Academy’s Genius Swordmaster - Chapter 171

171. The Festival of Swords (14)

#171

Ronan pulled the hilt. In an instant, the demon’s hand became blurry. A harsh metallic sound broke the stillness of dawn.

“this…!”

Confirming that the slash was blocked, Ronan gritted his teeth. The demon’s sword was much faster than expected. But what surprised me was that it seemed the same. He straightened his posture and swung his sword like someone trying to finish a job in a hurry.

Ronan was not taken aback and responded. Kaaang! The slashes fired at a speed that the criminal could never perceive collided in the air. A series of sparks bloomed in the dark food warehouse. The crash sounded always a step late and erratically.

They stopped after competing for the sum of about 20 times. The blades that had stopped facing each other were roaring like beasts vying for territory. The demon who had been staring at Ronan opened his mouth.

“It’s fast.”

“What did you do?”

Ronan fired ferociously. A sleek single-edged sword was clutched in the demon’s hand. The long, gently curved sword body was specialized for fast wielding.

It was a very well-made sword, seeing as the blade did not get damaged in a collision with La Mancha. After waiting a long time and not getting an answer, Ronan gripped the hilt even tighter.

“You ask. What have you done?”

“……!”

Then the tight balance collapsed and the curved sword began to slide. The demon followed suit, but it did not reach Ronan’s physical strength. Finally, taking a step back, he murmured admiringly.

“…You’re quite capable. I don’t see you as an accomplice with these bugs.”

“Accomplice?”

“okay. There seems to be a misunderstanding between us, so why don’t we put away the sword first?”

It was an embarrassingly calm tone. Only then did his vision, which had been clouded by anger, become clearer and his face came into view. Contrary to expectations, he was an ordinary-looking young man. His blood-soaked hair was a slightly muddy white, and his eyes were reddish yellow.

‘betrayer? No, it’s different.’

I didn’t feel the sparkling mana. Only the color of the hair and eyes were the same, but the face didn’t look much like the guy in the robe. However, a sense of déjà vu and some characteristics that were difficult to see as ordinary confused Ronan. Expressions and attitudes that did not show any emotion were typical.

The pitchless voice also added to the bizarreness. I couldn’t feel any joy or sorrow in my eyes, which only blinked slowly. According to Russell, he had had his skin peeled once in the past, but it seemed to be a side effect of that.

I felt like I wasn’t human at all. The demon first lowered the sword slowly. Ronan held his guard and pointed the knife at his throat.

“Explain.”

“All the corpses lying around here are the ones who tried to kill me. Expecting me to come here to eat raw meat, they ambush me and ambush me at the same time.”

“what?”

“You can tell just by looking at the outfits of these bugs. He didn’t have the confidence to win with a sword, so he brought all sorts of odds and ends.”

The devil claimed that he was the victim and that the act of killing them was self-defence. A further explanation was added that the torture, such as cutting off the wrist, was to find out who was behind it.

After hearing that, Ronan looked at the bodies. As he said, all six were fully armed with armor and weapons. It seemed undeniable that he had come here with his best posture, as he frequently saw secondary weapons and scrolls that were prohibited from being brought in.

‘…really?’

All circumstances supported the devil’s claim. It was the moment when Ronan was dumbfounded for a moment in an unexpected situation. The devil suddenly lowered his posture and quickly bit his body backwards.

“Oh shit…!”

Ronan’s eyes widened. Unfamiliar mana, presumed to be an aura, was gathering around his curved sword.

Sensing danger instinctively, Ronan raised his sword. At the same time, the crouching man’s body was shot like an arrow. It was an unavoidable distance. Ronan, who quickly judged the situation, drew a slash in the air as if to intercept. The moment the two swords collided again, the mana wrapped around the curved sword emitted light and exploded. Quaang! Ronan’s body bounced off with a roar and flew away, smashing through the walls of the warehouse.

“Keugh!”

If he hadn’t responded, the limbs would have been torn apart. Ronan, who was flying as if he had been hit by a battering ram, plunged his sword into the ground. Kagagagak! His body stopped as a long knife mark was carved on the ground.

‘Damn, I can’t see any gaps.’

It was an obvious negligence. My back hurt like hell, but I didn’t have time to worry about that right now. Ronan raised his head. Bodies thrown in the explosion and a food warehouse with one wall completely blown off caught my eye. The wind that came just in time blew the smoke away, revealing the demon standing there blankly. As he looked down at Ronan, he muttered in a spirited tone.

“…that’s amazing.”

