My Lord Who Is Being Prudent! [EN]: Chapter 213

213. Asura [A being in Buddhist mythology, often depicted as a powerful, wrathful demigod]

“You little punk…!!!”

Nathan’s face twisted in fury.

He sheathed his sword and swung it once more.

But his vision was filled with Sian’s foot.

Sian pivoted on his left foot and kicked Nathan squarely in the face.

Thwack!

A sickening sound, like something collapsing, erupted from Nathan’s face.

Nathan, sent flying through the air, crashed violently to the ground.

“……!”

Rosewell’s eyes widened as he watched the scene unfold.

“You… what do you think you’re doing…?”

Rosewell’s mouth dropped open in shock.

“Kuhahaha…! You son of a bitch! I’ll kill you!!”

Nathan, having slammed into the ground, roared in anger as he stood up again.

One side of his face was a ruin, and he seemed to have completely lost his mind in his fury.

Nathan blindly charged towards Sian.

“Nathan! No!”

Rosewell moved quickly to intercept Nathan.

However.

Shwick!

The chilling sound of something being cut rang out, a split second faster.

Splatter!

Red blood gushed from Nathan’s entire body.

Nathan’s eyes widened in disbelief, and he collapsed to the ground with a heavy thud!

“……!!!”

Rosewell’s expression went beyond mere shock; it was utter disbelief.

Because of this situation.

Sian’s movements.

Rosewell hadn’t perceived Sian’s movements for even a fraction of a second.

All Rosewell had perceived was one horrifying fact.

That Nathan had been cut by something.

Rosewell’s body stiffened, paralyzed by fear.

His gaze, frozen like a statue, slowly turned towards Sian.

Sian slowly turned his body.

It felt like a hazy… dream.

More precisely, a terrible nightmare.

A buzzing sound filled his ears, and he couldn’t hear anything clearly.

His blurred vision still couldn’t focus properly.

His trembling body had long since reached its limit.

His body didn’t feel like his own; it felt foreign and unresponsive.

Even now, his whole body was screaming in protest, signaling that it was at its breaking point.

But his mind was unusually clear, almost unnervingly so.

An unknown sense of elation, a chilling euphoria, dominated his entire being.

“From the beginning.”

Sian slowly opened his mouth, his voice raspy and strained.

Rosewell and Nathan.

The pride of the Elan Dur bloodline, geniuses among geniuses.

And the past.

The trauma that Sian couldn’t seem to overcome.

“My sister was no match for me.”

Sian muttered quietly, almost to himself.

“What, what did you say…?”

Rosewell’s face contorted in a mask of disbelief and dawning horror.

A subtle but intense anger flared up within him.

But Sian didn’t look at Rosewell; he seemed oblivious to his presence.

He simply lowered his gaze slowly, observing the state of his own body, as if seeing it for the first time.

From the beginning, Rosewell was no match for Sian.

Even with Nathan joining forces, they wouldn’t have stood a chance.

The reason why the situation had turned out this way was simple, yet profound.

It was the same reason why Sian felt intimidated whenever he faced Durak.

It was also the reason why he hesitated, even though he possessed enough power to surpass both Rosewell and Nathan.

“I didn’t believe it.”

In himself.

And on one hand, he was afraid.

Afraid of Rosewell and Nathan, who were always ahead of Sian in his past memories, casting a long shadow over his present.

After the sparring match with Yale the other day.

Sian evaluated his own realm, his own level of skill, like this.

Touching the Master level, but not quite a Master.

He jokingly expressed it as Master (True).

But such a realm does not truly exist.

A Master is simply a Master; there are no qualifiers.

The realm of Master (True) is a fabrication.

Furthermore, the realm of touching the Master level but not being a Master doesn’t exist either.

What kind of nonsense is that?

That was just a self-imposed limitation, a false construct created by Sian himself.

Master is the dream realm that those who walk the path of a knight long for, the pinnacle of their aspirations.

Even among the most gifted geniuses, only the most exceptionally talented can reach that realm.

Even with efforts that demand the sacrifice of flesh and bone, they cannot guarantee reaching that coveted level.

