Genius Wizard Hides His Sword Skills [EN]: Chapter 1

Prologue

A bitter scent filled my throat. I lowered my head, my body riddled with wounds. The chilling pain emanating from those marks barely kept me conscious.

‘…Damn bastards.’

Five figures approached, surrounding me. If anyone on the continent knew their identities, they would be astonished by their presence.

“This is quite an honor. All five of the Pentagram’s old men have come to catch me alone.”

The Pentagram.

Like the stars in the sky, the five people who had reached the pinnacle of magic. All of them had gathered, just to kill me, a single swordsman!

The old man in the center took another step forward. His indifferent voice flowed out from the gaps in his scattering white hair.

“Adonis, it seems our ill-fated relationship ends here. Blame your own great talent.”

The old man’s eyes were dyed red – crimson, bloodshot eyes stared down at me.

Anyone who met those red eyes would bow their head. They were the eyes allowed only to the direct line of Delema, one of the most prestigious magic families.

‘It’s all because of that bastard.’

Of course, he was not an object of respect for me. He was even less someone to bow down to.

“What a load of crap.”

There were only so many words I could throw at such a man.

“That filthy mouth picks up only vulgar things until the very end.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Who’s doing the vulgar things? You guys act all high and mighty, but haven’t you laid your hands on forbidden territory?”

“…What did you say?”

“You sly bastards. You’re even resorting to black magic? Were you that afraid of me!”

The bastard’s expression twisted. The wrinkles around his eyes, like tree bark, deepened.

“Shut that mouth.”

“Calling you devils great sages! Even passing children would laugh.”

“How dare you!”

Soon, the magician’s red eyes were filled with bloodshot light. At the same time, mana began to gather in the staves of the five magicians.

‘…Fine. Kill me.’

Ironically, I felt a sense of relief at that sight. Provoking them to die with as little pain as possible was my goal. After all, I was in a state where I couldn’t escape them anyway.

‘It’s better than begging for my life from those bastards.’

Clang!

A thunderous sound engulfed the surroundings. The sky was still dry, so it was the sound created by the flow of their mana.

‘The old geezers are overflowing with energy.’

Indeed, they were archmages of the 9th circle [a high level of magical attainment]. They were shady bastards, but their skills were no lie.

‘…If only I could have reached the realm of the 10th circle.’

I couldn’t help but feel regret at this moment. If I had reached that realm that seemed so close yet remained out of reach, I could have cut down those old devils with a single stroke.

“Then go to the afterlife, Adonis.”

In the end, the energies gathered in the five staves were unleashed. I couldn’t tell what the black magic was; I could only guess that it was a type of black magic.

Black spikes pierced my entire body.

Thwack-!

Arms, legs, torso. There was no telling which came first.

‘…Can mere eyelids be this heavy?’

Having become a 9th circle swordsman, I had defeated hundreds of powerful opponents. I had overcome thousands of adversities.

But at this moment, I couldn’t overcome the eyelids that pressed down with a weight of a thousand pounds. My eyes closed on their own.

….

There was no pain, no sharp sensation of the spikes, no pain of piercing skin, no fatigue spreading throughout my body.

I couldn’t feel it from some point on.

‘…Is this what death is like?’

It felt like floating in the universe. I felt that unfamiliar sensation for a moment.

Clang! A thunderous sound shook my entire body.

‘Crazy…!’

I reflexively cursed because the worst situation for a martial artist was unfolding. It was the sound of the dantian [energy center in the body] breaking. The aura I had gathered to become a 9th circle knight was scattering in all directions.

‘…Life is fleeting.’

Yeah. What good is aura when I’m already dead?

‘It’s not like I can take it to the afterlife.’

I didn’t even try to manage the escaping aura. I simply entrusted myself to the natural flow.

And at that moment.

Drrr….

A strange sensation was transmitted. It was the vibration created by the flow of aura – a small vibration that could barely be felt in the current state of stillness.

‘This is…!’

The auras were leaking out through the muscles, not only the abdomen but also the pectoral muscles, extending to the left and right arms, passing through the thighs to the tips of the toes. The aura escaping through the limbs.

‘Aura could have been used as a path for the muscles… There was no need to gather it only in the dantian!’

It was truly a natural phenomenon, a flow. But the belated realization only accelerated the sense of futility.

‘I’m seeing the threshold of the 10th circle just before death. It’s too late! It’s too late!’

The Sword Emperor, the young swordsman who rose to the 9th circle at the age of thirty-five and swept through the continent, closed his eyes like that.

* * *

Pat- pat-

A strange sensation groped my body – a strange but familiar sensation. It didn’t take long to realize what it was.

A touch… Yes, it was a touch, like the feeling of being embraced by my mother when I was young. I hadn’t felt that warm touch in a long time, and it didn’t feel too bad.

‘…Am I meeting my deceased mother?’

I was under such an illusion. The only one who would caress my dead body so warmly would be my mother.

So I slowly opened my eyes.

I was somewhat looking forward to whether this place was the afterlife, and if so, what kind of world it would be.

‘…What is this!’

But I had no choice but to gasp for air right away. The scenery that came into view was very unfamiliar.

“Ian, let’s eat.”

A woman was holding my body. I couldn’t help but be horrified, so I instinctively shouted.

‘Let go of me!’

But the sound coming out of my mouth was a little different from my will.

“Waaaaah-!”

The crying began to burst out, loudly, as if I had swallowed a megaphone.

“Oh, my. Were you surprised by Mommy?”

Coo- A squishy thing suddenly came into my mouth.

‘What the hell is this… Mmph! Mmph!’

In the end, the woman put a pacifier in my mouth.

“I’m sorry for surprising you.”

Only then could I properly face the woman’s face. It was a strange face I had never seen before.

‘Who does this crazy woman think she is calling Mom!’

The jawline was elegant, and the lips were petite like cherries.

The nose was moderately high.

And the eyes were….

‘This is crazy!’

I had no choice but to spit out the pacifier in surprise.

“Waaaaah-!”

The woman’s eyes, patting my back, were ruby red like sparkling jewels.