It's a thought that crosses the mind of anyone who has ever measured magical power.
Johann Redner, the master among masters.
Just how strong is he?
How much magical power does he possess?
It's a bold question that most wouldn't dare ask the Unyielding Sword, "What's your magical power?"
Yet, the one posing this audacious question is calculating fervently within.
"Let's see, if a certified level 1 is a thousand, then at level 9, it should be around ten thousand, right? Still, he's a renowned master... Maybe between fifty to a hundred thousand?"
While contemplating, Yulri's musings are interrupted by Johann's casual reply.
"My magical power? Well, the last time I checked, it was roughly over a million."
The carriage screeches to a halt, and Yulri turns his head in disbelief.
"Uh... how much? What did you say?"
"Is your ears clogged or something?"
"A million?"
"Yeah."
"Really?"
"Hey, just believe it!"
"Is it a joke?"
"...This brat."
Feeling unjustly accused, Yulri looks at Johann, sensing that he might be telling the truth.
He sighs inwardly, "Oh my, a hundred thousand seemed like such a trivial number in the realm of humans?"
With a smirk, Johann raises his eyebrows.
"Of course, for an ordinary master, it's roughly around fifty thousand."
"...Still seems like a lot."
"Oh, just 50 thousand! I have over a hundred thousand!"
Observing Johann's heightened pride, Yulri can't help but acknowledge it.
"Well... that much is needed for those unbelievable feats."
The overwhelming curiosity resurfaces.
Yulri can't resist and asks again, "What about the Sword Master? How much magical power
does he have? You've faced him twice, so you must know, right?"
"..."
Johann's face slightly stiffens at Yulri's question.
He ponders, "How will he react?"
Will Yulri have the courage to harbor ambition after learning about the Sword Master's strength without even starting the challenge?
At the same time, Johann can't help but chuckle.
"Officially, the magical power of the Sword Master hasn't been measured."
"Unofficially, does it exist?"
"It does. And among the very few who know the unofficial magical power of the Sword Master, I happen to be one of them!"
"Oh! So, what is it?"
"Hehe, do you want to know? If you do, try saying, 'Respected Johann, please show mercy to this humble one!'"
"Respected Johann, please show mercy to this humble one! Please!"
"...Are you devoid of any dignity?"
"Oh, come on, what dignity in such matters?"
"Disgraceful...."
Yulri's attitude, willingly sacrificing pride for the sake of information, amuses Johann.
"This guy is quite different from me."
If he was "bold arrogance," then Yulri was "unabashed humility."
"Oh, so how much is it! Why keep me in suspense?"
Reacting to Yulri's impatience, Johann sighs and speaks.
"The magical power of the Sword Master is estimated to be over five million."
"...."
"At least five million."
"Insane...."
Stunned, Yulri mutters, "Is that... even human?"
Johann swiftly catches Yulri's muttered words.
"Is it human? Does that look like something a human would have? If someone can lift a rock with just a hundred mana, the Sword Master can probably split a mountain with the same amount!"
Yulri, agape, can't find the words to respond.
"……"
Would someone like him be considered the same as us? Do you truly think so?" Johann's voice made Yulri startle, his shoulders tensing. He cast a slightly surprised look at Johann. 'Is he... trembling?'
Johann's voice echoed in Yulri's ears, carrying a subtle quiver. "That person is a monster. Far from weakening with age, he becomes even more ferocious and powerful – a genuine monster!"
However, it wasn't fear in Johann's tone. 'Is this man, right now... happy?' Despite the tremor in Johann's voice, an undeniable sense of joy and excitement filled it. As if the fact that the Sword Master was powerful brought immense pleasure.
A profound ecstasy of joy.
Overwhelmed by the vivid emotion emanating from Johann, Yulri found himself speechless.
Misinterpreting his silence, Johann chuckled softly. "Scared? Is the Sword Master too strong for you?"
Upon hearing this question, Yulri, now fully alert, raised his head. "No, not scared. More like... overwhelmed. Can I ever catch up to the magical power of the Sword Master? How long would it take me to reach that level?"
To this response, Johann let out a faint chuckle. 'This guy thinks he can catch up?'
He grinned and replied, "You probably won't catch up until the day you die. There's an insurmountable gap between someone taking their first step and someone who has lived nearly a hundred years."
"Are you talking about time?"
"Yes. The decades spent honing the skills of the person with the greatest talent in history are an unbreakable fortress. The feeble ones won't even be able to glance at the towering fortress!"
"But wasn't the Sword Master like that? He said magical power isn't the sole measure of strength."
"Of course. If someone producing a thousand magical power is already intimidating, imagine the abyss when it's five hundred."
"But if magical power alone determined strength, then you and the Sword Master wouldn't have attempted to create... a martial arts technique to defeat the Sword Master, right? You wouldn't have even tried."
"True."
"Alright then."
"What are you saying?"
"Defeating the Sword Master isn't impossible, right?"
"...."
Johann, who was too nonchalant, was rendered momentarily speechless. Witnessing his bafflement, Yulri responded with a sly smile. "Didn't the Sword Master say that? He'd give everything to the one who defeats him?"
In the era commonly known as the Sword Master's era, not many people could claim ignorance of the Sword Master's declaration. Countless individuals attempted to kill the Sword Master, and a great deal of blood was shed in the pursuit of being the sole ruler. Yet, no one had succeeded in wresting the Seat of the Sword from him.
