Swordsmanship Genius Transcending Through a Covenant Episode 5
“Confucius, now, please…….”
“Phew, already over?”
“I, I can’t do any more…….”
After finishing sparring with the soldiers for nearly half a day like that.
[You have successfully completed the covenant with the Solid Northern Iron Sword (Normal).]
Right, I should check it out soon.
I was so focused that I forgot for a moment.
[You have acquired 'Cold Heart (C+)'!]
What is this?
It was one of the skills I decided to acquire.
It seems that forming a pact with the swords of the North grants related skills.
[Cold Heart (C+)]
[Rank : Normal]
[Description: The Warrior's heart is cold at all times. Grants resistance to mental attributes.]
I nodded while looking at the explanation.
Normal grade resistance skill, just like in the game.
It's better than nothing, but this was still a skill with a poor reputation.
It will probably be different once I use it.
Frost Step was like that, and Northern Swordsmanship was like that.
Because it was important how it performed in actual use, not in-game performance.
He lightly sheathed his sword and looked around at the soldiers.
You all worked hard.
"no!"
Soldiers answering with a smile despite having wounds all over their bodies.
Thanks to training together for the past few days, I could say that I had become quite close with the soldiers as well.
Oh, isn't it?
“Uh, y-that’s right! You worked hard! Please, just don’t let the sparring….”
Isn't it?
Keep working hard in the future.
“I think it would be fine for you to take it easy, Master.……”
The moment I gripped the hilt of my sword while watching the soldier joking, I burst into laughter at the sight of him running away under the pretext of training.
If only I could control magic now… … .
Of course, it was completely different from the training I had done so far.
Moving your body and learning a sword is possible in reality, but realizing magical power is like acquiring an entirely new sense.
Naturally, the difficulty level was incomparable to what we've had so far.
That's why it's even more fun.
Doing what you can and succeeding at what is considered impossible.
I knew without being told which one would feel more rewarding.
Just as I was about to head toward Tarian to test his cold heart.
“Ian.”
“……?”
I have something to talk about for a moment.
My older brother came to visit suddenly.
I glanced around as I saw my older brother arrive with an unusual expression.
Is it urgent?
It is something that would be good for you to know as well.
"All right."
With that serious expression, I calmly followed behind him.
The family meeting room where we arrived.
And the ones I encountered were Tarian and the squad leader, who had serious expressions just like my older brother.
What is the matter, with such a serious expression?
Would it be alright if I explained it to you?
The sergeant stepping forward.
The story that the squad leader started was simple.
So, a dungeon appeared from the outside?
“Yes. It appears that the recent monster attacks are due to that.”
"Does that mean the monsters' habitat has shifted because of the dungeon that suddenly appeared?"
That is correct.
I glanced at Tarian and my older brother's reactions to the sudden mention of the dungeon.
Both of them looked troubled.
I also thought about it seriously and came to an answer.
"Isn't it actually a good thing?"
“…….”
A brief silence.
However, I saw a different opportunity.
Dungeon.
One of the many contents appearing in Last Savior.
It was a place where you could obtain various rewards if you succeeded in conquering it.
So, it’s actually better.
Dungeons are more focused on growth than other content in Last Savior.
I expect many events, but since it is still five years before the main game starts, there are likely many events that have not yet happened.
Furthermore, dungeons were often generated in the middle of the game like this, so they were difficult to find.
The places that have existed for a long time are hellishly difficult.
As a result, I thought that the creation of a new dungeon was actually a good thing.
Well, it is true that it is immediately detrimental to the territory, and it is an unknown space, but as long as we succeed, that is all that matters, isn't it?
Hmm.
Cain begins to seriously consider the matter.
I could understand why they were worrying like that.
That makes sense, since you never know what might pop out of the dungeon.
That kind of setup.
No one knows what might be in the newly created dungeon.
There were many times when the character died while attempting to clear a dungeon without information.
Thanks to that, remembering the dungeons I had visited and looking them up on the community became a habit.
"Anyway, a dungeon in the north."
I calmly searched through my mind.
Perhaps due to the great invasion, there were certainly many dungeons in the north.
It took me a while to barely remember which dungeon gave which reward.
Considering the location, there is only one.
Thanks to that, I was able to assert it.
“Let’s do it, the strategy.”
“It looks like you want to step forward yourself.”
I felt awkward for no reason at the remark that hit the nail on the head.
Because it was actually true.
I want to test it out.
I have honed various skills so far.
I did not simply accept the skill as just a skill, but honed it to make it my own.
"Tarian also said that he needs actual match experience."
“…….”
Tarian continued speaking, meeting his older brother's gaze as if asking if he was serious.
