Chapter 7: An Opportunity Worth More Than Life (3)
eq2zThKAfter that day, the back of Shirones head itched almost daily. But Rian did not show up.RnLyfk
ocsmLVhAccording to the rumors, he got caught by his instructor and was taken to the mountains.ZptYzZh
7yFIt wasnt until a month later that Shirone relaxed.LMyq1
kwXLbUSHumans were oblivious creatures. As long as nothing big or significant occured, it would soon be forgotten.UOy
i2T2osNo way he has a grudge simply because of that.A27
kqTWith a light heart, Shirone started reading about the founding of the Kingdom of Thormia, his country.cxfG
NdMThe number of books he had read over the past four months was 82.K8BP16
PKeoThough not a large number, his reading speed gradually sped up as the number of completed books increased.SrInJ
iJ2jQMy prediction wasnt wrong!5x2PW69
iWUpThe first book took 20 days to complete.rySj0NV
OQ72KsBHowever, after fully understanding the first book, many things got easier for Shirone.ADl3cwG
9dlJpNo books he read, following the first, had any completely new information.66BuUB
tPSRThere was only a difference in degree of complexity, but the same information would repeatedly appear.WDLP
91aLcNo need to be scared. Its only hard the first time!yErbvV
pkTm4b0If he were to lay the foundation with about 200 books first, the remaining 650 books would be much easier to take in.x0zCm2z
xVAwU3Shirones favorite part of history was definitely the mages active role in it.SuMZH
f9G8jCeIf a scholar studied a theory, the mages were the ones who implemented said theory.BkSmmAq
mSIj9RAccording to this relationship, the occupations of mages were as diverse as the many fields of study.DWh
3nH28JNevertheless, the reason why all scholars were not mages was because they could not enter the extremely sensitive state of mind: Spirit Zone.mEryl8z
tsJrIn addition to the variety of knowledge, a mage must have sensitive senses.hKatf
1645Therefore, Shirone, who had already mastered the Spirit Zone, was even more frighteningly immersed in building up his knowledge.SCGa
qpOyLHe suppressed his curiosity towards more miscellaneous subjects, and dug through only history.kaUw3Z
wxSdI have to hold myself back!W7zjXI
cF4Shirone suppressed his urges in order to gain the endless efficiency that would come with the Core of Knowledge.3SLxNqZ
XzMWhen that efficiency finally arrives, just what kind of mage would Shirone become?FIb7Jo7
tf10It was a waste of time to think about stuff like that.HMZ
kKZ8Whoo.OLbM
9AmBiBtAfter reading the last page of the founding history, Shirone closed the book with a satisfied expression.XpbPd
pA8wLwJAt that moment, the door burst open.ZA89CJf
IUEd1N6Hey, you jerk! I went through hell while waiting for today to come!jGIsn
pTydIt was Rian Ogent who returned from hell.5EBm4R
ALMTo call him an incarnation of the devil with that malicious face of his would not be an understatement.1a6Cru
4rv9CXSo persistent!lkkKn
z4Ffg8LHe harbored the same amount of anger as when he was dragged by his swordsman instructor a while back.2A5O
IwotIf Shirone was to point out any difference, it was that his eyes were sunken and his body appeared thinner.rrm
Nks1jAre you really here for that?TS5T9E
oB8Of course. Do you know how much trouble I went through? I climbed and climbed the cliff countless times. Everytime I thought I would fall to my death due to my waning strength, I managed to hold on as I NEEDED to get my revenge!l2TTe
DshgRShirone was anxious.qxx
6JCQVJIf he had been growing that hatred everyday, then Shirone must look like a sworn enemy to him.K6PQSuF
amHUvaArent you going to answer? You thinking about saying empty words? Im asking why the heck you snitched on me that day, you coward! I feel sick when I see guys like you!BLpvsEh
M7PtSyI didnt rat on you, I just told the truth.laJbKXS
oPwI asked you for a favor. Why didnt you tell me that you werent going to help me? I trusted you.pV7WP
qHIShirone gave up persuading because he couldnt deal with the reasoning of an aristocrat.z7l
Ln5YcJThen what should I have done?UG0U
Lg5MOHRian looked slightly taken aback by the unexpected attitude.DUhD8C2
sjXe7He looked like a butler who had just started working for his family, but he looked so calm.AKV
wCiAlright, youre ignoring me too, arent you? You must have heard something from somewhere, but Ill show you clearly who I am. Follow me.sA1FRo
U5cr4pzShirone followed Rian.fc4ADR
P4OA8HJudging from the degree of his anger, he seemed to be thinking of taking him somewhere to beat him to the brink of death.Gjg
m0bUWlIts better than dying. Lets just let him do whatever he wants to do to me. Whether it be hitting or mistreating me.xRK
