Demon yer Corps, only a handful of people had a ck de.
Furthermore, a ck Nichirin Sword didn''t correspond to any of the breathing styles passed down within the Demon yer Corps, leaving the wielder with no clear path to develop their skills. Because of this, wielders of ck Nichirin Swords generally couldn''t find the breathing style that best suited them, earning them the reputation of being ipetent.
Like Tanjirou, who used Water Breathing, which clearly didn''t suit him while fighting Type Zero yesterday, causing hisbat power to weaken and be affected to some extent.
Over time, some people within the Demon yer Corps started to believe that wielders of ck Nichirin Swords were a bad omen, believing that they could never achieve greatness and that only the ipetent would wield such a Nichirin Sword.
Tanjirou had obviously heard this rumor.
Regarding this matter, Riezel only felt funny.
"Tsugikuni Yoriichi''s Nichirin Sword indeed has a ck de. My Nichirin Sword is also the same." Riezel said with a faint smile. "Are you trying to say that both he and I are ipetent swordsmen?"
Upon hearing this question, Tanjirou immediately shook his head vigorously.
He couldn''t afford to joke about that.
If such words got out, he would be drowned in spit.
Yoriichi was the founder of the breathing style, the greatest swordsman of the Sengoku period, and the most powerful swordsman in the history of the Demon yer Corps.
Riezel, on the other hand, not only could easily y Upper Ranks and effortlessly crush all the Hashira but he was also seen as the hope to defeat Muzan.
If these two were considered ipetent, then every swordsman in the world would be trash, the most ipetent among ipetents.
"Although I can''t be certain, I believe that those whose des turn ck are most suited for Sun Breathing."
Riezel continued his exnation.
"Tsugikuni Yoriichi''s de is ck, my de is ck, and even yours, someone who''s inherited Sun Breathing, is ck. With all this evidence, the theory that swordsmen with ck des are mostpatible with Sun Breathing is about eighty percent likely to be right."
"Moreover, since people like them are so rare, coupled with breathing styles in the Sengoku period not being as widespread as they are now, this sword likely passed down from the Sengoku period is the Nichirin Sword used by Tsugikuni Yoriichi."
Of course, that was what the original work also told, which was why Riezel spoke with such certainty.
"Kotetsu''s ancestor had a close rtionship with Tsugikuni Yoriichi. The fact that he could create a mechanical doll based on Tsugikuni Yoriichi proves he observed him up close and very carefully."
"For someone like him, getting Tsugikuni Yoriichi''s Nichirin Sword isn''t surprising. So, when he created Yoriichi Type Zero, he hid the sword inside it."
At this point, Riezel shrugged his shoulders.
"As for his intentions by doing that, who knows?"
Upon hearing the long exnation, Tanjirou looked at the old sword in Riezel''s hand.
Obviously, the sword was rusty, making him doubt whether it could even cut through a leaf. However, after Riezel said that this was Yoriichi''s Nichirin Sword, for some reason, Tanjirou suddenly grew fond of the sword before him. He felt that this sword seemed to be waiting for him to find it, and it had an inexplicable attraction to him.
*Ding¡ªling¡ª*
Suddenly, the hanafuda earrings on Tanjirou''s ears swayed and emitted a ringing sound.
After more than three hundred years, two items that once belonged to Yoriichi reunited at this moment.
Riezel held the old sword, looked at it for a moment, and then used his magic.
*Buzzz¡ª*
Apanied by a buzzing sound, magical energy flowed into the old sword, causing the rust on it to gradually disappear.
In no time, the old sword was no longer rusty but revealed its true sharpness, looking as if it had been newly forged¡ªbright and pristine.
Needless to say, Riezel had restored Yoriichi''s sword.
Following this, Riezel sheathed it and then tossed it to Tanjirou.
"Ehh?"
Tanjirou was first stunned, then hurriedly took the sword.
"It''s something useful for you. Didn''t I say you would find something useful before?" Riezel said with a smile.
His words quickly reminded Tanjirou of what he had said yesterday before they saw Type Zero.
Yesterday, Riezel had said to him that maybe he would find something useful here.
Was this sword the thing?
"Yeah, it''s this sword."
Riezel continued as if reading Tanjirou''s mind.
"Since your family inherited Tsugikuni Yoriichi''s will, this sword naturally belongs in your hands."
"But... isn''t this something you found, Big Brother?" Tanjirou quickly shook his head. "Besides, you also inherited Mr. Tsugikuni''s Sun Breathing."
"I''m different from you." Riezel denied calmly. "Sun Breathinging to me is more of a deal rather than an inheritance. The connection between me and him is nothing like your family''s."
"But¡" Tanjirou looked hesitant.
"I already have my own sword, which is much stronger than this sword. Even if you gave it to me, it would just gather dust." Riezel smiled slightly. "It''s better if you use it."
Afterward, he turned his head to look in Kotetsu''s direction.
"You don''t mind, do you?"
"Just take it." Kotetsu nced over and spoke indifferently. "I don''t have the talent for swordsmithing since I''m not a swordsmith anyway. If you gave me that sword, I wouldn''t even be able to polish it properly. Consider it the payment for repairing Yoriichi Type Zero."
As he said this, Kotetsu carefully touched Type Zero''s exterior, checking its condition.
He had basically confirmed that it was truly repaired, and of course,the repair was perfect.
At this rate, Type Zero wouldst at least a few more decades.
Kotetsu felt satisfied with this and didn''t care about Yoriichi''s sword.
"Alright then..."
After hearing their words, Tanjirou finally nodded and epted the sword.
Riezel turned his head to Type One following him, his smile widening.
''Hope this gives those demons a big surprise...''
Chapter 198: The Calm Before the Storm
Chapter 198: The Calm Before the Storm
In the blink of an eye, another month had passed.
During this month, the entire Demon yer Corps was immersed in an intense and lively training atmosphere, filling the training ground with a constant stream of people.
Riezel acted as if nothing had happened and continued using the nine Hashira as sparring partners (punching bags). He trained with them every day, engaging in heated battles.
In this circumtances, one of the Hashira finally seeded in awakening the Transparent World.
It was none other than Gyoumei, whoawakened the Transparent World on the third day of the month.
As the strongest in the Demon yer Corps, Gyoumei proved his worth through his actions, inspiring and motivating the other Hashira who hadn''t yet awakened the Transparent World. Consequently, the other Hashira redoubled their efforts and training, gradually awakening the Transparent World one by one.
Around the seventh day, Obanai seeded in awakening the Transparent World.
Around the tenth day, Muichirou seeded in awakening the Transparent World.
Truthfully, it was no surprise that they were the ones who awakened the Transparent World first.After all, these two, like Gyoumei, were originally the ones who awakened the Transparent World at the end of the original work. Now, with Riezel''s guidance, they were the earliest to awaken it.
Of course, the other Hashira didn''t want to be left behind either.
Around the thirteenth day, Sanemi seeded in awakening the Transparent World.
Around the sixteenth day, Giyuu seeded in awakening the Transparent World.
Around the twenty-second day, Kyoujurou seeded in awakening the Transparent World.
By this point, out of the nine Hashira, six had fully awakened all three abilities.
Only Shinobu, Mitsuri, and Tengen were left, seemingly not cut out for this, as they still hadn''t seeded in awakening the Transparent World.
Without a doubt, this left the three of them feeling quite dejected. Even Shinobu, who usually had a smile on her face, could be seen with a hint of gloom in her eyes.
Mitsuri often looked tearful, which prompted a certain Serpent Hashira to secretly give her extra training sessions, personally teaching her the principles of the Transparent World.
Tengen, on the other hand, spent his days muttering to himself, sitting in a tree with his arms crossed, eyes closed, lost in thought.
Evidently, the sessive sesses of theirrades made these three increasingly anxious.
Seeing this, Riezel couldn''t do much about it.
He had said it before, the Transparent World was different from the other two abilities, as it was not something you could just get whenever you wanted.
If it really couldn''t be done, then it couldn''t be done¡ªthere were no shortcuts.
At least, in Riezel''s view, if Shinobu and the other two hadn''t awakened the Transparent World by now, it was probably a lost cause.
In the end, they could only depend on themselves.
During this period, Kagaya suddenly summoned Riezel to meet with him.
When Riezel saw Kagaya again, he was in a rather dire state.
Now, Kagaya waspletely bedridden, spending his days lying under the nkets, where even speaking took considerable effort.
It seemed he was truly nearing his end.
"I probably don''t have much time left, so I''ll say what needs to be said..."
Kagaya spoke with the demeanor of someone who could pass away at any moment.
Riezel frowned deeply as he heard this, but he could do nothing.
In truth, he had already attempted to treat Kagaya.
''Dia Fratel'' was, after all, among the best healing magic, capable not only of treating injuries but also of dispelling curses.
With this magic, Riezel initially believed he could cure the illness guing Kagaya, as the disease afflicting him was a curse¡ªa curse born from Muzan.
In the Heian period a thousand years ago, Muzan, who had not yet be a demon, was actually a member of the Ubuyashiki family.
In other words, there was a blood rtionship between the Ubuyashiki family and Muzan.
After Muzan became a demon a thousand years ago, the Ubuyashiki family seemed to collectively fall under a curse. Regardless of who they were, the children born to them would be weak, sickly, and die soon after birth.
Especially boys, with a very high chance of early death, almost causing the Ubuyashiki family''s bloodline to be severed.
Later, generation after generation, men in the Ubuyashiki family would marry women chosen by a priest in an attempt to dy the curse and prolong their lives. Even so, no one from the family could live to be over thirty years old.
Because of this, every member of the Ubuyashiki family was weak and frail, and they died early without exception.
Kagaya was only twenty-three years old this year, but he had been seriously ill for some time and was expected to pass away soon because of this serious illness.
As Riezel believed that Dia Fratel could dispel curses, he thought it might be able to remove the curse from Kagaya.
Unfortunately, he failed.
Apparently, this curse was not imposed on individuals but on the entire family''s bloodline.
In other words, if Riezel wanted to dispel this curse, he had topletely remove the curse from the entire members of the Ubuyashiki family at once.
However, not only was Muzan himself a member of the Ubuyashiki family, but he was also the source of the curse. Hence, as long as he was still out there, even if Riezel removed the curse from every member of the Ubuyashiki family, the curse would only return to them, like a recurrent ulcer in the bone.
Clearly, this meant that the curse on Kagaya could not be dispelled and that his body would only grow weaker over time.
Kagaya calling Riezel this time was evidently to leave a will.
First, Kagaya gave Riezel some information.
"Recently, incidents of human disappearances have been frequent in towns everywhere..."
From Kagaya''s mouth, the missing people were mostly violent offenders or martial artists with exceptionalbat abilities, even those who hadmitted sins deserving execution.
Without exception, they all vanished suddenly without any warning. Some disappeared from their homes, while others never returned after leaving, causing quite a stir in society.
ording to the intelligencework of the Demon yer Corps, these people had brief encounters with demons before their disappearances.
Initially, the Demon yer Corps believed they had been eaten by the demons, butter realized something was amiss.
After all, these people shared amon trait¡ªthey either possessedbat abilities or exhibited some tendency toward violence.
Since this information raised serious concerns within the Demon yer Corps, it eventually reached Kagaya.
"Also, not long ago... an entire town to the east suddenly had everyone disappear¡ªmen, women, children, thousands of people, all gone overnight without a trace..."
Kagaya ryed this information to Riezel, who furrowed his brow.
"So many people disappearing all at once?"
Any sane person would know this was definitely not a good sign.
Humans were, after all, a precious resource for demons, no matter how you looked at it.
Not only did they serve as food, nourishing demons and enhancing their power, but they could also be demons themselves if Muzan gave them his blood, immediately shedding their human identity and joining the ranks of demons.
Now, with arge number of humans disappearing en masse, Riezel couldn''t believe it was anything other than the handiwork of demons.
Whether they were consumed as food, used to increase the power of demons, or transformed into demons forbat power, it was all extremely bad news for the Demon yer Corps.
"I can feel Kibutsuji Muzan''s power increasing rapidly..." Kagaya continued.
It was precisely because of this that his physical condition was deteriorating this fast. It was a manifestation of the curse running through his bloodline.
When the curse strengthened, it meant that Muzan, the source of the curse, was bing stronger.
"Be careful..."
Kagayay in bed, his face covered with a towel, obscuring his almost decayed face.
"We are preparing, and so are the demons..."
"A great battle is approaching... the decisive battle that will determine the future between humankind and demonkind is getting closer..."
"And you... you are the key to this decisive battle..."
With what seemed like hisst ounce of strength, Kagaya smiled and left his final words for Riezel.
"I don''t know if I can hold on until that day... If I can''t, then the Demon yer Corps and everything else will be in your hands, Your Excellency..."
Leaving behind these words, Kagaya lost consciousness.
"Master Kagaya!"
Kagaya''s wife, Amane, rushed in with their children.
Riezel also approached, ncing at Kagaya''s body, realizing he had only lost consciousness, not passed away. Still, his aura was as faint as a dying candle in the wind, on the verge of extinguishing.
In fact, after Riezel awakened the Transparent World and took a nce at Kagaya''s condition, the sight was so unbearable.
''Not much time left, huh...?''
Riezel understood this clearly, quietly observing the tense efforts of those around Kagaya for a moment before silently leaving the room.
On the same day, all the Hashira unusually did not appear at the training ground. Instead, they all came here, guarding Kagaya throughout the day.
===
Nighttime.
At this moment, Riezel sat on his house''s veranda, looking out over the courtyard and watching the bright moon in the night sky.
Even though the moon hung high and clear, it gradually took on a crimson hue¡ªclearly a lunar eclipse.
===
Meanwhile, in the castle with an inverted space and bizarreyout, the blood-stained Demon King, Kibutsuji Muzan, appeared silently.
He also gazed at the night sky, at the bright crimson moon, the traces of blood on his lips stark against his paleplexion.
"It''s time..."
Muzan revealed a cruel smile.
"It''s time to fulfill this thousand-year-old wish..."
Chapter 199: I Want Your Life
Chapter 199: I Want Your Life
Under the moonlit night, a gentle breeze brushed by, slowly dispersing the clouds, revealing the blood-stained, crimson moon that illuminated the earth in darkness.
Riezel bathed in the ominous moonlight, sitting on his house''s veranda, sipping tea quietly from a small wooden table. Hermity quietly by his side, resting on the wooden floor like an ordinary sword.
Undoubtedly, the scene appeared serene and peaceful¡ªuntil Riezel suddenly spoke up.
"Since you''re here, why hide?"
His calm voice echoed on the veranda and courtyard under the moonlit night, abrupt and lonely.
However, no one responded to his question, making his words seem like mutterings, somewhat absurd.
Yet, Riezel wasn''t bothered and continued to leisurely drink his tea, as if on vacation.
*Whoosh¡ª*
After a while, as a gust of wind finally swept through the courtyard, a figure appeared silently like a bat.He stood under the moonlit night, resembling a sovereign of the night, exuding an incredible aura. Yet, this aura held danger, coldness, and a hint of bloodthirst.
Riezel didn''t look at the figure, seemingly indifferent to their arrival, casually ying with his teacup.
In such a situation, the figure remained silent for a long time before finally stepping onto the veranda and arriving in front of Riezel.
"Sit."
Riezel still didn''t look at the figure, only saying this calmly.
"..."
Neither responding norplying, the figure remained silent, as if carefully observing Riezel, before sitting down after a while.
"It''s been a long time since I''ve sat face-to-face with someone like this."
After sitting, the figure surprisingly said something like this.
"I doubt it." Riezel''s tone was indifferent as he responded. "You can perfectly imitate others, often blending in with crowds as an ordinary human. In that case, for the sake of disguise, you must have sat down and chatted with many people like this."
"You said it yourself, that''s just a disguise."
Saying this, the figure''s face showed no expression.
"Because it''s a disguise, I have to endure it. Otherwise, how could an ordinary human possibly have the qualification to sit on equal terms with me?"
"Heh, truly worthy of the Demon King who''s lived for millennia." Riezel chuckled with a serene smile, but there was a hint of amusement in his expression. "Your attitude thatpletely regards humans as inferior beings is indeed arrogant."
At these words, the emotionless face of the Demon King, Kibutsuji Muzan, revealed a cold smile.
"That''s because I have the right to be arrogant."
Muzan''s voice rang out slowly.
"I have lived longer than anyone."
"My power is greater than anyone''s."
"I am the hunter in the darkness, and humans are the prey."
"On the food chain, I have always been at the top. Just based on that, I have the right to say such things."
When Muzan spoke these words, there was no trace of pride or superiority in his tone, only a matter-of-fact indifference. He genuinely believed this and considered it a matter of course.
In other words, there was no need for pride or superiority, as stating the fact was all that was required.
Riezel did not offer any rebuttal to Muzan''s statement, as, to some extent, what he said was not entirely wrong.
Humans were indeed the food of demons.
In terms of the food chain, demons upied a hierarchical position where they were above as hunters, while humans were below as prey, like wolves and sheep, sheep and grass, chickens and insects, orrger insects and smaller ones.
However¡ª
"You know, the food chain is just that¡ªa chain. Even an elephant, which is definitely at the top, can be taken down by enough ants biting it."
Riezel''s calm voice extinguished the sense of terrifying inevitability brought by Muzan.
Muzan looked deeply into Riezel''s eyes for a while before speaking up.
"That''s why I''vee here."
Indeed.
Muzan hade here precisely to avoid being killed by those so-called ants¡ªor rather, he had chosen to confront the terrifying Riezel face-to-face for the sake of achieving true immortality.
As long as he could obtain it, bing a perfect being who no longer feared even sunlight, who would be able to kill him then?
Not even the resurrection of Tsugikuni Yoriichi himself!
During the Sengoku period, Muzan had nearly been in by Yoriichi because Sun Breathing wielded the power of the sun, and Yoriichi''s Bright Red Nichirin Sword could inflict damage on demons akin to sunlight, almost leading to Muzan''s death.If Muzan couldpletely ovee this weakness to sunlight, even if someone were stronger than him and even defeated him, he would never die.
Believing this, Muzan''s gaze at Riezel became intense.
"You mentioned that the Blue Spider Lily is with you..."
Muzan finally spoke up about his true purpose.
"That much is true, correct?"
He chose to sit down and converse with Riezel precisely to rify this point.
He held onto the notion of believing rather than doubting, clinging to a slight hope and an overwhelming obsession, hence his decision to confront Riezel.
Otherwise, given his cowardly nature, after witnessing Riezel''s overwhelming power, which not only scared him but also awakened his trauma, he would never opt for a direct confrontation but would instead hide away and wait for Riezel to die of old age.
Now, it was finally the most crucial moment.
After bringing up the question, Muzan stared fixedly at Riezel, his two fists tightly clenched, feeling an unprecedented sense of nervousness.
It was unprecedented for a ruthless, inhumane Demon King who had caused countless tragedies to feel nervous, and Riezel was likely the first to achieve this.
One could imagine how furious Muzan would be if he discovered that Riezel had deceived him and that the matter of the Blue Spider Lily was nothing more than a lie.
However, Riezel''s next words were akin to heavenly music for Muzan.
"It''s true."
Riezel finally turned his head to face Muzan.
"The Blue Spider Lily is right here with me."
Riezel wasn''t lying to Muzan about this.
Since the attack on the headquarters of the Demon yer Corps, after Riezel whispered those crucial words to Gyokko''s ears, for two months, he not only trained the Hashira in the Swordsmith Vige but also utilized the Corps'' intelligencework to discreetly bring back a Blue Spider Lily.
"You probably didn''t know..." Riezel said with a faint smile. "The Blue Spider Lily is a rare nt that blooms only during the daytime. It usually grows in ces where it can receive prolonged sunlight, flowering only two to three times a year. Without special preservation methods, it wilts quickly once deprived of sunlight."
His words caused Muzan to widen his eyes slightly, revealing a flicker of fierce emotion. His expression at this moment was as if the truth of the world had finally been brought to light.
No wonder after so many years of searching and employing numerous demons to help him find the Blue Spider Lily, he still found nothing.
Blooming only during the daytime¡ªthis condition alone made it impossible for any demon to find the Blue Spider Lily. After all, demons couldn''t tolerate sunlight; exposure to it would annihte them instantly, including himself.
Moreover, since the Blue Spider Lily only grew in ces where it could receive prolonged sunlight, blooming two to three times a year, even humans would find it difficult to obtain a fully grown Blue Spider Lily under such conditions, let alone demons.
Even if humans acquired the Blue Spider Lily during the daytime, improper preservation that prevented it from receiving sunlight would cause the flower to wither.
In other words, the chance of demons discovering and delivering the Blue Spider Lily to him was practically zero from the start.
This realization sent a shiver down Muzan''s spine.
If Riezel hadn''t uncovered the truth here, even if he continued searching indefinitely, he might never have found the Blue Spider Lily.
Fortunately for him, now was different.
"Here it is, the flower."
Riezel ced a wooden box on the small wooden table.
"..."
Muzan stared at the wooden box, emitting a terrifying aura akin to that of a demon from hell.
He could feel the wooden box radiating energy equivalent to sunlight.
Clearly, Scarlet Ores and Scarlet Crimson Iron Sands were likely mixed into the box, making the materials simr to those used for Nichirin Swords.
Such a box was undoubtedly the most suitable for storing the Blue Spider Lily, which needed sunlight to bloom.
Right before Muzan, Riezel opened the wooden box.
In the next second, a blue flower was seen inside the wooden box.
Seeing this flower, Muzan''s breathing became heavier.
''This is it! This is it!''
Without a doubt, this was the Blue Spider Lily he sought for millennia, no mistake!
He had already thoroughly studied the book of the doctor who had prepared his medicines, memorizing the appearance, characteristics, and even the scent of the Blue Spider Lily, thinking about it day and night, constantly confirming the flower''s appearance.
As a result, the moment he saw the blue flower, Muzan was certain that this was indeed the Blue Spider Lily.
At this moment, Riezel''s voice rang out again.
"By the way, it is estimated that this is the only Blue Spider Lily left in the world today."
His somewhat ambiguous voice echoed in the silent veranda.
"I personally ordered that only this one be brought back by those sent out to find the Blue Spider Lily, while the rest were to bepletely destroyed, uprooted entirely. Even if it tried to grow again, it''s highly unlikely."
Upon hearing this, Muzan could no longer control the fierce aura emanating from him.
"...Give it to me."
With hisst bit of willpower, Muzan restrained himself.
"Give it to me... Whatever you want, I can get it for you."
Evidently, this was Muzan''sst bit of reason.
In truth, he wanted to see if he could achieve his goal without fighting Riezel. After all, he still harbored some fear of Riezel.
Unfortunately, his attempt was futile.
"I don''t want anything, but..."
Riezel slowly shook his head before revealing a cold smile to Muzan.
"...I want your life."
Chapter 200: Dawn of the Final Battle
Chapter 200: Dawn of the Final Battle
"I don''t want anything, but..."
Riezel slowly shook his head before revealing a cold smile to Muzan.
"...I want your life."
*BANG!*
On the tranquil veranda, a deafening noise erupted without warning.
As soon as Riezel''s voice fell, Muzan could no longer restrain himself and erupted into action, smashing the small wooden table between them.
He reached out toward Riezel, his arm transforming into a meat pir-like whip.
It was adorned with countless spikes and mouth-like openings, generating tremendous suction and creating a vortex. With a tearing force that shredded everything around it, it viciously attacked Riezel, who was just within arm''s reach.
*BOOM!*As the small wooden table was grazed by the whip''s assault, it shattered into pieces. At the same time, the wooden floor was torn apart by the massive vortex created by the suction on the whip, turning into fragments on the spot.
Muzan''s strike was lethal enough to tear through everything, including the atmosphere, and even break the sound barrier.
Without a doubt, hitting someone less than two meters away, like Riezel, was clearly effortless and almost instantaneous.
Typically, anyone attacked so viciously by Muzan would meet instant death.
However, despite such a deadly and terrifying assault, Riezel managed to avoid being touched.
*Swish!*
As the sound of tearing echoed, a scorching-hot ck de, aze with dancing mes like fiery flowers, sliced through the whip and Muzan''s arm, turning them both into minced meat.
At some point, unnoticed, Riezel had grabbed Hermit, unsheathed it, and with one swift swing, severed Muzan''s arm.
"Ugh!"
Muzan felt an intense burning pain at the severed end of his arm, involuntarily letting out a groan of agony. Yet, he disregarded the searing pain and lunged toward mid-air, toward the small wooden box containing the Blue Spider Lily.
"IT''S MINE!"
Muzan shouted triumphantly.
However, his face, about to break into a wide grin, suddenly froze.
*Shua!* *Shua!* *Shua!* *Shua!*
Suddenly, a series of sky-splitting sounds rang out.
Without warning, several figures streaked through the night sky, the sounds erupting from all directions of the veranda and courtyard.
They approached at an extremely fast pace, surrounding Muzan from all sides and unleashing a formidable aura.
"me Breathing - Third Form - Blooming me Undtion!"
Kyoujurou came down from above, apanied by a surging ze of sh.
"Water Breathing - Seventh Form - Drop Ripple Thrust!"
Coming diagonally, in a straight line like ripples on water, Giyuu made a sudden thrust.
"Wind Breathing - Eighth Form - Primary Gale sh!"
After a sudden advance, Sanemi swirled around Muzan like a gust of wind, shing in a spiral that tears through his body.
"Stone Breathing - Fifth Form - Arcs of Justice!"
Gyoumei threw his axe and il at Muzan like two meteorites, their impacts capable of effortlessly striking and shattering the earth.
"Serpent Breathing - Second Form - Venom Fangs of the Narrow Head!"
Obanai instantly appeared behind Muzan and delivered a vertical sh to his neck, resembling the bite of a poisonous snake.
"Love Breathing - First Form - Shivers of First Love!"
Mitsuri performed swift strikes like whipshes, intent on cutting Muzan''s body to pieces.
"Sound Breathing - First Form - Roar!"
Apanied by explosive sonic booms, Tengen made a lightning-fast strike.
"Mist Breathing - Fourth Form - Shifting Flow sh!"
Like a ghost, Muichirou appeared with a sudden sh hidden within the mist.
"Insect Breathing - Dance of the Bee Sting - True Flutter!"
Like a bee, Shinobuunched a fierce stab capable of piercing the skull.
At this moment, all the Hashira suddenly appeared, surrounding Muzan from all sides, unleashing the most powerful, merciless attacks of their lives.
*Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!*
The sound of des cutting through flesh and bone resounded incessantly as the weapons of the Hashira sliced into Muzan''s body, leaving him covered in wounds, with blood gushing out.
As several shes struck Muzan''s neck, they sessfully severed his head.
Yes.
The Demon King who survived for millennia, from the Heian period to the present day, had his head severed in this small veranda.
However¡ª
"GET LOST!"
Unexpectedly, Muzan remainedpletely unaffected. One moment, he was covered in blood and flesh; the next moment, he was miraculously recovered, without a scratch.
""What?!""
Every Hashira who witnessed this scene had their eyes wide in shock.
However, with no time to think about what had happened, they quickly faced a furious onught like a storm.
*BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!*
Suddenly, Muzan extended his tentacle-like flesh whips from his body, wildly thrashing around.
One by one, theyshed out at every Hashira, sending them flying.
*Cough!*
"ARGH!"
Getting hit by the whips, the Hashira felt an unparalleled force m into their bodies¡ªthey coughed up blood and were sted away. Some crashed through walls, some fell into the courtyard, and others smashed through the ceiling, disappearing.
Even though most of them were using the Demon yer Mark and the Transparent World, the nine strongest members of the Demon yer Corps werepletely overwhelmed by Muzan in an instant.
"Where''s the box?"
Muzan was clearly displeased when he noticed the wooden box containing the Blue Spider Lily was missing.
In the next moment, however, his expression contorted into a grotesque disy of anger, with countless veins bulging on his face as he red furiously in one direction.
In the distance, Riezel stood with a sword in one hand and a wooden box in the other, his eyes mocking him.
Soon, with a swift movement, Riezel made the wooden box disappear from his grasp.
"BASTARD¡ª!!!"
Muzan was instantly enraged,unching himself fiercely toward Riezel.
Seeing this, Riezel remained unmoved, merely tightening his grip on Hermit, mes igniting around him.
*BOOOM!*
Under the moonlit night, in a corner of the Swordsmith Vige, a small residence with a courtyard exploded with a deafening roar, unleashing an endless shockwave.
Amidst the shockwave, mes intertwined, blossoming like flowers in the dark night, shattering the entire courtyard into fragments.
Riezel and Muzan appeared in the aftermath of the explosion, but their conditions were starkly different.
Riezel was enveloped in mes, radiating intense heat, akin to a fire god descended,pletely unscathed.
Muzan, on the other hand, appeared as if he had been scorched by mes all over, shed by a fire de, not just charred but bearing multiple wounds that seemed incapable of regeneration.
"Dammit!"
Muzan seethed with anger.
At the same time, Riezel looked somewhat surprised.
"Well, well, you avoided fatal injuries? Looks like you''ve actually made some progress since the Sengoku era, huh?"
Riezel remarked, letting out a statement that pricked Muzan''s self-respect.
He knew Riezel was referring to his encounter with Yoriichi during the Sengoku period.
Back then, due to his negligence and underestimation of Yoriichi, who appeared as unassuming as an ordinary samurai from head to toe, he suffered a devastating and humiliating defeat, couldn''t put up a decent resistance, and was left severely injured.
But this time, although he was again grievously wounded, at least he had managed to avoid fatal injuries.
Riezel deemed this progress but to Muzan''s ears, it felt nothing short of an insult.
As a result, Muzan no longer harbored any illusions about getting the Blue Spider Lily easily.
"You leave me no choice!"
Muzan yelled in anger, veins bulging on his forehead.
"Nakime!"
With his yell, the world instantly shifted.
The destroyed courtyard vanished.
The moonlit night sky vanished.
The vige vanished.
The surrounding mountains and forests also vanished.
Riezel felt a dizzying sensation as everything around him transformed into a bizarre space where buildings were haphazardly arranged, some even upside down.
As if thrown off a cliff, he fell into an endless darkness¡ªa darkness that seemed to devour everything, an abyss.
Seeing this, Riezel acted without hesitation, turning toward the direction of the abyss and swinging his sword.
*BOOOM!*
A burst of mes lifted his body skyward as if riding on a wave of fire, and in no time, hended atop a building.
Riezel quickly surveyed his surroundings.
"So, this is the Infinity Castle?"
He recognized it as the Twelve Kizuki''s headquarters.
"Kibutsuji Muzan!"
Riezel took a deep breath and called out defiantly.
"Are you going to run again?!"
His words were met with a voice filled with anger and resentment.
"Don''t rush! If you want a decisive battle, then let''s have it right here! I''ll host you well in this Infinity Castle, where the spirits of the Ubuyashiki family have lingered to this day!"
"Wish to kill me? Thene to the throne!"
"Let''s settle everything there!"
With these words, Muzan''s voice faded away.
"Throne..." Riezel squinted his eyes.
It was a strange term to him.
In the original work, there was no mention of any throne within the Infinity Castle.
It was a chaotic castle, vast in its internal spaces, linking to many rooms and even ces outside the castle itself.
Finding this so-called throne in a ce like this would be difficult.
Fortunately, Riezel was prepared for this.
He knew that as long as the demon named Nakime was around, if Muzan chose to fight seriously, he would surely select this advantageous terrain.
For this reason, Riezel remained patient.
"Alright, if you want to y, I''ll y along."
In the next second, mes swirled around Riezel''s body, transforming him into what seemed like a zing sun as he soared into the distance.
===
"Damn him!"
On the other side, Muzan was experiencing intense pain throughout his body, growling softly.
"I need to buy some time to heal my wounds first."
"Nakime, it''s up to you next."
"Don''t let him find me so quickly and make sure to annihte the Demon yer Corps!"
As his words fell, a voice soon responded in Muzan''s heart.
"Yes."
Chapter 201: Mechanical Doll Army
Chapter 201: Mechanical Doll Army
Tonight was destined to be extremely chaotic.
Whether it was Riezel, the Hashira, or the other members of the Demon yer Corps, the moment Muzan sounded the horn for the final battle, they all found themselves transported to the Infinity Castle.
Some ended up together, while others were scattered apart.
Riezel, for example, found himself alone in a different location,pletely separated from the others.
Unfortunately, the Hashira also experienced the same fate.
Just as they suppressed their injuries with their breathing techniques and gripped their Nichirin Swords, preparing to resume their attacks on Muzan, they were each transported into different parts of the Infinity Castle.
...
*Thud!*
"Damn you, Kibutsuji Muzan!"Sanemi pounded the wall in frustration.
...
"Couldn''t kill him myself..."
Obanai''s face was grim.
...
"So that''s Kibutsuji Muzan?"
Mitsuri, after seeing Muzan for the first time, touched her wounds with a lingering fear in her heart.
...
"Even after all the Hashiraunched a surprise attack together, we were still crushed in an instant?"
Shinobu furrowed her usually elegant brow.
...
"...Although I hate to admit it, he is just as powerful as Young Tsugikuni said..."
Kyoujurou''s face showed no trace of its usual brightness for the first time.
...
"He may be strong, but he''s far from mboyant... What a hideous demon."
Tengen''s voicecked its usual vigor.
...
"I must quickly y him, or else Master..."
Muichirou, rarely showing urgency, wore a worried expression.
...
"I wonder how Tanjiro is doing now... Is he here too?"
Giyuu worried about his junior.
...
As all the Hashira were separated, each in different corners of the Infinity Castle, cut off from one another, the other members of the Demon yer Corps also faced a simr situation.
Fortunately, they had ways to stay connected.
Because they carried their Kasugai Crows with them, the crows had also been transported into the Infinity Castle with them.
"East! East!"
"Head east and regroup!"
"Regroup! Regroup!"
Kasugai Crows appeared in various corners of the Infinity Castle, flying through the air while issuing instructions.
Every member of the Demon yer Corps, upon hearing the instructions, immediately sprang into action as if they had found their backbone.
However, as they moved, arge number of demons began to appear within the Infinity Castle.
Moreover, these demons, each transformed into grotesque forms, emerged from unknown corners, roaring furiously as they shed with the members of the Demon yer Corps.
With no choice, they fought back valiantly but soon discovered that these demons possessed astonishing power, nearly rivaling that of Lower Ranks.
"H-How can there be so many powerful demons appearing like this?!"
"Awful! We need to retreat!"
"AAAAAHHHHH¡ª!"
Eventually, they were overwhelmed by the demons, resulting in significant casualties. Even the Hashira encountered these demons, shing them down one by one, their faces contorted with hatred.
"These demons... they must be the people who suddenly disappeared recently."
"That despicable Kibutsuji Muzan must have given his blood to these people for this moment! Damn it, they are as strong as the Lower Ranks!"
"This is troublesome."
"Ordinary Demon yers stand no chance against these demons!"
As time passed, the Hashira began to feel anxious.
The Lower Ranks were already formidable entities just below the Upper Ranks. In the Demon yer Corps, being able to defeat a Lower Rank was, after all, considered a requirement for promotion to Hashira.
At this moment, there were only nine Hashira, and aside from them, almost no one stood a chance against the Lower Ranks.
Now, these powerful demons,parable to the Lower Ranks, had suddenly appeared in great numbers and were besieging every member of the Demon yer Corps from all directions. If things went poorly, the entire Corps could be wiped out.
Just the thought of such an oue made even the likes of Sanemi and Obanai, known for their displeasure with ordinary members, feel restless.
Naturally, all of this was observed by Muzan, who sat on his throne, recovering from his injuries.
"You think I''ve prepared how many demons for this day?"
Muzan sneered as he watched the spectacle through the demons'' eyes.
"For these demons, I''ve shed more blood than you can imagine. If they can handle it, gaining the power of the Lower Ranks isn''t that hard."
Over the past two months, Muzan had the Upper Ranks bring in humans withbat ability or violent tendencies from all corners. He even targeted heavy sin convicts locked away in prisons, all to sift out demons that could serve as excellent forces.
What kind of power would be deemed excellent in Muzan''s eyes? Naturally, it had to at least reach the level of the Lower Ranks.
Previously, the Lower Ranks of the Twelve Kizuki were disbanded by Muzan in the cruelest manner possible due to their poor performance. If the demons he sought couldn''t even match the previous Lower Ranks, then wasn''t all of this bing pointless?
Because of this, Muzan''s method of selecting demon candidates was extremely brutal and straightforward¡ªinjecting his blood, which could grant the power of the Lower Ranks, directly into their bodies.
If they could endure it, they would immediately be powerful demonsparable to the Lower Ranks.
If they couldn''t endure it, they would explode on the spot.
Through this method, the demons in the Infinity Castle were now, at worst,parable to the Lower Ranks, or as Riezel put it, roughly equivalent to Level 3.
Demons chosen in this way were naturally beyond what ordinary Demon yers could handle.
"In any case, today will be the end of the Demon yer Corps."
"From now on, there will be no more Demon yer Corps, no more Ubuyashiki."
"Hundreds of years of entanglement has truly sickens me."
"You will all die here."
It was for this reason that Muzan had Nakime transport all members of the Demon yer Corps to the Infinity Castle, aiming for theirplete annihtion.
Thankfully, the situation was unfolding just as he had imagined.
If this situation continued, soon enough, aside from the Hashira and a few elite members of the Demon yer Corps, no one else would survive.
Muzan was confident of this¡ªuntil those ''things'' appeared.
"Wh-What... What is that?"
Suddenly, through his shared vision with the demons in the Infinity Castle, Muzan saw something that made his heart skip a beat and tremble.
He couldn''t believe his eyes.
He saw Tsugikuni Yoriichi.
Many of him.
===
"Help! Help!"
A Demon yer copsed on the ground, watching in horror as a demon approached him slowly.
*ROOOAAARRR¡ª!*
As the demon let out a roar, like a wild beast losing its sanity, it pounced.
However, just as the Demon yer was about to meet his end at the hands of the demon, a shadow appeared behind the demon.
*Whoosh¡ª!*
With a sh of a sword, the demon''s head was severed on the spot and turned to ashes.
"...Eh?"
Muttering this dumbfoundedly, the Demon yer, who had been awaiting death in fear, froze.
Before him, a samurai wielding dual swords had silently appeared, swiftly beheaded the demon, and then turned away without even ncing at him.
Before long, he heard cries of demonsing from the direction where the samurai had departed.
Surprisingly, the same scene was unfolding in various corners of the Infinity Castle.
When the members of the Demon yer Corps were being unterally ravaged by demons whose power rivaled the Lower Ranks, many of these samurai appeared without a word.
They wielded dual swords, expressionless, withoutmunicating with anyone or engaging in banter with demons. It was as if they appeared in this ce solely to aplish one thing¡ªto kill demons.
Clearly, these demons, whose power rivaled the Lower Ranks, could easily ravage ordinary Demon yers single-handedly. Yet, they were effortlessly ughtered by these mysterious samurai.
However, what surprised everyone was that only a few demons managed to survive beyond the first strike.
Thanks to this, every member of the Demon yer Corps finally caught a breather, but they were also perplexed as they watched these samurai kill demons effortlessly, unsure of what to make of it.
Especially for those who saw two identical samurai appear before them simultaneously, and others who saw three or four identical samurai fighting demons together, nearly losing their eyeballs in shock.
"What''s going on?"
Such a question was on the mind of every member of the Demon yer Corps.
"What''s going on?!"
Muzan echoed the same sentiment as he yelled.
If Kotetsu or Tanjirou saw these mysterious samurai, they would surely recognize them.
Yes, they were none other than Riezel''sbat mechanical dolls¡ªYoriichi Type One.
Ever since sessfully creating Type One, Riezel had spent every spare moment at home creating these mechanical dolls.
In just one month, he had managed to produce hundreds of them¡ªhundreds of mechanical dolls with power rivaling that of the Hashira!
What kind of concept was this?
To put it simply, as the sole Demon yer organization in the world, the Demon yer Corps had only a few hundredbatants, while the rest were either support personnel withoutbat ability orcked the talent to be swordsmen.
As for the Hashira themselves, there were only nine.
Now, however, thanks to Riezel, there were mechanical dollsparable in number to the entire Demon yer Corps, each possessingbat power on par with the Hashira, all mass-produced and deployed on the battlefield.
Without a doubt, this wouldpletely overturn the bnce of power between demons and the Demon yer Corps, serving as the ultimate trump card that could determine the oue of the battle.
Meanwhile, swift as a shooting star, Riezel flew through the air, releasing the mechanical dolls from his storage space and deploying them onto the battlefield with a grin on his face.
"I wonder if you''ll enjoy this surprise, Muzan..."
If it weren''t for the limited number of targets for the magic contract, Riezel would have mustered a true army of thousands of autonomous mechanical dolls to ''serve'' Muzan.
Unfortunately, Riezel''s control magicpatibility was only second grade, limiting the number of objects he could control independently.
Even so,manding hundreds of mechanical dolls in battle was a testament to his exceptional ''MAG'' and ''Mage'' development ability.
Of course, even with these limitations, it was more than enough. At the very least, it would ensure an overwhelming advantage in groundbat.
As for the rest¡ª
"Well, the rest will be left to those Hashira..."
As Riezel murmured to himself, he could feel that it was about time for the Upper Ranks to make their appearance.
Chapter 202: Upper Seven
Chapter 202: Upper Seven
As the battle in the Infinity Castle raged on, some were unlucky and got separated, while others were fortunate enough to be grouped together and acting together.
Tanjirou was one of the lucky few.
When Tanjirou was transported to the Infinity Castle, he found himself alongside two familiar faces he interacted with daily¡ªZenitsu and Inosuke.
Surprisingly, the atmosphere between the three was not as harmonious as it usually was.
On any other day, Inosuke would be recklessly charging ahead, with Tanjirou and Zenitsu scrambling behind to catch up and stop him. But today, it wasn''t Inosuke charging ahead without a thought¡ªit was Zenitsu.
Surprisingly, this normally timid and fearful youth, who avoided missions and dreaded encountering demons for fear of danger, was now marching forward in silence, his face cold and unyielding.
Tanjirou and Inosuke followed behind Zenitsu, walking and talking.
"Hey, sleepyhead, what''s up with you?"
Inosuke, always blunt, asked Zenitsu directly."You''ve been acting strangetely. Did you eat something bad?"
Hearing this, Tanjirou could deeply rte to Inosuke''s feelings.
Zenitsu had indeed been acting very strange recently.
Since arriving at the Swordsmith Vige and receiving a letter that changed hisplexion drastically, Zenitsu had stopped being his usual timid, tearful self. He became silent, disciplined, and trained relentlessly,pletely unlike his old self.
In the past, the training at the Swordsmith Vige would have had Zenitsuining within three days, whining by the fifth, and practically giving up by the seventh, acting like he was on the brink of dying.
Yet this time, Zenitsu neitherined nor shirked his training as if an obsession drove him. He trained harder than both Tanjirou and Inosuke, surprising many who knew and understood him.
During this month, Zenitsu only smiled once in front of everyone, which was the day he learned Nezuko had turned back into a human, but after that, he never smiled again.
Zenitsu trained as if his life depended on it, a sight that worried Tanjirou deeply.
Inosuke, despite his seemingly carefree and boisterous nature, was more sensitive and perceptive than most, particrly about Zenitsu''s change. Due to this, today, he didn''t charge around yelling as usual but just quietly followed Zenitsu.
Unfortunately, Zenitsu didn''t seem to appreciate it.
"Stop being so noisy..." Zenitsu said without looking back, continuing to walk forward with a cold expression. "You''re so loud, I can''t hear anything. We won''t be able to find that guy if you don''t quiet down."
"So, who exactly are you looking for?" Inosuke insisted. "Did that guy make you mad or something? Tell me and I''ll cut him down for you!"
"No need." Zenitsu replied coldly, his voice low. "He can only be killed by my hands."
"You¡ª"
Inosuke seemed like he wanted to say something more, but Tanjirou stopped him.
"Alright, Inosuke, calm down, don''t get worked up."
Tanjirou soothed Inosuke before turning to Zenitsu.
"What happened, Zenitsu? Tell us."
"..."
Zenitsu remained silent, not saying a word.
Seeing him like this, Tanjirou showed a worried expression.
"Aren''t we friends?" Tanjirou continued. "Nezuko is also worried about you, y''know?"
Hearing these words, Zenitsu finally stopped walking.
Tanjirou and Inosuke stopped as well, watching Zenitsu silently, their concern evident in their eyes.
Seeing Tanjirou and Inosuke like this, Zenitsu clenched his fists and then sighed.
"You probably don''t know this..." Zenitsu said softly. "I actually have a senior brother."
""A senior brother?""
Looking at each other, Tanjirou and Inosuke were taken aback.
"My master used to be the Thunder Hashira of the Demon yer Corps."
Zenitsu told Tanjirou and Inosuke the truth.
In the Demon yer Corps, swordsmen who excelled in Thunder Breathing and were promoted to Hashira using Thunder Breathing were called ''Thunder Hashira''.
Zenitsu''s master was the previous Thunder Hashira, a Hashira-ranked swordsman who had mastered Thunder Breathing to its peak.
After his master retired, there has been no Thunder Hashira in the Demon yer Corps anymore, leaving Thunder Breathing without a Hashira among the five fundamental breathing styles to this day.
Truthfully, this was inevitable.
Thunder Breathing was known to be one of the hardest breathing styles to practice. Due to its extreme speed and explosive power, it demanded very high physical ability, making its practice almost as difficult as Sun Breathing.
In the history of the Demon yer Corps, among the five fundamental breathing styles, me Breathing and Water Breathing always had a Hashira, never missing. On the other hand, the other three breathing styles had periods of absence, with Thunder Breathing being the most absent, highlighting its difficulty.
Zenitsu''s master was the previous Thunder Hashira, and his ability to be a Hashira with Thunder Breathing demonstrated his immense strength.
However, Zenitsu mentioning his master clearly wasn''t to boast about his strength.
"I was deceived and fell into heavy debt, and it was my master who spent his money to buy me and took me in as his disciple, bringing me to the mountains to practice."
Zenitsu began to tell his past.
"My master, Grandpa was a very strict person... Because Thunder Breathing was so difficult to practice, he always trained his disciples harshly."
"Because the training was so tough, and mastering Thunder Breathing was insanely hard, I always tried to avoid training and run away. Even so... Grandpa never gave up on me and always brought me back, time and time again."
"In the end, I only learned the first form of Thunder Breathing... Even now, I haven''t mastered any of the other forms."
Thunder Breathing had a total of six sword forms, which was one of the fewest among the many breathing styles.
Even so, no one thought Thunder Breathing was weak.
On the contrary, Thunder Breathing was so strong that it only needed six forms, which were enough to y demons, leaving them with no escape.
However, Zenitsu had only learned the first form and none of the other five forms.
"Despite that, Grandpa never med me... He even told me that if I could only learn this one sword form, then I should master it to the peak, to the extreme of extremes."
When talking about the master he called ''Grandpa'', Zenitsu''s expression was no longer cold.
Until¡ª
"But, that guy... that guy was different from me."
As Zenitsu mentioned that ''guy'', he gritted his teeth.
"He had more talent than I did, was more skilled, and even started training earlier. Even the notoriously difficult Thunder Breathing, he learned five of its sword forms."
"If he kept training and mastered thest form, it wasn''t out of the question for him to take Grandpa''s ce and be the Thunder Hashira the Demon yer Corps had been missing for so long."
"I could never hold my head up in front of him, so I always thought that if someone were to be Thunder Hashira, it should be him."
"But¡ª"
"But you see, humans have their limits, so I chose to be a demon, Zenitsu!"
Zenitsu''s voice, filled with hatred and anger, was suddenly interrupted by someone.
As this stranger''s voice rang out, Tanjirou, Zenitsu, and Inosuke all quickly turned around, cing their hands on the hilts of their swords.
In front of them, a youth slowly walked around the corner and came into view.
He had ck hair and green eyes, thick eyebrows, and wore a magatama ne and bracelet. He carried a sword, had sharp ears, deathly pale skin, ck tiger-like stripes on his face, and fangs that protruded from his mouth as he grinned.
Without a doubt, he was a demon.
However, he was clearly not just any demon, as evidenced by the Japanese characters in his eyes.
Nheless, Zenitsu didn''t notice this, as the moment he saw this youth, his breathing became heavy.
"KAIGAKU¡ª!!!" Zenitsu shouted angrily.
"Yo, long time no see, Zenitsu."
Kaigaku greeted Zenitsu with neither enthusiasm nor friendliness. Instead, there was a sense of aggression.
"So, you made it into the Infinity Castle too, huh? Good, good..." Kaigaku said with a smile. "After Lord Muzan ordered theplete annihtion of the Demon yer Corps, I thought, in that case, I should be the one to take care of you."
"Luckily, we met smoothly." Kaigaku''s smile turned sinister, full of sarcasm. "Otherwise, a weakling like you would have surely been taken out by those little demons the moment you arrived here."
His words didn''t make Zenitsu lose his temper, but they did make the impulsive Inosuke draw his two swords.
"You damn bastard!" Inosuke eximed angrily.
"Wait, Inosuke!"
Tanjirou hurriedly stopped Inosuke.
"Something''s not right, look at his eyes!"
His words finally made Zenitsu and Inosuke notice the Japanese characters in Kaigaku''s eyes.
One eye had ''Upper Rank'', while the other had ''Seven''.
""Upper Rank... Seven...?""
Tanjirou, Zenitsu, and Inosuke were shocked.
What happened?
Weren''t there only six Upper Ranks?
How did an Upper Seven appear?
"Oh? You mean this?"
Kaigaku pointed to his eyes, his smile not fading.
"That''s right, I am Upper Seven¡ªthe first demon in history to hold this title, to be exact."
"Well, the Twelve Kizuki were officially disbanded when the Lower Ranks were dismissed, so Lord Muzan recently reorganized the Kizuki."
"Since he doesn''t need the useless Lower Ranks, there are no more Lower Rank positions in the Kizuki, but an additional seat was added to the Upper Ranks."
"From now on, there are no more Twelve Kizuki, only us seven Upper Ranks¡ªthe new Kizuki."
Chapter 203: Hashira vs Upper Ranks
Chapter 203: Hashira vs Upper Ranks
Before long, the news about the Upper Seven quickly spread through Kasugai Crows to all members of the Demon yer Corps in Infinity Castle.
However, at the same time, another Upper Rank also appeared.
*ROAR!*
*Splurt!*
With a roar, a ferocious tiger, about three meters tall, pounced on a Demon yer, biting off his head and sttering blood everywhere.
*ROAR!*
*ROAR!*
With each roar, more tigers of the same size appeared, brutally attacking members of the Demon yer Corps, devouring them all to death.
In the center of these tigers, stood a skinny man dressed in prison clothes, holding a long whip akin to a beast tamer.In his eyes were Japanese characters clearly visible for everyone to see.
One eye had ''Upper Rank'', while the other eye had ''Six''.
Without a doubt, he was the new Upper Six.
"So, this is the Demon yer Corps?"
Speaking with dissatisfaction, the Upper Six looked at the Demon yers being devoured by his tigers,pletely powerless to resist.
"Tch, too weak... My children will just get an upset stomach from eating all this trash. Isn''t there anyone stronger?"
The new Upper Six was a death row inmate named Torasei.
He was a man who loved to raise tigers.
At first, he was just an ordinary hunter, but when he saw a tiger in the deep mountains, he fell in love with the creature at first sight and began keeping several of them.
In order to feed his beloved tigers and prevent anyone from hunting them, he did not hesitate to lure his friends and even his family into the mountains to feed them.
Meanwhile, whenever hunters entered the mountains, he would find ways to kill them personally and bring their corpses to his tigers.
Even if he hadn''t killed hundreds, there were at least dozens who died at his hands.
After the truth came out, Torasei was arrested and sentenced to death until Muzan released him from prison, saving him from execution.
Needless to say, after Torasei was saved, he received Muzan''s blood.
However, what was surprising was that he not only endured the blood that made him a Lower Rank but also withstood even more, leading Muzan to promote him to an Upper Rank.
As a result, he reced the deceased Gyuutarou and Daki, taking on the position of Upper Six.
Meanwhile, the ferocious tigers around Torasei, which he controlled, were actually his Blood Demon Art. It allowed him to tame ferocious beasts and mutate them, a Blood Demon Art called ''Anomalous Beast Taming - Demon Transformation''.
"My children, keep hunting."
Torasei spoke gently to the group of ferocious tigers around him.
"Hunt stronger prey."
"Feast on better victims."
"That way, you''ll grow bigger and stronger."
Under his instructions, the tigers roared one after another and were about to disperse, until¡ª
"Love Breathing - Second Form - Love Pangs!"
Suddenly, a female figure darted forward like an afterimage, and her sword, flexible like a whip, swung like a tornado, slicing through several tigers and cutting them into pieces on the spot.
"Mist Breathing - Fifth Form - Sea of Clouds and Haze!"
At the same time, a mist blew in, like clouds stirred by the wind, enveloping several tigers. In the next second, the tigers inside the mist shrieked and soon copsed into pools of blood.
"What...?"
Torasei was initially stunned, then furious.
"Who?! Who dares hurt my beloved children?!"
Before long, two voices responded to his words.
"Sorry, that would be me!"
A pink-haired girl wielding a flexible swordnded on the ground, appearing in front of Torasei.
She was none other than Kanroji Mitsuri.
"You are the new Upper Six?"
As the mist cleared, it revealed a slightly immature-looking boy who had appeared without noise.
He was none other than Tokitou Muichirou.
With that, the Love Hashira and the Mist Hashira had both appeared to confront the Upper Six.
"Gather! Gather!"
"Love Hashira! Mist Hashira! Have sessfully met up!"
Two Kasugai Crows flew around in the air, screeching and informing others that Mitsuri and Muichirou were together.
Due to the guidance from Kasugai Crows, several Hashira had already met up, no longer acting independently.
As Mitsuri and Muichirou were the first to meet up and happened to be close by, they noticed themotion in this ce and immediately headed toward the Upper Six under the Kasugai Crows'' guidance.
"DAMN YOU!"
Torasei ignored everything else and just screamed furiously.
"Do you know what you''ve done? My children are so cute! How could you hurt them?!"
Although Mitsuri and Muichirou couldn''t quite imagine how vicious and bloody tigers could be called cute, they were disgusted by Torasei''s words.
"Is there something wrong with this Upper Six''s head?" Mitsuri crossed her arms, looking utterly repulsed.
"Aren''t all demons like this? Absolutely disgusting." Muichirou coldly raised his sword, ready to attack at any moment.
"I''M GOING TO KILL YOU!" Torasei screamed in madness.
*ROAR!*
*ROAR!*
Soon, the tigers in the surroundings went wild, charging toward Mitsuri and Muichirou.
===
"Love Hashira! Mist Hashira! Are fighting the Upper Six!"
"Love Hashira! Mist Hashira! Are fighting the Upper Six!"
At this moment, several Kasugai Crows swiftly ryed the information to everyone.
"Tch."
Running down a corridor, Obanai clicked his tongue.
"Kanroji is fighting an Upper Rank and urgently needs my help." Obanai remarked, his face full of disgust. "But why am I meeting you first instead of her?"
"If you have a problem, take it up with Kibutsuji Muzan!"
Tengen, running ahead of Obanai, turned his head and eximed with an annoyed tone.
"I didn''t want to meet up with you first either!"
While arguing, their pace didn''t slow down, but in fact, they sped up, quickly heading toward the direction where Mitsuri and Muichirou were.
Especially Tengen, who was so fast that he left Obanai far behind.
It couldn''t be helped.
Tengen was the fastest among the nine Hashira. Even the strongest among them, Gyoumei, couldn''t match Tengen''s speed. Only the Wind Hashira, Sanemi, could barely keep up, while Obanai was clearly not in that league.
"Annoying¡"
Obanai was visibly displeased as he ate Tengen''s dust from behind, but soon, he no longer had the luxury toin.
*Plink-Plonk*
A sudden sound of biwa rang out, causing Tengen and Obanai to lose their direction.
"What the¡ª?!"
"Awful!"
They felt the world around them spinning before they started falling into bottomless darkness.
"Iguro!"
"I know!"
Just moments ago, they were arguing, but now they disyed an incredible level of coordination.
Tengen reached out his strong hand toward Obanai, who immediately jumped on it, using Tengen as a stepping stone to leap toward a nearby building.
"Kaburamaru!"
At the same time, Obanai threw Kaburamaru, the white snake wrapped around his neck. It darted out, coiling around Tengen''s arm and pulling him along as they both leaped onto the rooftop of a nearby building.
*Thud*
*Thud*
Theynded safely, avoiding a fatal fall.
In front of them, the culprit behind all this sat holding a biwa and slowly raised her head.
Obviously, she was none other than Nakime, but this time her bangs were parted, revealing her eye.
However, she didn''t have a normal pair of eyes¡ªjust onerge eye.
In that eye, the Japanese character for ''Five'' was engraved.
"How?" Tengen grinned. "So, after Upper Six showed up, now it''s Upper Five, huh?"
"Our sudden shift in position just now... was that you?" Obanai asked coldly. "I see... so you''re the one who brought us all here."
"..."
Nakime remained silent, merely raising her biwa, clearly intending to pluck its strings.
Seeing this, Tengen and Obanai reacted instantaneously.
"Don''t let her y the biwa!"
Obanai, being sharp, sensed that once Nakime yed her biwa, her Blood Demon Art would be triggered.
"You don''t need to tell me!"
As the Sound Hashira, Tengen understood sound and music better than anyone, knowing how tricky they could be as weapons.
"If you''re going to y, make it a more mboyant tune, demon!" Tengen eximed and started running.
Obanai also charged forward, attacking Nakime.
===
"Sound Hashira! Serpent Hashira! Are fighting the Upper Five!"
"Sound Hashira! Serpent Hashira! Are fighting the Upper Five!"
Just like before, the Kasugai Crows continued to timely ry the information, letting everyone know the current battle situation.
However, the content of their reports soon changed again.
"Wind Hashira! Water Hashira! Encountered the Upper Four!"
"Wind Hashira! Water Hashira! Encountered the Upper Four!"
Yes.
Almost at the same time, the recently reunited Sanemi and Giyuu ran into the Upper Four.
"Hiiiii¡ª!"
After two months of disappearance, Hantengu appeared once again, and very abruptly showed up in front of the running Sanemi and Giyuu.
"Are you two the Hashira? Are you strong? Are you going to bully me?" Hantengu asked, trembling in the corner. "S-So scary, don''t do this!"
Unfortunately, he ran into the cold and ruthless Sanemi and the silent but not-so-cold Giyuu.
"Die!"
*Whoosh!*
Sanemi''s eyes narrowed, and with a low growl, he transformed into a gust of wind, charging toward Hantengu without hesitation.
"You attacked our headquarters two months ago, almost harming the Master..."
*Swish!*
Giyuu''s eyes bore a murderous intent as he swung his sword, creating water waves that shed toward Hantengu''s neck.
*Pu-chi!*
In the next moment, the dual shes of wind and water sessfully cut Hantengu into four body parts.
"Watch out!"
"You don''t need to tell me that!"
Giyuu and Sanemi did not lower their guard and distanced themselves from Hantengu.
Before long, Hantengu, who had been cut into four body parts, sessfully transformed into four clones of himself.
With that, Karaku, Sekido, Aizetsu, and Urogi appeared once again.
Chapter 204: A Fated Battle, Kyoujurou and Akaza
Chapter 204: A Fated Battle, Kyoujurou and Akaza
Among the Hashira, some had sessfully regrouped to fight the Upper Ranks together, while others were still alone, having not seen any fellow members until now.
Kyoujurou was one of these people.
At this moment, his Nichirin Sword remained sheathed in his hand, and he had yet to draw it to y a single demon.
In truth, this was because he hadn''t encountered a single demon since being transported to the Infinity Castle. He couldn''t even find a way out, simply wandering around in an area that resembled a fighting arena.
Yes, a fighting arena.
From the very beginning, Kyoujurou had been transported to this arena, which waspletely out of ce in the Infinity Castle, like a samurai who hade to challenge a dojo and couldn''t leave no matter what.
In the end, Kyoujurou decided to stop moving around and stood in the very center of the arena, closing his eyes.
After a long silence, Kyoujurou suddenly opened them.
"Come out, Akaza."He suddenly spoke without any apparent reason.
"You''re here, aren''t you?"
His words echoed in the arena for a long, long time.
After a while¡ª
"You found me, huh?"
Apanied by a voice filled with fighting intent, a demon with short peach-colored hair, dressed as a martial artist, slowly walked out from the shadow.
Who else could it be but Akaza?
"Long time no see, Kyoujurou."
Akaza stared at Kyoujurou, smiling happily.
"It''s been six months since that time on the Mugen Train, hasn''t it?"
"To be exact, it''s five months." Kyoujurou stared back. "As expected, just as Young Tsugikuni said, you''re still alive."
Since Riezel had already informed all the Hashira about the survival of Upper Three Akaza, Kyoujurou wasn''t surprised as he saw him appear.
"How did you do it?" Kyoujurou asked calmly. "You should be different from the Upper Four and the Upper Six, not the type that wouldn''t die when beheaded by a Nichirin Sword, right?"
Akaza was purely a martial artist, a demon purely forbat, and this was something Kyoujurou could feel.
Such a demon shouldn''t have awakened a Blood Demon Art rted to survival but solely forbat.
And as it turned out, that was indeed the case.
Akaza''s Blood Demon Art indeed revolved around martial arts without any gimmicks. Yet he had indeed ovee the weakness of demons, surpassing his own limits.
"Normally, demons die when beheaded by a Nichirin Sword, this is our limit."
Akaza spread his hands and exined with a smile.
"Only a few powerful demons, when on the verge of death after being beheaded by a Nichirin Sword, if they possess a strong will, fiercely resisting the oue of death, desperately wanting to survive, can break through this limit, making their necks no longer a weakness."
Such was a concept unique to demons called ''Limit Break.''
A demon that sessfully achieved it would not die even if beheaded by a Nichirin Sword, and could even regenerate immediately if their head was blown apart.
"After Tsugikuni Yoriichi beheaded me, just as I was on the brink of death, a strong sense of defiance and unwillingness surged within me, pushing me beyond the limits of my demon body," Akaza recounted. "Soon after, I regenerated my head and came back to life¡ªthough, I only realized thister."
"You''re one tough guy..." Kyoujurou said solemnly. "To think you''ve surpassed the theoretical life limits of demons, oveing the weakness of dying when beheaded by a Nichirin Sword... Upper Three Akaza, you really are a dangerous being."
"Me? Dangerous? Heh, what a funny joke..." Akaza chuckled. "You''re mistaken, far off the mark."
He withdrew his spread-out hands as he spoke.
"Just a human, and a younger one at that, managed to behead me in an instant where I couldn''t even react, bringing me to the brink of death."
"Just so you know, the former Upper Five and Upper Six, their survival skills should surpass mine, yet they seemed unable to withstand a single attack from him."
"Although the Upper Four managed to escape, that coward has since refused to mention that guy''s name again, probably for the rest of his life."
"Knowing this, you think I''m dangerous? The real danger is that guy, not me!"
With these words, Akaza''s smile faded, his gaze upon Kyoujurou turning serious.
"Enough about him. Let''s talk about you, Kyoujurou." Akaza said, his eyes narrowed. "Is it just me, or have you changed a lot?"
He said this not without reason.
"Where''s your fighting spirit? Where''s your tightly condensed, inspiring fighting spirit?" Akaza said with a serious face. "Why can I not feel your fighting spirit at all?"
He had not revealed himself until Kyoujurou called him for a reason.
In truth, he had been waiting here for a long time, and the moment he saw Kyoujurou appear, he instantly decided to show himself.
However, when his ''Destructive Death - Compass Needle'' showed no reaction to Kyoujurou and he couldn''t sense Kyoujurou''s fighting spirit at all, his pupils contracted, freezing him in ce.
For a moment, hepletely forgot to show himself.
In theory, this shouldn''t have been possible, as no matter who it was, everyone had a fighting spirit.
Even a newborn baby knew to grab the food brought to its mouth and eat it, so how could a battle-hardened swordsman like Kyoujurou be any different?
As long as there was a heart for battle, even if it was just instinct, a fighting spirit would arise.
Therefore, if even a newborn baby was no exception, Kyoujurou should be the same. A faint fighting spirit should appear on his body, making it impossible for anyone to have no fighting spirit at all.
When they met at the Mugen Train incident, he had already confirmed that Kyoujurou possessed a highly condensed fighting spirit. Given this, how could he not freeze in ce when Kyoujurou''s fighting spirit hadpletely vanished?
He was even filled with shock.
Because, as far as he knew, there was only one situation where one could sopletely erase their fighting spirit.
"Have you already stepped into that domain?"
Akaza stared intensely at Kyoujurou.
"Have you reached the domain we martial artists pursue to the death?"
Unfortunately, Kyoujurou didn''t answer his question.
*Scwing¡ª*
Amidst a faint metallic friction sound, Kyoujurou drew his Nichirin Sword.
"It''s truly incredible..." Kyoujurou suddenly remarked. "You know, since that incident, I''ve been constantly reminiscing about our battle..."
In that battle, he was clearly at a disadvantage against Akaza''s fierce attacks. If not for Riezel, maybe he would have already left this world.
"Even though I got totally defeated by the Upper Four, I didn''t dwell on it much. But weirdly, I''ve been thinking about our battle a lot..."
Reflecting on this, Kyoujurou found it truly mysterious.
"I always wonder, why is that?"
Kyoujurou closed his eyes, his expression unusually calm.
"Why is it that with you, I feel an overwhelming desire to win, to defeat you, no matter what?"
Kyoujurou never quite understood this.
However, there was one thing he was certain of.
"It seems like between you and me, we''re fated to fight each other."
Kyoujurou opened his eyes, calmly looking at Akaza.
"Let''s settle the score that was left undecided back at that time."
"..."
"Heh... Hahahahaha¡ª!"
Upon hearing Kyoujurou''s words, Akaza first seemed taken aback, then burst into heartyughter.
"You really do understand, huh! Kyoujurou!" Akaza smiled widely. "That''s right. Nothing else matters. You''re here, I''m here¡ªwe''ll inevitably sh! Even if you''ve already stepped into that domain, it makes no difference!"
With that, he took a step forward and assumed a stance.
"Technique Development - Destructive Death - Compass Needle!"
In an instant, a snowke pattern unfolded beneath Akaza''s feet.
Seeing this, Kyoujurou calmly raised his sword before a corner of his forehead suddenly seemed to ignite like mes, revealing a red, mark-like tattoo.
"!!!"
At this moment, though Akaza hadn''t yet sensed Kyoujurou''s fighting spirit, he felt a lethal threat.
In this way, he affirmed that Kyoujurou not only stepped into that supreme domain but also awakened some kind of power that greatly enhanced his strength.
At the same time, the Nichirin Sword Kyoujurou wielded had somehow turned zing, bright red.
Seeing the bright red de, Akaza felt that it could truly kill him. Even though he had surpassed the limits of the demon body, if he were to lose his head to Kyojuro''s current sword, he believed he would die.
Realizing this, warning signs red in Akaza''s mind, yet his smile grew wider on his face.
"Let me ask you onest time, Kyoujurou."
"I can probably guess what you want to say..." Kyoujurou responded calmly. "Well, go ahead, let me hear it."
"Do you want to be a demon?"
"No."
"...Is that so?"
With that, their conversation simply ended there.
*Whoosh!*
In the next instant, both vanished from their original positions.
When they reappeared, one was swinging toward the other with a sword, and the other was striking out with a fist.
*BOOOOM!*
A thunderous roar shook the entire arena.
mes and shockwaves swept through, stirring the air.
===
"me Hashira is fighting the Upper Three!"
"me Hashira is fighting the Upper Three!"
Before long, the sharp report from the Kasugai Crows quickly spread throughout the entire Infinity Castle.
Now, everyone, including Riezel, knew that me Hashira Rengoku Kyoujurou was facing the Upper Three by himself.
"..."
Upon hearing the report, Riezel fell into deep thought.
Even he wouldn''t have thought that because of his arrival, the battle between Kyoujurou and Akaza would unexpectedly drag on until now and still happen as originally intended in the original work.
''Is this what they call fate?''
In the original work, Kyoujurou was the first Hashira to fall in battle, with Akaza being the one who killed him. Furthermore, this battle was also a crucial part of the main story.
And now, this battle was upon them.
''But the oue will be different this time...''
Different from the original work, in this reality, Riezel had faith in Kyoujurou and believed he would absolutely win.
Absolutely.
Chapter 205: Sworn Enemy
Chapter 205: Sworn Enemy
When Kyoujurou was transported alone to the Infinite Castle and faced off against Akaza, among the nine Hashira, another also encountered an Upper Rank alone.
This Hashira was none other than Shinobu.
"East! East! Head east!"
A Kasugai Crow called out above Shinobu''s head, trying to guide her to join the others.
However, she didn''tply.
Instead of heading east, Shinobu walked slowly in the opposite direction, as if drawn by something invisible, and silently arrived at a lotus pond, a ce that didn''t fit with the architecture of the Infinity Castle.
It was here that the mysterious presence Shinobu had been searching for appeared.
"Oh my, wee."
A man appeared on the wooden bridge over the lotus pond, wielding a pair of golden iron fans, draped in a ck cloak, and wearing a hat reminiscent of a priest, smiling as he turned toward Shinobu."My, my, the first person I meet is such a cute girl, how delightful~ It''s not for nothing that I''ve been waiting here for so long."
With these words, the man removed his hat and bowed to Shinobu.
"First of all, wee to my lotus pond. I''m Douma, founder of the Eternal Paradise Faith, and, of course, an Upper Rank of the Kizuki¡ªnumber ''Two'', to be exact."
He was none other than the Upper Two, Douma.
Shinobu, rarely appeared without a smile, silently gazed at Douma''s head, then at the golden fans in his hands.
As soon as her gazended on the golden fans, an azure butterfly-shaped mark emerged on her corbone, and a chilling murderous aura emanated from her body, causing Douma to widen his eyes slightly.
"Oooh, quite an impressive murderous aura. I see, you''re no ordinary member of the Demon yer Corps, huh?"
Douma pped his hands and happily remarked.
"I understand, you''re a Hashira, yes?"
"Wow, what a stroke of luck, meeting a Hashira as the first girl Ie across..."
Douma seemed as if he were thanking the heavens for this auspicious encounter, smiling broadly.
"...Do you really like girls that much?" Shinobu asked coldly.
For reasons unknown, she uttered these words.
"Yup." Douma, seemingly unaffected, nodded repeatedly. "After all, females are more valuable than males, no?"
Such was his belief.
Upper Two Douma enjoyed consuming women.
From this perspective alone, he might be simr to the former Upper Six, Daki, who also enjoyed eating women, but their motives were different.
Daki simply found ugly things inedible, preferring beautiful women, much like how humans enjoy exquisite food but lose their appetite for badly cooked dishes.
Douma was different.
He believed that since women could carry embryos in their bellies, they should possess more nutrients than men. With this belief, he thought that by consuming more women, he could be stronger more quickly.
As a result, he liked women, especially those who were strong, earnest, and hardworking, genuinely feeling fond of them.
Naturally, this involved no human emotions.
Shinobu was aware of this and tightened her grip on her sword.
"Upper Two Douma..." Shinobu suppressed her emotions and said in a low voice. "Do you remember, in the past, you once fought against a female Hashira?"
"Hmm?" Douma tilted his head, not understanding.
"Just a few years ago, there weren''t as many Hashira in the Demon yer Corps as there are now. Back then, among the Hashira, there was a swordswoman skilled in Flower Breathing."
Ignoring Douma''s clueless reaction, Shinobu continued, lost in her own thoughts.
"She was the Flower Hashira, a genius who derived Flower Breathing from Water Breathing."
Shinobu''s Insect Breathing precisely originated from Flower Breathing.
"In the end, she died... killed by a demon."
Shinobu stared intensely at Douma, saying each word slowly.
"Before she died, she told me what her killer looked like."
"It was a demon with a head that looked like it had been sttered with blood, wielding a pair of golden iron fans."
There was no need to borate further on who this demon was.
"She... that Flower Hashira was my elder sister..."
Shinobu forced these words out of her throat.
Meanwhile, upon hearing her words, Douma first seemed confused, then suddenly had a look of realization.
"Ahh, I remember now, there was such a person."
Douma thumped his palm.
"Yeah, that girl was strong. She wasn''t as strong as the Upper Ranks, but definitely stronger than the Lower Ranks. I nned to devour her, but the sun came up too soon, so I missed my chance."
"I see, so she hadn''tpletely died yet and even left herst words, huh..."
"Moreover, you''re her younger sister? Really?"
Douma asked in a surprised tone.
"Both sisters bing Hashira? You two are impressive!"
He spoke so casually, with no sense of being the sworn enemy who had killed someone''s kin. Instead, he felt inexplicably moved and happy, as if he were encountering an extraordinary character, hearing an incredible story, or seeing something remarkable, and he sincerely expressed admiration.
It was clear from this that hecked normal human emotions, even empathy, merely disguising himself with rich tones andnguage.
Seeing this, Shinobu obviously couldn''t suppress her emotions any longer.
*Swish!*
Suddenly, Shinobu''s figure shot up like a bullet fired from a gun, astonishingly fast. She appeared in front of Douma in an instant, her Nichirin Sword drawn without him noticing, like a stinging bee aiming for his eyes.
"?!"
However, before the strike could hit Douma, Shinobu seemed to sense something. Her expression changed slightly, and without hesitation, she swiftly retreated.
*BOOM!*
Almost simultaneously, a cold wind swept through, lifting ice and frost, crashing down where Shinobu had stood just a moment ago.
Under the assault of the icy wind, the wooden bridge began to freeze, and even the lotus pond was encased in ice. Soon enough, ice crystals fell like rain, causing the temperature to plummet by several degrees.
"Ice?"
Shinobunded at the edge of the lotus pond after her hasty retreat, her eyes flickering as she surveyed the scene.
"You dodged that?"
Douma, somewhat surprised yet intrigued.
"Seems like you''re much stronger than your sister, despite your delicate appearance."
He was a demon of ice.
His Blood Demon Art allowed him to freeze his own blood into misty ice crystals, which he dispersed with his fan.
Of course, these ice crystals possessed lethal power. Not only could they freeze objects, but touching them would instantly freeze the skin. If inhaled into the lungs, they could cause breathing difficulties and even necrotize lung tissue.
Using this Blood Demon Art, Douma wielded an abnormal control over the air. By dispersing ice crystals throughout an area, he made himself unbeatable against any opponent.
Yet, Shinobu, relying on her sharp intuition and formidable physical prowess, managed to evade all of Douma''s ice crystals.
In the past, she would not have been capable of such a feat.
''All thanks to that insanely powerful guy, I''ve got the strength I have now.''
Remembering Riezel, Shinobu calmed herself before speaking to Douma with hatred.
"Originally, I nned to kill you with poison. But thanks to that guy, that n went up in smoke."
Shinobu had long prepared means to deal with Douma.
Knowing that her elder sister had died at his hands, she constantly plotted revenge against him.
In other words, even before Riezel appeared, she had readied herself to face Douma, prepared to take both of them down together. No one knew that she had been regrly ingesting the poison from wisteria flowers.
Based on information left by her elder sister, she knew the demon who killed her sister was fixated on devouring women¡ªan abnormal obsession.
As a Hashira, not only was she a woman, but she also possessed exceptional strength.
Needless to say, if this demon encountered her, he would surely try to devour her.
Based on this assessment, she spent over a year continuously ingesting the poison from wisteria flowers, saturating her blood, organs, and fingertips with a high concentration of the poison.
If a demon consumed her, it would be akin to ingesting a poison dosage equal to seven times their body weight¡ªan amount lethal enough seven hundred times over.
She made these preparations, intending to kill the demon who had murdered her elder sister with all she had. Even if she wasn''t his match, she would drag him down to hell with her.
However, two months ago, Riezel''s treatment shattered her n.
Under Dia Fratel''s treatment, not only did she recover fully from her injuries, but the poison within her body was also neutralized as well.
Fortunately, she gained new strength.
*Chi¡ª*
As Shinobu tightened her grip on her sword handle, her Nichirin Sword began to turn bright red.
"Even though I can''t use the Transparent World, with the Mark and Bright Red Nichirin Sword, I can still take you down, Upper Two!"
Shinobu shouted with anger, no longer concealing her hatred.
"My, my, you¡ª"
Douma squinted his eyes, about to say something, when another voice interrupted.
"In that case, count me in too."
A deep voice reverberated as a monk wielding a chained il and axe slowly approached the lotus pond.
"Hi-Himejima?!" Shinobu eximed in surprise.
"I''vee to join you." Gyoumei nodded.
Although his eyes were blind, they still carried a hint of sorrow.
"I never imagined I''d encounter the murderer of your elder sister here."
Gyoumei naturally knew Shinobu''s elder sister, as he had once saved both of them and had been their mentor for a time.
"Now, I can do something for you sister."
In the next moment, a mark resembling gray-ck fissures appeared on Gyoumei''s arm, while veins pulsed with anger at his temples.
''Okay, this doesn''t look too great...''
Sensing the formidable aura emanating from Gyoumei, Douma finally broke into a cold sweat.
He knew he was in real trouble now.
Chapter 206: Everyones Battles
Chapter 206: Everyone''s Battles
Stone Hashira Himejima Gyoumei and Insect Hashira Kochou Shinobu faced off against Upper Two Douma!
me Hashira Rengoku Kyoujurou fought Upper Three Akaza!
Wind Hashira Shinazugawa Sanemi and Water Hashira Tomioka Giyuu fought Upper Four Hantengu!
Serpent Hashira Iguro Obanai and Sound Hashira Uzui Tengen confronted Upper Five Nakime!
Love Hashira Kanroji Mitsuri and Mist Hashira Tokitou Muichirou fought Upper Six Torasei!
At this moment, every Hashira of the Demon yer Corps was locked inbat with the Upper Ranks, intensifying their shes. This news not only made the members of the Corps nervous but also caught the demons'' attention.
Undoubtedly, the oue between both sides would greatly influence the following offense and defense, a matter of significant importance for both the Demon yer Corps and the demons.
Throughout the centuries-long history, demons and the Demon yer Corps had never before entered such a thorough state of warfare as today, with unprecedented fierce shes between their higher-ups, where it was a matter of either you perish or I do.
This realization made many who hadn''t yet adjusted their mindset keenly aware that tonight was indeed a truly decisive and final battle."Hahahaha!"
Kaigaku, having heard the news conveyed by the Kasugai Crows, burst intoughter in front of Tanjirou, Zenitsu, and Inosuke.
"It seems like the seniors are all fired up, no matter which side they''re on!"
For Kaigaku, both sides could indeed be called his seniors.
As Zenitsu''s senior brother and one of the sessors of Thunder Breathing, Kaigaku had once been a Demon yer in the Demon yer Corps, making all the Hashira his seniors.
On the other hand, as a new member of the Upper Ranks, Kaigaku viewed the other Upper Ranks as unquestionably his seniors.
On one side were his seniors from his human days, and on the other were his seniors since bing a demon. Both sides were also at the highest-ranking members within their respective groups, one standing above thousands.
Now they were fighting each other, which seemed quite wonderful to Kaigaku.
However¡ª
"What a pity, no matter how the Hashira struggle, the final oue is already predetermined!"
Kaigaku dered confidently amidst hisughter.
"Humans can never defeat demons, and the Hashira absolutely cannot match the Upper Ranks. Soon, you will all experience the greatest despair!"
Drawing his sword, Kaigaku pointed it at Zenitsu.
"Once I''m done with you, I''ll go find the Hashira and show them I''m not the same as before!"
Apparently, having be a demon and an Upper Rank, Kaigaku had swollen with pride. He could clearly feel how much stronger he was nowpared to before and how powerful the so-called Upper Ranks truly were.
In the past, the Hashira seemed unbeatably powerful to him, but now, they were just that.
Because of this, Kaigaku didn''t believe the Hashira could match the Upper Ranks and believed he had already surpassed the Hashira, bing a formidable existence beyond human imagination.
Kaigaku approached Zenitsu eagerly, definitely intending to show off, unting his strength and boasting about the wisdom of his choices.
In the past, Kaigaku had always looked down on Zenitsu, considering him both cowardly and inept.
How frightened would Zenitsu look when he saw his current power?
Just thinking about it made Kaigaku feel a surge of excitement.
However, he was bound to be disappointed.
"...You''ve gone mad."
Zenitsu didn''t show a hint of fear but looked at Kaigaku with cold indifference¡ªhis eyes revealing an emotion Kaigaku had never seen before, one that made him distinctly ufortable.
It was none other than an emotion of disgust.
Yes, just like how Kaigaku used to look at Zenitsu in the past.
"Do you know..." Zenitsu gritted his teeth. "Because you turned into a demon, Grandpa hasmitted seppuku!"
Upon hearing this, Kaigaku was stunned.
""What?""
Tanjirou and Inosuke both wore expressions of shock.
It was truly shocking that the former Thunder Hashira hadmitted suicide.
At this moment, Tanjirou and Inosuke finally understood why Zenitsu had been acting so strangelytely.
Obviously, it was because he had lost someone dear to him.
"Grandpa took his own life...?"
Kaigaku muttered to himself, then fell silent, until¡ª
"Ha! Hahahahaha¡ª!"
Heughed, hisughter filled with intense pleasure.
"Good riddance! It was pointless for a fool like him, who wanted me and a waste like you to inherit his breathing style to keep on living!"
"Hemitted seppuku? He finally made a wise choice!"
"Otherwise, after this battle is over, I would have gone after him and killed him myself!"
"Hahahahaha!"
Kaigaku''s arrogant and unrestrainedughter finally pushed Zenitsu over the edge.
*BOOOM!*
It was the sound of thunder.
Amidst a thunderous explosion, a figure transformed into lightning and violently rushed toward Kaigaku.
"Thunder Breathing - First Form - Thunderp and sh!"
A lightning-fast sh suddenly appeared right before Kaigaku''s eyes.
"?!"
Kaigaku''s pupils shrank, his heart pounding.
In the split second of peril, he only managed to raise one hand.
*Pu-chi!*
In the next moment, the lightning-fast sh severed Kaigaku''s arm.
With his arm severed, Kaigaku felt a sharp pain and, propelled by the high-speed turbulence of the scorching chaotic airflow, tumbled away.
Zenitsu''s figure appeared in the aftermath of the lightning-fast sh, in the exact spot where Kaigaku had been just a second before, assuming an iai stance with his sword already back in its sheath.
"You... DAMN BASTARD?!"
Kaigaku finally reacted to what had happened, standing up in furious anger.
He felt deeply humiliated.
"To think I lost my arm to worthless trash like you who can only master the first form?!"
Kaigaku''s face twisted in disbelief.
Zenitsu calmly turned around, his expression unusually cold.
"You''re right, I must seem like worthless trash to you."
Zenitsu spoke coldly, his face showing cold indifference.
"But what does that make you? If I''m worthless trash who can only master the first form, then you''re worthless trash among worthless trash who can''t even learn the first form!"
"Are you proud that you could be an Upper Rank? What''s there to be proud of?"
"Even if you be an Upper Rank, you''re still just a bottom-feeder, the lowest in the hierarchy. If it weren''t for the reform of the Kizuki from six to seven Upper Ranks, you wouldn''t even crack the top six!"
"After all, you''re just that kind of guy. Otherwise, why would you end up being a demon? You even talk about the Hashira''s fate being predetermined, making the Upper Ranks sound so great..."
Zenitsu looked down on Kaigaku, speaking word by word.
"Yet, our head instructor, who''s just a human in your eyes, took down those Upper Ranks you''re so proud of with just one sh."
"Let alone someone like you. In front of him, you probably wouldn''t even qualify to make him draw his sword."
"Someone like you, what right do you have to look down on humans?"
"You''re nothing but a clown¡ªno, an entire circus!"
Zenitsu''s words stung Kaigaku''s heart, one after another.
"Bastard... I WILL KILL YOU¡ª!"
Kaigakupletely lost his mind, regenerating his arm and charging toward Zenitsu like a madman.
However, he forgot that Zenitsu wasn''t alone.
"me Breathing - First Form - Unknowing Fire!"
Tanjirou drew his sword and dashed forward, enveloped in mes appearing at Kaigaku''s left side, shing toward his neck.
"Beast Breathing - Third Fang - Devour!"
Inosuke shed to Kaigaku''s right side, crossing his two saw-like swords and shing toward Kaigaku''s head.
Attacked from both sides, Kaigaku had to halt his charge and focus on defending himself.
"Thunder Breathing - Sixth Form - Rumble and sh!"
Kaigaku swung his sword, centering himself, instantly releasing countless lightning-like shes in all directions.
*BOOM!*
His lightning was pitch-ck, resembling the falling thunder of malevolence, flicking Tanjirou''s mes and Inosuke''s fangs in an instant and sending both of them flying.
In the next moment, Tanjirou and Inosukended beside Zenitsu.
"Zenitsu! We''re here to help you!" Tanjirou called out.
"Hahaha! Let''s chop off his head!" Inosukeughed loudly.
Upon hearing their words, Zenitsu wanted to refuse, feeling that he had to handle this on his own. However, when he saw Tanjirou''s determined expression and heard Inosuke''sughter, tears involuntarily welled up in his eyes.
Zenitsu quickly wiped away his tears and took a deep breath.
"Leave the final strike to me!"
This was his only request.
Tanjirou and Inosuke naturally had no objections.
"Bring it on! No matter how many of you there are, scum like you are nothingpared to my power!"
Kaigaku roared, then charged toward the three.
Seeing this, Tanjirou, Zenitsu, and Inosuke met his charge without hesitation.
Before long, mes, thunder, and the imposing shadows of beasts appeared one after another on this battlefield.
At this moment, the lowest of the Upper Ranks, Upper Seven Kaigaku, was engaged in a death battle with three lower-ranked Demon yers from the Demon yer Corps.
===
"They shed already?"
Riezel, who had been darting back and forth in the Infinity Castle like a sun, heard the news from the Kasugai Crows.
"Tanjirou also fought an Upper Rank?"
Sure enough, the protagonist was built differently. Even though Riezel''s own presence had diminished the importance of this protagonist, in a crucial battle like this, he would still hold a significant role.
"Can he handle it?"
Riezel was somewhat uncertain.
After all, the current Tanjirou not onlycked the Demon yer Mark, the Bright Red Nichirin Sword, and the Transparent World, but he also hadn''t fully mastered Hinokami Kagura. Compared to an Upper Rank, the gap in strength was quite significant.
Fortunately, Tanjirou wasn''t alone since Zenitsu and Inosuke were with him. Moreover, the Upper Seven they were facing was the lowest-ranked among the Upper Ranks and hadn''t been a demon for long.
Since the other Upper Ranks had been alive for hundreds of years and had consumed countless people, their power was far beyond what it had been when they first became demons.
However, because this Upper Seven had be a demon rtively recently and hadn''t yet consumed many people, it was uncertain whether he could fully control the power of an Upper Rank.
In other words, it shouldn''t be too difficult for Tanjirou, Zenitsu, and Inosuke to handle the Upper Seven if they team up.
Riezel finally felt certain.
"Yeah, they can win¡ªhmm?"
At this moment, he suddenly paused mid-flight, looking down at the ground.
Chapter 207: Tsugikuni Michikatsu
Chapter 207: Tsugikuni Michikatsu
*Thud!*
With a faintnding sound, Riezel touched down on the rooftop of a building.
It was a pce.
Riezelnded on the open rooftop of this pce and entered a ce that resembled an altar.
In this altar, the surrounding walls were adorned with murals, particrly on two sides that were not only facing each other but depicted entirely opposite scenes.
On the left mural was a sun, radiating light in all directions, beneath which were many people extending their hands toward it in a gesture of worship, resembling a ritual to a god, or a hero.
In contrast, the right mural depicted a moon emitting light in all directions but with no people or animals below, only a deste nighttimendscape that appeared somewhat barren.
Riezel stood directly before the sun mural, facing the moon mural on the opposite side.
"Hmm, the so-called throne doesn''t seem to be here..."Riezel murmured softly before speaking faintly to his front.
"Upper One."
As Riezel said this, a figure emerged slowly from the shadow of the moon mural across from him.
He held a sword in his hand.
He was dressed in a kimono.
With long ck hair tied up in a high ponytail, adorned with red markings on the top left side of his forehead and the bottom right of his chin, his face bore six eyes.
A six-eyed samurai from the Sengoku period had appeared beneath the moon mural.
Indeed, he was none other than the Upper One, Kokushibou.
"...It''s you?"
Kokushibou gazed at Riezel with his six eyes, his vision cold and filled with murderous intent.
"...You call yourself Tsugikuni Yoriichi?"
Kokushibou, the strongest Upper Rank, posed such a question.
"What? Have a problem?" Riezel looked back calmly. "Or do you think I''m not up to par?"
Kokushibou did not answer his question but slowly drew the sword from his waist¡ªa terrifying sword adorned with eyes on its de and handle.
After drawing such a sword, Kokushibou spoke again.
"Whether you''re up to par... let me test that."
*Whoosh!*
With those words, Kokushibou suddenly vanished on the spot.
"Moon Breathing..."
*Swish¡ª*
A figure resembling a bright moon breaking through dark clouds suddenly appeared before Riezel.
"First Form - Dark Moon, Evening Pce."
It was an iai sh executed with such speed that the sword was barely visible, leaving behind a trail of crescent-shaped shes. It was like a moon depeting with the sun''s brilliance, carrying a chilling coldness as it sliced toward Riezel''s neck.
*Whoosh!*
In the next moment, the de that conjured countless crescent moons was intercepted by two fingers, held between them.
"Hou?" Kokushibou''s six eyes narrowed slightly. "You stopped it so easily?"
"Easily? Is it difficult for you?"
Kokushibou''s words earned only a calm question from Riezel, clearly unmoved.
"Even some Hashira nowadays could easily block such a probing attack. If you want to test my limits, show me something more powerful."
With that, Riezel released the de from his fingers and surged forward, delivering a fierce kick to Kokushibou''s chest.
*BANG!*
Amidst the muffled sound, Riezel''s sudden kicknded heavily on the timely sword raised by Kokushibou, unleashing astonishing force.
Kokushibou was sent flying backward as if struck by a train, his feet skidding violently across the ground, retreating a considerable distance.
Riezel''s kick had directly knocked Kokushibou back beneath the moon mural, returning him to his original position.
Kokushibou stared at his hands gripping his sword, trembling slightly.
It was clear how much power Riezel had unleashed with that kick alone.
"Incredible strength..." Kokushibou muttered darkly. "A mere human... possessing such strength... No wonder the former Upper Five and Upper Six fell to you..."
Speaking like this, his six eyes revealed not resignation but a moreplex emotion as if standing before him wasn''t Riezel, but some other existence entirely.
"Your monstrous, inhuman strength... does bear some resemnce to him..." Kokushibou said coldly. "But I must say... you have no right to use that name... even if you''ve somehow learned Sun Breathing..."
"Heh..."
At his words, Riezel chuckled.
"Coming from you, that''s quite the irony..."
Riezel retorted casually, shaking his head.
"At least someone is using that name, unlike you, who has forsaken even your own name, reduced to this grotesque appearance."
Upon hearing this, Kokushibou narrowed his six eyes, exuding an even stronger murderous aura.
"...You know about me?" Kokushibou asked in a low voice.
Naturally, the answer was yes.
"Many people who know about the history of the Demon yer Corps during the Sengoku era have heard of Tsugikuni Yoriichi, but they don''t know that he actually had an older twin brother."
Riezel''s voice slowly filled the air.
"He was once highly esteemed, eager to be a powerful swordsman."
"He was favored more than his younger brother by their father, seen as the sole heir of the family''s legacy."
"Due to the strange mark on his younger brother''s forehead from birth, his younger brother faced rejection and neglect from their family. Because of this, he gained all the love and growth environment that should have belonged to his younger brother."
"However, there was one thing he could never surpass his younger brother in... talent in swordsmanship."
Riezel''s words caused Kokushibou''s hand gripping the sword to tighten slowly, yet Riezel seemed oblivious, continuing unabated.
"Just like his younger brother, he had also joined the Demon yer Corps and became a Demon yer."
"In his goal to surpass his younger brother, he tirelessly honed his swordsmanship."
"Eventually, he not only awakened the Demon yer Mark and the Transparent World but also stepped into the Domain of Supremacy that martial artists dream of, bing one of the strongest in the Corps."
"Even so, he still couldn''t surpass his younger brother."
"Faced with his younger brother''s dazzling achievements and unparalleled talent, he could only ever gaze at his back."
Such was Tsugikuni Yoriichi''s elder brother, a man consumed by an obsession with strength, constantly striving to improve himself while harboring intense jealousy toward his supremely talented younger brother.
"Tsugikuni Michikatsu, that''s his name..."
Riezel''s eyes gazed calmly into Kokushibou''s.
"How does it feel to hear your abandoned name after so long?"
Riezel''s words caused Kokushibou to close his six eyes.
After a long while, he opened them again.
"Since it''s a name I''ve long abandoned... what is there to cling to?" Kokushibou said lightly. "Tsugikuni Michikatsu has long been dead and the only one here is Kokushibou, the Upper One... that''s all."
"You seem pretty rxed..." Riezel remarked emotionlessly. "Especially... since you''re the one who caused your younger brother''s downfall."
Initially, Yoriichi was banished from the Demon yer Corps and even asked to perform seppuku for three reasons.
First, for allowing Muzan to escape.
Second, for sparing Tamayo voluntarily.
Third, for having a close rtive within the Demon yer Corps who assisted Muzan in killing the then Master.
Truthfully, any one of these acts would be unforgivable for anyone.
Just like Zenitsu''s master, the former Thunder Hashira, who took his own life simply because his disciple became a demon, and Tanjirou, who nearlymitted seppuku for sheltering his demon younger sister.
When these three incidents converged on one person, even someone nearly legendary like Yoriichi, he was ultimately banished from the Demon yer Corps.
Michikatsu''s betrayal was the final straw that led to this decision.
If the Master of the Demon yer Corps hadn''t been killed, perhaps Yoriichi''s contributions and abilities would have prevented his banishment from the Corps.
It was Yoriichi''s elder brother who killed the beloved Master of the Demon yer Corps, plunging its members into irreparable sadness and anger, with no possibility of reconciliation.
Given this, Riezel''s usation that Kokushibou was responsible for Yoriichi''s downfall was not unfounded.
However, Kokushibou clearly didn''t see it that way.
"You... What do you understand...?"
Kokushibou spoke softly, his head lowered.
"Do you understand the feeling of never being able to catch up to someone by your side, no matter what...?"
"Do you understand the feeling of pushing yourself to the limit in training, only to fall short of someone else''s casual attempt...?"
"Can you understand... that feeling when everything bes futile... when even the right to strive is taken away...?"
As Kokushibou''s chest began to rise and fall, he lifted his head, revealing bloodshot eyes fixed on Riezel''s.
"You don''t understand... because you, like him, are both naturally gifted..."
Kokushibou truly envied Yoriichi, envied his own younger brother.
Because of this envy, he despised Yoriichi to the point of anger whenever he thought of him.
His dream was to be a powerful swordsman, but that dream was effortlessly fulfilled by his younger brother, who had been ignored and looked down upon since childhood.
How could anyone else understand such a disparity?
If not for this, Kokushibou wouldn''t have be a demon, betrayed the Demon yer Corps, and killed the then Master.
However, in truth, the main reason Kokushibou became a demon was actually the Demon yer Mark.
He was a Marked Demon yer, evidenced by the marks on his forehead and chin.
When he learned that Marked Demon yers would die before the age of twenty-five, his first emotion was resentment.
Resentment that he no longer had time to train.
Resentment that he no longer had the opportunity to surpass his younger brother.
Because of this, in order to gain eternal time to perfect his swordsmanship, Kokushibou epted Muzan''s invitation, became a demon, and killed the Master of the Demon yer Corps at the time.
In addition, Kokushibou also participated in the ruthless eradication of those who knew about Sun Breathing initiated by Muzan.
"Now that you''ve used his name... used his breathing style... be prepared..."
As Kokushibou spoke, a terrifying aura gradually emitted from his body, growing stronger by the second.
"I will definitely kill you right here... right now..."
Chapter 208: Lost Interest
Chapter 208: Lost Interest
"Head Instructor Tsugikuni Yoriichi is fighting the Upper One!"
When this news spread from the mouth of Kasugai Crows and echoed across the Infinity Castle, everyone momentarily paused their battles.
''Lord Head Instructor is fighting!''
Every member of the Demon yer Corps had this thought sh through their minds.
''Upper One is fighting!''
On the other hand, all the demons were equally shaken by this news.
No choice.
After all, the famous head instructor of the Demon yer Corps, who could easily y the Upper Ranks, causing its members to be absent for the first time in a century, was fighting the strongest Upper Rank.
Undoubtedly, there was no reason for this fight not to move everyone deeply.However, in reality, the fight wasn''t as intense as everyone had imagined, and definitely not something like the sh of two titans.
"Moon Breathing - Second Form - Pearl Flower Moongazing."
On the top floor of the altar-like pce, the strongest demon under Muzan exploded from in front of the moon mural, rushing forward while spinning his body and delivering three shes.
His three shes, carrying many crescent moon des, cut through the ground as they swept toward Riezel with such force it seemed they could shred the entire area to pieces.
Facing such a fierce and sharp shing storm, Riezel didn''t retreat but advanced instead.
*BOOM!*
He stomped his foot, igniting a ze beneath him, and dashed forward with his back to the sun mural.
In the next moment, Riezel grabbed his scabbard and swung it like a blunt weapon toward the iing crescent moon des.
*ng!*
With a metallic sh, Riezel deflected one crescent moon de, sparking a burst of fire.
*ng!* *Cling!* *ng!* *Cling!*
A series of intense shes followed, as Riezel''s scabbard, now an afterimage, deflected all the crescent moon des wlessly.
After Riezel easily neutralized Kokushibou''s attack, he shed and darted straight toward Kokushibou.
"Moon Breathing - Third Form - Loathsome Moon, Chains."
Kokushibou immediately twisted his sword and performed two extremely broad shes which released a storm of crescent moon des.
As Kokushibou''s shes came too fast, his sword couldn''t even be seen, only the shes and numerous crescent moon des of varying sizes could be seen, cutting through the air and slicing toward Riezel.
However, in this instant, Riezel''s figure suddenly vanished, leaving the crescent moon des to slice through the empty ground, shredding the floor and sending countless fragments of debris flying.
"?!"
Kokushibou''s heart screamed with warning signs as he suddenly ducked and squatted to the ground.
*Swish!*
Almost at the same moment, a still-sheathed sword, whistled past Kokushibou''s head, grazing his scalp and nearly blowing his head apart.
"Not bad."
Riezel''s calm voice reached Kokushibou''s ears.
"Dodging that strike shows your strength is way beyond the other Upper Ranks. As expected from a swordsman who awakened the Mark and the Transparent World before bing a demon. You must''ve sensed my next move through the Transparent World, yes?"
Unfortunately, Riezel''s words of praise didn''t make Kokushibou feel honored at all.
"Moon Breathing - Sixth Form - Perpetual Night, Lonely Moon - Incessant!"
Kokushibou turned around and shed toward Riezel, who stood behind him.
It was a high-speedbo sh far faster than before.
It was a multitude of curved shes several meters, which released a wild barrage of crescent moon des, enveloping Riezel in a storm of shes, leaving no room to retreat.
In an instant, the spot where Riezel stood was instantly reduced to fragments, while the floor and the nearby pirs were all neatly cut apart.
*Rumble¡ª*
Suddenly, the pce echoed with a heavy rumble.
As the sound of pirs copsing and the floor breaking mixed together, the entire pce began to shake, causing the open rooftop to raise a cloud of dust that resembled a natural disaster.
Kokushibou''s fierce attacks and strong shes were evident from this.
In fact, the Moon Breathing he used was a breathing style derived directly from Sun Breathing, simr to the five fundamental breathing styles. Yet, it wasn''t entirely urate to call Moon Breathing a derivative of Sun Breathing, as it was more of a degraded version.
Due to the harsh conditions of Sun Breathing, Michikatsu created his own degraded breathing style when he couldn''t withstand the sun''s power while learning Sun Breathing from his younger brother, Yoriichi.
Ironically, Moon Breathing''s existence was a testament to Michikatsu''s inferiority to Yoriichi, for no matter how bright the moon was, it could never outshine the sun.
Moreover, this degraded breathing style constantly reminded Michikatsu that he was always inferior to his chosen brother, even after awakening the Demon yer Mark and the Transparent World.
After all, Yoriichi was born with the Demon yer Mark and already understood and awakened the Transparent World from childhood, an achievement no one could match.
Nevertheless, this didn''t mean Moon Breathing wasn''t powerful.
On the contrary, because it corresponded with the ''Sun'', in terms of sheer power, Moon Breathing surpassed all derivative and branch breathing styles, including the five fundamental breathing styles.
Its effect was to release a wide range of sword auras, with shes always apanied by numerous crescent moon-shaped des. All of its sword forms were high-speed, wide-range killing moves with extremely shocking lethality.
In Michikatsu''s hands, this breathing style''s power was almost infinite. Coupled with him mastering the Demon yer Mark and the Transparent World, its power was even more terrifying.
Consequently, even before bing a demon, Michikatsu was undoubtedly a Hashira-rank swordsman. Although he couldn''t match the broken existence of Yoriichi, he wouldn''t lose to any current Hashira, including Gyoumei, praised as the strongest and the pir of the current Demon yer Corps.
In Riezel''s view, Michikatsu, before bing a demon, had power equivalent to the limit of Level 4. Compared to the current Gyoumei, who had also awakened the Demon yer Mark and Transparent World, he was definitely on par.
In such circumstances, after Michikatsu abandoned his past, transformed into a demon, and became the Upper One, Kokushibou, his power had undoubtedly reached a higher level.
Now, hundreds of years had passed.
In these centuries, since Kokushibou had devoured countless humans and increased his strength, his power had reached the true supreme realm of this world.
Just as Riezel had previously spected, Kokushibou was at Level 5,pletely above the other Upper Ranks.
In this era without Yoriichi, in terms of individual strength, besides the monstrous Muzan who had lived for a thousand years, no one could match Kokushibou.
In the original work, Kokushibou not only single-handedly fought against Sanemi, who had used the Demon yer Mark, but also against Gyoumei and Muichirou, who had both used the Demon yer Mark and the Transparent World, ultimately managing to kill one of them.
If it had been the Riezel before arriving in this world, with his status not yet reaching SSS-rank and without mastering Sun Breathing, it would have taken considerable effort to deal with such a first-ss adventurer-level demon.
But now?
*BANG!*
In the sh storm that could shred anything, Riezel, wrapped in mes, emerged unscathed and kicked Kokushibou''s chest, sending him flying.
*Cough!*
*BOOOM!*
Kokushibou immediately spat out a mouthful of blood, crashing into a pir and shattering it into pieces.
As the fragments of the stone pir fell, they instantly buried Kokushibou, making him disappear from Riezel''s field of vision.
Riezel, however, did not intend to stop his attack. With his sword still sheathed, he shed toward the pile of rubble mercilessly.
*BOOOM!*
As his sh hit the rubble, a scorching explosion sted it, sending debris flying.
Kokushibou emerged from the rubble, rolling on the ground along with various debris, tumbling a considerable distance.
*Cough!* *Cough!*
Kokushibouy on the ground, coughing up blood, his bodypletely charred by mes.
"Damn it¡"
Feeling the unbearable pain, Kokushibou gritted his teeth, shakily stood up from the ground, and looked at Riezel with both seriousness and anger in his eyes.
The seriousness stemmed from Riezel''s great strength, which had far surpassed his imagination.
He knew Riezel was strong and could easily kill an Upper Rank, but to behead an Upper Rank in the blink of an eye was something he could also do, so he didn''t think he would be utterly powerless against Riezel.
In his view, Riezel was indeed strong, but that didn''t mean he would lose to him. They might be evenly matched, with their strengths at the same level.
However, he never expected that even when facing him, Riezel would still seem so rxed, without even breaking a sweat.
Such overwhelming power made Kokushibou''s heart tremble, and for a moment, he even thought it was his younger brother standing before him.
Remembering that monstrous existence, as powerful as a god¡ªcould there really be a second one in this world?
Was that even possible?
Kokushibou''s anger gradually arose.
In fact, before Yoriichi died, he had met him onest time.
It was during that meeting that Yoriichi died, right in front of his eyes.Even at death''s door, Yoriichi still disyed god-like strength, causing him to feel the same heart tremble he felt right now.
For this reason, he had sworn long ago that he would never lose to anyone again in this life.
Yet now, in front of Riezel, he was not only in a miserable state andpletely outmatched, but Riezel hadn''t even drawn his sword and was merely using its scabbard.
"Are you looking down on me?!"
Yelling angrily, Kokushibou red at Riezel with his six eyes, which were almost popping out of their sockets.
Riezel gazed at the enraged Kokushibou, his expression calm, even had a hint of indifference.
"Don''t get me wrong. You''re still alive because I have a question for you."
Riezel''s tone sounded like he wasn''t in a battle but merelypleting a tedious task.
"Where is the throne?"
Yes, the so-called ''throne'' was all Riezel cared about right now.
At this moment, he hadpletely lost interest in Kokushibou.
Previously, he had had some expectations for this Upper One, but now it seemed Kokushibou was also no match for him.
Given this, Riezel''s goal was left with only one thing¡ªKibutsuji Muzan.
Chapter 209: Are You Satisfied?
Chapter 209: Are You Satisfied?
"..."
At this moment, Kokushibou fell silent as he stared at the young man before him.
However, as his silence deepened, the aura he emitted became even more terrifying and astonishing.
*Glug*
Soon, Kokushibou slowly raised his sword, which emitted a squirming sound as it gradually elongated and transformed.
Before long, the sword in Kokushibou''s handpletely changed its form, bing a massive longsword, with its de sprouting several des like a branch, making it extremely intimidating.
In fact, the sword in Kokushibou''s hand was no ordinary weapon but a demon sword forged from his own flesh and blood.
His Blood Demon Art allowed him to transform his physical body into des at will. Not only could the des unleash crescent moon shes, but whenbined with Moon Breathing, their effect far surpassed ordinary Blood Demon Arts.
Because of this, Kokushibou was known as a sword demon, not only because he was a demon swordsman proficient in the breathing style but also because he himself was akin to a sword.Since every piece of his flesh could transform into a de, even if his sword was damaged, it could instantly regenerate and evolve into a heteromorph weapon with multiple des as his power was unleashed.
In other words, this state was Kokushibou''s full-power form.
In the next moment, Kokushibou began to swing his sword.
"Moon Breathing - Seventh Form - Mirror of Misfortune, Moonlit!"
shing his sword forward, five crescent moon des surged forth, fanning out across the ground and sending arc-shaped shockwaves toward Riezel.
Seeing this, Riezel''s eyebrows slightly furrowed and his eyes began to emit a radiant glow. He swiftly shifted his steps, dodging each de one by one.
"Moon Breathing - Eighth Form - Moon-Dragon Ringtail!"
Kokushibou showed no sign of stopping his attacks, continuing to wield his demon sword, unleashing a massive sh that could sweep away everything.
A massive crescent moon de was attached to this enormous sh, like a dazzling streak, shing fiercely toward Riezel.
Facing such a wide-range sh, there was no way to avoid it on the ground. Even the stone pirs standing in front of Riezel were effortlessly cut down, copsing with a crash.
In the end, it forced Riezel to leap into the air, letting the massive crescent moon de scrape beneath his feet and strike the wall behind him.
*BOOM!*
As the wall shattered on impact, it broke into pieces that scattered across the ground.
"Moon Breathing - Ninth Form - Waning Moonswath!"
Kokushibou, relentless, shed countless crisscrossing waves at the airborne Riezel, the shes forming a web of interlocking crescent moon des, sealing off all of his escape routes.
Looking around, Riezel found himself surrounded by interwoven tornadoes of crescent moon des, where a single misstep would result in being torn to shreds, leaving no trace behind.
Realizing this, Riezel stopped dodging.
"Sun Breathing - Sixth Form - Burning Bones, Summer Sun."
Suspended in midair, Riezel unleashed a whirlpool of rotating mes amidst the barrage of crescent moon des. Although he still hadn''t unsheathed his sword and was still using the scabbard, he performed the sword form of Sun Breathing perfectly.
Such an extraordinary skill demonstrated Riezel''s progress over the past two months.
Through continuousbat training with the Hashira, he had not only deepened his understanding andprehension of every sword form of the evolved Sun Breathing, but he had also mastered all forms of sword techniques and had truly achieved the state of ''Total Concentration - Constant''.
As a result, even without drawing his sword, even with just a wooden stick or a scabbard, Riezel could execute any form of Sun Breathing, no longer limited to using a sword.
*BOOOM!*
In this scenario, the vortex of mes shed with the crescent moon des, resulting in a massive explosion in midair.
Riezel emerged from the fiery explosion and managed tond back on the ground without a scratch.
However, the moment hended, a figure swiftly closed in on him.
"Moon Breathing - Tenth Form - Drilling shes, Moon Through Bamboo Leaves!"
Kokushibou, now just a step away from Riezel, unleashed three gigantic crescent moon des without hesitation.
*Rumble¡ª!*
As the crescent moon des tore through the air, ripping apart the ground where Riezel stood, the earth crumbled beneath him, drawing him into the raging des.
*BOOOM!*
Riezel immediately swung his scabbard to meet the attack, shattering the violent crescent moon des with a tremendous shockwave.
