Ch.138133 – Natural Talent

The clash of the two swordsmen shattered the earth, splitting the ground that could no longer contain their power. The pressure from their strikes pulverized nearby rocks into dust.

Their determination to pierce through each other transferred through their sword tips, and with each collision, that resolve was reaffirmed.

BOOM!

The sound was far too thunderous to be mere blades colliding.

Compressed energy, having nowhere to go, exploded in place, and the shockwave forced both figures to retreat with their swords.

“You dare draw your blade against me?”

NoName twirled her sword casually in the air, as if mocking her opponent.

Mephisto remained silent, glaring back with murderous intent.

“…”

[Mephistopheles – Phase 1]

[HP: 3,329,079/4,444,444]

The demon’s body, having undergone repeated severing and regeneration, showed bizarre deformations at the connection points.

Different colors clashed at the seams, resembling forcibly joined pieces of hardened clay.

No matter what sword technique Mephisto attempted, NoName had countered perfectly.

She didn’t retreat even an inch.

Instead, she boldly closed the distance, diving into his dangerous attacks that indiscriminately tore through space.

“For a swordsman, distance is,”

NoName charged forward, drawing a straight line on the ground with her sword.

“like a ticking time bomb.”

The end of that line pointed directly at the demon’s torso.

SLASH!

Had they been standing in the Imperial Palace, the banquet hall would have been split perfectly in half.

Despite wearing armor of overwhelming hardness, the demon couldn’t withstand the impact and was sent sliding across the floor.

“As the fuse gets shorter, one of us will definitely die.”

The reason novice swordsmen are told to maintain distance.

NoName knew this advice stemmed from the desire for survival.

The greater the distance, the more calmly one could think and draw out their true abilities.

But when the gap between opponents is short, the time for judgment becomes extremely brief.

Therefore, one must draw out the best moves at an instinctual level, which is nearly impossible without extensive experience.

The point where skill difference becomes most apparent is at close range, where you can almost feel each other’s breath.

The demon continued to resist. He lacked the fear that exists in humans.

He drew his sword against the man who kept charging at him after every fall and recovery.

Gradually, the demon’s swordsmanship improved.

His speed increased, his responses quickened, and his form slowly took shape.

Yet, in the hundreds of sword exchanges, victory always belonged to NoName.

SLASH!

With a short swing of her sword, blood sprayed through the air.

The deafening clashes from moments ago gave way to an eerie silence and stillness.

Adella looked at NoName with trembling eyes.

‘She’s… insane…’

Which one was the real demon?

The young man who couldn’t offer proper resistance and was helplessly overwhelmed?

Or the girl with a ghostly smile who mercilessly tormented her opponent?

What was even more frightening was that the swordsmanship she had displayed wasn’t even difficult to follow with the naked eye.

How far ahead was she planning her movements?

It was obvious that crossing swords with her would be like sinking into a swamp, being manipulated without even realizing it.

She continuously baited attacks, and with perfect calculations, her foresight trapped her opponent in a pit.

-Are you insane, NoName?!

-Perfect so far? She hasn’t been hit once?

-Is she even human? Part 1 was seriously her holding back

-Healer (physical version)

-Why hasn’t she used any magic items yet?

└ She used them a lot in Part 1

└ Even then she just used them as clubs lmao

-This is seriously an insane highlight reel…

-How is she so good with a sword?

└ They say she was a Heavenly Demon in her past life

└ Heavenly Demon Reborn! Ten Thousand Demons Bow! Heavenly Demon Reborn! Ten Thousand Demons Bow!

Astonished gazes poured in.

Even viewers who had been hardened by countless highlight videos on VTube couldn’t help but express admiration.

However, NoName, who hadn’t taken her eyes off the demon even once, coldly commanded again.

“Get up. You still have plenty of HP left.”

[Mephistopheles – Phase 2]

[HP: 2,848,500/4,444,444]

With so much HP remaining, there was no need to hold back.

How much stress had she endured throughout her life? Even this current life hadn’t been smooth.

She simply hadn’t shown it.

“You mere insect, how dare…!”

Mephisto spread his massive bat wings, spanning several meters,

“Fold those wings, they spread disease.”

[Kaizen-style Sky Slash]

The enlarged blade cleanly cut through the wings like a tent.