Therefore, deep within Sian’s heart.

Sian was wearing invisible shackles, a mental block that convinced him he could never reach the realm of Master.

The countless instances of contempt and neglect Sian had received from his family had taken their toll.

The constant reminder of his perceived lack of talent, a dullard’s curse he couldn’t overcome even with relentless effort, had become ingrained in his psyche.

The words that he had heard for the past few decades were like a form of insidious brainwashing, subtly poisoning his self-perception.

Sian was secretly thinking of himself like that.

A hopeless dullard like me.

A pathetic loser like me.

Could never become a Master.

No matter how hard I try, I can’t reach the Master level.

Sian was thinking that deep down, subconsciously sabotaging his own progress.

So he couldn’t move forward, trapped in a cycle of self-doubt.

Even though he had already set foot in the realm of Master, he was denying himself the achievement, refusing to accept his own potential.

He was just trapped in the past, a prisoner of his own insecurities.

Sian slowly turned around.

The young Sian who grabbed his shoulder and held him back, his past self, the embodiment of his self-doubt.

The young Sian was no longer visible; he had vanished.

He disappeared into the scattered illusions of the past and no longer existed as a tangible force.

Sian Elan Dur, the boy burdened by doubt and insecurity, does not exist anymore.

He has now disappeared into the past along with the illusion, fading into the annals of history.

And he will never be able to recall that version of himself again.

It has become a memory that he will actively choose not to recall, a chapter closed and sealed.

Sian turned his gaze back to Rosewell, his eyes now filled with a newfound resolve.

“You bastard… How dare you… !”

Rosewell gritted his teeth, his face contorted with deep-seated anger and disbelief.

From the beginning, I wasn’t your opponent?

“Bullshit!”

I can’t believe it.

I can’t accept it.

How could a pathetic bastard like you, someone I’ve always looked down on.

How could a loser who is not even worthy of being called a dullard, possibly be stronger than me?

Tremble…

Am I actually feeling this kind of fear?

There’s no way I’m feeling fear; it’s impossible.

There’s no way I’m afraid of him.

You’re always just a bug crawling beneath my feet, insignificant and easily crushed.

This feeling is just an illusion, a momentary lapse in judgment.

“I’ll kill you!!!”

Rosewell unleashed all the magic power he possessed, channeling every ounce of his energy into a desperate attack.

His mind was intermittently shutting down, overwhelmed by the sheer force of his own power, and his body trembled uncontrollably.

But Rosewell endured, pushing past his limits.

He scraped together every last reserve of magic power he had, clinging to the hope of victory.

Even that was not enough, so he made a desperate gamble, burning the very foundation of his life force to fuel his attack.

Kwakwakwakwakwakwakwa─!!!

The atmosphere trembled intensely, and a terrible, raw energy burst out in all directions, threatening to consume everything in its path.

Thereby activating Elan Dur’s secret technique, a forbidden art passed down through generations.

It was the secret technique of Charlotte, the legendary figure who was hailed as the leader of Arnaise a thousand years ago, a name whispered in awe and reverence.

The legendary realm that only six people in history had ever reached: Exceed, the pinnacle of martial prowess.

The martial art used by Arnaise Charlotte herself, who had transcended human limitations and reached that extraordinary realm.

Rosewell didn’t know the full extent of its history or its connection to Charlotte.

But he could tell, instinctively, that this secret technique was a martial art from a distant, almost mythical realm, far beyond anything a mere “bug” could ever hope to learn.

Kwaaaaaaaa─!!

A tremendous wave of magic power poured out from Rosewell’s entire body, engulfing him in a blinding aura.

The power reaching its absolute limit, threatening to tear him apart from the inside out.

At this moment, Rosewell could feel that elusive sense of elation, that intoxicating rush of power.

A feeling that some long-standing wall, some invisible barrier, was finally collapsing, shattering into a million pieces.

Rosewell’s realm, which had been stagnant at the highest level of Expert for so long, was finally breaking through, reaching and surpassing the coveted realm of Master.

As a result, an unknown vitality, a surge of rejuvenating energy, filled his entire body, revitalizing him from the inside out.

