I Became a Swordsmanship Genius in the Game

Chapter 73. The Deadline is One Year

Guardian.

In the Demon World, the role of a guardian was not simply to look after and protect someone from behind the scenes.

It was an excessive reward to demand for clearing a dungeon.

Jude looked at Hyunwoo with a dumbfounded expression.

“Did I hear you wrong? A sponsor in the Demon World? That sounds like you’re asking me to be your guardian.”

“Yes. You understood correctly. Please become my guardian.”

Jude clicked his tongue briefly.

“Do you think that’s possible, proposing that to me?”

“Is it not?”

“Of course not. Being a guardian is not such a simple matter. Demand something else.”

I hadn't expected Jude to agree at once.

As he said, becoming a guardian was not a simple matter.

For Jude to become my guardian meant he would protect me in all areas and even take responsibility for my wrongdoings.

“I don't want anything else.”

“…You don’t want it?”

“Yes. I don’t.”

“…You’re the type who won’t listen to reason.”

“I am solving a long-held Aspiration of yours, Sir Jude. I don't think a proposal of this level is unreasonable.”

“……”

“And there is another reason why you must become my guardian, Sir Jude.”

“Spit it out.”

With an expression that said he might as well hear me out, Jude took out a new lollipop and put it in his mouth.

Still, it seemed that because I had proven my usefulness, he wasn't carelessly revealing his power.

At the very least, I wouldn't suddenly die in the middle of a conversation anymore.

“It is related to the of the Kormur Dungeon.”

“Related to the dungeon.”

“If I enter the dungeon as I am, the same failure as before will only repeat itself.”

“Didn’t you say you knew the method? Was that a lie, then?”

Jude frowned.

He was so impatient.

“To clear the dungeon, I need to prepare. I need special items.”

The ‘Extreme Environment Survival’ match itself was created with the ‘Kormur Dungeon’ as a motif.

Of course, the dungeon's environment was far more brutal than the match.

I briefly explained the dungeon's various environments and the preparations needed for each.

“……”

Jude narrowed his eyes to slits.

He was looking for something to nitpick….

But comparing it to what he knew, there were no lies in my words.

No, seeing me talk about the environments in the deeper parts of the dungeon that even he didn't know about, my words gained credibility.

Jude retracted the gaze of disbelief he had held for me, however faint it had been.

After hearing the full explanation, Jude's expression grew even more serious.

“So I must become your guardian?”

“To obtain the items, I will have to travel all over the Demon World, and as you know…”

I swept my palm across my bleeding chest.

I held out my palm, stained with sticky blood, in front of him.

I didn't intend to blame him for the wound he had created.

He wasn't the type to care about such things anyway.

“I’m a bit weak, am I not?”

“That you are.”

“This weak, I must travel through the dangerous regions of the Demon World. For that, I need your active help, Sir Jude. You becoming my guardian is the most certain way.”

“How can I tell whether your roaming the Demon World is for the sake of clearing the dungeon or just a smokescreen?”

“Well, that… isn’t that for you to judge, Sir Jude?”

“Insolent. Very.”

Crack—

Jude, chewing hard on his lollipop, moved his mouth.

A habit he had when deep in thought.

A moment later, after finishing his thoughts, Jude spoke.

“I’ll add one condition.”

“Please, tell me.”

“One year. That is the period I will be your guardian. If you fail to clear the dungeon within that period…”

Jude’s cold gaze fell on my chest.

Even without him saying it, the meaning that he would kill me if I didn’t succeed within a year was clearly conveyed.

However, that was more than enough time.

A year was a long time to get many things done in the Demon World.

“I will definitely succeed.”

“Good. I will be your guardian.”

“Thank you.”

“Report to me periodically on where you are, what you are doing, and what you have obtained.”

“Should I go through Lotus?”

“Figure that out yourself.”

“Yes. Understood.”

Jude waved his hand as if annoyed.

I was about to suggest it first, worried that he might attach a supervisor to me anyway….

This worked out well.

“Now, what should I do?”

Jude’s attitude became more proactive than before.

Now that he had decided to become my guardian, we were no longer strangers.

We were in the same boat.

“First, you must resolve my slave status in the Bellatus Arena.”

“Well, that’s a given. You are my subordinate now. You don't need to worry about Lionel.”

Jude nodded as if it were obvious.

I had only mentioned it to confirm.

I already knew that just by him becoming my guardian, I would be freed from my slave status.

