The Return Of The Genius Ranker Of All Times [EN]: Chapter 254

254.

KWA-BOOM!

Jihad frowned at the shockwave that swept through the training room and shouted,

“What happened?”

“Liza!”

“It doesn’t seem like the match is over yet?”

“I think so too.”

Astwa muttered beside Jihad, and Charlie agreed with him.

They had been watching separately, without interacting, but at some point, they became one and were spectating together.

It was that breathtaking of a duel.

And the end of that duel was not yet decided.

The two silhouettes visible through the thick dust were not fallen.

“Still, I guess the tide has turned.”

“Indeed.”

However, it seemed it would be decided soon.

As the dust cleared, what was revealed was a snowstorm split in half by the Sword Saint’s sword, and within it, a white lion collapsing and gasping for breath.

And behind it, Do-hyun was staggering.

He had been cut, along with the white lion, by a sword strike that seemed to cleave space, suffering a grievous wound.

“Is that even possible!?”

“Li, Liza…….”

“That’s just swordsmanship.”

As Jihad and Eliza stared with their mouths open at the sight they were seeing for the first time, Astwa smirked beside them.

“You guys are seeing this for the first time, huh? That’s what happens when you train swordsmanship to the extreme. Among them, that guy’s quick-draw technique is amazing. It cuts through magic and everything.”

“……Is that possible?”

Astwa answered Charlie’s question casually.

“There’s no reason why it shouldn’t be. They’re signature sword techniques, after all. It’s just absurd that that guy created those signature sword techniques.”

“Indeed… worthy of being the Lord’s companions. He is an amazing person.”

The Sword Saint is an unprecedented user who has filled most of their skill slots with swordsmanship.

The fact that four of those skills are signature sword techniques that she created is already known to most users.

And she has trained all those sword techniques to the extreme.

As if that wasn’t enough, she seeks out new sword techniques, and if she can’t obtain them as signature sword techniques, she learns them with her body rather than skills and uses them.

As a result of her fanatical obsession with swordsmanship, she has reached a position where no one can match her with a sword.

“That’s no longer just a concept. He’s a guy who sincerely wants to see the end of the sword.”

“……There have been quite a few times when I wondered if it was right to package it that way. Is it normal to sit cross-legged under a waterfall and meditate? And the skill names are Supreme Overlord Sword and Quick-Draw… sigh, it’s all because he’s addicted to martial arts novels, isn’t it?”

“Ahem, ahem. Please be quiet. Let me maintain some gravitas in front of these guys.”

“They probably can’t hear us. Are their ears that good? Surely not.”

“……We can hear everything. Let’s pretend we didn’t hear, Eliza.”

“Lizariliza.”

Jihad and his group were trying to play dumb, but they were quite shocked.

They thought the Lord’s companions would be amazing, but seeing them in person, they were even more so.

However, it was still too early to judge.

“By the way… I felt it during the raid too, but Kaiser’s swordsmanship is also formidable. Seeing that he couldn’t cut through that much.”

“Indeed. It’s not magic, so does that mean it’s pure physical power?”

“Where did he learn something so strange again? How much stronger is he trying to become?”

That’s because even the Sword Saint’s quick-draw technique couldn’t withstand Do-hyun’s attack, and the traces of it were revealed without filtering.

Thud.

In front of Do-hyun, who barely managed to keep his balance, the floor and walls were shattered as if a bomb had exploded.

It was the aftermath of the Second Form of the Inverse Heaven Art, Destruction.

As a skill that has established itself as the strongest damage dealer, it has a power that is nothing short of proud, but Do-hyun’s eyes narrowed with dissatisfaction as he looked at it.

“Excellent swordsmanship, Kaiser. To think there was such swordsmanship… as expected, the world of swords is vast and endless.”

“……You didn’t even hit me, what are you talking about.”

“No one would willingly take such a slow-casting swordsmanship. It would have been dangerous if I had been hit.”

