Ch.314EP.66 – A Night of Knights and Campfire (5)

The three men’s ‘quarrelsome’ physical dialogue continued for a while, and at some point, it underwent a change.

Thud!

“…Ho.”

“……”

“Hehe, this is far more enjoyable than fighting the so-called God of War.”

Their confrontation had begun to result in [draws] consistently.

Not just in one-on-one fights, but even in two-against-one situations, draws were occurring.

When two people pressured Ihan, they couldn’t overwhelm him.

Conversely, when two people coordinated to pressure Lac, they couldn’t overwhelm him, and when two joined forces against Maximus, they couldn’t overwhelm him either.

This wasn’t due to clumsy teamwork causing mistakes.

It was because each possessed such exceptional skill that no one could gain the upper hand.

Because each had the fortitude and extraordinary adaptability to withstand even two opponents.

That’s why after just a few exchanges, none could decisively overpower the others.

If they had been determined to subdue their opponents, or if they had fought with life-or-death resolve, subduing might have been possible, but they weren’t fighting now.

This was merely a ‘conversation’ after all.

So.

“…I feel like a performing bear.”

“Let’s stop here.”

“Just when I was getting into it, we’re ending already?”

Their confrontation-conversation ended as abruptly as it had begun.

Patter…!

The three men shed sweat that poured down like rain.

This was a rare sight.

For men with iron-like stamina to sweat this much after ‘merely’ an hour of non-stop sparring.

It wasn’t that they were tired from just this much movement, but rather that they had consumed more than ten times their usual energy focusing on ‘controlling their strength.’

If they had lost focus for even a moment, they would have instinctively struck with full force.

Knowing that their fighting spirit could have flared up, they had done their best to restrain themselves, because if they had fought seriously…

‘Then one of the three would definitely die.’

Whoever it was would be heading to Avalon that day.

That’s how evenly matched and deadly their powers were.

And having faced these monster-like men directly, Ihan realized something as their fists collided.

‘These guys have also awakened their念.’

That they too had hatched their eggs.

That they had pioneered the new realm of 念.

And each had honed it to a remarkably sharp state that could rightfully be called extraordinary.

‘Well, that’s how they overwhelmed Ninshubur.’

Based on past experiences and current clashes, Ihan felt he could predict what kind of 念 they had reached.

Really…

“You guys have chosen quite difficult paths, haven’t you?”

It seemed they had chosen paths similar to his own.

“What do you mean?”

“Hmm?”

“You’re trying to become perfect, and you’re trying to eliminate limits? Either way, these aren’t normal 念.”

“…You’re quite perceptive at times.”

“You saw through that.”

The two men showed slight surprise in their eyes, understanding what his words meant.

But Ihan smirked at their reactions.

“How could I not know?”

Since they had shown it so openly…

Lac de Duron was probably the most balanced knight he knew.

A knight without a single flaw.

Talented and hardworking.

An all-master showcasing perfect balance in both technique and physical ability.

Knowing his strengths better than anyone, he must be striving for perfection.

More perfect than anyone else.

So if Ihan were to define Lac’s 念, he would define it as:

-[Flawless Perfection (天衣無縫)].

A 念 that strives toward perfection.

A 念 that only someone with heaven-given talent, talent that could even deceive heaven itself, could aim for.

‘On the other hand, that gentleman…’

Maximus, a knight with a thrilling physique that was one in ten million, no, perhaps one in a hundred million.

The only one who made Ihan feel inferior in physical ability, a man like the real-life Heracles or Xiang Yu.

If not for the realm of Aura Users, he could rightfully be called superhuman.

Yet this man, blessed with a heaven-given body, wasn’t satisfied with what he had, but pushed himself further.

Despite being born with a flawless body, he found it unsatisfactory and looked upward.

It might seem like excessive greed, but it touches on the paradox that there is no such thing as perfection in this world.

Literally:

-[Boundless Realm (無極地境)].

Endless growth.

A 念 that denies the existence of perfection, refusing to accept that the growth period has ended and desiring to continue growing.

‘…The haves always want more.’

Ihan thought these men were nothing but greedy as he encountered the 念 they were trying to reach.

They were maximizing their strengths while aiming even higher—a 念 permitted only to those born with abundant gifts.

