I’m Here to End This Fight

Chapter 175 :Coexistence (5)

Yuri, who had stepped out of the crack, gasped in shock.

The ruined scenery around him was what greeted him.

“What, what is this?!”

There were holes all over the wooden walls and debris scattered everywhere.

Before he had lost his memory, there had only been one hole in the wall, but now there were at least ten.

Panicked, Yuri looked around for someone who could explain the situation.

He soon spotted a group of people not far from the crack, gathered around a bonfire made of broken wood debris.

It was the four workers, huddled together and whispering amongst themselves.

Yuri quickly walked towards them.

“…Are you sure?”

“Are you hungry?”

“Really?”

“Yes, I told you several times…”

Numbers 1, 2, and 3 were interrogating Gunther.

They turned their heads at the approaching shadow, and upon recognizing it as Yuri, their faces lit up.

“Yuri! Are you okay?”

“You came just in time!”

“I’m hungry!”

They all welcomed Yuri enthusiastically.

Yuri looked a bit bewildered by their sudden hospitality.

Theresia, Arin, and Poppy ran over and surrounded him.

Questions immediately started pouring in.

“Is that person… I mean, is that really Sir Johan Redner?”

“Were you really the Sword Master’s disciple?! For real?”

“I’m hungry!”

Yuri let out a sigh internally at the barrage of questions.

‘Looks like everything’s been found out.’

He had been in the middle of a bet with Segyung when he gained enlightenment, and if Johan appeared to help him at that moment, it was likely in full view of everyone.

Yuri had somewhat expected this situation to occur.

‘But it’s still not a good situation.’

There was nothing good about outsiders coming and going from the Cradle.

Moreover, the fact that the outsider was connected to him could easily become a weakness.

Yuri felt a slight unease about the fact that all the secrets he had been keeping were now fully exposed.

The only consolation was that those who had discovered his secrets were people he could somewhat trust now.

Yuri’s gaze shifted to Gunther, who was standing at a distance, watching him.

‘The other three I can understand, but the straight-laced one…’

Gunther, who had known about the relationship between Yuri and Johan from the beginning, seemed not to have told anyone about it.

It didn’t seem likely that Gunther would go around spreading the news now.

As Yuri was thinking this, the group continued their questioning.

“How did Sir Sword Master even get in here?”

“No matter how great Sir Sword Master is, is it okay for outsiders to just walk into the Cradle? Or… maybe someone like Sir Sword Master is an exception?”

“I’m hungry!”

Numbers 1 through 3 kept bombarding him with questions, and Yuri responded in a brusque tone.

“I don’t know exactly how that old man comes and goes here. But maybe…”

All eyes turned to Yuri as he spoke.

Even Gunther, who had been pretending not to care, was now waiting for Yuri’s next words.

“Maybe he flies back and forth?”

“……”

A chilly silence filled the air following Yuri’s response.

Soon, disgruntled voices erupted from all around.

“That’s mean. If you don’t want to tell us, just say so.”

“You’re lying.”

“I’m hungry!”

Watching them getting rowdy, Yuri made a slightly sour face.

‘Even when I tell the truth…’

Sometimes reality could be more absurd than a fanciful tale.

Yuri sighed, waving his hands dismissively, and asked his question.

“Anyway, why does this place look like this again? Why is everything broken?”

At his question, everyone’s expressions turned sullen.

Arin spoke on behalf of the group.

“That bomb-throwing old man did this…”

Theresia continued.

“I don’t know what the relationship is between the two old men, but the Bone Clan elder was furiously throwing bombs at Sir Sword Master.”

“I’m hungry.”

Poppy nodded as if confirming he had seen it too, and Yuri sighed softly.

He had an expression that seemed to say, ‘Of course, that’s what happened.’

‘It’s not surprising that something got destroyed when those two met.’

The real problem was that what got destroyed was the fortress they had worked so hard to build.

‘I wonder if we’ll be able to finish it by the end of this year.’

If the damage continued, they’d run out of surrounding trees long before the fortress was completed.

