The Bastard Swordsman Of The Imperial Guard [EN]: Chapter 145

Thump- Thump-

Rael’s heart rate accelerated.

Mana from within his body surged like a heat haze, dominating the surrounding space.

As the Mana Circulation [a technique to rapidly gather and utilize mana] began, Rael’s body started to absorb the surrounding mana.

His senses, sharpened by the instincts of a predator, drew out the power dormant within Rael’s body.

‘This is enough.’

Rael’s senses, now keener than when he first used Mana Circulation, allowed him to perfectly control the power dormant within his body.

“Heavenly Execution Sword, Form 3: Piercing the Sky.”

Rael immediately gathered mana into the Holy Sword.

The sword aura, composed of mana and divine power, transcended space and reached Gideon.

“Tch…!”

Rael’s Mana Circulation dominated the surroundings, putting pressure on Gideon.

Gideon clicked his tongue and activated his domain.

Chrono Break, which disrupts the opponent’s senses.

Even if it wasn’t fully effective against Rael, he had to deploy his domain to shake off the pressure.

Swish-!

At the same time, a dark blue sword aura rose from Gideon’s sword.

Deploying a domain against a knight who was decades his junior was a blow to his pride, but he had no choice.

Clang-

Gideon deflected the sword aura heading towards him and glared straight ahead.

Gideon needed all his power to block the absurd sword that transcended space.

‘It’s disadvantageous for me to clash sword against sword. And… I must not give him any openings.’

Gideon’s face twisted grotesquely.

He hated to admit it, but the Heavenly Execution Sword style the guy wielded was abnormally strong.

If it weren’t for the overwhelming mana Gideon had accumulated, his mana would have already collapsed under the Heavenly Execution Sword style.

He was aware of the danger of the Heavenly Execution Sword style, but facing it directly made him realize it even more.

One direct hit could be fatal.

He had to avoid that sword style at all costs.

‘His domain and sword style are very tricky. But, there are gaps.’

Rael had been overwhelming opponents with his destructive power until now.

Gideon knew this, so he intended to drag out the fight as long as possible.

No matter how strong it is, it’s meaningless if it doesn’t hit.

Gideon was faster and more experienced than Rael.

That’s why he had to capitalize on his strengths.

“Heavenly Execution Sword, Form 2: Ascending Sky.”

While Gideon was organizing his thoughts, Rael’s sword relentlessly rushed towards Gideon.

Gideon was not an opponent to be ignored. Rael continued his attacks immediately after blocking Piercing the Sky.

Clang-!

At that moment.

Gideon burst through the mana of Mana Circulation and charged forward.

Rael’s sword was destructive but slower compared to Gideon.

He aimed for that gap.

Rael quickly corrected his sword, took a step forward with his right foot, and aimed for Gideon’s right arm.

Gideon hurriedly turned his body and blocked the sword.

The mana-filled sword collided with Rael’s divine power, shaking the arena.

‘The sword is light…?’

Gideon smiled as he blocked Rael’s sword.

As expected, there were gaps in the Heavenly Execution Sword style that Rael used.

He couldn’t imbue all his sword techniques with that overwhelming power.

To imbue destructive power, he needed that much preparation time.

Moreover, with such a monstrous domain deployed, he couldn’t possibly have mana to spare.

Rael was fighting with only the divine power contained in the Holy Sword.

‘Divine power isn’t a threat to me.’

Gideon wasn’t a demon.

Besides, he was the commander of the Carmen Knights [an elite order of knights in the Empire], blessed with numerous blessings.

He could easily ignore the damage from divine power.

Whoosh-

The divine power, burning like fire, collided with Gideon’s mana, vibrating the atmosphere.

Amidst the collision of domains that crushed the space, divine power began to fill the space around Rael.

A bead of sweat trickled down Gideon’s face from the overwhelming power.

“Indeed, he didn’t win the title of Hero by luck.”

“You must have won the title of Carmen Knights commander by luck. Shamelessly using your full power against a junior.”

Rael swung his sword towards Gideon’s neck.

The speed was similar to before, but the power contained in the sword was incomparable.

‘His movements are getting cleaner and cleaner.’

Gideon frowned.

Certainly, Rael’s combat sense and talent were remarkable.

He was getting stronger even while fighting Gideon.

But, it was still not enough.

He wasn’t just talking about swordsmanship.

