The Reborn Swordmaster
Chapter 25
Exchanges between training centers weren't particularly common, but neither were they unheard of.
And they weren't limited to forming alliances for matches held in the Arena.
On a practical level, training centers compared their methods, adopted useful techniques from one another, and shared knowledge where they were lacking.
At the same time, they engaged in fierce competition behind the scenes to assess the abilities of rival training centers.
Of course, every exchange began with a welcoming banquet.
Food and alcohol were laid out, and the two sides gathered together to ease the tension and set aside their formalities.
At least, that was the official purpose.
"Hey, I heard your swordsmanship has only two moves. Either you thrust, or you get penetrated. I'm jealous. At least you'll die feeling good, right?"
Yarik drained his beer.
Bang!
He slammed his mug onto the table and snickered.
His words were directed at the Verso Training Center's fighters, who were seated a short distance away in their dark red uniforms.
A burst of raucous laughter followed.
Several men who joined in the mockery even grabbed the edge of the table and crudely thrust their hips back and forth.
Naturally, the Verso fighters weren't going to endure that humiliation in silence.
"That's what happens when you're so stupid you have to use your face as a canvas to earn a living, you bald bastard."
A Verso fighter with his hair neatly slicked back with oil sneered.
This time, laughter erupted from the opposite side.
Yarik's face twisted.
The scars on his forehead and cheeks became even more distorted as he abruptly rose from his seat.
"Are you finished talking, you pale-faced bastard?"
"Want me to keep going, octopus head?"
"Go on, then. I'll chew you up and swallow you."
"You think I'm scared?"
By that point, Haral, who had been stationed there to maintain order, shook his head.
"Cut the bullshit and settle down."
At his sharp warning, both fighters quietly returned to their seats, almost as though they'd agreed to do so beforehand.
But their battle of wills continued.
Yarik raised his beer mug with a mocking expression and emptied it in one uninterrupted gulp.
Not wanting to lose, the Verso fighter also raised his mug and poured the contents down his throat.
One mug.
Two mugs.
Three mugs.
Eventually, Yarik dragged over an entire barrel of beer and plunged his head into it.
The Verso fighter finally backed down.
"...Fucking barbarian."
"Burp! Go on, burp, and drink your wine like a little girl... Buuuurp!"
Yarik finally transformed his mouth into a fountain.
Aries, who had been watching the spectacle from a table in the corner, shrugged and turned away.
He looked toward Riyan, who was sitting opposite him with his back against the wall.
"They certainly have plenty of energy."
"Wouldn't you call it stupidity?"
Riyan answered with a faint smile before crossing his arms and asking a question of his own.
"Anyway, you actually managed to get here."
"If you're offering to make me a Champion, I'd have to come even if it meant deserting, wouldn't I?"
Aries smiled while brushing his hair back with one hand.
Riyan narrowed his eyes.
"A Champion... I'll certainly make the attempt, but I can't guarantee anything."
"As long as the problem isn't on your end, that's fine. If I fail because I'm lacking something, who would I have to blame but myself?"
His attitude was excellent.
Of course, attitude alone wasn't enough to become a Champion.
What would be the greatest obstacle to turning Aries into one?
Riyan tilted his head and considered the question.
The requirements for becoming a Champion.
Ever since meeting Aries at the bathhouse, Riyan had been gathering information and thinking about the matter.
Eventually, he'd reached a conclusion.
First, although modern knights used Mana, that didn't mean they had to become magicians.
More precisely, it seemed they needed to develop bodies that were compatible with magical weapons.
What else was required?
A powerful physique?
Everyone present already met that requirement.
Swordsmanship?
It was unclear whether being skilled with a sword had any connection to Mana.
Besides, talent was something determined at birth.
Ultimately, the most important requirement came down to one thing.
Can I make the Empire step in and provide assistance directly?
That was the crucial issue.
Talent was often closely related to bloodlines, but there were always exceptions.
Even a slum could produce a genius.
The problem was that the Empire strictly controlled the number of knights.
It didn't appear to grant Masterpieces and authority simply because someone possessed talent.
In other words, Imperial approval was absolutely essential for anyone who wanted to become a knight in the present age.
This was especially true because Masterpieces seemed capable of artificially compensating for a user's lack of talent in handling Mana.
That would allow the Empire to select candidates according to its own preferences.
In that case, the answer is...
Aries needed to become someone the Empire itself considered valuable.
To accomplish that, he would have to rise above the countless fighters who were effectively candidates for knighthood.
Riyan turned toward Aries, whose eyes were filled with anticipation, and spoke.
"First, you need to personally capture Trident's commander's flag during the upcoming mock naval battle."
"...What?"
The anticipation in Aries's eyes immediately disappeared.
His face crumpled as he asked again, looking as though he'd misheard something.
"What on earth are you talking about?"
From Aries's perspective, his reaction was understandable.
He had come hoping to learn the extraordinary swordsmanship that had allowed Riyan to defeat Yavrik.
But instead, Riyan was telling him to win the mock naval battle.
And not merely to win.
He was supposed to capture the enemy commander's flag personally.
The flag belonging to the infamous Trident Training Center, no less.
"Wasn't the mock naval battle just an excuse? I thought the whole point was to let us train together without attracting too much public attention."
