episode_0025

Thud thud.

As I charged forward, the masked man rushed toward me as well.

Unlike me, what he drew were two daggers.

But his appearance was peculiar.

Somehow, he seemed incredibly delighted.

‘Most guys in these secret organizations are dangerous freaks.’

Because they love to fight.

That’s why they’re in places like secret organizations.

Our blades clashed.

His sword chased after mine. For a while, we exchanged blows. Then, he suddenly leaped back and spoke in a satisfied tone.

“Heh, you really live up to being someone who interferes with our organization.”

When I drew my two swords, he laughed boldly and spoke.

What the hell is this guy even saying?

“You know what? Most swordsmen don’t really like dual-wielding. Know why? Because they’re ordinary.”

“……?”

“Two swords require high-speed thinking and exceptional gifts. And yet, they’re not even that effective. Know why? Because only the so-called geniuses among geniuses can handle dual-wielding.”

His voice carried a tone of deep resentment.

At his words, Liciel beside me made an expression as if she agreed.

—He’s right. Dual-wielding is fundamentally something only those with exceptional senses can use.

But—Liciel added.

—However, dual-wielding doesn’t offer that many advantages. You have to wield two swords, and instead of mastering that level of skill, it’s better to learn spear techniques, which are easier to pick up and more powerful.

‘Spear techniques are strong?’

—Of course. They unconditionally dominate reach and excel in both offense and defense.

As I listened to Liciel, I swung my sword.

There’s still so much I don’t know. But I won’t learn spear techniques.

‘I’ve already got something I’ve been doing.’

That’s not what’s important right now. Right now, I had to focus on the fight.

Clang clang clang!

Blades crossed.

His sword was different in quality from any I’d seen before.

‘Fast and strong.’

It was like lightning.

He was faster than me. Stronger than me. I couldn’t tell what else.

—A dangerous opponent.

Liciel assessed.

—He’s around Level 3. But there’s no need to worry too much.

‘Why?’

—Because you’re stronger.

Liciel smirked as she said that.

Making comments like that in the middle of a fight. I’ll let it slide since she’s cute.

Boom boom boom!

His sword began pressing me harder. Fast and intense.

Slick, slick—blood started trickling down my face.

‘There’s so much to learn.’

He didn’t swing his sword in a straightforward manner.

His body—how should I describe it?

‘Well-used.’

His arms and legs never stopped. He pushed me back with bizarre movements.

He’d swing his sword from the front, then jump low to evade my blade while simultaneously delivering a kick and a slash.

I observed all his movements. Thankfully, this body could track them all.

But.

‘Not much to learn here.’

At best, I could pick up what might be called martial arts.

His sword was sharp. But not as sharp as Liciel’s when she used it against me.

As for speed?

Not as fast as the sword I used with Amwol. In terms of fundamentals, it was shallower than Erme’s sword.

‘He’s just like me.’

It was as if he had internalized instinctive movements.

That’s how he moved.

I moved my right hand.

A sword as sharp as Liciel’s pressed against him.

At the same time.

I moved my left hand, gripping the bloodied dagger. The sword began disrupting his movements in an odd rhythm.

“……!”

His pupils clearly showed panic.

My sword pressed sharply against him. Meanwhile, my blade, imitating Volkan’s, grew more refined and faster.

‘Disrupt the flow of his swordsmanship.’

Then, deliver the finishing blow.

Thud.

The bloodied dagger lodged into the masked man’s leg. His eyes widened. Panic was evident.

Tsk.

He quickly retreated and glared at me with wary eyes.

“As expected, you have the power to interfere with our organization’s plans.”

Or maybe you’re just too weak?

I wanted to smirk, but I stayed alert. It didn’t seem like he was acting alone.

‘A guy with no real skill.’

Yet his mouth was loose.

He’d been blabbering all sorts of information.

Someone like that wouldn’t have done this alone.

That’s why I hadn’t used Whisper of the Wind yet.

But.

‘Seems like he’s alone.’

Thanks to the Thief’s Extreme, I could sense presences well.

But aside from him, I couldn’t feel anyone else.

If anything.

‘Just Erme and Rozante coming this way.’

That’s about it.

Suddenly, as I watched the masked man’s movements, a strange thought occurred to me.

‘Steal Combat.’

An ability on par with the Thief’s Extreme, one of the most useful skills.

If limited to stealing, it could even take abstract concepts.

What had been the result?

It had forced Lucia, that wicked woman, to take an interest in me—though that had been a bit troublesome.

But it had also given me Liciel as an ally.

‘What if I can steal techniques too?’

It’d be great if I could steal something like martial arts.

I sheathed the bloodied dagger.

“……So you’re the same, after all. I thought you were someone walking the same path of dual-wielding.”

His voice dripped with disappointment. Did he think I’d given up dual-wielding just because I put away the bloodied dagger?

I ignored his nonsense and focused.

Steal Combat.

Maybe I could steal his techniques with this.

I glared at him.

Steal Combat whispered to me in a strange sensation.

That I could steal his techniques.

I reached out.

An empty hand. I felt the bizarre sensation of my hand dipping into something.

The masked man looked puzzled for a moment, then his eyes bulged.

“You—what the hell did you just do……?!”

Before he could explain.

I stole his—

[You have stolen Martial Arts using Steal Combat (S).]

[Skill, Martial Arts, has been unlocked.]

Then.

