novelraw Chapter 149 : Chapter 149
Chapter 149 : Chapter 149
Chapter 149 - Pangaea (15)
I entered the cave in the rock cliff side by side with Clera.
It was a place with a slightly different atmosphere than a typical boss room.
I had expected to encounter the boss monster right away, but a rather long cave path stretched out.
“A dungeon raid with an otherworldly being again. Isn't this a truly unique experience?”
Clera, as if finding the situation amusing, chuckled to herself.
“You could have introduced me as an otherworldly being, but you kept it a secret.”
“It’s not yet the stage to reveal the existence of other worlds. So only a few people in the royal family know about it.”
“Then, is the royal family making any special preparations?”
“For what?”
“A full-scale encounter with another world and otherworldly beings.”
“Eh. Surely something like this won’t happen again.”
Clera immediately dismissed my words.
However, a big change was scheduled to happen soon in Pangaea.
A portal to the Abyss had already been discovered, and this meant a new era of pioneering.
“Anyway, I want to thank you again. If it weren't for you at our first meeting, I would have been trapped in that dungeon forever.”
“I’ve already told you how to repay the favor, just do as I said.”
“After this dungeon raid is over, I will send a personal letter to Lord Jenolf, so don’t worry about that. But there’s one thing I’m curious about.”
“If it’s not a difficult question, I’ll answer.”
“Are there many strong people on Earth? For example, swordsmen at the level of a Sword Master.”
“A Sword Master….”
In fact, a Sword Master is not a common existence.
Even if you searched all over my home, Kalia, you could count them on one hand, and until just a while ago, there wasn't a single Sword Master on Earth.
“Don’t tell me there are none on Earth?”
“No. There are two.”
One was Heo Gyeong-woo, who had recently returned to Earth.
The other was me.
“There aren’t as many as I thought. There are a total of five Sword Masters in Pangaea.”
“Including you, Clera?”
“Of course.”
“Hmm….”
“Why? What’s the problem?”
“The standard for a Sword Master is a bit ambiguous.”
If it simply referred to the level of being able to use aura or sword qi, the scope might be a bit wider.
But in Kalia, where I lived, they didn’t attach the title of Sword Master simply for that.
Literally, a master of the sword. Unless one was a master who could be said to have seen the end of the sword, they wouldn’t dare to use the expression ‘master’.
In that respect, I couldn't help but have doubts about Clera’s level.
“Are you trying to say I’m not a Sword Master?”
“At least by my standards.”
I didn't bother to deny it.
I couldn’t say something was right when it wasn’t.
“Then what about you, Seo Ji-han? How do you see yourself?”
“It’s a bit ambiguous to explain everything, but to put it simply, I am a Sword Master.”
At those words, Clera let out a slight hollow laugh.
“Frankly, it’s a bit upsetting. Even though it's true that I’m indebted to you.”
“I just told you my honest opinion. I don’t have the talent to speak to please others’ moods.”
“Then Seo Ji-han. I’ll make you a proposal.”
“What proposal?”
“I want you to judge me again after we have a direct sword fight. At that time, even if you say I’m not a Sword Master, I won’t insist anymore.”
“Is my acknowledgment important?”
“It is important.”
“Why?”
“You’re an otherworldly being, aren’t you? If you go around spreading false information about me on Earth, I have no chance to correct it. How unfair would that be.”
“What an absurd reason.”
Nevertheless, I decided to accept her proposal.
Even though I said it was absurd, it was strangely persuasive.
I distanced myself from her and readjusted my grip on the Holy Sword Bastian.
“I don't know what we're doing in a boss room.”
“To me, this is more important than hunting the boss monster.”
“Alright. Then what’s the method of our sword fight?”
“How about we exchange five blows? Of course, excluding killing moves.”
I nodded.
Clera was the highest-level master I had faced since my reincarnation as Seo Ji-han.
It was an interesting situation for me as well.
“Then let's start right away.”
Mana surged on Clera's sword blade.
She quickly closed the distance and thrust her sword straight forward.
A straightforward attack without any feints or unnecessary movements.
It was a thrust with a firm one-point target.
Hwiiiing!
The single point created by the tip of her sword expanded as it approached.
Even if that simple yet fast attack was narrowly avoided, that wasn't the end.
It was a move with the second and third moves in mind.
To avoid being dragged along, I had to reset the board.
Kwaaaang!!
I swung my sword and struck the incoming thrust.
A numbing pain shot through my entire arm, but if I had been dragged into Clera's pace, I would have lost something much bigger.
And now it was my turn to set the board.
Hwiik!
I thrust my sword in the same way as Clera.
I took great care to make the target, the sword path, and all other details appear the same.
In that moment, her eyes widened.
The key was how she would respond.
Chaeng!
Her choice was slightly different from mine.
She lightly deflected my thrust with her blade and prepared for the next move.
For someone who seemed a little flustered, it was a defense that was close to perfect.
