Belthane And The Spring Of Life Part 2

Enjoy!

This is a mega sized chapter, 8k or something, so I'll be seeing you guys... Next week.

Peace!

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/Step… Stop.../

'Around half an hour after he left on his investigative journey, Silver stopped somewhere in a more remote region of the city as he felt the people going after him move erratically.'

'He could tell from their whispers and movements, they had finally decided to approach him after he made his goals clear.'

'To stop him, to show him their boundaries which he had crossed...'

/Sha sha.../

"..."

Those guys… They're finally moving.

Did I get on their nerves? I did ask too many questions…

'Silver never tried to hide what he came here to do. From his questions and the way he moved around, it would be clear to those following him that he was after the Spring of Life and the monster within.'

'It was only a matter of time before they lost their patience. His reckless actions couldn't be overlooked anymore.'

... I made it far too obvious.

Would they take the bait and come after me?

'He looked around as he touched his chin.'

But it's not like they can leave me alone either, since not approaching me would mean that they're leaving me to my own devices… Not exactly wise when I'm going to dig up a bomb…

They'll do everything in their power to prevent me from finding the Spring of Life and facing the Swamp King, since from everything I've learned so far, their ritual to put the beast to sleep is still a few years away, they're not ready to face the beast were anything wrong to happen.

Strangely enough, none of the people I talked with know where the Spring of Life is located, mainly because the entire swamp is fed from the Spring's waters, so it has the same effect everywhere.

There's no need for any of the city dwellers to know where the source is, in fact, it's better if they don't know...

Only a few seem to know where the Spring's source is, and those people are the ones I want to attract… The problem is that I can't discern who's telling the truth among the people I've talked to.

Not that precisely that is...

I could also go after the elderly, some of them is bound to know where the Spring is located, having lived through multiple cycles... Which was my plan until this happened.

I'm provoking them with my actions, but fate will tell if we'll end up as enemies or not.

But before leaving, I promised not to cause too much trouble, so I have to stick to that.

If lying to a God is bad, breaking one's promise to them is even worse.

I won't tarnish my 'reputation' for such a thing.

/Step…/

'Thinking of that, Silver heard footsteps behind him, prompting him to turn around as he faked some surprise.'

'However, that didn't seem to fool the newcomer.'

'The one who approached him was an Elf, a man with pale green eyes and a serious expression, eyes that had experienced much pain and suffering throughout the years.'

'Looking at the man gave Silver a feeling very much akin to that of Riveria, this man was an old Elf, one that looked much younger than he actually was.'

'A century-old man who had been scared more than once throughout his life.'

(Image)

"Enough act... You're all the same." The man said as he took slow, calculated steps in Silver's direction

"You take us for fools, country bumpkins that know no better. You treated us as if we were air, provoking us right before our homes."

"..."

Woah, that's a strong start...

"You adventurers lot undermine anyone that isn't from Orario… And its dangers."

"Listen to my advice, leave, turn back, and return from whence you came."

"... Quite a way to introduce yourself no?" Silver joked as he looked at the man

Rude, but I didn't give him a reason to treat me with respect either.

It doesn't change the fact it's rude, though.

"I've already said my lines, leave, there's nothing for you here." The man said as his eyes sharpened, his muscles tensioning 

'He seemed ready to strike, the sword by his waist seemed to tremble in expectation.'

"... But of course there is. I have business with the Swamp King you see, could you kindly tell me where it resides so I can say hi?"

'Silver smiled lightly. He thought about how to present himself to the Elf, but after a quick round of thinking, he decided to go with how the Elf saw him.'

'A somewhat arrogant adventurer confident in his own strength, was there anything better than to give your opponent the impression they knew everything about him?'

'Well... He wasn't his opponent yet, but he felt this Elf wasn't a very patient person either.'

'From the looks of things, there was only one way this could end...'

"Say hi?... Do you treat this as a joke? You… Ah, I see." He said as he closed his eyes, his voice turning solemn as he understood what Silver was doing

"It seems words won't be enough to convince you."

/Unsheath/

'The Elf unsheathed his sword from its scabbard, getting in a stance as he pointed his sword at Silver, one foot before the other, akin to a fencing stance.'

"..."

'That's an interesting sword...' Silver thought momentarily as he analyzed his foe

'It was an eastern style Katana, not something Silver saw frequently around these parts.'

"Very well, I expected more given her words, but this is how it ends. Like many other times before." 

'His words were deep and hinted at something Silver already suspected at the back of his mind, but in the end, he did not bring it forward, merely smiling as he looked at the man, not reacting with a counter stance.'

'Instead, he tried to de-escalate things. You know... Talk things out first...'

'As if he expected that to work...'