Kokushibou, unfazed by the shockwave''s rampage, charged toward Riezel again, shing at him with relentless attacks.
*ng!* *Cling!* *ng!* *Cling!*
Riezel calmly countered, parrying all the iing shes.
*ng!* *Cling!* *ng!* *Cling!*
Sparks and radiance burst around Riezel and Kokushibou in a dazzling, intense disy.
Amid these relentless attacks, Kokushibou suddenly spoke up.
"He is just like you¡"
Kokushibou''s sudden remark was unexpected.
"He is just like you¡ His eyes always look ahead¡ Like he''s seeing some target¡ Some ce he must reach¡ So brilliant¡ And so annoying!"
*BOOM!*
Kokushibou''s shes grew fiercer, tearing through the ground, the air, and even the surrounding walls, ceiling, and rubble made from shattered stone pirs.
"I know what you''re looking at¡"
"You''re looking at Lord Muzan¡ In your eyes¡ He''s the only worthy opponent¡"
"You''re looking at humanity''s future¡ At a glorious path¡ An ideal so grand that anyone who sees it can''t help but admire and aspire to it¡"
"Indeed¡ You''re great¡ Strong¡"
"But your eyes¡ Your eyes never seen me!"
Kokushibou quickly unleashed countless enormous crescent moon des, turning his shes into a raging storm, an overwhelming storm directed at Riezel.
Such an all-epassing storm left Riezel with no way to escape, and his figure was quickly swallowed by the storm of shes, torn apart, shattered, vanishing without a trace.
However, in the next second, Riezel''s figure suddenly reappeared behind Kokushibou.
"Sun Breathing - Fourth Form - Fake Rainbow..."
Riezel whispered Sun Breathing''s sword form.
Fake Rainbow¡ªa specialized evasion sword form achieved through high-speed twists and turns, creating afterimages like sun mes. It allowed the user to be a flickering mirage, dodging enemy attacks while slipping into their blind spots.
Using this sword form, Riezel appeared behind Kokushibou like a flickering sun me, raising his scabbard and shing down.
*DING!*
At the critical moment, Kokushibou, with his understanding of Sun Breathing and his ability to use the Transparent World, turned around just in time to block the scabbard sh with his demon sword.
Surprisingly, the seemingly ordinary scabbard could directly sh with the grotesque demon sword, causing sparks to fly explosively.
"I''m right here! Right in front of you!"
Kokushibou let out a low growl as his six demon eyes red at Riezel.
"I''m not an ant! Not some insignificant weakling! Do I not even have the right to enter your eyes?!"
"You are so arrogant! So self-centered! So detestable!"
Kokushibou roared angrily at Riezel.
"You want to know the throne?! You want to find Lord Muzan?!"
"Defeat me first!"
"Defeat me! Kokushibou (Tsugikuni Michikatsu)!"
As Kokushibou roared, an unprecedentedly terrifying aura erupted from him.
"Moon Breathing - Sixteenth Form - Moonbow, Half Moon!"
In Moon Breathing created by Kokushibou, this was the strongest move¡ªthe final form of Moon Breathing.
Hundreds of years of persistent research and practice of Moon Breathing led Kokushibou to create sixteen forms, far surpassing any other breathing style.
Even Sun Breathing in Yoriichi''s hands had only thirteen forms.
Moon Breathing, however, had sixteen, clearly showing the depth of Kokushibou''s research into his own breathing style, reaching a level that ordinary Demon yers could hardly achieve.
In fact, Kokushibou was not weak.
Just as he had said earlier, he was not an ant or a weakling.
Creating a breathing style like Moon Breathing and improving it to such an extent was proof enough that Kokushibou himself was a genius in swordsmanship.
It was believable that in another era, he would have been a great swordsman, an extraordinary figure whose name would go down in history.
Unfortunately, this genius happened to encounter a monstrous genius.
Moreover, it was not just one, but two.
*BOOM!*
When Kokushibou''s final sword form descended from the sky, transforming into several gigantic crescent moon des that shattered the earth and the entire pce, Riezel slowly raised his head.
*Scwing!*
Amid the clear sound of a sword''s hum, Riezel finally drew his sword.
Soon, mes erupted around him, while intense heat surged from his body.
On the de of the famous divine sword known as Hermit, red patterns glowed like the sun, engulfing Riezel in mes and transforming him into a zing sun.
*Whoosh!*
In the next moment, Riezel''s figure darted out, the zing sun he had be evaporating the giant crescent moon des and burning away Kokushibou''s sh.
Before Kokushibou could react, Riezel''s sword sliced past him.
"Sun Breathing - Twelfth Form - me Dance..."
*Swish!*
In a calm voice, Riezel''s sword traced an almost perfect circle, transforming into two scorching shes that cut through Kokushibou''s body.
"..."
Everything instantly fell into a silent stillness.
Riezel and Kokushibounded in the shattered pce, touching the ground simultaneously.
They stood back to back, one holding a ming sword and the other a demon sword, saying nothing more.
*BOOM!*
*BOOM!*
Suddenly, two murals fell from mid-air¡ªone crashing down in front of Riezel, the other in front of Kokushibou.
The murals depicted the sun and the moon, respectively.
The mural in front of Riezel depicted the sun.
The mural in front of Kokushibou depicted the moon.
The two of them, like the murals¡ªone radiated brilliant sunlight, while the other emitted deste moonlight.
*Click*
"Are you satisfied?"
Riezel slowly sheathed his sword and asked indifferently.
"..."
No response.
Kokushibou remained silent.
Chapter 210: You Just Couldnt Win Against Yourself
Chapter 210: You Just Couldn''t Win Against Yourself
In a daze, Kokushibou recalled an event that happened a long, long time ago.
It was about sixty years after he had be a demon, abandoned his name and human identity, and betrayed the Demon yer Corps.
He remembered it was a night like tonight, with the moon dyed red as if by blood.
At that time, he had witnessed something unbelievable while passing by a seven-story pagoda in the countryside.
He saw a person.
An old man, over eighty years old, with white hair and a face full of wrinkles.
He wore a kimono that felt extremely familiar to Kokushibou and carried a sword. Despite his aged appearance, Kokushibou recognized him immediately.
It was none other than his younger brother¡ªTsugikuni Yoriichi.
After about sixty years, he saw his younger brother again, the sun swordsman who had made him jealous, disgusted, and resentful for a lifetime.At that time, he truly couldn''t believe his eyes.
All those who bore the Demon yer Mark were supposed to die before the age of twenty-five.
As a result, Kokushibou had always thought that his younger brother, who had always overshadowed him, was long dead. Yet, not only was his younger brother alive, but he had also lived to be over eighty, which was simply unbelievable.
However, as he doubted his eyes, his younger brother, now an old man with white hair, shed tears.
"How sad... Brother..."
With tears in his eyes, his younger brother said those words and instantly took a stance¡ªa wless stance that exuded such strong pressure that Kokushibou almost couldn''t breathe.
In the blink of an eye, his younger brother moved.
At that moment, he had no idea what had happened.
At that moment, he didn''t even feel pain.
Even though his Transparent World was always active and he was much stronger than before after bing a demon, he lost track of his younger brother and watched him disappear right before his eyes.
When he came to his senses, he realized that his younger brother had delivered the final sh of his life,nding behind him. Unbeknownst to him, he now sported a fresh cut on his neck, nearly beheading him on the spot.
At that moment, he had to admit that he truly trembled in fear.
What terrified him was that after sixty years, his younger brother, now an old man with white hair, could still deliver a strike with the same power and speed as in his prime, leaving him unable to react.
He understood that on that night, he almost died at the hands of his most hated younger brother.
However, his younger brother was exhausted after delivering that strike and died on the spot.
His younger brother''s death allowed him to survive.
His younger brother''s death also gave him a defeat that could never be recovered.
With his life as the price, his younger brother told him that even though he had be a demon and much stronger than before, he still couldn''t block a single strike from his aged younger brother.
Humiliation.
Resentment.
Anger.
All these emotions surged in Kokushibou''s heart that night, making him unable to forget the name ''Tsugikuni Yoriichi'' for the rest of his life.
Because of this, he vowed never to lose to anyone other than Yoriichi in his lifetime and to assist Muzan in eliminating anyone who knew about Sun Breathing.
Now, as several hundred years had passed, he always thought he had forgotten that past and no longer felt humiliated by that unbearable memory.
Yet, he realized he had never truly let it go.
Clearly, the name ''Tsugikuni Yoriichi'' had brought him too much jealousy, too much hatred, too much anger, and too many memories.
In such a situation, when Riezel appeared bearing the name ''Tsugikuni Yoriichi'', Kokushibou lost all rationality and calmness, with only one thought left in his mind¡ªto defeat him, to defeat the man named ''Tsugikuni Yoriichi''.
Whether it was to prove that he had surpassed his younger brother or for some other reason, perhaps not even he himself knew.
He only knew one thing¡ªeven after hundreds of years, he still had to live in his younger brother''s shadow.
However, despite all that, he ultimately lost to ''Tsugikuni Yoriichi'' once again.
Still with just one strike.
One strike, and he was defeated.
Defeated so miserably, so thoroughly.
"Are you satisfied?"
Riezel''s voice slowly reached Kokushibou''s ears.
"..."
Kokushibou was silent for a long, long time before finally, he spoke in a hoarse voice.
"Why... Just why can''t I win against you..."
*Thud!*
With these words, Kokushibou''s head slid off his neck and fell to the ground.
At the same time, his body was cut in half at the waist, one part falling to the ground while the other part slid against the moonlit wall, facing the deste, lonely full moon and gradually losing its aura.
With the sun mural behind him still dazzling, Riezel calmly turned around, looking at Kokushibou, who was gradually turning to ashes.
"It was not Tsugikuni Yoriichi that you couldn''t win against..." Riezel murmured slowly. "You just couldn''t win against yourself..."
With these words, he turned around, intending to leave.
"Wait!"
Suddenly, a voice stopped him.
"..."
Riezel stopped, turned around, and as he looked at the voice''s owner, his calm expression soon shifted to surprise.
"What are you two doing here?"
As he asked, he saw two figures appear out of thin air in a corner of the ruined, altar-like pce, approaching him.
He had seen this method of appearing once near the headquarters of the Demon yer Corps two months ago.
Yes, these two were none other than Tamayo and Yushirou.
"We infiltrated using the Blood Demon Art."
Tamayo answered Riezel''s question, watching Kokushibou gradually turn to ashes and disappear, her expressionplex.
"I didn''t expect that even the Upper One wasn''t a match for you... You''re far stronger than I imagined..."
Tamayo naturally knew Kokushibou.
After all, she was a demon who had survived from the Sengoku period to the present, had seen Yoriichi, witnessed Muzan''s pitiful condition, and, of course, had also encountered Michikatsu, Yoriichi''s elder brother who had once betrayed the Demon yer Corps.
Because of this, she understood very well how powerful Kokushibou was.
In this world, the Upper Ranks were powerful beings, existing on apletely different level from other demons, including the Lower Ranks, who were regarded as ants by them.
Even the Hashira were helpless and no match for the Upper Ranks, as most of them who had bravely sacrificed themselves so far had died at the hands of the Upper Ranks.
Yet, even such Upper Ranks were nothing more than ants before Kokushibou.
Like how the Upper Ranks and the Lower Ranks were not on the same level, Kokushibou was also not on the same level as the other Upper Ranks.
Given this, Tamayo always thought that the only one capable of overpowering Kokushibou was Muzan, which meant that even if Riezel wanted to defeat Kokushibou, he wouldn''t find it easy.
However, who would have thought that Riezel would surprise her so much?
He had proven with his strength that even the Upper One, second only to the Demon King, could not withstand his sword.
"Are you looking for the throne?" Tamayo asked solemnly. "I''ll show you the way."
"Oh?" Riezel raised an eyebrow. "You know where this throne is?"
In response to his question, Tamayo replied with just one sentence.
"I haven''t lived in vain for hundreds of years."
During these hundreds of years, besides researching drugs to counter Muzan and to turn demons back into humans, Tamayo had tirelessly investigated him, seeking every possible means to obtain information rted to him.
Her Blood Demon Art involved injuring herself to generate illusions that could confuse anyone who smelled her blood, making it very useful for extracting and investigating information.
Yushirou, who had always followed her, possessed a Blood Demon Art rted to vision, capable of obscuring others'' sight or revealing things that were usually invisible, creating visual illusions that also greatly assisted her in her endeavors.
For this reason, Tamayo and Yushirou were able to infiltrate the Infinity Castle and map out its terrain.
"Follow me..."
Tamayo closed her eyes, murmuring as she suppressed certain emotions.
"Let everything end tonight."
She felt that perhaps this was her purpose for surviving until now.
Riezel looked at Tamayo silently and nodded a momentter.
And so, the three of them immediately left and headed toward the location where Muzan was.
===
At the same time, Kasugai Crows quickly spread the news of what had just happened at the altar-like pce.
"Head Instructor Tsugikuni Yoriichi has defeated the Upper One! Head Instructor Tsugikuni Yoriichi has defeated the Upper One!"
"Upper One! Defeated!"
"Casualties are zero!"
As this news reached the ears of every member of the Demon yer Corps, they were instantly filled with vigor.
"YOSHA¡ª!"
"We defeated the Upper One!"
"Long live Lord Head Instructor!"
Every member of the Demon yer Corps erupted in cheers.
"Ho-How... How is this possible?!"
On the other hand, the demons, including the Upper Ranks currently in battle, couldn''t believe their ears.
"Kokushibou... defeated?"
"So quickly...?"
"No! It can''t be!"
"How could that Kokushibou be so easily beaten?!"
Not a single demon was without shock, nor dared to believe it.
Especially Kaigaku, who was currently fighting Tanjirou, Zenitsu, and Inosuke, was unwilling to ept this reality.
"How could he lose? How could he be beaten by a human?"
Kaigaku felt as if his faith had been shattered.
After all, the reason he became a demon was because of encountering Kokushibou, nearly being killed by him, and only surviving by begging for his life. He drank Muzan''s blood out of a desire for immense power like Kokushibou''s.
He knew very well how terrifying and powerful Kokushibou was, and yet, those crows said that Kokushibou had been defeated.
"Impossible!"
"Nothing is impossible!"
As Kaigaku yelled in disbelief, Zenitsu staggered to his feet and shouted at Kaigaku.
"Lord Head Instructor''s strength is beyond anything you can imagine!"
"How does it feel?"
"The human you''ve looked down upon is now going to cut off your king''s head!"
Zenitsu''s shout sent an inexplicable panic through Kaigaku''s heart.
''Are we... really going to lose?''
Chapter 211: A Natural Disaster? How Ridiculous!
Chapter 211: A Natural Disaster? How Ridiculous!
Infinity Castle, Throne.
It was located at the deepest part of the Infinity Castle, perched atop the peak of a cliff-like massive structure.
It was extremely vast and spacious that it was difficult to see the edges at a nce, giving the impression of having reached the world''s end.
Only a solitary throne stood there, exuding regal majesty.
Muzan sat on it, eyes closed, as if in a light slumber.
Until a moment when he suddenly opened his eyes, pupils akin to a serpent''s, fixed forward, radiating an intense coldness.
It was indifference that symbolized his aloofness.
It was indifference that symbolized his ruthlessness.
To anyone who saw his cold eyes, it was immediately clear¡ªthis man, though appearing human in form, was undeniably a monster apart from humanity.Such a monster now awaited another monster''s arrival.
"Come?"
Muzan remarked coldly.
"Faster than I expected... It seems Nakime has indeed been held up by those pesky Hashira."
*Step!*
In response to his remark came the sound of footsteps.
*Step!* *Step!* *Step!* *Step!*
Unabashedly approaching the throne, came powerful and resolute footsteps.
Riezel advanced step by step toward the throne, gazing at Muzan seated upon it, without hesitation drawing his sword.
*BOOM!*
mes engulfed, crashing upon the throne and shattering it into fragments.
Yet, in the split second before Riezel drew his sword, Muzan had already left the throne, leaping up andnding before him.
Muzan''s demeanor remained indifferent as if no longer governed by emotion, sneering at Riezel.
"What''s this for? Unwilling to hear someone speak above you? Or perhaps you don''t want to look up at me from below?"
Riezel did not reply to Muzan''s words, just calmly sheathing his sword.
At the same time, by Riezel''s side, Tamayo appeared with Yushirou.
"Kibutsuji... MUZAN!"
Seeing her sworn enemy, whom she had dreamed of killing, Tamayo could no longer maintain her former elegance as her expression turned slightly ferocious and filled with hatred.
"So it''s you, after all... Tamayo..."
Muzan turned his gaze toward Tamayo, his face taking on a slightly ferocious expression.
"I knew you wouldn''t miss this opportunity, you damn traitor!"
"I''ve waited for this day for centuries, Muzan!" Tamayo shouted with anger. "For hundreds of years, I have fantasized about this day arriving! Now, your end has finallye, you damned monster!"
"If I''m a monster, then you''re no different..."
Muzan shook his head, regaining hisposure.
"I really don''t get it... You were the one who killed your own husband and children, yet youe seeking revenge from me? It just doesn''t make any sense."
With that, Muzan turned to Riezel, ignoring Tamayo''s anger.
"And of course, the Demon yer Corps too... Everyone''s out for revenge against me, ready to throw away their precious lives for it. I really can''t understand such foolishness."
"Why throw away your life for the sake of avenging others?"
"What exactly do they think life is?"
For someone like Muzan, his own survival was always the most important thing.
As long as he could live, he would spare no sacrifice.
He cherished his life and loved his life greatly, but only his own. He could never understand why members of the Demon yer Corps would be willing to sacrifice themselves for those who had already died and been eaten by demons.
Because they were close rtives?
Because they were family?
So what?
All of those dead people were dead¡ªonce dead, everything was gone.
In that case, why not be thankful that they were still alive, embrace this luck, and live on forever, instead of seeking revenge on him?
Just because those people died because of him?
However, what did that signify?
"In this world, idents happen all the time. Sometimes, natural disasters strike and can kill thousands in an instant. Even so, do humans ever seek revenge on them?"
Muzan pondered aloud.
"Not only has my lifested longer than any natural disaster, but those I''ve killed are no different from those who perish in natural disasters. Given this, why do they seek revenge on me?"
"Especially those Ubuyashikis... they keep chasing me and even formed this so-called Demon yer Corps, which is nothing more than a group of lunatics, like an evil cult."
"Of course, you too."
Muzan pointed at Riezel.
"I don''t know where you learned Sun Breathing or why you im to be Tsugikuni Yoriichi, but from what I can tell, it seems you haven''t lost any family or friends to demons."
"I couldn''t even investigate your background and past¡ªyou seem to have sprung out of nowhere. I can''t find anyone, whether family or friend, connected to you."
"Why would someone like you help those lunatics from the Demon yer Corps to kill me for no reason?"
"It makes no sense!"
Each word and statement from Muzan filled Tamayo''s mind with rage, nearly driving her to lose control.
However, just as Tamayo was about to rush forward, Riezel reached out his hand and stopped her.
"It''s true... When you think about it, I don''t hold a grudge against you or your kind."
As Riezel said this with an indifferent tone, it caused Tamayo to look at him with incredulity while Muzan paused before finally smiling.
"That''s right, we have no grudge against each other. We don''t need to fight to the death like this."
Rarely offering advice, Muzan spoke in an advising tone to Riezel.
"Why bother with mere humans and those lunatics? With your power, you could be an immortal and noble being like me."
"I can give you half of my blood, making you a Demon King equal to me. Once I create a drug from the Blue Spider Lily that can ovee sunlight, we can share it and be perfect beings, immortal together."
"Don''t think of me as a tyrant who doesn''t let others exist on the same level as me. What I''ve always wanted is a perfect life, to be immortal. As long as that wish can be fulfilled, nothing else matters to me."
What Muzan said was indeed true.
All this time, he had only desired immortality, to be a perfect being. Whether there was another like him in this world was something he could choose to ignore.
As a result¡ª
"Come, join me in bing the perfect being, the perfect demon. Whether it''s day or night, we will rule over all."
Muzan extended his hand toward Riezel, his tone filled with a seductive allure.
"Your Excellency!"
Tamayo immediately became anxious.
However, she didn''t notice that Riezel''s expression remained calm throughout, unaffected by Muzan''s infuriatingly innocent derations or his logically persuasive attempts.
"It seems you''ve misunderstood something here, Muzan..."
Riezel shook his head lightly.
"Sure, I have no personal grudge against you, but there are plenty of people you have no grudge against who were killed by you, aren''t there?"
Upon hearing this, Muzan''s smile froze.
"You''ve killed many people¡ªsome you consumed as food, some you killed because they were threats, and others just because they annoyed you. How many have died simply because you acted on impulse or were in a bad mood?"
"When you killed those people, was it because they had harmed your loved ones?"
"Weren''t those people innocent victims too?"
"Yet, you killed them without reason, just like you said¡ªit makes no sense."
Riezel raised his gaze, fixing it upon Muzan''s eyes.
"If that''s the case, why do I need a personal grudge against you to want to kill you?"
"Can''t I just see you as food to make myself stronger and want to kill you?"
"Can''t I just see you as a threat and decide to kill you?"
"Or maybe... I just find you annoying, so I act on impulse and want to kill you?"
"Compared to your logic, doesn''t this actually make more sense?"
Riezel''s half-mocking reasoning caused Muzan''s face to darken, veins started to bulge on his forehead.
Despite this, Riezel continued.
"In your opinion, it might seem pointless and foolish for the Demon yer Corps to seek revenge on you since you see yourself as a natural disaster. But to me, calling yourself a natural disaster is just as foolish."
"You''re right, humans don''t seek revenge against natural disasters because no one believes they can actually defeat them."
"But you? Surely, you don''t really think of yourself as terrifying and invincible like a natural disaster?"
With his voice turning cold, Riezel calmly looked at Muzan, whose forehead veins were bulging.
"You''re nothing more than a rat that can only exist in the darkness. Compared to the Ubuyashiki family, you''re just an undead who has managed to survive for centuries."
"No one sees you as invincible. Even if you''re powerful, humanity still sees hope in killing you, as Tsugikuni Yoriichi''s appearance proves."
"In the presence of absolute strength, you only qualify to flee in embarrassment."
"Yet, you darepare yourself to a natural disaster?"
"How ridiculous!"
*WHOOSH!*
As Riezel''s voice fell, a whip-like ded flesh suddenly shed through the air, crashing heavily towards him.
*BOOOM!*
Apanied by a thunderous sound, the ground shattered under the impact of the whip, sending countless shards and debris flying, turning Riezel''s position into a deep hole.
Luckily, Riezel, holding Tamayo and Yushirou, lightly floated back, evading the attack.
Muzan retracted his whip, his entire appearance transforming.
His hair turned white, his clothes vanished, and his body was covered in swamp-like darkness, with mouths growing on various parts of his body. From his back, thin, tendril-like whips emerged and iled wildly.
On his face, a ferocious expression emerged.
"IF YOU WANT TO KILL ME, THEN COME AND TRY!"
Like an enraged beast, Muzan roared loudly.
"No need for you to tell me twice."
Riezel replied casually before dropping Tamayo and Yushirou, his eyes zing with murderous intent.
At the same time, several Kasugai Crows circled in the sky, observing and rying the current unfolding event.
At this moment, the final battle between humans and demons, deciding the future of this world, had begun in full swing.
Chapter 212: We Must Win!
Chapter 212: We Must Win!
Outside the Infinity Castle, in the Swordsmith Vige.
As the crimson moon in the night sky grew brighter, a man sleeping in a room suddenly sat up, unable to move at all.
Trembling all over, he struggled to put on his clothes and slowly made his way to the veranda that led to the courtyard. Despite his body being near death, he persisted in sitting there instead of lying down, gazing at the moon while coughing.
"Master Kagaya!"
Happening to enter the room with medicine, Kagaya''s wife, Amane, hurried forward to support him.
"You can''t do this, Master, you can''t get out of bed right now!"
Amane''s voice was anxious and concerned.
"Don''t worry about me, it will be over soon..."
Kagaya calmly patted his wife''s hand and spoke in his usual gentle tone.Amane understood what he meant by those words.
"I can feel it, Kibutsuji Muzan is in battle."
Like ast burst of light, Kagaya''s voice returned to normal, no longer as strained or pained, but filled with indescribable calm and gentleness.
"I suppose His Excellency has already found him and is currently fighting him?"
Kagaya didn''t know the oue of this battle, but he knew this would be thest time he sat here like this.
If Riezel defeated Muzan, the curse on the Ubuyashiki family would be lifted, and he might ovee his illness and return to being a normal person.
If Riezel couldn''t defeat Muzan and the demons achieved ultimate victory, with his current physical condition, he would likely die immediately.
Even if Muzan escaped and the curse remained, this would still be hisst time sitting here.
Moreover, he had a feeling that if Muzan wasn''t eradicated before dawn, this might also be the end for him.
If that were the case, in this final moment, he preferred to sit here like this, instead of lying in bed, watching the moon until it was reced by the sun of the following day.
"It''s really frustrating..." Kagaya murmured to himself. "At a time like this, I can''t fight like those children, picking up a sword and fighting alongside them... I can only sit here quietly, waiting for the oue... Ubuyashiki is a cursed family from any perspective..."
"...Please don''t worry too much." Amane said gently, supporting her husband. "Thanks to Lord Tsugikuni, everyone has changed. If it''s them now, they can surely prevail against the Upper Ranks."
"Umm... I believe in that too..."
Kagaya nodded with a gentle expression.
"They will definitely defeat the demons, ovee this thousand-year tragedy, and set everything right."
"Tsugikuni Yoriichi, his appearance is a sign... a proof..."
"Whether it''s the one from the Sengoku era or this one from our Taisho era, it''s the same..."
Kagaya turned to his wife.
"Thank you for all these years of hard work, Amane."
Upon hearing this, Amane almost couldn''t hold back her tears for a moment, but fortunately, she managed to.
"Don''t worry, Master..." Amane said slowly. "The curse will definitely be broken in our generation. Whether it''s us or our children, we won''t suffer like this again in the future."
"I believe that..." Kagaya said with a faint smile. "I''ve always believed..."
At this moment, the couple embraced each other, sitting under the full moon, quietly awaiting the final oue.
Before long, their children also came in, surrounding their parents and embracing them silently, waiting for Riezel''s victory.
===
Not only the Ubuyashiki family but everyone paying attention to this final battle was the same, each in their own way, awaiting the final oue.
Including the members of the Demon yer Corps currently trapped in the Infinity Castle, they were all the same.
''We must win!''
Gyoumei and Shinobu, who were fighting Upper Two Douma, silently prayed in their hearts.
''We must win!''
Kyoujurou, locked in a fierce battle with Upper Three Akaza, eximed firmly in his heart.
''We must win!''
Sanemi and Giyuu, entangled with the clones of Upper Four Hantengu while searching for his main body, shouted in their hearts as they wielded their swords.
''We must win!''
Obanai and Tengen, trapped by Nakime''s Demon Blood Art and constantly struggling through changing terrain, also prayed.
''We must win!''
Mitsuri, who had beheaded countless tigers and pushed Upper Six Torasei to the brink, along with Muichirou, prayed to the heavens.
""We must win!""
Shouting together, Zenitsu and Inosuke, though covered in wounds, refused to give up as they continued to charge toward Upper Seven Kaigaku.
*WHOOSH!*
Tanjirou transformed into mes, but these were no longer the destructive ones from before. They radiated high temperatures and a reddish hue like the sun, akin to sun mes that purified everything.
At this moment, Tanjirou finally unleashed ''Hinokami Kagura (Sun Breathing)'', passed down through generations of the Kamado family from Yoriichi.
"WE MUST WIN¡ª!"
Tanjirou''s voice, carried by the sun''s mes, echoed into the sky.
===
*BOOM!*
A thunderous roar erupted, causing the entire cliff-like structure to tremble.
At the pinnacle, a shockwave exploded, sweeping outwards like a storm, as if capable of rending heaven and earth.
Atop the ce called the throne, Riezel and Muzan shed relentlessly.
*BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!*
One enveloped in mes, the other wielding ded flesh whips with frenzied ferocity¡ªthey collided, unleashing a staggering impact.
In the process, the ground ruptured beneath their feet, sending shards of rock and debris soaring into the air.
"Lady Tamayo!"
Yushirou shielded Tamayo, shouting over the tumultuous winds and shockwaves.
"It''s too dangerous here! We need to retreat!"
Yushirou grabbed Tamayo, preparing to pull her away, but unfortunately, she shook off his grasp, bravely resisting the storm.
"No! I must stay and watch!"
Tamayo yelled, her gaze never left the battlefield.
Yes, how could she leave now?
Kibutsuji Muzan, the abomination who had altered her own existence, a monstrous being who had wrought unforgettable sorrow upon herself and others, was now being brought to justice.
He had ughtered too many lives.
He had created too many tragedies.
His very existence was the world''s greatest sin.
Now, a man bearing the name ''Tsugikuni Yoriichi'' prepared to defeat him, to annihte him, to exact vengeance upon this demon.
How could she leave at such a pivotal moment?
She had dreamed of this moment every day.
She believed that every human fighting tonight, everyone aware of this event, and everyone keeping track of the unfolding battle was awaiting Muzan''s demise.
As the closest witness, how could she walk away and miss it all?
"I must witness it!"
Tamayo clenched her fists tightly, nails digging into her palms until they drew blood, letting it flow freely.
"I must see that monster die here, before my eyes!"
For her, it was a right and an honor reserved for her alone.
Centuries ago, she had nearly witnessed Yoriichi''s sword end Muzan''s life.
Centuriester, here she stood, ready to witness it truly happen.
With this resolve, Tamayo refused to retreat even a single step and braved the storm, her body exposed to the onught. Even if struck in the forehead by flying debris, even if her thighs were shed by rubble, and drenched in blood from head to toe, she would not retreat.
"Lady Tamayo..."
Yushirou watched as Tamayo gritted her teeth and endured everything, deeply moved. No longer advising or stopping her, he stood with her against the raging wind, silently persevering.
*BOOOM!*
Suddenly, another rumbling sound erupted, unleashing an even more violent shockwave that blew away the two who had persevered so bitterly.
Amid the shockwave, Riezel and Muzan''s figures appeared in a sh.
"DIE!"
Shouting with anger, Muzan swung his thin, tendril-like whips wildly at Riezel.
Muzan''s primary means of attack consisted of two methods.
One was transforming his physical body, turning his two arms into versatile, rock-solid defensive and offensive whips.
Not only was their attack range extremely wide, but the ded protrusions on them could also change position and shape at will, swinging at incredible speeds.
Normally, even those who had used the Transparent World would find it difficult to react, as their destructive power and speed were astonishing, capable of easily destroying a house with a single strike.
In fact, the attack power and speed were such that even Yoriichi in his prime would shiver upon first encountering them, indicating the sheer power of these whips.
Moreover, since these whips carried Muzan''s blood, they were capable of destroying their target''s cells at his will and, in theory, would cause instant death to anyone struck by them.
Not to mention the numerous ''mouths'' on the whips that generated immense suction during attacks, creating whirlpools in the air, immobilizing those nearby, and tearing everything apart, making them even more deadly.
Given this, Muzan''s arms were clearly his deadliest weapons, and no human with flesh and blood would dare to be hit by them, not even to sustain a graze.
Despite this, his second method of attack was equally formidable.
It was what Muzan was doing at the moment¡ªwildly swinging several thin, tendril-like, ded whips that extended from his body toward his opponent.
Not only did each of these thin whips move at astonishing speeds, imperceptible even to the Transparent World, but, like his arm whips, they also carried his blood, so that a single hit would destroy cells and lead to death.
Muzan''s body boasted a total of seventeen such thin whips¡ªnine on the upper body and eight on the lower body.
Even more so, the speed of the thin whips from the lower body surpassed that of those from the upper body, generating sonic booms capable of easily fracturing the earth during attacks¡ªclearly demonstrating their terrifying power.
Currently, Muzan controlled these seventeen thin whips, ruthlessly attacking Riezel with maximum force.
Caught in the sudden whirlpools and sonic booms caused by Muzan''s whips, Riezel found his movements slowing and himself subjected to attacks from all directions.
*BOOOM!*
Another thunderous roar echoed once again.
Chapter 213: Final Battle, Riezel vs Muzan (I)
Chapter 213: Final Battle, Riezel vs Muzan (I)
Amidst the storm of impacts, Riezel was directly sted to pieces by Muzan''s seventeen whips, capable of destroying terrain and buildings alike, leaving no trace behind.
However, a figure suddenly appeared silently like flickering sun mes behind Muzan.
"Sun Breathing - Fourth Form - Fake Rainbow."
Riezel drew his sword that radiated intense heat, slicing through the void straight toward Muzan''s back.
However, his sh ended up cutting through empty air.
With astonishing speed, Muzan evaded Riezel''s sh aimed at his back, darting away like a bullet, his seventeen whips still in motion.
"Hmm?"
Riezel raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised.
His surprise was not without reason.After all, this was the first time his sh had been avoided by someone in this world.
Previously, whether facing Akaza, Hantengu, Gyokko, Gyuutarou, Daki, or even Kokushibou, whenever he drew his sword andunched a shing attack, none of them could react in time or evade effectively.
Truthfully, it really couldn''t be helped.
Not only did Riezel''s strength surpass them by too much, but even when he wasn''t in fast attack mode, his speed wasn''t something these so-called Upper Ranks could react to.
Even when Riezel first arrived in this world, before he had evolved Sun Breathing and during his encounter with Akaza, he already possessed strength equivalent to Level 6, which was two levels higher than Akaza''s Level 4, making it effortless to defeat him.
And now, having sessfully evolved Sun Breathing and possessing strength equivalent to lower-middle Level 7 in strong attack mode, the Upper Ranks were even further below him¡ªthree levels in difference.
Even Upper One Kokushibou was two levels lower than him, making it very easy to defeat him.
However, Muzan was undoubtedly different.
"It seems your strength has indeed grown considerablypared to when you faced Tsugikuni Yoriichi back then, huh..." Riezel remarked calmly.
"Do you think I am still the me from over three hundred years ago?" Muzan said coldly. "Since then, I''ve consumed countless humans, far beyond your imagination."
Even if he ate only one human every few days over three hundred years, the number of humans he consumed was still astonishing. Not to mention, for this battle, he had ughtered an entire town, capturing thousands of humans to nourish himself, significantly enhancing his strength once again.
As a result, the current him was indeed much stronger than when he first encountered Yoriichi. Otherwise, if Yoriichi could defeat him in an instant, Riezel should have been able to as well.
In this situation, Riezel could already be certain.
Muzan undoubtedly possessed strength equivalent to Level 6, and not just any Level 6, but at least on the higher end of Level 6.
In the original work, even weakened by Tamayo''s drug, Muzan could handle Tanjirou, Gyoumei, Sanemi, Obanai, Giyuu, and Mitsuri with ease, disying strength surpassing that of Kokushibou, who was equivalent to Level 5.
All of this made Riezel suspect that Muzan might have been Level 6 in his prime.
Whether Muzan was truly Level 6 before, Riezel wasn''t sure, but at this moment, Muzan definitely had the strength of Level 6, or else Muzan wouldn''t have been able to dodge his sh.
However¡ª
"Even if you get stronger, so what?" Riezel raised his sword. "Dodging one strike is one thing, but how will you dodge the next?"
With these words, mes erupted beneath Riezel''s feet, engulfing his entire body and transforming him into a zing figure, charging toward Muzan.
"Sun Breathing - Seventh Form - Sunflower Thrust."
Originally, this sword form was designed tounch a thrust attack toward an opponent above oneself, enveloping the sword with a ring of mes that inflicted multiple piercing wounds and burns on the opponent.
However, after mastering all the sword forms of Sun Breathing, Riezel could nowunch this sword form against an opponent in a horizontal position.
Soon, the mes swirling around Riezel twisted into a cone shape, piercing toward Muzan.
"?!!!"
Seeing this, Muzan''s pupils contracted before he immediately raised both hands, transforming his arms into flesh whips to meet the attack.
*Pu-chi!*
As the cone-like thrust struck the whips, it pierced them directly and skewered them on the spot.
"Ugh!"
Muzan groaned, then swung another whip, booming toward Riezel who transformed into a cone of fire.
*BOOOM!*
Dust and smoke apanied the roar, generating a fierce airflow that tore up the ground.
However, Riezel had already leaped high into the air, evading Muzan''s counterattack.
Without dy, Riezel spun his sword, reigniting the mes.
"Sun Breathing - Tenth Form - Beneficent Radiance."
In mid-air, Riezel swung his sword directly at Muzan, unleashing a spiral sh from top to bottom that unfolded like a red lotus flower, entwined with intense mes like the sun.
It not only severed Muzan''s other whips but also cut through and incinerated several hastily raised thin whips that he used to defend himself.
In the end, Muzan lost both arms and several thin whips at once.
"GET LOST!"
With veins bulging on his face, Muzan waspletely enraged, his eyes full of nothing but blood, roaring at Riezel.
*BOOOM!*
Immediately afterward, a tremendous shockwave suddenly erupted from Muzan.
Apanied by falling thunder and lightning, hurricanes, and explosions, the shockwave indiscriminately bombarded all directions.
As the shockwave spread, it destroyed everything around, particrly the ground, suffering from an all-around ravage, not just simple inch-by-inch fractures, but directly presenting a catastrophic copse, causing the upper half of the cliff-like structure to explode and shatter.
"Tch!"
Riezel, who was close at hand, could not avoid this indiscriminate bombing aimed at everything, only able to sh at the oing shockwave.
"Sun Breathing - Second Form - Clear Blue Sky."
*BOOOM!*
A vertically circr sh resembling the outline of the sun caused mes to flutter, enveloping Riezel and colliding with the oing shockwave, causing bursts of explosions.
However, the shockwave seemed not only to have extremely powerful physical destructive power but also to affect the human body, causing chaos in the nervous system, leading to spasms that immobilized and even killed those affected.
Riezel''s shoulder was identally grazed by a lightning bolt carried by the shockwave, instantly causing stiffness on it.
''Blood Demon Art?''
Riezel recognized this move.
It was Muzan''s Blood Demon Art¡ªhis trump card and most powerful attack.
Although the name of his Blood Demon Art wasn''t mentioned in the original work, this move had been used several times to turn the tables, almost resulting in the deaths of the protagonist and the Hashira attacking him.
''His attacks, whether those arm whips, thin whips, or this Blood Demon Art, all have an instantaneous deadly effect.''
Riezel rode the recoil of the mes, leaping down from the cliff-like structure that had turned into ruins.
*BANG!*
At the same time, Muzan burst out from the shockwave, wielding the remaining dozen or so thin whips like a frenzied spider, crushing debris underfoot as he swiftly descended.
"GIVE ME THE BLUE SPIDER LILY!"
Muzan''s face hadpletely transformed, veins bulging like thick blood vessels, making him look like a genuine demon crawled out from hell.
"If you want it, then you''ll have to take it."
Responding calmly, Riezel''s feetnded on the surface of the structure, sliding down frictionally, while his sword suddenly shed out.
*ng!*
Like a tolling bell, the burning sword shed with the deadly ded thin whips, sparking mes like fireworks.
*ng!* *Cling!* *ng!* *Cling!*
In resounding shes, Riezel and Muzan engaged in intensebat¡ªone sliding down while the other sprinted up the structure''s surface, their sword and whips colliding repeatedly.
Muzan used eight thin whips connected to his lower body, each whip''s attack power and speed far surpassing those from his upper body and arms¡ªeach swing caused sonic booms, damaging the structure''s surface.
In contrast, Riezel''s sword swings were equally swift, leaving zing shes in the air like dazzling meteors or fleeting mes, each one aimed at Muzan, causing explosions of mes that burned everything in their path.
They fought from the top to the base of the structure, and then from the base returned to the top, leaving destruction in their wake as mes and sonic booms shattered everything.
*Rumble!*
Before long, the colossal cliff-like structure copsed with a thunderous roar, turning into countless massive stone fragments raining down.
Without a doubt, this scene resembled a mountain copse.
"Sun Breathing - Eleventh Form - Sun Halo Dragon Head Dance."
Eventually, Riezel countered, charging forward with his sword, his whole body dancing like a fire dragon, unleashing a rapid barrage of shing attacks at Muzan who was beneath the falling stone fragments.
*Sizzle* *Sizzle* *Sizzle*
As if a fire dragon danced around him, scorching shesnded on Muzan, who couldn''t react in time¡ªmes burned into his body, leaving fiery de wounds.
"AAAAARGHHH¡ª!"
After all these shes, the intense pain from the burning mes in his wounds finally drove Muzan to scream in agony.
"Sun Breathing - First Form - Dance!"
In the next second, Riezel suddenly spun around and, with a sweeping sh, the de of mes struck Muzan''s neck.
*Pu-chi!*
Amidst the tearing sound, Muzan''s head was severed.
Chapter 214: Final Battle, Riezel vs Muzan (II)
Chapter 214: Final Battle, Riezel vs Muzan (II)
"Di-Did we seed?"
Despite the crumbling surroundings of the ce called the throne, Riezel''s beheading of Muzan was closely observed throughout the battle by Tamayo and Yushirou, who refused to retreat despite their injuries.
Yushirou shielded Tamayo amidst various debris, pulling her down from the copsing surroundings.
As Yushirou watched the scene where Riezel beheaded Muzan, he sighed with audible relief.
However, Tamayo wasn''t as optimistic.
"No! It''s not over yet!"
Tamayo''s gaze remained fixed on Muzan.
No one understood Muzan better than her, and no one knew better than her how afraid of death he truly was.
With his nature, there was no way he would simply die from having his head cut off.Demons who survived beheading by Nichirin Swords were not unheard of, as Akaza was a prime example.
Only a few powerful demons could break the limits of their kind when on the brink of death from the beheading by a Nichirin Sword, making their necks no longer a weakness.
Muzan was undoubtedly one of them.
"AAAAAHHHHH¡ª!"
Muzan''s head, cut off by Riezel, not only disappeared in an instant but also transformed into a huge demon head in mid-air, biting Riezel.
As the progenitor of demons who had lived for thousands of years, Muzan not only possessed a transformative ability that surpassed all other demons, but he could also transform into any shape and mutate into all sorts of physical forms, making his changes unpredictable and endlessly unfathomable.
When Muzan transformed his head into that of a huge, vicious demon and lunged at Riezel, his attack was extremely sudden. Most people would not have had time to react and would have been bitten to death.
Fortunately, Riezel was not just anyone.
"Sun Breathing - Third Form - Raging Sun."
A divine sword emitting high temperatures traced a trajectory of an infinity symbol, releasing symmetrical sharp shes at the demon head approaching to bite.
*Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!*
Two cutting sounds rang out, and the huge demon head, burning in mes, was neatly sliced into flying ashes and vanished.
Among the ashes, Muzan''s head emerged and flew back to his body with a somewhat mortified expression.
*Psss¡ª*
With a sound like steam, smoke began to emanate from the severed neck between Muzan''s head and body, apparently preparing to regenerate.
However,pared to his earlier injuries, when the Hashira had cut his neck, which normally regenerated in the blink of an eye, this time, they were slow to recover.
"Tch!"
Muzan made a frustrated sound.
He had long sensed that Riezel''s sh, like Yoriichi''s Bright Red Nichirin Sword, had the effect of dying his regenerative abilities.
With his regenerative abilities, even if struck by an average Bright Red Nichirin Sword, he could regenerate immediately. In his eyes, the Bright Red Nichirin Sword, which typically inflicted significant damage on demons, seemed somewhat inadequate before him, the progenitor of demons.
From this, it was clear why Muzan desperately sought the Blue Spider Lily.
Since sunlight was his only weakness, everything else was merely a nuisance to him. Whether it was a Bright Red Nichirin Sword or a standard Nichirin Sword, it was impossible to truly kill him or even inflict significant damage.
However, Yoriichi''s Bright Red Nichirin Sword was an exception.
After all, Demon yers proficient in Sun Breathing could emit the same level of killing power as sunlight with their Bright Red Nichirin Sword, making Muzan, who had sunlight as his only weakness, unable to ignore it.
For this reason, the injury Yoriichi inflicted on Muzan during the Sengoku period didn''t fully heal even after several hundred years. It was only recently, when he devoured thousands of people in one go, greatly increasing his power, that the injury finally began to heal.
Nevertheless, what surprised Muzan was that Riezel''s shes inflicted injuries on him equal to, or even greater than, Yoriichi''s Bright Red Nichirin Sword from that time. Even with his current power, these injuries couldn''t regenerate as quickly as usual. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have hidden in the throne earlier to buy time.
In Riezel''s eyes, Muzan''s attacks were all lethal.
Whether it was the arm whips, thin whips, or the shockwaves from his Blood Demon Art, a mere touch was unbearable for the human body, either destroying cells or disrupting the nervous system to the point of instant death.
Likewise, in Muzan''s eyes, Riezel''s attacks were equally lethal.
Even though Riezel wasn''t using the Bright Red Nichirin Sword, his normal sh could almost nullify Muzan''s regenerative ability in a short time, something that should have been impossible.
''Is it because of that sword?''
Muzan noticed that the sword in Riezel''s hand was no ordinary sword.
Indeed, as a first-ss special equipment, Hermit''s de gathers highly concentrated sunlight energy, enough to restrain demons effectively, rivaling the Bright Red Nichirin Sword, and capable of easily cutting through even the scales of Upper Five Gyokko, which were as hard as diamond.
However, what truly nullified Muzan''s regenerative ability was actually Riezel''s skill known as ''Pioneer of the Sun'', which delivered a special attack capability against evil entities, exerting a restraining effect that prevented creatures like demons from demonstrating their racial advantages in his presence.
Unaware of this, Muzan believed that Riezel''s ability to inflict such terrifying damage on him was solely due to his special sword.
''I must destroy that sword!''
A very ruthless emotion surfaced in Muzan''s eyes as he thought this.
Clearly, he would not allow a weapon capable of restraining him to exist in this world.
Now, with his neck unable to regenerate and even his severed arms not yet regrown, his body covered in fiery sword wounds, he could only fight using his thin whips.
After making a decision, Muzan unleashed another Blood Demon Art.
"ck Blood, Brambles!"
In the next second, many ck thorns extended from where Muzan''s arms had been severed, whistling as they charged toward Riezel.
*BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!*
Where the ck thorns passed, all the rubble blocking their path was pierced through and exploded on the spot, causing a shower of flying sand and rocks in the air.
Floating in mid-air, Riezel followed the pull of gravity in free fall, watching the torrent of ck thorns rush toward him like a ck wave, his eyes shing.
"Sun Breathing - Eleventh Form - Sun Halo Dragon Head Dance."
Once again, Riezel transformed into a dancing dragon of fire, charging forward.
As the fire dragon surged through the torrent of ck thorns, it burned everything in its path and incinerated the thornspletely.
From a distance, the fire dragon danced in front of copsing buildings, first burning away the ck thorns, then breaking through countless pieces of rubble, bursting through flying sand and rocks, and finally opening its zing jaws to swallow Muzan.
Seeing this, Muzan reacted not with rm, but with anticipation.
''Good, now is the time!''
In the next moment, a shockwave appeared.
*BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!*
Apanied by lightning and thunder, hurricanes and explosions, the indiscriminate shockwave bombarded everything around Muzan for the second time, destroying everything in his vicinity.
*Rumble¡ª!*
At the same time, the copsing throne was directly shattered by this shockwave,pletely turning into ruins and crashing to the ground.
Surprisingly, the fire dragon lunging toward Muzan was also annihted by the shockwave. Starting from its head, the mes were gradually scattered inch by inch until only insignificant sparks remained.
Riezel emerged from within the fire dragon, blown away by the hurricane and shockwave.
"DIE!"
Muzan''s entire body swelled up, continuously sprouting many flesh resembled tumors, ultimately transforming into a giant baby, throwing a punch toward Riezel.
*WHOOSH!*
His punch was like a descending meteorite, creating a sonic boom and storm the moment it was unleashed, causing the front of his fist to ignite with mes due to intense atmospheric friction.
In the face of this punch, Riezel''s small figure appeared as though Sun Wukong were about to be suppressed by the palm of Buddha, pressed toward the ground.
Even so, there was never a trace of panic in Riezel''s eyes, he even closed them.
"Sun Breathing consists of thirteen sword forms."
Echoing in his ears was a voice he had heard in his dream before, light and ethereal.
It was the voice of the swordsman who taught him Sun Breathing.
During the practice of Sun Breathing, this was a sentence the swordsman repeatedly emphasized.
However, in his dreams, that sun spirit-like swordsman never used and demonstrated the thirteenth sword form, only endlessly using the other twelve sword forms without interruption.
''Dance'', ''Clear Blue Sky'', ''Raging Sun'', ''Fake Rainbow'', ''Fire Wheel'', ''Burning Bones, Summer Sun'', ''Sunflower Thrust'', ''Sr Heat Haze'', ''Setting Sun Transformation'', ''Beneficent Radiance'', ''Sun Halo Dragon Head Dance'', and ''me Dance''.
From beginning to end, the swordsman only used these twelve sword forms, while the thirteenth sword form never appeared.
Riezel, who knew the original work well, naturally understood why.
Because the thirteenth form was actually hidden within these twelve sword forms.
''Sun Breathing - First Form - Dance.''
''Sun Breathing - Twelfth Form - me Dance.''
It was clear that the pronunciation of the first sword form and the twelfth sword form of Sun Breathing was simr.
In other words, the first form and twelfth form could actually be linked together.
''By rotating through Sun Breathing''s twelve sword forms in session, a cycle is formed, thus constituting the thirteenth sword form of Sun Breathing.''
It was a sword form that Yoriichi temporarilyprehended after encountering Muzan, instantly severely injuring him.
"..."
Riezel finally opened his eyes.
At this moment, a radiant me like the sun appeared on his body, an endless radiance transforming him into a true sun.
In the next second, the sun rose and flew toward the giant baby''s fist.
*BOOOOOOM¡ª!*
When the sun collided with the giant baby''s fist, a deafening roar resounded.
Without even a moment of struggle, the giant baby''s fist and arm, under the power of the sun, were instantly purified and turned to ashes, disappearing.
Countless ming shes burst forth within the sun, shing through the giant baby''s fist, arm, and body, causing it to copse, crumble, and dissipate on the spot.
Immediately after, the ming shes, like the rising sun in the east, arrived at the center of the copsing giant baby.
Over there, with wounds covering his entire body, Muzan wore a grim expression, barely realizing what had happened.
*Pu-chi!*
Countless ming shes instantly fell upon him, severing his head once again andpletely incinerating the rest of his body.
Chapter 215: Its Over
Chapter 215: It''s Over
*Rumble¡ª!!!*
It was the shaking sound of the earth.
At this moment, the cliff-like structure copsed entirely like a mountain avnche, finally crashing heavily onto the ground. It stirred up a violent gust of wind, causing the ground to tremble and sending billows of dust and smoke into the air.
*BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!*
Debris and rubble kept falling, creating frequent booming sounds that resembled a scene of mountains copsing and earth splitting.
Amidst the chaos of copsing mountains and splitting earth, the infinite mes of the sun ended, gradually dispersing the rising mes.
Currently, the giant baby had already vanished into ashes, disappearing without a trace, and even the body of the demon at its center had beenpletely incinerated.
Only his head remained, falling from mid-air like a dislodged rock, rolling on the ground for several rounds before finallying to a stop.
"..."Muzan nkly stared at the scene before him, observing the ground just inches away, pressed by his own face.
"...How is this possible?"
After being silent for a while, Muzan murmured as he sensed his nonexistent body.
He refused to ept this reality.
*Step* *Step*
Suddenly, a faint sound of footsteps rang out, causing Muzan''s vision to darken as a figure appeared before him.
Muzan subconsciously looked up.
Riezel appeared before him, holding a sword emitting intense heat, looking down at him from a higher position.
"It''s over..." Riezel said calmly. "In the end, you still couldn''t take the Blue Spider Lily from my hands."
Upon hearing this, Muzan''s face twisted.
He desperately drove his own power, trying to regenerate his body, but under the double restraint of Riezel''s sword and skill, his regenerative ability was already suppressed.
Now, with his entire body burned to ashes by Riezel''s sunfire, even if he became stronger by breaking the limit again, it was impossible for all parts of his body except his head to regenerate quickly at this moment.
As Riezel had mentioned, it was over.
Realizing this, fear finally emerged in Muzan''s heart.
After hundreds of years, since thest time he was severely injured by Yoriichi, Muzan once again experienced the feeling of fear.
He was going to die.
He deeply understood this, just as he had realized it more than three hundred years ago during the Sengoku period.
Realizing this, Muzan hesitated no more.
*BOOM!*
Suddenly, his entire head exploded directly into countless fragments, shooting in all directions.
Yes.
Muzan self-destructed.
Just like the time he was severely injured by Yoriichi during the Sengoku period, Muzan once again chose to self-destruct and split into countless fragments, crazily fleeing.
As long as a piece of his fragment escaped from here, with his power, he would eventually be able to recover.
It was Muzan''s strongest escape method, something even Yoriichi couldn''t do anything about.
Unfortunately, Muzan was not facing Yoriichi now, but Riezel, who was prepared and possessed powers and means beyond this world''s understanding.
*Buzz¡ª*
In the air, a sudden buzzing sound appeared, causing a faintly glowing barrier to shimmer into existence.
Yes, it was a barrier.
At this moment, Riezel finally used the power of magic, using the magic from the Structure System to construct a small barrier thatpletely isted this area from the outside world.
*Peng!* Peng!* Peng!*
Fragments ofMuzan''s body relentlessly struck against the barrier, creating a series of banging sounds.
Pitifully, they were all blocked and unable to escape without exception.
"Just give up, you can''t escape."
Riezel calmly watched everything unfold, extending his hand and clenching his fist in a gesture of restraint.
In the next moment, the barrier surrounding the area immediately began to shrink, gradually forming a square cube that fell into Riezel''s hand.
Inside the barrier cube, countless fragments continued to impact the shield fiercely, yet they werepletely unable to break through.
"What?! What the fuck is this?!"
Muzan shouted in shock and anger from inside the barrier cube, his voice filled with panic.
"I told you, it''s over."
Riezel calmly watched the chaos inside the barrier cube.
"No! It''s not over yet!"
Muzan wouldn''t simply surrender without a fight, so in the next moment, he yelled into the void in agitation.
"Nakime! Get me out of here! Quickly!"
Obviously, this was another escape route he had nned.
By transferring all members of the Demon yer Corps to the Infinity Castle, he not only intended to use the castle''s terrain to trap and annihte them but also to secure a way out for himself in case of emergencies.
With Nakime controlling it, he could instantly be transported away, leaving the Demon yer Corps trapped.
In this way, he could permanently eliminate the entire Demon yer Corps and leisurely escape.
It had to be said that Muzan''s n was not bad, but he was about to be disappointed.
"Serpent Hashira Iguro Obanai and Sound Hashira Uzui Tengen have defeated the Upper Five! Serpent Hashira Iguro Obanai and Sound Hashira Uzui Tengen have defeated the Upper Five!"
"Upper Five! Defeated!"
"Casualties are zero!"
As several Kasugai Crows flew through the air and brought this news, Muzan was once again dumbfounded.
It was only then that he realized Nakime had disappeared.
Nakime, who controlled the Infinity Castle, was able to change its terrain at will and theoretically prevent enemies from ever approaching her, allowing for instant teleportation out of danger.
Yet, Nakime, who seemed impossible to defeat with this amazing ability, had actually been defeated.
"You think I haven''t considered how passive I might be once inside the Infinity Castle?"
Riezel looked at Muzan''s fragments that had settled within the barrier cube, speaking calmly andposedly.
"I knew you would choose to engage in battle within the Infinity Castle. I also knew that if we didn''t deal with Upper Five Nakime, we would be trapped by this castle. That''s why I warned the Demon yer Corps that once they encountered her, they must prioritize eliminating her."
As a result, when they encountered Nakime, even Obanai, who was eager to assist Mitsuri, had to set aside his intentions and engage Nakime directly.
Although Nakime''s Demon Blood Art was troublesome, it still had a w¡ªnamely, every time she used it, she had to pluck her biwa.
Riezel informed all the Hashira of this fact, and based on this, each Hashira devised their own different strategies.
Among them, Tengen''s strategy was particrly the most effective.
As the Sound Hashira, Tengen possessed sensitive hearing. While not as sensitive as Zenitsu''s hearing, who could hear footsteps, heartbeats, and even someone''s emotions from a great distance, he could still detect subtle sounds.
He also had a unique understanding of music, possessing an originalbat calction form. By analyzing and converting the rhythm of an opponent''s attack into musical notes, he could understand their attack patterns and blind spots.
Once hepleted his calctions and sessfully converted the rhythm into music, he could target the gaps in the rhythm to strike his opponent, much like adding harmonies to a song.
Such abilities were perfectly suited for dealing with Nakime.
As long as Nakime plucked her biwa in front of Tengen, he could quickly discern the pattern of her Blood Demon Art activations and take targeted actions, navigating around the changing terrain without being hindered by it.
Furthermore, with Obanai''s ability to swing shes that could turn corners from blind spots, seizing the opportunity to behead Nakime before she could escape while plucking her biwa wouldn''t be too difficult for this Serpent Hashira, who had already awakened the Demon yer Mark and the Transparent World.
Unfortunately for Nakime, she encountered Tengen, who could counter her effectively, making her survival seem nearly impossible.
Of course, even if Nakime did survive, Riezel wouldn''t allow her to transport Muzan out of Infinity Castle.
After all, not only did Riezel not neglect his studies of magic from the Interference System, but it was the magic system with which he had the highestpatibility. Therefore, even without mastering any particrly advanced magic from the Interference System, he could interfere with Nakime''s Demon Blood Art.
In other words, from the beginning, Muzan had no chance of escaping using Nakime''s Demon Blood Art.
Moreover, with Nakime defeated, the downfall of the other Upper Ranks was just a matter of time, as confirmed by the next news from the Kasugai Crows.
"Love Hashira Kanroji Mitsuri and Mist Hashira Tokitou Muichirou have defeated the Upper Six!"
"Upper Six! Defeated!"
"Casualties are zero!"
Facing an Upper Rank that controlled tigers, Mitsuri and Muichirou, both strength at Level 4 with their Demon yer Marks activated, felt little pressure confronting this demon and quickly beheaded him.
"Wind Hashira Shinazugawa Sanemi and Water Hashira Tomioka Giyuu have defeated the Upper Four!"
"Upper Four! Defeated!"
"Casualties are zero!"
Sanemi and Giyuu, both Hashira who had awakened the three abilities, were at the pinnacle of Level 4. Undoubtedly, the clones of Hantengu were no match for them, and it was only a matter of time before they found and killed the main body.
"Stone Hashira Himejima Gyoumei and Insect Hashira Kochou Shinobu have defeated the Upper Two!"
"Upper Two! Defeated!"
"Casualties are zero!"
Upper Two, Douma, was undoubtedly powerful, likely nearing the pinnacle of Level 4. Even with Shinobu using the Demon yer Mark, which only equated to upper Level 4, she was likely not a match for Douma.
However, with Gyoumei by her side, who wasparable to middle Level 5, Douma''s defeat was inevitable.
"me Hashira Rengoku Kyoujurou has defeated the Upper Three!"
"Upper Three! Defeated!"
"Casualties are zero!"
Even Kyoujurou overcame his fated enemy, defeating Akaza who had killed him in the original work, achieving victory.
With the aid from the Demon yer Mark, capable of boosting one''s strength by half a level, Kyoujurou, like Sanemi and Giyuu, now possessed strength equivalent to the pinnacle of Level 4.
Akaza, despite also being at the pinnacle of Level 4, fluctuated in power andcked special abilities like the Transparent World, so his defeat by Kyoujurou was not surprising.
"Kamado Tanjirou, Agatsuma Zenitsu, and Hashibira Inosuke have defeated the Upper Seven!"
"Upper Seven! Defeated!"
"Casualties are zero!"
In the end, the three main characters also achieved a great victory, with no casualties, defeating the Upper Seven, Kaigaku.
With this, all the Upper Ranks had been defeated.
"..."
Muzan fell silent.
Inside the barrier cube, all his fragments ceased moving around and reformed into a head.
Muzan stared at Riezel, his eyes filled with fear and hatred.
"Why...?"
In his question, there was resentment and bitterness.
Chapter 216: He Won
Chapter 216: He Won
"Why, you say?"
Upon hearing Muzan''s question, Riezel tilted his head slightly.
"At this point, you''re still asking why? Does it even matter?"
Riezel''s words made many blood vessels appear in Muzan''s eyes.
"I just want to survive! What have I done wrong?!" Muzan shouted in anger.
Indeed, in a way, Muzan was quite innocent.
Before he was even born, the shadow of death had tightly wrapped around him.
While in his mother''s womb, he was so weak that his heart stopped beating several times. Even though he was eventually born by sheer luck, he was in a state simr to a stillborn and almost died right after birth.
Although he had desperately wed his way back from the brink of death and managed to survive, he was still diagnosed with a terminal illness and was told he wouldn''t live past twenty.In the end, he spent most of his days bedridden, constantly battling death.
If he had just died then, he would have been someone with a tragic life, a pitiful soul countless people would feel sorry for.
In that sense, Muzan was indeed very innocent.
However¡ª
"You have sacrificed too many lives just to stay alive." Riezel said calmly. "Is your life the only one that matters, while other people''s lives are worthless in your eyes?"
"Huh? Hahahahaha¡ª!"
Muzan paused for a second before bursting intoughter¡ªan exaggerated, wildugh.
"You mean to say that sacrificing others'' lives to survive is wrong?" Muzan said with a sneer on his face. "What about humans? Aren''t humansmitting the same thing as me?"
"They also eat meat to survive, they kill living beings, putting the corpses of animals on their tables as nutrients to keep themselves alive, eating them up."
"What they can do, why can''t I do?"
"Just because they cook their food to look less bloody, they''re not wrong?"
"Or are you saying that because they eat animals instead of humans?"
"But I''m not human either! I''m a demon! In my eyes, humans are just talking animals!"
Muzan shouted at Riezel with an angry expression.
"Why?! Why is it wrong for me to survive?!"
Clearly, Muzan was still filled with resentment over his current fate.
Unfortunately, his words only earned him Riezel''s cold gaze.
"If you really can''t understand, let me put it more bluntly..."
Looking calmly at Muzan, Riezel began to exin.
"It''s because everyone wants you dead and no one wants to see you survive, so no matter the reason, this is the only oue you can expect."
"In short, no one gives you a damn."
"Got it?"
Hearing this, Muzan''s expression froze.
"You should have thought about this long ago."
Riezel continued, his voice became cold.
"Since you started killing others without reason, they have every right to kill you without reason either."
"In fact, the reason has always been there; you just didn''t see it as valid."
"Yeah, I get it, you''re not human. But you know... if you can kill humans, and humans can kill animals, why can''t we kill you too?"
"With someone as cold-blooded as you, talking about deep-seated hatred is probably beyond your grasp. Trying to exin family bonds to you would be a waste of time since you''d just find them strange, right? So, I won''t exin further."
"However, there''s only one thing you need to get..."
"You simply shouldn''t exist in this world."
Riezel stated each word deliberately.
"Your death will give more people the chance to keep living, instead of one day unexpectedly losing their most precious life, just like you see your own."
"Do you get it now?"
"Demon."
As Riezel''s words reached Muzan''s ears, he fell intoplete silence.
At this moment, Muzan''s expression ceased to be filled with anger, hatred, or resentment. Instead, for some inexplicable reason, a profound calmness settled over him.
As Tamayo and Yushirou stumbled out from a pile of rubble, looking disheveled as they witnessed the scene, they also fell silent.
Especially Tamayo, a woman who harbored centuries-old hatred toward Muzan, watched as the demon who had been the object of her hatred for so long now only had his head held in Riezel''s hand.
Although her eyes gleamed with intense satisfaction, Tamayo clenched her fists and found herself speechless for reasons she couldn''t exin.
In this tense and quiet moment, Riezel turned his empty hand and retrieved the Blue Spider Lily from his storage space.
"For every beginning, there is an end... After a thousand years, it''s time for you to atone for your sins."
Riezel released the Blue Spider Lily, letting it fall to the ground.
*Whoosh!*
Suddenly, a me ignited from the blue flower, burning it to ash.
Seeing this, the jumbled thoughts in Muzan''s mind seemed to vanish as if his soul had beenpletely drained, leaving him staring nkly at the burning Blue Spider Lily, the blood vessels in his eyes gradually fading away.
It was as if his life, his dreams, his everything, had disappeared along with the burning flower.
In his final moment, Muzan uttered only one sentence.
"¡I''m a demon, but I''m not a monster..."
Muzan stared at Riezel and spoke sincerely and slowly.
"In my eyes, you and Tsugikuni Yoriichi are the true monsters..."
Unfortunately, Muzan''s words didn''t provoke any psychological reaction from Riezel.
"Thanks for thepliment."
After Riezel responded calmly to Muzan''s pliment'', a red fluctuation emanated from his hand, forming crimson waves that enveloped the barrier cube.
*Bzzz¡ª*
In the next moment, Muzan''s head, enclosed in the barrier cube that imprisoned him, was instantly dposed into nothingness by Riezel''s Dposition Magic.
Like shattering ss, this scene resulted in Muzanpletely disappearing from the world.
"¡"
Silence pervaded the ruins.
Riezel calmly turned around, slowly sheathing Hermit that emitted high temperatures into its scabbard as if he had done something insignificant.
Tamayo and Yushirou looked at Riezel''s back, feeling a mix of emotions.
"It''s over¡"
Yushirou mumbled in a daze.
"Yeah¡"
Tamayo closed her eyes, her tone tinged with sorrow and mourning.
"Everything¡ finallyes to an end¡"
===
It really did end.
Just as Muzan was instantly disintegrated into nothingness by Riezel''s Dposition Magic,pletely disappearing from this world, within the Infinity Castle, countless demons who were fighting fiercely against the Demon yer Corps all froze in ce.
They stood motionless.
They lost their aura.
As the demon blood within them rapidly disappeared at an astonishing speed, they ceased existing as creatures known as demons.
One by one, they turned into ash, gradually dissipating as if they were being illuminated by sunlight, disappearing without a trace in the blink of an eye.
Every member of the Demon yer Corps, who had fought valiantly with bloodshed, looked at each other, unable to snap out of their daze for a long time.
After a while, someone finally spoke as if awakening from a trance.
"...Is it over?"
Such a voice awakened everyone.
"Is it... over?"
"It''s over..."
"It''s over!"
"IT''S OVER¡ª!!!"
They began dropping their weapons, tears streaming down their faces little by little.
Immediately after, cheers loud enough to shatter the ceiling erupted, causing all the members of the Demon yer Corps to either cry out or embrace each other, their faces filled with excitement and joy.
"It''s over!"
"It''s all over!"
"Kibutsuji Muzan is dead!"
As everyone cried andughed, many Kasugai Crows also flew around, spreading the news.
"Head Instructor Tsugikuni Yoriichi has defeated Kibutsuji Muzan!"
"Kibutsuji Muzan is sessfully defeated!"
"Kibutsuji Muzan is sessfully defeated!"
In the Kasugai Crows'' sharp voices, only one sentence remained¡ª''Kibutsuji Muzan is sessfully defeated!''
"Su-Seed!"
Mitsuri cheered, surrounded by the corpses of numerous tigers.
"Excellent!"
Muichirou also rarely showed an excited expression.
"Namu Amida Butsu..."
Just as Gyoumei stepped out of the lotus pond, he heard the news and immediately sped his hands together, tears streaming down his face.
"He did it... Elder Sister..."
Shinobu stood beside Gyoumei, holding Douma''s golden iron fan, and for the first time, a sincere smile formed on her face.
"Finally dead..."
Obanai stopped in his tracks, unraveling the bandages that had been wrapped around his mouth.
"Truly... quite splendid, Head Instructor!"
Tengen burst intoughter in front of Obanai.
"That guy..."
Sanemi held the head of a small demon, watching silently as several Kasugai Crows flew through the air.
"Lord Head Instructor... Impressive."
Even Giyuu, after a moment of silence, made such a statement.
"Big Brother..."
Tanjirou, Zenitsu, and Inosukey battered on the ground, looking up at the sky with broad smiles.
Lastly, Kyoujurou emerged from the destroyed arena, dragging an injured arm, his resolute face adorned with a smile radiant enough to illuminate everything.
"Well done, Young Tsugikuni..."
Recalling the incredible youth who once dered on the Mugen Train to protect him, Kyoujurou felt that he might never forget that encounter that day.
At this moment, every member of the Demon yer Corps cheered and rejoiced, not stopping for a long time.
===
Meanwhile, in the Swordsmith Vige.
By now, the sun had already risen.
"Master..."
""Father!""
At this moment, Amane and her children shed tears of joy because Kagaya stood up without difficulty or help.
When they saw his figure, the decaying traces on his body gradually disappeared.
Feeling the long-lost strength and vitality flowing through him, Kagaya realized for the first time that he could move simply because he was still alive.
"He... He won... He won..."
Kagaya smiled with tears streaming down his face.
After a millennium, the curse of the Ubuyashiki family finally disappeared on this day.
Under the sunlight, Kagaya and his family embraced each other, weing a new and vibrant day with tears of joy.
Chapter 217: No More Demons, No More Demon Slayer Corps
Chapter 217: No More Demons, No More Demon yer Corps
Swordsmith Vige, Temporary Headquarters.
In this room filled with tatami mats, screens, and bonsai, a meeting was taking ce.
At this moment, all the Hashira were assembled and kneeling on both sides, their swords hanging from their waists, bowing slightly toward Kagaya, who was seated in the main seat.
By Kagaya''s side was Amane and their two children, like a feudal lord enjoying theirter years.
Now, Kagaya no longer needed assistance and was no longer coughing violently, even his once-disfigured face seemed to be gradually recovering and no longer appeared as terrifying and monstrous as before.
Needless to say, this brought great joy to the Hashira, some even moved to tears.
"Congrattions, Master!"
"Master! Your illness has finally been cured!"
"This is truly... wonderful..."One after another, the Hashira expressed their joy.
Kagaya looked at the Hashira who had their faces filled with joy, his gaze as gentle as if he were looking at his own children.
"I am also very d to see all of you here, with no one missing." Kagaya said sentimentally. "It''s truly wonderful that no one has been sacrificed or is absent."
He was indeed delighted about this.
In the final battle against the demons, they not only faced the once-unbeatable Upper Ranks but also contended with the Demon King, an almost invincible monster eager to annihte the entire Demon yer Corps.
With all the demons swarming out, even if every Hashira were to sacrifice themselves, it would not have been surprising.
Kagaya had already mentally prepared himself, epting the possibility of the Hashira''s deaths, so knowing that they achieved victory without any was naturally the best possible oue.
Moreover, the Hashira didn''t seem to have suffered any serious injuries, except for Kyoujurou, whose hand was visibly injured and wrapped in bandages.
Naturally, all of this was thanks to a certain someone.
"It''s all thanks to Lord Head Instructor that we were able to defeat the Upper Ranks with rtive ease and achieve this victory."
Shinobu spoke with a smile, her eyes closed, drawing everyone''s attention to a single person.
They looked at Riezel, who sat facing Kagaya from a distance, the divine sword renowned in the Swordsmith Vige lying beside him.
His sitting posture was casual, unlike the other Hashira, who kneeled, or Kagaya, who sat very straight, appearing calm.
However, no one forgot that it was this person who led the Demon yer Corps to victory against the demons, including Kibutsuji Muzan, the progenitor of them all.
Without him, they would not have had the strength to defeat the Upper Ranks.
Without him, the Demon yer Corps would inevitably have suffered heavy casualties.
Naturally, without him, Muzan might not have even been defeated, nor would he have initiated the battle, allowing the Demon yer Corps to have the opportunity to defeat the demons.
Everything was because of this person, allowing them to achieve this sess.
Kagaya naturally couldn''t forget this point, his gaze toward Riezel was truly different from how he looked at everyone else.
When Kagaya looked at the others, he seemed like he was looking at his own children, but when he looked at Riezel, he lookedpletely at his benefactor, at humanity''s hero.
Kagaya really wanted to thank Riezel for himself, his family, his people, and all of humanity, but unfortunately, now was not the time.
"How are the casualties?"
Kagaya inquired about the most important issue.
Reporting was done by Gyoumei.
"We''ve already had the Kakushi gather casualty statistics."
Gyoumei, with prayer beads in hand and palms together, reported.
"Although there have been some casualties, the timely appearance of the mechanical dolls has kept the numbers low. Approximately forty members have been confirmed dead, and around ten have sustained severe injuries that may leave them disabled and unable to live normal lives in the future, while the rest are unharmed."
Such casualty figures were actually much better than originally anticipated.
Since the Demon yer Corps had only hundreds ofbatants, if they confronted demons whose strength generally reached Lower Ranks, there was a significant chance that all of them would be annihted.
However, now only dozens were actually dead, ten left disabled, and the rest unharmed.
Such casualties, in a war that could determine humanity''s future, were practically insignificant.
"...I see."
Kagaya closed his eyes, seemingly grieving for the fallen and offering prayers for them, but quickly, he calmed himself and immediately made arrangements.
"Provide amplepensation to the families of the deceased and fulfill any requests they have to the extent possible. As for the disabled, they must be given sufficient support to secure their future lives."
Kagaya instructed Amane beside him.
"Yes, Master."
Amane epted the order without any objection.
Whether it waspensation or support, it was certainly the responsibility of the Ubuyashiki family, not the Hashira.
Of course, some of the Hashira would also offer assistance.
"Master, the Butterfly Mansion will provide medical treatment for the disabled at no cost and offer facilities for their recuperation, ensuring they recover as much as possible."
Shinobu stated firmly, prompting Kagaya to nod.
ording to the results of this battle, everyone then assessed the losses in various aspects, made necessary arrangements, and Kagaya''s children documented the entire proceedings of the meeting thatwould be an important part of the Ubuyashiki family''s history, forever preserved within the family.
Meanwhile, Riezel silently listened throughout, neither participating in discussions nor uttering a word, simply waiting quietly for the meeting to conclude.
Eventually, the meeting continued until the afternoon.
Once everything had been discussed, everyone fell silent, enveloped in an indescribable sense of solemnity.
Gradually, a slight atmosphere of mncholy began to pervade the room.
It couldn''t be helped.
"With this, this meeting will be thest..."
Kagaya spoke softly, gazing outside.
"Now that Kibutsuji Muzan has been eliminated, demons are no more, and there are no longer any monsters that prey on humans in this world."
"Since its establishment, the Demon yer Corps has always had one goal, which is to exterminate demons."
"Now that demons no longer exist, there is no reason for the Demon yer Corps to continue."
Kagaya''s words were understood by everyone and no one objected.
"Truly... this is a good thing..."
Kagaya''s voice remained gentle and mild.
"From now on, no one will lose their family or loved ones and then take up a sword for revenge."
"From now on, no one will need to risk being killed or eaten by demons, thrown into battles where death coulde at any moment."
"In the future, there will be no demons, no Demon yers. Although the Demon yer Corps may cease to exist, as long as you all live, we will always be connected, never to be severed."
"Do you agree?"
""YES!""
Kagaya''s words prompted a unanimous response from all the Hashira that echoed thunderously.
It wasn''t until this moment that Kagaya turned to Riezel, looking directly at him.
"I want to thank you, Your Excellency."
Kagaya''s tone became solemn and dignified.
"Young hero who bears the name of Tsugikuni Yoriichi, thank you for bringing us hope, bringing us a future, bringing us everything..."
In the next moment, Kagaya, apanied by his wives and children, knelt before Riezel, performing an extremely solemn bow.
Such a bow, given the Ubuyashiki family''s status, would make anyone feel awe and shock. Yet, not only did none of the Hashira intervene, butthey all, like Kagaya, bowed deeply to Riezel.
Including Kyoujurou, Shinobu, and even Sanemi and Obanai, who had previously shed and had a conflict with Riezel.
All the higher-ups of the Demon yer Corps, the Master and the Hashira whom everyone respected and loved, were here, solemnly bowing to a seventeen-year-old youth.
In the past, this would have been unthinkable, but now, not a single person in the room felt that Riezel did not deserve this bow. Even if the ordinary members were present, they would likely have no objections and would also kneel before Riezel, just like everyone else.
Needless to say, this bow was rightfully deserved by Riezel.
In response, although Riezel did not refuse their bows, he shook his head as he looked at them.
"You don''t have to do this..." Riezel said lightly. "I''m not doing it for you all, just for myself, going with the flow."
"Even so, by ending this thousand-year-old mistake and tragedy, it remains an undisputed fact..."
Kagaya spoke softly, his gaze firm and determined.
"All in all, you''re a great benefactor to me and the Ubuyashiki family. In the future, if there''s anything you need, please don''t hesitate to tell me or my family."
Kagaya lifted his head, giving Riezel a slight smile.
"As long as it''s within our power, even if it means using all the resources we have, we will make it happen."
With that, Kagaya gestured to Amane, who handed something to Riezel.
It was a jade stone engraved with the crest of the Ubuyashiki family.
With this jade stone, the Ubuyashiki family would spare no effort, sacrificing everything to fulfill Riezel''s request, regardless of time or ce.
Clearly, this was Kagaya''s greatest gratitude to Riezel.
Although he didn''t really need it, after a moment of thought, Riezel finally epted the jade stone. He considered it just a gesture since, after all, once he left this world, he probably wouldn''t return.
Afterward, Kagaya looked around at everyone in the room, as if wanting to etch them all deeply into his heart, before speaking up in a firm tone.
"As of today, the Demon yer Corps will officially disband."
"Thank you all for your hard work."
Kagaya bowed to everyone present.
Seeing this, all the Hashira suppressed their overflowing emotions¡ªsome with tears in their eyes, while others endured with all their might¡ªbefore finally bowing back respectfully to Kagaya.
On this day, the Demon yer Corps officially disbanded.
Henceforth, in this world, there were no more demons or the Demon yer Corps.
Chapter 218: Farewell and Miraculous Medicine
Chapter 218: Farewell and Miraculous Medicine
Afterward, at Kagaya''s request, Riezel helped all the Hashira remove the Demon yer Mark from their bodies.
It was understandable, as it was a deadly ability, after all.
If Riezel hadn''t helped them remove the Demon yer Mark, they wouldn''t have lived past twenty-five years old. Moreover, Gyoumei, who was already twenty-seven years old, would have died immediately without any luck.
Since the birth of the Demon yer Mark, only one person managed to survive with it, and that was Yoriichi.
Riezel didn''t know how Yoriichi managed it, as the original work didn''t ever mention it.
Perhaps Yoriichi survived because his Demon yer Mark was naturally born with him, so it didn''t exhaust his lifespan, allowing him to live. Or perhaps he had found a way to neutralize its side effect before turning twenty-five.
In the end, no matter what reason, Yoriichi was Yoriichi¡ªhis existence was special and a genuine cheat that the Hashira could notpare at all.
For this reason, continuing to keep the Demon yer Mark would only lead to their demise.
In this way, Riezel used the Dposition Magic to dpose the Demon yer Mark on the Hashira.As a result, the Hashira could all live past twenty-five years old without a problem, but simrly, without the Demon yer Mark, their strength was greatly reduced, almost returning to their original state.
Without the Demon yer Mark, the Hashira couldn''t even use the Bright Red Nichirin Sword, and only the Transparent World remained usable among the three abilities.
However, since Tengen, Shinobu, and Mitsuri didn''t even have the Transparent World, they were the ones who truly reverted to their original state.
Nevertheless, with demons now nonexistent, they no longer needed such abilities.
And so, with the Demon yer Corps officially disbanded, all Demon yers would put down their swords and return to normal society, living normal lives.
Kyoujurou would inherit the Rengoku family''s business, attempting to transform his long-standing family of Demon yers.
He apparently intended to open a dojo where future apprentices woulde to learn his family''s swordsmanship, making the dojo the main focus of the Rengoku family.
Shinobu would continue to manage the Butterfly Mansion, but it would no longer serve just the Demon yer Corps. It would now cater to the general public, treating people''s illnesses.
Obanai seemed determined to confess his feelings to Mitsuri, so if they were to marry soon, it seemed likely.
On the other hand, since Tengen was already married with three wives, the four of them nned to settle down somewhere and live a secluded life.
Gyoumei, Sanemi, and Muichirou expressed their intention to remain with the Ubuyashiki family, continuing to serve it.
As for Giyuu, he seemed to want to return to his master, so what he would do in the future, only he knew.
As the Hashira each made their own ns, Tanjirou, Zenitsu, and Inosuke also nned to return to the Kamado family with Nezuko to go back to their old lives.
Of course, after the disbandment of the Demon yer Corps, the Ubuyashiki family wouldn''t ignore them¡ªwhether it was the Hashira, Tanjirou and the others, or even the ordinary members and the Kakushi.
From the start, the Ubuyashiki family had nned to help them integrate into normal society and live normal lives, at least financially, ensuring they wouldn''t have to worry for the rest of their lives.
Under these circumstances, even the Swordsmith Vige was preparing to open up to the outside world. They would no longer hide but would rely on their forging upation as their main economic source, serving the whole country.
With the assistance of the Ubuyashiki family, everything would proceed orderly in the future.
It could be said that those who survived would have a bright future ahead, living their lives worry-free.
Kagaya, Kyoujurou, Tanjirou, and the others had asked Riezel about his ns for the future, but he simply replied with one sentence.
"I''ll return to the ce where I belong."
Riezel said only that and thereafter said nothing more.
However, one thing was certain¡ªhis mysterious answer left Kagaya, Kyoujurou, Tanjirou, and the others with a feeling that once he departed, they would never meet him again.
Nevertheless, they did not dwell on this feeling excessively.
===
Meanwhile, at the entrance of the Swordsmith Vige, everyone gathered together to bid farewell.
"Us Ubuyashikis will always remember you, Your Excellency."
Kagaya dered firmly, yet his face remained gentle.
"You are wee to visit my dojo anytime."
Kyoujurou added, with an unusually gentle expression, embracing Riezel.
"Thank you for everything, Big Brother."
Tanjirou spoke sadly, shedding tears, but after wiping them away, he smiled broadly at Riezel.
Seeing them like this, Riezel revealed something to them at this final moment.
"Actually, my name isn''t Tsugikuni Yoriichi."
Riezel suddenly smiled at everyone.
"My name is Riezel."
At this point, Riezel finally revealed his true name to them.
""Riezel...""
Kagaya, Kyoujurou, Tanjirou, and the others murmured the name in a daze.
When they came to their senses, Riezel was already gone, vanished like a ghost.
On this day, Riezel officially left the Swordsmith Vige, left the Demon yer Corps.
Whether it was the Demon yer Corps or the people of the Swordsmith Vige, no one ever saw him again after that.
Even so, Riezel''s name remained forever.
Many yearster, people would discover some peculiar things.
For instance, in a dojo called the ''Rengoku Hall'', on a wall of honor, the name ''Riezel'' was engraved in the front row.
On the other hand, the ancestors of the Ubuyashiki family often mentioned toter generations a great swordsman and hero named ''Riezel''.
Meanwhile, in a charcoal-selling family deep in the mountains, there was a group photo of all members of the Demon yer Corps, with an empty space in the center where a mechanical doll stood holding a tag inscribed with the name ''Riezel''.
Even in a private medical enterprise called ''Butterfly'', it was said that there was a female pharmacist who made significant contributions to the medical field, never married, and dedicated her life to researching a medicine capable of curing various illnesses¡ªa medicine named ''Riezel''.
However, these events took ce a very long timeter.
===
At this moment, as Riezel left the Swordsmith Vige, he paused his footsteps as he entered a deep mountain area.
Ahead of him were two figures.
It was none other than Tamayo and Yushirou.
"Are you leaving?"
Tamayo asked, her serene face no longer bore the sorrow and resentment of the past, reced by a sense of relief.
"Yeah..." Riezel nodded calmly. "Are you here to see me off for thest time?"
"...I guess so." Tamayo smiled gently. "Though I really want to thank you, you''ve probably heard enough of that, so I''ll just keep it in my heart."
"Hmm, is that so?" Riezel smiled knowingly. "What are your ns now?"
At his question, Tamayo lowered her gaze.
"I''ve sessfully developed a cure for demon transformation." Tamayo exined softly. "I''ve analyzed all the blood left by Muzan from the previous battle in the Infinity Castle, and finally developed the cure."
"Oh?" Riezel was taken aback for a moment, then understood. "So you''re nning to take this cure and be human again?"
"...Whether it''s me or Yushirou, if there''s a chance to be human again, we won''t hesitate." Tamayo nodded gently. "Creatures like demons shouldn''t exist in this world any longer."
Muzan''s death had eradicated all demons, except for Tamayo and Yushirou.
Using her medical knowledge, Tamayo had seized the opportunity centuries ago to transform her body and free herself from Muzan''s influence when he was severely injured by Yoriichi and too weak to control her.
As for Yushirou, he was the only demon in this world who wasn''t transformed by Muzan''s blood. He was transformed into a demon by Tamayo when he was dying, thanks to her centuries of research on demons.
Because of this, Muzan''s death didn''t affect these two.
Now, only Tamayo and Yushirou remained as demons in this world, while all others had vanished.
Apart from Riezel, few knew about this fact, except for the Ubuyashiki family.
However, Kagaya seemed unwilling to interfere with Tamayo and Yushirou.
From this, it was clear that Kagaya chose to trust Tamayo, believing that even as a demon, she would not fall into depravity.
Needless to say, Tamayo and Yushirou could live on as demons forever, never aging or dying.
Tamayo also knew of the existence of the Blue Spider Lily, so with her medical abilities, developing a drug to ovee sunlight wouldn''t be difficult.
In time, Muzan''s dream of eternal life and perfect existence could be realized through Tamayo and Yushirou.
Yet, Tamayo seemed reluctant to do so.
It was clear that she didn''t want to be a demon but wanted to return to her origins as a human.
Even if it meant a limited lifespan, it didn''t matter to her.
Having avenged her deep-seated grudge and lived in this world for centuries, she had had enough.
Now, she only wished to pass away peacefully as a human.
With Tamayo making this choice, it was natural that Yushirou couldn''t continue to live as a demon by himself.
With this in mind, once the effects of the demon transformation cure were fully confirmed and no problems arose, both of them would likely take the cure directly and return to being human.
In that way, thest two demons in the world would disappear.
"Please take this."
Tamayo suddenly handed a small bottle to Riezel.
"What''s this?"
Riezel took the bottle and asked confusedly.
"This is a medicine I developed by thoroughly diluting Muzan''s blood. It can temporarily give humans a regenerative abilityparable to a demon''s¡ªthe only one of its kind in the world."
Tamayo exined slowly.
"If you take it, even the most severe wounds will heal instantly, and it can even revive people who haven''t been dead for too long."
A medicine that could revive people!
Seeing such a miraculous medicine in his hand, Riezel couldn''t help but be amazed!
"Consider it a token of my gratitude to you."
Tamayo bowed to Riezel, bidding farewell.
"If fate allows, maybe we''ll meet again."
With that, Tamayo disappeared with Yushirou.
Riezel watched them leave, and after a long while, he finally stored the medicine away.
Chapter 219: Riezel and Yoriichi
Chapter 219: Riezel and Yoriichi
At this moment, there was about half a month left until Riezel''s dimensional travel woulde to an end.
Having bid farewell to all acquaintances from the Swordsmith Vige and the Demon yer Corps, Riezel had done everything he could.
Since there were no more demons left for him to kill and his status had also reached the limit of Level 5, with all basic abilities at SSS, further growth was difficult.
As a result, Riezel nned to simply wander around this world and give himself some rxation during this half month''s time.
Since arriving in this world, he had endured three months of suffering for the evolution of Sun Breathing, followed by two months of training the Hashira without any real rest.
It was the same in the world of Danmachi¡ªfor a hundred consecutive days, he fought in the dungeon almost without rest.
Even in the Akasha Continent, he honed his swordsmanship and trained relentlessly, rarely stopping.
When this dimensional travel ended and he returned to the Akasha Continent, he felt that he might once again have to hustle for something. Given the situation, the remaining half month of dimensional travel was probably his rare opportunity to rx.
With such a rare chance, Riezel didn''t insist on doing anything else, only wanting to stroll around and then bid farewell to this worldpletely after half a month.However, as he made this decision, during a certain night, a voice sounded in his ear.
*Ding¡ªling¡ª*
It was the familiar sound of wind chimes.
When the sound of the wind chime rang out, Riezel, who was already asleep, found himself in a ce he had been to before.
It was the mountaintop that faced the sun, towering into the clouds, making the sun appear very close, as if within reach.
"Wait... this dream again?" Riezel muttered in a surprised tone.
"You know, this is the mountain closest to the sun that I''ve ever seen, and it''s also my favorite ce."
Apanied by these words, a figure seemed to emerge from the sun itself and approached Riezel slowly from the front.
He had ck hair edged in red, tied up high in a ponytail, maroon irises in his eyes, and wore a yellow kimono with a red haori draped over it. He also bore a me-shaped mark on his forehead and had a sword at his waist.
Seeing the figure''s appearance and demeanor, Riezel instantly knew who he was.
"Tsugikuni Yoriichi..."
Yes, he was none other than Tsugikuni Yoriichi.
"Hello."
Yoriichi greeted Riezel with a typical samurai bow, his face disying aposed expression.
"This is our first time speaking face-to-face, isn''t it?"
Upon hearing this, Riezel smiled faintly.
"Can''t help it..." Riezel shrugged casually. "Last time I was here, you only demonstrated Sun Breathing to me unterally and then left. When else would we have had the chance to talk?"
In the first ce, the fact that the two of them could converse like this was, in a sense, quite bizarre.
After all, Yoriichi was someone from the Sengoku period, who had passed away centuries ago.
For him to appear in someone else''s dreams, engage in conversation, and even pass on his Sun Breathing to others¡ªRiezel knew that if he were to mention this to others, they would undoubtedly think he was losing his mind.
However, Riezel knew that the Yoriichi before him wasn''t a figment of his imagination or an illusion, but truly the genuine Yoriichi himself.
Because in this world, hell truly existed, and there seemed to be heaven too. After people died, they could be reincarnated, and souls could linger in this world without simply disappearing.
In the original work, Tanjirou had been encouraged and awakened by his deceased family members several times during near-death crises. When many important characters died, they also saw their loved ones and friends who had passed away earlier, joining them on their journey to heaven or hell.
Knowing this, Riezel had never doubted that the Yoriichi he had seen in his dream before was mere imagination or an illusion.
Likewise, the Yoriichi before his eyes right now was also genuine¡ªthe soul of the remarkably talented swordsman from the Sengoku period who still lingered in this world after his death.
Five months ago, using Lower One Enmu''s Blood Demon Art, Yoriichi took advantage of it to teach Riezel his Sun Breathing within the dream.
Now, five monthster, Yoriichi had once again entered Riezel''s dream to meet him.
"This time, I came to thank you."
Yoriichi spoke while looking at Riezel with earnestness.
"At first, teaching you Sun Breathing was just a casual attempt, but I never expected you to actually defeat Kibutsuji Muzan, which fulfilled my regret... I''m really grateful."
It was indeed something that surprised Yoriichi greatly.
Originally, he had never intended for Riezel to defeat Muzan.
In his lifetime, Yoriichi had actually been quite easygoing and had never thought about deliberately doing anything.
If it weren''t for his elder brother''s love for swordsmanship and desire to be a great swordsman, Yoriichi would never have touched a sword.
If it weren''t for his wife being harmed by demons, he also wouldn''t have joined the Demon yer Corps and embarked on the path of Demon yer.
Not only was his Demon yer Mark inborn, but he also understood and awakened the Transparent World and the Selfless State from childhood. Moreover, he grasped the principles of the breathing style so naturally that he had never deliberately created or pursued them.
In the end, due to various twists of fate, he became a swordsman feared even by Muzan and seen by others as powerful as a god.
Yoriichi also had never even considered passing down Sun Breathing.
He believed that whether it was him or anyone else, they were just small characters in the long history of humanity, not as great as people thought. Even if he didn''t deliberately pass it on, someone would eventually reach the same level as him.
¡ªThose who master their trade all arrive at the same ce.
It was a phrase Yoriichi often spoke before his death, meaning that all those who reached the pinnacle would ultimately arrive at the same endpoint.
With this in mind, Yoriichi believed that regardless of how future eras might change or the myriad paths taken along the way, they would all still end up at the same destination.
For this reason, there was no need for excessive worry¡ªone could simply go with the flow and await the day when life woulde to a close.
All of this was Yoriichi''s perspective on life.
With such a perspective, even if no one else could master his Sun Breathing, Yoriichi never worried about the potential loss of his breathing style. Even if it were lost, it wouldn''t matter to him since he didn''t consider his Sun Breathing particrly great in the first ce.
In other words, with such an attitude, Yoriichi logically shouldn''t have reappeared centuriester in Riezel''s dream, suddenly imparting his Sun Breathing to him and interfering in the world of the living.
However, when Tanjirou encountered Riezel on the Mugen Train, and Riezel demonstrated frightening talent and potential, particrly after noticing Riezel had almost learned Kyoujurou''s breathing style, Yoriichi eventually stepped in and entered Riezel''s dream.
"I am a useless man."
Yoriichi lowered his gaze, his eyes seemed to be in a daze.
"In my life, I failed to protect everything I cherished and couldn''t fulfill my duties as a human being. Even though I was born strong, possibly to defeat Kibutsuji Muzan, I messed up at the most crucial moment."
"If I had in him back then, the tragedies of the next few centuries wouldn''t have happened. My elder brother wouldn''t have turned into a demon, Master wouldn''t have died, and all those who knew Sun Breathing wouldn''t have been killed because of my failure."
"Everyone said I''m powerful, even revering me like a god, but I couldn''t even aplish the one thing that absolutely had to be done..."
"Someone like me, who is useless in every way, doesn''t deserve to be mourned by future generations."
Yoriichi''s only and greatest regret during his lifetime was not being able to kill Muzan.
As a result, when he saw Riezel, he finally decided not to stand idly by, not to go with the flow, and not to just let things happen naturally anymore.
In short, he decided to take a bet.
Needless to say, the reason he appeared in Riezel''s dream and demonstrated Sun Breathing to him was for this purpose.
In the end, his bet was right.
Yoriichi tilted his head slightly toward Riezel.
"You are someone morepetent than I am. You''ve fulfilled the trust to carry out my decision, even when I had given up on myself."
"I''m d I entrusted everything to you back then."
"So before I leave, I want to thank you, no matter what."
After hearing Yoriichi''s words, Riezel nodded slowly.
"So... are you leaving now?"
"Yes." Yoriichi replied with a faint smile on hisposed face. "Now that my regret and obsession, which kept me lingering in this world for centuries, have vanished, it''s time for me to move on."
In this world, although souls could linger and spectate the living, speaking in dreams was all they could do. After all, the dead should not continue to linger but should instead enter the cycle of reincarnation.
Now that Yoriichi''s regret and obsession had disappeared, he was ready for the next phase of his life.
If it weren''t for wanting to thank and bid farewell to Riezel, Yoriichi might have left long ago.
"Is that so?"
Riezel pondered for a moment, then suddenly asked something surprising.
"Before you leave, could you help me with something?"
Such a sudden request took Yoriichi aback.
"My help?" Yoriichi replied, somewhat troubled. "While I''d like to agree outright, I''ve been dead for many years. What help could I possibly offer you?"
Upon hearing this, Riezel smiled faintly.
"Don''t worry, it''s a simple one, and we can do it right here."
With that, Riezel extended his hand, and soon enough, Hermit materialized in his palm.
"Could you spar with me, just this once?"
Gripping the hilt of Hermit, Riezel asked with a hint of excitement in his voice.
Chapter 220: You… Learned my Breathing Style?
Chapter 220: You¡ Learned my Breathing Style?
Riezel hadn''t forgotten the purpose of his dimensional travel to the world of Demon yer.
It was to level up, to gain enough strength to be called a Sword Saint on the Akasha Continent.
Unfortunately, this world didn''t have powerful opponents for Riezel to gain high-rank excelia, including the two demons that had caught his interest earlier.
Upper One Kokushibou was strong, but he was only Level 5.
Muzan was powerful, but even after consuming thousands of people and getting fully strengthened, he was still just Level 6.
For the people in this world, these two demons were indeed very strong, but for Riezel, who could kill Level 6 opponents even before arriving in this world, they were trulycking. Not to mention, he now had the evolved Sun Breathing, which gave himbat power a whole level higher.
As a result, Riezel sessfully killed Muzan without even receiving a scratch, which meant his n to exploit this world for leveling up had fallen apart.
If it weren''t for the somewhat magical breathing techniques of this world, and if Riezel hadn''t been able tobine and merge the breathing principles and swordsmanship of both worlds, thereby evolving Sun Breathing to have Level 7bat power, this dimensional travel might not have been as fruitful as he hoped.
Riezel had even nned to spend the next half month rxing, having given up on finding a further breakthrough in this world.However, now, that opportunity had appeared.
Tsugikuni Yoriichi, the true pinnacle of existence in this world, who nearly killed Muzan in an instant hundreds of years ago, was the strongest and most terrifying swordsman in history.
''If it were Yoriichi, could he actually put pressure on me?''
With this thought in mind, Riezel''s eyes finally showed some fighting spirit, prompting him to challenge the greatest swordsman in this world.
"So, how? Can you?"
Seeing the silent Yoriichi, Riezel asked again.
"..."
To Riezel''s sparring request, Yoriichi didn''t respond immediately but silently looked at Riezel, his eyes seemingly able to see right through Riezel''s thoughts.
Even though Yoriichi''s gaze wasn''t discerning, it was very clear, as if it really could see through people''s hearts.
Looking into those eyes, Riezel felt an understanding that this man''s view of the world was indeed different from others.
Because Yoriichi could naturallyprehend the Transparent World and the Selfless State from childhood, his perspective was always different, which made his mind so calm and detached, like someone who had transcended worldly concerns.
If not for the existence of demons, this man might have truly transcended worldly concerns and be a saint.
After looking at Riezel for a while, Yoriichi finally nodded.
"If it helps you, I''d be happy to."
*Schwing¡ª*
As Yoriichi agreed, Riezel didn''t say another word and silently unsheathed Hermit.
Anyone who had seen all of Riezel''s battles up to this point would be surprised to witness this scene.
After all, whether it was against Kokushibou, Muzan, or those Upper Ranks and Hashira, Riezel had never unsheathed his sword before the battle started. He always waited for his opponent to initiate the attack before unsheathing his sword and shing in an instant, cutting off his opponent''s head.
Unsheathing his sword and entering a ready stance before the battle began¡ªthis was likely the first time.
Clearly, this also meant that Riezel would invest his heart and soul, going all out for this fight from the beginning. Facing the strongest being in this world, if even Yoriichi couldn''tpel him to give his all, then Riezel truly had no hope of finding high-rank excelia to level up in this world.
For this reason, in this battle, Riezel would exert every ounce of his strength as a swordsman, fighting to the very end.
Such determination made Riezel''s eyes burn with fierce intensity, filled with sharp focus.
At the same time, Yoriichi had also unsheathed his sword, but his whole body exuded no aura at all, looking like an ordinary man,pletely unremarkable.
Seeing Yoriichi like this, Riezel suddenly understood how Muzan must have felt when he first saw him.
Let alone Muzan, even Riezel almost thought the swordsman before him was just an ordinary man¡ªnot worth his full attention in a serious fight.
From childhood, Yoriichi had not only mastered the Selfless State without any teacher, but he had also reached a perfect level, making it impossible for anyone to detect that this unremarkable man was, in fact, a terrifying existence capable of easily ying the progenitor of demons.
If one couldn''t rouse their fighting spirit, trigger their fighting intent, and bring out their utmost effort, they would surely lose sight of this man in an instant and be killed by his de without knowing what had happened¡ªwhich was how Muzan had met his crushing defeat.
Riezel would naturally not make the same mistake.
However¡ª
*Whoosh!*
Yoriichi, who had been standing in the distance, suddenly appeared in front of Riezel.
Even though Riezel was giving it his all, his fighting spirit fully roused as he stared intently at Yoriichi, he still lost sight of him. He felt only a blur before his eyes, and Yoriichi was already in front of him.
*Swish!*
In the next moment, a sh wrapped in mes swung toward Riezel.
"!"
Seeing this, Riezel''s pupils shrank.
Without a second thought, Riezel stomped on the ground, causing mes to burst beneath his feet. His entire body became an illusory mirage reminiscent of the sun''s mes, darting away from his original spot.
It was clearly ''Sun Breathing - Fourth Form - Fake Rainbow''!
Right from the start, Riezel was forced to use Sun Breathing!
Yoriichi''s sh only cut through Riezel''s afterimage, while Riezel himself, with a body swaying like the sun''s mes, appeared in the distance.
"Impressive reaction."
Yoriichi praised as he sheathed his sword and stood still.
"You''ve indeed mastered Sun Breathing to an incredible degree. In terms of that form alone, I can''t say I can use it better than you."
Even though it was praise from the creator of Sun Breathing himself, Riezel felt no joy at all.
As Riezel stared straight ahead at Yoriichi, a lock of his hair fell neatly from his forehead.
Yes.
Riezel''s hair had been cut.
In other words, Riezel had almost been hit by Yoriichi''s sh.
"So... you''re this strong, huh?"
Riezel knew Yoriichi was incredibly powerful.
Hundreds of years ago, even though Muzan was not as strong as he had been in the final battle with Riezel, he was still the progenitor of demons, presumed to be Level 6.
Yet, such Muzan was defeated by Yoriichi instantly.
Although Muzan was distracted and underestimated Yoriichi because of his Selfless State, and although Yoriichi had just learned the thirteenth sword form of Sun Breathing at that time, it still proved that Yoriichi''s strength far exceeded Muzan''s back then.
For this reason, in Riezel''s eyes, Yoriichi might have already reached the limit of Level 6, just a step away from Level 7.
With such strength, driven by various factors, instantly defeating Muzan, who was presumed to be Level 6 and hadn''t yet reached the limit of that level, wasn''t impossible.
However, judging by the strength Yoriichi had disyed earlier, he definitely exceeded the limit of Level 6.
In other words, the current Yoriichi was at Level 7.
It was simply unbelievable!
While pondering this, Riezel was unaware of one thing.
"You know, I wasn''t this powerful when I was alive."
Yoriichi looked at Riezel and smiled slightly.
"Thanks to you, I made more progress even after death... Honestly, this feeling is pretty fascinating."
Upon hearing this, Riezel was stunned.
''Thanks to me? What did he mean?''
Riezel was puzzled until he noticed that Yoriichi''s breathing seemed different from before.
No, it wasn''t just the breathing.
Through the perspective of the Transparent World, Riezel could clearly see that with each breath Yoriichi took, his muscles, organs, blood vessels, blood, and even every cell in his body seemed to be infused with immense power.
"!"
At this moment, Riezel finally understood.
"You¡ learned my breathing style?"
Riezel looked at Yoriichi with a stunned expression.
It wasn''t the original Sun Breathing that Yoriichi used, but rather the Sun Breathing that had evolved from the fusion of breathing principles from two different worlds developed by Riezel!
"Yes, I saw the whole process of how you improved Sun Breathing."
Yoriichi nodded, acknowledging it calmly.
"I have to say, you''ve got some impressive ideas and a lot of courage."
"Seeding in evolving a breathing style that originally only enhanced heart and lung function and sped up blood flow into something that reinforces every organ, muscle, drop of blood, and even every cell in the body to thoroughly strengthen the whole body is truly eye-opening for me."
"You even incorporated some kind of mysterious power I can''t quite grasp into the blood cirction, further enhancing the breathing style''s power... When I saw all of this, I almost thought the ''world'' in my eyes had be chaotic."
"It''s truly a brilliant innovation that turns Sun Breathing into something like an otherworldly power, which is pretty astounding."
Yoriichi''s smile widened.
"In the end, I tried it myself. Although I couldn''t muster the mysterious power inside me and integrate it into the blood flow as you did, I was still able to enhance every part and cell of my body."
In other words, although Yoriichi had already died, he was still as amazing as when he was alive, having sessfully evolved Sun Breathing, just like Riezel, by merely observing him.
Even though it wasn''t to the extent of mobilizing magical energy within the body and integrating it into the blood flow like Riezel, Yoriichi still achieved a uniform enhancement of his entire body.
Because of this, Yoriichi entered a new realm, a realm that Riezel referred to as ''Level 7'', which he had yet to reach in his lifetime.
Chapter 221: Riezel vs Yoriichi (I)
Chapter 221: Riezel vs Yoriichi (I)
Riezel waspletely speechless.
He had indeed seen Yoriichi as a level-up opportunity, but he had never expected that Yoriichi would be such a formidable opponent worth challenging in this way.
He knew that Yoriichi was not only strong but also had limitless potential.
What others had to risk everything to awaken, Yoriichi was born with.
What others might spend their whole lives searching for and might never achieve, Yoriichi had achieved them naturally since childhood.
Not only was Yoriichi the founder of the breathing style and the only person in this world who could defeat Muzan with sheer strength, but the breathing style he founded also became the source of power humanity used to fight demons.
In many ways, Yoriichi seemed more like the main character of this world than Tanjirou.
Yoriichi even managed to instantly grasp the thirteenth sword form of Sun Breathing upon encountering Muzan to defeat him.
Riezel''s potential was already at a level that would astonish a goddess like Loki and even the many gods in Orario. Given this, Yoriichi might actually not fall too short whenpared to Riezel.Even so, Riezel still couldn''t imagine that Yoriichi, even after death, would discover further potential within himself by seeding in evolving Sun Breathing like he did.
Regardless, Riezel''s sess was not only due to his innate potential but also because he had another world''s breathing techniques as a reference, which validated and confirmed the breathing techniques of this world, eventually leading to his sess.
However, what about Yoriichi?
Yoriichi clearly had no reference and simply observed the entire process of Riezel evolving Sun Breathing, yet he smoothlypleted this dangerous endeavor that had troubled Riezel for three months easily.
From this, it was clear why Yoriichi was seen as a god in Kokushibou''s eyes and a monster in Muzan''s.
*Ba-dump!*
Suddenly, Riezel heard a strong heartbeat.
*Ba-dump!*
Upon hearing it again, Riezel realized the source of the heartbeat was actually him.
At this moment, his heartbeat began to quicken, his blood boiled, and a surge of high-spirited emotions rose within him.
Such an emotion, as if boundless heat was surging through his chest, was very familiar to him.
It was the feeling of having adrenaline activated when encountering obstacles, strong enemies, challenges, and difficulties.
Truthfully, he had long missed this feeling.
After about half a year, he finally felt it again.
"Huu..."
Riezel took a deep breath, letting arge amount of air flow into his lungs before assuming an offensive stance.
Seeing this, Yoriichi''s eyes narrowed, and he also took up an offensive stance.
"Huu..."
Yoriichi also inhaled arge amount of air, fully stimting his body.
Gradually, the high temperature began to seep from both swordsmen who mastered Sun Breathing, causing the air around them to slightly distort.
"I''ming." Riezel said briefly.
"Bring it on." Yoriichi nodded.
Saying these, their gazes collided in the air, sparking intense friction.
In the next moment¡ª
""Sun Breathing - First Form¡""
*Whoosh!*
Two figures charged forward simultaneously, vanishing from their original spots.
""Dance!""
As two zing mes appeared out of nowhere, Riezel and Yoriichi appeared in front of each other, both unleashed a sh that gathered all their strength.
*DING¡ª!!!*
As they sh, a deafening sh erupted, causing the sun''s mes to burst from the two swordsmen, creating a searing shockwave that spread in all directions like a fiery explosion.
Two Nichirin Swords, wrapped in mes, collided at the center of the st¡ªone sword unleashed fiery bursts, while the other engaged in fierce friction.
In an instant, the two swordsmen were locked in intensebat, their ming swords began shing at breakneck speed.
*ng!* *Cling!* *ng!* *Cling!*
*ng!* *Cling!* *ng!* *Cling!*
Riezel and Yoriichi each released scorching shes toward each other, their fiery swords constantly ring and crashing.
Riezel reached an unprecedented level of focus as if he had abandoned all defense, letting his intense emotions guide him. He shed from every angle at Yoriichi, making the mes ze fiercely with each strike.
Despite Riezel''s intense assault, Yoriichi remained entirely on the offensive. His eyes, clear as ss, saw through everything, and he responded with countless fiery shes.
As their searing shes continued to appear and collide, some soaring into the air and others shooting in all directions, they released intense heat into the surroundings, leaving red-hot trails on the ground as if moltenva had passed through.
*BOOOM!*
Before long, an explosion raged like a storm, ravaging the mountaintop and raising clouds of dust and debris, resembling a natural disaster.
*DING¡ª!!!*
At one point, a loud sh rang out again.
From within the fiery explosion, a figure was sent flying back, skidding across the ground.
Surprisingly, it was Riezel who was being pushed back and was on the losing end.
*Whoosh!*
With a sound like space being torn apart, Yoriichi emerged from the explosion and twisted his sword, causing countless fiery shes to surge forth and relentlessly strike Riezel.
Still skidding backward, Riezel raised his sword to block, fending off the iing fiery shes, which caused mes to flicker around him.
Yoriichi, however, clearly showed no mercy.
Not only did his attack remain fierce, but even as Riezel blocked his storm of shes, he continued to swing his sword tirelessly, breathing steadily and moving like a perpetual motion machine, endlessly shing.