The ones who truly needed Jude’s power were not me, but others.

I requested the freedom of two gladiators.

One was, of course, ‘Lucas’.

The other was ‘Ibis’.

He nodded his head quickly, as if that much could be easily resolved.

“Is that all?”

“There is one more thing.”

“What else is there?”

A hint of annoyance crept into Jude’s eyes.

However, I couldn't end our conversation like this.

The most important matter still remained.

“I have also put my life on the line for this matter, so you, Sir Jude, must also prove your capabilities as a guardian.”

“What is it?”

“Baron Modric. He is after my life.”

“What’s with this insignificant guy… I’ll take care of it, so don’t worry about it.”

He’s accepting this so easily?

He didn't even ask who Modric was.

Making my worries seem foolish, the problem I had expected to be the most troublesome was resolved easily.

I bowed my head to express my gratitude.

‘At the very least, he’ll tie Modric’s hands and feet.’

Since Jude said he would take care of it, Modric would no longer be a problem in the Demon World.

“Are we done now?”

“Yes. Now everything…”

“Alright, now it’s my turn, right? Eat this.”

Jude abruptly held out a black pill the size of a thumbnail.

Seeing it, I cursed inwardly.

It was an item I knew well.

But there was no need to let on that I knew.

I tilted my head.

“This is…?”

“I need to be prepared, too. It would be a hassle if you decided to run away.”

The black pill was made from the ‘Bompus Berry’.

A pill that maximized the Bompus Berry's main ability, ‘Resonance’.

When swallowed, the ingredients inside the pill would settle in the heart.

In that state, if ‘Resonance’ was triggered, it was a terrifying pill that could make the body explode.

Distance didn't matter for ‘Resonance’.

In other words, it was the same as planting a remote-controlled bomb inside my body.

“The deadline is one year. If you don’t bring back the item within that time, you will die.”

As Jude stared intently, as if forcing a choice, I nodded my head.

‘It’s not like there’s no way to solve this.’

I knew the ‘Bompus Berry’, the raw material for the pill, quite well.

Even if something went wrong along the way, there was a way to handle it somehow.

Without hesitation, I brought the black pill to my mouth.

Gulp—

The feeling of the pill going down my throat was utterly unpleasant.

As if no care was taken for the coating, I could feel the rough texture as it went down my throat.

It didn't seem to be just a feeling; I couldn't stand the itchiness in my throat and let out a cough.

Cough—!

What came out of my mouth with the cough was the black shell of the pill.

It seemed all the contents had been absorbed.

The pill's ingredients would now be settled in my heart.

As a tingling sensation was felt in my chest, the scenario quest finally updated.

⌜Scenario Quest!

You have obtained a clue about the curse engraved on ‘Jude Basterion’.

Retrieve ‘Atemoa’ from the Kormur Dungeon before he goes berserk.

Deadline: One year.⌟

If I couldn't solve the curse engraved on Jude's body, he would go berserk, and that would be the end of everything.

I clutched my chest, checked the scenario quest, and raised my head.

“I’ve finished eat…”

Whoosh—!

Jude threw something.

Catching it reflexively, I realized it was an earring.

⌜Earrings of Sephiros

Grants the user the blessing of Sephiros to strengthen the body. Contains one use of the Light attribute magic ‘Holy Light’.⌟

The earring Jude had won in the bidding war against me at the auction house.

“The human race is said to be weak-minded. This should be useful to you.”

Apparently, he thought I needed it.

He acted like he didn't care, but he was a surprisingly considerate guy.

When I looked up again, Jude had disappeared.

It seemed he left after confirming that I had taken the black pill.

“……”

After a moment of silence, I put the Earrings of Sephiros into my subspace and let out a sigh.

Hoo—

Knowing well the personality of a guy who would kill anyone if things went sour, the negotiation with him had been a series of tense moments.

However, I had succeeded in obtaining everything I wanted.

‘Now all that’s left is… the swordsmanship, I guess?’

Since I had resolved Ibis’s Aspiration of ‘freedom’, I would soon be able to obtain the 3-Star swordsmanship.

I was about to get up right away and go find Ibis, but then I sat back down on the bed.

‘…Let’s rest for a bit.’

The negotiation with Jude had drained more mental energy than any training or battle.

* * *

A few days later.

I, along with Lucas and Ibis, was summoned by Lionel.

