Ch.37Red-Eyed Mercenaries (5)

Roseline let her gaze linger.

She observed the expressions of the adventurers looking at Najin, and confirmed that not a single one recognized the technique the young man was about to use.

Well, it wasn’t a technique one could easily recognize.

Even Roseline herself had seen that technique only a handful of times. Three times, or perhaps four. But even if she had seen it just once, Roseline would have recognized it immediately. It was a technique that left such a powerful impression.

The most knightly of knights.

Godif, the leader of Atanga.

Roseline couldn’t forget the swordsmanship he had displayed.

Swordsmanship that embodied the very ideology of Atanga.

It was a stubborn style that never retreated, only breaking through head-on, but that’s what made it the most knightly of swords.

Tak.

While reminiscing about that day.

Roseline stepped forward. The swordsmanship that young man was about to display shouldn’t be used against mere monsters.

What the young man was about to show was Atanga’s swordsmanship.

Specifically, a sword bound by precepts.

As Roseline recalled, that technique was only shown to opponents who satisfied certain conditions.

‘Either to punish those who tarnished the name of knights who had lost both honor and pride…’

Or when acknowledging an opponent as one’s equal.

It was a technique only used when recognizing an opponent as worthy of facing with all one’s might.

Grooooar!

It wasn’t a technique that should be used against a troll like that, screaming wildly. Of course, it wasn’t her place to interfere, but Roseline didn’t particularly want to see that technique used against a mere troll.

With a tap.

Roseline lightly kicked the ground.

Though the distance between her and Najin was considerable, with a single leap, Roseline stood right behind him. Just as Najin sensed her presence and began to turn his head.

“Young one.”

She grabbed Najin’s shoulder and pulled him back.

“Atanga’s swordsmanship shouldn’t be used against monsters like that. Let’s talk later.”

She muttered while smiling. She had taken a greater liking to this young man named “Ivan.” She liked his guts for charging at the Blood Troll, and his tenacity to pursue victory.

Whoop.

After pushing Najin back, Roseline took the lead.

At that moment, the Blood Troll that had been charging at Najin hesitated and stepped back. The troll also sensed it—that the opponent before it was someone it shouldn’t challenge.

Grooooar!

The troll howled as it retreated.

A howl that shook the forest. Immediately after, the forest rustled violently as monsters began to gather in response to the troll’s cry. However, Roseline seemed uninterested in them and was looking back.

She was looking at Najin.

Najin was also looking at Roseline.

Roseline burst into laughter at the sight of Najin frowning, as if displeased about having his prey taken away, or annoyed at having his fight interrupted.

Well, this is how an adventurer should be.

‘I like him more and more.’

Roseline, who was about to draw her longsword, chuckled. Using this might earn her another lecture from Vice-Captain Barger, but what did she care?

“Hmm, I don’t usually show this…”

She said to Najin.

“But since I saw something good, I should return the favor.”

Roseline reached toward her back.

Not for the ordinary sword at her waist, but for the two scabbards strapped horizontally across her back.

Kang! Two swords were drawn with a sound.

Two short swords, half the length of a longsword. The two swords with pitch-black blades gleamed ominously.

2.

-That’s a Masterpiece.

The moment Roseline drew the twin swords from her waist, Merlin’s voice echoed in Najin’s ear.

‘A Masterpiece?’

-Yes. Watch carefully. It’s not something you can see easily.

Najin watched Roseline walking toward the gathering monsters and the Blood Troll. The twin swords with pitch-black blades that she wielded. Merlin called them Masterpieces.

‘What’s a Masterpiece?’

-Forty-seven weapons and armors forged by the primordial blacksmith who tempered mysteries.

Merlin explained.

-It’s complicated to explain, but simply put, they’re weapons that produce magical effects without any magic being involved.

Even before Arthur’s time.

Forty-seven weapons and armors said to have been forged by a blacksmith who lived in the primordial era. Merlin described them as mysteries themselves that no human or constellation could imitate.