"Of course, that's part of it. Let's consider the commander's flag a secondary objective. You said you wanted to become a Champion, didn't you? Then surely you'll need an achievement you can proudly present anywhere."
"...But that isn't a one-on-one fight. There are countless variables. What if I participate in the mock naval battle and end up dead or crippled?"
"Then you'll be dead or crippled. Exactly as you said."
Aries's eyes turned sharp at Riyan's indifferent response.
"This is rather different from what I expected. I can't say I'm pleased."
Riyan couldn't help letting out a small snort.
For some reason, Aries reminded him of Eldred.
Did I look like this to him when I was still inexperienced?
"Listen carefully, Aries. I don't know what you were expecting from me. Did you think I possessed some secret sword technique that would let you cut down anyone you wanted after studying it for a month? It's a childish idea, but you're free to imagine whatever you like. I won't blame you for that. What's important is that even if such a technique existed, you wouldn't be able to learn it."
"...Why not?"
Riyan let out a quiet breath, feeling somewhat frustrated.
Why?
Because Aries couldn't sense Aether.
And even if he could, the moment the Empire discovered that fact, he would become a target for elimination.
But Riyan wasn't foolish enough to explain all of that to him.
"Because I don't know it. How am I supposed to teach you some extraordinary sword technique when I don't know one myself?"
It was an excellent excuse.
Aries looked visibly deflated.
"But you defeated Yavrik..."
"Do you think I defeated Yavrik with some incredible finishing move? I never said anything like that. I explained everything to you at the bathhouse, didn't I?"
"Back then, you said you took advantage of his carelessness and cut him down before he could react."
"You remember correctly."
"Are you making fun of me?"
"Does it look like I'm joking?"
"That was obviously just an excuse you gave me before we agreed to make a deal!"
"I'm sorry if that's how it seemed, but I was being sincere. As I said earlier, the mock naval battle is meant to help you fulfill the requirements for becoming a Champion. That means you need to work toward victory. During that process, I'll teach you everything I know about controlling your body and handling your weapons..."
"Damn it. I've wasted my time."
Aries interrupted Riyan before he could finish.
The atmosphere around him turned hostile.
He rose from his seat and glared at Riyan.
The gentle demeanor he'd displayed until now had vanished.
There was even contempt in his eyes.
Well, I suppose it would be strange if he accepted everything I said without question.
After considering the situation for a moment, Riyan organized his thoughts and spoke slowly.
"Then spend some time finding out for yourself."
"...What?"
"Try to draw out that secret sword technique you insist I possess without even knowing it. I honestly have no idea what you're expecting from me."
"If you refuse to show it to me, that's the end of it, isn't it?"
"But there'll be a situation where I won't be able to hide it, won't there? According to you, I possess some secret sword technique that even I don't know about. If I refuse to use it, there's no way I'll survive the mock naval battle with ordinary swordsmanship."
"So you're telling me to be patient and wait until then?"
"What else do you want me to do?"
"I think we could settle this immediately by fighting each other."
Riyan sighed softly.
A fight.
I suppose that's exactly what I'd expect from a fighter.
Of course, if they actually crossed swords, it would probably end up being more of an instructional sparring session than a genuine fight.
"I don't think there's any need for that."
Riyan shook his head and refused.
He wasn't avoiding the confrontation because he was frightened or afraid.
He was doing it for Aries's sake.
He was supposed to make Aries a Champion.
There was no reason to utterly crush him in front of everyone and leave him with a humiliating reputation.
But Riyan couldn't simply allow himself to lose either.
That was how Riyan assessed the situation.
Aries, however, grew even colder.
"If you don't want to teach me, you could simply say so. Do you really need to go so far as to lie? And now you're telling me to wait quietly until the mock naval battle? From where I'm standing, it looks like you simply want to exploit the reputations of Verso and myself. It's utterly disgusting. How are you any different from the Empire? As far as I can see, you're exactly the same."
Oh. That one actually stings.
Riyan slowly raised his head.
Then he tilted it slightly and looked Aries directly in the eyes.
Aries, who had been so defiant only moments earlier, involuntarily drew a sharp breath when their gazes met.
He felt something slowly rising around him and tightening its grip on his entire body.
And those black eyes staring at him...
They were so dark that Aries felt as though his mind was being drawn into them.
He clenched his teeth.
"Is there something you want to say?"
"Aries, you'd be wise to watch your mouth."
Despite Riyan's icy warning, Aries forced himself to sneer.
"Well, did I say anything that wasn't..."
Smack!
The dining hall, which had been filled with alcohol-fueled laughter and singing, suddenly fell silent.
The fighters and instructors from both training centers stopped what they were doing and turned toward the source of the sound.
Aries stood there with his head violently turned to one side.
His cheek had turned red, and three or four thin scratches ran across it.
Thud!
A leather glove fell to the floor.
Tiny drops of blood began appearing on his previously unblemished skin.
"Fine. If that's what you want, I'll accept."
As the silence broke, Aries turned his head back with a furious expression.
Riyan had risen from his seat.
Even in the dimly lit hall, his black eyes shone with a cold light.
"I challenge you to a duel, Aries."
Riyan's declaration echoed quietly through the room.