Smirk.

Rosewell smiled without realizing it, a cruel and confident expression spreading across his face.

And he knew, with absolute certainty, that this was the end.

The power he had gained while ascending to the realm of Master was immense, almost overwhelming.

Elan Dur’s secret technique, amplified by this newfound power, was unstoppable.

This is not the kind of thing you can stop, even if you know it’s coming; it’s simply too powerful, too overwhelming.

Rosewell was sure of it; victory was within his grasp.

“Demon Soul Asura Sword (魔魂修羅劍).”

That’s what I thought.

The faint voice that reached his ears, a whisper in the storm of his own power.

Rosewell’s movements froze, his body locking up in a moment of stunned disbelief.

The gaze he turned, his eyes widening in horror.

Sian was looking at him, standing there amidst the chaos.

And at the same time, he wasn’t looking at him; his gaze was distant and unfocused.

Sian’s eyes did not seem to register Rosewell’s presence; they were looking beyond him, through him, as if he were nothing more than a ghost.

Beyond Rosewell, Sian was looking at another place, another space, a realm unseen by mortal eyes.

Saaaaaa…

His vision blurred, and a new illusion unfolded in Sian’s mind, a vivid and surreal landscape.

In the illusion, Sian was standing in front of a road, a path stretching out before him.

But there was nothing in front of the road where Sian was standing; it was shrouded in darkness and uncertainty.

A road that could not see even an inch ahead, swallowed by an impenetrable gloom.

The road swallowed by darkness did not reveal whether there was something of value waiting at the end of it.

Or whether the road simply ended there, leading to nothingness.

Sian slowly turned around, his heart heavy with doubt.

At the same time, he could see countless crossroads, branching paths leading in every direction.

Each of those roads was illuminating its own path, bathed in a welcoming light.

It was not swallowed by darkness like the road Sian was standing on; it was clear and inviting.

A brilliant light was illuminating the front, and the road was neatly arranged for easy walking, promising a smooth and effortless journey.

On the other hand, Sian’s road was not like that; it was a stark contrast.

The road ahead was swallowed by darkness and could not be seen, shrouded in mystery and uncertainty.

The road was bumpy and uneven, and his feet hurt every time he took a step, a constant reminder of the difficulty of his chosen path.

Is the path I chose the right path?

Should I go back now, before it’s too late?

For a fleeting moment, Sian entertained such thoughts, the seeds of doubt taking root in his mind.

And he slowly turned his body, preparing to take a step back, to return the way he had come, to abandon his chosen path.

Right then.

You promised me you wouldn’t come back.

Somewhere, such a voice was heard, a whisper from the depths of his memory.

Sian’s movement, which was turning his body, stopped abruptly, frozen in place by the weight of those words.

And then he chuckled, a low and humorless sound.

I will never visit again; I made a promise.

Yes, I will never go back; there’s no turning back now.

The past that has passed is the past; it cannot be changed or undone.

The past is sometimes called a memory, a collection of experiences that shape who we are.

But for those who want to move forward, to break free from the shackles of the past, it is just a memory that obscures the future, a distraction that hinders progress.

Sian turned his body again, facing the darkness with renewed resolve.

The path of darkness that cannot see even an inch ahead, shrouded in mystery and uncertainty.

Even if this path leads to hell, to unimaginable suffering and despair.

Even if this path is a wrong choice, a foolish and misguided decision.

I take a step, embracing the unknown.

I do not hesitate, casting aside all doubt and fear.

Forward, not backward; there is no other option.

I will never stop walking forward again, no matter the cost.

Sian took a step towards the path full of darkness, embracing the uncertainty that lay ahead.

And so, thud.

When Sian stepped into the darkness, a profound transformation occurred.

Whoaaaa!

A pure white light burst out, illuminating the darkness that had fallen, banishing the shadows and revealing the path ahead.

And what he saw was an endlessly 펼쳐진 [unfolding] road, stretching out into the distance, seemingly without end.

The scenery of hell that 드리운 [hung] around, a landscape of torment and despair, a reflection of the inner demons he had been battling.