''Dance'', ''Clear Blue Sky'', ''Raging Sun'', ''Fake Rainbow'', ''Fire Wheel'', ''Burning Bones, Summer Sun'', ''Sunflower Thrust'', ''Sr Heat Haze'', ''Setting Sun Transformation'', ''Beneficent Radiance'', ''Sun Halo Dragon Head Dance'', ''me Dance''¡ªYoriichi cycled through all sword forms of Sun Breathing in sequence, creating a relentless cycle of shes that attacked Riezel with utmost ferocity.
Clearly, this was the thirteenth form of Sun Breathing¡ªan unending sequence of sword form that formed a perpetual cycle, drawing the enemy into a sun-like orbit, enduring a ceaseless and searing onught.
Yoriichipletely unleashed his strength, starting with the sword form he had used to deal with Muzan before his death, dragging Riezel into the hell of the sun''s me.
With Yoriichi''s current strength, such an all-out assault, constantly using Sun Breathing''s sword forms without pause, was quite terrifying.
As a result, Riezel was driven back in the storm of zing shes and had to retreat from Yoriichi''s offensive.
However, Yoriichi clearly had no intention of letting Riezel get away. He quickly transformed into a bright sun, chasing Riezel and enveloping him in the wheel of fire.
Under this circumstance, even Riezel was subtly struggling to keep up.
*ng!*
In the end, with a crisp sound, Riezel''s sword was deflected.
*BOOM!*
In an instant, Yoriichi''s zing shnded immediately, causing a massive explosion on the ground that sent Riezel flying.
Riezel was thrown through the air, crashing into a rock before twisting his body mid-air, stabbing Hermit into the ground to stabilize himself.
Even so, Riezel and his sword were violently thrown nearly a hundred meters, leaving a gaping trench on the ground, a shocking sight.
"Sun Halo Dragon Head Dance!"
Not stopping, Yoriichi transformed into a fire dragon, soaring and swooping toward Riezel.
Inside the fire dragon, Yoriichi''s high-speed shes cut through the air and explosive mes, targeting Riezel''s shoulder, side, thigh, and ribs.
*Pssst!* *Pssst!* *Pssst!*
Yoriichi''s zing shes sliced through Riezel''s body, leaving his shoulder, side, thigh, and ribs severely torn. Yet, despite such damage, not a single drop of blood spilled from him; he merely swayed like an illusion and slowly vanished.
"Fake Rainbow!"
Riezel transformed once again into the sun''s me, appearing behind Yoriichi in a flicker.
"Setting Sun Transformation!"
Yoriichi, as if foreseeing the future, instantly leaped into the air, evading the sh Riezel had aimed from behind. Following this, in an inverted stance, Yoriichi swung his sword, wrapped in zing mes, horizontally toward Riezel''s neck.
"Burning Bones, Summer Sun!"
Faced with the intense strikeing at him, Riezel twisted his sword, rapidly swinging it to unleash a vortex of mes that not only deflected Yoriichi''s scorching sh but also sent mes swirling toward him.
"Fire Wheel!"
Yoriichi performed a somersault and, undeterred by his failed attack, shed again in mid-air, sending a fire-wrapped, arc-shaped vertical sh toward Riezel.
*BOOM!*
Soon, the ming sh and the vortex of mes collided, exploding with a roar, causing the mes to surge wildly.
"Clear Blue Sky!"
Yoriichi, not yet having descended from the air, linked seamlessly into the next sword form. He swung his sword around him, tracing a circle like the sun''s outline, pulling the turbulent mes into a fiery orbit that shed toward Riezel.
"Raging Sun!"
Riezel immediately countered with an infinity-shaped sh, transforming his mes into sharp, symmetrical fire des that sliced through the iing mes.
In the blink of an eye, Riezel and Yoriichi exchanged countless blows, employing various Sun Breathing''s sword forms against each other relentlessly.
The exchange of attacks and defenses was not only incredibly tight and coherent but also intensely fierce.
It couldn''t be helped.
A moment''s slip could mean one side''splete annihtion, consumed entirely by the zing sun''s mes.
"Beneficent Radiance!"
Yoriichi, still airborne, took advantage of his higher position and unleashed a spiraling sh from above at Riezel that spread out like a storm.
"Sunflower Thrust!"
Riezel quickly raised his sword, making a ring of mes surge around it beforeunching a rapid thrust toward the airborne Yoriichi.
*BOOOM!*
It was unknown how many times the sounds of swords shing and explosions echoed on the mountaintop.
Reddish mes burned brightly on the mountaintop, reflecting the sun in the sky and continuing to ze, showing no signs of extinguishing.
Chapter 222: Riezel vs Yoriichi (II)
Chapter 222: Riezel vs Yoriichi (II)
*BOOM!*
In the zing reddish mes, the two figures that had been battling fiercely finally pulled apart, as if blown back by a shockwave, creating distance between them.
Yoriichinded on the ground, taking a few steps back before finally stabilizing himself.
Riezel, on the other hand, continued to scrape the ground with his feet, leaving a furrow several meters long beforeing to a stop.
After such an intense exchange of offense and defense, they finally had a moment to catch their breath.
"Hahh... as expected from the one who defeated Kibutsuji Muzan." Yoriichi remarked, looking at the young man across from him, raising his sword in admiration. "You''re far stronger than I was in life."
"No..." Riezel remained silent for a moment before letting out a sigh. "In some ways, I am far from being as good as you."
What he said were his heartfelt words.
In the recent battle, there was no doubt that Riezel had been at a disadvantage for most of the time.Why?
Was it because Yoriichi''s current strength was greater than his?
No.
If you only consider their overall abilities, Riezel and Yoriichi were nearly evenly matched.
In terms of strength and speed, they were very close, with no clear superiority.
However, outside of their physical abilities, Yoriichi had clearly surpassed Riezel in many areas.
For instance, in swordsmanship, Yoriichi was clearly better than Riezel.
Although their use of Sun Breathing''s sword forms was simr in effect, Yoriichi''s transitions between the forms were smoother and quicker than Riezel''s, allowing him to manage his overallbat skills and rhythm better.
Additionally, regarding the Transparent World, Yoriichi had been ustomed to this ability for many years.
In other words, Yoriichi observed details more finely and reacted faster than Riezel who had just awakened it several months ago. Furthermore, Yoriichi''s control over finer details was also superior, causing Riezel to sometimes struggle to keep up with his movements and reactions.
Moreover, Yoriichi''s use of Sun Breathing had a level of refinement that Riezel couldn''t match.
It was important to note that Riezel''s Hermit was not an ordinary Nichirin Sword but first-ss special equipment, constantly emitting high temperatures that could easily melt steel.
Yoriichi''s Nichirin Sword, on the other hand, was an ordinary weapon, not reaching the level of special equipment.
In a sh between Yoriichi''s Nichirin Sword and Riezel''s Hermit, the expected oue should be clear¡ªRiezel''s Hermit should cut through Yoriichi''s Nichirin Sword.
However, Yoriichi''s Nichirin Sword was not only unharmed but also withstood multiple collisions with Hermit without showing any damage.
Why?
In fact, this was because Yoriichi wrapped the mes of Sun Breathing around his sword and ignited them upon impact, converting the high temperature into a hot wind that neutralized the heat from Hermit and softened Riezel''s sh speed and power.
As a result, Hermit could not cut through Yoriichi''s Nichirin Sword.
Such remarkable skill and thebination of various factors allowed Yoriichi to suppress Riezel.
Whether it was swordsmanship or the Transparent World, these were clearly abilities that Yoriichi had possessed even before he evolved Sun Breathing.
What did this imply?
It implied that before evolving his Sun Breathing and reaching Level 7, Yoriichi''s swordsmanship and Transparent World were already superior to Riezel''s.
Even though Riezel, after evolving Sun Breathing, had achieved strengthparable to Level 7, his swordsmanship and Transparent World were still inferior to Yoriichi''s.
Because of this, Riezel made such heartfelt words.
However, at the same time, it also served as a wake-up call for him.
He realized that improving his strength was not solely about enhancing his status or power; it also involved gainingbat experience, honing skills, and mastering the tactics used inbat.
Recently, Riezel had been focusing on improving his status in his endeavor for power. Although he hadn''tpletely neglected umtingbat skills, his focus had shifted somewhat.
Fortunately, Riezel hadn''tpletely disregarded honing his swordsmanship. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have mastered all the sword forms of Sun Breathing or managed to hold his ground against Yoriichi''s offense until now.
Besides, it was not only Yoriichi who could learn from others.
Riezel recalled the rhythm, angle, and timing of Yoriichi''s sword strikes during their recent exchange, as well as the movements used when Yoriichi performed Sun Breathing''s sword forms.
Thinking back to those smooth shes and the natural, swift connections of sword forms, Riezel closed his eyes.
When Riezel opened them again, his eyes had be somewhat transparent, just like Yoriichi''s.
"Hmm?"
Yoriichi was initially stunned but then understood.
''He absorbed the experience from the recent battle and grown stronger...?''
Yoriichi thought to himself, feeling both surprised and amazed.
Undoubtedly, this junior of his, whom he had discovered and chosen by chance, possessed extraordinary talent, blessed by heaven.
"In that case... I guess I have to put in even more effort..."
Yoriichi, murmuring to himself, didn''t notice that his mouth had unconsciously curled into a slight smile.
He was unaware that, at this moment, he had begun to enjoy the battle.
In his lifetime, no human had ever matched him inbat, while demons were merely targets to be in. Even Muzan was merely treated as a monster distinct from humans, not as an opponent to be enjoyed in battle.
For this reason, he had never faced a truly evenly matched opponent nor experienced the feeling of giving his all, shing swords with someone, verifying strength, and progressing together.
It was only at this moment, facing Riezel, that he experienced this feeling for the first time.
At this moment, even though he believed this was his final battle before leaving the world of the living, it might also be the most satisfying fight he had ever experienced.
Realizing this, Yoriichi tightened his grip on his sword.
"Let''s go."
A voice filled with unprecedented fighting intent came from Yoriichi''s mouth.
Instead of responding with words, Riezel raised his sword, cracked the ground beneath him, and charged at Yoriichi with zing mes.
And so, their two ming swords shed again, causing reddish mes to continue blooming on the mountaintop again.
===
*ng!* *Cling!* *ng!* *Cling!*
*ng!* *Cling!* *ng!* *Cling!*
At this moment, not only did the sound of metal colliding echo through the air countless times, but the reddish mes had also spread across the mountaintop, turning it scorching hot and charred ck.
Riezel and Yoriichi continued their battle amid the mes, shing with fiery strikes and creating dazzling bursts of light, as if they felt no fatigue, maintaining their fierce offense and defense.
In this battle, the sword forms of Sun Breathing had been unleashed countless times by the two of them, causing the sun''s mes to collide violently, altering the terrain and gradually turning the area into a sea of mes.
At this point, their battle had been ongoing for more than ten hours.
If this were the present world, it would certainly be dark by now, the sun would have long since set.
However, since this was a dream and not the present world, even after more than ten hours, the sun remained high in the sky, glowing brilliantly from its zenith, not moving an inch.
*BOOM!*
A thunderous roar erupted, and the explosion once again forced the two swordsmen apart, creating distance between them.
"Huuu..."
"Haaa..."
Riezel and Yoriichi stood facing each other, raising their swords, appearingpletely unwearied.
Riezel, who possessed the highest rank of ''Healing Power'' development ability, had nearly infinite stamina and hardly ever felt tired.
Yoriichi, thoughcking Riezel''s development ability, had a breathing style so extraordinary that as long as his breathing remained steady, he rarely felt fatigued.
In the original work, Tanjirou''s father had once said¡ªIf the breathing method is correct, you can keep dancing.
Holding onto this belief, Tanjirou''s father could dance the Kagura Dance in the snow for a day and night without feeling tired, despite his frail body.
Yoriichi was undoubtedly the same.
His mastery of Sun Breathing was so extraordinary that it allowed him to fight intensely for long periods without feeling tired.
Of course, whether tired or not, after more than ten hours of fierce battle, both Riezel and Yoriichi looked drastically different from before.
Not only were they both battered, with their clothes torn by sharp des or scorched ck by mes, but their appearance was so disheveled that it would shock anyone who knew them.
Yet, despite their ragged and scarred state, their eyes shone brightly, full of spirit.
Clearly, their fighting intent and determination had never wavered.
"You''ve caught up to me already." Yoriichi remarked with a smile.
"Yeah, finally..." Riezel responded with a smile of his own.
After hours of intensebat, Riezel had fully matched Yoriichi''s swordsmanship. Even the Transparent World, he gradually became more skilled at using it by observing Yoriichi.
Now, facing Yoriichi, he no longer found himself at a disadvantage like earlier.
However¡ª
"Even so, it will only be a stalemate at most..." Yoriichi continued. "In that case, you won''t be able to defeat me."
Indeed, Riezel was at his limit as well.
Needless to say, as the two of them had reached a perfect bnce and neither was getting tired, the fight would only end in a draw if it continued.
Consequently, there was no way to determine a clear winner.
Even if they fought for three days and nights, or even ten days and nights, it would still remain the same.
At least, Yoriichi didn''t think he would lose.
However, Riezel shook his head at Yoriichi''s words, denying it.
"No, there will be a winner... I still have one final strike left."
Upon hearing Riezel''s words, Yoriichi was slightly taken aback.
"One final strike...?" Yoriichi muttered confusedly.
Seeing his confusion, Riezel smiled faintly.
"Honestly, I''ve always felt that the thirteenth form you created doesn''t really count as a new sword form."
"For this reason, I''ve invented my own thirteenth form."
Chapter 223: Blooming Radiance
Chapter 223: Blooming Radiance
"Your own thirteenth form¡?"
Yoriichi muttered as he watched the change in Riezel''s expression.
In fact, just like Riezel had said, he had always thought that the thirteenth form he created couldn''t really be considered a new sword form. It was merely a cycle formed by the twelve forms of Sun Breathing, which anyone who could use the first twelve forms could aplish.
Given this, how could it be considered a new sword form?
For this reason, even though he created this so-called thirteenth form during his encounter with Muzan, he never named it. In his eyes, it was just an application of the twelve forms of Sun Breathing.
He had indeed considered creating a truly new sword form, but the idea was fleeting.
It couldn''t be helped.
After all, he had just finished his once-in-a-lifetime battle with Muzan, which ended with Muzan''s escape, leaving him with a lifetime of regrets.
Moreover, to make matters worse, not only had his own brother fallen and be a demon, but he had also killed the Master they had served, resulting in his banishment from the Demon yer Corps and leaving himpletely isted.From that moment on, he lived aimlessly like a wandering ronin, his life resembling that of a walking corpse.
In that kind of situation, how could he have the mind and leisure to create a new sword form?
However, the young man before him seemed to have achieved something that he never could in his lifetime.
*Click*
Under Yoriichi''s gaze, Riezel slowly sheathed his sword, cing Hermit back in its scabbard.
However, not only did the zing mes swirling around his body not extinguish, but they also became even fiercer and more intense, wrapping around Hermit at his waist.
Soon enough, as ifpressed into the scabbard, all the mes around him were absorbed into it.
Riezel lowered his body, one foot forward and the other back, assuming a charging stance. He gripped the scabbard in one hand and the sword hilt in the other.
Seeing this posture, Yoriichi immediately realized.
"Iai?"
Iai, or Iaijutsu, was the art of drawing a Japanese sword, a technique that increased the power and speed of a sh by utilizing the friction of drawing the sword to achieve a kill in one strike.
In fact, the first form of Thunder Breathing, known as the fastest and most explosive of the five fundamental breathing styles, ''Thunderp and sh'', was also an Iai technique.
At this moment, Yoriichi wondered if Riezel''s true thirteenth form could also be an Iai technique.
''I see, so that''s why he said one final strike...'' Yoriichi thought to himself.
Iai naturally involved only one strike since it aimed for an instant kill¡ªone strike to defeat the opponent and one strike to win.
Once the sword was drawn, there was only one sh.
If it failed, there were no follow-up moves.
In other words¡ª
''As long as I can block this strike, I win.''
Yoriichi immediately lowered his body and gripped his sword with both hands. At the same time, the transparent sheen in his eyes grew more intense.
At this moment, Yoriichi pushed the Transparent World to its limits.
''See through it!''
Yoriichi''s mind was consumed by this single thought, but soon enough, he felt a sudden shiver run through his body.
He realized that Riezel''s breathing intensity had suddenly risen several levels. He could feel that the air absorbed into Riezel''s lungs transformed into strength, flowing into his limbs, organs, and every cell, causing the power within his body to surge several times!
*Whoosh!*
Suddenly, as a surge of mes erupted from Riezel''s body, they flowed toward the sword at his waist, pouring into the scabbard, and making it emit a sharp whine.
Before long, the intense heat and pressure instantly exploded from Riezel''s body, sweeping in all directions like a hurricane.
"Sun Breathing - Thirteenth Form¡"
Riezel''s voice seemed toe from within the sun itself, quietly appearing.
mes burst forth, the fire crackled, and the entire world felt as though it were being dragged into the center of the sun, with violent tremors and flickering.
At this moment, in Yoriichi''s Transparent World, only a bright sun seemed to rise before him.
In the next second, a figure and burst of fire emerged from the sun, upying his entire field of vision and all his senses.
In a daze, the figure in the mes began to draw his sword.
However, not only did the sword feel as if it could evaporate everything with its searing heat, but its strike also seemed topress the sun itself into its fiery red de.
In an instant, the extreme heat, the peak sh, shed through Yoriichi''s Transparent World.
By the time Yoriichi came to his senses, the scene had changed back to the mountain, now turned into a sea of mes.
Soon, Riezel''s voice softly came from behind Yoriichi.
"Blooming Radiance..."
As Riezel''s voice fell, the burning Hermit was slowly returned to its scabbard.
*Click*
"..."
With the clicking sound of a sword meeting its scabbard, time seemed to freeze in that single moment.
Yoriichi stood in a daze for a long time, silent.
After a while, he finally parted his lips and spoke slowly.
"Well done¡"
*Crack!*
As soon as Yoriichi finished speaking, the sword in his hand broke.
If someone saw his broken sword, they would notice that the fractures were surprisingly marked with reddish burn traces.
*Splurt!*
At the same time, a gush of blood suddenly spurted from Yoriichi''s front, revealing a deep wound that extended to the bone. Not only did this wound nearly split him in two, but it also drenched his entire body in blood.
"Huff..."
Riezel exhaled the long-held breath from his lungs, standing there, unable to move any longer. Upon closer inspection, his whole body was trembling, every muscle twitching, clearly unable to continue fighting.
It couldn''t be helped.
''Sun Breathing - Thirteenth Form - Blooming Radiance'' was the thirteenth form of Sun Breathing created by Riezel, the final sword form, the strongest sword form, and the ultimate strike with only a momentary radiance.
"In that brief moment just now, you not only used Sun Breathing to strengthen your body but also took it a step further, squeezing every bit of power from your entire being and making your strength increase several times in that instant, right?"
Yoriichi, covered in blood and seemingly unaffected by pain, spoke with his back turned to Riezel.
"Yeah..."
Riezel replied without turning to look at Yoriichi¡ªor rather, he no longer had the strength to do so.
"By intensifying my breath for just a moment, I concentrated all the power I had in my body to explode at once. In this way, I could maximize my strength output, allowing me to increase my power several times in that instant."
"But after that, my body wouldn''t be able to move."
"That''s why I said I could only strike once¡ªone final strike."
Riezel developed this final strike into an Iai technique, pushing its power to the extreme.
Not only did the power unleashed in that instant increase his physical abilities several times, but it also amplified the power of Sun Breathing. Hepressed all the mes from Sun Breathing that erupted in that state into Hermit''s scabbard.
In this way, the temperature of Hermit''s de would rise again, increasing its power, and the speed of the sword draw would also be elevated to an extremely terrifying level, thanks to the force of the mes erupting from the scabbard the moment it was drawn.
Such a swift sh was surprisingly beyond theprehension of Yoriichi, who had mastered the Transparent World since childhood.
No choice.
Such a mighty sh could even cut through not just ordinary iron but even first-ss special equipment from the world of Danmachi.
Riezel''s ultimate strike,bining extreme speed and power, left no room for evasion, reaction, defense, or resistance¡ªan ultimate final strike.
It was Riezel''s thirteenth form of Sun Breathing¡ªnamed ''Blooming Radiance''.
"Perfect."
Yoriichi praised without hesitation, then felt it wasn''t enough so he added again.
"And wless..."
Clearly, to receive such praise from the founder of the breathing style himself showed how astonishing the thirteenth form of Riezel''s Sun Breathing was.
Yoriichi disyed an unprecedentedly satisfied expression.
"Seeing Sun Breathing bloom with such potential and brilliance at the end of my life, I have no regrets..."
"Blooming Radiance is indeed a very fitting name."
"You will surely use it well."
Yoriichi''s tone brightened, losing its previous calm but remaining optimistic.
"..."
Riezel fell silent for a moment, then mustered thest of his strength to turn around and bow to Yoriichi in gratitude.
"Thank you very much for fulfilling my unreasonable request till the end."
Without Yoriichi, he wouldn''t have learned Sun Breathing.
Without learning Sun Breathing, he wouldn''t have been able to evolve it and attain staggering power that spanned a level, as well as the capability to continuously strengthen himself permanently with the help of ''Total Concentration - Constant'', gaining more possibilities for growth.
As such, Riezel''s bow was expected and understandable, as it was a gesture of gratitude for Yoriichi''s help.
"No need." Yoriichi calmly shook his head. "You took on the responsibility I had unterally assigned, making up for my regrets in life. It should be me thanking you, right?"
As soon as he finished speaking, his body began to fade into a ghostly shape.
"Now, I can finally go find my wife..."
Before long, the wounds on Yoriichi''s body gradually vanished, shimmering like a mirage, swaying along with the surrounding scenery.
Seeing this, Riezel smiled faintly.
"Don''t worry, you and your wife will have a bright future."
"You''ll both reincarnate into a peaceful era and meet again, tying the knot once more."
"When that timees, you''ll surely live a safe and happy life."
"I guarantee it."
Riezel''s words were not without reason.
After all, this was what happened at the end of the original work.
"Is that so...?"
Yoriichi seemed lost in thought, his expression softening into a genuine smile of happiness as he imagined such a future.
"If it really is that way, then that would be wonderful¡"
With these words, Yoriichi finally vanished with a smile on his face.
He vanished along with the dream, slowly disappearing from Riezel''s view.
Chapter 224: Level 6
Chapter 224: Level 6
When Riezel opened his eyes, he had already woken up from his dream.
At this moment, he was in a room at a guesthouse.
Last night, he rented the guesthouse with a single golden leaf and exchanged some of it for a substantial amount of travel money.
Originally, he had nned to rest here for just one night and continue his journey at dawn, but he unexpectedly found himself dragged into a dream by Yoriichi, where they battled for several hours.
Now that several hours had passed, the real world was bright and well into the afternoon. He could also hear the faint sounds of people bustling outside.
"Ugh..."
As Riezel tried to get up, he was stopped by a wave of intense pain.
Clearly, the pain from head to toe told him that, although everything had just happened in a dream, the side effects of using ''Blooming Radiance'' did not seem to be limited to the dream alone.
Realizing this, a question arose in Riezel''s mind.''Was that really a dream?''
Even though this question was indeed thought-provoking, perhaps it wasn''t such a bad thing. At the very least, he didn''t have to worry that the several hours of fighting with Yoriichi would be considered meaningless simply because it was a dream.
Such a real experience, a real opponent, and a real battle would surely turn into valuable excelia, allowing him to take a crucial step forward.
''Let''s give it a try.''
Riezel quickly retrieved Loki''s blood from the storage space of the Dimensional Magic Cube with difficulty, then let a drop fall onto his forehead to update his status.
Soon, his new status was revealed.
...
Riezel Brynhart
Level 5
STR: SSS1303 ¡ú SSS1313
END: SSS1300 ¡ú SSS1305
DEX: SSS1385 ¡ú SSS1399
AGI: SSS1393 ¡ú SSS1407
MAG: SSS1399 ¡ú SSS1401
Lightweight: F ¡ú E
Swordsman: F ¡ú E
Mage: G
Battle Adept: I ¡ú H
...
Undoubtedly, this status update showed that Riezel''s increase in basic abilities was the lowest in history.
It couldn''t be helped.
Since Riezel had already reached the limit of his potential at Level 5, any increase in proficiency was considered a good oue.
Given this, it wasn''t surprising that each of his basic abilities had increased by only a few points¡ªor rather, it felt quite normal.
However, the proficiency for the two basic abilities, AGI and MAG, did catch Riezel a bit off guard.
''Proficiency has reached 1400, but it''s still SSS?''
Riezel thought in surprise, his eyebrows raised.
Since SS was for proficiency ranging from 1000 to 1199, he had thought SSS would be for proficiency between 1200 and 1399.
However, it seemed that SSS''s proficiency range should be from 1200 to 1499.
Before SS, the proficiency for all ranks, whether the highest S or the lowest I, was 100 per rank. It was only at SS that it increased to 200, indicating that the addition of an extra letter, from S to SS, increased the proficiency by 100.
If that was the case, then with SSS having an additional letterpared to SS, it made sense that the proficiency for this rank could increase by another 100, reaching 300.
Given this, it was understandable for Riezel''s AGI and MAG to remain at SSS, unchanged.
On the other hand, all of his development abilities, except for Mage, had advanced by one rank. It was clear that his time spent as a sparring partner for the Hashira and his decision to focus on honing his swordsmanship had not been in vain.
Nevertheless, such growth seemed trivial in the face of level up.
Riezel closed his eyes, confirming his status once more.
Now, he was certain that he had finally gained enough high-rank excelia to level up.
Shortly afterward, the blessing on Riezel''s back appeared, the sacred text flickering.
Evidently, this was the sign that he had umted enough high-rank excelia to level up.
Understanding this, Riezel instantly smiled.
''Thankfully, this dimensional travel is a sess.''
Having gained new powers and ventured into a new realm, this dimensional travel had indeed been a sess.
Without dy, Riezel immediately entered the phase of self-level-up.
First was the confirmation of development abilities.
In this level up, Riezel had met the learning conditions for several development abilities.
Aside from the development abilities already provided by his skill, such as Healing Power and Spirit Healing, Riezel could learn three new development abilities.
The first development ability was ''Healing''.
Its effect was actually pretty simple¡ªit enhanced the effects of magic rted to healing, recovery, and other restorative properties.
It was probably because he frequently used powerful healing magic like Dia Fratel that this development ability was triggered. Once learned, his healing magic effects would improve significantly.
The second development ability was ''Fire Resistance''.
As the name suggested, this development ability improved resistance to fire.
Perhaps it was because he had evolved Sun Breathing and possessed Pioneer of the Sun that this developmental ability was triggered.
The third development ability was ''Fast Attack''.
Since he had no memory of anyone possessing this development ability in the original work, it seemed to be a rare development ability that had not appeared before, like Lightweight and Battle Adept.
As for its effects, from the description, it might be rted to attack speed.
Seeing the three new development abilities, Riezel frowned.
Among the three, Fire Resistance was definitely the first to be excluded. With Pioneer of the Sun in his possession, he already had resistance to light and heat, so there was no need to waste a development ability slot on it.
Between Healing and Fast Attack, he was more inclined to choose Fast Attack.
His reason was simple.
''Even though I''m not sure about the specific effects of Fast Attack, it''s clearly another development ability forbat.''
Riezel stroked his chin, deep in thought.
''Moreover, while Healing is useful, I''m a fighter, not a healer. Since the effect of Dia Fratel is already more than enough for me, I don''t need to specialize in it.''
''Yeah, Fast Attack is definitely more suitable for me.''
After careful consideration, Riezel made his decision.
''Alright, I''ll choose Fast Attack.''
Riezel focused his thoughts and quicklypleted the level-up process.
...
Riezel Brynhart
Level 6
STR: I0
END: I0
DEX: I0
AGI: I0
MAG: I0
Lightweight: E
Swordsman: E
Mage: G
Battle Adept: H
Fast Attack: I
...
Riezel finally stepped into a whole new realm.
Level 6, a level so rare that even in Orario, fewer than ten people had reached it.
Even within the entire Loki Familia, only three members were at this level, and they were considered top-tier adventurers.
From today, Riezel was a Level 6.
===
Due to the side effects of Blooming Radiance, Riezel chose to rest an extra day in the guesthouse instead of leaving immediately.
It wasn''t until the next day that his body recovered enough to move, though there was still some lingering muscle soreness.
''Seriously, I really should find a way to improve this sword form and reduce its side effects in the future...''
Riezel thought to himself as he felt the soreness.
As powerful as Blooming Radiance was, its side effects were even scarier those that of using Ariel.
Blooming Radiance truly made him a one-strike superhuman¡ªeither his opponent died, or he did.
Knowing the side effects of Blooming Radiance were too severe, Riezel thought it might be possible to improve them.
For example, instead of draining all of his body''s strength in an instant, it could drain only about half, leaving some reserves and margin. Even though this might reduce the power of Blooming Radiance, the side effects would also be lessened.
If he faced stronger opponents who wouldn''t push him to the brink, even half the power of Blooming Radiance would be enough to deal with them. In fact, he might not need half the power¡ªjust about a tenth of it could be enough to handle most enemies who were only slightly stronger than him.
''Yeah, I can try to work on thatter...''
Riezel noted this as a future task and began testing his new power after leveling up.
As usual, after leveling up, his body once again struggled to keep up with the surge in power and became uncoordinated. With no one avable to spar with him and help him adapt to his new power, he could only adapt slowly on his own.
Fortunately, since he still had half a month left to stay in this world, he should be well-adapted before leaving if he used this time wisely.
Eventually, Riezel began experimenting with the effects of his new development ability, Fast Attack.
As he had suspected, it was a development ability rted to attack speed.
However, it didn''t actually increase the attack speed itself but rather enhanced his reflexes.
Once his reflexes improved, his reaction time and athletic ability were also enhanced.
If others could only perform one action in a second, someone with exceptional reflexes and reaction time could perform two or three actions within that same second and even change the action mid-course to another one.
Needless to say, this also resulted in increased attack speed and improvements in recognizing, reacting to, and dodging attacks.
''It''s indeed a development ability forbat...''
Riezel was quite pleased to have gained such a developmental ability.
With this developmental ability improved, perhaps someday no one would be able to avoid his attacks, and no one would be able to hit him, causing him harm.
After understanding the effects of Fast Attack and trying it out, Riezel confirmed his current power.
''Under normal circumstances, even without entering strong attack mode or fast attack mode, I wouldn''t lose to anyone in Level 6.''
Indeed, just as Riezel had surpassed the strongest Level 5, Ais, upon reaching Level 5, even though he had just reached Level 6, histent basic abilities umted from previous levels and variousbat-type development abilities ensured that his power, even in a normal state, would never be surpassed by anyone at Level 6¡ªeven by those who had reached the limit of Level 6.
Moreover, this was without entering strong attack mode or fast attack mode. If he used one of these modes, his power would be greatly enhanced once again.
Chapter 225: Second Return
Chapter 225: Second Return
Before leveling up, Riezel''s power in his normal state was roughly equivalent to lower-middle Level 6.
When he used strong attack mode, he could consistently fight opponents at a higher level, making his strength equivalent to lower-middle Level 7.
Now that he had leveled up, he could easily surpass someone at the limit of Level 6 in his normal state, rendering him invincible at this level.
Likewise, when he used strong attack mode, his ability to fight someone at a higher level allowed him to easily surpass someone at the limit of Level 7, making him invincible at this level.
What did this mean?
''I''m already stronger than Ottar¡?''
Riezel felt a slight surge of excitement.
It was worth noting that Ottar, the ultimate weapon of Orario, represented the limit of Level 7.
Aside from MAG, the rest of Ottar''s basic abilities had reached S, nearly making him an all-around S-rank adventurer.Such capability was undoubtedly the limit and pinnacle of Level 7.
Unless someone, like Riezel, could break through their limits and raise their basic abilities to SS or SSS, no one in Level 7 would surpass Ottar in status.
If Riezel could easily ovee the limit of Level 7 and be invincible at this level, wasn''t this basically like being able to effortlessly defeat Ottar and be the strongest in Orario?
''No, it''s not that easy...''
Riezel suddenly became calm, his excitement died down.
As someone familiar with the original work, Riezel knew that Ottar''s strength was not to be underestimated. He also knew that the limit of Level 7 was merely a surface-level measure of power and did not represent Ottar''s full abilities.
One must remember that Ottar also possessed magic and skills.
Considering this, Ottar''s strength was clearly far beyond what was apparent, especially since one of his skills could significantly enhance his power.
Although the nature of his magic hadn''t been revealed in the original work and Riezel didn''t know it, the skill had already been mentioned. Just this skill alone could give him power far exceeding his current level, not to mention his unknown magic.
From this perspective, iming that Riezel was already capable of easily defeating Ottar was too early.
''Not to mention Ottar, even against Finn, I might still have a chance of failing.''
Finn also possessed various types of magic and skills.
Riezel had learned one magic from Finn, so he knew well that even though Finn wasn''t Level 7, if he found himself in a tough spot, he could unleash incredible power surpassing his current level.
In the original work, only two adventurers were explicitly mentioned as capable of challenging beyond their level.
One was the protagonist of the original work, whilethe other was Ais.
The protagonist could break through the limits of his status, reaching an SSS in one basic ability before leveling up, while the other four basic abilities all reached SS. With such high proficiency in basic abilities, he managed to sessfully challenge and surpass higher-level opponents while still at Level 1 and Level 2.
Ais, on the other hand, possessed the overpowered enchant magic, Ariel, which granted her power far exceeding her current level. When using this magic, her strength became equivalent to Level 6, even though she was at the limit of Level 5.
Both of them were adventurers who could consistently fight opponents beyond their level.
However, under certain conditions, some adventurers also had the potential to challenge beyond their level.
Finn was one of them.
If pushed into a difficult situation, triggering the effect of his skill and then using the magic that Riezel also knew, Finn could likely burst forth with strength far exceeding his current level.
Perhaps this was why the Loki Familia was regarded as one of the strongest familias in Orario, alongside the Freya Familia, even though the Freya Familia had a Level 7 while the Loki Familia did not.
Moreover, Riveria, while also just Level 6, was known as the strongest mage in Orario. With the power of her magic, even Ottar might be destroyed instantly.
Of course, if they really fought, Ottar wouldn''t give Riveria the chance to release her magic and would never foolishly stand in ce to be attacked.
In short, Riezel felt it was better not to underestimate Ottar.
With Finn, the captain of the Loki Familia, still holding such trump cards, and Ottar, the captain of the Freya Familia, capable of extraordinary bursts of strength when push came to shove, Riezel knew he needed more time to grow and improve his status to surpass them with absolute certainty.
With such a thought, Riezel finally calmed down.
For now, he was confident he had nearly invincible power of Level 7, so there was no doubt about this.
It was the same in strong attack mode and fast attack mode.
In fast attack mode, his speed had already far exceeded ordinary adventurers at Level 7, reaching another realm beyond.
Unfortunately, aside from speed, his other abilities were quite average, roughly equivalent to upper Level 7, which was actually still decent.
''Whatever, let''s just focus on adapting to my current power over the next half month.''
With that, Riezel stretched his body, tidied up, and immediately left the guesthouse, embarking on his journey once more.
===
In the span of half a month, time had flown by in the blink of an eye.
During this half month, Riezel had been traveling leisurely, like a true wanderer.
He stayed wherever he went, ate wherever he was, and enjoyed rare moments of freedom and ease.
During this time, he seemed like an ordinary person¡ªso ordinary that even his sword had been stored away in the storage space of the Dimensional Magic Cube, leaving no one aware that he was a swordsman.
By now, he had mostly adapted to his current power and achieved all his objectives in this world.
In other words, he was ready to return.
At this moment, Riezel walked along a small-town street, listening to the bustling sounds of street vendors while quietly waiting for the time to return.
Soon, as the transparent cube in his mind began to spin, he finally reached the moment of return.
[The time limit has reached zero, dimensional travel is about to conclude, initiating inspection.]
[User detected possessing unique powers of this world and will return with the user after dissolving the consciousness body.]
[User detected carrying unique items of this world and can return with the user by consuming dimensional energy.]
[A list of unique items has beenpiled, please proceed with your selection.]
[1: Resurrection Medicine (5)]
[2: Hermit (4)]
[3: Ubuyashiki Family''s Jade (1)]
[4: Mechanical Doll - Yoriichi Type One (2)]
[5: Mechanical Doll - Yoriichi Type One (2)]
[6: Mechanical Doll - Yoriichi Type One (2)]
[7: ...]
And so, the familiar list of items appeared before Riezel.
As Riezel nced at it, he raised an eyebrow.
''Hermit was already assimted with the Dimensional Magic Cube thest time I finished dimensional travel, so it should be ready to use at any time, right? Why do I have to pay again?''
Riezel was initially puzzled but then realized.
''Could it be because Hermit was upgraded to first-ss special equipment?''
If that was the case, it made sense.
Before the upgrade, Hermit was merely second-ss special equipment, so when he took it out of the world of Danmachi, it consumed only dimensional energy to assimte second-ss special equipment.
However, now that Hermit had been upgraded to first-ss special equipment, it naturally required extra energy for assimtion.
If not for this, he could easily exploit it by taking unique items from a certain world and bringing them to another, mixing them with the unique materials of that world, and thus obtaining the unique materials without paying for them.
It was clear that the Dimensional Magic Cube wouldn''t have such a loophole, so for this return, Hermit needed additional dimensional energy for reassimtion.
''Four units of dimensional energy, huh? It seems like it''s ounting for the energy used in the world of Danmachi.''
Riezel remembered that thest time, assimting Hermit in the world of Danmachi had consumed only two units of dimensional energy.
As for Fool, being first-ss special equipment, it had consumed five units of dimensional energy.
Now, with Hermit upgraded to first-ss special equipment, it needed four units of dimensional energy to be taken away.
It seemed cheaper by one unitpared to Fool, but he thought it was unlikely that Hermit was inferior to Fool. In terms of power and performance, the current Hermit was certainly better than Fool.
For this reason, Riezel estimated that, including the two units of dimensional energy consumed before the upgrade, the current Hermit should be worth six units of dimensional energy.
"Not gonna lie, this is quite user-friendly..."
Riezel muttered before ncing at his remaining dimensional energy.
[Dimensional Energy: 190]
After spending half a year in the world of Demon yer, the Dimensional Magic Cube had collected a total of 180 units of dimensional energy.
He remembered that before dimensional traveling to this world, he had 40 units of dimensional energy remaining.
However, after using 30 units for the travel, he was left with 10 units.
Given this, after adding the collected 180 units of dimensional energy, his total now amounted to exactly 190 units, setting a new record.
After confirming the amount of his dimensional energy, Riezel quickly selected the items he needed to take with him.
[Resurrection Medicine (5)]
[Hermit (4)]
[Ubuyashiki Family''s Jade (1)]
Riezel used a total of ten units of dimensional energy to take these three items with him.
Originally, he wanted to take all the Yoriichi Type Ones in his possession as well, but after a moment''s thought, he realized that he could easily create these dolls himselfter.
Moreover, since taking one would require two units of dimensional energy, if he wanted to take hundreds of them, could he really afford it?
After considering it, he decided to leave the mechanical dolls behind and just take Hermit, the resurrection medicine gifted by Tamayo, and the Ubuyashiki family''s jade gifted by Kagaya.
[Dimensional Energy: 180]
Seeing his remaining dimensional energy, Riezel nodded in satisfaction and ended his selection.
[Selectionpleted, starting execution.]
[Item assimtion sessful.]
[Dimensional travel concluded, initiating the return protocol.]
In the next moment, Riezel''s body became intangible, turning transparent until it disappeared without a trace.
In the small town, people continued toe and go on the main street, caught up in the constant hustle and bustle of vendors and their calls.
However, none of them noticed Riezel''s departure, nor did they sense any anomaly.
It was as if the young man who had suddenly vanished in the middle of the street had never been there as they continued their peaceful, ordinary lives.
Chapter 226: A Change of Mind
Chapter 226: A Change of Mind
Truthfully, the second return felt no differentpared to the first one.
It was like waking from a dream, living a life previously unknown, and upon opening his eyes, he had a moment of uncertainty about whether he was in reality or another dream.
Staring at the somewhat familiar ceiling and the somewhat familiar room, Riezely quietly for a long time before finally speaking.
"Back, huh¡"
As reality gradually settled in, the dream-like sensation receded, fading with the now calm and transparent cube in his mind.
Only then did Riezel silently sit up, canceling the magic he had cast on himself called Veil Breath¡ªa green protective magic that increased the target''s resistance to physical and magical attacks.
He had used this magic on himself before the dimensional travel to ensure he had protection and wouldn''tpletely lose his defense during his journey to another world.
Now that he was back, the magic was still in effect, as if to reassure him that no one had tampered with his body while he was asleep.
Although nothing had happened to his body, it didn''t mean his body hadn''t changed at all. Whether it was the noticeably stronger power or the subtle, sun-like pulsating fiery breath, everything indicated that he had undergone another transformation, a rebirth of sorts.Moreover, such a change urred in just one day ording to this world''s time.
In a single day, Riezel had returned with newfound strength.
"Not bad..."
Riezel confirmed once again that Hermit was indeed in the storage space of the Dimensional Magic Cube. With a faint smile, he gazed at the first-ss special equipment he had created, renowned as a divine sword in another world.
After stretching his body a bit, Riezel got out of bed.
Having gone through dimensional travel, he hade to understand some things.
For this reason, he wanted to have a good chat with Yui.
===
A day felt like it had passed a long time for Riezel, who had undergone dimensional travel for six months, but for this world, it was quite brief.
At this time, the Frenzel family was still dealing with the aftermath of the War Festival.
For Riezel, the War Festival had been an event from half a year ago, but for the Frenzel family and the people of this world, it was only a couple of days ago.
At this point, the people of Undine were still chatting excitedly about the various battles that had taken ce during the festival.
Riezel himself was the hot topic of conversation, with countless people discussing him and recognizing him as a Sword Master and Tactical-ss Magician, marveling at his achievements and strength.
Marquis Phillip Charlier from the royal capital had also been here the day before, acting as a negotiator in hopes of persuading Riezel to return to the royal capital to receive ennoblement from the kingdom.
Demon Swordsman Jill Dardis, who had been wiped out on the spot by Riezel''s Dposition Magic, was now nothing but a name.
However, the defeat at the War Festival and the incident caused by the Demon Swordsman had sessfully caused Alderman, the former head of the Frenzel family and Yuri''s father, to lose hisposure.
At this moment, he was still sulking and hadn''te out of his room yet.
Under these circumstances, Riezel had already given Yuri a heads-up, so after a day, when he came out of his room, no one at the Frenzel residence found his appearance particrly strange.
As Riezel walked through the hallway, no one seemed surprised by his presence.
"Lord Riezel."
"Sir Brynhart."
Like before, the knights and servants passing by greeted Riezel with respect, bowing their heads as soon as they saw him.
Riezel had finally grown ustomed to this and no longer felt as unnatural or uneasy about it as he once did.
After all, during his six months in the world of Demon yer as the head instructor of the Demon yer Corps and an honored guest of the Ubuyashiki family, he had been treated with such respect wherever he went.
Over time, he had gotten used to it and no longer felt any inexplicable feelings about it.
Riezel nodded to those who greeted him as he made his way to Yuri''s office.
*Knock* *Knock* *Knock*
After walking for a while, Riezel finally arrived at the office door and knocked on it three times.
"Come in."
Yuri''s voice immediately came from inside the door without even asking who it was. Her tone suggested she probably thought the visitor was a subordinateing to report on the War Festival''s follow-up work.
Riezel smiled and pushed the door open, stepping into the office.
As soon as he opened the door, he saw Yuri sitting at a rather luxurious desk, holding a piece of parchment and seemingly reviewing some documents without even lifting her head.
Marilyn, standing beside Yuri, greeted Riezel as he entered.
"Mr. Riezel."
Marilyn''s greeting made Yuri lift her head.
"Oh, it''s you?"
Yuri put down the parchment, her previously cold face and demeanor melting away like snow to reveal a beautiful smile.
"I thought it was someoneing to report on the War Festival''s wrap-up."
"Well, it seems I''m interrupting you then..." Riezel nced at the pile of parchment on the desk. "Maybe I shoulde backter."
Riezel turned to leave, but Yuri stopped him.
"It''s alright, I was about to take a break anyway."
Upon hearing this, Riezel didn''t find anything wrong with Yuri''s words, but Marilyn raised an eyebrow slightly.
''A break? When did you ever say you were going to take a break? Before this man entered the room, you had been handling work with a cold face and demeanor. Aside from sleeping, you hadn''t considered taking a break even once.''
Although she thought this, Marilyn didn''t dare to say it and silently stayed by the side, acting like a statue.
Unfortunately, it seemed Yuri wasn''t nning to let her off the hook.
"Marilyn, bring the tea."
Yuri gave the order without turning around.
"...Yes."
Marilynplied and, as usual, shot a look at Riezel without a trace of emotion.
''What did I do?''
Riezel thought confusedly as he saw Marilyn''s gaze on him.
"Okay, have a seat."
Yuri pushed aside the papers on the desk, smiled at Riezel, and gestured for him to sit down.
Seeing this, Riezel had no choice but to sit.
Soon, Marilyn wheeled in a cart from the tea station by the office and served a cup of red tea to both of them.
As the steaming tea was ced in front of Riezel and Yuri, its aroma wafting up, changing their expressions.
Yuri looked rxed and content.
As for Riezel, his expression was more like he was facing a monstrous flood.
''Seriously... this tea isn''t going to be so ridiculously sweet that it melts my tongue, is it?''
As Riezel watched his tea and pondered seriously, Yuri picked up her tea, took a sip, and then spoke up.
"So, how are you? Is your injury better?"
Before the dimensional travel, Riezel had told Yuri that he would stay in his room for a day without the need to eat or drink, leading her to believe he was resting to recover from his injury.
During the War Festival, Riezel''s hand had been shed while trying to protect Yuri from Jill, after all.
However, since Yuri didn''t know that Riezel had actually healed his injury with Dia Fratel long ago, she thought he was staying in his room to recover.
As a result, upon seeing Riezel again, Yuri immediately asked about his condition.
"Nah, it''s already healed. Nothing serious." Riezel quickly brushed off the topic.
"Um, that''s good..." Yuri''s expression rxed a lot, then joked, "If something happened to you, I''d probably feel guilty for the rest of my life."
"You''re joking. It was just a sh on the hand, not like it got chopped off." Riezel smiled slightly. "Besides, you''re the savior who saved my life to begin with, so if something like that did happen, I''d dly ept that since it''d be like repaying the favor."
At his words, Yuri gave him a look of anger, clearly not liking his way of thinking.
"Since you''re fine, that''s good..." Yuri took another sip of her tea before casually asking, "What are you nning to do today? Still practicing swordsmanship in the courtyard like you used to?"
"Nope." Riezel calmly shook his head. "For now, I''ll put aside the sword stuff."
Due to mastering the ''Total Concentration - Constant'' of the evolved Sun Breathing, it could be said that he was always training, even when he was doing nothing.
As a result, there was no need to specifically practice swordsmanship to improve his status any further.
From now on, he wouldn''t need to train as desperately as he had before, and when he practiced swordsmanship, it would likely be to refine his sword techniques or the sword forms of his breathing styles rather than to improve his status.
Moreover, he had also recently gained a lot of insight from top-tier swordsmen in the world of Demon yer, so he didn''t need to worry about swordsmanship for now.
Even if he wanted to train, it would probably focus on magic, which he had rarely used in the world of Demon yer.
Nevertheless, this could also be set aside for now.
Since he had only recently reached Level 6 and his current body was just beginning to adapt, there was no need to rush into magic training.
"Is that so?"
Yuri put down her cup of red tea and smiled.
"In that case, why don''t you go check out the library here?"
At her suggestion, Riezel''s heart stirred, and even Marilyn beside her seemed to have something to say about it.
Obviously, the ''library'' Yuri referred to was no ordinary library.
She talked about the library of the Frenzel family''s main residence, which housed the entire collection of swordsmanship and magic books the family had collected since its founding.
Such a precious library, and yet Yuri offered it as casually as if she were inviting someone to check out a book after school.
Riezel knew Yuri was suggesting this for his sake.
After all, from her perspective, he had only recently dered his intention to be a Sword Saint and break away from Jinas''s influence. Seeing that he had recovered from his injury, she decided to offer him ess to the library to provide some support.
Riezel understood this well, which caused him to look at Yuri with much gentler eyes.
However, he wasn''t here for the Frenzel family''s library, nor was he here to discuss how to be a Sword Saint with Yuri.
He only wanted to say one thing.
"Yuri, I n to return to the royal capital."
Yes.
Riezel had changed his mind and intended to return to the royal capital.
Chapter 227: Lets See Who Will Laugh Last
Chapter 227: Let''s See Who Will Laugh Last
"Return to the royal capital?"
At this moment, not only Yuri but even Marilyn was stunned.
Did they hear that correctly?
Riezel nned to return to the royal capital?
Why had he suddenly changed his mind?
"Didn''t you refuse Marquis Charlier''s request yesterday, saying you wouldn''t return to the royal capital?" Yuri asked with a frown. "Why did you suddenly change your mind?"
Could it be that Riezel truly wanted to ept the noble title from the kingdom and be a noble?
It didn''t seem entirely impossible to understand when she thought about it more carefully. After all, bing a noble was something most people wouldn''t refuse.
In fact, ny-nine percent of people in this world were eager to be nobles and gain privileges, while only a tiny minority truly wished to remain ordinary.She knew that Riezel hade from the countryside to the royal capital originally to gain fame and the chance to be a noble, so refusing such an opportunity would be strange.
As Yuri lost herself in thought, Riezel spoke up.
"Actually, I''ve had a bit of a change of heart..."
Riezel calmly shook his head.
"It''s not that I want to be a noble or ept a noble title from the kingdom. I just think there''s no need to keep hiding and avoiding things anymore."
Previously, because it was his first time dealing with the nobles of this world, Riezel had always felt a natural aversion.
After all, he didn''t want to repeat the mistakes of his past life or step into that world of deceit and scheming again.
Besides, with what seemed to be an organization called the Heretic Assassin keeping a close watch on him, he decided, after careful consideration, to temporarily go with the flow and follow Yuri.
However, as it turned out, no matter what he did, when being watched by those in power with ulterior motives, whether willingly or not, he would inevitably be pulled into the whirlpool of conspiracies and schemes.
Even Jinas, who didn''t openly trouble him, might be secretly making arrangements to bind him to the kingdom and ensure his loyalty, given that he was a rare talent¡ªa Sword Master and Tactical-ss Magician.
Yuri''s suggestion to solve such a situation was to be a Sword Saint.
As long as he became a Sword Saint and possessed the power to make the royal family think twice before acting rashly, he could avoid many troubles.
Understanding this, Riezel agreed with Yuri''s suggestion.
He knew well that absolute power was the fundamental factor in making all the petty schemers back off.
Just like the Loki Familia, one of the strongest familias in Orario and even in the entire world of Danmachi, few dared to offend it.
Just like Yoriichi, a swordsman so strong that he frightened Muzan, a being who caused despair to countless people. Yoriichi''s existence became Muzan''s lifelong trauma, to the point that he hid from the world until Yoriichi''s death.
From these two examples, it was clear that if Riezel had enough power, neither Jinas nor any country on the Akasha Continent would easily ignore or plot against him due to the consequences it could bring.
However, Riezel now felt there was no need to avoid those so-called conspiracies, the royal capital, or the royal family.
In the first ce, he was originally someone who feared nothing.
Although he despised deceit and schemes, being afraid of such things was another matter entirely.
However, what was important was that during the six months of dimensional travel in the world of Demon yer, he had rediscovered his true self.
He was here to keep moving forward!
He hade this far to live freely!
No matter how many obstaclesy ahead, even if he had to face severe challenges, so what?
No matter what it was, in this new life, he couldn''t just passively go with the flow like in his past life.
He needed to use his strength to fight for the life he wanted!
For this, even if it meant death, he would have no regrets!
For this reason, Riezel had no intention of avoiding things any longer.
"If this kingdom is going to be the cage that imprisons me, then I''ll just have to break it."
Riezel spoke calmly as he gazed at Yuri.
"Royal capital... since so many people there want me to return, what''s the harm in going back?"
"Let everyonee and try."
"Let''s see who willughst."
Riezel''s deration was very calm and indifferent, yet it carried an indescribable strength, giving off a subtle sense of oppression.
"You¡"
Yuri looked at Riezel, momentarily stunned as if she were looking at an alien.
"..."
Marilyn''s eyes flickered, and her expression changed as she looked at Riezel, as if she were seeing a different person.
Both of them stared at Riezel, feeling that he seemed a bit out of ce.
It couldn''t be helped.
After all, this was the first time Riezel had shown his true nature in front of them.
If the members of the Loki Familia were here to see the current Riezel, they would simply think¡ªYeah, this is the Riezel we know.
In the eyes of the Loki Familia''s members, the man who, even in the dungeon, dared to charge fearlessly at the Crocodile Dragon while coughing up blood, who could stand up time and time again against unknown worm monsters and shed them relentlessly with his sword, was both a fierce warrior and a fearless hero¡ªthis was the Riezel Brynhart they knew.
"Tomorrow, I''ll set out to return to the royal capital." Riezel continued with a smile. "You''ll support my decision, won''t you?"
Upon hearing this, Yuri blinked her eyes in a daze and remained silent.
She was silent for a long time, not revealing her thoughts.
Riezel didn''t rush her, quietly sitting there, waiting for her response.
After a long while, Yuri sighed.
"You''ve already decided, haven''t you?" Yuri asked, seeming to make a final confirmation.
"Yup." Riezel replied briefly, not nning to say more.
"Okay..." Yuri nodded and smiled lightly. "In that case, go ahead and do it."
Upon hearing this, Riezel''s smile deepened.
"Thanks."
As Riezel''s thanks echoed in the office, the aroma and warmth of the tea filled the room, bringing a sense offort.
===
After chatting for a while, Riezel finally left.
Not wanting to disturb Yuri while she was working, Riezel only made a few casual remarks before bidding her farewell.
Yuri watched as Riezel departed, unable to focus on the stacks of parchment on her desk anymore, clearly losing interest in her work.
"Is this alright, My Lady?" Marilyn asked hesitantly. "If he returns to the royal capital, it might not be so easy for him to leave again."
"I know that..." Yuri replied expressionlessly. "But since he''s already made his decision, I have no reason to stop him."
"...Aren''t you worried, My Lady?" Marilyn asked after a pause. "From the looks of it, he seems to have no intention of epting the noble title from the kingdom. If that happens, the kingdom will definitely be unwilling to let such talent be recruited by a foreign country, which could possibly lead to irreconcble conflicts between them."
In her eyes, this situation was extremely dangerous.
After all, she didn''t believe Riezel had the capability to challenge the kingdom.
If he possessed the strength of a Sword Saint, he might still give the kingdom a run for its money with the support of the Frenzel family.
However, in her eyes, he was at most an expert Sword Master, and such swordsmen weren''t exactly rare in the royal capital.
Even if he was also a Tactical-ss Magician, so what?
Yuri was a Strategic-ss Magician, yet she too had to make somepromises in front of the kingdom.
Without enough strength, although the kingdom might show some consideration for his connection to the Frenzel family, it wouldn''t be enough to let him do whatever he wanted.
If he were to cause a major incident by ident, perhaps even the Frenzel family wouldn''t be able to protect him.
For this reason, Marilyn felt that Yuri shouldn''t let him leave. Keeping him under the protection of the Frenzel family and helping him grow would be the most beneficial approach.
However, Marilyn didn''t know that Riezel was no longerparable to the person he had been just a day ago.
Moreover, Yuri, whether consciously or unconsciously, had always indulged Riezel, so no matter what Marilyn said, it was useless.
"He is not my subordinate, Marilyn."
Yuri nced at Marilyn with a half-smile on her face.
"Do you, like others, see him as one of my people?"
Marilyn lowered her head and said nothing.
However, if she were to be honest, she actually thought that way.
After all, Riezel was not only a Sword Master but also a Tactical-ss Magician.
Such a valuable talent, and yet her master had gotten to him first, establishing a good rtionship. With such advantageous conditions, not pulling him into the Frenzel family and bringing him closer would be a waste.
She even wondered if her master was treating Riezel as a lover to support and nurture. She knew her master''s temperament very well, so she just couldn''t imagine her master marrying anyone of noble standing in the future.
In her understanding, if her master wanted to marry, she would find a man she liked on her own before bringing him home and nurturing him to be her ideal partner, thus ending her single life and starting a family.
With this thought in mind, Marilyn naturallyconsidered Riezel to be her master''s person. Even if he wasn''t a subordinate, he was a man raised by her master''s own hands¡ªdefinitely a worthwhile investment, even though she was still quite annoyed by the notion.
Yuri, unaware of Marilyn''s thoughts, continued to speak.
"He''s my only friend... I don''t want him to be mine or anything." Yuri''s expression was calm. "Besides, with his personality, once he''s made up his mind, he won''tpromise even if I try to stop him."
Anyone who saw Riezel''s expression earlier would understand what she meant.
His eyes, burning with an endless me as if to scorch away all obstacles, were impossible to hide, even though his expression seemed calm and indifferent.
Yuri felt that this seeminglyposed and steady young man harbored a beast within him, and she didn''t want to stand in its way when it was about to be unleashed for fear of being devoured in the process.
"Go prepare the carriage and the ship."
Yuri made the decision and gave the order.
"Tomorrow, we will set off with him."
Yuri''s decisive order left no room for Marilyn''s forting objections.
"...Yes."
In the end, Marilyn could onlyply obediently and sighed to herself.
''Looks like the royal capital is about to go into chaos...''
Chapter 228: Journey Back to the Royal Capital
Chapter 228: Journey Back to the Royal Capital
The next morning, at dawn.
When Riezel arrived at the gate of the Frenzel main residence, not only was the carriage ready for departure, but a line of fully armed knights was also neatly arranged, prepared to set off at any moment.
Yuri and Marilyn had even arrived at the gate before him, apanied by Ain and Ian, engaging in some conversation.
Seeing this, Riezel paused briefly, sighed after a moment, and continued to walk forward.
"Good morning, Riezel."
Yuri spotted Riezel''s arrival and greeted him with a light smile.
Meanwhile, Marilyn, Ain, Ian, and the knights around them all promptly bowed to Riezel in unison.
Riezel responded with a nod and then approached Yuri.
"You know, I was nning to return alone..." Riezel sighed slightly.Seeing the current situation, he knew full well that she intended to apany him.
"I know." Yuri lifted her gaze, looking straight into his eyes. "But I''m not at ease if you''re alone."
Being uneasy meant being uneasy¡ªshe wasn''t nning to beat around the bush, so she stated her thoughts directly.
"You''re underestimating me..." Riezel said with a calm smile. "Anyway, it''s not easy to get back home and leave the royal capital. You could stay home a while longer."
He knew Yuri never really liked returning to the royal capital, so he didn''t want to drag this youngdy into a mess because of his own decision.
"Besides, you still need to handle the aftermath of the War Festival, the follow-up with the Demon Swordsman, and the territory management, right?" Riezel continued. "With your father in his current state, he definitely can''t manage these things. Is it really okay for you to leave?"
"Don''t worry." Yuri calmly shook her head. "My family isn''tpletely without support. I''ve arranged everything, so you don''t need to worry about them."
Riezel was about to say something more but was interrupted by Yuri.
"Alright, let''s settle it this way." Yuri nodded. "Since you dare to face it, why should I avoid it? If we''re going back, then let''s go together."
Upon hearing this, Riezel had nothing more to say andcould only nod in understanding.
As the group prepared to get into the carriage and leave the Frenzel main residence, two people suddenly came to see them off.
"Elder Sister! Mr. Riezel!"
"Elder Sister Yuri!"
With these two voices, a boy and a girl ran out of the manor.
It was none other than Mediste and Isaac.
"What are you doing here?"
Yuri stopped and turned around, looking at her younger brother and sister before quickly approaching them.
Riezel also stepped forward, approaching the two siblings.
Apparently, the siblings seemed to have just learned about Riezel and Yuri''s ns to return to the royal capital, so they ran in a hurry and looked out of breath.
"Why are you suddenly going back to the royal capital?" Isaac protested. "I thought you guys weren''t going back!"
Mediste nodded along while sneakily ncing at Riezel.
Strangely, when Riezel noticed Mediste''s gaze, her face turned faintly red before she quickly looked away.
"Well, the ns have changed." Yuri didn''t exin much to her younger siblings but just patted their heads. "Sorry, you''ll have to manage things at home for a while. You need to be obedient, okay?"
"How about Ie with you to the royal capital?"
Isaac''s eyes darted around for a moment as if he were thinking of something before immediately making this suggestion.
"Isaac! Don''t be a nuisance to Elder Sister and Mr. Riezel!"
Mediste furrowed her brows and quickly scolded Isaac.
"It doesn''t matter, right?" Isaac pouted, clearly displeased. "I haven''t been to the royal capital in a long time, and thest time I went, I was only six years old. It''s been two years since then..."
"I haven''t been to the royal capital in three years, but do you hear meining?" Mediste shook her head. "Elder Sister and Mr. Riezel are going there on business, not for leisure. You''d just be a troublemaker."
"But¡ Father is in that condition, and after the War Festival, Elder Brother just disappeared..." Isaac mumbled, his expression downcast. "Now that Elder Sister Yuri is leaving too, doesn''t that mean it''s just me and Elder Sister Mediste left at home?"
"..."
Mediste fell silent.
Riezel looked at the pair of siblings and suddenly felt that they seemed quite pitiful.
It was clear that their father, Alderman, was ipetent when it came to family. Not only now but even before, he hadn''t really cared about the daily lives of his children.
Sefaz was always out and about, furtively engaged in who knows what, never home¡ªclearly not doing his part as the eldest sibling well.
Since Yuri became the Chief Court Magician, she frequently had to stay in the royal capital to handle affairs.
Moreover, the eldest daughter, who was the second child of the Frenzel family, had left for her mother''s family because of their terrible father and hadn''t been back for years.
As a result, Mediste and Isaac, this pair of siblings, had be isted, often left alone at home, only able to keeppany with knights, guards, and servants.
It was only natural for them to feel lonely.
''No wonder Mediste looks so mature for her age, while the youngest one is always causing trouble. It seems this loneliness has shaped their characters, huh...'' Riezel mused silently.
Yuri looked especially guilty, not knowing what to say for a moment.
Seeing this, Riezel thought for a moment and decided to make the decision for Yuri.
"Actually, bringing them along wouldn''t be a problem, right?"
Riezel''s sudden words surprised Yuri and caught the attention of Mediste and Isaac.
"You know, we''re not going to battle or anything." Riezel smiled slightly. "Since something so big happenedst time, it''s unlikely that any suchwless behavior will ur again in the short term. It shouldn''t be a problem for Mediste and Isaac to stay in the royal capital for a while, right?"
"Uhh¡" Yuri hesitated.
However, her hesitation immediately gave Mediste and Isaac hope.
"We promise we''ll be good and won''t cause any trouble!" Isaac immediately raised his hand to vow.
Mediste, aiming to maintain her mature image andposure, didn''t act as childishly as Isaac, but her hopeful look still softened Yuri''s heart.
"Hahh¡ alright."
After thinking for a moment, Yuri eventually agreed.
"Yay!"
Isaac cheered, and Mediste had a beaming smile on her face, clearly delighted.
"Done? Let''s get going then." Riezel smiled subtly.
With that, Riezel, Yuri, and Marilyn led the cheerful Isaac and Mediste into the carriage, while Ian and Ain took their ces in the driver''s seat as always before driving off.
As the carriage headed down the main road, the knights lined up behind it began to move, trailing after the carriage in an orderly manner and creating a loud, rhythmic sound of footsteps.
And so, Riezel and Yuri finally set off on their journey back to the royal capital.
Ultimately, news of their departure spread rapidly, reaching not only various people but also making its way back to the royal capital.
===
It took about four days to travel from Undine in the Frenzel territory to the royal capital, Yeluvia.
During these four days, three were spent traveling by water, from Undine to Trantia by ship, and one day was spent traveling ovend, from Trantia to Yeluvia by carriage.
Earlier, Riezel and the others had left the royal capital in the same way to reach the Frenzel territory, and naturally, they were returning to the royal capital in the same manner.
It had been less than half a month since Riezel and Yurist left the royal capital, and now they had returned once more.
Evidently, this surprised everyone.
No one expected Riezel and Yuri to return so quickly after leaving the royal capital amidst the previousmotion.
However, for some, their return was undoubtedly a good thing.
As a result, when a luxurious carriage bearing the crest of the Frenzel family and leading a knightly order appeared grandly at the city gate of the royal capital, a carriage emerged from the city to wee Riezel and Yuri.
Ain and Ian, who were driving the carriage, were the first to notice it.
They exchanged surprised nces before quickly reporting to the carriage.
"My Lady, there''s a carriage with the crest of the Charlier family stopped up ahead."
Ian''s announcement caused the conversation inside the carriage to cease.
"Let''s go greet them."
Yuri''s voice came from inside, prompting Ain and Ian to move the carriage forward without hesitation.
Meanwhile, on the Charlier family''s carriage, two familiar faces who had recently visited the Frenzel family disembarked.
Who else but Phillip and his attendant Glimann?
Apanied by arge group of guards, they approached the carriage where Riezel and the others were.
Riezel and Yuri immediately got out of their carriage and met Phillip.
"Good to see you again, Marquis Charlier." Yuri greeted with a graceful bow.
"Oh, good to see you again, Marquis Frenzel." Phillip returned the gesture with a wry smile. "You two just declined my invitation to return to the capital, and now you''re suddenly back¡ªit''s quite puzzling, honestly."
"It''s just a sudden change of ns..." Yuri said without changing her expression. "We have some matters to handle here, so we apologize for any inconvenience."
"No, it''s fine. It''s good that you two are back." Phillip''s earlier bitterness disappeared, reced by a genuine smile. "Since you two are back, my earlier task wasn''t a failure then."
In the next second, as if he had remembered something, Phillip informed Yuri of it.
"By the way, your mansion has been rebuilt with the assistance of the court magician sent by the pce. Are you going to head there first, or...?"
Phillip''s question was met with a prompt response.
"I''ll head there first." Yuri replied lightly. "Since my younger siblings havee along and the mansion needs time to settle, as it''s newly rebuilt, we''re really sorry that we can''t host you, Marquis Charlier."
"Understood." Phillip nodded understandingly. "In that case, I won''t disturb you. Speaking of which, the pce should issue a summons soon, so you can go there then."
Yuri nodded and said no more.
Phillip smiled at Riezel and, along with Glimann and his guards, left.
Riezel watched them silently, deep in thought.
"Let''s go. We''ll head back to the Frenzel residence first."
Yuri turned her head toward Riezel as she spoke, breaking his train of thought.
"Yeah."
Riezel nodded casually and followed Yuri back into the carriage.
Soon, the Frenzel family''s carriage was once again on its way, entering the royal capital and heading toward their secondary residence.
However, with Riezel''s return, the brief period of calm in the royal capital had finally ended.
Chapter 229: Two Major Factions
Chapter 229: Two Major Factions
One had to admit that magic was truly a miracle, especially when it came to Structure System Magic, which could create materials out of nothing.
In many ways, it touched upon the realm of the divine.
With such magic at y, a luxurious mansion, which had recently been thoroughly burned down, was rebuilt in less than half a month, and it was even identical to the original, without a single difference.
If this wasn''t considered a miracle, then what could be?
When Riezel and the others returned to the Frenzel family''s secondary residence in the royal capital, they found no differencespared to before, even the furniture had been perfectly restored.
As a result, they didn''t need much time to adapt and quickly settled in.
However, there were still some changes in various aspects.
For example, this time Yuri didn''t ce the apanying knightly order in the royal capital''s training field but had Ain and Ian station them directly at the residence instead.
Another example was that Yuri no longer used the magic defense of the court magician but designed her own, working tirelessly to make significant modifications to it.Additionally, the servants and guards recalled by the Frenzel family were under a certain level of surveince. Ain, Ian, and the knights always kept an eye on them, ensuring that incidents of epting bribes from others, as had happened before, no longer urred.
All of these were changes that only perceptive individuals might notice, subtle yet significant.
Mediste and Isaac, however, didn''t notice anything amiss and curiously explored the entire residence, moving about as if they were on vacation.
Yuri had no intention of revealing her and Riezel''s matters to her younger siblings, so she arranged for them to be apanied and entertained by the servants. However, if they wanted to go out, they had to get her approval first.
Riezel noticed that since their return to the royal capital, the Frenzel family''s secondary residence seemed livelier than before.
Clearly, this wasn''t only due to the hundred knights stationed directly at the residence but also because many nobles began to visit one after another.
Over the past few days, luxurious carriages bearing noble family crests had continuously entered the residence to meet Yuri.
Riezel also received many letters from the servant, all from major nobles in the royal capital.
Some were greetings, seemingly aimed at building a good rtionship with him, while others subtly expressed a desire to meet and discuss something, which was quite obvious in its intentions.
After all, Riezel''s fame in the royal capital was now on par with Yuri''s. His dual identities as a Sword Master and Tactical-ss Magician led many to believe he would soon rise to the status of a major noble himself.
As a result, whether it was to build good rtions or to win him over, the nobles in the royal capital were eager to take action.
Riezel even received a letter from his ''dear friend'', Archie.
Archie''s letter was filled with joy as if he were greeting a long-lost friend. One might think he regarded Riezel as a close friend, if not for the constant inquiries about when they could meet and his hints that he needed Riezel''s help with something.
Later, Riezel learned from Yuri that Archie seemed to have drawn considerable attention from his family because of him.
Archie''s father had originally intended to make his eldest son the heir, but after Archie revealed his ''friendship'' with Riezel, his father appeared to be having second thoughts.
Given this situation, it was easy to guess what Archie might want Riezel''s help with.
Understanding this, Riezel obviously chose to ignore Archie and had no intention of sending a reply. Even so, to his surprise, apart from Archie, someone else from Riezel''s small group also sent him a letter.
It was none other than Carrera Elliott, the object of the original Riezel''s admiration¡ªor rather, the original Riezel''s crush.
As the only youngdy in the small group with a status and background equal to Archie''s, Carrera had previously shown disinterest in Riezel, not being very warm toward him. Yet now she had sent a letter inviting him for a cup of tea if he had time.
Carrera''s sudden change of attitude made Riezel furrow his brows, reminding him of a previous conversation with Yuri that had taken ce before they arrived at the royal capital, Yeluvia.
===
At that time, Riezel and the others had already disembarked from the ship and were riding in a carriage, leaving Trantia behind as they headed toward Yeluvia.
Since the three-day ship journey had left Mediste and Isaac utterly exhausted, they had fallen asleep in Marilyn''s embrace.
Riezel, on the other hand, was chatting with Yuri.
As they chatted, Yuri eventually began to discuss the current state of Jinas.
"Actually, the royal family''s situation isn''t all that great right now."
Yuri suddenly revealed this fact to Riezel.
Perhaps it was because they were approaching the royal capital, or perhaps because she knew Riezel would be involved with these matterster, Yuri decided to bring it up.
"Why''s that?" Riezel asked, puzzled.
In response, Yuri began to exin in detail.
"In Jinas, there are essentially two major factions right now."
"One is the Royal Faction, led by the current members of the royal family."
"While the other is the Duke Faction, led by a certain duke."
ording to Yuri, the current king of Jinas and this certain duke were blood brothers.
In the past, after the death of the previous king, who was their father, they entered a period of rivalry for the throne.
In the end, the current king emerged victorious and imed the throne, causing the duke to lose his chance to be king.
As a result, the duke was then made a duke and given a new surname, Cordelion, leaving behind the surname Jinas.
From there on, the conflict between the king and the duke began.
"Duke Cordelion has never been able to ept his defeat. He always thinks he''s just as good as his elder brother and that he only lost because his brother was born as the crown prince and the eldest son. Since his own session rights were a bit weaker, his elder brother ended up taking the throne."
"Actually, the king is also aware of his younger brother''s dissatisfaction, so to prevent him from rebelling and usurping the throne, he has been secretly suppressing the development of the Cordelion family and keeping Duke Cordelion in check."
"Although there hasn''t been any apparent conflict between them, the rivalry has continued in the shadows to this day."
"Originally, this wouldn''t have caused the kingdom to split into two factions because Duke Cordelion never had the opportunity to develop his power and influence, but it changed after his children started to grow up..."
Yuri told Riezel that Duke Cordelion had two children.
The first child was a son named Sergius Cordelion, who was twenty-two years old.
The second child was a daughter named Serena Cordelion, who was seventeen years old.
Although Duke Cordelion had only two children, making his children rtively fewpared to those of the other nobles, their achievements were exceptional.
Sergius, from childhood, had diligently practiced swordsmanship, showing exceptional talent and effort. At thirteen, he received the Sword Master Medal, bing the youngest Sword Master in the kingdom.
When he turned fifteen, Duke Cordelion handed over control of the Cordelion family''s knightly order to him. Surprisingly, this knightly order, with about a thousand members, was eventually transformed into one of the best knightly orders in the kingdom under his guidance.
Not only did this knightly order have several Sword Masters, but it also included a Sword Saint, said to have been personally recruited by Sergius.
Serena, on the other hand, had demonstrated exceptional talent in magic from a young age. By fourteen, she had developed Tactical-ss Magic on her own, bing a Tactical-ss Magician.
Like Yuri, she graduated early from Spriller Academy.
Needless to say, these siblings were not only exceptionally talented but also incredibly hardworking, excelling in all aspects, including strength, achievements, knowledge, and character.
They were famous for their excellence throughout Jinas.
"Looking at the current generation of the royal family, they all fall shortpared to the Cordelion siblings."
Unlike the duke, the king had many children.
Unfortunately, among these children, only four were rtively well-known.
Among these four, one princess was still very young and would be set aside for now, but the other three princes had made a name for themselves, albeit in less favorable ways.
"Crown Prince Reinhard has been frail and sickly since childhood, unable to practice swordsmanship andcking any talent in magic. He was neglected in the pce but, through self-study, gained considerable knowledge. Later, he discovered many errors in magic studies, and after publishing his findings, he quickly gained the attention of Spriller Academy and eventually became a professor of modern magic there."
"Third Prince Sorren possesses outstanding swordsmanship and earned the Sword Master Medal at the age of fifteen, but he is known for his brutal and vicious nature. He also has suppressed many nobles for his own gain, making him the most notorious royal family member."
"Seventh Prince Benedict is a rare magician in the royal family with pretty good talent. Although he didn''t quite make it to a Tactical-ss Magician, he''s got fourth-grade magicpatibility in both Transformation and Control Systems. He was once highly praised, but his timid and cowardly nature, along with his weaknesses, really disappointed the king, who ended up being cold toward him."
From Yuri''s exnation, all three princes had their displeasing aspects.
"Many nobles in the kingdom believe that the royal family members represented by these three princes haven''t lived up to what''s expected of the kingdom''s next generation. As a result, many of them have decided to side with Duke Cordelion."
As a royal rtive, Duke Cordelion carried the royal bloodline and had a im to the throne.
After all, he was originally a prince before bing a duke, being a direct brother of the current king. With such a strong royal bloodline, his children, Sergius and Serena, held a very high position in the line of session.
Because of this, many nobles in Jinas had been thoroughly divided into two factions¡ªone led by the current royal family and one led by the duke.
Of course, there were also many neutral nobles who had not yet decided or had yet to choose a side.
"Until now, my family still hasn''t picked a side."
At this point, Yuri looked at Riezel and spoke with a somewhat meaningful tone.
"By the way, one of your friends seems to be from the Elliott family, right?"
Yuri was obviously referring to Carrera Elliott.
"You know, the Elliott family is actually part of the Duke Faction, serving as a vassal to the Cordelion family."
"Carrera Elliott used to be friends with Serena Cordelion at Spriller Academy. Even though Serena has already graduated, Carrera still keeps in touch with her about academy stuff and helps her out."
"Well, it seems like your friend is not simple, huh?"
Yuri''s words,ced with a hint of a smile, made Riezel furrow his brow deeply.
Chapter 230: True Culprit
Chapter 230: True Culprit
Riezel''s impression of Carrera was neither particrly good nor particrly bad.
In the original Riezel''s small group, Carrera had always been around, but she maintained a somewhat distant rtionship with everyone, spending most of her time with her little follower, Sylvanie.
Aside from that, she didn''t show any special closeness or detachment toward anyone else.
Regarding this, the original Riezel''s fondness for her was also quite apparent, at least to Riezel, who believed that she couldn''t have missed it.
Nevertheless, Carrera did not treat the original Riezel any differently.
She did not deliberately distance herself from him or warm up to him and remained as distant as ever, treating him like he was just another person, no different from anyone else.
For this reason, Riezel''s impression of Carrera was not entirely negative and he merely found her presence to be asionally strong and sometimes weak.
As Riezel recalled the original Riezel''s memories, it now seemed that this daughter of the Elliott family was indeed not as simple as Yuri had said.
In this situation, Yuri revealed something surprising to Riezel."Actually, the assassination attempts you encountered before might not be rted to the Heretic Assassin, but to Carrera Elliott."
Yuri''s sudden revtion made Riezel narrow his eyes.
"What do you mean?"
Riezel looked at Yuri, his expression now much more serious than before.
Seeing this, Yuri hesitated for a moment before finally deciding to tell him something she had previously kept hidden.
"When you went out with Ain and Ian, you were attacked, right? We investigated, and it turns out the attackers were the Shadow Knights directly under the royal family."
From Yuri''s exnation, Riezel learned that the so-called ''Shadow Knights'' were members of the ''Shadow'', a secret assassination unit directly affiliated with the royal family of Jinas and were responsible for handling the royal family''s dirty work.
From this, it was clear that the attackers who ambushed Riezel, Ian, and Ain and were ultimately killed by him were actually the Shadow Knights and not people from the Heretic Assassin.
"So, you''re saying someone in the royal family is targeting me? Why though?" Riezel asked with a puzzled tone.
At that time, the original Riezel was seen as just a magic student and novice magician from the countryside. Although talented, he was still a nobody and unremarkable. Given that he had only been hanging out with Archie and the others, it seemed unlikely that he would provoke the royal family out of nowhere to the extent that they would send someone specifically to deal with him.
"Wait, you mean my encounter with those attackers is rted to Carrera Elliott? Does that mean the royal family is upset about how close I am to the Duke Faction?"
Riezel pieced the facts together.
"Exactly."
Yuri calmly nodded.
"I''ve investigated this and found the reason."
ording to her, arge-scale conflict had recently urred between the Royal Faction and the Duke Faction.
It turned out that the origin of this conflict was the infamous third prince¡ªSorren Jinas.
"Prince Sorren believes that no one among the current royal family members can rival him and that there will be no other candidate for the next king besides himself." Yuri exined. "However, a significant portion of the kingdom''s nobility has chosen to support the Duke Faction, believing that the next king should be Sergius Cordelion."
In fact, the Cordelion siblings were even more famous in Jinas than their father.
Many supporters of the Duke Faction chose to back not Duke Cordelion himself, but his son, Sergius Cordelion.
Especially since Sergius had also recruited a Sword Saint to join their family, this development had be a major turning point, leading many to believe he would make a great king.
As a result, during that time, Sergius had be a prominent figure, admired and highly regarded by bothmoners and nobles.
Thanks to this, the Duke Faction went to great lengths to promote Sergius, leading arge portion of the nobles to believe he would be the best choice for the next king.
However, how could the third prince, who viewed the throne as his personal possession, ignore this?
"Ever since then, Prince Sorren saw Sergius as a thorn in his side. And thanks to his violent temperament, he frequently targeted Sergius, even publicly insulting him in front of the nobles to humiliate him."
As Yuri said this, her lips curled into a sarcastic smile.
"Unfortunately, he underestimated Sergius. In the end, not only did he fail to insult him, but Sergius even taught him a lesson in front of all the nobles. I heard he even lost a front tooth."
Obviously, this was a ssic case of a young master getting a taste of his own medicine, as seen in typical Chinese novels.
To Riezel, he could only say that the so-called third prince truly deserved it.
Even so, because of this incident, Sorren harbored a deep hatred for Sergius.
"Afterward, Prince Sorren lost control like a mad dog, relentlessly targeting Sergius and the Cordelion family, sparing no one, not even their vassals or anyone rted to the Duke Faction."
Until this point, Yuri''s expression had turned serious as she gazed at Riezel.
"I believe the reason you were targeted and attacked by the Shadow Knights might be because of this."
In other words, that mad-dog-like third prince, in his obsession with targeting Sergius and the Cordelion family, was willing to destroy anything beneficial to them.
Unfortunately for Riezel, being a rare talent who might be a Tactical-ss Magician and being close to the daughter of the Elliott family, a vassal of the Cordelion family, made him a target.
"During that time, it wasn''t just you. Many people directly rted to the Cordelion family were targeted, and even those with indirect connections weren''t spared, turning the entire royal capital into total chaos."
Yuri shook her head helplessly.
"However, when you were first attacked and nearly killed, which was the time I saved you, I''m still not sure if it was Prince Sorren behind it."
And so, from that point on, the truth became clearer.
Initially, Yuri hadn''t suspected the Shadow or the third prince, believing it was the Heretic Assassin who had targeted Riezel. After all, the Frenzel family was among the few noble families without a clear stance, so their information was rtively outdated, preventing them from learning about the conflict between the two major factions in time.
Needless to say, it wasn''t her fault.
Moreover, she wasn''t a fan of the royal family or nobles in general, so even if she noticed some signs, she might have ignored them. Since the conflict didn''t directly affect her, she adopted an indifferent attitude, remaining a cold observer.
It wasn''t until Riezel was attacked a second time and Ain and Ian noticed the involvement of the Shadow that Yuri realized the culprit was likely not the Heretic Assassin but the third prince.
Riezel had been caught in the crossfire, angered by the crazy prince''s violent personality.
Clearly, the third prince might not have even known Riezel personally; he was merely targeting everything rted to the Cordelion family.
It was precisely because of this that, after learning of it, Yuri quickly went straight to the royal pce to report the matter to the king directly.
As a result, the king flew into a rage, not only grounding all the princes and princesses but also stripping the third prince of his authority over the Shadow.
With that, the situation was somewhat resolved.
"..."
With the whole story clear, Riezel closed his eyes and began pondering.
''Third Prince Sorren Jinas, huh...? So, this guy is the true culprit?''
He finally knew who he should hold ountable.
Yuri then offered a bit of advice.
"After returning to the royal capital, people from both factions might try to make contact with you."
"Some will try to win you over, some will want to build a good rtionship with you, but others might have ill intentions."
"You''d better not get too close to either of these factions, or you might get caught up in their struggles again."
Yuri''s advice was clear, but Riezel made no response.
At this moment, he was aware of what needed to be done.
===
Recalling the conversation he had with Yuri in the carriage at that time, Riezel looked at the letter in his hand again.
After a moment of contemtion, he set it aside on the magicmp, lit it, and burned it.
"No matter what you''re scheming, this time¡"
Riezel smirked, his gaze unusually cold and indifferent.
Afterward, he treated the matter as if it had never happened and handed all the remaining letters to the servant. Although many of the letters were simply greetings from those wanting to make a good impression on him, he had no intention of responding.
If they knew he had no ns to be a noble, they likely wouldn''t want to associate with him afterward.
Of course, this was uncertain since his refusal to be a noble didn''t mean he would fade away among the crowd.
"Sword Saint¡"
A faint whisper echoed in the room, quickly fading away.
===
Quickly, two days passed.
During these two days, everything in the Frenzel residence was arranged, from the stationing of the knightly order to the modifications of the magic defense, allpleted through the efforts of Yuri, Marilyn, and others.
Eventually, the number of visitors to the Frenzel residence decreased, no longer as numerous as before.
On this day, Riezel and Yuri finally received the royal pce''s summons.
"Let''s go."
Inside the top-floor office of the mansion, Yuri approached Riezel and presented an invitation letter.
"We''re heading to the pce together. Are you ready?"
Yuri asked calmly, looking straight at Riezel''s eyes.
In response, Riezel gave a faint smile.
"Yeah, let''s go."
With that, Riezel led the way out of the office, while Yuri, apanied by Marilyn, followed him silently.
Before long, a carriage departed from the Frenzel residence, heading to the royal pce.
Chapter 231: Light of Heaven
Chapter 231: Light of Heaven
Yeluvia, Royal Pce.
It was a white castle located in the heart of the royal capital.
As Riezel saw the castle, he had to admit that it was more magnificent and towering than any building he had ever seen. It also had a sense of solemnity that didn''t quite match his idea of a building called a ''royal pce''.
In Riezel''s impression, a royal pce should be a glorious and luxurious building, but this castle, rather than being glorious and luxurious, had a more inorganic feel, somewhat simr to a steel fortress.
Sitting in the Frenzel family''s carriage, Riezel observed the castle through the window while making a small chat with Yuri.
"Oh, and here."
Yuri suddenly handed Riezel an object.
It was a medal.
It featured an engraved sword that seemed designed to be pinned to the chest, and its material was not ordinary metal but appeared to be a rare magic metal."What''s this?" Riezel asked while examining the medal.
"It''s a Sword Master Medal." Yuri answered with a smile.
"Sword Master Medal?" Riezel was taken aback at first, then asked in surprise. "Is this really the Sword Master Medal? You''re giving it to me directly just like this?"
One should know that the Sword Master Medal was a symbol of a Sword Master, a coveted honor pursued by countless swordsmen. Apart from Sword Saints, Sword Masters were the most respected and revered swordsmen on the continent.
Not only were Sword Masters the highest quality attendants that most magicians desired, but kingdoms and major nobles also regarded them as top-tier talent and essentialbatants.
Many factions even wished to recruit a Sword Master but were unable to do so.
Just look at Yuri, as a Strategic-ss Magician, she had only Marilyn, Ain, and Ian as Sword Master attendants.
From this, it was already impressive to have even one.
As a result, many novice swordsmen set bing a Sword Master as their primary goal, with some even making it their life''s aim. They trained diligently in swordsmanship to earn this honor.
Including Sergius and Sorren, as mentioned earlier, their most significant life goal was to earn the Sword Master Medal and be a Sword Master.
It was easy to see how precious the medal was.
Moreover, since bing a Sword Saint was truly difficult, as evidenced by their small numbers, achieving the status of Sword Master was already considered the ultimate goal for many swordsmen.
Yet, Yuri was handing the Sword Master Medal directly to Riezel in a casual manner.
"Is this really okay?" Riezel asked with concern.
"Why not?" Yuri replied calmly. "You''re already a recognized Sword Master. Given that, awarding you this medal is only natural, right?"
Other than the king himself, the Sword Master Medal could only be issued by the lords of great territories. As long as a lord recognized the recipient as having the strength of a Sword Master, they could award the medal.
Yuri, as Marquis Frenzel and the lord of the Frenzel territory, naturally had the authority to issue the Sword Master Medal.
Of course, this wasn''t something to be handed out casually.
If it was awarded andter discovered that the recipient did not possess the required qualifications, not only would the recipient be penalized, but the lord who issued it would also be held ountable.
However, since Riezel had already been acknowledged as possessing the strength of a Sword Master in the War Festival, Yuri could freely award him the medal without worry.
"Just put it on for now."
Yuri continued before exining.
"Remember, to be a Sword Saint, the main things you need are the Sword Master Medal and the status of Sword Master. Not only does this medal act as proof, but it''s also a symbol of honor."
"It''s actually nothingplicated, really... In brief, just wear it, and it''ll shut a lot of people up."
Upon hearing Yuri''s exnation, Riezel thought for a moment, then nodded and put on the medal.
Seeing him wear the medal, Yuri began to exin further.
"Since this summons was arranged by the king himself, his purpose is quite simple."
"First, to check on my condition, and second, to confer a noble title upon you, making you a noble of Jinas."
Yuri''s expression grew serious.
"I know you might want to refuse, and since this will be in a public setting, the king won''t take any action against you because of it. In fact, considering various factors, he might even choose to step back."
She believed that with her there, the king would definitely not press Riezel too hard.
Moreover, with the Duke Faction''s eyes keenly fixed on his throne, the king also had to worry about whether pushing Riezel too far might lead him to ally with the Duke Faction and oppose the Royal Faction.
Additionally, considering Riezel''s own value as a Sword Master and Tactical-ss Magician, the king would certainly not want to offend such a talent easily.
"If you insist on refusing, the king will likelypromise with the title of honorary noble, making you a nominal part of Jinas."
It was clear that the honorary noble Yuri mentioned was a noble title with no real power, merely a name.
On the Akasha Continent, the noble titles could be roughly categorized into four types.
The first was the territory noble, who had their own territory within the kingdom and mainly governed it, simr to a feudal lord.
The second was the local noble, who assisted the lord of the territory in governance, generally a vassal of that lord, akin to a local official.
The third was the court noble, who held a position in the royal pce, handling major affairs of the pce and the royal capital,parable to a central official.
The fourth was the honorary noble, who did not hold a position within the kingdom but was nominally a noble of the kingdom, enjoying certain privileges. Their duty was to respond to the kingdom''s summons in emergencies and address issues that negatively affected it.
Compared to the first three types of nobles, honorary nobles had less power but more freedom.
Needless to say, the title of honorary noble was meant to attract those who did not wish to serve within the kingdom, remain active in noble circles, or be bound by restrictions.
"Currently, in Jinas, there are six Sword Saints in total, and one of them is an honorary noble."
Yuri continued her exnation.
"This person travels freely within and outside the kingdom without any restrictions and only responds to summons during kingdom crises to deal with catastrophic events."
"If you insist on refusing, the king will definitely offer you the title of honorary noble as apromise, which will allow you to maintain your freedom while nominally belonging to the kingdom, preventing other countries from poaching you."
"Of course, ''freedom'' is rtive. If you don''t have the necessary strength, the kingdom will probably summon you a lot to deal with certain things."
"Only by bing a Sword Saint, which is the most powerful swordsman with unbeatablebat ability on the Akasha Continent, will the kingdom stop using you so often, giving you the greatest freedom."
Until this point, Yuri smiled gently at Riezel.
"Of course, the choice is yours. I just want to say that no matter what you decide, I will support you."
Upon hearing this, Riezel also smiled, exchanging a look with Yuri¡ªeverything was understood without words.
At this moment, the Frenzel family''s carriage finally entered the castle and was allowed through by the guards stationed at the gate.
"Hmm?" Riezel sensed something was off.
"You noticed?"
Yuri asked, observing the change in Riezel''s expression.
"Do you feel like there''s some kind of suppression, making it impossible for you to use magic?"
Riezel nodded with a frown.
After entering the castle gate, he immediately felt an invisible suppression, as if something unseen was pressing down on him, making it seem like he couldn''t use magic.
"Well, this is the magic-banning system that''s been in ce in the royal pce for years."
Yuri looked out the carriage window and exined.
"Unless someone has special permission to be exempted, no one can use magic within it."
"A Strategic-ss Defensive Barrier Magic is currently covering the entire royal pce, and if it detects any foreign magic targeting the pce, it will activate immediately."
Yuri pointed upward, signaling Riezel to look up.
Riezel immediately looked up and saw a faint, ripple-like shimmer in the air.
"It''s considered the best defensive magic in Jinas, known as the ''Light of Heaven''."
Yuri''s voice gently reached Riezel''s ears.
"Royal pces in various kingdoms usually set up the best possible defensive magic to protect themselves. As for Jinas''s Light of Heaven, it has been famous throughout the Akasha Continent for hundreds of years, and any magician who encounters this magic can only admire it from a distance."
"Now you see why I said Sword Saints have a greater deterrent effect than Strategic-ss Magicians in front of the royal family?"
Yuri smiled, but her smile seemed a bit self-deprecating.
"No choice... No matter how powerful a magician is, once they enter the royal pce, they be just ordinary people."
"Magic loses all its effectiveness here and only swordsmen remain unaffected."
"Even though swordsmen using Special Swordsmanship will be somewhat affected too, like not being able to channel the Special Swordsmanship''s special power outward as if it were magic, they''re stillrgely unrestrained. With their impressive physical strength, they can still show off their power."
Especially Sword Saints, as the most powerful swordsmen on the continent with exceptional closebat ability and near-invincibility inbat, could certainly disy enough deterrent force in a magic-restricted area like the royal pce.
Even though the Light of Heaven could restrain magic in the royal pce, it couldn''t restrain someone''s body and prevent them from moving.
As a result, in the eyes of the royal family, who had the best defensive magic to protect them against the most powerful magic, a Sword Saint who could move freely and charge around with superhuman strength posed a greater threat than any magician.
"If you want to avoid the kingdom''s schemes and gain maximum freedom, bing a Sword Saint is undoubtedly the best choice."
After making this point, Yuri quickly changed the subject.
"Alright, we''re here."
As soon as she said this, the Frenzel family''s carriage came to a stop.
Riezel, Yuri, and Marilyn immediately disembarked one after another.
"Let''s go meet His Majesty the King."
Yuri''s tone turned slightly indifferent as she led Riezel and Marilyn into the royal pce.
Chapter 232: Third Prince
Chapter 232: Third Prince
When a king personally summoned someone, it often gave the impression that it would take ce in a spacious audience room with an extravagant throne in the center.
However, in reality, the audience room of Jinas''s royal pce was not a ce where meetings, discussions, or negotiations were casually conducted.
It was more like the churches or auditoriums from Riezel''s past life, used only for very formal asions with a clear process, such as ceremonial events.
For this reason, the audience room was typically only open during formal ceremonies like ennoblement, honors awards, session ceremonies, or promations¡ªit was not open to the public otherwise.
Summons from the king, important discussions with high officials, and meetings with significant figures took ce elsewhere,called the throne room, where the king conducted business, simr to a private conference room and office.
Compared to the audience room, the throne room was used far more frequently.
Likewise, the location where Riezel, Yuri, and Marilyn were heading was the throne room.
However, their arrival attracted considerable inconspicuous attention.
Among them were those who were not too pleased to see them."Well, well, isn''t this Marquis Frenzel?"
As Riezel and the others turned a corner, a voiceced with sarcasm made them stop.
It belonged to a young man dressed luxuriously, with a sword that looked like a piece of art at his waist, nked by two knights exuding an extraordinary aura.
He was handsome and seemed to be around twenty years old, older than Riezel and Yuri. Although not very muscr, he was tall, nearly two meters, making those near him naturally look up at him.
However, he appeared to be someone who looked down on everyone with an air of superiority, as if he were a high-ranking nobleman, evident from the contemptuous look he directed at Riezel''s group.
Upon seeing the young man, Yuri''s expression instantly turned cold, and even Marilyn became expressionless, losing all of her emotion.
Meanwhile, the young man, seemingly oblivious to their reactions, nonchntly approached them.
"What''s the matter?"
With the same sarcastic voice, the young man asked while looking down at Yuri.
"Isn''t it customary to greet me, Marquis Frenzel?"
Yuri raised her eyes to nce at the young man before responding briefly.
"Greetings, Prince Sorren."
Yuri''s greeting was devoid of any emotion or formality.
At the same time, her greeting made Riezel turn his attention to the young man.
''Is it him?''
Riezel gave a fleeting nce at the arrogant prince before quickly averting his eyes as if he had lost interest.
Of course, the reason Riezel was losing interest was known only to him.
Sorren seemed to disregard Riezel''s existence entirely, even ignoring Marilyn as his focus remained solely on Yuri, his sneering expression unchanged.
"You''re back, huh? I thought you really didn''t care about the royal capital..." Sorren taunted casually. "It makes sense though. A Strategic-ss Magician like you should be in the royal capital to truly showcase your abilities, yeah?"
"What are you trying to say, Your Highness?" Yuri replied emotionlessly. "Just say it directly. I can''t understand these roundabout ways."
"Don''t understand, you say? Hahahaha¡ª!" Sorrenughed heartily. "In that case, I''ll speak in a way you understand."
In the next moment, he leaned in close to Yuri, staring at her delicate face, his voice taking on a dangerous tone.
"Thanks to you, many of my ns have gone awry. Not only was I confined, but even my authority over the Shadow was taken from me. So, how are you going topensate me, woman?"
At this moment, Sorren''s demeanor and voice didn''t seem like those of a noble royal family member but rather like a ruthless ouw, exuding a vicious, aggressive aura as if he might lunge at any moment to tear someone''s throat out.
"Mad dog..." Yuri muttered softly.
Upon hearing her mutter, Riezel finally understood why this prince received such an evaluation from her. If it were someone timid, being spoken to so fiercely by this prince would probably make their legs go weak, let alone have a normal conversation.
Unfortunately, Yuri was not one of those people.
"Stay away from me."
Yuri actually spoke such cold and unfeeling words to a prince.
"Oh?"
Sorren raised an eyebrow, and instead of moving away, he sneered.
"What did you say? I didn''t catch that."
After saying this, Sorren seemed intent on hearing Yuri better, getting even closer. From an outsider''s perspective, it looked like he was nning to get close enough to lick her face.
In fact, it seemed Sorren was indeed nning to do just that, as evidenced by how his tongue was already sticking out, ready to lick Yuri''s face.
However¡ª
*Swish!*
With a sh of cold light, a thin, short sword suddenly shot toward Sorren with incredible speed.
It was none other than Marilyn''s sword.
"?!"
Sorren immediately reacted, retreating suddenly and disying a speedpletely unmatched by his tall body. He created distance in the blink of an eye, avoiding the short sword aimed at him.
*Schwing!*
At the same time, the two knights beside Sorren quickly drew their swords, rushing at Marilyn without a word.
Not only was their speed equally fast, but their movements were extremely sharp. In the instant they drew their swords, they charged, reaching Marilyn''s front in the blink of an eye¡ªone aimed at her sword-wielding hand and the other at her unarmed right hand.
From their movements and sword shes, it was clear that these two were like Marilyn¡ªthey were also Sword Masters.
*ng!*
Marilyn remained calm under pressure, turning and flicking her sword to deflect the sword aimed at her hand, forcing one of the knights back.
However, the other knight''s sword sh was already upon her, about to strike her unarmed hand before suddenly¡ª
*BANG!*
With a muffled sound, the knight about to strike Marilyn was kicked away, crashing heavily into the wall of the corridor.
Naturally, the kicker was Riezel.
"Hmm?"
Sorren, as if just noticing Riezel''s existence, looked at the calm young man who had kicked his subordinate away. He was momentarily stunned, then seemed to recall something before narrowing his eyes.
Immediately, the two knights adjusted their positions, one rising from the floor, ready to attack again.
Seeing this, Sorren spoke up.
"Come back."
Sorren''s cold voice made both knights freeze in their tracks, halting their advance as they sheathed their swords and silently returned to his side.
When one saw them, their appearance was more like that of two ruthless executioners than two noble knights.
Sorren ignored his subordinates and cast his gaze over Yuri, Marilyn, and Riezel in turn.
"So you''re here too, huh?"
Sorren nced and spoke to Marilyn, surprising everyone.
However, Sorren''s attitude was harsh, filled with disdain and contempt.
"You dare toy a hand on me? Do you think you''re still the same as before?"
Sorren looked at Marilyn as if she were something filthy, something unpleasant to behold.
Marilyn ignored him and quietly returned to Yuri''s side.
Sorren didn''t pay Marilyn any more attention and shifted his gaze to Riezel.
"So you''re Riezel Brynhart, the Sword Master and Tactical-ss Magician from the rumors?" Sorren smirked. "You''re so young, even younger than me, but not only are you a Sword Master like me, you''re also a Tactical-ss Magician... I wonder if you''re just putting on a show to fool people?"
Needless to say, his words wereced with malice.
However, instead of reacting with anger, Riezel responded calmly.
"Doesn''t the death of the Shadow Knights you sent before prove whether I''m genuine or not?"
Upon hearing this, Sorren sneered.
"Who knows?"
After letting out this ambiguous remark, Sorren acted as if nothing had happened and approached Yuri again.
"Woman, this is just a warning..."
Sorren spoke in a low, cold voice.
"Since you don''t want to pick a side, just stay out of it."
"If it weren''t for you being a Strategic-ss Magician, a useful tool of war for the kingdom that will eventually belong to me, I wouldn''t let you off the hook for what you didst time."
"Remember, stay out of my business from now on."
After saying this, Sorren, apanied by the two knights, brushed past the cold-faced Yuri and arrived in front of Riezel.
"You''d better remember this, boy..." Sorren said with a sneer on his face. "Don''t pick the wrong side in the future."
Leaving these words behind, he walked away atst.
Yuri and Marilyn both showed cold expressions, their gazes toward him reminiscent of how one would look at something dirty.
Riezel, who had once been targeted by Sorren and had nearly lost his life, strangely remained remarkably calm andposed.
"I see, so he is the infamous third prince, huh?" Riezel remarked calmly. "He really is quite a piece of work."
"Don''t worry about him..." Yuri said coldly. "He''s just a mad dog who bites anyone hees across. Someone will eventually deal with him."
It was clear that Yuri and Marilyn had a strong dislike and disgust for the so-called third prince.
"Let''s go."
Yuri seemed eager to forget about Sorren, quickly urging Riezel to continue walking.
Riezel nodded and followed Yuri''s lead, though his eyes flickered with a strange gleam as he nced back at the distant figure of the prince.
Chapter 233: King of Jinas
Chapter 233: King of Jinas
For Riezel and Yuri, Sorren''s appearance was just a minor event.
After all, the one they were about to face today was not a mere prince but the kingdom''s most prominent existence¡ªthe king himself.
Under Yuri''s lead, Riezel and Marilyn quickly arrived at a grand door.
Behind ity the throne room where the king was waiting.
"Marquis Yuri Frenzel and Sir Riezel Brynhart have arrived!"
Beside the door, a court official, upon seeing Riezel and Yuri arrive, immediately called out loudly to the door.
As the announcement was made, two knights stationed beside the door stepped forward and slowly opened it.
Meanwhile, Marilyn immediately stepped aside, clearly unable to proceed any further. As an attendant, she could apany them only to this point. Beyond this was not her ce, so she had to wait outside.
Only Riezel and Yuri stood before the door, ready to enter the throne room."It''s up to you now."
Yuri spoke softly before the door was fully opened and then took a step forward.
Riezel nced at her back and, after a moment of silence, gave a faint smile and followed her with a calm step.
Before long, the grand door openedpletely, revealing the throne room.
He finally saw its interior.
He saw a hall with a red carpetid out, exuding a solemn atmosphere, while stone pirs were neatly arranged on both sides, stretching forward to support the high ceiling.
In front of the stone pirs, dozens of people dressed as knights or nobles lined up in two rows, adding to the already intense solemnity of the atmosphere.
At the far end of the hall, elevated on a high tform, a throne stood with a man seated on it.
He appeared to be around forty years old, with a remarkably dignified and handsome appearance. He wore a royal crown on his head, was draped in a regal robe, and held an exquisitely ornate sword, which he gripped like a scepter.
He was none other than Hendrick Jinas, the King of Jinas.
"Greetings, Your Majesty."
Yuri approached about three meters from the throne and bowed to Hendrick.
At the same time, Riezel stood by her side, bowing his head slightly, but his gesture earned him a scolding from a court official.
"Impudent!"
ring at Riezel, the official scolded loudly.
"Why are you not kneeling before His Majesty the King?"
In an instant, the surrounding officials and knights turned their attention to Riezel. An invisible pressure began to weigh on him, making the atmosphere in the throne room tense.
In their eyes, Riezel''s attitude clearly did not create a good first impression.
Before a king, even major nobles like dukes, marquises, counts, and other nobles had to kneel on one knee to show respect and loyalty.
Yuri did not kneel due to her special status.
In the Akasha Continent, regardless of the country, there was an unwritten rule.
Except for kings of equal rank, only Sword Saints and Strategic-ss Magicians were privileged not to kneel before a king, as a mark of respect from the country for those who had achieved the highest honor on the continent.
Because of this, while Yuri could remain standing, Riezel was required to kneel at the very least.
Yet, despite the stares and the invisible pressure from everyone present, Riezel did not change his expression. He merely nced at them calmly before looking away as if he had lost interest and remained silent.
Needless to say, he still did not kneel and continued to stand in ce as if nothing had happened.
"You¡"
Seeing this, the official was clearly furious and was about to reprimand Riezel again but was interrupted.
"Enough."
Hendrick finally spoke up, raising a hand with a neutral tone.
"Sir Brynhart may not be a Sword Saint or a Strategic-ss Magician, but he is not just an ordinary Sword Master or Tactical-ss Magician either. As someone holding both statuses, he is a very special presence in this kingdom. We should not press him too hard."
"Yes."
Upon hearing Hendrick''s words, the official immediately replied, lowering his head and stepping back.
At the same moment, the others withdrew their gazes from Riezel, relieving him of the pressure.
Of course, Riezel remained unfazed by this so-called pressure. He was just asposed now as he had been at the start as if nothing had happened.
Hendrick then shot a deep look at Riezel before turning to Yuri.
"Wee back to the royal capital, Marquis Frenzel. I''m relieved to see you well." Hendrick said, his tone still neutral but his attitude warm.
"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I am fine now." Yuri replied, lowering her head and sounding somewhat respectful.
She had not forgotten that she had used the excuse of ''serious injuries and escape'' to leave the royal capitalst time.
Even though many saw this excuse as a tant lie, some things, even if their truth was known, were left unspoken since, after all, people would continue to act ording to the surface reason.
Yuri understood this, and so did Hendrick.
"Rest assured, we have taken appropriate action regarding the Basolo family''s crime. Moreover, the main culprit has received the severest punishment and will no longer pose any danger to the Frenzel family."
Hendrick reassured Yuri.
"Marquis Basolo is willing to ept the punishment and offerpensation to the Frenzel family. He should be in contact with you soon, and you can discuss the matter with him in detail."
"Yes." Yuri responded calmly, though her interest in the so-calledpensation was unclear.
However, one thing was certain.
Since Hendrick had explicitly stated that the Basolo family wouldpensate, Yuri essentially had his approval to make a significant demand from them, making them pay a price.
In this regard, this could be considered a good thing.
After discussing Yuri''s matter, Hendrick turned his attention to Riezel.
"Sir Riezel Brynhart."
Hendrick surprisingly addressed Riezel with a gentle tone.
"I heard your name a long time ago. As amoner, you possess a rare natural talent and have been recognized by Spriller Academy for having the potential to be a Tactical-ss Magician. Truly, you''re quite an impressive youth."
"However, it seems everyone has underestimated you."
Hendrick''s words carried a hint of implication, prompting many to cast another nce at Riezel.
"You''re too kind." Riezel calmly shook his head. "I''m not even half as good as Marquis Frenzel."
Yuri raised an eyebrow upon hearing this.
One should admit that Riezel''s statement was indeed the truth.
Yuri became a Tactical-ss Magician at twelve and a Strategic-ss Magician at fifteen, earning the status of one of the continent''s strongest magicians.
Given this, Yuri''s achievements and talent were clearly unmatched, making Riezel''s statement quite urate.
"In my view, both of you are equally outstanding." Hendrick smiled and shook his head. "Being able to achieve such aplishments at your age is something anyone would feel humbled by."
At his words, many people in the throne room began to realize something.
Both Riezel and Yuri had just turned seventeen, yet at an age when most people were still indulging in youthful whims, these two had already achieved aplishments so remarkable that even adults were in awe.
Yuri was already a Strategic-ss Magician, one of the continent''s best magicians.
Riezel, on the other hand, was both a Sword Master and a Tactical-ss Magician. Either achievement alone would ce him at the top of the kingdom''s ranks for his age, and having both was a testament to his exceptional talent.
It wasn''t an exaggeration to say Riezel was among the continent''s prodigies, just like Yuri.
Many people in the throne room quickly understood why Hendrick didn''t pursue Riezel''s disrespectful act of not kneeling.
As Hendrick had said, Riezel was indeed a special case, perhaps not inferior to Yuri in terms of uniqueness. Such rare and exceptional talent was not something anyone would want to overlook.
Naturally, Hendrick felt the same way.
"Since you are already a Tactical-ss Magician, ording to kingdomws, you are eligible to be granted the title of viscount."
Hendrick finally brought up the main topic.
"After some discussion, the ennoblement ceremony is scheduled for two days from now. What do you think?"
At Hendrick''s question, Riezel finally looked up, gazing into his eyes.
In contrast, Yuri lowered her head slightly, leaving everything to Riezel, as she trusted that he would handle the situation well.
"I''m sorry, Your Majesty..." Riezel stated his unchanging intention under everyone''s gaze. "I don''t n to ept the title."
At his statement, the throne room instantly fell silent.
"Oh?" Hendrick''s expression was unchanged. "Can I know the reason?"
"Because I don''t intend to stay in one ce." Riezel replied calmly. "I want to travel across the continent."
What he said was the truth.
He wasn''t using it as an excuse but genuinely had this idea.
"I''m not interested in bing a noble. What I really want is to explore different ces on the continent, meet strong people, and fight powerful monsters." Riezel admitted directly. "Your Majesty, we should just forget about this ennoblement."
While Riezel''s tant refusal surprised the others, it did not even change Hendrick''s expression.
Clearly, Hendrick had already gathered some understanding of Riezel''s personality and temperament through various channels.
For instance, Phillip Charlier, the marquis tasked with summoning Riezel and Yuri back to the royal capital, observed every way Riezel behaved in detail and reported back to Hendrick.
Given this situation, it was not surprising that Hendrick had already guessed Riezel would not ept the title to be a noble.
However¡ª
"Sir Brynhart, this seems to contradict your previous intentions..."
