Chapter 22: Three Cuts (part 1)
Mu-chi, caught off guard by the bold declaration directed at him, floundered, unsure of what to do.
"Ah… that…."
A wicked grin spread across Yuri's lips as he witnessed the scene.
Before Mu-chi could react, Yuri's figure shot forward with blinding speed.
Thump-
Six meters were compressed within a few steps.
Swoosh-
A silver dagger flew towards Mu-chi's neck.
"……?!"
The surprise attack happened in a blink of an eye.
Ralph, standing beside Mu-chi, remained unmoved by the danger his grandson was in.
Instead, he simply observed Yuri with a hint of amusement in his eyes.
This was possible because he had unwavering faith in his grandson.
As if to repay that faith, Mu-chi responded to Yuri's attack with composure.
"Wait, hold on!"
Despite the panicked shout, Mu-chi instinctively swung the wooden spear he held.
Of course, Yuri scoffed.
"Hold on? You're joking, right?"
The dagger aimed for Mu-chi's neck changed direction mid-flight.
An instant change of trajectory.
Swish-
The wooden spear was easily cut in two, and Yuri quickly retreated, sheathing his dagger.
His attitude seemed to imply that cutting the wooden spear was his intention all along.
He gazed at Mu-chi with a look that seemed to ask, "What are you going to do now?"
Ralph, watching the exchange, let out a chuckle and stretched out his hand.
With a crash, the blacksmith's door shattered, and something flew towards Ralph's hand.
Bam-
A massive, barbed spear with a faint red glow wrapped around Ralph's hand as if summoned.
The spear was easily four meters long.
If not for the sharp, protruding spearhead, it would have resembled a massive cleaver.
It was Halcyon, Ralph's cherished weapon that had accompanied him through countless battlefields.
Ralph tossed it towards his grandson.
Thump!
Halcyon landed before Mu-chi.
"Grandfather?"
Despite his grandson's call, Ralph didn't answer. He lumbered over to Johan's side.
Yuri, now alone with Mu-chi in the open space, tapped his dagger.
"What are you waiting for? Are you not going to pick it up? You want to fight empty-handed?"
"Why…."
Mu-chi couldn't understand why Yuri was behaving this way.
His bewilderment reached Yuri's ears.
Yuri's lips curled into a twisted smile.
"Curious? Why I'm doing this?"
Nod-
"Want to know?"
Nod nod-
As Mu-chi nodded repeatedly, Yuri, with a mischievous grin, shouted.
"Nope, I'm not going to tell you!"
Yuri lunged forward as Mu-chi stood there dumbfounded by the childish taunt.
The attack began again.
This time, his movements were even faster than before.
Mu-chi was conflicted as he watched Yuri approaching at an alarming speed.
Should he grab Halcyon?
However, such hesitation was a luxury he couldn't afford.
"Snap out of it!"
As if sensing Mu-chi's internal struggle, Yuri swung his dagger without hesitation.
The blade was charged with an air of arrogance and killing intent.
In a flash, Mu-chi's pupils dilated wildly.
'This guy… he's serious!'
Yuri's killing intent towards him was genuine.
The realization that he might die triggered Mu-chi's survival instinct.
And finally.
Thump-
Mu-chi grabbed Halcyon.
Clang-
Halcyon's shaft whipped, leaving behind an afterimage as it deflected Yuri's dagger.
Then, it flew straight towards Yuri's upper body.
In response, Yuri's deflected dagger, using the momentum, circled back in a wide arc.
Clang-
This time, Yuri's dagger narrowly missed Mu-chi's spear.
Whoosh-
As the spearhead whizzed past his head, generating a powerful gust of wind, Yuri exclaimed with glee.
"What? You're actually pretty good when you try!"
At Yuri's outburst, Mu-chi gritted his teeth and attempted to create distance.
But Yuri wouldn't allow it.
"Hey, where do you think you're going?"
A four-meter barbed spear.
A 1.2-meter dagger.
With the current close proximity, Yuri held the advantage.
He had no intention of relinquishing this advantage.
Yuri, beaming brightly, swung his dagger.
Sclang!-Thump-
Sharp metallic sounds echoed consecutively as the two weapons clashed.
Clang-Thwang!
Yuri and Mu-chi engaged in an exchange of blows, their movements rapid, like a dance of attack and parry.
It was a stark contrast to their previous encounter half a year ago, where Yuri had been completely outmatched.
It was the result of Yuri's enhanced physique honed through rigorous training.
Of course, six months was still a short time.
Mu-chi, who had inherited Ralph's physical abilities and spent nearly a decade building his foundation, was in a league of his own.
What bridged the gap in training time was….
“…Unbelievable combat sense."
Yuri's innate combat instincts.
His evasion movements were optimized to minimize movement, almost to the point of being precarious.
His spacing was impeccable, as if measured with a ruler.
He anticipated his opponent's next move and acted one step ahead.
It wasn't something you'd expect from someone who had only been wielding a sword for six months.
Ralph watched Yuri with astonished eyes.
'This is completely different.'
Yuri, during their first duel, had rushed into the fight without thinking, convinced he could overpower Mu-chi, only to be utterly defeated.
Was this the same person?
'He wasn't able to utilize his talents properly back then.'
In other words, he had honed his instincts to this level in just six months.
'He's better than Mu-chi… No, this is beyond comparison. He's overwhelming.'
Even with all his love and protectiveness for his grandson, Ralph had to admit it.
Yuri's combat instinct and ability to learn in battle far surpassed Mu-chi's.
But that admiration didn't last long.
"Hey hey! Is that all you got? Didn't you eat breakfast? Why are you so weak? Put some effort into it!"
As Yuri continued his onslaught, his mouth never stopped moving.
Ralph sighed and turned to Johan, asking.