It is actually a good opportunity, but it will be dangerous.
“I suppose so. If I go alone.”
The contract Tarian made was entirely related to my education.
Since I have come purely as a swordsmanship instructor, rather than in a master-servant relationship belonging to the territory.
But are you trying to miss your disciple's first real-world experience?
“…….”
“Hmm, certainly. With Prince Tarian by my side, there’s no problem, though.”
As if realizing that this was a far-fetched story, the older brother and the sergeant glanced at Tarian.
However, I was convinced that he would accept this offer.
Pretending not to be like that is fun.
Honestly, I couldn't help but vaguely sense it from the very first day.
Every time I didn't give up and banged my head, your eyes sparkled.
Maybe they are expecting something from me.
Honestly, that wasn't my concern.
One thing is certain: he will not refuse this offer.
I’ll have to check how much I’ve grown.
"All right."
The tone was blunt, but it was a quick acceptance.
Then I will prepare it right away.
There is no need to rush. It is news that just came in today.
"aha."
You've changed a lot since you started training consistently.
I shrugged my shoulders at the way my older brother looked at me as he said that.
Yes, it has changed a lot.
As I said last time, it looks good.
Then I guess I'll have to show you more in the future.
“Haha, as I’ve always said, don’t push yourself too hard.”
Watching my older brother speak with a gentle smile, I steeled my resolve once again.
At the very least, I shouldn't let the Rashid family be destroyed.
From the beginning…
I didn't even intend to, though.
* * *
Time passed quickly.
Now that I had a new goal, the thought that I couldn't just sit still dominated my mind.
“Phew.”
In the meantime, I continued my training.
It was not just training to awaken magical powers.
While continuing to test his now-fully-matured Northern swordsmanship, Frost Step, and Cold Heart, he sought to fulfill his oath at the same time.
It's not easy.
As time went on, the contents of the covenant also continued to become more difficult.
Even while fulfilling the covenant that had begun to lean toward sparring, he did not give up on building his physical strength and muscle power.
Thanks to you, I’ve really gained strength.
Although I had already felt it, his strength and stamina were enough to overwhelm ordinary soldiers.
Of course, that wasn't all.
The work of sensing magical power also continued.
A sensation I have never felt before.
Since I had only ever seen mana in games my whole life, I couldn't quite grasp it when trying to experience it in real life.
Thanks to that, it took a relatively long time to sense mana and internalize magical power.
It's not easy.
Once you get the hang of it, you'll be able to do it quickly.
I shrugged my shoulders as I looked at Tarian, who was suddenly looking at me like a monster.
Lately, I was at the point where I wondered what on earth they thought of me.
“You say I’ll get it done right away? Just what level do you consider me to be?”
“Confucius, your current level is beyond that of an average sword beginner.”
"You can't feel mana."
“You’re going to pull it off anyway, aren’t you?”
I burst out laughing at those words.
Sword Beginner, the stage where one begins to use a sword in earnest.
If you handle mana here, you become a Sword User, one level higher.
And Tarian is a knight of the upper-level Expert rank.
Honestly, even with the handicap, it is still hard to believe that I landed a valid shot in just one day.
I might be more talented than I thought?
He thought that, then soon shook his head.
Getting carried away by pointless ambition is bound to lead to ruin.
From the start, with the exception of a few families, the true geniuses were generally gathered in the center.
That was the case when considering the proportion of future Sword Masters or Archmages, and even monsters like the Imperial Sword Masters.
So for now, standing shoulder to shoulder with Tarian.
Furthermore, I should set a goal to surpass him.
"Anyway, I think the preparations should be finished by now."
I heard that the personnel allocation regarding that has also been finalized.
So you're saying you're certain about this kind of thing.
He is a good lord.
He nodded obediently at the words acknowledging his older brother.
In fact, Cain Rashid was a great lord.
A person too good to rot away in such a small northern estate.
And they were the only family that cared for me, both now and in the past.
So, I have to save him.
Ideally, there should be many talented people.
So, considering Tarian who was right in front of me, I intended to gather talented individuals from the North.
Everything is to survive.
Much preparation was required to prevent the Great Northern Invasion and to stop other destructions as well.
With that thought in mind, I calmly considered the dungeons likely to exist at this time.
Since the North turned into a demonic realm not long after the game started, I needed to retrace my memories a bit more.
The tomb of ancient warriors.
It was a dungeon that you would likely reach quite a while in the future if you played the game normally.
In other words, it also meant that it was a dungeon that the Rashid family had originally been unable to clear.
They probably wouldn't have even dared. Tarian wouldn't have been there, and it would have been difficult for the head of the family, my older brother, to move personally.
