Chapter 303: The Sword Festival (1)
“I can’t believe this...”
Aidan stood there, unable to tell whether the scene before him was real or just a dream.
He had defeated Simon Coden—one of the ten strongest warriors on the continent, a man whose power rivaled even the five Sword Masters. Now, Aidan had undeniably ascended to their ranks.
He was trembling—not from fear alone, but also from exhilaration.
Boom―!!
Clang―!!
The massive greatsword tore through the air, causing everything in its path to burst into fragments.
The battle with Simon Coden had been a duel of assassins—one where a single, decisive strike determined the victor. Aidan hadn’t won by surpassing Simon in every way but simply by landing that lethal strike first. That was the essence of an assassin’s fight.
But now, Aidan felt as if though he had finally grasped the essence of true combat. Power versus power, speed versus speed—the fighters clashed relentlessly, with neither yielding an inch.
“Raaaahhh...!!” Hwarin let out a fierce roar as she lifted her enormous greatsword above her head. She then brought it down vertically with all her might, the blade descending like a guillotine.
Crash...!!
The earth shuddered, the snow vanishing in a burst of heat. Even though he was several meters away, Aidan felt the shockwave ripple through him.
Lilliana was a monster, but her chief is something else entirely...
This battle was nothing like his clash with Simon Coden. Compared to the ferocious beast before him, the late ruler of the Eastern Land felt insignificant.
The Jannabi tribe was known for dealing with various poisons. Because of this, they were often considered weaker in combat than other tribes like the Tiger Shield, Red Moon, or Wolf-Fox tribe.
But now, Aidan realized just how wrong his understanding of these tribes had been.
“It’s no wonder that woman is so strong.”
“...!!”
Aidan spun around and stepped back, startled by the sudden voice. Even he, an assassin, had failed to sense the man sneaking up behind him.
“They say the poison of the Jannabi tribe is made to kill their chief. They test their poisons on their chief first. If the chief dies, a new one is chosen.”
“...That makes her that much more fearsome,” Aidan remarked, clicking his tongue.
The man’s eyes were so dark they stood in stark contrast to the snow-covered north. He was none other than Zigra.
Aidan had been away in the Eastern Land for too long to know much about the Black-Eye tribe, so he instinctively regarded the man with suspicion. However, as Hashir, Kuntai, and Patun quickly emerged as well, Aidan realized that Zigra was one of Karyl’s subordinates.
With someone like him, how did they lose to the empire during the Extermination Decree of Heresy? Was Kuwell’s Order of the Blue Knights really that formidable?
If the master of the Eastern Land lurked in the shadows, the northern beasts smashed through everything in front of them.
Moreover, the fact that this man possessed a body immune to the deadly poison that had once claimed the life of a prince filled Aidan with both amazement and questions.
Flash—!
Karyl twisted around, but his shoulders and waist were quickly covered in gashes. But despite the severity of the injuries, he did not avoid Hwarin’s attacks, choosing instead to meet them head-on instead.
Boom―!!
A thunderous explosion echoed as Karyl was hurled into the air by Hwarin’s upward strike with her greatsword.
“Ugh!”
Karyl slammed into the ground, the brutal impact making him feel as though his bones had been shattered. The force from Hwarin’s strike lingered, still pushing Karyl across the ground.
Clank—!
The sound of the Freezing Talon resonated. Or rather, it was Ethereal within the Freezing Talon that was crying out, almost as if pouting at Karyl for not using her power.
Fwoosh—!
In the midst of the northern blizzard, flames erupted from the Ein Trigger embedded in Karyl’s hand, melting the ground where he and Hwarin fought. This wasn’t to clear away the snow that hindered his movement; it was Ramine’s flames rebelling against Karyl for not wielding their full might.
[...]
Duaat, the Dark Spirit King, remained silent, while Mael, the Blue Serpent, seemed indifferent, closing its eyes as if it was not interested in the duel between the two.
[You’re quite stubborn, aren’t you?]
Only Allen Javius sighed softly to himself, muttering at Karyl’s obstinacy. Karyl was using neither magic nor spirit power. He wasn’t even employing his swordsmanship; instead, he fought Hwarin using only his physical strength and weapon.
Their fight was nothing like the formal duels of knights. It was more akin to a hunt—a raw, primal clash, with nothing but a sword to face the beast.
To think my lord is being pushed back like this...
Aidan watched Hwarin with tense eyes, realizing that her sheer physical strength rivaled that of Gordon Fabian.
“The tribespeople are born without magic. They fight under the same conditions, and the strongest among them earns the title. It’s a simple but sure way to prove oneself.”
[Only fools don’t use the power they have. I didn’t pass down the wealth of my knowledge to someone too dull to use it.]
Allen’s voice carried a tone of displeasure, and though Hwarin couldn’t hear him, she tilted her head slightly at what she perceived as Karyl’s muttering.
“They say you’re the son of Karliak,” Hwarin remarked, seemingly catching her breath.
“That’s right.”
“They say you possess mana and even the power of spirits.”
“It’s not strange. The Digon tribe has mana, too. The tribes share a common ancestry with the southern barbarians, after all. The only difference is the name they’ve taken as they moved northward.”
Hwarin chuckled at Karyl’s words.
“Don’t misunderstand. I meant you’re free to use that power. After all, those who don’t use their full strength have no place in the Sword Festival.”
[See? That big woman’s got more sense than you.]
Fwoosh—!
Black smoke swirled around Karyl as Allen Javius’s form manifested.
[I should’ve bestowed my knowledge upon her instead.]