“…Did you teach him that too?"
"What?"
"Talking smack while fighting. He's exactly like his senior."
"This little brat… that's just his nature! Teach him? I didn't teach him anything!"
Johan glared with an angry expression.
Completely ignoring Johan, Ralph stared at Yuri with an intriguing look.
'Not bad.'
The impromptu sparring match had begun abruptly, but Ralph wasn't annoyed, not at all.
In fact, he was grateful to Yuri.
'Mu-chi has never had a real sparring match.'
Although he had trained with a real sword, he hadn't had anyone to spar with.
This sparring match with Yuri, his peer, would be a valuable experience.
But Ralph was concerned about his grandson's temperament.
'The kid is reluctant even to spar. How will he react to Yuri's relentless attacks with a real sword?'
Furthermore, Yuri, who had grown stronger in the past six months, was no longer someone Mu-chi could simply overpower.
What would Mu-chi do if the situation was beyond his control?
Ralph was curious, so he had intervened by personally retrieving Halcyon and allowing Yuri to dictate the pace.
'From what I see, Yuri seems to have something in mind.'
Ralph was also curious about Yuri's intentions, so he watched their sparring match with a slightly more serious expression.
Clang-Tskunk-
The clash of weapons continued, sparks flying between Yuri and Mu-chi.
Five minutes, ten minutes, fifteen minutes, twenty minutes.
The two fought relentlessly.
Drip-Thud-Thud-
Small raindrops began to fall from the darkening sky.
Clang-Thwang!
Thud-Thud-Thud-Thud-
Sharp metallic sounds.
The gentle pitter-patter of rain on the roof.
Swiftly approaching, deadly killing intent.
Yuri's tenacity, clinging like a leech.
Mu-chi's desperate desire to escape.
All of it began to overwhelm Mu-chi.
'Why… why…?'
All I wanted was to live peacefully.
I didn't want to fight anyone.
If I hurt someone… they'll call me a monster again.
I really hate that.
Why… why is Yuri acting like this?
Can't we just be friends?
These thoughts trapped Mu-chi deeper in despair.
His chest filled with something heavy, a growing knot of frustration.
Finally, unable to bear it any longer, Mu-chi unleashed a choked cry.
"Aaargh, stop!"
With a thunderous roar, a red mana aura erupted from Mu-chi's entire body.
'……?!'
Yuri, sensing an immediate danger, quickly retreated.
For the first time since the sparring began, he had created distance between himself and Mu-chi.
The surging red light flowed down Mu-chi's arm, and the long spear shaft swayed like a willow branch.
Left, Right.
Surge.
Up, Down.
Ripple.
The massive, barbed spear whipped like a chain, defying the laws of physics, leaving trails of red light in its wake.
Shunel Axe Spear Technique.
Frenzy.
One of the techniques that earned Ralph Shunel the moniker "The Butcher" had manifested.
Shiver-
A chill ran down Yuri's spine at the sight of the sinister red glow.
One, two, three, four.
The red energy, exponentially increasing, began to dominate the surrounding area. Each of those threads held an incredible destructive force.
The realization struck Yuri, and Johan's words echoed in his mind.
[People think Ralph is just a brute who relies on raw power for his axe spear technique. Sure, he's incredibly strong, but… his true pursuit is a spear technique based on exquisite artistry.]
Back then, Yuri had merely understood Johan's advice intellectually.
But now, witnessing the red spectacle Mu-chi created, the meaning of "a spear technique based on exquisite artistry" became crystal clear.
Shush-
The paths traced by Mu-chi's mana and spearhead contained not only power but also perfect calculation.
'Those seemingly random spear swings… are actually carefully calculated traps?'
A dazzling display of artistry built upon a foundation of strength.
This was the very driving force behind Ralph's rise as a master of axe spears.
And that same driving force had been passed on to Mu-chi.
Yuri smirked at the intricate web of red light that surrounded them.
'Don't come any closer?'
Mu-chi's mana had completely taken over a certain area.
It was a warning, directed at him.
Stay away.
Stop tormenting me!
Yuri, feeling this clearly, sneered.
'Already? This is just the beginning.'
The only problem was how to break through it.
"Hmm…."
The tangled web of red pathways was impenetrable, and even if he dared to touch it, he had no idea how it would react.
He was outmatched in power, and it was difficult to anticipate and counter his moves.
That left only one option.
'Dodge everything and break through.'
Yuri's eyes gleamed.
He had faith.
Faith in Johan's words.
[Ralph's axe spear technique is definitely a remarkable Martial Arts skill. He possesses strength, skill, everything a top-tier Martial Arts skill requires. But there's one person he's never been able to beat. Who is it? Who else? Of course, it's this body!]
And in his own efforts!
[Ah, of course, this body is a genius who is incomparable to that musclehead… But the real reason I've never lost to him is because of our strengths and weaknesses.]
Over the past six months.
Every day without fail, he had run until his legs felt like they were about to give out.
Rain or shine.
Wind or storm.
Even if he fell, rolled, tore, and bled, he ran every day.
[His weapon is a heavy weapon, and his Martial Arts skill is designed to maximize destruction, so his every move is bound to be large. Of course, he compensates for this weakness with his refined techniques… But Redner's Martial Arts is not slow enough to fall prey to his sluggish attacks.]
The reason why he had been pushing himself, vomiting everything he had inside, until he was on the verge of death was simple.
[Consider yourself lucky. You've been given the opportunity to learn the fastest and freest Martial Arts in the world.]
So that….
"One day, I'll be able to walk on clouds."
Thump-
The moment Yuri's foot planted firmly on the ground.
Redner family's secret Martial Arts skill.
Cloud Step.
Woooong-
His mana core pulsed, pouring mana into the mana roads etched into his flesh.
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