"Well, it seems there's a misunderstanding here, I only came here to deal with a monster, why draw your sword towards me?" He asked with a thin smile, knowing full well why the man was acting like this in the first place

"... I'm here to stop you from wasting your life away. What you seek cannot be achieved."

"Oh my… I appreciate your care. But I'm not someone who goes along with rumors."

"... Then you shall face my blade."

"Hum... Looks like we won't be able to solve this peacefully... Sigh, a shame, but expected." 

'He touched the back of his head, somewhat 'helpless' as he tapped his foot on the ground.'

"I promised not to cause too much trouble... So I guess we can call this a Spar. Can we?"

"..."

"Great, I love the enthusiasm... You lot have always been stubborn, no wonder you guys oftentimes stay single for hundreds of years." He said as he stopped thinking too much

"I've exhausted my lines... If we can't talk with our lips... Then we shall with our fists." Silver added as he cracked his knuckles 

/Vanish.../

"?!?!"

Where...?

"One thing though, I don't think I need you to worry about my well-being, you should worry about yours instea.." Silver said as he reappeared behind the man, barely finishing his lines before the man's sword came slashing through the air with immense speed

/SWOOSH!!/

"!!!"

'The elf's sword passed straight through Silver's neck without a shred of hesitation, no… That wouldn't be right.'

'As his sword approached Silver, seeing his complete lack of a reaction caused the Elf to try and stop his swing, but it was too quick.'

'He acted in reflex and swung with great speed. By the time he processed the situation, his own sword was already half through Silver's neck due to its immense momentum.'

'Yet, he felt nothing; it was as if he was slashing through air… And so he was, as soon after, Silver's body began to dissolve into smoke.'

/Whistle…/

"?!"

"That was fast, better than I expected. But what was that at the end?" Silver said from the side as he looked at the Elf

'He now sat atop a small boulder, looking at the Elf with a carefree gaze as he relaxed by the shade.'

"..."

'Meanwhile, the man sweated slightly as he tried to understand what just happened.'

What happened? An illusion? Was it pure speed?... No, that can't be...

When did he cast magic? I saw no... Wait, was I under his control from the start?

It could be... He wasn't surprised by my appearance, as if he already knew I was there... But that can't be so simple...

If I were under the effect of an illusion, I would've felt something odd...

'The Elf brainstormed, trying to make sense of what just happened, failing every time.'

"Don't overthink it too much man... Hey, between you and me, you're a nice guy, aren't you?" Silver said as he pointed at his arms

"..."

"You tried to deviate your slash, not many would've done that after such a scare."

"I apologize for what I did before, it wasn't my intention to provoke you all like that, but I needed someone to talk to and those people wouldn't cut it, so I had to take some desperate measures."

"I felt as if you were all avoiding me even... I had little choice on the matter." 

"How about we start this over? I guess we started on the wrong foot."

"How about some very late introductions? Maybe this way, we can reach a consensus, hum? I'm…"

'But before Silver could finish his nonsensical speech, the Elf dashed forward, his sword raised upright before he slashed it downward.'

/Thud!/

"!"

Tsk! A rookie mistake…

'However, this time, Silver did not evade it, taking a step forward, blocking his hands from coming down, putting the Elf in an awkward position.'

'The Elf immediately noticed his mistake, his face tensioning as he braced for a counterattack.'

"..."

'But then, Silver said nothing, only looking at him as if he expected something to happen, causing the Elf's expression to slowly go from neutral surprise to a slightly annoyed, challenged one.'

'Honestly, the Elf had no reason to slash after Silver's lack of interest in fighting; he only did so out of curiosity, a desire after experiencing this strange man's behavior and abilities.'

'He felt his pride be ticked. This man had made short work of his discipline and abilities, walking over him without much issue.'

'And that was severely upsetting!'

'Even so... He took a deep breath... Trying to calm down.'

/Smile.../

'But just as he calmed down, Silver said with a slightly mocking smile:'

"Was it necessary to cut through my words? You've done so several times..."

/SLASH!/

'Taking another quick breath, the Elf pushed his left foot to the side, causing Silver's balance to break. And as he fell, he slashed diagonally against his neck once more, this time, with a quicker and sharper stroke!'

'For an ordinary adventurer fighting without a weapon, this kind of scenario would be borderline fatal, but to the dismay of the Elf, the man seemed to be having… Fun?'

/Snap!/

'Silver snapped his right-hand fingers, and right before the Elf, he vanished.'

"..."

'At that moment, the Elf stood there dazed, a bead of sweat falling from his forehead as he turned to the side to face Silver once more.'

"Interrupted yet again..."

