14. The youngest daughter of a famous swordsman (3)
“Then help me.”
Lucia accepted my words at once.
“… Do you know who I am?”
Lucia calmly nodded and explained.
“I saw you talking to the prince earlier.”
So, did you think you could help?
Since it was a proposal from someone who could talk to the prince, it wouldn’t be an empty remark.
You judged a lot in a short moment.
“To be greeted very politely by the princess.”
“… Then the conversation will be faster. However, we cannot blindly help.”
“What do you want from me?”
“Rather than wishing… .”
I caught her blindly because of memory correction, but I still don’t know who this woman is.
Is it really a superman who inherited Lorenzo’s lineage?
If so, why did you hide it?
How did he survive while the Fiorene family was annihilated?
Do you have some kind of relationship with the murderer?
More fundamentally, whether I am the right person to recruit.
There is a lot to know.
“I want to see your skills first.”
“Yes.”
The competition will be held tomorrow, and entries will be accepted until tonight.
So I have some time to check my skills.
Apart from that, the expression of the receptionist who had sharply rejected Lucia hardened awkwardly.
The other side must have heard of my conversation with the prince.
Other than the receptionist, those who heard the conversation cast curious glances at us.
I didn’t expect to get so much attention after coming here… .
“Shall we move first?”
“So be it.”
*
I moved to the large gymnasium with Lucia.
It was a space behind the arena where the tournament was held.
It’s not even a hidden place to look behind it.
Besides Lucia and me, there were quite a few people in training.
Still, the space was wide enough to sit at a distance.
“How can I prove it?”
Lucia asked while raising a sword.
It is a sword with a blunt blade.
It looks like a sword, but it’s like an iron club.
I also answered with a sword.
“I will check it myself.”
“… Are you serious?”
“Because I am a former warrior. It will be fine.”
The weight class that Lucia supports is ‘F~D class warrior or equivalent superman’.
So there is no problem even if I deal with it myself.
“I know.”
It’s nice that the decision was quick, but it’s hard to guess what he was thinking.
“By the way, have you ever competed with someone else? Or something, training period or something like that.”
“Well… . I don’t have enough information to give you. About 15 years since you became a superman? But not a lot of training. Have you ever competed… once?”
A rough estimate emerges.
At first, he didn’t have much ambition as a superman, but he started training late.
“All right.”
Lucia pointed her sword straight at me.
Top stance, aiming at the opponent with hands raised to head height.
Lucia, who slowly closed the distance, slanted down.
I blocked it head-on without spilling or avoiding it.
Lucia entwined her sword and bounced it upwards, returning to her top stance.
From top left, top right posture.
Again, cut deeply down and move naturally to the lower position.
It is a classic movement of Fiorene’s swordsmanship.
A hard and restrained sword whose posture and movement lead directly to the flow of the workshop.
Compared to its temperament, it is a swordsmanship that is the opposite of Kylie’s swordsmanship, which is graceful and soft.
In a way, it is natural
Lorenzo made everything of himself into a system that could be called ‘sword law’, but Kylie doesn’t.
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Just cut and stab as you see and feel.
It is the result of finding a strong opponent, fighting, killing it, and absorbing it at will.
– Kang! Cadeuk!
The swords collided and made a sharp sound.
I didn’t attack, I just focused on defense and evasion.
clumsy, stiff
It was not the restrained hardness unique to Fiorene’s swordsmanship.
Both the body and technique are lacking.
I didn’t swing my sword in the air, probably because I had a good sense of distance, but that was about it.
‘But somehow… . It looks frustrating.’
This is also frustrating, which seems to be a different reason from immaturity.
“Huh… . Suk… !”
Without swinging it a few times, Lucia’s breathing became noticeably rougher.
It’s frustrating for me to hear.
It’s amazing that he’s trying to challenge a duel competition with such stamina, and it’s also surprising that a superman’s physical condition is like this.
Although it is said that he is not immune to diseases, he is a superhuman with extremely high resistance.
What should I do to make my body… .
“stop.”
As soon as my words ran out, Lucia stopped moving.
Sweat pours from her like rain.
The hand that was brushing the flowing hair was skinny and dry, but not only the hand, but also the entire arm was wrapped in a bandage.
That’s not all.
The bandages covering his face were dyed red and yellow.
As if there was pus or ooze beyond it.
“Shak… . great… .”
Lucia breathes with an uncomfortable sound.
It wasn’t this stamina that stopped her.
“Are you doing this on purpose?”
“yes… ?”
“Why don’t you show off what you saw?”
“… … .”
Lucia’s swordsmanship was somewhat unstable.
There was some immaturity or clumsiness that came from lacking skills, but that wasn’t all.
It was unnatural, as if she was forced to move while wearing clothes that didn’t fit.
In that unnatural movement, the pupils were constantly shaking.
I won’t know exactly what’s inside her.
However, I could barely read it in those hesitant eyes.
That there is something else you want.
Every time an attack was blocked by me, I made an expression of regret that there was another way, but I couldn’t do it.
