Translator: Darling | Editor: Coming soon…

“WhaHaaaahahahahahahahahahaha!”

Adyl’s laugh echoed throughout the underground.

It made the very atmosphere tremble.

“You’ve got to be kidding. After I just told you that’s what I wanted… I can’t believe it. 

You are a Swordmaster?

“That’s right. Former Swordmaster I suppose. I am still a child as of now”

“If Raul Izalf were alive right now he’d be over 60. You aren’t a Swordmaster. But fine. I will judge you by your sword technique. 

“I don’t really believe in reincarnation. But still..”

Adyl prepared to swing his greatsword.

“Alright then. Let’s enjoy this moment”

“Is that all you Swordman Gang have on your mind?”

“That’s right!”

Adyl made his first move.

Overflowing with magic he moved his greatsword at a high speed.

I too prepared my own blade.

His greatsword came down from a horizontal angle, so I dodged by going vertical.

“!”

“No need to be surprised. It was just a parry”

Even just touching Adyl’s blade will cause an explosion. 

Yet no matter how he swings it, it can be changed – As long as I get to know his peculiarities, it won’t be hard to get rid of his magic flow.

“Fu!”

Adyl stopped his sword halfway.

I kicked the ground and made my approach and let out two Wind Blade attacks.

The magic that Adyl was cladded with nullified my wind blades as if he was wearing some sort of heavy armor.

Next, I threw out three attacks – As they reached Adyl’s cladded magic they exploded.

It wasn’t just his attacks that were magical. Touching him as a whole will be difficult as long as he donnes that armour.

Adyl kicked the ground and closed the distance between us. Just at the range where our blades would clash, we started hammering at one another.

As I evaded his attacks our surroundings exploded.

“Uoooooooooooooooooooooooooo!”

As he roared Adyl swung again.

Without really trying to find an opening he was really enjoying the battle.

– If I too were still only looking for people stronger than myself I, would I have ended up the same way Adyl did?

That’s why I had to stop him.

As we exchanged various attacks we both created some distance again.

While breathing heavily, Adyl laughed.

“Even at my full strength, I can’t seem to hit you. Amazing, amazing… Alta Schweiss! I now recognize you as Swordmaster. And with that, I will end you!”

“Would that really satisfy you, I wonder”

“It would! I am very satisfied right now. I created the Swordsman Gang to fight the strongest there were…!

I was convinced there was no opponent that would live up to my expectations, but… here you are. There is nothing that makes me happier than this!”

“Let’s say you were to win, what would you do then?”

“What would I do indeed… Well, what I am after lies right there. You of all people should know that…!”

“…Right. Still, you don’t know, now do you? No matter what, I am still the strongest”

“Not yet. Fighting with you will -“

As he was talking, it seemed like he noticed something.

“My magic, is fading?” – Adyl said in a murmuring fashion.

He then looked over at my direction, at my Silver Soul blade. Its silver shone even brighter than a few moments ago.

“You stole it from me?”

“So you noticed”

The magic armour that Adyl donned too became weaker and weaker.

[Corelight] – A material used in my Silver Soul blade, able to drain the magic from everyone close to it.

As time passes it starts to drain magic from its surroundings.

– I am no exception to this.

“Well, I too am soon out of magic. Seems like the time has come”

“The silver blade of the Swordmaster – Famous, sure, but few actually know its powers, right?”

“That’s right. Every opponent that I have used the blade on I have killed. And you will be no exception”

As our magic keeps being drained, we will soon be reduced to only the blades we hold, and the flesh of our bodies.

I pointed my sword at Adyl and proclaimed:

“[Sword battle teritory] – A place where we can only fight with our blades and our bodies. 

For a man who fights with only his sword, you’ve finally arrived at this place. For you, this very moment will be the only chance you have at winning”

“Oh, is that so?… Well then, here I come”

Adyl came running at me.

The magic that engulfed him was weak but still prevalent. Meaning he still had magic left in his body. 

He was planning to use it to its full potential it seemed, as he swung his greatsword again.

I engulfed my blade with wind and deflected his attack.

Yet, we were both already drained.

As soon as his magic wore off I made sure to strike him with my blade.

“!”

As I grazed his shoulder Adyl stepped back.

He however regained his strength soon and swung his greatsword again.

I decided to stop his blade and made it miss me. If I were to take it head on it would result in a dislocated shoulder or broken bones – Without my magic, all I have is what my child-body can give me.

Still, I am a Swordmaster with cultivated experience from a former life.

“HAaaaa!”

“Huuuu~”

One breath and I met Adyl’s blade with my own – They clashed.

We fought with merely our bodies and blades.

As Adyl swung his greatsword he seemed to throw out big, single swings.

Yet he never really took any hits himself either. As he took one step backward he flung his sword upwards and came moving at me with even greater speed.

I prepared my blade at my side and took on his greatsword with it.

Yet, Adyl lost his balance.

That moment I repelled his blade and sunk mine into his chest.

Our gazes met – I cut Adyl to shreds.

“Wh… Aaaaa~!”

Adyl opened his eyes.

My attack had reached as far as his heart. The massive wound came with the gushing of blood. Adyl was on the ground at first but soon managed to keep himself standing on his legs.

Though he received a fatal wound, I knew he still wanted to fight on.

As we stared at one another, Adyl started laughing.

“Hahaha… So this is my limit then? It’s been a while since I fought with just swords. But this wound won’t do it”

“Oh no, you’re finished”

“You’re wrong! Wanna go for real from now on..!? How would you know what a fatal wound is!? Until I die – No, even when I am dead I will defeat you…!”

He’s getting delusive. All that one like him wants is to win from one who’s stronger than him.

I squeezed my blade. The silver started to shine more brightly.

“If that’s the case, then this is all I am able to do. Hold out your hand”

“…What’s that? Is that… magic?”

Adyl didn’t understand one bit.

What I showed him right now was nothing of what I had shown him before.

The very atmosphere around the blade was being bent, and it was seeable by the naked eye. The distortions of the blade itself too.

The Silver Soul doesn’t just merely absorb magic around itself – The absorbed magical power keeps accumulating within this blade.

“The magical power of all the foes I have defeated accumulates within this blade. Swordmaster Raul Izalf didn’t use this magic though.

After all, I won with mere sword fighting. Still, I am a little different-“

I swung my blade upwards.

What came out of it was a mere fraction of the stored up magical power.

But it was more than plenty to send Adyl into oblivion.

“There’s someone waiting for me up there. So I will have to use this power now, for the first time”

“ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!”

Adyl left out a battle cry as he tried to move away. But his body was already completely covered underneath my attack.

“Aa.. aa.. This is my..”

The very next moment, the dark cave was engulfed with silver light.