episode_0045

‘As expected.’

Facing the tingling feeling of speculation, I nodded to myself.

There was a question I had before.

Is it true that the level of those who have reached the Ten Swords is the same as the level I have reached?

Have they also reached the stage of enlightenment?

Ever since I reached the level of consciousness, I have had that question.

I made a vague guess.

Looking at the rumors I heard and the level of other warriors around me.

Perhaps, there is a high probability that their level and mine will be the same.

And today. Just now, I confirmed that my guess was correct.

However. Just because I’ve reached the same level doesn’t mean I can fight on equal footing with the Ten Swords.

Even within the same realm, there are many different levels, and even if the levels are similar, the results can often change dramatically depending on individual characteristics.

so.

You will have to check it for yourself.

Am I really at a level where I can reach the Ten Swords level?

‘There is no time to save strength.’

Neither physical ability nor the amount of magical power can beat Ethan.

However, I cannot be sure that I am ahead in technology.

perhaps… No, there is a high probability that I will be behind in technology as well.

In fact, it would be fair to say that it is being pushed back in all aspects.

So, if you let your guard down even a little, you will be hit in an instant.

Because of this, there is no time to relax or check the liver.

“Phew… … .”

Exhale shallowly from your lungs.

and. Get your mind together.

sharp. Sharper.

From now on, I will do my best.

***

‘Hoo.’

Ethan let out an exclamation in his mind as he looked at Wade, the boy in front of him.

‘The mood has changed.’

The eyes, which had been busy running away and being dragged around just a moment ago, suddenly calmed down.

Those eyes, reminiscent of sharply forged swords, no longer wavered.

I finally felt like we had a proper fight.

Ethan smiled contentedly.

and.

The next moment Wade disappeared from sight.

“… … !”

A speed beyond perception that cannot be detected by the eye.

Even if you are a famous martial artist, you can’t help but open your eyes and cut your throat, it’s literally a speedy God.

but.

Before his mind could even comprehend the situation, Ethan moved his body.

His eyes couldn’t follow the opponent, but his superhuman intuition was different.

Ethan moved his body and swung his sword, relying on that intuition.

Quang!

Then an explosion rang out again, and the vibration shook the son-in-law.

“… Hmm.”

Ethan smiled inadvertently as he looked into the black eyes that met each other between the two sword positions.

‘also.’

I gained confidence.

The boy in front of me.

A child who is only eighteen years old.

That he is at a level that all warriors envy, and that he is on the same level as himself.

Even if it was only for a moment, it fooled his senses.

That was impossible without reaching the state of intention.

‘This is outrageous.’

It was an attack that could have blown off his head if he had done it wrong, but he didn’t feel scared.

Instead, he felt absurd for the first time in a long time.

Because the boy in front of him cruelly broke his common sense.

The level of intention is not one that can be reached so easily.

This is a state that can only be reached when a warrior born with talent worthy of being called a genius has worked hard for decades through endless training and practice.

Into such a situation, a boy who was only eighteen years old stepped into this situation.

I confirmed that fact with my own eyes, but I wonder if I can stomach it without feeling dumbfounded.

‘If the old people see it, they’ll be freaked out.’

Immediately, at the age of just over 30, he reached the level of determination and shocked the other warriors.

Famous uninhabited islands, and even other uninhabited islands of the Ten Swords.

I was surprised or amazed when I saw him.

But.

A person even worse than that appeared before my eyes.

No, an incomparable person has appeared.

If other warriors find out about this, they won’t just be surprised.

You will be scared, doubt your eyes, and doubt reality.

And, there will definitely be people who simply won’t end at that level.

It’s a talent that makes no sense.

No, can this really be expressed as talent?

It is something that goes beyond the realm of mere talent and is close to a miracle.

Something so alien that one wonders if such a thing could exist in reality.

“Khaha!”

however.

Even in the face of such overwhelming talent, Ethan did not feel intimidated at all.

I didn’t despair either.

It was just fun.

This situation, the fact that I am crossing swords with such a monstrous talent.

