episode_0117

117. Youth?

The Black King stared at Black Wolf with eyes that did not waver in the slightest.

If another warrior had been in this place, they would have fainted then and there.

However, Black Wolf was practically second-in-command of the Black King’s castle. He said calmly,

“It’s true.”

“······.”

The Black King was silent for a moment before speaking.

“If they fought ten times, how many times do you think Black God would win?”

“I don’t know. The leader has not yet revealed his true nature.”

“Roughly, damn it. Roughly. You must have a feeling.”

The Black King frowned slightly and answered.

“Hmm······. Four to six?”

The Black King’s mouth opened slightly.

“What? You’re saying the leader has a forty percent chance of winning?”

“No.”

“Right? I thought so······.”

“The leader is six.”

“······.”

The Black King cracked his shoulders this way and that, getting up from his seat.

“Ha, this son of a bitch. This. Daring to lie to a superior─”

“Why don’t you see for yourself.”

Black Wolf smiled fiercely, revealing his unusually pointed teeth.

“The old man from the Sima family happens to be meeting the leader. Knowing that old hag’s personality, he’ll most likely demand a duel.”

Then, the Black King’s arm, which had been swinging around, stopped.

“What? Ah, that’s right. That perverted grandpa was there, wasn’t he?”

“He’s probably heading to the training ground by now.”

The Black King grinned. It’s a world where entertainment is scarce. It’s been a while since I’ve had some eye candy.

The moment Black Wolf blinked, the Black King was already standing at the door.

“What are you doing? Not guiding me?”

“······I will now.”

***

Yohan and Youth. And Middle-aged Man and Beautiful Woman arrived at the training ground, which wasn’t far from the inner quarters.

Yohan looked around like a country bumpkin. It was the largest training ground he had ever seen.

It was just big, but there wasn’t anything special about it. Just an endless expanse of bare dirt.

Youth looked at Yohan and said.

“It’s damn big, isn’t it?”

“······Yes.”

“Hehe, it’s because that Black King fights so fiercely. See that dug-up spot over there?”

Yohan followed Youth’s finger and turned his gaze.

There was a mark that looked like a feline predator had slashed its front paws diagonally.

It was a mark you could encounter quite often if you went to a mountain with many wild animals.

The only difference was that this wasn’t a mountain, and such a large predator didn’t exist in this world.

“Did the Black King do that?”

Yohan said rather nonchalantly. A high-ranking player could easily make such a scar.

Perhaps that’s why Yohan didn’t feel any particular emotion.

Youth chuckled.

“Why? Does it look easy?”

“······I don’t know. It doesn’t look that difficult.”

At those words, Youth raised his head slightly and laughed loudly.

Youth, pretending to wipe away tears that hadn’t even come out, said.

“Yes. A martial artist who has begun to harmonize internal energy and techniques can certainly do that. However, that Black King is different from those rookies.”

“What do you mean?”

“Still don’t get it? That mark, he did it without using internal energy.”

“······!”

Yohan was startled by those words and turned his head. He slowly circled the mark, widening his eyes.

“······Really? You’re saying he didn’t use internal energy?”

“Yeah, even I’m amazed watching. Is he human, or a beast? To be able to do this with just his fingers.”

Youth clicked his tongue and shook his head.

“Well, let’s put that aside. We can’t just keep chatting. Now─”

Click-

Youth put both hands behind his back. Then he moved his chin up and down. Before he knew it, he was standing opposite the scar.

Thanks to that, Yohan and Youth were facing each other with the scar in between.

“Don’t just stand there blankly. Come at me first. I’ll concede the first move.”

Yohan didn’t ask a cliché question like, ‘Aren’t you going to draw your sword?’ There’s usually a reason for an arrogant attitude.

Just by looking at him, Youth’s martial prowess was several levels above Yohan’s. Yohan pressed down on the ground and charged forward.

Whoosh-!

In an instant, Yohan’s position was reversed. He flew over the scar engraved in the ground and swung his sword.

His sword left a trail of blue light as it fell towards Youth’s neck. He gave it his all from the start. Unlike other martial artists, he poured out his magical power, which was boiling up from his chest, and unleashed it as sword energy.

Just as the blue sword energy rippling on the blade was about to touch Youth’s Adam’s apple, the corners of his mouth tilted up.

“It’s strange that you’re using internal energy. Or is that magical power?”

Sreuk-

“······!”