2jdmSHe couldnt throw away the opportunity that his parents risked their lives for.xn1T
68hWhenever he felt fear, he imagined his parents enjoying their meals.gPYrF
t3SiIt was a small exercise hall where they arrived.o0FJ
xzcJkNqSince the family revered martial arts, there were several large and small exercise halls in the mansion. But the place they were now was a place dedicated to Rian, and no one would hear if they screamed.lZFnSf
yGfKcxShirone waited with a dry mouth while Rian lit the torch.CwWR5
I81yiHe wished they could just start quickly because each passing second made him more and more uncomfortable.dH5dY3
MiTOYMaybe it was on purpose.2UbyP
oX6qzz2But if Shirone were a swordsman, he wouldve known this level of tension on a battlefield was normal.n4Uc
JKlaIFHere, take this.IpwcGVv
qyHaxB1As the training ground lit up, Rian threw a wooden sword towards Shirone.Ahi9r
39ZIThe wooden sword, which clung to Shirones hand with a loud slap, had a handle thicker than that of an axe’s.1g3SjZ
q2oj5nWhy are you giving this to me?hmNS9J
2iidRsBA duel. Im not as cowardly as you. Im destined to become the greatest swordsman in the future. But enough about that, This is my way of paying you back for snitching on me.Xip63V
9T8bjqRShirone thought that was ridiculous.dZXO
1AOgLHow was I cowardly?XhZ
paYzAs a servant of the Ogent, you have to protect the Ogent. You sold me out to my master because you were afraid of getting beaten. Someone was in trouble, and yet you sold them out. No matter how much Im ignored by my family, I cannot be treated the same way by a guy like you, so bring it on. Considering the gap between us, Ill allow you to come at me three times before I start.vnq
Z3eRians look changed.0mNtN
o1KAlthough he seemed to have a simple, ignorant personality, those eyes of his were certainly Ogent.rVeW
aEFcxqdShirone, who responded to the fighting spirit, was holding the wooden sword tightly with both hands.hFPlUb
qZoIn other words, after his three chances were up, he knew his bones were going to be broken.ESueSp9
Slp97L8Various thoughts crossed his mind.oKtZ
SIjWhat do I do? What can I do?4BTe
oGJON6In the midst of despair, Shirone did not give up.lFB0Z
dMGIWONo matter how unlikely it was, he couldnt just not try.EKv
WIkHere I come!mYYNw1Y
6540Shirones spirit, which was showcased through his raised sword aggressive rush, was unexpected, but Rian simply snorted.AZ5
rQDdEOHis posture is awful.qcoto
XPxTYeHes never wielded a sword!vI94qhp
A855aAs Rian blocked Shirones attack, he shouted.VS9DE
XoTDNGUOne!xxOyx
YIsoSmack! A satisfying sound spread through the training ground.95B2d
yZsPz6To Shirone, it sounded like the footsteps of a lion strangling someones neck.UIRH8BY
Cj7Jm7pHe transformed the fear in his stomach to a loud shout and tried to slash his sword horizontally.GQxWSZ
62k4NSlTwo!Dl8nYy
ZFBJccbThis time, one corner of Rians mouth rose as he easily blocked the slash.gnKOJ
W3mEShirone choked up, he pulled himself together and entered a state of extreme concentration.FptY
E6kHSpirit Zone!q22
uHeXfLdAs all kinds of information were integrated into synesthesia, a light bulb went off in his head.VM7PfTN
t70bHYRian snorted.0QkGi
tp1CH* * *Iacwt7X
kO3vZ8* * *pvXzkEv
5caVertical slash, horizontal slash, vertical slash?OAhKIs
ysb9No matter how new a beginner was, it would have been harder not to block such a simple pattern.DWj
y9lJFZRian, who raised his wooden sword to block Shirones attack, took a step and shouted.8gS
vH8UNow its my turYwQTC
0IkhCRAACK!sbGLuQ
jjbGThe center of Rians wooden sword shattered, and Shirones wooden sword broke as well.LNI
1brvgJFragments of wood flew past Rian who had a face of astonishment.uke
Sc5ie89Huh?yD71u4
WZd09Rian quickly came to his senses and took a good few steps back to look at the wooden sword.0utWqm7
5WQ1zAThe grain of the cross sectioned part of the sword stood up rough.9IH0uZ
G56This was a characteristic that occurred when the force of impact was not released properly and remained inside.7snzM9
P6EIThat That was Sword Smash, wasnt it?qFckKA
7ISelA skill to destroy weapons.mji
oI7qTdZJust as there was an infinite amount of ways to perform a slash in swordplay, there was also more than one method to destroy weapons in every school.W3TH
ue4aThe Ogent family called theirs Sword Smash, and it was a Secret Technique that was only handed down directly.MbEJot
3IuMPThe reason why it was labeled a Secret Technique was because it was not a skill that one could master with strength alone.6gCIiBk