It made him excited, it made him happy.

bang! Kagak!

The sword and sword collide and fall several times in an instant at an invisible speed.

Amid the shaking, reminiscent of a storm, the young smile on Ethan’s lips grew stronger.

Wooong─

At the same time, his sword, which had been shaking from the ceaseless clash, let out an even more intense cry.

Along with enormous magical power, the will to create miracles resided there.

Quang!

A loud bang rang out again, and this time Wade was pushed back as if he couldn’t get over the shock.

There was no way Ethan could have missed that moment.

Hiss!

Ethan rushed in at breakneck speed, as if a wild beast was aiming for the neck of an exposed prey.

And then, the sword was swung.

bang!

Wade successfully blocked the attack despite his unstable position, but that didn’t mean the crisis was over.

Because Ethan was not a person so soft that he would pass up an opportunity once he had it.

Once again, countless successive attacks rained down on Wade.

“Ugh… !”

Wade defended himself, but his expression was not good.

The more the swords clashed, the more Wade’s posture broke down.

It was natural.

Because there is a power gap between Ethan and Wade that cannot be easily overcome.

Wade can’t lightly repel Ethan’s light attacks, much less the attacks that Ethan is making sincerely now.

It was natural that his posture would gradually collapse as the attacks poured in without giving him time to recover, as if he had had time to let go of the shock.

‘Now, what are you going to do?’

Ethan looked at that scene with sparkling eyes even as he continued to swing his sword.

What means will this young monster use to overcome this crisis?

I was so looking forward to it that it was hard to bear.

Will it collapse like this?

Or will we get out of this crisis with ingenious means?

The answer to that question was soon available.

Because Wade perfectly parried Ethan’s fiercely falling sword in a collapsed position.

“… … !”

Even Ethan couldn’t help but be surprised at that scene.

‘completely… I spilled it… ?’

Spilling is one of the techniques frequently used in swordsmanship.

Because it is a technology that can create a huge gap if used well.

but.

However, it is not omnipotent.

If you were able to dodge the opponent’s attacks as you wanted and intended, there would be no fight in the first place.

Spilling is certainly an excellent technique, but it is not a technique that can be used freely.

There are so many things to consider in order to use shedding perfectly.

The power, angle, speed, and nature of the magical power of the opponent’s attack.

Only by understanding all of this and preparing for it can you completely block the opponent’s attack.

And something that is difficult to stand still and think about must be read and used in the middle of a fight.

It doesn’t even end there.

Those with some experience are well aware of the dangers of shedding, so they always fight while being wary of shedding.

Ethan was like that now.

Although he seemed to be attacking indiscriminately, he was calm and was swinging his sword while fully aware of his opponent’s moves.

And yet. It spilled out.

Perfectly too.

It’s not just about changing the path a little or giving a little shock.

It flowed out perfectly.

To the point where a fairly large gap appeared in Ethan’s body for a moment.

and.

Wade was also not a great person to miss such a gap.

“Intake… !”

The sword flashes.

The speed that even Ethan had lost sight of, even if only for a moment, was once again displayed as a sword.

Ethan, who recognized that fact, immediately leaned back.

Hiss!

A sword so sharp as to cut through even the hot summer air passed in front of his face.

Without a moment of relief at that fact, Ethan immediately straightened his posture and swung his sword.

Huh!

His sword swung with a sound that could not be imagined as having been swung in a hurry from an unstable position, but it did not produce any meaningful results and only cut through empty space.

“… … .”

Wade was looking at him from some distance away.

‘As expected, it’s fast.’

Although he surpassed Wade in strength and mana, Wade was not behind him in speed.

And once in a while, it shows a speed that overwhelms even that.

Perhaps that speed can be achieved by using intention.

Ethan concluded that in his mind.

‘by the way… ‘That’s ridiculous sense.’

In such an unfavorable situation, he perfectly swatted away the opponent’s sword, which was overwhelmingly weaker, and even the sword of someone who had reached the ultimate level.

