How To Live As A Third Son Of A Failure [EN]: Chapter 264

How to Live as a Gangster’s Third Son – Episode 265

The dead have returned.

The severed body parts were being reconnected by strange, dark red cords.

As if possessing a will of their own, they wriggled and returned to their proper places, perfectly restored as if nothing had happened.

Thus, the enemy was whole again – ten strong.

Ruth and Ilia, who had been fiercely fighting with their Avatars, began to back away. They met me as they retreated, and the three of us stood back-to-back, each facing a different direction.

“What is this? They’re reviving?”

“You clearly said they wouldn’t die *easily*, but they *would* die…”

At Ruth and Ilia’s questions, I clicked my tongue.

“These guys even have a revival skill. Unbelievable.”

“What should we do?”

“How long do your Avatars have left?”

At my question, Ruth replied in a sorrowful tone.

“It’s almost over. At most, about 10 minutes.”

“Same here.”

“Once this is over, we’ll be out of power. How about we just run away?”

At Ruth’s suggestion, I looked towards Lordain. The two of them were still locked in a battle that could only be described as a clash of titans.

“No. As long as that guy is there, Antioch is an impregnable fortress. We have to take them down here and now, while they don’t know Lordain’s capabilities. It will be harder next time.”

“What about those revived guys right now?”

“We’ll kill them.”

“What if they revive again?”

“Then we’ll have to see how many times they *can* revive.”

At my words, Ruth and Ilia were momentarily taken aback, but I resolutely shouted.

“Ruth! Ilia! Wind Knights Formation Number 4!”

Ruth and Ilia, no matter what they were like now, were Wind Knights before they met me. So, they understood what I meant without difficulty.

But understanding and execution are two different things. A flustered Ruth looked at me.

“Isn’t that formation for at least one squad?”

“Ilia takes the left flank, Ruth, you take the right. I’ll handle the rest.”

“Good heavens.”

“Don’t you have little time left? Are you going to keep arguing with me?”

Perhaps finally realizing the urgency of the situation at my blunt demand, Ruth and Ilia relented and spread out to my sides. I leaned my body forward as far as possible, extending my right foot far back.

The flanks are for disruption, the main force is the concentrated attack in the center. But right now, the center is just me. That’s why I took a stance that would allow me to use the Avatar most destructively.

There was no need to wait for my instructions. Ruth and Ilia, realizing I was ready, dashed out to the sides. Then, through intentional and destructive attacks, they drove the enemies together.

And targeting that gathered spot was the depth, me.

Taking a short, deep breath, I closed my eyes for a moment.

“My sword is the wind.”

「My sword is the wind」

The target is the enemies trying to keep Ruth and Ilia in check. A flash of light, so bright it seemed to blind the eyes, was unleashed.

Clang!

The enemies hurriedly swung their swords, barely deflecting my single strike.

But that was enough. The purpose of this formation was to drive the enemies to one place.

I unleashed another single strike without wavering. As time passed, the number of flashes that started as a single line gradually increased.

And when the time was right.

“A whirlwind that fells giant trees.”

「A whirlwind that fells giant trees」

I chanted once more.

A heavy sensation settled deep within my soul, and a moment came when I was no longer myself. Then, a single flash became a wind, transforming into a whirlwind that destroyed everything it touched.

The second verse of Bain Lindayer’s ultimate technique.

Is this really enough?

The answer is ‘no.’ I plan to tear them apart so they can never revive again.

The third verse of Bain Lindayer’s ultimate technique is a powerful force that spreads concentrated power and strikes in a wide area.

But Ruth and Ilia are here right now. They could get caught up in it.

But this time, I was going to control the power. Since this third verse uses the power created by the second verse, wouldn’t it be possible to reduce that power?

“Evade! Ilia!”

“……Hmph!”

Ruth, realizing what I was trying to do, turned pale and quickly retreated. Ilia did the same. She bit her lip tightly and ran away with all her might, even showing her back.

It was only natural. These two knew my power from the north [referring to a previous event or location where the protagonist demonstrated his power].

On the other hand, the Unholy Knights showed no movement other than looking somewhat puzzled. They were just blocking the attacks I unleashed, clearly intending to counterattack afterward.

They would only realize how foolish that decision was after they died.

“A gentle breeze that lays down reeds.”

「A gentle breeze that lays down reeds」

The power containing my gathered mana exploded and began to scatter in all directions.

It wasn’t ordinary energy. It was a chilling wind containing mana that ruthlessly broke and cut through everything it touched.

And that power mercilessly encompassed the Unholy Knights, cutting through them.

Clang!

Fragments shattered as mana collided with mana, and the surroundings flashed blue as they caught the sunlight. Even Lordain and the black-haired man, who were fighting far away, briefly stopped their swords and looked this way.

“Kuh-uk!”

“Kuek…… Kuaaak!”

A scream like scraping metal spread out. The Unholy Knights gathered their respective powers to resist, but the idea of blocking the wind with a sword was foolish from the start.

The chilling wind gently rode over their swords, mercilessly cutting through their necks, waists, chests, arms, and legs.

Blood spurted from all directions and scattered on the wind. Then, it burned away by the mana carried by the wind, creating a red vapor.

A blood mist. In the thick, acrid red mist, I stood up and approached Ilia and Ruth, who were sitting down.