Even if he had outstanding talent, Rael couldn’t catch up with the experience and skill that Gideon had accumulated as the commander of the Carmen Knights.

Crack-

Gideon slightly pulled back the sword that was about to make contact, and pushed Rael’s chest with his left foot.

The divine power contained in the sword cut through the air, and Gideon’s sword, which had naturally twisted through the gap, drew a thin line on Rael’s chest.

Gideon smiled at the sensation of cutting through flesh.

“But why doesn’t Gaia [the goddess] bestow her power upon you? Could it be that the revelation is a lie?”

Gideon’s sword relentlessly rushed towards Rael, giving him no openings.

The dark blue sword aura, containing the secrets of the Carmen Knights, became a long line and split the air.

To resist that immense power, Rael squeezed out divine power from the Holy Sword, but the flow of the battle had already shifted to Gideon.

Fast and heavy attacks began to pressure Rael.

Clang-!

Rael blocked the powerful mana with his Holy Sword and bit his lip.

The mana that penetrated inside his body struck Rael beyond Mana Circulation.

Gideon’s sword was strange, unlike ordinary swordsmanship.

It was faster than Rael recognized, and it always aimed for a different spot than he expected.

That must also be a characteristic of his sword.

“Try to block this! Hero Rael!”

Clang-!

Rael, who had retreated from the continuous attacks, turned his sword to the side.

He slightly pushed away Gideon’s sword and shot divine power through the gap.

‘…He’s learning in that short moment. He’s dangerous after all.’

Gideon narrowed his eyes as he watched Rael’s movements.

But, the goddess of victory was already smiling upon him.

“You have a damn nasty personality.”

Rael spat on the floor with a bitter smile.

The blood-mixed saliva showed his physical condition.

Rael smiled bitterly.

‘As expected, I’m being pushed back if I don’t use the Heavenly Execution Sword.’

Until now, he had been fighting relying on the Heavenly Execution Sword.

The Heavenly Execution Sword’s powerful attack, which could cut off the lives of demons in one strike, required Rael to aim for the opponent’s weaknesses.

But Gideon was different from any enemy he had faced so far.

His swordsmanship was superior to Rael’s, and even if he allowed minor injuries, as if conscious of the Heavenly Execution Sword’s attacks, he didn’t give away any big openings.

‘Is this enough?’

And Rael smiled at Gideon’s approach.

*

The nobles and knights watched the circular arena with tense eyes.

The outcome of this sacred trial would determine who had been chosen by Gaia.

They exclaimed every time swords clashed, and some whispered quietly.

Their expressions were serious yet excited.

“Damn… Did I overdo it after all?”

However, there were some who knew Rael’s personality well.

The Sword Dragon, the best swordsman of the Vanessa Kingdom, watched the sacred trial between Gideon and Rael with clenched fists.

The Sword Dragon was secretly thinking that Gaia’s revelation was a lie.

Unlike the Empire, which believed anything the Gaia Order said, the Vanessa Kingdom did not have the Gaia Order as its state religion, so the Sword Dragon was able to think more calmly.

‘He used the revelation to bring down Gideon, but that’s why he couldn’t refuse the sacred trial.’

Why did Rael try to bring down Gideon?

Of course, it was because of the Demonic Cult.

Rael used his power to punish the Demonic Cult that threatened the Empire and Gideon, who had turned a blind eye to it.

The Sword Dragon felt guilty for not being able to catch the Demonic Cult who had infiltrated the delegation as the best swordsman of the Vanessa Kingdom.

“Rael….”

Rain, who was sitting next to the Sword Dragon, was also shaking his legs anxiously.

As a Sword Master, he had been grasping the flow of the duel from the beginning.

‘Rael is being pushed back….’

In particular, it was visible that Rael was not able to use his power in the battle of domains.

Perhaps it was because Gideon was overwhelmingly superior in terms of domain stability.

“Damn it. Lord Gaia. Please give Rael strength….”

While Rain was praying briefly.

A man next to him opened his mouth.

“That’s strange. The junior’s domain shouldn’t be this weak.”

“Great Hero Mucheon. What do you mean?”

Rain asked curiously.

“Just as I said. Rael isn’t this weak.”

Mucheon frowned as if frustrated.

He had also helped Rael spar several times as his temporary teacher.

But, Rael wasn’t using the Heavenly Execution Sword strangely now.

‘There was definitely a gap to forcefully stab in.’