This was not something that could be accomplished simply by having a lot of experience.

It was a stunt that required an innate sense to consider everything at once and make a split-second decision.

“Hahaha!”

Ethan burst into laughter at the surge of joy.

and.

Hiss!

The two companies rushed towards each other without regard for who would go first.

Quagwang!

As the two swords collide, the air explodes.

Swords move and collide at speeds that the average person cannot perceive.

The sound of that collision creates cracks in the quiet night sky.

bang! bang!

In this structure, in a situation where swords clash with swords, Ethan has the advantage because he is superior in strength.

In fact, Wade was somehow able to block Ethan’s sword, but his momentum seemed quite precarious.

To the point where it would be more appropriate to say that we are enduring rather than fighting back.

However. That situation soon changed.

Wade’s appearance gradually began to stabilize.

As time passed, the anxiety disappeared from his appearance and he became more and more stable.

Ethan’s eyebrows twitched.

‘Are you adapting?’

It seemed as if he was adapting to his sword, his strength, and his speed.

‘… ‘No, no.’

But Ethan immediately shook his head.

His offense is not simple enough to adapt to in a short period of time.

Even during this time, the path and speed are changed, giving the opponent no time to adjust.

So this is not an adaptation.

‘It’s progressing.’

okay. It’s not adaptation, it’s development.

During the fight, at this very moment.

Wade was improving.

The skill, the skill, was already monstrous.

As the number of times the swords collided increased, they became increasingly sharper.

It became more and more sophisticated.

At this moment, in this moment, Wade is growing.

Creepy!

Ethan felt goosebumps growing on his arms.

‘It’s a monster.’

Genius of the century? Those words don’t suit this guy.

This is beyond genius, it’s a monster.

It is said that talent so outstanding brings about awe rather than jealousy.

However, the talent in front of me surpassed even that.

It is a talent that goes beyond awe and incites fear.

Perhaps if there was someone who could meet him and get a glimpse of his talent.

He probably feels scared.

You will feel afraid of a talent that you cannot understand.

It is no different for martial artists who have already reached a distant state.

They too will be gripped by fear.

The fear that the child in front of him might surpass him at any moment, and that something he had achieved throughout his life might very easily be overtaken.

Ethan was sure.

Someday, this monster will surpass even himself.

but.

‘Not now.’

He also had talent.

He too has heard many times that he is a genius.

I’ve even heard that sound several times from other warriors of the Ten Swords.

That is the state of intention in the first place.

It is a level that only a genius can never reach, and even among geniuses, Ethan was gifted with talent.

Of course, he may lag behind the monster in front of him, but he has something that Wade does not have.

‘experience.’

Experience accumulated by living for several decades and going through countless fights along the way.

A sword he had swung countless times, and traces of training left on his body.

The brilliant jewel of genius, a talent given by heaven, was carved and polished with the tools of time and battle to create the warrior we now call Ethan Bertrand.

so that.

There is no overtaking now.

Right now, I’m not losing.

Quang!

“… … !”

Wade’s eyes widened slightly.

This is because the shedding that had gradually become stable suddenly went astray.

Thanks to this, the posture subtly collapsed, creating a gap.

And during that gap.

Ethan drew back his sword.

“Take it.”

For the first time since this fight began, I swung my sword with all my might.

yet.

The silence created by the night was split.

***

“Hmm?”

Instead of moving, the man raised his head and looked into the distance.

Because it seemed like I heard something from far away.

“… Is it an illusion?”

The man, who was looking around with puzzled eyes, soon concluded that the sound from before was probably an auditory hallucination.

Because I couldn’t see anything special within the range of my eyes.

In that case, the sound that occurred outside the field of view was heard all the way here.

That was something that made no common sense.

To make such a grand sound, it would have to be magic with enormous power, but such magic is inevitably accompanied by loud visual effects.

Even if you are far away, something is sure to catch your eye.

So the man thought it was just an illusion and began to walk diligently again.

Because the destination is really not far away now.

Because the lake is not far away.