Ch.176. What It Takes to Defeat a Hero (2)

Across the flat, featureless yellow terrain,

A familiar battlefield unfolds before me.

However, the perspective from which I viewed the battlefield was drastically different from before.

That was because Kariel was now positioned in the sky.

The domain of hawks and eagles soaring through the open sky.

From such a dizzying height, everything below looked like colonies of ants.

“Is this too high?”

Before she could finish speaking, the world suddenly magnified in the blink of an eye.

Now the distance was close enough to clearly distinguish people rather than ants.

“Since the situation has changed, the process must change too. From now on, what you need to carefully observe is…”

The process of battle.

“Take in as much as you can with your eyes. And after that, you’ll encounter the countless combat techniques scattered throughout the world.”

Choose the ones that suit you from among them.

“Don’t beg me for answers. Judge and choose for yourself.”

Afterward, Kariel observed countless battles shown by the Demon Lord.

Battles employing various weapons and combat methods.

One-on-one duels, battles against multiple opponents.

Confrontations between opposing forces.

The tactics of those who were prepared.

The devastating consequences of reckless aggression without preparation.

Some clashed with similar weapons, while others faced off with completely different arms and methods.

Some forces dominated one-sidedly, while others were evenly matched, stuck in stalemates until small variables caused one side to falter or completely overturn the situation.

Giant monsters tore through the earth in violent rampages, while aerial battalions unleashed one-sided violence from the skies.

Some quickly devised countermeasures, while others had no means of resistance and simply endured until the tide turned against them.

From the perspective of invading demon forces.

From the viewpoint of the various defending races of the middle realm.

Sometimes the roles reversed, with attackers becoming defenders.

Geographical advantages, total annihilation without variables, and desperate final stands where mutual destruction was accepted.

“You might pride yourself on overwhelming victory in one-on-one combat, but surviving and excelling in such battlefields is another story entirely.”

Champions of jousting tournaments or fighting arenas.

When placed on an actual battlefield, they could die at any moment in unpredictable ways.

Their skills would certainly allow them to perform well.

But what if they were hit by a stray arrow, or exposed to a rain of arrows without any defensive equipment?

What if they made mistakes under pressure, accumulated injuries, or had a vital point slashed or pierced?

Who could predict if they might become victims of unexpected magical bombardment or absurd casualties of siege weapons like catapults?

What if they charged in the wrong direction, wasting time?

Yet by some stroke of luck, that delayed arrival might prove timely and decisive for the battle’s outcome.

Sometimes unknown experts would emerge as ordinary soldiers.

Or five or six such individuals might suddenly appear to surround and overwhelm an enemy commander.

What if the ground unexpectedly flipped or split open?

What if the sky suddenly collapsed upon them?

What if lightning struck them directly?

What about fighting in dense fog where visibility was near zero? In driving rain and wind? In fierce blizzards?

What about chaotic melees in slippery mud?

What if they were exposed to one-sided enemy attacks while crossing a river?

Fighting not on solid ground, but on the rolling sea or river.

What about combat on a swaying ship deck?

What if everyone charged recklessly at each other in a life-or-death struggle even as their ship was sinking?

What if they slipped while climbing hills, slopes, cliffs, or high castle walls, or were pushed off?

“How can one… anticipate all these scenarios in battle?”

“That’s why fundamentals are important. Realistically, it’s difficult to prepare for everything. Not impossible, but… excessively laborious.”

So what did she mean by fundamentals?

“Being skilled with a sword doesn’t mean you can skillfully handle all those situations. That’s a different matter entirely.”

Even a sword master would drown if they couldn’t swim.

The only variable might be a slightly different probability of drowning when heavily armored versus lightly equipped.

Without wings, even a sword master would die falling from a great height to the ground.

Even if they survived, their body would hardly remain intact.

Of course, if they devised countermeasures, that might be different.

Overcoming the absurdities one faces.

Surmounting the trials before you.

That’s why strength is necessary.

And if strength is lacking, wisdom and strategy can compensate.

True skill is proven through such means.

“This isn’t something you can resolve immediately. Just keep it in mind for now.”

Eventually.

“There are countless sword techniques in the world. However, swordsmanship is fundamentally a tool of the weak.”

“Is it because it utilizes a tool?”

A tool called the sword.

It doesn’t necessarily have to be a sword, but why specifically a sword?