“What annoying bastards.”

Ihan couldn’t help but click his tongue.

Imagining what feats they might accomplish when their 念 was complete gave him goosebumps.

…However, at his reaction:

“…You’re hardly one to talk.”

“You’re not in a position to say that to us, are you?”

The two men didn’t hide their disgruntled expressions.

As if asking where he had sold his conscience.

“What did I do?”

“Your 念 is the kind that can’t be broken or collapsed, isn’t it?”

“From what I can see, your organs, blood vessels, and even blood seem impossible to destroy. Since internal attacks don’t work either, you’ve essentially stepped beyond the human species.”

“Come on, this is actually the more conscientious option. It’s not that big a deal.”

“……”

“……”

Indestructible. That was the name of the 念 Ihan had reached, and at most, it was a 念 that established the concept of not breaking.

The Sword Master had given it the grand name “Unbreakable,” but despite the impressive name, there was nothing special about it.

It simply made him a bit harder—what significance could that possibly have?

“…Now I see that you, you scoundrel, have sold your conscience to goblins.”

“Even the northern barbarians seem less shameless than you.”

“??”

…Why?

‘This guy, does he not know exactly what 念 he’s reached?’

‘A 念 that could even collapse mysteries.’

Just as Ihan had discerned their 念 by clashing fists, the two men had also gained the opportunity to learn exactly what Ihan’s 念 was by facing him.

Or rather, it would be impossible not to know.

‘My own fist hurt when I hit him.’

‘Do techniques not work either?’

Indestructible, was it?

That 念 clearly eliminated all human ‘weaknesses.’

It felt as if all vital points and joints that humans should naturally have had completely disappeared.

Furthermore, seeing how it reversed and collapsed the pulverizing mystery emitted by the Celestial Bull, even germs and poisons probably couldn’t threaten him.

…He might even overcome cancer cells?

His body doesn’t collapse or break.

This paradoxically creates the situation where ‘nothing works against him.’

They would guarantee that his 念 was at least as good as theirs, if not better.

‘Judging by how he overcame mystery, curses and magic probably won’t work either.’

‘Even I couldn’t do something like that.’

It’s an incredibly simple 念, but conversely, that makes it more difficult.

Because the prerequisites for generating that 念 are all unbelievable.

One must know the technique of Vajra to make the body’s hardness match steel.

One must have a body without a single impurity through a fairy’s blessing.

And one must experience being broken and shattered tens of thousands of times, a process called tempering.

In other words,

‘How is he even alive?’

‘Is he actually not a pure human, but a half-troll or ogre? …Hmm, I thought half-bloods were just legends?’

It’s simple, but the path to that simplicity is so treacherous that it’s a wonder he’s not dead.

That’s why to them, Ihan looked not like a human but like a zombie or a legendary half-blood.

Because nothing else would make sense.

And so today, the status window boy’s mutant hypothesis scored a victory without anyone knowing.

*

*

*

Ripple….

In a forest exactly 63 miles (about 100km) away from Wales.

Unlike Wales, which remained brightly lit all night celebrating victory and return, this eerie forest was pitch black despite the sun not having set yet.

Breaking this subdued atmosphere, the ground rippled with strange movement.

Something like a water blister that occasionally forms on grass lawns when water accumulates suddenly appeared, and this blister rippled with movement.

At a glance, it resembled a caterpillar’s cocoon preparing for a butterfly to emerge.

Sure enough.

Splash!

From the rippling grass blister, or rather grass cocoon, an arm protruded.

Splash!

A human arm, that is.

After the arm emerged, the rest was easy.

The other arm followed, and then the head and lower body gradually emerged from the cocoon.

“Puha!”

Yes, what emerged from the cocoon was a person.

“Cough, hack! W-why did those damn sorcerers plant the spare body in a place like this? They’re truly vicious…”

The woman who spoke with disgust kept spitting out reagent.

The large amount of reagent that had enveloped the spare body was unbearably foul.

Enough to make her nauseous.

But shortly after.

“Phew…. At least I’m alive.”

The woman grinned, her crimson eyes gleaming.

The resurrection process was unpleasant, but isn’t survival what matters?

Woong!

In an instant, clothes appeared on her previously naked body.