Rael’s senses were so outstanding that Mucheon acknowledged them, so there was no way Rael couldn’t see what Mucheon saw.

If he had succeeded in all those attacks, the fight would have been much more intense than it is now.

“…If he’s not satisfied with just that much?”

At that time, the Sword Dragon’s eyes widened.

“What does that mean?”

“There’s no guarantee that Rael will win even if he makes a few more attacks now. But, a proper hit could bring down Gideon!”

The Sword Dragon jumped up from his seat.

Only then was he able to read something from Rael’s movements.

“Th, that’s…!”

At that moment.

Rain shouted in surprise.

Gideon’s body, which had been pushing Rael, staggered.

*

Gideon’s lips curled up to his ears.

Everything was going according to his plan.

As he expected, Gaia’s revelation was a lie.

And Rael couldn’t refuse the sacred trial the moment he mentioned Gaia’s revelation.

From the moment he realized that, Gideon’s victory was certain.

No matter how outstanding Rael’s talent was, he couldn’t overcome the difference of decades.

It was the same now.

Gideon didn’t give Rael a single opening to check the Heavenly Execution Sword style that Rael was using.

He would only end up with a few minor injuries, but wounds were steadily accumulating on Rael’s body.

“How about apologizing now, Rael? Your talent is truly amazing. It would be a waste to throw it away like this.”

Gideon wore a faint smile.

Rael’s talent was truly amazing.

If he could control him with his words, he would surely be of great help to the Carmen Knights and the Empire.

“Ha, what a load of bullshit.”

Rael glared at Gideon with his Holy Sword.

Seeing that, Gideon shook his head.

“What a pity. Don’t regret your choice.”

Gideon’s sword aura blazed like fire.

It was time to make the Hero kneel in front of everyone and regain his position as the commander of the Carmen Knights.

“…Mana Circulation.”

Rael, who was looking at him, once again seized the surrounding mana.

At the same time as Gideon used mana, he also detonated the power he had planted in Gideon.

“Now you’re using your domain… Kuh?!”

Thud-

Gideon instinctively planted his greatsword on the floor and entrusted his body to the sword.

He began to feel an enormous sense of incongruity in his body.

“Does your body feel a little heavy now?”

Rael smiled.

Until now, Rael had not directly slammed the mana of Mana Circulation into his body.

He wasn’t sure that he could defeat Gideon by creating a single opening.

Therefore, he coated the surface of his body with mana like invisible ink.

He scattered minute amounts of mana all over his body so that Gideon’s mana wouldn’t notice, and injected it into his body in an instant.

“Kuh…! Wh, what did you do….”

Gideon couldn’t even stand anymore. He knelt on one knee and grabbed the floor with both hands.

It was something he should never do with an enemy in front of him, but it was unavoidable now that his head was buzzing and his whole body was trembling.

‘Th, this is mana? When did this much mana….’

Mana eats away at the human soul and steals life force.

Moreover, it weakens mana and makes it impossible to fight properly.

Even touching the outside of the body has such an effect, but mana had already penetrated inside Gideon’s body.

The effect was even greater because there was no time to resist.

“Gideon Garcia. Lord Gaia always bestows power upon those who follow the truth. Your power is not allowed in front of me, the Hero.”

Rael declared as if to be heard by everyone and raised his Holy Sword.

Divine power poured out from his Holy Sword, and it was like Gaia’s judgment.

“N, no way…”

Gideon’s eyes were bloodshot.

Everything was a lie. Everyone was being deceived.

How dare a Hero use mana, he had to let everyone know this fact!

“How, how can a Hero of the Gaia Order use mana and divine power at the same time…!”

Gideon’s common sense was shattered by what was happening before his eyes.

Clearly, the mana residing in his body originated from Rael.

But divine power was gushing out from his Holy Sword.

“Hmm, I don’t know what nonsense you’re talking about. Can’t you see this divine power? It’s blasphemy to describe Gaia’s punishment as mana.”

Rael smiled.

The mana in Gideon’s body came from Rael’s body.

With Mana Circulation deployed to control all power, he could easily control the aftermath of mana.

“Hoo….”

Rael raised his sword.

There was no aftermath of mana in his body, but controlling enough mana to incapacitate a Sword Master was quite difficult for Rael as well.

“Heavenly Execution Sword, Form 2: Ascending Sky.”

Rael took a step towards Gideon, who was kneeling.

At the same time, the overwhelming power to decorate the finale began to gather in the Holy Sword.