Yuri sighed again and looked around before asking.

“So, where’s that Bone Clan elder?”

“He was over there until just a while ago.”

Theresia pointed in the direction.

There, a furnace still burning bright caught Yuri’s eye.

He silently walked in that direction.

Watching Yuri’s back, Arin whispered in surprise.

“If he doesn’t deny it… then it’s true that the person is Sir Sword Master, right?”

“It really seems so.”

“I’m hungry.”

The trio’s eyes naturally turned to Gunther.

As if asking, ‘Was it really true?!’ their gaze bore into Gunther, who let out a deep sigh.

“I told you, yes, that’s right, how many times do I have to say it…!”

Yuri walked through the darkness.

Step by step.

He moved forward from behind the furnace, illuminated by the orange glow, and saw Segyung Walker sitting there.

“What are you doing here?”

Yuri deliberately raised his voice to make his presence known, but Segyung still didn’t take his eyes off the furnace.

It was as if he was entranced, staring intently into the flames inside.

Standing beside him, Yuri spoke in a confident voice.

“What are you doing? Let’s continue our bet!”

Segyung finally opened his mouth at the continued urging.

“Isn’t it beautiful?”

Yuri tilted his head, puzzled by the unexpected answer.

Despite Yuri’s reaction, Segyung continued with a serious expression.

“The flames of the furnace bloom more beautifully at night. I’ve watched them for decades, but I’ve never seen a flower as beautiful as this.”

With a somewhat melancholic look, he glanced back at Yuri.

“…What did you see in my Glorious Solar Flame Art?”

Yuri conveyed exactly what he had felt.

“A refinement of technique born from intense determination.”

“I see…”

Segyung once again turned his gaze to the furnace.

After a brief moment of staring at the flames, he nodded.

“It’s good that you realized that. So, this bet… let’s say I lost. Since I lost, as promised, I’ll teach you metallurgy and alchemy.”

“…?”

“I was waiting to tell you that. Then… I’ll be off, see you later.”

Segyung finished speaking and dusted off his pants as he stood up.

Watching him rise, Yuri spoke in a sullen voice.

“Hey, where’s the honor in you conceding like this? I hate unresolved things. Let’s finish this. Just wait a bit, and I’ll show you this Glorious Solar Flame Art or whatever.”

“…It’s fine. I’ll just accept that I lost…”

Yuri’s eyes narrowed at Segyung’s repeated refusals.

Soon, his mouth twitched into a smile as he spoke in a teasing tone.

“Old man… are you chickening out?”

“……”

“You’re only pretending to be generous because you think I’ll win this bet too, aren’t you?”

“……”

“Wow, you were trying to set the mood and it turns out you’re just playing tricks? Pfft.”

As Yuri continued to mock, Segyung’s shoulders trembled.

He mouthed, ‘This damned brat has no tact!’ grinding his teeth.

“…You’re lucky.”

“Huh?”

“If I hadn’t used all the bombs I brought for your damned master… I’d have shoved them all in your mouth.”

“Yeah, sure. Anyway, let’s continue the bet. I’ll show you Yuri’s Glorious Solar Flame Art!”

“Enough…”

“Why?”

“I said enough! Let’s just say you won!”

Segyung’s voice raised, his cheeks puffing in frustration.

He glared at Yuri with a face full of indignation.

‘Every genius should just go to hell!’

His confident and annoying face, along with his uneasy intuition, were telling him.

There was a real chance that Yuri might truly pull off the Glorious Solar Flame Art just from seeing it once.

Or rather, it was highly probable.

That’s what made it all the more unbearable to watch.

If that damn kid actually managed to replicate the Glorious Solar Flame Art…

‘What would my decades of hard work mean then?!’

Segyung thought it would be a hundred, no, a thousand times better to just concede the bet than to have his years of effort invalidated.

“Hey, I’m telling you, I can show you the Glorious Solar Flame Art! I can seriously do it! Just watch, okay?”

