The Bastard Swordsman Of The Imperial Guard [EN]: Chapter 105

The event matches of the Dragon Phoenix Assembly were a hot topic among the nobles of the Empire.

They garnered even more attention than the top 16 matches, which featured talents from across the continent, mainly because they involved battles against magical beasts.

In truth, the nobles had quite a few opportunities to witness duels between outstanding knights.

In a world with few forms of entertainment, gathering people for interesting spectacles was common.

“Are those the magical beasts I’ve only heard rumors about…? It’s my first time seeing them alive.”

“We wouldn’t have this precious opportunity if the elves hadn’t healed the magic soldiers.”

However, the magical beasts beyond the Geumji Alheim [Forbidden Forest of Alheim] were different.

The battle between monsters and humans was an intriguing subject in any era, and watching knights defeat enormous magical beasts provided immense thrill.

“Maven is truly amazing! To defeat such a giant centipede! A great blessing for the Samuel family!”

“Haha, thank you. Maven was a prodigy from the start.”

Count Samuel smiled at his son’s performance.

“By the way, is the youngest still confined to his room?”

“…Yes. He’s been holed up in his room ever since he was beaten by that commoner guard at the tavern.”

“Tsk tsk. He’ll come to his senses soon.”

The noble consoled Count Samuel and turned his gaze to the arena.

The sight of knights fighting against giant monsters was novel even to him.

“The reaction among the nobles is more enthusiastic than I expected, Rain.”

Grand Duke Eric nodded at the nobles’ response.

Magical beasts were quite familiar to him, having fought in past wars, but that wasn’t the case for the other nobles.

“They are like flowers in a greenhouse in the millennial Kamen Empire.”

Rain looked displeased as he watched the nobles getting excited about the battle with the magical beasts.

It hadn’t even been 10 years since the end of the great war with Alheim.

Not 100 years, but 10 years.

The nobles who were now watching the magical beasts with interest had all experienced the great war.

In other words, they had all remained safe within the Empire’s embrace without ever going to the battlefield during the entire war.

“Rain, watch your mouth.”

“I apologize.”

Seeing Rain lower his head, the Grand Duke gave a bitter smile.

He understood Rain’s feelings, but venting anger on the nobles wouldn’t accomplish anything.

“Has the Second Princess ever seen a magical beast before?”

Eric looked at the Second Princess with a benevolent expression.

“Yes, I’ve seen them a few times. I used to visit the battlefield often before the great war ended.”

유리 [Yuri] loved the battlefield.

She couldn’t go anymore as her chest pain worsened and she began to be covered in blessings, but she used to travel around frequently before that.

“As expected, the Second Princess is different from the other nobles.”

Rain nodded, seemingly satisfied.

“The Second Princess loved the battlefield. I often saw her during the great war.”

“Hmm?”

Thud-

A man with an unfamiliar voice sat down next to Rain.

Rain turned his head and opened his mouth in surprise upon seeing him.

“Sword Dragon?! What brings you here?”

“Long time no see, Rain. To think that little brat is now a knight commander. The world has changed.”

“It’s been five years already. You haven’t changed a bit.”

“Has it? I haven’t paid much attention.”

The Sword Dragon smiled and turned his head.

“Sword Dragon, it’s been a while. Have you come to greet me?”

“Greetings to the Second Princess. No, I’ve come to see the rising star of this Dragon Phoenix Assembly.”

“Rising star? Are you talking about your grandson, Kyle?”

The Sword Dragon shook his head at Rain’s words.

“I’m talking about the three heroes of the Empire. I taught them some swordsmanship a few days ago. I need to see how their skills are.”

“Really?! The Sword Dragon himself?”

Rain looked at the Sword Dragon in surprise.

Having reached the level of a seasoned Sword Master, he was one of the few strongest individuals on the continent.

In particular, he rarely gave teachings to just anyone, making it an extremely valuable opportunity.

“Tsk. What’s so great about an old man’s sword that you’re making such a fuss?”