V8tIn close-quarters combat, the absorption of power is as diverse as the weight of it.vbxM
BMfWTIn order for Sword Smash to succeed, one needed to perfectly pinpoint the area in which the shock would not be spread. It was also necessary to understand the opponent as to ensure they could not dissipate it themselves.WIvtD4
qwgYkcTRian was shocked.aYb
tgbhEven Rian, who had been wielding a sword ever since he was born, never succeeded in executing Sword Smash.kA59noQ
GCrAL6MMost of all, he was offended because he was the only member of the family who had not yet mastered the technique.uVg1kuZ
nIOWho the hell are you? Where did you learn that swordsmanship?GuuzB
MVtShirone dropped his broken sword.Dd24dvI
NcSmHoGHe sensed with the first blow and analyzed Rian with the second blow.WqbhM
v1dCOAnd on the third blow, he did it, The Thunder Strike he had practiced for three years.3MrHO
2KVBehI never learned any swordsmanship!TfUTee
4m5EShut up! Youre rotten to the core! How did you succeed in doing Sword Smash?! If youre trying to make fun of me, I wont let you off so easily!2Dm
cWYrIFThat was Thunder Strike.AkKUr
BumThunder Strike?EVRlq
mQlWpSMy father is a hunter. Since I used to live in the mountains, I used to cut down a lot of trees. Since I was neither big nor strong, I had to learn how to cut down trees in a more technical way. It naturally came to me. Among the lumberjacks, this skill is called Thunder Strike.cebbb
XPaFgwRians thoughts were all tangled up.aFxvXKR
8UF9Mountaineer? You went around cutting trees? What the hell are you talking about? Ive been holding a sword for 15 years now. Sword Smash is not a skill you can learn through cutting trees.ZfER9n
ReoNone of my peers ever succeeded in casting Sword Smash. But if I had to name someone who couldjqUxxj
ZXRyh9Rian thought of one.liH
lOYLjRai Ogent!Dva4bQ
sJvAZXHe was the second son of the Ogent family. He was two years older than Rian.24t
5vLaPHe was also a genius in swordsmanship. Hes considered to have the greatest talent in the history of the Ogent family.iIJJ
Vs2sktuRian clenched his fist tightly because he envisioned his brother laughing at him.2UQ
UnMjDamn it!ywofWg
nt7iWRai first succeeded in executing Sword Smash at the young age of 12.wcc0K6R
6bbHis family gathered to celebrate and their father held a week-long party.xKu
ftM0Rian clearly remembered his emotions on that day, as now, even the child of a mountaineer had surpassed him.w2hBC
uLZWeI cant accept it!cnRaw
L3HESfzHe let out a thundering cry as he needed to vent his emotions.FFcjo
6jwmButwhy?c8siZ
8np7How come he became something While Im still a nobodySpflTOG
WgJYoung master, Ive shown grave disrespect9TllJ
i7ltPShut up! Nothings over yet! No ones lost!R0kG1
uTFFiRian headed to the outskirts of the training grounds.51l6
uOPjRNThere, equipped with various weapons, he returned with a high-class long sword used by aristocrats.dinxA
cMNoYaThe sight of the sword gave Shirone shivers.Xll
GsptW3PerhapsZFSUbMg
5m9zLqpThe sword, which made a ringing sound as it was drawn, reflected the torch.dPL0imA
S8UYEOnce he finished checking the blade, Rian put it back in the sheath and threw it to Shirone.vSSw5WF
4BmXRaising his head in confusion, he stepped forward in order to catch the sword with both hands.wCcy6
y0LqRian spoke while stretching out his fingers.e6OnBwX
ZQcSince both of our weapons broke, let us consider this match a tie. If you really mastered Sword Smash, then well have to account for that. One month from now on, lets compete here with real swords.0U4nmA8
82YpdAh8UXm
PnmgDJUShirones heart dropped.nac
cXZLbgHe just wanted to survive, but he somehow made the situation worse.ot8IX
M9EFWooden swords and real swords were on totally different levels. In addition, Rian would not be giving him three chances like before.ltiQIfm
MMESy7I might actually die this time!DTI
14RThe faces of his parents came to Shirones mind, as he felt the fear of death for the time.Hfww
G3b5jSFYoung master, please change your mind! I never even learned swordsmanship!IG5u
bmBmaThats why Im giving you a month. You learned Sword Smash while cutting down trees? Although I cant believe it, if youre that smart, you should be able to come up with something in a month.jfYe
RAvS4xARian didnt think it was unreasonable. It would have been possible for Ogent Rai.FWlH
w3YYdLxHe saw his brother in Shirone.PYoEOHg
uDGGYeah, I just didnt have enough resolve.k1Mn23m
vB8Dont even think about running away. Regardless of my personal feelings, I will definitely surpass you.KGUucE
PbZwxRian’s last words tied Shirone down.Vu2
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