'This time, however, Silver did not smile. His eyes flashed for a moment, reflecting his mood change to a darker, heavier one.'

Fine, it seems he's really not the kind to listen to words... I thought he would have enough after being a little intimidated by my Plasmids, but I guessed wrong.

This Elf has pride in himself, I only enticed him into acting with that...

Since that's the case, should I just punch him hard?... Hm... No, not yet, I can't strike first...

I'll give him a few... A dozen more strokes. That way, Hestia can't complain.

'Satisfied with himself, Silver said as he waved his hand around:'

"You're pretty good, by Orario's standards, you would almost be First Class…"

"Anyhow, I stand for what I said before. I'm not here to fight you guys… Despite my shallow provocations."

"... And that's exactly the problem." The Elf replied as his expression turned solemn

His movements, not only once but twice... I must remain vigilant.

But what's his deal? Is he playing with me? Observing me? I thought he was a haughty adventurer but he's different. He knows his worth and that of those around him.

Regardless, no matter how confident and sure of himself he is...

"The Swamp King… Isn't a monster that can be killed." He said as his grip over his sword tightened

"And why is that? Is he protected by an Ancient Curse? A magic spell of unknown proportions? Praise tell, I'm all years."

For all I know, Bhera's story is but the tip of the iceberg; she could've left out many details from her tale.

After all, even if she is compelled to answer every question, it doesn't mean she has to tell the truth.

A lie is an answer as well.

"All monsters can be killed, the only eternal beings are the Gods, and everything else eventually perishes with time."

'The Elven man's expression sharpened as he looked at Silver, but he eventually relaxed slightly, saying:'

"... That may be true, but the Swamp King cannot be felled with simple steel alone… We've tried, you guys tried… Everyone failed."

"And as a consequence, all of our forests rotted due to its wrath… We cannot afford to lose anything else, so I ask of you, once again, to leave."

"You're aiming to provoke a being we cannot bear to contend with! Leave us to deal with it on our own terms!" The Elf said sincerely as his stance and tone grew firm

"... I understand." Silver replied as he closed his eyes

'With everything he gathered so far, the picture of their situation had already formed, and with it, he began to understand how this man felt and why he wanted Silver to leave so desperately.'

'One could say he was a coward, but was that really the case? To Level Up to this degree, this man likely fought monsters time and time again...'

'And in this land, there's only the Swamp king... And the few scattered monsters of the Beol Mountains.'

'He grew stronger to protect his people, hunting and persevering. But eventually, as he climbed higher and higher, the greater his despair grew.'

'And eventually, he gave in to fate. Accepting reality for what it was.'

'The Swamp King's power seemed boundless, even for him. His courage shattered and his valor fell...'

'What a pitiful man.'

"Then..."

"But I'm afraid I cannot do that."

"Why? You're not even from here! You came out of nowhere and are now meddling in our business, what does the Swamp King have to do with you?!"

"Everything, the Swamp King is everything to me." Silver said as his eyes grew serious

"Turning my back here without even taking a look would only weaken my resolve, the very same resolve that drove me to be who I currently am. I cannot so easily abandon that." Silver replied as his eyes shone again

"I'm an adventurer, I kill monsters, that's all there is to it. The Swamp King attacked me as I passed by, and I can't overlook that."

"I won't leave this land until I've looked at the creature myself."

You who lost your drive against mine, which burns bright... It's a bit quirky, but it's the truth.

... I'll lend you some of the flames, try to fight against fate. That is the ballad of a Hero... I stole this from one of Bell's books.

I like the line.

"Then… I'm afraid I'm going to have to stop you here." The Elf replied as he raised his Katana once more

"It seems so... I'm Mellios Silver by the way. I imagine you'd be interested in hearing my name now that we've talked for a bit, besides, I don't like being referred to as 'you' all the time."

"Bold of you to assume I would call you by your name, arrogant adventurer." The Elf replied as he got into a stance

'It seemed as if he didn't care, but in truth, he did care a bit.'

'Whatever Silver's motives were, they were far from plain provocations, this wasn't born from pure arrogance, he wholeheartedly believed in his ability to deal with this issue.'

'And this sparked his curiosity, could there be someone so sure of themselves in the world?'

'If he did not possess the ability... Then he would make him wake up to the real world! Before he dug himself a grave...'

"That's right, I'm arrogant. That summarizes most of it… How I got here..." Silver said with a chuckle as he remembered all of his times acting in absurd ways

If I never believed in myself and worked myself towards a goal...

What am I even thinking?

/Fwoosh…/

"?!"

/FLASH!/

'Once again, Silver vanished before the Elf's eyes, and before he had the time to be surprised, his instincts told him a strike was about to fall upon his waist!'