The Sword Dragon said that, but a smile appeared on his lips.

He looked down at the arena and said.

“Is that Belen? The captain of the 1st division of the Kamen Knights.”

“That’s right. He’s a genius who has grown into a knight representing the Kamen Knights at a young age.”

“Hmm… Not bad. If he were my grandson, I would have raised him to be a Sword Master no matter what.”

The Sword Dragon nodded.

Belen certainly had a good foundation.

The fact that he killed a high-level magical beast alone at that age meant that his talent was among the best.

‘Has he faced many high-level magical beasts? His response is good.’

They say that the magical beast faced in the event match is not revealed to the participants in advance, but Belen’s response was very clean.

‘However… it’s a pity. I don’t see anything outstanding.’

Belen.

He is definitely an excellent knight.

He is a talent who will one day become a Sword Master.

But if you ask if Belen is a talent comparable to Lucas or Rael, the answer is ‘no.’

There are countless swordsmen on the continent who strive to become stronger.

Only a handful of them reach the graduate level, and only a handful of those become Sword Masters.

It requires heaven-sent talent combined with insane effort.

Belen seemed to lack that tenacity.

“As expected of Sir Belen. To take down a high-level magical beast so cleanly, his skills are amazing.”

Meanwhile, a little further away, the First Prince Damian clapped and spoke with the nobles.

The Kamen Knights are knights who support the Imperial family.

They naturally have a good relationship with Damian, who is closest to the Emperor.

“That’s right. He is the pride of the Kamen Knights.”

“If he can subdue a high-level magical beast without injury… it wouldn’t be strange for him to capture a high-ranking demon.”

If Belen wins this Dragon Phoenix Assembly, the power of the Kamen Empire and the Imperial family will become even stronger.

And his position as Emperor will become even more secure.

Damian had no doubt about that fact.

‘ 유리 [Yuri] is quite impressive, but… she is still lacking.’

Even for her, the Emperor’s seat of the Empire is not a position that can be easily given away.

Damian, the First Prince who carries on the tradition, had a duty to do so.

Step. Step.

At that moment, light yet strong footsteps walked through the nobles.

A man wearing what appeared to be ragged clothes passed by the nobles, seemingly unconcerned with the gazes of others.

“Hmm?”

The first to react was Mu Baek, the vice-leader of the Jeongcheon Alliance.

He clenched his fist as he looked at the man entering the entrance.

‘Incredibly strong…! Who is that?!’

A true expert can discern the strength of an opponent just by their gait.

Mu Baek felt his fingers trembling and widened his eyes.

There was only one person who could make Mu Baek, who had reached the early stages of Sword Master, feel fear.

“You! How dare you enter this place!”

“Wait!”

Mu Baek pushed away the knight who was trying to block his entry and approached the man.

Then, he looked at the sword hanging from the man’s waist.

The symbol engraved on the sword.

천살(天殺) [Cheonsal] – Cheonsal [Heavenly Executioner].

The sword possessed by only one person on the continent.

“The Cheonsal Sword Master…?”

Mu Baek spoke cautiously as he looked at the old man.

“Ch, Cheonsal Sword Master?!”

At Mu Baek’s words, the other knights also stood up.

The name Cheonsal Sword Master was very heavy for the knights, especially for those who had participated in the great war; it was like a god.

“The Cheonsal Sword Master? The swordsman who single-handedly stopped the great war?”

“Wait a minute. Why is that person here…?!”

In an instant, the gazes of the surrounding nobles gathered, and the knights who knew him swallowed hard at the Cheonsal Sword Master’s aura.

Cheonsal Sword Master.

The power of the name of the continent’s greatest swordsman.

“The Empire is still noisy.”

The Cheonsal Sword Master, seemingly unconcerned with the surrounding attention, gave a faint smile and walked forward to sit down.

Even though he had appeared after a long time, the nobles were still a nuisance.

“…Cheonsal Sword Master. What brings you here?”

At that moment, a man approached the Cheonsal Sword Master.