The explosive power didn’t even touch a single hair on the Sword Saint’s head.

‘As expected, is it useless unless I apply a bind?’

A fraudulent swordsmanship that shatters everything in its path, unless the difference in level is too great.

The damage is also very outstanding, but the difficulty of hitting is extremely high.

You can only hit it if they openly take the hit like during the Guardian fight, or if you create a situation where they have no choice but to take the hit.

“It seems like it’s time to finish this. It was a pleasant duel, Kaiser.”

The Sword Saint was sincere as she said that.

She had properly experienced the true nature of the new swordsmanship, and it was a more thrilling duel than she had expected.

There was no reason not to be satisfied.

But that was her perspective, and Do-hyun was not yet satisfied.

His life force was already at its bottom, and there were no more hidden cards to be used as swordsmanship, but

‘Is it over like this? Who decided that?’

He had properly grasped the shortcomings of the Second Form, Destruction.

He had to gain at least a little bit of a way to overcome this.

No, before that, he felt like he had to land at least one hit. He couldn’t save face if he was completely defeated like this.

Thud. Swish-

As Do-hyun took another step and circulated his energy, the Sword Saint swung her sword.

That alone stopped his steps.

The second disadvantage of the Second Form, Destruction.

“A form that explodes the energy of Mount Tai [a mountain in China, often used metaphorically for immense pressure or force], obtained by continuing steps through the previous form, in one place.”

“…….”

“It’s definitely a great form, but it’s just a form that can be stopped if you don’t let it be linked. It’s the end, Kaiser.”

It was indeed like the Sword Saint to grasp the principle of swordsmanship and deal with it after seeing it just once.

Inverse Heaven Art would no longer work on her, unless it was someone else.

Her air superiority was absolute.

[Inverse Heaven Art]

[Using the First Form, Beginning.]

But Do-hyun took another step.

It wasn’t just stubbornness.

Because the opponent was the Sword Saint, he could rather research ways to compensate for his weaknesses.

If it works on her, it means it will work on most people, right?

Swish- Whoosh-

Swoosh-

Swinging the sword, stabbing, and shifting his footwork.

Even though she was interfering to prevent him from continuing his footwork, Do-hyun stubbornly moved his steps.

Utilizing parrying and her unique distance control, he somehow moved forward, and as a result, the frequency of overlapping energy was gradually increasing.

Thud. Thump.

But eventually, the third time was the limit.

Even though the energy that had scattered and disappeared in vain was enough to exhaust him, Do-hyun didn’t care and started over from the beginning.

Rather, the Sword Saint, who was watching him, clicked her tongue.

‘Amazing concentration… that’s not just stubbornness or persistence.’

He is definitely trying something.

That was the look in the eyes of someone who only sees the sword and himself in the world.

That’s why, perhaps, the Sword Saint could see it.

Swoosh.

Do-hyun’s posture was gradually stabilizing.

From the width of his stride to the hand holding the sword, even the breath he took in and out.

Everything was becoming more and more perfectly systematized.

It was clear that there was nothing to criticize, but the moment he took the next step, an even more perfect footwork was taken.

Subtle differences were gathering to create a big result.

“That monster. He’s growing again in the midst of all this.”

“That bastard… he’s making my body tingle again. I have to fight him after this, I can’t help it. I’m getting a feeling.”

“Ugh, those talented bastards. How can ordinary people live without feeling wronged?”

The Empress, who could be said to be an outsider in this field, even admired the sight, and the Empress cracked her knuckles.

Her brown eyes were gradually turning red.

The Empress’s body trembled with excitement, as if expressing her desire to intervene with her whole body.

Regardless, Do-hyun was in a state of selflessness.

Thud, Swish-

Whoosh.

Since when?

In the midst of repeated failures, a message appeared in front of him as he repeatedly reorganized without giving up.

[The tenacity reacts to the strong will to overcome.]

[The tenacity that was dormant inside is activated.]

