Chapter 3

The Swordsmanship Genius Possessed by a God — Chapter 3

__________________

Outside the warehouse, everything was in chaos.

Lucas had not spared the bandits who had dared to kidnap a member of the Vishken bloodline. He had cut down every bandit who stood in his way.

Looking at the bandits' corpses scattered outside, Allen shouted toward the warehouse he had just left.

“You bastards should be thanking me!”

At least none of the bandits who had fought him had died.

The surviving bandits were handed over to the guards of the neighboring kingdom.

When Lucas presented the identification plaque that marked him as a swordsman of Vishken, the guards promptly rushed toward the bandits' stronghold.

Watching the guards disappear into the distance, Lucas spoke.

“That was unnecessary mercy.”

“Huh?”

“I'm talking about sparing those bandits.”

Apparently, he assumed Allen had spared the bandits because he was too softhearted.

“Everyone struggles with their first kill. I'm not telling you to kill everyone indiscriminately. I'm saying that if killing one person can save two, you must not hesitate.”

Allen looked bewildered at the continued lecture. There seemed to be a misunderstanding.

Come to think of it.

‘At this point, had I never killed anyone before?’

It had been so long ago that he couldn't even remember such trivial details.

Then again, having never even gone on a proper mission, when would he have experienced a real battle where lives were at stake?

‘I must really look like a complete novice.’

Allen gave an awkward smile, looking somewhat embarrassed.

The disgrace of the Vishken family, someone who could even fall victim to mere bandits. That was exactly how people saw him now.

Meanwhile, Lucas continued lecturing him about the spirit of a swordsman, actual combat, and all sorts of other things.

‘Is he angry? Or is he worried about me?’

In the past, he had hated listening to these lectures. He had even thought his brother disliked him.

Who in the family would ever like someone like me? That sense of victimhood had always been deeply ingrained in him. He had assumed his brother was no different.

But now that he had returned after living longer than Lucas, and even longer than their father, he could finally see things that had been invisible to him back then.

‘My brother never hated me.’

Even while being lectured, Allen couldn't help smiling.

Seeing Allen grinning instead of hanging his head, Lucas stopped his lecture and asked,

“...What's so funny?”

“Nothing. I'm just happy.”

“Happy?”

“Thanks to those bandits, I got to travel far away from the family estate with you, Brother.”

“We did not come here on a trip.”

“If we're far away from home, it's a trip. Isn't it?”

“Don't be ridiculous.”

Allen noticed the corners of his brother's mouth rise ever so slightly. Apparently, he didn't mind the silly remarks.

Just then, Allen abruptly brought up something related to the mission.

“Information about this suppression mission was leaked.”

“...?”

“It was a trap. The men waiting at the bandits' stronghold had surrounded the area in advance with dozens of loaded heavy crossbows.”

Lucas's expression hardened at the sudden explanation.

“Bandits aren't the sort to maintain such tight security. Besides, heavy crossbows are equipment used by the kingdom's military.”

From that explanation alone, Lucas realized something was amiss.

“The fact that military weapons were involved means someone deliberately interfered with a Vishken mission. But why? Of all the missions Vishken accepted, yours was of the lowest importance.”

“The mission itself probably wasn't what mattered.”

“Are you saying they were targeting you?”

“Probably.”

Lucas's expression grew even more serious at Allen's answer.

His silence suggested that many thoughts were running through his mind. Apparently, he had some suspicions of his own.

After a brief pause, Lucas spoke.

“If that's the case, we shouldn't have simply handed those bastards over to the kingdom's guards. We should have captured and interrogated them to obtain information.”

“I already got the information. You saw earlier, didn't you? How thoroughly I beat the hell out of them.”

That was a lie. There was no information he could have obtained from the bandits.

But Allen already knew who was behind it. More importantly, the mastermind would not stop after this one attempt.

“...Why are you suddenly telling me this?”