Hendrick spoke with a hint of meaning.
"As I understand it, the reason you left your hometown, came to the royal capital, and enrolled in Spriller Academy was to be granted a noble title and be a noble, correct?"
Needless to say, Hendrick had conducted a thorough investigation into Riezel.
Chapter 234: A Match?
Chapter 234: A Match?
Riezel understood that investigating his past, or more precisely, investigating the past of the original Riezel, was not that difficult for the royal family.
For this reason, Riezel was not surprised by Hendrick''s words.
"What''s in the past is in the past, and what''s now is now." Riezel answered calmly, his expression unchanged. "I no longer see bing a noble as my life''s goal."
"...Is that so?"
Hendrick nodded, appearing understanding, but then continued to persuade.
"However, if you''re worried that being a noble might be a constraint for you, you needn''t be, since some nobles don''t hold any position in the kingdom."
As expected, Yuri''s previous guess about Hendrick''s approach had be reality.
If Riezel insisted on refusing to be a noble, Hendrick would offer thepromise of an honorary noble, making him nominally affiliated with Jinas but not holding a position within the kingdom.
Among the four types of nobles, only honorary nobles did not have a specific position. Since Hendrick had brought it up, he clearly intended for Riezel to be an honorary noble.However¡ª
"I''ve said it before, I have no interest in bing a noble." Riezel suddenly smiled, speaking in a calm and steady tone. "I''m truly sorry to disappoint Your Majesty."
Hendrick''s eyebrows finally furrowed.
At the same time, the others present also looked at Riezel with varying expressions¡ªsome scrutinizing, some mocking, and others outright hostile, disying a range of emotions.
"Won''t you reconsider?"
Hendrick asked with a frown, clearly had not given up.
"I understand your thoughts, but you must know that with your current abilities and reputation, if you were to travel across the continent, foreign countries would certainly set their sights on you."
"You know, international conflicts are veryplex. If they could recruit a talent like you from this country to weaken our strength while boosting their own, those foreign countries would not hesitate to use extreme measures."
"At that point, the situation you face would be far more dangerous than you imagine."
Hendrick''s words could not be considered as mere rmist rhetoric.
Just as Hendrick wanted to bind Riezel to Jinas with a noble title, foreign countries would definitely want to recruit him as well.
Given Riezel''s status as a Tactical-ss Magician alone, he was already valuable enough to be targeted by foreign countries. However, coupled with the additional status of Sword Master, he would undoubtedly attract even more attention.
If that happened, even if Jinas did nothing to Riezel, other countries would.
"You''re still young, so there''s no need to rush into doing what you want."
Hendrick continued in a persuasive tone.
"Traveling across the continent now would be very dangerous. It would be better to stay in the kingdom, develop slowly, and only venture out when you have enough strength to make foreign countries wary of you."
One should admit that although Hendrick made somewhat desperate efforts to keep Riezel, his advice was fundamentally reasonable.
When onecked strength, traveling and being targeted by foreign countries could indeed be very risky. Only when one had enough strength to handle any hostility could they travel as they pleased.
Otherwise, given Jinas''s power and vast territory, why was there only one Sword Saint of Jinas who could travel freely across the continent as an honorary noble without restrictions?
It was precisely because this person was a Sword Saint that Jinas dared not assign them trivial tasks, and foreign countries also hesitated to act against them for fear of retaliation.
"You''re only seventeen, yet you''re already a Sword Master. I believe that in a few decades, your name will definitely be among the Sword Saints of the Akasha Continent."
Hendrick continued his persuasion.
"How about this, I promise you that as long as you don''t leave the kingdom, you can freely travel within its borders. You won''t have any troublesome tasks assigned to you, and you''ll be free to go anywhere until you be a Sword Saint. How does that sound?"
With such a promise, Hendrick seemed quite sincere. With his assurance, Riezel would likely enjoy more freedom than ordinary honorary nobles, unburdened by constraints.
Even Yuri thought Hendrick''s promise was probably the best oue they could hope for.
Given this, bing a noble didn''t seem like such a bad idea for Riezel, did it?
Unfortunately, Yuri and Hendrick didn''t truly understand Riezel.
From the moment Hendrick decided to tie Riezel to Jinas, it was clear that he would never agree.
After all, Riezel truly valued his freedom above all else.
He was someone who went wherever he wanted and didn''t need to seek anyone''s permission to do something. Even if he wanted to join a country, it was his choice, not something imposed on him.
Even nominal allegiance wasn''t eptable, as it meant that if Jinas ever faced trouble, he would have to ept the kingdom''s orders and fight for it no matter what.
Unfortunately, this was exactly what Riezel didn''t want.
If he were to fight for Jinas, it wouldn''t be under someone else''s orders.
In the first ce, he had no sense of belonging to Jinas.
In fact, the only things he felt attached to in Jinas were probably Yuri and the Frenzel family to which she belonged.
Of course, he didn''t mind if he were to join a faction, group, or organization. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have joined the Loki Familia to gain Falna (Blessing) or the Demon yer Corps to gain breathing styles.
However, when a familia like the Loki Familia could give him a sense of belonging, even if he wasn''t officially part of their familia, he would help them without anyone needing to tell him.
Of course, when someone like Kagaya or Kyoujurou treated him sincerely, Riezel would even help them fulfill their thousand-year-old wish to kill Muzan, someone he had no grudge against, without expecting any repayment.
Compared to these two examples, how did Jinas measure up?
Apart from Yuri, all Riezel saw in this kingdom was the constant struggle driven by various interests and powers.
Nobles fought among themselves, and the Royal Faction shed with the Duke Faction.
Even the small group at Spriller Academy, of which the original Riezel was a part, was merely formed based on specific interests and purposes.
Only Yuri consistently treated Riezel with sincerity, seeing him as a true friend rather than as a useful talent or abatant to be exploited as the royal family and the nobles did.
Hendrick''s efforts to persuade Riezel and offer him a noble title were all clearly aimed at binding him to Jinas, even trying to gain his support for the Royal Faction.
Unfortunately, Riezel was truly repulsed and disgusted by this kind of thing.
As a result, in response to Hendrick''s promise, Riezel spoke slowly and solemnly to him.
"Until I be a Sword Saint, is that it?"
Riezel''s voice slowly filled the throne room.
"In that case, I have no objections."
For a moment, everyone present wore puzzled expressions, not understanding what Riezel meant by having no objections.
Only Hendrick, as if he realizing something unbelievable, suddenly narrowed his eyes.
"Riezel?"
Yuri was just as surprised by Riezel''s words, casting a puzzled nce in his direction.
Riezel, however, wasn''t nning to exin anything and simply continued to look at Hendrick, his gaze so calm that it plunged the throne room into an indescribable silence.
"Your Majesty?"
"Your Majesty?"
"Your Majesty?"
Seeing Hendrick fall silent, some of the nearby court officials seemed puzzled by his reaction and began to call him out one after another.
Nevertheless, Hendrick ignored them and continued to watch Riezel silently, his eyes flickering as if thousands of thoughts swirled in his mind.
As a result, the entire throne room fell into an eerie silence, causing many to exchange confused looks.
After a long silence, Hendrick finally spoke.
"By the way, I haven''t seen you in action yet... I wonder if you could satisfy my curiosity and show me your swordsmanship?"
Such a sudden request left many people stunned, including Yuri.
Only Riezel understood the deeper meaning behind Hendrick''s request.
"Your Majesty, how do you intend to see it?" Riezel asked with an indifferent tone.
Instead of responding, Hendrick nced to the side.
"Albert."
Hendrick suddenly called out a name.
"Here!"
Someone in the throne room immediately responded.
It was a young man standing in the front row of the knight''s line.
He wore a knight''s attire with a long hem, entirely white, giving off an aura of integrity and honor, looking like the most noble of knights, inspiring immediate trust.
"Albert Borley is here, Your Majesty! Please give your orders!"
With a loud and clear voice, the young man named Albert knelt on one knee before the throne.
Needless to say, his demeanor was impable, disying all the characteristics of a true knight.
"Albert..."
Hendrick spoke with a smile as if he were looking at a loyal subject who had pleased him immensely.
"How do you feel about having a match with Sir Brynhart?"
"Of course... if it is Your Majesty''s wish, I am more than willing." Albert replied without hesitation.
Upon hearing him respond decisively, without any hint of hesitation, everyone present was astonished.
"Sir Albert is actually going to take action?"
"Your Majesty, what happened?"
"My goodness¡"
Everyone in the throne room could no longer contain their murmurs.
Even Yuri''splexion briefly changed, her eyes showing a mix of seriousness, surprise, and concern.
Riezel silently observed their reactions and then turned his attention to the young knight.
Upon closer inspection, he realized this young knight was obviously far from ordinary.
Observing through the Transparent World, he could see that this young knight''s muscles were incredibly solid, his body extremely strong, and he possessed a significant amount of magical energy flowing within him, giving the impression that every part of him was filled with power.
"Sir Brynhart."
Hendrick turned his head back to Riezel''s direction.
"What do you think?"
At this question, Riezel suddenly smiled, his expression calm.
"Sounds good."
He had to admit that this boring meeting was bing interesting.
Chapter 235: Family of Sword Saints
Chapter 235: Family of Sword Saints
Although the royal pce had banned the use of magic, it wasn''tpletely impossible to use it there.
One way was to gain the royal family''s trust and have them lift the restriction, and another option was to visit specific ces, such as designated arenas or training fields.
Since these specific ces were set aside forbat or training, they were among the few ces within the royal pce where magic restrictions did not apply.
Simrly, Riezel and Yuri were heading toward one of these ces.
"Be careful."
Yuri walked beside Riezel, her usual lighthearted demeanor reced by a rare serious expression as she softly warned him.
"Albert Borley isn''t just an ordinary knight."
Yuri''s warning wasn''t surprising to Riezel.
"I can tell..."Riezel responded nonchntly, gazing ahead.
"Borley, if I remember correctly, he''s from that family of Sword Saints you mentioned before, right?"
Previously, on their way back to the royal capital, Yuri had told Riezel that there were six Sword Saints in Jinas. As a result, while he wasn''tpletely familiar with all the Sword Saints of Jinas, he had a fair understanding.
The first Sword Saint was said to be the oldest among them.
Originally, he was the attendant to the previous king, and when the previous king passed away, he was still just a Sword Master. It wasn''t until several years after the current king ascended the throne that he achieved the status of Sword Saint.
Currently, he resided in the royal pce to guard it and rarely made an appearance, even less so in public.
Due to his seniority, he was known as the ''Old Sword Saint''.
The second Sword Saint was someone nurtured by the current king, Hendrick, after he took the throne.
As a result, this Sword Saint was extremely loyal to Hendrick, who, in turn, trusted him greatly. Hendrick had even used him as his double on several asions, having this Sword Saint impersonate him in dangerous situations.
Since this Sword Saint was also the leader of the royal family''s assassination unit, Shadow, he became known as the ''Shadow Sword Saint''.
The third Sword Saint was a marquis.
Originally a wandering swordsman, he had entered the kingdom''s sphere of influence over a decade ago. Granted the title of viscount, he continued to earn merits on the battlefield, which led to his promotion to marquis.
He was given a territory bordering a foreignnd and stationed there to guard the borders and repel foreign enemies, thus bing known as the ''Guardian Sword Saint''.
The fourth Sword Saint was the one previously mentioned who had been recruited into the Cordelion family by Sergius Cordelion.
It was said that he was born a ve and had to train hard in swordsmanship to survive, eventually achieving the status of Sword Saint. After being saved by Sergius, he became his subordinate and fought for him.
Due to losing an eye during his time as a ve, he was known as the ''One-Eyed Sword Saint''.
The fifth Sword Saint was the honorary noble previously mentioned.
He was of noble birth himself, but his family, like the former Frenzel family, had fallen into decline. It was only when he became a Sword Saint that his family regained prominence.
However, he had little interest in noble affairs and preferred to travel. Due to his erratic appearances and disappearances, which made him seem like a shooting star, he was known as the ''Meteor Sword Saint''.
As for the sixth Sword Saint, he was rted to Albert.
In fact, the Borley family, to which he belonged, was a noble family that had existed since the founding of Jinas. More importantly, this family had been knights for generations and held legendary status within the kingdom and even across the continent.
As for the reason it held legendary status?
It was actually simple.
Every generation of the Borley family always produced a Sword Saint.
Yes, each generation had a Sword Saint.
From the first generation of the Borley family''s ancestors to the present, spanning seven generations, each generation had a Sword Saint.
Because of this, the Borley family was known as a legendary family across the Akasha Continent, nearly everyone knew of them, and they were even referred to as the family of Sword Saints.
Among the six Sword Saints of Jinas, only the Sword Saint from the Borley family had the most outstanding background. After all, the others were either attendants, royal family followers, wandering swordsmen, former ves, or fallen nobles.
From this, it was clear that the Borley family was the most prestigious.
Riezel recalled this information and understood why Yuri had such a serious expression.
"Is this Albert Borley the eighth generation?" Riezel asked in wonder.
Yuri first nodded, then shook her head.
"Albert is indeed the eighth generation, but he hasn''t be a Sword Saint yet. Still, he''s considered a more talented swordsman than any of the previous Sword Saints of the Borley family. He''s only twenty-seven this year, but he has already sessfully challenged and defeated 982 Sword Masters."
As mentioned before, there were generally three ways to be a Sword Saint.
First, one could challenge other Sword Masters after bing one.If they could consecutively defeat a thousand Sword Masters, they would receive the kingdom''s honor, be awarded the Sword Saint Medal, and be a Sword Saint.
Second, one could challenge a Sword Saint of the current generation after bing a Sword Master. If they could defeat the Sword Saint, they would receive the kingdom''s honor, be awarded the Sword Saint Medal, and be a Sword Saint themselves.
Third, one had to be recognized by the public as possessing the ability of a Sword Saint, with approvals and rmendations from other Sword Saints, thereby receiving recognition from the kingdom. In this way, one could be a Sword Saint through official validation.
Albert Borley was undoubtedly taking the first way.
Clearly, the first way was the most challenging path, requiring constant challenges and victories over others, where even one loss was uneptable.
Moreover, the opponents could not be repeated, nor could they be family members, close subordinates, or even people from one''s own territory or hometown¡ªonly outsiders.
Needless to say, those who chose the first way to be a Sword Saint often had to travel extensively, constantly challenging powerful figures in foreignnds, which demonstrated just how difficult this way was.
Regardless, every Sword Saint from the Borley family had always chosen the first way, as they believed that only by constantly challenging strong opponents could a swordsman''s skills be sharper and more powerful.
With this belief, the descendants of the Borley family always embarked on the path of challenging powerful opponents after receiving the Sword Master Medal.
Many believed this was why the Borley family could consistently produce Sword Saints in every generation. After all, they either died in battle or emerged victorious after defeating countless strong opponents, bing the highly honored Sword Saints.
Interestingly, this involuntarily inspired countless swordsmen to follow suit, causing many unwilling to settle for mediocrity to forge their paths through bloody battles, honing their strength to eventually be Sword Saints.
Albert was clearly one of these people, and he was close to seeding.
Having sessfully challenged and defeated 982 Sword Masters meant that if he defeated 18 more, he would be the true eighth-generation Sword Saint of the Borley family.
"Many believe that Albert will definitely be a Sword Saint before turning thirty..." Yuri continued with a serious expression. "This is also why he is seen as more talented than any of the Borley family''s previous Sword Saints."
One should know that those who became Sword Saints before the age of thirty were extremely rare across the continent. At least, none of the six current Sword Saints of Jinas achieved this before turning thirty.
"Albert is now recognized as the best swordsman just under Sword Saint, widely regarded as the strongest Sword Master in Jinas." Yuri lightly shook her head. "Someone like Jill Dardis wouldn''tst more than ten moves against him."
Upon hearing this, Riezel believed it to be true.
In his view, a Sword Saint was roughly equivalent to Level 7, a status held by only a single person in Orario, known as the ultimate weapon, Ottar.
Since Albert was the best swordsman just under Sword Saint, he was not far from the status of Sword Saint himself, possibly at the limit of Level 6 or even Level 7.
In Riezel''s eyes, Jill was equivalent to Level 6 but not particrly strong, probably just middle Level 6 or even lower Level 6, not evenparable to Muzan, who had ughtered thousands.
Someone at lower-middle Level 6 would undoubtedly lose to someone approaching Level 7 within a few moves if they had no trump cards.
Considering this, Albert might be the strongest opponent Riezel would encounter in this main world.
"I believe the king is likely testing you with Albert, assessing your true strength before deciding how to deal with you, so be cautious." Yuri said solemnly, speaking each word carefully.
Riezel calmly nodded as a faint, almost imperceptible smile formed at the corner of his mouth.
''Best swordsman just under Sword Saint, huh?''
In that case, he decided he would give them a surprise.
===
Royal Pce, Arena.
At this moment, everyone arrived at a vast arena, not quite on the scale of Undine''s training field used for the War Festival, but stillparable to a football field.
Although the seating was sparse and clearly not intended forrge crowds, it featured a single elevated tform capable of amodating around a hundred spectators.
One by one, nobles, officials, and knights came with Hendrick, bringing him to the high tform and allowing him to take the spacious seat in the center.
Yuri was among them, sitting closest to Hendrick, her eyes fixed intently on the arena below, with a hint of concern showing through.
Riezel and Albert had already entered the arena, standing opposite each other at the center.
"Let''s start right away."
Hendrick instructed the official standing nearby.
Nodding, the official acknowledged themand and stepped forward.
"Attention, the match between Sir Riezel Brynhart and Knight Captain Albert Borley shall now begin!
"Draw your swords!"
With the official''s deration, Albert was the first to draw his sword.
Soon after, Riezel''s sword appeared as well, but its appearance caused quite a stir among the spectators.
Chapter 236: Flash of Lightning
Chapter 236: sh of Lightning
As a descendant of the Borley family, renowned as the family of Sword Saints and considered to have talent surpassing that of his ancestors, Albert''s weapon was naturally extraordinary.
What he wielded was a Western-style two-handed knight sword from Riezel''s past life, featuring a golden hilt and a pure white de with a tip that glinted with a sharp, cold light.
Additionally, the top of the hilt was adorned with a jewel, making it look extremelyvish and exquisite¡ªa clear sign that it was a meticulously crafted weapon.
Of course, sharpness was secondary since the true significance of this swordy in its remarkable origin.
It was, after all, not an ordinary famous sword but a genuine magic weapon.
In fact, the jewel embedded at the top of the hilt was not just any gem, but a magic crystal. Furthermore, the sword was forged from an extremely precious magic metal, making it incredibly expensive.
It was said that the sword was one of the prized treasures in the Borley family''s collection, having been used by one of their Sword Saints in the past to y a long-troublesome monster.
As the blood of the in monster stained the de, it caused the magic metal of the sword to absorb the monster''s power, making the de exceptionally sharp.
Moreover, it was capable of cutting through rivers, slicing through armor made of the hardest metal, and even breaking through Tactical-ss Defensive Barrier Magic¡ªits power was clearly among the top in the entire kingdom.If this sword were ced in the world of Danmachi, it would undoubtedly be considered First-ss Special Equipment, and one that focused heavily on power, unlike Riezel''s Fool and Hermit, which, due to their focus on the Durandal attribute, had somewhat reduced their power.
Albert was awarded this sword only after defeating 500 Sword Masters, symbolizing his family''s high expectations of him.
Now, as Albert drew the sword, the magic crystal on the hilt immediately emitted a faint glow, and the de was surrounded by a thinyer of magical energy, showcasing its extraordinary nature.
In contrast, Riezel surprisingly did not draw out the two weapons lying in his storage space.
He used neither the thin, high-speed Fool nor Hermit, which could melt steel and cut through anything. Instead, in front of everyone, he casually used the Structure System Magic to create a sword.
Yes.
Riezel used a magic-forged, single-edged curved sword with a scabbard covering it. He didn''t draw the sword but simply held it at his side while standing casually.
Although the spectators did not know the quality of the still-sheathed sword, they could tell from Riezel''s casual use of magic to create it that it probably wasn''t a very powerful weapon.
"What''s going on?"
"Is he nning to surrender?"
"Using that kind of weapon against Captain Albert? Isn''t that an insult?"
Everyone in the spectator seats began murmuring among themselves.
"Riezel¡"
Yuri was also puzzled by Riezel''s actions.
After all, she knew he had two weapons, and they were quite impressive.
During the War Festival, when Riezel fought Jill, she saw him wield a sword as thin as a cicada''s wing and quite agile¡ªwithout a doubt, a powerful weapon.
Yet now, Riezel was using an ordinary weapon casually created by magic.
Why?
Yuri couldn''t figure it out.
"Let''s keep watching."
Saying this, Hendrick''s eyes flickered for a moment before he regained hisposure.
Under these circumstances, Albert, who had not exchanged a word with Riezel from beginning to end, subtly furrowed his brow.
"Where is your weapon?" Albert asked.
In his view, although Riezel was not a noble, his background was still impressive, so he couldn''t possiblyck a good weapon.
Riezel did have good weapons, but¡ª
"I will use this one..." Riezel replied calmly. "It''s not a life-or-death battle anyway so this weapon will be more than enough."
"I see..." Albert was silent for a moment, then nodded. "If that''s the case, then so be it."
In the next moment, he actually put away his famous weapon, sheathing it and mming it heavily onto the ground. With a loud ''thud'', the sword in its scabbard pierced into the ground, standing beside him.
He then extended his hand toward the sky and called out.
"Bring me a sword!"
As soon as his words left his mouth, a knight from the spectator seats tossed a sword toward him.
It was amon longsword, clearly used for training, quite ordinary.
Albert caught the sword, raised it, and pointed it at Riezel.
"Are you sure about this?" Riezel asked with raised eyebrows, somewhat surprised by Albert''s decision. "A good weapon is part of a swordsman''s strength, so there''s really no need for you to make such a concession."
"You''re right..." Albert nodded in agreement, then immediately smiled. "If this were a formal and serious battle, I definitely wouldn''t do this. But like you said, this isn''t a life-or-death battle, so it doesn''t matter."
"Well, do as you like then." Riezel shrugged casually. "Just don''t regret not using a proper weapon if you lose."
"Don''t worry." Albert replied with a rxed expression. "If I do lose, it''ll be because of my ownck of skill, not because of the weapon."
Although he said this, his easygoing demeanor made it clear he didn''t actually think he would lose.
Needless to say, this wasn''t arrogance or conceit but natural confidence.
He had been practicing swordsmanship since childhood and, after bing a Sword Master, immediately began challenging stronger opponents. He had now defeated 982 Sword Masters in a row, including some highly experienced and famous Sword Masters, which had given him plenty of confidence.
He trusted his own skill, trusted the sword in his hand, and believed he would win just as he had in the past.
Compared to the formidable opponents he had faced before, Riezel, though recognized as a powerful Sword Master, was still very young. Albert didn''t think he was any more challenging than the true experts he had faced before.
For this reason, Albert didn''t believe he would lose, and even less did he think he would regret it afterward.
For a moment, he even considered whether he should go easy on his opponent.
After all, his opponent was young, while he was a full ten years older. If someone could be a Sword Master at such a young age, they must possess great talent and potential and might be a Sword Saint in the future.
If he inflicted too much damage and caused his opponent to lose confidence, it would be a serious matter.
However, in the next second, Albert quickly dismissed this idea.
''A battle between swordsmen is sacred. Even if this isn''t a life-and-death battle, a swordsman should give their opponent the respect they deserve.''
''Believe in the sword in your hand, and vow to live up to it.''
''Even without a sword in hand, you must live up to the sword in your heart.''
Albert recalled the education and family upbringing he had received since childhood and immediately corrected his mindset.
Since it was a battle between swordsmen, he should give it his all.
If his opponent was defeated by him and couldn''t get past this hurdle, they would surely never be a Sword Saint in the future.
''If he falls and can''t move forward, it just proves he isn''t suited for the path of a swordsman. It''s as simple as that.''
With this thought in mind, Albert put away his rxed demeanor and became serious and resolute.
"Interesting... You''re better than I expected."
Riezelplimented as he observed Albert''s behavior and expression.
"Thank you for thepliment... Let''s begin." Albert responded modestly.
"Sure." Riezel replied with a slight smile.
In the next moment, Riezel calmly stepped one foot forward, pushed the other foot back, bent his body down, and ced one hand on the hilt of the sword at his waist.
If the members of the Demon yer Corps were here, they would instantly recognize that what he did at this moment was an Iai stance.
Albert''s eyes narrowed as if he sensed an unusual atmosphere emanating from Riezel.
"Huhh... Hahh..."
Riezel closed his eyes and changed his breathing rhythm.
Albert''s grip on his sword tightened slightly, unconsciously falling into a state of intense focus.
One was closing his eyes and adjusting his breath, while the other was fully focused.
For a moment, they fell into an eerie calm.
"Begin!"
As soon as the high voice shouted from the spectator seats, in that instant¡ª
*BOOM!*
A violent lightning burst from Riezel''s body.
What followed was a scene that everyone present would remember for a lifetime.
When the wild lightning erupted from Riezel''s body, the crowd saw a sh of lightning.
A lightning bolt that seemed to cut through the entire arena.
Even though the lightning bolt shed only once, the thunderous roar and the sound of the explosion stirred up a storm that swept across the entire arena.
When the lightning bolt faded and the thunder disappeared, everyone could finally see Riezel.
With lightning flickering around his body, Riezel now stood behind Albert, his back facing him.
On the other hand, while Riezel''s sword, wrapped in electricity, had unknowingly unsheathed itself, its scabbard shatteredpletely, breaking into scattered pieces.
Albert stood in ce,pletely unmoved, with a dazed expression and trembling eyes.
"Thunder Breathing - First Form..."
Riezel''s voice slowly reached everyone''s ears.
"Thunderp and sh..."
As his words fell, Riezel calmly turned and walked away, leaving the arena without a word.
Only Albert remained, standing there in a daze, unable to react for a long while.
*Crack!*
Before long, Albert''s sword shattered.
Surprisingly, the sword''s de broke as if it had been cut in half, with a portion falling to the ground, making a crisp sound.
*Pu-chi!*
At the same time, Albert''s clothes suddenly ripped at the neck and chest area.
"..."
At this moment, everyone present was left speechless, either with wide eyes or wide mouths.
Including Hendrick.
Including Yuri.
Even though Riezel had already left, they were still stunned, frozen in ce.
In their minds, only that sh of lightning remained, refusing to fade.
Chapter 237: Unfathomable Figure
Chapter 237: Unfathomable Figure
Today''s meeting with the King of Jinas ended abruptly due to an unexpected match and its equally surprising oue.
After the match, Riezel immediately turned and left, disappearing from sight and leaving a group of high-ranking officials, including the king, in shock.
Still in shock from the unexpected oue, Albert was eventually taken away by members of the royal knightly order.
Meanwhile, once Yuri snapped out of her daze, she quickly apologized to the king and hurried off, seemingly in search of Riezel.
As for Hendrick, upon returning to the throne room, he dismissed everyone, sending the officials away while they were still reeling from the shock.
It was easy to imagine that these officials and knights would soon discuss this match, and by then, the name Riezel Brynhart would carry a weight many times greater than before, sparking heated discussions throughout the royal capital and the kingdom.
Hendrick could already see such a future unfolding, yet he still found it hard to believe.
"Albert..."
Hendrick muttered as he recalled the match.Needless to say, it was a thorough andplete defeat.
Albert Borley, hailed as the best swordsman just under Sword Saint, had his sword broken and was defeated in less than the blink of an eye, without even having the chance to react.
What kind of swordsman could instantly defeat the best swordsman just under Sword Saint?
Sword Saint!
It could only be a Sword Saint!
Even so, this fact was just too unbelievable and ridiculous.
"...Rohm."
Hendrick suddenly spoke out into the empty throne room.
"Have you ever seen a seventeen-year-old Sword Saint?"
At this question, a hazy figure flickered briefly behind Hendrick.
Soon afterward, a gloomy and cold voice echoed.
"Not only have I not seen one, but I haven''t even heard of one."
How could anyone have heard of such a thing?
In a world where bing a Sword Saint before the age of thirty was already an extremely rare feat, how could anyone have heard of a seventeen-year-old Sword Saint?
Let alone someone who was seventeen, even Sword Saints under thirty were among the few in all of human history who could be counted on one hand.
"Are you saying that everything we saw today was fake?"
Hendrick didn''t turn to look behind him but spoke as if he were talking to himself.
"..."
Upon hearing Hendrick''s words, the person called Rohm fell silent.
In this situation, Hendrick rubbed his temples in exhaustion.
"Has the information on Riezel Brynhart really beenpletely investigated?"
Hendrick asked in a deep voice.
"It''s been investigated..."
Rohm replied softly, exining what he had found.
"We''ve checked it many times and confirmed it at least twenty times, but there''s still no evidence that he has practiced swordsmanship."
"ording to the information, he only began practicing swordsmanship after he was attacked and his Gate was damaged."
"Before that, there were no signs that he had ever been involved with swordsmanship."
Hendrick had heard this information many times already, butprecisely because of this, he couldn''t help but confirm it over and over again.
"If he hadn''t shown any signs of practicing swordsmanship before, why did he suddenly be a Sword Master?" Hendrick muttered in wonder. "No, he''s no longer just a Sword Master... Defeating Albert in one strike... such skill, such swordsmanship... is far beyond what a Sword Master should possess..."
As he recalled that sh of lightning once more, a deep sense of dread involuntarily surfaced in his eyes.
In his eyes, Riezel had be an extremely unfathomable figure, and he even suspected that the past Riezel was merely a disguise, hiding his true self all along.
Forget about anything else, just the swordsmanship alone, there was no way someone who just started practicing swordsmanship could develop that level of skill.
Swordsmanship that would take ordinary people decades to master¡ªhow could Riezel have developed it to that level in such a short time?
Riezel must have been practicing swordsmanship for a long time, but he simply never showed it or even hid it.
As Hendrick pondered further, he remembered that even his true skill in magic was hidden.
Otherwise, how could he have suddenly be a Tactical-ss Magician?
From the past information, when Riezel first enrolled in Spriller Academy, he was known to have barely mastered Combat-ss Magic.
Given this, how could he suddenly use Tactical-ss Magic in the incident between the Frenzel and Basolo families?
''Why is he hiding so deeply? Is he plotting something?''
Hendrick couldn''t figure this out, but there was one thing he did understand¡ªtrying to win Riezel over or bind him to Jinas was almost impossible now.
"Since Riezel Brynhart is a Sword Saint, we absolutely cannot use forceful methods on him..." Hendrick muttered with a frown. "Since he''s so resistant to bing a noble, this route is probably closed..."
After hearing this, Rohm was silent for a moment before speaking up.
"Do you need me to take action, Your Majesty?"
At this point, Rohm''s tone carried a hint of murderous intent.
"Can you handle ''that'' strike?"
Instead of answering, Hendrick asked a question.
Obviously, he was referring to that terrifying lightning bolt that seemed to cut through the entire arena.
"I can..." Rohm paused, then continued in a t voice. "But it won''t be easy."
"Then it won''t work." Hendrick directly rejected the idea without hesitation. "Without absolute certainty, we cannot act against a Sword Saint. You should know that better than I do."
"In that case, what does Your Majesty wish to do?" Rohm asked solemnly, having put away his murderous intent. "He doesn''t seem very willing to pledge loyalty to the kingdom. If left unchecked, he might be tempted by foreign forces."
Hendrick had nothing to say to Rohm''s statement, as this was also his concern. After all, the better Riezel performed, the more shocked and unsettled he felt.
Perhaps this was amon characteristic of every ruler¡ªtoo much suspicion and worry.
"If there''s truly no other way, then we must try to build a good rtionship with him..." Hendrick said in a deep voice. "Even if he doesn''t be a noble or contribute to the kingdom, we need to ensure that he won''t be an enemy."
"Your Majesty means...?" Rohm began to understand the implication.
"Obviously, the best approach for him would be a marriage alliance."
Hendrick continued with a slight gleam in his eyes.
"However, given his attitude, he probably wouldn''t ept such an obvious attempt. Fortunately, aside from being a swordsman, he is also a magician. Since he is a magician, we''ll use the old method..."
"Our first step is to ensure that he doesn''t be an enemy."
Hendrick''s words prompted a question from Rohm.
"If that''s the case, who does Your Majesty n to send to Riezel Brynhart?"
Rohm''s question led Hendrick into deep thought once more.
After a while, Hendrick made a decision.
"Ordinary ones probably won''t be able to sway the youngest Sword Saint in history..." Hendrick said decisively, gritting his teeth. "I will send Lizbeth."
"What? No, Your Majesty!" Rohm''s tone changed sharply.
Hendrick clearly understood his objection.
"Princess Lizbeth''s talents are on par with those of Prince Sorren, evenparable to Albert and Sergius. Given time, she might even be a Sword Saint. How can we send her?"
Rohm strongly opposed Hendrick''s decision.
"Who else, then?" Hendrick asked coldly. "Among my daughters, who else besides Lizbeth could possibly catch Riezel Brynhart''s eye?"
"What about Princess Petra?"
"She won''t do. Not only is she much older than him, but her abilities are alsocking."
"What about Princess Anna?"
"She hasn''t even earned the Sword Master Medal yet. How could she catch his eye?"
"What about Princess Selene?"
"She already has an engagement."
"Then¡ Princess Shea?"
"..."
Hendrick finally turned his head, looking behind him, and then spoke through gritted teeth.
"Rohm, she''s only nine years old..."
With that, Rohm fell silent.
"It''s decided. I will send Lizbeth..." Hendrick sighed and waved his hand wearily. "Bing a Sword Saint isn''t easy. Even Sorren might not make it, let alone Lizbeth. Instead of hoping for a Sword Saint who might nevere, it''s better to focus on the Sword Saint we already have."
At this point, he fell silent and, after a moment of thought, spoke again.
"Make an announcement stating that Riezel Brynhart has qualified to be a Sword Saint. Soon, the royal family will award him the Sword Saint Medal and officially recognize him as a Sword Saint. You will act as his rmender."
Upon hearing this, Rohm knew that his king was starting to make moves to build a rtionship with Riezel Brynhart.
"...Understood."
Rohm epted the order and immediately disappeared from the throne room.
===
Meanwhile, while Hendrick was deep in thought and making decisions in the throne room, Yuri was hurrying down the royal pce corridor toward the direction of the Frenzel family''s carriage.
"My Lady?"
Marilyn, still unaware of what was going on, looked at Yuri, who was rushing by, with a puzzled expression.
Yuri ignored Marilyn and went straight to the empty space where the carriage was parked.
In that spot, she finally saw the troublemaker who had suddenly left earlier.
"Looks like my surprise was quite something, making even you hurry."
Saying this, Riezel leaned against the carriage with his arms crossed, waiting for Yuri toe over with a smile on his face.
Yuri slowed her pace, staring at the young man before her who was both familiar and oddly unfamiliar, unsure of what to say.
"Why aren''t you speaking?"
Riezel asked with raised eyebrows as he approached Yuri.
Seeing this, Yuri briefly wanted to roll her eyes at him.
"...Why didn''t you tell me?" Yuri asked with a confused look.
"Tell you what?" Riezel seemed not to understand.
Upon hearing this, Yuri red at him.
"ying dumb, huh?" Yuri said with an annoyed expression. "Since you already have the strength of a Sword Saint, you should''ve said so earlier! You had me worried for nothing!"
Although her words didn''t seem to affect Riezel, Marilyn, who stood behind her, looked shocked.
''Sword... Saint...?''
Marilyn looked at Riezel with wide eyes.
''He is... a Sword Saint...?''
Chapter 238: Special Fondness for Thunder Breathing
Chapter 238: Special Fondness for Thunder Breathing
Marilyn''s shock didn''t catch Riezel''s attention.
At this moment, Riezel simply watched Yuri, who looked quite upset, before suddenly reaching out to pat her on the head.
"What do you want me to say?" Riezel asked with a faint smile. "Should I brag about how amazing I am?"
His reasoning was somewhat simr to what he had said in front of Yuri when he first revealed his swordsmanship abilities after defeating the Shadow Knights with Ain and Ian.
Yuri''s frustration immediately vanished as she stared at Riezel, who smiled and patted her head without warning.
It took her a moment to react.
"Don''t treat me like a kid!"
Yuri quickly swatted Riezel''s hand away with an annoyed look, but if one looked closely, one would notice a hint of red on her cheeks.
However, his yful gesture seemed to make her lose her mood to confront him."I really want to know how many secrets you''re still hiding..." Yuri sighed tiredly. "If I''d known you had this level of power, I wouldn''t have worried so much..."
Not responding to her words, Riezel merely smiled faintly.
What Yuri didn''t know was that Riezel was actually still holding back. After all, in his match against Albert, he had used Thunder Breathing, not Sun Breathing.
Regarding this, there was a world of difference between the two.
Sun Breathing had evolved into apletely different realm, giving Riezel a stablebat power that crossed a level, making him nearly invincible even against Level 7 opponents.
Thunder Breathing, though unique, couldn''tpare to the evolved Sun Breathing.
However, if that was the case, why did Riezel choose to use Thunder Breathing and not other breathing styles?
Simple.
It was simply because Riezel had a special fondness for Thunder Breathing.
In truth, not only had he mastered the five fundamental breathing styles with the help of the Ubuyashiki family, but he had also mastered the derivative breathing styles from the Hashira during their two months of training together.
Whether it was Sound Breathing, Mist Breathing, Serpent Breathing, Insect Breathing, or even Love Breathing, he had mastered these derivative styles during his training with the Hashira.
For Riezel, who had managed to grasp me Breathing by merely observing Kyoujurou''s breathing during their first meeting in the Mugen Train, this wasn''t particrly difficult. He even mastered Moon Breathing just by observing it during his battle with Kokushibou.
If this fact were known to everyone in the Demon yer Corps, it would surely drop a lot of jaws.
Ultimately, Riezel had nearly mastered all the breathing styles from the world of Demon yer, except for Flower Breathing and Beast Breathing, which he had not yet seen in person.
Among all these breathing styles, Sun Breathing was undoubtedly the most useful for him, closely followed by Wind Breathing, which could be used in Fast Attack Mode with Ariel.
While the other breathing styles didn''t have as much impact because they couldn''t be applied to any attack modes, Thunder Breathing was undoubtedly his favorite.
Thunder Breathing was, after all, the second most challenging breathing style after Sun Breathing and had the strongest speed and explosive power of all breathing styles, making it a preferred choice for both killing and quick strikes.
It was evident from how he developed Blooming Radiance, a new thirteenth form of Sun Breathing. Much like Thunder Breathing''s first form, Thunderp and sh, Blooming Radiance was also an Iai technique, though they were not identical.
For this reason, he even attempted to evolve Thunder Breathing just as he had evolved Sun Breathing.
Unfortunately, he failed.
He realized that Thunder Breathing and Sun Breathing werepletely different.
One should know that the main reason Sun Breathing could evolve and transform was its incredible versatility and adaptability.
As the origin and ancestor of all breathing styles, the five fundamental breathing styles derived from Sun Breathing, while the remaining derivative breathing styles further evolved from these breathing styles, all ultimately traceable back to Sun Breathing.
Even Moon Breathing was a derivative of Sun Breathing, proving that Sun Breathing was all-epassing and had extremely high versatility and adaptability.
Unlike other breathing styles, which focused on enhancing specific aspects, Sun Breathing offered aprehensive boost to overall abilities.
Needless to say, such versatility, adaptability, andprehensive nature allowed Sun Breathing to evolve into a divine swordsmanship capable of strengthening the human body in every aspect.
Other breathing styles, however, fall short.
For example, since Thunder Breathing emphasized speed and explosive power, with other aspects being less important, it couldn''t integrate with the Akasha Continent''s breathing technique like Sun Breathing, which achieved an all-around enhancement effect. Coupled with itsck of versatility and adaptability, it made improvement or reshaping difficult.
As a result, among the breathing styles he mastered, only Sun Breathing could evolve and transform as he envisioned, while the other breathing styles could not.
Understanding this, Riezel felt regret more than once.
Regardless, in his current situation and needs, Thunder Breathing still proved useful.
''Indeed, demonstrating strength is the best way to deter petty threats, but if you show all your strength and don''t keep any cards up your sleeve, you''ll eventually suffer.''
Riezel''s heart was as clear as a mirror as he thought this.
Facing his current situation, where countless people were eyeing him, he knew he needed to show enough power to make them wary but also not reveal his full capabilities to avoid being targeted.
Because of this, Riezel kept a few tricks up his sleeve, hiding his true power.
For him, even without using Sun Breathing in Strong Attack Mode or Wind Breathing in Fast Attack Mode, he could easily handle someone iming to be the best swordsman just under Sword Saint.
Under normal circumstances, he could already dominate Level 6 opponents, so even against Albert, who had reached the limit of Level 6 and could be considered a half-step to Level 7, he would still have the upper hand.
For this reason, when he used a breathing style to enhance his power, even a standard breathing style without evolution could help him reach the power of Level 7 and effortlessly defeat Albert.
Level 7, even if just barely, was the genuine realm of Sword Saint, enough to deal with an ordinary Sword Saint, let alone someone who was still a step away.
Moreover, with Riezel using Thunder Breathing, the strongest in speed and explosive power among all breathing styles, merely using its first form, which was the same as the Blooming Radiance, the strike he unleashed at that moment would be hard for ordinary Sword Saints to block.
In this way, the result was as expected.
Albert Borley, the so-called best swordsman just under Sword Saint, faced a devastating defeat. If it had been a life-and-death battle, he would have been killed in an instant without even realizing it.
Demonstrating such a level of power was enough to intimidate petty threats.
Riezel had already nned this thoroughly.
''In the future, I''ll use Thunder Breathing in front of others and hide my true power. If someone thinks that''s all I have and targets me, I''ll give them a big surprise.''
With this thought, Riezel suddenly remembered Zenitsu.
As a swordsman who only knew the first form of Thunder Breathing, Zenitsu appeared to be a hopeless case but was, in truth, a master practitioner of Thunder Breathing.
In the original work, Zenitsu perfected the first form and developed even stronger techniques based on it.
They were ''First Form - Thunderp and sh - Godspeed'' and ''Seventh Form - ming Thunder God'', the two techniques Zenitsu created based on his understanding of Thunder Breathing''s first form.
Godspeed was the ultimate move of Thunderp and sh, the fastest strike, the fastest sh.
ming Thunder God, on the other hand, could achieve speeds even Upper Ranks couldn''t catch, allowing Zenitsu, who wasn''t even a Hashira and had none of the three abilities¡ªthe Demon yer Mark, the Bright Red Nichirin Sword, and the Transparent World¡ªto decapitate his senior brother, who had be an Upper Rank.
Riezel thought these two techniques had a lot of potential and were simr in essence to his Blooming Radiance.
''Maybe if I develop them further, I might find some inspiration to improve Blooming Radiance.''
Indeed, Riezel was thinking about improving Blooming Radiance.
Meanwhile, Yuri, who was unaware of all this, was still in awe of the stunning lightning bolt Riezel had created, not realizing that it wasn''t even his true strength.
However, there was one thing she did know.
"Is the swordsmanship you used a Special Swordsmanship?" Yuri asked seriously. "So, you already know and have learned a Special Swordsmanship?"
She had been trying every possible way to give this troublemaker ess to her family library, only to find out he didn''t need it at all.
Special Swordsmanship was, after all, something even the Frenzel family didn''t possess.
"Well, I guess so..."
With such a casual answer, Riezel didn''t exin much further.
In the eyes of the people of this world, Thunder Breathing could indeed be considered a type of Special Swordsmanship.
Special Swordsmanship was a form of swordsmanship that allowed a swordsman to develop unique abilities¡ªsome could summon wind, while others could control fire, performing feats simr to magic.
Since Thunder Breathing used the power of lightning, it was seen as a type of Special Swordsmanship.
However, unlike the genuine Special Swordsmanship of this world, Thunder Breathing didn''t permanently enhance the body and only provided temporary effects.
For thisplicated reason, Riezel didn''t intend to rify further.
"Anyway, with this, things are settled..." Riezel said calmly. "Although I can''t say I''mpletely safe, it should help prevent some underhanded tricks, right?"
At his words, Yuri paused for a moment before suddenly smiling.
"I can''t guarantee there won''t be any underhanded tricks, but I can guarantee that you''ll have something to do next."
"What?" Riezel asked with a confused expression.
Perhaps out of spite, she kept him in suspense.
"You''ll find out soon enough."
With that, Yuri turned and got into the carriage.
Marilyn, still shocked, gave Riezel a peculiar look before following her master into the carriage.
Still standing in ce, Riezel was lost in thought.
''What did she mean by that?''
Not understanding Yuri''s meaning, Riezel shook his head before getting into the carriage as well.
It wasn''t untilter that he realized he indeed had something to do next.
However, whether it was a good or bad thing was up to everyone''s interpretation.
Chapter 239: Seventeen-Year-Old Sword Saint
Chapter 239: Seventeen-Year-Old Sword Saint
¡ªRiezel Brynhart is confirmed to possess the ability befitting a Sword Saint and will be rmended by the Shadow Sword Saint to receive the Sword Saint Medal from the royal family, officially recognizing him as one of the esteemed Sword Saints of the current generation.
When this announcement from the royal pce spread throughout the royal capital, it came as no surprise that the entire capital was shaken senseless.
"Riezel Brynhart is a Sword Saint?"
"He¡ He actually has the strength of a Sword Saint?"
"Impossible!"
Needless to say, the most informed nobles were the first to react with shock and disbelief.
Whether they were supporters of the royal family, the duke, or even the very few neutrals, everyone was stunned by this sudden, earth-shattering announcement that came out of nowhere.
No choice.
"He''s only seventeen years old, right...?""Isn''t he a magician?"
"How could he possibly be a Sword Saint?"
Many people thought the announcement must be wrong or that they had misheard.
Unfortunately, with the exnations from the civil officials and knights present when Riezel was summoned to the royal pce, everyone learned the details.
Riezel Brynhart had defeated Albert Borley!
Moreover, it was a swift, instant victory!
Albert Borley, considered the best swordsman just under Sword Saint and known as the soon-to-be eighth-generation Sword Saint of the Borley family, had been defeated in an instant without even having the chance to react!
If this fact didn''t count as being a Sword Saint, then what did?
"Incredible..."
"A seventeen-year-old young man actually defeated Captain Albert with a single move... It''s just unbelievable..."
"No matter what, this is a seventeen-year-old Sword Saint we''re talking about!"
"How is this even possible?"
Some were stunned, some sighed in disbelief, others took a while to snap out of it, and some simply couldn''t ept it at all.
As they said, a seventeen-year-old Sword Saint was too astounding, even unbelievable.
At seventeen, being a Sword Master would already make someone an exceptional genius, yet Riezel had directly be a Sword Saint. Even if one searched the entire Akasha Continent or its entire history, they wouldn''t find anyone like him.
Forget about the Akasha Continent, even in the other worlds Riezel had visited, who else reached thebat power of Level 7, the strength of a Sword Saint, at seventeen?
Ais was indeed talented and one year younger than Riezel, but she was just about to level up to Level 6.
Yoriichi was indeed extraordinary, but he only reached Level 7 after his death, inspired by Riezel''s evolved Sun Breathing. In life, he was at most at the limit of Level 6, the same as Albert, only halfway to Level 7.
Even the ultimate weapon of Orario, Ottar, reached Level 7 only at twenty-five and was still Level 6 at seventeen.
Compared to them, the Akasha Continent had many Level 7 Sword Saints throughout its history, and there were quite a few in the current generation.
Jinas alone had six, but none achieved the status of Sword Saint before the age of thirty.
It was like someone still in high school at seventeen, struggling with college entrance exams, while another at seventeen had already skipped grades, graduated from university,pleted graduate studies, and be a doctor.
Naturally, this caused a huge stir, making it hard for others to imagine and ept. Especially for those who were already paying attention to Riezel or even knew him personally, this news hit them like a ton of bricks.
For example, Archie.
For example, Carrera.
Even a certain prince who had just warned Riezel and was acting arrogant beyond measure was almost stunned into disbelief by the announcement.
"How could he be a Sword Saint? How the fuck could this happen?!"
Sorren jumped out of his bed, shocked and angry.
When this announcement spread to the general public, among themoners, and even throughout the continent, a massive uproar was inevitable.
"I can''t believe a seventeen-year-old magician just popped up as a Sword Saint outta nowhere!"
"Are you fucking kidding me?"
"So you''re saying this seventeen-year-old kid, who''s still just a magic academy student, just reached the heights I''ve been chasing for my whole life?"
"Bullshit!"
Many angry swordsmen were on the move, driven by this announcement.
Of course, their destination was only one¡ªthe Frenzel family''s secondary residence in the royal capital, where Riezel resided.
===
On this day, the Frenzel residence was particrly bustling.
A session of swordsmen, each exuding an extraordinary aura, arrived at the entrance of the residence and made their derations to the gatekeepers.
Surprisingly, their derations were strikingly consistent.
"I want to challenge Riezel Brynhart!"
Such was the situation.
Indeed, they were all challengers, here to challenge the youngest Sword Saint in history.
Among them were some well-known expert Sword Masters, fully armed, their eyes cold as they made their challenge derations loudly.
Clearly, such amotion could not possibly go unnoticed by the various factions in the royal capital.
As a result, these factions naturally sent their people with only one purpose in mind¡ªto verify.
Verify what?
Of course, to verify if Riezel Brynhart truly possessed the strength of a Sword Saint.
Such a stir, of course, did not escape Riezel''s notice.
"So many people areing to challenge me?"
When he heard the news, Riezel was genuinely surprised, especially when he saw the huge crowd outside, he had a moment of disbelief, finding it hard to believe that all these people hade to find him.
On the other hand, Yuri, as if she had anticipated this situation, was nonchntly sipping tea.
"What do you think the status of Sword Saint is?" Yuri asked with a hint of schadenfreude. "It''s one of the highest honors on the continent. In a way, those who pursue this status are even more fanatic than those who seek the status of Strategic-ss Magician."
Sword Saint and Strategic-ss Magician¡ªthese were the two supreme titles and status on the Akasha Continent, the two highest honors.
Sword Saint was the pinnacle for swordsmen.
Strategic-ss Magician was the pinnacle for magicians.
Moreover, since this world was one of swords and magic, it had only two paths to transcendence¡ªeither a swordsman or a magician, with clearly no third path.
However, bing a magician required talent, a natural gift.
Only those who meet the requirements in both ''magical energy'' and ''magicpatibility'' could tread this path. Otherwise, one could never be apetent magician.
As a result, magicians were rare talents, a rare breed, hard toe by.
From this reasoning, this was obviously one of the fundamental causes why magicians were so highly respected.
Meanwhile, swordsmen were different.
While one''s talent was also important for swordsmen, theoretically, anyone without disabilities could practice swordsmanship and be a swordsman.
Consequently, in this world, ny percent of those who walked the path of transcendence were swordsmen. Since they couldn''t be magicians, they could only tread this path until the end.
Given this, their greatest pursuit in life was obviously to be a Sword Saint.
Moreover, a swordsman''s growth path, unlike a magician''s, couldn''t be achieved solely through talent. It required constant training, practice, and the honing of skills through blood and sweat.
Needless to say, those who worked so tirelessly were often the most unwilling to concede defeat.
"You know, the path of a swordsman is half about challenging the strong."
Yuri put down her tea cup and looked at Riezel.
"Some people challenge the strong to hone their skills."
"Some people challenge the strong to be the best."
"Some people challenge the strong for glory and fame."
"Unlike magicians, where as long as you have the talent, you can hide away, study magic without disturbance, and then unleash the magic of the corresponding ss to gain the honor and status of that ss."
In such a situation, it was even more evident that no matter which way one chose to be a Sword Saint, they were still required to challenge the strong.
For example, the second way, after bing a Sword Master, was to challenge a Sword Saint of the current generation. If one could defeat them, one would receive the kingdom''s honor, be awarded the Sword Saint Medal, and be a Sword Saint themselves.
"I can assure you, more than half of those shouting outside are after those."
Yuri continued with a casual tone.
"A young, seventeen-year-old Sword Saint... to those swordsmen who want to defeat a Sword Saint, you must seem like an easy target, right?"
What she said wasn''t wrong.
Since they wanted to challenge a Sword Saint, why not pick the easiest one?
Other Sword Saints were, after all, already well-known and had built up enough fame even before bing Sword Saints, so their reputation and strength were unquestioned.
However, a seventeen-year-old Sword Saint who had suddenly emerged out of nowhere and was known as a magic academy student couldn''t help but arouse suspicion about his true abilities.
Considering this, Yuri was probably right.
At least half of the swordsmen outside moring to challenge Riezel were likely looking to make a name for themselves and saw him as their stepping stone.
"I see¡" Riezel frowned.
Seeing him like this, Yuri let out a sigh of relief and then snorted softly.
"Now you understand why I said you''d have things to do next?" Yuri said with a shrug. "In the future, you''ll probably be constantly challenged like this."
Riezel remained silent.
"Alright, don''t worry."
Seeing that Riezel seemed distressed, Yuri''s heart softened.
"No matter what, this is the Frenzel residence. They wouldn''t dare enter a marquis''s home without permission. Just ignore them, and they''ll leave sooner orter."
However, upon hearing this, Riezel suddenly spoke something surprising.
"No, I''m going to face them."
"What?" Yuri was taken aback.
"Face them?" Marilyn, who stood silently to the side, was also surprised.
In contrast, Riezel, who had seemed so troubled to them moments ago, was now smiling¡ªsmiling happily.
"Since they''vee to me voluntarily, how can I not face them?"
Riezel was indeed happy.
It was not without reason.
One should know that Riezel possessed Falna (Blessing), which allowed him to gain excelia from defeating others to improve himself.
Since returning from the world of Danmachi to the Akasha Continent, or traveling from the Akasha Continent to the world of Demon yer, he had been troubled by how to find enough opponents to fight and defeat.
Without enough opponents, his growth had slowed, no longer leveling up every few weeks as before.
Now, however, there were surprisingly many free excelia delivered right to his doorstep.
Chapter 240: Is There Anyone Else?
Chapter 240: Is There Anyone Else?
At this moment, the area outside the Frenzel residence was truly teeming with people¡ªpacked so tightly that it was almost impossible to move.
Even ordinary people seemed to have shown up, drawn by themotion.
As a result, the space around the Frenzel residence was so crowded that it could have easily led to a stampede if there hadn''t been a main road left open.
"Quiet!"
"Don''t push!"
Ain and Ian shouted loudly to maintain a minimal level of order.
They had been alerted and had brought many knights with them, but this apparently still didn''t deter the crowd of swordsmen.
"I want to challenge Riezel Brynhart!"
"I also want to challenge Riezel Brynhart!""Let Riezel Brynharte out!"
Several young and vigorous swordsmen were on the verge of drawing their swords, their faces twisted in fierce determination¡ªclearly would not back down.
It was clear that if Riezel didn''t show up today, there would have been a lot of chaos.
Until¡ª
"Someone''sing out!"
Someone in the crowd suddenly shouted, causing the entire noisy scene to fall into silence.
People quickly turned their heads and saw a figure walking toward them from inside the Frenzel residence''s gate.
It was none other than Riezel.
"That''s Riezel Brynhart!"
Someone instantly recognized Riezel and shouted his name, causing countless eyes to fixate on him like sharp swords.
"Mr. Riezel!"
Ain and Ian both turned and saw Riezel, promptly calling out to him.
At the same time, the surrounding knights bowed and saluted Riezel, their demeanor more respectful than ever before.
"Ah, thank you for your trouble."
Riezel came up to Ain and Ian and thanked them.
""No...""
Upon hearing his words, the two female knights hastily shook their heads.
They were about to speak but were unfortunately interrupted.
"Riezel Brynhart!"
A swordsman seized the opportunity and shouted at Riezel.
"Are you brave enough to ept my challenge?"
At this, the others quickly reacted.
"Me too!"
"I want to challenge you as well!"
"Are you brave enough to ept my challenge?"
"I don''t believe you''re a Sword Saint. If you really have the capability, then ept my challenge!"
"That''s right! Let us see your true strength!"
"Come on!"
One by one, the swordsmen spoke up¡ªsome with excitement, some with hostility, some with fighting intent, and others with disdain.
It was clear that although all these swordsmen wanted to challenge Riezel, their motivations varied.
Some wanted to climb the ranks by stepping over him.
Some genuinely doubted his strength.
Some came to challenge a renowned opponent out of admiration.
Some were simply envious, jealous, or self-assured, believing that he was just putting on a show and couldn''t possibly be a Sword Saint.
As Riezel observed all the swordsmen who challenged him, he also understood this.
In the next moment, under Ain and Ian''s watchful eyes, Riezel stepped forward.
"Want to challenge me, you say?" Riezel asked calmly, his expression one of nonchnce. "Alright, who''s up first?"
"..."
His straightforwardness left many people at a loss for words.
For a moment, everyone was rendered speechless.
"...Is it really okay?"
"Is he really going to ept their challenge?"
Ain and Ian exchanged nces and whispered to each other¡ªone furrowing her brows while the other wore a look of worry.
Both had witnessed Riezel''s abilities firsthand, not just once but twice.
Once, when the Shadow ambushed them, Riezel personally took down the leading Sword Master.
The other time was during the War Festival when Riezel personally killed Jill Dardis, the Demon Swordsman.
On both asions, Riezel demonstrated extraordinary abilities, earning Ain and Ian''s deep respect. However, it was precisely because they had seen him in action that they couldn''t help but be more concerned.
However, despite Riezel''s impressive disy of swordsmanship and abilities on those asions, Ain and Ian still felt it wasn''t quite at the level of a Sword Saint.
Let alone Albert, Riezel had clearly struggled to defeat Jill in the War Festival.
With such abilities, while Riezel would definitely qualify as a Sword Master, Ain and Ian felt that it just wasn''t enough to be considered a Sword Saint.
Even though they had heard about Albert''s instant defeat at Riezel''s hands, they hadn''t seen it with their own eyes, after all. With their preconceived notions, they genuinely worried that there might be something off about this information and that Riezel''s status as a Sword Saint might actually be for other reasons.
Because of this, they feared that Riezel would be exposed and defeated here, tarnishing his reputation.
Meanwhile, Riezel, who had already stepped forward, did not notice Ain and Ian''s concerns.
Nevertheless, even if he had noticed, he probably wouldn''t have cared anyway.
"Who''s up first?"
Riezel repeated his question as he observed the swordsmen before him.
Finally, someone stepped forward.
"I''ll go!"
A burly man jumped in front of Riezel.
He was armored, carried a greatsword, and had a body taller and more robust than Sorren''s.
When such a heavily armored swordsman with a heavy greatsword jumped in front of Riezel, the ground even trembled slightly, drawing attention from many.
"I''m Marco Newgallen!"
Folding his hands across his chest, the burly man introduced himself.
Surprisingly, the name caused a stir among the crowd.
"Marco Newgallen?"
"He''s the ''Tyrant'', isn''t he?"
"I didn''t expect him to show up too..."
Everyone on the scene buzzed with excitement.
""It''s him?""
Ain and Ian eximed while exchanging serious looks.
"What''s wrong? Do you know him?" Riezel turned to the two female knights.
Upon hearing the question, Ian, always blunt in her personality, immediately answered.
"He''s a swordsman who became famous a long time ago, from the Newgallen territory, and is the son of the local lord."
Ian began to exin in detail.
"Although the Newgallen territory is just a remote rural area and the lord there is an ordinary baron, not very prominent in noble circles, his son, Marco Newgallen, is a Sword Master. He left home in childhood to hone his swordsmanship and aims to be a Sword Saint."
"However, because he often has a tendency to be excessively violent, causing many of his opponents to be severely injured or even die from his blows, many people call him the Tyrant."
Ian''s exnation was thorough and made it clear to Riezel what kind of man the burly figure in front of him was.
In contrast, Ain was more concise.
"Mr. Riezel, he''s really strong, so be careful..." Ain reminded in a serious tone. "Ian and I probably aren''t his match."
Even without her saying this, Riezel could tell that much.
After all, the moment he used the Transparent World, he noticed that the muscles of this burly man were not just for show.
In terms of pure strength alone, he was probably stronger than Albert, which meant he was at least Level 6.
"Riezel Brynhart, right?"
As Riezel learned about Marco''s information, Marco spoke up with a wide grin, and his expression was quite vicious.
"I heard you defeated Albert Borley with a single move? Hmph, I don''t believe it!" Marco said bluntly. "About four years ago, I lost to him and had my Sword Master Medal taken away. It was only recently that I got the medal back."
In fact, there was a rule for this.
When someone challenged a thousand Sword Masters on their way to bing a Sword Saint, if the challenger defeated the challenged, they could take the challenged''s Sword Master Medal as proof of their victory.
If the defeated Sword Master lost their medal, they couldn''t reim it for three years, nor could they im the status of Sword Master during that time.
Clearly, this rule exists to prevent anyone from using underhanded methods to be a Sword Saint, or, more specifically, to avoid situations where matches were manipted.
Because of this rule, every Sword Master who was challenged must fight with full effort and couldn''t give up the battle. Otherwise, they would lose their Sword Master Medal for three years, which was like walking around with a mark of defeat.
For swordsmen, this was undoubtedly a significant disgrace and a blow to their self-esteem.
Marco had obviously gone through this, yethe spoke of it without any reservations.
"It''s precisely because I''ve fought Albert Borley that I know how strong he is. Someone as weak and fragile as you could never defeat him, let alone do it with a single move! What bullshit!"
Marco''s words were met with angry res from Ain and Ian, but his words clearly failed to stir any reaction from Riezel.
"So? Are you here to prove that I''m not as capable as I im to be?" Riezel asked with a half-smile.
"That''s right! I don''t believe in that bullshit!" Marco shouted before drawinghis greatsword.
*BOOM!*
As the tip of the greatsword mmed into the ground, it caused a deafening explosion, creating a crater.
Many people who watched this scene quietly swallowed their saliva.
"Be careful not to get yourself killed, kid." Marco grinned. "I''m not good at holding back, y''know."
"It''s fine..."
Riezel tightened his grip, using the Structure System Magic to create a sword, which he held casually along with its scabbard, standing nonchntly in front of Marco.
"I''m good at it, so it''s fine. No need to hold back."
Seeing Riezel''s nonchnce, Marco grew angry.
"YOU ARROGANT BASTARD!"
Marco roared in anger, lifting his greatsword and charging at Riezel like a war chariot.
However, at the same moment, a thunderous roar suddenly echoed through the area.
*BOOM!*
A sh of lightning appeared without warning before everyone''s eyes, instantly dominating their vision and bing the only thing in the world they could see.
Even though the lightning was just a sh, it immediately stirred the wind around, making Riezel''s figure appear as though it had passed through space itself.
In a sh of thunder and lightning, Riezel, surrounded by crackling lightning, abruptly arrived behind Marco.
*Click!*
With a clicking sound, the sword that had somehow been unsheathed was now sheathed by Riezel.
*Splurt!*
Still in the middle of his charge, blood suddenly burst forth in front of Marco.
Without realizing what had happened, Marco copsed to the ground, unconscious.
"..."
Silence.
A deathly silence.
"Is there anyone else?"
Soon, Riezel''s voice rang out again, calm andposed.
Chapter 241: Next
Chapter 241: Next
"Is there anyone else?"
When this seemingly nd question echoed outside the Frenzel residence, amidst the crowd surging with anticipation, no one responded.
Whether it was the ordinary people there to witness the spectacle or the swordsmen who had been shouting earlier, they seemed to have had their breath taken away, frozen in shock.
Even the Frenzel family''s knights, led by Ain and Ian, stood there dumbfounded, staring at Riezel, surrounded by crackling lightning, losing their voices.
Shock.
Awe.
Horror.
Fear.
A whirlwind of emotions surged through everyone present."Am I... dreaming...?"
Someone murmured.
"No way..."
Someone shuddered.
"One strike..."
Someone''s eyes widened.
"Marco... just lost...?"
Someone couldn''t believe it.
At this moment, they doubted their own eyes and questioned what had just happened.
"Ugh... Agh..."
Only Marco, lying unconscious on the ground and groaning in pain, confirmed to everyone that what had just urred was indeed real.
Marco was truly defeated, defeated thoroughly.
With just one strike, the heavily armored and long-renowned Tyrant was incapacitated, his armor shattered and blood gushing out inrge quantities, leaving him unconscious.
People could only stand there, staring at the scene and looking at Riezel, unable to speak.
Soon, at a certain moment, a huge uproar broke out.
"Sword Saint!"
"Such strength has to be a Sword Saint, right?!"
"All those rumors were true! We really have a seventeen-year-old Sword Saint!"
"Heavens, it''s all real..."
It was the ordinary people who reacted first, erupting in noisy excitement.
Soon after, the swordsmen and the people sent by various factions, who had been standing silently in shock, were awakened by themotion. All their eyes reflected unprecedented awe and fear as they looked at Riezel.
Like them, Ain and Ian were in shock as well.
"Sword Saint..."
"Mr. Riezel is really a Sword Saint..."
The two of them were both surprised and thrilled, feeling as if they were dreaming.
As for the Frenzel family''s knights, their gazes toward Riezel were now purely filled with reverence.
"Did you see that? Elder Sister Mediste!"
At the same time, a small figure hiding around the corner of the mansion, excitedly peeking over, began shouting.
"He is so amazing! So even a swordsman can be this powerful?"
Clearly, the small figure was none other than Isaac.
With all themotion, he naturally noticed it and became curious, so he sneakily crept over and caught the impressive scene of Riezel instantly defeating Marco.
Mediste was right beside Isaac, having witnessed everything just like him, and her eyes sparkled as she watched Riezel standing there.
Everyone was making a racket, turning the entire Frenzel residence into a chaotic bazaar.
Riezel, the source of all this chaos, frowned.
"Quiet."
Riezel''s voice was cold and wasn''t loud, but it clearly reached everyone''s ears.
In that instant, everyone fell silent, not daring to make a sound.
"Next."
Riezel''s voice regained its earlier calm.
In truth, he wasn''t concerned nor did he care about the reactions of these people. He was only interested in who would be next for his excelia source.
Unfortunately, this time, no one stepped forward.
Those who had questioned him or looked down on him, and even those who were envious and jealous of him, all lowered their heads in unison.
At the same time, the people sent by various factions to gather information wished they could hide, looking as if they were afraid of being discovered by Riezel.
It was clear how much awe they felt toward Riezel at this moment.
Of course, not everyone felt this way.
Some swordsmen who originally came seeking to challenge strong opponents looked at Riezel with eyes that sparkled and shone.
However, the next person to step forward wasn''t one of them.
"A bunch of cowards, if you all won''t go, then I will!"
A gloomy and cold figure emerged from the crowd.
He wasn''t as burly as Marco and was even somewhat thin, but his long arms and the long sword at his waist, at least 1.9 meters in length, gave him a unique look.
Seeing him, many immediately recognized his identity.
"It''s Alder Bray!"
"Seriously? Even the Long Arms Alder is here?"
"He''s kinda like the Tyrant, right? Got wrecked by Albert Borley a while back?"
"Yeah, he lost like a year ago and still hasn''t reimed the Sword Master Medal."
Many swordsmen began chattering, exposing the background of this menacing swordsman.
''Lost to Albert Borley a year ago?'' Riezel nced at the neer.
Although Alder had indeed lost to Albert, he was clearly more powerful than Marco.
After all, Albert, who had grown stronger with age, would continue to improve.
Marco had lost four years ago when Albert was still twenty-three years old, while Alder had lost a year ago when Albert was twenty-six.
At twenty-three, when Albert defeated Marco, he was probably just a slightly stronger Sword Master, not the invincible Sword Master he was now.
Meanwhile, by twenty-six, when Albert defeated Alder, he was likely close to his current strength.
Needless to say, Alder''s ability to fight against such an Albert indicated that his strength surpassed Marco''s.
In fact, the Transparent World revealed that Alder''s strength was indeed greater than Marco''s.
"I''m Alder Bray."
Alder looked coldly at Riezel as he introduced himself.
"You''re strong, I admit that..." Alder continued. "But to say you defeated Albert Borley in one strike? I still don''t believe it."
He wasn''t trying to praise Albert, but he simply couldn''t ept that the heir of the famous family of Sword Saints, whom he had dreamed of defeating to clear his own shame, had been taken down so easily by a seventeen-year-old.
Since his defeat by Albert and losing the Sword Master Medal, he had seen Albert as his rival.
Over the past year, he had endured humiliation and hardship, constantly honing his swordsmanship and pushing himself to be stronger, all in hopes of one day defeating Albert and crushing him underfoot.
Now, to learn that the formidable rival he had long sought to defeat had been instantly taken down by a random young man who had been unknown until recently?
He obviously couldn''t ept it.
Riezel, however, didn''t say much in response.
"In that case, let''s see your real skill in action." Riezel said calmly, his expression unchanged. "Draw your sword."
Upon hearing this, Alder quickly drew his sword, its de glowing with magical energy. He stared intently at Riezel as his mind sneered coldly.
"Come on, attack me..." Alder said with confidence. "Let''s see how I break your swordsmanship."
Even though he wasn''t sure if he could defeat Riezel, he was confident that Riezel wouldn''t be able to breach his defenses.
It wasn''t without reason he thought this way.
After all, the swordsmanship he practiced specifically focused on enhancing defense and excelling in counterattacks. He could even confidently say that his defensive ability far exceeded that of an average swordsman at his level.
Even Albert couldn''t breach his defenses within a hundred moves, being repeatedly forced back. If it hadn''t been for his defense weakening over time, Albert wouldn''t have been able to defeat him.
Over the past year, he had learned from this and had intensely trained to extend his endurance in prolonged battles.
Now, he was no longer the same person he had been a year ago. He was confident that if he faced Albert again, he would not suffer the same defeat asst time.
Riezel''s earlier attack on Marco was indeed astonishing, even changing his expression, as he couldn''t see it or react in time.
However, it didn''t matter since he didn''t need to react to the attack in the first ce. He only needed to set up a defensive perimeter around himself to block the iing attack.
In his eyes, Riezel''s astonishing attack was as unsustainable as his own defenses had once been. Once the attack faltered, he would be able to counter and secure victory.
''Heh, if you can''t even block a single strike from this boy, and I manage to block it and defeat him, your face will definitely be a sight to behold, Albert...''
As Alder thought of Albert, the knight who had defeated him a year ago and ruthlessly taken his Sword Master Medal despite his furious re, a surge of hatred welled up within him.
He was already looking forward to seeing Albert''s expression when they met again.
Unfortunately, what Alder didn''t know was that, in Riezel''s eyes, his swordsmanship, defenses, and counters were practically nothing.
*BOOM!*
A thunder-like sound suddenly erupted from Riezel''s body, bathing him in crackling lightning once more.
"?!"
Alder finally snapped out of his daze, his face turning pale.
He wanted to swing his sword, to set up the defense he was so proud of, but regrettably, the defense he had high hopes for couldn''t even keep up with Riezel''s afterimage, much less block his attack.
*BOOM!*
A lightning bolt shed by with a thunderous roar, streaking past Alder.
*Whoosh¡ª!*
*Pu-chi!*
Before Alder could lift his sword, he was hit in the chest by a lightning-fast sh, a burst of blood erupting from his front.
Riezel''s sh was so fast that the intense pain was only felt by Alder a few secondster.
''No... No!''
*Thud!*
Alder wanted to scream and shout, but unfortunately, he lost all his strength and fell heavily to the ground, unconscious like Marco.
*Click!*
Just like before, Riezel calmly sheathed his sword.
Even though the sound of the de sliding into the scabbard was very faint, it echoed clearly in everyone''s ears during that moment, like the drop of a pin in a quiet room.
*Gulp!*
Someone in the crowd swallowed loudly, the sound distinctly audible.
Riezel didn''t spare a nce at the defeated swordsman behind him, his eyes, zing like torches, swept over everyone present.
"Next."
He was already anticipating who woulde forward next and be his excelia.
"..."
Unfortunately, this time, the crowd of swordsmen looked at each other in silence,pletely at a loss for words.
Yes.
Unlike before, no one dared to step up this time.
Even those who had originally been full of fighting intent now showed signs of hesitation.
Chapter 242: Triplet Swordsmen
Chapter 242: Triplet Swordsmen
Marco Newgallen was defeated in one strike.
Alder Bray was defeated in one strike.
As the two renowned Sword Masters, famous within Jinas, could not withstand a single move from Riezel, those present began to believe that he truly had the ability to defeat Albert Borley with just one strike.
Needless to say, this was more than enough proof that Riezel indeed possessed the ability of a Sword Saint.
At the very least, someone who could easily defeat two long-established Sword Masters and someone reputed to be the best swordsman just under Sword Saint could not possibly be at the same level as them.
Only a Sword Saint could easily defeat such highly regarded Sword Masters!
Only a Sword Saint could possess such a level of strength!
As they witnessed the sh of lightning that crushed all the opponents, every swordsman''s desire to challenge Riezel cooled rapidly, as if a bucket of cold water had been thrown on them.
As a result, no one dared to step forward or make any challenge derations.Riezel, with his strength, had effectively silenced all doubts and objections, making everyone quiet at this moment.
Ain, Ian, Isaac, Mediste, and other members of the Frenzel family cast admiring looks at Riezel.
However, Riezel, upon seeing this scene, secretly panicked.
''Damn it, this isn''t good. I''ming off too strong and scaring them away...''
Clearly, such a thing couldn''t happen since these challengers were his free excelia, so he couldn''t afford to scare them away.
It seemed he would need to ease up a bit and soften his approach.
"What''s wrong? Afraid toe up?"
Riezel, having made up his mind, gave a slight smile to the swordsmen before him.
"If that''s the case, I allow you to team up. Anyone who wants to challenge me cane forward together."
Upon hearing this, the swordsmen were shocked.
"Team up?"
"All together?"
"No way!"
A flurry of murmurs spread through the crowd, and some felt insulted by the suggestion.
"What does he mean?"
"Is he looking down on us?!"
"Seriously? Teaming up?"
"How arrogant!"
Evidently, many swordsmen were enraged by Riezel''s words.
"Mr. Riezel..." Ian quickly stepped forward. "I think this is enough. No one will question you anymore."
"Yes." Ain nodded in agreement. "You are indeed a Sword Saint. I believe no one will doubt it further."
Apparently, these two female knights were worried that Riezel''s disy of arrogance might offend too many swordsmen.
"Nah, it''s fine..." Riezel said calmly, seeing the swordsmen look angry. "Let''s have another fight and see."
Anyone present understood that his words were clearly a provocation.
Sure enough, someone was eventually provoked.
In the next moment, three swordsmen emerged from the crowd.
They were three young men who looked exactly alike as if they had been carved from the same mold.
Seeing them, the crowd was instantly stunned.
"Letto brothers!"
"Aren''t they the Letto brothers?"
"Triplet swordsmen, three identical-looking guys... No doubt about it! They''re definitely the Letto brothers!"
As the swordsmen buzzed with excitement, their previous energy returned.
"Letto brothers?"
Riezel clearly didn''t know these three triplets, so he turned to Ain and Ian, wanting an exnation.
Seeing him turn to them, the two female knights immediately understood, so Ian began to exin.
"Like the Tyrant and the Long Arms Alder, the Letto brothers are also really famous Sword Masters in Jinas."
"They''re triplets who grew up as orphans in a slum on the kingdom''s border and depended on each other for everything until they got a chance to learn Special Swordsmanship known as the Harmony Sword Style, a unique form of swordsmanship that focuses onbined attacks and cooperation. It was from that moment that they started making a name for themselves."
"Any one of these brothers alone might not be a match for renowned Sword Masters like the Tyrant or the Long Arms Alder in terms of skill, but their swordsmanship is one of the few that requires cooperation with other practitioners to unleash its true power."
"With each additional brother in the mix, their strength multiplied, and when all three worked together, even a Sword Saint would have a hard time defeating them in a short time."
"They are highly sought after by many nobles because not only are the three of them Sword Masters, but they can even fight a Sword Saint when they team up."
"In fact, the royal family and the Cordelion family have even extended offers to them."
At this point, Ian paused for a moment before continuing.
"In the end, they joined the Cordelion family and are now attendants for Miss Serena Cordelion."
Upon hearing this, Riezel''s eyebrows lifted.
''Serena Cordelion? Isn''t she Sergius''s younger sister, the youngdy who became a Tactical-ss Magician at a young age and is friends with Carrera?''
''So, these three are her attendants, huh?''
As this thought crossed Riezel''s mind, the identical triplets finally spoke up.
"That''s right!"
"We are¡ª"
"Letto brothers!"
As they spoke, the Letto brothers finished each other''s sentences in perfect sync, with no pauses between them.
"I''m the first brother!"
"I''m the second brother!"
"I''m the third brother!"
They took turns stating their order among the brothers.
"I''m the youngest¡ªMmp!"
From the corner, a voice seemingly joined in randomly, but it sounded like the person was quickly dragged away right after speaking.
"Did you say we could¡ª"
"Team up¡ª"
"Right?"
The Letto brothers continued their unique speaking style as if they were passing the conversation back and forth.
"In that case¡ª"
"Let us three brothers¡ª"
"Challenge you!"
As soon as they finished speaking, they drew their swords.
Seeing this, everyone present immediately became excited.
"Ohh, the Letto brothers are teaming up!"
"If the three of them were together, they could even give a Sword Saint a run for their money, at least for a bit!"
"Facing those three? Even an experienced Sword Saint might struggle. Of course, since Riezel Brynhart is a new Sword Saint, he''s gonna have an even tougher time winning now."
"Finally, we''re about to see some real action!"
Countless people began to discuss loudly, filling the air with chatter and excitement.
"Mr. Riezel¡"
Ain, Ian, and Mediste, who had just pinned down her troublemaker brother in the corner, showed worried expressions. Not only them, but even Yuri who had been quietly watching from a distance furrowed her brows.
"Letto brothers, they actually came too?"
Yuri, looking out the window from the office on the top floor of the mansion, furrowed her brows tightly.
"Is this Serena''s order... or did theye on their own?"
Yuri was unsure about the situation.
However, since the Letto brothers were Serena''s attendants, she wondered if their arrival was at the behest of Serena herself or the Cordelion family.
"Cordelion¡"
A cold glint appeared in Yuri''s eyes as muttered to herself.
"I hope you''re not up to any tricks..."
While Yuri was muttering, Riezel had already epted the Letto brothers'' challenge.
"Alright,e on."
Riezel waved his hand, signaling Ain and Ian to step back, and then turned his interested gaze toward the Letto brothers.
''A Special Swordsmanship that could make these guys briefly contend with a Sword Saint must be pretty strong, right?''
Riezel thought with anticipation before speaking up to the Letto brothers.
"However, this time, you can go first."
Riezel clearly conceded the first move.
Upon hearing this, the Letto brothers narrowed their eyes but did not refuse. They understood that if they let Riezel make the first move, the situation could quickly be unfavorable.
No choice.
Riezel''s lightning-fast speed was just too terrifying.
They were genuinely worried that if he went first, they might immediately suffer a defeat like the previous two challengers.
Moreover, the essence of their swordsmanshipy in the fact that the more people worked together, the stronger their power became. If one of them was lost and they had one person fewer, their disyed power would be drastically reduced.
At that point, not only would they be unable to contend with a Sword Saint, but whether they could evenst a minute against him was uncertain.
For this reason, they took the first move without hesitation.
""HARMONY!""
With the Letto brothers shouting in unison, a surge of magical energy erupted from their bodies.
Even though their magical energy wasn''t massive and was noticeably weaker than Alder''s previous burst, the magical energy flowing from them as they disyed their swordsmanship was surprisingly uniform.
Whether in speed or scale, the magical energy zing around the Letto brothers was exactly the same.
Soon, this magical energy intertwined like air currents, causing theirbined presence to rise steadily, eventually climbing to an astonishing level.
"Hmm?"
Riezel narrowed his eyes.
It was because, at this moment, the Letto brothers were not only impressive in their auras, but their strength had also significantly increased.
Through the Transparent World, he could see that as the magical energy flowed through their bodies, it also moved along invisible channels toward each other, merging the three streams of magical energy.
He was sure that the Letto brothers were now stronger than Albert.
""ATTACK!""
*BOOM!*
In the next moment, the Letto brothers roared in unison, shattering the ground beneath them as they charged forward.
One attacked head-on, another nked from the left, and the third from the right, surrounding Riezel in a coordinated assault.
Riezel immediately reached for his sword, instinctively wanting to draw it, but he restrained himself and remained still, waiting for the Letto brothers to close in.
*BOOM!*
In the next second, coating their swords with magical energy, the Letto brothers swung them down with force, creating a rumbling sound.
Instantly, the ground where Riezel stood shattered, generating a whirlwind that blew everyone around into startled cries, forcing them to move back.
*Bzzz¡ª*
Amid the storm, a lightning bolt shed, and Riezel, wrapped in lightning, darted through it.
Seeing this, the Letto brothers immediately charged forward, attacking Riezel once more.
Chapter 243: Fast Attack
Chapter 243: Fast Attack
*DING!*
Amidst the crisp sh of metal, a sword collided heavily with a sheathed sword, sending sparks flying like fireworks.
One of the Letto brothers had struck down with his sword toward the lightning-charged Riezel, but it hit his steadily raised scabbard and failed tond a blow.
*Swish!*
*Swish!*
At the same time, the other two Letto brothers attacked from both sides, slipping to Riezel''s nks.
With a faint sky-splitting sound, they swung their swords, one aimed at Riezel''s left side and the other at his right, their angles almost perfectly symmetrical, creating two parallel lines of cold, glinting shes.
Seeing this, Riezel shed and darted backward like a true lightning bolt without hesitation, evading the iing symmetrical shes.
However, one of the Letto brothers who had initially attacked Riezel was not idle, as he quickly leaped into the air and brought his sword down once more toward Riezel.At this moment, the three brothers had thoroughly sealed off Riezel''s line of sight ahead and relentlessly pursued him with furious attacks.Facing such fierce and unrelenting attacks, Riezel retreated repeatedly, momentarily appearing as if he had lost his ability to counter.
*BOOM!*
With an explosive sound, the three brothers simultaneously struck the ground where Riezel had been a second ago, shattering it. Dust and debris were blown away by the st, causing the nearby crowd to gasp in surprise and scramble, suffering immensely from the oing dust storm.
"Fall back!"
"Quick, fall back!"
Seeing the situation worsen, Ain and Ian began evacuating the crowd with the Frenzel family''s knights, urging them to retreat like a tide away from the center of the battle.
"Elder Sister!"
"Get down!"
Isaac and Mediste, hiding in a corner close to the battle''s epicenter, were unfortunately caught in the dust storm.
Isaac was shouting in panic while Mediste quickly pressed him down and sheltered behind a wall to shield themselves from the dust storm.
Meanwhile, Riezel and the Letto brothers continued their intense fight amidst the swirling dust.
One side shed back and forth like lightning, while the other pursued relentlessly like three meteors.
*BOOM!*
*DING!*
*BOOM!*
*ng!*
At this moment, the sh and roaring sounds constantly erupted from the dust, gradually evolving into a full-blown sandstorm.
"Is this... is this what the battle of powerful swordsmen looks like?"
"It''s terrifying!"
As the ordinary people who were neither swordsmen nor magicians witnessed the sandstorm-like chaos, they were awestruck and visibly shaken.
However, the swordsmen, after retreating a distance, watched intently, trying to discern the details of the ongoing fight, especially the people sent by various factions, their eyes were shining brightly.
"Finally, it''s not a one-hit move anymore?"
"Heh, the Letto brothers are indeed impressive."
"Now we can see Riezel Brynhart''s strength properly."
"Quick! Record the battle with the magic crystal!"
Hidden among the crowd, these people were secretly thrilled.
Previously, Riezel had ended his challengers instantly, causing frustration among the people who were unsure how toplete their tasks.
However, now they could finally get a good look at his performance and see what kind of strength this youngest-ever Sword Saint could demonstrate.
Meanwhile, many swordsmen had already noticed that, under the Letto brothers'' relentless assaults, Riezel seemed to be at a disadvantage, continuously evading their attacks, which pleased the swordsmen.
"Being arrogant, huh? Now you''ve really hit a tough opponent, haven''t you?"
"Go for it! Letto brothers!"
"Smash that youngest Sword Saint to bits!"
"Let''s fucking go!"
Shouting these words, the swordsmen who had originally looked down on Riezel with jealousy and negative emotions suddenly became as excited as if they had been given a shot of adrenaline upon seeing him being suppressed.
Their demeanor was as if they were letting the Letto brothers take their frustrations out on Riezel,pletely forgetting their previous submissive behavior.
Of course, some also watched the battle with serious expressions.
From the observer''s perspective, this battle was highly engaging, featuring a newly promoted Sword Saint on one side and three users of unique swordsmanship on the other, who could barely match a Sword Saint, resulting in a sh between four Sword Saint-level swordsmen.
Such a high-level battle was rare to witness, so they naturally wouldn''t miss this opportunity.
Meanwhile, the three Letto brothers suddenly leaped high into the air simultaneously, descending from the same height and striking with the same angle and force, their three sharp swords shed down toward Riezel with an ear-piercing sound.
*DING!*
Riezel still held up his still-sheathed sword to block, deflecting the simultaneous strikes of the three swords and turning the sh into a soundwave that blew away the surrounding dust.
*BANG!*
With a muffled sound, Riezel was knocked back.
Clearly, thebined attack of the Letto brothers amplified their strengths, creating a terrifying force that sent Riezel flying a considerable distance.
Feeling the recoil, Riezel couldn''t help but sigh.
"So this is the power of your swordsmanship''sbination attack? It really has some tricks up its sleeve..."
What was originally the strength of ''1 + 1 + 1 = 3'' had more than doubled under the Harmony Sword Style, which impressed Riezel.
However, the Letto brothers ignored Riezel''s amazement, acting like cold, merciless killing machines.
From the moment the battle began, they entered a mysterious state.
In this state, it was as if the three resonated with each other, their minds merging into one, fighting without needing tomunicate and instinctively knowing what each was thinking.
As a result, while Riezel marveled at their swordsmanship, the Letto brothers attacked once again, their speed and aggression now even fiercer than before.
In an instant, their sword lights wove together into an imprable, closing in on Riezel.
*ng!* *Cling!* *ng!* *Cling!*
Riezel once again fell into a defensive stance, retreating like lightning bolts while continuously swinging his sheathed sword to deflect the iing sword lights one by one.
At first nce, it seemed that he was at a disadvantage, overwhelmed by the Letto brothers, but in reality, his expression remained calm throughout, asionally showing a rxed demeanor,pletely at ease.
Currently, he had utilized the Transparent World to its fullest¡ªhis eyes gleamed with a translucent light as he observed the iing Letto brothers, making every movement of their bodies clearly visible to him.
Whether it was the direction and method of muscle movements, the rhythm of their breathing, or even the flow of magical energy and blood, the Transparent World provided him with detailed information, feeding it into his mind.
Because of this, Riezel easily saw through every move the Letto brothers made.
He perceived the strength and angle of their shes, their movement trajectories and speeds, and the frequency and direction of their steps.
Everything wasid bare before Riezel''s eyes.
As a result, despite the fierce and strong attacks of the Letto brothers, none of their attacks reached him, as he consistently dodged or blocked their swords.
''Hmm, feels so rxed...''
Riezel found himself feeling this way without even realizing it.
He knew it was due to his new development ability, ''Fast Attack''.
After acquiring Fast Attack, his reflexes had elerated, allowing him to react calmly to attacks that seemed incredibly fast to others, dodging and blocking with ease.
Compared to the increase in attack speed, the enhancement of reflexes seemed even more useful inbat.
''It seems like Fast Attack has more potential than I imagined...'' Riezel pondered while blocking a sh from behind. ''Well, if it were only used to increase attack speed, it would be a bit of a waste.''
Needless to say, his ability to calmly ponder this amidst such an intense and fast-pacedbat proved just how rxed he was.
Regardless, Fast Attack was also very useful for enhancing attack speed.
Riezel''s ability to easily take down one Sword Master after another using Thunder Breathing was not only due to the speed and explosive power of Thunderp and sh but also because the enhancement from Fast Attack yed a crucial role.
Amid his pondering, Riezel suddenly sidestepped another iing sh, leaped into the air as if he had eyes in the back of his head to dodge a strike from behind, and then, almost as if he could predict the future, swung his sheathed sword to deflect a stab from a sharp de that had stealthily approached him.
*Bzzz¡ª!*
As the sound of lightning crackling around Riezel resounded, he appeared as if he had transformed into a god of thunder.
""HAAAAHHH¡ª!!!""
Seeing this, the Letto brothers roared in frustration, unleashing an impressive aura as they struck at Riezel again.
*BOOM!*
With an explosive sound, three sword lights burst forth simultaneously, like beams of light carving three massive gashes into the ground.
Knowing he was surrounded by these three sword lights, Riezel stayed calm.
"Good strike, but now it''s my turn to attack."
*BOOM!*
As soon as the words left Riezel''s mouth, a thunderous roar erupted.
In the next second, the lightning that had been crackling around his body suddenly surged dozens of times, with each bolt bing extremely thick and transforming into countless snake-like lightning bolts darting in all directions.
*BOOOM¡ª!*
In an instant, the lightning bolts collided with the three sword lights, causing an explosive sound as they neutralized each other.
""?!!!""
Seeing this, the expressions of the Letto brothers changed drastically.
"Thunder Breathing - First Form¡"
Riezel''s voice rang out clearly, blending with the roaring thunder and filling the entire area.
"Thunderp and sh."
Riezel''s figure instantly turned into a lightning bolt, slicing through the air.
*Splurt!*
One of the Letto brothers was instantly struck, blood spraying through the air as he flew away.
Chapter 244: Sixfold
Chapter 244: Sixfold
At this moment, the situation changed abruptly.
As one of the Letto brothers was struck by the lightning bolt, blood scattering through the air and him being thrown backward, the spectators let out a series of gasps.
Just a second ago, Riezel had been overwhelmed, clearly at a disadvantage, but now he suddenly struck back, taking down one of the Letto brothers in an instant.
Needless to say, this sudden turn of events had many people wide-eyed in astonishment.
However, before their astonishment could settle, the situation shifted again.
""NOW!""
As Riezel took down one of the Letto brothers, the other two ignored their fallen brother and quickly surged forward.
*BOOM!*
They poured all their magical energy into their swords, unleashing a sonic boom even louder than Riezel''s thunder and lightning.It was as if they had been anticipating Riezel''s move, ready and prepared for this moment.
Indeed, their anticipation had been urate.
From the beginning, the Letto brothers had already deduced that if they faced Riezel, they wouldn''t be able to withstand his lightning bolt-like sh.
After observing the previous two battles, the Letto brothers noticed something.
When Riezel performed his lightning bolt-like sh, the explosive force and incredible speed meant he could only execute a straight-line attack without any deviation or change in his movements.
Realizing this, the Letto brothers had already devised a strategy before challenging Riezel¡ªnot to distance themselves too much and to stay close to one another.
In this way, when Riezel unleashed his lightning bolt-like sh, no matter who was struck, the other two could deduce the trajectory of the sh based on their struck brother and Riezel''s positions before the strike, allowing them to counterattack at that same moment.
Since Riezel had just taken down one person, with his strength spent and new strength yet to be built up, and with his inability to change direction or move mid-strike, he would undoubtedly struggle against their two-pronged attack.
At that point, victory was theirs.
As it turned out, the Letto brothers'' judgment was indeed spot on, proving their impressive insight.
Even though Thunderp and sh was indeed a supreme strike, the fastest and most explosive among the six sword forms of Thunder Breathing, its drawback was its inability to change direction or moves once executed.
If its nature and trajectory were seen through, it became easy to counter.
Regarding this, Blooming Radiance had a simr weakness since it was also a straight-line sh, just like Thunderp and sh.
However, since Blooming Radiance''s power far surpassed that of Thunderp and sh, as it could enhance the user''s strength multiple times before conducting the attack, even if its nature was revealed, opponents would still find it difficult to react in time.
Additionally, the flickering sun me from Blooming Radiance also disoriented opponents'' vision and senses, making it extremely hard to decipher its trajectory and respond effectively.
Yoriichi was an example.
Even though he had awakened and mastered the Transparent World from a young age, he still couldn''t see the trajectory of Blooming Radiance.
In contrast, Thunderp and sh was too straightforward and direct, with a higher chance of being seen through.
After observing Riezel''s battle twice, the Letto brothers sessfully identified this weakness.
Unfortunately, they were destined to be disappointed.
They had indeed seen through Riezel''s weakness, but Riezel, using the Transparent World, had also seen through their next move.
In other words, Riezel knew exactly what the Letto brothers were nning.
As a result, Riezel once again prepared a surprise for his challengers.
*BOOM!*
As the two Letto brothers swung their strongest and final strikes, it seemed that Riezel, who had be a lightning bolt, was about to be hit by them.
However, as Riezel darted away with unrelenting force, crashing into a piece of flying debris and creating a thunderous sound, he seemed to ricochet and change direction.
Yes.
Riezel had changed direction.
""What?!""
Seeing this unexpected scene, the Letto brothers turned pale.
*BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!*
While the Letto brothers were stunned, Riezel, who had be a lightning bolt, streaked around like a ray of lightning, striking one piece of debris after another¡ªeach hit produced a booming thunder sound and altered his direction.
If Zenitsu were here, he would instantly recognize it.
Clearly, this was an enhanced version of Thunderp and sh, capable of multiple directional changes using the surrounding terrain. It was created by Zenitsu topensate for the vulnerability of Thunderp and sh when its nature and trajectory were exposed to opponents.
Its name was¡ª
"Thunderp and sh - Sixfold."
With six changes in direction, the lightning bolt returned to the Letto brothers, darting past them.
*WHOOSH¡ª!*
In an instant, Riezel''s sh cut through the two bodies of the shocked brothers, causing them to fall like their already fallen brother, blood staining the sky.
*Thud!* *Thud!*
Soon after, the two brothers fell from the sky, crashing heavily onto the ground, creating a muffled sound and swirling dust.
At the same time, the lightning bolt, now at rest,nded among the three brothers, revealing Riezel''s true form.
*Crack¡ªBOOM!*
Suddenly, Riezel''s sword cracked and then exploded into fragments, demonstrating that the immense power he had unleashed was so great that even the sword couldn''t withstand it.
"..."
Silence fell over the scene again, leaving everyone speechless.
*Cough!* *Cough!* *Cough!*
With their hands stained red with blood and looking as tragic as one could imagine, the Letto brothersy on the ground, coughing and covering their wounds.
"It''s alright. They''ve just got minor injuries. I didn''t hit them too hard, after all."
After the lightning and thunder phenomena around Riezel disappeared, he reassured everyone, causing many to breathe a sigh of relief.
It was only then that everyone noticed the swordsmen who challenged Riezel, though they looked quite beaten and gruesome, didn''t seem to have any serious injuries.
Before, Marco and Alder, who had been unconscious, were taken aside by the Frenzel family''s knights for treatment.
Now, they had woken up but appeared somewhat pale.
After a while, the Letto brothers managed to prop themselves up and shakily stand.
Seeing that the challengers were all mostly unharmed, the fearful gazes directed at Riezel lessened significantly.
After standing up, the Letto brothers looked at each other, and upon confirming that they were okay, they finally rxed and looked toward Riezel.
"We¡ª"
"Lost."
"We concede."
Saying these words, the Letto brothers bowed slightly to Riezel, then helped each other up, preparing to leave.
Seeing them leaving, Riezel suddenly spoke up.
"Your swordsmanship seems to let the magical energy between you merge and even lets youmunicate mentally, right?"
Riezel''s sudden words caused everyone present to pause in surprise, including the Letto brothers, who also stopped in their tracks.
"That''s right."
"The essence of our swordsmanship lies in this."
"It lets us exchange and bnce each other''s strength."
Surprisingly, the Letto brothers were open about their swordsmanship and responded ordingly.
ording to the Letto brothers, the Harmony Sword Style was a unique swordsmanship that enabled its practitioners to exchange magical energy and strength with each other, making them indistinguishable from one another.
Not only did this allow for abilities like mentalmunication, spiritual resonance, mutual support, and extreme synergy, but the more participants in thebined attack, the greater the power it could unleash.
It was a Special Swordsmanship, rare and precious.
However, the requirements for practicing this swordsmanship were high and extremely difficult.
Practitioners must have a certain level of mutual understanding and connection, such as blood ties or spiritual bonds, and they must bepletely open with each other. Even a slight gap in trust could prevent them from practicing this swordsmanship together.
However, since the Letto brothers were born triplets, their connection was undoubtedly very strong.
Having relied on each other since childhood, they naturally had the trust and understanding required to master this swordsmanship.
Riezel nodded and then shared his thoughts.
"Since magical energy and strength can be exchanged and merged, why do you split them evenly to achieve this so-called bnce?"
Riezel''s question caused the Letto brothers to pause in thought.
Wasn''t bnce a good thing?
After bncing, their strengths became perfectly aligned, which should make their coordination andbined attacks even more effective.
Pondering seriously, the Letto brothers considered their approach and saw no problems.
Seeing their confusion, Riezel gave a suggestion.
"What I mean is... you could concentrate all the magical energy and strength on just one of you,bining the strength of all three to achieve a great enhancement. In this way, the one with all threebined powers might truly attain the strength of a Sword Saint."
Riezel''s suggestion made the Letto brothers'' hearts tremble.
It was truly a possibility they hadn''t even considered.
After all, they were used to sharing everything and acting together. Even a single loaf of bread was divided into three pieces, and even a single sentence waspleted by all three of them.
Because of this, they had never once thought of concentrating everything on just one of them.
Riezel''s suggestion had truly enlightened them.
"Thank you¡ª"
"For your¡ª"
"Guidance."
Saying these words, the Letto brothers respectfully bowed to Riezel.
Riezel didn''t respond but turned to the other swordsmen present, watching as their initial reluctance turned into surprise and then into eager anticipation.
Seeing this, Riezel couldn''t help but smile.
In truth, the reason he had given the Letto brothers guidance was precisely to achieve this oue.
If these swordsmen knew that good performance could earn them the advice of a Sword Saint, they would surely be thrilled and feel a renewed desire to challenge him.
Especially after he fully showcased his capability, no one doubted his status as a Sword Saint anymore.
In this way, perhaps more people would seek him out in the future, bing his farm for excelia.
"Alright."
Riezel created another sheathed sword using the Structure System Magic and, like a farmer about to harvest a bountiful crop, smiled at the swordsmen present.
"Next."
Chapter 245: Brother and Sister
Chapter 245: Brother and Sister
In the royal capital, Yeluvia, stood a luxurious manor.
It was situated in the heart of the royal capital, but for some unknown reason, ity in the opposite direction of the royal pce, standing in contrast to it.
Apart from that, the manor was vast, evenrger than the Frenzel family''s main residence in their territory, and it was likely that few ces in the entire royal capital couldpare to its grandeur, showcasing the nobility of its master.
Meanwhile, in the backyard of this manor, a young man was sweating profusely as he vigorously practiced with his sword.
He had striking golden hair, a robust body, and an exceptionally handsome appearance, resembling the athletic, sunny boys often found in youthful fantasy novels¡ªhandsome and strong.
*Swish!*
*Swish!*
*Swish!*
The sword he wielded was heavy, and each swing created a gust of wind, causing his arm to bulge with muscle and veins to stand out."1305... 1306... 1307... 1308..."
He continued swinging the sword like lifting weights, counting as he went, with sweat pouring down continuously.
At a certain moment, a figure walked in from the outside.
"I''m back, Elder Brother."
With a voice as clear as a nightingale, a teenage girl entered the backyard.
She resembled the young man somewhat, with long golden hair cascading down to her waist, looking silky and beautiful.
Her figure was graceful, her skin pale, her features well-defined, and her demeanor outstanding, looking like a princess who had stepped out of a painting, with sparkling eyes that were truly charming.
If any noble of Jinas were here, they would instantly recognize this pair of siblings.
Indeed, they were none other than the famous siblings in Jinas, Sergius Cordelion and Serena Cordelion.
"You''re back? How did it go?"
While speaking, Sergius did not look at his younger sister but continued to swing his sword.
"Lost..." Serena answered with a sigh as she looked at her elder brother. "Although it''s hard to believe, the Letto brothers really lost to Riezel Brynhart, and what''s more, they came back praising him highly."
"Oh? Really...?" Sergius''s movements paused slightly before resuming. "If even the Letto brothers lost, it proves that Riezel Brynhart is the real deal... so he really is a Sword Saint, huh?"
As he spoke, his swings grew heavier.
"You know, I still can''t believe it..." Serena wrinkled her brows. "A seventeen-year-old Sword Saint is unimaginable. Not to mention, Riezel Brynhart was just an ignorant and ipetent country bumpkin at Spriller Academy two months ago. Now, not only has he be a Tactical-ss Magician, but he''s also a Sword Master¡ªno, a Sword Saint now... It feels so unreal..."
"Everyone thought the same thing, but the facts are right there..." Sergius said calmly. "When he entered the royal pce for an audience with our uncle and didn''t be a noble or get recruited by the royal family, but walked out like nothing had happened, we should''ve guessed it already. If he wasn''t a Sword Saint, there''s no way our uncle would''ve let such a talent slip away so easily."
Upon hearing this, Serena wore an unhappy expression.
"Yuri Frenzel is so lucky to have picked up such a treasure by chance. Why couldn''t I encounter something like that?"
She couldn''t help but feel a bit envious and jealous.
"Isn''t this what they mean when they say talented people are always drawn to each other?"
Sergius remarked casually.
"You know, when Marquis Frenzel became a Strategic-ss Magician at just fifteen, it made waves across the continent. In the history of the Akasha Continent, only two people are reported to have ever be Strategic-ss Magicians around that age, and none in Jinas''s history."
"Nevertheless, not only did she be the third, but she also got to know the youngest Sword Saint in history."
"Fitting, right? Maybe the saying that talented people are always drawn to each other is true."
After hearing her elder brother''s lengthy speech, Serena felt quite displeased.
"I don''t think I would lose to her." Serena said defiantly. "If it weren''t for the difference in magicpatibility, I could also be a Strategic-ss Magician now."
"Just that difference is like a heavenly ridge, though..." Sergius retorted, stopping his sword swing. "Well, since we''ve confirmed that Riezel Brynhart is a genuine Sword Saint, tell the people we sent out to retreat so we don''t upset those two."
"What?" Serena raised her autumn-like eyes. "Elder Brother, do you want to recruit him?"
Sergius didn''t answer immediately but first set down his sword.
*Thud!*
After the sword fell to the ground with a heavy noise, creating a small dent that showed its astonishing weight, he picked up a towel from a nearby rack and wiped the sweat from his brow.
"If it were possible, of course, I would want to recruit him..." Sergius said in a serious tone. "But I don''t think it will be sessful."
"Why? If Yuri Frenzel can seed, why can''t we?" Serena grumbled in disapproval.
"Heh, it''s precisely because Marquis Frenzel seeded that we won''t."
Sergius chuckled as he watched his younger sister''s stubborn attitude.
"From the information we have so far, Marquis Frenzel''s rtionship with him is undoubtedly good."
"Yuri Frenzel, who was indifferent to everyone else, regarded him with special attention and even brought him back to the main residence..."
"Who else received such treatment in the past?"
No one.
No one had ever been as close to Yuri as Riezel, and no one had received such treatment from her.
"Just think about it¡ªthe fact that she regards him so highly and that the royal family''s attempt to recruit him failed, failing even to bestow him the title of honorary noble, indicates that he doesn''t intend to go to anyone else."
Sergius carefully analyzed the situation for his younger sister.
"In other words, we should just build a good rtionship with him and avoid doing anything extra to not annoy these two outstanding youngsters."
Although Sergius''s thorough analysis made Serena fall silent, her expression clearly showed her dissatisfaction.
Seeing this, Sergius sighed.
"First of all, why do you always have that expression whenever Marquis Frenzel is mentioned?" Sergius asked, feeling genuinely helpless.
In response, Serena snorted lightly.
"Ask those people who alwayspare me to her!" Serena replied, her tone annoyed. "No matter who it is, they always say stuff like¡ªAs expected of Miss Serena, almost catching up to Marquis Frenzel¡ªWho can stand that?"
"Even so, it''s not like Marquis Frenzel is at fault here, you know..." Sergius remarked, either intentionally or unintentionally. "She doesn''t know anything about this, hasn''t even met you, yet you hold a grudge against her?"
"I don''t care!" Serena lifted her chin defiantly. "Her existence makes me unhappy, so I want topete with her."
"Just don''t cause trouble. No matter what, our status is much lower." Sergius reminded his younger sister. "She''s a legitimate noble, a marquis, while we haven''t inherited any titles yet and are only members of a noble family."
"So what?" Serena disagreed, clearly not listening. "I''m still a Tactical-ss Magician. If I hadn''t rejected the royal family''s offer, I''d also be a legitimate noble with a title."
''But you would be a viscount, not a marquis.''
Sergius silently retorted in his mind and didn''t say it out loud.
Otherwise, his stubborn younger sister, who was determined topete with Marquis Frenzel, would definitely not let him off the hook.
"Anyway, just don''t mess things up¡" Sergius warned seriously. "Last time, our father got involved with the Basolo family, so if Marquis Frenzel finds out, she''ll absolutely be unhappy. If you mess things up again and push her to our opposition, the ones who''ll be pleased will be the royal family."
"I know..." Serena replied somewhat wonderingly. "I''ll just instruct our people to befriend Riezel Brynhart and ignore Yuri Frenzel. It should be fine, right?"
"Yeah..." Sergius nodded in satisfaction. "I''ll also look for a chance to meet this youngest Sword Saint who''s about to make a name for himself and see if we can win him over to our side."
"What?" Serena was taken aback. "Didn''t you say recruiting him wouldn''t be sessful?"
"I''m not recruiting him, but that doesn''t affect our cooperation, does it?"
Sergius dropped his towel and smiled at his younger sister.
"He''s been attacked twice by the people from the Shadow and almost died once. Our involvement made the Mad Dog Prince target him, so their rtionship must''ve been pretty bad. Given that, we can definitely team up to handle that mad dog."
"I see..." Serena nodded in understanding. "When do you n to meet him?"
"Not at a time like this..."
Sergius shook his head.
"Since he''s a big shot in the royal capital right now, the royal family and the other nobles are keeping a close eye on him. If I approach him now, some people will definitely overreact."
"You could have Carrera contact him first. It would be best to build a good rtionship, gauge his attitude, and see how he feels about us."
"I''ll wait until the timing is right to meet him."
With that, Sergius left the backyard and went back to the manor to take a shower.
"Alright."
Looking at her elder brother''s back, Serena shrugged.
"Such a pity... I wanted to meet him myself..."
She muttered to herself, looking somewhat deep in thought.
"But with Carrera around... he shouldn''t be hostile toward me, right? It''d be great if I could get him to be my attendant and piss that woman off¡"
After muttering to herself for a while, she suddenly smiled, and her eyes twinkled.
"How about using the old method?"
Not knowing what happy thought had crossed her mind, Serena skipped away.
Chapter 246: Lightning Sword Saint
Chapter 246: Lightning Sword Saint
Three days had passed in the blink of an eye.
Yeluvia was as bustling as ever, with peopleing and going, truly living up to its name as the royal capital of Jinas¡ªtruly looked like a big metropolis.
However, the hot topic on the streets these days was almost entirely rted to the youngest Sword Saint.
For example¡ª
"Looks like they''ve set up a challenge arena outside the Frenzel residence again today."
"Still got plenty of swordsmen trying to take on the Lightning Sword Saint?"
"What can they do? If they manage to catch his eye, they might get some pointers. It''s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, y''know."
"Yeah, those swordsmen must be over the moon. It''s usually tough to even see a Sword Saint, but now there''s one who''s open to challenges all the time and gives advice every so often. For a Sword Master, it''s pretty awesome."
"Especially for those self-taught swordsmen who''ve never had any guidance before. Now they''ve finally got a chance at getting guidance from a Sword Saint. They''re probably more pumped than anyone."On the streets, people walked and chatted about this topic with great enthusiasm.
Next to them, groups of swordsmen dressed for battle were heading in the same direction, their expressions were full of excitement as well.
"I''m definitely getting pointers from Lord Sword Saint today!"
"Doesn''t everyone have the same goal in mind? But the real question is, can you even get his attention?"
"Didn''t a bunch of swordsmen get pointers yesterday?"
"Yeah, but most of them were Sword Masters. If you''re not at least at that level and don''t have some exceptional skills, you''ll probably get taken out in one move. In that case, there''s no way you''re getting his guidance."
"Hey, how many Sword Masters got taken out right away?"
"Dude, you think the title Lightning Sword Saint just came outta nowhere? It''s because every one of his challengers only has time to see a sh of lightning before they''re done for, which is why he earned the title Lightning Sword Saint."
"If you wanna get Lord Sword Saint''s guidance, you better figure out how to survive his one-hit move first."
Just like that, the swordsmen had these conversations as they gathered in front of the Frenzel residence.
In this ce, as the people passing by had discussed, an arena had indeed been set up.
However, the arena was quite simple¡ªjust a spacious piece ofnd outside the residence enclosed by iron poles.
Despite its simplicity, this makeshift arena had been packed with an overwhelming number of people every day recently.
Some were there to watch, while others came as challengers.
Unlike three days ago, the challengers'' faces now showed no signs of doubt or disdain, only excitement and anticipation.
It had been like this every day recently, with the ce constantly crowded.