-They can’t compare to Excalibur, but they’re still wondrous weapons. Even in my time, those who wielded Masterpieces often created unexpected variables.

And, Merlin continued.

-I’ve seen the Masterpiece that woman is holding now. I think the Brave of United Kingdom used it hundreds of years ago… The weapon’s name was Echo, I believe?

While Najin was listening to Merlin, Roseline took a step forward. She raised her twin swords as she approached the gathering monsters and the troll.

Then, kang.

Roseline clashed her two swords together.

The “kang” sound of the colliding swords didn’t stop at once. Though she struck the swords together only once, the sound reverberated in multiple layers.

Like an echo.

The adventurers frowned at the reverberating noise, but Najin’s eyes widened. His senses were ringing alarm bells. With wide eyes, Najin watched Roseline.

Fsssh…

Sword energy rose above the twin swords she wielded. This sword energy was different from what Najin had seen before. While the sword energy Najin knew and could create was a simple flash woven from light…

Kiiiiing!

The sword energy enveloping Roseline’s twin swords took the form of saw blades. Sword energy with a strange form resembling either beast claws or molars. It was sword energy unique to her, containing her mental image.

Imbuing sword energy with mental images to change its form.

The realm of the Sword Seeker.

Roseline moved, trailing sword energy. Thump, as she stomped the ground, her movement accelerated in an instant. A movement too fast for even Najin’s wide eyes to follow. And when the twin swords Roseline swung completed their arc.

Kaaaang…

The echoing friction of the swords.

KAAAAAAANG!

Suddenly reverberated violently.

Amidst the reverberating noise, Najin saw countless cutting lines running across the body of the Blood Troll that had been fighting him. He saw thin lines being drawn across the bodies of the monsters that had gathered at the troll’s howling.

As the echo subsided.

The thin lines etched on the monsters’ bodies turned red.

SPLAAAASH!

Blood spurted in all directions. The monsters’ bodies, finely cut along the thin lines, collapsed. It was a single strike. A sight hard to believe was created by just one swing of the sword. Najin stared at Roseline with wide eyes.

It was a first.

A sword strike that he couldn’t understand even after seeing it with his own eyes.

He might be able to imitate that movement, but Najin couldn’t understand how that movement created such a phenomenon. That was natural. Najin still didn’t know much about sword energy.

What Roseline demonstrated was a technique uniquely hers, utilizing her sword energy and the special properties of the Masterpiece. It meant it was a technique that could only be wielded by someone who had reached the realm of the Sword Seeker, deeply understanding sword energy and awakening to the concept of the sword path.

Facing an unknown concept for the first time.

Najin’s eyes gleamed as he faced the first goal he needed to reach.

‘That is…’

That is the Sword Seeker.

That is the pinnacle of this city.

Roseline turned around after spinning her swords once and sheathing them. She smiled at the sight of Najin staring at her with wide eyes. She mouthed words to Najin without actually speaking.

How about that? Awesome, right?

That confident look wasn’t particularly cool, but Najin couldn’t deny that he was overwhelmed by Roseline’s sword strike.

3.

Despite some commotion, the Dotchenberg Forest cleanup operation was completed. Under the management of the mercenary group gathered at the forest entrance, adventurers received their compensation.

While giving a bit more than the originally promised compensation, Roseline explained:

“This is our mercenary group’s mistake. The appearance of the Blood Troll was a variable, and failing to control that variable is our responsibility. I’ll apologize along with the additional payment.”

Fortunately, there were no injuries or deaths due to the Blood Troll’s appearance. It was thanks to one adventurer who stood against the Blood Troll.

“……”

While receiving their compensation, the adventurers glanced at the scoreboard. Though the rankings before the Blood Troll’s appearance hadn’t changed, the scores written there had.

1st. Ivan. (85 points)

A score with 50 points added to the original 35 points.

