Chapter 38

The Swordsmanship Genius Possessed by a God — Chapter 38

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‘It worked!’

Renard cheered inwardly.

He recalled the telepathic conversation he had shared with Allen.

—“Make your choice. Will you hand the Demon Sword over to your father's killer, or will you give it to me and take your revenge?”

He had little time to consider.

Immediately afterward, the demonic human noticed that the two were communicating telepathically and charged at them.

Renard had barely made his decision when

Allen's next telepathic message arrived.

—“When I go flying, throw me the Demon Sword.”

‘When you go flying?’

When on earth was that supposed to happen?

His question did not remain unanswered for long.

After exchanging several blows, the demonic human unleashed a powerful technique.

Allen did the same.

Their techniques collided. The impact of Severing Void and Surge created a fierce cloud of dust.

It was then.

Renard passed the sword at his waist to Allen.

Not knowing how else to give it to him, Renard simply threw it, but Allen caught the Demon Sword perfectly.

As though he had planned everything up to that point.

‘Did he think that far ahead while fighting that monster?’

No, this was more than simply thinking ahead.

While fighting an opponent stronger than himself, Allen had arranged the battle so that the moment he wanted would come.

And the demonic human didn't even seem to have noticed.

Afterward, Renard drew the demonic human's attention.

So that Allen, now holding the Demon Sword, could attack him from behind.

Fortunately, the plan succeeded.

Allen's sword pierced the demonic human's body, turning the situation around.

However—

‘Will he be all right?’

Renard grew extremely tense as he watched Allen holding the Demon Sword.

Perhaps because of the demonic human's technique, Allen had cuts all over his body.

Fortunately, none of them appeared fatal, but the wounds were not the real problem.

The demonic human might no longer be the greatest danger.

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Holding the Demon Sword, Allen felt as though his body might take flight.

It wasn't an illusion. Power overflowed throughout his entire body.

[You have grasped the ‘Demon Sword Kaglos.’]

[All stats temporarily increase by 30.]

[You have completed the mission.]

[All stats have increased by 3.]

A temporary increase of 30 to every stat.

On top of that, another 3 points from completing the mission.

For a moment, Allen felt as though he had reached the Master level.

His blood grew hot, his senses opened wide, and sounds from every direction reached his ears.

There was no time to think.

Allen charged toward the demonic human's back.

And just as he was about to pierce his heart,

[The soul of Demon Sword Kaglos enters your body.]

Thrust!

Along with the sensation of another soul entering his body, the Demon Sword pierced the demonic human beside his heart.

At the same time, a voice rang out.

—What in the world is going on?

Riiip.

Allen slashed open the demonic human's chest.

Unfortunately, he failed to cut through his heart.

The demonic human unleashed sword energy. Allen instinctively retreated to avoid it.

He positioned himself between Renard and the demonic human. He could see the man staggering before him.

And the next moment,

[The soul of ‘Demon Sword Kaglos’ separates from your body.]

[All stats decrease by 30.]

The stats that had suddenly surged drained away all at once.

Well, it would have been absurd to think he could use such power permanently.

All that remained was the stat increase obtained through the mission.

Still, thanks to that temporary boost, he had been able to display enough strength and speed to inflict a critical wound on the demonic human. Otherwise, it wouldn't have been easy, even with his opponent caught off guard.

Of course, that didn't mean the demonic human had fallen from that single attack.

‘It was a little too shallow.’

The demonic human had reacted quickly. On top of that, Allen's concentration had faltered slightly.

Because of the voice that had suddenly appeared.

—What are you? How can someone so young possess a soul like this?

‘Who are you supposed to be?’

Allen glanced at the Demon Sword's dark-red blade.

Demonic energy streamed from it.

He wondered how they had managed to conceal a sword radiating such energy so completely. The scabbard made by the Maximus family had been sealing the Demon Sword's aura.

‘Are you the Demon Sword?’

—That's right. But why are you still conscious? Why can't I take over your body?

‘You tried to take over my body?’

Allen was puzzled.

Come to think of it, nothing particularly unusual had happened, despite Renard's concerns.

Yet the Demon Sword had apparently attempted to seize control of his body.

—Just what is inside you? What is this unidentified soul...?

[‘Soul of Ten Thousand Demons’ resists ‘Demon Sword Kaglos.’]

At that moment,

Kreeeeeeeeee!

A piercing scream erupted from the Demon Sword.

The sound was enough to make his ears feel as though they would split. Allen frowned and covered one ear with his hand.

The Demon Sword's soul was still trapped inside it. Unable to seize Allen's body, it writhed in agony.

—Just what are you?! Why do you have something like that inside your body?

‘What are you talking about? What's supposed to be inside my body—’

At that moment, a scene flashed through Allen's mind.

Amid pitch-black darkness.

There was the face of another version of himself, smiling while bound by thick chains inside an enormous iron cage.

‘Could it be Question Mark?’

Was that fellow protecting him from the Demon Sword?

The message stating that the Soul of Ten Thousand Demons was resisting Demon Sword Kaglos.

It was the first time the Soul of Ten Thousand Demons, whose true nature had remained unknown for so long, had demonstrated an effect.

‘Did that fellow protect my soul from the Demon Sword?’

If the Soul of Ten Thousand Demons had the ability to protect his soul, it would explain why the Demon Sword had been unable to invade it.

If that was the case, this was an enormous stroke of luck.

As the Demon Sword's soul was suppressed, the rampaging demonic energy was gradually subsiding.

—Question Mark? You call that thing Question Mark?

Demon Sword Kaglos sounded frightened by something.

—How could you give something like that such a trivial name?

Allen's eyes gleamed.