¡ªRiezel Brynhart, the newly appointed Sword Saint, has set up a challenge arena outside the Frenzel residence, dering that he would ept any challengers without exception.
Evidently, this topic quickly became the hottest one in the entire royal capital, especially since there were ims that if one performed well in the arena, Riezel would offer guidance.
Naturally, this led to even more swordsmening to challenge him, hoping to make a good impression.
Of course, they weren''t looking to defeat him but simply wanted to perform well in front of him.
As long as they could achieve that, not only would they receive personal guidance from a Sword Saint, but they might also gain fame throughout the royal capital.
In the past three days, all swordsmen recognized and guided by Riezel had be well-known, after all.
Everyone knew that these swordsmen, even when facing a Sword Saint, had performed exceptionally well to receive his personal guidance, making them famous throughout the streets and alleys.
Some of these swordsmen, who had been obscure and unnoticed, gained sudden fame and even attracted the attention of some nobles, who recruited them and offered generous rewards.
With such rumors circting, it was inevitable that things around Riezel became increasingly lively.
As a result, Riezel sessfully fulfilled his previous goal.
Every day, free sparring sessions came to him, allowing him to defeat opponents, gain excelia, experiment with sword moves, and develop new sword forms, making the past three days quite enjoyable.
Thanks to this, the arena outside the Frenzel residence became famous throughout the royal capital.
Additionally, since Riezel almost always defeated his challengers instantaneously, with everyone catching only a glimpse of a sh of lightning, a feat that spread throughout the entire kingdom, he earned the universally recognized title of ''Lightning Sword Saint''.
¡ªA sh of lightning means defeat.
Such a phrase became synonymous with Riezel''s existence, the first impression everyone received when seeking information about him.
Today, Riezel continued to wee challengers.
*BOOM!*
When the sound of thunder roared, the lightning bolt that had be Riezel''s symbol suddenly appeared, slicing through the air and cing him right behind his opponent.
*Click!*
Riezel skillfully sheathed his sword and calmly turned around, causing his opponent to fall almost at the same time.
Even though the opponent slumped to the ground, panting heavily, he had no injuries. Even so, his sword was broken, and a lock of hair from his forehead had singed, still emitting a burnt smell.
Needless to say, this was the result of being struck by Riezel''s lightning.
"You lost."
Riezel spoke calmly to the swordsman lying on the ground.
"Your basics are solid, but they''re too rigid. Remember, battles don''t always go as you imagine. You can''t just rely on the swordsmanship you''ve practiced; you need to think on your feet, adapt quickly to the ever-changing battle, ande up with solutions."
"Okay, you can leave."
As soon as Riezel finished speaking, the swordsman struggled to his feet and bowed.
"Thank you for the guidance, Lord Sword Saint!"
After saying this with excitement, the swordsman left cheerfully,pletely unfazed by his defeat.
"Next."
Riezel was used to it and didn''t pay much attention, making his announcement directly.
However, upon hearing his announcement, the swordsmen around did not rush forward but looked to the side.
Over there, Ian was maintaining order with the Frenzel family''s knights while holding a piece of parchment and scribbling with a quill.
"You''re the next one."
Ian pointed to a swordsman in the crowd who had just signed up to challenge Riezel.
"Yahoo! Finally, it''s my turn!"
Saying this as cheerfully as a two-hundred-pound jolly fellow, the swordsman quickly jumped into the arena.
And so, the new round began.
*BOOM!*
A lightning bolt shed again, making the thunderous roar echo once more, reverberating through the air andsting endlessly.
Meanwhile, Yuri, who seemed to have just finished her work, walked out of her office to get some fresh air and clear her mind.
"How many matches have there been today?"
Yuri sighed softly before asking Marilyn as she watched the lightning bolts shing and the bustle outside the gate.
"It''s the one-hundred-eighth match."
Marilyn, at Yuri''s side, answered emotionlessly.
"...So, he''s already taken on one hundred and eight challengers today?" Yuri raised her eyebrows, feeling speechless. "I really don''t understand where he gets the energy and interest to keep epting so many challenges every day. I mean, what''s the point?"
She couldn''tprehend why Riezel insisted on facing these challengers every day and even guiding them, attracting more and more challengers.
In her eyes, these challenges seemed meaningless for someone who was already a Sword Saint.
Did he do this as a form of training?
However, he always ended each match in an instant.
Did he do this as a deterrent?
Yet he offered his challengers some guidance, which not only didn''t reduce their numbers but also made theme in a steady stream.
Yuri was truly puzzled about the purpose of Riezel''s actions.
"Maybe this is a special way of... training?" Marilyn spected, her tone uncertain.
"Seriously..." Yuri muttered, sounding a bit frustrated. "If every day is like this, won''t we ever have time to have tea together?"
''So... you''re unhappy because he doesn''t have time to keep youpany?'' Marilyn felt she had discovered an extraordinary truth.
"By the way, where are Mediste and Isaac?" Yuri suddenly remembered her younger siblings. "Where did they go? I rarely saw them."
Marilyn didn''t answer but simply pointed silently toward the gate.
Yuri followed her finger and immediately saw something surprising.
"Go for it! Knock his ass down!"
Isaac was actually blending in with the crowd, acting like a rowdy supporter, waving his little fists and mimicking punching and kicking, all while shouting excitedly.
"Go, Mr. Riezel!"
Even Mediste was stealthily mixing in, sending out encouraging words unknown to others, watching Riezel unleash his prowess in the arena with a pair of pretty eyes filled with stars.
"..."
Yuri, seeing her younger siblings transformed into little fans cheering for Riezel after not seeing them for a few days, was almost stupefied.
''Is that Isaac, who used toin every day about being a swordsman, didn''t want to practice swordsmanship, and wanted to be a great magician?''
''Is that Mediste, who''s always polite, sensible, calm, and handles things well without anyone having to worry about her?''
''Are they really my younger siblings?''
Yuri was truly speechless.
"Actually, they''ve been like this for the past three days." Marilyn casually added a killer line.
Upon hearing this, Yuri fellpletely silent, remaining silent for a long time.
===
Meanwhile, while everyone''s focus was on Riezel''s arena, someone arrived at the Frenzel residence without anyone noticing.
"Is this the ce...?"
A somewhat childish voice echoed, gradually fading away after a while.
Chapter 247: A Princesss Visit
Chapter 247: A Princess''s Visit
"Hahh..."
Yuri, who had already returned to her office, seemed to be disinterested in working.
At this moment, she sat at her desk, continually sighing.
Even Marilyn couldn''t help but feel a bit ufortable watching her master like this.
"How about I go fetch Young Master Isaac and Young Lady Mediste?"
Marilyn suggested, nning to bring the younger siblings back to their senses.
"Never mind..." Yuri shook her head. "They don''t have much entertainment at the main residence and rarely get a chance to y around like this, so let them enjoy themselves."
Marilyn wanted to say something but hesitated.
After a moment of serious pondering, she decided against it."Let''s forget about them for now and handle other matters." Yuri said, patting her cheeks to force herself to focus. "Have you given Riezel all the letters and meeting invitations addressed to him?"
"I''ve handed them over to one of the servants to give to him..." Marilyn replied, noticing that her master seemed to perk up. "However, he didn''t look at them himself and passed them all back to the servant, who didn''t dare deal with them casually, so now they''re all with me."
"Yeah, that''s so like him..." Yuri nodded with a wry smile. "Anyone still sending letters to Riezel or requesting meetings must be of high status, not just minor nobles. At the very least, they''d have to be major nobles or even higher than our family, like dukes, for example..."
"I took a quick look through it, and indeed, most of it was sent by marquises, with quite a few from dukes..." Marilyn said in apletely t tone. "As for counts, there were fewer, probably because they feel their status isn''t high enough to have a rtionship with a Sword Saint, but among them, Mr. Riezel''s two friends still sent invitations for a meeting, as usual."
She was clearly referring to Archie and Carrera.
"Seriously, those two are really persistent..." Yuri said with a hint of annoyance. "Carrera Elliott might just be acting as a go-between, but Archie Rhein is being a bit shameless..."
"Reports indicate that this Rhein family''s second son has been eager to meet Mr. Riezel ever since he became a Sword Saint." Marilyn exined. "Apparently, after Count Rhein drastically changed his attitude and imed that if his second son could invite Mr. Riezel to their residence, he would make him the heir, which has made this second son a bit impatient."
She didn''t mention that Archie had actuallye to the Frenzel residence several times over the past few days.
Since Riezel was always engaged in challenges, the arena was packed with spectators¡ªthreeyers inside and threeyers outside. Ain and Ian were rotating shifts to maintain order with the knights, which meant Archie couldn''t get in.
Each time, Archie came with high hopes but left disappointed.
Let alone stepping into the residence gate, he couldn''t even step into the arena''s perimeter.
However, there was nothing he could do since this wasn''t just any family but the Frenzel family. As a mere son of a count, he couldn''t afford to pull any strings or ask anyone to make way for him to enter.
Not to mention Archie, many nobles also came hoping to see Riezel and establish connections during his battles in the arena, but he didn''t pay them any mind.
In the first ce, these battles were for Riezel to gain free excelia daily, not to entertain these so-called nobles with idle chit-chat, so he truly had no interest in interacting with them.
As a result, Riezel instructed Ain and Ian to allow only thoseing to challenge him near the arena, keeping everyone else at a distance.
Moreover, since there might be some family members from count, marquis, or even duke families among the spectators, Archie definitely didn''t dare to act recklessly, so he ended up leaving peacefully each time.
Marilyn chose not to mention these details to Yuri, finding them unnecessary.
First of all, for Yuri and the current Riezel, anyone from count families wasn''t even worth their attention. Even if the count himself came personally and requested a meeting, they could easily decline, let alone a mere son of a count.
Even if it was someone from marquis families, there was no need for Riezel and Yuri to personally greet them unless it was the marquis themself who arrived in person.
However, it was a different matter when it came to duke families.
Since they were the royal family''s rtives and held significant influence in the kingdom, it made it difficult to refuse them. If the duke came personally, even Yuri would have to greet them herself, and she couldn''t just dismiss the meeting invitation they sent.
"How about this? You bring all the letters from dukes to me, and I''ll review and respond to them personally..." Yuri said after thinking for a moment. "As for the rest, just send a polite refusal."
She did this because she knew Riezel had no interest in these matters. Even if the letters were from dukes, he would probably just toss them aside without a second thought and definitely wouldn''t respond to them or agree to any meeting invitations.
Knowing this, Yuri could only help him by declining politely.
Since they were still high-ranking officials of the kingdom, ignoring them would undoubtedly offend them. So, even if Riezel wasn''t interested, it was best to refuse politely and respectfully, giving them some courtesy.
Besides, there was no need to make enemies over such trivial matters. If they held a grudge, it could be a great deal of trouble.
She was quite familiar with handling such situations and knew the best way to deal with them. After all, when she became a Strategic-ss Magician and was promoted to marquis, her poprity was certainly on par with, if not greater than, Riezel''s current poprity.
"Understood."
Answering calmly, Marilyn naturally had no objections.
However, just then, Ain suddenly knocked on the door and entered the room.
"My Lady!"
As soon as she entered, the usually calm and collected female knight appeared somewhat flustered.
"What''s wrong?" Yuri furrowed her brow.
"Someone is here to visit."
Ain spoke briefly as usual, but there was an unprecedented hint of anxiety on her face and voice.
"Visit? Who?" Yuri asked instinctively.
A momentter, Ain gave a response that made both Yuri''s and Marilyn''s expressions change slightly.
"It''s the ninth princess..."
Ain took a deep breath before uttering the name.
"Princess Lizbeth Jinas."
===
At this moment, Riezel was still in the arena, facing his 199th challenge, with the number of defeated challengers soon reaching two hundred.
It sounded quite intimidating, butpared to the number of challenges he had faced in the past few days, it wasn''t that much.
Additionally, the arena was almost continuously in operation from morning to evening, only pausing for a meal and stopping just at sunset. Given his lightning-fast speed in defeating his challengers, handling a thousand challenges in a single day was not impossible.
In other words, the current number was really nothing to him.
While Riezel enjoyed his relentless win streak, Ian, who was meticulously registering the challengers'' names and their order, was suddenly approached by a knight who hurriedly whispered something in her ear.
"What?"
Ian''s hand movement momentarily faltered as she showed a look of surprise.
*BOOM!*
A thunder-like roar sounded at the same moment, followed by a lightning bolt striking down a challenger who had just stepped onto the arena.
"Next."
Riezel sheathed his sword and stood still, this time not offering any guidance but simply announcing the next challenger.
However, Ian did not call out the next challenger''s name.
"Wait a moment, Mr. Riezel."
She approached with a serious expression, moving to Riezel''s side.
"Hmm? What''s up?"
Riezel looked slightly taken aback, his gaze filled with confusion as he looked at Ian''s serious expression.
''Does she want to challenge me again?''
In recent days, apart from external challengers, there had also been challengers from the Frenzel family¡ªnamely, Ain and Ian.
Seeing that Riezel truly had the strength and abilities of a Sword Saint and was willing to ept any challenge while offering guidance, Ain and Ian were interested, just like the other swordsmen.
A Sword Saint''s guidance was immensely valuable, and even special cases like the Letto brothers gained much from it.
For swordsmen like Ain and Ian, it was clearly even more enticing.
Although both of them were Sword Masters, they were rtively inexperienced.
It was understandable, as they had only recently be Sword Masters, not even two years into it, making them novicespared to experienced and expert Sword Masters like the Letto brothers, Marco, and Alder, who all had at least the power of Level 6.
Ain and Ian, on the other hand, were not only at the lower end of Level 5, but their swordsmanship wasn''t even Special Swordsmanship, making the chance to receive guidance from a Sword Saint a rare opportunity.
Because of this, like the other swordsmen, they had also challenged Riezel and received guidance from him.
Riezel, with the Transparent World and his long experience as an instructor in the Demon yer Corps, found it quite easy to offer valuable advice.
As a result, his guidance was very useful, greatly benefiting Ain and Ian, who closely followed him and humbly epted his advice.
Riezel thought Ian was simply eager to challenge him again and learn more, but he was clearly mistaken this time.
"Mr. Riezel, an important guest is here for you."
Ian whispered in Riezel''s ear, bringing with her a sweet aroma.
"A guest for me?"
Riezel felt ufortable and frowned at the mention of a guest.
"Who?"
Someone important enough for Ian to interrupt him must be special.
Sure enough¡ª
"It''s a princess of Jinas..." Ian said with pursed lips. "Her Highness specifically requested to see you."
"..."
Riezel fell silent immediately.
Chapter 248: Lizbeth Jinas
Chapter 248: Lizbeth Jinas
"Lizbeth Jinas?"
Walking toward the reception room, Riezel tilted his head slightly as he listened to Ian''s introduction of the guest.
"I think I''ve heard Yuri mention that name before..."
Riezel tried to recall.
It was indeed a topic Yuri had brought up while they were on their way back to the royal capital.
At that time, Ian was driving the carriage and probably overheard the conversation between Riezel and Yuri, so she nodded and reminded him.
"Didn''t the Lady say? Among the many descendants of the current king, there are four who are rtively well-known."
Of these four descendants, three were princes with various problems mentioned before, and one was a princess.
"Among them, one is a princess named Lizbeth Jinas."Ian followed behind Riezel, providing the necessary exnation.
"Princess Lizbeth is the ninth princess of Jinas who just turned fifteen this year, making her two years younger than Mr. Riezel and the Lady. She''s even among the youngest three in the royal family, with only two younger sisters behind her."
Upon hearing this, Riezel couldn''t help but marvel.
''Seriously, this king sure knows how to produce children.''
Being the ninth princess meant that there were eight older siblings before Lizbeth. Adding her two younger sisters and herself, Hendrick had a total of eleven children.
Riezel had to admit that was quite impressive.
As Hendrick''s brother, Duke Cordelion had only one pair of children, yet Hendrick had eleven.
In this regard, Hendrick could be considered a real winner in life.
However, having many children wasn''t necessarily a good thing.
Among his numerous children, only four were outstanding, and three of them were problem children, falling shortpared to Duke Cordelion''s single pair of children.
It was quite a twist of fate.
"And then? How did this princess be famous?" Riezel asked.
Ian''s response was straightforward.
"Because of her talent." Ian replied briefly. "Princess Lizbeth earned the Sword Master Medal earlier this year, bing a Sword Master."
"You mean... she became a Sword Master at the age of fifteen?" Riezel raised his eyebrows.
What this princess did certainly made her notable.
It was worth noting that the son of Duke Cordelion, Sergius Cordelion, became a Sword Master at thirteen and was considered the youngest Sword Master in Jinas.
Meanwhile, the third prince, Sorren, known for having the highest talent and abilities among the current children of the royal family, became a Sword Master at fifteen.
Lizbeth achieved this at fifteen as well, but as a female, this was enough to make her famous throughout the royal capital and the entire kingdom.
"Yes." Ian nodded firmly. "Many people believe that Princess Lizbeth''s swordsmanship talent rivals that of Prince Sorren. If she hadn''t received the Sword Master Medal a monthter than the prince, she might have been considered the most talented member of this generation of the royal family."
"I see..." Riezel responded nomittally. "So, what scandal does this princess have? And why did she specifically request to see me?"
"No, Princess Lizbeth has no scandals whatsoever..." Ian shook her head. "Rumors about her are surprisingly few, which makes her presence among the royal family quite low-profile. If she hadn''t suddenly be a Sword Master and received the Sword Master Medal, people might not have paid any attention to her at all."
"As for why Princess Lizbeth wants to see you, I''m not sure..." Ian paused for a moment and then continued. "It seems the Lady and Elder Sister Marilyn have some idea. I heard from some knights that when they learned Princess Lizbeth wasing to visit and wanted to meet with you, the Lady and Elder Sister Marilyn''s expressions weren''t too pleasant."
''Hou? Honestly, that''s kinda intriguing...'' Riezel thought, raising his eyebrows. ''Does this princess have bad intentions or something? But what could a fifteen-year-old princess possibly do?''
Since he wasn''t quite sure, he decided not to dwell on it.
''Whatever. No matter what this princess wants, I''ll find out once I meet her.''
With this thought in mind, Riezel approached the reception room.
Upon seeing him, the two knights stationed at the door immediately opened it, allowing him to step inside.
Meanwhile, Ian stopped and remained at the door, not apanying him further.
Needless to say, when Riezel entered the reception room, only three people besides him were inside.
"Riezel."
Yuri, who was sitting on a sofa, stood up upon seeing Riezel.
"..."
Marilyn stood behind Yuri, silent and with her eyes lowered, emitting an oppressive silence that seemed somewhat unusual.
In front of Yuri and Marilyn, on another sofa, a girl came into Riezel''s field of vision.
However, as soon as Riezel saw the girl, he paused.
Why?
Simple.
What he saw was a girl with a quite eye-catching appearance.
She was petite, about 155 cm tall, but had a surprisingly voluptuous body for her size.
Her appearance was exquisitely beautiful and delicate, almost as if sculpted with care, resembling a cute porcin doll, with skin as white as pearls and a hint of rosy flush.
Her hair was very long, almost reaching her knees, so only her lower legs were visible while the rest of her body was covered by her long hair.
Her hair color was a slightly lustrous light gray, matching her eyes.
Such a girl, if she sat there perfectly still, would likely be mistaken for a human-sized doll. Her appearance was so dreamlike, with a hint of unreality, as if she might shatter at any moment, exuding a delicate and pitiable aura.
Additionally, she held a sword in her arms, its brilliant golden hilt and scabbard doing nothing to diminish her frail and delicate impression.
''Is she Lizbeth Jinas?''
Awe flickered in Riezel''s eyes for a moment before it was quickly reced by a determined stride as he walked forward.
"Ahh..."
It seemed Lizbeth only noticed someone approaching at this moment, and she hurriedly stood up, flustered.
"He-Hello!"
She seemed both anxious and nervous.
As Riezel drew near, Lizbeth quickly bowed with exaggerated movements, causing her unexpectedly voluptuous body to be the center of attention in the room, especially Riezel''s.
When Lizbeth greeted Riezel with an exaggerated bow, as if drawn by some mysterious power, his gaze was instantly diverted to herrge, soft, white mounds.
"Hmph..."
Just as Riezel was about to freeze, a faint cold snort broke his trance, snapping him back to reality.
Without needing to turn around, he knew exactly who had made that snort.
He cleared his throat and tightened his expression.
"You must be the ninth princess, right?" Riezel bowed his head slightly. "It''s an honor to meet you, Your Highness."
"N-No need to be so formal!"
Lizbeth''s face grew even more flustered and nervous at Riezel''s gesture, shaking her head vigorously.
"It should be me paying my respects to Lord Sword Saint!"
As Lizbeth spoke, she bowed deeply once more, showing intense fear and respect in front of Riezel. If anyone unfamiliar saw this scene, they might think he was the one from the royal family.
Riezel could only struggle to control himself, avoiding distraction from those two ''evil'' mounds, and tried to remain calm.
"I heard that you''vee specifically to find me?" Riezel asked calmly. "Excuse me, is there something important you need me for?"
Unfortunately, his question seemed to fluster the princess even more.
"I... I..."
Lizbeth''s mouth opened slightly, as if she wanted to say something but didn''t know how. She held her golden sword tightly, visibly trembling and nervous as she clutched it close to her chest.
Seeing her demeanor, Riezel was puzzled.
In the end, Riezel turned his gaze toward Yuri, silently asking for help on what to do next.
Yuri rolled her eyes at him, looking rather displeased, but she still decided to help him out.
"Let''s sit down first." Yuri chimed in calmly, breaking the tense and awkward atmosphere. "There''s no need to rush, Your Highness. Just take your time."
"O-Okay¡"
Lizbeth''s face turned red as if she were embarrassed by her own actions.
Truthfully, her demeanor was somewhat cute, making Riezel nce over, only to immediately receive a sharp pinch to his waist from a certain youngdy, causing his eye to twitch in pain.
"Marilyn, tea."
Yuri gestured for Riezel and Lizbeth to sit down and gave Marilyn an order.
Marilyn remained silent, preparing tea for everyone from the nearby cart and cing a cup in front of Lizbeth.
Lizbeth didn''t look at the teacup but stared sheepishly at Marilyn.
"Th-Thank you¡"
Lizbeth curled up like a little animal on the sofa, murmuring her thanks to Marilyn.
However, for some reason, Lizbeth''s voice was less anxious and tense, as if Marilyn were the one making her feel at ease and rxed.
"No need."
Marilyn replied calmly with her usual stoic expression, but if one knew her well, they would notice that for a brief second, the usually reserved maid''s face rxed.
Riezel, however, didn''t notice these details and simply picked up his teacup, taking a small sip as if to calm himself.
At the same moment, however, Lizbeth spoke again.
"U-Umm..."
She seemed to muster some courage to speak to Riezel, but what she said next was definitely not what he expected.
"C-Can I be your ve?"
*Spurt!*
And just like that, Riezel spat out his tea.
Chapter 249: Slave? Attendant?
Chapter 249: ve? Attendant?
*Cough!* *Cough!*
Riezel coughed furiously, choking on the tea that had just been sprayed out.
"Are you okay?!"
Yuri was startled by this and quickly patted Riezel''s back, trying to make him feel a bit better.
Meanwhile, Marilyn frowned, looking at Lizbeth with a slightly exasperated expression.
"A-Are you okay?"
Seeing Riezel''s reaction, Lizbeth was instantly flustered, looking like she had no idea what had happened but felt like she must have done something wrong. Despite her earlier bold statement, she was now frightened, leaving everyone unsure whether to call her brave or timid.
"...What did you just say? Did I hear you wrong, or did you say something wrong?"
Riezel finally caught his breath and, looking at the pitiful princess, couldn''t help but ask.However, Lizbeth appeared a bit anxious at Riezel''s perplexing question.
"Did I say something wrong?"
Lizbeth seemed to have lost confidence.
Seeing this, Marilyn couldn''t stand it any longer and decided to break the silence.
"You meant to say you want to be an attendant, not a ve, right?"
Marilyn''s tone was a bit cold, making it seem like she was angry at Lizbeth.
Surprisingly, Lizbeth hurriedly shook her head.
"No, I mean to be a ve..." Lizbeth tightened her grip on the sword in her arms. "Someone like me... how could I propose to be an attendant?"
"What''s wrong with someone like you?" Marilyn''s frown deepened and her voice became colder. "You''re a princess, one of the most outstanding members of the royal family. Normally, even proposing to be an attendant for someone else would be considered degrading, so why speak so self-deprecatingly?"
"..."
Lizbeth fell silent, not appearing to agree with Marilyn''s view.
Nevertheless, this seemed to make Marilyn even angrier. She wanted to say more to Lizbeth, but since she understood she didn''t have the standing to do so, she emitted a frustrated aura.
"Okay, wait a sec, let me sort this out first..."
Riezel raised his hand, stopping the conversation between the two.
"Whether it''s being an attendant or a ve, to me, it''s honestly an absurd situation, okay?"
"First of all, what''s going on?"
"Why the sudden proposal to be my ve¡ªuh, attendant?"
Riezel paused momentarily and finally changed ''ve'' to ''attendant'' in his wording.
He couldn''t help but worry that he might be misunderstanding something.
A princess, especially one as beautiful, talented, and with such a nice figure, actually said she wanted to be his ve?
To prevent his thoughts from falling to the dark side, he could only change his wording, forcing himself not to think wrongly.
However, as soon as Riezel finished speaking,Lizbeth suddenly seemed on the verge of tears.
"Am I not worthy?"
Lizbeth stood up and bowed deeply to Riezel.
"I''m sorry... It seems I got carried away... Someone like me really doesn''t even deserve to be a ve... Please forgive my overstepping..."
Her eyes were not only filled with tears as she spoke, but she also wore a pitiful expression.
"Or... you could just think of me as a pesky parasitic worm that identally stuck to you or like some dog-tail grass you picked up by mistake! Just don''t throw me away, please... I''ll do whatever you ask!"
Upon hearing Lizbeth''s ridiculous words, Riezel''s mouth twitched slightly.
Even Yuri and Marilyn were left speechless, staring at Lizbeth with strange looks.
"I-Is that still not okay?"
Seeing that everyone had fallen silent, Lizbeth immediately burst into tears again and bowed repeatedly.
"Please forgive me! Someone like me, like a parasitic worm or dog-tail grass, must be very disgusting! If I dirty Lord Sword Saint''s hands, it would be truly unforgivable!"
"Just think of me as a speck of dust or a small, insignificant stone that you can carry around with you!"
At this point, Lizbeth carefully raised her head, looking at Riezel.
"Is that¡ still not okay?"
She looked as pitiful as one could imagine, so much so that, despite Riezel not doing anything, he suddenly felt like a terrible rascal, overwhelmed with a strong sense of guilt.
Even Yuri and Marilyn seemed to share the same sentiment, looking at Riezel as if it was his fault.
"L-Lord Sword Saint?"
Seeing that everyone, especially Riezel, remained silent, Lizbeth grew desperate, continuing to bow and apologize.
"Okay, stop!"
Riezel quickly reached out to stop Lizbeth.
Lizbeth froze immediately, her tearful eyes fixed on him, looking like a child being scolded and too scared to move.
"..."
Riezel was silent for a moment, then spoke with a deadpan expression.
"Okay, sit down first and wait here for a moment since I have something to take care of. I''lle back and talk to you in a bit."
Riezel quickly stood up and grabbed Yuri''s hand.
"Let''s go outside."
Riezel didn''t give Yuri a chance to respond, quickly pulling her out with a sense of urgency.
Only Marilyn and Lizbeth remained in the reception room, looking silently at each other, causing the atmosphere to suddenly turn tense.
===
Outside the reception room, at the corner of the hallway, Riezel had brought Yuri directly here.
"What''s up with that princess?"
Riezel, usuallyposed, looked unusually bewildered.
"I almost thought she was being bullied or something. Do you know something?"
"I do..." Yuri made a bitter smile. "I didn''t expect that the ninth princess, who has just started making waves this year and has been all the buzz in the royal capital recently, would have such a... unique personality..."
"You know, this isn''t just a personality; it''s a whole different thing..." Riezel sighed, calming himself. "So, what the heck is going on?"
Unable to continue his conversation with Lizbeth, he had to turn to Yuri for answers.
Since Ian mentioned that Yuri and Marilyn seemed to know why Lizbeth was visiting, he had no choice but to consult Yuri.
Yuri''s bitter smile instantly vanished, reced by an unhappy expression.
"I think the royal family must have sent her here to be your attendant."
When Yuri said this, her expression looked like she was recalling something unpleasant, clearly upset.
"What? Why did they send her to be my attendant?" Riezel asked reflexively, his state of mind finally returning to normal.
"Why else? It''s obviously the royal family''s usual trick..." Yuri replied with a cold expression and voice. "You know, right? For a magician to form an attendant contract with a swordsman, the primary condition is to grant the attendant a wish."
Needless to say, this wasmon knowledge, as not only did magicians and swordsmen know it, but regr people did too.
An attendant contract was a fairly equal agreement that benefited both parties involved.
A magician needed a strong attendant to protect them and buy time to use magic during battles, while the attendant made a wish as a condition and pledged loyalty to the magician.
If the attendant didn''t make a wish or if the magician couldn''t fulfill the attendant''s wish, the attendant contract wouldn''t take effect. Even if an agreement was made in advance but not fulfilledter, the attendant could always nullify the contract at any time and leave the magician they pledged to serve.
In such cases, some people devised ways to exploit the attendant contract.
"In truth, there are quite a few high-ranking individuals who cultivate valuable, powerful, or specialized talented swordsmen around them."
Yuri exined, revealing the truth of the attendant contract.
"However, all of those swordsmen aren''t meant for their own use but are given to those they believe have greater value."
Apparently, these high-ranking individuals instructed their cultivated swordsmen to form attendant contracts with their targets and made wishes that benefited them, thus achieving some undisclosed objectives.
"For example, the royal family would send some of their talented swordsmen to the side of influential, high-status nobles, ordering those swordsmen to make a wish for the nobles, who are magicians, to never betray the kingdom."
"In this way, they can restrain the nobles and prevent them from doing anything harmful to the kingdom."
At this point, Yuri''s expression and voice grew colder.
"As long as the nobles have no intentions of harming the country and are genuinely interested in those swordsmen, they will agree to that wish."
In short, with the contract in ce, the nobles would be unable to do anything detrimental to the kingdom, and at that point, the royal family could fully trust them and be at ease.
Clearly, this was amon tactic used by the royal family and many nobles to control their outstanding subordinates, which was not just prevalent here in Jinas but also widely used in other countries on the Akasha Continent.
Many high-ranking individuals even used this method to test their subordinates to see if they were willing to establish such contracts.
If they agreed, it showed they had no intentions of betrayal.
If they refused, it meant they were disloyal and had ulterior motives.
Now, Riezel found himself in such a situation.
"I think they believe that even if they can''t bind you to this kingdom, they need to make sure you won''t act against it, which is why they sent someone to be your attendant, making their wish something like ''you can''t harm the kingdom'' or the like."
Yuri turned to Riezel, looking seriously at him.
"However, I didn''t expect them to actually send the ninth princess to you. It seems they value you so much that they''re worried the person they sent wouldn''t be enough to sway you."
After hearing Yuri''s exnation, Riezel frowned and became lost in thought.
Chapter 250: Spar?
Chapter 250: Spar?
In truth, sending your own people to serve under someone else wasn''t all that unusual.
Even in Riezel''s previous life, where human life and rights were highly valued, such practices weremon, with those in power often resorting to them.
However, the only difference was that they weren''t as tant, and the people sent to others weren''t called attendants but called spies or moles.
Compared to that, the royal family''s act of sending someone as an attendant seemed more aboveboard. Even so, with a contract binding them, the execution and feasibility were actually much higher.
Understanding this, Riezel wasn''t surprised by the royal family''s move, but there was one thing that made him frown.
"They''d send even a princess to be someone''s attendant for something like this?" Riezel whispered.
Hearing his whisper, Yuri''s response was blunt.
"What could be more appealing than delivering a princess?" Yuri shook her head. "Of course, not just anyone can make the royal family send out their princess. In all of Jinas, only two people would qualify."
It wasn''t too hard to guess who these two people were.Since only magicians could form an attendant contract, the two people who qualified to have a princess as their attendant were obviously the two Strategic-ss Magicians of Jinas.
Given that they were the most terrifying weapons on the battlefield, the royal family might send a princess to be their attendant and bind them with the attendant contract to prevent any rebellion.
"You..."
Seeming to realize something, Riezel''s gaze at Yuri turned to one of surprise, filled with astonishment.
However, Yuri acted as if she didn''t notice his expression, gently shifting her posture.
"You might be a Sword Saint, but you''re also a Tactical-ss Magician. Given your young age, the royal family sees your potential and values your future achievements. Sending you a princess to be your attendant is pretty much how they operate."
"Princess Lizbeth might still be young, but as an attendant, she''s more than qualified since she''s undoubtedly one of the most outstanding members of this generation of the royal family."
"As for whether to ept her, that''s up to you."
Yuri didn''t offer any advice but helped Riezel sort through everything, leaving the decision to him.
Riezel quickly suppressed the random thoughts running through his mind.
Was there really any need to think about whether to ept Lizbeth?
"Let''s go back."
Riezel spoke calmly before walking back to the reception room.
Yuri silently watched him leave and, after a moment, followed.
===
In the reception room, Lizbeth and Marilyn were still staring at each other silently, which caused the atmosphere to be increasingly tense.
One of them was curled up on the sofa, while the other stood there like a statue, forming a stark contrast.
Thankfully, the return of Riezel and Yuri helped break the ufortable atmosphere, and Lizbeth''s expression noticeably improved.
Before Riezel and Yuri could speak, however, Lizbeth took the initiative to stand up and address them.
"I''m sorry."
Just like before, Lizbeth apologized and bowed, but this time she wasn''t as flustered.
"I was too nervous earlier and identally got confused, saying some nonsense... Please forgive me."
It seemed that she had calmed down, though her expression was still a bit tense and hadn''t fully rxed.
Seeing that Lizbeth was finally able to have a normal conversation, Riezel couldn''t help but feel a little relieved. At least he didn''t have to worry about her making any more shocking statements, which was good.
Yuri sat down, quietly watching Riezel and Lizbeth, clearly indicating that she didn''t n to intervene and was leaving the floor to them.
Riezel nced at Yuri for a moment, then sat down in front of Lizbeth.
"I already know your intentions, Your Highness."
Riezel gestured for Lizbeth to sit back down as he spoke.
"Honestly, I''m not really into it."
Upon hearing this, Lizbeth''s body immediately stiffened.
"Of course, I''m not saying you''re unqualified or anything."
Riezel quickly rified to avoid further confusion for the princess.
"It''s just that, first, I''ve never considered taking on any attendant, and second, I don''t like being bound by anything unnecessary. So, I''m sorry, but I''ll have to refuse this offer."
After hearing this, Lizbeth looked like she wanted to say something but didn''t know how to express it, looking pitiful.
It was clear that this little princess rarely interacted with others, and her nervousness and shyness had almost be a kind of ailment.
Seeing her like this, Riezel could only continue the conversation by himself.
"If you came here under orders from the royal family, go back and tell them I don''t n on doing anything." Riezel suddenly smiled. "Of course, that is, unless they''re nning to do ''something'' to me."
Needless to say, his words were more or less a warning.
"Well then, that''s how it is."
As soon as Riezel finished saying this, he stood up and turned to leave.
Yuri and Marilyn exchanged nces, both seeingplex emotions in each other''s eyes. Even so, neither of them said or did anything, simply watching the scene silently.
Lizbeth also silently watched Riezel, her light gray eyes revealing emotions that others couldn''t understand.
Just as Riezel was about to leave the reception room, however, Lizbeth suddenly spoke up.
"I have a request."
Lizbeth''s words made Riezel stop in his tracks and turn around.
However, when he did, he saw a seriousness in her light gray eyes that hadn''t been there before.
"Could you spar with me?"
Lizbeth had actually made such a surprising request.
""Spar?""
Yuri and Marilyn both froze.
"Oh?" Riezel raised his eyebrows slightly.
Lizbeth took a deep breath and stood up.
"...I''m timid, not good with words, don''t know how to speak properly, and don''t know how to win people over... I''m really sorry..."
Holding the very conspicuous sword in her arms, Lizbeth stared at Riezel seriously.
"But throughout my life so far, there''s only one thing I''ve done from start to finish, and it''s the only thing I have confidence in¡ªthe only thing I trust."
What could that be?
It was simple.
"Wielding a sword."
Lizbeth''s voice soundedpletely different from before.
"When I can''t figure something out, I wield a sword."
"When I can''t aplish something, I wield a sword."
"I only know how to wield a sword, and that''s all I can do."
Lizbeth''s gaze locked onto Riezel''s eyes, and surprisingly, a fighting spirit emerged in her eyes.
"That''s why, could you spar with me first before you decide?"
Lizbeth''s words not only made Yuri look at her in a new light but also made Marilyn stare at her as if she were seeing her for the first time.
Riezel, on the other hand, calmly met Lizbeth''s gaze, saw the determination and fighting spirit in her eyes, and then smiled.
"Interesting..."
Riezel turned around, his back now facing Lizbeth.
Just when Lizbeth thought Riezel was going to refuse, he spoke with a serene voice.
"In that case, let me see what your sword can do."
===
About five minutester, Riezel and the others moved to a corner of the Frenzel residence''s courtyard.
"Alright, this spot should do."
Just like in countless previous challenges, Riezel used the Structure System Magic to create a sword with a scabbard, ced it by his side, and then looked across at his opponent with a calm smile.
"I''ll give you the first move, Your Highness."
If Riezel were to take the first move, there was a ny percent chance it would result in instant defeat. Hence, ever since Marco and Alder''s challenges, he had always done this¡ªletting others make the first move and giving them a chance to strike him first.
"..."
Lizbeth didn''t respond but released the sword she had been holding in her arms.
As soon as she let the sword go, everyone present realized just howrge it was.
The de alone was about 112 cm long and roughly 7 cm wide. If the hilt was included, the entire sword was nearly 130 cm long.
Compared to Lizbeth''s stature, it was definitely on therger side.
"That sword..."
Yuri seriously examined Lizbeth''s sword for the first time, and as she looked carefully, she immediately noticed something was off about it.
Nearby, Marilyn was also staring at the sword in silence.
From that sword, everyone present could feel an incredibly subtle yet overwhelming magical energy, especially Riezel, who was the first to notice it.
''Hmm, that sword... it''s probably stronger than the magic weapon Albert usedst time, and... it seems to be way stronger...''
''As expected of a princess, casually bringing out something that powerful.''
Albert''s magic weapon was already considered First-ss Special Equipment, so it was clear that the sword in Lizbeth''s hands was no less and might have even surpassed the category of First-ss Special Equipment.
Moreover, when Lizbeth drew the sword, this feeling only intensified.
As the de was exposed, it gleamed as if made of pure gold, exuding an aura of luxury and nobility.
Clearly, even if it wasn''t a magic weapon and was just an ordinary weapon, its appearance alone could fetch a sky-high price.
"...I''m starting."
Once Lizbeth gripped her sword, her entire demeanor changed, bing like that of a veteran swordsman with a sharp edge, her gaze incredibly fierce.
"Bring it on."
Riezel found himself actually looking forward to it.
Meanwhile, Yuri, who was watching from the sidelines, felt a bit uneasy.
She didn''t believe Lizbeth''s sword was something the royal family had prepared for her.
Why?
It was simply because when she had epted a princess as her attendant in the past, thetter hadn''t brought such an exceptional item with her.
Her intuition told her that there was definitely something hidden about Lizbeth.
"What do you know about this ninth princess?"
Yuri couldn''t help but turn her head and ask Marilyn.
"...I know very little."
Marilyn was silent for a moment before responding with a stoic expression.
"She rarely appears in public, and even less so in front of her own siblings. His Majesty has never allowed her to show herself in public, so her presence is very low. Many princes and princesses might not even remember they have such a younger sister or elder sister."
"However, there was one incident that caused quite a stir in the royal pce."
"What incident?" Yuri asked without hesitation.
In response, Marilyn closed her eyes and began to reveal a secret.
"She wasn''t born in the royal pce, nor was she raised there as a princess."
"She was brought back by His Majesty at the age of seven from outside."
"From what I know, she is an illegitimate child."
Chapter 251: Riezel vs Lizbeth
Chapter 251: Riezel vs Lizbeth
Yuri and Marilyn''s conversation was something Riezel didn''t hear.
At this moment, he was being oppressed by some unknown force, like an invisible mountain weighing down on him, making his whole body feel heavy.
However, one thing was sure¡ªthis force started acting on him when Lizbeth drew her sword.
''What is this?''
As Riezel felt the force, he was surprised at first, but quickly realized what it was.
''Could it be... spiritual power?''
Indeed, the force pressing down on him was the spiritual powering from Lizbeth.
Riezel remembered that the royal family of Jinas had its own Special Swordsmanship. He had read about it in a swordsmanship book from Yuri''s library when he first started learning this world''s swordsmanship.
ording to the book, the royal family''s swordsmanship was a Special Swordsmanship that could cultivate spiritual power. Once mastered, even without using their sword, one could unleash spiritual power to intimidate their opponents or even knock them out.Ordinary opponents facing royal family members would often be suppressed by this invisible spiritual power before even touching them. Even if they didn''t lose consciousness on the spot, their strength would be reduced to a tenth, barely able to perform.
It was the Special Swordsmanship passed down from generation to generation in the royal family, known as the War King Sword Style.
Clearly, Lizbeth had used the special ability of this Special Swordsmanship on Riezel.
"..."
At this moment, the invisible spiritual power surged like a tide, weighing down on Riezel and making him feel increasingly heavy.
If he hadn''t been immune to mental interference, he might have suffered a mental shock, his senses thrown into disorder, as he could feel that this spiritual power could even strike a person''s subconscious, making them see illusions.
Riezel silently endured this spiritual power, gripping his sword tighter.
At the same time, Lizbeth finally moved.
*Whoosh!*
With a faint sound of air splitting, Lizbeth, without any warning, lightly tapped her toes on the ground, her whole body shooting toward Riezel like an arrowunched from a bow.
*BOOM!*
At the same moment, a terrifying spiritual power erupted from Lizbeth, shaking the atmosphere and causing the pressure on Riezel to increase more than tenfold.
"HAHHH¡ª!"
Lizbeth let out a loud shout, shing in front of Riezel as the heavy golden sword in her hand swung down at a speed invisible to the naked eye, creating a powerful sonic boom.
Riezel''s eyes reflected a clear light as he saw through the iing strike and prepared to dodge. Unfortunately, the heaviness of his body surpassed his expectations, making his movements sluggish.
*Swish!*
Riezel''s eyes narrowed, and without thinking, he raised his still-sheathed sword to block in front of him.
*DING!*
A loud sh echoed, and a wave of force exploded on the spot.
As Lizbeth''s heavy shnded on Riezel''s hastily raised, still-sheathed sword, producing a sound like a bell ringing, it sent him flying along with the burst of force.
Riezel''s feet skidded backward with a series of thudding sounds, leaving small craters on the ground.
"Good grief..."
Riezel looked at Lizbeth, his gaze on her changed.
Truthfully, he hadn''t expected this princess''s strength to be so great that she could send him flying with just one strike.
"HAAAHHH!"
Shouting again, Lizbeth seemed like apletely different person now.
She was no longer as tense or flustered as before, her voice turned aggressive, and after shouting loudly, she charged forward like a gust of wind, closing in on Riezel once again.
*Swish!* *Swish!* *Swish!*
Lizbeth shed out one golden sword light after another, each one slicing through the air as they flew toward Riezel.
*Bzzz¡ª*
Seeing this, Riezel didn''t hold back anymore.
His breathing pattern changed, causing lightning to crackle and dance across his body, wrapping him in a cloak of lightning. With Thunder Breathing in effect, his body became much lighter.
In the next second, Riezel''s figure blurred like a lightning bolt, dodging the iing sword lights.
Seeing this, Lizbeth was surprised.
''He actually dodged that?''
Her shes just now might have seemed ordinary and simple, but in reality, they were infused with her spiritual power.
Anyone facing these spiritually charged shes would feel as though they were omnipresent, creating the illusion that they were impossible to block, defend against, or dodge, leading to their demise.
Even if someone could react, the interference from the spiritual power would cause confusion, leading to mistakes in judgment.
When someone thought her shes wereing straight at them, they were actuallying from the side. Or, when they believed they were raising their sword to block from the front, they were actually blocking from the back.
Under the influence of the War King Sword Style, one''s senses were scrambled, their mind disoriented, and their body and mind ced under intense pressure. Not only was their strength reduced to a mere fraction, but they were alsopletely at the mercy of the War King Sword Style''s practitioners, unable to mount an effective resistance.
In fact, the terrifying aspect of the War King Sword Style was that resisting it required not physical strength but strong willpower and mental strength.
If one possessed the willpower and mental strength capable of withstanding the oppression and interference from spiritual power, the effects would be significantly diminished. Conversely, without strong willpower and mental strength, even a Sword Saint would be toyed with by the practitioners of the War King Sword Style.
For this reason, Riezel''s ability to dodge an attack imbued with spiritual power deeply surprised Lizbeth.
Unaware of the existence of Self Redemption, Lizbeth assumed that the Sword Saint before her had used his immense mental strength and unbelievably strong willpower to resist her spiritual power, enabling him to react sessfully.
''No wonder he can be a Sword Saint at such a young age... Even though he''s only two years older than me, his mental strength and willpower are way beyond mine...''
Lizbeth felt a sense of admiration for Riezel.
Even so, she had no intention of stopping and intensified her attack.
Lizbeth, gripping her golden sword, focused all her attention on Riezel as if her gaze held nothing but him.
*Swish!* *Swish!* *Swish!* *Swish!*
In the next second, Lizbeth unleashed countless golden sword lights once again, all aimed at Riezel.
Lizbeth''s attack speed increased, and the golden sword lights became more relentless, too many to count. Even the spiritual power enhancing her shes grew stronger, making Riezel feel like he was about to be swallowed by a massive wave.
Faced with the countless relentless shes, Riezel''s lips curled into a slight smile as more intense lightning burst from his body.
"Thunder Breathing - Fourth Form - Distant Thunder."
*BOOM!*
Riezel charged forward at lightning speed, not retreating but advancing.
He swiftly swung his still-sheathed sword, striking the iing sword lights with blinding speed. In an instant, his shes turned into countless lightning bolts, shing with the iing golden sword lights.
*BOOM!*
As one of the golden sword lights shed with one of the lightning bolts, they created a loud rumbling sound, canceling each other out.
*BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!*
*BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!*
Soon, rumbling sounds echoed continuously as the remaining lightning bolts and golden sword lights collided repeatedly, nullifying each other and disappearing without a trace.
"HAAAHHH¡ª!"
Seeing her attack fail again, Lizbeth didn''t show any sign of retreat but let out a loud shout and unleashed more golden sword lights.
However, they became faster, stronger, and more powerful than the previous ones, causing the intensity of the battle to escte.
"Distant Thunder!"
Riezel''s slight smile suddenly became a grin and, like Lizbeth, unleashed even faster, stronger, and more powerful lightning bolts.
*BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!*
With that, the rumbling sounds rang out again, bing almost incessant.
Riezel and Lizbeth stood facing each other, endlessly shing at one another, turning their swords into lightning bolts and sword lights that constantly shed between them.
Each collision triggered a rumbling sound and stirred up a fierce wind.
Each sh tore through the atmosphere, ripping through space, bing faster, stronger, and more powerful.
Eventually, the extreme collisions and intense exchanges caused the lightning bolts and golden sword lights to dance violently, tearing the ground apart and leaving deep, shocking grooves.
Suchmotion naturally drew the attention of the knights and guards within the entire Frenzel residence, rming them into rushing over.
""My Lady!""
Ain and Ian immediately led a group of fully armed knights toward the scene.
"Don''te any closer!"
After Yuri retreated to a distance under Marilyn''s protection, avoiding the most intense area of the battle, she shouted at Ain, Ian, and the others, preventing them from approaching.
Seeing that Yuri was unharmed, Ain and Ian were relieved before turning their gazes to the battle between Riezel and Lizbeth, where lightning bolts and golden sword lights shed and raged, their expressions filled with disbelief and shock.
Needless to say, the intensity of the battle had surpassed what these people could handle, even leaving Ain and Ian, both Sword Masters, feeling shaken.
*BOOOOM¡ª!*
Suddenly, a deafening explosion rang out, causing all the lightning bolts and golden sword lights to vanish simultaneously.
Riezel and Lizbeth were thrown apart, one stepping back two to three steps, while the other was forced back a much longer distance.
Until this point, Riezel still hadn''t unsheathed his sword and remainedpletely unharmed, not even a drop of sweat on him.
"Thunder Breathing - Fifth Form - Heat Lightning."
Riezel shed directly at the retreating Lizbeth with his still-sheathed sword, sending out a lightning-shaped sh infused with intense heat.
"?!"
Lizbeth, unlike Riezel, wasn''t soposed.
Fortunately, even though she was panting heavily and seemingly out of energy, she still managed to react just in time upon seeing the lightning-shaped shing at her.
*BOOM!*
Lizbeth swung her golden sword with all her might, making it sh as she deflected the iing lightning-shaped sh.
"Thunder Breathing - Second Form - Rice Spirit."
At the same moment, Riezel closed the distance, moving like lightning and appearing right in front of Lizbeth.
*Swish!* *Swish!* *Swish!* *Swish!* *Swish!*
Just as Lizbeth deflected his lightning-shaped sh, Riezel quickly unleashed five continuous shes shaped like lightning toward her, each one striking her body like a real lightning bolt.
"AHHHH¡ª!"
As Lizbeth let out a pained scream and was sent flying, in that instant¡ª
*BOOM!*
A lightning bolt erupted, apanied by the sudden roar of thunder, transforming Riezel into a streak of lightning as he darted toward the airborne Lizbeth.
"Thunder Breathing - First Form - Thunderp and sh."
As Riezel''s voice echoed, he finally unsheathed his sword.
All Lizbeth could see as she flew through the air was a sh of lightning right before her eyes.
*DING!*
In the next second, with a loud metallic sound, her sword flew from her hand.
Chapter 252: Go Back
Chapter 252: Go Back
*Bzzz¡ª*
Gradually, the lightning in the surroundings faded, and the crackling lightning surrounding Riezel''s body slowly disappeared as well.
*Peng!*
With a sound like shattering ss, the sword in Riezel''s hand broke the moment he sheathed it. He watched its fragments fall to the ground before turning his gaze behind him.
Over there, Lizbeth slumped on the ground in a duck-like sitting position, her chest rising and falling slightly as she stared nkly at her empty hands and then at her sword lying a short distance away.
Clearly, she hadn''t yet processed what had just happened.
"It seems the oue is decided."
In the distance, Marilyn, who had been protecting Yuri, lowered her hand and announced the sparring result.
Yuri let out an almost imperceptible sigh of relief before ncing at the golden sword Riezel had knocked away, which made her uneasy.Ain, Ian, and the others looked at the courtyard covered in terrifying sh marks, their faces showing dumbfounded expressions.
In such a situation, Riezel approached Lizbeth.
"Are you okay?" Riezel asked calmly.
Upon hearing his voice, Lizbeth snapped back to reality.
"I-I''m fine!"
Lizbeth shook her head vigorously in panic, but upon realizing her defeat, she couldn''t help but show a hint of disappointment.
In her mind, the final sight of that lightning was deeply etched in her memory, leaving her with endless afterthoughts.
''A sh of lightning means defeat...''
Lizbeth remembered the rumor that had been spreading wildly in the royal pce over the past few days and now understood its significance.
"Can you get up?"
Riezel extended a hand toward Lizbeth.
"I-I can!"
As Lizbeth looked at the hand reaching out to her, her charming face turned slightly red, showing a hint of hesitation and struggle. Eventually, she shyly extended her hand, cing it in Riezel''s palm, allowing him to help her up.
"I''ll be honest, you''re impressive."
Riezel remarked as he released Lizbeth''s delicate, almost boneless hand, which felt smooth¡ªunlike one ustomed to wielding a sword.
"You know, I can''t believe you just became a Sword Master."
Riezel was genuinely surprised.
From his perspective, Lizbeth''s strength was clearly beyond that of a newly appointed Sword Master. Her swordsmanship and strength evidently far surpassed those of an ordinary Sword Master.
He roughly guessed that this princess was equivalent to an upper Level 5, not far from the limit of Level 5 like Ais and Marilyn.
Given her swordsmanship, which could utilize spiritual power, she would likely surpass even a Level 6 Sword Master if her opponent wasn''t mentally strong.
Needless to say, this meant that she could essentially challenge higher-level opponents, just like him or Ais, but under restricted conditions.
A swordsman as skilled as her had only just be a Sword Master this year?
Were all members of the royal family really this impressive, needing to reach at least Level 5 power and possess the Sword Master Medal?
Moreover¡ª
"Your sword..."
Riezel''s gaze flicked toward the golden sword he had knocked away and then back to Lizbeth.
"You didn''t use its true power, did you?"
Truthfully, he had a feeling that her sword was more than it seemed, so he had mentally prepared himself to switch to his true weapon after his casually made sword was destroyed.
However, she hadn''t actually used the sword''s true power from beginning to end and had just swung it normally like an ordinary sword.
"U-Umm, I''m sorry..."
As Riezel brought it up, Lizbeth immediately bowed deeply in apology.
"I still can''t use Moslow''s power, so it''s not that I didn''t want to, but I just couldn''t..."
At this, Riezel rxed a bit and expressed his curiosity.
"Moslow?" Riezel raised his eyebrows. "Is that the name of your sword?"
Lizbeth nodded gently and reached out toward the golden sword.
In the next moment, something magical happened.
*Whoosh!*
Suddenly, the golden sword that had been knocked away began to vibrate, levitate into the air, and fly toward Lizbeth.
As it approached, she opened her palm and caught the sword.
At the same time, the scabbard, which she had set aside at the start, flew over andnded in her other palm.
*Cling*
A faint metallic sound was heard as Lizbeth sheathed the sword before cradling it again.
Riezel and Yuri, who had just witnessed everything, exchanged surprised looks.
Just then, Lizbeth spoke again.
"I lost."
Lizbeth lowered her gaze, sounding quite disheartened.
"Even though I knew someone like me couldn''t possibly win against Lord Sword Saint, I didn''t expect to lose so easily¡"
It seemed to be a significant blow to her.
Apparently, she must have never lost so decisively before.
"You know, you''re already very strong."
Riezel shifted his focus from the golden sword in Lizbeth''s arms to her.
"Having such skillful swordsmanship at your age, there is only one person I know who can rival you."
Of course, Riezel was referring to Ais.
Ais was sixteen years old and the strongest Level 5 swordswoman in Orario.
On the other hand, Lizbeth was fifteen, a year younger than Ais, but she already had the power of Level 5, with swordsmanship almost on par with Ais.
In fact, due to the War King Sword Style''s special ability, Lizbeth even had a slight advantage over Ais.
Given this, Lizbeth''s performance was already impressive, without any ws. At least, Riezel greatly admired this seemingly timid yet extraordinarily skilled little princess.
"So, I..."
Lizbeth''s eyes shined, looking at Riezel with hopeful anticipation.
Her expression was truly pitiful, making one feel an overwhelming urge to shower her with affection.
Unfortunately¡ª
"I admit, you''re very impressive¡ªthere''s no doubt about that..."
Riezel spoke calmly as he looked straight into Lizbeth''s eyes.
"But as I''ve said before, I have no intention of taking on any attendant, and I don''t want to be bound by any nonsensical restraints."
His meaning was clear as day.
Lizbeth, holding her sword, subconsciously tightened her grip and lowered her head, looking somewhat dejected.
Yuri and Marilyn, who hade closer, looked at Lizbeth with unexpectedlyplex expressions.
Seeing this, even though Riezel was somewhat ufortable, he wasn''t nning to change his mind.
"Go back."
Riezel continued, patting Lizbeth on the shoulder.
"Just be a proper princess. There''s no need to heed the unreasonable demand to be my attendant."
With that, Riezel turned and walked away.
"You should go back, Your Highness..." Yuri chimed in, her mouth opening to say something more but ultimately managing toe up with only these words.
As for Marilyn, she seemed unwilling to say anything, her gaze at Lizbeth filled with a hint of subtle pity.
Soon, the servants began to gather and started repairing the damaged courtyard from the battle.
Lizbeth stood silently among the servants, receiving many astonished and infatuated looks from them.
However, since no one recognized her as the ninth princess of Jinas, no one approached her, making her seem somewhat pitiful and lonely.
After a long while, Lizbeth finally left the Frenzel residence with her head down.
Yuri and Marilyn personally saw the princess out, watching her leave without saying a word.
===
Due to the sudden visit of the ninth princess, today''s challenge arena was unexpectedly canceled.
As a result, the swordsmen and the crowd gathered outside the Frenzel residence had no choice but to leave in great disappointment, causing the residence, which had been bustling for the past few days, to be instantly deste.
As Lizbeth walked a considerable distance from the Frenzel residence, a luxurious carriage arrived and stopped right beside her.
"Get in, Your Highness."
A cold voice sounded, causing Lizbeth to pause and stand in ce for a moment before finally boarding the carriage.
Inside the carriage, it waspletely empty.
Lizbeth hunched her shoulders and then took a seat with her head down.
Once the carriage started moving, the cold voice spoke again inside the carriage.
"Failed?"
Apanied by this voice, a vague shadow swayed in front of Lizbeth.
It was none other than the Shadow Sword Saint, Rohm.
"Y-Yes, I''m sorry¡"
Lizbeth didn''t look up, hunching her shoulders even more and apologizing with her head bowed lower.
"No, there''s no need for you to apologize, Your Highness." Rohm said emotionlessly. "It''s just that we didn''t expect Riezel Brynhart to have the courage to reject someone as talented as you, who is also a princess. Honestly, this was really unexpected... His Majesty will surely be surprised as well."
"What should I do...?" Lizbeth asked in a helpless, almost mosquito-like voice. "Should I go back to the royal pce?"
"...No."
Rohm fell silent for a moment before replying in an emotionless tone.
"Riezel Brynhart''s existence is too important for us. If someone like him bes an enemy, it would pose a significant threat. Please make another effort, Your Highness."
"But... he doesn''t like me..." Lizbeth said, feeling very dejected. "Someone like me really can''t seem to be liked by others..."
Upon hearing this, Rohm frowned but then recalled Lizbeth''s treatment in the royal pce and could not bring himself to say a word in rebuttal.
"No matter what, please make another effort." Rohm said decisively, suppressing his emotions. "After all, this is His Majesty''s will."
"..."
Lizbeth bit her lower lip and remained silent.
Rohm also stopped speaking, and soon, his figure vanished in a flicker¡ªwhether he left or simply concealed himself was unclear.
And so, the luxurious carriage drove out of the Frenzel residence perimeter, heading in the opposite direction from the royal pce.
===
The next morning.
As Riezel stepped out of the mansion as usual, heading toward the arena outside the Frenzel residence''s gate to face his challengers, an unexpected situation arose.
"Hey! Who''s that beauty?"
"A-Am I dreaming? She''s so beautiful..."
"Is there really a swordswoman this beautiful in the royal capital?"
"H-Her boobs are so damn huge!"
Surrounding the arena, both swordsmen and regr people erupted in genuine awe and discussion, their eyes nearly popping out of their sockets as they stared intently at a young swordswoman in the arena.
"P-Please, give me your guidance!"
Clearly, the swordswoman was none other than Lizbeth, her face filled with nervousness as she shouted to Riezel with her eyes closed.
"..."
Riezel stood in the arena, silently watching the little princess across from him, lost in thought.
Chapter 253: Lizbeths Determination and Persistence
Chapter 253: Lizbeth''s Determination and Persistence
From this day on, Lizbeth began appearing frequently at the arena outside the Frenzel residence, challenging Riezel daily.
Even though Riezel no longer gave up the first move and no longer showed mercy like before, starting with Thunderp and sh to defeat Lizbeth instantly, this little princess would still return the next day, attacking him with determination and persistence.
Unknowingly, this led Lizbeth to amass a significant amount of poprity.
Originally, as a princess who kept a low profile, she had gained fame after bing a Sword Master, but very few people had seen her, so only a handful knew she even existed.
Even her siblings rarely saw her, let alone outsiders.
Because of this, her bold appearance didn''t reveal her true identity as a princess.
Aside from some well-informed nobles who learned through various channels that this young swordswoman was Jinas''s ninth princess, most people simply saw her as a beautiful swordswoman who wanted Riezel''s guidance.
However, her performances in the arena made many people reconsider their opinions of this seemingly delicate young swordswoman.
Her swordsmanship, which was more outstanding than that of an ordinary Sword Master, her dream-like beauty, and her well-proportioned figure that belied her appearance made many swordsmen and even regr people be her staunch supporters and fans.In just a few days, her poprity and reputation rivaled those of Riezel, attracting countless people eager to see her in person and indirectly making his arena two to three times more crowded than before.
Truthfully, this was an unexpected development for Riezel and likely for Lizbeth as well.
Sometimes, when she was about to leave dejected after a failed challenge, she would be surrounded by a crowd as soon as she stepped off the arena, which scared her quite a bit.
Even some noble children, upon seeing her, had their eyes light up with lust, not hiding their intentions at all. Whenever she left the arena, they followed her, making their motives quite obvious.
However, these people disappeared the next day, and their families faced inexplicable downfalls.
Some had their noble titles demoted, some paid a hefty price, and others were even falsely used of crimes they didn''tmit and thrown into prison overnight, causing a great stir in the royal capital.
Some nobles who had not realized her true identity began to suspect that this young swordswoman was not ordinary, so they strictly restrained their unruly rtives, forbidding them from offending her.
Of course, these matters had nothing to do with Riezel.
What he felt at this moment was only a headache.
Lizbeth''s daily persistent challenges, her dejected departure after each defeat, and her strongeback the next day clearly indicated her intentions.
He knew well what she was after.
Obviously, this little princess had not given up, or rather, the royal family had not revoked theirmand for her to be his attendant. Still, he also assumed that she was probably missing his point.
Regardless, she neither harassed him nor begged him but challenged him silently, leaving quietly after each defeat, her expression determined and delicate when she arrived, and dejected and disappointed when she left.
In all honesty, the fact that she persisted twice or thrice was still bearable for him, but as her challenges continued, he began to feel quite sympathetic.
Once, he even noticed that she had blood blisters on her hands as if she had been undergoing exceptionally rigorous swordsmanship training.
Needless to say, she must have practiced intensely after each failed challenge.
Naturally, this made him furrow his brow, feeling even more troubled by her relentless persistence. After half a month of this, he could no longer tolerate it and called her over after defeating her in one of her challenges.
"Why do you keep doing this?"
Inside the reception room, Riezel asked Lizbeth with a serious voice and expression.
Upon hearing his question, Lizbeth held her sword tighter, lowered her head, and replied in a very soft voice.
"I only know how to wield a sword, and that''s all I can do..."
With just this sentence, Riezel had no more words to say.
Undoubtedly, the royal family hadn''t revoked theirmand, which meant Lizbeth would continue striving to be his attendant.
Moreover, she didn''t know what else she could do to seed since she wasn''t good with words. Feeling lost and helpless, she could only choose to work hard in the way she was most skilled and familiar with.
Since she only knew how to wield a sword, and that was all she could do, she could only persist in challenging him every day. If she lost, she would go back, continue honing her swordsmanship, and then return to challenge him again the next day, repeating this cycle endlessly with relentless determination and stubborn persistence.
He even believed that as long as he didn''t ept her as his attendant, she would persist, even if it took her entire life.
Without a doubt, it was clumsy.
Without a doubt, it was foolishly straightforward.
Even so, it was the only way she could think of doing things.
Riezel couldn''t describe his feelings at this moment and could only sigh, ending today''s challenge directly.
After returning to the mansion, he walked down the corridor, his brow furrowed as if deep in thought.
Suddenly, he bumped into someone around the corner of the hallway.
"Mr. Riezel."
Marilyn appeared around the corner, pushing a tea cart and giving Riezel a slight bow.
"Marilyn?"
Seeing Marilyn, Riezel came back to his senses and nodded.
"You''vee out of Yuri''s office?"
"Yes." Marilyn replied expressionlessly. "Since the Lady is focused on her work, I thought I''d wash the tea sets ande out."
Upon hearing this, Riezel simply nodded.
However, just when he thought the conversation was over and they should part ways, she suddenly spoke again.
"Do you have time right now?"
Marilyn''s unexpected question made Riezel slightly taken aback.
"Hmm? There is... actually..." Riezel replied in confusion. "Why? Is there something you need me for?"
"No..." Marilyn shook her head. "I just wanted to ask if you''d like to spend some time with me if you have the chance."
Riezel''s expression turned strange.
''What does she mean? Does this woman want to tease me?''
Riezel couldn''t help but wonder.
Although he didn''t know the reason, he sensed that this maid didn''t seem to think highly of him, as proved by how she often red at him behind Yuri''s back. While not exactly a look of deep resentment, the displeasure in her eyes was evident.
Needless to say, she usually kept to herself, cold and unapproachable except toward Yuri, behaving like an ice block to everyone else. Now, with her suddenly saying such a thing, Riezel couldn''t help but overthink.
Perhaps Marilyn was aware of this as she gave him another re after seeing his odd expression.
"I just want to talk to you about Princess Lizbeth."
Marilyn revealed her reason.
"Her?"
Riezel''s expression turned to one of realization, and his gaze toward Marilyn became more meaningful.
''Just as I thought, this maid really is...''
"Are you still not considering epting Princess Lizbeth as your attendant?"
As Riezel confirmed something in his mind, Marilyn asked him a question.
He nced at her face, noting her expressionless demeanor as if she were discussing a stranger.
After pondering for a moment, he spoke up.
"I''ve already said I have no ns to take on any attendant, and I certainly don''t want to be bound by some nonsensical restrictions."
Riezel had always said this, and he had always felt this way.
However, the main reason was, in fact, thetter.
"I don''t like the feeling of having a contract dictate what I could or couldn''t do." Riezel continued calmly, shaking his head. "That''s why I have no intention of signing an attendant contract with her."
Originally, he had resolved in this second life to live freely, following his chosen path rather than being forced to adhere to someone else''s established rules.
Given this, the royal family''s attempt to bind him with a contract, restricting what he could or couldn''t do, instinctively made him resist.
However, Marilyn didn''t quite understand his viewpoint.
"Why? From my understanding, the royal family probably just wants you tomit to something like ''cannot be detrimental to the kingdom'', which shouldn''t be too harsh a condition, right?" Marilyn asked in a confused tone. "Does Mr. Riezel think you will be Jinas''s enemy in the future?"
"Who knows?"
Surprisingly, Riezel didn''t deny it.
"At least none of the so-called royal family or nobles have done anything I liked so far. Who knows what kind of stupid moves they might make in the future?"
At that point, Riezel might indeed end up opposing Jinas.
Moreover, if they thought that the existence of the contract would prevent him from being detrimental to the kingdom, allowing them to test his limits and do things they shouldn''t, he couldn''t tolerate that.
For him, such a contract was merely a restriction on personal freedom, permitting others to act recklessly toward him.
For this reason, he certainly wouldn''t agree to such a contract, especially not with a clumsy and pitiful princess as a bargaining chip.
They might think they had made a great sacrifice by offering their own princess as an attendant for him, showing enough sincerity, but had they ever considered Lizbeth''s feelings?
They were obviously selling her freedom, selling someone else, not themselves.
Of course, this approach of treating others as property to be bought and sold, which reminded him of his fate in his previous life, would never make him like them.
As a result, although Riezel felt pity for Lizbeth''s persistence and hard work, he still hadn''t considered, and probably would never consider, taking her in as his attendant. He was only contemting whether he should warn the royal family in person to have them give up.
"..."
Upon hearing Riezel''s answer, Marilyn seemed at a loss for words.
Seeing her reaction, Riezel felt curious and asked a question.
"Do you think this is eptable?"
Riezel looked seriously at Marilyn.
"If you were in her shoes, and the royal family wanted you to be someone else''s attendant to achieve their goals, would you be up for it?"
"..."
Marilyn remained silent.
However, after a while, she answered with a t expression and tone.
"If it were me, I would be more than willing."
"What?"
Marilyn''s answer left Riezel standing there in nk surprise.
Chapter 254: Marilyns Persuasion
Chapter 254: Marilyn''s Persuasion
"What?"
Marilyn''s response left Riezel standing there in nk surprise.
In the next moment, Marilyn spoke again, not giving him any time to recover from his shock.
"Honestly, there was no need to ask that question, especially not from you, Mr. Riezel."
Marilyn spoke calmly, her gaze fixed on Riezel''s eyes.
"Weren''t you also willing to give up the chance to be a noble?"
Upon hearing this, Riezel eventually understood what Marilyn was trying to convey.
"I know that in your eyes, being a princess is definitely better than being an attendant, but to most people, being a noble is certainly better than being amoner."
"Given that you voluntarily gave up the chance to be a noble, why do you think a princess choosing to be an attendant is a bad thing?"Marilyn''s voice carried a hint of sarcasm.
"Do you even know what a princess is?"
"In my eyes, a princess is someone who usually has to stay confined in the royal pce, and no matter where she goes, there are always people following her. She can only stay in ces deemed ''safe'' by others or dress beautifully to show off the royal family''s dignity and status when necessary."
"If I''m being honest, a princess is just a decorative piece for a kingdom. Even if she''s unwilling to ept this and works hard to train in swordsmanship or magic to make a name for herself, it only adds one or two more tteringments to her role as a decorative piece."
"And then, when the timees for the kingdom to need her, she''ll be arranged to meet some noble for marriage negotiations or even have the marriage arranged without any negotiation at all."
As Marilyn spoke, her tone grew more scornful.
"A so-called princess actually has no freedom at all, living within a framework set by others, following other people''s wishes. Compared to this, being an attendant is nothing."
"As an attendant, you only need to follow your master''s orders, but as a princess, you must obey many people''s orders, where even a mere knight could tell you something like¡ªno, it''s too dangerous; you can''t go out."
After saying this, Marilyn lowered her eyes.
"You might not believe it, but many princesses who are swordsmen actually look forward to bing someone''s attendant."
"For those used to seeing various struggles, rather than unrealistically hoping for a prince on a white horse to rescue them from their cage or wishing their future spouse would be a noble who''d treat them well, they would prefer to form an attendant contract with a kind and gentle magician."
"At least that way, they wouldn''t have to marry someone they don''t like."
Marilyn''s words clearly revealed a deep dislike for the concept of ''noble''.
Of course, this was something Riezel could rte to.
You couldn''t expect every high-ranking individual to be like Kagaya, treating even the lowest-ranking subordinate like their own child, with kindness and warmth.
Being born a noble inevitably involved various schemes and temptations.
In such an environment, you couldn''t say there weren''t any good nobles, but those who were purely good were probably as rare as phoenix feathers.
Rather than hoping for a noble to be a good person, it was better to ce faith in a magician who had achieved great sess through their own efforts and had even forced a kingdom to recognize them as someone worth pledging loyalty to.
That way, even if you were just serving them tea and water, it would probably be better than living with chains.
Marilyn wanted to convey this idea.
"Of course, there have been princesses in history who ended up with the wrong master and became tragic victims."
Marilyn''s voice grew indifferent.
"However,pared to those, princesses who be depressed and never find happiness after marrying a noble are overwhelmingly moremon."
Upon hearing this, Riezel fell silent.
At this point, Marilyn returned to the original topic.
"As far as I''m concerned, I really hope that child can find a worthy master to serve."
When Marilyn said ''that child'' and ''worthy master'', she naturally meant Lizbeth and Riezel.
"Due to her background, that child''s treatment and environment in the royal pce were far worse than those of an ordinary princess. You know, not only did His Majesty nearly forget about her existence before she became a Sword Master, but he also deliberately cut off her interactions with other members of the royal family."
"Whether His Majesty''s decision was made out of kindness, not wanting to see that child be excluded and bullied by his other children, or if there''s another reason, no one really knows."
"However, if she continues to stay in the royal pce, sooner orter, that child will face misfortune."
Needless to say, this was actually what Marilyn wanted to say by keeping Riezel around.
"I understand your point about not wanting to ept constraints, especially those from the royal family..." Marilyn paused for a moment, then continued, "But you don''t need to resist so much. It''s not something that can''t be changed."
"What do you mean?"
Riezel looked at Marilyn in surprise.
"It means that it''s not you who is in a hurry, but the people from the royal family, especially His Majesty." Marilyn replied tly. "He''s the one who most wants you to enter into this contract."
At these words, Riezel''s heart stirred.
"So you''re saying I have room to negotiate?"
Indeed, this was something that could be negotiated.
If the current terms of the contract were uneptable, it was entirely possible to make adjustments until an eptablepromise was reached.
"You are the youngest Sword Saint in history, only seventeen years old, unprecedented and probably unmatched in the future. No one can imagine how far you will grow."
Marilyn continued, her voice still t.
"Moreover, since you''re also a Tactical-ss Magician, the royal family definitely doesn''t want to offend you easily, lest they drive you to their opposing side."
"They just want to ensure that you won''t be detrimental to them or this kingdom."
"In that case, as long as this goal can be achieved, they will definitely be willing topromise and ept any conditions you propose that they can agree to."
Marilyn then concluded with a final remark.
"If you really think it''s feasible, I hope you''ll seriously consider it. After all, having an outstanding attendant isn''t a bad thing for you, right?"
With that, Marilyn bowed to Riezel.
"I''ve said all I need to say, and the rest is up to you, Mr. Riezel."
After saying this, Marilyn continued pushing the tea cart, passed Riezel, and left the hallway.
Riezel watched the maid''s disappearing figure, lost in thought.
"Consider it, huh...?"
Riezel murmured to himself before leaving the hallway.
===
Frenzel Residence, Riezel''s Room.
It was the room Riezel had used for his recovery, where he hadin for a full month.
Although this room, along with the rest of the mansion, had once beenpletely destroyed by his Rea Laevateinn, it was restored by the court magician and now looked exactly like the room he had stayed in before.
Seeing its perfect appearance, it was hard to believe this room was no longer the original.
Once Riezel returned to this room and closed the door, he sat down on the bed.
At this moment, he was contemting whether he should really take Lizbeth as his attendant.
Previously, he felt he didn''t need any attendant, but now he began to hesitate.
One should know that the purpose of attendants was to protect their magician master, allowing them to cast magic smoothly during intense battles without interruption from enemies.
However, Riezel didn''t need such a thing.
As a swordsman and magician who also knew the technique of Concurrent Chanting, he could remain calm andposed even in intense battles, casting magic without worrying about interruptions or needing protection.
Moreover, he wasn''t an important figure or the like who needed to be apanied and protected everywhere, so he preferred the freedom of being alone.
For this reason, he had never considered taking on an attendant.
Now, however, after listening to Marilyn''s advice, he began to think seriously about it.
He realized that there might be times when he actually needed an attendant to protect him.
"Dimensional travel..."
Riezel muttered to himself, recalling dimensional travel.
Every time he performed dimensional travel, only his consciousness entered the dimensional channel, traveling to another world while his physical body remained in this world.Although it was only for a day, his body left in this world was undoubtedly unprotected and could be vulnerable to attacks at any moment.
Even though he could use magic to protect himself before conducting dimensional travel, the protective effect of magic was ultimately limited.
For instance, the Veil Breath he usedst time was said to resist all attacks, but its duration and defensive effects were still limited.
If someone attacked him, could this defensive magic continuously protect him for a whole day?
Definitely not.
In other words, during dimensional travel, his body that was left on the Akasha Continent still had a risk of encountering danger.
Even if the risk wasn''t high, it was better to be safe than sorry, right?
What if something unexpected did happen?
After all, it wasn''t unheard of for someone to sneak into his room and attempt an assassination.
Moreover, knowing that he had now be a prominent figure, with his reputation spreading across the continent, he expected that some people might plot to target him.
For instance, countries hostile to Jinas would certainly consider assassinating a promising seventeen-year-old Sword Saint and Tactical-ss Magician to prevent him from appearing in Jinas''s army or at their borders in the future.
If they knew he would be sleeping in his room for an entire day periodically, it would be a perfect opportunity for them to n an assassination.
In such a case, a reliable attendant who could protect him at all times would be extremely important.
"Should I give it a try?"
Riezel muttered in a hesitant tone, a frown on his face.
As he recalled Lizbeth''s beautiful face, which often looked pitiful, the frown on his forehead finally eased.
"Alright, let''s give it a try..."
Chapter 255: Do You Really Want to be My Attendant?
Chapter 255: Do You Really Want to be My Attendant?
The next day.
As soon as the day broke, Lizbeth, as usual, held her sword and rode in a carriage to the main road leading to the Frenzel residence, where she got off.
Perhaps to keep her true identity hidden or for some other reason, the carriage never drove directly into the Frenzel residence but would stop a distance away, let her get out, and she would walk the rest of the way.
She walked along the road that had gradually be familiar to her and arrived at the bustling gate of the Frenzel residence.
Her arrival was immediately noticed by keen observers.
"She''s here! She''s here!"
"It''s Miss Lizbeth!"
"Miss Lizbeth is back to challenge again today?"
"Aah, awesome, we get to see Miss Lizbeth shaking in the arena again¡ªerr, I mean, bravely taking on the unbeatable opponent in the arena again!""Yeah, that''s the one."
"I hear ya, buddy."
In the crowd, the excited voices of the people sounded almost animalistic, though they spoke human words, there was something oddly dehumanizing about it.
"Miss Lizbeth!"
"Miss Lizbeth!"
Many others shouted Lizbeth''s name as if they were her fervent fans.
"Hello, everyone!"
Although Lizbeth was a bit scared by the unusual enthusiasm and felt like she might want to run away, she had somewhat gotten used to it by now. She pushed down her nervousness and bewilderment, bowing to the cheering crowd as a gesture of politeness.
However, she might never know just how much her bowing was ''appreciated'' by some of these overly enthusiastic fans.
""OOOOOOHHH!""
"Yes! Miss Lizbeth bowed again today!"
"Wow, she''s so polite! Keep it up, but maybe bow a bit deeper and hold it a little longer?"
"Seriously, do we really need to make a big deal about this? It''s kinda embarrassing to point it out."
"Anyway, Miss Lizbeth is truly wonderful!"
At this moment, the crowd''s howls were so intense that it almost felt like a throwback to some primal instinct. Some people even looked blissful, as if they had no regrets left in their lives even if they died now, causing nearby women to scowl and distance themselves.
Lizbeth didn''t know if she had done something wrong again but only knew that every time she greeted these enthusiastic people (by bowing), they got especially excited, which left her puzzled.
However, seeing their happy faces, it didn''t seem like a bad thing, right?
Apparently, this was somewhat touching for Lizbeth, who often felt neglected at the royal pce.
''Everyone here is a good person...'' Lizbeth thought with a warm expression. ''Since everyone is so nice to me, I have to perform even better today.''
Following this, she showed a determined look on her face.
As the cheers from the enthusiastic crowd gave her a lot of strength, the little princess, clenching her small fists, walked up to the arena.
However, since Riezel hadn''t arrived yet, she needed to sign up first.
Due to the constant flow of challengers and to avoid conflicts and arguments, anyone wanting to challenge Riezel had to sign up with Ain or Ian, who rotated in shifts. They had to wait until their names were called before they could enter the arena and fight him.
Lizbeth clearly hadn''t arrived too early.
Although she hade here just after dawn, some people, eager to challenge Riezel and receive his guidance, arrived even before dawn to secure a spot. If they waited until dawn, they often had to wait through dozens of people before their turn came.
When she first arrived, it had been like this too. Even though she came as soon as it was dawn, she still had to queue up, ending up far behind among dozens of others.
All this made her admire Riezel even more.
''Indeed, Lord Sword Saint is highly respected.''
Lizbeth truly felt genuine admiration for Riezel.
However, aftering here a few times, she suddenly realized that she didn''t seem to have to wait in line anymore.
It was simply because there were so many warm-hearted people around!
"Miss Lizbeth, you go ahead."
"Yeah, let her go first."
"C''mon, we''re talking about Miss Lizbeth. She should go first."
"See her early, enjoy it early!"
A group of male swordsmen, who were signing up in front of the arena, immediately showed friendly expressions and made way for Lizbeth when they saw hering.
''See her early, enjoy it early?''
Lizbeth sometimes didn''t quite understand these warm-hearted people''s strange remarks, but she still thanked them sincerely.
"W-Well, I''m really sorry for always making you let me go first."
Upon hearing her words, the group of male swordsmen smiled refreshingly.
"No, no, not at all! We should be the ones apologizing!"
"Yeah, thanks to you, we get toe here every day. Without you, I might''ve given up a while ago."
"Totally! We haven''t gotten pointers from Lord Riezel yet, and it kinda makes us lose confidence, you know."
"For us, the reason to keeping here every day is seeing Miss Lizbeth jumping around in the arena¡ªI mean, your hard work in the arena!"
"Exactly, exactly!"
Upon hearing their words and seeing their smiles, Lizbeth almost cried with emotion.
"Did I really make such a positive impact on others too?"
Saying this, she couldn''t believe it, and her eyes almost filled with tears.
In response, the group of male swordsmen gave her a thumbs-up.
"Yeah, Miss Lizbeth is everything we''ve hoped for!"
"Every time I hit the bed and think about Miss Lizbeth, I''m instantly recharged!"
"Exactly! You always give it your all in the arena. Your hard work is the best motivation for us!"
"We want to see you sweating and giving it your all in the future!"
"Don''t ever give up, no matter what!"
All of these passionate encouragements from each of the male swordsmen filled Lizbeth''s once-timid heart with a stronger determination.
"Yes! I''ll do my best!"
With a determined look in her eyes, Lizbeth approached the arena and registered her name. Of course, she only gave the name ''Lizbeth'' and left out her surname. Otherwise, her true identity might be revealed immediately.
Today, Ain was in charge of maintaining order during the challenge.
Holding a sheaf of parchment and a quill, Ain looked coldly at the friendly and enthusiastic male swordsmen, as if they were nothing more than a pile of trash.
"Thank you for your hard work."
After registering, Lizbeth politely thanked Ain.
"No, it''s nothing."
Ain quickly returned the courtesy.
She knew well who this young swordswoman really was, and she was not brave enough to ept this young swordswoman''s thanks casually.
"Please wait a moment. Mr. Riezel should be here soon." Ain said respectfully.
"Alright." Lizbeth replied quickly and stood in ce, waiting quietly.
At this moment, the people around her chattered excitedly and looked at her with eager eyes as if they couldn''t wait for her to get into the arena.
Before long, the main event finally arrived.
Riezel, empty-handed, walked out from the mansion and arrived at the front gate of the Frenzel residence.
"Lord Sword Saint!"
"Sir!"
Everyone, including Lizbeth, immediately bowed their heads and greeted Riezel respectfully, showing their utmost respect for the undeniably esteemed Sword Saint.
"Umu, hello everyone."
Riezel gave a nod to everyone present before turning his gaze toward Lizbeth.
"Huff¡"
Just as Lizbeth took a deep breath, readying herself to fight Riezel, he suddenly turned his gaze back to everyone.
"Today''s challenge is postponed for now. I have some important matters to attend to."
Riezel announced calmly before turning his gaze back to Lizbeth.
"Come with me. I''d like to talk to you."
With that, Riezel turned and walked away.
"Eh?" Lizbeth was left stunned, her expression one of confusion.
"Your Highness, hurry up and catch up." Ain whispered softly.
Lizbeth snapped out of her daze.
''Could it be¡''
Realizing a possible reason, Lizbeth''s eyes lit up before she quickly jogged to catch up with Riezel.
However, as she moved away from the arena, she faintly heard wails of despair behind her.
"NOOO¡ª! My daily dose of spiritual nourishment!"
"Why?!"
"Just let us see one match, please!"
"I can''t live without Miss Lizbeth''s lively presence in the arena!"
"Oh, God! Why are you being so cruel?!"
Seeing the departing Lizbeth, the male swordsmen and the other men who weren''t swordsmen broke down in tears, their anguished cries almost as if they were shedding blood.
Unfortunately, they were soon ruthlessly expelled by a group of women led by Ain, with some even receiving harsh beatings, causing pained cries to ring out.
Lizbeth wanted to look back, but seeing Riezel''s unyielding figure, she could only silently apologize in her heart.
''I''m sorry, everyone. I''ll find a way to make it up to you all in the future.''
With this thought, Lizbeth followed Riezel into the mansion.
===
Frenzel Residence, Reception Room.
Today, only Riezel and Lizbeth were present and no one else was around.
"Sorry, Your Highness, Marilyn isn''t here, and I''m not very good at making tea, so you''ll have to put up with me."
Riezel invited Lizbeth to sit down and apologized to her.
"I-It''s okay!" Lizbeth quickly shook her head, looking extremely nervous. "I-I don''t really like tea anyway, so this is fine!"
"Alright..." Riezel nodded calmly. "In that case, I won''t beat around the bush. Your Highness, may I ask you a question?"
Lizbeth nodded heavily, her hand instinctively gripping her sword tighter as she watched him.
Under such circumstances, Riezel continued.
"What do you think about being my attendant?"
Riezel looked directly into Lizbeth''s eyes as he asked.
"Don''t think about the royal family, nor the person who instructed you to do this."
"I want to know your own thoughts."
"Do you really want to be my attendant?"
Chapter 256: Lizbeths Past and Wish
Chapter 256: Lizbeth''s Past and Wish
"What do you think about being my attendant?"
Riezel looked directly into Lizbeth''s eyes as he asked.
"Don''t think about the royal family, nor the person who instructed you to do this."
"I want to know your own thoughts."
"Do you really want to be my attendant?"
"..."
"I¡"
After being silent for a moment, Lizbeth opened her mouth but only managed to utter a single word.
At this moment, her face was full of confusion, like she had reached a fork in the road of life and was a lost child without anyone to guide her. She had no idea which way to go, and she didn''t know if she would get lost if she kept walking.Riezel, on the other hand, wasn''t surprised at all by her reaction.
Anyone could see that this little princess was an inexperienced, sheltered youngdy. Added to her young age of only fifteen, how could she possibly make such an important decision that would shape her future?
Moreover, she clearly wasn''t good with words.
Riezel''s direct question, aimed at uncovering her true thoughts, left her unable toe up with an answer.
"Alright, let me put it this way... Do you still want to go back and continue being a princess?" Riezel asked straightforwardly.
As soon as she heard the question, Lizbeth immediately reacted.
"I-I don''t want to!"
Lizbeth responded in a very soft voice, but her face was full of fear and resistance.
"I don''t want to be a princess at all!"
Indeed, she truly didn''t want to be a princess.
Ever since she was taken into the royal pce at the age of seven, her life had beenpletely changed.
She wasn''t allowed to interact with or talk to others.
She couldn''t go outside and make public appearances.
She couldn''t disobey her father or the orders of certain important figures.
She couldn''t say whatever she wanted to say or do whatever she wanted to do and had to follow countless rules and learn all sorts of etiquette. Except for practicing swordsmanship, every other activity made her feel extremely tired and exhausted.
Compared to that, her life before the age of seven was tough and full of hardships, having to avoid all sorts of dangerous creatures just to survive. Still, at least back then, she had someone by her side and wasn''t locked in a cold, empty room where she couldn''t do anything.
In a way, the life and environment in the royal pce were probably ny percent responsible for shaping Lizbeth into the person she was now.
She didn''t understand too manyplicated things; she only knew that since she was seven years old, the thing she had been thinking about was that she didn''t want to be this so-called princess.
Being a princess was just too hard for her, much harder than practicing swordsmanship.
"...I see."
Seeing Lizbeth like this, Riezel finally fully understood what Marilyn meant.
Indeed, almost every girl dreamed of bing royalty, a princess, but the real princess might not have actually wanted to be one.
"I think I get what you mean..."
Riezel nodded calmly to Lizbeth.
"However, I have to tell you upfront that if you be my attendant, no one will take care of you anymore."
"You know, I''m also living under someone else''s roof right now. If I leave the Frenzel residence, I probably won''t settle down and might end up living a nomadic life."
"I''m not the type to stay idle, since what I love most is seeking thrills. Once my business in the royal capital is done, I might set off on a journey."
"When that timees, you''ll have to wander around with me. In other words, not only will you need to take care of yourself, but you''ll need to take care of me too."
"Knowing this, are you really okay with that?"
Riezel exined his situation as clearly as possible so Lizbeth could understand his point.
Lizbeth was, after all, still a princess who had lived a life of luxury and privilege. It was hard to imagine her being able to endure a life of constant travel and instability.
Not to mention that Riezel also had a restless nature.
He knew exactly what kind of person he was¡ªonce he got out there, he would definitely seek out the most thrilling and dangerous ces to explore.
In his previous life, he had been like that.
Even though he couldn''t break free from his family''s constraints, he still went to extreme lengths, trying wilderness survival, overseas adventures, and even extreme sports¡ªeach time, he scared the people around him half to death.
In this life, since he was determined to break free from all constraints and live freely, it would only make him even more extreme.
In truth, he was really looking forward to it, looking forward to what kind of excitement and adventure awaited him on this Akasha Continent.
Surely, it would be more interesting than those so-called extreme sports from his previous life, right?
However, precisely because of this, he had to admit that the possibility of encountering danger would greatly increase. Considering this, finding an attendant to look out for each other seemed like a necessary thing to do.
Of course, whether this attendant would be Lizbeth was still up for discussion.
Even though Marilyn''s persuasion had made him consider it more carefully, he still wanted to respect Lizbeth''s wishes.
Bing an attendant might be something this princess would look forward to, but whether he was someone worthy of her trust and loyalty was something she herself had to decide.
In short, everything depended on what she chose, and only then would he respond ordingly. Otherwise, he wouldn''t easily go along with something that was forced by someone else''s interference.
As Riezel thought about this, he was surprised to find that Lizbeth, instead of backing off at his words, actually had her eyes light up more and more.
"I-I''m fine with it!"
Lizbeth leaned forward slightly, her rare excitement showing.
"I used to wander around a lot! Grandma Mia taught me how to take care of myself and survive in the wilderness!"
"What?" Riezel was instantly surprised, his face full of astonishment. "You used to wander around a lot?"
"Um..." Lizbeth nodded, then made an embarrassed expression. "I was brought into the royal pce when I was seven. Before that, I was always running around outside with Grandma Mia."
Riezel didn''t know this, and perhaps even Marilyn didn''t know either.
However, he had already learned from Yuri that Lizbeth was the illegitimate daughter of the current king, Hendrick, born outside the royal pce. Because of this, she had lived outside and hadn''t grown up in the royal pce before she was seven.
As for what kind of life Lizbeth had before entering the royal pce, probably only Hendrick and his close confidants knew.
It was only now that Riezel was learning a bit about Lizbeth''s past life from Lizbeth herself.
"Grandma Mia, huh...?" Riezel murmured thoughtfully. "So, she was the one who raised you?"
"...Yes." Lizbeth showed a somewhat nostalgic expression. "From the moment I became aware, Grandma Mia and Moslow were the only ones by my side. Every day, I would wander around with Grandma Mia."
Upon hearing this, Riezel nced at the golden sword in Lizbeth''s arms.
It turned out this sword, which felt incredibly unusual to him, wasn''t something given to her by the royal family, but rather a personal item she had carried with her since childhood.
"And? What about Grandma Mia?" Riezel asked again. "She''s no longer with you?"
"Um..." Lizbeth''s expression turned a bit sad. "When I was seven, Grandma Mia, who was already eighty-eight, finally couldn''t continue the journey and passed away..."
''Passed away from old age, huh?'' Riezel sighed.
Although it was unfortunate, at least it wasn''t due to some kind of ident. Otherwise, this princess would probably be more than just sad.
"What about your mother?" Riezel continued to ask.
Weirdly, Lizbeth looked confused when she heard this question.
"I''ve never seen my mother..." Lizbeth shook her head. "Grandma Mia told me that my mother passed away after giving birth to me. She took care of me because of my mother''s dying wish, and when I was seven, Grandma Mia somehow managed to contact Father and had him take me away."
Apparently, this was herplete life story as she remembered it.
When she was born, she not only lost her mother, but her father wasn''t around either. She only had a grandmother and a sword to apany her as they wandered everywhere.
A grandmother and a little girl not even ten years old, wandering around like that¡ªit was easy to imagine how tough and difficult their life must have been.
However, when Lizbeth brought up the matter, there was surprisingly no hint of resentment in her eyes. Instead, she looked nostalgic and even happy.
It seemed the hardships of those days had now be cherished memories in her mind. At the very least,pared to being confined within the royal pce, she preferred that kind of life.
Even if it was tough, even if it was difficult, she didn''t think it was something unbearable. In fact, when Riezel mentioned that they might live like that again in the future, she looked both eager and delighted.
He could easily imagine that there were many things this little princess held dear before she turned seven.
Needless to say, that journey wasn''t just filled with hardships but also had beautiful moments.
Lizbeth knew of that beauty, and naturally, Riezel did as well.
Understanding this, Riezel let out a genuine smile and spoke up.
"Well, since you put it that way, I won''t say more."
Upon hearing this, Lizbeth''s expression became one of anticipation.
"Then...?"
Lizbeth''s face was filled with nervousness and anxiety.
Before this, she had only tried to be Riezel''s attendant because of the royal family''smand, or rather, because of her father''smand. However, after hearing Riezel talk about his future ns, she was already leaning toward doing it willingly.
In her life so far, she had experienced only two phases.
One was the time before she turned seven, while the other was the time after she turned seven.
The time before she was seven was full of hardships, but it also filled her with happiness.
The time after she turned seven was morefortable, but it was filled with suffocation.
If bing Riezel''s attendant meant leaving the royal pce and wandering as she had before, then for her, it would be like regaining her previous freedom.
However, the person beside her this time wouldn''t be Grandma Mia, who had raised her from childhood, but instead a handsome, kind, and powerful young man.
With such belief, Lizbeth couldn''t help but want to be Riezel''s attendant with all her heart.
However, Riezel didn''t agree immediately because he knew very well that what he needed to do wasn''t finished yet.
"Why don''t you go back for now and wait for my news, okay?" Riezel said with a smile.
"O-Okay..."
Lizbeth felt a bit disappointed, but she quickly stood up, gave Riezel a deep, respectful bow, and left the Frenzel residence.
Riezel watched the princess''s back as she left, his eyes flickering before his figure disappeared from sight a momentter.
Chapter 257: Lightning Sword Saint vs Shadow Sword Saint (I)
Chapter 257: Lightning Sword Saint vs Shadow Sword Saint (I)
Outside the Frenzel residence, on the main road, Lizbeth jogged over and soon spotted the carriage that picked her up every day.
After seeing the carriage, she slowed down and immediately boarded when it arrived beside her.
At the same time, the flickering shadow that had appeared behind herst time reappeared.
"So? Did he agree?"
Rohm asked as soon as he appeared.
Apparently, the news that Riezel had taken Lizbeth into the mansion for a talk had already reached his ears.
Since Riezel hadn''t hidden it either, the fact that he brought Lizbeth into the mansion in front of so many people meant that those with sharp ears had surely heard about it through various channels.
Aside from discussing the attendant contract, he couldn''t think of anything else the two of them could talk about, so he asked Lizbeth directly, causing her to shrink her shoulders slightly.
Nevertheless, Lizbeth still answered honestly."He asked me to go back and wait for the news."
Lizbeth informed Rohm of the situation.
''Wait for the news?''
Rohm mused to himself.
''Seems like he''s already considering it.''
Even though Riezel didn''t agree right away, this was undoubtedly a very good sign.
"Your Highness, you¡ª"
As Rohm was about to tell Lizbeth to push a bit harder to seal the deal, he suddenly fell silent before he could finish his words.
In the next second, the flickering shadow behind Lizbeth began emitting a gloomy, cold aura.
"W-What''s wrong?"
Lizbeth was startled by the sudden gloomy and cold aura.
"...It''s nothing."
After a moment of silence, Rohm replied and withdrew his gloomy and cold aura.
"Since he asked Your Highness to go back and wait for the news, let''s just wait for now."
After saying this, the flickering shadow behind Lizbeth quickly disappeared.
Only Lizbeth was left in the carriage, her face still showing signs of doubt and confusion.
===
At this moment, instead of returning to the royal pce, Rohm left the carriage and headed toward the outskirts of the royal capital.
Even though it was still broad daylight, his form seemed to blend into the darkness as if it were night. Only a faint shadow remained, silently gliding toward the outskirts of the royal capital, crossing the city walls, and leaving behind the city called Yeluvia.
After a long while, he finally came to a stop in the middle of a deste wilderness.
"Come out."
Rohm eximed to the deste wilderness, his voice cold and clearly echoed.
"I know you''ve been following me. No need to keep hiding."
A few secondster, a faint voice responded.
"Ipletely sealed off my aura, yet you still noticed me... Looks like I''m not that good at this whole hiding thing, huh?"
With these words, a figure suddenly appeared behind Rohm like a ghost.
Who else could it be but Riezel?
"..."
Rohm was silent for a moment before speaking unemotionally.
"You hid well,pletely sealing off your aura, lowering your presence to the minimum, almost turning yourself invisible. If it were any other Sword Saint, they might not have noticed you."
"Unfortunately, when ites to hiding, I''m confident no one in this world can surpass me¡ªnot even Jinas''s so-called strongest, Old Sword Saint, canpare."
In short, what Riezel had done was like showing off in front of a true master in this field, so being detected was inevitable.
Riezel gave a faint smile.
"As expected of the leader of the royal family''s assassination unit, Shadow, the rumored Shadow Sword Saint... You''re quite impressive, huh?"
As Riezel casually revealed Rohm''s identity, Rohm turned around and looked at him.
"I''m a bit curious..." Rohm said in a deep voice. "Judging by your demeanor, it seems like you knew about my presence from the start. How did you discover me?"
He believed that his concealment abilities were unmatched in the world and was confident that even a Sword Saint of the same caliber would have a hard time seeing through his concealment.
Up until now, he had hidden himself well from the other Sword Saints, and of all the Sword Saints in Jinas, only one had ever noticed his presence while he was still in concealment.
Now, knowing that Riezel had seen through his concealment, he was naturally puzzled and surprised.
In response to Rohm''s question, Riezel simply raised his eyelids slightly.
"Nothing special. It''s just that the world I see is different from the one others see."
As Riezel said this, a thick, transparent light gleamed in his eyes.
Seeing those suddenly transparent pupils, Rohm realized that this young man possessed some kind of very special ability, one that could see through all deceptions.
For Rohm, whose mainbat methods relied on assassination and stealth, this ability was nothing short of a natural enemy.
"I see... so you had already noticed my presence when you met His Majesty in the throne room?" Rohm asked pensively.
"Pretty much..." Riezel replied with a half-smile. "At least, I clearly saw and felt the murderous intent you showed when I t-out refused your king''s offer."
"..."
Rohm fell silent, and after a moment, he spoke in a low voice.
"So, you secretly followed Princess Lizbeth, led me here on purpose after I noticed you¡ Was it all to get back at me for that murderous intent?"
Upon hearing this, Riezel scoffed, his lips curling into a smirk.
"Getting back at you? Nah." Riezel clenched his hand, and a sword instantly appeared in his grip. "I''m just curious to see what the Shadow Sword Saint can do. Think you can show me?"
*Bzzz¡ª*
In the next second, his body crackled with lightning and thunder.
A surge of energy locked onto Rohm, making it clear that Riezel wasn''t nning to let him leave.
Seeing this, Rohm''s gaze turned cold.
"Do you really think you''re invincible just because no one could handle your strike in that arena of yours these past few days?" Rohm sneered. "Kid, don''t get too cocky. In the circle of Sword Saints, you''re still a rookie."
What he said made sense.
In many people''s eyes, Riezel was indeed a new Sword Saint and had no problem crushing ordinary swordsmen or even Sword Masters, but when it came to facing other Sword Saints, no one believed he could take them on easily.
"A sh of lightning means defeat? Sure, that kind of rumor might scare some people, but you shouldn''t try that in front of experienced Sword Saints, or you might end up ruining the reputation you just built."
Rohm''s words weren''t exactly malicious, but they definitely stung.
It was clear that Rohm had been provoked by Riezel''s attitude.
Riezel, still wearing a calm expression, looked at Rohm indifferently.
*BOOM!*
Without warning, a lightning bolt exploded, like a thunderp tearing through space, shooting toward Rohm at incredible speed and crackling through the air as it went.
"?!"
Rohm''s eyes narrowed, and the moment the lightning bolt surged, he instinctively transformed into a shadow as dark as ck water and darted to the side.
*Swish!*
As the lightning bolt grazed the shadow, it triggered a lightning-encased sh that struck empty space, slicing through the air with a high-pitched sound.
Needless to say, Rohm had clearly dodged Thunderp and sh.
Since Riezel returned to the Akasha Continent, Rohm was undoubtedly the first to dodge his Thunderp and sh perfectly.
"Do you really think this move will work on me?"
Rohm''s gloomy, cold voice reached Riezel''s ears.
"For so many days, I''ve seen you use this move a thousand times, so it definitely won''t work on me."
If it had been Rohm''s first time seeing Thunderp and sh, he would have found it a bit tricky to handle, but after seeing it repeatedly, he could easily counter this superfast iai sh.
Since even Sword Masters like the Letto brothers had identified the w of Thunderp and sh and developed countermeasures after seeing it twice, it was even less of a challenge for a Sword Saint like Rohm.
During this period, Riezel had used Thunderp and sh countless times against many challengers in the arena, so it was no surprise that Rohm hadpletely seen through it.
"Whenever you use this move, there''s always a thunderous roar first, and once you perform it, you can''t change direction or alter your move. In other words, as long as I dodge the attack path the moment the thunder roars, there''s no way this move will hit me."
Saying this, Rohm drew his sword.
Like a formless ck liquid swaying, the sword in his hand looked as if it were made entirely of shadows, its de as ck and ethereal as the darkness itself.
"Let me show you, even though you''ve be a Sword Saint, you''re still just a rookie and no match for an experienced one."
As soon as Rohm finished speaking, his figure vanished, and all that was left was the shadow sword, seemingly floating in mid-air.
In the next moment, as if manipted by an invisible force, the shadow sword suddenly shed toward Riezel.
*BOOM!*
A thunderous roar echoed around Riezel''s body again as he shot toward the shadow sword.
However, Rohm''s shadow sword was like a ghost, first vanishing and then reappearing suddenly in another position¡ªthis time, right in front of Riezel.
"ck Sword - Shadow sh!"
Rohm''s gloomy and cold voice echoed.
In an instant, ck light seeped from the shadow sword and shed toward Riezel from mid-air.
*BOOOM!*
For the third time, a thunderous roar rang out, but this time, the sound wasn''t from thunder but from the ground being sliced open.
A ck light, like a sword beam, cut through the earth and wilderness, leaving a massive, deep chasm in the ground.
Rubble flew into the air, a sandstorm stirred up, and the shockwave exploded outward, blowing away rocks, rock tes, and everything else in the surrounding area.
With just one sword sh, it felt as if the world was shaking.
Chapter 258: Lightning Sword Saint vs Shadow Sword Saint (II)
Chapter 258: Lightning Sword Saint vs Shadow Sword Saint (II)
*Crackle!*
A lightning bolt shed, revealing Riezel''s figure amidst the world-shaking destruction.
Staring at the earth split by a single sh, Riezel braved the sandstorm and dodged the flying debris.
"With all thismotion, how is he supposed to be the best in hiding?" Riezel muttered speechlessly.
However, he would soon realize why Rohm''s concealment ability was indeed the best.
*Whoosh!*
Rohm''s shadow sword, glowing with a dark light, suddenly appeared in front of Riezel, shing down at him again and releasing a ck sword light.
*BOOM!*
With a thunderous roar, the ground shattered once more as the ck sword light carved a deep trench and ravaged the earth.Seeing this, Riezel steadied his breathing, pushing the speed and power of his Thunder Breathing to the limit.
Like lightning, he shed and darted several hundred meters away.
Nevertheless, even with his incredible speed, the shadow sword kept appearing out of nowhere, relentlessly shing at him, each time sending out a wave of ck sword light.
*BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!*
*BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!*
Continuous explosions echoed as the ground, torn by the ck sword light, erupted again and again, kicking up waves of sand and transforming the area into a battlefield.
If not for the fact that this ce was far from the royal capital, the city would''ve been in an uproar from the sheer destruction and noise.
Riezel flickered back and forth among the roaring ck sword light as if he were being chased by an invisible ghost, not daring to stop for even a moment.
In fact, it wasn''t far from the truth.
He had to admit that the shadow sword, glowing with dark light, was like a true ghost¡ªalways vanishing after a strike, only to reappear silently right in front of him next, making it impossible to defend against.
If it weren''t for his ability to perceive through the Transparent World and the aid of Fast Attack, which boosted his reflexes, he wouldn''t have been able to dodge all these terrifying attacks.
Soon, as Riezel dodged another oing sh of the shadow sword while using his transparent, glowing eyes to scan the surroundings, the glow in his eyes suddenly red up.
''Found you!''
Riezel suddenly dashed in a certain direction, his form turning into a lightning bolt as he shot toward a corner of the wilderness.
"Thunderp and sh!"
*BOOM!*
Riezel''s lightning sh burst forth, generating intense heat around his sword de as it shed violently with the air.
Unfortunately¡ª
"Useless."
Rohm, in the form of a shadow as dark as the void, flickered to the side of where Riezel had just struck as if teleporting.
"I told you, I''ve already seen through this move."
As Rohm spoke, he gestured, causing the floating shadow sword to tear through the void and aim at Riezel.
Riezel, still in his lightning bolt form, didn''t slow down but instead sped up.
*BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!*
*BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!*
With thunderous sounds echoing, the lightning bolt ricocheted off the ground and rocks several times.
"Thunderp and sh - Sixfold!"
Six lightning bolts merged together, surrounding Rohm, before darting toward him, aiming straight for his head.
"I''ve seen this move too."
Saying this calmly, Rohm adjusted his stance and positioned the shadow sword in front of himself, perfectly intercepting the iing lightning bolt.
*DING!*
Amid the metallic collision, the lightning sh struck the shadow sword, sending it flying.
However, Riezel''s sh missed Rohm and merely grazed past him.
*BOOM!* *BOOM!*
In the next second, the lightning bolt ricocheted twice, shooting back once more.
"Thunderp and sh - Eightfold!"
What Riezel used was the enhanced version of ''Thunderp and sh ¨C Sixfold'', a move originally developed by Zenitsu in the original work of Demon yer.
Riezel had sessfully recreated it, along with Sixfold.
Although Rohm hadn''t seen this move before, he didn''t panic.
"Even though I haven''t seen this move before, whether it''s six or eight, they''re basically the same."
Rohm called back his shadow sword, which had been knocked away, making it appear before him as if by teleportation.
*DING!*
Just like before, Riezel''s sh was once again blocked by the elusive shadow sword. Although the shadow sword was knocked away, the sh was still deflected by the block, merely grazing past Rohm''s side again.
''In that case...''
Seeing this, Riezel''s expression hardened.
''Let''s see how long you can keep blocking.''
Instead of stopping, Riezel elerated further.
"Thunderp and sh - Tenfold!"
Yes.
Tenfold.
It was a move that didn''t even appear in the original work.
Zenitsu had only developed Thunderp and sh up to Sixfold and Eightfold, with Eightfold being the limit.
However, as Rohm had said, whether it was six or eight, they were essentially the same¡ªjust different versions of Thunderp and sh, with the only difference being how many times it could change direction.
Sixfold was six directional changes.
Eightfold was eight directional changes.
Theoretically, as long as it could keep changing direction, Thunderp and sh could continue endlessly.
Zenitsu had stopped at Eightfold because, first, he developed an even stronger technique, and second, his physical limitations prevented him from continuing further, as his body wouldn''t be able to handle it.
Riezel, however, didn''t have these worries.
Having reached Level 6, his body far surpassed Zenitsu''s, making Eightfold nowhere near his limit.
In fact, Tenfold wasn''t even his limit.
*BOOM!* *BOOM!*
As the sound of thunder echoed across the wilderness, Riezel, in the form of a lightning bolt, ricocheted off the ground and rocks like aser hitting mirrors, continuously bouncing around.
Each time the lightning bolt bounced, it would end up in front of Rohm, shing at him, sending chills down his spine.
Rohm could only hold his breath, fully concentrating on tracking the lightning bolt''s path, repeatedly summoning his shadow sword to block Riezel''s lightning shes.
*ng!* *Cling!* *ng!* *Cling!*
*ng!* *Cling!* *ng!* *Cling!*
While the crisp sound of des shing echoed constantly, the shadow sword, glowing with dark light, was knocked away repeatedly, causing Riezel''s lightning shes to graze past Rohm each time, nevernding a direct hit.
Even so, with Riezel''s sword edge scraping his side repeatedly, Rohm was starting to get irritated.
"I told you! It''s useless!"
Rohm snapped and controlled his shadow sword, releasing a ck sword light from above toward his own position.
*BOOOM!*
Instantly, the ck sword light shattered the ground, blowing away both the lightning bolt and shadows in the shockwave.
"Heh..."
Riezel finally stopped and emerged from the lightning bolt with a chuckle.
*BANG!*
With an explosive sound, the sword in Riezel''s hand could no longer withstand the repeated use of Thunderp and sh, shattering into pieces.
''Perfect chance!''
Seeing this, Rohm''s eyes shined, and he quickly controlled his shadow sword, shing fiercely at Riezel.