The road he could see was clearly the road to hell, a path fraught with danger and suffering.

Sian stopped walking for a moment, his heart pounding in his chest.

And far away, in the distance.

He looked at a man standing at the end of the road to hell, a solitary figure amidst the desolation.

A silver-haired 미남자 [handsome man], radiating an aura of power and mystery.

His face was not visible because he was looking back, his gaze fixed on something beyond Sian’s perception.

But Sian knew who that man was; he recognized him instantly.

Arnaise Kyle, the legendary hero of a bygone era.

In the 펼쳐진 [unfolding] scenery of hell, amidst the torment and despair.

Kyle was standing alone at the end of the most 처참한 [miserable] road to hell, a beacon of hope in the darkness.

He was holding his sword out to the side, looking ahead with unwavering resolve.

And he didn’t look back, his gaze fixed on the horizon.

He must have known Sian had come; he was aware of his presence.

Kyle would have felt the presence, the subtle shift in the fabric of reality.

Kyle didn’t look back, his focus unwavering.

That cold appearance was so heartless, so detached from the suffering around him.

But Sian was not 서운해 [disappointed]; he understood.

Yes, Kyle didn’t look back; it was not in his nature.

Kyle doesn’t look back, he never has and never will.

Arnaise, who saved the world a thousand years ago, a savior of humanity.

Arnaise, Kyle, who was called the strongest, a legend whispered in hushed tones.

There were not many stories of Kyle left in mythology, his deeds shrouded in mystery and legend.

But Sian knew Kyle’s story; he had delved into the ancient texts and pieced together the fragments of his life.

He vaguely knew the path he had walked, the trials and tribulations he had faced.

And in that story, Kyle didn’t look back; he never allowed himself to be consumed by the past.

No matter what 처참한 [miserable] past Kyle had endured, the hardships he had overcome.

No matter what regrettable things Kyle had done in the past, the mistakes he had made.

Kyle doesn’t look back; he learns from his experiences and moves forward.

He just silently moves forward, his gaze fixed on the future, unwavering in his resolve.

And the 모습 [figure] of Kyle that Sian sees in front of him now, standing at the end of the road to hell.

Maybe Kyle won’t look back; maybe he will remain aloof and detached.

He won’t turn around and look at Sian, acknowledging his presence.

He won’t come to my side to comfort Sian, offering words of solace and encouragement.

He won’t come to tell me what the truth is, revealing the secrets of the universe.

So.

I have to stand by his side, to prove myself worthy of his legacy.

Sian took the step he had stopped, his determination renewed.

The hell road of 참혹한 [horrific] scenery, a landscape of unimaginable suffering.

When Sian finally took a step into the 처참한 [miserable] scenery of hell, embracing the darkness and the pain.

I failed, though.

A faint voice, barely audible amidst the chaos.

It is heard in Sian’s ear, a whisper from the depths of his soul.

Saaaaaa…

The hallucination scatters, the illusion fading away like a dream.

At the same time, Kyle’s 모습 [figure] also became blurred, dissolving into the surrounding darkness.

In the blurred vision, it is not Kyle’s 모습 [figure] that he sees, but something else entirely.

“No, no way…!”

The 모습 [figure] of Rosewell, with his eyes wide open in 경악 [astonishment], was reflected in Sian’s gaze.

Rosewell couldn’t believe the sight before his eyes, his mind struggling to comprehend the impossible.

The space around Sian, which he 바라본 [gazed upon], was 괴악하게 [grotesquely] distorted, twisted and warped beyond recognition.

From the 괴악에 [grotesquely] distorted space, 칠흑한 [jet-black] darkness 피어올랐다 [bloomed], spreading outwards like a consuming void.

The magic power of Rosewell, which 터져나오는 [erupted], 대항했으나 [resisted] to this, desperately trying to hold back the encroaching darkness.

It was just being swallowed without any resistance, consumed by the overwhelming power of the void.

Different… different…

Rosewell instinctively had this thought, a primal fear gripping his heart.

The 격 [level] itself is different; the very nature of their power is fundamentally different.

Sian was clearly surpassing Rosewell, himself, transcending his limitations.

