The owner of the Sword Demon (S+) trait can easily acquire and efficiently weave together vastly different sword techniques.
This means that the more varied types of sword techniques one masters, the more the trait’s efficiency skyrockets.
For example, the “Dearside Variant Swordsmanship · Extreme (S)” that Regenshauer had learned contained a total of 24 subordinate sword techniques.
Aiden had also learned several types of sword techniques after inviting the professor, and among the skills he had acquired so far, there were a total of five sword techniques ranked B or higher.
Dearside Variant Swordsmanship (A)
Stroke Strong Swordsmanship (A)
Mercenary King Style Dual Swordsmanship (B)
Shaw Vision Quick Swordsmanship (B)
Cluver Defensive Swordsmanship (B)
The number was still insufficient, but each of the five sword techniques possessed a distinct personality. Among them, the one that stood out the most was the dual swordsmanship.
Zzzzt!
The Ure held in Aiden’s left hand emitted a translucent blade. The elites of each knight order surrounding Thornwood Plaza saw this and murmured among themselves.
“Dual swords? Is he just showing off…?”
“No. This is a duel where lives are on the line. He wouldn’t suddenly use a technique with no practical value.”
Dual swordsmanship is picky about its users.
It has the advantages of being suited for consecutive strikes and high variability, but it requires sword sense beyond human limits and exceptional multitasking ability. On top of that, since the sword must be held in one hand, it demands relatively strong muscle power.
In fact, if one insisted on using a one-handed sword, it was far more stable to hold a shield in the other hand. Yet the reason Aiden had deliberately learned dual swordsmanship from the professor was simple.
It was because linking it with the second secret technique of the Brandish Harmony Heart Method, “Double Stream,” which could be learned once it reached (A+) rank, would produce terrifying efficiency.
From the opposite side, Erendrel shouted.
“O spirit of the beast that guards the forest!”
The types of beast spirits Erendrel could handle totaled 11. Among them, the power of the boar specialized in charging enveloped Erendrel’s body like “armor.”
“You half-breed bastard!! I’ll shatter you to pieces!!”
Erendrel’s form shot forward. It was a speed so fast that even afterimages were hard to capture.
But Aiden breathed calmly.
“Huuu….”
Immediately after, two energies nearly opposite in nature circulated through his left and right halves. The “energy of tranquility” derived from the Tranquil Heart Method and the “energy of explosive surge” derived from the Stroke Heart Method.
Pah!
The air on the stage shook violently.
The “energy of explosive surge” rotated at high speed within Aiden’s body, and in an instant, hot steam billowed from his overheated form.
The two swordsmen clashed.
Kwa-kwa-bang!
With a roar reminiscent of an explosion, Erendrel was flung far back. However, Aiden was only pushed back about 1 meter.
An unbelievable result!
Barahal, the head of the Arieldee family, muttered.
“Is that the Stroke Heart Method? As rumored for its explosive surges, it’s impressively powerful. But if he uses it recklessly like that without thinking ahead, his blood flow will overheat soon.”
In reality, abusing the Stroke Heart Method without thought would cause the blood flow to overheat, leading to self-destruction before long.
But.
Barahal couldn’t help but be greatly surprised.
Because Aiden’s body, which had turned reddish from overheating, returned to normal in an instant.
“Wh-what is that…?!”
Aiden was currently using “Double Stream” to operate both the “energy of explosive surge” and the “energy of tranquility” simultaneously. The energy derived from the tranquility had cooled Aiden’s overheated body in an instant.
Once again channeling the “energy of explosive surge,” Aiden kicked off the ground and flew toward Erendrel.
“Spirits of the beast!”
Erendrel, who had shouted urgently, had the boar’s spirit evaporate from his body, and suddenly, the sturdy soul of a bison took hold.
What followed was astonishing.
Chang! Kkaang!
Aiden, generously using the “energy of explosive surge” to push his physical abilities to the limit, pressed Erendrel with ever-changing sword techniques.
He was even embodying the intricacies of four sword techniques originally meant for two-handed swords while wielding dual blades. This was a combat method unique to the Sword Demon (S+). With so many types of sword techniques harmonized and further empowered by the harmony heart method, it was absurdly threatening.