“Something like this should be brought up when the mood is good. If I said it while you were lecturing me, it'd sound like I was making excuses.”

“Do you seriously think that's an excuse for—”

At a loss for words, Lucas let out a quiet sigh before speaking.

“I'll have to ask Father to investigate. Whether such a trap really existed, and if it did, where the problem originated.”

“No.”

“What do you mean, no?”

“This is my mission. Overcoming unexpected complications like that was part of my responsibility.”

“That's true, but... are you saying you'll just let it go?”

“No. That would just be running away from the problem. And telling Father would be tattling.”

“Don't tell me you're—”

“That's right.”

After returning to the past, Allen had decided on his first goal.

“My mission isn't over yet.”

_____________________

When the sun set and night fell, the two found lodgings for the night.

Separate rooms at the most luxurious inn in the vicinity.

Allen beamed at the accommodations, where he could use as much hot water as he wanted and enjoy a warm meal.

Flop.

After washing with hot water and returning to his room, Allen threw himself onto the bed.

A full stomach, a clean body, and a soft bed.

It was nothing short of paradise.

“This is nice—”

After indulging in the happiness with his entire body for a while, Allen calmly began organizing his future plans in greater detail.

‘First, I need to establish my position within the family.’

He was the only one who knew the future concerning the demons.

Should he share that future with his father and the others?

That would be utter madness. He might only draw the attention of the demons hiding across the continent and end up dying a pointless death.

For now, establishing his position within the family came first. Only then would his words carry weight, and only then could he prepare for what was to come.

What did he need to do to accomplish that?

As Allen sorted through various plans in his mind, he suddenly stretched his hand toward the ceiling.

“...Is that really all I can do?”

A hand covered in thick calluses.

Born with a body that was innately incapable of possessing mana, the only thing he could do was train like a madman.

In his previous life, he had been fortunate enough to meet an extraordinary master and reach a certain level of skill, but that had been his limit.

The limitations of a human born with the Curse of Mana Deprivation were clear.

“I want to become stronger.”

The Demon King's face came to mind.

Just thinking about that bastard made his heart ache.

He couldn't even picture himself daring to fight him.

“...Strong enough to defeat that bastard.”

If he could achieve that, he would be able to change everything.

It was then.

—There is a way.

Inside the empty room.

He heard the same voice he had heard earlier in the bandits' warehouse.

—If you become me.

Lurch.

His vision turned white, and his consciousness began to fade.

As he lost consciousness, Allen thought,

This feels similar to when I died.

[You have obtained the heart of an unknown entity.]

_______________

Allen opened his eyes.

He was in a place so dark that not a single ray of light could be seen.

If he had awakened somewhere like this just a few hours earlier, he probably would have been terribly confused. But Allen interpreted the situation differently.

“So it really was all a dream?”

Instead, he let out a deep sigh, thinking that he should have known.

Of course. How could reversing time possibly be real? He had never seen anything in any historical record suggesting such a thing was possible.

‘That voice.’

Both in the warehouse where he had been imprisoned and on the bed where he had been enjoying his happiness.

He had heard the same voice in both places. At first, he had assumed it was one of the fallen bandits speaking, but he couldn't mistake it a second time.

“Could it be a grim reaper who's come to collect me?”

If so, it was a grim reaper he was truly grateful to.

Even if it hadn't lasted very long, he had been able to experience a truly dreamlike time.

He had his regrets, but thanks to that experience, he felt he could depart a little more peacefully.

Clank.

It was then that the harsh sound of chains reached his ears.

Right behind him.

Allen turned toward the sound.

At that moment.

Clank.

[You are facing an unknown entity.]

A message appeared before his eyes.

But more than the message, it was the sight before him that startled Allen.

The first thing he noticed was an enormous set of iron bars.

The bars were as thick as pillars, forming what looked like a prison designed to confine something as enormous as a dragon.

Inside the bars, someone was bound in chains. The figure slowly raised its head and faced Allen.

“...Me?”