Of course, I said it was close to perfect, not perfect, so I could see a slight opening.
An opening that looked quite large to me.
The moment Clera deflected the Holy Sword Bastian, I slightly twisted the trajectory of my sword.
Mana flickered on the blade.
I kept the inertia of the sword path and rotated my body.
My body spun around, and the distance between us widened slightly.
The moment I faced her again, I kicked off the ground.
At the same time, I extended Bastian and moved forward.
I had executed the same attack again.
Hwiik!
As if two replays were playing, my sword thrust towards Clera.
The ball was in Clera’s court.
I wondered how she would respond this time.
If she hesitated here, we wouldn’t even get to five blows.
‘Of course, she’s not that foolish.’
After a moment of contemplation, she barely managed to extend her sword.
Chaeng!
Her choice had to be the same this time.
To deflect my sword in the same way as before.
It's not a bad path when there are no other alternatives, but in my eyes, all I could see was a bigger opening than before.
‘Still, she’s impressive.’
She would surely prepare some change in her next defense.
To make a decisive move within the remaining two blows, she would have to take the initiative.
It was all too clear who could show a more flexible and perfect swordsmanship in that momentary improvisation.
Swaak!
A moment later, the Holy Sword Bastian stopped in front of Clera’s throat.
Her eyes were shaking violently.
An expression of disbelief.
I lowered my sword and asked.
“Are you feeling wronged?”
She hesitated for about three beats before barely opening her mouth.
“……I don't know.”
I thought so.
“Clera, I’ll acknowledge that it’s hard for you to accept.”
“This might sound strange, but there’s one thing I’m sure of right now.”
“Tell me. I have a rough idea of what it is.”
“I still think I’m stronger. Without a shadow of a doubt.”
Meaning that the result would have been different if it had been a fight using all-out killing moves.
“Then I’ll tell you my conclusion too.”
“Don’t.”
“What do you mean, no? You have to be able to listen to things you don’t want to hear.”
“You're going to say I’m not a Sword Master.”
“That’s for you to judge by Pangaea’s standards. A more important point.”
“What is it.”
“You still have a long way to go to see the end of the sword.”
“I admit that. And I think I felt it even more keenly today.”
“I’ll write you a book before I go. It’s up to you to accept it.”
“A book?”
The old book I took from Count Berwood's treasury.
Since it was originally a Pangaean item, I thought it was my duty to leave it with a suitable person.
Deli, the new owner of the old book, wouldn't use it for its original function.
“More talk after we clear the dungeon.”
“Alright.”
We started walking the path we had stopped on again.
***
What eventually appeared in the boss room was a Minotaur.
A huge, half-human, half-beast monster with the head of a bull.
It was a higher-level monster compared to the Ogre Lord we had faced after the dungeon rampage, but since Clera and I had entered the boss room, it didn’t mean much.
In the end, it was Clera who severed the bull’s neck.
A very clean and elegant final blow.
Her expression was sending a silent protest, ‘Am I still not a Sword Master?’, but my opinion hadn't changed.
As if reading my mind, she let out a deep sigh.
The merit I achieved after clearing the dungeon was 67.
I had already completed two-thirds of the quest.
The reason the value had risen more than expected was probably because I was with the princess.
Or perhaps it was because I had cleanly dealt with the first-ever dungeon rampage.
In any case, since I couldn't know the exact criteria, all I could do was silently walk the path laid out before us.
What I obtained as a dungeon clear reward was a mana stone that emitted a brilliant purple light.
Reward items could be taken to Earth.
I had never seen this form in the mana stone encyclopedia before, but considering its size and the energy it exuded, I thought I could sell it for a pretty high price.
And now I was writing a book for Clera.
Since I remembered all the contents, there wasn't much difficulty in this part.
Though the fact that I had to draw the pictures was a bit tricky.
“This book, are you sure it's related to swordsmanship?”
“That's what I'm worried about. Whether I should just leave the book so you can gain enlightenment on your own, or if I should teach you a little before I go.”
At my words, Clera seemed to be in deep thought, and a moment later she made a decision.
“Just leave the book and go.”
“You won't regret it?”
“I just believe in myself. Regardless of your acknowledgment, I am a Sword Master.”
A smirk escaped my lips, but it was a good decision.
Even if it took some time, the enlightenment she gained on her own would be more beneficial for her to reach the pinnacle of the sword.
“Clera. There’s something I want to ask of you.”
“Ten things, not just one, would be fine. Tell me.”
“The Ramel who came with me. Could you use him as a porter in the Jerome Knights for a while?”
“A favor, I see. Well, that’s fine.”
“A month should be enough.”
“For what?”
“To recognize his true worth. He has a talent for swordsmanship.”
“Has he received your acknowledgment?”
I nodded.
I could be sure of it.
That if it was Ramel, even the Jerome Knights would have no choice but to think they wanted to raise him.