To be precise, they were clothes made from the blood of nearby forest animals, so the feeling was a bit strange.

“Still better than being naked.”

She kept muttering to herself, which was an important process.

It was partly to check if the soul had properly settled, and also because if she didn’t keep talking, her soul could become contaminated.

Of course, a vampire of her high rank wouldn’t really need this process.

‘But there could be danger.’

Although this spare body was made with her own blood, it couldn’t be denied that sorcerers and black magicians were involved.

‘Torn Wings, those sinister schemers might be up to something. I need to be careful.’

Surprisingly cautious about her own safety, she—or rather, the former male—sneered.

[-Was the mission a failure, Hansel.]

“…I’m sorry.”

[No. I suspected it wouldn’t be easy. It’s just unfortunate. The power of a High Demon would have been a great help to us.]

“That’s why I said I’m sorry.”

[I’m not blaming you. Just expressing regret.]

A shadow beast suddenly appeared before the vampire Hansel, and as criticism that wasn’t quite criticism came through the beast’s mouth, Hansel’s brow naturally furrowed.

As if thinking, “How gloomy.”

“If you regret it that much, you should have helped. Why did you send me alone?”

[I thought you would be enough… But who knew so many knights from the great noble houses would gather. They were monsters.]

“Right? I didn’t lose for nothing!”

Hansel puffed out her chest as if her defeat was perfectly understandable.

As if she was proud of herself.

[…Hmm.]

Seeing Hansel’s proud demeanor, the shadow sighed.

And yet…

‘What a shame.’

It still couldn’t hide its regret.

After all, where would they find another rare demon from the South now?

Especially one of high rank.

‘With the temple destroyed, if we had the power of a High Demon, we could have brought down the kingdom in one fell swoop.’

The temple was corrupted, but that didn’t mean the power of its holy laws was corrupted too.

Rather, when evil beings descend, holy laws show absolute authority.

But now, the high priests who could handle high holy laws had been largely expelled after yesterday’s incident, meaning the South had essentially lost its means to counter demons.

So they had planned to seize a High Demon and invade the kingdom at once…

‘Another failure.’

The shadow felt almost wronged by so many failures.

Despite all the preparation, all the devotion, everything had failed.

It would be stranger not to feel wronged.

‘Is this the will of the Light?’

The Light of Radiance, the monotheistic deity of the South.

The shadow naturally frowned at the unpleasant feeling that the Light of Radiance was interfering with them at every turn.

Just then, Hansel, who had been examining her spare body, shouted.

“Ah, right! First Apostle! I have something to report!”

[Report?]

“Yes! It’s not just anything, I saw that child!”

[…?]

“That child! The one with the body you’ve been eyeing! That child is alive!”

[……Could it be.]

“Yes, Number 8! That child is alive! And has become incredibly strong!”

[……]

“First Apostle?”

[Huh….]

The shadow’s main body trembled.

To think he would still be alive…

‘I thought he had less than 10 years to live, yet he’s still alive?’

Unlike other test subjects, the Original who underwent experiments in the most primitive way!

Although pure, he possessed abilities that even the shadow coveted, but later they discovered he would die before reaching his 20s, which was so disappointing.

But…

‘He’s alive? Even though he must be over 20?!’

That means…

[What luck!]

“Huh?”

[A masterpiece! We have a masterpiece, Hansel! That child is a treasure!]

“???”

[Hahaha!! What luck! To think such a miracle still awaited me!!]

The shadow’s regret over failing to capture the High Demon instantly vanished.

For good reason.

[Let’s go get Number 8, that masterpiece, Hansel. We must obtain him by any means! Even if we have to use all the power of the Black Apostles!!]

“…U-um?”

[Why that reaction?]

“W-well, he’s become a bit stronger…”

[Hmph, he’s still just an Original with the power of trolls and ogres. Nothing special.]

“N-no…”

[Enough. I won’t accept objections. You focus on recovering your strength.]

Whoosh.

“……”

With that, the shadow disappeared after saying its piece, leaving Hansel alone, blinking.

And then.

“…Oh no, should I not have mentioned it?”

Hansel had a moment of regret.

Feeling she had chosen her words poorly.

‘Not just a bit…’

She should have added the words ‘extremely strong’…