When the backlash from the forced operation caused his entire blood flow to overheat, the simultaneously operated “energy of tranquility” cooled his body.
When he couldn’t use the “energy of explosive surge” and his offense stalled, he solidified his stance with the Cluver Defensive Swordsmanship (B), which suited the “energy of tranquility.”
When he had leeway, he burst forward again with the “energy of explosive surge.”
When he reached his limit, he rapidly cooled with the “energy of tranquility.”
Aiden, accustomed to the breathing of harmony, could repeat these two processes without the slightest gap.
And that wasn’t all.
Multiple energies settled within his body rotated in turn, making Aiden’s assaults grow fiercer as time passed.
I’m… I’m being pushed back?!
Erendrel felt his insides burning up.
But as a warrior, he could make wise judgments even in any critical moment.
“I’ve figured out all your tricks! If I keep some distance, neither that weird sword technique nor the power to break through ‘energy armor’ can be properly exerted!”
Pat!
Suddenly, the translucent soul of a falcon spirit shot out. Aiden’s form, using Silent Realm, swayed like a ghost and evaded it. The falcon’s soul targeted him and fired continuously.
Ta-da-dak!
Aiden repeatedly rolled and dashed across the stage, continually evading the falcon spirit’s attacks. Naturally, even a druid’s unique avian spirits couldn’t be fired indefinitely. Erendrel would also launch a decisive move before his mana ran out.
“…O souls of the beast!”
As expected, soon eleven different lights enveloped Erendrel’s body. Holding his sword aloft with the power of all beast spirits contained within.
Overwhelming presence.
He must not clash head-on.
It would lead to instant death.
Aiden’s Magic Eye (B) observed Erendrel more calmly than ever. Since the simultaneous possession of 11 bodies didn’t last long, it was easy to predict the opponent’s next action.
He would undoubtedly attempt to settle it in an instant with a straight-line charge fully utilizing the power of the “boar,” “bison,” and “rhinoceros” spirits.
At some point, Erendrel’s form blurred.
Immediately after, Aiden’s arm also moved like a flash.
Resonance Shatter Art second technique, “Infecting.”
The wave of energy starting from the tip of the Burn Sword.
It flew aiming for Erendrel’s chest.
Pa-shuuuk!
“Kuhuk…!”
Erendrel’s afterimage, colliding head-on with the vibrating energy, shook violently, and suddenly, a spectacular fountain of blood erupted.
The “vibrating energy” created by the Alsigima Heart Method rapidly loses its vibrational quality the moment it leaves the body of a Reverse Veins possessor.
This means ranged attacks using “energy projection” are also impossible.
The second technique of the Alsigima Resonance Shatter Art, “Infecting,” is a means to compensate for the lacking ranged firepower. It’s a technique that temporarily raises the vibration count of the energy beyond limits, allowing vibrations to be transmitted through gases or liquids as mediums, not just solids.
“You bastard! You can do that weird attack from afar too!”
Erendrel glared this way while spitting blood.
Instead of answering, I smiled cheerfully.
“Guaaaaak!”
Stimulated by this, Erendrel once again possessed the souls of beasts into his body. Then, letting out a sound indistinguishable between a scream and a battle cry, he charged this way.
I channeled thunder energy and unleashed the essence of the Dearside Variant Swordsmanship, “Surgeon Passer.” It was a technique that inflicted numerous slashes in an instant depending on the user’s skill. Seven slashes flying almost simultaneously tore into Erendrel.
Pa-shuk!
Four of them were deflected.
Two created gashes on the side and shoulder.
And the remaining one severed his left arm.
“Kuaaaak!”
Erendrel let out a horrific scream.
However, letting one’s guard down before completely neutralizing the opponent was forbidden. I unleashed the strong wire hidden in my collar, wrapping it around his body.
Erendrel ground his teeth.
“Kuk! You half-breed scum! You think you can restrain me with this toy!”
“Yeah.”
“O souls of the beast!”
Erendrel attempting possession once more.
I forced another “Infecting.” The absurdly powerful “vibrating energy” flowed along the strong wire binding him.
“Huaaaaa!!”