The Demon Sword was behaving as though it knew the identity of the Question Mark residing within his body.

If he had his way, Allen would have liked to have a long conversation with it.

But there was no time for that.

A major problem remained right in front of him.

The demonic human stood there, staggering.

Even though his chest had been split open by more than a handspan, his eyes still gleamed ominously.

In any case, Allen had succeeded in inflicting a critical wound on the demonic human. He had also avoided the disaster of having his soul devoured by the Demon Sword.

Now all he needed to do was finish off the demonic human before him.

However—

“What was that?”

“What's that noise?”

“Who's making such a racket in broad daylight...?”

“I-is there a fight?”

Was it because of the Demon Sword's scream?

The barrier the demonic human had erected disappeared, and people began emerging onto the street one by one.

The forge was in ruins. In front of it stood Allen with his sword drawn and a demonic human bleeding profusely.

To anyone watching, it clearly looked like a fight between swordsmen.

But then, toward the onlookers,

“The Demon Sword has been taken!”

The demonic human shouted, pressing one hand against his wound.

“Take it back immediately!”

Among the crowd that had gathered after hearing the commotion, several people charged toward Allen.

Swordsmen concealed beneath black robes, their swords enveloped in sword energy.

As expected, the demonic human had not come alone.

But Allen wasn't alone either.

“Squad Leader!”

“Over here!”

Familiar voices rang out from beyond the crowd.

They belonged to the squad members who had been searching Stoneville for clues to the Demon Sword's whereabouts.

The swordsmen charging toward Allen hesitated.

Upon realizing that their enemy wasn't alone, they seemed momentarily confused.

“Protect the squad leader!”

The first to appear were the members of Mary's group.

Mary, Bigra, and Flandre.

Using their footwork techniques, they swiftly rushed forward and engaged the swordsmen pointing their blades at Allen.

Scrrrrrape.

Clang!

Sword energy collided with sword energy, sending sparks flying.

Mary quickly drove back the opposing swordsmen.

“They arrived in time.”

Fortunately, none of the swordsmen who had appeared later seemed particularly powerful.

As expected, the demonic human already present was their leader.

Although the enemies outnumbered them, Mary and her squad members overwhelmed them.

No matter how much they were mocked for their poor performance, the Flying Sword Division was still the Flying Sword Division.

The three clearly demonstrated why they were considered Vishken's elite.

“Squad Leader!”

The second to arrive at the scene was Bigra with the other squad members.

He hurried over to Allen and asked,

“Are you all right?”

“I'm fine. More importantly, this isn't what we need to worry about right now.”

“Then what is?”

“We've been deceived. The Demon Sword at the location where the Flying Sword Division and Steel Castle went is a fake.”

Bigra's expression hardened at Allen's words.

The Flying Sword Division and Steel Castle had been deceived.

“Are you saying it was a trap?”

“That's right.”

“We need to report this immediately...”

“To do that, we first need to get out of here.”

Step.

The demonic human stepped forward.

Even as blood poured from the gaping wound in his chest, demonic energy streamed from his eyes.

A chilling murderous intent and demonic energy.

Facing that presence, Bigra pointed his sword at the demonic human and asked,

“Is that fellow a demonic human?”

“Yes.”

“This is my first time seeing one in person. But... don't tell me you inflicted that wound, Squad Leader?”

Allen nodded.

Bigra looked appalled at his answer.

‘I knew his curse had been lifted, but...’

Even so, he was strong enough to face a demonic human like that?

At a glance, the energy emanating from the demonic human was anything but ordinary. His opponent was a swordsman on the verge of reaching the Master level.

Had he resolved to fight to the death?

The demonic human charged while blood poured from his wound.

Whoosh!

Bigra instinctively swung his sword. It was a reflexive response.

Clang!

Their sword energies collided.

At that moment, Bigra felt his stomach churn.

‘What kind of mana is this...?’

He was overwhelmed by his opponent's strength and mana. As the demonic human swung his sword several more times, Bigra even felt as though his wrist might break and his sword might shatter.

And this was while his opponent was critically wounded?

He could see internal organs protruding from the gaping wound. It was an injury so gruesome that it was difficult to look at.

Just as he wondered how someone in such a condition could swing a sword like that,

Whoosh!

The tip of the demonic human's sword appeared reflected in Bigra's eyes.

At the moment when it seemed his head would be pierced,

Clang!

Sparks flew, and the sword's trajectory changed.

Allen's sword had intervened.

Taking the place of the retreating Bigra, Allen clashed with the demonic human.

Allen plunged into the surging sword energy. A blade swept past his eyes, and pitch-black sword energy rushed toward him like waves.

Despite his severe injuries, the demonic human remained exceptionally skilled.

‘His injuries are serious.’

Allen calmly blocked the demonic human's sword while examining his wounds.

His injuries were so severe that it wouldn't have been surprising if he collapsed at any moment.

Even if he was prepared to die, the strength behind his sword was no longer what it had been.

Allen, on the other hand, had secured the Demon Sword and received an overall increase in his stats.

If he drew out the battle, victory would eventually be more likely to fall to his side.

However—

‘I need to break through quickly.’

The problem was time.

He had no idea how the situation was developing on the other side. He needed to escape this place and rejoin the main force as soon as possible.

But under these circumstances, subduing the demonic human would not be easy.

“You won't leave here alive, Vishken!”

The demonic human seemed prepared to die. Demonic energy poured from his entire body as he desperately kept Allen engaged.

He looked ready to perish together with his enemy.

But at that moment,

—What? You're from Vishken?

The Demon Sword's voice sounded beside Allen's ear.

—No wonder your swordsmanship seemed familiar.

“...?”