/BAM!/

'A flash of light followed with intense pain as he barely blocked Silver's straight jab with his Katana, being blown back towards a tree, crashing it as he fell a few feet from it.'

"Cough! Arg… Huff…"

'The Elf felt great pain in his chest, too much in fact, it was unnatural.'

W-What's happening to me? Poison? It can't be I…

/FWOOSH!/

"?!"

/SLAM!/

"GUAH!"

'Not giving him time to rest, Silver reappeared on the side, kicking his waist and sending him against the rocky mountainside, causing him to crash against a wide boulder, splitting it in half.'

/Step.../

'The sounds of his footsteps immediately woke the Elf from his daze, causing him to cough some blood as he tried to recover his bearings.'

'Feeling and tasting the blood in his throat made the Elf realize that this was a serious fight, he had to sober up!'

"You're too distracted. You can do better than this." Silver said out loud as he approached the Elf

"Gaa… Huff… Dammit…"

How is he moving so fast? Magic... But I've heard no chanting! Just how…

Is the difference between us that large? It can't be, how come…

... Is he an actual... 

"Huff… Don't think this is over I'm… Huff… Belthane's devoted sword… For a century I... Shed my blood for the people." He said weakly amidst gasps as he recovered his breath

"And I'll... Gladly do so again today."

"..."

Is this even necessary?

"Huff... ~Become a sword… Devoted hearth of steel…~"

"Hm?"

Chanting huh… Seems like he's decided to take me seriously.

This is getting interesting.

"Usko Nari!" The Elf said in a low tone as he raised his right hand forward

(Sword of Faith)

/SHUAAAA!/

"?"

That was fast, extremely short chanting huh...

But the wind… This is familiar.

'The wind began to shift, to gather unnaturally as it shuffled around chaotically.'

'Around the man's right hand, Silver felt an unusual concentration of Magical Power, together with strong winds revolving around his palm.'

A form of Wind control, akin to Ariel…

But while Ariel is an Irregulary strong Self Enchant, this one is…

"A Sword of Wind, interesting." Silver said in a plain tone as he looked at the man's hand

"As expected, you figured it out at sight… But that changes little."

'With great focus, he got into a stance once more, his blood scattering into the wind as his body was washed away by the powerful currents.'

'With his wind sword in his right hand and his Katana in his left one, he said:'

"I won't let you get the better of me again, come." 

/Crack.../

"My pleasure." Silver said as he took another step forward, vanishing from his position as he immediately reappeared in front of the Elf, ready for another strike

"Hupp!"

'The Elf's speed hadn't changed, his strength remained the same, his sword remained as sharp as before, but his focus had shifted, and his will even seemed solid.'

'His thoughts flowed like water as his vision grew turbid. The world grew opaque as only a single object remained in sight...'

'He immediately reacted to Silver's movement, "Strike forward!" his senses told him.'

/SLASH!/

/CLANG!/

'This time, replying to his strike, Silver produced a long spear from his pocket space, blocking the Elf's strike.'

'The first time he felt it necessary to pull a weapon to face him, he was now treating this seriously... Even if just a little more than before.'

/FWOOSH!/

/CLANG!/

/SLASH!/

/CLANG!/

'Another strike, a flurry of swings with the wind in tow, carrying the might of a typhoon!'

/CLANG!/

/CLANG!/

/CLINK!/

/CLANG!/

'A dozen strikes were exchanged within two seconds, the wind of the man's saber cut through the ground and stone around them, leaving behind scars as they danced in the ruined grass field.'

'Through this clash, both managed to grasp how proficient each other were in their respective fields, and as they expected, their foe were just as capable as they had imagined them to be.'

'Silver saw the Elf as a Master Swordsman, although one plagued with doubt and confusion…'

'He would easily find space with the likes of most First Class adventurers, and for a countryside warrior with the blessing of a Goddess far from Orario, it was quite the accomplishment. Almost Legendary even.'

'Just a few steps more and he would reach the realm of Heroes of the Ancient times.'

'But for that, he would first need to rid himself of his doubts and regrets.'

/SLASH!/

'Meanwhile, the Elf saw Silver as an erratic warrior, one that had combined his strange powers with his combat style… Or was overly reliant on it.'

'Of course, this was merely a passing observation, the Elf knew Silver had yet to be serious, so he feared for ths possibility that his foe had yet to stop playing at all.'

'Regardless, to defeat him, he had to perceive through his power, to be faster than Silver, but was it possible when he couldn't even follow his movements?'

'How was he instantly moving around? What were its limitations?'

'If he could move so fast... Why was he holding back? Why not strike him and end this bout at once?'

'Unless... He was being made a fool.'

