Ch 123
Magnus, Second-in-Command of the Devilan Knights Special Forces.
His instinct, honed to the realm of a Master, was screaming.
‘Move!’
‘He’s wavering because his attack missed!’
‘I have to strike, right now!’
A split-second decision forced upon him, a real combat where life and death hang in the balance.
For a Swordsman, what he should believe in above all else was the instinct honed by experience.
Kwaang.
Magnus tightened his grip on his sword.
His center of gravity shifted forward, as if about to spring.
“Damn it—”
But only that far.
During the combat, Magnus’s reason, which had experienced and learned about the unreasonable existence called the Face Thief, limited his actions.
The Face Thief wields the swordsmanship of multiple Swordsmen with a single body.
Among that list, which numbered at least five, was the swordsmanship of a Hero that Magnus had previously witnessed.
Not only that, but Magnus’s own swordsmanship was added during the ongoing combat.
The sword that Magnus had honed over decades was stolen in mere minutes.
The rumor was true.
He really could see and steal the sword of a Rank 7 Swordsman right there and then.
He was a monster who could steal the swords honed over decades by talented Swordsmen in a single moment.
Would such a monster make such a mistake?
Failed to steal someone’s sword?
It was hard to imagine unless it was a Sword Master’s sword.
Therefore, Magnus hesitated to exploit the Face Thief’s opening.
Furthermore, he hesitated to confront the Face Thief.
No. He was afraid.
Magnus clearly felt it.
That his discomfort towards the Face Thief had turned into fear.
Thump.
Magnus unconsciously took a step back.
‘That sword just now…!’
The trigger was the Face Thief’s previous strike.
That strike was more dangerous than any swordsmanship the Face Thief had ever displayed.
Perhaps, even more dangerous than the sum of all his swordsmanship.
That is, more dangerous than the Face Thief’s ability itself.
Magnus unconsciously touched his neck.
Had he ever felt such a clear sense of death?
Had he ever faced such a dangerous sword?
Probably not.
If he had, he wouldn’t be alive here.
Magnus ultimately had to admit it.
The real reason why he couldn’t get close to the Face Thief.
It was because he felt fear at a certain nameless sword that he had displayed.
A strike without ‘form’ or ‘style’, tailored only to the purpose of murder.
At this moment.
The confidence of the Master, who had the ability to break down any sword he faced, was broken.
That sword was not something he could handle.
“…!”
At that moment.
Magnus’s expression contorted.
“Haah… Haah…”
The Face Thief’s state was strange.
His breath, which had never lost its ‘form’ when wielding any swordsmanship, began to falter.
Not a lack of Health Points, but an excess of emotion.
It wasn’t the appearance of a Swordsman controlling a sword.
The Face Thief.
He was being dominated by the sword.
By an imperfect sword that he hadn’t even fully imitated.
The Face Thief unconsciously took a step back.
‘What is this, what kind of a damn sword is this…!’
Swordsmanship with overly vast mental imagery sometimes swallows the Swordsman.
Called the Murderous Sword.
The Face Thief is a former Assassin’s Guild Master.
Having lived an ascetic life for a long time, he was a person who had reached the realm of self-control.
The Faceless One’s Remains.
The reason he could accept The Item, which contained the will of the Sword Demon, and maintain his self while accepting the swords of countless Swordsmen, was thanks to this.
Therefore, the Face Thief could not understand.
‘I, I, am being dominated by my mental image…!’
“Haah… Haah…”
Regardless of his will, his breathing continued to rise.
His pupils dilated, and his blood flow accelerated.
His heart pounded.
His reason faded. Instinct replaced his fading reason.
Like a beast excited by the smell of blood.
“Heuk…!… Heuk…!”
The Face Thief felt a kind of longing he had never felt in his life.
A longing for blood.
“!!!”
The Face Thief pierced his palm with his sword.
He tried to regain his composure and suppress his surging instincts with the pain.
He tried to control this mental image.
“…!”
Then, something unbelievable happened.
Tearing skin and flesh.
Flowing blood.
Instead of bringing composure, those traces of pain fueled his desire for violence.
Could the pungent smell of blood be so sweet?
The Face Thief was seized by the urge to smear that blood on his face.
“Uaaaaack!!!”
The Face Thief screamed and threw off that impulse.
‘What the hell is this sword!!!’
What kind of human could harbor such a mental image?
What kind of Swordsman could control such a mental image?
He could be certain.
The owner of this sword would never be human.
Definitely a demon, or a similar kind of Demon.
How could that Wizard freely wield such a terrifying sword?
He couldn’t understand.
In this situation, only one thing was certain.
At this moment.
