Chapter 60: The Sword Festival (7)

Kwang!

Bang!

Kwaaang!

Once again, the ground shakes as the great sword slams down, sending clouds of dust into the air.

Yet again, Lohengrin fails to land a clean strike. He feels the cold sweat trickling down his cheek, his eyes wide open.

It wasn't that he was thinking of defeat. But ever since this exchange of blows with Isaac began, he can't shake the feeling that he's already lost.

The fact that Lohengrin's gaze hasn't turned toward Arandel's direction for some time now is proof enough.

"Do you really think you can win just by running away?!"

Lohengrin shouts at Isaac, venting his frustration. However, Isaac's eyes remain steady, focused solely on his next move.

To Isaac, this seemingly meaningless exchange is another step toward victory.

And that.

Makes Lohengrin's heart beat even faster.

The sensation that Helmut, known as an overwhelming powerhouse, is being challenged by a mere commoner. Even worse, it's not just him who feels it—those around him do too.

The knights of Helmut are gripped by an inexplicable fear, their necks burning with unease, while others watch with bated breath.

It feels like he's become a beast captured for the knights to practice on, a training dummy for them to learn how to defeat the monster called Helmut.

The moment Lohengrin realizes that Isaac is using him to teach others how to bring down Helmut, his eyes involuntarily dart around.

Even as their swords clash, Lohengrin finds himself glancing toward Arandel rather than focusing on Isaac.

And there.

He sees Arandel Helmut, wearing an expression he's never shown to anyone in the family, watching Isaac intently.

Arandel's body leans slightly forward, the corners of his lips curling upward toward his ears.

Even Galenia and Liana, standing on either side of him, are more shocked by Arandel's expression than by the duel itself.

It's not hard to imagine how extraordinary this situation is.

And then.

'He's… smiling?'

Kaaang!

Lohengrin's great sword tilts downward for a moment.

Cheers erupt from all around, celebrating Isaac's efforts finally reaching Lohengrin. But.

'He's… smiling?'

Isaac fails to break through Lohengrin's crimson aura and is forced to retreat once more.

"Ha, haha… hahaha!"

Lohengrin covers his face with his hand, his eyes gleaming with madness. The red hue, reminiscent of a rose, fills with a sinister light. His darkened eyes resemble those of a bloodthirsty demon.

"I'll kill you."

Everything was unbearable. The moment the flow of the duel shifted. The fact that he was being challenged not by Helmut's great sword, but by two thin blades.

The way Isaac seemed to be proclaiming to everyone that Helmut's sword was not invincible.

The fact that the fool who always used to be beaten by him was now fighting him so fiercely. The way the setting sun dyed his black hair red, just like Helmut's.

And finally.

The fact that he had caught his father's interest.

"I'll definitely kill you."

His pride and self-respect had been trampled.

The crimson aura enveloping Lohengrin's body vanishes in an instant.

And then.

Pooaaak!

The energy concentrated in his great sword stretches out, covering the sky.

"Aaaah!"

"He's gone mad! What is this?!"

"I… I can't breathe!"

The audience screams in terror. Just being near the attack is enough to cause agony.

Helmut's overwhelming power dominates the space.

The energy stretches endlessly, as if it could split the heavens. Lohengrin, holding his sword high with both hands, smiles brightly, tears streaming down his face.

"Do you see it, Father?"

Lohengrin desperately hopes his father is watching this closely.

"This is the sword you showed me just once."

The most magnificent and overwhelming strike Arandel Helmut had ever demonstrated.

Loengrin had never been taught this sword technique, yet he had never forgotten the moment he saw it as a child.

He had spent his entire life trying to replicate it—over and over again.

And now.

It was complete.

"I am your successor! The head of the great House of Helmut!"

All he wanted was to walk the path his father had walked. To follow in the footsteps of that great figure as a son, to elevate his brilliance. To become someone worthy of the name.

Crimson Annihilation Strike.

It destroys, tears, burns, and crushes.

The great sword technique, once only demonstrated by the head of House Helmut, descends upon Isaac.

***

Watching the overwhelming strike meant to crush him, the corners of Isaac's lips curled.

In his sight, he caught Liana, who was shouting in shock from a distance, and Arandel, who held her back.

Was his father-in-law always someone who could smile like this? A mischievous grin and an excitement he's never seen before —even in his past life.

Seeing Arandel's excitement, Isaac can't help but smirk as well.

'I can't deny that this sword technique is truly great.'

Just moments ago, he had dismantled Helmut's swordsmanship, proving to the surrounding warriors that Helmut was no longer invincible.

