Chapter 59: Deserted Island Survival Training (5)

The silence between us was subtle.

Whiiish.

With one hand resting on the rock, I stared intently at Leon. Leon continued to wear a pleasant smile, the kind of expression you’d expect from someone with a naturally kind disposition.

For him, my appearance must have been just as sudden, but his face didn’t betray even a hint of surprise.

Then, my gaze shifted slowly to the bladeless hilt that Leon held.

‘He found it.’

A weapon of paradoxical nature, both a cursed sword and a sacred blade.

The Twilight Sword, Balmung’s hilt.

The hilt, which emitted a pure silvery glow, shone so brightly it was almost blinding, and a wavy pattern rippled across its surface.

However, what stood out most was the blue gem embedded in the center of the hilt.

‘The Ether Gem.’

Originally, it was a catalyst designed to neutralize Balmung, the most fearsome cursed sword in the world, with divine energy. Its value was immeasurable.

Seeing it in the game was one thing, but witnessing it in reality was a completely new experience.

As a player, I wielded it as if it were just another basic weapon, but even without its blade formed, it was clear that it possessed a beauty worthy of being the world’s most powerful weapon.

Honestly, as a swordsman, I felt a twinge of envy, but either way, that ego-driven sword wouldn’t allow anyone to touch it without Leon’s unique blessing.

‘…It’s impressive.’

…But setting that aside, why is this guy here? As my wandering thoughts settled, a pressing question emerged.

This terrain was located in the island’s deepest core. According to my memories, Balmung’s location was far from here, somewhere on the outskirts.

Even I, who had prepared meticulously before coming to the island, spent two whole days lost before finding this place.

Yet, looking at Leon’s spotless and tidy appearance compared to my disheveled state, it seemed his journey had been considerably easier.

Sure, given the ever-changing nature of the island’s geography, it was possible he had arrived here purely by chance…

But the idea that Leon stumbled upon this place by sheer luck, while I had reached it through painstaking effort, irritated me to no end.

‘The protagonist’s buff only goes so far.’

Noticing the flicker of anger in my eyes, Leon, who had been observing me closely, hurriedly pulled his hand away from mine, looking slightly flustered.

Then, while scratching his chin, he was the first to speak.

“I saw the orb from a distance and rushed over. It seems our paths crossed.”

Even as he spoke, his other hand remained firmly gripped around Balmung.

Clearly on guard, I thought. But I, too, hadn’t released my grip on the hilt of my sashimi knife in my right hand.

I let out a brief sigh and slipped the sashimi back into my pocket.

At that, Leon, visibly more at ease, also lowered Balmung.

Leon smiled awkwardly, as if trying to come up with something to say.

Then came an extended silence.

In truth, despite the vastness of Avalon Island, it was filled with students from the Academy. It was more surprising that I hadn’t encountered anyone until now.

‘…The problem is that I had to run into Leon.’

The survival training on this deserted island was a pivotal event for Leon as the protagonist and a crucial point in the early scenario’s development.

According to the original plot, this was when Leon was supposed to meet Abel and begin developing feelings for her.

A perfect man and woman, sharing their hearts by a campfire, revealing emotions they had kept hidden, and healing each other’s wounds—something like that.

As I thought about it, a worrisome idea suddenly crossed my mind.

‘Did I inadvertently interrupt the time Leon was supposed to spend with Abel?’

If that were the case, their relationship might take a completely unexpected turn.

‘Damn it.’

Biting my lip in frustration, I noticed Leon, who was still watching me closely, cautiously speak again.

“So… Geom-Ma, did you also see the orb and come all the way here?”

I lifted my gaze slightly to try to read his intentions.

A pure face, devoid of deceit. It seemed he hadn’t come here with any specific purpose.

From my perspective, there would be no problem leaving the orb to him, as it wasn’t my primary goal. My true objective was the “Blessing of Regeneration.”

Of course, an orb of this size held considerable value, but it couldn’t compare to the blessing I sought.

However, if I handed the orb over to Leon too easily, I would have to explain why I had rushed to this place.

‘There’s no need to justify myself.’

I’d rather come off as greedy than plant unnecessary doubts in Leon’s mind.

After making a quick decision, I nodded.

“Yes, that’s right. I haven’t found a single orb since arriving on the island, and I happened to spot this one.”

“Hmm, I see.”

Leon, rubbing his chin, seemed to ponder for a moment. Then, after tilting his head a few times, he murmured quietly.

“Then, there’s no other way.”

“…?”

With those words, Leon unsheathed Balmung again.

Shiiiiiing.

The bladeless sword emitted a hum. The resonance was brief.

Immediately, a sword of pure white light extended from the hilt.

Narrowing his eyes, Leon raised Balmung to chest height.

The intangible blade’s glow cast a halo over his face.

“Defeat me in a duel and take it.”

With his paladin-like demeanor, he uttered a line worthy of a dungeon boss.