The Face Thief’s confidence, which had allowed him to imitate any sword he faced, was broken.
This sword was not something he could handle.
“…!”
He absolutely must not confront his Murderous Sword alone!
Magnus took advantage of the Face Thief’s struggle with his mental image to create distance.
“…!”
Now, getting rid of this mental image is the top priority!
The Face Thief, taking advantage of Magnus’s distance, further increased the distance between them.
Soon, as if by agreement, both of them left the scene.
The shadow of a murderer who doesn’t exist in this world has defeated the Hero Murderer and his pursuer.
✦✦✦
“By the way, Klana. May I ask a question about swords?”
The Hero Murderer.
A monster who could see and imitate the unique swordsmanship of a Rank 7 Swordsman right there and then.
Toua’s warning that such a tremendous being might be targeting me properly stimulated me.
Immediately returning to my room, I started swordsmanship training, and in the process of warming up, I asked Klana for guidance.
-What is it.
Klana answered cynically, but she faced me earnestly, even performing a spirit transformation.
“I’m asking now, but are there any precautions when handling your sword?”
-Precautions?
“Yes. After completing the Enhanced Ability this time, I felt that secret techniques that bring out abilities beyond the limit usually have side effects. I wondered if your sword has something like that.”
-…
Klana glared at me with all her might.
“What is it, suddenly.”
-Don’t you feel anything when you wield my sword?
“Of course not. Every time I use your swordsmanship, I feel it deeply.”
-…Really? You feel something while wielding my sword?
“Of course. It’s such a powerful and convenient swordsmanship. Every time I subdue my opponent with one strike, I feel it deeply.”
-…
Ah.
The little child murderer spirit sighed, her head tilted up.
“Maybe I’m doing something wrong?”
-Shut up.
Klana said that and returned to the mental world.
“Ah, Klana! This isn’t right! You only told me that there are precautions, but you didn’t tell me what they are! Don’t you know what the two things that drive people crazy are!? One is not finishing what you say…”
-Inanimate woman!!! Do you dare to make your Master uncomfortable!!! Remember your place!!!
-Please, just shut your mouths.
For some reason, Klana, who had become troubled, never revealed the reason.
In the end, I had no choice but to engage in swordsmanship training alone in solitude.
In a situation where I haven’t yet gained Rank 7 knowledge, the content of the training I could do was determined.
That is, to practice being able to use the Klana Style while maintaining the Enhanced Ability.
✦✦✦
“Cough…!”
How long had I been practicing?
All the holes in my face were splendidly spewing blood.
Maintaining the enhancement and wielding that power had a difficulty that far exceeded my expectations.
Setting aside how difficult it was, the burden on my body was unbelievable.
The conclusion was that using this ability freely in real combat was a waste equivalent to ‘I’m quitting the game, dropping my items’.
Around 5 seconds.
Or one strike.
That was the limit allowed to me for now.
‘Only in crucial moments. Only when I think I have to use this.’
It’s what’s called a finishing move.
It’s amazing that I can even use this unbelievable technique in real combat, even if only to a limited extent.
The result of the training, which I gave my all to, was quite satisfactory.
-Inanimate woman!!! Because you didn’t help, your Master is disheartened!!!
-If he’s disheartened by that, he won’t be satisfied no matter what.
-That’s obvious!!! Your Master is someone who reigns over all things in this world!!! Would he even know satisfaction!!!
“No, Dangaleon. Honestly, I’m quite satisfied. This Enhanced Ability. It seems to be a very good match with the Klana Style. Honestly, if it were any other swordsmanship, I wouldn’t have been able to use this Enhanced Ability properly?”
-As expected, I knew it! What humility! What self-control!!! One of your Master’s many virtues!!! Hey, inanimate woman! Show your joy and respect! Your Master has given you an evaluation that is beyond your insignificant efforts!
-Hey. If a situation arises in real combat where you have to use that ability and my swordsmanship at the same time—absolutely do not exceed one move.
“Yes. I thought the same.”
-My goodness, what isolation…!! Master!!! Please, bestow upon me the glory and mercy you have given this inanimate woman…!!!
“Glory and mercy?”
-Please fill Dangaleon’s Blazing Flame into your Master’s great vessel!
“Blazing Flame? Ah, you mean that Black Flame—”
-It’s not a flame!!! It’s dark, you must have seen wrong!
“Hmm…”
Honestly, I was interested.
The power of Dangaleon’s Black Fire that I saw at the back alley meeting was truly demonic.
But the problem was that it was too demonic.
‘An inextinguishable Black Fire… isn’t this too demonic?’
Even the back alley boss who used the artifact containing Dangaleon’s power was suspected of being a Black Mage.
