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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Pot]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
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Chapter 82: The First Verification
Allenvert looked at the group of green-skinned monsters, randomly mutated demonic beasts, and flick the blood off his sword into the air.
“They’re disgusting, so I should finish this quickly.”
“Ah, I don’t think it will be easy?”
“Do you really think so?”
Venion chuckled and snapped his fingers again. Then, the horde of monsters and demonic beasts, craving the blood and flesh of fragile humans, rushed in.
“Even if you use the same stances, it should be different from when you fought humans!”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
But Venion soon realized that Allenvert didn’t need such advice.
Kueeeeek!
Kieeeek!
Venion chuckled as he watched the octopus’s legs, tougher than a sailing ship’s anchor rope, being cut down in vain, the horse’s waist being severed, and the heads of orcs and goblins soaring into the sky.
“He fights well. Like this level not even a trial in the first place?”
“Venion! What did you just say?”
“It was nothing!”
Even in this situation, his hearing is sharp. Venion thought inwardly, keeping his mouth shut.
‘He’s not just fighting well, he’s fighting appropriately.’
Venion’s impression was surprisingly similar to the impression Allenvert had of him.
‘The most absurd thing is something else.’
The memorization and embodiment of techniques were completely different realms. To unleash a certain stance naturally in actual combat, as if breathing, there was no other way than to imprint it on the body through crazy repetition.
And yet, Allenvert was perfectly adhering to the condition of ‘only fighting with the stances of the Azure Sea Moon Shadow Swordsmanship’ from the beginning.
‘This is driving me crazy.’
His innate understanding of swordsmanship and overall movements. And his analytical ability regarding the principles.
Even the ruthlessness, which is often the most lacking in precious young masters, was more than satisfactory.
‘The decisiveness of his handiwork is comparable to even Young Master Verdzig.’
The anecdote that Verdzig also made his watching instructor cringe with his overwhelming cruelty was a story only those who knew about it knew.
‘I never thought I’d be standing here with my arms crossed, just admiring.’
Venion chuckled. Wasn’t his role to intervene in case of an emergency and unleash sword strikes or save the test taker? At this rate, he felt like a leisurely neighborhood uncle who had come out to watch a circus.
“It’s over.”
Allenvert, who had slaughtered all the monsters without a single crisis, threw off his blood-soaked training uniform.
“Even the blood feels real. Just what high-level mage created this?”
Venion narrowed his eyes. Allenvert’s body, which had thrown off his top, already had well-defined muscles.
‘His physique itself is outstanding.’
It was even more evident when he took off his clothes. It was truly a body like a nimble leopard. If he gained more muscle, he could easily become the body of a lion ruling the plains.
“With this, how many levels has my Azure Sea Moon Shadow Swordsmanship reached?”
At that, Venion gave a thumbs up.
“I guarantee that you have reached the 4th level. In just one day.”
“Hmm, is that so?”
Allenvert smiled arrogantly.
“It’s a bit disappointing, but it’s not bad.”
“You’re more fortunate than you appear.”
“How were my other brothers?”
“From what I remember, Young Master Verdzig reached the 2nd level on his first day, and Young Lady Ulbhild reached the 1st level on her first day.”
“Hmm.”
Allenvert nodded.
‘Those two are also in the ranks of considerable geniuses. Especially Verdzig.’
He had already been impressed by the level Ulbhild had reached. If so, he couldn’t even begin to fathom the level Verdzig, who was said to be superior to her, had achieved.
Crackling!
Bright sunlight was pouring in through the cracked sky. The barrier, having completed its mission, was dissipating.
“Come to think of it, Venion.”
“Yes.”
“With this, wouldn’t it be good to say that the Azure Sea Moon Shadow Swordsmanship has been reborn as a divine martial art upon meeting a genius?”
Venion burst into laughter at Allenvert’s subtle jab at their previous conversation.
“Perhaps you’re right.”
Allenvert smiled arrogantly.
“You should have said so from the start.”
“In any case, as promised, I will give you the spirit medicine.”
But, he added.
“Not today.”
“Why?”
“Originally, precious things are difficult to obtain immediately. I have to place an order when I return today.”
“That’s absurd.”
“I’m also taken aback. I thought it would take a little more time.”
Moreover, Venion added.
“A good spirit medicine is not originally meant to be taken alone.”
Alenvert nodded, figuring he'd gained enough today that he didn't need spirit medicine right away.
“Is today’s schedule finished with this?”
“There’s nothing more to make you do. At this rate, I’ll be quickly fired and become unemployed.”
