Chapter 207: Subjugation Battle (7)
The hallmark of a Sword Master is the ‘Color Sword,’ but that’s not the only difference from a Graduate. Each of the ‘6 Aura Concepts’ is vastly superior and more refined than in the previous realm.
The fourth concept, ‘Sensory Awakening,’ is no exception.
Enhanced sensory organs due to abundant Aura grant Sword Masters an incredible experience.
A sense of smell surpassing that of a dog.
Hearing better than an elf’s.
Vision sharper than a hawk’s, along with greatly enhanced intuition and sixth sense.
Thus, hiding one’s level from a Master is harder than plucking a star from the sky.
Just recently, Harang had caught the attention of Nigel Nunez, the head of the Seton Swordsmanship Hall. While others overlooked him, a Master’s discerning eye couldn’t be fooled.
But now.
Harang’s presence, quietly revealed in the training ground, was far different from what the subjugation team expected.
“…….”
“…….”
“…….”
Ordinary.
So ordinary that he seemed like someone who hadn’t trained in swordsmanship at all.
Yet, paradoxically, that faint presence made Harang appear even more bizarre.
Especially to the Sword Masters in the training ground.
‘I can’t… sense anything with my senses?’
‘Is this someone else? No, it can’t be. His appearance matches exactly what Gael described.’
‘…This guy has definitely changed.’
The eyes of Duke Muel, Rough Schroeder, and Heitz wavered.
It was only natural.
If Harang’s level was below theirs, they wouldn’t have failed to gauge his strength.
Conversely, it meant his level was so high that they couldn’t properly assess it.
Did that make sense?
A man who, until recently, was lingering at the Graduate level.
No, beyond that, a young man not even thirty years old possessing such strength… was that logically possible?
“This is…”
“Unbelievable.”
Duke Muel and Rough Schroeder voiced their shock.
They looked between Harang and Gael with disbelief, shock, and no small amount of frustration. In the presence of a genius beyond imagination, anyone would feel inferior.
But one person was different.
Heitz, the strongest of Acanthus.
Unlike the other two Masters, he stepped toward Harang, raising his presence. Rumble, the Aura rising like a haze from his body created a menacing atmosphere.
Then, Harang, who had been silent, spoke.
“What?”
“Harang, I want to test your strength.”
“Now?”
“Yes. The success of the Red Magician’s subjugation might depend on how strong you are… I need to know. And…”
“…….”
“Honestly, I’m curious. I have no idea how strong you are right now.”
A statement that could bruise one’s pride.
But Heitz didn’t seem to care.
No, he seemed to welcome the idea that Harang had surpassed him, as he was someone who would sacrifice anything to kill the Red Magician. His pride as a Master had become less valuable than a roadside pebble since becoming a vengeful ghost.
Fortunately, Harang didn’t dismiss Heitz’s words.
Despite nearly being killed by him before, he showed no particular emotion and considered the proposal seriously.
After a brief moment.
Nodding, Harang said.
“Alright. Shall we spar?”
“……Good.”
Heitz nodded with a fierce smile, tinged with excitement and fear, evoking complex emotions in those watching.
Especially Duke Muel, Rough Schroeder, Konjinyu, and Zeb.
‘How strong is he?’
‘Truly…’
‘Hah… he was impressive when I first saw him, but now he’s like someone from another world.’
‘Harang. Just what….’
Amid the various gazes fixed on Harang, a spar reminiscent of a duel began.
Heitz, who had initiated the request, was the first to raise his presence. He manifested his Blue Sword with full force, pressuring his opponent without assuming Harang was beneath him. Since Harang hadn’t yet drawn his sword, Duke Muel and Rough Schroeder flinched.
But their worries were unfounded.
When still, Harang was like a calm pond, but once he moved, his speed and ferocity were like a storm. In an instant, he drew his sword and manifested a Color Sword.
But its color was entirely different from before.
Rumble-!
“……!”
“What’s that!”
“No way!”
Gael, Hagio, and the Mercenary King let out shocked cries.
It was only natural. The Aura emanating from Harang’s sword wasn’t red but blue.
‘Is this possible?’
‘Has a Master’s Color Sword ever changed color?’
Hagio and Gael exchanged glances, pondering.
Of course, no one could answer, and while they were stunned, the spar continued.
Ziiing-
Boom-!
Bang! Bang! Kaboom!
The sound of clashing swords was so intense it was hard to believe it was just swords colliding. Harang and Heitz exchanged dozens of blows in an instant, neither yielding an inch.
Everyone in the arena marveled.
They realized anew Harang’s strength.