/CLANG!/

'Sword and spear clashed, but the Elf kept being pushed back despite his devotion and will.'

/CLANG!/

/SLAM!/

'The Elf swung his swords in a closing x pattern, intending to force Silver to receive a strike in exchange for blocking another.'

"!"

'For a moment, Silver was impressed; he had seen this technique before; Takemikazuchi had taught something similar to him before, one of the hundreds of martial arts he knew and taught his children occasionally.'

'Meanwhile, the Elf was ready for his evasion with his speed, an ability he had already taken as momentary. Otherwise, he would've already lost.'

'It was the only possible way to make sense within his understanding of the world... He could not envision a reality where Silver's abilities came without a cost.'

'But against his expectations, Silver did something else entirely.'

/TANG!/

'He spun his spear, pushing the end of its shaft against the Elf's chest as he parried the blows, being faster than the Elf could even react, sending him recoiling backward as he crashed against the same boulder as before, causing rock fragments to fall onto him as he gasped for air.'

'His wind sword flew to the side, dissipating within the air, causing the hustling air to calm down as the world turned quiet.'

"Haaa… Haaa… Haaa… W-Why… Did y-you… Haaa… Use the end o-of your… Haaa… Spear?" He asked amidst quick breaths as he raised his head to look at Silver

"A-Are you mocking me?!" He asked out loud as he looked at Silver with indignation 

"... I came here to kill a monster, not you." Silver replied as he rested the end of his spear against the ground

"Huff… Damned adventurers… Huff… When will you learn?!"

"How many times have we tried… How many of us did we sacrifice?! The destruction around us, Belthane can't take it!"

'Silver did not make fun of him, he merely said, being serious as he looked away:'

"I don't see it getting any better by doing nothing, at this rate, your homeland will rot away into dust."

"Your sarcasm changes nothing… The only way forward… Is through the ritual."

"Who said that?"

"Our Goddess! She who can only speak thorny truths! Amidst countless failed attempts, and thousands of deaths over hundreds of years, the only way to guarantee our survival is through the ritual!"

"She said so? She said a monster cannot be killed? Maybe... Maybe she was right."

"You bunch cannot kill it, not with that mentality."

"If you're curious, go ask her, is the Swamp King stronger than the Behemoth?"

"... What?"

"Is the Swamp King stronger than the Leviathan? Tell me, is the Swamp King as strong as the three Great beasts?"

"Do you even know what those are, or are you so isolated you're unaware of the outside world?"

"Of course I know that!"

"Then why are you in such despair?"

"..."

"The Leviathan was slain, Behemoth fell. It's body decaying into the black desert."

"The Swamp King can be killed... Unless it's as strong as the Black Dragon... Because if it is, then you all better just kill yourselves right this moment and cut yourselves the pain."

"You!..."

"What you guys are doing is only prolonging the inevitable, giving time for the monster to fatten to an unbelievable degree."

"Huff… You're right, we're only prolonging the inevitable… As we search for a solution."

"But what else are we supposed to do? We'll die either way…" The Elf said as he got up from the ground

"There it is, the real reason for it all. I thought you were better than that."

"Tsk..."

"If you care so much, why aren't you fighting?"

"The only thing I see is a fool hiding behind his fears and insecurities, a pathetic sight to behold."

"If you can't face it now, try again, Level Up, develop your abilities, tell your smiths to improve, gather rarer materials, and challenge stronger monsters until you can face it head-on."

"That's what you were supposed to do, not this… Just what are you even doing? Protecting me from making my own choices? Protecting your people like the children they are?"

"You...!!!...?!"

'The man tried to speak, but nothing came out of his mouth, only gasps for air and exhales…'

'He had been robbed of his voice.'

My body... I've been poisoned!

But how? When?!

"You fought well, but that's it for today." Silver said as he raised his hand, pointing it at his face

'The Elf tried to move but his body was paralyzed, unresponsive.'

"You won't be able to move for a while. Once you've rested, we can continue this bout…"

/Step…/

"Hm?"

'At that moment, he heard footsteps coming from a street near him.'

'He turned around, glancing at the intruder, a human man, one not that old either.'

… I see, so the real boss has arrived.

'The man wore a dark blue shirt with a piece of yellow cloth tied around his waist. He also has a green cape and a dark cloth mask covering the upper half of his face.'

'His skin was slightly tanned, and he had a sheathed curved blade at his waist, another Katana, albeit longer than the one used by the Elf, a two-handed sword.'

"How noisy."

"... Are you the final hurdle?"

"... Annoying."

"I could say the same, you're all annoying."

'As he inspected the man, a few things passed by Silver's head as he realized something rather strange.'

This guy… He's blind.

