The Bastard Swordsman Of The Imperial Guard [EN]: Chapter 198

Thump- Thump-

Ra-El’s heart began to pound.

An inexplicable sensation enveloped Ra-El’s body.

‘This is…?’

The Thousand Slaughter Sword Lord’s sword.

The Sword of Yeokcheon [Overturning Heaven] was both still and eerie, thrashing as if to erase Ra-El’s very existence.

Even without its full power revealed, the pressure was immense.

Ra-El swallowed hard, gazing at the Thousand Slaughter Sword Lord.

“Ra-El, what is your origin?”

“…Excuse me? What are you suddenly talking about?”

“The Sword of Yeokcheon is a weapon to face the Demon King, a monster that dominates the demons beyond Alheim. And the four forms of the Thousand Slaughter Sword I taught you, they are all for the Sword of Yeokcheon. You remember them all, I presume.”

“I remember them.”

“But simply combining the four forms of the Thousand Slaughter Sword will not lead you to the realm of Yeokcheon.”

Sreung-

A dark sword aura was etched onto the Thousand Slaughter Sword Lord’s blade.

It was a sword he had shown only once when he demonstrated all his swordsmanship.

‘It certainly looks no different from usual.’

The Thousand Slaughter Sword Lord was still an old man with sparse white hair.

Only the light of the sword he held seemed a bit stronger.

But why?

Ra-El felt as if he were standing before a vast ocean.

Like a great force of nature that humans could not contend with, the Thousand Slaughter Sword Lord’s sword exuded an overwhelming pressure that Ra-El felt he could not withstand.

Ra-El, who had defeated Gideon, the Empire’s greatest swordsman, was hailed as a hero of the Gaia Order, and had statues erected in his honor.

Yet, he still could not reach the Thousand Slaughter Sword Lord standing before him.

The level was different.

Ra-El realized that fact once again.

“Watch closely, Ra-El. This is the Fifth Form of the Thousand Slaughter Sword, Yeokcheon.”

The Thousand Slaughter Sword Lord spoke in a whisper as he raised his sword.

In an instant, the Thousand Slaughter Sword Lord’s sword, raised from below, pointed towards the sky.

Hwaaa-

At the same time.

The sky split.

An unreal phenomenon where a black line was drawn across the blue sky.

The ultimate swordsmanship that a human who had reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship could display.

It was clearly the second time seeing this scene, but Ra-El’s perspective now was completely different from what it was back then.

Ra-El watched the sky split and gained an even stronger inspiration than before.

“This is Yeokcheon…”

A thrill ran through his entire body.

Ra-El unknowingly drew Seomgwang [Flash of Light].

He coated it with Ipcheon [Embracing Heaven], the strongest sword aura he knew, but only felt a greater thirst.

“The Fifth Form of the Thousand Slaughter Sword, Yeokcheon. This sword is missing one last step.”

“Are you saying there’s something lacking in this sword?”

Ra-El looked at the sky in surprise.

The sky, split in two, was slowly merging back together, regaining its original form.

Yeokcheon had cut through a massive force of nature that seemed impossible to resist.

“The path you have walked as a swordsman your entire life. That is the final piece to completing Yeokcheon.”

The Thousand Slaughter Sword is a sword to slay the Demon King.

However, the forms of swordsmanship that the Thousand Slaughter Sword possesses end with the four forms.

Yeokcheon is about combining all of that and adding the swordsman’s origin.

The Fifth Form of the Thousand Slaughter Sword, Yeokcheon, contains the path he has walked as a swordsman his entire life.

The Thousand Slaughter Sword Lord could no longer imbue his path into Yeokcheon.

It is a sword that must be used only once.

When faced with an insurmountable Demon King.

“…That’s difficult to understand.”

Origin, you say.

Ra-El had never thought about such a thing.

He had lived for what he wanted, for what he wanted to do.

Even if you talk about origin, it doesn’t really resonate.

“That’s why the Thousand Slaughter Sword I showed you is an incomplete swordsmanship. Ra-El. You must imbue your power into the Thousand Slaughter Sword. Ipcheon, Seungcheon [Ascending Heaven], Dapcheon [Treading Heaven], Swaecheon [Shattering Heaven]. Combine all the enlightenment of those swords with the path you have walked. Ra-El. What is a sword to you?”

What is a sword to him?

To Ra-El, the sword was not just a simple weapon.

He had taken countless lives with this sword.

Cutting down someone and taking their life, what was it for?

Numerous thoughts flooded Ra-El’s mind.

Ra-El forcibly cut off the unorganized thoughts.

“It will be confusing. But, do not deny the flow of the times. Ra-El. You are born with the qualities of a hero.”

“…I’m tired of hearing that.”