“……”

Segyung, shaking in frustration due to Yuri’s relentless provocation, looked up at the starry night sky, contemplating his life’s greatest dilemma.

‘Should I just quit metallurgy?’

That day, Segyung left after saying he’d be back.

Of course, with a face that clearly showed he really didn’t want to come back.

And then, the very next day.

Yuri stood before workers 1 through 4, who had all been called together.

“Whew…”

Yuri took a deep breath.

With a determined expression, he unsheathed his sword in front of everyone.

Swish-

As if he was about to make a life-or-death decision.

Yuri glared sharply at the tip of his sword.

At the same time, his beloved sword, White, began to transform.

Strong Sword, Soft Sword, Fire Sword.

Watching the rapid and seamless transformations, Gunther let out a quiet admiration.

White, having smoothly completed the three-stage transformation, then donned a golden hue.

Like it was coated in golden honey, White was enveloped in a translucent film.

It was the Magic Sword.

Crackle-

The sword, now cloaked in blue lightning, held steady in that form.

One, two, three seconds.

Even though he had easily surpassed his past record, Yuri’s expression remained calm and composed.

A whole minute passed like that.

Swish-

Yuri retracted his magic sword.

‘I maintained the Magic Sword for a full minute… and I still have plenty of mana left!’

No, it was more than just having mana left.

With this amount, density, and purity of mana, he could easily sustain the Magic Sword for over 30 minutes.

Realizing this, Yuri’s face flushed with excitement.

‘This little nub… it’s amazing!’

The small lump of mana that dangled from his now-empty mana core, which he had mockingly referred to as a “nipple” for its insignificance, was not something he could dismiss anymore.

Now that he understood its true nature, he could no longer call it that.

‘This is only… about 2% of the old man’s mana?’

Yet, that mere 2% was already several times more than the mana he had painstakingly accumulated in the Cradle.

All from this small lump of mana.

Then…

‘What if I fill the empty space and fully harness the potential of this mana core?’

What would happen then?

As Yuri pondered this question, a fleeting memory of Johan’s terrifying prowess—where he had once blown away an entire cliff—flashed through his mind.

A delighted laugh escaped from him.

“Hehehe.”

Yuri glanced at Poppy and raised his chin slightly.

His eyes were filled with the unspoken message, ‘Did you see that? I’m not a quick shot anymore!’

Poppy crossed his arms as he met Yuri’s gaze.

“I’m hungry.”

“He says, ‘So, what’s next?’”

“Next?”

“Yeah.”

“…Wait a moment.”

With Arin translating, Yuri lowered his raised chin.

He knew exactly what Poppy meant by “next.”

Yuri picked up his sword again, his expression turning serious.

‘With this amount of mana…’

Yuri gritted his teeth.

Determined to show that bald head who had mocked him what he was made of, he drew out mana from his core with all his might.

White instantly transformed into the Magic Sword once more.

The transformation continued to the next stage without pause.

The faintly visible blade through the translucent golden barrier was soon completely engulfed in a golden hue.

Now, only a perfectly clear golden crystal remained in place of the blade.

The sword had truly transformed into a jewel-like form.

Theresia and Gunther, watching this, marveled inwardly.

‘Beautiful…’

‘It’s truly… a Holy Sword!’

Unlike last time, when it had happened unconsciously, this time Yuri had genuinely formed the Holy Sword through his own will.

This was an astounding feat that proved he had indeed reached the officially recognized sixth stage.

As they continued to admire the spectacle.

One second passed.

The brilliant light of the Holy Sword, infused with blue lightning, began to fade.

Two seconds passed.

The blue lightning vanished.

Three seconds passed.

Finally, the golden crystal disappeared, and White reverted to its original form.

Crackle, crackle.

Only a faint trace of lightning remained on the sword, writhing slightly.

Fizz.

Even that quickly dissipated, leaving nothing behind.

“Huh…?”

“What?”

“…That’s it?”

“I’m hungry.”

The Holy Sword had disappeared in exactly three seconds, leaving Workers 1 through 4 blinking in confusion.