*Swish!*
With a sharp sound, the shadow sword tore through the air and appeared in front of Riezel in the blink of an eye, like the scythe of a grim reaper.
However, just as the shadow sword was about to hit Riezel, his entire body began to glow with crimson waves.
''What is that?!''
Seeing the translucent crimson waves, Rohm''s pupils shrank, and he hastily recalled his shadow sword, making it disappear from in front of Riezel and reappear by his side.
Gripping his shadow sword, Rohm finally halted his attack,nding on the ground and ring at Riezel with a dark expression.
"Oh?"
Riezelnded on the ground as well, raising his eyebrows while looking at Rohm with a half-smile.
"Seems like you recognized the magic I''m using right now."
"Marquis Frenzel''s Dposition Magic..." Rohm said with a cold expression. "I see... so she even taught you that?"
"Why''s that so surprising?" Riezel replied casually. "I''m a magician too, y''know? It''d be a real problem if the esteemed Shadow Sword Saint forgot that."
"No doubt, if anyone remembers you only as the youngest Sword Saint in history and forgets you''re also a Tactical-ss Magician, they''d end up in a really bad spot."
Rohm admitted honestly, and his expression became calm.
"Since we''vee this far, you should be satisfied, right? Let''s end it here."
Seeing Riezel use Yuri''s Dposition Magic, Rohm knew his n to give Riezel a scare, or at least a lesson, was probably doomed.
Yuri''s Dposition Magic was undoubtedly terrifying.
Even if most people didn''t know it, the higher-ups in most countries definitely did.
It was an incredibly fearsome magic that could dpose and destroy anything material upon contact, even reducing it to nothingness¡ªa truly terrifying power.
Since Riezel could use this magic, continuing the fight would probably mean losing his shadow sword.
It couldn''t be helped, as the shadow sword he used was an extremely valuable magic weapon. Losing it would strip him of twenty to thirty percent of hisbat power, or even more.
No choice.
Since he was more of an assassin, specializing in stealth and assassination, and his swordsmanship also focused on these areas, he was a bitcking in directbat.
It was precisely for this reason that the royal family had spent a fortune on this magic weapon for him¡ªtopensate for his shorings in directbat. Without it, he wouldn''t be able to unleash those ground-shattering shes.
Because of this, as soon as he became aware that Riezel was using Yuri''s Dposition Magic, he didn''t hesitate to recall his shadow sword to prevent it from being destroyed.
With that kind of magic in y, recklessly attacking Riezel was out of the question, so he decided to back down.
However¡ª
"Nope, it''s way too early to call it quits."
Riezel stared directly at Rohm, calmly stating his intent.
"Wait until you see this next move of mine."
After saying this, a sword appeared in Riezel''s hand¡ªa sword radiating intense heat.
Chapter 259: Godspeed
Chapter 259: Godspeed
"That sword..."
Rohm muttered with astonishment.
He stared at the sword that suddenly appeared in Riezel''s hand, feeling a faint yet scorching heat radiating from it, and immediately became alert.
All along, Riezel had been using swords created casually by the Structure System Magic¡ªdisposable weapons that suggested he didn''t have a trusty weapon at hand.
However, the sword he took out now was definitely not some disposable, ordinary weapon, but a bona fide magic weapon.
''So, that''s his true weapon?''
Clearly, Riezel didn''tck a trusty weapon; he simply hadn''t encountered an opponent worthy of making him use it until now.
What did this mean?
''Could he have been hiding his true strength all along?''Rohm found it hard to believe, yet it seemed to be the truth.
Why?
It was simply because when Riezel gripped the sword, held it by his side, and assumed a familiar stance, the threat emanating from him this time triggered his sense of danger.
Soon, lightning bolts erupted from Riezel''s body, forming thick strands of electricity that flickered and gradually expanded.
''Danger!''
At this moment, Rohm very clearly felt an extraordinary sense of danger emanating from Riezel.
Since the swordsmanship Rohm practiced could be summarized as highly advanced assassination swordsmanship, its practitioners excelled not only in stealth but also in shadow maniption.
By mastering this swordsmanship, he could hide himself within shadows,pletely concealing his appearance so that others could only see a flickering silhouette. He could also blend into the surrounding environment with the shadows, avoiding detection by most detection magic and infiltrating any ce.
It was the Special Swordsmanship in which he excelled, called the Shadow Strike Sword Style.
In truth, the royal family''s assassination unit, Shadow, used a simplified version of the Shadow Strike Sword Style, called the Hazy Strike Sword Style.
While this simplified version was only Advanced Swordsmanship, the original version, the Shadow Strike Sword Style, was considered rare and precious even among other Special Swordsmanships.
Although the Shadow Strike Sword Style wasn''t as widely known as the War King Sword Style, within the royal family, it was regarded as the second most valuable swordsmanship, granted only to the king''s most loyal followers.
Rohm was the only one who had mastered this swordsmanship to its pinnacle, reaching the realm of Sword Saint. Consequently, his use of this swordsmanship had attained a level nearly unattainable by others.
For example, he could not only hide himself in shadows but also conceal his weapons, making thempletely disappear in front of his enemies, allowing him to execute a silent kill.
Additionally, he could manipte the shadow of his weapon, indirectly controlling the weapon itself, enabling it to sh at his enemies even when it wasn''t in his hand.
He could also elerate the movement of shadows, dramatically increasing the speed of both himself and the weapons he controlled.
Just like when facing Riezel''s lightning sh, which had terrifying speed and explosive power, he could swiftly dodge as long as he reacted in time.
Likewise, the reason his shadow sword seemed to appear and disappear unpredictably, almost like teleporting, was the same.
It would suddenly vanish and reappear, darting around without any obstacles, clearly because it was hidden within the shadows and elerated to a speed that mimicked teleportation.
When hidden in the shadows, he could even avoid most attacks this way, and ordinary physical attacks couldn''t really hurt him, since he had turned into a shadow. Because of this, he dared to control his shadow sword to sh at his own position earlier, knowing he wouldn''t get hurt.
Since his shadow sword was a magic weapon that converted magical energy directly into destructive power, relying purely on physical force, as long as he hid in the shadows and dodged in time, he wouldn''t be injured.
Nheless, the ever-growing lightning surrounding Riezel this time gave him a sense of imminent danger.
Thanks to this sense of danger, he instinctively understood that Riezel''s next strike would definitely cut through his shadow, and its power would far surpass any of Riezel''s previous strikes.
''No!''
A cold gleam erupted from Rohm''s pupils, which had shrunk to the size of a pinhead.
''I can''t just stay still and wait to die!''
As this thought crossed his mind, Rohm quickly moved.
*Whoosh!*
Along with a sharp, sky-splitting sound, Rohmpletely merged with the shadow of his shadow sword, propelling himself and the sword toward Riezel.
At this moment, not only was the power of his shadow sword pushed to its limit, making the ck light on its de shine exceptionally bright and its power surge, but he also exerted all his strength, elerating the shadow of his shadow sword to an rming speed, which enhanced its speed to a terrifying level.
Apparently, this was Rohm''s killing move, with a name as simple and brutal as ''One-Hit Kill''.
When executing this move, his shadow sword seemed to transform into a beam of ck light, piercing through space and time, as if it could instantly leave this world and enter the realm of light speed.
Seeing the beam of ck light shoot toward him, Riezel moved as well.
"Thunder Breathing - First Form¡"
*Bzzz¡ª!!!*
"Thunderp and sh - Godspeed!"
*BOOM!*
In the next second, the lightning surrounding Riezel''s body surged, turning him into a ray of lightning, apanied by the sound of thunder as he leaped through space.
At this moment, the ultimate and fastest technique of Thunderp and sh finally appeared in this world.
Riezel''s speed and explosive power instantly reached a level normally unattainable, and in this fleeting moment, the sh he was about to unleash could even match the full-force strikes of both his attack modesbined.
Even though itsted only a moment¡ªa sh, a single sh¡ªit was more than enough.
Soon, the roaring ray of lightning and the rushing beam of ck light shed fiercely above the deste wilderness.
*BOOOOOM¡ª!!!*
In an instant, a world-shaking sound resounded, sending shockwaves that created a terrifying impact, spreading outward in a semicircle and crushing everything around it like a nuclear explosion.
The earth shattered.
The wilderness copsed.
*Rumble¡ª!*
Amid the explosion, thick lightning and pitch-ck light burst from the shockwave, smashing rocks, breaking boulders, plowing through the ground, and shattering debris, making the area seem as though it had faced a natural disaster.
At the center of the shockwave, where the ray of lightning and the beam of ck light collided violently, the scales of victory began to tip toward one side.
Eventually, the ray of lightning gradually overpowered the beam of ck light, splitting it apart as if tearing heaven and earth apart.
*Pu-chi!*
With a tearing sound, the ray of lightning cut through the beam of ck light, ejecting Rohm, who had merged with his shadow sword, from within.
In the next instant, the ray of lightning swallowed everything, surging out from the explosive shockwave, cutting through the devastated wilderness, and heading toward the other side.
===
Time passed, minute by minute.
It was unclear how long it had been, but the disaster-like explosion that had ravaged the wilderness finally subsided.
The lightning vanished.
The ck light disappeared.
The shockwaves also seemed to vanish as if they had never been, like a breeze that had asionally swept through this ce, leaving no trace.
All that remained was a wastnd, a scene of destion and ruin.
*Cough!* *Cough!*
On the other side of the wastnd, a figure pushed away the rubble that had buried him, clutching his bleeding chest, coughing, and struggling to get out.
It was none other than Rohm.
At this moment, he was no longer in the form of a flickering shadow, revealing his true figure.
He appeared to be around forty years old, with an ordinary look and a medium build, and aside from his somewhat unusual ck attire, everything else seemedpletely normal.
If he were dressed differently and thrown into a crowd, no one would recognize him as the renowned Shadow Sword Saint of Jinas and would instead see him as an inconspicuous passerby.
Currently, he not only had blood seeping from his chest but also had traces of it at the corners of his mouth, indicating he was clearly injured.
Fortunately, the injuries were not severe.
Why?
It was simple.
"I purposely missed your vital points, so it shouldn''t be enough to keep you from standing, right?"
Riezel, his body surrounded by crackling lightning, stood before Rohm.
In his hand was a sword emitting intense heat, its de marked with cracks and a red pattern forming a divine spirit design near the hilt, showcasing an incredible sense of power.
*Schwing¡ªClick!*
As Riezel sheathed the sword, its temperature was high enough to distort the air.
Seeing this, Rohm remained silent for a long time before finally speaking in a hoarse voice.
"A sh of lightning means defeat... I thought that was just an exaggeration, but is it really like that?"
"What those people saw was just a disguise... they have no idea there''s an even deadlier lightning above it."
"So, that''s your real killing move?"
Rohm''s question was met with Riezel''s indifferent reply.
"No, there''s another move beyond this one, but I haven''t finished developing it."
"..."
Rohm fellpletely silent.
"Just think of this fight as settling the score between us..."
Riezel continued, his eyes squinting slightly as he gazed at Rohm.
"Your underlings attacked me twice, even sneaking into the Frenzel residence to assassinate me. Even if it wasn''t your order, you''re still their leader, so you must''ve known about it and chosen to turn a blind eye."
"In other words, you''re an aplice, and this is your fate."
"As for Princess Lizbeth, I can ept her as my attendant, but it depends on the royal family''s decision."
"I''m not someone who likes restraints, so it''s up to you whether you want to take it seriously."
With that, Riezel turned and, in a sh of lightning, disappeared, leaving the ce behind.
Only Rohm remained, staring nkly at the lightning as it faded.
After a while, Rohm sighed in exhaustion.
"Looks like this matter needs to be quickly decided by His Majesty..."
Chapter 260: Attendant for Life, Lizbeth Reinnail
Chapter 260: Attendant for Life, Lizbeth Reinnail
On this day, in the throne room of the royal pce, Hendrick and Rohm had set aside all their work and engaged in an overnight discussion.
As a result of this discussion, Lizbeth visited the Frenzel residence again the next day and brought an agreement for Riezel.
The agreement stated that Lizbeth Jinas, Jinas''s ninth princess, was willing to be the attendant of the newly appointed Sword Saint Riezel Brynhart and enter into a contract with him.
However, there were two conditions.
First, unless Jinas provoked him first, Riezel was not allowed to take any action that could fundamentally shake its existence.
In other words, as long as the kingdom didn''t do anything to harm or disadvantage him, Riezel could not do anything that would harm or threaten its stability.
Meanwhile, matters that did not involve the kingdom''s fundamental existence were not subject to this restriction, so he was free to act as he wished in such cases.
Evidently, this was the royal family''s greatest concession, the most significantpromise they had ever made, and it was considered unprecedented in history.
After learning about this, Yuri told Riezel that her own contract with the royal family was, ''no matter the circumstances, you can''t harm or betray Jinas on your own initiative,'' and the same also applied to another Strategic-ss Magician of Jinas.Needless to say, this showed just how lenient Riezel''s first condition was.
As for the second condition, Riezel was not to ask or request the practice methods of the War King Sword Style from Lizbeth.
Of course, this was a condition for everyone who entered into an attendant contract with the members of the royal family, without exception.
Since the War King Sword Style was an inherited swordsmanship of Jinas''s royal family, it was both a symbol of the royal family and the kingdom, and thus could not be disclosed to outsiders under any circumstances.
In this respect, the royal family did not make anypromises, as this was a matter of heritage, and they could not afford to be lenient.
Fortunately, Riezel was not particrly interested in the War King Sword Style, so this condition was of little concern to him.
Both of these conditions were to be presented by Lizbeth as her wish when entering into the attendant contract with Riezel, and they would remain valid for life.
In other words, Lizbeth would also be Riezel''s attendant for life.
Since the attendant contract differed from the very contract, being essentially a transaction based on equality, there were several powerful mechanisms within the contract.
One such mechanism was that the duration of the contract varied depending on the wish presented by the attendant. If the wish were rtively easy to fulfill, the contract''s duration was generally short, typicallysting two to three years.
In this way, the attendant would need to remain loyal to their master only for that duration, and once the time was up, the contract would end, allowing the attendant to regain their freedom.
Conversely, if the wish were difficult to fulfill, the contract''s duration would be much longer. If the difficulty of the wish were so high that the master could not fulfill it, the contract might even fail to be established.
Given this, the wish proposed by Lizbeth on behalf of the royal family was not particrly difficult, but since it was valid for life, the contract''s duration was lifelong as well.
''Good...''
After seeing the agreement, Riezel finally nodded.
''I didn''t waste my time fighting the Shadow Sword Saint just for fun.''
Clearly, Riezel fighting Rohm wasn''t solely because of past events. He was using Rohm''s mouth to convey his strong and upromising intention to the royal family.
For this reason, Riezel showcased his strength in front of Rohm, forcing the royal family to relent willingly.
As expected, the oue was favorable.
If the conditions were only at this degree, Riezel could agree to them.
Of course, even if he agreed, the contract''s binding effect on him was, in truth, practically nonexistent.
After all, the royal family didn''t know he was a magician withpatibility to the Imaginary System, where his Dposition Magic was effective not only on material objects but also on immaterial ones like magic.
In other words, as long as he wished, he could use his Dposition Magic to dissolve the attendant contract at any time.
As for why he hadn''t agreed earlier, it wasn''t because he truly thought he would be bound by the attendant contract, but because he didn''t see the need for it and didn''t want some stranger dictating what he should or shouldn''t do, so he outright resisted it.
Others who didn''t know this might think he was genuinely resisting the contract''s constraints, but in reality, its binding force was practically nonexistent for him.
In the end, Riezel finally agreed to the attendant contract and prepared to ept Lizbeth as his attendant.
Of course, this news only reached the royal family and was known to a few high-ranking nobles through their own channels. As for the rest of the people, including themoners, they had no inkling of it.
No one knew that, during this time, a princess of Jinas had be Riezel''s attendant.
However, another piece of news quickly spread throughout the kingdom that, in two days, Riezel would officially be awarded the Sword Saint Medal by the king.
===
Meanwhile, at the Frenzel residence, an attendant contract ceremony was about to begin.
"Are you ready?"
In the reception room, Riezel asked Lizbeth, who was standing across from him.
"Y-Yes!"
Lizbeth replied nervously, tightly holding her sword, Moslow.
"In that case, let''s begin."
Riezel nodded and turned to the side.
Over there, Yuri and Marilyn were present, along with a flickering ck shadow.
"Here, this is the contract document prepared personally by His Majesty."
From the shadows, Rohm''s voice came through as he tossed a parchment to Riezel.
The parchment was a document used exclusively for the attendant contract ceremony, made with unique magic materials. As for the contract''s contents, they were written with ink made from a powder mixed with magic crystals, detailing the two conditions from the royal family to Riezel.
Once this contract document was used in the attendant contract ceremony, the contents written on it would be enforced as the attendant''s wish once the contract took effect.
"You can verify it." Rohm added.
Riezel took the contract document, unfolded it, and checked the contract''s contents. As he read it carefully, everything was in order with no traps or hidden uses¡ªjust the two conditions written inly.
"Marilyn."
Seeing that Riezel''s expression remained unchanged, Yuri understood there were no issues with the contract and called for Marilyn.
Marilyn immediately stepped forward, holding a knife.
Riezel took the knife from her hand, made a cut on his finger, and let a drop of his blood fall onto the contract document.
Lizbeth hurried over, took the knife from Riezel, cut her finger as well, and let a drop of her blood fall onto the contract document.
After doing this, magical energy began to surge from the contract document in Riezel''s hand.
"Contract."
A brief chant echoed before the magical energy in Riezel''s hand turned into mes, igniting the contract.
*Psss¡ª*
In the magical mes, the contract document quickly burned to ashes.
As the ashes fell, a magic circle formed beneath Riezel and Lizbeth, emitting a faint glow before turning into particles that split into two streams¡ªone merging into Riezel''s body and the other into Lizbeth''s.
Before long, the magic circle vanished, and all the phenomena disappeared, returning to calm.
"Contract... established."
Yuri announced this in a voice that showed no particr emotion.
""Hahh...""
Rohm and Marilyn both let out a sigh of relief at the same time as if they had justpleted a major, difficult task.
Riezel and Lizbeth exchanged nces, feeling a subtle connection between them, which proved that the attendant contract had taken effect.
With this contract, Lizbeth would no longer be able to act against Riezel''s interests. She would have to protect him wholeheartedly and, to some extent, would be unable to disobey his orders, though not as absolute as a very contract where every order had to be followed unconditionally.
Riezel also had to adhere to the contract, avoiding any actions that would vite it. Otherwise, depending on the situation, the contract could either be void or trigger its punishment mechanism.
At this moment, a direct link was established between them, meaning they were no longer unrted.
Riezel smiled at Lizbeth, causing her cheeks to flush and making her shy.
In other eyes, this scene might be misunderstood.
Although it was an attendant contract ceremony, the atmosphere between Riezel and Lizbeth resembled a wedding ceremony, causing Yuri, who was standing by, to squint her eyes and feel irritated.
On the other hand, Marilyn looked at Lizbeth with a look of relief and tenderness.
''Now that this is done, this child will have it much easier in the future, won''t she?''
As Marilyn thought this, Rohm, who also seemed relieved, suddenly spoke up.
"Since the attendant contract is finalized, please change your surname, Your Highness."
Upon hearing this, Riezel immediately looked at Rohm.
"Change her surname?" Riezel asked with a puzzled tone.
"It''s the custom." Rohm replied calmly. "A royal family member who bes an attendant must no longer bear the surname Jinas."
Jinas was, after all, the national and royal surname.
Since Lizbeth was no longer considered a princess, she naturally could not use this surname anymore.
"Heh, what''s up? Afraid the royal family''s n to use their princess as a bargaining chip might get exposed?" Riezel remarked with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.
"..."
Rohm remained silent.
Yuri and Marilyn, on the other hand, showed no surprise, having experienced something simr before.
"What kind of surname do you prefer?"
After sarcastically remarking to Rohm, Riezel didn''t dwell too much on the issue and turned to Lizbeth.
"How about using Impesh like Marilyn?"
Upon hearing this, Marilyn nced at Riezel but did not voice any objections.
Lizbeth hesitated for a moment before weakly asking something.
"Can I use my old surname?"
Before being brought back to the royal pce by Hendrick, her surname was naturally not Jinas.
"What was your old surname?" Riezel asked, showing no objections, just curious.
Lizbeth''s face turned slightly red before she smiled, which was quite rare.
"Reinnail..."
"Lizbeth Reinnail... was my original name..."
With that, Lizbeth reimed her original name.
However, unbeknownst to her, the sword she had been holding in her arms, sheathed in its scabbard, began to emit a faint glow.
Chapter 261: Award Ceremony and Sword Saint Medal
Chapter 261: Award Ceremony and Sword Saint Medal
Two days quickly passed by.
In the blink of an eye, the day of the award ceremony had arrived.
Today, many nobles traveled to the royal pce in their carriages.
Luxurious carriages, bearing the crests of major noble families, arrived one after another from all directions of the royal capital, converging at the gate of the royal pce.
At this moment, the area in front of the royal pce bustled with activity as nobles, dressed neatly and luxuriously, greeted each other, made connections, or engaged in sharp, confrontational conversations.
After a while, they slowly made their way to the venue of the award ceremony¡ªthe audience room.
Since this was a formal award ceremony for the seventh Sword Saint of Jinas, it was a significant event for a major country like Jinas. Naturally, the nobles in the royal capital attended in full force to make their presence known.
In this scenario, the Frenzel family''s carriage finally arrived, pulling up in front of the royal pce gate.
Ain and Ian were still the coachmen as always, both dressed in formal attire today and looking like the epitome of refined female knights.Upon arriving at the gate of the royal pce, they dismounted and knelt on one knee, as true knights would, to wee their master out of the carriage.
Soon, four people got out of the carriage.
First were naturally Riezel and Yuri.
Both wore formal attire today, including ceremonial robes, which surprisingly suited them quite well.
Following them was Marilyn, still in her usual maid outfit.
She trailed behind Yuri as always, but in others'' eyes, she looked less like an attendant and more like a personal maid.
Finally, there was Lizbeth.
Now Riezel''s attendant, this little princess still held her golden sword as before, but her outfit had changed to a in, inconspicuous one. She seemed to like the outfit quite a bit, as her expression was brighter than usual, showing she was in a good mood.
Half an hour ago, Riezel gave a straightforward assessment after seeing Lizbeth''s new outfit.
"You know what? No matter what outfit she wears, this girl always stands out."
In response, Yuri, Marilyn, Ain, and Ian, upon seeing Lizbeth, couldn''t help but shift their gazes from her face to her chest, falling into silence as a sign of agreement.
With such a tight fit, it was impossible for Lizbeth not to stand out.
And so, after the group of four had exited the carriage, they took in the bustling scene around them.
"S-So many people¡"
Lizbeth, who had been in a good mood before, now shrank back slightly upon seeing so many carriages, nobles, and knight guards, looking a bit intimidated.
Riezel frowned as well, unable to help but wonder.
"Is it really necessary to attend this so-called award ceremony?"
Honestly, he didn''t really want to attend this award ceremony.
Since he had already distanced himself from the royal family, they shouldn''t cause him trouble anymore. Attending the award ceremony at the royal pce seemedpletely unnecessary.
In the first ce, he didn''t care about honor or reputation, so whether he had the Sword Saint Medal or not was of no concern to him.
However, Yuri, who had persuaded him to attend, wore a disapproving expression.
"You should attend since the Sword Saint Medal is an important item."
"Its very existence is not only a deterrent, a symbol, and an honor, but also a means of showcasing one''s status."
"With this medal, wherever you go, you''ll be treated as an esteemed guest, even in other countries."
"Not only will it save you from a lot of unnecessary trouble, but if you happen to enter ces with restricted entry, they''ll generally let you pass as long as you show the Sword Saint Medal."
"So, if you n to travel in the future, it''s best to get it. You''ll find it more useful than you might think."
Yuri advised Riezel, leaving him with no choice but to attend the award ceremony to receive the medal. If this medal was going to be so useful for his future travels, he might as well get it.
"Let''s go, we''ll head straight to the audience room."
Yuri spoke, then turned to Ain and Ian.
"You two stay here and wait for us toe back."
""Yes!""
Ain and Ian immediately acknowledged the order.
"Should we also stay behind?"
Lizbeth timidly asked Marilyn in a whisper.
"No."
Marilyn responded tly as always.
"Since we are the first attendants under our masters''mand, wherever they go, we should follow and protect them closely. Even on asions like this, we must stay with them. Once we get to the audience room, we can wait outside."
Marilyn patiently taught Lizbeth the duties of an attendant, giving the impression of a veteran guiding a novice.
It couldn''t be helped.
Compared to Marilyn, Lizbeth was undeniably a novice as an attendant. Coupled with her reserved nature, she waspletely at a loss about how to perform her duties well.
As a senior, Marilyn had been providing Lizbeth with guidance over the past few days, teaching her how to be a proper attendant.
"Okay, I understand."
Lizbeth epted the guidance humbly and behaved obediently.
In fact, Lizbeth even seemed to enjoy being guided by Marilyn, like a younger sister finally receiving attention from an elder sister after ack of care in the past.
Seeing this, Riezel was more than happy to let Lizbethmunicate with Marilyn. Whether it was for practical reasons or otherwise, there was no need to stop it.
As more people gathered around, some recognized them and approached to greet them.
Noticing the troublesome situation approaching, Riezel spoke up.
"Let''s get inside quickly. The sooner we finish, the sooner we can head home."
Riezel took the lead and stepped into the royal pce.
Yuri smiled and followed.
Marilyn and Lizbeth quickly followed, one closely behind Yuri and the other closely behind Riezel, not a step apart.
===
Royal Pce, Audience Room.
It was an extremely vast room, resembling a cathedral hall, surrounded by exquisite stone pirs reaching up to the ceiling, with murals carved on the walls and pirs, as if narrating a grand history, creating an atmosphere of solemnity, sanctity, and authority.
By the time the award ceremony officially began, the ce was already filled with nobles in magnificent attire, with fully armed knights stationed around.
Even so, it was not noisy despite the bustle.
Hendrick sat on the throne at the farthest end, high above, exuding elegance and looking down over the entire assembly.
"Sword Saint Riezel Brynhart! Step forward!"
A civil official standing beside Hendrick, who seemed to be the person in charge of the award ceremony, dressed simrly to a priest, made a loud announcement to the whole room.
*Step!*
In the solemn room, a clear footstep echoed.
"..."
Everyone present turned their gaze, focusing on the master of the footsteps.
Over there, Riezel, under the full attention of the crowd, walked calmly toward the throne, his expression tranquil as if he were not participating in a serious event.
Hendrick also watched the young man approaching his position slowly, feeling deeply moved.
Although his interactions with Riezel had not been very pleasant, and the royal family''s efforts to recruit and control him had not met expectations, the presence of a seventeen-year-old Sword Saint, who might be unprecedented and perhaps unparalleled, appearing in his kingdom, made him quite emotional.
Especially since Riezel was also a Tactical-ss Magician with the ability to dominate the battlefield and crush thousands of soldiers at once,bining these two identities made him one of the most exceptional people on the continent.
Moreover, Riezel formed an extremely close rtionship with one of the only two Strategic-ss Magicians of Jinas also indicated that he had substantial support behind him.
From Rohm''s reports, he learned that Riezel had already mastered Yuri''s Dposition Magic, which further elevated his evaluation of Riezel.
Although intelligence indicated that Riezel''spatibility with the Control System was only second-grade, which theoretically should not have allowed him to learn such advanced magic from the Control System, Dposition Magic was not particrly high-ss magic.
Hendrick was unsure how Yuri had developed this magic to such a terrifying degree, so without knowing the specifics, he could only ept this reality and makepromises for Riezel.
Not to mention, knowing Riezel had defeated Rohm, he could not afford to treat him lightly. If he could not win Riezel over, he certainly could not afford to offend the young man, lest he bring trouble to the royal family and the kingdom.
For this reason, when Riezel walked calmly in front of the throne amidst the high-ranking nobles of the kingdom, Hendrick wore a friendly smile.
"A seventeen-year-old Sword Saint, such an amazingly talented character, born in our Jinas, is our honor and the honor of this kingdom."
Hendrick stood up and picked up a medal from a nearby tray.
It was a medal with a sword pattern, just like the Sword Master Medal, but unlike the silver Sword Master Medal, this medal was entirely brilliant gold, gleaming like a gold coin, and extremely luxurious.
"Hereby, as the 21st King of Jinas, I award Riezel Brynhart the Sword Saint Medal."
Hendrick stepped down from the throne and pinned the medal onto Riezel.
"From today onward, you are the seventh Sword Saint of Jinas."
*p!* *p!* *p!* *p!*
*p!* *p!* *p!* *p!*
As soon as the deration was spoken, thunderous apuse erupted throughout the audience room.
Everyone apuded, watching Riezel, whether out of genuine joy or just going through the motions, p at this moment.
Amidst the apuse, Riezel''s gaze was directed toward Yuri, standing in a prominent position, meeting her eyes for a moment before smiling.
With that, the award ceremony came to an end.
From now on, the name ''Lightning Sword Saint'' was destined to resonate throughout the Akasha Continent.
Chapter 262: Come to My Side
Chapter 262: Come to My Side
On the Akasha Continent, the award ceremony was a very formal asion, with everything arranged ording to a strict schedule.
As a result, during the award ceremony, except for the main character, Riezel, everyone else was just there to serve as a backdrop, with no role other than to witness the ceremony.
Even so, with so many high-ranking officials and nobles present, it was naturally impossible for them to just show up and then leave right after.
For them, the award ceremony was indeed Riezel''s moment, but once it ended, it was their time to shine, especially those who had long had their eyes on him. After the ceremony ended, they finally got their chance to make some connections with him.
However, it wasn''t as easy as it seemed.
Even before Riezel revealed his Sword Saint strength, many nobles had tried to get close to him, but all they faced were closed doors. Whether they were major or minor nobles, even from duke families, none of them had managed to meet him, not even once.
Most of the letters they sent disappeared into the void, and the replies they received were nothing but perfunctory responses, clearly not written by Riezel himself but by someone else on his behalf.
Because of this, many nobles who wanted to interact with the youngest and newly appointed Sword Saint were disappointed, including a certain youngdy who tried to secretly meet Riezel with Carrera''s help.
To make things worse, after Riezel revealed his true strength and was acknowledged as a Sword Saint, he set up an arena right outside the Frenzel residence, where he epted challengers from morning until dusk, spending all day there without leaving once.As a result, the nobles had no chance to talk to Riezel at all, leaving them quite frustrated.
However, today, the opportunity had finally arrived.
After the award ceremony ended and Hendrick, surrounded by civil officials and knights, exited the audience room, many high-ranking nobles gathered around Riezel.
"Greetings, Sir Brynhart."
"Greetings, Sir Sword Saint."
"I''ve heard so much about you, Sir Brynhart."
They greeted Riezel one after another, their faces full of friendly smiles, with some even showing fawning expressions.
"Ah, greetings to you as well."
Riezel knew he couldn''t escape socializing at an event like this, so he nodded to the nobles and responded to their greetings.
At this moment, Riezel became the center of attention, surrounded by nobles dressed in luxurious attire and engaging in conversation.
Surprisingly, Yuri joined in, holding Riezel''s hand and standing by his side so naturally, helping him deal with the nobles.
However, as everyone in the audience room saw this scene, they had many wild thoughts running through their minds, especially those who had never seen Riezel before or witnessed the interaction between him and Yuri¡ªthey were quite shocked.
Although they already knew that the rtionship between Riezel and Yuri wasn''t simple, seeing how close they were right now made it seem like their rtionship was even better than they had imagined.
At the very least, they had never seen the famous Marquis Frenzel stand this close to anyone in public, let alone hold someone''s hand, an opposite sex at that.
Ultimately, this inevitably led to all kinds of spection.
"Could these two be a couple?"
"Judging by Marquis Frenzel''s demeanor, she''s clearly very close to the Lightning Sword Saint."
"If these two are a couple, that would be something big."
"If their rtionship gets out, the entire continent would be shaken."
Seeing the closeness between Riezel and Yuri, the nobles began whispering among themselves.
If the rtionship between Riezel and Yuri was really what they imagined, the notion that it would shake the entire continent was not an exaggeration at all.
One was an unprecedented seventeen-year-old Sword Saint and Tactical-ss Magician with limitless potential and a promising future, while the other was a seventeen-year-old Strategic-ss Magician with boundless potential.
If these two, seen as juniors by others but already having achieved the highest honors and aplishments on the continent, were toe together, it would certainly cause countless countries to tremble.
Everyone present, just by thinking a little about such a future and the impact and developments that woulde from these two joining forces, couldn''t help but be secretly amazed.
''It seems like I can''t ignore them anymore...''
''Even if I can''t build a good rtionship, I can''t afford to offend them.''
''Offending one might as well mean offending the other, and the consequences would be unimaginable.''
''Better to keep things friendly. If I actually manage to get on their good side, it''d be like getting two allies for the price of one... Hmm, not a bad deal.''
With these thoughts, the nobles who were still watching from the sidelines couldn''t hold back any longer. One by one, they approached, heading over to Riezel and Yuri''s side.
Unfortunately, not everyone was so wise.
At that exact moment, a particr unwee guest decided to make his move, even though he clearly wasn''t invited.
"Well, well, quite the lively crowd here... mind if I join?"
When this overbearing voice cut through the chatter, everyone in the audience room, including Riezel and Yuri, fell silent.
All eyes turned to the source of the voice.
Riezel remained silent, his expression calm, while Yuri frowned slightly.
In this tense moment, a young man dressed in dazzling attire with a luxurious sword at his waist, which looked more like a work of art, made his entrance.
He was none other than the third prince, Sorren Jinas.
"Your Highness."
"Your Highness."
Seeing the third prince, everyone in the room quickly lowered their heads, instinctively making way while respectfully greeting Sorren.
"It''s him?"
"What''s he doing here?"
Some of the nobles visibly frowned, clearly supporters of the Duke Faction, uneasy about the arrival of this ''Mad Dog Prince''.
For such a formal ceremony, only titled nobles, civil officials, and knights were typically expected to attend, while noble heirs who had not yet inherited their titles and members of the royal family usually did not participate.
During the award ceremony earlier, no prince or princess from the royal family, including Sorren, had been present. Yet, after the ceremony ended, he suddenly chose to show up on his own, making the nobles feel uneasy.
Sorren, on the other hand, didn''t care about the reactions around him, calmly walking in without care and going straight to Riezel and Yuri, smiling at them.
However, his smile, true to his nature, had a mocking, disdainful vibe as if he was looking down on everyone.
"Long time no see, you two."
Sorren wasn''t just focused on Yuri this time; he also included Riezel in his gaze, looking at the pair holding hands with a smirk on his face.
"You two have been causing quite a stirtely. Even I, who''s been grounded, hear people in the pce talking about you every day. Seems like you''ve been having a lot of fun out there, huh?"
For some reason, Sorren said this with a tone that seemed to carry hidden meanings.
"...You''re joking, Your Highness." Yuri replied calmly, though her face clearly showed a frown. "We haven''t done anything special."
"Hahaha... You''re the one joking, right?"
Sorrenughed out loud before turning his head to Riezel.
"Seriously, the youngest Sword Saint in history is right by your side. Not only did he defeat a descendant of the Borley family with one strike, but he also set up an arena and fought a thousand matches every day, earning the title of the Lightning Sword Saint..."
"A sh of lightning means defeat? Now that''s a phrase that really packs a punch!"
As these words came out of Sorren''s mouth, they didn''t sound like praise at all but more like insults.
At the same time, the surrounding nobles frowned, some displeased with Sorren''s attitude, while others looked fearful.
Yuri, on the other hand, stayed silent and coldly watched Sorren.
However, Sorren didn''t nce at her anymore but stared at Riezel, who wore a calm expression, his mouth twisted into a grin and his eyes flickering.
In truth, Sorren still couldn''t fully ept it.
After all, the man in front of him, the one he had never taken seriously and had even warned once, had actually be a Sword Saint.
He had even doubted the rumor about Riezel being a Sword Master and a Tactical-ss Magician before, so the idea that Riezel was a Sword Saint was even harder to believe.
A seventeen-year-old Sword Saint?
If someone had told him this before, he would haveughed in their face and thought it was the biggest joke, not worth listening to.
However, the rumors that Riezel had instantly defeated Albert, the best swordsman just under Sword Saint, and had fought a thousand matches daily without a single loss, were nowpletely confirmed.
If he kept doubting it, he would just look like a clueless fool.
Because of this, he had no choice but to take Riezel seriously and view him as a threat, which was why he came to the audience room to meet Riezel today.
Since he was grounded, this was probably his only chance to meet Riezel.
"Riezel Brynhart."
Sorren''s eyes met Riezel''s directly.
"I admit, I underestimated you before."
Truthfully, getting Sorren to admit something like this was a miracle. With his violent and jealous nature, he never acknowledged that anyone could be better than him.
In Sorren''s eyes, even Albert, who was praised as the best swordsman just under Sword Saint, only had the advantage of age. If he had been Albert''s age, he would never have lost to him.
Sorren also looked down on his other siblings, looked down on any so-called prodigies his age, and was so arrogant that he thought the throne was already in his grasp.
For this reason, when Sergius, who was close to his age, was seen as the best sessor to the throne and considered more talented than him, Sorren reacted so strongly, attacking Sergius like a mad dog.
He refused to admit that he was inferior to Sergius.
He refused to believe that anyone his age deserved his attention.
However, Riezel''s appearance shattered his pride more straightforwardly and brutally than Sergius ever could.
Not only was Riezel younger than him, but he was also far stronger, bing the first person in history to achieve the status of Sword Saint before turning twenty, leaving no room for denial.
When the gap became this wide, it left everyone speechless, just as Sorren felt at this moment.
Luckily, Riezel wasn''t part of the royal family and wasn''tpeting with him for the throne.
In that case¡ª
"Come to my side."
Sorren bluntly threw this offer at Riezel.
"Serve me, and you''ll be the greatest figure in this kingdom, second only to me."
Chapter 263: Resurfacing Madness
Chapter 263: Resurfacing Madness
"Come to my side."
Sorren bluntly threw this offer at Riezel.
"Serve me, and you''ll be the greatest figure in this kingdom, second only to me."
"..."
As soon as Sorren finished speaking, the audience room suddenly fell silent.
One by one, the nobles turned to look at Sorren¡ªsome held their breath, while others wore expressions of utter difort.
Sorren had just made such a bold and arrogant statement right in front of everyone, especially the nobles from the Duke Faction.
Needless to say, his attitude, treating the throne as if it were already his and viewing himself as the inevitable next king, made many nobles from the Duke Faction visibly angry.
Even Yuri''s face turned cold as she stared at Sorren.Riezel, on the other hand, calmly smiled after hearing Sorren''s statement.
"Hey, Your Highness, did you forget something?" Riezel said with a half-smile. "Not too long ago, I almost lost my life because of the Shadow Knights you sent."
Upon hearing this, Sorren showed nothing but disdain.
"Are you seriously saying that?"
Sorren didn''t believe for a second that Riezel had almost died from that, nor did he think much of the incident at all.
He was convinced there was something fishy about it.
It was important to know that Riezel''s first assassination attempt by the Shadow Knights, where he was severely injured and almost died, had only happened in the past two months in this world.
Considering this, who would believe that two months ago, Riezel was just a helpless magic student who could be seriously injured by the Shadow Knights?
Let alone seriously injuring Riezel, it would be amazing if they could even touch his clothes.
It wasn''t just Sorren who didn''t buy it, as no one who knew the details clearly believed it either.
In their minds, considering Riezel''s strength, the only possible oue of that assassination attempt would have been the immediate annihtion of the Shadow Knights.
Yet, he was said to be seriously injured by a group of Shadow Knights far weaker than him?
No one believed there wasn''t something more going on.
Many thought his so-called ''injury'' was just a pretext for some ulterior motives.
For example, he might have used his ''injury'' as a pretext to infiltrate the Frenzel family and get close to Yuri. Although not everyone thought this way, the fact remained that he only got involved with the Frenzel family after this so-called ''injury''.
It was unavoidable.
With many unsolved mysteries surrounding Riezel, some couldn''t help but think along those lines.
Sorren was obviously one of these people.
Even Hendrick and Rohm suspected Riezel had ulterior motives, which was why they never thought that incident would make him hold a grudge against the royal family or Sorren.
If anything, Riezel should be thanking the royal family and Sorren for giving him a chance to achieve his unknown goal.
In everyone''s minds, it was Riezel who had taken advantage of the Shadow Knights, not the royal family.
Evidently, this was the perspective shared by Sorren and everyone in the royal family.
Because of this, when Riezel imed he was going to hold Rohm ountable for being an aplice in this incident, Rohm didn''t pay it any mind.
It couldn''t be helped.
Rohm thought Riezel was just using it as an excuse to show off his strength in front of him, trying to force the royal family into apromise, not because Riezel genuinely wanted to settle a score with him.
Even the eldest son of the Cordelion family, Sergius, had treated the whole thing as a joke when he heard it.
All of this demonstrated how much the perception of Riezel''s incident with the Shadow had shifted in the eyes of those who were informed.
However, they had no idea that two months ago, Riezel had indeed been just a mere magic student and had been on the brink of death because of the Shadow Knights, facing a true life-and-death situation.
As for his current strength, it was simply due to his hard work and relentless effort to gain power during these two months¡ªor rather, if adding the time he had spent in other worlds, he had spent almost a year to achieve his current strength.
As a result, while Riezel smiled, his eyes showed no trace of amusement.
"I have no idea where you got the confidence to think that saying something like that would impress me."
Saying this, Riezel stepped forward lightly and moved to stand beside Sorren.
"However, I can tell you one thing... You''ll never be the greatest figure in this kingdom, and I have absolutely no interest in serving under someone like you."
Riezel didn''t say this out loud for everyone to hear but whispered it quietly in Sorren''s ear, making sure only he could hear.
Meanwhile, upon hearing Riezel''s words, the mocking smile stered on Sorren''s face vanished, and veins popped on his forehead.
Although Riezel''s tone was terrifyingly calm and indifferent, without a hint of emotion, it was precisely because of this that Sorren could clearly sense the sheer contemptced in his words.
It reminded Sorren of one thing.
Before this, he had never paid Riezel any mind, yet now it was Riezel who no longer saw him as worth noticing. In fact, in Riezel''s eyes, he wasn''t even as valuable as the swordsmen who challenged him daily.
Sorren picked up on this from Riezel''s tone and attitude, which deeply stung him.
As a result, he found himself recalling a moment of unforgettable humiliation¡ªthe memory of the man he regarded as his greatest enemy, Sergius Cordelion.
He remembered clearly that Sergius had looked at him with the same contempt, as though gazing at a stray dog on the street.
Recalling this memory, along with Riezel''s words earlier, hatred began to brew in Sorren''s heart.
"You''ll regret this..."
Sorren managed to squeeze these words from his throat¡ªthe same ones he had once spoken in front of Sergius.
At that time, after he spoke these words, he went mad,shing out in revenge against the Cordelion family like a mad dog, destroying everything connected to them and plunging the royal capital into chaos.
Now, as he said the familiar words again, everyone around him felt a chill, sensing his growing madness.
Riezel, on the other hand, turned his head slightly to nce at Sorren¡ªa nce that made Sorren''s heart tighten.
"Regret? You can try."
Riezel''s voice and expression were so calm, making Sorren suddenly feel as though an invisible murderous intent had locked onto him, causing him to instinctively take two steps back.
Realizing how he had reacted, Sorren''s face twisted with anger and humiliation.
In the next second, Sorren turned and walked away.
Knowing that staying any longer would only bring him further humiliation, Sorren left without uttering a single word, his entire body radiating cold fury and madness.
As everyone in the audience room watched Sorren''s retreating figure, they began whispering to one another.
"Great, just look at Prince Sorren''s face. He is probably about to start causing trouble again."
"Yes, this is going to be a big problem. We need to warn our families to be careful and act cautiously for a while."
"Seriously, things just started calming down, and now we''re facing another chaos?"
"I hope His Majesty keeps Prince Sorren under house arrest in the pce so he doesn''t go out and make a mess."
Saying all this, many nobles looked worried.
While the nobles of the Duke Faction exchanged nces, silently making their own calctions, the nobles around Riezel were quick to make their excuses and leave.
It was clear that after Sorren stirred things up, no one was in the mood to cozy up to Riezel anymore.
However, thanks to this, Riezel and Yuri''s side finally quieted down, no longer buzzing with noise.
"Is everything okay?"
Yuri leaned closer to Riezel, her voice full of concern.
"You know, that guy can be really scary when he goes crazy. If he doesn''t care about the consequences andes after you, things could get really serious."
Upon hearing this, Riezel didn''t look at Yuri, nor did he nce at Sorren, who had just left, but simply stared at the empty throne in the audience room.
"And if I go crazy, how serious do you think things will get?"
Riezel asked calmly, his eyes narrowing.
"Let''s hope he''s brave enough to try..."
===
At this moment, Sorren wasn''t far from the audience room.
After stepping through the doors of the audience room, he turned into a nearby empty corner and came to a stop.
*BANG!*
Sorren mmed his fist hard against the wall, causing cracks to spread across its surface.
"Riezel... Brynhart..."
Sorren''s eyes were bloodshot, his face twisted with hatred.
Naturally hot-tempered and resentful, being humiliated so openly by Riezel triggered a rage he couldn''t suppress.
Initially, he had no intention of provoking Riezel again.
Knowing that Riezel was now a Sword Saint¡ªoffending him could backfire and push him into the arms of that despicable Sergius, which would be disastrous.
If he didn''t need the support of a Sword Saint so badly, he wouldn''t have bothered approaching Riezel again, hoping he would forget the warnings he had given him before.
As for why he wanted a Sword Saint so badly?
It was simply because Sergius had a Sword Saint under hismand.
Just thinking about it made him desperate to have someone of equal power under hismand¡ªsomeone who could counterbnce Sergius.
Who would have thought that not only would he fail to achieve his goal this time, but Riezel would also humiliate him in the process?
As a result, Sorren lost control of his temper and immediately left the audience room.
''I''m the most brilliant member of the royal family! I have the purest royal blood!''
''What gives you the right to look down on me?!''
''What gives you the right to despise me?!''
''You two damn bastards!''
Fury shed in Sorren''s bloodshot eyes.
He had always believed that he was the most dazzling prince of his generation, with the most talent and his father''s greatest attention.
His father''s favor and the fact that he was the most outstanding member of the royal family filled him with pride and arrogance, fostering his reckless behavior.
Back then, no one dared oppose him, and no one, not even his father, the king, stopped him. In fact, his father had even turned a blind eye to many of his actions and had given him partial control over the Shadow.
Since none of the other royal children enjoyed such privileges, it only fueled his arrogance, making him more unrestrained¡ªuntil Sergius, the eldest son of the Cordelion family, appeared.
Everything changed after that.
People who had once believed he would be the next king began to see a better option and started distancing themselves from him. Even his father felt threatened and became dissatisfied with his achievements.
He gradually lost everything that should have been his, and that was when his inner madness began to grow. Naturally, the chaos he unleashedst time was the result of this madness.
Now, the same madness was surfacing once again, causing Sorren to decide to stop holding back.
"You all brought this on yourselves..."
In the empty corner, a gloomy whisper echoed, like a storm looming on the horizon.
Chapter 264: Lightning Sword Saints Attendant
Chapter 264: Lightning Sword Saint''s Attendant
Bing the seventh Sword Saint of Jinas didn''t change Riezel''s life much.
He was only awarded a medal, not a title of nobility, so aside from gaining the honor and the title of ''Sword Saint'', nothing else in his life really changed.
After the award ceremony finished, Riezel immediately returned to the Frenzel residence, continuing to ept challenges from many swordsmen as always.
Naturally, the arena outside the Frenzel residence remained as lively as ever, with crowds gathering daily.
However, the only difference was that, from this day forward, there was no longer a young swordswoman challenging Riezel daily.
Lizbeth no longer arrived early every morning to challenge Riezel but stayed by his side, following him wherever he went.
Seeing this, the other swordsmen quickly noticed.
Watching Lizbeth, who now stayed close to Riezel, never leaving his side and patiently waiting while he epted challenges in the arena without stepping up to fight herself, they exchanged confused looks.
Soon after, they learned a shocking piece of news from one of the Frenzel family''s knights.Lizbeth had be Riezel''s attendant after forming an attendant contract with him, which meant she would no longer challenge him in the arena.
"No, Miss Lizbeth! Why?!"
"Y-Y-You... Why did you be someone else''s attendant?!"
"If she''s not gonna challenge anymore, does that mean we won''t get to see Miss Lizbeth''s awesome performances in the arena again?"
"DAMN IT! MY YOUTH IS OVER¡ª!!!"
Several male swordsmen, upon hearing the news, wailed on the spot, with some even bursting into tears.
After all, their dream girl was not only no longer stepping into the arena to showcase her ''skills'' but had also be someone else''s attendant. To make things worse, this ''someone else'' was a young, handsome, and powerful man.
Did that mean he could make her do whatever he wanted, any way he wanted?
A group of male swordsmen immediately felt as though their dreams were shattered, their souls crushed, causing them to drop to their knees, unable to get up, looking like devoted fans who had just discovered their favorite idol was married.
Of course, some swordsmen, whether male or female, reacted differently. After learning the news, they looked at Lizbeth with envy and jealousy.
Bing the attendant of a Sword Saint?
It was an opportunity most swordsmen would kill for!
It couldn''t be helped.
Bing a Sword Saint''s attendant was only possible with Riezel, after all.
Other Sword Saints were, in the end, just swordsmen, not magicians, so they couldn''t use the magic required for an attendant contract.
Riezel, on the other hand, was both a Sword Saint and a Tactical-ss Magician, so he could easily perform the attendant contract¡ªsomething other Sword Saints couldn''t do.
Given this, Lizbeth bing Riezel''s attendant meant she had a Sword Saint to guide her whenever she needed it.
Wasn''t that the kind of opportunity any swordsman would dream of?
At least, many of the more serious swordsmen present couldn''t help but feel a twinge of envy and jealousy, causing their minds to race.
''If Miss Lizbeth can be Sir Riezel''s attendant, do we stand a chance too?''
Such a thought eventually crept into the minds of several swordsmen.
From their perspective, Lizbeth had likely earned Riezel''s attention by challenging him persistently every day and showing exceptional skill and willpower, which led him to choose her as his attendant.
If that was the case, then didn''t it mean that if they also continued to challenge Riezel with determination and impressive performances every day, they might have a chance at bing his attendant and receiving his guidance at any time?
With such a thought, the swordsmen''s hearts began to burn with excitement.
As a result, Riezel''s arena became even more crowded and lively than before.
¡ªAs long as you perform well enough, there''s a chance to be the Lightning Sword Saint''s attendant.
Such news spread quickly, attracting more and more swordsmen to the Frenzel residence to challenge Riezel.
Riezel was, of course, more than happy with this oue since the more challengers there were, the better it was for him. He was already looking forward to it, curious about how much his status would improve after battling thousands of challengers daily for more than half a month.
Lizbeth, on the other hand, felt bad as she looked at the male swordsmen kneeling on the ground, crying their eyes out, seemingly heartbroken.
''Everyone is expecting me to fight, but I let them down... I feel so bad...'' Lizbeth thought, feeling guilty.
Unfortunately, there was nothing she could do about it.
Marilyn had already told her that, as an attendant, the biggest taboo was going against their master''s sword, especially in public. Drawing their sword against their own master would be a great disrespect, something that would damage their master''s dignity¡ªan absolute no-go.
In the end, she had to muster the courage to face the crowd of heartbroken swordsmen.
"I''m sorry to disappoint you all!"
Lizbeth bowed deeply, a graceful motion that caused the sobbing to stop suddenly.
At this moment, all the men''s eyes almost instinctivelynded on her chest as she apologized.
"Actually, there are some things I can''t do with my master during the day, so I have to save them for the night... I''m really sorry! Please forgive me!" Lizbeth exined and apologized again.
What she said wasn''t wrong.
During the day, Riezel had to ept challenges from others in front of everyone, and as his attendant, she couldn''t draw her sword against him at that time.
Fortunately, once the challenges were over and night fell, Riezel would give her guidance in swordsmanship. At that point, they could spar a bit, which was why Lizbeth had said something like that.
However, upon hearing her words, the male swordsmen froze on the spot, seemingly misunderstanding something.
"...Things you can''t do during the day?"
"...Save them for the night?"
Muttering these words with dumbfounded expressions, the male swordsmen nced at each other before suddenly bursting into tears again. Even worse, their cries were louder and more heart-wrenching than before, scaring Lizbeth.
"C-Could you please stop crying?" Lizbeth said with a panicked tone. "I know you''re really upset, but there''s nothing I can do about it right now! I promise I''ll do my best tonight! I won''t let you down!"
As soon as she said this, the male swordsmen cried even louder.
Seeing this, Lizbeth waspletely at a loss, not knowing what to do, so she shot a pleading look at Ian, who was standing nearby.
"Just ignore them."
Ian spoke coldly and quickly dragged Lizbeth away, leaving the heartbroken men behind.
However, ever since then, Riezel noticed that among the swordsmen who came to challenge him each day, some of them, for some reason, would give him hateful res as soon as they stepped into the arena.
Some would even say absurd things.
"Hey, Lord Sword Saint, could you go easy on Miss Lizbeth?"
"She''s still young and doesn''t really get a lot of things! Don''t make her deal with stuff she shouldn''t!"
"Yeah, Miss Lizbeth is still young... I mean, she might look big in some areas, but that doesn''t mean she''s ready for everything! So, please, don''t make her do weird stuff!"
"Seriously, I''m asking you, Lord Sword Saint!"
They would say these nonsensical things to Riezel,pletely out of nowhere.
''What the heck are they talking about?''
Riezel could only stand in ce, utterly confused.
"Thunderp and sh!"
"AAAAAHHHHH¡ª!!!"
At the arena outside the Frenzel residence, this scene yed out from time to time, always apanied byughter.
===
Night quietly fell.
In one of the hallways of the Frenzel residence, Riezel and Lizbeth, having finished the day''s challenges, were heading in the direction of their rooms.
Riezel was empty-handed, while Lizbeth held a small box full of items in her arms.
"By the way, what''s that?"
While walking, Riezel nced at the box in Lizbeth''s arms and asked curiously.
He knew the box was something that hadn''t been there before, and he had no idea where Lizbeth had gotten it.
Thankfully, it didn''t seem like anything weird or dangerous.
"Um, this was sent over from the pce..."
Lizbeth, still hugging the box tightly, took small steps by Riezel''s side and replied obediently.
"It''s the personal items I left behind at the pce. Fath¡ªHis Majesty had someone pack them up for me and send them over here. I just picked them up from the servant."
"I see..." Riezel nodded in understanding. "Still, you sure don''t have a lot of stuff, huh?"
Such a small box couldn''t possibly hold more than a few pieces of clothing, yet Lizbeth clutched it as if it contained something incredibly precious.
"Well... these are things I had before I was taken to the pce... They''re all from Grandma Mia..." Lizbeth said softly, a small smile forming on her face. "Other than these, nothing else really matters to me."
In fact, along with the box, the royal pce had also sent over many valuable clothes and jewelry¡ªluxurious items she had umted during her time as a princess.
However, those things didn''t hold much significance to her.
Compared to the fancy dresses that screamed high-end, she preferred the casual clothes she was wearing now.
As for the priceless jewelry, she felt no attachment to it at all.
Only the box, filled with her personal items from before she was taken to the royal pce at the age of seven, held any true value in her heart.
"..."
Riezel was quiet for a moment, then smiled at Lizbeth.
"Well, let me help you organize everything."
Since Lizbeth was now living in the Frenzel residence as Riezel''s attendant, her room was right next to his.
However, since her room was still a bit disorganized, even though it was suitable for living, it needed some tidying up if she wanted to unpack and set up her personal items.
For this reason, Riezel offered to help.
"N-No, that''s okay! I''ll be alright by myself!" Lizbeth hurriedly refused.
''Never let your master handle chores'' was a rule Marilyn, her mentor, had taught her as an attendant. Nevertheless, even without Marilyn''s teachings, she was someone who didn''t like to trouble anyone, especially not the person she served.
Unfortunately for her, Riezel wasn''t taking no for an answer.
"Alright, there''s no need to be so strict with the rules here." Riezel said lightly. "Besides, you''ve been carrying that sword and now this box¡ªit''s gotta be hard to handle them both, right? Let me give you a hand."
Without waiting for Lizbeth to protest further, Riezel took the box from her.
*Pa!*
Just then, a scroll slipped out of the box and rolled to Riezel''s feet.
Chapter 265: Hidden Land and Dimensional Magic Cube
Chapter 265: Hidden Land and Dimensional Magic Cube
"Hmm? What''s this?"
Riezel''s attention was instantly drawn to the scroll that had rolled to his feet.
As he saw it, the material of the scroll seemed unusual and he could feel faint waves of magical energy emanating from it.
Lizbeth also nced at the scroll and immediately picked it up.
"Umm... this is a piece of animal skin..." Lizbeth said, recalling the animal skin''s origin. "Grandma Mia mentioned before that it was originally wrapped around Moslow, so we always carry it with us. Before His Majesty brought me into the pce, Grandma Mia reminded me that I must never lose it, no matter what."
Upon hearing this, Riezel stared at the animal skin in Lizbeth''s hand, confirming the faint magical energy emanating from it.
For some strange reason, Riezel felt a strange throb of excitement as he gazed at the animal skin, as if something invisible were pulling him in and causing his gaze to gradually focus on it.
"Can I take a look at it?" Riezel asked, gazing intensely at the animal skin.
Unexpectedly, Lizbeth showed a troubled expression."Is it inconvenient?"
Seeing Lizbeth''s reaction, Riezel suppressed the throbbing sensation in his heart.
"If it''s a problem, forget it then."
"No, it''s not that..." Lizbeth quickly shook her head, looking conflicted. "It''s not that I don''t want to show it to you, Master, but it''s just... this thing is somewhat weird."
"Weird? How?" Riezel''s interest was piqued.
Lizbeth hesitated for a moment before cautiously exining.
"When I look at this animal skin, there is always a strange drawing on it, but when I told Grandma Mia or others about it, they all said there was nothing there."
"I once asked Grandma Mia why only I could see the drawing, and she told me it''s something only chosen people can see, and that I must never reveal what''s on it or lose it..."
"That''s why I''ve always been scared to show it to anyone."
If Riezel weren''t Lizbeth''s master, perhaps she wouldn''t have told him about this at all.
She had once shown the animal skin to her father, but he only thought she was ying around, so after that, she didn''t dare show it to anyone else anymore.
"Really?"
After hearing Lizbeth''s exnation, Riezel''s gaze at the animal skin became more intense.
"Well, can I see it? Don''t worry, I won''t think you''re making stuff up."
"O-Okay..."
Seeing that Riezel was very eager, Lizbeth reluctantly handed the animal skin over to him, albeit cautiously.
Riezel took the scroll-shaped animal skin and unrolled it right on the spot.
"..."
In an instant, the throbbing sensation he felt grew even stronger.
As he spread the scroll, opening the animal skin, his vision blurred for a second, as though he saw something¡ªor maybe saw nothing at all.
When he came back to his senses, the animal skin in front of him had undergone a shocking transformation.
Originally, the animal skin had beenpletely nk, with nothing on it, but as he stared at it, lines slowly started to form, bit by bit, gradually creating a picture.
In just a few seconds, the picture fully took shape.
However, when the picture finally became clear andplete, Riezel''s pupils contracted sharply, and a look of astonishment appeared on his face.
"Master...?"
Lizbeth, who had been watching Riezel''s expression, felt quite nervous.
In the past, when she mentioned the animal skin as she had just now, people would initially show curiosity and interest, just like Riezel had.
Eventually, when they found out there was nothing on it, they would start doubting her, thinking she was making it up to gain attention. Even her father would think she was just trying to get his attention by acting mysterious.
Because of this, no one ever believed her words anymore.
Over time, she stopped talking about it, afraid people would think she was a liar and that she was just messing with them.
For this reason, she was incredibly anxious now, worried that her new master would think she was a liar too.
Nevertheless, Riezel just stared intently at the animal skin, gazing at the picture on it for a long, long time before finally raising his head.
"Don''t worry."
Seeing Lizbeth''s nervous face, Riezel reached out and patted her head gently.
"I can see what''s on it. I know you''re not lying."
Lizbeth''s cheeks turned red from Riezel''s casual head pat, but in the next second, she froze, stunned by his words.
"R-Really?" Lizbeth asked, her eyes lighting up.
"Mm, really." Riezel nodded with a smile before asking further. "By the way, do you know where this animal skin came from?"
"Where? I don''t know..." Lizbeth gently shook her head. "Grandma Mia told me it was wrapped around Moslow when I was born, ced beside me... Like Moslow, it''s something that''s been with me ever since the day I was born..."
"Did she ever say anything else?" Riezel asked again. "You two were together for a long time, so she must''ve mentioned one or two things about this animal skin, right?"
"Mmm¡" Lizbeth furrowed her pretty brows, looking troubled.
"No need to rush¡ªjust take your time."
Seeing Lizbeth''s troubled expression, Riezel knew she was trying to recall something from the past.
It couldn''t be helped since it was a long time ago, after all.
Lizbeth had been only seven when she entered the royal pce, and now eight years had passed. Because she had been so young back then, it wasn''t easy to suddenly remember things from her childhood.
Moreover, since he also wasn''t in a hurry, heforted Lizbeth, encouraging her to take her time to think.
As a result, Lizbeth rxed her furrowed brow and, under Riezel''s encouraging gaze, began recalling the past carefully.
"Ahh!"
Before long, Lizbeth let out a small gasp.
"I remember now! When I was very little, Grandma Mia once said something to me!" Lizbeth said hurriedly.
"What is it?" Riezel asked immediately.
"Maybe someday, you should consider taking this animal skin to the Hidden Land..." Lizbeth repeated what her grandmother had said to her softly and slowly.
Upon hearing this, Riezel frowned.
"Hidden Land? What kind of ce is that?" Riezel asked with a confused expression.
"I''m not sure..." Lizbeth shook her head, also looking confused. "Grandma Mia only mentioned it once when I was very young and never brought it up again... I always felt like she wasn''t too keen on me doing that..."
Even though it had been a long time ago, she still had a vivid memory of her grandmother''s expression from back then. It was an incrediblyplex and mncholic expression, like she was remembering some sorrowful past.
Because of that expression, she had asting impression on her young mind, which was why she remembered that moment well.
Now that she remembered it, it suddenly made her wonder.
''Did Grandma not want me to go to this Hidden Land? Is that why she sent me to my father right before she passed away?''
Lizbeth couldn''t help but think this.
"Hidden Land, huh..."
Riezel mumbled before asking Lizbeth again.
"Did she say anything else about this animal skin?"
Upon hearing the question, Lizbeth stopped obsessing over unanswered spections. She quickly wracked her brain again, trying to recall, and after a while, she looked a bit embarrassed.
"I can''t remember..."
Clearly, apart from the more memorable moment, the rest of the details were hard for her to recall.
"Alright..." Riezel sighed, seeing her struggle. "By the way... can I keep this animal skin for now?"
"Do you want it, Master?" Lizbeth asked, feeling slightly taken aback. "If you want it, I''ll give it to you."
"Really?" Riezel was somewhat surprised. "It''s something that''s always been with you, right? Are you sure you want to give it to me just like this?"
Upon hearing this, Lizbeth''s cheeks turned slightly red again.
"Mm... because it''s Master..." Lizbeth murmured very softly.
In her mind, although the animal skin had always been with her, the one who would be by her side from now on was this powerful and handsome master.
Giving away something that had apanied her before to the one who would apany her forever felt like a special ceremony to her.
Since her master had not been part of her life before, giving him something from her past meant she waspletely entrusting her life to him.
Needless to say, Lizbeth had clearly developed romantic feelings in her heart¡ªtruly a girlish heart, full of emotion.
Unfortunately, Riezel''s Transparent World could see through the human body but not the human heart, so he naturally didn''t know Lizbeth''s inner thoughts and feelings.
"Alright, thanks for that."
Riezel patted Lizbeth''s head again, causing her to blush and appear both shy and happy.
Seeing the little princess''s bashful smile, Riezel admired it for a moment before turning his attention back to the animal skin in his hands.
At this moment, the drawing on the animal skin, invisible to others, was now clearly visible to his eyes.
It depicted a scene straight out of a myth.
Figures, rendered in fine lines, surrounded an altar, kneeling in reverence as if worshiping a god.
At the forefront of these line-drawn figures was a queen, distinguished by her royal crown, royal robe, and gleaming golden sword, with a body full of feminine features.
Under the queen''s leadership, these figures worshiped the altar and offered their prayers.
On the altar, there was a floating object.
It was a square, or rather, a cube, which surprisingly resembled his Dimensional Magic Cube.
"¡"
Riezel examined the cube on the altar repeatedly, then nced at the one in his mind, lost in silence and motionless for a long time.
Chapter 266: Carreras Letter
Chapter 266: Carrera''s Letter
Frenzel Residence, Top Floor, Yuri''s Office.
When the night was quiet, the office was still lit by a magicmp, dispelling the darkness and illuminating the entire room.
Yuri sat alone at her desk, writing on a piece of parchment with a quill, seemingly lost in her work.
Strangely, Marilyn was nowhere to be found.
Perhaps even she didn''t know that her master was still working at this hour?
*Knock-Knock!*
In this quietness, the door to the office was suddenly knocked on.
"Come in."
Yuri paused her writing, stopped working, and looked up, speaking toward the door.*Click!*
As the door to the office was pushed open, someone familiar to her walked in.
Seeing the visitor, a light smile appeared on her delicate face.
"I knew it was you."
Needless to say, only Riezel could make Yuri smile like this the moment he arrived.
"I saw the light still on and figured you were still up, so I came." Riezel said with a smile. "By the way, how did you know it was me?"
"From the knock, of course." Yuri replied, putting down her quill while still keeping her smile. "After all this time, I can pretty much recognize what your knocking sounds like."
"..."
Riezel was momentarily stunned by her answer.
"You can tell who it is just by the knocking sound alone?"
He had to admit, it was impressive to identify someone just from their knocking.
"Have a seat." Yuri said, her smile faded. "It''s not often we get a chance to sit down and chat, is it?"
Upon hearing this, Riezel''s expression turned apologetic.
He knew Yuri was upset because he had been so engrossed in the arena.
Since he had begun immersing himself in daily challenges, he had not made time to sit down and have a proper chat with her or enjoy tea together as they always had.
"Well, there''s no helping it..." Riezel remarked as he sat down across from Yuri. "Since this is a rare opportunity for me, I naturally need to seize it as much as I can."
Because opportunities to gain excelia were scarce in this world, daily challenges from strong swordsmen were like a heaven-sent gift for him.
Moreover, he could use these challenges to develop a new sword form for Thunder Breathing or gain insights to improve Blooming Radiance, which made him even more excited and engrossed in it.
Given this, he truly couldn''t help it.
"I really don''t know what you''re trying to aplish, honestly..." Yuri muttered, rolling her eyes. "Being all mysterious and secretive, I don''t even know how you suddenly became a Sword Saint..."
"And you? Why are you still up sote?" Riezel shrugged and changed the subject.
After helping Lizbeth organize her room, he noticed the light was still on in Yuri''s office, so he came by to check.
However, when he brought it up, Yuri gave him a half-smiling, half-serious look.
"I''m handling some letters that need timely responses." Yuri replied, tapping a stack of already opened letters on the desk with a hint of meaning. "These are all from various duke and marquis families after the award ceremony."
"Oh..." Riezel instantly lost interest. "Is this just more of the same, trying to build rtionships and connections?"
"I guess so, but... some of them are also testing our rtionship." Yuri replied with a half-smile.
"Testing our rtionship... you say? Hold on, what do you mean by that?" Riezel looked puzzled.
In response to his question, Yuri answered in an oddly calm tone.
"Simply put, we were too close during the award ceremony, and many nobles suspect we''ve be a pair of lovers. So, they deliberately sent these letters to probe the truth."
As soon as she finished saying this, the entire office fell silent.
She continued to gaze at Riezel with a half-smile, while Riezel, speechless, felt slightly awkward under her gaze.
"Seriously, do those nobles have nothing better to do?"
In the end, Riezel could only say this.
"Not really..." Yuri said nonchntly. "You know, to those upper-ss individuals who value social status and personal influence, if we were to unite, it would be an extremely powerfulbination¡ªone that''s beyond impressive. Knowing this, it''s not strange for them to want to confirm our rtionship as soon as possible."
"Is that so... So, how did you respond?"
After hearing Yuri''s serious exnation, Riezel asked in a somewhat annoyed tone.
"Do I even need to say? Of course, I just admitted it directly." Yuri answered in an overly calm voice.
"What...?"
Riezel''s expression turned stunned.
"Fufu, just kidding."
Seeing his stunned face, Yuri giggled.
"I don''t have the time to exin my personal life and private rtionships to those so-called nobles. If their noble titles weren''t so high, I wouldn''t even bother responding."
"Anyway, for these kinds of questions, I haven''t given them a straightforward answer. I''ve covered it all up with vague and evasive answers."
"As for what they think and what they''ll do, that''s their own business."
Yuri''s cheerful words nearly left Riezel breathless.
"Seriously, you''re really ying with my nerves with that joke."
He felt a mix of frustration and amusement.
"Well, let me ask you this then..." Yuri looked directly at him. "If it were you, how would you respond?"
"..."
Riezel waspletely speechless.
Yuri''s intense gaze seemed to convey some other kind of emotion, making him feel a bit awkward. Fortunately, his mental fortitude was always strong so no matter what he was thinking, his face remained as calm as ever.
"Of course, I''d do the same as you. I wouldn''t have the time to exin my personal life and private rtionships to those so-called nobles." Riezel answered casually, seeming quite natural.
However, his answer made Yuri fall silent, and the unusual emotion in her gaze toward him began to change, giving him a sense of silent displeasure.
"Ahem, by the way..."
Unable to bear Yuri''s gaze, Riezel coughed and chose to change the subject again.
"Do you know a ce called the Hidden Land?"
Yuri gave him another nce but followed along with the topic.
"Hidden Land? Is there such a ce?" Yuri thought for a moment and then asked with confusion.
"Isn''t there? Haven''t you heard of it?" Riezel asked again.
"Nope... at least, there''s definitely no ce called the Hidden Land within Jinas." Yuri thought again and then confirmed.
Although Yuri was young, she was, after all, a prodigy who could graduate early from Spriller Academy. Not only did she excel in magic, but she also had substantial knowledge in various other fields.
In all the geographical knowledge she possessed, there was no ce called the Hidden Land. Especially within Jinas, she could confidently tell Riezel that there was no ce or area by that name.
As for other countries, she couldn''t remember every single ce, so she couldn''t be certain about them.
"Why are you suddenly asking about such an obscure ce anyway?" Yuri asked, her tone confused.
"Because something is going on..." Riezel said without giving much detail. "If possible, I''d like you to check if there''s a ce called the Hidden Land on the Akasha Continent."
"Well, that''s no problem. Just let me know, and I''ll handle it." Yuri nodded, giving a promise. "By the way, is this really important to you?"
Her expression grew serious as she sensed something in Riezel''s demeanor.
"...Yeah, it''s very important." Riezel replied after a moment of silence, nodding heavily.
Obviously, this was rted to his biggest secret, and nothing could be more important than this.
"Got it. I''ll look into it thoroughly." Yuri nodded, grasping the situation.
"Thanks... Oh, and could you also check on the sword called Moslow that Lizbeth owns?" Riezel added.
He recalled the sword held by the queen in the picture on the animal skin, which, in both appearance and aura, resembled Moslow in Lizbeth''s possession. If they couldn''t find the Hidden Land, perhaps there would be clues in Moslow.
"Sure."
Yuri, who didn''t know Riezel''s thoughts, simply nodded, as she was also curious about Moslow, given how unsettling it felt.
"Speaking of which, since you''re here, there''s something else I need to tell you."
Seemingly remembering something, Yuri pulled out a letter and handed it to Riezel.
"You better take a look at this."
Riezel took the letter and looked at the signature.
"Carrera Elliott?"
Seeing the familiar name, he frowned immediately.
"Her again?" Riezel casually tossed the letter aside. "Is there any point in reading this?"
Carrera had sent him letters before, but he had only read the first one and hadn''t looked at the others since.
Needless to say, he didn''t see the point in reading her letter.
"Actually, this time it''s different..." Yuri shook her head. "She mentioned the third prince in the letter and said she has something important to talk about that involves him and you."
Riezel''s eyes narrowed slightly as soon as he heard the ''third prince''.
"Mad Dog Prince?"
Remembering Sorren, Riezel thought it might be worth listening.
"Talking to someone who also has to deal with that mad dog isn''t a bad idea, right?" Yuri continued with a nod. "So, what do you think? Would you go?"
Upon hearing this question, Riezel smiled slightly and only said one word.
"Go."
Chapter 267: Cordelion Familys Talented Daughter, Serena Cordelion
Chapter 267: Cordelion Family''s Talented Daughter, Serena Cordelion
Royal Capital Yeluvia, City Center.
In the northwest part of the royal capital, there was a restaurant named ''Hydromel''.
It stood directly across from the Royal Market, inpletely opposite directions, but it seemed that the owner of both ces was actually the same person.
Both the Royal Market and Hydromel were exclusive venues for nobles and wealthy merchants, strictly off-limits tomoners.
For this reason, at the entrance of this restaurant, not only were carriages from numerous noble families parked, but there were also exquisitely dressed young noblesing and going, chatting andughing, creating a scene of high society.
In this situation, a carriage bearing the Frenzel family''s crest slowly approached and stopped in front of the restaurant.
"Sir Riezel, we have arrived."
Speaking respectfully toward the carriage, the coachman this time was neither Ain nor Ian but a knight from the Frenzel family''s knightly order.
Soon, the two upants stepped out of the carriage."Hmm, is this the ce?"
Riezel whispered as he looked at the restaurant before him.
It resembled a small pce, not only shining in gold but also guarded by people dressed as knights.
Just like at the Royal Market, these people were responsible for maintaining order and checking the identities of those entering, allowing only people with high status inside.
In truth, Riezel wasn''t particrly fond of ces like this.
He felt that such practices, which clearly categorized people into different social sses, were snobbish and merely served to highlight the superiority of the privileged and the inferiority ofmoners.
However, he also understood that this was, after all, a medieval world.
In such a world, human rights were indeed less valued.
If it had been any other day, he wouldn''t have had the desire to dine at such a ce, but after learning the content of Carrera''s letter, and with the meeting spot being here, he had no choice but toe.
However, since this wasn''t a formal event like the previous award ceremony, he dressed quite casually and looked nothing like a noble or wealthy merchant, causing the guards at the restaurant entrance to cast curious nces his way.
In some generic novels, he might have faced disdain or obstruction due to his attire, leading to a clich¨¦ scene of face-pping.
Fortunately, he wasn''t a character from those novels.
As the newly appointed seventh Sword Saint of Jinas, he was in the spotlight. Coupled with frequent challenges from various powerful and famous swordsmen, his appearance had be well-known throughout the royal capital.
As a result¡ª
"It''s the Lightning Sword Saint!"
"Whoa, it''s Sword Saint Riezel Brynhart..."
"He''s that famous youngest Sword Saint, right?"
"Yeah, it''s gotta be him. Check out the crest on that carriage¡ªit''s the Frenzel family''s."
"Any swordsman showing up in a Frenzel carriage can only be the Lightning Sword Saint!"
As expected, the crowd began to murmur and buzz with excitement.
"Let''s go in, Lizbeth."
Riezel said calmly and took a step forward.
"Yes."
Lizbeth, holding Moslow and dressed quite casually, still drew the attention of many men and women around¡ªvisibly impressed by her appearance and figure.
With that, the two of them walked into Hydromel under the crowd''s gaze, and as they wanted to enter, the two guards stationed at the entrance hurriedly bowed to Riezel, showing no sign of trying to stop them.
Although Riezel had received only the Sword Saint Medal and the title of Sword Saint, without holding any noble title and remaining amoner rather than a noble, no one treated a Sword Saint as merely amoner.
Even without special privileges or noble titles, the title of ''Sword Saint'' alone granted him status and influence that surpassed most nobles,pelling even dukes and marquises to treat him with respect.
Moreover, one should remember that he was also a Tactical-ss Magician who could obtain a noble title whenever he wished. Given his current fame, he could receive treatment that most nobles would never experience simply by showing his face.
Naturally, the two guards also didn''t dare to stop Lizbeth, who was known as Riezel''s attendant. Unless they wanted to be thrown into the river to feed the fish by the restaurant owner tomorrow, they had no choice but to let her pass.
"Wee to Hydromel, Sword Saint Brynhart."
Apparently having received word, the restaurant manager rushed out as Riezel entered, greeting him personally.
"I have a reservation. Where is Carrera Elliott?" Riezel asked without wasting time.
"Oh... the youngdy from the Elliott family, is it?" The restaurant manager responded quickly. "She is in a private room on the third floor. Let me show you the way¡ªthis way, please."
With that, he respectfully led the way, taking Riezel up to the third floor.
As a restaurant open only to high society, Hydromel had its own set of rules.
In this restaurant, there were no public areas, only private rooms.
In other words, there were only private dining rooms, with no areas for arge group of guests to gather and eat together.
However, there were exceptions, such as venues designed specifically for hosting special events like banquets or balls, while everything else consisted of private rooms, ensuring that no one would disturb the guests while they dined.
The first floor was a series of venues specifically designed for hosting banquets, balls, and other special events.
The second floor featured private rooms that could be reserved by minor nobles, like viscounts and barons.
The third floor was reserved for major nobles, such as counts, marquises, and dukes.
If members of the royal family came here to dine, they would also be on the third floor.
Although the Elliott family was neither a marquis family nor a duke family, they were still a count family, meaning they were considered a major noble.
Given this, Carrera''s reservation was, of course, for a private room on the third floor.
Before long, Riezel and Lizbeth, with the restaurant manager''s guidance, made their way to the third floor and arrived at a magnificent golden door.
*Knock-Knock!*
"Miss Carrera, Sword Saint Brynhart has arrived."
After knocking politely, the restaurant manager called into the room.
Soon after, a familiar voice to Riezel called out from within.
"Let Sir Sword Sainte in."
As soon as these words resounded, the golden door was opened.
Inside was a room akin to a presidential suite,plete with partitions, a tearoom, a lounge, and, surprisingly, a bedroom.
In the lounge, an expensive dining table was set, with three girls in formal dresses seated around it.
As the door opened, the three girls rose to their feet.
Two of these girls were ones Riezel had met after arriving in this world.
One had strikingly bright red hair, while the other had an innocent, childlike face.
Needless to say, they were none other than Carrera and Sylvanie, who had previously apanied Riezel to the Royal Market and had met him after his transformation. Now dressed in elegant formal wear, they no longer appeared as the carefree girls they had once been but as true-born noble youngdies.
"Long time no see..."
Carrera gazed at Riezel, who had just walked in with an exceptionally beautiful attendant by his side, her eyes filled with mixed emotions.
"Ah, long time no see."
Riezel nodded and responded calmly to Carrera''s greeting.
It was as if there was an invisible distance between them, making it hard to believe that not long ago, they had been part of the same group, students at Spriller Academy.
Sylvanie, on the other hand, cast a timid nce at Riezel, herrge eyes reflecting curiosity and a sense of reverence for a Sword Saint.
As the saying goes, a schr should be viewed with new respect after three days apart¡ªmeeting again here, Riezel was no longer the same person Carrera and Sylvanie had known.
Clearly, they were now just strangers to Riezel, and their past ''friendship'' was no longer relevant.
Especially for Carrera, who had never expected that the once insignificant magic student, who had shown a bit of talent, been unted by Archie, and asionally sought to please her, would transform into a Tactical-ss Magician and the highest-ranked swordsman on the continent¡ªa Sword Saint.
After all, the name ''Lightning Sword Saint'' was now well-known throughout the kingdom and the continent, and his poprity was soaring.
As a result, encountering Riezel again, Carrera found herself feeling a bit nervous in his presence.
"Thank you foring today."
After taking a deep breath, Carrera managed to mask her nervousness and, with a polite gesture of lifting the hem of her skirt, greeted Riezel with formal courtesy.
"You brought out the Mad Dog Prince in the letter, so how could I note?" Riezel responded with a calm smile. "Surely, that shouldn''t be an excuse, right?"
If that had just been an excuse to lure him out and meet him, he would have turned around and left immediately.
In his eyes, Carrera was just a stranger, and the original Riezel''s feelings toward her were irrelevant to him, so he would not give her any special treatment.
Fortunately, she wasn''t that foolish.
"Of course, it''s not an excuse." Carrera gently shook her head. "However, before mentioning that prince, let me introduce you to someone."
Her words didn''t surprise Riezel.
"You mean the person next to you?"
Riezel asked calmly, ncing at the third girl in the room beside Carrera and Sylvanie.
She had long golden hair that reached her waist, a delicate and beautiful face, a graceful figure, and a very distinguished presence, especially her pair of sparkling, enchanting eyes, which made her even more attractive than Carrera.
Noticing Riezel''s gaze, the golden-haired girl immediately shed a beautiful smile.
"Greetings, I''m Serena Cordelion. Nice to meet you, Sword Saint Riezel Brynhart."
With this introduction, the famous, talented daughter of the Cordelion family finally made her appearance.
Chapter 268: Your Highness?
Chapter 268: Your Highness?
Serena Cordelion.
Riezel was not at all surprised by the arrival of this renowned talented youngdy.
Carrera was known as Serena''s friend, and the Elliott family was a vassal of the Cordelion family. Given that Carrera had gone to such lengths to arrange this meeting, he didn''t believe it was without the Cordelion family''s influence.
As a result, before arriving here, he had already guessed that people from the Cordelion family might also show up.
Now it was just confirming that his guess hade true.
"Nice to meet you, Miss Serena."
Riezel gave a slight nod to the famous daughter of the Cordelion family.
Lizbeth, standing nearby, immediately followed Riezel''s lead and gave a deep bow to Serena.
Serena naturally noticed Lizbeth, casting a meaningful nce in her direction.It was clear that Serena was aware of Lizbeth''s identity, but she did not mention it.
Now that Lizbeth was Riezel''s attendant, having given up her princess status, Serena saw no need to bring up Lizbeth''s past in this context.
She simply watched Riezel with curiosity and a faint air of scrutiny.
"First of all, thank you for guiding the Letto brothers." Serena said with a smile, bowing her head slightly. "After receiving your guidance, they have felt they''ve gained something precious and often express their gratitude to you."
Upon hearing this, Riezel recalled the triplet swordsmen.
Since the Letto brothers were Serena''s attendants and had left a profound impression on him among all the challengers he had faced, her choice of topic to begin the conversation with him was truly appropriate.
Of course, Riezel did not im any credit.
"No, it wasn''t really guidance. I just pointed out some blind spots they hadn''t noticed before." Riezel shook his head calmly. "Even if I hadn''t pointed them out, they would have noticed them eventually."
"Even so, having them pointed out in advance saved them countless hours of hard work and time." Serena also shook her head. "As their master, I should thank you on their behalf. Please don''t be modest."
"Alright then." Riezel shrugged, moving on from the point. "I hope they can make good use of it. I''m always here if they want toe for revenge."
If the Letto brothers could achieve what he had suggested and focus theirbined strength on one of them during battle, that one person might be able to match the strength of a Sword Saint for a short time.
He was quite interested in fighting another Sword Saint after fighting the Shadow Sword Saint. Given their strength and the excelia he would gain, his interest was understandably piqued.
Needless to say, his anticipation was genuine, and everyone present could feel it.
''He really changedpletely...''
Carrera and Sylvanie exchanged a quiet nce and silently marveled.
They still remembered clearly that the past Riezel had once been a young man intoxicated by sess, prone to arrogance,cking insight, and generally a country bumpkin.
In contrast, the current Riezel maintained a calm demeanor at all times, with a detached attitude and a mysterious air in every movement. Even when facing renowned figures and powerful challengers, he appeared nonchnt and fearless¡ªa stark contrast to the Riezel of the past.
Carrera and Sylvanie even found themselves questioning whether the young man before them was truly Riezel or if his past self had been the true Riezel.
For the people in this world, such a drastic change in Riezel had urred only within the past two months, making the transformation so sudden and striking, especially for those who had known him before, such a transformation was difficult to understand and hard to fathom.
Could it be that the way he was before was all just an act?
Carrera and Sylvanie, like others, had started to harbor such doubts.
Previously, they had thought that Riezel''s drastic change was due to his life-and-death situation, leading to aplete shift in his mindset.
However, now they felt it was all nonsense.
How could the Shadow create a life-threatening situation for someone who was not only a Sword Saint but also a Tactical-ss Magician?
It was simply impossible.
Because of this, Carrera and Sylvanie gradually aligned their thoughts with Sorren and the others, believing that Riezel had been pretending to hide his true strength and that his so-called ''injury'' was just a cover-up.
As for why he would do this, it remained unknown.
Surely, it couldn''t be just to get close to Marquis Frenzel?
At least, Carrera and Sylvanie didn''t think so.
Even Serena thought the same.
However, unlike Carrera and Sylvanie, who felt that someone like Riezel did not need such pretense, Serena simply couldn''t believe that someone as amazing as him would go to such lengths just for a woman like Yuri Frenzel.
"By the way... would you like to find a time to visit my home?" Serena asked, hinting at something. "My elder brother would also like to meet you."
Clearly, this was a straightforward attempt to win Riezel over.
"Let''s skip it." Riezel refused straightforwardly, shaking his head. "We''re neither rtives nor friends¡ªthere''s no need to meet for no reason. Plus, I''m not interested in these so-called noble exchanges."
"My, it''s just a casual chat and some tea, nothing as serious as you''re thinking." Serena chuckled. "My brother and I aren''t fans of all theplicated etiquette and the back-and-forth thates with noble exchanges either. Especially my brother... If you met him, you''d probably get along as sword friends rather than tea friends."
"Hmm..."
What she said piqued Riezel''s interest a bit, making him look at the daughter of the Cordelion family with a deeper gaze.
He could feel that Serena, who seemed to be of a simr age to Yuri, might actually excel inmunication and social skills even more than the rather reserved Yuri.
On two previous asions, she had managed to bring up topics that perfectly matched his interests, which was not something an average person could achieve.
It could only be said that a talented person was indeed talented.
No wonder Yuri spoke so highly of this sibling pair¡ªthe high poprity they enjoyed in the kingdom was not without reason.
Yuri had also mentioned more than once that this pair was not only exceptionally talented but also outstanding in character and other qualities.
Now, Riezel was beginning to feel this firsthand. If it had been another situation, he might have agreed to Serena''s invitation on the spot.
As for Sergius Cordelion, who was considered the best candidate for the next king and had managed to put Sorren in his ce, Riezel was also quite interested.
Moreover, Sergius had practiced swordsmanship diligently since childhood, showing both talent and hard work. At just thirteen years old, he had already received the Sword Master Medal, bing the youngest Sword Master in the kingdom.
Now, at twenty-two, having been a Sword Master for nearly ten years, even though he hadn''t yet be a Sword Saint, he was undoubtedly an expert Sword Master.
Yuri had once mentioned this man to Riezel.
"ording to rumors, Albert Borley once imed in public that he hoped Sergius Cordelion would be his final opponent after he had challenged 999 Sword Masters."
"It seems that the two have met more than once in private. Captain Albert even has publicly praised Sergius several times, saying he''s strong, talented, and hardworking¡ªa worthy opponent to go all out against."
"On top of that, since Sergius could easily defeat the third prince, many people believe that his strength might be nearly on par with Captain Albert''s."
In other words, Sergius might also be one of the best swordsmen just under Sword Saint, and even if he were to fall short of Albert, it likely wouldn''t be by much.
If Riezel could have a match with Sergius, it would definitely be worth the trip.
Unfortunately, Sergius''s identity was too sensitive. If someone like Riezel were to make a move to approach him, it would undoubtedly trigger a series of chain reactions.
Understanding this, Riezel gave Serena a calm smile.
"If your brother really wants to be my so-called sword friend, then let hime to my arena."
Needless to say, this was essentially a rejection.
Serena saw Riezel''s attitude and realized that the discussion probably couldn''t continue any further.
"Alright then... I''ll take this message back to my brother." Serena replied while puffing her cheeks.
Ignoring her acting-cute behavior, Riezel nodded calmly, and only then did both sides finally get a chance to sit down.
Seeing this, Carrera seized the moment to p her hands, causing the door of the private room to open, letting in servers who carried dishes from outside and continuously brought food to the table.
Surprisingly, there were many dishes, enough to cover the entire table, and there were at least eighty dishes, possibly even a hundred, each one looking and smelling wonderful, befitting a restaurant only open to high society.
Sylvanie, with her innocent and pure look, had her eyes shining with excitement, clearly very interested in the dishes. If not for Riezel and Serena not having started eating yet, she would have definitely dived in already.
Even Lizbeth, who stood behind Riezel, frequently nced at the dishes, showing a mix of craving and shy embarrassment.
Seeing her like this, Riezel pulled out a chair next to him.
"Why don''t you sit down and eat with us, Lizbeth?"
Riezel invited Lizbeth to sit.
"H-How can I?" Lizbeth quickly shook her head. "I''m just an attendant. I can''t sit at the same table as my master."
"Like I said, no need to stick to the rules with me." Riezel insisted. "Plus, this isn''t a public setting¡ªjust a private meal, so sit down."
Lizbeth was about to refuse again, but before she could, Serena chimed in.
"Please, sit down and eat with us, Your Highness." Serena smiled gently. "As Sir Riezel mentioned, this is just a private meal, so there are no strict rules."
Even though her words didn''t make Lizbeth react, they surprised Carrera and Sylvanie.
""Your Highness?""
Muttering in unison, Carrera and Sylvanie looked at Lizbeth with nk expressions.
Chapter 269: Barony of Carfield and Sorrens Plan
Chapter 269: Barony of Carfield and Sorren''s n
At this moment, Serena realized she might have identally revealed Lizbeth''s true identity just now.
Seeing Carrera and Sylvanie staring nkly at Lizbeth, Serena decided to continue speaking.
"Get an extra set of tableware for Her Highness."
Serena nced at Carrera and gave her an order.
"Yes."
Carrera finally snapped out of it, pped her hands, and signaled a server to bring another set of tableware.
"But..."
Lizbeth seemed hesitant, muttering while shrinking back timidly.
Seeing her act like this, Riezel ordered directly."Sit."
He gave her amanding order.
Thanks to the stern tone of his voice, the vague connection between Riezel and Lizbeth, created by the attendant contract, took effect.
Before Lizbeth realized it, she had already sat down instinctively.
Clearly, the attendant contract caused Lizbeth to obey Riezel''s orders subconsciously.
"Ahh..."
Lizbeth, who came to her senses, hunched her shoulders and clutched her sword with a deeply embarrassed look as she sat.
Seeing Lizbeth like this, Serena couldn''t help but sigh.
''She''s so cute...''
Even she couldn''t resist being captivated by Lizbeth''s stunning appearance and her shy, nervous, little-animal-like demeanor.
Even Sylvanie cast eager nces at Lizbeth, clearly wanting to cozy up to her and befriend her.
It was understandable.
Sylvanie was only fifteen years old, the same age as Lizbeth, and though she was a special student at Spriller Academy just like Riezel, Carrera, and the others, having been admitted early, she and Lizbeth should have had plenty inmon.
Unfortunately, Sylvanie''s choice of side was too obvious.
Like Carrera, Sylvanie supported the Cordelion family, while Lizbeth was royalty. If they got close, it might have caused friction between the Royal Faction and the Duke Faction.
Understanding this, Riezel didn''t let Lizbeth interact with Sylvanie and quickly turned to Serena, getting straight to the point.
"I think it''s time to talk, right? What did that Mad Dog Prince do?"
Riezel finally asked the question.
As for why he didn''t ask Carrera, it was clear the information she had obtained was from Serena.
After all, the Elliott family was only a count family. If they could gather information on Sorren, then the Frenzel family, which was a marquis family, should be able to as well.
However, since Yuri didn''t know anything, how could the Elliott family know more than the Frenzel family?
It was obvious that the source of the information wasn''t from the Elliott family but from a duke family like the Cordelion family.
As the nemesis of the Royal Faction, the Cordelion family must constantly monitor the royal family''s movements, so it would be normal for them to obtain information that others didn''t know.
Riezel had figured it out during this meeting.
Serena was the real instigator, while Carrera was just helping set things up.
Needless to say, the one who really wanted to meet him, talk to him, and discuss Sorren''s matters was not Carrera, but this beautiful daughter of the Cordelion family, Serena.
Because of this, Riezel directed the conversation directly toward Serena.
Serena didn''t think there was anything strange about this, while Carrera stood quietly aside, looking satisfied as if her job was done, watching Riezel and Serena converse.
"My family has indeed discovered some of his movements."
Serena pressed her lips together and smiled faintly.
"Based on these movements, both my brother and I think that this time, he''sing for you, Sir Riezel."
"I know..." Riezel said, his expression unchanged. "Ever since I kicked away his offer at the award ceremony, I knew there was a good chance he''d try to get back at me."
"Well, that guy''s got a screw loose..." Serena said bluntly, without any restraint. "Who goes after a Sword Saint over a simple verbal disagreement? Does he really think being a prince lets him do whatever he wants?"
Such blunt words shocked both Carrera and Sylvanie, who immediately averted their eyes and acted as if they hadn''t heard a thing.
Meanwhile, Lizbeth listened silently, her expressionplicated.
No choice.
Like Sorren, she was, after all, also part of the royal family, children of the current king.
Strictly speaking, as the third prince, Sorren was her older half-brother, but sadly, she didn''t have much of an impression of him.
Because of her birth, she had always sensed subtle exclusion from the legitimate royal family members. She was practically semi-imprisoned by her own father, rarely interacting with her other siblings.
As for Sorren, his nasty personality meant he looked down on even his full-blooded rtives, let alone her, an illegitimate child. Consequently, she had never really spoken to him, and the two had only seen each other a few times at mandatory family gatherings.
As a result, even though Sorren was being insulted by Serena, Lizbeth didn''t say anything and only felt conflicted.
In the first ce, if her half-brother really wanted to target Riezel, who was her master, he was her enemy as far as she was concerned.
At least, this was how Lizbeth saw it.
"And? What did he do?"
Riezel looked directly into Serena''s eyes and asked the crucial question, but his question brought an unexpected answer that he had never seening.
"He sent his men to the Barony of Carfield." Serena answered calmly.
Barony of Carfield.
From the name alone, one could tell it was a territory under a baron.
A baron was the lowest rank of nobility, unquestionably a minor noble.
No matter the country, thends given to barons were always remote, poor, and rural, so naturally, the Barony of Carfield was clearly one of these rural ces.
Nevertheless, the name triggered Riezel''s memory.
It was for a simple reason.
"At first, we were confused about why that mad dog suddenly sent his men to such a backwater ce, so we did some digging..."
Serena continued, observing Riezel''s expression.
"After some digging, we found out that... it''s your hometown, right? Sir Riezel?"
Yes, the Barony of Carfield was Riezel''s hometown¡ªor rather, the original Riezel''s hometown where he had been born and raised.
After discovering his magical energy was extraordinary, the original Riezel ran away to avoid being sold off by his family to his grandfather''s master, who was a ve owner. As he escaped, he eventually made his way to the royal capital, Yeluvia.
In other words, the original Riezel''s family and all of his past acquaintances were in the Barony of Carfield.
"We suspect that he ns to go after your family..."
Serena moved on with her exnation.
"From what we found, his order to his men was to capture alive your parents, your grandfather, and even Baron Carfield himself, and bring them to the royal capital..."
"Well, that''s the information my family finally uncovered after a lot of effort."
It was obvious what Sorren intended to do with them¡ªanyone could figure that out without even thinking hard.
"If nothing unexpected happens, he''s probably nning to use your family to threaten you, forcing you to submit to him?" Serena spected, her tone filled with disgust. "Typical of him, his methods are just as despicable and low as always."
Upon hearing this, both Carrera and Sylvanie nodded in agreement.
As nobles, they had seen even more despicable and lowly tactics than this, but it still depended on who was doing it.
However, for a prince, who also happened to be the most outstanding prince among the current princes and was supposed to be a role model for his people, using such a cheap tactic, there was truly nothing praiseworthy about it.
"Master..."
Lizbeth muttered while casting a worried look at Riezel.
Surprisingly, Riezel''s current expression and gaze were unusually calm.
It wasn''t feigned calmness, nor was it a forced calm that suppressed any feelings¡ªit was truly the calm of a heart that was utterly unmoved and unshaken, as if it wasn''t his own family that was about to be captured and harmed.
In truth, this was indeed the case.
At this moment, Riezel was observing the whole situation from the perspective of a bystander, coldly watching it unfold.
"So? Has he seeded already?" Riezel asked lightly.
Serena was a bit surprised by his calmness but still replied honestly.
"Judging by the timing, he should have by now. Although the Barony of Carfield is pretty remote, it''s linked by the Grand Canal, so it would only take a day or so to get there by water."
At this point, Serena raised three of her fingers.
"In other words, a round trip would take about three days and, by the way, that mad dog sent his men over five days ago."
At this time, it was highly likely that Sorren''s men had alreadypleted their task and even brought the captives to the royal capital. It only took three days for the trip, so in the remaining two days, his men, no matter how ipetent, should have finished the task by now.
A baron''s territory?
Forget a Sword Master, even having a proper swordsman there might be too much to ask.
In such a backwater ce, Sorren could do anything he wanted without the slightest difficulty.
"Our people are keeping a close watch on him, trying to find where he''s hiding the captives." Serena continued. "After all, there''s no way he could bring them into the royal capital in broad daylight, so once his men show up with a group of captives, they''re bound to slip up, and we''ll find them."
"Alright..." Riezel immediately nodded. "If you find them, justlet me know. I''ll owe you a favor."
Perhaps this was the whole point of Serena inviting him here to discuss Sorren''s matters.
Evidently, the Cordelion family wanted to do him a favor and form some sort of alliance with him.
In this case, Riezel had no issue epting their favor.
"By the way, can I ask what you n to do?" Serena asked with a curious smile. "If you''re thinking of impeaching that mad dog in front of His Majesty, maybe we can help you out a bit."
Her words were met with nothing but a calm reply.
"No need."
Riezel''s calm voice echoed slowly.
"I''ll deal with him in my own way, and he''ll soon find out what kind of end awaits him."
Chapter 270: Mystery of Riezel
Chapter 270: Mystery of Riezel
More than an hour passed before the dinner ended.
After more than an hour, not a single one of the more than eighty dishes served was left uneaten¡ªeverything had beenpletely polished off.
All of this made everyone present cast strange looks at one particr person as they finished eating.
"Uhh¡"
Lizbeth lowered her little head so far down that it was almost buried in her chest, her ears turning bright red, clearly embarrassed to the extreme.
Of the more than eighty dishes, about sixty had ended up in this little princess''s stomach.
Aside from Riezel, there was no way the rest of the group, who were only filled with delicate and pretty girls, could have possibly finished so much food if not for Lizbeth.
In fact, the extravagant spread wasn''t meant for everyone to finish but rather to show off, to disy a sense of grandeur.
When someone from a duke family invited a Sword Saint to dine, such an event, even if it meant serving over a hundred dishes, with each dish only being tasted once, would still be worth it.Such was how nobles socialized¡ªinviting important guests for a meal wasn''t just about excellence but also about appearance.
In other words, although the food didn''t have to be finished, there had to be a lot of it, and it had to be top-notch.
Hydromel hosted many nobles every day, and at the end of each day, they couldn''t even count how much leftover food there was.
It was truly extravagance and waste pushed to the extreme.
However, today, there were unusually no leftovers.
Everyone could only stare at the extremely shy little princess and her petite body, their minds filled with questions.
''Where did all that food even go?''
As soon as this thought popped into their heads, they all nced toward Lizbeth''s chest, and their doubts were immediately answered.
In an attempt to save his attendant from the embarrassment of not being able to raise her head, Riezel had no choice but to take Lizbeth away, bidding farewell to Serena and the others.
Serena and the other two immediately stood up.
"Sir Riezel, you should have amunication magic crystal, right?" Serena asked with a smile. "How about we exchange crystal wavelengths?"
Riezel did indeed have a magic crystal, given to him by Yuri when he had just returned from the world of Danmachi, so they could stay in touch easily.
However, in the past two months, he hadn''t used it even once.
No choice.
Since the only people in this world who had his crystal''s wavelength were Yuri and Marilyn, and the fact that they all lived together, there was no need to use themunication magic crystal.
"Me too." Carrera chimed in, pulling out a magic crystal from her chest. "Exchange with me as well."
Not agreeing immediately, Riezel thought for a moment.
Although he didn''t want to get too close to these important figures from the Duke Faction, nor did he want to get involved in noble affairs, after what happened between him and Sorren, and the favor he owed to the Cordelion family, it wasn''t easy to refuse.
Besides, everything had its pros and cons.
Nevertheless, one thing was sure¡ªmaintaining contact with the Cordelion family might prove useful in the future.
With this thought in mind, Riezel agreed, then exchanged crystal wavelengths with Serena and Carrera before saying his farewells and leaving with Lizbeth.
Serena and the others walked Riezel and Lizbeth to the door of the private room, watching as they left, not turning back until their figures disappeared down the staircase.
"I must admit, he is way more interesting than I expected."
As soon as she returned to the private room, Serena dropped her youngdy-like act and acted like a lively girl with a cheerful smile on her face.
Carrera and Sylvanie, on the other hand, actedpletely differently. They no longer sat or stood alongside Serena like before but stood respectfully behind her, like two subordinates.
"Miss, how do you think hepares to Sir Hardt?" Carrera asked tentatively.
"No idea..." Serena shook her head. "I haven''t seen the Lightning Sword Saint fight with all his strength, so it''s hard to judge, but... Sir Hardt did mention that, in terms of speed and explosiveness, he''s no match for the Lightning Sword Saint."
"..." Carrera stayed silent for a moment before sighing. "Honestly, that''s already a pretty high evaluation..."
"What''s up? Feeling conflicted?" Serena teased while ncing at her friend, who had been sent by a vassal family to study and y with her.
"Yes..." Carrera replied with a sigh. "I still find myself wondering if I''m dreaming... Riezel Brynhart suddenly became a Sword Saint, someone we have to look up to... Even the kingdom itself highly values him now... It''s...plicated..."
"It feels like a joke, doesn''t it...?" Sylvanie, standing nearby, muttered. "Out of nowhere, that country bumpkin who used to follow Elder Sister Carrera around has be this? It''s hard to believe..."
Upon hearing this, Serena''s curiosity was piqued, and she felt a bit confused.
"Hey, Sylva, did he really have a thing for Carrera back then?" Serena asked, genuinely confused. "You know, I just can''t see it."
"I wasn''t lying!" Sylvanie immediately reacted. "You could totally tell he had feelings for Elder Sister Carrera if you saw the past him. Even Archie and the others knew it and used to make fun of him behind his back more than once, calling him a clueless and naive country bumpkin dreaming above his league."
From the perspectives of Archie and the other members of their small group, Riezel originally had nothing but talent going for him.
In the first ce, whether Riezel could even be a Tactical-ss Magician at that time was still up in the air, yet he dared to dream of being with the daughter of a count¡ªit was akin to a toad trying to eat swan meat.
Archie and the others did mock Riezel behind his back more than once, sometimes even in front of Carrera, which was definitely true.
Serena had gathered information on Riezel before, so she knew about this.
However, the problem was¡ª
"Even if you say that, I really can''t see that he had any interest in Carrera..." Serena frowned, stroking her chin. "Since he arrived here, he hasn''t even nced at Carrera properly. Even when he talked to Carrera, his gaze was calm, clear, almost transparent¡ªlike someone with no desires, almost like a saint..."
In this area, Serena was qualified to judge.
With her looks, her aplishments, her talents, and her family background, countless people had pursued her, including many talented noblemen who had put on some truly impressive performances just to win her favor.
She had watched enough of these ''shows'' to see through them, and she prided herself on being able to tell when someone was interacting with the one they liked.
However, from what she observed, Riezel gave her apletely different vibe.
She could clearly tell that Riezel had no interest in Carrera at all, and, if anything, she felt that Carrera wasn''t even a friend to him¡ªjust a familiar stranger.
Such a situation left her both surprised and confused.
"Well... I don''t know why he was like that..." Sylvanie said with a frown. "Maybe he''s just pretending not to care?"
"No, you can''t fake that kind of calm."
Serena shook her head in disagreement before turning to Carrera.
"What do you think, Carrera?"
"Uhh..."
Carrera''s face showed a hint of awkwardness, as she didn''t really want to get involved in this conversation.
However, if she were to be honest, she believed that Serena was right.
She could also see that she was no longer the same in Riezel''s eyes.
In the past, when Riezel looked at her, his eyes were always filled with a certain fascination and admiration that made her want to frown, but now he looked at her with nothing but calm and indifference¡ªthere wasn''t a trace of fascination or admiration left, not even a shred of warmth.
All of this told her that she was no longer the object of this young man''s affection.
Oddly enough, the more she thought about this and the achievements he had pulled off recently, a mix of disappointment and regret welled up inside her.
Most people were vain.
If they knew that someone exceptionally outstanding had feelings for them, they would likely feel a sense of pride.
On the other hand, if someone ordinary who had once liked them became sessful and no longer had feelings for them, anyone would feel a bit down seeing how far they hade without them.
Such was the way Carrera felt right now.
People were reallyplicated creatures who didn''t care when they had something, but when it was gone, they started to regret it¡ªtruly contradictory and foolish.
As a result, Carrera could only reply half-heartedly.
"Maybe him liking me was just pretending all along, and the one he really likes is Marquis Frenzel?"
As soon as Carrera said this, she regretted it.
It couldn''t be helped.
She knew very well what bringing up that name in front of Serena would lead to.
"Hmph!"
Sure enough, Serena''s cheerful expression instantly disappeared, her charming face darkening and her mood visibly soured.
"Yuri Frenzel... again?"
Serena grumbled, clearly annoyed.
"Why is that woman''s name everywhere?"
"What makes her so special that someone as young and outstanding as him would like her?"
"Pretending? Hmph, I bet that woman did something to seduce Sir Riezel, which is why he lost interest in you!"
"Yeah, that''s definitely it!"
Serena pouted and kept ranting like this, showing none of the grace or intelligence she had disyed when dining with Riezel earlier.
"Hahh..."
Carrera could only watch helplessly as Serena puffed up and ranted about Yuri, letting out a long, exasperated sigh.
It seemed like there was going to be some trouble ahead.
Chapter 271: A Perfect Night
Chapter 271: A Perfect Night
Riezel had no idea that, in the eyes of Serena and the others, he had already be Yuri''s admirer.
He directly returned to the Frenzel residence, waiting for news from Serena while making a few preparations.
Luckily, she didn''t keep him waiting for long.
The very next day, themunication magic crystal, which had been sitting unused, suddenly emitted a faint glow and a series of pleasant sounds.
Riezel picked up the magic crystal and channeled his magical energy into it as per the instructions, and soon enough, Serena''s voice came through.
"Can you hear me, Sir Riezel?"
Serena''s voice, crisp and clear like a nightingale, resonated from the crystal.
"Loud and clear." Riezel responded calmly before getting straight to the point. "So? What''s the news? Did you find anything?"
"Yes!" Serena replied, sounding pretty happy to hear his voice. "We''ve already tracked down the people that mad dog sent out. They really did bring back Baron Carfield and the others, and are currently holed up in an abandoned mansion near the royal capital''s wall."Following this, she quickly ryed the exact location to him.
Riezel pulled out a map of Yeluvia and pinpointed the spot she had described.
It was in a rtively remote, deste area that had originally been the residence of a high-ranking court noble, but after he left the royal court to be a territory lord, the ce had been left to decay, untouched for years.
"Normally, a noble''s property, especially one of such high rank, would be sold off for a hefty sum if they weren''t using it, but strangely, there''s never been any word of this ce going up for sale, so it just gradually fell into ruin..." Serena exined the ce''s situation. "I thought maybe this noble had some personal reason for not selling it, but now it seems like he probably handed it over to that mad dog, or maybe even gifted it to him."
ording to her, the noble had been a traditional royalist, always currying favor with several royal family members while he was still in the royal capital¡ªin particr, he was rumored to have had a very close rtionship with Sorren.
In other words, it wasn''t far-fetched to think that when the noble left the royal capital, he might have given his property as a gift to Sorren.
"If we''re right, that ce could very well be where that mad dog hides his private troops." Serena added.
"Private troops?"
Serena''s words took Riezel aback.
"He has his own troops?"
"He does." Serena confirmed confidently. "Even though it''s technically not allowed, do you really think a guy like him cares about that?"
Jinas had strictws, one of which was that no one outside the nobility was allowed to have a private force, such as a knightly order or anything simr.
Even nobles faced strict limits on the size of their knightly orders.
Under a duke''s governance, a knightly order could have no more than a thousand members.
For a marquis, the limit was seven hundred, with only special cases like Yuri allowed to exceed this and expand her knightly order to eight hundred.
For a count, the limit was five hundred.
For a viscount, it was three hundred.
For a baron, it was one hundred.
Such were Jinas''s strict regtions, and even a duke could face punishment if they exceeded this limit. Anyone outside of the nobility who dared raise their own forces would be subject to the kingdom''s wrath.
Of course, this was how thew was written, but in practice, there were plenty of loopholes to exploit.