Roseline said that although she intervened, it was essentially Ivan who caught the Blood Troll… and she set the Blood Troll’s score at 50 points.

No one could dispute that opinion.

Though it seemed evenly matched at first, Najin was increasingly dominating the Blood Troll as time passed. The adventurers who witnessed this process agreed with Roseline’s opinion.

The score of 50 points was also fitting for the Blood Troll, estimated to be red rank.

’85 points…’

Looking at the scoreboard, the adventurers clicked their tongues.

A score that surpassed the previous record held by Barger, the current vice-captain of the Red-Eyes. It was an overwhelming record that no one could hope to match.

They silently glanced at Najin.

The young man resting while wiping blood from his clothes and hair. Though the nameplate hanging around his neck was black, no one could mock him or belittle him as a “charcoal” like before.

He had proven his skills in front of everyone.

And demonstrated his worth through his achievements.

No adventurer was tactless enough to doubt his qualifications after seeing Najin charge at the Blood Troll without hesitation. There was no longer contempt or irritation in their gazes toward Najin. Only awe took their place.

“Thanks for saving me. I’ll buy you a drink sometime.”

The adventurer whose life was saved thanks to Najin earlier handed his business card to the resting Najin before leaving. Other adventurers also gave brief greetings as they passed by Najin.

Not a rookie, but an adventurer who had proven his skills.

It meant they acknowledged him as their colleague. While everyone showed respect to Najin as they left… only one adventurer couldn’t do so.

“……”

A green-rank adventurer.

Marsen, who settled for 2nd place after being pushed back by Najin. She gritted her teeth as she brushed past Najin.

-Look at her eyes? So rude.

‘Who is she?’

-You know, the one who picked a fight with you before we started.

Najin tilted his head.

Of course, Najin hadn’t even checked the name of who was in 2nd place. He didn’t think he needed to know. Merlin chuckled at Najin’s reaction.

“Ivan.”

As Najin was resting, his name was called last. Najin went up to the platform and received the reward money from Roseline. The weight of the pouch was quite heavy.

“I calculated it according to your score, and added some extra for your trouble. Thank you. Thanks to you, our mercenary group’s reputation wasn’t damaged.”

Roseline patted Najin’s shoulder.

The appearance of the Blood Troll was a variable the mercenary group hadn’t anticipated, and damage could have occurred due to this variable… but thanks to Najin standing against it, there were no casualties.

That’s why they could resolve the situation easily, she said.

She expressed her gratitude for that fact.

“And separately.”

Roseline handed Najin a wooden box. Opening the box revealed neatly folded crimson leather.

“This is the hide of the Blood Troll you hunted. Troll hide is a premium item. Especially the hide of a mutant specimen like the Blood Troll… the price is whatever you ask.”

Tough and highly resistant troll hide.

Troll hide is often used to make armor and is already quite valuable. The value of the hide from a mutant Blood Troll was beyond words.

“Originally, the ownership of materials from monsters hunted in this Dotchenberg Forest belongs to our mercenary group…”

That was the original condition of the request.

“But this is different. It was a monster not announced in the extermination notice, and one with a bounty from the guild. This is entirely your prey, so it’s yours.”

In other words…

Najin realized what Roseline was trying to say.

“You’ve completed both the Dotchenberg Forest cleanup operation and a red-rank bounty request simultaneously. Come with us to our mercenary group and the guild. We’ll testify that you exterminated the Blood Troll.”

Roseline grinned.

“That’s all I needed to tell you.”

She put her arm around Najin’s shoulders. As Najin was about to resist the arm suddenly wrapping around his neck.

“Let’s talk over a drink.”

Roseline whispered in Najin’s ear.

“Atanga’s swordsmanship. We have some things to discuss about that, right? And I also need to give you the first-place reward.”

So just come along, kid.

With her arm around Najin’s shoulders, Roseline kept poking his side. Barger and the mercenaries watching from behind sighed.

She must really like him.

They shrugged and followed their captain who was walking ahead.