The situation caught me off guard.

Fighting with swords over an orb? It almost seemed ridiculous.

Did Leon have such a mundane personality?

Yet his eyes shone with determination and strength. It was the gaze of a swordsman, free of petty thoughts.

Seeing him like this, I better understood his impulsive reaction.

The orb was just a pretext. Leon wanted to use me as a stepping stone to grow, a challenge to harden himself further.

Any distrust I might have felt toward him earlier diminished slightly.

Legendary heroes only achieve greatness after overcoming countless trials.

Perhaps my lack of trust in Leon stemmed from him not yet being fully chosen by Balmung.

As if to prove that, Leon now exuded a majestic presence, entirely different from before.

I let out a faint laugh and, with a satisfied smile, gripped my hilt.

“The protagonist is the protagonist, after all.”

Still, despite his admirable attitude, I didn’t plan on spending much time on this.

Considering potential contingencies, wasting my God of the Sword blessing on something like this would be foolish.

Moreover, if I got too carried away during the duel, I might end up cutting his throat.

I began walking calmly toward him as I unsheathed my blade.

Shiiiiing.

Balmung and my sashimi knife resonated in unison.

***

Shortly after.

The duel ended in an instant, so fast it felt hollow.

It didn’t even last a few seconds.

When the small sashimi blade grazed Balmung, the blade of the sacred sword shattered cleanly, as though it were soft candy.

‘This is on a completely different level.’

It seemed like a state unattainable even after decades of swordsmanship training.

Not only had he evolved since the midterm exam, but it felt as though he had transcended to an entirely new realm.

I couldn’t comprehend how someone my age could wield a sword with such near-supernatural skill.

Asking him wouldn’t help either—it wasn’t a matter of technique but something purely instinctive.

“Ha, ha.”

Leon stared vacantly at the empty hilt of his sword, letting out a dry chuckle.

He fixed his gaze on Kang Geom-Ma, who had already sheathed his weapon and was now inspecting the rock where the orb had once rested.

For Kang Geom-Ma, the duel from moments ago held no importance. His attention was solely focused on the victor’s prize.

‘…Kang Geom-Ma, you should have been the chosen one.’

Leon didn’t say it out loud.

An unfamiliar and confusing emotion welled up deep within his heart, leaving him breathless with frustration.

Suppressing it, Leon stifled what he wanted to express and, without saying goodbye, began to walk slowly into the forest.

The shadows of twilight stretched, dyeing his retreating figure in somber hues as he left.

***

“Huh? When did he leave?”

Distracted by the rock inscribed with carvings, I hadn’t noticed Leon disappearing entirely.

“Maybe I ended it too quickly…”

Even I found the outcome anticlimactic.

Perhaps I had gone overboard in not wanting to waste even 50 seconds, ending the duel with a single stroke of my sword.

The invisible edge of Balmung had dispersed like dust in the air as my sashimi blade struck the red seam running across Balmung.

I had ensured not to harm Leon, focusing my strike exclusively on his sword.

Even without a physical blade, Balmung remained one of the world’s most powerful weapons, yet it had disappeared without resistance.

As I reviewed the duel in my mind, I shook my head.

“Well, I’m sure Balmung’s final version will be different.”

I picked up the orb resting on the rock. It was a crystalline gem, roughly the size of a baseball.

“With this, at least my score will be high.”

I carelessly tossed the orb into my backpack and approached the inscribed rock.

A faint glow coursed through the carvings on its surface. I extended my hand toward the rock.

“…”

No reaction. Shouldn’t there have been some kind of flash or effect indicating it was being absorbed into my body?

Now that I thought about it, in the game, you’d simply approach, hear a ding, and the item would automatically be added to your inventory.

Squinting, I examined the rock from top to bottom.

Despite thoroughly inspecting it for anything unusual, it seemed to be nothing more than a stone with a few carvings etched into it.

After standing there for several minutes, lost in thought, frustration began to creep in.

I had come all this way with great effort, only to waste time staring at my objective?

Then, a thought crossed my mind. A vague memory surfaced, recalling the moment I had accidentally obtained the Blessing of Regeneration.

Pensive, I murmured to myself.

“…Don’t tell me.”

I set my backpack down and pulled out one of my sashimi knives.

Gripping the hilt tightly, I swung it forcefully.

Slash!

The rock split cleanly as if it were butter.

Thud!

Fallen leaves around the area fluttered into the air from the impact.

Moments later, the long-awaited notification appeared before my eyes.

Flash!

== ==

[NEW! Congratulations! You have acquired a new blessing.]

[Blessing of Regeneration]

Rapidly restores damaged cells, accelerating recovery.

[※ Note: Does not regenerate severed body parts.]

== ==

Squinting as I read the notification, I sheathed the sashimi blade and pulled a machete from my backpack.

“Let’s test this out.”