For example, some wealthy merchants, for safety reasons, had to hire a bunch of guards to protect themselves and their property. Otherwise, they could get robbed at any moment.
Simrly, some noble children who hadn''t yet earned a noble title always needed guards or attendants with them when traveling, or else they could be maliciously attacked at any time.
As a result, many people hired or employed guards and attendants under various pretenses, and some even bought ves withbat abilities to protect themselves.
Unfortunately, the kingdom couldn''t ban this practice, as it would cause significant chaos and make governing thend much more difficult. As long as they didn''t recruitbatants under the guise of forming a private force or exceeding a certain limit on the number ofbatants, the kingdom usually turned a blind eye to it.
Needless to say, this led many opportunists to exploit the situation.
On the surface, they would hire guards or attendants, or buy ves for their protection, but secretly, they would train them asbatants, turning them into their own soldiers. With enough effort and discretion, they could privately train a sizable force with considerablebat power.
Such an approach was essentially walking a fine line with thew.
In this regard, what about Sorren?
Knowing his personality, he clearly wouldn''t hesitate to dance on this line like a madman, testing everyone''s limits.
In his eyes, he was, after all, a prince, royalty, so even if he got caught, would the kingdom really execute him?
As long as he didn''t push too far, he would keep testing the limits, which was why people called him the Mad Dog Prince.
Regardless, in Riezel''s eyes, even if someone wasn''t royalty but had that kind of privilege, they would act just as recklessly.
Why else were so many noble children acting so arrogantly and overbearingly?
It was because, no matter what trouble they caused, no one dared to touch them. Furthermore, knowing there were no real consequences, they naturally acted even more unrestrained.
Sorren was just one of them.
"I understand..."
Riezel expressed his understanding to Serena.
"In that case, I''ll be here waiting for good news from you, Sir Riezel."
After the conversation ended, Serena didn''t ask Riezel how he nned to proceed but simply giggled and left him with this remark.
"Alright."
Riezelplied and then disconnected the magical energy link, dimming the light on themunication magic crystal.
Shortly afterward, he turned his head and nced out the window.
He saw the sky gradually darkening, signaling that night was approaching.
However, since there appeared to be few clouds, it seemed that tonight would bring a beautiful moon.
"Not bad..."
Riezel''s voice slowly echoed.
"What a perfect night for murder and arson..."
===
Night gradually enveloped the entire royal capital, Yeluvia.
Despite this, the royal capital was still brightly lit everywhere, with the glow of magicmps spilling out from every household window and illuminating the streets.
In an era simr to medieval times in Riezel''s original world, turning an entire medieval city into a modern, sleepless metropolis like this was truly a testament to the convenience of magic.
Magicmps, created from just a thumb-sized piece of magic crystal, had given humanity the ability to move freely even at night, especially in the royal pce, where countless magicmps lit the ce, even deep into the night.
Under the moonlight, the royal pce looked like a grand, chalk-white castle, standing like a mighty general guarding the royal capital and overlooking its vastndscape.
At thiste hour, however, a carriage quietly rolled out of the royal pce.
Seeing the carriage, two knights on duty intended to stop it, but upon seeing the crest engraved on it, they immediately acted as though they hadn''t seen anything.
And just like that, the carriage traveled out of the royal pce unhindered, following a secluded path and eventually stopping in front of an abandoned mansion near the royal capital''s wall.
Soon, Sorren stepped down from the carriage.
At this moment, the renowned Mad Dog Prince, who should have been grounded, had snuck out of the royal pce, tantly defying the king''s orders.
"Your Highness."
Several figures silently emerged from the mansion,nding in front of Sorren and kneeling on one knee.
"Where are they?" Sorren asked coldly.
"Inside."
With head bowed, one of the kneeling figures replied in a low voice.
"Take me to them." Sorren didn''t waste any time, giving a direct order.
"Yes."
Without dy, the figures hurriedly stood up and led Sorren toward the abandoned mansion.
Upon closer inspection, hidden in the shadows around the mansion, several figures dressed in ck kept watch.
When Sorren entered the mansion, the interior was far from the rundown state it appeared to be in from the outside, surprisingly well-maintained, showing no signs of abandonment.
Sorren made his way to a spacious room that had been cleared of all furniture.
In the room, not only were there many fully armed knights, but a few people had been thrown onto the floor, trembling in fear.
""Your Highness!""
As soon as they saw Sorren, the surrounding knights immediately dropped to one knee, bowing their heads to him.
At the same time, the people on the floor began trembling even more, hurriedly kneeling in the same manner as the knights.
"Your Highness!"
One of the trembling figures on the floor, a middle-aged man dressed noticeably differently from the others, crawled toward Sorren.
"Don''t kill me! Please! Don''t kill me, Your Highness!"
Shouting fearfully, the middle-aged man was clearly a noble.
He sported a pair of little mustaches, had a big belly, and dressed luxuriously, giving off a nouveau riche vibe.
"Don''t kill us!"
"Spare us!"
"I don''t want to die!"
A few others, dressed in tattered clothes like peasants, desperately knelt and begged for mercy.
There were three of them in total¡ªan old man and a middle-aged couple.
By their looks and features, it was easy to tell they were family.
Sorren looked at the three like they were something filthy, then turned his gaze toward the noble in front of him.
"Are you Baron Carfield?" Sorren asked coldly.
"Y-Yes, that''s me, Your Highness!" Baron Carfield quickly shed a ttering smile.
"Good, that''s what I thought." Sorren smiled as well, butsomething was menacing about his smile.
*BANG!*
In the next second, Sorren suddenly kicked Baron Carfield in the chest, sending him flying.
"KEOK¡ª!"
Baron Carfield hit the ground hard, coughing up blood.
Chapter 272: Brynhart Family
Chapter 272: Brynhart Family
""Hiiiiii¡ª!""
Seeing Baron Carfield get kicked by Sorren so hard that he coughed up blood, the nearby peasants let out cries of fear and despair.
At this moment, their faces twisted, and their bodies trembled uncontrobly as they looked at the baron on the ground, coughing blood, their eyes full of fear.
As simplemoners in a barony, when had they ever witnessed such a scene?
In their eyes, Baron Carfield was a formidable and absolute figure, someone they couldn''t even dream of reaching. Normally, he acted all high and mighty, strutting around the territory as if he owned the ce.
When had they ever seen him in such a pitiful state, coughing up blood on the ground?
With their limited knowledge and narrow worldview, the greatest figure they had ever seen in their lifetime was Baron Carfield.
Now, this baron, so lofty and grand in their eyes, was being kicked like trash and coughing up blood.
Needless to say, the shock this brought them was unimaginable.However, Sorren still didn''t seem satisfied.
"Even though you''re just a lowly baron, you''re still a lord, right?"
Sorren walked over to Baron Carfield, standing over him, his eyes bloodshot.
"If you''re a lord, how can you not take care of your own territory and manage your own people?"
"You must''ve been spending your days lording over them,pletely neglecting your responsibilities as a lord, huh?"
"Do you know that is unforgivable?"
Sorren''s vicious words were met with Baron Carfield''s terrified screams.
"No... No, Your Highness!"
Baron Carfield cried out in panic.
"I''ve done my duties as a lord! I pay my taxes every year on time, and I submit my reports every month without fail! I''ve never cked off!"
"I''m loyal to the royal family! I support the Royal Faction, Your Highness!"
Baron Carfield thought he was being punished and abused by Sorren because some of the ''good deeds'' he had done in his territory had been discovered.
It was true that he was a supporter of the Royal Faction, but that didn''t mean he hadn''t also been in contact with the Duke Faction. Sometimes, he even sold them information for a bit of wealth.
While it was true he paid his taxes every year, that was only about thirty percent of what he collected from the people since he pocketed the rest. Not only did he impose heavy taxes on his territory, but if any of his people couldn''t pay, he would demote them to ves, using them as cheapbor or selling them off outright.
As for the monthly territory management reports, those were written by the civil officials under hismand and had nothing to do with him personally.
Nevertheless, none of these were things that Baron Carfield dared to admit, let alone speak of, so all he could do was babble nonsense.
Unfortunately, what he didn''t know was that Sorren didn''t care about any of those.
"You say you''ve been doing your duty as a lord? Heh... Hahahahaha¡ª!!!"
Sorrenughed, but hisughter was full of fury.
"If you''ve been doing your duty, then why did you let that damn guy escape from your territory, you fucking bastard?!"
*BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!*
Sorren began kicking Baron Carfield''s body, one kick after another.
"If you hadn''t let him escape, would I be suffering like this?!"
"If you weren''t so ipetent, how could that guy have stayed hidden for so long?!"
"If you had recognized his talent and potential from the start, captured him, and trained him to be a loyal dog, would he have ever had the chance to unt himself in front of me?!"
"It''s all your fault! Everything is your fault, you fucking bastard!"
*BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!*
Sorren ruthlessly pinned all the me on Baron Carfield, venting his frustration as he kicked harder and harder until Baron Carfield was bruised and bloodied, his whole body covered in stters of blood.
"AGH¡ª! UGH¡ª!"
At first, Baron Carfield tried to hold on, crying and begging for mercy, but eventually, he could only scream in agony. Before long, he waspletely unrecognizable, lying in a pool of blood, barely clinging to life, no longer able to even raise his hands to cover his head.
Still not satisfied, Sorren kicked him a few more times before finally turning to the three peasants.
"Spare us!"
"Please spare us!"
Having witnessed the torture from start to finish, the three were already terrified beyond reason. When Sorren turned to them, they immediately knelt and banged their heads on the floor, crying pitifully.
Sorren looked at the three with the same disdain as if he were looking at filth, but now that his anger had mostly subsided, so he didn''t torture them.
"You''re Riezel Brynhart''s grandfather and parents, right?" Sorren asked coldly.
""Riezel?""
As soon as they heard the name, the three instantly froze in ce.
Clearly, there was no way they didn''t recognize the name.
It was a name that had once brought them great joy, only to turn to sorrow, then to anger and hatred.
Riezel''s family, the Brynhart family, had always been an extremely poor family of peasants for three generations, living in the Barony of Carfield, surviving through farming, and living as lowly as ves.
Both Riezel''s grandfather and his father had dreamed of escaping poverty, of no longer being peasants, and of living a life of wealth and status.
Unfortunately, not only did they never achieve that, but Riezel''s grandfather had once been reduced to a ve after being unable to pay his taxes, bing just another one of Baron Carfield''s many ves with no rights.
Baron Carfield''s ves did the most work but received the least pay, barely surviving. If they weren''t starving every three days, they were certainly starving six or seven days out of nine.
Such a miserable life didn''t change even after Riezel was born.
It wasn''t until about a year ago that the Brynhart family discovered by chance that Riezel had incredibly strong magical energy and could possibly be a magician, which caused them to be overjoyed.
For people who had been peasants and even ves their entire lives, a magician was as noble as it got.
They didn''t know anything aboutbat-ss, tactical-ss, or strategic-ss concepts, but in the Barony of Carfield, a magician was hired by Baron Carfield with the sole job of cing very contracts on those who couldn''t pay their taxes.
Aside from that, the magician did nothing else, yet he held a position second only to Baron Carfield, admired and envied by everyone, living a life of luxury.
He could cast fireballs and st apart massive boulders that even several strong men couldn''t move.
He could summon gusts of wind, blowing away any number of ves or guards who tried to surround him with ease.
All of these, to people in such a rural area, power like that could only be described as a miracle.
If their descendant could be someone like that, they would surely live a good life, no longer poor peasants.
In their excitement, theypletely ignored the fact that Riezel was present when they made decisions about his future without consulting him.
Yes, they were nning to offer Riezel to Baron Carfield and have him work as a ve in exchange for wealth and fortune.
Knowing what fate awaited him, Riezel escaped without hesitation, shattering the Brynhart family''s dreams.
As a result, over the past year, the Brynhart family had been filled with nothing but anger and hatred toward Riezel, believing that this ungrateful child had abandoned them, an act that defied all sense of decency.
Had they not feared being beaten to death by Baron Carfield''s men for leaving the territory without permission, they would have chased after Riezel, dragged him back, and given him a good beating.
Until today, this was the first time they had heard Riezel''s name again.
"D-Did that ungrateful brat offend you?"
Riezel''s father stuttered, trembling as he asked fearfully.
"No! It has nothing to do with us!"
Riezel''s mother cried, her voice filled with tears.
"Yes! He ran away from home a long time ago! It has nothing to do with us! If you want to settle the score, go find him! You can beat him to death for all I care! A heartless scum like him deserves it!"
Riezel''s grandfather couldn''t hold back, unleashing all the anger and hatred he had toward his own grandson.
Eventually, the three of them started shouting one after another, making it clear that they had nothing to do with Riezel and were unaware of anything he had done¡ªwhatever sins hemitted were his alone, with no connection to them.
Watching the Brynhart family''s pathetic, desperate behavior, Sorren actually smiled, but this time, his smile wasn''t filled with anger but was full of amusement.
"Hahaha... I see, I see..." Sorrenughed, then sighed. "No wonder... so, that guy grew up in a family like this, huh? Now I understand why he hid his strength and trained in secret... If you''d found out about his abilities too early, you''d have turned him into your money-making tool and sent him off to this useless baron, yeah?"
He felt like he had uncovered a piece of the mystery behind Riezel''s life.
However, that wasn''t important for now.
"By the way, you guys probably don''t know about his current situation, right?"
Sorren sneered at Riezel''s parents and grandfather.
"He is now the seventh Sword Saint of Jinas and also a Tactical-ss Magician."
"Heh, just so you know, his status and power are among the highest in the kingdom now."
Upon hearing this, the Brynhart family was stunned.
"But of course, that''s not the important part..."
Sorren continued, shifting his tone.
"What''s important is that your son, your grandson, has made something of himself. So, as his family, it''s only natural for you to go see him, right?"
"You want to live? Easy."
"Justplete a simple job."
Sorren ced a bottle that looked like a potion in front of the Brynhart family.
"As long as you seed in making him drink this potion, not only will I spare your lives, but I will also make sure you get the wealth and fortune you''ve always dreamed of."
"So? Can you do it?"
As soon as Sorren''s questionnded, the Brynhart family exchanged nces, their faces lighting up with joy.
"Yes!"
"We can do it!"
"We swear toplete the job!"
Without a second''s hesitation, they shouted in excitement, their minds fixated on one thing¡ªthey would finally get the wealth they had always dreamed of.
As for what the potion was or what would happen to Riezel after drinking it, that wasn''t something they cared to know.
"Good."
Hearing their answers, the sneer on Sorren''s face deepened.
He could hardly wait to see, to see the despair on Riezel''s face after drinking the potion he had prepared and realizing that he had been betrayed by his own family.
However, Sorren had no idea that, outside, a figure targeting him was slowly approaching.
Chapter 273: Mist
Chapter 273: Mist
Sorren noticed that something was off about three minutester.
"Why''s it getting noisy outside?" Sorren frowned and questioned the knight beside him. "Did someonee by or something?"
He could hear faint sounds ofmotion from outside the building and even some muffled noises.
"Maybe someone identally wandered close to the area?"
With a hesitant tone, the knight replied while lowering his head.
"Even though this ce is remote, it''s notpletely deserted. Besides, the sounds tend to get amplified because it''s so quiet around here, so sometimes it can sound noisier than it actually is."
Despite hearing this answer, Sorren''s frown didn''t rx.
He could feel that something was definitely off.
It was already the middle of the night, so who would pass through such a remote area at this hour?"Rest assured, Your Highness."
Noticing Sorren wasn''t convinced, the knight added quickly.
"For concealment reasons, there aren''t any magic defenses in ce, but we have people on guard and keeping watch twenty-four hours a day. If there were any abnormalities, they''ll sound the rm immediately."
In other words, everything should be fine if the rm hadn''t sounded.
Evidently, the knight didn''t think there was anything wrong.
It couldn''t be helped.
Since Sorren had started using this ce as his hideout to train his private troops years ago, nothing noteworthy had ever happened. Most days, the area was so quiet that it was rare for anyone to even pass by, let aloneunch an attack.
As a result, none of the knights present reacted or sensed anything out of ce¡ªeveryone remained rxed, except for Sorren, whose eyes gradually narrowed.
He couldn''t help it.
He had already started to hear what sounded like screams.
"You pathetic fools!"
*BANG!*
Sorren kicked the bowing knight next to him, sending him flying, and roared at everyone present.
"We''re under attack, you bunch of morons! Draw your swords!"
Just as the words left Sorren''s mouth, the battle had already begun.
*PENG!*
Suddenly, the sound of ss shattering echoed through the room.
A shadowy figure smashed through a corner window and leaped inside,nding in the room.
*PENG!* *PENG!* *PENG!* *PENG!*
It was like a chain reaction¡ªwindow after window shattered as more shadowy figures jumped in from all directions.
In an instant, countless shadowy figures filled the room, attacking the nearest knights without a word.
"What the¡ª?!"
One of the knights, the first to face the attack, paled as he hurried to draw his sword to block, but before he could, the shadowy figure before him had already swung their sword.
*Pu-chi!*
A sound like fabric tearing echoed as blood sttered.
"AAAHHHHH¡ª!"
With a loud, painful scream, the knight was cut down on the spot, a gruesome sh running from his shoulder to his side and spilling blood in thick streams.
After cutting down the knight, the shadowy figure immediately darted toward another, swinging their sword at him.
At the same time, the same scene unfolded in every corner of the room¡ªone after another, the shadowy figures who had smashed through the windows charged at the nearest knight, shing their swords without hesitation.
Some knights were cut down in an instant, while others still survived, engaging in chaotic battles.
Inevitably, the room quickly turned into a battlefield, filled with the screams, roars, and frantic shouts of the knights, all echoing through the chaos.
"WHO THE HELL ARE ALL OF YOU?!"
Twisting his face in rage, Sorren barely managed to draw his sword in time to block the sh of one of the shadowy figures and yelled out a question with a ferocious expression.
Upon closer inspection, all the shadowy figures were cloaked in ck robes, their faces hidden behind masks,pletely concealing their identities. Only their hands emerged from the sleeves, each holding two swords¡ªthe cold glint of steel flickering in the room''s light.
They moved like emotionless executioners, reapers of life, saying nothing as they attacked Sorren''s men with mechanical precision, their aura more like that of cold steel than living beings.
Yet, despite being such cold-blooded executioners, each of them possessed exceptional swordsmanship.
Although their swordsmanship was not quite at the level of Sword Masters, it was still formidable¡ªjust a step below.
Currently, there were about a hundred of these skilled swordsmen, enough to rival a small knightly order.
"SPEAK! WHO THE HELL ARE ALL OF YOU?!"
Sorren shouted with all his might, torn between shock and fury, especially upon seeing his private troops, whom he had secretly trained for years, falling one after another under the assault.
Some had already been cut down, and those still standing were barely holding their ground, fighting desperately and clumsily.
Seeing all of this drove Sorren to the brink of madness.
His vicious side emerged in full force, causing him to roar as he unleashed a brilliant, lightning-fast strike at the ck-robed swordsman in front of him.
His strike was so fast and powerful that even a Sword Master might not have been able to counter it. Only an extremely skilled and experienced Sword Master could avoid the inevitable fate of being disemboweled.
In this situation, the ck-robed swordsman seemed unable to block the strike, having no time to react.
However, as Sorren''s strikended on the swordsman''s body, something astonishing happened.
*DING!*
With a sharp metallic sh, Sorren''s sword struck the ck-robed swordsman''s body, but it was as if it had hit solid steel and bounced back¡ªcausing the force of the recoil to send him stumbling two or three steps backward, his expression shifting from surprise to a dark scowl.
''All of them... aren''t human...''
Sorren finally realized what he was facing.
''They''re dolls, being controlled by someone...''
''The ones attacking us aren''t swordsmen, but a magician...''
''A magician skilled in the Control System.''
Sorren''s guess was half right and half wrong.
The right part was that the ck-robed swordsmen indeed weren''t human¡ªthey were dolls, or more precisely,bat mechanical dolls.
The wrong part was that the one controlling them wasn''t just a magician but also a genuine swordsman.
As Sorren was lost in thought, carefully observing the doll before him, a thin, faint mist suddenly began to fill the room, appearing swiftly and unexpectedly.
"What''s this?"
Sorren jumped back, dodging the mist.
It was clear he was worried the mist was dangerous, suspecting it might be some kind of magic from the magician or even poisonous.
However, he was overthinking it, as the mist was actually only serving as a cover.
Proof?
Right after the mist passed like a breeze, a figure silently appeared in front of him where nothing had been a second ago.
It was a swordsman cloaked in a ck robe, just like the surrounding dolls, with one arm holding a sword extending from the sleeve. Even though the swordsman didn''t seem to be wearing a mask, with their head slightly lowered and a hood covering their face, he ultimately couldn''t make out what they looked like.
Nevertheless, he felt a deadly threat radiating from this swordsman.
''Dammit, this guy is strong... not just strong, but insanely strong...''
Sorren instinctively realized this fact.
He tightened his grip on his sword, his attention no longer on the surroundings but locked onto the swordsman who had appeared with the mist¡ªhis mind screamed with warning signs.
However, the swordsman didn''t immediately look at him but instead nced toward the corner of the room.
"Wh-What happened?!"
"Somebody help us!"
"I-I''ve had enough!"
At this moment, the three members of the Brynhart family were huddled in a corner, clutching their heads, crouching on the ground, trembling uncontrobly, and crying helplessly.
"..."
Seeing them, the swordsman stayed silent, watching the Brynhart family for a few moments before turning back to Sorren.
"?!"
Suddenly, Sorren''s warning signs exploded in his mind, causing him to instinctively leap back.
Almost simultaneously, the swordsman surged forward, cloaked in mist, sliding swiftly across the ground as he closed in on Sorren.
"Mist Breathing - Fourth Form - Shifting Flow sh."
A low murmur, only audible to the swordsman, echoed.
*Swish!*
In a sh, several sword lights sliced through the mist, cutting toward Sorren with astonishing speed.
*Splurt!*
Blood spurted from Sorren''s chest.
It was clear he had been hit.
Although he had desperately leaped back to avoid being cut in half on the spot, he hadn''tpletely escaped, as a sh now marked his chest.
"UGH!"
Stumbling backward, Sorren grunted, then quickly pulled a potion from his pocket and downed it in one gulp without thinking.
Before long, a faint glow spread over the wound on his chest, healing rapidly before his eyes.
"Oh?"
Seeing this, the mist-shrouded swordsman, with a slightly heavy and distorted voice, sounded a bit surprised, maybe even mocking.
"As expected of a prince¡ªcarrying around a magic potion that heals injuries so quickly... Truly a man of wealth."
Upon hearing this, Sorren didn''t feel the slightest bit of pride.
"WHO, THE, HELL, ARE, YOU?!"
Sorren''s expression darkened as he red at the swordsman with pure rage, shouting each word venomously.
It was clear from his clenched teeth and furious tone alone that he wanted nothing more than to tear the swordsman apart.
It was perfectly understandable.
If he hadn''t reacted in time just now, he might already be dead.
If not for the magic potion he carried, even if he survived, he would have been seriously injured before eventually dying from blood loss.
He was convinced that this mist-shrouded swordsman was here to kill him.
Understanding this, Sorren''s mind was filled with intense rage.
Unfortunately, such a rage was meaningless to the one standing before him.
"Who am I? Heh..."
Seeing Sorren''s angry expression, the mist-shrouded swordsman sneered before speaking in a calm, indifferent tone.
"You can call me... Mist."
Chapter 274: Riezel vs Sorren
Chapter 274: Riezel vs Sorren
Mist.
It was obvious that this wasn''t a real name.
Needless to say, the only one who could use Mist Breathing from the world of Demon yer and control numerousbat mechanical dolls of Yoriichi Type One in this world was obviously Riezel.
At this moment, Riezel had arrived at the location provided by Serena, the abandoned mansion where Sorren hid his family¡ªor rather, the original Riezel''s family.
On the way, however, Riezel happened to catch Sorren sneaking out of the royal pce anding to this abandoned mansion.
Riezel wasn''t surprised by this¡ªin fact, he had already expected Sorren toe here.
Since Sorren had gone through a lot of trouble to drag Baron Carfield and the Brynhart family to the royal capital, he definitely wasn''t going to just sit around and do nothing. Riezel had already anticipated that Sorren would show up personally, using the people he had captured to execute some wicked n.
Riezel hade precisely for this reason.
Going through so much trouble to attack this abandoned mansion, Riezel''s goal was clearly not just to wipe out the hideout of Sorren''s private troops, as evident from the fact that as soon as he confronted Sorren, he had gone straight for the killing move, showing no regard for the fact that the young man in front of him was a prince.Surely, Sorren could see this too, see that the mist-shrouded swordsman in front of him wanted to kill him, to cut him down.
Nevertheless, it wasn''t the first time Sorren had faced danger like this.
As a member of the royal family, and with such a violent temperament at that, Sorren had faced many assassination attempts throughout his life. Still, the attack from the swordsman just now was definitely the closest he hade to death and the most dangerous he had ever felt.
As a result, despite the anger boiling inside him and his desire to tear the flesh of the swordsman in front of him and devour it, Sorren understood, after that brief exchange, that he might not be a match for this swordsman.
"Who sent you?"
Sorren suppressed his rage, gritting his teeth as he questioned.
"Was it the Cordelion family? Someone from the Duke Faction? Or someone high up from a foreign country?"
All of these were the possibilities Sorren could think of.
As for Riezel, Sorren didn''t suspect him at all.
He had already investigated everything about Riezel and knew that Riezel had always been alone, without any men under him. If not for Lizbeth''s appearance, Riezel wouldn''t even have had an attendant by his side.
As for the Frenzel family, they didn''t have a powerful swordsman like this mist-shrouded one either. Although the three attendants under Yuri were all Sword Masters, none of them could pose a threat to him, including Marilyn.
Not to mention, there were so many powerful dolls here.
Judging by their performance and abilities, they were clearly crafted by a magician highly skilled in the Structure System and might even have been created using Tactical-ss Magic from the Structure System, which waspletely beyond the Frenzel family''s capabilities.
He knew that Yuri specialized in the Control System, while Riezel, ording to preliminary tests at Spriller Academy, had been confirmed to only have excellent magicpatibility with the Interference System, while the others were average.
Considering this, neither of them had the means to use Tactical-ss Magic from the Structure System, nor was it possible for them to create so many high-performance dolls.
Buying or acquiring them from somewhere else was also unrealistic.
Transporting such arge number of dolls to the royal capital would be a huge undertaking, impossible to keep hidden from the eyes of the royal family. Even if they used summoning magic to bring them to the royal capital from somewhere else, the amount of magical energy required and themotion caused by summoning so many dolls would not go unnoticed.
Moreover, knowing that the Frenzel family could be considered the most scrutinized among the noble families, it was even more impossible.
Before, there were always people watching them in secret because of Yuri''s achievements and their neutral stance, and now, thanks to Riezel''s appearance and his extraordinary feats, spies from every major force on the continent hovered around every day.
If such argemotion had urred, it would have definitely drawn the attention of all parties involved.
Considering all of this, Sorren didn''t suspect Riezel''s involvement and definitely didn''t think the mist-shrouded swordsman in front of him was actually Riezel himself.
Why?
It was simple.
In Sorren''s eyes, the swordsmanship used by the swordsman in front of him was obviously different from Riezel''s.
One should know that Riezel, known as the Lightning Sword Saint, was already famous throughout the continent. Everyone knew he used a swordsmanship simr to thunder and lightning, emphasizing speed and explosive power, with a strong ability to defeat his opponents instantly.
However, the mist-shrouded swordsman in front of him, though their sh was indeed impressive, clearly employed a style of swordsmanship more suited to assassination and stealth.
Not only was the trajectory of the swordsman''s sword sh unpredictable, but their figure was also like a ghost, appearing and disappearing at will¡ªclearly a skill only a professional assassin would possess.
Moreover, he didn''t sense any aura or magical energy from the swordsman, which suggested that their concealment ability was also something only a professional assassin would possess.
Ironically, all of this led Sorren astray from the correct answer, making him the perfect example of someone who was too clever for his own good.
Riezel, seeing that Sorren had been sessfully misled by his swordsmanship, gave a faint smile.
"Guess."
Speaking in an indifferent voice, Riezel slowly walked toward Sorren, and soon a thin mist began to spread around him, followed by a haze of light.
If Muichirou were here to witness this, he would definitely be astonished.
Simply walking, yet mist billowed out like a mere breath¡ªsuch mastery, such a phenomenon had far surpassed the Mist Breathing Muichirou used and understood.
It was only natural.
At this moment, Riezel wasn''t just using Mist Breathing but also incorporated some of the insights he had gained in his recent fight with Rohm into this breathing style.
Riezel had to admit that Rohm''s Shadow Strike Sword Style was truly unmatched in stealth. It not only allowed him to hide all aura and presence like the Selfless State but also let him hide within shadows, control them, and evade almost all means of detection and surveince.
If Riezel hadn''t mastered the Transparent World, which just happened to counter Rohm''s Shadow Strike Sword Style, it would have been absolutely impossible for him to defeat the invisible Rohm using only Thunder Breathing.
Thanks to the Transparent World, Riezel understood Rohm''s state clearly when using the Shadow Strike Sword Style.
Whether it was the direction and contraction of Rohm''s muscles, the way he used the swordsmanship, his breathing rhythm, or the activity and flow of magical energy when using it, all of this was observed by the Transparent World.
Adding to Riezel''s exceptional memory and rapid growth, after a few days of deliberate practice, he sessfully grasped part of the essence of the Shadow Strike Sword Style and incorporated it into his own Mist Breathing.
Although Mist Breathing hadn''t evolved or transformed like Sun Breathing, it now had some traits of the Shadow Strike Sword Style.
While the Shadow Strike Sword Style could freely manipte shadows, Riezel''s Mist Breathing could now freely manipte mist.
While users of the Shadow Strike Sword Style could hide within shadows to avoid detection, Riezel''s Mist Breathing allowed him to do the same, letting him hide within mist, unseen by any eye.
Whether it was shing or moving, Riezel could do so silently and unpredictably, toying with his enemies as he pleased.
Now, Sorren was getting a taste of this.
*Whoosh¡ª*
Amid the billowing mist, Riezel''s figure suddenly disappeared like a ghost.
"?!"
Seeing this, Sorren''s heart tightened, and without thinking, he quickly turned and ran.
Unfortunately for Sorren, his speed was nowhere near fast enough to escape Riezel.
"Mist Breathing - First Form - Low Clouds, Distant Haze."
In the surrounding mist, Riezel suddenly appeared, wavering like a mirage.
*Whoosh!*
A sword thrust forward, like a sh of light, darting out abruptly.
*Pu-chi!*
Sorren''s side was instantly pierced by the sudden stab, blood gushing out in arge spray.
"ARGHHH¡ª!"
Sorren cried out in pain, but he swiftly turned, shing a fierce strike at Riezel beside him.
*BOOM!*
With an explosive sound, Sorren''s sword struck the ground heavily, shattering the floor.
Surprisingly, Riezel, supposedly struck by Sorren''s sword, merely swayed like a mirage, blurring and fading away like a ghost, disappearing into the unsteady air.
"Mist Breathing - Second Form - Eight-Layered Mist."
In the next moment, eight rapid shes cut through the mist, turning into eight streaks of light, all striking Sorren''s body.
*Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!*
*Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!*
The sound of a sharp de slicing through flesh echoed continuously.
Eight times in a row, each sh drew blood from Sorren''s shoulder, thigh, abdomen, waist, back, neck, and arm¡ªone even cut across his cheek, leaving a gruesome wound on his face.
"AAAGGGHHH¡ª!"
Sorren screamed in agony, his whole body ravaged as if he were being yed alive, nearly copsing to the ground in pain.
Had Sorren not, in this life-or-death moment, tapped into his potential to avoid being hit in the most fatal areas, he would probably be dead by now.
Even Riezel had to admit that this Mad Dog Prince was indeed impressive.
Sorren''s ability to unleash such dodging skills in a desperate situation was proof enough that, despite his cruelty and nasty personality, his strength and potential were undeniable.
Unfortunately¡ª
"Nice dodge, but this is the end."
Saying this calmly, Riezel emerged from the mist, appearing behind Sorren.
"Allow me to grant you the kind of mercy that vanishes like mist in the wind."
Behind Sorren, Riezel raised his sword and mercilessly shed at Sorren''s neck, but suddenly¡ª
"GET LOST!"
Sorren abruptly lifted his head, veins bulging as he roared in fury.
*BOOM!*
A sudden roar burst through the air as an astonishing force erupted from Sorren''s body, spreading in all directions.
Needless to say, it was none other than the spiritual power from the inherited swordsmanship of Jinas''s royal family¡ªthe War King Sword Style.
Sorren had finally unleashed his spiritual power, blowing away the surrounding mist and forcing Riezel, who had been about to deliver a fatal blow, to freeze in ce for a moment.
Such overwhelming pressure, which Riezel had once felt from Lizbeth, now pressed down on his body once again.
"DIE!"
Sorren seized the opportunity and, with a savage expression, swung his sword at Riezel''s neck.
Chapter 275: Teleportation Magic Crystal
Chapter 275: Teleportation Magic Crystal
"DIE!"
Sorren seized the opportunity and, with a savage expression, swung his sword at Riezel''s neck.
At this moment, Sorren unleashed not only his strongest attack but also poured his spiritual power to the limit, resulting in the terrifying spiritual power pressing down on Riezel''s body like a solid force, pinning him down.
Evidently, this was a desperate counterattack¡ªat least, this was Sorren''s intention.
Sorren had hidden his spiritual power until now to wait for this moment to fully ignite it and push his strength to the limit, causing the sword he swung to be fast and fierce, almost surpassing the strength of ordinary Sword Masters, barely touching the realm of Sword Saint.
If any swordsmen had been watching the current Sorren, they would have seen that his sword sh, in terms of angle, trajectory, and power, had already surpassed his own limits. As for ordinary onlookers, his sword sh appeared as a brilliant sh¡ªa sh so bright it resembled a beam of light.
In such a situation, Sorren''s sword ultimately hit its target.
*Swish!*
Riezel, along with the surrounding mist, was cleaved by Sorren''s sword that shed like lightning¡ªhis hooded head and neck werepletely severed, splitting him in half, as if time had frozen at that moment.*BOOOM!*
Sorren''s brilliant sh continued unabated, carving through the ground and slicing through the walls in its path, apanied by a rumbling sound.
Such a scene seemed both eternal and fleeting, a sight those fortunate enough to witness it would likely never forget.
Yet, despite Sorren''s explosive power and stunning sword attack, he ultimately failed to draw even a drop of blood from Riezel.
Soon, Riezel''s severed head and body slowly transformed into mist under Sorren''s gaze.
"What?!"
Sorren''s expression changed drastically.
Unfortunately for him, by the time he tried to react, it was already toote.
*Pu-chi!*
A sharp sword pierced through Sorren''s chest, leaving arge stain of blood.
Riezel appeared behind Sorren without him noticing, stabbing him in the back and driving the sword through his chest.
"..."
Sorren froze in ce, and the spiritual power around him instantly vanished.
"Your Highness!"
"Your Highness!"
Catching sight of this scene, the knights still fighting fiercely nearby widened their eyes in disbelief, erupting in frantic cries.
Riezel coldly watched Sorren, who was facing away from him with a sword piercing through his chest.
"You thought I wouldn''t be prepared for the swordsmanship of Jinas''s royal family?"
Riezel spoke coldly into Sorren''s ear.
"Everyone on the continent knows that the royal family of Jinas uses the War King Sword Style that can control spiritual power. Do you think you could hide that ability until thest moment and catch me off guard?"
"If so, I can only say you''re even more foolish than I imagined."
With that, Riezel pressed down on Sorren''s body and slowly pulled his sword out, causing blood to immediately pool around them.
Sorren, losing all his strength, immediately fell to the ground before looking up at Riezel, his eyes showing no pain or despair, only endless rage and hatred.
"Tell... me..."
Ignoring the blood still gushing from his chest, Sorren fixed his gaze on Riezel, squeezing out the words from his throat.
"Who... are you..."
"Who wants to kill me..."
*Cough!* *Cough!*
"I... I..."
Coughing up blood, Sorren kept pressing for answers, as if he wouldn''t close his eyes until he got them.
In response, Riezel tilted his head slightly.
"Guess..."
Riezel replied in a tone simr to Sorren''s from the past, a mocking tone in his voice.
"Well, you can take your time guessing in hell."
Riezel turned and walked away from Sorren, but suddenly¡ª
"...I won''t let this go."
Sorren, barely hanging on, managed to utter these words before an unusual magical energy surged around him.
Sensing something amiss, Riezel paused and spun sharply, just in time to see Sorren vanish.
A second earlier, when the strange magical energy surge appeared, a magic circle suddenly emerged beneath Sorren, whoy in a pool of blood, causing him to instantly vanish in a burst of light. Riezel turned around just as Sorren disappeared, only managing to catch the moment when the magic circle shattered.
Riezel''s eyes narrowed before he rushed to the pool of blood.
Sorren was long gone, leaving only a shattered crystal on the ground, devoid of all its brilliance.
"..."
Riezel remained silent for a long time, his brows tightly knitted under the hood. After a while, he picked up the shattered crystal, took a look at it, and confirmed something.
''Teleportation magic crystal¡''
As the name suggested, it was a magic crystal inscribed with space magic.
It was what peoplemonly referred to as a teleportation item, meant to instantly transport the user to a pre-set location, achieving the effect of teleportation.
Items like this were extremely precious.
First, only Tactical-ss Magicians or higher who were proficient in the Structure System could create such magic items.
Second, the magician also had to be proficient in space magic, or they needed to seek help from a magician skilled in it to assist in the creation.
Since space magic requiredpatibility with the Imaginary System to practice, the difficulty of mastering this magic was very high, and the requirements were extremely stringent, making it rare to find its practitioner even within a hundred years.
In other words, to create a teleportation magic crystal, a Tactical-ss Magician proficient in space magic and the Structure System, along with the highest-grade magic crystal, was needed. Otherwise, it would not be possible to inscribe the teleportation magic, preventing the sessful creation of the teleportation magic crystal.
Such conditions made the creation of teleportation magic crystals incredibly difficult, resulting in their extreme scarcity¡ªtruly a special treasure.
Moreover, this teleportation magic crystal was for one-time use only, meaning that using one meant there was one less.
All of this illustrated just how rare and precious teleportation magic crystals were.
''Seriously... that mad dog has such good stuff...''
Riezel realized he had underestimated Sorren''s wealth.
Whether it was the previous bottle of highly effective healing potion or the teleportation magic crystal, these were treasures that ordinary people couldn''t even dream of obtaining.
Let alone ordinary people, even nobles might not have them, especially the teleportation magic crystal¡ªa rarity that even some royal families in the Akasha Continent might not possess.
Just the fact that Sorren had one was truly surprising and unexpected.
However, the teleportation magic crystal''s existence undoubtedly signified to Riezel that his assassination attempt had failed.
''Well, whatever...''
Riezel stored the broken crystal in the storage space of the Dimensional Magic Cube, and his furrowed brows slowly rxed.
''Forcing him to use something so valuable for his life isn''t a total loss.''
Riezel didn''t dwell on it any longer and nced around the entire room.
Inside the room, Sorren''s men seemed to have lost all desire to fight after their master fled¡ªsome even gave up in despair and scrambled to escape, trying to flee this ughterhouse.
Riezel scanned the room and then turned his gaze to the corner, where the Brynhart family huddled together, trembling and shouting, with their heads tucked between their arms.
Memories of this family quickly flooded his mind.
ording to the original Riezel''s memories, no one in the Brynhart family was a good person.
The grandfather was always unhappy about being a peasant, dreaming daily of escaping poverty and bing wealthy, yet the only real action he ever took was to curry favor with Baron Carfield, never once considering changing his fate through his own efforts. Instead, he relied on the hope of being recognized by so-called big shots, fantasizing about overnight sess.
The father mostlyined about his own parents, ming them for his existence and believing that if they hadn''t had him, he might have been born into a wealthy family, perhaps even a noble one, enjoying a life of luxury instead of struggling as a peasant in poverty.
The mother wasn''t any better.
She once tried to marry into Baron Carfield''s family to be a nobledy and even abandoned her own family for it, shamelessly presenting herself, only to be pitifully expelled by Baron Carfield.
In a desperate situation, she had no choice but to marry the original Riezel''s father to avoid starving on the streets.
In this twisted family, the grandfather despised his daughter-inw, who in turn despised her husband, while her husband despised his father. Like a vicious circle, the whole family was constantly at odds, always arguing and causing trouble, even resulting in a notorious reputation in the Barony of Carfield.
Naturally, the original Riezel had always looked down on this family, resenting their poverty, their mediocrity, and everything about them.
As a result, after discovering his own talents, the original Riezel chose to leave home without hesitation.
One could say that the original Riezel had no feelings for his family, and Riezel himself could never view them as his family either.
As a result, after ncing at them indifferently, Riezel simply turned away and walked forward, letting mist rise up to envelop his body, vanishing like a ghost in the next second.
Inside the room, several Yoriichi Type One, havingpleted their ughter task, set a fire to burn the building down.
Under the moonlit night, the abandoned mansion was engulfed in mes, gradually turning into charred ruins.
The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and
continue reading tomorrow, everyone!
Chapter 276: Contradiction and Worry
Chapter 276: Contradiction and Worry
Royal Pce, Courtyard.
In the stillness of the night, apart from the knights on guard and patrol, almost no one wandered the royal pce at this hour.
As a result, the royal pce''s courtyard, once the most scenic and lively ce where people often strolled to unwind, nowy in a chilling silence.
A few patrolling knights happened to pass through, their strong footsteps echoing as they chatted casually.
"Have you heard? Captain Albert seems to have taken a long leave."
"Yeah, I heard. It seems he thinks he''s not strong enough, so he wants to really focus on training. He doesn''t have time to manage the knightly order, so he temporarily resigned from his captain position."
"No wonder the knights from the First Knight Division have seemed a bit restlesstely. So, it''s because Captain Albert quit?"
"Can''t me him. Getting defeated in one move by a previously unknown seventeen-year-old must be a huge blow for someone born into a family of Sword Saints."
"Yeah, not only is that youngster now a Sword Saint, but I also heard he hasn''t lost a single match. No matter who it is, they can''t dodge his lightning bolt or escape his lightning-speed sh. Captain Albert is strong, but he''s not a Sword Saint, so losing to the famous Lightning Sword Saint isn''t that embarrassing, right?""You''re right, but it seems the guys in the First Knight Division are pretty upset about Captain Albert''s situation. They''ve been stirring things up, wanting that Borley family''s Sword Saint to step in and regain some pride against the Lightning Sword Saint."
"What? Are those guys out of their minds? Aren''t they acting like sore losers?"
"It''s normal, honestly... You know, most people in the First Knight Division are either vassals, distant rtives, or directly rted to the Borley family¡ªmeaning the whole division is basically made up of Borley family supporters. Plus, Captain Albert isn''t just their knight captain; he''s also the one they''ll be loyal to in the future. Now that he''s lost so badly, a lot of them probably feel like they can''t just let it slide."
"If the Borley family''s Sword Saint gets involved, it''ll be a big deal then..."
"Sword Saint versus Sword Saint, huh..."
"Sounds a bit scary, but I kinda want to see it."
"Me too."
As the knights chatted about this topic, they followed their designated patrol route, asionally ncing around to show that although they were chatting, their vignce hadn''t decreased.
However, just secondster, they suddenly noticed a magic circle appearing in the air above the courtyard.
"What''s that?"
"A magic circle?"
"Get ready! Something''s about to happen!"
Saying these words, the knights quickly reacted, almost reflexively drawing their swords.
However, the terrible situation they had thought about didn''t ur.
At this moment, the magic circle in the air didn''tunch any attacks or make any movements but merely released a person to the ground before vanishing, leaving only the person, who slowly bled onto the ground, dyeing it red.
Seeing this, the knights quickly surrounded the person before gasping in shock.
"Wait, isn''t this His Highness the Third Prince?"
"What in the world happened¡"
"What a serious injury!"
"Quick! Go get the court magician!"
"His Highness is in danger!"
In an instant, the stillness of the royal pce was shattered.
On this night, many were destined to remain sleepless.
===
Meanwhile, on the other side, after finishing his objective, Riezel returned to the Frenzel residence, having stored his bloodied sword and ck robe in the storage space of the Dimensional Magic Cube.
A thin mist drifted in through a window, enveloping Riezel''s room before revealing his figure.
"Hmm?"
As soon as Riezel stepped into his room, he noticed that someone was there.
"Master..."
Lizbeth, sitting on Riezel''s bed with Moslow in her arms, looked a bit uneasy, but upon seeing his return, she immediately stood up.
"What are you doing here?"
Riezel walked over to Lizbeth and asked with a surprised expression.
"Because I felt you left¡" Lizbeth answered softly, her face tinged with worry.
Due to the presence of the attendant contract, a magical connection was created between Riezel and Lizbeth that not only bound them to their agreement but also allowed them to sense each other''s locations.
Thanks to this, when Riezel left his room in the dead of night, no one else noticed¡ªexcept Lizbeth.
Lizbeth had thought about following Riezel, but remembering the earlier conversation he had with Serena, she guessed he was going out for something important.
As a result, Lizbeth hesitated for a long time, struggling with herself, and ultimately decided not to follow him but to stay in his room, waiting for his return instead.
"I see..." Riezel nodded in understanding. "You really didn''t have toe here, y''know? You could''ve just stayed in your own room and even gone to sleep."
Lizbeth''s room was, after all, right next to Riezel''s, separated only by a wall, so she could easily wait there without needing toe over.
"But..."
Lizbeth looked down, nervously shifting her weight from foot to foot.
Seeing Lizbeth''s demeanor, Riezel guessed what she wanted to say.
"What''s up?" Riezel smiled, finding her behavior amusing. "Are you worried about what I did to your half-brother?"
"I''m sorry..." Lizbeth, caught in her thoughts, looked dejected. "I know I shouldn''t feel this way..."
"Nah, it''s okay..." Riezel patted her head. "No matter what, he''s still your brother, so it''s normal to care about his well-being."
"I-I just want to know how he''s doing, that''s all! I mean no harm!" Lizbeth quickly exined in a hasty tone. "Elder Brother Sorren means you harm, so it''s totally normal for you to fight back! I don''t think what you did was wrong either! If I were there, I would definitely help you against him!"
She felt somewhat worried that her master might suspect her loyalty. If he started to distrust her because of this, she feared she might burst into tears.
"I get it, just calm down, okay?"
Riezel shook his head with a gentle smile, soothing the anxious Lizbeth.
"I don''t doubt you, and I understand how you feel. I''m grateful that you understand my circumstances, so there''s no need for you to be this anxious."
Logically, when Riezel went out to confront her own brother, Lizbeth should have tried to stop him, even bing his enemy to protect her family. However, she chose to ept Riezel''s actions instead, showing that when she had to choose between supporting Riezel or Sorren, she decided to stand by Riezel.
In truth, it wasn''t just because of the attendant contract or simple loyalty, but because,pared to her cruel and violent brother, Lizbeth was more willing to trust and support Riezel, her amazing master.
Moreover, Lizbeth understood that her brother was in the wrong and Riezel wasn''t, so even though she knew he wanted to do something bad to her brother, she decided not to stop him.
Likewise, Riezel held no ill feelings toward Lizbeth''s worries about Sorren and merely considered it human nature, feeling that he should apologize and thank her instead. From the moment he decided to take action against Sorren, he had, after all,pletely ignored her feelings, disregarding the fact that she was Sorren''s sister.
Given this, Lizbeth didn''t need to act this way, as the one in the wrong was Riezel, not her.
"I don''t even know if I should tell you this, just to ease your mind..."
Riezel ultimately proceeded to briefly exin the sh between himself and Sorren.
"In the end, he got away. Even though he''s seriously injured and could die at any moment, there''s a high chance he''ll be saved."
Needless to say, the teleportation magic crystal that Sorren used was definitely set to a location he considered very safe, a ce where he could escape and be safe no matter what happened.
Riezel believed that this ce was probably the royal pce.
He knew that the royal pce was always guarded by a group of court magicians, each skilled in their own right, with high mastery of magic. Otherwise, they wouldn''t have been selected by the royal family and recruited to serve in the pce.
Even Yuri held the position of Chief Court Magician, showing how exceptional the court magicians in the royal pce were. Some of them were undoubtedly Tactical-ss Magicians, capable of using Tactical-ss Magic.
Riezel was sure that, among this group of magicians, at least one would be proficient in healing magic.
Considering this, and knowing the royal pce must have many top-tier potions and magic items, Riezel believed there was a good chance Sorren would escape death this time.
"Um... I don''t know if I should be relieved that my brother survived or feel regret that my master couldn''t finish what he wanted to do..." Lizbeth muttered, feeling a conflicted mix of emotions.
Hearing her mutter, Riezel continued to pat her head before offering her some advice.
"Even if he may not be dead, the royal family will definitely look into this matter. I''m not worried for myself, but I can''t let it implicate Yuri and her family."
"Although I''ve disguised myself, so it should be alright, remember not to let this information slip. Of course, it''s best if you don''t mention our contact with the Cordelion family either."
"Got it, Lizbeth?"
Riezel gazed solemnly into Lizbeth''s eyes.
"Understood, Master. I absolutely won''t say a word!"
Lizbeth understood Riezel''s meaning clearly and promised him.
In truth, Riezel wasn''t worried at all about Lizbeth spilling anything. With the attendant contract in effect, she couldn''t do anything that would harm him. Even if it was just mere words, as long as they would negatively impact him once exposed, she couldn''t leak them.
Riezel just reminded her for caution''s sake.
Done with Lizbeth, Riezel looked out the window and silently gazed at the bright moon.
''What a beautiful moon...''
Chapter 277: Shocking News
Chapter 277: Shocking News
¡ªThird Prince Sorren had been attacked by an unknown assant and was found severely injured, nearly dead.
By the next day, the news had already spread through the noble circle.
News of Sorren being found covered in blood in the royal pce''s courtyard by patrolling knights clearly couldn''t be hidden.
In a single night, it had passed through countless mouths and reached the ears of many nobles.
"What?"
"Prince Sorren was attacked?"
"What happened?"
Countless nobles were shocked when they woke up to this news.
When a prince got attacked by someone unknown and left near death, it was undoubtedly a major event.Especially since the one attacked was Sorren, not one of those overlooked, ipetent members of the royal family, but the most outstanding royal descendant of this generation¡ªa strong contender for the throne.
Needless to say, this was essentially a disaster that pierced the very heavens of Jinas.
Understanding this, everyone, whether they were from the Royal Faction or the Duke Faction, felt a jolt of shock and fear.
They could almost envision the royal family''s fury and see the king in a rage.
In fact, what they imagined was close to reality.
When the news reached Hendrick''s ears, he was indeed furious.
He quickly dispatched the royal knights, court magicians, and even the Shadow to the scene of the incident to investigate and pursue the culprit.
Naturally, many nobles were either suspected or implicated and were summoned to the royal pce for questioning by the royal family.
Thanks to this, many residents of the royal capital who had just gotten up and stepped outside were surprised by the sight of knights running back and forth in the streets and alleys, searching house to house, along with carriages hurriedly passing by, creating a scene of urgency.
"What''s going on?"
"What happened?"
Eventually, everyone quickly fell into a state of panic, their hearts racing from the royal family''s actions.
===
Yeluvia''s City Center, the Cordelion Residence.
Serena, wearing a solemn expression, hurriedly stepped into a study.
"Elder Brother, I''ve brought back the intel."
Serena called out to the only person in the room, holding a piece of parchment made of animal skin.
"Let me see."
Responding to Serena was none other than the handsome young man with golden hair who had been swinging a sword in the backyardst time¡ªSergius Cordelion, Serena''s elder brother and the famous eldest son of the Cordelion family, recognized as the best contender for the throne and holding a high-ranking position in the line of session.
Today, however, he wasn''t sweating like before but sat elegantly behind a desk in the study, looking like a promising young gentleman radiating sophistication and nobility.
Sergius took the parchment from Serena''s hand and quickly scanned the contents.
During the process, Serena couldn''t help but speak in a tone filled with disbelief, whether from admiration or shock.
"I can''t believe that mad dog nearly got killed! He was on the brink of death, and those court magicians even struggled to save him. In the end, it was His Majesty who used treasures from the royal treasury to bring him back to life."
Who caused this incident, others might not know, but these two siblings were fully aware. Even if they weren''t directly involved, they were, after all, still coborators, which was why Serena was so shocked.
"I knew he would take action, but I didn''t expect him to be that bold..." Serena murmured in disbelief. "He actually wanted to assassinate a prince in his turf... Doesn''t he fear the royal familying after him?"
A Sword Saint was indeed powerful, but Riezel was, after all, not the only Sword Saint in Jinas. If he truly crossed the royal family''s bottom line, they could easily decide to eliminate him by sending the other Sword Saints.
Not only was there the Shadow Sword Saint, who was loyal to the royal family, but there were also many other Sword Saints avable for deployment, such as the Guardian Sword Saint, the Meteor Sword Saint, and the Sword Saint from the Borley family.
As long as there was enough justification, the royal family could dispatch several Sword Saints at once to besiege Riezel and cut him down.
Faced with so many Sword Saints, could Riezel really fight them off alone?
Let alone the fact that the mysterious Old Sword Saint was also there in the royal pce. If he got involved, it would mean serious trouble.
He was hailed as Jinas''s strongest Sword Saint, having served alongside the third-generation king and guarding the royal pce for nearly a century.
Amazingly, despite his old age, he showed no signs of declining strength.
Not only were there many legendary tales about him in Jinas, but several current Sword Saints had even challenged him, only to publicly admit afterward that they were no match for him.
In the neighboring countries, many even felt a sense of dread toward the renowned Old Sword Saint, as he had stirred up quite a bit of trouble in theirnds in the past.
In the face of such power, what resistance could a newly appointed Sword Saint like Riezel muster?
Perhaps he wouldn''t even be able to put up a decent fight?
Otherwise, everyone from the Duke Faction would have acted against Sorren long ago and wouldn''t have left him alone until now.
It was precisely because they feared the royal family''s power and the many Sword Saints under them that the Duke Faction could only bide their time, allowing Sergius topete with Sorren for the throne in a legitimate way.
Riezel, on the other hand, clearly didn''t hold back at all.
When Riezel decided to act, he truly went all out, showing no concern for the royal family''s wrath.
"Hmm, this only points to one thing..."
Sergius ced the parchment he had reviewed on the desk and spoke with a hint of meaning.
"Either he''s fearless or... he''s never considered the consequences..."
"So, which one do you think it is?"
Sergius''s words made Serena recall her impression of Riezel when she had met him at Hydromel. Riezel''s calm, indifferent, and unwavering eyes truly had left a strong impression on her.
"Probably the former? But... is he really fearless?" Serena said with uncertainty.
"Maybe..." Sergius wasn''t sure about it either. "What we can be certain of is that, since he went ahead with this, we''re likely to get pulled into it."
No choice.
Since the contender for the throne, supported by the royal family, had nearly been killed, the Duke Faction would undoubtedly be the first to be suspected, and the royal family would certainly wonder if this was the work of the Duke Faction or even suspect the Cordelion family directly.
However, no matter which it was, the Cordelion siblings were definitely not getting away from this.
"Be prepared... We''re probably going to be summoned next."
Sergius''s words made Serena show a frustrated expression¡ªjust thinking about what was toe, even she felt overwhelmed.
"What a mess he made..." Serena sighed, grumbling. "He''s fine, hiding his identity, but we''re the ones who have to take part of the me for his actions."
"Yes, but this tells us that a favor from a Sword Saint isn''t easily earned." Sergius said with a slight smile. "Even if he''s younger than me, around your age, he''s still a Sword Saint."
While speaking, Sergius was already thinking about how to clear any suspicions about him and Riezel regarding this incident.
He understood that what was done was donementing wouldn''t help.
Besides, crises could also be opportunities.
If they got through this tough moment, their rtionship with Riezel would grow stronger, and the Royal Faction would be shaken by the turmoil this incident caused. If they could seize this opportunity, maybe they could turn this bad situation into a good one.
"I''ll cover for you this time..."
Sergius muttered as if he were conversing with Riezel.
"Don''t let me down, okay?"
"Lightning Sword Saint..."
===
At the same time, in the throne room of the royal pce, Hendrick sat heavily on the throne, a flicker of anger shing in his eyes.
"So? How? Have you figured it out?"
Hendrick spoke to the empty void.
Soon, a shadow began to sway and take form behind him.
"Your Majesty, the Shadow haspiled all the intelligence we could gather."
Rohm''s voice reached Hendrick''s ears.
"After the investigation, it was confirmed that His Highness had a conflict with Riezel Brynhart in the audience room, and that very night, His Highness sent some people to the Barony of Carfield to kidnap Baron Carfield and the Brynhart family, bringing them to the royal capital."
"Last night, His Highness snuck out of the pce alone and headed to an abandoned mansion near the city walls. As we investigated the ce, we found Baron Carfield and the Brynhart family, as well as many knights who weren''t on the records belonging to His Highness."
"On there, His Highness was ambushed by a group of mysterious individuals, and their leader, who called himself Mist, used a swordsmanship that could manipte mist. And based on descriptions from the surviving knights, I judge that this swordsmanship might be on par with the Shadow Strike Sword Style and is of a simr type used for assassination."
"Apparently, His Highness''s current condition is because his chest was pierced through by Mist''s sword."
As Rohm finished his report, Hendrick''s expression grew increasingly grim, his anger ring even more.
*BANG!*
Finally, unable to contain himself, Hendrick mmed his hand down on the throne armrest.
However, Hendrick''s anger wasn''t directed at anyone else but his own son.
"Breaking house arrest and sneaking out... even hiding private troops... that little bastard really doesn''t give a damn about his own father anymore!"
Justst time, Hendrick had been criticized by Yuri because of the mess Sorren caused, and now, with this new incident, he could already imagine how the nobles would gossip.
If Sorren weren''t his son and the most outstanding one at that, Hendrick would have definitely turned a blind eye to this incident.
Hendrick suppressed his anger and then asked the most crucial question.
"And then? Who''s really behind this?"
"Cordelion family?"
"Or... Riezel Brynhart?"
Chapter 278: Suspicion
Chapter 278: Suspicion
Hendrick suppressed his anger and then asked the most crucial question.
"And then? Who''s really behind this?"
"Cordelion family?"
"Or... Riezel Brynhart?"
Riezel actually had reasons to be suspected.
Firstly, Riezel had a public dispute with Sorren, which everyone witnessed.
Secondly, Sorren had secretly targeted Riezel''s family, giving Riezel enough motive to retaliate.
Thirdly, Riezel had repeatedly taken a tough stance against the royal family, proving that he wasn''t someone who would swallow his pride.
All these signs made Hendrick suspect that the one who attacked Sorren might be this newly appointed Sword Saint.To Hendrick''s question, Rohm did not deny the possibility.
"ording to the Shadow''s investigation, Riezel Brynhart has rarely left the Frenzel residence since the award ceremony and has been upied with challenges from other swordsmen. However, among the few recorded outings, one was confirmed to be a visit to the Hydromel Restaurant."
Rohm had even looked into this matter personally.
"I sent a Shadow Knight to the restaurant and questioned the person in charge there. It appeared that, on that day, Riezel Brynhart had dinner with Count Elliott''s daughter."
Upon hearing this, a glint of light shed in Hendrick''s eyes.
"You mean he had contact with people from the Cordelion family?"
Anyone in the noble circle knew that the Elliott family was a vassal of the Cordelion family, and Hendrick was no exception.
"Most likely..." Rohm confirmed. "ording to the restaurant manager, Count Elliott''s daughter was apanied that day by two girls around the same age, one of whom was probably Duke Cordelion''s daughter."
"It seems my niece is quite restless, huh..." Hendrick muttered coldly. "I knew they wouldn''t pass up the chance to win over a new Sword Saint."
"Not long after that, the incident with His Highness urred..." Rohm continued his report. "In conclusion, we have reason to believe that Riezel Brynhart learned from the Cordelion family about His Highness''s n to target his family and then developed a desire to retaliate."
In such a case, the motive for attacking Sorren was sufficient.
"Riezel Brynhart was used and instigated by the Cordelion family, wasn''t he?"
Saying this, Hendrick believed it to be the case.
In his view, the Cordelion family revealing this information to Riezel was undoubtedly an act of ill intent. Since they themselves didn''t dare attack Sorren, they might have tried to provoke Riezel, hoping he would take action against Sorren, which was entirely possible.
Last night, when Sorren was attacked, he hadn''t suspected Riezel or the Frenzel family at all, but Hendrick and Rohm thought differently since they didn''t view the situation as narrowly or self-righteously as Sorren did.
Sorren believed that if Riezel and Yuri had summoned that many dolls, it would have caused quite amotion and wouldn''t have escaped people''s notice. However, they didn''t necessarily have to summon them all at once¡ªif they had nned ahead, summoning them one by one into the royal capital would have been just as feasible.
Moreover, there were ways to conceal the noticeable phenomena and magical energy fluctuations caused byrge-scale magic. Any knowledgeable person knew that Tactical-ss Magicians or Strategic-ss Magicians could do it easily.
Given this reason, suspicion of Riezel and the Frenzel family was understandable.
As for Sorren''s belief that the Frenzel family didn''t have a powerful swordsman as strong as ''Mist'' under theirmand, that also didn''t hold up to scrutiny.
If Sorren could secretly cultivate his own private troops, why couldn''t the Frenzel family secretly cultivate their own?
Even if they couldn''t cultivate them, there was no problem with secretly recruiting or hiring them.
Hendrick and Rohm even considered the possibility that ''Mist'' might actually be Riezel himself.
Even though the swordsmanship used by ''Mist'' waspletely different from the one Riezel openly used, how could they be sure that he wasn''t secretly practicing two different styles of swordsmanship?
Sorren hadn''t thought of these things in his moment of crisis, but Hendrick and Rohm had considered them all.
Currently, the only question the two had was whether or not ''Mist'' was actually Riezel.
Swordsmen who practiced two different styles of swordsmanship simultaneously were, after all, very rare¡ªor, to be more precise, it was rare to find someone who practiced two styles of Special Swordsmanship at the same time.
Unlike Elementary Swordsmanship and Advanced Swordsmanship, Special Swordsmanship usually had varying degrees of requirements.
For example, the Holy Dragon Sword Style, famous across the entire continent, required practitioners to possess a vast amount of magical energy. If their magical energy wasn''t abundant enough, they simply couldn''t master it, no matter how hard they tried.
Meanwhile, the War King Sword Style passed down in the royal family of Jinas, was simr in this regard, requiring specific demands on the practitioner''s mental willpower. Out of Hendrick''s eleven children, only three or four barely met the requirements, while the others couldn''t even begin to learn it.
Likewise, the swordsmanship used by the Letto brothers demanded absolute unity,patibility, and connection among its practitioners, making the requirements even stricter.
Even the Shadow Strike Sword Style practiced by Rohm had incredibly stringent requirements. Otherwise, the members of the Shadow wouldn''t have settled for only learning the Hazy Strike Sword Style, the simplified version of the Shadow Strike Sword Style.
In other words, for swordsmen to meet the requirements of just one Special Swordsmanship already meant they were exceptionally talented, but meeting the requirements for two Special Swordsmanships simultaneously was undoubtedly an incredibly difficult and rare achievement.
ording to the witnesses, Riezel''s swordsmanship and the swordsmanship used by ''Mist'' were entirely different styles, and from Hendrick and Rohm''s perspectives, both of these swordsmanship were undoubtedly Special Swordsmanship.
Considering this, the fact that Riezel could satisfy the requirements to practice twopletely different styles of Special Swordsmanship was an extremely unlikely urrence.
Of course, it was just unlikely, not impossible.
Riezel had already be a Sword Saint at the age of seventeen, not to mention he was also a Tactical-ss Magician, with terrifying talent and potential¡ªfor such a prodigy, perhaps it wasn''t entirely unthinkable that he could meet the requirements for mastering two different styles of Special Swordsmanship.
One could only say that Riezel''s achievements were already astonishing, and for someone like him, Hendrick and Rohm wouldn''t be surprised even if he could master two different styles of Special Swordsmanship.
In any case, Riezel was certainly a suspect, and the Frenzel family might be supporting him from behind.
As a king, Hendrick would never dismiss his suspicion of someone so easily, as maintaining a sense of doubt at all times, no matter how absurd it was, was amon trait among rulers.
However, there were still doubts regarding whether Riezel was indeed the culprit.
For example¡ª
"If Riezel Brynhart attacked His Highness because His Highness targeted and kidnapped his family, then why didn''t he take them with him after the incident?"
It was a question that Rohm couldn''t help but ask.
"When the Shadow Knights arrived at the scene of the incident, the ce had already been burned down by a fire. Although the Brynhart family barely escaped in the end, they had almost burned to death inside. It seemed like Mistpletely ignored them, which is really strange."
Rohm''s words made Hendrick furrow his brow slightly.
"Could it be that it was intentional?" Hendrick mused, stroking his chin. "If he took his family with him, wouldn''t that be tantamount to admitting that he was the one who did it?"
"However, ording to the surviving knight''s testimony, Mist never made contact with the Brynhart family from start to finish."
Rohm shook his head, denying Hendrick''s assumption.
"When the fire started, he didn''t care at all about their lives, and it was mostly luck that they managed to escape being burned to death. I also considered whether Riezel Brynhart held a grudge against his family and deliberately didn''t save them since he had run away from home once, but if that were the case, wouldn''t that mean he had no reason to attack His Highness for them in the first ce?"
It was truly a contradiction.
Unfortunately for Rohm, he never thought or realized that Riezel had decided to make a move simply because he and Sorren had a score to settle.
Previously, when Riezel had been severely injured by the Shadow, who was under Sorren''s order, everyone assumed it was merely a ploy by Riezel, whether to divert attention from himself or to get close to the Frenzel family and Yuri.
However, little did they know that Riezel had indeed been heavily injured, nearly dying in the truest sense¡ªan experience he would never forget and that had him nning his revenge on the mastermind, Sorren, ever since.
Sorren''s actions this time were just the spark that made Riezel decide to finally take action.
Just as Riezel had said before in the award ceremony to Yuri, when he went crazy, things could get pretty serious too.
Riezel proved this point to Sorren with his actions.
Clueless about this, Rohm''s thinking went off track, leading him astray.
"Also, it''s not impossible that someone with ulterior motives is trying to frame Riezel Brynhart."
Rohm shared his spection with Hendrick.
"Putting aside the Cordelion family for now, many neighboring countries have been secretly sending their people here recently because of his status as the youngest Sword Saint in history."
"If they find out that we haven''t recruited him, it''s possible they might try to sabotage us, driving a wedge between us to push him toward their side."
"If we act recklessly and make him upset because of this incident, only to find outter that he wasn''t actually the culprit, then, with his previous tough stance, we''d be making an enemy out of him for good."
Rohm''s cautious spection reminded Hendrick that, while suspicions were fine unless there was solid evidence proving Riezel was truly involved, it was best not to act rashly. Otherwise, if it turned out that the culprit was not Riezel, the royal family would find itself in a very awkward position.
"Moreover, the Duke Faction could also be involved..." Rohm continued to caution. "We have to investigate this thoroughly and can''t just randomly use him, Your Majesty."
"You''re right..."
Hendrick calmed down and nodded.
"Alright, I''ll leave this matter to you."
"You must find out who''s really behind this."
"Until then, no one from the Shadow or the Royal Faction, including that little bastard, is allowed to make any contact with Riezel Brynhart."
Hearing this, Rohm nodded and then disappeared on the spot.
Hendrick was left alone, sitting there, murmuring to himself.
"I hope it''s not you, Riezel Brynhart..."
Chapter 279: Chaotic Royal Capital and Protest Letter
Chapter 279: Chaotic Royal Capital and Protest Letter
Frenzel Residence, Yuri''s Office.
At this moment, Riezel and Yuri were sitting across from each other.
Riezel stared at the ceiling, then at the window, as if he were looking at something interesting.
Yuri, on the other hand, was ring at him, as though she were staring down a troublesome rascal.
Lizbeth and Marilyn were also present nearby.
Lizbeth stood behind Riezel, clutching her sword with a tense expression, while Marilyn stood behind Yuri, watching Riezel with the same condemning look as Yuri.
In this situation, the entire office was engulfed in a strange, eerie silence.
"It was you, wasn''t it?"
After a long while, Yuri finally broke the silence.What she said sounded like a question, but her tone was full of certainty.
"What?"
Riezel tried to y dumb, showing an innocent expression, but all he got in return was a pair of rolling eyes.
"You''re still trying to hide it from me?"
Yuri scolded sternly, a frown adorning her beautiful face.
"You were invited out for dinner by Carrera Elliott to discuss matters about that mad dog, and then, the next day, this incident happened. Do you think I wouldn''t figure out that it was you?"
"Attacking a prince, seriously injuring him, nearly killing him even¡ªthis kind of incident that will shake the entire kingdom to its core, who else would dare to do it if not you?"
"You really have some guts... I knew you were meeting Serena Cordelion, but just when I was thinking about not prying into what you and that girl talked about, you went and caused such a big mess. Knowing this, what do you want me to say?"
"Were you incited by the Cordelion family or something? What exactly did Serena say to you?"
Yuri got more and more agitated as she spoke, and if not for the table between them, she might have already grabbed Riezel by the shoulders.
Riezel couldn''t help but smile at Yuri''s reaction.
"Look, it''s not like I was intentionally hiding it from you; it''s just that the fewer people who know about this, the better, since it will make it less likely for any ws to be exposed." Riezel exined, shrugging his shoulders casually. "It''s just a mad dog, anyway. I failed to kill him, so what''s the big deal?"
"Hahh... Only you would dare say something like that, you know... Even in private, others wouldn''t be so brazen..."
Yuri sighed, her expression turningplicated.
"Regardless, you really caused a big mess this time. I''ve already received word¡ªbefore dawn, all nobles in the royal capital, whether aligned with the Duke Faction or not, have been summoned to the pce and interrogated by the royal family."
"No matter if they''re major nobles like dukes or marquises, none of them can escape. Even some who are loyal to the Royal Faction have been questioned."
"Of course, minor nobles have it worse. They''ve all had their minds read or interfered with by the court magicians using magic like memory reading or mind control."
"Commoners can''t escape either. Even now, the royal knights are still going door-to-door, taking away anyone suspicious without exception."
"In short, the royal capital is in chaos right now. Since the Cordelion siblings have already gone to the pce, I''m probably going to be summoned soon."
Yuri informed Riezel just how significant the incident he had caused had be.
Lizbeth was immediately frightened and couldn''t help but cast a worried look at Riezel.
Riezel, however, seemed to have expected all of this, as his expression didn''t change in the slightest.
"Hmm, they wouldn''t use magic like memory reading or mind control on you, would they?"
Riezel seemed concerned only about this matter.
"Seriously, who do you think I am?" Yuri replied, rolling her eyes. "I''m still a Strategic-ss Magician, you know? They wouldn''t dare use that kind of magic on me unless they have a death wish."
As a Strategic-ss Magician, her magic attainments were far beyond that of an average magician.
For a magician in her ss, she could unconsciously use magical energy to repel Combat-ss Magic from the Interference System. If she were prepared, she could even counter Tactical-ss Magic from the Interference System.
In order to read the memory of a magician of Yuri''s ss or to interfere with her mind, it would take, at the very least, magic cast by a magician of the same ss or the use of a powerful magic item to have any effect.
Moreover, with Yuri''s status on the line, anyone using such harmful magic on her would probably be something even the king wouldn''t dare order.
In other words, Yuri was in no danger of having her memory read or her mind interfered with.
"I see, that''s good..." Riezel nodded calmly. "In that case, you don''t have to worry about anything. No matter what the royal family asks you, just say you don''t know."
Yuri clearly didn''t need him to tell her what to do.
What else could she do at this point?
Report Riezel?
She herself wished Sorren would drop dead, so how could she possibly help the royal family catch the culprit?
However, the real problem was¡ª
"What about you?"
Yuri asked while looking straight into Riezel''s eyes.
"What''s your n?"
Indeed, this was the real problem.
It wasn''t about Yuri, but Riezel, the direct orchestrator of this attack and the royal family''s target¡ªthe one the kingdom was actively hunting.
"If I can guess it was you, the royal family will definitely suspect you too..." Yuri continued, worry creeping into her voice. "If they use force, try to read your memory, or mess with your mind, what are you going to do?"
At this, Riezel simply gave her a reassuring look in response to her concern.
"Let them try if they can."
Riezel sounded so calm when he said this.
Why?
Obviously, with Self Redemption, he was immune to physical and mental interference, so who could possibly read his memories or manipte his mind and spirit?
Moreover, with the effect from Endless, Riezel possessed the highest rank of ''Abnormal Resistance'' development ability. Not only would direct interference not work, but even indirect one wouldn''t be effective.
Because of this, he wasn''t worried about beingpromised by such means.
Naturally, he also believed that the Cordelion family wouldn''t be subjected to these methods either.
Since the Duke Faction was already an enemy of the royal family, how could they not be prepared against such tactics?
Needless to say, as long as Yuri and the Cordelion family didn''t expose him, he would be fine.
As for Lizbeth and Marilyn, they were safe because they were attendants.
With the attendant contract in ce, all information rted to their masters'' interests would be restricted. Even if someone tried to use magic to extract them, they wouldn''t seed.
At least, if someone wanted to bypass the restrictions of the attendant contract and forcibly extract the information the attendants knew, their magical prowess would have to surpass that of Riezel and Yuri, the two masters who had ced the contracts.
What did this mean?
It meant that unless they were a Strategic-ss Magician, it would be impossible to break the attendant contracts set by Riezel and Yuri.
For Riezel, since he was already Level 6 and possessed not only Mage as his development ability but also extremely high proficiency in MAG, the strength of the attendant contract he cast wasn''t something a magician below the strategic ss could break.
As for Yuri, she was already a recognized Strategic-ss Magician, with no exaggeration involved, so no one below her magician ss could tamper with her attendant contract.
Moreover, since magic that could affect oneself or others belonged to the Interference System, the magician who tried to bypass the restrictions would have to be a Strategic-ss Magician specializing in the Interference System.
However, of the eight Strategic-ss Magicians on the Akasha Continent, four specialized in the Transformation System, two in the Control System, and two in the Structure System, while not a single one specialized in the Interference System.
Given this, no one in this world could tamper with the attendant contracts of Riezel and Yuri.
Needless to say, not only did Riezel not have to worry about anyone here slipping up, but he was also confident that he hadn''t exposed his identity when he attacked Sorren.
After all, he had used the Selfless State to its fullest,pletely sealing off his aura and fighting spirit. He hadn''t even used any magic from start to finish, leaving no trace of magical energy behind.
Coupled with the essence of the Shadow Strike Sword Style that he had merged into his Mist Breathing, he could avoid almost any kind of detection.
In other words, the chances of him being exposed were nearly zero.
While the royal family might have serious suspicions about him, they definitely wouldn''t be able to confirm it was him or find any evidence proving he was the culprit.
In this situation, Riezel really didn''t believe he would be caught.
Of course, even if he were caught, so what?
Worst case, he would just run away.
With his current strength, he might not be the most powerful or invincible existence in this world, but if he really wanted to escape, even Jinas would have to mobilize all their forces andy out an inescapable to have any chance of stopping him.
If it weren''t for worrying about implicating Yuri or dragging her family down, he would have left Jinas right after attacking Sorren, not caring at all whether his identity got exposed or not.
"No matter what, you need to be careful."
Saying this, Yuri seemed to feel a bit more at ease as she saw Riezel lookingpletely calm and unworried.
She trusted his abilities quite a lot and knew that if he was this confident, the chances of him being exposed must really be low.
As long as he didn''t get exposed, everything would be fine.
Yuri was definitely on Riezel''s side, and she even felt a bit ''schadenfreude'' over the royal family getting hit like this. {T/N: Schadenfreude is the experience of pleasure, joy, or self-satisfaction thates from learning of or witnessing the troubles, failures, pain, suffering, or humiliation of another.}
It was understandable.
When the Frenzel residence was attacked, the royal family chose to turn a blind eye. Now that their prince had been attacked, Yuri naturally wanted to give them a taste of their own medicine.
She decided that she wouldn''t just refuse to cooperate; she would also stir things up even more.
"Well, want to join me in filing a protest against the royal family?"
Yuri suddenly asked, shing a sly smile at Riezel.
"Just think, the Third Prince snuck out of the pce in the middle of the night to deal with the people he had kidnapped. Now that the incident has been exposed, everyone knows about it. As someone directly involved, you have every right to protest against the royal family as a victim, don''t you?"
Upon hearing this, Riezel was stunned at first, before chuckling and giving Yuri a thumbs-up.
"Heh, what a brilliant idea!"
With that, Riezel and Yuri jointly wrote a protest letter and sent it to the royal pce,unching a strong protest that would stir up yet another wave of chaos in the royal capital.
Chapter 280: Everyones Protests
Chapter 280: Everyone''s Protests
At this moment, the royal pce had be a ce where even the slightest movement would immediately be noticed by every faction.
All the nobles, whether they liked it or not, kept a close eye on the royal pce''s every move, fearing that ack of information might lead to disastrous consequences.
Meanwhile, the noble children who once acted arrogantly and unscrupulously outside were now confined to their homes by their respective families, forbidden from causing trouble. Additionally, the knightly orders under these families were also forced to act with extreme caution, not daring to do anything that might raise suspicion from the royal family.
All of this gave the royal capital a tense and severe atmosphere.
In such a situation, the joint protest made by Riezel and Yuri to the royal family was like a beacon in the eyes of the already anxious nobles.
"A joint protest from the Lightning Sword Saint and Marquis Frenzel?"
"A Sword Saint and a Strategic-ss Magician protesting together? Even the royal family can''t ignore them, right?"
"Ignore them? Are you joking? Haven''t you heard what they''re protesting about?"
"I heard that Sword Saint Riezel Brynhart harshly condemned Prince Sorren in the letter. He was furious about His Highness secretly kidnapping his family and strongly demanded that the royal family give an exnation.""What? His Highness must be out of his mind to kidnap the family of a Sword Saint!"
"If the royal family doesn''t handle this well, things could get ugly."
As soon as the nobles heard the news, they exchanged their opinions with each other.
In their eyes, Riezel''s actions were perfectly reasonable and justified.
Having one''s family kidnapped in secret by royalty without any official reason or justification was undeniably a criminal act.
Had it been an ordinary person''s family, the situation might have been different, but Sorren had actually kidnapped the family of a Sword Saint, which made things much worse.
No one believed that a revered and respected Sword Saint should remain silent in such a situation.
Moreover, if one were to delve deeper, it raised questions about whether the royal family had ulterior motives for doing that or whether they were plotting something shameful against the Sword Saint, which could easily be interpreted as a sign of a bigger conspiracy.
As a result, when news of the joint protest letter broke, the nobles immediately realized that the royal family was in deep trouble this time.
Facing a justified usation from a Sword Saint, the royal family couldn''t simply brush it off and definitely had to respond.
Of course, in this kind of situation, there were plenty of people eager to kick them when they were down.
"Rena."
In the study in the Cordelion residence, Sergius, who had just returned from the royal pce after being personally interrogated by Hendrick, talked to Serena after hearing the news.
"Write a letter in my name, supporting the protest."
"Say that, as a fellow descendant of the royal bloodline, I am deeply ashamed of Prince Sorren''s actions. Laying hands on the family of a Sword Saint is the greatest insult and disrespect. A member of the royal family who does not set a good example for the people, but insteadmits such disgraceful acts, hasmitted a serious crime. Thereby, the kingdom must punish those responsible ordingly."
Once this letter was sent, there was only one direction this would go.
It would escte.
As the leader of the Duke Faction, the Cordelion family took the lead in publicly supporting Sword Saint Riezel Brynhart, openly questioning the actions of the royal family.
Needless to say, this was like pouring fuel on an already raging fire, intensifying the situation even further, especially when the other nobles in the Duke Faction followed suit, sending letters of protest and demanding severe punishment for Sorren¡ªthe whole matter would definitely explode, spiraling out of control.
However, this was not the end.
Even the other Sword Saints surprisingly began sending letters to the royal pce, joining in the protest.
¡ªAttacking the family of a Sword Saint is an act that chills my heart. I hope the kingdom delivers the proper punishment to those responsible for such a crime. Otherwise, I will not be able to rest easy.
This was the content of the letter sent by the Guardian Sword Saint stationed at Jinas''s border. Even though it was only a short paragraph, it made everyone aware of his stance.
¡ªAs a fellow Sword Saint, such an incident truly makes me uneasy. I hope the kingdom will deliver the proper punishment to those responsible for such a crime.
This was the letter from the Meteor Sword Saint, who was wandering abroad, and it wasn''t much different from the first one.
¡ªI hope the kingdom will deliver the proper punishment to those responsible for such a crime.
This was the letter from the Borley family''s Sword Saint. It was brief and straight to the point, demanding the punishment of the culprit without a single wasted word.
Ultimately, the formal protest letters from the three Sword Saints plunged the royal pce into a state of chaos.
Everyone understood that they weren''t siding with Riezel or supporting the Duke Faction but were simply taking a stand from their own perspective, finding the situation uneptable.
One should know that they were all Sword Saints, holding the same status as Riezel. If someone in the royal family could target Riezel''s family today, what would stop them from going after theirs tomorrow?
Needless to say, this was a development they would never allow.
As a result, they each sent a protest letter, and it was obvious that these protest letters were delivered with magic, arriving at the royal pce just a day after Riezel and Yuri sent their joint protest letter.
However, what made it worse was that, in addition to their status as Sword Saints, these three also held the status of major nobles, meaning the royal family could not possibly ignore their opinions.
When Riezel heard about this, he was genuinely surprised.
"Who would''ve thought all those Sword Saints would get involved?"
He truly hadn''t expected things to turn out this way.
He wasn''t too shocked by the Cordelion family jumping in to kick the royal family while they were down, as it was predictable, but the fact that these Sword Saints, whom he had never even met, were making their opinions known at this critical moment truly caught him off guard.
Although Yuri was also surprised, she knew they did this not because of Riezel.
"They''re not helping you but helping themselves..."
Yuri exined the reason to Riezel.
"Like you, they''re also Sword Saints. If they don''t protest now, who knows if someone might ignore their status and pull the same lowly trick on them someday?"
"So, to prevent that from happening, they need to make their stance clear and voice their strong opposition as soon as possible so everyone, especially the royal family, knows where they stand."
"Moreover, this is the only way to curb the arrogant behavior of those targeting a Sword Saint without restraint¡ªto let everyone know they won''t take it lying down."
After hearing Yuri''s exnation, Riezel understood.
He had never met these Sword Saints, and they were neither friends nor family, so it was basically impossible for them to act for his sake.
Regardless, thanks to them, his demand for an exnation from the royal family had be much easier to achieve, making it difficult for the royal family to retreat.
Now, his problem had escted to something almost involving the entire circle of Sword Saints.
If the royal family couldn''t handle this situation properly, they would definitely be in serious trouble.
===
Royal Pce, Throne Room.
Hendrick sat on the throne, staring at the protest letters one by one, feeling an intense headacheing on.
In this tense situation, Rohm appeared behind Hendrick and spoke up to give him a bit of advice.
"Your Majesty, this matter is not to be taken lightly. We muste up with an answer that will satisfy these Sword Saints as soon as possible, or it might turn into a nationwide crisis."
Anyone with a brain knew that the conflict between multiple Sword Saints and a kingdom, if not resolved soon, would undoubtedly lead to major upheaval. If foreign forces took advantage of this situation to stir up trouble and split the kingdom and the Sword Saints, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Not to mention, the Guardian Sword Saint was currently stationed at the border, helping Jinas defend against external invasions. If he lost trust in the royal family or became dissatisfied with the kingdom, it could lead to disaster at any moment.
As for the Meteor Sword Saint, he had long wandered in foreignnds and had significant contact with outside forces. If provoked, the possibility of his defecting and changing sides was not out of the question.
Lastly, the Borley family''s Sword Saint went without saying.
One should know that the Borley family held a pivotal position in Jinas. They were Jinas''s sharpest de, with a Sword Saint emerging each generation to protect it.
Moreover, the royal knightly order was also under theirmand, and nearly every knight in the kingdom saw this family as their idol, their spiritual pir. If they decided to take any action against the royal family, and the royal knightly order followed, it would shake the very foundation of the kingdom.
Besides, there was also Reizel Brynhart, the unprecedented youngest Sword Saint in history, who happened to be a Tactical-ss Magician as well¡ªhis future waspletely unpredictable.
Needless to say, if things weren''t handled well, the trouble could be exceptionally enormous.
Naturally, this didn''t even take into ount the Strategic-ss Magician, Yuri, or the One-Eyed Sword Saint from the Cordelion family.
One stood with Riezel, the other with Sergius, both ready to protest against the royal family at any moment.
In short, all of these individuals were the continent''s most honored swordsmen and magicians, so any trouble they caused would bring tremendous damage to the kingdom in no time.
Hendrick himself was well aware of the gravity of the situation.
However¡ª
''Sorren is already severely injured, almost at death''s door, and he''s still unconscious! How am I supposed to punish him?!''
Hendrick was both frustrated and angry.
''Am I supposed to send him to his death?''
In truth, Hendrick was still on Sorren''s side.
It wasn''t that he believed Sorren was right, but Sorren was, after all, the best among his children.
If he didn''t support Sorren, who else could he support?
As for Sorren''s brutal and vicious personality, though he felt uneasy about it, he didn''t see it as a big problem.
Born into a royal family, he knew well that people like Sorren were born to stand above others, as whatever they did, they almost always got their way. Given this, the arrogance and recklessness of a young prince were nothing unusual.
In fact, he had been even worse than Sorren when he was younger, but once he ascended the throne, his temperament matured with age, his perspective changed, and in the end, he settled down, no longer as brash as before.
He really saw a lot of himself in Sorren, so he believed that once Sorren matured, he would definitely change.
It was precisely because of this belief that he had always turned a blind eye to the things Sorren had done and continued to support him.
Chapter 281: Compensation
Chapter 281: Compensation
Although Hendrick had already decided to keep supporting Sorren, his priority right now was to find a way to calm down the Sword Saints first.
"Rohm."
Hendrick rubbed his temples as he called Rohm.
"How is the investigation going?"
Upon hearing this question, Rohm looked glum, almost ashamed.
"...It''s been much tougher than we thought, Your Majesty."
"Because the ce had beenpletely burned down, the court magicians couldn''t find any useful clues. Even after the survivors'' memories had been read at least ten times, we still couldn''t identify Mist''s identity."
"As for those high-performance alchemical dolls the survivors mentioned, the knights have searched every house in the royal capital repeatedly, yet they''ve found no trace. It''s like those dolls vanished into thin air¡ªno footprints left behind."
"However, one thing is certain¡ªMist uses swordsmanship very simr to the swordsmanship I used, and it probably has the same capabilities to evade detection, so even using tracking magic won''t help us find him.""Unless we use some kind of precognition magic or something, it should be impossible to find the swordsman who calls himself Mist."
However, precognition magic could only be used by magicians who hadpatibility with the Imaginary System, and so far, there was only one known person capable of using it.
Unfortunately, this person wasn''t in Jinas but was a magician from another country who clearly wouldn''t show up here to help the royal family of Jinas solve this problem.
"Not even a single clue?"
Hendrick''s expression darkened.
"Even without a magician skilled in precognition magic, the royal treasury should have plenty of treasures with tracking and searching capabilities, right? Can''t we use those?"
"Moreover, even if we can''t find Mist, what about the magician controlling the dolls behind the scenes?"
"He who calls himself Mist is a swordsman, but the one controlling the dolls is definitely a magician, probably someone else. Did that magician use some kind of counter-detection magic or item?"
Sadly for Hendrick, each of his questions only resulted in more bad news from Rohm.
"Yes, we haven''t found anything, not a single clue. Apparently, they came prepared and possessed exceptional hiding abilities... it might be impossible to track them down without using taboo methods, Your Majesty..."
What Rohm meant by the so-called taboo methods referred to powers that vited moral and ethical standards.
Throughout history, magicians had created one type of magic after another, some with effects that others could hardly imagine, capable of breaking norms and producing anomalous results.
In fact, not just magic, even swordsmanship was the same.
Demon Sword Style was one such example.
Normally, Special Swordsmanship required certain requirements to be met for practice, particrly regarding who could learn it.
However, Demon Sword Style, as a Special Swordsmanship, had almost no requirements to practice. Anyone could practice it, and once mastered, as long as they kept killing and drinking blood, they could quickly grow stronger.
Although its practitioners'' growth speed was simply inhuman, far beyond what average Special Swordsmanship practitioners couldpare, itcame with side effects that could drive its practitioners insane, bloodthirsty, and cause them topletely lose their rationality, leading to total insanity.
Simrly, some taboo magic had great effects that even the magic of the Imaginary System couldn''t match.
If Hendrick were to use this kind of magic, he could achieve results simr to using precognition magic, and at that point, he would definitely be able to identify Mist and the magician controlling the dolls.
However, the reason this kind of taboo magic was considered taboo, a method that should not have been used, was because it came with terrifying side effects or extremely inhumane activation conditions.
"No."
As Hendrick thought about the so-called taboo methods, he shook his head decisively, rejecting the idea.
"We''re currently the focus of the entire royal capital, and everyone is watching us. If we use that kind of method, the chances of getting caught, if not a hundred percent, are definitely not low. Our troubles would only multiply from there."
If the king himself used a taboo method that was explicitly prohibited, the trouble would be far more severe than a prince kidnapping the family of a Sword Saint. At least thetter had some room for maneuvering, while the former didn''t.
No matter the oue, it would undoubtedly lead to unimaginable damage to the royal family''s reputation.
If this matter were to be exploited by the Duke Faction, Hendrick could face a crisis of being forced out of power.
If Sorren had already been dead, Hendrick might have struggled and hesitated, but since Sorren was ultimately saved and didn''t die, he certainly wasn''t willing to take such a huge risk.
''If only I could confirm whether the mastermind behind this is Riezel Brynhart or not¡''
Hendrick sighed tiredly.
Truthfully, he truly doubted Riezel.
Not only had they failed to find Mist, but they also hadn''t located the magician manipting the dolls from behind the scenes.
He always wondered, was it possible that the two were actually the same person?
One should know that Riezel was not only a Sword Saint but also a Tactical-ss Magician. If it was him, he should have enough capability to control hundreds of high-performance alchemical dolls, right?
However, ording to the investigation, Riezel was supposed to be a Tactical-ss Magician proficient in the Interference System, with fifth-gradepatibility in it, which was essentially the magic system that had made him attain the status of Tactical-ss Magician.
Yet, during the attack on the Frenzel residence, it seemed Riezel had used a Tactical-ss Magic from the Transformation System, burning the entire Frenzel family''s mansion down.
Additionally, Rohm also said that when Riezel fought him, Riezel was using Dposition Magic from the Control System, and the power of his Dposition Magic far exceeded what he should have been capable of.
All these facts seemed to hint that Riezel had a secret that no one else knew.
If only he could uncover Riezel''s secret, perhaps he could discover the truth and the method behind why Riezel was able to be a Sword Saint at such a young age, as well as how he could use various types of high-ss magic.
''Unfortunately, even Rohm has been defeated by him. If we really went after him, not only would the sess rate be low, but forcing him into the enemy''s embrace would be a fool''s errand...''
Making another sigh, Hendrick had to suppress some dangerous impulses stirring within him.
"Your Majesty."
At the same moment, Rohm called Hendrick, who was lost in his thoughts.
Hendrick knew this was a reminder that he needed to make a decision.
"Issue the notice..."
Hendrick remained silent for a moment before continuing with a stoic expression.
"Since Prince Sorren is still unconscious, he cannot be held ountable yet. Once he wakes up, the royal family will definitely investigate this matter and provide everyone with a satisfactory exnation."
"Also, release the Brynhart family immediately. Now that their memories have already been read, keeping them serves no purpose."
"As for Sword Saint Riezel Brynhart, let him choose a treasure from the royal treasury aspensation."
In the end, this was the best course of action Hendrick could think of.
"Understood."
Rohm epted the order and instantly vanished from sight.
===
Before long, Hendrick''s statement spread to the royal capital, but many people, especially the nobles, scorned it.
"Wait for him to wake up? Who knows when that will be?"
"Whether Prince Sorren is awake or not, isn''t that up to the royal family to decide?"
"Indeed, even if he''s awake, the royal family can just announce that he''s still unconscious and hasn''t recovered, dragging it out until the fuss dies down, then hand out some casual punishmentter."
"Hmph, isn''t that just giving an excuse?"
"What a bullshit."
Many nobles saw right through Hendrick''s so-called statement and scoffed at it.
Of course, the Cordelion siblings were no different.
Nevertheless, they also knew that since the king himself had made such a statement, if they pushed too far, the royal family would turn around and use them of being meddlesome.
After all, they couldn''t just grab Sorren while he was still unconscious and start interrogating him, right?
No matter how you looked at it, Sorren was, in the end, still royalty. If anyone dared to make such a request, it would be like smacking the fact of ''not respecting the royal family'' right on their foreheads.
Given such a situation, it was believable that the royal family wouldn''t let them off the hook and might be looking to pin some me on them.
As a result, neither the Duke Faction led by the Cordelion family nor the Sword Saints who had sent protest letters said anything further.
Riezel also learned about Hendrick''s statement from Yuri.
"Choose a treasure from the royal treasury?"
Upon hearing about thepensation, Riezel felt a flicker of interest.
"It''s a good thing, you know."
Responding to Riezel, Yuri seemed to be in a good mood, perhaps delighted to see the royal family in a tight spot.
"Everyone in Jinas knows the royal treasury is the national vault that holds the most precious, rare, and valuable treasures in all of Jinas. Everything there bes part of the royal family''s collection, which forms the foundation of Jinas."
"In there, you can find magic books that record ancient magic, long-lost books of Special Swordsmanship, and various legendary weapons, equipment, or items known as legendary treasures¡ªtruly a magnificent treasury, containing only the best treasures."
"I''ve only been in there once myself, so this chance you''ve just gotten is definitely not to be missed."
After hearing Yuri''s exnation, Riezel smiled faintly.
It was undoubtedly a lucky break for him.
He had clearly almost killed a prince, not just any prince, but the most influential among them, the candidate for the next king. Yet, not only could the kingdom not punish him, but they also had topensate him with a treasure instead.
Needless to say, this was beyond a loss for the royal family.
He had actually just wanted to take advantage of the situation, but somehow, he ended up with such a sweet result¡ªit felt like he had hit the jackpot.
As for the Brynhart family''s life and death, to be honest, he really didn''t care and didn''t feel that epting the royal family''spensation to put the matter to rest was unfair to them.
If it had been one of hispanions from the Loki Familia who was maliciously kidnapped, he absolutely wouldn''t have let it slide, and no treasure could ever make up for it.
But the Brynhart family?
Forget it.
For this reason, Riezel decided to seize the opportunity and ept the royal family''spensation with open arms.
"Alright..."
Riezel nodded to Yuri, a little excitement showing in his eyes.
"I want to see what good stuff is in that so-called royal treasury."
Chapter 282: Hendricks Apology
Chapter 282: Hendrick''s Apology
Yeluvia, Royal Pce.
When the carriage, engraved with the Frenzel family''s crest, entered the royal pce once again, Riezel paid another visit to this white castle.
However, this time, he could clearly sense that the atmosphere was vastly different from thest time.
Last time, due to the award ceremony, he had seen numerous nobles gathered here, all dressed in extravagant attire, heading toward the audience room while chatting happily¡ªclearly had the air of a celebration.
Meanwhile, the current royal pce seemed to have turned into a heavily fortified fortress, where fully armored knights could be seen everywhere, marching in groups and rushing about with an intimidating presence¡ªtension was palpable throughout.
"Looks like whatever happened really shook the royal family, huh..."
Riezel watched everything unfold as if it had nothing to do with him, and even the remark he made carried an air of detachment, making it obvious to anyone that he was keeping himself out of it.
Lizbeth, on the other hand, was looking nervous and guilty, acting like a thief caught red-handed.
''Seriously, she really doesn''t know how to hide her emotions?''Riezel couldn''t help but feel a little helpless.
Lizbeth''s guilty expression right now practically screamed that she was the culprit behind Sorren''s incident.
"Lizbeth." Riezel patted her on the shoulder. "Rx, okay? You know, the way you''re acting, people will think something''s up even if there isn''t."
"Uhh¡ Sorry, I didn''t mean to..."
Lizbeth knew she had brought trouble and quickly became dejected.
"I know..." Riezel massaged her stiff shoulders a bit. "Don''t overthink it, yeah? Just clear your head and treat it like you''re going home. In the first ce, this is your home, right? There''s no need to be so tense."
"U-Um... I''ll try my best..."
Lizbeth, after being massaged by Riezel a few times, seemed to rx a little and became shy.
"Good, that''s better."
Riezel smiled slightly and let go of Lizbeth''s shoulders.
"Alright, let''s head in."
Lizbeth nodded repeatedly and followed behind Riezel as they walked toward the throne room.
ording to Yuri, the entrance to the royal treasury was known only to the king, and no one else, not even the other royal family members, knew its location.
Surprisingly, this included Yuri herself, who, despite iming to have entered the royal treasury once, had no idea where it was located.
"I really did go somewhere with the King, but when I snapped back to my senses, the royal treasury''s door was already right in front of me."
At that time, Yuri spoke in an almost mystical tone while describing her experience to Riezel.
Nevertheless, thanks to this, Riezel''s curiosity about the so-called royal treasury had only grown stronger, and he was eager to see what mysteriesy within.
Since Riezel had been to the throne room a while ago, he remembered its location, so even if Yuri hadn''te with him this time, he knew exactly where to go.
After navigating through several twists and turns, Riezel and Lizbeth finally arrived at the entrance to the throne room.
"Sword Saint Riezel Brynhart, here to seek an audience!"
Just likest time, a court official stood by the door of the throne room, and upon seeing Riezel, he immediately called out loudly toward the inside, signaling the two knights beside therge door to slowly push it open.
"I-I''ll just wait here for you, Master."
Lizbeth spoke hurriedly, knowing that, as an attendant, she couldn''t go any further.
"Alright. Wait for me toe out." Riezel nodded calmly.
As soon as the door to the throne room opened, he immediately entered the throne room alone.
As he entered, he scanned the room and saw that it looked exactly the same asst time. Nothing had changed, except that the officials and knights stationed on both sides were all gone. Only Hendrick remained, seated on the throne, seemingly reviewing a document.
Of course, he knew Hendrick wasn''t actually alone in this room.
Riezel cast a discreet nce at the empty space behind Hendrick before stepping forward to the throne.
"Greetings, Your Majesty."
Riezel bowed his head slightly, his expression calm and unreadable.
"You''re here..."
Hendrick lifted his head from the document in his hand, his face showing the same friendly smile to Riezel as when they had first met.
Hendrick closed the document and set it aside before speaking.
"I owe you an apology."
Hendrick opened the conversation with an apology.
"My son acted inappropriately toward your family, and that''s due to my failure to supervise him. I hope you can forgive me, Sir Brynhart."
As Hendrick spoke, he even bowed his head slightly, offering a sincere apology.
Seeing this, Riezel felt a bit surprised, as he had not expected the king to bow his head in apology to him.
''Now this is interesting...''
Riezel''s eyes flickered slightly, but his face remained calm as always.
"Your Majesty, you''re being too kind." Riezel calmly shook his head. "In the first ce, this isn''t your fault but Prince Sorren''s, so you don''t need to apologize for that."
"No, I''ve said it already, this was my failure in keeping him in check."
Hendrick shook his head as well, his expressionced with guilt.
"I''ve been too lenient with him, and now he''s grown bold, thinking he can do whatever he wants. I thought at least he''d have some sense of boundaries, but to think he would go as far as to target the family of a Sword Saint... it''s truly..."
Hendrick sighed softly while discreetly observing Riezel''s reaction.
Riezel remained silent, simply standing in ce, his quietness speaking volumes.
Seeing this, Hendrick''s eyes shed with a thoughtful glimmer, but he quickly regained hisposure.
"If I''m being honest, that incident is what he brought upon himself." Hendrick continued. "He ignored my order to stay in the pce and learned a harsh lesson because of it. I hope Sir Brynhart can let this matter rest."
Hendrick''s intent was clear¡ªsince Sorren had suffered enough, he asked Riezel not to pursue the matter any further.
"Of course..." Riezel replied calmly. "If I''vee here today, it means I no longer intend to pursue it."
Even though Riezel said this, only he himself knew how much of his words were true and how much was false¡ªat the very least, Hendrick couldn''t tell.
As a result, Hendrick could only give Riezel a deep look for a moment before speaking again.
"Hmm, that''s good to hear, but aspensation, I''ll take you to Jinas''s most prized royal treasury and let you choose one treasure."
"In our kingdom, very few people get such an opportunity. Even royal family members usually don''t have ess, and only those who have made significant contributions to the kingdom are granted permission to select a treasure from the royal treasury."
"For example, Marquis Frenzel, whom you know, was given a chance to enter after bing a Strategic-ss Magician, ascending to the rank of marquis, and bing the Chief Court Magician."
"Also, the Guardian Sword Saint, who is currently guarding the border, has worked tirelessly and has always been defending our homnd, so he was also once allowed to enter the royal treasury."
"Another Strategic-ss Magician of our kingdom has also entered the royal treasury, along with the Borley family''s Sword Saint."
"Aside from them, no more than five people in the entire kingdom have had the privilege of entering the royal treasury."
As Hendrick exined, his tone was filled with a sense of pride and allure.
"If Sir Brynhart is willing to serve the kingdom, it''s not impossible to enter again in the future."
Such a statement clearly had an ulterior motive.
"Is that so?" Riezel smiled lightly, acting ignorant. "In that case, I''d better check it out for myself."
"If you''re ready, then let''s go." Hendrick nodded, acting as though there was nothing more to it. "I''ll take you there right now."
With that, Hendrick stood up from the throne, picked up the sword leaning by his side, and slowly walked over to Riezel.
*Thud!*
Suddenly, Hendrick tapped the floor with the sword, creating a heavy thud.
In that instant, the floor split apart.
Yes.
With Hendrick''s action, the floor split apart as if some kind of mechanism had been triggered, causing both Riezel and Hendrick to immediately lose their bnce and begin falling downward.
"?!"
Riezel''s eyes narrowed, just about to make a move when Hendrick''s voice echoed in his ears.
"Don''t resist."
Hendrick extended his hand toward Riezel, showing that he waspletely rxed, not offering any resistance.
Staring at Hendrick, Riezel stayed silent but gave up on making any moves, letting himself fall downward.
Luckily, the fall didn''tst long.
As they reached a certain point, a mist, like water vapor, rose up, enveloping both of them and causing Riezel and Hendrick to stop falling, suspended in the mist as if floating in the water.
Before long, Riezel could feel himself moving.
"What''s this?"
Riezel nced around with a look of surprise on his face.
What he saw was an area filled with a dense mist, like steam,pletely obscuring his view of the surroundings and making it impossible to see where they were heading.
He tried using the Transparent World but found that the mist actually interfered with his senses, blocking any attempts to investigate.
As a result, he couldn''t see through the mist, nor did he have any idea where they were moving. He could only drift along, like a leaf carried by the current,pletely losing control of his own body.
"What you''re seeing right now is a magical substance called the ''Mist of Nothingness''. Its formation requires extremely harsh conditions."
Hendrick''s voice sounded in Riezel''s ears.
"It will take us to the royal treasury, so don''t resist. Just wait quietly for a moment."
Upon hearing this, Riezel neither nodded nor responded but simply remained silent and waited.
Chapter 283: Royal Treasury
Chapter 283: Royal Treasury
After drifting weightlessly like an inanimate object for a while, Riezel soon felt solid ground beneath his feet.
At the same time, the surrounding mist parted as if its job were done, clearing his vision and finally allowing him to take in his surroundings.
He was surprised when he realized that he had somehow ended up in a valley, standing before a massive stone gate.
"Where... is this?"
Riezel nced around before asking Hendrick, who had also appeared beside him without him noticing.
"We are in a ce where the royal treasury resides." Hendrick replied with a smile, though his eyes carried a certain depth.
Besides the ability to obscure one''s senses, preventing anyone from perceiving whaty within or beyond it, the Mist of Nothingness also had the ability to affect the mind and memories of any living creature caught in it.
Anyone trapped inside the Mist of Nothingness would have their memories blurred, leaving them in a groggy state throughout their time in the mist. It would even affect their recollection of how they entered the mist or what they did before getting caught in it.
Its influence was incredibly powerful, so much so that even high-ss magicians, who usually had strong resistance to Interference System Magic, couldn''t resist it.For example, because Yuri had once fallen under the influence of the Mist of Nothingness, she hadpletely forgotten the entire process of how she ended up at the royal treasury, which was why she imed that she had indeed been taken to the royal treasury but couldn''t recall what had happened in between.
When she came to her senses, she was already in front of the royal treasury''s door, and when she left, the same thing happened¡ªone moment of daze, and she found herself outside.
If even a Strategic-ss Magician like Yuri was affected by the Mist of Nothingness, it showed just how powerful its effects were.
One thing was sure¡ªthe mist itself was a treasure, a magical substance that could be ssified as a mystical treasure.
Meanwhile, the only ones able to avoid the Mist of Nothingness''s influence were those who carried a special item, which was the guide, in this case, Hendrick.
Yet, when Hendrick saw Riezel''s eyes, clear and bright, he immediately understood that this young Sword Saint hadn''t been affected by the Mist of Nothingness.
''As I thought, he really does have some secrets...''
Hendrick couldn''t help but take Riezel more seriously.
He didn''t know if any of the previous kings had encountered this kind of situation, but for him, this was the first time he had met someone who wasn''t affected by the Mist of Nothingness.
He had brought quite a few people here before, all of them with significant reputations and statuses, either Strategic-ss Magicians or Sword Saints, but none of them had been able to avoid the Mist of Nothingness''s influence.
Only Riezel seemedpletely unaffected, which made him worry a bit, wondering if Riezel could actually see through the Mist of Nothingness, catching a glimpse of whaty beyond it.
Maybe Riezel even knew exactly where they were and had realized they were standing in Jinas''s most secretive treasury.
Luckily, besides the Mist of Nothingness, there were other safeguards in ce.
As a royal treasury, the strongest foundation of the kingdom, it was naturally equipped with protective measures in case anyone ever discovered its location and intruded.
Moreover, the same restrictions as the royal pce were also in ce, meaning no one could use magic or manipte magical energy in this ce.
Indeed, like the royal pce, the royal treasury was also surrounded by a high-ss defensive barrier, its defense only second to the Light of Heaven, a strategic-ss defensive barrier. Once activated, it could even resist an army of enemies.
Additionally, this ce also had a guardian¡ªa terrifyingly powerful one.
Hendrick bent slightly, bowing toward a wooden hut beside the stone door, which caught Riezel''s attention.
Riezel immediately nced over at the hut, his focus shifting from observing the surroundings.
In the next moment, his eyes narrowed slightly at the sight, a transparent gleam shed across his pupils, and, a momentter, his expression became noticeably more serious.
"Alright."
After bowing to the hut, Hendrick turned to Riezel.
"Let''s go in."
Hendrick stepped forward and tapped the heavy stone door with the sword in his hand.
*Rumble¡ª!*
In the next second, the stone door began to open slowly, producing a deep, resonant sound that echoed throughout the valley.
Before long, as the door was fully open, a sudden light illuminated the interior, driving away the darkness.
Hendrick immediately entered the door, and Riezel followed him inside, disappearing into the royal treasury.
Once they vanished into the royal treasury, the valley returned to silence.
"Riezel Brynhart¡"
A faint muttering came from the wooden hut next to the stone door before everything went quiet once more.
===
As soon as Riezel entered the royal treasury, he finally understood why even Yuri spoke so highly of it whenever it was mentioned.
It was because the treasures inside it were truly overwhelming.
What he saw was a ce that resembled a treasure-filled stone chamber, with polished, smooth walls surrounding it.
Inside, shelves and chests were packed so full that they almost covered the entire floor.
In the chests, countless dazzling golden coins and all kinds of expensive jewelry and essories were stored.
On the shelves, a variety of items emanating strange auras were neatly arranged.
Among the items were meticulously organized ancient books, full sets of knight armor, swords, various weapons, potions, ores, crystals, rings, nes¡ªjust about everything imaginable.
He even spotted a giant egg resembling a dinosaur egg, staves and canes hanging on the walls, magician robes, a giant feather, and several alchemical dolls¡ªthe sheer volume of treasures left him dazed, almost revealing a look of shock.
Evidently, the sheer number of treasures gathered here was not only incredibly awe-inspiring but also caused the magical energy contained within the various magic items to mingle together, creating an invisible pressure that spread throughout the chamber.
If someone didn''t have a strong enough mind, their legs might have given out by now, making it impossible to remain calm.
"Well, what do you think?"
Hendrick had been observing Riezel all this time, and seeing the faint surprise on his face, couldn''t help but feel a bit proud.
"All of these are treasures Jinas has spent centuries umting, passed down through generations of kings, gathered from different eras and ces."
"Every single item here, aside from the gold and jewels, is a mystical treasure that would cause a huge stir if taken outside."
"Ordinary magic items aren''t even allowed to be stored here. Only those that our royal family considers incredibly valuable can be kept in this royal treasury."