Until he demonstrated his skill, many had doubted him due to his ordinary presence, but those skeptical looks vanished once he acted. Unlike when facing Gael, Heitz wasn’t holding back at all, which in turn proved Harang’s strength.
But that wasn’t the end.
Unlike Heitz, who had reached maximum speed, Harang still seemed to have room to spare.
As if it wasn’t enough, he began swinging his sword even faster, and cracks started to appear on Heitz’s expressionless face.
Clang! Boom! Kaboom!
“Ugh…!”
Heitz quickly stepped back, trying to summon frost crystals in the air.
But there was no time. Harang, sliding in with the acceleration of Ice Steps, thrust his sword straightforwardly. To block the immensely powerful strike, Heitz desperately raised his sword.
Clang!
Whoosh-!
But as if it had never been deflected, Harang’s sword immediately descended vertically.
It was the village’s swordsmanship, Dark Lightning. To avoid the silently falling blade, Heitz threw himself aside. Rolling on the ground, he was covered in sweat and dust, a far cry from his state at the start of the spar. Those watching swallowed hard, eyes wide with shock.
“Huff, huff…”
“Shall we continue?”
“The excitement’s just starting; we can’t stop here.”
Heitz grinned and answered.
He meant it.
For the first time in a long while, he felt like the swordsman Heitz, not the vengeful ghost.
It wasn’t a bad feeling.
Of course, the question of who was stronger was already all but decided, but he still had a few tricks left.
‘If I use those….’
As he thought this.
Suddenly, the vice-commander of the White Knight Order, Durand Verhagen, appeared in the training ground and shouted in a heavy voice.
“Stop the spar here!”
“…….”
“…….”
“Our goal is to subjugate the Red Magician, not to fight to the death among ourselves. I understand you’re excited, but continuing this fight might cause losses to our forces before we even reach the battlefield.”
“Hmm…”
“Understood.”
Heitz let out a groan, and Harang nodded immediately, sheathing his Blue Sword.
A clean motion.
Seeing him without a drop of sweat, many marveled again, while Heitz could only smack his lips in regret.
But some reacted differently: Hagio and Gael.
‘Harang. What’s going on?’
‘It’s not like before….’
It wasn’t just the change in the Color Sword’s color.
His aura had changed. Unlike before, when he exuded warmth and composure, now he seemed sharp and cold, much like Heitz.
Of course, they didn’t dwell on this worry for long.
It was somewhat understandable. Facing the Red Magician, who had half-destroyed Marzen, and going against the calamity, it would be odd to act carefree.
‘He’s honed his focus to the extreme; it might be better to give him some space.’
‘The Blue Sword thing… should I ask? I’m not sure.’
Hagio and Gael’s thoughts grew complicated.
And behind them, someone wore a subtle expression.
It was Juberroa Schmitz, a first-class Demon Inquisitor who had seen Harang in the Crove Kingdom.
‘…What’s going on?’
He recalled their past encounter.
It was strange. The Harang he had met by chance at the Crove Kingdom’s ball wasn’t this strong.
He was a Graduate.
But his level was so minor that he was nowhere near qualified for the Red Magician’s subjugation team.
‘Yet now he shows this kind of strength? Something’s off… Was he hiding his skills back then? Why? What reason would he have to hide?’
It was hard to understand.
Why would someone not reveal their strength?
Of course, there were many reclusive types who didn’t care for power or fame, but it was hard to believe a young man like Harang had such tendencies.
No, it was more like an assassin…
“……!”
At that thought, Juberroa Schmitz’s expression shifted as if he realized something.
The village.
And Godok.
Mysterious entities he had investigated about a year ago but gave up on due to lack of clues.
Could Harang be connected to them? The thought crossed his mind.
‘Not just Harang. Gael, Hagio, Zeb… all these young people with absurd strength are suspicious. I’ll need to investigate them properly later.’
But now wasn’t the time.
The priority was subjugating the Red Magician.
And deciphering the cryptic oracle. Those were the two key tasks. Investigating the village and Godok would come after.
Thinking this, Juberroa Schmitz frowned.
It was because of the oracle’s contents.
‘“Don’t be swayed by color”… What does that mean? The saintess is the problem. If she were capable of clearer communication with the divine, we wouldn’t get such vague phrases but a more definitive expression of divine will.’
As usual, Juberroa Schmitz, the first-class Demon Inquisitor, criticized the saintess.
Whether he did or not, Harang and the Red Magician’s subjugation team continued their relentless training across the grounds.
And a week later.
“We depart.”
Led by Durand Verhagen, the 200-strong Red Magician subjugation team embarked on their perilous journey.