Yuri, more embarrassed than anyone by their stunned gazes, turned bright red and shouted.

“T-This is… because… I used up my strength showing the Magic Sword earlier! Yeah, that’s it!”

“How much strength could that have taken?”

“That alone is a huge difference! Just wait, when my mana recovers, I’ll show you properly!”

Yuri’s flimsy excuse only highlighted that he had poured everything into creating the Holy Sword.

Seeing Yuri flustered, Poppy’s mouth twitched slightly.

“I’m hungry.”

“He says, ‘Congratulations on escaping the Magic Sword quick-shot, Holy Sword quick-shot.’”

At Arin’s ever-reliable translation, Yuri snapped and lunged at Poppy.

“Argh! That’s not true! I’m not a quick shot, you bald bastard!”

In a fit of denial, Yuri bit down on Poppy’s head in frustration.

Just then.

“Geez, if you recklessly pour mana in just to create a Holy Sword, it’s no wonder they’re calling you a quick shot. You fool.”

At the sudden voice, everyone turned their gaze.

Clack, clack.

They saw Johan approaching, and the four workers froze in shock.

‘…It’s him.’

‘Sir Sword Master!’

‘Johan… Redner.’

‘I’m hungry!’

Johan’s title, “The Indomitable Sword,” embodied a legacy that would forever shine alongside the Sword Master as long as he lived.

It was only natural for the younger generation, walking the path of the sword, to be in awe of Johan.

But exceptions existed everywhere.

Yuri, who had never once shown any apprehension toward Johan since their first meeting, was still gnawing on Poppy’s head, unfazed by his presence.

Seeing this, Johan’s brow furrowed.

“Stop fooling around and come down. I’ll teach you the techniques for handling both the Magic Sword and the Holy Sword.”

“…Really?”

The moment Johan finished speaking, Yuri eagerly ran over.

His eyes were brimming with anticipation.

“If I learn that technique, will I be able to… stop being a three-second quick shot?”

“It’ll depend on your effort.”

“Then that’s no problem, I’m good at everything! But, old man… aren’t you leaving? You usually don’t even stay a day.”

“Seeing your sorry state, I think I’ll stick around for a few days to nag you. So…”

Johan’s gaze shifted to the four workers.

“You lot prepare as well. While I’m here, I’ll take care of you too.”

“…?!”

At Johan’s sudden declaration, the four workers’ eyes widened.

They quickly became frantic.

This wasn’t just anyone; it was the Indomitable Sword offering them guidance.

Everyone knew what a tremendous opportunity this was.

“We’ll be right back!”

“Me too!”

“I’m hungry!”

“We’ll get ready immediately!”

In a hurry, the four workers scrambled to gather their weapons.

Meanwhile, Yuri squinted and eyed Johan suspiciously.

“What are you up to? Offering volunteer work out of the blue?”

“Geez, what volunteer work? I’m just doing this to make things easier for myself.”

“…?”

“I’ll be visiting you often from now on, and at my age, I can’t keep sneaking around like a petty thief, worrying about those kids.”

“Huh?”

“So, this is my chance to give them some tips…”

“You want to make them your accomplices?”

“Exactly. Heh heh heh.”

After receiving Johan’s instruction, the workers wouldn’t be able to talk carelessly about him either.

That would mean they had knowingly allowed an outsider to enter the Cradle.

Yuri’s eyes sparkled.

“True, it’s much easier to manage when people keep quiet voluntarily rather than through force.”

“You brat, you do know a thing or two. Heh heh.”

“Of course! I’m pretty sharp when it comes to this stuff, hehe.”

The old man and the boy.

The two, oddly similar individuals, exchanged sly smiles as they looked at each other.

Hehehe.

Heh heh heh.

Their laughter mingled, bringing a strangely cheerful echo to the clearing.

Thus, the long-drawn bet with Segyung concluded.

And in the final days of spring, Yuri had reached the realm of the Holy Sword.

Time passed swiftly from then on…

Summer arrived, hot and sweltering.