She approached the demon as he fell helplessly to the ground. She even tossed her sword aside with a clang.

“Grit your teeth. If you think of someone you’re taking this beating for, it might not feel so unfair.”

WHAM!

Her fist accumulated aura.

As she released it, the demon’s head was buried in the ground with such force that the earth caved in.

“GAAACK! Stop…!”

“For those worthless orphanage boys who tried their pathetic tricks.”

WHAM!

Despite her mutterings being buried under the thunderous sound, she continued speaking.

People who mindlessly left hateful comments, being dismissed at the Academy interview, the irresponsible game company, and above all, the organizations that imprisoned her and her mother.

NoName, with 25 years of experience in a world where the concept of human dignity was scarce, had endured too many hardships.

Especially with a body that couldn’t control its emotions, how long had she been holding back?

She channeled all that resentment into her fists and continued pounding the demon’s body.

WHAM!

* * *

Kaizen Imperial Year 1107.

“Stop, stop!”

Marquis Bastion, who had the honor of teaching the most noble individuals on the continent.

‘Honor my ass…!’

He forcibly stopped the duel that had reached emotional extremes and immediately rushed to the fallen princes.

“Your Highness, can you hear me? Your Highness! Call the royal physician immediately! Hurry!”

The attendants who had been watching the duel in the training ground as if entranced finally moved.

The Marquis’s eyes sharply turned to the other side.

The 3rd Prince, who didn’t know what to do, and the ‘problematic Princess’ who had gently put down her wooden sword. Her expression showed no guilt whatsoever.

The Marquis unconsciously grabbed his head.

“What on earth are you doing? When did I ever say you could put emotions into a mere practice duel?”

The voice of the old man, who had long retired from politics, grew louder. His voice cracking was just an added effect of not having had to shout for a long time.

But the Marquis vaguely knew his own fault.

He had long recognized the Princess’s extraordinary abilities.

But who would have expected a mere nine-year-old child to completely demolish talented individuals of seventeen and fifteen?

Even the current Imperial Swordmaster, Sir Verstappen, would not have dared to predict this.

Marquis Bastion strode up to the Princess and questioned her.

“Princess Estasha.”

There was no respect in that address.

Kaizen’s heretic. The Iron Emperor’s blemish. That was the 4th Princess’s current position.

But there was not a single tremor in the calm eyes that looked back at the Marquis.

“They used killing techniques first,” the girl replied curtly.

“I know.”

“Then go ahead and blame me again.”

“This time too, it’s your fault, 4th Princess.”

“Why?”

The girl’s gaze transformed.

The Marquis swallowed hard.

She wasn’t swayed by anger like impulsive children.

A swordsman who knows patience is truly terrifying.

It was just unfortunate that such talent had gone to a princess.

“Be aware of your position. That’s the maximum advice I can give you and today’s final lesson. If you take this lightly or intend to disobey, it would be better not to pick up a sword again.”

The world isn’t made up of strength alone.

Sometimes, a fat nobleman’s tongue can lead to the execution of the strongest warrior.

Marquis Bastion, who had experienced all kinds of storms at the center of power, sincerely advised her.

As he returned to his mansion, he couldn’t stop thinking about the Princess.

Unparalleled natural talent.

If experience backed that talent, what an incredible swordmaster she could become.

Perhaps she could become a figure who would dominate the current era, or even be recorded in history books as a legendary figure.

But all assumptions were in vain.

Marquis Bastion rummaged through his desk drawer and found a letter he had received a few days ago.

His hands were tense as he opened the well-sealed letter with wax.

His expression gradually hardened as he read the contents.

If she were to make a name for herself, it would be closer to ‘infamy’.

[The Emperor’s heretic is indeed the seed of the Demon King.]

Perhaps, since Emperor Irogen had allowed her to learn magic and swordsmanship, the young Princess was already entangled in dirty political battles.

[Therefore, we hope that the Marquis, representing us, will use that card preciously.]

“This succession battle won’t end with just one or two deaths…”

The perceptive nobles would have already started aligning themselves with their chosen sides.

Perhaps the scope should be expanded.

The 3rd Prince and 3rd Princess might also be given succession rights.

Or maybe even the 4th Princess.