I grabbed Ruth’s arm, who seemed to have some strength left, and pulled her up forcefully. Then, I pointed at Ilia.

“Ruth, take Ilia and get out of here before your remaining power runs out.”

“That can’t be…”

“You’ve used up all your power as an Avatar. What are you going to do by staying here? Do you want to become a burden to me?”

“Understood.”

As if sensing the shift in the situation, Lordain gestured subtly. Miraculously, a section of the firmly erected earthen pillar instantly turned to sand, collapsing to create a space just large enough for one person to pass through.

Ruth grasped the situation immediately. She quickly hoisted Ilia onto her back and glanced at me.

“You have to come back.”

“Of course.”

As Ruth left, the sand that had flowed down gathered again, filling the empty space. I chuckled dryly and turned around.

The black-haired man briefly plunged his sword into the ground and clapped his hands together lightly.

“Impressive. They weren’t exactly elite, but they were people I could have dragged around. To completely shatter them beyond revival… what kind of swordsmanship is that?”

At his question, I took a small, silent breath. My condition isn’t too bad yet, but since I’m facing *him*, there’s no reason to refuse a break that’s conveniently come my way.

I shrugged and answered the question.

“How about a deal?”

“A deal, you say?”

I slowly moved to stand beside Lordain. Seeing that I intended to parley, Lordain plunged his sword into the ground as well, crossed his arms, and remained silent.

I nodded slightly to Lordain and turned back to the black-haired man, opening my mouth.

“One for one. If I tell you something, you tell me what I ask.”

“Excellent! We can get to know each other little by little, building a friendship.”

“How did you revive those guys?”

“The one we serve promised us infinite, eternal life. What you saw was the manifestation of that promise.”

“The one you serve? It can’t be Lordkheus.”

“Your jokes are a bit much.”

“…Neviros?”

At my repeated question, the black-haired man raised a finger and wagged it from side to side.

“You’ll break the rules. You said one for one, didn’t you?”

“Fine. Ask away.”

“What was that swordsmanship just now?”

“It’s the Lindayer family’s swordsmanship.”

“Didn’t we make an unspoken agreement to speak only the truth, like gentlemen?”

“I didn’t lie.”

“Really? But Master Lindayer doesn’t use that kind of swordsmanship. It had a similar feel, but… anyway, I know very well, since I fought him directly in the Capital.”

“You fought him?”

“Let me correct that. My predecessor did.”

“Anyway, what I said is true. It’s Lindayer’s swordsmanship.”

The ultimate technique of Bain Lindayer was lost.

The reason is obvious. There’s no way that talents who inherit and maintain such monstrous power would continue to appear for hundreds of years.

However, as he said, the unique style of that swordsmanship still remains. That’s why he must have felt a similar aura from the sword strikes that Count Lindayer emitted.

“Could it be that you created it yourself?”

“One for one, remember?”

“Ah, my mistake. Forgive me.”

The man smiled and nodded. It was my turn to ask again.

“The one you guys serve is the Great Demon Neviros, right?”

“That’s right. Don’t you know enough by now? It’s such an obvious fact that I feel guilty counting it as a single question. Do you have any other questions?”

“Why are you trying to recruit me?”

Clap!

The man clapped his hands. The expression on his face suggested that it was a very pleasing question, making me want to punch him.

“You are a very capable talent. Capable enough to become a cornerstone of the Empire. How could I *not* be tempted? Your overwhelming talent and the achievements you’ve shown while running around the continent are proof, aren’t they?”

“…Bullshit. If that’s the case, why wasn’t there any recruitment for Master Graham or Count Lindayer? Aren’t they already proven legends?”

The man’s eyes gleamed. But I continued to speak.

“Leave out the flowery language. Tell me your true intentions. If you want to make a deal, you need to open your cards first, especially if you’re the one in a desperate position.”

“Is that so? …That’s right. That makes sense. We *are* definitely the ones in a desperate position, because we need you.”

The man nodded and chuckled.

“Kerwin Aphen, you know where that damn bitch is.”

I could feel Lordain’s body flinching beside me, his arms still crossed. But I shrugged nonchalantly.

“The price?”

“Do you want territory? The fertile East? The warm South? Anywhere you desire. If you want power, I’ll give you the position of Grand General in the newly emerging Empire. You will become the Lord’s sword and reign over this land. Eternal life? Of course. I will build you a castle of gold. If you get bored even after enjoying all of that, I can guide you to a new land.”

“A new… world?”

“Surely you don’t think this tiny kingdom is the entirety of the world?”

Alright. I’ve rested enough.

I nodded.

“Not bad.”

“Right?”

“But what are you going to do after finding Kerwin?”

“One for one. You know? Now, it’s my turn to ask. Where is Kerwin Aphen?”

“I don’t know.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm, I see. I thought you knew her whereabouts. Then where did you get that sword? Isn’t that the sword that Kerwin made and gifted to the Great Emperor?”

“I picked it up.”

The black-haired man smiled.

“Your refusal isn’t refined. That’s impolite to the other party.”

Then, he pulled the sword out of the ground.

“Dodge!”

Lordain grabbed the back of my neck and pulled me back, shouting. At the same time, the moment I saw him kick off the ground, he was already in front of me.

Death approaches.