The Demon Lord asked:

“Do you know why the sword became the representative weapon of the era?”

“Because it’s the symbol of the Order.”

“Indeed. You know more than I expected.”

It’s certainly not because the sword has overwhelming utility.

When you think about it, the sword requires considerable skill to wield effectively.

If you’re going to wield something without any knowledge,

A blunt weapon would be more efficient, or an axe would be far more useful.

With minimal training,

The spear would be the most practical weapon.

But not the sword.

Yet, why was the sword chosen?

The sword modeled after the cross.

The arming sword eventually became the symbol of knighthood.

When knightly vows were conducted informally, the sword wasn’t even necessary.

But as the culture of swearing oaths on straight swords became established, and clergy began blessing not only knights but also their swords,

The culture and symbolism of chivalry and knightly vows began to take root.

Nobility meant knighthood.

This was natural in the Empire, but circumstances differed in neighboring countries.

Why should nobility equate to knighthood?

What connection did blue blood have with knighthood?

“Still, the sword is useful in many ways. Easy to carry, elegant in appearance.”

Spears are cumbersome and inconvenient to carry.

Axes look brutal and barbaric.

Bows carry the impression of being weapons for the weak and poor, including hunters who can’t afford close-combat weapons.

Blunt weapons, while effective, require strength and are even more crude and brutal than axes.

Warriors of God.

These weapons would be truly inappropriate for them in terms of symbolism.

It wasn’t always this way.

At some point, as knights wielding cross-shaped swords—or more precisely, swords manufactured to resemble crosses—became more numerous,

The symbol and prejudice that they were God’s warriors became entrenched.

In the Empire, the sword became the king of all weapons, the symbol of royalty, and the exclusive property of knights, God’s warriors.

The Hero’s Holy Sword is the same.

The reason heroes in old tales and fairy stories invariably wield swords represents this symbolism.

“The sword’s prominence as a symbol has continued since prehistoric times.”

The Demon Lord cut the history lesson short, saying that was all Kariel needed to know.

“Anyway, unlike in the middle realm, the use of weapons is not common in the demon realm.”

But if they were to be used:

“It’s either because one has the physique and aptitude to handle weapons, or because they demonstrate overwhelming efficiency and power.”

Remember this well.

“A sword is ultimately a tool, with no inherent truth or meaning. It’s simply a tool and means for convenience and achieving objectives.”

So clear away your preconceptions and observe carefully.

What sword technique—

Or perhaps other weapon techniques or combat methods—might suit you.

Or which might be inappropriate.

“Don’t get trapped in your own world.”

Even if you don’t wield it yourself,

You’ll eventually face those who do.

“If you don’t want to be helplessly overwhelmed later because you don’t know how to counter them.”

Even so,

If you could end with defeat without dying or becoming disabled,

That would be the height of good fortune.

====

“The masters of Imperial swordsmanship have similar movements but vastly different applications.”

Some rely on strength.

Others utilize agility and nimbleness.

Some intelligently mix in variations and deception to gain advantages in exchanges.

And others simply overpower opponents with straightforward persistence and endurance.

“The characteristics of each sword style differ according to their respective strengths.”

In that sense, Imperial swordsmanship is quite excellent from a popular perspective.

It’s no wonder that even noble houses within the Empire learn Imperial swordsmanship.

They build their foundation with it before deciding whether to learn other styles later.

“However, as I mentioned before, this is a style for the chosen. Even so, it’s not an entirely wrong choice. For nations, combat techniques that can be quickly and practically applied are important.”

In that sense, while anyone can learn the original Imperial sword style and reach mastery:

“It takes far too long.”

The Demon Lord said:

“If you start learning today, it would take at least 5 years, or up to 10 years of complete dedication to barely reach a level usable in actual combat.”

Developing a body suitable for swordsmanship.

Redesigning one’s senses to reflexively implement optimal movements and responses, until reaching the adaptation stage.

“Through this process, the sword path is naturally learned, and eventually, even without being taught, parts of the technique become optimized to match your aptitude and physique.”

If you were to teach just one sword style to your child someday, this would be the most excellent choice.

“If you can overcome the extreme tedium, that is. It’s also easy to teach, so you wouldn’t need to invest much effort in instruction.”

However, you don’t have any particular attachment to Imperial swordsmanship, do you?

