Genius Gamer Reborn into a Family of Heroes

Chapter 33

Honorary Sword Meeting

Harang stared intently at Ryuchen, who looked like he wanted to kill him.

It wasn’t a childish staring contest.

‘…Now I can see it.’

Before his eyes, Ryuchen’s form split into several branches, each making different movements.

At one time, Harang’s simulations couldn’t perfectly predict the movements of a 4-star superhuman swordsman who used the variable known as “sword energy.”

This was because he had no knowledge or experience of how a 4-star superhuman, who began to enhance their physical abilities with mana in earnest, felt and acted.

However, during the six months he spent at White Night Castle, observing the mock duels of the 1st team Semi Polden and the 1st team disciples, he memorized the abilities of 4-star swordsmen.

Sss… Harang caught even the slightest movement of Ryuchen aiming his real sword at him, calculating his strength and flexibility.

‘I’ve roughly figured out what kind of swordsmanship Emblitz uses.’

In previous duels, he noticed that the Emblitz family mainly used splendid illusionary sword techniques and had already calculated how to counter them.

The problem was…

‘…Whether my body can keep up with my thoughts, that’s the biggest concern.’

Harang lowered his gaze and aimed his sword as the judge stepped back and spoke.

“The duel, begin.”

Neither rushed in first. Ryuchen intended to leisurely crush the arrogant Kaladan kid, while Harang expected all his attacks to be blocked.

After a moment’s wait, Ryuchen’s stance changed. He placed his left hand on top of the back of his right hand, which held the sword.

Having seen this preparation stance several times in today’s Honorary Sword Meeting, where the left fingers curved strangely as if forming a seal, Harang quickly understood it.

‘Emblitz Quick Sword Style, Waterfall Flow.’

Harang, relieved that it wasn’t an unknown swordsmanship, took a corresponding stance.

He stood with his sword held vertically, the opposite palm pressed against the blade’s side—this was the preparation stance for the Kaladan Swordsmanship Second Technique, Wind Wolf Hundred Sword Art, the only defensive swordsmanship.

And.

This was the famous basic swordsmanship of Kaladan.

‘Ha, I knew it.’

Ryuchen sneered.

Predicting an opponent’s swordsmanship by observing their stance wasn’t exclusive to Harang.

Ryuchen had already participated in the Honorary Sword Meeting three times and had dueled with Kaladan swordsmen externally countless times.

‘It’s surprising that he can use the Second Technique at such a young age, but…’

By inducing the Second Technique, Ryuchen had already gained a psychological advantage.

‘I’ve broken that level of swordsmanship countless times.’

Ryuchen’s eyes gleamed sharply. Even though the opponent was two stars lower, he didn’t plan to hold back.

Tushin—! Ryuchen kicked off, causing a depression in the ground with a shockwave. As he sprinted toward Harang, who was thirty steps away, he swung his sword halfway there.

Emblitz Quick Sword Style

Waterfall Flow

Swaaa…! As if a massive waterfall were collapsing, blue waves of sword energy surged from Ryuchen’s sword, pouring toward Harang.

A mere 2-star swordsman couldn’t withstand this waterfall and would be swept away.

Without stopping there, Ryuchen added another ultimate technique to finish Harang in one blow.

Falling Water

Pulling the waterfall up and then slamming it down again…

‘…Huh?’

Just as he was about to strike down to complete the Falling Water, Ryuchen had to abruptly alter his sword’s path.

Shooo!!

Harang, who had approached unnoticed, was swinging his sword with deadly intent!

‘When did he!?’

Clang!! Ryuchen hurriedly canceled his move and parried, but being in midair while using his ultimate technique left his stance unstable.

“Ugh!”

Moreover, the strike from the 2-star swordsman, which he thought would be light, was surprisingly heavy!

Thump! Harang pushed Ryuchen with force in midair and then attempted to throw his sword.

‘What…!’

Throwing his sword in a duel?!

There was no time to be astonished.

Ryuchen quickly tried to deflect the flying sword, but Harang only feigned throwing it, thrusting it into Ryuchen’s side instead.

‘…Where!’

Though it was a surprising strike, the 4-star swordsman’s senses easily blocked such variables.

Harang quickly retreated before Ryuchen could regain his stance and tried to throw his sword again.

Reacting to this, Ryuchen took a defensive stance, but once again, Harang only pretended to throw and instead attempted a slash at his neck.

‘Such swordsmanship!’

Ryuchen found Harang’s attempts laughable and tried to knock away his sword.