“If you use that power carelessly, you’ll be easily suspected of being a Black Mage or a Demon Worshipper, won’t you?”
-Master!!! How can you say that…!! Are you ashamed of demons!?
“Usually, aren’t you?”
-That can’t be!!! Then, I, the holy, non-demonic flame Dangaleon! I will quit being a demon from now on!!!
“…Is that something you can quit just because you want to?”
It seems that Dangaleon’s feeling of alienation（?） was real.
His earnest persuasion continued afterwards.
He probably won’t stop until I accept.
I had no choice but to decide to learn his Black Flame.
It was certain that it was an ability that could be powerful and useful depending on its use.
-The negative gazes of the worms can be suppressed by your Master’s Radiant Light!
In addition, the negative gazes that follow from using that power, as Dangaleon said, could be suppressed by my Radiant Light.
For reference, Radiant Light here meant ‘discernment that considers time and place’.
“Then, let’s—just try it?”
-A perfect mindset to approach the power of demons.
-You, inanimate woman!!! Can’t you be more careful with your words!!!
Klana sneered, and Dangaleon screamed in horror.
I guess he’s worried that Klana’s words might change my mind.
-Demon!!! How dare you lump me together with such wicked and lowly things!!!
Ah.
Was that the part he was worried about?
-If you don’t retract that statement immediately, I will curse your existence forever—no, bless—no—Ugh…!! What, what is it!!! What should a holy, non-demonic being do in this situation!!! Master, please teach me…!!
“I don’t know for sure, but they say love is stronger than hate.”
-Kuaaaaaack!!! Inanimate woman!!! I love you!!! Die!!!
-My goodness. I was wrong, so please shut your mouth.
A demon experiencing growing pains.
It was at that time, while I was enjoying that rare sight sitting on my bed and soothing the fatigue of training.
“Huh?”
My senses, which had been activated during training and had not yet completely subsided.
It detected a presence outside the door.
Multiple presences rapidly approaching.
-Thump!
The door suddenly opened without a knock.
I wasn’t surprised by that itself, as I had expected it.
What surprised me was the composition of the uninvited guests.
“Knight Toua?”
Toua, who had changed from armor to casual clothes.
And Devilan Knights, presumably her subordinates, stood at the door.
I was startled and stood up.
Then, Toua calmly gestured for me to calm down and said.
“I apologize. I had to commit this disrespect to resolve this person’s misunderstanding of you.”
Afterwards, Toua pointed to the middle-aged man standing beside her and said.
“Let me introduce you. This is Magnus, the Second-in-Command of our Special Forces. He testified that he was lured into a fight this afternoon by someone who looked exactly like you in the street.”
It didn’t seem like a serious situation.
Toua trying to reassure me.
I tried to live up to her expectations and jokingly expressed how relieved I was.
“Someone who looks exactly like me? There aren’t many people as handsome as me, haha.”
“As you said, someone as handsome as you isn’t common.”
However, Toua nodded, taking my joke seriously.
Then she continued to speak to the man named Magnus beside her.
“Magnus. As I said many times, Lisir has been in this mansion all day. I will vouch for his identity, so please stop doubting him.”
“…”
Magnus looked me up and down before reluctantly nodding.
‘Ah, is that it?’
I roughly guessed how the situation was going.
I spoke to Toua.
“Could it be that the Face Thief stole my face and impersonated me?”
“Yes.”
“Wow… when did he steal it…”
I was genuinely horrified.
He stole my face without my knowledge and impersonated Lisir.
If Toua hadn’t fully vouched for my identity, there would have been a big commotion between me and that Second-in-Command, Magnus.
Having a conflict with an executive of the Knight Order.
Just imagining it made me dizzy.
“Hmm?”
At that time.
A question suddenly arose.
A considerable amount of time had passed since Toua and I parted ways in Dray’s room.
It was enough time to leave the mansion and cause trouble.
The question arises from there.
How could Toua completely separate me from the Face Thief?
How could she trust me without a single doubt?
I told Toua my doubts as they were.
Then Toua looked at Magnus meaningfully.
Embarrassment appeared on Magnus’s face.
“Kuk—”
“…”
The surrounding Knights tried to suppress their laughter.
“The Face Thief. It’s thanks to the foolish mistake he made.”
“A foolish mistake?”
“Yes. He used swordsmanship while impersonating you, a Wizard affiliated with the Grey Tower. He ended up vouching for the identity of the person he impersonated.”
It was so funny that a faint smile appeared on Toua’s usually cold expression.
The Knights burst into laughter at the cold Captain’s smile.
Even Magnus, who had been attacked, was smiling as if it were funny.
“…”
I cautiously avoided their gazes.
✦✦✦
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