It was himself.

No, to be precise, it was something that looked exactly like him.

His master had always told him,

Never judge an opponent by appearances. Disregard their face and outward form, and simply feel their presence.

And the being behind those iron bars was certainly no grim reaper.

It was something far more dangerous.

“What... are you?”

Allen approached the iron bars.

The closely spaced, sturdy bars prevented him from getting any closer.

Gripping the bars with both hands, Allen questioned the being inside.

“Are you the one who was inside that bead?”

“...”

“Were you the one who sent me here? Answer me. Why were those bastards after you? Just what the hell are you?”

“............”

The being said something to Allen.

He couldn't hear its voice. But he could vaguely understand what it was trying to say.

[The transfer of the system has been completed.]

System.

The being was talking about this very thing.

Apparently, the text that had been appearing before him was what it called the system.

“What the hell is this thing—”

Allen couldn't finish his sentence.

Because several more messages appeared in rapid succession.

[The Curse of Mana Deprivation has weakened.]

[The Curse of Mana Deprivation has been eliminated.]

“...!”

Allen's eyes widened to their limits.

Even without the messages appearing before him, he could tell.

The sensation of the curse that had resided in his soul, so natural to him that he had never even noticed it, gradually fading away.

And the messages themselves confirmed it.

The Curse of Mana Deprivation had been eliminated.

“Really... Is it really gone?”

Allen's voice trembled.

To overcome the Curse of Mana Deprivation.

It was something no one on the continent had ever accomplished. Like a tattoo etched into his destiny, the Curse of Mana Deprivation had followed Allen throughout his entire life.

And yet the curse had been lifted so easily?

Did that mean he could accumulate mana like everyone else and surpass his limitations?

The years he had spent desperately searching for even the tiniest possibility of overcoming the curse flashed before his eyes.

His heart pounded even harder than when he had realized he had returned to the past.

“Just what are you?”

Clank!

Overwhelmed with excitement, Allen shook the iron bars violently.

“I asked what you are!”

Still, the being did not answer.

No, it was more accurate to say that Allen couldn't understand its words.

It felt as though something invisible was interfering.

“And what exactly is this system that can do something like—”

Allen suddenly reached for his throat in surprise.

His voice had abruptly cut off, as though he had been struck mute in an instant.

At the same time, another voice came from above his head.

—Allen!

The voice reverberated throughout the space like thunder.

Along with it, the enormous iron bars before him began to fade.

In the final moment, Allen saw it.

Beyond the iron bars.

The face identical to his own, bound in chains, was smiling with satisfaction.

_____________________

“...len. Allen!”

Snap.

Allen opened his eyes.

The sensation really was similar to dying and coming back to life. Having died once before, he knew it well.

When he opened his eyes, Lucas was standing right in front of him, calling his name.

“Brother?”

“How long do you intend to sleep?”

“How long?”

It didn't feel like that much time had passed.

Allen turned his head toward the window and was startled.

He had clearly lain down on the bed late in the evening, yet it was already bright outside.

Had it been a dream?

No. The sensation that the Curse of Mana Deprivation had faded was still there.

“The sun is already high in the sky. Our departure has been delayed far too long.”

“I slept that long?”

“I tried waking you for quite some time, but you wouldn't get up. Where on earth is your mind?”

Lucas glared at Allen with an exasperated expression.

“If you sleep this deeply, you won't be able to protect yourself during a mission. The quality of sleep is important, but more importantly...”

“An elixir!”

Lucas's words were cut off by the sudden shout.

“...An elixir?”

“Brother, do you happen to have any spare elixirs?”

“What nonsense are you suddenly spouting? Why are you asking about elixirs all of a sudden?”

“Do you have one or not? Someone like you must have at least one elixir left over from completing a mission.”

“Wait a moment. Calm down. At least tell me why you...”

“An elixir!”

Allen shouted almost like he was screaming.

He wanted to confirm right away whether he had truly overcome the curse.