Chapter 21

Chapter 21

The Swordsmanship Genius Who Transcends Through a Pact Chapter 21

The trip to Brücke had been decided suddenly, but considering the strength we currently had, it would be a lie to say Johannes wouldn't be useful.

And once Johannes grew, there was no doubt he'd become a major force in the future as well.

More importantly, I could see that he was sincere.

‘That's more than enough reason to bring him along.’

We had a long road ahead of us, so preparations were made quickly.

Though the fact that two members of House Vahen were moving together drew quite a bit of attention.

“I heard she has quite the wandering streak, but I didn't think she'd leave again this quickly...”

“They're both winners of the Subjugation Festival, aren't they? I suppose that's simply how they are.”

“Apparently they're heading to Brücke. Don't you think His Grace might have given them some kind of order?”

Even though the Subjugation Festival had ended, the nobles who remained were already spreading rumors like that.

“Haa, things would've been better if Brother were still here. Then people wouldn't be spreading stupid rumors like this.”

“You worry quite a lot.”

“It could cause pointless conflict, and I don't want to become a burden on the family.”

Tarian smiled faintly at the words I let out with a sigh.

“I'm not sure you need to worry about that anymore.”

“Considering everything I've shown until now?”

I'd spent an entire year shut inside my room making Brother worry.

Even if that hadn't actually been me, it naturally made me more conscious of Brother and the people around him.

‘They're all good people.’

“I need to work even harder. From now on too.”

“How admirable.”

Tarian looked at me warmly.

I calmly studied his eyes.

“By the way...”

Inside the rattling carriage, I stared directly into Tarian's eyes.

Quietly, meeting his gaze head-on.

“When I asked to learn your swordsmanship, the condition you gave me was controlling and giving tangible form to killing intent, right?”

“...”

“Can you tell me why you made that the condition?”

No matter what kind of swordsmanship it was, naturally the only way to improve was to learn it directly and use it yourself.

“To be honest, I wasn't certain whether teaching you my swordsmanship was the right thing to do.”

“...I'd like to hear the details. Why were you so hesitant?”

I'd spent quite a long time with Tarian by now.

I'd met him not long after falling into House Rashid, and now he'd even sworn himself to me.

And in all that time, this was the first time I'd seen him look this troubled.

“Are you curious about my past?”

“You hide far too much.”

Even in Last Savior, Tarian's life had never been revealed.

How he'd lived, how he'd become a Sword Master, why he wanted to prevent the apocalypse.

None of it had ever been explained, and he'd simply been a character who quietly helped the player.

The only difference was that after his death, depending on affinity, he would leave behind the skill book for ‘Wandering Sword.’

‘But he's my man now.’

I had no intention of treating him as nothing more than some mysterious character hidden behind a veil.

Tarian looked at me carefully.

Behind his seemingly impassive expression, countless emotions were hidden.

Expectation, worry, regret, and finally, fear.

He was probably in his early thirties.

Far too many emotions for someone that age to carry.

“...Yes. I suppose I should tell you.”

Tarian closed his eyes briefly, then slowly began speaking.

“In the past, I was a brat.”

His voice remained calm.

“A brat who never looked back. More than merely immature, I was pathetic.”

My brow furrowed at the continued self-deprecation.

“What was pathetic about you?”

“Because for the sake of the sword alone, I...”

Killed people.

It was a shocking statement at first glance, but precisely because of that, I found myself puzzled instead.

“Isn't that what swords are for?”

“If you put it that way, I suppose I have little to say. Do you remember the war in the North?”

“The northern war?”

“Yes. The greatest reason House Vahen was elevated to the position of Grand Duke.”

I searched my memories, trying to recall the setting.

According to the lore, House Vahen had become a grand ducal house fifteen years before the game began.

‘So ten years ago from now.’

Before then they'd already held the title of Duke, but after defending the North against foreign tribes for years, they'd been elevated to Grand Duke.

“The northern civil war?”

“Before that. The subjugation of the foreign tribes.”

The subjugation of the foreign tribes.

It was a setting I vaguely remembered.

“At first, I took up the sword simply to survive. Before I underwent my coming-of-age ceremony, I'd already become a knight trainee.”

“What a show-off.”

“Haha, perhaps. But because my origins were unclear, I believed I needed achievements.”

A squire by pure chance at a young age.

Then, conveniently, a war against foreign tribes broke out.

“Hmm.”

I could more or less guess where this was going, but I didn't interrupt him.

He had probably spent time on battlefields from around my current age, or even earlier.

“I killed people. A lot of them.”

His voice was steeped in regret as he recalled those days.

“I know someone had to do it. I know those tribes constantly raided our villages.”

Even as he spoke, Tarian lowered his gaze toward his own hands.

They trembled faintly.

It was the first time I'd ever seen him look this shaken.

“I cut down a woman crying over her dead father. I cut down the young man who loved her. I cut down the warrior trying to kill our soldiers, and the barbarian aiming for my neck.”