“I don’t know why, and I don’t know exactly the level of the contestants. I don’t think you’ll be able to achieve anything with that poorly hidden skill. If you’re not sincere, it’s hard for me to help.”
“… You have great eyesight.”
Lucia admitted briefly.
“Right. It would be polite to be sincere. It takes some time to prepare… Could you please wait?”
… What do you need to prepare?
“Just try it.”
“yes.”
It’s such a calm conversation that it’s detached.
Even so, he has something to say and is quick to judge.
If it’s special, it’s not special… .
I quietly watched Lucia preparing.
If you look closely, it’s black, but it’s dark purple hair.
Her purple eyes are also slightly darker, closer to grape color.
… grape?
For some reason, it reminds me of Vivian and Helena.
Naturally, I try to stand with Lucia in front of me.
Strawberries, oranges, grapes… .
… What are these fruits?
Lucia struggled to breathe even while lifting a sword, and completed her preparations.
A two-handed sword, two one-handed swords, a round shield large enough to cover the upper body, and a buckler shield slightly larger than a fist.
A long halberd, two hand axes, one great armor dagger, and four throwing daggers.
Even using belts worn on the thighs and forearms, I took care of a lot.
… What the hell is this crazy combination?
I can’t even guess
Are you going to manage all of this with that low level of stamina?
It seems like suffering from what you have on your body?
“Whoa… .”
Lucia, who was armed with weapons all over her body, seemed to find it difficult to stand.
She then took a pill from her bosom and swallowed it.
maybe drugs?
“Isn’t there a ban on drug use in the regulations?”
There are hallucinogens and stimulants to cover up lack of stamina or deteriorating physical condition.
Although it’s up to you to use it in dungeons or on the frontlines.
Shouldn’t it be here?
I don’t want to take someone who is mentally ill to the point of becoming dependent on drugs.
“ah. It’s not that kind of drug.”
Lucia pointed to her face.
“It’s a pain reliever.”
I knew right away what that meant.
Her bandages were already stained uncomfortably red.
“I have also completed inspection of ingredients and usage.”
“Well, if that’s the case.”
Why do I have to carry painkillers… .
“Whoa… .”
Lucia’s breathing became more comfortable as if the medicinal effect had begun to circulate.
“Then, I’ll go.”
Lucia lowered her stance while holding the hatchet and shield.
Are you preparing for a rush?
I’ve already crossed swords a few times before, so I don’t expect much.
If you have something to show, you just have to show it.
Why are you the last survivor?
Why Lorenzo hid Lucia.
i want to know that… .
-bang!
“What… .”
Something flew by, so I held out my sword and blocked it without even having time to think or judge.
It was a shield that covered the entire field of view.
Lucia was holding it.
– Booung!
sound of throwing something.
followed by
-Patchut!
the sound of hitting the ground.
The shield is still stopped at the spot where it collided with my sword.
It was such a brief moment that I couldn’t even remove my shield.
‘A surprise attack with your eyes closed?’
It’s a tricky tactic that the Fiorene family doesn’t have.
below or behind.
With the senses activated promptly, it is invisible but predicted by sound.
‘under.’
Something cuts through the air and aims at my ankle.
As soon as I put my shield aside, I retreated from a distance with a back tumble.
– Tsut!
The point of the halberd’s spear grazed the spot where I was.
Even that didn’t mean to cut or stab me.
He hung a halberd blade on the back of his foot and tried to pull it off.
“Suddenly, it’s so different… .”
Moment.
Her figure entered, holding halberds in both hands.
One hatchet stuck to his waist.
The two hatchets I brought with me when I was preparing.
What were you holding at first?
The sound of something thrown earlier… .
I stopped thinking and left my seat immediately.
Right after that, a hatchet fell from the sky on the spot where I was standing.
‘Predicted and set?’
Scared to dodge, Lucia raked the floor with the blade of her halberd and sprinkled sand.
Ocher-colored sand covered Lucia.
Right before being covered, she was in a javelin stance.
‘crazy… .’
– Booung!
A halberd flew in, penetrating the center of the dust that covered the son-in-law in a circle.
As soon as I dodged to the side, Lucia jumped out of the sand dust.
– Kwadeuk!
I reflexively blocked the two-handed sword I swung.
Totally different from before.
Swordsmanship, swordplay, posture, etc., I’m not bound by those things at all.
It’s so rough that it’s ignorant.
Even in the midst of that, he is faithful to very basic swordsmanship.
While intertwining the swords, he did not try to give and take a clumsy sum.
Properly measure strength and balance and aim for gaps.
Lucia momentarily twisted her body and let go of one hand.
The narrowly contested balance collapses.
In the slow feeling time, I couldn’t stand it.
But I got curious.
If I follow her flow here, what awaits me next.
I pretended to be slightly shaken, but a fist flew straight away.
As I lowered my stance to avoid it, something caught on the back of my neck.
‘hand?’
Lucia, who emptied both hands before she knew it, grabbed me by the scruff of my neck.
Hold on to the lowered position and take a knee shot toward the face.
Boldness that never hesitates to throw away weapons even when fighting with weapons.
-widely!