There were only a handful of people in the Empire who could speak to the Cheonsal Sword Master.

The most distinguished among them was naturally the commander of the Kamen Knights, Gideon Garcia.

Gideon was flustered as he looked at the Cheonsal Sword Master, who had suddenly appeared at the Dragon Phoenix Assembly.

‘Why is this man here now…’

The Cheonsal Sword Master is someone who does not show himself unless the Empire is in danger.

For such a person to appear at the Dragon Phoenix Assembly, what could he be thinking?

Not only Gideon but also the other nobles waited for the Cheonsal Sword Master’s words.

“I have come to see my disciple today. I will quietly watch, so stay still.”

“…Disciple?”

Gideon frowned without realizing it.

The Cheonsal Sword Master’s disciple.

There was only one such person in the Dragon Phoenix Assembly.

“Yes. That guy over there. That guy is my disciple.”

The nobles’ gazes turned to the arena.

The Cheonsal Sword Master was pointing at Rael, who was standing crookedly and glaring at the audience.

*

Inside the arena.

A Kamen Knight looked at Rael with wide eyes.

“A high-level magical beast? Are you sure you’re alright?”

“Yes. Please prepare quickly.”

Rael shook his head as he looked at the Kamen Knights preparing for the event match.

The Kamen Knights and priests preparing for emergencies could be seen over there.

They were the personnel preparing for when a participant was defeated by a magical beast, so they would naturally be fully aware of how to deal with the magical beast.

‘There’s almost no chance of losing anyway… Did they just bring them here to clap?’

Rael recalled the Kamen Knights who had clapped louder than anyone else when Belen defeated the high-level magical beast.

They probably shared information with Belen as well.

‘Was it the bone revealed below the head and the heart below the armpit? He only targeted the weaknesses meticulously.’

It was the same information that Clara had told him.

In a way, both Rael and Belen could be seen as having cheated, but Rael didn’t think so.

Unlike Belen, who received information because he was a Kamen Knight, he had obtained the results by running around himself.

“But why is it so noisy?”

He was waiting for the high-level magical beast to come to the arena, but the surroundings were gradually becoming noisy.

The murmuring from the audience was getting louder and louder.

“Hmm?”

Something intense gaze touched Rael’s senses.

When Rael raised his head, he saw a familiar face in the audience seats reserved for high-ranking nobles.

‘Why is that old man there?’

Rael blinked as he looked at the Cheonsal Sword Master, who was pointing at him.

He could feel the tremendous gazes of the nobles around him.

Not just simple gazes, but even the intense interest contained within them touched Rael’s senses.

‘Huh?’

Thump- Thump-

At the same time, something boiled within Rael’s body.

Whenever the nobles in the audience paid attention to Rael, magic power filled his body.

He could feel it.

The sky, this world, was watching him.

The fragmented enlightenment that had been scattered throughout his body began to fit together one by one.

“…”

Rael recalled the teachings of the Cheonsal Sword Master.

[Think of the sky as this world. Trample this world and stand on top of it. Gather the gaze of the entire sky on you. That is the path of 답천(踏天) [Dapcheon] – Dapcheon [Treading the Sky]].

Rael smiled without realizing it.

It was a truly intuitive explanation this time as well.

The sword grew stronger as the sky’s gaze, that is, the world’s interest in him, increased.

‘I knew it. You old man.’

There’s no way he could have made such a sword in his right mind.

The Cheonsal Sword Master.

That old man was definitely an attention seeker.

“Haa.”

Rael raised his head and looked around.

Numerous interests and excitements caught in his senses.

And the gazes of the nobles trying to evaluate him.

Rael twisted his lips, feeling unpleasant.

‘Who said you could, you bastards.’

Rael squeezed out magic power and drew his sword.

Cheonsal Sword Master.

He understood that the old man’s sword was an attention seeker.

He also understood that the realm of Dapcheon was about using the magic power that came from that attention.

‘That’s not enough.’

However, he intends to surpass that.