Yet... He can easily move around with great accuracy.

His senses must be extraordinarily refined and sensitive…

'Silver turned around momentarily, looking at the Elf, it was clear that he had relaxed somewhat.'

He's not as tense as before… If he trusts his companion, then this man must be stronger than him…

This place is rather interesting. Two such people in such a remote land... Bhera really kept quiet about such things.

With these two, she could've given Ishtar a good fight. Not something I would expect from a remote country-town...

"You must've listened to our conversation. Are you going to stop me as well?"

"... Draw your weapon." The man said plainly as he placed his right hand on the hilt of his blade

"..."

That stance, it's a Katana Draw stance… How odd…

That's a Far East technique, where did he learn it? It's the second one I've seen today.

Well… Their weapons are rather similar to those of the Far East, they also wear Kimonos… Still, I didn't expect to see such a culture deep in the mountains.

Did a Far East God pass through here in the past?

Bhera doesn't look like a Far East Goddess to me... Especially since she seems to be part of the same Pantheon Brigid belongs too, and that's definitely not the Far East...

Maybe they just developed this culture on their own...

No matter, since it came to this… I'll test him as well.

/Snap!/

'Silver snapped his right hand's finger, and immediately after, he vanished from the Elf's field of view, reappearing right before the blindfolded man.'

"!"

/SLASH!!/

'With ungodly precision and speed, the man cut straight through Silver's neck in the blink of an eye, only to frown as he reset his stance to a drawing one.'

"..."

What happened, I felt nothing.

His presence vanished before reappearing before me.

When I cut through it... Air... It didn't connect.

What's going on here? Speed? It doesn't seem like it... There are no renmants...

'It was at this moment the blindfolded man understood the severity of the situation.'

Just what were you facing Uskari?

'The serious man quickly connected the dots, realizing why his companion stood defeated on the side, readjusting his stance to a defensive one as he searched for his enemy.'

'However, in a strange turn of events, Silver had seemingly vanished from the man's sensory field, leaving him baffled.'

'But to his utmost surprise, Silver said from behind him:'

"As expected, you can't notice me if I do this." 

'Silver's voice was cold and thin, almost sharp.'

"?!"

/SLASH!/

/BAM!/

'His blade cut through the air with such speed a vacuum formed behind it, yet he felt nothing, only air once more.'

"..."

'His eyebrows completely furrowed, and the man felt extremely annoyed.'

'Something was wrong, how come he missed not once, but twice?'

"Who taught you how to wield a sword? You're excellent at it, the way you handle it is impeccable, sharp, singular slashes, this is the epitome of what a swordsman should strive for." Silver praised as he crossed his arms a few meters away from the man

Maybe I should bring Take here in the future, he would be thrilled to see him, perhaps even teach him a little.

Masters don't appear everywhere, and this guy looks young; maybe he'll reach the realms of ability. Take often speaks as "The Pinnacle of Human ability".

For me, I find it hard for him to get any better, but who am I before a God?

"..."

/DASH!/

'The blind man dashed forward as he closed the distance with Silver, but he stopped midway through his charge, not feeling his enemy anywhere anymore.'

'He vanished, again...'

"You're quite impatient, not exactly what I would expect from a swordsman of your caliber… Though would it be more correct to say you're gauging me?" Silver said as he reappeared where the man was just before

'They had essentially switched positions... It was clear now, he was being toyed with.'

/Turns…/

'He turned around, slowly facing Silver again.'

"You must be confused, how can you not feel me?"

"You can hear my voice, you know I'm here, but you can't discern anything else, right?"

"My form, the pulse in my veins, the smell in my clothes, the air hustling around me, my weight on the ground…"

"It's as if you're talking to the air…"

"..."

"Hm… You're not very talkative, are you?... Could it be... Of course."

"Do your ears hurt whenever you speak?" Silver asked with an 'evil' chuckle as he took a step forward

"..."

"Fine, remain silent. But at this rate, we'll go nowhere, or better yet, I'll finish this faster than even that Elf over there."

"But that would be... Boring and tasteless…"

"I've been thinking, since I came here to kill the Swamp King, isn't it just right for me to see how strong Belthane is? You know, to test the waters? That looks prudent enough."

"But so far, I haven't been impressed." Silver said as he took a step inside the man's strike zone, clearly provoking him as his eyes flashed with light

'His smile widened.'

/SLASH!/

'Unsheathing his blade with massive speed, he struck Silver directly, changing his angle as he aimed for his chest!'

/CLANG!/

'Moving his spear, Silver blocked the man's blow, feeling the brunt of the impact through his arms and fingers.'

Heavy… Stronger than I expected.