But conversely.

Having dismantled Helmut's swordsmanship, Isaac had no choice but to admit it honestly.

Helmut's sword is truly captivating.

Many swordsmen admire it but cannot replicate it. And that's precisely why they praise it as something insurmountable.

["Why are you fighting again?"]

"..."

["Your heart is as fickle as a reed. Decide whether you hate or love Helmut."]

"I was just frustrated that one of our comrades was spouting nonsense, claiming that Helmut only fights with brute strength."

["Tsk, I see. I understand your feelings."]

I dislike Helmut.

But I admire their swordsmanship.

This complex emotion was something only the Grand Master could truly understand.

["It's the culmination of the efforts of the man with the most talent for the sword in the world, who gave up everything to achieve it."]

["You can't deny that it's truly admirable."]

To be honest,

There was a moment when I found myself convinced while studying Helmut's swordsmanship.

If this was what they gave up everything for,

Then yes, I could accept it.

But.

When I sought a deeper understanding and explored Arandel's will, reaching the pinnacle of what Helmut had achieved,

Isaac sighed and felt anger.

"Kuaaaaah!"

With a shout, the Crimson Annihilation Strike descends.

I never thought I'd face this in my lifetime.

The crimson aura surged like a raging inferno, reaching for Isaac—

But as he raised his blade toward the sky—

The flow of the crimson energy transforms. A simple, yet profound act.

Like ink spreading from the tip of a pen, Isaac's sword dictated the flow of the crimson aura, guiding it in a swirling motion around him.

The once-ferocious power now seems to bow to its enemy, a sight so shocking it leaves everyone speechless.

"H-how is this possible?!"

"Did he just deflect Helmut's power?!"

"This can't be real!"

Ignorant fools.

They don't understand.

Isaac smirks.

Helmut's sword was built upon power, but power was not everything.

Lohengrin is merely imitating the sword technique Arandel wielded.

But would Arandel truly wield his sword with nothing but brute force?

'Absolutely not.'

If the spear of Caldias is meant to be wielded by anyone,

Helmut's sword feels like it was forged to be imitated by no one.

Lohengrin's mistakes are numerous:

The width of his stance, the position of his greatsword, the direction of his strike, the unsuitable length of the greatsword for the Crimson Annihilation Strike, his shallow breathing, the unfocused crimson aura, and so on.

Small but countless mistakes piled up.

In contrast,

The current head of Helmut, Arandel, doesn't allow even the slightest imperfection.

Arandel's sword.

"Ah, nya—!"

The incomplete crimson aura of the Crimson Annihilation Strike now swirls around Isaac, as if he's the one controlling it.

Lohengrin's face contorts in rage at the sight.

The sword technique he had spent years trying to master had been stolen by that bastard.

"No!"

The crimson aura, now drained from him, leaves Lohengrin holding only his greatsword. His eyes fill with terror.

"It's mine! That's mine! It belongs to me!"

He steps forward.

For the first time in his life,

Helmut's crimson aura becomes Isaac's strength.

"Helmut's pride! Its great glory—! You can't take that! That's—! That's—!"

As Lohengrin screams, Isaac's voice cuts through.

"It was too crude."

The mana in his sword allowed him to twist the flow of the aura because it was so poorly executed.

Had Lohengrin simply attempted to overpower him from beginning to end, Isaac might have lost.

But mere imitation—without true mastery—was…

Is nothing but a pale shadow.

"A cheap imitation."

["Don't become a cheap imitation."]

"...!"

The moment Isaac's voice overlaps with Arandel's,

A sword mark is carved into Lohengrin's chest.

Lohengrin kneels, sinking into a pool of his own blood.

Thud!

The first in line to succeed as the head of Helmut.

The eldest son of Helmut.

The moment Lohengrin is defeated, silence falls.

No one had anticipated this outcome, nor were they prepared to accept it.

In this frozen world,

Isaac's gaze meets Arandel's.

He wants to say it.

The reason he was angry after completing his understanding of Helmut's swordsmanship through the Silent Sword wasn't because they had abandoned him.

[Did you truly believe you had reached the end, Helmut?]

Helmut had indeed reached that place—by abandoning everything.

But conversely—

The reason he could not go further—

Was also because he had abandoned everything.

The man who had been cast aside now spoke through his actions.

Clap!

A resounding and powerful applause echoed.

Clap! Clap! Clap!

It's the first time Arandel Helmut has ever applauded someone's swordsmanship.

And soon,

The cheers of the crowd engulf Isaac.