The enemies appearing from within were literally ancient northern warriors.
In particular, in the future, it was completely turned into a magic-hardened dungeon, which I remember as a considerably difficult one.
But that isn't the case now.
Long before the game began, needless to say, the North was still intact.
As a result, I naturally ended up in a situation where I didn't have to think about Ma Kyung-hwa.
That meant that it was possible to clear the dungeon with an easier difficulty level than in the future.
I can't stand this.
No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn't miss this opportunity.
I looked around with footsteps that had started to feel lighter for no reason.
Let's leave as soon as the soldiers are ready.
"All right."
I headed straight for my older brother with Tarian, who was obediently following behind.
Cain Rashid's expression darkened even more, perhaps due to the extra hardships he had endured over the past few days.
He looked quite tired from the excessive workload combined with the sudden attempt to get things done.
I felt a bit guilty for no reason, but I put that thought aside for the time being.
"older brother."
I can just win it back and pay it back.
The reward for this dungeon was weapons, and not just one, but quite a large quantity of them.
The most important thing among them is Seoritnji.
I knew this well, as there were already many weapons for the covenant, but there were no weapons suitable for primary use.
We might not be able to make a pact right now because we lack the rank, but what harm would there be in acquiring a good sword in advance?
“Ian, you’re here. Are you planning to leave?”
Yes, that's right.
"Alright, please be careful. Don't get hurt."
“Don’t worry. I’ll be back safely.”
Please do so.
Please prepare a lavish banquet for me when I return.
“What? Ha, you rascal.”
My older brother, looking at me while placing his hand on my shoulder as he said that.
I couldn't know exactly what emotions were hidden deep within that expression, but I knew at least one thing.
Since I'm at it, I should finish quickly and come back.
That way, this person will be able to breathe a sigh of relief, too.
“Is it you guys again?”
"Since Confucius is going, I should follow him."
Besides, aren't there no other soldiers like us?
“Captain, it’s because of the reward money…….”
“Hey, hey, be quiet.”
"okay?"
He smirked and looked at the soldiers who would follow him.
They were familiar faces.
These were people I often saw while training for frostwalks, so I felt much more at ease.
"You must have enjoyed rolling around with me?"
“Ah, that’s a bit...
"A soldier talking back?"
"sorry!"
Let's do our best.
He led them out of the city gate while exchanging jokes.
I saw the residents in the outer wall looking at me with worried eyes, so I simply waved my hand.
Well, this is something.
It was a feeling I had never experienced while playing games.
Getting close to the soldiers, and acknowledging Cain as an older brother.
Because it was something I couldn't even imagine originally.
I didn't expect things to turn out this way in such a short time.
I recalled the past when I lived without a family.
It was a time when I had to do something.
However, the feeling was a little different now.
There were people like this who acknowledged me when I accomplished it.
Confucius, you look to be in good spirits.
Well, it's not bad.
Is that so?
I shrugged my shoulders at Tarian, who was looking at me with a slightly puzzled expression, and quickened my pace.
The winter in the north was cold.
Recently, it has even snowed, making it difficult to travel by horse.
A forced march was naturally expected.
Ugh, this is frustrating!
Get me out quickly!
Of course, even during that grueling march, he did not forget his sword training.
Solving dungeons is important, but growing is even more important.
That is why it was necessary to keep training in between like this.
May I ask you a question?
What is it?
“You always switch between weapons. Is there a reason for that?”
I hesitated for a moment, watching Tarian ask as if he were genuinely curious.
It's just that I don't have a weapon that fits my hand.
I see. I suppose we will need to prepare for that as well.
It's okay, things will work out somehow.
He waved his hand dismissively at Tarian's words.
There was no need to go out of your way to mention that I would soon acquire a new weapon.
It would be nice if we could move on to the next step.
All skills obtained so far are Normal grade.
To obtain the next skill, it was necessary to level up one more step.
I don't even expect epic grade.
At least a rare grade; even if it's just that level, it will be able to grow twice as fast as it does now.
I sincerely hope that the upcoming actual competition will serve as a stepping stone.
“Young Master, it is Masu.”
Just like that, before they could even leave the Rashid family's territory, the enemy appeared.
They were monstrous beasts that gave the impression of a combination of a giant bear and a wolf.
The snow wolf bear, a monstrous beast that lives in packs and is even called a newbie cutter.
I'm sure that was the case…
Whoosh—
At the same time as he lightly swung his sword, the wolf-bear's head flew into the air.
“Why is it so easy?”
This is it! Blood, I want more blood!
[Hunting Monsters with the Bloodthirsty Training Iron Sword (Normal)]
[1/50]
“Why is his name like this again...?”
It was a series of questions.