Youth’s figure seemed to sway, and before Yohan knew it, he had disappeared from his sight. Yohan was startled and instinctively built a shield around the back of his head.

There was no particular reason. If he disappeared from the front, it would be logical for him to appear from the back, wouldn’t it? Fortunately, Yohan’s expectation was correct.

Clang!!!

“Hoo? You’re using a similar technique to those sorcerers I saw last time. Then······!”

Youth’s mouth made a groaning sound as if he was exerting strength, and then, with a crash, the shield shattered.

Fortunately, by that time, Yohan had already left his position. He was breathing heavily, planting his sword in the ground.

Yohan glanced at the sword for a moment, then slowly raised his head. Youth was twirling his sword and said.

“Aren’t you going to draw your sword?”

“No.”

“Why?”

At those words, Yohan wiggled his fingers and warmed up his body. Then he smiled helplessly and answered.

If I draw my sword, I’ll lose. There’s no reason to draw it.

“I’m sorry. I was the arrogant one.”

I wanted to lead the duel with swordsmanship if possible. But it’s impossible.

Whoo-oong······

Yohan’s jet-black hair began to sway and float in the air. Before he knew it, an invisible, intangible aura was undulating around him.

“I apologize for facing you with mediocre swordsmanship. Like a being from another world, I’ll have to use sorcery.”

“Oho.”

Youth cocked his chin arrogantly, as if to say, ‘Go ahead and try.’

‘He’s underestimating me.’

He wasn’t unpleasant at all. He could feel it from the clash just now. That man is a martial artist who is qualified to be arrogant.

But that’s.

‘Only when it comes to swordsmanship.’

Phee-ee-ing-

A blue oval sphere stretched out, leaving a long afterimage. Beautiful Woman and Middle-aged Man, who were watching the duel, widened their eyes.

“Good heavens! How many are there!”

Youth’s pupils rolled around as he counted the number of spheres. 683. At least, his amazing dynamic visual acuity judged so.

Youth tore his mouth wide open and laughed wildly.

“Hahahaha! Good! Good!”

He leaped forward and rummaged around his waist. The identity of something was a fan. A fan with a pure white background and a black-red fox drawn on it.

Now, Youth was holding a fan in his left hand and a long sword in his right hand. Immediately after, Youth’s left arm became blurry.

Whoong, a small breeze stirred. It instantly swelled in size and became a storm.

Whoooo-oong-!

A school of sardines. Countless schools of blue sardines were torn apart by the tornado that appeared in the water, leaving not a single trace.

Yohan’s vision became dizzy. The storm, which had devoured the magic missiles and was shining blue, was dazzling.

At that moment, a black line appeared vertically in the center of the storm. And Youth shot out like an arrow, tearing through the gap.

“······!”

Yohan’s eyes widened. It was amazing that he had broken through so many magic missiles, and even more amazing that he had attacked immediately after breaking through, without any time interval.

Youth twisted his waist slightly, then fiercely rotated, drawing a black sword path.

He was secretly expecting it. Whether he came from another world or from underground. A talented junior’s antics always pleased him.

Fortunately, Yohan was a human who could fully meet Youth’s expectations. Yohan lightly stomped his feet.

Red streaks of fire zigzagged across the ground from the area where his big toe touched the ground.

As soon as the tip of the streak reached near Youth, it exploded as if the fuse of a bomb had burned out.

Kwaaaaaang-!

Pee-ee- Yohan heard a strange ringing in his ears. These were the seeds he had planted, using the slight gap after unleashing the magic missiles.

It was a short time, but it was enough for him. The streaks of fire that soared as if to pierce the blue ceiling called the sky proved it.

Yohan’s vision gradually moved upwards, and he saw the streaks of fire that stretched out endlessly.

“······Ah.”

“Good work. Let me add one thing, you’re too slow.”

Thud-

Yohan collapsed on the training ground, staring at the ascending red dragon. Before he knew it, his legs had been weakened by the finger technique.

Youth stood behind Yohan, flicking his fingers. His ink-black internal energy dripped from his fingers.

In contrast to the powerless Yohan, Youth seemed to have no particular injuries. At most, the hem of his clothes was slightly singed.

Youth seemed to have noticed that only now, as he raised his eyebrows.

“Ooh, I thought I had completely dodged it. Not bad.”

Yohan let out a hollow laugh at those words. It didn’t seem like he was mocking him. That man was speaking his true feelings.