It wasn't the banquet hall from last time, but his personal office.

Tap, tap—

Lionel’s brow was deeply furrowed as he tapped his fingers on the desk.

He looked displeased.

It was only natural.

The reason he had summoned the three of us was likely to release us from our slave status, so it was understandable.

Lionel leaned deep into his chair and slowly opened his mouth.

“You’ve caused quite an interesting incident.”

His eyes were fixed only on me.

From his gaze, I could tell he knew exactly that I was the cause of this incident.

I looked at Lionel and smiled awkwardly.

“Well… it just sort of happened that way.”

“It just sort of happened… You take me for a fool.”

No master would be happy about a slave leaving their hands.

However, Lionel simply nodded and gestured with his hand.

A light emanated from his hand and seeped into the three of us, and something changed.

Paching—

Although no sound was actually heard, it felt like something inside my body was shattering.

The ‘Slave's Curse’ that had bound them was broken.

‘It’s done.’

Even though it was Jude's request, Lionel had granted it surprisingly easily.

‘It’s probably because he thinks we’re all dead men anyway.’

The gladiators participating in Jude's request were, to him, disposable pawns.

Thanks to that, it probably went over smoothly without much friction with Jude.

Ibis, too, seemed to have felt the curse breaking, and his face was filled with emotion.

Not just a feeling, but more certain proof.

A system message appeared before my eyes.

⌜Swordsmanship Copy Condition 2. Aspiration — A free body.⌟

⌜Condition has been met.⌟

Along with the message that Ibis's ‘Aspiration’ had been fulfilled, he looked at me.

A message stating that my affinity with him had risen followed in succession.

⌜Swordsmanship Copy Condition 1. Affinity — 65 or higher.⌟

⌜Condition has been met.⌟

⌜All conditions to learn the Veluma Swordsmanship (3-Star) have been met.⌟

All that was left now was to spar with him again to bring up the swordsmanship status window and learn it.

I wanted to go back right away, learn the Veluma Swordsmanship, and try it out, but Lionel didn't seem to have any intention of letting them go just yet.

“You will remain.”

No, he had no intention of letting me go.

Unlike Ibis’s eyes, which were filled with gratitude, Lucas looked at me with a complex expression before leaving.

It seemed he had something to say.

As the two of them hesitantly left the room, Lionel stared at me.

“How did you persuade Sir Jude? No matter how much he liked you, there was no need to go so far as to free you from your slave status.”

“It is a matter related to Sir Jude's secrets… so I cannot speak carelessly.”

When I feigned ignorance and kept my mouth shut, Lionel frowned.

“You've become insolent in the time I haven't seen you.”

“A lot has happened with Sir Jude in that time.”

Did he think I would grovel like last time?

I no longer needed to be wary of Lionel.

Although it was for a one-year term, my guardian was none other than ‘Jude Basterion’.

There was an old saying that when a nobleman’s dog died, the gate would be crowded with mourners.

As long as nothing happened to Jude, my authority as his ward was, to exaggerate, on par with his.

“Well, do you have any complaints?”

“……”

At my suddenly changed attitude, Lionel’s brow furrowed deeply, but there was nothing he could do.

I was now in a position that no one in the Demon World could treat carelessly.

You have to pick your connections well in life.

* * *

Click—

After Hyunwoo left the office, Lionel’s hardened expression slowly began to relax.

He looked towards the door and slightly raised the corners of his mouth.

“He certainly is an interesting fellow.”

From their first meeting, he had appealed his usefulness by mentioning his royal status and got what he wanted.

Even now, he couldn't be sure if the guy was royalty or not, but he let it slide. The most update n0vels are published on novel⦿fire.net

‘Because it’s profitable.’

Back then, it was simple curiosity to see what kind of guy he was.

But.

‘Jude himself made a request…’

The guy had persuaded Jude.

That was something even Lionel couldn't do.

What on earth did Jude see in him to personally step forward and take care of him?

His simple curiosity about the guy had now turned into deep interest.

“I wonder if he can survive?”

Lionel thought of the Kormur Dungeon as he looked over the documents containing Hyunwoo’s personal information.

To have such an interest in a mere gladiator.

While feeling a strange sensation, he imagined the time when the guy might survive the Kormur Dungeon.

A moment later.

“Not bad.”

He found himself slightly looking forward to the guy’s return.

Hyunwoo.

After all, he was still the Champion of the Bellatus Arena.