“Ah, that would be a problem.”
Allenvert nodded.
‘Rather, this is good.’
It wasn’t even lunchtime yet. That meant…
‘I should go to the underworld tonight.’
It meant that there was plenty of time for a wise underworld life.
* * *
“No… don’t you sleep?”
This was Peter’s reaction to hearing that I was going to the underworld again.
“I’ll sleep plenty when I’m dead anyway, so I’ll cut back on sleep while I’m alive.”
It was Karzan’s saying that he had been sleeping for 17 years, so it was definitely true.
“But my mother said that sleep is the most important thing.”
“Hmm. Your mother’s words are a serious matter.”
I casually stroked Peter’s head.
“I’ll sleep there, so don’t worry.”
“Are there bedrooms there too?”
“If I tell them to make one, they’ll make one.”
I spoke like a tyrant.
“But did you really take over the organization in just one day?”
“Why, does it look difficult? Even a single Royal Guard or knight could easily sweep away such a shabby area alone.”
“Well, Royal Guards are monsters, after all.”
I said with a hollow laugh.
“If they’re monsters, then I’m a dragon, a dungeon lord, a minion of black mages, the leader of a secret society, a hunting dog of an assassin family, and the Northern Duke's Genius Illegitimate Child ”
[Tl/N- It’s another work by the author.]
“What’s the Northern Duke's Genius Illegitimate Child?”
“I just blurted out whatever came to mind. Anyway, what a Royal Guard can do, this Allenvert can surely do as well.”
“I’m sorry, but I’ve been hearing everything you’ve been saying.”
Jeffrey protested with a constipated face.
“Keseg is an idiot, but the Grunewald’s Royal Guards are renowned elites even throughout Litvaleur.”
“Okay.”
“And in that case, it’s your talent, Young Master, that’s exceptional.”
“I’ll gratefully accept the compliment.”
“I shouldn’t have said anything.”
I found Jeffrey’s somewhat impudent tone rather familiar. Olivier was also treating me more comfortably than before, and I actually preferred that.
‘But not Peter.’
He’d be dead if he dared.
“Young Master.”
Olivier advised.
“You must be especially careful this time. After the private audience with the Head of the Clan, the way people look at you has completely changed.”
“Hmm, that’s true.”
It meant that unprecedented surveillance and checks might come in.
“Moreover, the news that you reached the 4th level of the Azure Sea Moon Shadow Swordsmanship in just one day will soon be known.”
“Well, even I think it was a legendary feat.”
Olivier sighed at my boastful appearance after he had gone to the trouble of worrying.
“Please listen seriously.”
“I’m serious about everything.”
Then Peter interjected.
“No, that’s really not true.”
“Shut up, Peter.”
I lightly suppressed Peter and asked.
“I heard that Brother Verdzig was at the 2nd level on his first day?”
“Yes, that’s what I know as well.”
“Then how rare is my record? Is there no precedent?”
“As far as I know, that’s the case. No, from the beginning—”
Olivier clicked his tongue.
“It’s originally unheard of to master all the movements of a martial art on the first day.”
“Well, sister is also in the category of geniuses.”
That’s why people say that geniuses are common these days.
But the martial talent of Ulbhild, whom I had seen directly, was indeed at a genius level. Even compared to Karzan’s experience.
“I heard from my granduncle when I was young that only the founder Vitenfeld is said to have reached the 3rd level on the first day.”
“Ah, is that so?”
Duke Vitenfeld Grunewald was known as the ‘Sword of Litvaleur’ and one of the best of his time, the very person who wrote the Seven Stars of the Black Sea Technique.
“Then he was also a genius comparable to me.”
I spoke arrogantly.
‘Now that I think of it, should I start learning that Seven Stars of the Black Sea Technique?’
Since I had deeply learned the Eternal Ocean Chain Technique through Ulbhild’s teachings, perhaps now was the right time.
Or not.
“Anyway.”
I clapped my hands together, drawing attention.
“Today, rumors about me will be haunting the ducal castle like ghosts all day. I plan to hole up in my room and pretend to be a mysterious person.”
“And then you’re going out at night?”
“Yeah.”
“Will that be alright? I think there will be many people trying to find out what’s going on inside.”
“Either way, no one knows what I’m doing inside if the curtains are drawn. Whether I’m taking a nap, doing push-ups, or grilling meat.”
Of course, hiding inside the annex was not a perfect security method.
‘Around this time, my brothers might have already won over one or two employees.’