Drops of blood dripped down the demon’s feet. A long stab cut obliquely across his chest. It was the trace left by La Mancha just before it was blown away by the explosion. Seeing the relatively shallow wound, Ronan spat out a curse. Damn, if I had gone a little deeper I could have ripped out my heart.

“Because I’m out of luck.”

“You are dangerous. Regardless of whether there are accomplices, I have to kill them.”

the devil said Ronan, spitting out the blood in his mouth, stood up. From the looks of it, it didn’t look like they had any intention of leaving either. He slowly raised his sword and straightened his stance. An anticipation like a haze was blooming over La Mancha’s sword body after drinking the devil’s blood.

As he focused his mind, the black blade was dyed a deep crimson color. The devil lowered himself again. It was the same preparation posture as shown earlier.

‘I’m thinking of ending it all at once.’

It was still dark outside. Maybe my sense of smell had gotten used to it, so I couldn’t smell the blood anymore. There was the sound of a door opening and closing in the wind. The figures of the two disappeared from sight. It was the moment when the two people who had narrowed the distance for an instant were about to collide at the middle point.

“Let’s do that.”

“What the fuck?!”

Ronan and the devil stopped at the same time. I almost fell because of the sudden braking. When I lowered my gaze, I saw a blade that was hanging close to my neck. A wimpy old man was holding a sword in each hand and aiming at Ronan and the devil’s neck.

“You…”

Ronan’s eyes widened. It was definitely an old man named Alogin whom he had seen in Gran Parzan. Nabi Rose had introduced him as a former swordsman and one of the elders in charge of the sword festival. Allogin looked back and forth between Ronan and the corpse demons before opening his mouth.

“Explain Nordreck. What else did you do?”

“I was just attacked while eating. I can present enough evidence.”

“Attempted assassination…So you’re saying participant 44 is an assassin?”

“no. Only the corpses strewn about here are assassins. I thought this guy was an accomplice and I was trying to kill him.”

said the demon, pointing the point of his sword at Ronan. Nordrek seemed to be his real name.

“He said he didn’t seem to be an accomplice earlier.”

“I was saying this to distract you. But now I’m sure you’re not an accomplice. It’s different from all these trash.”

Nordrek’s gaze turned to the strewn bodies. It was to the point of laughing at the overly sly appearance. Didn’t you just say that you would kill it because it was obviously dangerous? Alogin narrowed his eyes and looked back at Ronan.

“Do you have anything to say?”

The shining eyes in the wrinkled eyelids had not yet lost their light. After thinking about something for a moment, Ronan nodded.

“…no.”

“Right. follow me at once Whatever it is, I think you two should be investigated.”

Alogin turned and walked away. The devil obediently followed him. Suddenly, Ronan noticed that it wasn’t just Alogin who was there. On the roof of the warehouse, at the corner of the alley, behind the trees… There were three or four elderly people who hadn’t seen them, as if they were watching them.

‘The elders.’

A chilly goose bump ran up his spine. I didn’t feel the presence at all until I approached it like this. No matter how much he was in battle, his senses were dispersed, but it was a great skill.

Suddenly, Ronan’s gaze landed on the head rolling on the floor. Caught in the blast, Russell’s head was completely blown off from the bottom of his chin. In the end, it was not enough to become a mercenary, and even the person himself died at the hands of the devil.

I told you not to be fooled by that. Ronan, who was licking his lips, closed Russell’s eyes, which were still wide open.

“You stupid child.”

Riley’s corpse was scattered and shattered, with no head to close her eyes. After a brief moment of silence, Ronan followed Alogin.

The elders did not stop watching until they were out of sight. Before long, managers came running and began to remove the body. When the participants who woke up after hearing the commotion arrived at the scene, the traces of the tragedy had completely disappeared.

****

“You look tired. what happened?”

“…no.”

The morning was bright. Ronan waved his hand at Rin’s question. They were moving to the place where the final test was taking place.

It wasn’t until breakfast time that Ronan returned to the base. Farzan asked more questions than I thought, so it took a long time.

It was so secretive that the other participants, except for Ronan and Nordrek, did not know what had happened at dawn. Rin narrowed her eyes at Ronan’s refusal to resist touching his butt.

“Hmm. I don’t think so.”

In conclusion, the devil. So, Nordrek was recognized for self-defense. The evidence that he was ambushed by the other contestants was all too clear.

Investigation of the dead, including Russell, revealed that they all had a bitter grudge against Nordrek. Some have family, some friends. The female knight Layla, who wanted to see Nabi Rose, had a background that her lover who participated in the festival had her wrists cut off by Nordrek in the first test.