Upon hearing Hendrick''s statement, Riezel couldn''t help but believe it.
Just the magical energy he sensed from the rack of swords alone was enough to confirm that each of these weapons could be ssified as First-ss Special Equipment in the world of Danmachi, and they would rank among the most powerful even within the ss.
Albert had once drawn his exceptional sword in front of him, but here, the sword might not even make the cut, as there were plenty of weapons in this treasury that clearly surpassed it.
Even his own Hermit and Fool wouldn''t be considered particrly strong here and wouldn''t rank anywhere near the top.
Meanwhile, seeing several dolls standing beside him, Riezel couldn''t resist reaching out to touch one of the alchemical dolls.
He had to admit that the doll''s capabilities likely far exceeded those of the mechanical dolls he had created and might even match or surpass a Level 5 Sword Master.
As for the only item Riezel had on him that couldpare to the treasures in this royal treasury and possibly rank among the top, it was probably the resurrection medicine gifted by Tamayo from the world of Demon yer.
All of this made it all the more clear just how vast and precious the collection of treasures in the royal treasury was.
"What kind of egg is this?"
Riezel showed some interest in the giant egg that looked like a dinosaur egg.
"It''s an earth dragon egg."
Hendrick, almost like a tour guide, introduced the egg to Riezel.
"It was brought back two hundred years ago by one of our Sword Saints. Back then, he was tasked with a mission to eliminate monsters in the kingdom''s territory. While there, he yed an earth dragon and found this egg inside its belly, which he brought back with him."
Earth dragons were lower-tier dragon species, often grouped with wyverns as part of the lesser dragons.
Although wyverns had wings and looked like dragons, they weren''t as massive, nor were they as powerful as true dragons. Being the offspring of true dragons and other monsters, wyverns weren''t considered pureblood dragons and were thus ssified as lesser dragons.
However, earth dragons were the opposite of wyverns.
Although earth dragons had no wings and couldn''t fly, they were asrge as true dragons. Like wyverns, earth dragons were also the result of true dragons mating with other monsters and were therefore considered lesser dragons.
Regardless, despite being lesser dragons, creatures with dragon lineage still sat at the top of the food chain among monsters.
For instance, an adult earth dragon was said to be nearly impossible for even a Sword Saint to defeat. Most Sword Saints, upon encountering an adult earth dragon, would simply drive it away rather than try to y it.
It was no surprise.
Given Earth dragons had enormous bodies, incredible vitality, and scales as hard as steel, even Sword Saints would struggle to deal significant damage. Some Sword Saints who practiced swordsmanship that didn''t focus on raw strength might not even be able to break through their defenses, let alone y them.
Of course, despite being lesser dragons, earth dragons weren''t true dragons, so even if a Sword Saint couldn''t y one, they could at least drive it off.
However, if it were true dragons, things would get tricky.
True dragons were known as the kings of monsters, even Sword Saints would struggle to match their power. In fact, history was full of Sword Saints who met their end at the hands of true dragons, proving their truly terrifying existence.
"We''ve coated the surface of this earth dragon egg with a special magic potion to slow down its hatching. If you wash off the potion, given the vitality of dragon species, the egg should hatch pretty quickly."
Hendrick continued his exnation while smiling at Riezel.
"An earth dragon is undoubtedly a high-tier summoned creature, making it ideal for Control System Magicians who primarily use summoning magic. Sir Brynhart, if you''re interested, you can take it with you."
The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and
continue reading tomorrow, everyone!
Chapter 284: Divine Meloe
Chapter 284: Divine Meloe
Indeed, an earth dragon, as a summoned creature, was absolutely of the highest tier.
Considering that a Sword Saint could mostly only drive away an adult earth dragon and find it difficult to y it, this proved that an earth dragon could still hold its ground even against a Sword Saint.
Dragons generally possessed extremely high magic resistance, with a true dragon able to withstand even Tactical-ss Magic without a single scale being harmed. Even a lesser dragon, like an earth dragon, while not as formidable as a true dragon, could still endure over a dozen hits from Tactical-ss Magic.
Needless to say, this was beyond excellent and definitely a summoned creature that every Control System Magician dreamed of.
When an adult earth dragon faced a being with power below that of a Sword Saint, it would be apletendslide victory. Even a Sword Master would suffer defeat, including someone like Albert, who was half a step into the realm of Sword Saint.
Of course, what made an earth dragon even better was that it was far more reliable than any attendant. Unless a magician could recruit a Sword Saint as an attendant, no amount of attendants couldpare to having an earth dragon.
Given this, choosing to take the earth dragon egg was, logically, a smart move.
However, there was one problem.
"Only a magician skilled in the Control System, specifically a Tactical-ss Magician, could control a creature like an earth dragon, right?"Riezel shook his head while speaking to Hendrick.
"Besides, by the time this earth dragon reaches adulthood, its master will have already been buried."
Dragons were famously long-lived, capable of living for thousands, even tens of thousands of years. Unless they were hunted down or met an untimely end, each one could outlive the history of an entire kingdom.
It was said that once they hatched from their eggs, their juvenile phasested three hundred years, and their growth phase alsosted three hundred years. After a full six hundred years, they finally reached adulthood, attaining their peak strength.
Even though earth dragons weren''t as ridiculously powerful as true dragons, their juvenile phase stillsted several decades, and by the time they matured, nearly a hundred years would have passed.
In that case, what was the point of raising it as a summoned creature?
Was it just to have it around to see you off in the end?
Besides, earth dragons were living creatures, not mechanical dolls like Yoriichi Type One. They not only required space to live but also needed daily care for their feeding, dwelling, and other needs.
Moreover, they also had a huge appetite, with an adult earth dragon able to consume countless cattle and sheep in just one feed. Given this, it was not strange for a few weeks'' worth of food to bankrupt a small noble family, and only the super-rich could afford to raise one.
In such a situation, not to mention Riezel, even Yuri, a Strategic-ss Magician specializing in the Control System, wouldn''t have chosen to take this egg back.
Of course, the main problem remained the long growth period, as no one could wait that long. Otherwise, this egg wouldn''t have been lying in the royal treasury for two hundred years without anyone taking it.
"Let''s look at something else."
Riezel shrugged his shoulders nonchntly.
"Sure."
Hendrick seemed to have anticipated this oue, responding quite readily.
With that, under Hendrick''s guidance, Riezel became acquainted with one precious treasure after another.
"This is the Sword of Darkley, an exceptional magic weapon crafted by a famous alchemist named Darkley Coro. It''s adorned with three high-quality magic crystals and forged from the finest magic metal, making it not only incredibly sharp but also able to be imbued with magical energy. It can effortlessly slice through tactical-ss defensive barriers, making it the ultimate weapon for closebat."
"This is the Tiernar Armor, created by the Reiburg Kingdom, known as the kingdom of war, for their strongest Sword Saint, who once fought in a war. Reiburg mobilized all its famous Structure System Magicians for three days and nights to forge this armor, using precious materials from its treasury. It has a reputation for being impervious, leaving no trace even amidst attacks from thousands of troops."
"This is the Forest Staff, made from the branch of the now-extinct Adam Tree, with a history spanning hundreds of years. Its creator is unknown, but it possesses exceptional assistance capabilities for magic. Any magician who wields this staff will have their magic''s power enhanced by about thirty percent, while also reducing magical energy consumption, making it an excellent piece of equipment for any magician."
"This is..."
As Hendrick introduced one treasure after another, guiding Riezel through the entire royal treasury, Riezel realized just how precious the items within were.
In truth, Riezel felt drawn to more than one treasure, and if it hadn''t been for his strong self-control, he might have chosen one right there on the spot.
Seeing that Riezel still hadn''t made a choice, Hendrick remained patient, continuing to exin each treasure''s origin, function, and purpose in detail.
At this moment, Hendrick didn''t look like a king at all and instead resembled a collector proudly showcasing his collection.
All of this continued for a solid half hour.
During this time, Riezel remained intrigued by many treasures but didn''t rush to pick one until he spotted a pendant.
"What''s this?"
Riezel''s attention was instantly captured by the pendant.
It was adorned with a transparent jewel that radiated a spectrum of colors, and its exterior was exquisitely beautiful, finely crafted from mysterious materials¡ªclearly a treasure of exceptional origin.
Yet, for some reason, while the other treasures emitted faint waves of unusual magical energy, this pendant was devoid of any magical energy fluctuations, appearing to be just an ordinary luxury item.
However, Riezel didn''t think so, not because it was ced on a disy shelf rather than in one of the jewelry-filled boxes, but because of a subtle sense of intuition he felt.
Hendrick, unaware of this, noticed Riezel''s interest in the beautiful pendant, which caused his expression to be somewhatplex.
"It''s called ''Divine Meloe'', an ancient mystical treasure unearthed from an ancient ruin that has remained silent in this treasury for nearly four hundred years."
Hendrick exined the pendant''s origin to Riezel.
"It automatically absorbs its holder''s magical energy, and when fully charged, it can activate two abilities."
"The first ability is topletely iste its holder from the outside world. Any power directed at them, whether harmful or harmless, cannot affect them for one minute."
"The second ability is to record its holder''s state. If its holder suffers fatal damage or is affected by negative powers, this ability can reset their state and bring them back to the state they were in one day ago, which can be triggered manually."
"Most importantly, though, it will begin absorbing magical energy again only after both abilities are used, so if only one of the abilities is used, the unused ability must be used first before the used one can be reused again. Meaning, only after its magical energy is fully recharged will the already used ability be avable again."
After hearing Hendrick''s exnation, Riezel''s gaze toward the pendant shifted dramatically.
A treasure?
It was clearly a divine artifact!
Completely isted its holder from the outside world, and any power directed at them, whether harmful or harmless, couldn''t affect them?
It was clearly a space ability!
Recorded its holder''s state, and as soon as they suffered fatal damage or were affected by negative powers, it could reset their state to what it was a day ago?
It was clearly a time ability!
It was clear that this pendant actually possessed abilities of both space and time. If having both of these amazing abilities wasn''t considered a divine artifact, then what was?
However¡ª
''Why would such a powerful item be left here for nearly four hundred years without anyone taking it?''
Riezel couldn''t help but wonder.
Such an amazing item, without a doubt an absolute life-saving item, could easily turn a dire situation around with either ability, allowing anyone to escape any crisis unscathed.
Even if it had just one of the abilities, it would still be an incredibly valuable and powerful item. Yet, for this pendant to have both abilities was simply absurd.
Most importantly, it could be reused, unlike the one-time life-saving item like the teleportation magic crystal Sorren had used before.
Needless to say, this greatly increased its value, enough to earn it the title of a divine artifact.
Such a powerful item shouldn''t realistically be left unused.
Riezel was sure that anyone who had ever entered this royal treasury would inevitably be tempted by the pendant''s abilities once they learned about it.
Even Hendrick''s intense gaze while introducing the pendant indicated that he was also immensely captivated by its abilities.
No choice.
If he had it, why would he fear assassination? Why worry about danger?
He could live freely without fear!
However, alongside that burning intensity, there was also a hint of undeniable regret in Hendrick''s eyes.
What did this mean?
"Does this treasure have some harsh usage conditions or some uneptable side effects?"
Riezel immediately understood when he blurted out his assumption.
"Indeed..." Hendrick sighed, filled with regret. "It has a w and a side effect..."
Riezel looked at Hendrick, signaling for him to continue.
Hendrick nced at the pendant for a moment before resuming his exnation.
"For its w, it requires an astonishing amount of magical energy to be fully charged. So far, no one has managed to fill itpletely. If it weren''t for the records in the ruin about it, no one would even know what abilities it had."
"For its side effect, it always puts its holder into a state of sleepwalking, causing them to unknowingly stray somewhere before ultimately perishing in the wilderness."
"Such a harsh w and side effect make this powerful mystical treasurepletely useless."
Indeed.
If not for the harsh w and side effect, this pendant wouldn''t have sat in the royal treasury for hundreds of years.
Up to this day, no one had ever chosen it.
Chapter 285: A Total Cheat
Chapter 285: A Total Cheat
"Magical energy..."
Riezel looked at the pendant known as Divine Meloe in front of him, lost in thought.
Honestly, he didn''t care much about the side effect Hendrick had mentioned.
It was understandable.
With Self Redemption, physical and mental interferences were ineffective against him. Even if it was a negative condition unrted to physical and mental interferences, he still possessed the highest-ranked development ability, Abnormal Resistance, so the side effect didn''t concern him at all.
Because of this, he paid no mind to the so-called side effect and only cared about the w that required an astonishing amount of magical energy.
Hendrick obviously thought the same as Riezel.
Knowing Riezel had beenpletely unaffected by the Mist of Nothingness earlier, he figured Riezel probably wasn''t afraid of the side effect of Divine Meloe.
However, when it came to magical energy, he didn''t think Riezel would be able to handle it."Filling Divine Meloe with magical energy is a process that cannot be interrupted."
Seeing Riezel lost in thought, Hendrick reminded him.
"Once you start filling it with magical energy, there can''t be any interruptions. Otherwise, all the magical energy that was absorbed will vanish in an instant, leaving nothing behind."
"Using another''s help doesn''t work either since it can only hold one type of magical energy. It can''t coexist with magical energy from more than one person, so you can''t even ask for help."
"We, the royal family, even tried to use a special magic item to temporarily store someone''s magical energy and then fill it once there was enough, but it still failed."
In short, any tricks were useless.
Filling Divine Meloe with magical energy had to be done by its holder alone, without any interruptions in the process. Otherwise, they would need to start over.
Hendrick also told Riezel that Divine Meloe''s abilities would only work for the person who filled it with magical energy.
In other words, if someone really managed to fill it up, even if they handed it over to someone else, it would be useless, since, if it wasn''t the person who filled it with magical energy, the abilities of Divine Meloe couldn''t be used.
Needless to say, the royal family must have tried many shortcut methods, yet they still had to leave Divine Meloe dormant here, proving that there was no shortcut to using it.Until this day, no one capable of fully filling Divine Meloe with magical energy had emerged.
"In the past, there were several who held Divine Meloe and sessfully resisted its side effect."
Hendrick continued his exnation.
"They were outstanding magicians who cast counter-magic against abnormal status effects for themselves and wealthy swordsmen who used magic items that could resist negative powers."
"Regardless, even if they resisted the side effect, its harsh usage condition defeated everyone, including those Strategic-ss Magicians who naturally possessed enormous magical energy."
One should remember that to be a Strategic-ss Magician, one had to not only have one of their magicpatibilities reach the seventh grade but also possess enough magical energy to cast Strategic-ss Magic.
Just imagine how much magical energy it took to use magic capable of destroying arge city or even a small country. If Strategic-ss Magicians like them couldn''t even meet the necessary conditions, Riezel was definitely out of luck.
In the first ce, Riezel was just a Tactical-ss Magician, and his magical energy was likely even less than that of a Strategic-ss Magician.
If Strategic-ss Magicians couldn''t do it, how could he?
Such was Hendrick''s train of thought.
Indeed, he wasn''t wrong.
Riezel''s magical energy was indeed massive, butpared to Yuri, who was a Strategic-ss Magician, he still fell short.
If Yuri, a Strategic-ss Magician, couldn''t provide enough magical energy for Divine Meloe, then Riezel certainly couldn''t either.
Yes, this thought itself wasn''t wrong, if one ignored the fact that Riezel was an adventurer who had received a Falna (Blessing) from a goddess in the world of Danmachi.
In the next moment, Riezel reached out and took Divine Meloe from the shelf without hesitation.
In that instant, the transparent jewel atop Divine Meloe, radiating a rainbow of colors, suddenly lit up.
*Bzzz¡ª!*
Apanied by a loud buzzing sound, Riezel felt that the magical energy within him was rapidly depleting at a visible speed.
All of this magical energy was being absorbed by the jewel on Divine Meloe, causing a gradual emergence of a deep green color on the transparent jewel.
Hendrick watched this scene silently, quietly observing Riezel''s actions.
During the process, Riezel did nothing, just casually holding it and allowing Divine Meloe to absorb his magical energy, as the absorption urred automatically.
Originally, the magical energy within Riezel was not very controble by him.
Due to the damage to his Gate, he couldn''t mobilize the magical energy within his body, nor could he use it to cast magic. He could only stimte this magical energy while practicing swordsmanship, allowing it to activate on its own, nourishing his body and helping him grow stronger.
Only after integrating the breathing techniques from both worlds and evolving Sun Breathing could he partially utilize this magical energy, incorporating it into his bloodstream to enhance the power of his breathing style and body.
In other words, if filling Divine Meloe with magical energy required his own efforts, then he trulycked the ability to use or mobilize the magical energy within his body toplete the process.
Now that Divine Meloe was automatically drawing magical energy from his body without requiring any effort on his part, it was a surprisingly good thing.
Understanding this, Riezel made no effort to resist, allowing his magical energy to flow like water into Divine Meloe, causing the deep green color on its transparent jewel to be more and more pronounced.
When the deep green color on the transparent jewel reached about half its capacity, the speed at which Divine Meloe absorbed magical energy suddenly decreased.
Riezel immediately sensed that the magical energy within his body had nearly been drained.
''Sure enough, he also can''t do it...''
Hendrick saw the scene clearly and thought that it was exactly as expected.
In the past, there had been a Strategic-ss Magician who was drained of magical energy by Divine Meloe, resulting in only about eighty percent of its magical energy capacity being filled, ultimately leading to failure.
However, what made it even more surprising was that this urred even with the Strategic-ss Magician using a potion that could rapidly restore magical energy, allowing his magical energy to recover rapidly during the absorption process.
Without using a potion to assist in his magical energy recovery, the Strategic-ss Magician would have at most filled Divine Meloe to sixty percent.
Of course, the potion the Strategic-ss Magician used was the highest-rank magical energy recovery potion, as the recovery effect of regr potions simply couldn''t keep up with Divine Meloe''s absorption speed.
Given such a situation, Riezel managing to fill Divine Meloe halfway to fifty percent already made his magical energy one of the best among Tactical-ss Magicians.
Unfortunately, Riezel still couldn''t fill Divine Meloepletely.
Hendrick was about to speak, wanting to tell Riezel to seek another treasure, but just as he prepared to do so, an evenrger surge of magical energy erupted suddenly from Riezel''s body.
''What?!''
Hendrick was taken aback, his faceced with a shocked expression.
''Hadn''t his magical energy nearly run out?''
''How did it suddenly recover? And... it seems evenrger now?''
In his astonishment, Hendrick didn''t realize that the magical energy Riezel used at this moment was his true magical energy, transformed from his ''mind'', which was the fuel necessary for casting magic in the world of Danmachi.
Now, Riezel was converting his mind into magical energy and providing it to Divine Meloe, causing its absorption speed, which had slowed, to immediately shoot back up to a terrifying degree.
Ultimately, the originally half-filled deep green color on the transparent jewel expanded again.
60%.
70%.
80%.
Before long, the transparent jewel was filled with a vibrant green, reaching 90%.
Up to this point, Riezel''s mind was still handling things effortlessly.
It was as expected.
With Endless, Riezel had the highest-ranked development ability, Spirit Healing, which allowed his mind to recover automatically. Additionally, since it was of the highest rank, S-rank, the amount of mind he could recover per second was quite enormous.
As a result, since bing an adventurer and receiving Falna, Riezel had never experienced ''mind down'' or ''mind zero''.
In other words, no matter how much magic Riezel used, he could always cast it continuously without running out of magical energy.
Even though the magical energy absorption speed and quantity of Divine Meloe were indeed terrifying, unfortunately for it, it ran into Riezel, a total cheat.
*Zing¡ª!*
Eventually, the originally transparent jewel atop the pendant known as Divine Meloepletely transformed into a jade-like emerald green.
After nearly four hundred years, someone finally managed to fill it and restore its former glory.
As Riezel looked at the pendant, the mysterious sensation he felt grew stronger.
He was sure he had experienced this feeling before. It was more or less the same feeling he had when he received that animal skin from Lizbeth.
"I choose it."
Riezel grasped Divine Meloe and turned to Hendrick.
"I choose this one."
Hearing this, Hendrick opened his mouth but couldn''t say anything, falling into silence.
He realized that Divine Meloe had been taken away.
Originally, it was not a problem, but when it was filled and could now be used, it became a problem, especially when its holder was Riezel.
What did this mean?
It meant that if the royal family really nned to take action against Riezel, they would probably be unable to do anything to him now.
With the protection from the two abilities of Divine Meloe, even if Riezel were besieged by multiple Sword Saints and faced national-level forcesying a web of traps, he had enough ability to ensure his survival.
Moreover, even if they resorted to taboo methods, they would probably still be unable to do anything to Riezel.
"Is that okay, Your Majesty?"
Gazing at the silent Hendrick, Riezel seemed to see through his thoughts as he asked calmly and indifferently.
Hendrick stared at Riezel for a moment before suddenly smiling.
"No problem."
The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and
continue reading tomorrow, everyone!
Chapter 286: If It Were Indeed Me, What Would You Do?
Chapter 286: If It Were Indeed Me, What Would You Do?
Royal Pce, Throne Room.
As the feeling of solid ground returned beneath Riezel''s feet, the Mist of Nothingness surrounding him dissipated once more, bringing him back to the throne room, away from the royal treasury where Jinas had stored hundreds of years'' worth of treasures.
Touching the emerald-green jewel pendant hanging from his neck, he confirmed that everything that had just happened was real and not a figment of his imagination or a dream brought on by a momentarypse in focus.
Such a realization made him smile.
No choice.
His haul this time was, after all, quite significant.
Even though he had only obtained one treasure, its value was undoubtedly high, and its function was profound.
Needless to say, it had instantly be the most valuable item in his possession.
He had merely scammed the royal family, yet the reward he reaped was akin to a massive windfall from the heavens.However, this experience also reminded him never to underestimate a country, especially one with a history spanning hundreds or even thousands of years¡ªthe power of such a country was not to be taken lightly.
Not only was it likely to harbor hidden treasures and unknown means, but its deep foundations also couldn''t be ignored, even by someone with the power of a Sword Saint or a Strategic-ss Magician.
Understanding this, Riezel adjusted his mindset slightly.
Truly, the moment he had sessfully advanced to Level 6 and gained power on par with a Sword Saint, he had to admit that his actions had be more reckless.
Although daring to venture into any dangerous situation and actively seeking thrills had always been his way, even before he got transmigrated, this didn''t mean he could afford to dismiss the danger itself.
Being fully aware of the risks and still charging ahead with a fearless heart was very different from underestimating those risks and charging ahead with a fearless heart.
While the former was called adventure, excitement, and bravery, thetter was courting death, arrogance, and negligence¡ªthey truly couldn''t bepared.
After readjusting his mindset, Riezel turned to Hendrick, who had appeared beside him.
"Thank you for your gift, Your Majesty."
Riezel spoke while bowing his head slightly in gratitude.
"No, that isn''t a gift, but apensation." Hendrick shook his head with a smile. "Your family should now be escorted by the royal knights to the Frenzel residence. My unworthy son''s mistake... I hope Sir Brynhart won''t hold a grudge." ?¨¢?????§¦?
At this revtion, Riezel''s brow furrowed slightly, though it went unnoticed.
''Escorted to the Frenzel residence...?'' Riezel thought, feeling a little surprised. ''Tch, whatever. I''ll have Yuri take care of themter.''
In the first ce, he had no intention of meeting the Brynhart family, let alone acknowledging them.
"In that case, I''ll be taking my leave." Riezel nodded calmly. "Once again, I thank Your Majesty for your ''gift''."
With that, Riezel turned and walked toward the throne room''s door.
Hendrick watched Riezel''s back, looking at the extraordinary figure who, in the span of a month, had gone from an unknown to someone renowned throughout the continent.
After a moment of silence, Hendrick suddenly spoke up.
"Sorren''s matter... that really wasn''t your doing?"
As soon as this question was uttered, the air in the throne room seemed to freeze.
Riezel''s steps halted, and he stood still.
He could feel Hendrick''s sharp gaze locked on him, filled with piercing intensity, giving him a sense of unease and a feeling like the truth was being exposed after a facade of politeness.
Maybe Hendrick had long wanted to ask that question.
Maybe Hendrick had nned to confront him with that question the moment he summoned him to the royal pce.
Or maybe it was just a sudden whim.
Nevertheless, whatever it was, he couldn''t help but chuckle at Hendrick''s question.
"Well, let''s say it was me..."
Riezel no longer used polite formalnguage when speaking to Hendrick, but instead spoke as if he was addressing an ordinary person, someone no different from himself, amoner.
"If it were indeed me, what would you do?"
Riezel asked in a tone that made Hendrick feel a bit ufortable.
However, instead of answering it, Hendrick followed up on Riezel''s question with one of his own.
"Do you think I shouldn''t do anything?" Hendrick asked back, his tone cold. "A royalty, the heir to the throne, the son of the current king, was almost killed. Shouldn''t I investigate this? Shouldn''t I punish the culprit for it?"
Upon hearing this, Riezel''s voice did not change at all and remained calm as he retorted in the next moment.
"Even if you say that... he''s not dead, is he? So what''s the big deal?"
"You¡ª!"
Hendrick finally snapped, his face showing anger, but Riezel''s next words felt like a bucket of cold water being poured directly onto his boiling heart.
"Honestly, aren''t you actually relieved that things turned out this way?"
Riezel''s voice drifted into Hendrick''s ears slowly.
"If your son had died, there would be no chance for coexistence between me and your kingdom. We''d most likely be enemies, wouldn''t we?"
"However, since he''s still alive, there''s still room to ease the tension, right?"
"Isn''t that a good thing for you? I know you don''t want to see me as an enemy or fall into the arms of another country, at least not before you''re sure you have the capability to eliminate me."
"So, even if you get to the bottom of this, even if the investigation brings you undeniable proof that I was the culprit, would you really take action against me? Would you really push me away to other countries, or maybe to your opposition?"
"No, you''d hesitate."
Riezel pinpointed the exact concern in Hendrick''s heart and amplified it.
"Let''s be clear, your son is the one who started it, so isn''t it only natural for me to retaliate?"
Riezel finally turned around to face Hendrick.
"Or... do you honestly believe that just because he''s a prince, he can do anything he wants toward me without facing any consequences?"
As Riezel asked this, his tone turned indifferent, and a cold gleam flickered in his eyes as he looked at Hendrick.
Seeing this, Hendrick''s freshly kindled anger vanished instantly.
He really couldn''t retort Riezel''s question.
If being a prince meant one could act arbitrarily toward a Sword Saint without consequences, once this statement got out, the entire kingdom would descend into chaos.
Let alone a prince, even a king couldn''t do that, or else any Sword Saints of Jinas would leave Jinas without a second thought or, worse, strike back against it, leaving it in ruins.
In fact, this point was already bing clear from the recent incident when many Sword Saints sent protest letters.
One should remember that they were Sword Saints, the strongest and highest-ranked swordsmen on the continent. Aside from those of equal rank, they were considered unmatched individuals, not servants to be bullied at will.
It was also precisely because of this that Hendrick had no choice but to offer Riezelpensation. Otherwise, Sorren''s actions would never be forgiven by the other Sword Saints.
Moreover, Jinas also still needed them, needed their strength. If Jinas lost their support and loyalties, it would soon face its decline.
As a result, not even Hendrick dared to im that his son could act arbitrarily toward a Sword Saint without facing any consequences.
Seeing Hendrick fall silent, Riezel spoke again.
"Still, there''s one thing I didn''t lie about..." Riezel said calmly. "Since I came here to meet you, it means I don''t n on pursuing this any further."
Indeed, the fact that Riezel came here proved that not only did the royal family want to maintain their rtionship with him and avoid pushing him toward others or away from the kingdom, but he had also settled an old score and would not pursue the matter any longer.
Since Sorren had once sent the Shadow Knights to nearly kill him, it was his turn to almost kill Sorren in return.
Both had faced life-threatening danger because of the other, both had narrowly escaped death, yet both had survived by sheer luck.
Considering this, they were even now.
"As long as that mad dog doesn''t mess with me again..."
Riezel continued in a blunt tone, straightforwardly calling Sorren ''mad dog'' in front of Hendrick.
"Otherwise, I can''t guarantee he''ll be lucky enough to escape next time."
Needless to say, this was a naked threat.
However, without giving Hendrick time to react, Riezel suddenly changed the topic.
"Of course, all of this is just hypothetical."
Leaving this meaningful statement behind, Riezel turned and calmly walked out of the throne room.
Hendrick could only watch as Riezel left, his expression shifting unpredictably as he sat on his throne, silent for a long time.
"Your Majesty."
After a while, a familiar voice spoke from behind Hendrick.
"Rohm... what do you think I should do?"
Hendrick didn''t turn around but merely let out a tired breath before calmly asking Rohm.
By now, it was almost certain that Riezel was the one who attacked Sorren.
What did this mean?
It meant Riezel had truly mastered two different types of Special Swordsmanship.
It meant Riezel really had hundreds of high-performance alchemical dolls and the ability to control them.
It meant Riezel was the one the survivors called ''Mist''.
Unfortunately, knowing all of this was useless since there was no concrete evidence.
Moreover¡ª
"...As much as I hate to admit it, what he said is the truth."
Rohm appeared behind Hendrick and, after a moment of silence, answered.
"He hid his identity when attacking His Highness and then came here, proving that he didn''t truly want to be our enemy, and he hasn''t yet decided to sever ties with the royal family or the kingdom."
"Moreover, His Highness was indeed the one who started it, so we can''t argue with that."
"Although attempting to assassinate a prince is undoubtedly a great crime, His Highness is still alive, so it''s not worth making an enemy of this unfathomable Riezel Brynhart over it."
In Rohm''s eyes, Riezel had now be an unfathomable figure, much like how Hendrick saw Riezel at that time when he defeated Albert in an instant.
"Also, ording to intel from the Shadow, the Cordelion family seems to be quietly up to something recently. I bet they are making arrangements to clear both their own name and Riezel Brynhart''s from the incident..."
Rohm informed Hendrick of additional information.
"Soon enough, we may not even have a reason to move against him."
Upon hearing this, Hendrick finally relented.
"Hahh... in that case, let''s leave it at that..." Hendrick sighed before speaking with a tired expression. "When Sorren wakes up, make sure to let me know."
He really needed to properly warn his son.
"Understood."
Rohm lowered his head and vanished once again.
Chapter 287: Closest Person
Chapter 287: Closest Person
Frenzel Residence, Yuri''s Office.
"Back already?"
As always, Yuri sat at her desk doing her work, but the moment she saw Riezel walk through the door, she immediately put down what she was doing and smiled at him¡ªa gesture that had long since be a habit.
"Yeah, I''m back."
Riezel sat down before Yuri, with Lizbeth trailing closely behind him.
As Lizbeth saw Marilyn bow to Riezel as he entered, she quickly followed suit and bowed to Yuri as well.
Yuri nodded at Lizbeth before turning her attention back to Riezel.
"Judging by your expression, it looks like you had quite the haul..." Yuri said with a hint of curiosity. "What did you pick? Let me see!"
Obviously, she was eager to know what Riezel had brought back from the royal treasury."Yeah, here."
Riezel didn''t hesitate as he removed the green jewel pendant hanging around his neck and ced it in front of Yuri.
As soon as Yuri saw the pendant, her face lit up in shock.
"You... You actually took this thing?"
At first, Yuri didn''t seem to recognize the pendant as Divine Meloe, likely because its jewel, which had originally been transparent, had turned an emerald green. It wasn''t until she realized the pendant was indeed Divine Meloe that her expression became one ofplete astonishment.
"Heh..."
Seeing Yuri''s shocked expression, Riezel chuckled lightly.
"Looks like you know about this pendant, huh."
"..."
Yuri stayed silent for a while before finally letting out a sigh.
"Well... its existence isn''t exactly a secret, after all. With such overwhelming abilities and the fact that even Strategic-ss Magicians can''t fully fill it with magical energy, it has be a pretty well-known rumor in the magician circle."
It wasn''t all that surprising.
Given Divine Meloe''s immense capability, it was certain that countless people, especially magicians, had coveted it over the past four hundred years.
Since most of the magicians who could ess the royal treasury were Strategic-ss Magicians, one could easily imagine how frustrated they must''ve been after trying and failing to fill Divine Meloe with magical energy.
If even one of them couldn''t help but mention this treasure out of regret, it would have definitely spread quickly. On top of that, with the influence of their status as Strategic-ss Magicians, any treasure they couldn''t stop praising yet couldn''t use would soon be a well-known rumor.
"I also saw this pendant when I entered the royal treasury before and tried filling it with magical energy, but I could only get it to about 70%, then couldn''t continue any further..."
As Yuri mentioned this, she gazed seriously at Riezel.
"Judging by its current state, it looks like it''s been fully charged with magical energy and is ready for use... Are you the one who did it? How did you pull it off?"
Yuri was genuinely shocked and curious.
Even she, a Strategic-ss Magician, could not fill more than 70% of its magical energy capacity, yet Riezel, a Tactical-ss Magician, managed to fill it to 100%.
It was truly nonsense.
Could it be that Riezel''s magical energy was so much greater than her own?
It shouldn''t be, right?
When it came to magical energy, she had always been confident in herself. At least, from birth until now, she had never met anyone who surpassed her in magical energy, not even other Strategic-ss Magicians.
She had met the other Strategic-ss Magician of Jinas before, and she was certain that the magician''s energy paled inparison to hers, proving that even among Strategic-ss Magicians, her magical energy was one of the best.
Given that, it would be almost impossible to find anyone on the entire continent with more magical energy than her, let alone someone who surpassed her by much.
Through her long-time observations, she knew that Riezel''s magical energy was considerably less than hers, so how on earth had he managed to fully charge Divine Meloe?
Even after careful thought, Yuri still couldn''t figure it out.
"It''s actually really simple..."
Riezel noticed the confused and puzzled look on Yuri''s face and smiled slightly before exining.
"It''s because I have a second source of magical energy."
"A second source of magical energy? What does that even mean?" Yuri raised her brows before furrowing them. "You just keep adding more and more secrets..."
She was clearly annoyed, looking as if she had finally given up on trying to figure him out.
"Yeah..." Riezel replied casually, not denying it.
He immediately thought of the Dimensional Magic Cube, Lizbeth''s animal skin, and Divine Meloe.
"Honestly, even I don''t know what other secrets are hidden inside me..." Riezel muttered to himself, his eyes squinting.
Yuri, of course, didn''t understand what he was muttering, but seeing him deep in thought as if worrying about something, she couldn''t help blurting out something surprising without thinking.
"No matter what secrets you have, as long as I know you''re the closest person to me, I don''t care about the rest."
"..."
In that instant, the entire office instantly fell into silence.
Riezel snapped out of his thoughts and quickly looked at Yuri with a peculiar expression.
Marilyn looked at Yuri in shock, like she had just seen a ghost.
Lizbeth covered her mouth as if she had just witnessed something unbelievable.
It wasn''t until then that Yuri realized what she had just blurted out.
Her face immediately turned bright red, and for the first time in her life, a strong sense of embarrassment surged in her heart.
"N-No... that''s not what I meant!"
Yuri,pletely overwhelmed by embarrassment, started to stutter, which was truly rare for her.
Seeing this normally heroic and confident Marquis Frenzel turning into a blushing mess like a lovestruck girl, Riezel couldn''t help but chuckle.
"You know what? You''re actually the closest person to me in this world." Riezel said with a calm smile.
"R-Really?" Yuri responded, feeling her face heating up even more, her heart racing so fast she hardly recognized herself.
Almost instinctively, she started fanning her own face with her hand, trying to cool it down before quickly changing the subject.
"Anyway, I''ve found some leads on what you asked me to investigate earlier."
Yuri''s words caused the smile on Riezel''s face to fade since he knew exactly what she was referring to.
"You mean the Hidden Land?"
Earlier, Riezel had asked Yuri to look into this mysterious ce for him.
"Eh?"
Lizbeth, who had been listening silently, froze when she heard Riezel mention the Hidden Land.
It was only then that Riezel remembered that he hadn''t told Lizbeth about this yet.
As a result, Riezel immediately turned to Lizbeth and apologized.
"Sorry, I mentioned the Hidden Land to Yuri and asked her to investigate it."
"I see..."
Lizbeth nodded in relief, though she still felt puzzled as to why Riezel wanted to investigate the Hidden Land.
Regardless, this topic wasn''t entirely unrted to her¡ªin fact, she was curious about it too.
''What exactly is this so-called Hidden Land?''
Such a question made Lizbeth nce at Yuri, her expression a mix of nervousness and unease.
Unfortunately¡ª
"Don''t look at me like that since you guys are probably going to be disappointed..."
Saying this, Yuri let out a small sigh of relief.
At this moment, her face finally lost some of its redness, and the change in topic eased the embarrassment she had been feeling.
"I looked through tons of information, cross-referenced a lot of hidden details, and even, as the Chief Court Magician, borrowed maps and ancient texts from the pce library to search, but I still couldn''t find anything rted to this Hidden Land..."
Yuri sighed again.
"So, I have no idea where this Hidden Land you''re talking about is. I couldn''t even find the name, which makes me wonder if this ce even exists."
Such an unexpected result left both Riezel and Lizbeth momentarily stunned.
"Not even the name?"
Riezel furrowed his brows, and Lizbeth even began to doubt herself, wondering if the so-called Hidden Land even existed.
It was, after all, just a ce Lizbeth had once heard about from her grandmother while caring for her years ago, so she wasn''t sure if it was even real. If Riezel hadn''t made her recall itst time, she probably wouldn''t have remembered it at all.
''Maybe that ce really doesn''t exist...'' Lizbeth started to suspect. ''Was Grandma Mia just making it up on the spot?''
Only Riezel, after frowning, looked toward Yuri and asked again.
"If that''s the case, why did you say you had some leads earlier then? What exactly did you find?"
Yuri''s response to this question was simple.
"Didn''t you also ask me to investigate Her Highness''s sword while I was at it?" Yuri responded casually. "I didn''t find anything about the Hidden Land, but I did manage to dig up something on the sword."
She immediately handed a piece of parchment to Riezel.
As Riezel gazed at the parchment, he saw there were no words on it, just a picture.
He could clearly see that the picture looked very simr to the one he had seen on Lizbeth''s animal skin, especially with the distinctive human-like figures drawn in a recognizable style.
However, the scene depicted in the picture on this parchment was somewhat different from the one on Lizbeth''s animal skin.
It showed a confrontation between humans and beasts on a battlefield.
While the human-like figures were armed, fully equipped, and seemingly ready to charge as a group, the beast-like figures filled the other side, roaring and snarling at them.
It was obvious that both sides were armies gearing up for a fierce war.
However, the curious part was an enormous, mysterious shadow looming behind the beast army, while a woman with a crown, looking like a queen, stood behind the human army, holding a gleaming golden sword.
"That... That''s Moslow!"
Lizbeth couldn''t help but lean in closer, immediately recognizing the sword the queen held in the picture.
Riezel nodded in agreement.
Just like Lizbeth''s animal skin, this picture also showed a queen leading her people, wielding a brilliant golden sword.
He was sure that the golden sword, whether in shape or outline, was identical to Lizbeth''s Moslow.
He lifted his gaze from the parchment and looked at Yuri.
"What''s this, and where did ite from?"
"It''s a rubbing..."
Yuri replied while gazing at the parchment for a moment, then back at Riezel.
"A rubbing of a mural found in an ancient ruin."
Chapter 288: Ancient Magic Civilization
Chapter 288: Ancient Magic Civilization
A rubbing of a mural found in an ancient ruin?
When these words came out of Yuri''s mouth, Riezel''s gaze fell on the emerald green pendant he had ced on the table.
"Ancient ruin again?"
ording to Hendrick, Divine Meloe was an ancient mystical treasure unearthed from an ancient ruin, not crafted by any alchemist or Structure System Magician of this era.
Now that Yuri had mentioned an ancient ruin, Riezel couldn''t help but react to it.
Lizbeth and Marilyn, however, seemed unfazed.
As Yuri noticed Riezel''s clueless expression, she began to exin.
"With the continuous development of magic civilization, it is now confirmed that before the modern magic civilization was born, there actually existed an ancient magic civilization that thrived on the continent for quite a long time."
"Many countries on the Akasha Continent have unearthed some ancient ruins that do not belong to the current era. Some of these ruins have been excavated, allowing these countries to discover many ancient treasures and records of ancient civilizations.""However, some remain unbreached, and due to technical issues, excavation is challenging. As a result, many mysteries are still unsolved, and some ruins have even posed life-threatening dangers to excavators, ultimately bing forbidden zones."
Yuri''s exnation made Riezel vaguely remember some knowledge about this.
It was, in fact,mon knowledge taught at every academy.
Unfortunately, the original Riezel didn''t value this knowledge, which meant that even when Riezel searched the original Riezel''s memory on the subject, he could only vaguely recall scattered bits and pieces.
"An ancient magic civilization, huh?" Riezel felt a bit interested. "So, the modern magic civilization emerged on top of the ancient one?"
"No." Yuri shook her head. "ording to existing records, the ancient magic civilization should have disappeared about 11,000 years ago, and the modern magic civilization was born several thousand years after that."
"Disappeared? Why?" Riezel was taken aback.
"Not sure..." Yuri replied with a frown. "Although the magic world has yet to fully understand the reason for the extinction of the ancient magic civilization, based on the limited records unearthed from the ruins across the continent, the main reason for the extinction of that magic civilization might stem from monsters."
Her words made Riezel turn his gaze back to the picture on the parchment.
On it, the beast-like figures confronting the human-like figures were undoubtedly the monsters she mentioned.
"Murals depicting simr scenes can be found in ancient ruins across the continent. For this reason, experts in the magic field believe that, long ago, the Akasha Continent may have had far more, and much stronger, monsters than it does today."
"It seems they shared dominance of the Akasha Continent with humans, constantly threatening human survival, straining the environment, and leading to frequent wars between humans and monsters."
"Afterward, about 11,000 years ago, it seemed like the monster poption had a massive outbreak, turning the entire continent into a battlefield for an unprecedented war with humans."
"As a result, the ancient magic civilization perished, and the monsters suffered heavy losses, their numbers drastically reduced. It was only after thousands of years of recovery that humans regained the power of civilization and reestablished their home on the Akasha Continent."
"Well, I don''t know whether it was true or not, but this is the most popr and widely epted theory in the magic world at the moment."
Yuri picked up Divine Meloe from the table and handed it to Riezel.
"Ancient treasures like this are asionally discovered from the remnants of ancient magic civilization."
"You know, the prosperity of the ancient magic civilization far exceeds what we can imagine. Not only are the precious treasures from that era, passed down to today, difficult for modern magic civilization to recreate, but their underlying principles are also hard to understand."
"So, anything rted to the ancient magic civilization, be it knowledge or items, is exceptionally valuable, making it one of the most mysterious andplex treasures."
"I believe the Hidden Land you mentioned might be rted to the ancient magic civilization."
Upon hearing this, Riezel silently took Divine Meloe from Yuri''s hand and ced it back on his neck.
"So, you mean, Lizbeth''s Moslow might also be a product of this ancient magic civilization?"
Riezel''s question made Lizbeth react.
''Is that true...?'' Lizbeth thought to herself, feeling confused. ''But... since Moslow appeared on those murals, that''s probably true, right?''
"Probably..." Yuri nodded at Riezel''s question before turning to Lizbeth. "Your Highness, your sword must have been studied by the royal family, right?"
Needless to say, the answer to this question was a definite yes.
"Yes... When I first entered the pce, Fath¡ªHis Majesty took Moslow for a while..." Lizbeth replied hesitantly.
Truthfully, that was a natural development.
If Riezel and Yuri could discover the anomaly of Moslow, how could the royal family not have noticed it?
Hendrick must have had doubts about the origin of Moslow and would naturally take it away for research, which was perfectly normal.
"Regarding that, I found the records of the royal family''s research on Moslow in the pce library."
Yuri told Lizbeth something shepletely didn''t know.
"The records showed that the royal family had summoned twelve court magicians, along with three professors from Spriller Academy''s alchemy department, to analyze and investigate Moslow. In the end, they ultimately confirmed it as a magic weapon left over from the ancient magic civilization."
"However, when they were getting ready to analyze its materials, effects, and structure, they ran into some difficulties."
"No matter how powerful the magic they used or how special their magic items were, they couldn''t get Moslow to react even a little bit. They also couldn''t detect any magical energy from it; it was just like a piece of ordinary iron, making it impossible to scrape off even a little metal for research."
"However, they eventually discovered something."
Saying this, Yuri took out another piece of parchment, but this time, it wasn''t a rubbing of a mural but a finely drawn map.
"Do you two know where this is?"
Yuri pointed to a spot on the map marked with a red ''X''.
Riezel naturally shook his head, and Lizbeth looked just as clueless.
Only Marilyn, after ncing at it, provided the answer.
"It''s the border between Jinas and Reiburg, a neutral city called Sinielle."
Marilyn recognized the ce at a nce.
A neutral city was referred to as a ce without borders, not belonging to any country, self-sufficient, and having absolute autonomy.
Sinielle seemed to be such a neutral city, located at the border between Jinas and Reiburg.
Regardless, while Sinielle could be described as neutral, self-sufficient, and having absolute autonomy, harshly speaking, it was just surviving in the cracks.
Of course, being able to remain neutral at the border between two countries without being affected by them meant this city must have its own strengths.
"The city lord of Sinielle is a well-known Sword Saint who doesn''t belong to any country. It''s said that hees from a small country, and after his homnd was destroyed by war, he imednd directly on the border between Jinas and Reiburg, establishing this neutral city."
Yuri pointed out the fundamental reason why this neutral city could exist.
Since a Sword Saint was stationed there, while it was impossible to challenge two countries, surviving wasn''t too hard.
Unless there was enough cause, no one would provoke a Sword Saint for no reason.
However, the problem was¡ª
"You suddenly bring up this neutral city... Could it be because Moslow is connected to it?"
Riezel asked this question, starting to understand Yuri''s meaning.
"Yes."
Yuri nodded calmly and began to exin.
"Because an ancient ruin was discovered near Sinielle, both Jinas and Reiburg sent personnel to check it out. However, since it was within Sinielle''s territory, they couldn''t conductrge-scale excavation work."
"Nevertheless, the personnel sent by Jinas to explore the ruin discovered a hole in the deepest part of the ruin that seemed to have been made for inserting a sword."
As soon as Riezel heard this, he knew what Yuri was getting at.
"Are you saying Moslow is the sword that goes into that hole?" Riezel asked, narrowing his eyes.
Yuri, however, neither confirmed nor denied it.
"At least, based on the records left by the court magicians and the professors from Spriller Academy''s alchemy department, they all agreed that the de of Moslow fit perfectly into the hole in that ancient ruin."
Since that was the case, the connection between that ancient ruin and Moslow was undeniable.
"However, I heard that when the ruin was discovered, the hole was already there, so Moslow probably wasn''t originally ced there and taken out by someone."
Yuri continued to share what she knew.
"When the royal family learned about this, they nned to send someone with Moslow to see what would happen if they inserted it into the hole, but something serious happened at that time, leading the royal family to ultimately abandon this idea."
As for what the so-called ''something serious'' was, Yuri didn''t know.
It seemed that the matter had been personally buried by Sinielle''s city lord, so aside from a very few people, no one knew what had actually happened.
Hendrick might know the ins and outs of the matter, but strangely, he didn''t speak out or show any intention of investigating it, ultimately returning Moslow to Lizbeth.
Since then, Moslow had never left Lizbeth''s side.
"If you want to know Moslow''s origin or where the Hidden Land is, maybe you can start from there?" Yuri suggested, looking at the map. "Well, all of this is the only lead I could find anyway."
Upon hearing this, Riezel nced at Lizbeth.
"..."
Lizbeth fell silent, not speaking for a long time.
The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and
continue reading tomorrow, everyone!
Chapter 289: Decision
Chapter 289: Decision
Night.
Inside his room, Riezel sat on the edge of his bed, drying his damp hair with a towel while looking at Lizbeth''s animal skin, which he held in his hand.
At first, his gaze fell on the golden sword held by the queen, who led the human-like figures in front of the altar, then shifted to the cube-like block being worshiped on it.
After a long pause, he let out a deep sigh.
"Ancient magic civilization, huh..."
Clearly, the magic civilization that went extinct 11,000 years ago seemed to have left behind many mysteries and secrets. Whether it was a blessing or a curse, he had somehow formed a connection with this once-thriving ancient magical civilization.
Not only was there Lizbeth, who carried Moslow and became his attendant but there was also Divine Meloe, which he found in the royal treasury and had now be his.
Finally, there was the Dimensional Magic Cube, which led him to this world, granting him a second chance at life.
All of these were clearly tied to this ancient magic civilization in significant ways.He felt as if an invisible hand was controlling everything from behind, gathering all the important factors rted to this civilization around him.
Honestly, he didn''t feel good at all.
*Knock, Knock, Knock!*
Just as Riezel was lost in thought, someone knocked on the door.
"Who?"
Riezel snapped back to reality and asked instinctively.
"I-It''s me... Lizbeth..."
Lizbeth''s notably nervous tone immediately rang out from outside the door.
"Lizbeth?"
Riezel muttered, raising his eyebrows.
In truth, he wasn''t really surprised by Lizbeth''s arrival, as he believed she likely felt just as conflicted as he did right now.
"Come in."
Riezel called out to Lizbeth outside the door.
"Sorry to interrupt..."
Lizbeth hesitantly pushed open the door and stepped inside.
Tonight, she wasn''t holding Moslow as she usually did, and she looked especially cool and refreshing.
It seemed like she had just gotten out of the bath like Riezel, as her light gray hair, grown long enough to touch the bend of her knees, still gave off a bit of moisture, radiating a fragrance and warmth that stirred a sense of excitement within.
Regardless, the most important thing was that Lizbeth, who had just bathed and dressed so lightly, suddenly rushed into someone else''s room¡ªa man''s room at that, was a problem.
In other eyes, this situation was undeniably provocative, especially considering her stunning beauty and dangerously appealing figure. Even Riezel couldn''t help but steal a few nces at her chest, feeling a bit dry in the throat.
However, Lizbeth didn''t seem to realize the impact her outfit could have on the opposite sex at all and instead looked concerned.
"Sorry, Master..."
Lizbeth spoke softly, looking at Riezel with her big, watery eyes.
"I can''t sleep..."
Needless to say, her words were truly something that could perfectly seduce any man.
If Riezel didn''t know better, if he hadn''t been clear that Lizbeth was actually an innocent girl who didn''t understand such things, he might have thought she was here to seduce him.
"Why don''t you take a seat first?"
Riezel quickly suppressed the inappropriate thoughts bubbling up in his mind and suggested to Lizbeth.
However, he soon regretted it.
"O-Okay..."
Lizbeth fidgeted as she came over to Riezel''s side and sat down next to him.
At this moment, Riezel was sitting on the edge of the bed, while Lizbeth sat right beside him. They were so close that their bodies touched, and he could even clearly smell the fragrant aroma of soaping from her.
"..."
Riezel fell into silence.
''Is this girl... really not doing it on purpose?''
As Riezel tried to calm his mind, Lizbeth spoke up.
"Master..."
Lizbeth lowered her head, fiddling with her fingers, a bit hesitant and somewhat confused.
"Why does Master want to investigate the Hidden Land and Moslow?"
Lizbeth asked the question and the doubt that always popped into her mind.
Upon hearing her question, Riezel finally managed to suppress some of the fanciful thoughts swirling in his head and calmed down.
"What''s wrong?" Riezel asked back, smiling faintly. "Do you think I''m investigating you because I don''t trust you?"
"N-No! Not at all!" Lizbeth quickly shook her head. "I don''t think that, and I never have, Master!"
"I know, I was just saying that casually, so calm down..." Riezel shook his head, trying to calm her down. "Actually, the reason I''m looking into this is that it''s notpletely unrted to me."
Saying this, he then handed the animal skin beside him to Lizbeth.
"Look at this... this is Moslow, right?" Riezel pointed at the sword held by the queen in front of the altar.
"Um..." Lizbeth nodded gently.
She had kept this animal skin close to her, having seen it many times before, so there was no way she wouldn''t recognize the golden sword depicted on it as Moslow.
However, she had never considered what it meant for Moslow to appear in the picture on the animal skin. She had always viewed the animal skin as just a somewhat special piece of art, never doubting its origins or the significance of the picture depicted on it.
Naturally, she also didn''t know that this scene recorded an ancient magic civilization from 11,000 years ago.
Now that she thought about it, she realized this animal skin might also be a product of the ancient magical civilization¡ªat the very least, it seemed to belong to the same piece of history recorded in those ancient ruins, just like the previous mural rubbing.
Moreover, her master was the second person, aside from her, who could see this piece of history.
Needless to say, this fact alone spoke volumes.
"Do you know what this is?" Riezel pointed at the cube-like object being worshiped on the altar.
"Umm... What''s this?"
Lizbeth looked puzzled, clearly having never thought about the cube.
"I want to know too..." Riezel sighed resignedly. "You know... this thing is actually with me now... It''s very important to me and has had a huge impact on my life."
By saying this, Riezel finally revealed the existence of the Dimensional Magic Cube to someone else.
In truth, he hadn''t intended to keep it a secret forever.
Whether it was Loki or Yuri, if they asked about the secrets he held, he would be willing to trust them and be honest about it.
With this mindset, he had always thought that the first one to learn about the Dimensional Magic Cube''s existence would either be Loki or Yuri, but who would have ever thought that the first one to know about it would actually be this naive little princess, sent to his side to be his attendant.
"Really?"
Lizbeth stared at the cube depicted on the animal skin, her face filled with disbelief.
Although she had no idea what the cube was, seeing it ced on an altar and worshipped by the masses made it clear that it was no ordinary object.
Yet, this thing was with her master?
No wonder her master could see what was drawn on the animal skin. It turned out he had something that seemed just as important from the ancient magic civilization, just like her.
Realizing this, Lizbeth suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of joy.
At the very least, it proved she wasn''t alone and didn''t have to bear the secrets she had just learned today by herself.
Seeing Lizbeth suddenly rx, Riezel smiled slightly.
"I want to investigate the Hidden Land, and your Moslow is for this reason..."
Riezel told Lizbeth the truth.
"I want to know what this cube really is, where it came from, and why it ended up with me."
"More importantly, this might rte to my entire life¡ªmy past, and also my future."
"When I saw the animal skin you brought, it undoubtedly told me where I should start looking for clues, which is why I asked Yuri to help me investigate the Hidden Land you mentioned and your sword, Moslow."
Evidently, all the clues pointed to the fact that Lizbeth''s origins were probably just asplicated as Riezel''s¡ªclearly not as simple as they seemed.
Although Lizbeth appeared to be just the illegitimate daughter of a king, from birth, she strangely possessed a mysterious sword and an animal skin as mysterious as the sword, which disyed a picture visible only to her.
Even Lizbeth''s grandmother, who raised her, seemed to know something about her background and gave her the animal skin to search for the ce called the Hidden Land.
Needless to say, everything indicated that her origins were far from simple, especially when both Moslow and the animal skin seemed to be products of the ancient magic civilization, and the whereabouts of the Hidden Land were elusive even to the knowledgeable Yuri.
Lizbeth''s background suddenly became shrouded in mystery.
Understanding this, how could Riezel not investigate when the animal skin Lizbeth carried was connected to the Dimensional Magic Cube?
"Ahh, so that''s how it is¡"
Lizbeth finally understood why Riezel wanted to investigate the Hidden Land and Moslow.
It wasn''t because he wanted to know her background or because he didn''t trust her; it was simply because this matter was truly rted to him.
Knowing this made Lizbeth feel more at ease.
Given the circumstances, she naturally couldn''t ignore the fact that her origins were shrouded in significant secrets.
After learning a bit about Moslow and the Hidden Land from Yuri, she had a feeling that something was off about her origin, leaving her feeling anxious and restless, unsure of what to do.
Lost.
Confused.
Afraid of the unknown.
A whirlwind of emotions assaulted her young heart, making it impossible for her to sleep.
As a result, she couldn''t help but seek out Riezel, hoping for somefort.
However, little did she know, Riezel offered her not justfort but also a sense of shared understanding.
All of this undoubtedly gave Lizbeth a great sense of reassurance, alleviating her confusion and anxiety because she knew that this wasn''t just her problem and she wasn''t alone.
"So¡ what does Master n to do?"
Lizbeth shyly turned her head to Riezel and asked in a curious tone.
In response, Riezel closed his eyes for a while before opening them again. He didn''t answer Lizbeth right away but quietly took out a map and a mural rubbing.
Yes, these two were things that Yuri had given him after their earlier talk.
Looking at the ce marked with a red ''X'' on the map, Riezel finally made a decision.
Chapter 290: Melancholy
Chapter 290: Mncholy
Early the next morning, the royal capital suddenly buzzed with an announcement from the royal pce.
¡ªYesterday, the royal family''s assassination unit, Shadow, sessfully arrested and executed the foreign criminal who had attacked the third prince.
Even though it was just a short sentence, this announcement conveyed far too many messages.
Nheless, everyone who heard it gleaned three main points from the announcement.
First, the culprit behind the attack on the third prince had been found.
Second, the culprit was a foreigner.
Third, the culprit had been arrested and executed by the royal family''s assassination unit, Shadow.
All of this left the nobles throughout the royal capital shocked, contemtive, and in an uproar, especially those following the Cordelion family''s instructions¡ªthey were genuinely surprised when they heard the announcement.
"We haven''t finished our arrangements yet, have we?""How is it that the me is suddenly ced on a foreigner?"
"Is there someone else carrying out the same actions as we are?"
They found themselves puzzled by these questions.
Only the Cordelion siblings knew for sure that this was definitely not their doing.
What actually happened?
In the Cordelion residence, Sergius and Serena were both confused.
Regardless, since the royal pce''s announcement had been issued, it effectively dered Sorren''s incident over.
As a result, from this day forward, the royal family stopped summoning nobles to the royal pce for interrogation, and the number of royal knights sent to search house by house gradually decreased, leaving only a few to handle the aftermath.
All of these urrences undoubtedly further confirmed the end of the incident, leading the nobles to finally believe that the culprit had truly been dealt with.
While the entire royal capital was abuzz with discussions and noise, Riezel returned to Yuri''s office with Lizbeth.
"Yuri, I''m going to Sinielle."
As soon as Riezel entered the office and sat down before Yuri, he informed her of his decision.
Yes, he nned to go to Sinielle to search for the ancient ruin rted to Moslow.
"Is that so...?"
As Yuri replied, she didn''t seem surprised¡ªor rather, she looked as though she had expected this.
Clearly, she had guessed that Riezel would make this decision sooner orter.
"Are you really sure about this?"
Yuri looked straight into Riezel''s eyes as she spoke.
"You know, that ancient ruin is tied to an event that even the royal family avoids discussing, and the truth behind that event remains unsolved to this day."
Her intention in saying this was simple.
"Sinielle is also guarded by a Sword Saint, and he personally took action to cover up the event, which shows it''s far from a minor one. If you n to go there, you might not only run into conflict with him but also encounter unknown dangers."
"Plus, that ce is right at the border of two countries, at the very edge. Not only is the journey long and filled with countless surprises and monsters, but you could also find yourself caught up in the chaos of potential warfare between the two countries."
"Even knowing all this, do you still want to go?"
Yuriid out the risks and possible difficulties for Riezel, though she had already anticipated what kind of answer he would give.
"Go."
Riezel answered briefly with a calm expression, his words unwavering and perfectly matching what Yuri had anticipated in her heart.
In truth, Yuri had already prepared herself for this moment.
"I didn''t think this day woulde so soon..."
Yuri''s muttering plunged the entire office into silence.
Seeing her like this, Riezel found himself momentarily at a loss for words.
Needless to say, when he made this decision, it meant they were destined to be temporarily separated.
It couldn''t be helped.
Since Yuri was the Chief Court Magician and a Strategic-ss Magician, even though she could entrust her territory to someone else for management and delegate the work in the royal capital to others, she couldn''t simply leave the royal capital and head to Sinielle with him.
Sinielle was located at the border between the two countries, with Jinas on one side and Reiburg on the other. If a Strategic-ss Magician like her were to go there, it would undoubtedly provoke a strong reaction from Reiburg.
A human weapon capable of annihting arge city or even toppling a small country suddenly stepping onto their border was no different from an army marching in¡ªit was like aiming a nuclear missile at their country.
If she did that, Reiburg would see it as Jinas preparing for arge-scale invasion, sounding the horn for war.
At that point, tensions between the two countries would surely escte, and the consequences and subsequent chain reactions would be unimaginable.
For this reason, Riezel''s journey this time would separate him from Yuri, unlike before when she was always by his side.
Such a fact made the atmosphere between them a bit mncholic, leaving them both speechless until Marilyn, who rarely intervened in such matters, suddenly spoke up.
"Is this your decision too?"
Marilyn''s question wasn''t directed at Riezel but rather at Lizbeth, who stood behind him. She fixed her gaze on Lizbeth, much like Yuri had just done with Riezel as if trying to see through Lizbeth''s true thoughts.
"Uhh¡"
Under Marilyn''s intense gaze, Lizbeth hesitated for a moment, but in the next second, she provided a firm answer.
"Wherever my master goes, I will go."
Lizbeth''s answer was something Marilyn had taught her, but of course, even without Marilyn''s teaching, she would say the same thing. Even though she didn''t know what might happen or how it would affect her, after Riezel decided to go to Siniellest night, she also formed her own goals.
She wanted to know what Moslow was and why it was in her hand.
She wanted to understand the connection between herself and the ancient magic civilization.
She wanted to know whether her origins could be uncovered during this journey.
If it were just her alone, she definitely wouldn''t have such thoughts, but it was precisely because Riezel was there and had decided to explore that she began to entertain the same idea.
It was as expected.
She was Riezel''s attendant, after all¡ªif he decided to go, then she would absolutely follow him no matter where he went.
Such was Lizbeth''s thinking and belief.
Marilyn seemed to sense Lizbeth''s intention, and after a moment of silence, she nodded and said no more.
However, thanks to the conversation between Lizbeth and Marilyn, the atmosphere between Riezel and Yuri lightened up, no longer feeling so mncholic.
Riezel was the first to gather his emotions and smiled at Yuri.
"Well, it''s not like we''re going to stop seeing each other, right?" Riezel said casually.
"I know..." Yuri quickly calmed herself and replied with a smile. "Don''t worry. I''ve been mentally prepared for this since long ago."
Riezel leaving was something she had expected from the beginning.
He was undoubtedly a man who could not avoid the limelight and wouldn''t settle for the status quo. If it weren''t for his previous concerns, reasons, and her request for him to stay, he definitely wouldn''t have stayed at the Frenzel residence in the first ce.
He had mentioned more than once that he wanted to travel and explore the continent, experience variousndscapes, and go on adventures.
From that time on, she knew he would leave someday, though she didn''t expect it toe so soon.
Nevertheless, she wasn''t one to dwell on sentimentality.
"I''ll have Marilyn help you guys get a carriage ready, sorting out your essential luggage and supplies for your journey." Yuri nodded with a faint smile. "When are you nning to leave?"
Riezel initially thought about leaving tomorrow, but after seeing Yuri''s reaction, he quickly changed his mind.
"Let''s make it the day after tomorrow... I need another day to prepare for this trip anyway."
What would he use this day for?
Naturally, to strengthen himself.
He understood that Yuri was correct about this journey.
Not only might the journey not be a peaceful one, but arriving at the destination also wouldn''t be the end¡ªit would merely mark the beginning.
Ancient magic civilization-rted items, coupled with the unknown event, could indeed be fraught with danger. Furthermore, there was a chance he would sh with Sinielle''s city lord and end up at odds with this neutral city.
Because of this, he nned to undertake another dimensional travel beforehand, just to be safe. If he could manage to gain high-rank excelia during this dimensional travel and umte enough basic ability proficiency to reach Level 7, the journey would be much safer.
"I see... the day after tomorrow..." Yuri acknowledged before turning to Marilyn. "I''ll leave it to you to handle, Marilyn."
"Yes, My Lady." Marilyn bowed her head in acknowledgment before turning to Lizbeth. "Come with me."
"Me?"
Lizbeth looked at Riezel, unsure.
"Go ahead." Riezel nodded with a smile.
"Um, got it!"
Lizbeth took a deep breath, then walked over to Marilyn.
Before long, the two attendants left the room, leaving Riezel and Yuri alone.
"Fufu, once you leave, there might not be anyone to drink tea and chat with me anymore, huh..." Yuri remarked with a light chuckle.
"Aren''t Mediste and Isaac still around?" Riezel brought up the siblings who hadn''t been very presenttely.
"Them? They''re too busy for me right now..." Yuri replied, looking a bit annoyed. "Ever since you set up that arena, those two have been like your diehard fans, cheering for you from morning till night and hardly remembering that I''m their elder sister."
"Hmm..." Riezel raised his eyebrows. "Since I''m goingter, I''ll end the arena, so that won''t happen anymore, right?"
"Eh? Yeah... that''s true..." Yuri replied in a somewhat dazed tone.
"Anyway, when you want someone to apany you for tea or just to chat, just look for them." Riezel smiled and shrugged his shoulders. "I can see they really like spending time with you."
"Oh, I know that already." Yuri smiled faintly, her expression brightening a little. "They are my younger brother and sister, after all."
"Umu, that''s good then." Riezel nodded with a smile.
"Um..."
"..."
"..."
Suddenly, silence filled the room, making the atmosphere somewhat awkward.
"Well... do you want me to keep youpany for some tea?" Riezel asked in a somewhat awkward tone.
"Sure..."
Yuri immediately stood up, grabbed the kettle and cups from the nearby tea cart, and personally brewed tea for Riezel.
Surprisingly, although the tea this time wasn''t as super sweet as usual, it was fragrant and truly memorable.
The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and
continue reading tomorrow, everyone!
Chapter 291: Third Dimensional Travel
Chapter 291: Third Dimensional Travel
Night quickly arrived.
After Riezel and Yuri wrapped up their tea chat, Riezel informed Ain and Ian, asking them to notify others that, starting today, he would no longer set up an arena outside the Frenzel residence to ept challenges.
Ain and Ian seemed quite regretful about this, but they still followed Riezel''s instruction and made the announcement.
Undoubtedly, this was bound to stir up quite amotion in the royal capital, making the already bustling city even more lively.
Of course, this had little to do with Riezel, who was about to leave.
What he needed to focus on right now was preparing for his uing journey¡ªor rather, for the dimensional travel before it.
As night fell, Riezel quickly finished his dinner, hurriedly washed up, and then returned to his room to get ready for another dimensional travel.
However, this dimensional travel would be different from the previous two.
From now on, he no longer needed to worry about his unconscious body being left behind in this world since he now had an attendant who would protect it while he went through dimensional travel.After preparing himself, Riezel immediately called Lizbeth to his room.
"Master, I''m here."
After visiting Riezel''s room the night before, Lizbeth made her appearance again.
She still looked like she had juste out of the bath and, of course, was dressed just as lightly as before.
"I have something to ask of you, Lizbeth."
Riezel forced himself to keep his gaze from wandering to ces it shouldn''t go, cleared his throat, and spoke seriously to Lizbeth.
"P-Please go ahead!"
Seeing Riezel''s serious expression, Lizbeth immediately got nervous.
"Okay, just rx."
Saying this, Riezel realized he had messed up.
He had wanted to be serious so that Lizbeth would take what he was about to say seriously, but instead, he made her nervous, which could backfire, leaving him feeling helpless.
In the end, it took a while for him to calm her down and exin the situation.
"Next, I will be sleeping here for a day to do a special training."
Riezel exined what he was going to do in this way.
"Special training...?" Lizbeth tilted her head sideways, looking puzzled.
"Umu."
Riezel nodded seriously.
"During this time, I''ll bepletely unconscious and won''t respond to anything, so no matter what you try, you won''t be able to wake me up, which is definitely a very dangerous thing."
"That''s why I need you to stay in this room and protect me closely for the next day."
"How? Can you do it?"
Riezel''s question naturally prompted an immediate response from Lizbeth.
"Of course!" Lizbeth responded firmly at first, but then her confidence seemed to wane. "But¡ can I really do it?"
In truth, staying in this room to protect her master wasn''t a problem, but whether she could actually keep him safe remained doubtful.
Even though she had just received the Sword Master Medal and was newly appointed as a Sword Master, she still felt insecure and not good enough.
Given this, if they encountered a powerful enemy, would she truly be able to protect her master?
Lizbeth wasn''t too sure about it.
"Don''t worry."
Riezel calmly shook his head.
"You must remember that this is the Frenzel residence, so normally, no one would sneak in. I called you over just to be safe."
"Besides, you shouldn''t underestimate yourself. Even among Sword Masters, you''re one of the best, just a step below the experienced ones. Have some confidence in yourself so I can rest easy handing everything over to you, okay?"
Upon hearing this, Lizbeth looked at Riezel''s encouraging expression, and a surge of courage quickly blossomed in her heart.
"Got it, Master!" Lizbeth replied earnestly. "I will definitely protect you, never leaving your side until you wake up!"
"Great." Riezel suddenly smiled. "In that case, I''ll leave it to you."
"Um!"
With Lizbeth''s strong response, Riezely down on the bed and closed his eyes.
However, he first took out a drop of Loki''s blood and let it fall on his forehead, performing a long-awaited status update.
Before long, a mysterious glow and mysterious characters began to appear on his body, leaving Lizbeth beside him in awe.
A few secondster, histest status was revealed.
...
Riezel Brynhart
Level 6
STR: I0 ¡ú B767
END: I0 ¡ú B741
DEX: I0 ¡ú A815
AGI: I0 ¡ú A837
MAG: I0 ¡ú C660
Lightweight: E ¡ú D
Swordsman: E ¡ú D
Mage: G
Battle Adept: H ¡ú G
Fast Attack: I ¡ú H
...
Fresh out of the oven, the status report told Riezel that his efforts over the past month, where he faced daily challenges and fought thousands of battles, had not gone to waste.
As a Level 6, his overall basic ability proficiency had surprisingly increased by over 3,500.
Needless to say, achieving such growth in about a month was truly astonishing. If people or the gods from Orario knew about it, they would probably explode from shock.
Other adventurers, even super geniuses like Ais and Ottar, couldn''t hope to reach this level of growth after hitting Level 6 without several years of hard work, yet Riezel managed it in just about a month, which wouldn''t be unfair to call cheating.
Naturally, since his basic abilities had shown impressive growth, his development abilities were also obviously on the rise, nearly all of them advancing by one rank. Especially the two development abilities, Lightweight and Swordsman, which both reached D-rank.
''I remember in the original work, even Level 7 Ottar only had his highest development ability at E, right?''
Reaching D-rank in development ability was already higher than that of Orario''s ultimate weapon.
''Mage didn''t improve, huh... that''s too bad...''
While both basic and development abilities had significant growth, only Mage remained unchanged in this status update.
It couldn''t be helped.
Riezel hadn''t used magic or trained in it since he traveled to the world of Demon yer. He had been focusing on swordsmanship, using just a sword throughout the challenges at the front of the Frenzel residence.
If he hadn''t relied on the Structure System Magic to make his sword each time, this status update might not have shown much growth in MAG at all.
Nevertheless, his MAG was still the least improved among his basic abilities, falling far behind the other four and proving that he had used magic very little recently.
''I need to pay more attention to magic.''
Riezel reminded himself and then directed the transparent cube in his mind.
''Dimensional Magic Cube, activate the dimensional channel.''
As Riezel gave the instruction, the Dimensional Magic Cube in his mind began spinning.
[Instruction received¡ªinitiating the activation of the dimensional channel.]
[User is detected carrying unique items from this world¡ªif you wish to bring them, this can be aplished by consuming dimensional energy.]
[A list of unique items has beenpiled¡ªplease proceed with your selection.]
[1: Divine Meloe (10)]
[2: ...]
When this message hit Riezel, he finally remembered.
''Almost forgot... to bring any item I just got into dimensional travel, I need to consume dimensional energy for assimtion, right?''
Since this was Riezel''s first time needing to take something from the main world, it felt quite sudden for him.
''Ten units of dimensional energy?''
Riezel thought in surprise.
''Sure enough, this pendant isn''t cheap...''
An item valued at ten units of dimensional energy was second only to the bottle of Loki''s blood in his possession.
Riezel immediately took a quick look at his remaining dimensional energy.
[Dimensional Energy: 213]
When Riezel returned from the world of Demon yer, he still had 180 units of dimensional energy left. Given that he had stayed in the Akasha Continent for about a month, totaling 33 days, he had umted another 33 units of dimensional energy.
As a result, Riezel''s current dimensional energy was 213 units, setting a new historical high.
Riezel immediately chose Divine Meloe, consuming ten units of dimensional energy to assimte it.
[Selectionpleted¡ªstarting execution.]
[Item assimtion sessful.]
[Sufficient dimensional energy¡ªinitiating the construction of the dimensional channel.]
[Constructed sessfully.]
As Riezel finished assimting Divine Meloe, the dimensional channel officially began to take shape, with the transparent cube inside his mind breaking down into countless transparent grids, twisting and rotating to form a passage that shot straight into the void of the sea of consciousness.
[Opening the dimensional channelpleted.]
[Collecting information from the dimensional channelpleted.]
[Searching for information that closely matches the world on the other side of the channel from the user''s memory¡ªbegin organizing.]
[Sessfully organized.]
[Connected World: Overlord]
[Time Scale: 1:150]
[Attention, dimensional travel is the descent of consciousness in which the user''s consciousness is materialized in another world. While the death of the consciousness after materialization will not affect the user, the dimensional travel will conclude at the time of death.]
[User is advised to act with caution.]
As the final message entered Riezel''s mind, he had only one thought left.
''Overlord? Looks like this time it''s gonna be fun...''
With this thought, Riezel''s consciousness floated like a ghost into the dimensional channel, diving in and disappearing from the Akasha Continent.
"...Master?"
Lizbeth, looking at Riezel, who hadpletely fallen unconscious, called out to him a few times but received no response.
"Really unconscious..."
Confirming this, Lizbeth''s expression grew serious.
Since her master hadpletely lost consciousness, she knew she had to stay by his side the next day, ensuring his safety no matter what.
''I absolutely cannot let Master down!''
Lizbeth clenched her little fists, motivating herself as she watched Riezel lying on the bed in a deep slumber.
In the next moment, she suddenly crawled under the nket, diving without hesitation right into Riezel''s arms and pulling him into a tight hug while he slept.
''I''ll protect Master up close!''
Lizbeth fully embodied this sentiment through her actions, achieving true protection.
Chapter 292: Adventurer
Chapter 292: Adventurer
What is adventure?
Adventure meant engaging in highly free, risky activities without regard for danger.
What are adventurers?
In the world of Danmachi, adventurers referred to armed individuals engaged in the career of dungeon exploration.
However, being an adventurer was, in fact, a popr profession in some other worlds as well.
By taking on quests issued through the guild, adventurers explored treasures scattered around the world, sought out the unknown, and earned generous rewards while venturing through various ces. Ultimately, they used the money to support themselves and purchase various equipment and items.
In the eyes of many who understood the culture of other worlds, especially fantasy ones, adventurers represented a dream-filled existence.
However, adventurers in this particr world were much more grounded in reality than one could imagine. Even though it was a world somewhat simr to the world of Danmachi, it also resembled the Akasha Continent.
In a medieval fantasy world like this, monsters existed, just like on the Akasha Continent, and simr to the world of Danmachi, there were also numerous intelligent races.Dwarves, elves, goblins, beastmen, ogres, and many more¡ªin this world, there were numerous non-human races, even non-human countries and tribes, presenting a melting pot of different races.
In this world, adventurers, to put it simply, were mercenaries paid to exterminate monsters¡ªa group specialized in dealing with monsters.
Some of them did engage in ruins exploration and sought out the unknown in unexplored territory, but the majority of adventurers were essentially monster hunters, viewed as experts in dealing with monsters by others.
However, their social standing was, in fact, not high, as they were not favored by those in power.
Although they were highly popr due to their profession, outside of handling monsters, they were often regarded as a violent armed group in the eyes of others.
As a result, the Adventurer''s Guild was often seen as a monster-hunting brokerage, a ce that assigned dangerous jobs rather than a location where one could be rich overnight or embark on mysterious endeavors.
Nevertheless, in the human-established kingdom known as the Re-Estize Kingdom, many people still made a living as adventurers.
For example, in the border city called E-Rantel, also known as the Fortress City, a lively scene unfolded inside the Adventurer''s Guild.
Here, one could see fully armored warriors standing in front of the bulletin board, browsing the quests posted there.
Here, one could see agile, bow-wielding archers eagerly introducing themselves to potential adventurer groups.
Here, one could also see magicians dressed in robes and holding staves, surrounded by enthusiastic adventurers.
Of course, there were also those adventurers who treated the guild like a tavern, continuously drinking, eating,ughing, and shouting boisterously.
Meanwhile, the receptionists at the counters, ustomed to this noisy environment, calmly assisted the adventurers in front of them, either taking on quests for them or handling their affairs.
Scenes like this yed out in the Adventurer''s Guild almost every day, so they were considered pretty routine.
However, today, the Adventurer''s Guild was visited by someone rather unusual.
"I want to be an adventurer."
When this sentence was spoken in front of the receptionist, a woman who appeared to be in her twenties, she was startled to realize that someone had bizarrely appeared before her without her noticing.
Upon seeing who it was, she saw a rather peculiar young man.
Unlike other adventurers who usually carried weapons, he had none¡ªlet alone weapons, he didn''t even wear armor. Even more so, his clothing was quite ordinary,pletely unlike someone who seemed capable of taking on the profession of adventurer.
Moreover, he didn''t seem to be older than twenty, with rare ck hair and eyes. Although he wasn''t bad-looking, his presence was oddly faint, making him difficult to notice.
However, his tone was surprisingly calm, and his gaze was deep. Even in a ce surrounded by rough, armed individuals, his expression didn''t change in the slightest¡ªit was as if he weren''t in a gathering of violent, armed individuals but at any normal service desk.
Regardless, if one were to say what was most noticeable about him, it would be the green jewel pendant around his neck, which appeared expensive, giving his otherwise in appearance a touch of mystery.
An ordinary but also not ordinary young man¡ªit was what made him seem so peculiar yet intriguing.
At this moment, the receptionist was struck by the oddity and contradiction, staring at the young man in front of her for what seemed like forever without reacting.
"I want to be an adventurer."
Seeing the dazed receptionist, the young man repeated his words.
"Is there a problem?"
Such an overly calm question finally snapped the receptionist out of her daze.
"N-No problem at all!"
She quickly shook her head, pulling out a quill and parchment to begin processing the young man''s adventurer registration.
Since there weren''t any strict requirements for bing an adventurer, anyone could sign up as long as they applied at the Adventurer''s Guild.
However, looking at the peculiar young man in front of her, the receptionist hesitated.
"Um¡ Are you sure you really want to be an adventurer?"
One couldn''t me her for asking.
Adventurer was, after all, a dangerous profession, and having some degree of physical strength was the most basic and only necessary requirement for it.
Whether you were a ''Warrior'' or a ''Magic Caster'', as long as you could fight, you could be an adventurer.
Even though the young man didn''t look entirely powerless, he had no visible equipment on his body. He was empty-handed and dressed simply, and from head to toe, aside from the green jewel pendant, there was no other item on him.
For this reason, he didn''t seem like someone who could fight¡ªmore like a young nobleman traveling incognito.
Why not assume he was amoner?
Simple.
It was because he was far too clean.
Ordinarymoners usually did some sort of manualbor, leaving their skin, hands, clothes, or other things with a somewhat ''worn'' look.
Meanwhile, the young man was spotless, with not a trace of wear on him, as though he had never experienced any hardship.
If not for his calm demeanor, the receptionist might have assumed he had walked into the wrong ce.
Seeing the receptionist''s attitude, the young man had just one response.
"Got a problem?"
Such a short and straightforward question left the receptionist feeling inexplicably awed.
"N-No!"
Poor guild receptionist.
She had faced countless intense situations over the years, enduring the rage and roaring of many a terrifying adventurer with an unflinching expression, sometimes even managing to offer a professional smile in return, yet today, here she was,pletely thrown off by a young man who wasn''t even armed.
Needless to say, the whole scene was almostical.
With that, the receptionist quickly processed the young man''s application and pulled something out for him.
It was a ne with a small copper metal te in the center, designed to hang around the neck.
"It''s an identification tag used to gauge an adventurer''s abilities and determine their rank."
Saying this, the receptionist exined slowly to the young man.
"Adventurers have eight ranks, and each rank has an identification tag made from a different metal, which includes Copper, Iron, Silver, Gold, tinum, Mithril, Orichalcum, and Adamantite¡ªtheter the metal, the higher the rank and value."
"Having a higher-rank identification tag means you''ll be seen with more respect and have better benefits. Basically, you can take on tougher quests and earn more rewards."
In other words, if one''s tag rank was too low, they wouldn''t be able to take on difficult quests and would be stuck doing odd quests with little pay.
"Right now, you''re at the lowest rank, Copper¡ªa Copper Adventurer."
"Complete enough quests and improve your evaluations, and you''ll rank up your tag."
"We look forward to seeing your future aplishments."
With these formalities out of the way, the receptionist handed the copper identification tag to the young man.
"Thanks."
As the young man took the identification tag, he simply pocketed it instead of hanging it around his neck before making another request to the receptionist.
"Can you get me a map of the surrounding area and the locations of monsters?"
While speaking, there was a hint of interest in his voice.
It gave the impression that this was his true reason foring here and that bing an adventurer was just a side matter, which, in fact, was true.
Evidently, the young man didn''t want to be an adventurer to make a living; he just wanted to use the guild as a convenient intermediary to gather the information he needed easily.
However, the map of the surrounding area wasn''t his main concern, as what he truly wanted were the locations of monsters.
He wanted to find powerful monsters.
He wanted to find as many opponents as possible.
Given this, the Adventurer''s Guild, known for being a monster-hunting brokerage, could naturally meet his needs.
Yes, it was the very first thought that the young man, who was none other than Riezel, had just after arriving in the world of Overlord, barely half an hour ago.
Unlike the world of Demon yer, where he had arrived in the middle of wilderness and mountains, this time he found himselfnding directly in the city of E-Rantel, just as he had descended into the city of Orario in the world of Danmachi.
"You want a map of the surrounding area and the locations of monsters?"
As expected, the receptionist didn''t find Riezel''s request strange, but she still asked cautiously.
"Excuse me, how detailed do you need it to be?"
"As detailed as possible." Riezel replied without hesitation.
"I''m really sorry, but the most detailed map requires payment." The receptionist smiled apologetically. "We can only offer adventurers the basic one for free."
"Is that so?" Riezel nodded calmly, thought for a moment, then spoke again. "In that case, would this be enough to buy the most detailed one?"
*Thud*
Riezel suddenly dropped a fist-sized gold nugget onto the counter.
Seeing the gold nugget hit the counter, the receptionist froze in ce.
Meanwhile, the surroundings instantly fell silent.
At this moment, every adventurer present stared at the shiny gold nugget with dumbfounded expressions.
Chapter 293: A Mysterious Young Man with a Lavish Lifestyle and Unreasonable Strength
Chapter 293: AMysterious Young Man with a Lavish Lifestyle and Unreasonable Strength
*PENG!*
In the silent guild hall, the sudden sound of a wine ss shattering on the floor was particrly loud.
Yet, among all the adventurers present, no one reacted or cared.
At this moment, they all stared wide-eyed at the counter, watching the gold nugget Riezel had tossed in front of the receptionist,pletely frozen in shock.
After a moment, the adventurers finally erupted into a cacophony of noise.
"Are you fucking kidding me?"
"Yo, that gold is massive!"
"What the hell? Did he just toss that gold like it''s no big deal?"
"Is he insane?"They all started to chatter one by one, looking like they had just been hit with a massive shock.
For adventurers, money was an incredibly important resource.
Just like the adventurers in the world of Danmachi, they explored dungeons not only for fame and strength but also for wealth¡ªor more precisely, money.
Money could buy a ton of things, including but not limited to magic potions, magic items, magic weapons, and sometimes even incredible artifacts.
As a result, gold and silver were not just optional for adventurers, but crucial resources directly tied to their lives. It was precisely for this kind of resource that many chose to be adventurers, whether in the world of Danmachi or this world.
Now, since Riezel had casually disyed astonishing wealth in front of these adventurers, how could that not shock them?
At this moment, many looked at the gold nugget in front of Riezel with greedy eyes and expressions.
Riezel, however, seemedpletely oblivious to this situation and nonchntly turned to the receptionist, who was still frozen in ce.
"So? Can I buy it or not?"
Riezel''s question made the receptionist stutter.
"I-I''ll go prepare it right now!"
After leaving these words, the receptionist awkwardly ran off.
Riezel continued to stand there, motionless, waiting for her to return.
Until¡ª
"I gotta say, Young Master, if you''re this loaded, why bother being an adventurer? Why not just buy a mansion and be andowner or something? That''s way more enjoyable, yeah?"
A hand suddenly reached from behind Riezel, wrapping around his neck.
The owner of the hand was a burly man dressed in leather armor, with a hand axe hanging from his waist, a round shield at his side, and two menacing scars on his face.
"Are you a noble who wants to experience life or something? Wanna feel what it''s like to be an adventurer?"
He looked at the gold nugget with greedy eyes for a while before grinning and speaking to Riezel.
"If that''s the case, it''s super easy! Just join my group, and you can be the leader for a day. I''ll take you out to hunt monsters, and I promise you''ll get the full adventurer experience! Right, guys?!"
He shouted to one of the tables, causing a few other burly men there to stand and cheer in agreement.
Anyone with a normal brain knew they were untrustworthy.
However, while the other adventurers in the guild hall began to whisper among themselves, none stepped forward to stop it.
"Let go."
In this situation, Riezel remainedpletely motionless and spoke in a cold tone.
Meanwhile, the burly man''s face twisted with surprise for a moment before changing to a sinister expression and a sneer.
"What did you say? Say it again!"
Unfortunately, some words, only get one chance to be heard.
Riezel reached out, grabbed the hand around his neck, and slowly applied pressure, forcing it away.
"Ugh!"
Feeling a powerful force acting on his hand, the burly man''s expression changed, leaving him no choice but to let Riezel go.
"So... you were saying you want to take me on an adventure, huh?"
As Riezel released the hand he had just forced away, he asked the burly man, whose expression had slightly changed.
"Okay, does that mean you''re pretty strong?"
Riezel''s question made the burly man temporarily forget the situation he was just in.
"Looks like you don''t know who I am, huh?"
Asking back, the burly man''s sneer returned.
"Well, it doesn''t matter. Even if you haven''t heard my name, you should recognize this, yeah?"
He disyed the identification tag hanging around his neck for Riezel to see¡ªa silver identification tag.
In other words, the burly man in front of him was a Silver Adventurer.
"Got it now?"
While speaking, the burly man grinned with pride.
"I''m Silver rank. Adventurers at this rank are among the top in E-Rantel, unlike you, who''s a rookie with Copper rank."
"Now you get how strong I am?"
Instead of responding, Riezel looked at the burly man with a strange expression, making him feel a bit uneasy.
After a moment of silence, Riezel suddenly smiled.
"By just saying that, I obviously won''t understand..." Riezel shrugged casually, a smile still on his face. "How about this? I''ll give you a chance."
"A chance?" The burly man frowned.
Riezel didn''t respond but reached into his clothing, using the Structure System Magic to create a bag, which he then pulled out.
In the eyes of others, it simply looked like he was pulling a bag from his clothing, so no one noticed he had used magic.
Shortly afterward, he suddenly turned the bag upside down, dumping its contents in front of everyone.
In the next moment, all the adventurers'' eyes widened.
Along with Riezel''s actions and a series of ''thud thud thud'' sounds, several gold nuggets the size of fists were dumped from the bag and rolled onto the counter.
*Gulp!*
Countless swallowing sounds began to resound.
"You¡"
Seeing this unexpected scene, the burly man was stunned.
Meanwhile, ignoring everyone''s reactions, Riezel spoke again in a clear voice.
"Let''s go outside."
He smiled at the burly man, pointing to the guild entrance with his chin.
"Win against me and prove you''re strong, and you can take all this stuff with you. What do you say?"
As soon as these words came out of Riezel''s mouth, the greed in the burly man''s eyes could no longer be hidden.
"...Are you serious?"
With narrowed eyes, the burly man made his final confirmation.
"Serious." Riezel affirmed confidently.
"Great! Don''t regret it!"
Completely forgetting about the strength Riezel had shown when he pried his hand away, the burly man eximed in joy.
Seeing this, the other adventurers became restless.
"Me! Count me in!"
"I''m strong too!"
"I want to challenge you!"
"Let me try!"
One by one, the adventurers shouted one after another, as if they thought that if they hesitated for even a moment, the gold would slip away.
Seeing this, Riezel had only one response.
"No problem, you all can try."
If anyone here had seen how Riezel epted challenges at the front of the Frenzel residence, they would recognize that the look in his eyes now was the same as it had been back then.
It was the look of someone eyeing free stuff, gazing at a group of easy targets.
===
In the blink of an eye, more than half an hour had passed.
Outside the Adventurer''s Guild, the crowd that had gathered for over half an hour fell into a deep silence, just as they had when they witnessed Riezel toss a gold nugget onto the receptionist counter for the first time.
Currently, their eyes were vacant, and their expressions were frozen as they stared at the scene before them.
"AAAAAHHHHH¡ª!!!"
*BANG!*
A piercing scream rang out as a burly man flew like a cannonball, crashing to the ground and losing consciousness.
Naturally, he wasn''t the same burly man who had first spoken to Riezel, but someone else.
Adventurers like the burly man nowy scattered on the ground, allpletely unconscious.
They were bruised and battered.
They were covered in injuries.
Theyy on the ground like oversized garbage, with not a single one still standing.
On the other hand, Riezel stood in the center of the fallen adventurers, holding a sheathed sword in his hand with an indifferent expression.
What was surprising, however, was that not only was he unscathed, but his clothes were perfectly in order as well.
"Anyone else?"
Riezel asked in a calm tone, looking around with an air of nonchnce.
*Whoosh!*
In an instant, all the adventurers stepped back a few paces, and no one dared to approach Riezel anymore, as the greed that had filled their eyes earlier was now reced with sheer terror.
Strong!
Very strong!
Now, they realized that this young man, who had looked like a wealthy nobleman seeking a life experience, was actually a very powerful warrior!
Any adventurers who dared to challenge him, whether they were Copper Adventurers, Iron Adventurers, or Silver Adventurers, found themselves flying out at an even faster speed than when they charged at him, crashing to the ground, unable to rise again.
Let alone forcing him to draw his sword, they couldn''t even touch the hem of his clothing.
Even magic casters were helpless when facing him.
Just a second ago, they had cast magic to attack him from afar, but in the next second, he suddenly appeared right in front of them, knocking each of them down with a single punch.
It was clearly not a battle but a massacre!
A noble?
A young master?
He was clearly a powerhouse, unstoppable!
"Is there anyone else?"
Riezel asked again and had no idea how he appeared in the eyes of others, so when he saw that no one wasing up, he felt a bit disappointed.
"Alright, I can rx the conditions a bit. As long as someone can just touch me, all these things are theirs."
He lifted the heavy bag and weighed it before the crowd.
Unfortunately for him, after witnessing such a massacre, who would still be willing toe up?
"Tch, boring..."
Riezel clicked his tongue, feeling a bit annoyed.
Knowing that no one would step forward anymore, he turned around and entered the guild, approaching the counter where the receptionist held a bound sheepskin parchment.
"Is that the thing?"
Riezel asked the receptionist, but she didn''t react at all, seemingly still in a daze.
In the end, Riezel took the parchment directly from her hand, turned, and left, leaving countless adventurers staring at the people lying on the ground, unable to speak for a long time.
However, they understood one thing.
E-Rantel had weed a big shot¡ªa mysterious young man with avish lifestyle and unreasonable strength.
Soon, news of Riezel Brynhart spread throughout the entire city.
Chapter 294: YGGDRASIL
Chapter 294: YGGDRASIL
As a city known as the Fortress City, E-Rantel had an appearance that fully matched the term ''fortress''.
It had threeyers of walls, each separated by areas with different purposes.
While the outermost area served as the garrison base for the Re-Estize Kingdom, equipped withprehensive military facilities, the innermost area was the central administrative district of the city, which also housed warehouses for storing supplies and was heavily guarded.
As for the middle area, it was located between these two areas and served as the living area for the citizens, where they carried out their daily activities.
At this moment, Riezel walked along the streets of this middle area, frowning at the road conditions.
Not only were the narrow roads unpaved and uneven, with mud and sand mixed together, creating streets that resembled rural dirt paths, but there were also potholes and wheel tracks here and there, making it quite difficult to walk.
''So... this so-called Fortress City is basically just a remote town in the countryside, right?''
As Riezel couldn''t help but think this way, he suddenly recalled the challenge he had just faced in front of the Adventurer''s Guild, remembering those so-called powerful adventurers.
''Too weak...''Riezel mercilessly gave such an evaluation.
Silver Adventurers, while not among the best in this world, were no longer beginners, possessing a certain level of strength, and were somewhat well-known.
In Riezel''s eyes, however, these somewhat well-known individuals were incredibly weak.
''They''re around middle Level 1... no, maybe even below?''
Such was the reality of Silver Adventurers.
In the world of Danmachi, they couldn''t even be considered High-ss Adventurers, only ranking among the lower strata of Low-ss Adventurers.
With ranks like Adamantite, Orichalcum, Mithril, tinum, Gold, Silver, Iron, and Copper, the Silver Adventurer''s power, in sixth ce, didn''t even reach upper Level 1.
Considering this, how strong could the highest-ranked Adamantite Adventurers be?
''Well, it''s normal for the natives of this world to be weak, since the powerful ones aren''t really among them in the first ce...''
Riezel started to recall the original work.
At first nce, this world seemed like a medieval fantasy world simr to the Akasha Continent but popted by many races and monsters aside from humans.
In reality, this world had long since intersected with a game called ''YGGDRASIL''¡ªa game with Norse mythology as its backdrop, offering an unusually wide range of freedom.
In that game, there were over seven hundred races, two thousand job sses, and six thousand magic spells, along with numerous unique items.
About every few hundred years, an event urred where ''yers'' from YGGDRASIL crossed over to this world, possessing strength, magic, and items that far surpassed those of the natives.
Moreover, each time they crossed over, they had a profoundly far-reaching impact on this world. Compared to the yers of YGGDRASIL, most natives of this world were incredibly weak and powerless.
For instance, in YGGDRASIL, yers could easily level up to Level 100, while in this world, someone around Level 30 was already considered a hero among humans, with few contenders.
As for magic, the magic in this world was divided into ten tiers, just like in YGGDRASIL.
Generally, this world''s natives could only use up to 2nd-Tier Magic through training, with those able to use 3rd-Tier Magic considered geniuses. 5th-Tier Magic could only be used by those who had entered the Realm of Heroes, and 6th-Tier Magic was the highest tier of magic they could use.
However, in YGGDRASIL, not only would max-level yers typically seldom use magic below the 7th Tier, but they even had magic that exceeded the 10th Tier, known as Super-Tier Magic.
Needless to say, this highlighted just how weak the natives of this world werepared to the yers of YGGDRASIL. Compared to max-level yers, even the highest-ranked Adamantite Adventurers were fragile beings.
Given this, the adventurers who had just challenged Riezel were as weak as weeds by the roadside, not even worth mentioning.
Perhaps beings like yers were what Riezel should challenge.
''Well, there''s also Tier Magic, which is worth trying to learn.''
From what the original work portrayed, ''Tier Magic'' from the world of Overlord had many merits.
It was not due to its overwhelming power but due to its diversity.
Based on the original work, even the strongest Super-Tier Magic seemed unable to destroy arge city or a small nation with a single blow.
Considering this, if only destructive power was being discussed, Super-Tier Magic was probably on par with Tactical-ss Magic.
However, among the more than six thousand types of Tier Magic, many of them didn''t rely on destructive power to make their reputations known.
Some of them could slice through space.
Some of them could crush a creature''s heart from afar.
Some of them could cause instant death without conditions.
Additionally, there were also magic spells for teleportation, resurrection, strengthening, and others that grantedplete immunity to physical or magical attacks, making the so-called Tier Magic extremely diverse and unique.
If these magic spells were ced on the Akasha Continent, they would only be considered Combat-ss Magic, barely qualifying as Tactical-ss Magic. Yet, these Combat-ss Magic could bring about miraculous effects in battle, and even outside ofbat, they could yield extraordinary results¡ªdefinitely a magic system not to be overlooked.
For Riezel, who possessed a unique magic known as Almighty, not learning Tier Magic would have been a significant loss.
After all, as long as he met the conditions, he could easily learn Tier Magic directly. If he fully unleashed the effects of Almighty, regardless of which tier or how many magic spells, he could master them effortlessly.
In fact, after realizing he was about to travel to the world of Overlord, Riezel''s first goal was no longer to enhance his status but to learn as many magic spells as possible.
Back in the world of Danmachi, he received Falna, which served as the foundation for his growth.
In the world of Demon yer, he gained swordsmanship that solidified his strength as a swordsman.
And in this world, what he could clearly gain was a significant advancement in magic as a magician.
Originally, when Riezel had nned to improve his magic expertise in the future but then suddenly found the world of Overlord as his next destination for dimensional travel, one could only call it fate.
If he could learn Tier Magic, it wouldn''t be uneptable to dy his status growth for a bit.
Naturally, he hoped to progress in both simultaneously if he could. Otherwise, he wouldn''t bother bing an adventurer to get the monster location map.
''Speaking of which, this world has a power system called Martial Arts, right?''
''Martial Arts'' was a unique power that only ''Warriors'' of this world could use, a power that did not even exist in YGGDRASIL.
In this world, ''Martial Arts'' for a ''Warrior'' was like ''Tier Magic'' for a ''Magic Caster''¡ªa crucial part of their abilities.
A warrior could use Martial Arts to enhance their own capabilities,unch wide-ranging attacks, enhance the power of their weapons, or unleash devastating ultimate moves, among other things.
Nevertheless,pared to Tier Magic, the effects of Martial Arts and the effort needed to learn them seemed underwhelming to Riezel, so he didn''t think it was necessary to learn them specifically.
It couldn''t be helped.
If he really wanted to learn Martial Arts, he had no choice but to learn on his own.
Unlike Tier Magic, where, with the help of Almighty, he could directly learn any magic after seeing it in action once and confirming its specific effect, Martial Arts was not magic, so it required more personal effort to learn.
Given this, along with theckluster performance of Martial Arts in the original work, he naturally leaned toward learning Tier Magic.
Of course, if he wanted to learn Tier Magic, his best choice was clearly to learn from the best of the best¡ªthe protagonist of the original work.
He was, after all, not only a Level 100 yer who crossed over from YGGDRASIL, but his primary job ss was also a magic caster, boasting over seven hundred magic spells, from 1st-Tier Magic to Super-Tier Magic, unlike the natives of this world, who might struggle to use even 3rd-Tier Magic.
Moreover, he also had numerous NPCs around him, all of whom were Level 100 powerhouses, almost all of them wielding powerful magic.
Knowing the protagonist existed, Riezel didn''t have to think too hard about where to learn Tier Magic.
Unfortunately, there was one problem.
''I wonder if he has alreadye to this world...''
Riezel spread out the map in his hands and began to examine it.
It was a standard map that included the surrounding neighboring human countries, depicting a rtively vast region.
Meanwhile, the three main human countries featured on the map were the Re-Estize Kingdom, the Baharuth Empire, and the ne Theocracy, located in different positions.
Re-Estize Kingdom was on the left side of the map.
Baharuth Empire was on the right side.
ne Theocracy was at the bottom.
Among them, a massive mountain range separated the Re-Estize Kingdom from the Baharuth Empire, with arge, expansive forest spreading to the south. At the edge of the foresty E-Rantel, which belonged to the Re-Estize Kingdom, with the ne Theocracy beyond it.
From this, it was clear that E-Rantel was not only on the border of the Re-Estize Kingdom but also the closest city to the two neighboring countries.
However, the rtionship between the three countries could hardly be described as good. It could even be said that they werepletely hostile, leading to annual battles in the fields surrounding E-Rantel.
At this moment, Riezel was looking for the junction of these three human countries.
It was not without reason.
He remembered that when the protagonist was transported to this world, he arrived with his entire guild base,nding in the northeast of E-Rantel, near the point where the kingdom, empire, and theocracy met.
He also remembered that when the protagonist first arrived and scouted the area, the terrain had been an endless expanse of grasnds.
''Is this it?''
Riezel had sessfully found the vast grasnds at the junction of the three countries, not far from E-Rantel.
As he observed further, the closest things to it were scattered viges, and in one of these viges, his gaze immediately settled on a particr one.
Its name was Carne Vige.
''Let''s go check it out.''
Recalling some information from the original work, Riezel put away the map and headed toward the city gate.
Before long, Riezel left E-Rantel and made his way toward the forest.
Chapter 295: Massacre
Chapter 295: Massacre
After leaving E-Rantel, the first thing visible was a vast forest in the distance.
It was a dense, ancient-looking forest, showcasing dark green hues.
Within the forest, countless sturdy giant trees stood tall, and their lush branches and leaves grew so wide that even sunlight seemed unable to prate.
It gave off a sense that visibility inside was definitely poor, making the gaps between those giant trees appear as if a giant beast was opening its mouth wide, waiting for prey to wander in, creating a sense of both unease and fear.
ording to the monster location map provided by the Adventurer''s Guild, the forest not only covered an extensive area but also housed numerous monsters that would be extremely difficult for an average adventurer to handle.
There were leeches that could jump between trees, suddenly dropping down totch onto people''s bodies, capable of sucking arge amount of blood in an instant.
There were gigantic insectsparable in size to elephants.
There were vicious spiders that could spit out strong, sticky silk, directly dragging people up into the trees.
And there were forest longworms that could open their wide mouths from the ground, ambushing anyone who passed through the grass and rotting wood.Although these monsters might not have been powerful, they were undoubtedly troublesome to handle, making adventurers hesitant to confront them.
At least Riezel didn''t want to be walking along the road when suddenly a leech fell from the sky,tching onto his neck, or be ambushed by a longworm while passing through the grass.
It wasn''t that he couldn''t deal with them; it was just that they were simply disgusting.
ording to the monster location map, it pointed out that some high-ranking female adventurers wouldn''t choose to enter the forest simply because some of the monsters in the forest were far too disgusting.
Additionally, the map also provided a special warning in red letters, stating that the forest was the territory of a powerful monster that had survived for hundreds of years, known as the ''Wise King of the Forest'', which not only could use magic but also possessed incredible strength.
Since even the highest-ranked Adamantite Adventurers couldn''t defeat the Wise King of the Forest, adventurers were strongly advised against entering, especially deep into the forest, where it made its home.
"Wise King of the Forest¡"
When Riezel saw this warning, his expression became somewhat strange.
If it had been any other monster, he might have felt intrigued and even sought it out after reading how the guild warned adventurers to avoid it.
However, this one?
"Forget it."
Riezel felt that he wasn''t cold-hearted enough to take action against a monster that looked like a pet. Furthermore, with the presence of jumping leeches and forest longworms, he instinctively avoided the option of entering the forest.
However, if he didn''t go into the forest, there were roughly two routes to take from E-Rantel to Carne Vige, located to the northeast.
The first route was to head north, where, when he reached the edge of the forest, he could proceed east along its edge.
The second route was to head east and then go straight north to reach Carne Vige.
Generally, unless there was another purpose, most people who wanted to go to Carne Vige chose the second route.
After all, the first route required traveling along the forest''s edge, which still had a high chance of encountering monstersing out of the forest.
Although staying at the forest''s edge shouldn''t lead to encountering strong monsters, if someone wanted to avoid a monster encounter altogether, the second route would naturally be the more sensible choice.
Riezel actually didn''t mind, even wanting to test the strength of the monsters in this world a bit, as long as they weren''t disgusting monsters like jumping leeches or forest longworms.
In the end, he chose the first route, heading north toward the forest and then walking east along its edge.
When taking this route, one generally wouldn''t be able to reach Carne Vige in a day by carriage, but with his pace, when he sprinted at full speed, he could easily outpace a carriage.
Moreover, with his highest-ranked development ability, Healing Power, he rarely felt fatigued, and his stamina was never exhausted.
Because of this, Riezel decided to run at full speed toward Carne Vige.
Thanks to this, if anyone happened to be nearby, they would see a cloud of dust rolling across the ins between E-Rantel and the forest, moving at an astonishing speed from the direction of E-Rantel toward the forest.
Such a sight would be something even a carriage couldn''t achieve while sprinting across the ins.
Riezel had initially intended to continue sprinting straight toward Carne Vige, but when he passed by a vige, he came to a halt.
===
"..."
Standing in a rtively open square, Riezel looked around and fell into silence.
At this moment, he had entered a vige and arrived at its central square.
However, what he saw was not the hardworking vigers going about their chores but a horrific scene straight out of hell.
Buildings were engulfed in mes, burning slowly as plumes of ck smoke billowed into the air, while the ground was covered in fresh blood, still bright red and vividly ring.
On top of that, the smell of burning mixed with the stench of blood filled the air, constantly irritating his nostrils.
In this gradually charred ruin of a vige, over a hundred vigers, dressed in rough clothing, had all turned into corpses, lying in pools of blood, having lost their lives.
Among these corpses were not just strong men but also women, children, and even infants.
Needless to say, a massacre had taken ce¡ªan inhumane, one-sided massacre.
"It has already started?"
Recalling the storyline of the original work, Riezel finally understood the time period he had arrived in.
"No, I can''t be sure yet..." Riezel muttered, lightly shaking his head. "Maybe some monsters broke into this vige and did the ughter..."
Monster attacks in this area weren''t umon.
Due to its proximity to the forest, this area asionally saw monsters appearing.
For example, goblins and ogres¡ªthese humanoid monsters sometimes emerged from the forest to attack travelers passing by, and if they found a human vige, it wasmon for them to storm in and ughter everyone.
Especially goblins, as countless tales from his previous life spoke of these detestable creatures not only attacking humans but also taking women to breed.
Snapping out of his thoughts, Riezel approached a nearby corpse, crouched down, and began to examine it closely.
"Hmm... this wound doesn''t look like it was caused by a monster''s ws or fangs... it looks very neat, clearly pierced by a very sharp weapon."
He could only find one wound, indicating a single, fatal blow.
If it was caused by a weapon, the likelihood of the killer being human was over ny percent.
"Looks like I can''t just hang around here anymore..."
Riezel immediately stood up.
Needless to say, the current situation told him that soon, Carne Vige, his destination, would likely face a massacre just like this one.
At that time, in that ordinary little vige, there would be not only a tragedy but also three factions shing and engaging in fierce battles involving the protagonist from the original work.
However, Riezel had to meet the protagonist before that happened.
Otherwise, once the protagonist got his hands on first-hand information about this world, trying to learn Tier Magic from him, a magic system that held great status and influence in this world, would be several times more difficult.
Only by taking advantage of the fact that the protagonist had yet to interact with this world''s natives and hadn''t fully grasped this world could Riezel make the most of his gains.
"No choice..."
Riezel suppressed the thought of burying the unfortunate vigers and gently bowed to them.
"Someone wille hereter. At that time, they will give you a proper funeral."
With that, Riezel turned and left.
As soon as he stepped out of the vige, a surge of energy coursed through his body before his body was suddenly engulfed in a wild burst of lightning.
*BOOM!*
In the next moment, a sh of lightning shot up like a thunderp, soaring into the sky, flying directly over the forest, bypassing Carne Vige, and heading toward the grasnds where the protagonist would appear.
===
Night fell quickly.
As the moon rose, the stars twinkled in the night sky, lighting up the entire scene.
The bluish-white moonlight, along with the starlight, chased away the darkness on the ground, bathing the grasnds below in a glow as the gentle breeze swayed the countless wild grasses, creating a refreshing rustling sound.
In the sky were countless stars and a bright moon.
On the groundy endless grasnds, caressed by a gentle breeze.
At this moment, it felt as if heaven and earth were connected, making the sceneryplement each other beautifully.
Such a scene was incredibly picturesque.
*BOOM!*
Suddenly, a sh of lightning struck the vast grasnds with a thunderous roar, apanied by a loud crash as it hit the ground.
As if it had been struck by lightning, the ground shattered instantly, leaving a charred circle and sending debris and dust flying.
*Crackle¡ª*
Riezel''s figure appeared amid it, crackling with several tiny, snake-like lightning bolts around his body like a god of thunder descending.
"Hahh..."
He let out a long, deep breath, expelling arge amount of air that turned murky, causing the temperature in the nearby area to rise slightly.
"Mm... this should be the ce, right?"
Riezel scanned his surroundings and saw the seemingly endless grasnds with no hills or buildings¡ªjust boundless wild grasses and several trees, allid bare under the moonlight and starlight.
In the next moment, a transparent gleam appeared in his eyes as he surveyed the area until he felt a sudden sensation and turned his gaze upward.
"Is he there?"
A faint smile crept onto Riezel''s lips as he whispered.
"Let''s say hello first, shall we?"
Riezel raised his hand and began chanting.
"Unleashed streak of light, bow limbs of the holy tree. You are an expert of the bow."
"Shoot, sniper of the fairies."
"Prate, arrow of absolute uracy."
"Arcs Ray."
*WHOOSH¡ª!*
In the next second, a beam of light shot up into the sky, piercing the night.
Before the beam of light, two figures emerged in the cloudyer, appearing and disappearing like mirages.
The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and
continue reading tomorrow, everyone!