Erendrel, possessing the bear’s soul, drew up all the “leaf energy” he had. However, that intense energy self-destructed pathetically easily due to the “Infecting” enveloping the strong wire.
“I-it can’t be… Huk, huk…”
In the end, he couldn’t break the threads binding his body and completely exhausted himself. I approached Erendrel, who was catching his breath while standing.
I raised the Burn Sword in my right hand.
“This is for Linia.”
I swung the Burn Sword down with all my might toward the bound guy’s leg. Crunch! The sensation of his bone breaking traveled up my arm. Due to the sword’s special ability, his leg caught fire.
“And this is for Linia.”
I kicked the groin of the guy trying to collapse from the burn pain, forcing him to stand. Aaaak! Erendrel screamed like a girl.
“This too is for Linia.”
Crack! Crack! Crack! I pounded his crown and solar plexus relentlessly with my elbow and Ure’s pommel, as if to shatter them.
“You know what this is for, right?”
A fist containing “Vileshaker” slammed into his face like lightning. Bang! His teeth shattered, and the handsome face unique to high fairies completely caved in. I yanked the collapsing Erendrel by the collar with the strong wire and struck his face with my knee.
Along with the nose bone, his front teeth also sank in. The flying Erendrel…
“With only one arm missing, the balance is off. I’ll specially cut off the other side too.”
Slash! Ure lightly severed his right arm. Erendrel showed no reaction. It was because he had rolled his eyes back and fainted from the impact just now.
“Well then.”
I sheathed Ure and the Burn Sword and retrieved his severed arms. Seeing this, the elders of the Kirianejial family shouted with ashen faces.
“Wh-what are you trying to do!”
“Stroke! Isn’t that enough! If you have any honor as a warrior, stop this at once!”
“Honor? If you were going to bring that up, you shouldn’t have attacked a guest who came to the forest in the first place.”
Pah-bat!
Thud! Scattered chunks of flesh and blood rained down on the stage. The two arms that had been in my hands exploded spectacularly.
It was the power of a far stronger “Vileshaker.”
The Kirianejial elders were horrified.
“Th-that!”
Reattaching arms disintegrated into hundreds of flesh chunks was impossible. In fact, Erendrel was crippled as a swordsman. It would require a priestess on the level of Clara, the Priestess of the Sun.
“Winner… Aiden Stroke.”
The elder from Pirion, who was mediating, declared the end of the duel. Immediately after, Thornwood Plaza fell into a terrifying silence.
“Hahaha! Well done, Aiden!”
Suddenly breaking the silence, someone climbed onto the stage. It was Barahal, the head of the Arieldee family, with a beaming smile.
He said to me.
“You must be very tired, so it’s best to leave the stage now and rest.”
“No. It was none other than me who stepped forward as the representative of the Arieldee family in this duel. Therefore, I will exercise the victor’s rights myself.”
For a moment, Barahal’s expression hardened stiffly.
But as a cunning figure, he quickly regained his composure.
“Ahem! Do you think I, the head of the Arieldee family, would not uphold the contract? You know well that the magic contract has binding force, don’t you?”
“We’ll find out once we check.”
“…What are you saying?”
Thanks to the victory in the duel and clause 4 activation, the conditions for trait activation were met. I opened my mouth while looking at the flustered Barahal.
“As the Proxy of the Guardian Tree (S-), I ask you. According to clause 3 of the contract, the Arieldee family side promised to dispatch elites from the Branch Knight Order to the Blispiel Clan side. However, the exact number of personnel to dispatch is not specified. How many were you planning to send, old man?”
“I was planning to dispatch only 5 or fewer personnel under the pretext of insufficient capacity by reducing the available numbers… Heok?!”
Barahal’s eyes widened like saucers as he spilled his true intentions due to the binding force.
“Tch! You even included a clause for joint responsibility in the contract. Hey, high-ups of the Arieldee family? I expected it, but… 5 people? That’s truly beyond imagination.”
Kneel before me, all of you.
Thud! Thud!
All the high fairies of the Arieldee family, subjected to an unidentified pressure, prostrated themselves toward me in unison and bowed their heads.
“Clara, bring Linia from the lodging.”
“Yes. Yep!”
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