But not because he is strong himself, his technique itself is flawless, it's multiplying his force… This is a Martial Art. Another one.

/SLASH!/

'Silver did not have a lot of time to think before another strike struck, coming from the side as the man stepped forward, moving towards him.'

/CLANG!/

"!"

/SLASH!/

/CUT!/

'Immediately after he parried the blow with his spear, the man chained another strike with incredible speed, surprising even Silver as his sword cut through his upper right shoulder, traveling down his chest before leaving through his waist.'

"... ?"

This cut… I felt it. The flesh being torn apart, bones splitting, and veins rupturing.

But why… Why isn't he falling? 

Wait… Where's the blood?

"Impressive, I know this technique." Silver said out loud as he looked at the swordsman's arms

"It's Shohato, a sword technique that requires a high degree of intuition and interception."

"Two precise cuts in which even if the first one is dodged the second one will surely kill the opponent... Or so I've heard."

"Incredible execution."

"I never managed to evade it even once… Not through ordinary bodily movement that is." He added as he scratched his chin, pensive

Even with the difference in speed and power between me and Takemikazuchi, his application of the technique left me in awe.

It's easy enough for me to predict the second sword strike and leave Take's range before he strikes, but he always catches me by surprise with a series of other techniques, forcing me to either receive the blow or move outside of his range via some other method.

Even with the difference in our strengths and reaction speeds.

It's a technique meant to kill your opponent even if he's faster than you; not applicable to most monsters, though… Still...

This man's sword is exactly like his, even if his combat sense isn't the same.

But technique-wise, I'm not capable enough to discern them both… If I were to try… Take's sword feels unavoidable, while his feels… Heavy.

"?!"

'This was the first time the man showed surprise through his expression.'

"How do you know my technique?!" The man asked with a frown as he took a step back, retreating as he built some ground for himself

'Meanwhile, the Elf opened his eyes wide in surprise, blown out of his seat by his companion's retreat.'

"Your technique? That can't be, the technique... Ahh... I see."

"It makes sense now… You're self-taught, aren't you?"

"..."

"I'll take that as a yes… But man, you're incredible, you derived sword techniques on your own, something like this took centuries in some schools back in another Continent."

"A blind swordmaster… Are you Belthane's best?"

"..."

/Silence…/

"Good, then this means that as long as I take you down, no one can stop me from facing the Swamp King."

"Do try your best, I've been itching for a proper mourning routine." Silver said as he stretched his neck

/Step…/

'Silver stepped forward.'

"Let's begin, I won't be holding back now. Try to hit me again."

"..."

'The swordsman said nothing, but he was evidently ready for the incoming battle…'

/Fwoosh!/

"?!"

/BAAAAAAM!/

/CRACK!/

'Taking a singular step forward, Silver invaded the man's space, delivering a mighty blow to his stomach, sending him crashing across a stone pillar, which immediately crumbled under the force.'

'With the remaining energy, he was flung across an abandoned house, piercing through it as he crashed against a tree inside the nearby forest.'

/Hustle!/

/CAW!/

'The birds flew up high, startled by the sudden impact!'

/Chatter.../

'The flock of the birds and the sounds of mayhem gathered the attention of several passersby down the mountain, causing them to whisper to each other as they tried to figure out what was going on uphill.'

"Hm?"

'This included a strange girl with unique antlers and horns growing at the sides of her head…'

…

/BAM!/

"URG!"

'It was a one-sided beatdown.'

/BOOOM!/

'With his bare hands, Silver fought against the swordmaster, delivering incredibly potent kicks and punches, each strong enough to shatter massive boulders and trees in half.'

/CLANG!/

'His skin seemed as hard as his sword, creating sparks whenever they collided, igniting the air as the man bit his teeth in an extreme effort to keep up with Silver's movements.'

'Amidst his strikes, Silver would often bring forth his spare spear, trying to break the man's rhythm whenever he grew used to Silver's range with his fists.'

'Just where was he pulling the spear from?! The blind man couldn't understand...'

'In this battle, he was experiencing many firsts...'

'The heavy feeling of suppression.'

/SLASH!/

/PUNCH!/

'Whenever he slashed, Silver's speed exploded, always delivering a blow to his weak spot, his stomach.'

"GAHA!"

'He had been hit there so many times there was nothing for him to vomit aside from his blood.'

/KICK!/

'He wasn't even being given a moment to rest as Silver kicked him in the face immediately after, sending him crashing against a rocky precipice, causing boulders and rocks to fall as the mountainside trembled.'

/Crumble…/

"Huff… Huff…"

'The swordmaster breathed heavily as he fell to the ground, his body trembling in weakness and pain as he tried to access his enemy.'

