Regressor of the Fallen Family

The true Macline swordsmanship that once supported the old Earl’s family had long since lost its lineage. The Macline swordsmanship currently practiced by the knights of the Macline family is merely a shell of its former self, essentially intermediate-level in name only. Logan simply had his own reasons for refusing, but those who heard could not discern his underlying motives.

“Hmm. If you really want that, well, there’s nothing I can do. If that’s truly sufficient for you, then follow me.”

Logan’s request turned out to be a very simple task for the Sword Grandmaster, just as he had anticipated.

* * *

“Have you arrived? But who is that behind you?”

“He is my guest.”

“…Pardon?”

The Sword Grandmaster himself brought someone to the sparring ground he so cherished, referring to the young whelp as his guest, no less. The knights guarding the training ground widened their eyes in shock.

“What are you doing? Open the way, we have business.”

At the Sword Grandmaster’s prompt, the knights snapped to attention and began moving a thick stone door.

Rumble.

The door, easily over 50cm thick, slid open to the sides under the strength of the knights. A training ground made of solid stone appeared before their eyes. The first thing Logan noticed was the display racks full of numerous swords, but his eyes soon shifted to the bookshelves beside it. Surprised at the out-of-place sight of the bookshelf in the training ground, Logan was still contemplating when the Sword Grandmaster nonchalantly approached, pulled out a book, and tossed it to him.

“Cheongong (Heavenly Sky)” seemed too grandiose a name for an elementary swordsmanship manual, prompting an incredulous look from Logan towards Felix. “It is indeed an elementary manual. If you train only this, it’s perfect for wrecking your body. However, it has unique elements that make it worth reading.”

But Logan had never pinned high hopes on a swordsmanship manual in the first place.

“What about the certification…”

“Tssts. Are you sure this is enough for you? There’s such a thing as too little ambition.”

“It’s fine.”

“Let me repeat, how about an intermediate manual? There are some quite decent ones…”

An absurd scene unfolded where the giver seemed more desperate to offer more than the recipient could take. Yet, Logan’s wishes remained unchanged.

“Could you just write me the certification separately? A note with no mention of the swordsmanship manual’s name stating that you give it to me…”

The Sword Grandmaster sighed in disbelief, but soon nodded his head.

“If I give an intermediate manual, it would truly be a fair trade. That would then be the end of this connection.”

To Logan, that was the extent of it. No matter how delighted the counterpart might be, it was merely an aphrodisiac and a cure for impotence. Taking the certification placed upon the sword manual, Logan bowed his head.

“Thank you.”

With a sense of pride, Logan was examining the certification when Felix looked at him with a bemused voice.

“…Are you not going to take the sword manual at all?”

“Ah, my apologies.”

“What on earth are you thinking, to be so difficult to understand?”

The Sword Grandmaster let out a light sigh at Logan’s awkward laugh when suddenly another unexpected phrase followed.

“No matter how I think about it, this is not right.”

“Pardon?”

“Even if you’re satisfied, I am not. This deal is not fair, I’ll give you something else. Do you accept it?”

‘If only he would just cherish that feeling of owing me…’

However, it was difficult to refuse with the Sword Grandmaster insisting so earnestly.

“I am truly fine with this, but… Ha ha, refusing further would be impolite.”

Even if it didn’t feel like indebtedness, if both were satisfied with the transaction, the connection would last.

With that thought, Logan began to feel a sense of anticipation.

‘What could he possibly give?’

Considering the Sword Grandmaster’s pride, it wouldn’t be something trivial.

As Logan’s heart pounded with speculation, Felix’s voice solidified his expectations.

“I will personally teach you a technique worth your while.”

‘A lesson?’

A lesson from the kingdom’s mightiest blade master?

Intermediate techniques from renowned knight orders were untouchable, even for tens of millions of gold due to their nature as national secrets. And a lesson from the kingdom’s strongest Aura User, the Sword Grandmaster, could be worth even more.

‘Although it may be nothing special, if it’s too extravagant…’

This issue could actually pose a problem for Logan, making his expression complicated.

“I understand you’re humble and don’t seek great things.”

“…Pardon?”

Lost in the first-ever assessment of his character that spanned both his past and current life, Logan listened further.

“But it’s a gift because I would feel troubled otherwise. Besides, wouldn’t this further prove our connection?”

The kindly smiling Sword Grandmaster offered something Logan couldn’t refuse.

No matter how much arcane knowledge of the sword existed, there was no reason to refuse the offer, especially from the strongest in the current era imploring with such words.

Moreover, as the Sword Grandmaster said, it transcended the connection Logan originally wanted to make through the deal.

‘This is a real jackpot.’

What was expected to be a future loss turned into a gain many times over. Resolved, Logan promptly knelt down on the spot.

“Thank you!”

“That’s more like it. You finally act like a youngster of your age.”

The Sword Grandmaster, chuckling at the sight, stood up nimbly and walked towards Logan.

With every step, his aura grew stronger, and by the time he was just five steps away, the suffocating pressure felt palpable just from looking at him.

As he stood there, the Sword Grandmaster drew his sword.

Swooosh.

Swallow.

Logan couldn’t say a word, just looked on, and a calm voice continued.

“Focus. I won’t teach you kindly. Assessing the talent of a promising young man is one of an old man’s pleasures.”