[As long as you don’t give up, tenacity will give strength to your will.]

‘Tenacity…….’

The enhanced reward he received from the Guardian.

The effect that had never been activated since then was finally activated.

At the same time, a strange sensation was felt.

Thud.

The sound of a drop of water falling from deep inside echoed, and a faint sense of refreshment settled in his body that had reached its limit.

It was like when an athlete who has reached his limit in the ring is enduring with his mental strength. Would you say it gave him the strength to throw one more punch?

Or would you say it’s closer to pouring a sip of water on someone who is exhausted from thirst and about to collapse, so that they can cross the desert?

“……!”

The last handful to move forward.

It felt like that handful, which he couldn’t reach even if he tried his best, was pushing him from behind.

That was a handful that broke the limit.

And people grow when they break their limits.

Thud.

“The fourth step……!”

The moment he succeeded in taking the step he had been failing all along.

The Sword Saint’s eyes widened, and she quickly lowered her body and dug in.

It was an instinctive judgment. And it could be said that it was a very appropriate judgment.

His step, which he had taken more perfectly than ever before, could no longer be stopped by simply swinging his sword lightly.

But.

[Breaking the limit, the path to the next form is opened.]

[You have seen a part of the next realm.]

[The image of the Third Form is faintly visible.]

‘Ah. This is……?’

Do-hyun’s swordsmanship was already being completed.

Something was faintly visible through the foggy vision. It was a new realm different from anything so far.

Before his head could grasp it, his body reacted first.

Swish-

Half-focused eyes.

Limp back.

But the Sword Saint was startled and widened her eyes at the eerie energy that was proportional to it.

Tatt!

When she came to her senses, she had retreated far back.

‘……Why did I?’

She couldn’t understand why she had retreated.

It was just an instinctive action. Her gut was telling her. It would be dangerous to go any further.

It was something she couldn’t believe even though she felt it herself.

The difference in specs between Kaiser and herself was not at a level that could be overturned with skill.

Not to mention that it was not a sparring match, but a swordsmanship duel.

‘But I felt it was dangerous.’

She had had numerous swordsmanship duels with Kaiser since the Demonic Mercenary days, but it was a sensation she had never felt even once.

An appalling thing had happened.

She could be sure.

Her longtime companion was breaking a mold and growing.

‘This is fun, Kaiser.’

At that, the Sword Saint rather drew a smile on her lips.

Kaiser’s growth was interesting, but she was even feeling excited about what kind of swordsmanship he would show, as she couldn’t even grasp his posture.

“I’ll have to take it seriously too.”

Feeling her chest heating up, the Sword Saint took a stance.

Among the four signature sword techniques she created, the last one and the secret technique.

It was a technique that she usually didn’t take out because she couldn’t control her power well, but she was planning to take it out after a long time.

Swish-

The sword also takes a stance and calms its breath.

She was one with the sword.

More calm and serene than ever, but the moment you make eye contact, you feel a chill down your neck.

Like an executioner who oversees those who have put their necks on the execution stand. Just as she was about to slowly lower her body as she looked down coldly.

“Stop it. Are you planning to destroy your old master’s training room?”

A heavy voice that cut through the murderous aura.

The Sword Saint’s eyes returned to normal as if nothing had happened the moment she heard the kind but powerful voice.

That was the same for Do-hyun.

The focus returned to his blurry eyes, and his limp back straightened.

“……Huh?”

“Crazy.”

When he came to his senses, what he heard was the astonished reactions of the Empress and Astwa, and the moment he turned his head, he immediately understood the reactions.

An old man with white hair and wrinkles, with a kind impression, standing in front of the training room door.

The old man, who had long grown a beard that had turned white like his hair, was someone Do-hyun knew well.

“……Sword Emperor.”

The sword of the Seven Rivers.

The greatest swordsman on the continent, Sword Emperor Garfield Drew.

A figure of unprecedented caliber was looking down on everyone, making eye contact.