It was 어설펐 [clumsy] somewhere, but Sian had reached the realm of Master, achieving a level of power he had only dreamed of.

But that was the same for Rosewell; he had also broken through his limits.

Rosewell was also 넘어 [over] 벽 [the wall] and reaching the realm of Master now, ascending to a new level of power.

There is no difference in realm, they are both Masters.

Rather, Rosewell should be seen as ahead of Sian, who is 만신창이가 [battered and exhausted], on the verge of collapse.

But… but…

What is this 불길함 [ominous feeling] that I feel on the end of my skin now, a sense of impending doom?

The 모습 [figure] of Sian, which 바라본 [gazed upon], was on a different trajectory, evolving into something beyond human comprehension.

The 개체 [entity] called human, the limitations of mortal existence.

No, that 한계 [limit] that any existence living in the world must have, the boundaries that define reality.

This power 넘어 [beyond] that 한계 [limit], transcending the very fabric of existence.

Does the power beyond 한계 [limit] exist…?

Rosewell couldn’t believe the sight before his eyes, his mind reeling in disbelief.

So I had to run away, to escape the inevitable destruction.

This… this is not something that can be 어찌할 [dealt with], a force beyond my control.

I ‘따위’ [like me] can’t 어찌할 [deal with] it; I am powerless against such a force.

So I had to run away, to preserve my own life.

넘어 [Over] the wall of Master was meaningless; it offered no protection against this overwhelming power.

I had to run away right now, to escape the impending doom.

But… but…

“How on earth…?”

In an instant, Sian’s eyes 번쩍 [flashed], 떠진다 [opened], revealing the power within.

칠흑 같은 [Jet-black] darkness 일렁인다 [flickered] in his eyes, a glimpse into the abyss.

A powerful 억제력 [suppressive force] 붙들었다 [seized] Sian’s body, attempting to contain the overwhelming power within.

Sian 끊어내며 [severed] the power that 억누르는 [suppressing] his entire body and forcibly 움직였다 [moved] his body, defying the limitations of his physical form.

꽈드드드득 [Crackling].

The 관절 [joints] that 걸린 [caught] 부하 [the load] was 끊어졌다 [severed], pushed beyond their breaking point.

The 근육 [muscles] of his entire body 파열되며 [ruptured] and 찢겨져 나간다 [tore apart], the price of wielding such immense power.

But I ignored it, pushing past the pain and the limitations of my physical form.

Instead, I 끌어모았다 [gathered] more 마기를 [demonic energy], embracing the darkness within.

Can I do it, can I truly control this power?

Can I do it, can I master the Demon Soul Asura Sword?

The Demon Soul Asura Sword of Kyle that Sian is currently 배우고 [learning], the ultimate technique of a legendary warrior.

And the 1st and 2nd forms of the Demon Soul Asura Sword that I have 배우고 [learned] so far, the foundation upon which I must build.

The goals of the two were clear, each form serving a distinct purpose.

The 1st form, Asura 천살 [Heavenly Slaughter], is the 묘리 [essence] of 베기 [slashing], the fundamental principle of cutting with precision and power.

The 2nd form, 멸천수라 [Annihilating Heaven Asura], is the 묘리 [essence] of 찌르기 [thrusting], the art of piercing with deadly accuracy.

But the 상급 [advanced] Demon Soul Asura Sword that I am currently 수련하고 [training] was different, far more complex and enigmatic.

The goal of this is 묘했다 [elusive], difficult to grasp and comprehend.

It’s like 담고 [containing] the 묘리 [essence] that 혼합한 [mixed] 베기와 [slashing] 찌르기를 [thrusting], a fusion of seemingly contradictory principles.

Therefore, it was right to see this as one 형 [form] that 혼합한 [mixed] the two 앞선 [preceding] 식 [forms] rather than one 식 [form], a synthesis of the fundamental techniques.

The 모순 [contradiction] of 행하는 [performing] 베기와 [slashing] 찌르기를 [thrusting] 동시에 [simultaneously], a seemingly impossible feat.

It was literally 모순 [contradictory], defying the laws of physics and the limitations of human movement.