No matter how thoroughly Olivier had weeded them out, gaps were bound to appear. You’d be surprised to know how vicious those old noblemen are.
‘In any case, I just need to weed out the suspicious ones again.’
I didn’t intend to just sit back and be taken advantage of.
“Ah, come to think of it, Olivier.”
“Yes?”
“Do you happen to have any leftover budget? Like for maintenance of dignity expenses.”
Olivier narrowed his brow.
“Why are you asking for that….”
My answer was simple.
“I have a use for it.”
You could call it a kind of investment.
* * *
Night deepened.
I walked outside the castle, smelling the cool, fishy scent blowing in from the night sea.
‘These bastards, their eyes.’
The eyes of the passersby who saw a boy in decent attire coming out of the ducal castle held a somewhat dangerous light.
‘The atmosphere is different from last time.’
Does the atmosphere change every day of the week, or is there another reason I don’t know about? It might be because the guards were away on patrol.
In any case, I confidently passed between them, keeping my senses spread out so that I could easily respond even if a knife flew from behind me at any moment.
‘It’s surprising again, but Peter managed to commute to the slums in this kind of atmosphere.’
Would it be better to have Olivier teach him some self-defense? Or assigning Jeffrey’s idle subordinates as escorts wouldn’t be a bad idea either.
‘Well, that would be too conspicuous.’
Telling the guards was also a good method. After all, Peter’s official title is the Fourth Young Master’s attendant, isn’t it?
‘The problem is that his treatment and salary are at the level of anormal servant.’
What cunning bastard played such a trick? The way it was done was just like Verdzig.
In any case, this was something I wouldn’t have to worry about if Zizek took control of this area in the future.
‘To what extent has he taken care of things?’
It was too short a time to have done much. When you think about it, I’m going back after only two days.
‘But.’
Thinking about Zizek’s appearance that day, I didn’t think he would just be idly playing around.
‘He’s quite a talented guy.’
Above all, he’s a man with the capacity to take in and use those who have nowhere to go, like me.
‘Those who have no choice but to throw themselves into the underworld to change their lives, or just to survive.’
Boys who have not learned anything and have no one to tell them what the right path is are easily caught up in underworld organizations.
However, nine out of ten, like moths drawn to a black sun, throw themselves into it and instantly melt and die. The underworld is a heartless world.
Zizek was taking in and protecting those very moths, and gaining their loyalty.
‘Even if this underworld is vast, there are not many men with such chivalry.’
Even though he is still a weak man who has barely reached the 3rd-tier, that is not important.
I confirmed that he also had something to protect. I saw that Zizek was not there just because he wanted to rule that small district.
‘Those kinds of guys become big shots if they survive for a long time.’
Just like this Karzan did.
‘Moreover, I showed him the higher level that he was so thirsty for.’
Then Zizek will grow. Like a tree thirsty in a drought that grows greedily when it meets welcome rain.
‘There are men in this world who need to be looked at again with rubbed eyes after only a few days.’
The speed at which my current skills are increasing is like that, and so will Zizek’s.
‘He definitely has potential.’
Let’s think about Keseg of the Royal Guards, who was overwhelmed by me in a wooden sword sparring match.
Keseg’s current skills are naturally better, but I guarantee that the difference between Keseg’s and Zizek’s skills in ten years will be like heaven and earth.
Why wouldn’t it be? A underworld swordsman who has survived for a long time with outstanding talent and venom, and who has devoted himself to training, is bound to become a strongman who is in no way inferior to the strength of a knight who has trained with formal education.
‘In short, Zizek is a man who becomes stronger in the underworld way.’
Just like me.
But he also has a slightly different aspect from me. He has a shade called me, who will show him the right path and lead him.
‘Lucky bastard.’
At this moment, I was seeing Zamuel’s past reflected in him.
‘He also had humble beginnings.’
Because I took him in and raised him, Zamuel grew into a man worthy of inheriting all of me.
‘In any case, whether Zizek can become such a man is a matter that must be continuously confirmed and verified in the future.’
The underworld is a world where it is not strange to die from unnamed sword or to meet a strong enemy by bad luck.
‘So this is the first verification.’
Just like my father, the Council of Elders, is trying to verify me through Venion.
‘How well he has handled the atmosphere of the organization in two days.’
And how he has controlled the agitation of his subordinates.
That was what I wanted to confirm.
‘…And I also have things to make him do.’
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Pot]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Join our Discord for release updates!
https://discord.com/invite/dbdMDhzWa2
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