I lightly cut my forearm with the machete. The wound wasn’t deep but severe enough that it would scar if untreated.

However, the blood pooling in the wound stopped almost instantly, and the skin closed up entirely in mere moments.

“Wow, this works like a charm.”

Of all the abilities I had gained so far, this was the most straightforward and effective.

I considered testing it further but decided against unnecessarily harming myself.

“Well, at least I got what I came for. That’s what matters.”

Rubbing my chin thoughtfully, I cracked my knuckles.

I felt rejuvenated.

Though Leon’s unexpected interference had been an annoyance, it was a minor distraction compared to everything else I had been through.

I looked up at the sky.

The sun had completely set beyond the horizon, and darkness began to envelop everything.

Grrrrr.

My stomach growled loudly.

“Now that I think about it, all I’ve eaten today is dried meat.”

I was out of food. Having spent the entire day running through the forest, I hadn’t had time to hunt.

I could try hunting now, but the accumulated exhaustion made my eyelids feel unbearably heavy.

‘Well, I’ve been running for over five hours.’

Scratching my chin, I glanced around for something edible.

That’s when I spotted some fruit hanging from a tree.

“The Fruit of Life.”

Their aroma was already enticing, but in my hungry state, they were downright mouthwatering. My appetite surged even more.

“The aroma of heaven, the taste of hell…”

With my experience as a cook, I knew a fruit that smelled this good couldn’t possibly taste bad.

Surely, the rumors about its taste were exaggerated.

I plucked one, quickly cleaned it by rubbing it against my clothes, and took a big bite.

Crunch.

“Aaack!”

A terrible flavor assaulted my mouth, making me shudder as a disgusting, bitter taste filled my throat.

“Damn it! Ugh, ugh!”

The taste was so awful I felt like I was losing my sense of taste. It truly was hell disguised as fruit.

***

By the time dawn broke the next day, I had walked for about two hours, carving my way through the dense forest.

Using the machete, I hacked away at branches blocking my path.

“…Huff, it’s so hot.”

The stifling air made sweat trickle down my temples.

Surrounded by the sea, the island’s humid, salty wind clung to my skin.

I unbuttoned the top two buttons of my shirt and wiped the sweat off with my sleeve.

Taking a deep breath, I tried to shake off the discomfort weighing me down.

My stomach still felt uneasy. Perhaps eating the Fruit of Life had left my insides burning.

“Water… I need water.”

My sweat-drenched body also begged for a stream where I could rinse off.

I rolled my shoulders to cool my clothes and sharpened my senses, searching for a nearby stream.

It wasn’t necessary to sit cross-legged with hands on my knees like in the movies. Simply standing still and closing my eyes sufficed.

Thanks to the Blessing of the God of the Sword, my enhanced perception far surpassed my natural senses.

Expanding my awareness, I mapped out the surroundings in my mind like a 3D image.

The rustling leaves, the chirping birds… Finally, I detected the soft trickle of water in the distance.

‘I’ve found it.’

Quickly opening my eyes, I realized I needed to reach it before the island’s geography shifted again.

Summoning all my strength, I propelled myself toward the sound.

Even with the heavy backpack weighing on me, my well-trained body moved swiftly.

‘How fast was that damned rabbit from the other day, then?’

Though I didn’t know for certain, that creature must not have been ordinary. After about five minutes of running, a gently flowing stream finally came into view.

From the riverbank, a moist breeze began to blow, adding to the discomfort in the air.

Still, a bit of cool water would be enough to fix that.

I fixed my gaze on the stream, already anticipating the relief it would bring.

As fleeting images of the scenery solidified around me, I finally approached close enough to wash away my sweat.

Swish!

A weapon sliced through the air right in front of my eyes like a streak of light.

“…!!”

Instinctively twisting my body, I dodged the blade, which lodged itself with a thud into a nearby tree.

The branches quivered violently from the impact.

Before I could even wonder what was happening, three more curved blades spun toward me like boomerangs.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

The erratic blades whirled through the air as they neared.

I immediately stepped forward and rolled on the ground to dodge them. Spinning, I let the confusing projectiles pass me by.

However, the sudden attack left me unable to summon the Blessing of the God of the Sword, and several blades grazed me, leaving shallow cuts that began to bleed.

Clang!

The blades embedded themselves deeply into a nearby dead tree, like nails hammered into wood.

Step. Step.

The sound of multiple footsteps approached steadily and deliberately.

“Wow, boss. Is this kid really a student? He’s impressive. Why don’t we recruit him right now?”

“Shut up, Farik.”

“Understood.”

Emerging from the blind spots of my vision, shadowy figures began to materialize one by one.

At the head of the group was a man with a forked tongue, like a snake’s.

Among all of them, the one who stood out the most was a woman walking at the center.

And I recognized her.

Lei Shen.

The leader of the infamous assassin group known as the Undertakers.

And, in the future, the first half-demon Leon van Reinhardt would face.