Ra-El shook his head.

Now that he had become a hero of the Gaia Order, he was just tired of hearing the word hero.

“Ra-El, do you remember what I said when I first met you?”

“…Yes. You said I was an enigmatic being.”

Back when the old man was spouting strange things from their first meeting, Ra-El never imagined that his future would turn out like this.

Looking back now, the Thousand Slaughter Sword Lord had a very good eye.

“The Thousand Slaughter Sword can only be taught to those who are prepared. Ra-El. You are already prepared. Imbue the path you have walked into the sword. That will open the path to Yeokcheon.”

The Thousand Slaughter Sword Lord looked straight into Ra-El’s eyes.

His eyes were filled with deep belief.

*

Late at night.

The night in the capital of the Karmen Empire was still bright.

This was because they were endlessly busy, from the upcoming imperial coronation ceremony to the continuous visits of high-ranking nobles.

Demon King Mistra.

She quietly surveyed the streets, buried in darkness.

Dark alleys contrasted with bright streets.

Nobles preparing for the upcoming festival and commoners praying to sleep safely tonight, regardless of who the emperor was.

And even the bright moon illuminating it all.

Mistra liked nights like this.

“Hmph-. You were hiding in a place like this, making it hard to find you. I don’t know what’s so good about these gloomy places.”

A sweet voice came from behind Mistra.

She had known he was behind her for a while, but she could never get used to this scent.

Feeling the humid energy and the strong smell of perfume, Mistra slowly turned her head.

“Mistra, aren’t you going to say anything to me even after seeing me?”

“Aren’t you the one with business to discuss?”

Mistra replied, sounding annoyed.

The Incubus Calliope.

She had known he was crazy for a while.

But with Lucifer foolishly sealed away and Kaiman, the easiest to handle among the Abyss demons, gone.

She couldn’t ignore Calliope.

“Ahaha. Your personality is still the same. I really like that about you. I can invite you into my dreams anytime you want, Mistra.”

“Stop with the useless talk. The disgusting flab seems to be gone, but I don’t want to volunteer to be your slave.”

“Hehe. How amusing.”

Calliope smiled and approached Mistra.

“I’m going to make the Ghost King go berserk soon. You know that, right?”

“Yes. I think I was supposed to take care of that, so what do you want to talk about?”

“I can’t miss such a good opportunity.”

Calliope stood next to Mistra and looked at the capital of the Empire.

The sight was boring to him, but Mistra liked things like this.

“Mistra, how long are you going to stay under Maledrakh’s thumb?”

“…What are you trying to say, Calliope?”

“The Demon King’s power comes from fear.”

Calliope slowly moved his feet.

Just as Lucifer made contracts that he could never escape, just as Mistra never got caught in the depths of darkness, just as Calliope created and controlled countless slaves, just as Maledrakh looked down on the entire continent with countless eyes.

The Demon King’s power comes from fearing something overwhelming.

In a way, it’s like worshiping a god.

The reason a god exists as a god is because of belief.

The reason a Demon King becomes a Demon King is because of fear.

The reason demons and Demon Kings have different powers is because of fear.

“Maledrakh has ruled Alheim for hundreds of years. Thanks to that, no matter what we do, the fear created from it goes to Maledrakh.”

Thanks to the power accumulated over hundreds of years and the strong recognition embedded in the demons, Maledrakh grew stronger just by breathing.

And Calliope didn’t like that very much.

“Even if you make the Ghost King go berserk and I swallow the Empire. All that power will flow to Maledrakh. Are you really satisfied with that?”

The power that can be possessed as a Demon King.

Calliope wanted even stronger power.

More than anyone, he wanted to be above everyone else.

“…What are you trying to say, Calliope?”

“Ghost King Yacha. With her, we can be reborn.”

The abnormal power that the Ghost King possesses.

If they had that, Calliope and Mistra could also transcend their limits.

In one fell swoop, they would be able to reach Maledrakh.

A Demon King was such an existence.

When humans revere gods, demons fear Demon Kings.

The greater the fear, the stronger they become, beings that are the opposite of human gods.

“All I want is to become the master of a new era. Mistra. You can come with me too.”

“…”

Mistra’s eyes, buried in the darkness, cautiously shone.

Mistra.

Before she was a Demon King, she was a demon.

The nature and greed dormant in her body could never be hidden.

“That foolish story… I’ll listen a little more.”

“Very well thought out, Mistra.”

Calliope gave a sinister smile.

*

“…Tsk.”

Ra-El clicked his tongue and lowered his sword.

The Thousand Slaughter Sword Lord had only been gone for an hour at most.

But Ra-El felt like he had aged 10 years in that time.

“The path I have walked….”