However, their resentment was not taken into account. The reason was simple. Nordrek had never openly broken the rules or committed a crime since participating in the Festival of Swords.

The assassination ended up being an attempt, and those who tried became dishonorable criminals. It was a miserable ending, but I didn’t feel particularly sympathetic. Because their methods were never right either. It was just that it sucked.

“W, this is the final gateway to the Holy Land…!”

“I am thrilled.”

Those who finally reached their destination exclaimed in admiration. The test site where the final exam was held was more beautiful than any building I had ever seen in Parzan. The oval-shaped arena decorated with pure white marble and jewels reminded me of a jewelry box dedicated to the gods.

The people who arrived at the arena were divided into their respective affiliations and lined up. Due to the disaster last night, the number of people was noticeably reduced. While the participants were whispering about what was going on, a familiar old man came and stood in front of them.

“I would like to express my sincere respect to all of you who have come this far. As you all know, the final test will be a one-on-one match between Aran Farjan and the participants from Gran Farzan. I, Alogin, and Swordsman Zaifa will preside over this sacred sparring.”

Elder Alogin was in charge of the overseer. The bloody look he showed at dawn had disappeared, and he had returned to being a benevolent old man. Next to him stood a black wear tiger with an expression of annoyance in the world. After taking a quick look at the participants, he spat out.

“It’s Zaifah.”

Participants groaned. Although it was an unprecedented greeting, most of the participants were ecstatic as if they had met the god of their religion. Well, since the swordsman of the empire is the idol of everyone who eats kalbab, I thought that might be the case.

“Are you okay, Instructor?”

“Be quite.”

Nabi Roze, who glanced back, took a deep breath and desperately suppressed his emotions. Seeing the veins in his temples, he seemed to be getting quite a bit of heat. Alogin’s explanation continued.

“The sparring opponent will be randomly assigned. In the third test, only the participant who obtained the right to be nominated can nominate the opponent. The one who neutralizes the opponent within the specified time wins.”

He added that due to some reason, the number of Aran Farjan was reduced, so four people on the Gran Farjan side would be treated as a bye. The lottery was made immediately, and the three of them, including Rin, went to the Holy Land without a fight. Lynn threw the winning lot at Ronan.

“Voila.”

“Good.”

“See you later. If you ask me one more time at the Holy Land, I will really think about it.”

Ronan answered with a smile. Lynn gave him a light slap on the butt and climbed into the stands. Soon, with the majestic sound of the horn, the final test began. The first and second matches were decided in the order of the nominees first.

“Then, No. 1 participant Nordrek. Nominate an opponent.”

said Alogin. In an instant, silence fell in the hall. Rumors of demons were already widespread among the participants. People lowered their heads or looked away to avoid making eye contact with him.

‘Maybe he’ll choose me.’

Ronan calmly prepared to fight. He was half-sure that Nordrek would nominate him. Considering that he had said that he should be killed now and left it out in the first place, it could only be assumed that he intended to kill him legally in this test.

“Nominate.”

Indeed, Nordrek had no hesitation. He reached out his hand as soon as Alogin finished speaking. However, he nominated someone completely unexpected. Ronan frowned when he saw that Nordrek’s index finger was pointing precisely at Navirose.

“…her?”

“Butterfly rose. Four years is my opponent.”

Nordrek said. His voice was still dry, but his tone was harsh, as if he had become a different person. Everyone in the arena was shocked. Zaifa also pricked up her ears as if she was interested. A buzz of bewilderment quickly spread among the participants.

“oh my god.”

“Hasn’t it turned around too? No matter how confident you are in your skills…”

Nabi Rose, who was nominated, did not show any reaction. She calmly climbed onto the arena, looked at Nordrek, and opened her mouth.

“Do you know me?”

“You know better than anyone.”

“I don’t know you. Rumor has it that you are a disciple of Kroden, the Flooding Sword. Are you trying to avenge your master’s enemies?”

“Disciple.”

Nordrek laughed. The horn sounded announcing the opening of the war. In an instant, Nordrek’s figure disappeared from sight. Ronan’s eyes widened as he watched.

“uh?”

It’s been a while, but I missed the action. It was a speed that was incomparable to the time when he was fighting himself a moment ago. A collision occurred at the same time as Nabi Roze moved his sword forward. Wow! Her body was blown away by the explosion that occurred with a roar.

“Umm…!”

The power of the explosion was also significantly stronger. Naviroje, who balanced by spinning the swallow, landed on the floor. Smoke billowed from the explosion, obscuring the view. Wiping the blood from her nose with her sleeve, she murmured softly.

“Was it alive? The flood sword.”