But Kyle 담았고 [contained] that 묘리를 [essence] in his sword, mastering the impossible.

Because of that, the 난해함 [difficulty] was 도무지 이루 말할 수 가 없었다 [utterly indescribable], a challenge that seemed insurmountable.

Sian could not 이해할 [understand] that, the intricacies of the technique eluding his grasp.

But now, in this moment of crisis.

“The 1st Form.”

I think I know it vaguely, a glimmer of understanding in the darkness.

Kyle’s sword, that 난해한 [difficult] 묘리를 [essence], the key to unlocking its true power.

I can’t 이해할 [understand] it with my head, with logic and reason.

But I feel like I know it vaguely with my senses, an intuitive understanding that transcends the limitations of the mind.

Sian 살며시 [gently], 움켜쥐었다 [gripped] his sword, his fingers tightening around the hilt.

And when I 터벅 [thud], 내딛었 [took] one step forward, committing himself to the path ahead.

The 드리운 [hanging] sound 사라진다 [disappears] at once, the silence amplifying the tension in the air.

And then, when I 내딛었 [took] 걸음을 [a step] 터벅 [thud] again, the world around him began to change.

The color of the 풍경 [scenery] 흐려진다 [blurred], the vibrant hues fading into a monochrome palette.

And then, the 형체 [form] of 만물 [all things] 흐릿해지며 [blurred] and 물든다 [stained] with darkness, consumed by the encroaching shadows.

The 윤곽 [outline] of the world 붕괴하며 [collapsed] and 화한다 [transformed] all things with 마 [demonic energy], the very fabric of reality unraveling.

And so, 펼쳐지는 [unfolding] 지옥도 [hellscape], a vision of torment and despair.

That 비현실적인 [unrealistic] 광경 [scene] was 앗아가고 [stealing] the 모습 [figure] of human from Sian, transforming him into something else entirely.

Darkness darker than darkness, a void that consumed all light.

A 악귀 [demon] more 악독한 [vicious] than 악귀 [demon], a creature of pure malice and destruction.

That’s… that’s…

It’s not a human 살아가고 [living] the same world, a being from another dimension.

It’s hard to believe that it’s the same human, the transformation so complete that he is almost unrecognizable.

That 개체 [entity] called human can never 닿을 [reach], a power beyond mortal comprehension.

감히 [Daring] 상상조차 [even imagine] 할 수 없는 [can not] 아득한 [distant] 너머 [beyond], a realm beyond human understanding.

“No. No. No. No. No. No.”

Rosewell was just 반복할 [repeating] the same words like a 미친 [crazy] person, his mind shattered by the overwhelming power before him.

I don’t feel like 반항할 [resisting], the futility of such an action clear.

저항 [Resistance] 따위는 [and the like] 아무런 [any] 의미가 없다 [meaningless], a futile gesture in the face of absolute power.

To that 경이로운 [astonishing] power, to that 아득한 [distant] 너머 [beyond], a realm beyond human comprehension.

감히 [Daring] 대적할 [oppose] 생각조차 [even think], 들지 않는다 [do not], the very thought of resistance is absurd.

And then, Sian’s sword 움직인다 [moves] slowly, deliberately.

단 [Only] 한 번의 [one] 베기 [slash], a single, precise cut.

단 [Only] 한 번의 [one] 찌르기 [thrust], a single, deadly strike.

이어져서는 [Connected] 안되는 [not], 모순적인 [contradictory] 하나의 [one] 일격이 [strike] 행해진다 [performed], a fusion of opposing forces.

That’s 도무지 [utterly] 이해할 수 없는 [incomprehensible], defying all logic and reason.

까마득한 [Far] 너머의 [beyond], a realm beyond human understanding.

닿을 [Reach] 수 없는 [can not], unattainable and incomprehensible.

아득한 [Distant], beyond the reach of mortal comprehension.

무이며 [Nothingness], the absence of all things.

또 [Also] 무였다 [nothingness], the void from which all things originate.

Demon Soul Asura Sword (魔魂修羅劍).

The 1st Form.

Asura (阿修羅).