In fact, compared to when he was learning the Thousand Slaughter Sword until now, it might not be such a difficult problem.

‘Cut as if you have become the sky.’

‘Prove your sword to the sky, the sun, and the moon as if whispering to them. And cut while ascending to the sky.’

‘In the realm of Seungcheon, borrow the magic power of the sky, and in the realm of Dapcheon, you must step on and transcend the sky.’

‘The Fourth Form of the Thousand Slaughter Sword, Swaecheon. It is a sword that pierces through a thousand stars.’

Think about the nonsense he had heard from the Thousand Slaughter Sword Lord until now.

Surprisingly, the enlightenment to handle Yeokcheon might not be difficult.

‘But… it somehow feels more difficult.’

Ra-El sat down on a nearby chair with that thought.

“Should I ask Commander Rain about swordsmanship after a long time?”

He was an unreliable person in many ways, but when asked about swordsmanship, he gave surprisingly good answers.

Or there’s the Sword Dragon, and the Jeongcheon Alliance Lord.

‘No. That’s not it….’

Ra-El shook his head.

Was it even possible to ask someone else about the path he had walked?

At least the path to reaching the Sword of Yeokcheon had to be walked alone by Ra-El.

The Thousand Slaughter Sword Lord would want that too.

“…The path I have walked.”

Suddenly, the reason why Ra-El was going through this hardship came to mind.

Why was he becoming a hero of the Gaia Order to defeat Alheim, who was trying to invade the continent, and standing at the forefront of the allied forces?

‘To protect my home.’

Ra-El’s home.

To protect the orphanage.

The reason Ra-El cleaned up all of District 4, became the captain of the guard, and became a hero.

In the end, there was only one purpose.

“Hoo, should I get out of here for now? If I go outside, the stuffy feeling will disappear a bit.”

Ra-El stretched and got up from the chair.

No matter what he thought, it didn’t connect properly. It seemed like he needed a break first.

At that time.

Thud thud thud thud-

An elf holding branches in both hands ran from the other side.

…..na?

Ra-El saw the elf running and the fox hanging around her neck like a scarf.

Reina stopped in front of Ra-El in an instant and held out both hands.

“Ra-El! Here, I’ve come prepared for perfect training! I’ve even prepared branches from the World Tree, so I can help with any training!”

Reina, holding branches from the World Tree in both hands, smiled in front of Ra-El’s eyes.

Her eyes were sparkling, wondering what to expect.

Ra-El stared at Reina blankly and opened his mouth.

“I’m sorry, but I’m not in the mood to train.”

“No way! Do you know how hard I prepared because of you! I even changed my clothes!”

“Who told you to prepare? I didn’t plan on training with you, you know?”

Ra-El unknowingly let out a hollow laugh.

Thanks to this foolish elf suddenly appearing and doing strange things, the stuffy feeling disappeared a bit.

“But, but…! Weren’t we going to train?!”

“The training is over. I have something to worry about. I need some time alone.”

“Worry? Aha, you need meditation! Then shall we go to the World Tree in the Elven forest together? Elves fall into meditation in their hometown.”

Gooo-

Reina closed her eyes and gathered both hands as if praying.

Natural magic power bloomed from her body like a mist.

It was the Elven way of meditation.

“Meditation in my hometown… Hmm.”

One thought flashed through Ra-El’s mind after hearing Reina’s words.

In the end, all of this was to protect the orphanage.

Then, wouldn’t it be good to spend some time at the orphanage for now?

Ra-El originally visited the orphanage when he had any worries.

Most of his worries disappeared when he played with the children.

Maybe this time too, the orphanage would help him recall his path.

“That’s not bad. Reina. I think my worries have been resolved a bit thanks to you.”

“Really? Then, are we going to the World Tree?”

“No. I’ll go to the World Tree later.”

Ra-El immediately ran towards the entrance of the special guard.

He had to find his path before this feeling disappeared.

“…Huh.”

And Reina blinked, staring blankly at his retreating figure.

[That foolish elf! You even changed your clothes, but you can’t even catch one human man.]

Haaa- Haaa-

Bermeil III, who was around Reina’s neck, hissed as if frustrated, but Reina soon smiled.

“Bermeil III, that’s a relief. I think I was helpful to Ra-El. Still, humans are so impatient. Is it because their lifespan is short?”

[Go and catch him now!]

Haaa- Haaa-

“Are you happy too, Bermeil III?”

Reina hugged Bermeil III happily.

The training preparations ended up being useless, but she was satisfied with that because it seemed like Ra-El was in a good mood.

Bermeil III shook his head and snuggled into Reina’s arms.

She wasn’t very smart, but she was a pretty elf, so he decided to stay with this elf for the time being.