With that, the geniality faded from the Sword Grandmaster’s face, replaced by sheer solemnity.

“Draw your sword.”

Before he could finish speaking, the energy bursting from the tip of his sword began to shackle Logan’s entire body.

‘Ugh!’

Although he was told to draw his sword, doing so was difficult from the start. The hand reaching for the sword sheath at his waist trembled uncontrollably, unable to shake off the aura of the Sword Grandmaster.

‘So this is the power of an Aura User…’

In his past life, he never even imagined directly confronting an Aura User. During his time as a mercenary, they were neither allies nor enemies within reach; during the independent army days, allied Aura Users were too occupied to deal with him, and empire’s Aura Users were entities to be avoided at all costs.

Therefore, this real firsthand experience with an Aura User was invaluable.

‘Damn it.’

But the gap in strength was even greater than expected.

Forcing his trembling hands to move, a sudden question came to mind.

‘Is this really something an Aura User can do?’

If that were something all Aura Users could accomplish, then all the wars across the continent would have been decided by battles among Aura Users alone.

‘This itself is a special technique.’

As his mindset changed, so did his approach.

Hmmm.

The Forcecore in his heart vibrated, emitting powerful energy. The force, magnified by his two cores, amplified not his overall abilities but his senses.

Elevated to a near meditative state, his heightened senses began to analyze the energy constraining his body.

‘Amplification. Focus. Disperse.’

The Sword Grandmaster’s naturally dispersed aura was concentrated at certain moments, exerting pressure on him.

Yet that alone wasn’t enough to fully restrict his movements.

‘It reacts to the initiation of my movement, dispersing strength into the ether.’

While he understood this, how it was possible remained unknown.

Still, a method to move came to mind—act half a beat faster than the Sword Grandmaster’s timing.

Just with this simple action, Logan was able to draw his sword.

Clang!

“Indeed… you have talent.”

With an admiration-filled remark from the Sword Grandmaster, the suppressing energy vanished in an instant, only to coalesce into his blade.

Hmmmm.

Subsequently, a reddish blade began to overlay upon the sword.

‘An Aura Blade?’

The Sword Grandmaster’s internal force and external aura merged to create a tangible blade of power, etching its image in Logan’s senses.

‘Oh, no. This is…’

At that moment, when the light of realization gleamed in Logan’s eyes,

“Watch closely. This is the Overbearing Sword.”

Down came a giant red blade overhead, soaring well over three meters.

The sheer force, tangible even from a distance, was impossible to counter.

“If you manifest it properly, it can be quite effective against lesser opponents. Watch carefully. Focus!”

The red blade descended slowly, ponderously above his head.

‘I must dodge… Ugh!’

Though he attempted to evade the plummeting sword, his body wouldn’t budge.

The aura that stemmed from the red sword infiltrated every inch, scrambling his senses.

Feeling utterly powerless, as if his body refused to heed his commands, he realized.

‘The sword’s aura is strengthening the effect.’

Without the previous confrontation’s experience, the principles would have been unfathomable.

Even with his newfound understanding, no immediate counter came to mind.

Hmmm.

Right then, a subtle vibration in his body sparked a light in Logan’s eyes.

The intensified core versed his body in neutralizing the invasive energy, restoring his senses.

This unforeseen situation left even Logan surprised.

“Huh?”

The Sword Grandmaster let out an amused laugh as, in a blink, the red sword moved at unprecedented speed.

Instinctively, Logan knew he couldn’t dodge the incoming strike.

‘Argh!’

In the nick of time, his sword wrapped in a golden glow and soared to meet the assault.

Boom!

An explosive sound propelled Logan back.

Thud.

Thump.

He crashed mightily against the training ground wall and tumbled to the floor.

Barely raising his head, he grimaced and spat out blood.

Cough.

With a broken sword planted in the ground, he managed to prop himself up, and the knights could see the severity of his internal injuries.

Yet the first word he uttered wasn’t about his wounds but about the sword.

“That wasn’t… an Aura Blade?”

Tickled, perhaps, by his inquiry, a smile crept across the Sword Grandmaster’s lips.

“Why would I teach you something you can’t replicate? You watched well.”

Hearing the answer, a faint smile appeared on Logan’s face as he lost consciousness.

* * *

Rumble.

Watching the Sword Grandmaster emerge from the training ground, the knights all bowed their heads.

“Inside, you’ll find a fainted lad. Treat him well in the infirmary.”

“Pardon?”

The knights, likely confidants of a duke, seemed slow to react to the unexpected command.

‘A guest?’

One question united their thoughts, but the Sword Grandmaster didn’t indulge their curiosity.

“I’ve provided first aid, so once he’s fully restored, report to me. I have more to say to the lad.”

“Yes!”

Nodding to the knights’ reply, the Sword Grandmaster smiled, lost in thought.

‘Indeed, he’s a notable one.’

Initially, the intention wasn’t to deal heavy blows, but after being caught off guard by the lad’s unexpected performance, the lesson became more earnest.

Such is the way of learning—growth comes with scars.

‘Do I know a young one reminiscent of him…?’

Recalling his own students within the Esperanza Knight Order, none seemed to match that aptitude.

‘Certainly, he promises to be quite interesting.’

Sword Grandmaster, Felix Esperanza, began to take a real interest in Logan.