Trampling on the gaze of this world and rising above it is not the end.

He will make it so that they can never look down on him again.

“It feels familiar for some reason.”

Numerous nobles are looking down on him.

Rael recalled when he was 10 years old when he first drew out his sword energy.

꼬맹이 [Kkomangi] Rael, who couldn’t do anything even when knights and nobles were causing trouble at the orphanage, was now once again receiving the attention of all the nobles.

‘Sorry, but I’m different now.’

It’s different from when he was a kid.

He can no longer live being taken advantage of by you bastards.

In order to cut down this messed up world, he must first climb to the highest place.

쿵-! 쿵-!

At that moment, the front door opened and a high-level magical beast appeared.

A giant lizard with wings and a body covered in scales.

코카트리스 [Kokatorisu] – Cockatrice.

It’s the same monster that Belen faced.

It was even better for Rael.

– 크애애애애애액-!

The Cockatrice roared and emitted magic, but it had no effect on Rael.

He was optimized to face the monsters beyond the Geumji [Forbidden Forest].

스릉-

Rael, not taking his eyes off the Cockatrice, slowly raised his sword.

A thick sword that was created with the realm of 입천(立天) [Ipcheon] – Ipcheon [Establishing Heaven] wrapped around his sword.

“Hoo.”

Rael poured magic power into his sword.

A sword that ignores time and space and cuts through the opponent.

The realization of Dapcheon [Treading the Sky] penetrated his mind.

“Is this what it feels like.”

The sword imbued with magic power glowed faintly.

The attention pouring on him became power and was engraved on the sword.

Rael concentrated all his senses and unleashed the power condensed in the sword.

– 크, 크르륵. 크르르르르륵···.

The high-level magical beast, Cockatrice, took a step back without realizing it.

There is a saying that a dog that meets a dog butcher immediately wags its tail and pees.

Recognizing predators was an instinct engraved in wild beasts.

However, the Cockatrice’s judgment was a little late.

“천살검 제 3형 [Cheonsal Sword Third Form] – Cheonsal Sword Third Form.”

His body was hot.

The arrogant sword that places this world under its feet was very heavy.

He felt like he could break anything if he wielded this now.

An incredibly powerful force was formed on Rael’s sword.

Rael smiled as he felt the power contained in the sword.

It was a strong power that he had never experienced before, but he felt like he could do it.

Perfectly controlling the magic power that seemed like it would explode at any moment and slamming it into the desired location by transcending space.

Rael’s senses could perform it as much as he wanted.

“답천(踏天) [Dapcheon] – Dapcheon [Treading the Sky].”

At the same time as Rael slashed down his sword, the refined magic sword distorted space and tore through the air.

콰가가가가가강!!

With a roar that shook the ground, the sword that transcended space pierced through the Cockatrice’s body.

The high-level magical beast’s thick scales and magic-covered body were torn to shreds.

The magical beast’s blood splattered in all directions, and magic leaked out like smoke.

– 키애액, 캐애애애애액···.

The Cockatrice’s intelligence could not understand what had happened to it.

The magical beast’s last memory was of distant pain and heat.

쿵-!

A short time that was less than 5 seconds.

The Cockatrice was instantly killed by the sword that cut through its entire body.

It was a futile end that made the name value of a high-level magical beast seem regrettable.

Its huge body fell to the ground, scattering dust, and Rael turned his stiff shoulders and looked down at his sword.

‘Trampling on the sky…’

Rael sheathed his sword with a refreshing feeling.

It felt quite refreshing to have surpassed the blocked realm.

Unorganized enlightenment lingered in his head, but there was something he had to do before that.

Rael looked at the fallen Cockatrice and turned his head.

“… !”

“……”

The Kamen Knights and priests who had been waiting beyond the barrier of the arena were staring at this side with their mouths wide open.

The noisy audience was the same.

As if by agreement, no one opened their mouths.

Seeing that, Rael smiled and opened his mouth.

“It seems like it’s over, aren’t you going to clap?”

End