Chapter 191 : Stranger (1)
Stranger (1)
"Eh?"
Kaid stared blankly at the middle finger Louis was holding up.
Was he really telling him to get lost?
"Um... what exactly does that mean..."
Of course, he knew very well what it meant.
Nevertheless, unable to accept it, Kaid unconsciously asked, but Louis completely ignored him.
"You know exactly what it means, right? Then I'm leaving."
With that, Louis and the members of the special task force turned their backs to leave.
It was as if they were showing, quite literally, not the slightest bit of interest—a cold shoulder.
"You bastard! How dare you show such vulgar behavior to the young master!"
Seeing this, Yugwang erupted in anger and called out to the special task force.
"Do you even know who our young master is?!"
At Yugwang's yell, Louis halted in his tracks.
The other team members matched his steps and stopped as well.
"I can understand if it's unknown in your continent. But this man is the eldest son of the 'Thousand Sword Society'—the supreme assassin family on the East Continent! I don't know who you guys think you are, but this person is not someone insignificant like you can disrespect!"
Hearing Yugwang's words, Louis once again faced Kaid and Yugwang.
As he returned, Louis spoke in a cold voice.
"So what?"
"Huh?"
"What do you want me to do about it?"
If that idiot is such a precious noble, so what?
"Should I kneel or something? Beg for forgiveness on my knees?"
"Well..."
At Louis's blunt questioning, Yugwang was at a loss for words.
But he was a swordsman who had devoted his entire life to the Thousand Sword Society.
Having always stood by the family head's side as a sword, he couldn't tolerate someone disregarding the blood of the Society.
"So you're saying you won't do it?"
"Yeah. And if I can't?"
"Then you're fine with this leading to a physical confrontation?"
As Louis's attitude remained dismissive, Yugwang drew his sword and released his sword energy.
What was called 'sword energy' on the East Continent felt like aura to the special task force members.
"So the East Continent's aura isn't much different."
"Looks like it."
"I wonder if it's the same for magic?"
"Do you think there are strong people over on that continent too?"
As the team members commented on the aura, Yugwang's face reddened in anger.
Not a single one of them seemed threatened by his sword energy.
"Hey, old man."
Louis stepped up to the very front and spoke.
"You call that a threat?"
"......!!"
Yugwang's hand, about to swing his sword imbued with sword energy, twitched.
His face showed agitation as if he'd been stabbed in a vital point.
"You think I can't do it?"
"Do whatever, it doesn't matter to me. But let me give you just one piece of advice."
Louis sighed, revealing his frustration.
"No one threatens others with their heart pounding like that. Understand?"
"......"
He had taken a battle stance, sword ready to swing—but in reality, his chest pounded like that of a frightened man.
"That's not a threat, that's just a dog barking. Honestly, you saw us fighting—didn't you?"
"......"
Of course, he had watched them from start to finish.
They had sliced through monsters that he and the young master could barely stand against as if swatting bugs.
Just from that, it was clear as day which side was superior.
Yugwang knew he'd lose even against just one of them.
'Especially that boy.'
The power Louis demonstrated was beyond the realm of common sense.
No matter how many times Yugwang swung his sword, he wouldn't even make Louis bleed a single drop.
'All these decades I devoted my sword to the Thousand Sword Society...'
All the hard work and experience he'd built up would be denied in a single gesture by Louis.
Even so, Yugwang had his convictions.
The Thousand Sword Society must not be disrespected by anyone.
They must show no disgrace anywhere.
If there were those who looked down on them, he had to do whatever it took to prove that their sword was not useless.
Even at the cost of his own life.
"Yes. Of course, I know that. But do you know what's even more frightening than death? To have the family I've devoted my entire life to... get looked down on by someone who doesn't even know who we are."
"Even if that person could fold you up with one hand?"
As Louis began to show real killing intent, Yugwang's heartbeat sped up even more.
Like a threatened beast, Yugwang barely managed to keep himself from stumbling backwards.
"It doesn't matter."
At Yugwang's single word, Louis's killing intent lingered.
"Tsk, forget it."
But in fact, Louis had no intention at all of killing them.
His real goal lay elsewhere, and sullying his hands here would only be a loss.
"Still, old man. You pass in terms of romance."
Louis complimented Yugwang for standing his ground.
"And you. You ought to know you're lucky you've got such a guard."
"Uh, um..."
At that, Kaid asked again about what he had mentioned earlier.
"Are you really not taking on students?"
"Get lost."
"......"
Of course, he was rejected again.
Kaid was so shocked that he briefly sank to his knees, and by the time he came to, Louis and the special task force had disappeared.
"Anyway, young master. We're running out of time now."
Though hit by another shock, Kaid was pulled up by Yugwang.
"We mustn't be late for our meeting with the Woodrock king. We do have a few hours left, but we don't know this area well."
"I almost forgot. You made sure to keep hold of the Blood Sword Technique manual that king mentioned, right?"
"Yes. Here it is."
Yugwang pulled out the book he had guarded with all his might until now.
Even when monsters appeared and obstructed their journey, he protected the manual as if it was his very life.
"Luckily there's no damage."
Kaid accepted the book and opened it to check its condition.
It was filled cover to cover with sentences in that continent's language, but Kaid himself couldn't understand any of it.
"Who would know that this is the legendary manual of the Blood Sword Technique, supposedly the greatest power of the East Continent?"
"No one will recognize it. And even if they did, only those with the right qualities could ever hope to understand what's written within."