A mere 2-star swordsman’s sword without sword energy should be easily overpowered by a 4-star swordsman’s sword energy.

However.

Flash!! As Ryuchen’s sword clashed with Harang’s, Harang’s sword gleamed with sword energy.

Clang! Startled by the unexpectedly strong force, Ryuchen couldn’t fully repel the sword, but that was it.

In any case, he thought he would win with sheer strength!

But when he tried to press down harder, Harang let go of his sword and stepped back.

‘…What?!’

Thud, Harang took a step back and kicked his sword, which was about to fly away, back into his hand.

Only then did Ryuchen realize he was full of openings. He had tried to push Harang’s sword too hard, causing his own stance to break when Harang didn’t meet the force.

‘Damn…!’

As he hurried to raise his upper body and block, Harang’s sword took an unexpected path, lightly cutting through his side guard and leaving a deep wound.

Drip, drip…

Ryuchen, who had leaped back several steps to distance himself, grimaced. The wound was deeper than expected, causing bleeding.

‘…What is this?’

Looking at Harang, who once again pointed his sword at him, Ryuchen was bewildered.

Even though Harang was two stars lower than him, there was no gap in his defense.

‘Just now…’

Harang had clearly taken a defensive stance with the Second Technique. Believing he would stay put, Ryuchen prepared to unleash his full-force strike.

But for some reason, Harang had used the First Technique, Speed Butterfly Sword, and reached right in front of him.

‘…Was it a feint? Could he really switch techniques that quickly?!’

Harang seemed like a ghost. Despite keeping an eye on him while executing Waterfall Flow, Harang had seemingly teleported in front of him.

No, that’s not it.

For a moment, he lost sight of Harang.

While leaping up to perform the Falling Water, raising his sword for that brief moment—just 0.1 seconds, he had lost sight of Harang. He had never thought such a short time could make a difference…

‘Was it a coincidence? Did he coincidentally switch from the Second to the First Technique at the right moment, breaking my stance?’

No, it wasn’t a coincidence.

The following movements were too smooth for that. Even as they exchanged blows, Harang continually prevented Ryuchen from regaining his posture.

‘…It can’t be!’

Harang was just a 2-star swordsman.

Ryuchen couldn’t accept being pushed back by a lesser swordsman.

‘I’ll show my full power…’

Biting his teeth so hard they made a grinding sound, Ryuchen fixed his stance.

He would use the true swordsmanship of Emblitz, which he had only recently mastered.

Emblitz Illusionary Sword Style Ultimate Technique

Death of a Hundred Lotus Blossoms

Harang threw his sword with a mighty fling!

Swaack! It flew at a surprisingly fast speed for a 10-year-old, but it was still a speed that a 4-star swordsman could dodge or block.

Thunk!! Yet, Harang’s sword struck Ryuchen’s forearm precisely.

“Ugh…!”

Ryuchen, who had barely blocked the sword aimed at his neck with his forearm, retreated two steps.

But Harang, showing no intention of maintaining distance, charged in and kicked Ryuchen’s wounded abdomen, pulling out the sword lodged in his arm.

Shuk! Blood spurted as Ryuchen lowered his left arm in pain, while Harang swung his sword again.

Clang! As the swords, both encased in sword energy, clashed, the two swordsmen were pushed back simultaneously, but Ryuchen was the first to charge again.

“You bastard!!”

Furious, Ryuchen swung his real sword encased in sword energy with one hand without thinking of stopping the bleeding, but most of the attacks were dodged or deflected. Occasionally, when they clashed, Harang’s sword was also encased in sword energy.

A 2-star swordsman could maintain sword energy for an average of 0.6 seconds. After that, the energy would dissipate, and a short delay was needed before it could be used again.

Thus, in a sword clash, a 2-star swordsman should never be able to beat a 3-star or higher swordsman.

But what was happening?

“How can this be?”

“Why can a 2-star swordsman withstand a 4-star swordsman’s sword energy…?”

“More importantly, how can a 2-star swordsman continuously encase their sword in energy?”

“Why does it seem like he’s constantly countering with sword energy?”

Harang’s mana was not significantly lacking compared to a 4-star swordsman. In other words, if he just encased his sword in energy and clashed, he wouldn’t be easily overpowered!

‘Timing it

is nothing.’

Sword energy duration: 0.5-0.7 seconds.

Cooldown time: 2.7-3.2 seconds.

Though it’s not a game with precise duration and cooldown times.