Then, one day, fifty years after the Sword Master's declaration, in the northern part of the continent, a novice who had just taken his first step boldly declared, "It's simple. If I leave out the strongest one, then the whole world is mine, isn't it?"
"...."
With a grin on his face, Yulri once again made a solemn vow. Before reaching the cradle, he would, without a doubt, dismantle whatever this old vehicle, whether it's a 'Bing Bing' or 'Bong Bong,' is.
While Yulri was mentally preparing for the decisive assault, Johann, who had again smacked the 'Bing Bing' with his whip, spoke with a smirk.
"Alright, I've used my strength. If you manage to arrive in Chrome within two days, we'll move on to the next stage!"
"The next stage?"
"Mana initiation!"
"Really?! Is that true?"
"Oh, come on. When has this guy ever told the truth just by opening his mouth?"
"This time, it's not a lie!"
With a challenging spirit, Yulri didn't have much choice but to accept after three weeks of tedious cart pulling.
"Great! Hold on tight!"
With that, Yulri, with a determined look, vigorously powered his legs, causing the cart to shoot forward. "Eurraahh!"
And so began the desperate sprint.
Amidst the echoing battle cries, Johann observed Yulri's rounded back of the head with a smile.
'Crazy guy.'
Declaring that he would defeat the Sword Master without even having grasped mana was undoubtedly absurd. Yet, if the one making such a claim was that guy...
'It might not be entirely insane.'
Johann's smile deepened.
* ** *
The mightiest in the world is represented by one Transcendent and 22 Masters.
Firstly, the lone Transcendent.
The bearer of the title "Transcendent," one who has shed the guise of a human, was none other than the Swordmaster Luke Rider.
And under him, there were 22 Masters.
Among them, a staggering 12 were born in the Cradle, and they were known as the Twelve Swords, as coined by the martial artists.
The Cradle, a source of legendary swords.
Though they were referred to as the Swords of the Cradle, not all of them served directly under the Swordmaster.
Most of them freely pursued their activities.
However, one person was different.
The First Sword among the Twelve, Gordon Crowden.
Another title he was known by was the Commander of the Black Dragon Corps.
Responsible for all internal affairs of the Cradle on behalf of the Swordmaster.
Therefore, he was rightfully considered the right-hand man of the Cradle.
To Gordon, something momentous arrived on a small piece of paper just a few minutes ago.
The moment he read the characters written on the small paper handed to him by his
subordinate, his brow twitched ever so slightly.
"Black Dragon Insignia has returned?"
It meant that someone recommended by the Black Dragon Insignia used the insignia to perform a deed.
Of course, Gordon's interest was piqued not just by something as trivial.
"The owner of the returned Black Dragon Insignia is Johan Redner? And the new issuance of the Black Dragon Insignia was recommended by that Johan Redner?"
"That's correct."
"Hmm...."
In response to the subordinate's answer, Gordon emitted a suppressed groan.
'Is that person so capable that Johan Redner would recommend them to use the Black Dragon Insignia?'
If the one who used the Black Dragon Insignia wasn't Johan Redner, and the one recommended didn't receive the Black Dragon Insignia, this matter would have been passed over without much thought.
'However, it's Johan's affair. Something that concerns the Swordmaster.'
That's why this matter couldn't be easily dismissed.
During a brief moment of contemplating Johan's face, Gordon's gaze fell upon the last line of the report.
And,
"What?"
Indeed, for the first time in a long while, a surprised exclamation burst forth from Gordon's mouth.
"Huh?!"
"Commander, what's happening?"
Despite the subordinate's shocked cry, Gordon was relentless in reading the last line of the report.
[Tenth Black Dragon Insignia owner, Yuri Holland, used a skill suspected to be divine in the proof exam.]
'A divine skill?'
Unless there was something wrong with his vision, the word "divine" was undoubtedly written.
Gordon couldn't help but frown at such an unusual, even weaker-than-usual, reaction from
himself.
"Uh?"
"Commander, what's the matter?"
In the wake of the subordinate's shocked cry, Gordon couldn't help but reread the last line of the report repeatedly.
"What?"
"Sir, what's going on?"
The surprised exclamations continued, but Gordon's attention was fully absorbed by the last line.
[The Tenth Black Dragon Insignia owner, Yuri Holland, used a skill suspected to be divine in the proof exam.]
'Using a divine skill... what does this mean?'
There was no way Gordon would not understand the significance.
'Let's quickly relay this information to the Swordmaster.'
Of course, before that, verifying the accuracy of the information was something Gordon had to do himself.
Gordon instructed his subordinate.
"Find out the whereabouts of Johan Redner, and summon the one who submitted this report."
"Understood."
"And this person..."
Gordon confirmed the name written on the paper once again.
"Yuri Holland, investigate thoroughly."
"Yes!"
The subordinate who nodded shortly bowed and left the office.
Once alone, Gordon once again contemplated the name Yuri Holland.
'Yuri Holland...'
The child who became a Black Dragon Insignia owner with Johan's recommendation.
Furthermore, someone suspected of using a divine skill in the proof exam.
If all of this was true,
'Even the Swordmaster might show some interest.
This premonition struck Gordon that the Swordmaster's interest might make the Cradle bustling.
Fantasy,
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