If anything, you might even hate it.

“Then in the Dabas Kingdom, which is in conflict with the Empire… they have the Fighting God Style, was it?”

An excessively grandiose name.

But it’s a sword style that lives up to its name.

“But learning this now wouldn’t be right either.”

This isn’t a knight’s sword style to begin with.

It’s a warrior’s sword style.

The swords used aren’t cross-shaped straight swords, but rather a variety of blades.

Before learning the technique, one first selects the optimal sword that suits them.

One can choose a different sword later, but that’s a separate matter.

Looking at it this way, the Fighting God Style was clearly superior in terms of system and in-depth education.

But in terms of popularity and mass production of troops, it couldn’t compete with the Empire.

This too should be seen as an element specialized according to each country’s local circumstances.

“There are also various other sword techniques used by human races, and even non-human races have developed and spread diverse ways of handling swords…”

One by one.

Those skilled in various sword techniques, if not in minute detail.

Their battle scenes flow like a rushing river without pause.

The Demon Lord pointed out the origins of each technique, why they developed and changed in such ways, or even regressed.

She explained every aspect thoroughly.

Taking it all in with her eyes and ears, engraving it in her mind, Kariel finally reached a point.

“In that sense, I wonder how your father, at the height of his prime, wielded his sword.”

Quite curious, aren’t you?

“From now on, your goal should be to defeat that.”

Countless individuals fall to Lueld’s sword, not just to his swordsmanship.

Most suffer serious injuries but rarely fatal ones.

Subdual.

Or neutralization.

This is possible because his skill is overwhelming.

In fierce battles, some met extreme deaths.

But Lueld was not among them.

“That’s his skill level right after obtaining the Holy Sword.”

He became astonishingly strong.

It’s hard to explain, but he simply reached a completely different dimension.

Even before wielding the Holy Sword, he was a powerful figure beyond Kariel’s current reach.

“Yet compared to your Emperor at that time, he still had much to be desired.”

The Emperor hailed as a hero.

And her father.

Despite appearing to be of similar age or even younger than herself,

They somehow exuded a seasoned skill and spirit that she couldn’t hope to glimpse.

The young Emperor with sword and shield.

Her father gripping the Holy Sword with both hands.

They face off and clash.

The young Emperor, using even his shield as a bludgeoning weapon to deflect the Holy Sword,

Instantly thrust his sword like a snake slithering across the ground, attempting to pierce Lueld.

Lueld suddenly rotated his body to evade.

Even while retreating, his sword crossed once with the Emperor’s, and when the shield was half cut away, the Emperor threw it like a projectile and charged forward with his body lowered like a weasel.

Lueld avoided this by a hair’s breadth.

The Emperor, who had already drawn the dagger at his waist, was now armed with both sword and knife, and skillfully, sometimes precariously, managed to deflect some of the Holy Sword’s strikes with that small dagger.

In terms of actual skill, Lueld was woefully inadequate.

Yet the reason they appeared evenly matched was because

Lueld possessed overwhelming physical abilities.

“Was that when he was about a year younger than you are now?”

“…”

This was no mere practice match.

It was close to a bloody battle resembling actual combat.

With such excellent skill, could even a simple sparring match paint such a picture?

“First, aim to overcome that level.”

If you can’t even surpass that…

“Defeating Lueld at full strength? Not even a remote possibility.”

As the Demon Lord hummed a tune, the duel between the two was approaching its conclusion.

“Has my father ever been defeated, whether in actual combat or sparring?”

“Many times. Very many times.”

“Among them, was there anyone my father considered a wall, someone truly remarkable?”

“Hmm.”

So it comes to this.

“There were about three individuals your father considered insurmountable, even with the Holy Sword.”

“…Besides you.”

“I said three, didn’t I? We’re discussing what you can and cannot learn now, so why are you singling me out?”

Kariel made a disgruntled face.

“Well…”

“As I said, you can’t learn my techniques anyway, and I have no reason to teach you, so abandon that notion.”

“No, that’s not it… I just thought it was about time for you to start showing off…”

“…”

The Demon Lord glared at Kariel with half-lidded eyes.

“You insolent fool. Perhaps I should kill you a hundred times over for blasphemy.”

“…”

Even her casual remark seemed to carry genuine intent.

Kariel felt her knees weaken involuntarily.