"You're strong." His opponent said, his voice deep and solemn, devoid of any surprise or emotion whatsoever 

"Your Status is that of a Level 5, but you aren't one yourself, are you? There isn't the same pressure as I've felt from one in you… But your Skill far surpasses that of most I've seen… If not all that hold a Sword."

"Isn't that ironic? I think it's unfair… For your sword to be cursed with your arms when your hands are so skillful."

"But is that all? I expected more of this Swamp King, are you going to tell me it's no better than a Deep Floor Monster?"

"You gave me quite the impression before, a proud swordmaster."

"… Rest, I'll take it from here."

'Silver's words stung deep, aiming precisely at where the man felt worst.'

'To him, he was nothing, their strengths couldn't be compared, and that only made his words of "respect" hurt further, like salt instead of water, he kept rubbing it deeper, torturing him continuously.'

'At that moment, the swordsman held the ground, crushing the earth between his fingers in pain and torment.'

'The difference between him and an adventurer from Orario. The so-called First Class... No, maybe even higher than that...'

'If you are so strong, where were you when we needed you? For centuries, we suffered. Thousands died, offering their flesh to satiate the beast, to put it to slumber so we could live in denial and peace for a little longer...'

'When even the city of Heroes abandoned us, you weren't there, if you were, would've anything changed?'

'Why… Why should they be scorned and trampled for trying to survive? Was their pride not enough?'

'No… He was playing with his emotions, he knew, but he couldn't stop him… Because deep down, he also had his OWN ideals.'

'A pride, not his, but from his people, who bled everyday for themselves and those around them.'

'He wished for no praises, but their will shan't be tarnished.'

'He was a warrior of Belthane, the city who fought the Swamp King for Millennia and that will one day free themselves from its reign!'

/Rise…/

"?!"

/CRUSH!/

'Like a torrent of water, the swordsman suddenly felt immense pressure fall onto his shoulders and body, pressing him back to the ground.'

"URG!"

'If everything before wasn't enough, now this?!'

Just how many abilities does he have?! I heard no chanting at all! 

Who is this adventurer?!

'Questions ringing in his mind, his calm demeanor was slowly shattered as it was replaced by anger and indignation.'

'He had enough, it was now or never, he would show him the pride of the warriors of Belthane!'

/Rise…/

'He slowly got himself on his two feet again, even as Silver increased the weight to an unbelievable degree.'

/Sheathe…/

'He sheathed his sword, focusing solely on his edge as he felt his environment.'

"!"

'And it was then that he felt it… For a fleeting moment…'

'He heard his opponent's breathing, his enemy's neck!'

/SLASH!/

'He immediately exploded with force, his ears, nose, mouth, eyes, everything bled as he pushed himself to deliver that one last, fatal strike.'

/CUT!!/

'Then, like a knife through meat, his sword slashed deep onto his neck, stopping after a few centimeters, but that was enough, he had won!'

'His sword had reached his opponent, a single awkward strike... Yet... It struck true.'

"Huff… Huff…"

'But something was wrong.'

'Why… Why wasn't he falling?'

'Suddenly, he felt coldness in his stomach, a sense of deja-vu…'

"That hurts, but I'll have to commend you yet again. That was a phenomenal strike." Silver said with a smile as he raised his right hand, holding onto the blade

"?!?!?!"

"I… Cut you…" The Swordsman said with difficulty as he tried to move his blade, only to notice it was completely stuck

'With his lacking strength, it wouldn't be going anywhere.'

"You did cut me, but a tree is not chopped with a single swing of the ax, it needs several to fall."

"Unfortunately for you, I'm much sturdier than a tree."

"..."

'That was when it hit him, despair, the overwhelming difference in power between him and his opponent.'

'Even if his blade slashed across his enemy, he could just brush past it. His body a mountain of steel and iron, unbreakable, unshakeable.'

'Indignation filled his mind, he tried to fight back, but he couldn't, his body had already stopped moving.'

'The weight was no more but his energy was also gone. He bet everything in one last strike, but for his opponent, his neck alone was enough to stop it…'

'How ridiculous, who's the real monster now?'

/Drop…/

'The man fell to his knees, still unwilling to accept defeat, but unable to resist as his own body failed.'

"I'll rid you of your troubles… I'll kill the Swamp King." Silver said as he raised his right hand, ready to knock the man out

"NOOOOOO!"

'But suddenly, or mayhaps, just as planned, a girl came running from within the woods, a group of soldiers running right behind her.'

'With a distinct enough appearance any could tell from a distance, it could only be one person…'

"She's late…"

"Welcome… Princess."

'The ruler of the country, those of blue blood!'

'The princess of Belthane!'

...

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Notes