Academy’s Genius Swordmaster - Chapter 43

43. Haeju (2)

#43

I was used to the color of the sky while lying down. Ronan slowly got up. I could see the river meandering through the towns and villages built down the hill.

A low murmur leaked from Ronan’s lips.

“Nimburton.”

It was the same when I rubbed my eyes and looked again. His hometown was Nimburton.

Ronan walked down the hill like someone possessed. The feel of the blades of grass fluttering under my feet was clear.

‘This is my image world?’

The gentle sound of the river and the wind tickling my nose all seemed real. Only the emptiness of the waist dance, where La Mancha was not hanging, only hinted at the fact that this was not reality.

Ronan, who had entered the village before long, tilted his head.

“…was there such a thing?”

A large willow tree grew next to a sign with the name Nimburton on it. It was so tall and overgrown that it seemed that it could be seen from anywhere in the town.

If there was something like this, there’s no way I wouldn’t remember it. Ronan shrugged once and entered the village.

The scenery of the village was little different from what Ronan knew. The vegetable garden Asher’s parents used to farm was still the same, and the Lumbert’s inn, which was noisy every night, was still the same.

The only odd thing was that there was no sense of presence in the village. As if all the residents had left, the only sound was Ronan’s footsteps in the deserted streets.

“I don’t feel good…”

Even the wind that was blowing was frighteningly calm. It was the car Ronan was about to step into. A child’s laughter came from behind.

“Kyahaha!”

Ronan hurriedly turned his head. The white-silver hair had just turned the corner and disappeared. Light footsteps were quickly receding. As if possessed by something, Ronan ran to the place where the child had disappeared.

“Damn wait!”

Ronan turned the corner. The house where he and his sister lived appeared. Normally, it should have taken a few more minutes, but I couldn’t afford to worry about such a contradiction.

Nothing was attached to the ivy-covered outer wall. At that time, the child who had clearly gone ahead appeared behind Ronan.

“Hee hee!”

“Shit, it’s a surprise.”

It was a girl who looked to be four or five years old at most. Seeing the child’s face, Ronan frowned.

“…sister?”

“Mom!”

The child ignored Ronan and ran home. The wooden door opened and closed. Ronan stood in place like a man with roots on his feet.

No matter how young you are, you cannot recognize that face. Big eyes the color of the sunset, white silver hair as pale as starlight. It was undoubtedly the sister of childhood.

‘Then this is…’

Unremembered willow trees, less old buildings. younger sister. Ronan finally realized that he was wandering around Nimburton in the past.

– Ongya! Ong!

Suddenly, a baby’s cry rang out. It was the sound from Ronan’s house. Ronan, who was looking around, picked up the hoe leaning against the fence.

“…better than nothing.”

Remember. This is a world of images created to get rid of the curse that dwells in me. You shouldn’t mistakenly believe that this world will be favorable to you, as the purpose is to cast a curse.

Back inside, Ronan pulled the doorknob. The unbolted door opened gently.

There were three chairs around the table. Ronan listened to the voice coming from somewhere.

“Is he my brother?”

“It is. Leel.”

The conversation was coming from the master bedroom where the bed was. It was Iril’s room now. Ronan, who grabbed the plow, cautiously took a step.

He hid himself in the doorway and poked his head out to check the room. Little Illil was resting her chin on the bed, eyes twinkling.

“I will protect you. Because he is my brother.”

“You’re proud of me, my daughter.”

A black-haired woman was lying in front of her, stroking Iril’s hair. Ronan’s eyes widened.

The woman’s face resembled Irill’s. Although he had never seen it, Ronan instinctively felt it. That this woman is his mother.

“mom…?”

Ronan stumbled into the room. The mother and daughter continued the conversation without showing any reaction.

Ronan’s face seemed invisible to them. I reached out and tried to touch my mother, but it passed through the air.

“Then you…”

Ronan’s gaze, which had sunk even more, turned to the bed. Between Iril’s face and her mother’s, a small newborn baby was wriggling, wrapped in swaddling clothes.