“...!!”
Hwarin hesitated for a moment, seemingly surprised by the apparition, but she quickly recovered and drove her greatsword into the ground, staring intently at Karyl.
“Be quiet, Allen.” Karyl waved his hand, causing Allen’s form to disperse into smoke before reforming. He then took a step forward, walking right through the lingering smoke.
“When Karliak earned the title of Great Warrior, did he possess mana? Or was he blessed by spirits?”
“Of course not.”
“Then you understand how foolish your offer of consideration was. If I can’t do what Karliak did, it wouldn’t make sense. Earning the title of Great Warrior isn’t just about inheriting a name; it’s about surpassing those who came before.”
Aidan understood that the father Karyl referred to wasn’t just one person.
The secretive Burning Darkness possessed more information about the continent than anyone else. And now that the organization was under his control, it was certain to become a far larger force than the intelligence network he had founded in his previous life, the Astra.
Kuwell MacGovern and Karliak.
Aidan realized that just as Karyl had done in Heim, he had come to the north to surpass all those at the pinnacle of both the empire and the tribes. And now, his lord was proving his strength in a most spectacular manner.
“Do you understand now? That’s the proper attitude required to claim the title of Great Warrior.”
“You arrogant brat.”
[Yes, knock some of that arrogance out of him, will you?]
Allen shook his head at Hwarin’s words, although he wasn’t actually hoping for Karyl’s defeat, nor did he believe it would come to that.
“You’re crazy...” Hwarin ground her teeth at his taunting gesture, motioning for Karyl to come at her. With a sharp inhale, she grabbed her greatsword’s hilt with both hands and charged at him, eager to strike.
Despite the countless exchanges they had already made, Hwarin seemed to grow faster and faster.
Clang!
Each time their swords collided, sparks flew. And with each clash, Hwarin aimed to exploit Karyl’s openings, while Karyl evaded and thrust his sword to pierce her defenses.
Clang-clang-clang—!!
Bang―!!
They exchanged so many blows that it became impossible to count. At some point, they stopped dodging or counterattacking and simply kept swinging their swords with all their might.
“Impressive,” Karyl remarked as he eyed her greatsword. “It’s a shame.”
“...What?”
It was then that a clear, resonant sound echoed through the air.
Clang―!!
Karyl’s Freezing Talon cut through Hwarin’s greatsword. In that instant, Karyl’s blade seemed to slow as it neared her. She twisted to avoid it, but her movements felt sluggish against the incoming strike.
The Freezing Talon, having sliced her greatsword in half, was now headed straight for her neck.
Gulp―!
The incoming blade, so clear in her vision, seemed to slow ever so slightly, offering Hwarin a final moment to relive her life before death took her.
I can’t dodge this.
She instinctively squeezed her eyes shut.
Thud!
But instead of death, she felt a cold chill on her forehead. The Freezing Talon had stopped just before her eyes.
“If you want, I can give you a weapon made of Clear Distilled Water, something even the imperial treasury couldn’t provide. In exchange, why not lend me your strength?” Karyl proposed.
“...What?”
Hwarin looked at Karyl in disbelief.
“Your skills are too valuable to waste. Besides, I already knew from Lilliana that the Jannabi tribe had set their sights on me.”
Karyl sheathed his sword, signaling the duel was over—or rather, that it had been decided long before.
“Are you seriously recruiting me in the middle of all this?”
Aidan chuckled and shook his head as he looked at Hwarin, now on the ground.
“Well, if you defeated a monster like her, you’d certainly be deserving of the title of Great Warrior, my lord. As you’ve said, the tribes are indeed a formidable force, not to be underestimated. Is she the one currently holding the title of Great Warrior?”
“Hah... Hahaha... You don’t know what you're talking about.”
Aidan stared at Hwarin with a puzzled expression, not understanding why she was laughing.
“The Sword Festival is just beginning.”
“...What?”
As Hwarin wiped the blood from her lips and raised her hand, other figures emerged on the snowy hill.
“It’s a bit disgraceful for me, but fine. The Jannabi tribe will step back from the festival. Do your best; there are still many challengers left.”
Hwarin got to her feet, brushing herself off.
...Does she mean he has to fight all of them?
Aidan realized that every single person on the hill was a formidable warrior.
“Indeed, he is Karliak’s son.”
“I never thought Hwarin would lose... She’s one of the three strongest among all the tribes.”
“If you ask me, I think she held back. She didn’t use the Will of the Lycan. Honestly, you can’t even talk about her strength without considering that necklace.”
“Well, if you put it that way, he didn’t use magic either. They were evenly matched.”
The spectators exchanged their thoughts regarding the duel.
“The Cold Wind tribe, the Iron tribe, the Feline tribe, the Thunder tribe... And those behind them, I don’t even need to see to know... They’re the elders’ chosen warriors.”
Hashir, with his keen eyes, clicked his tongue as he looked at the people on the hill.
“The elders would never accept someone with mana as the chief of the tribes.”
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“They’ll try to stop him at any cost.”
“Tch, those guys. They’re cunning, sending Hwarin first to wear him down with her incredible stamina.”
“That could also mean they acknowledge him as a worthy warrior.”
Hashir, Kuntai, and Patun looked down at Karyl with concern.
“One, two, three, four, five, six... That’s quite the crowd. What’s the point of showing up in such numbers?”
But Karyl was shockingly composed, seeming more irritated than anything.
“I don’t have time for this...”
He looked up at the challengers on the hill and casually beckoned them with his finger.
“Just come at me all at once.”