A new sensation filled my body. A strange feeling, as if I could mimic his movements to some extent.

“You……!”

The masked man charged. His movements were different now—agitated, unlike before.

I reached out again. The masked man hesitated briefly, but—

‘This time, it’s not Steal Combat.’

My head throbbed.

The recoil from Steal Combat. I’d also used a lot of mana.

‘I have to finish him in one go.’

As I reached into the subspace, I drew Whisper of the Wind.

“……Nonsense!”

When I swung my sword, his panic was unmistakable.

It wasn’t the bizarre movements of martial arts.

‘What the—’

His body flailed awkwardly.

‘Don’t tell me Steal Combat……’

Despite my mixed feelings, my hand moved honestly to kill him.

Wind lingered on Whisper of the Wind.

The bloodied dagger pulsed with bloody energy.

As our blades crossed—

Slick.

I severed one of his arms.

‘Tch, I was aiming for the neck.’

Maybe because he was faster than me.

It was hard to land a clean hit.

“What the hell did you do to me?! What did you do?!”

His voice was hysterical.

Unlike his earlier composed tone, now he could only wear a panicked expression.

Of course.

‘Ever since I stole his martial arts, his movements became strange.’

Did Steal Combat take his martial arts outright?

I’d expected to steal at most a Level 1 ability.

The fight tilted overwhelmingly in an instant.

The man who’d been pressuring me with martial arts and swift swordsmanship had forgotten his techniques.

It was over in a flash.

The blood-red sword and the pale green sword pressed against him.

Tsk.

I cleanly beheaded him.

His wide eyes stared back, filled with indignation.

‘……Oops.’

I accidentally killed him outright.

I felt a little regretful.

I’d been too focused on swinging my sword and ended up cutting his head off.

Guys like this should be captured alive and interrogated for information.

‘Though he didn’t seem like the type to talk.’

Even if he was loose-lipped, this was a covert guild. A place where success meant being rewarded with half the world.

A loose-lipped guy like him probably wouldn’t crack under torture.

‘Well, then.’

Time to go find the kidnapped kid.

Just then, I sensed presences approaching.

“Huff huff, are you okay?”

Erme, looking slightly exhausted, and Rozante, who seemed on the verge of death.

I looked at Rozante. Not the face of someone who’d been flirting with me earlier, but one filled with concern.

“……Is Cellie okay?”

“Cellie? You mean the kidnapped kid?”

“Yes.”

“Not sure. When I got here, this mess was already underway.”

“……It’s Rebellion.”

Erme, who’d been silent, spoke up.

“A group called Rebellion. A faction that wants to overthrow the Empire.”

“……Rebelling against the Empire?”

Rozante sounded incredulous. Was the Empire that unshakable?

“Anyway, with them involved, things might get a bit dangerous……”

Erme glanced at the decapitated man.

Her eyes looked slightly disappointed.

“……He wasn’t worth sparing.”

“Huh? What? No, don’t make me sound like some shameless person. Expecting something like that from someone who helped me earlier would be heartless.”

“You noticed?”

“There aren’t many who can pull off such a stealthy attack. Especially not archers using such low-quality gear.”

Low-quality?

It seemed pretty good to me.

“To be precise, it wasn’t a bow made with magic or special craftsmanship. High-level archers usually carry better gear.”

Erme said that, then briefly looked at me.

“Well, maybe you don’t need it, Yuseong. With all your skills. Ah, but even to conserve mana, you should at least have the basics, so it’s good to look into it.”

“Yeah? Then let’s go shopping together sometime.”

“Huh? Wait, is this a date invitation?”

Erme stepped closer, looking up at me.

Her lips curled up in a smirk, as if she’d been practicing.

‘Looks like she’s put a lot of effort into this.’

It was incredibly cute. Her beauty made it even more fitting.

“……Sorry, but could you help us find Cellie?”

“Of course.”

After all, that was our goal.

We split up to search for Cellie. She was found quickly.

Once we were determined, we located the bundle she’d been kidnapped in.

“……Found her.”

“Cellie!”

Rozante hugged Cellie. Erme watched with a warm smile.

‘……Didn’t know she could make that expression.’

She always seemed so cold.

“……With this, our party of two is complete.”

Ah, so that smile wasn’t for finding the kid, but for finally having a perfect party as a leader.

“Thank you.”

After capturing Cellie’s kidnapper, Rozante bowed deeply to us.

“And……please forgive my rudeness when I pretended to be drunk.”

“……It was a bit shocking, but it’s fine.”

“Rozante, you were acting, right?”

“……Haha.”

Rozante laughed awkwardly.

“……It was an act, right?”

“……Haha, alcohol is the only beverage the gods have permitted me.”

Erme looked disillusioned.

Well, for a Saintess candidate, that’s not too bad, right?

“Yuseong, why do you look so satisfied?”

“What? Just happy to have a hero candidate in our party.”

“……Huh? How did you know Cellie’s a mage hero candidate?”

“……?”

What’s this about?

I’d been looking at Rozante with a satisfied smile, but—

“Rozante’s not a candidate?”

“Rozante’s a candidate? Huh? But there are already five Saintess candidates……”

“Huh? How did you know I’m a Saintess candidate?”

“…….”

Blank stares all around—especially from Erme.

Suddenly, I realized something.

Everyone here was qualified to be a hero candidate.

‘Not sure about the others, but…’

This seemed like a pretty solid party.