“Unnya…”

“Hee hee cute.”

Erill reached out and the baby grabbed her finger. Illil smiled and kissed the baby on the cheek. The mother looked at her two children and smiled softly.

‘I also… had a time like this.’

Ronan watched the harmonious family without forgetting his purpose. Then I heard the door open behind me.

-Kiik…

“……!”

At that moment, a chill that he had never felt before swept Ronan’s back. Ronan turned his head, clutching the plow as if to break it.

There stood an amorphous shadow that lingered like indescribable fog. At that moment, Ronan realized that it was a curse he had to bear.

‘It should be cut.’

It was the car that was about to swing the plow. The shadow that stood in the doorway and looked around made a noise.

“…?”

Hearing the sound, Ronan’s body stiffened.

“■■■ ? eril? ■■ …■■ ■■ ■■ ?”

‘uh?’

It was a strange voice that was difficult to even recognize as words. He was the only one who could make out his sister’s name. As if the shadows were talking, before long, the mother and daughter responded kindly.

“Looks like you came here. Please go out to meet me.”

“and! ■■ ~”

The little Illil ran out, arms wide open. The long shadows stretched from side to side hugged Illil.

The shadow entered the master bedroom holding Ilil in its arms. My mother, who was lying on the bed covered in a blanket, greeted me warmly.

“How did you time it? I was just born yesterday. How cute?”

“ ■■■ ….”

“Ahaha I think I look more like you than me… But what’s wrong with your expression? Did something happen?”

“■■■ .”

The shadow that put down Leel picked up the newborn baby. The shadow looked at the baby for a long time before turning its head towards the mother.

“■■■ . ■■■ . ■■ ■■■ .”

“yes? Are you dangerous? What’s that…”

“■■■…”

“What’s wrong ■■?”

At that moment, the shadow swayed as if boiling. Mother and Iril collapsed as if asleep. Ronan’s eyes widened as if they would pop out.

“no…!”

aww A cracking sound came from Ronan’s mouth. The muscles of the whole body were already swollen like they were about to explode. Right after his body stiffened, he was struggling to move.

“■■■ …. Leeil…”

The shadow stopped swaying. Suddenly, tears flowed from Ronan’s eyes. I don’t know how to explain the situation, but Ronan could tell that the shadow was very sad.

The shadow set Irill and the baby down next to the mother. Then he stretched out a part of his body and covered the baby and the lil.

‘What bullshit are you talking about?’

In a fleeting moment, Ronan saw the cursed text that came out of his body shimmering in the body of the shadow. The fact that they flow into the body of a newborn baby.

“■■ ■■■…”

The shadow muttered something and stepped out the door. The moment the shadow left the house, the bonds that bound Ronan were released.

bang! Ronan bounced off and crashed into the wall. It was because the power that had been stagnant until now was released at once.

But there was no time for pain. Ronan ran straight to his family. The mother and daughter and the newborn baby were all lying there as if they were dead.

“no. no…!”

He struggled and tried to support his family, but was not caught. As the car darkened with despair, I heard someone’s noisy breathing.

“…ah?”

Ronan, who regained his reason, looked at his family. Erill’s stomach was slowly swelling and sinking. It was the same for mother and baby. Fortunately, everyone was asleep.

Even in her sleep, Iril held the baby tightly. Grabbing the plow, Ronan slowly stood up. An animal-like voice came out of his mouth.

“This … fucking bastards …”

Despair was rapidly turning anger. The wooden sack broke in half. Ronan, who was looking around, picked up the black iron sword leaning in front of the front door.

Why is the black iron sword placed here? Facts like that were not as important as the fact that this place was an image world.

It wasn’t clear whether this was simply an absurd fantasy or if it was showing memories of the past. Only one thing is important. that he had done something unacceptable.

bang! Ronan, who slammed the door and left the house, began to sprint with all his might.