“...”

“And after cutting, and cutting, and cutting again, I eventually became a knight while I was still barely in my early twenties.”

“Do you regret it?”

“Yes. Very much.”

That single sentence was all he said.

It was the reason why such a promising knight still hadn't reached Sword Master.

And why he'd become a ghost who wandered around teaching others.

“That is why I set controlling and giving form to killing intent as your condition. The person I was back then was weak and pathetic.”

“...”

“I was afraid that swordsmanship created by someone like me might influence you in the wrong way.”

Hearing Tarian speak so openly, I answered just as sincerely.

“All right. If it weighs on you that heavily, you don't have to teach me.”

That was my genuine feeling.

There were other ways to learn swordsmanship besides Tarian's.

‘Though they'd take longer.’

Taking another route wouldn't be a problem.

But there was a reason I still wanted to learn his swordsmanship.

“The last thing I want to know is what you've always been expecting from me.”

“...”

“You've wanted something from me, haven't you?”

I looked calmly at Tarian.

The reason I'd brought this up wasn't merely because I wanted to learn his swordsmanship.

I wanted to know more about Tarian himself.

“So you noticed.”

“I've been watching you for a while.”

There was no way I couldn't have.

Every time my skill improved, every time I learned something from Tarian, I'd seen how deeply satisfied he looked.

It went beyond a teacher simply enjoying his student's growth.

‘He was waiting for my skill to increase.’

And after hearing his story, I could vaguely understand why.

“I hoped that if it were you, Lord Ian, you might be able to complete my swordsmanship as well.”

“Your swordsmanship...?”

“Yes. My sword is nothing more than a killing sword forged by murdering people.”

He spoke with a bitter smile, and I watched him quietly.

Tarian stared down at his own hands with self-mockery.

He looked terribly lonely.

Like someone who still hadn't escaped the battlefield.

“Whenever I see you accomplish what seems impossible with absolute confidence, I find myself thinking that perhaps you could properly wield this bloodstained swordsmanship.”

“...”

As Tarian finally laid everything bare, I thought about his swordsmanship.

Tarian's sword art, Wandering Sword.

‘It's an unusual style.’

At its core, it was aggressive and lethal.

Unlike Northern Swordsmanship, which waited firmly for an opening, Wandering Sword created openings through irregular attacks.

On top of that, tangible killing intent could extend from the blade itself.

‘The reason it's considered beyond Rare-grade despite technically being Rare.’

It was weaker than sword aura, but tangible killing intent could be wielded almost like an additional ‘sword.’

Once mastered, it was effectively the same as wielding several swords at once.

‘The problem is that overusing it can cause you to be consumed by killing intent.’

That was different from Berserk's mental debuff.

It worked more like mana.

The danger came when you failed to control it.

In other words, the better your mana control, the lower the risk of being consumed.

‘And I have plenty I can rely on there.’

Extreme Cold Art and Blessing of Frost.

I had multiple skills specialized in controlling mana, so the odds were good.

On top of that, Cold Heart would help as well.

“Then teach me now.”

“But... you may be consumed by the killing intent.”

“Do you remember what I said after finishing the first challenge you gave me?”

“...You said if you keep going until the end, you always win.”

“Exactly.”

I asked him calmly without averting my eyes.

I wasn't talking about overcoming it through sheer willpower or some nonsense like that.

There was a chance, which meant it was worth trying.

More importantly...

‘Tarian himself knows that better than anyone.’

He was simply afraid because of his past.

“I'll go all the way and show you what you've been hoping for.”

How I use your swordsmanship.

How I complete it.

Tarian didn't answer.

He merely let out a quiet laugh.

“I haven't reached completion myself. You may be injured along the way.”

“Well, that's how you learn.”

Tarian chuckled at my answer.

“Very well. I'll control it as much as possible, so don't worry too much.”

“We're starting right now?”

“Isn't that the way you like to do things, Lord Ian?”

Definitely.

I laughed helplessly and nodded.

Tarian really did suit that expression much better.

“Then draw your sword.”

Unlike before, Tarian gripped his sword with a serious expression.

The sight made the hair on my body stand on end.

And above Sakwol, I saw a red energy resembling sword aura beginning to gather.

‘Killing intent.’

“I'm coming.”

There was no time to continue thinking.

Claaang—!

I barely blocked Tarian's sword, which had already appeared right in front of me, and was forced backward.

Strength surged through my entire body as my mana began circulating rapidly.

‘Berserk.’

On top of that, I pushed Blessing of Frost and Extreme Cold Art to their limits, increasing the raw amount of power I could bring out.

I hadn't consciously chosen to do it.

Instinct had screamed at me.

If I didn't, I'd be in danger.

-Heeh, you blocked that?

-Interesting!

Sakwol's voice reached me, but I ignored it and tightened my grip on the hilt.

Enduring firmly through pain that felt like my palm was being ripped apart, I waited for an opening.

“Let's do this.”

One way or another, I'm learning it.