After blocking it with the palm of his hand, he stepped back.
Lucia didn’t stop.
Buy time by throwing the two daggers stuck in your thighs.
‘Is emptying both hands counted… .’
The sword was thrown into the air, and it fell into Lucia’s hand just as I was about to throw the dagger away.
Lucia, holding the sword again, charged.
– Kang!
Compared to the swords clashing with sparks, Lucia’s gaze was infinitely calm.
Even though my breathing has become rough due to the violent movement, my coldly calm eyes stare straight at me.
I tried to fight back in the sense of testing her.
The stabbing sword spilled to the side, and the handle was pulled upward to bring out the sword.
That moment.
Her eyes moved precisely and quickly.
I scan my shoulders, my gaze, and my sword.
‘Wow… .’
When it exceeds a certain level, it becomes possible to divide and write one second.
The perceived time slows down, and the eyes and body become sensitive, allowing you to feel the time delicately.
0.1, 0.2, 0.3, … up to 1 second.
If you can catch that moment like a strand, recognize it and move it, you can move in a time different from others.
And if you go one step further than that and can divide 0.1 seconds again, you will transcend the realm of humans.
It’s an area I can never reach.
0.01, 0.02, … up to 0.1.
The time gathered like that is 0.2, 0.3, … up to 1.
It’s not something anyone can do.
Talent and hard work can be achieved only when both are trained to the limit.
And now, I glimpsed the fragment of transcendence.
One second is split into countless pieces, and the split pieces are split into countless pieces again to be recognized and used.
After deciding that brief moment, Lucia leaned out and pushed the sword away.
Of course, my counterattack was destroyed.
‘It’s not like I know it, but the physical that I see and destroy at that moment… .’
Now, taking a few steps back, Lucia catches her breath.
coveted
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Just, I’m genuinely curious.
How will I grow if I manage this absurd talent?
how far will i go
what would you like to show
The amount of training is small, and I’ve only competed once, but this is it… .
I remember the first time I met Kylie.
The one with the most selfish and overwhelming talent in the monstrous 1st Hero Party.
He was so selfish, I even collapsed when I saw him in the 3rd playthrough.
To think that he could reach that level without proper training or management.
However, it is also a talent that can be understood when connected to the appearance of the second playthrough.
Power and skills that open up terrain by swinging a sword.
The ability of the body to be able to clean up the level of chores with just one breath.
‘okay… . I had no choice but to admit it.’
It should be like this.
It has to be at this level to be the first of the thirteen evils.
I thought so.
The first of the thirteen evils that turned the world upside down.
The person who opened the era of heroes and villains in the second half of the war.
As a villain, he terrified everyone.
He was also admired by everyone as a hero.
One evil, Kylie.
A seed that reminds me of my first meeting with her, nicknamed ‘arrogant hypocrite’.
Now, it was right in front of my eyes.
“Whoa… .”
As Lucia regained her posture, I tensed up as well.
Talent equal to or higher than Kylie’s.
However, the conclusion is slightly different.
Kylie’s talent is an explosive burst of power.
On the other hand, Lucia’s strength is not outstanding, although it may be because of her physical condition.
Its strengths are its razor-like senses, combat sense, and complex number fights.
The moment Lucia kicks the ground again.
-thud!
she fell forward
“… Lucia?”
what.
Is this the former?
pretending to be dead?
I couldn’t be more careful because I had just seen it.
I cautiously approached and touched it with the side of the sword.
Doesn’t even move.
“What… .”
breathing is heard
If he was pretending to be dead, he would have hidden his breath, so he put down his weapon and flipped Lucia over.
Lucia, who showed her face, had passed out with a nosebleed.
It seems that the body could not bear the load.
“… I will turn.”
I had no choice but to carry Lucia on my back.
can’t leave it like this
If you take her to Fiorene Castle, there will be family members and servants.
***
That was the memory of one day.
‘What? This trivial technique.’
Ian taught Kylie a technique.
He couldn’t pull it off perfectly, and it wasn’t a skill that matched Kylie’s swordsmanship very well.
‘What is it? It tells you not to die.’
‘As the days go by, the intensity of bullshit is getting thicker.’
‘Don’t be cocky.’
‘Just go away.’
There were days like that.
“… … .”
And Kylie, just after using the technique for the first time in a very long time, just to test it out.
A cluttered, even slightly obscene technique.
I didn’t like it more because it was more inconvenient to manage mana than before.
Not only did the common wall collide with the sword strike, but it was even pierced sharply.
“Who dies, who dies… . On a subject that is weaker than me… .”
Kylie pulled out the magic stone with a single leap and came down.
It was no secret that those who saw her skills were in awe and admiration.
I am not at all happy to see them staring at me.
It just reminds me of Ian.
so i was annoyed
“Fuck… .”
And, Kylie came to this place without even getting rid of her drunkenness.
That kind of self was so pathetic.
‘If I kill him, will things get better… .’
I don’t know where it is, but I can find it if I want to find it.
However, after finding it, can it really be killed?
While hesitating several times.
“… … .”
Kylie buried her unanswered questions in her drunkenness.