The moment he left the house, the buildings in the village dispersed like fog and disappeared. Ronan ran like crazy through the middle of Nimburton, where only the road was left.

It wasn’t long before I saw a fallen willow tree and its shadow in the distance. He was breathing hard in front of the stump with a part of his body drawn like a knife.

“■■■ Leeil…■■. ■■ ■■■■ ■■…”

Suddenly, tears welled up in Ronan’s eyes. Sorrow and anger, many times greater and stronger than the anger that had consumed him, began to swell in his heart.

Ronan instinctively noticed that it was the emotion the shadow was feeling. However, he did not slow down his run.

The distance has narrowed enough. The shadow still didn’t notice Ronan. He shouted as if he was vomiting out the emotion of unknown origin that was clogged in the back of his throat.

“Stand there! 이 개새끼야!!”

“?!”

The shadow turned its head. At that moment, Ronan’s body shot forward like a flash. The fastest sword strike he had ever wielded rushed towards the body of the shadow.

visor! Black embers shot out of the air.

“what?!”

“ …■■?”

The raid was a failure. The black iron sword that touched the shadow was flying in the air. Ronan spat on the floor and swung his sword again.

Kang! Kang! Kang! Slashes that ordinary people cannot even see were fired one after another. However, the shadow easily countered all of Ronan’s attacks.

“Damn it…!”

Even if he changed his swordsmanship and tried to attack as irregularly as possible, all of them were just dodged or blocked. Ronan gritted it. It felt like I was being played with rather than treated properly.

Around the time the sum came and went, the shadow that had been defending all along shook as if it were about to explode.

“■■■■!”

“Keugh!”

The atmosphere was completely different from before. A strange sword cut into Ronan’s arms.

Unable to block the sword strike, tore parts of his body. hooked! The thrusts that penetrated the moment pierced Ronan’s thighs and wrists one after another.

“Huh!”

with chaeng. The black iron sword fell to the floor. Ronan fell down on one knee. The shadow pointed the tip of the sword at Ronan’s throat. I was prepared for the end, but the shadow didn’t do anything more than that.

“……”

“Hey what are you doing…? I won’t kill Huh Eok…”

The shadow just stood still and looked at Ronan. Again, desperate sadness and anger came to Ronan’s head. The shadow drew the sword.

“■■.”

Before long, the shadow swinging in the air as if throwing a sword turned its back and began to walk. Standing limping, Ronan picked up the black iron sword with his left hand.

“Damn it… Heo-eok is standing there…!”

The shadow didn’t stop. He bowed to the willow he had cut and continued on his way. I felt like I would really miss it if I went on like this.

Ronan took a deep breath. I needed something to stop the shadows. There was one thing that came to mind, but I really didn’t want to talk about it even if I died.

Three chairs in front of the table. Ilil hugged and smiled brightly. My mother said that I resemble you rather than me.

I knew it in my head, but I didn’t want to admit it. I was afraid to face the truth. The moment I said it, it seemed like I was denying myself.

‘Fuck.’

But there was no way. The blood flowing from his legs and wrists did not stop. Taking a deep breath, Ronan shouted at the shadow.

“Are you still a father? You son of a bitch!”

“…?”

The shadow stopped. A wave of obvious emotions passed through the images. Soon, an indescribable thrill ran through Ronan’s whole body.

‘Opportunity is once.’

Ronan grabbed the hilt. Whoo! A whirlwind of shadows rushed towards Ronan.

Ronan’s field of vision narrowed and time slowed. Now that the opponent was agitated, I had to finish it with a single blow. The shadow approaching right in front of me drew a sword.

‘uh?’

At that moment, something glimmering came into Ronan’s eyes. It was like a stream of water, and it seemed like it was colored by the wind.

The worn-out black iron sword had turned into a smooth La Mancha. Ronan swung his sword at the shadow that had come right in front of him. However, not randomly, but following the stream of water flowing in the air.

squeak.

The shadow split in half.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────

_ ────────────────────────────────────────────────

_ ────────

──────────────────────────────────