Harang fully understood when and exactly how he could unleash and retract his sword energy.

When he couldn’t use sword energy, he deflected Ryuchen’s attacks; when he could, he clashed to create openings.

This strategy would be impossible if Ryuchen were in perfect condition, but since he had already inflicted two serious wounds, it became feasible to engage in a sword clash!

Of course, despite being wounded, a 4-star swordsman’s strikes were heavy and swift, and if Harang didn’t predict and anticipate his moves, he could lose an arm in one blow.

Swaaaa!!

At times, when the sword energy surged vigorously, mixed with sword aura, Harang felt chills. A wrong cut wouldn’t just take a limb; it could kill him!

Despite the cold sweat, Harang focused all his nerves on Ryuchen’s sword.

‘It’s becoming clearer.’

While Ryuchen’s sword grew slower, Harang started to grasp it more, advancing further.

While Ryuchen struck, cut, and thrust in the present, Harang envisioned blocking, deflecting, and countering in the future.

And.

Boom!!

As the swords of the two swordsmen clashed, a tremendous wave of energy erupted.

The impact was greater than expected, forcing both to retreat.

Harang took seven steps.

Ryuchen took eight steps.

Just one step.

Though it was only a small difference, Ryuchen felt an unerasable sense of shame. Veins bulged on his forehead, and his hand gripping the sword trembled.

‘To be pushed by a 2-star swordsman…!’

It was an inconceivable occurrence.

Harang, unconcerned with Ryuchen’s reaction, adopted a sword stance. It was Kaladan’s distinctive counter-attack swordsmanship, Wind Wolf Hundred Sword Art.

‘…Fine, that’s the best of what you’ve learned. This time, I’ll show you properly, without underestimating you. The real difference in skill from swordsmanship.’

He wouldn’t fall for a cheap trick like throwing the sword or losing sight of his opponent.

From start to finish, he would keep his opponent in view and unleash countless illusionary swords to crush that pathetic swordsmanship!

“I acknowledge your crafty tricks!”

Ryuchen gritted his teeth and shouted, raising his sword vertically. Then, like a clock hand, he slowly lowered it to the left. Astonishingly, as he lowered the sword, it multiplied, appearing like dozens of swords.

“When I’m serious, you can’t do anything. If that counter-attack technique is your best, you’re finished here.”

What could the opponent do now?

Nothing.

If those tricks were all he had, he would be thoroughly shattered by ‘real swordsmanship.’

“Let me show you.”

Emblitz Illusionary Sword Style Ultimate Technique

Raging Red Lotus…

‘Now!’

As the perfect moment he had envisioned came, Harang’s eyes glowed a silver-white.

[Kaladan Swordsmanship Second Technique]

[Wind Wolf Hundred Sword Art]

[Storm Ten Successive Slashes]

Like a wolf riding the wind, tearing into its prey.

Harang launched forward to bite Ryuchen’s neck just as he started his swordsmanship.

Swaaa!!

…Huh? In that instant, Ryuchen wondered. Even though it was clearly a counter-attack swordsmanship, why was Harang charging at him?

Eleven steps.

Short, but a distance so difficult to close in an instant was covered in the blink of an eye!

‘I must block it.’

Instinctively canceling his swordsmanship and taking a defensive stance, he saw…

…Boom!!

Ryuchen saw an illusion of a massive blue wolf baring its teeth at his neck, filling him with awe.

With the moonlight at its back, the colossal and imposing wolf had silver eyes.

Thud—! Crack!!!

In no time, Ryuchen, unable to even groan from the pain tearing through his body, fell to his knees.

‘I…I…’

Only then did he accept it.

‘I…lost.’

Fear, death, defeat.

Like a deer before a predator…

But there was no wolf.

As Ryuchen regained his senses and raised his head with vacant eyes, Harang’s calm silver eyes came into view. What he had thought was a huge, invincible wolf was just this small boy.

“…I lost.”

Ryuchen’s submission.

The judge, who had been observing the duel, and the numerous warriors watching the scene, couldn’t utter a word.

Understanding and accepting this situation, the self-proclaimed renowned martial artists were short-sighted and ignorant.

However, the judge had to be the most ruthless and impartial person in this place. He forced himself to speak words that barely made it past his throat.

“First-team duel, Harang Paul Kaladan wins. Both swordsmen, take your bows.”

Upon hearing this, Ryuchen collapsed to the ground.

Even as Harang bowed and turned away, Ryuchen could do nothing but remain sitting.