"Hmm..."
At those words, Kaid fell into brief contemplation.
With the best talent, he'd gotten used to overlooking everything—but he believed he'd understand its contents someday.
Ultimately, he was the chosen one with the greatest talent.
He used to think that, but now his belief wavered.
"Will the day really come when I can understand this?"
"Well... I'm sure when the time is right, you'll know."
"......"
Kaid finished his thoughts and put the manual away.
"Still, I wonder what the king intends to do with the power of the Blood Sword Technique."
"From what I've heard, the Blood Sword Technique is the key to awakening something."
"A key?"
"Did you not learn about this in history class?"
"No."
Because of his so-called talent, Kaid had let lessons go in one ear and out the other, and needed things explained again.
"Then have you ever heard of the 'Black Horde' mentioned in our continent's legends?"
"I know about them. I read about them in children's stories when I was young."
"Surprisingly, you know. Anyway, the Blood Sword Technique is said to be the ritual for awakening that 'Black Horde.' It's likely the king is aware of this."
"And what does he intend to do with it?"
He's not even a native of the East Continent—what could he possibly want to use that power for?
"Who knows. I'm curious, too."
"Yeah, so am I."
"I never thought I'd see the young master this curious... Eh?"
That last voice hadn't belonged to young master Kaid.
At that moment, the real Kaid, hiding behind Yugwang, was trembling at the sight of someone new.
"Yu, Yugwang... behind you..."
"Huh?"
In that instant, Yugwang doubted his eyes.
"I have good ears, so I heard everything you two were just saying."
Why had this man appeared here once more?
"So, why not finish your conversation? My girl here is curious too."
Louis, reappearing, introduced Rio standing at his side.
If there's anyone inseparable from the words 'Blood Sword Technique', it was her.
****
They relocated to facilitate smoother conversation.
With hot tea brought from a nearby tea house on the outdoor table, they resumed their talk.
"So... this Blood Sword Technique is swordsmanship from your East Continent, right?"
"It's not ordinary swordsmanship. On our continent, it's a peerless swordsmanship that no one can master."
"So what's so special about this ultimate swordsmanship?"
"Um, but..."
Yugwang, continuing his explanation, had a question of his own.
"I'm curious why you're trying to find out about this."
He'd suddenly reappeared and arranged this talk for some reason.
No malice could be sensed, but what did the 'Blood Sword Technique' have to do with them?
"Don't tell me... aura... is your sword energy red or something, or do you have a power that turns drawn blood into strength?"
"Yes! That's exactly what the Blood Sword Technique is."
"......"
Louis and the special task force fell silent upon hearing that.
"But how do you know so well?"
"Well, it's only natural I'd know."
As Silia spoke up, the person in question stood.
It was Rio.
"Because the practitioner is right here."
Rio carefully drew her sword.
Since it was a crowded place, she suppressed her intimidation as much as possible as she held her blade forward.
Thanks to that, onlookers only saw it as some sort of weapon exchange, not a threatening duel.
The only odd thing was that the weapon she held shimmered with a red light.
And the blade in Rio's grip was soaked in red liquid, creating an ever sharper and more refined edge.
"How about this?"
At Louis's question, Kaid and Yugwang couldn't take their eyes off her.
"Huh?"
"Is this, by any chance..."
A crimson sword energy and a blade drenched in blood.
It was identical to every legend they'd heard about the Blood Sword Technique.
"The name of the swordsmanship she uses is also the Blood Sword Technique. Think that's a coincidence?"
It couldn't possibly be a coincidence.
Even the depiction of the Blood Sword Technique in legendary artwork from the East Continent matched Rio's sword.
"Is this... real?"
"Yeah, it's real."
"But isn't the Blood Sword Technique... not supposed to work unless you have the right qualities..."
"But here I am, using it anyway."
There was nothing they could say in reply.
And they couldn't understand.
Could the Blood Sword Technique, the ultimate and legendary swordsmanship of Eastern lands, really be wielded by just some girl from another continent?
"This is impossible. The Blood Sword Technique is a sword art passed down on our East Continent since ancient times. It's not something anyone in this day and age can master."
"Are you, by any chance, of our continent's bloodline? It would take at least that much for this to even be possible."
Kaid directly questioned Rio, but she shook her head.
"I don't know who my parents are. All I remember is growing up in the young master's domain."
"How strange. Do you actually believe that's possible?"
Kaid asked Yugwang, who seemed to recall something and said,
"But... it's not totally impossible. Do you know the deeper story of the legend?"
"No."
"I thought as much. To put it simply, the very first Blood Sword Technique practitioner moved to another continent and had descendants."
So that means there are official descendants, then.
"And do you know who their descendant is today? It's the king of this island."
"Huh? Then could it be..."
"That's why our Thousand Sword Society agreed to this Woodrock deal in the first place."
What on earth was he saying?
Louis and the members of the special task force had to endure a lengthy explanation, as they couldn't make sense of it.
"......"
While everyone was absorbed in the explanation, Rio found herself staring blankly at the scroll Yugwang had placed down.
Almost as if drawn to it, she reached for the scroll.
Luckily, since everyone was deep in conversation, Yugwang didn't notice Rio grasping the scroll.
"... Huh?"
Through the manual, some kind of memory began to pour into Rio's mind.
In that instant, her expression contorted.
She saw a woman who resembled herself, slaughtering people... and fighting a gigantic dragon.