Extra in a Romance Fantasy

45 – Martial Return (2)

“Yes, just as I suspected.”

Facing the tingling excitement, I silently nodded my head.

I’ve had a question since before.

Are the realms reached by those who have ascended to the Ten Swords the same as the realm I have reached?

Have they also reached the realm of determination?

Ever since I reached the realm of determination, I’ve been harboring that question.

I made vague guesses.

Based on rumors I’ve heard and the level of other martial artists around me.

Perhaps, their realm and mine have a high probability of being the same.

And today, just now, I confirmed that my guess was correct.

However, reaching the same realm doesn’t mean I can fight on equal footing with the Ten Swords.

Even within the same realm, the levels can vary greatly, and even if the levels are similar, the outcome can change drastically depending on the individual’s characteristics, considering the nature of this world.

Therefore.

I must personally confirm it with my own body.

Am I truly at a level where I can reach the Ten Swords?

‘There is no room to spare power.’

Neither physical abilities nor the amount of magic power can surpass Edan.

Yet, I cannot be certain that I excel even in skills.

Perhaps… no, with a high probability, I lag behind in skills as well.

In fact, it might be accurate to say that I am lagging behind in every aspect.

Therefore, even a moment of carelessness could result in instant defeat.

Hence, there is no room to hold back strength or indulge in a moment of relaxation.

“Hu…,”

He exhales his father’s breath lightly.

And. Clears his mind.

Sharpened. Even more sharpened.

From now on, I give it my all.

***

‘Ho.’

Edan, looking at the boy, Wade, in front of him, inwardly exclaimed.

‘The atmosphere has changed.’

The eyes that were frantically running away and being dragged just a moment ago suddenly settled.

In those eyes reminiscent of a sharply forged sword, there was no longer any wavering.

Finally, the thought of facing each other properly came to mind.

Edan smiled with satisfaction.

And.

The next moment, Wade disappeared from sight.

“…!”

An unimaginable speed that goes beyond perception, even if it’s called a nameless being, one can only open their eyes and have their throat cut, truly divine speed.

However.

Before his mind could grasp the situation, Edan moved his body.

Although his eyes couldn’t chase the opponent, his superhuman intuition was different.

Relying on that intuition, Edan moved his body and swung his sword.

Clang!

Once again, a resounding boom echoed, and vibrations shook the surroundings.

“…Huh.”

As he locked eyes with the black pupils spanning two sword lengths away, Edan casually let out a laugh.

“As expected.”

He gained confidence.

The youth before him.

A mere eighteen-year-old.

Standing at the pinnacle admired by all swordsmen, and at the same level as himself.

It deceived his senses for a brief moment.

That was impossible without reaching the realm of determination.

“Well, this is unexpected.”

It was an attack that could have cost him his life if he had made a mistake, but he felt no sense of dread.

Instead, he truly felt a sense of absurdity for the first time in a long while.

The youth before him shattered his common sense.

The realm of determination was not an easily attainable state.

It was a level that one could only reach after relentless training and real-world experience, born from innate talent that lacked nothing to be called a genius, and after decades of effort.

On that level, a mere eighteen-year-old took a step.

Could one simply accept and move on after witnessing that fact with their own eyes?

“If the other inspirations see this, they’ll be terrified.”

He himself had reached the realm of determination just after crossing the threshold of thirty.

Renowned swordsmen, even the swordsmen of the Ten Blades, were astonished when they saw him.

However.

Someone even more incomparable had appeared before him.

No, not just someone to compare to, but someone beyond comparison.

If other swordsmen were to learn of this fact, it wouldn’t end with mere astonishment.

They would be in shock, doubt their eyes, doubt reality.

And surely, there would be those for whom it wouldn’t end at that level.

Such an extraordinary talent it was.

No, can this truly be expressed as talent?

It’s something that goes beyond the realm of mere talent, something close to a miracle.

It’s an alien existence to the point where one might question if such a being can exist in reality.

“hahahaha!”

However,

Even in the face of such overwhelming talent, Ethan showed no signs of shrinking.

He didn’t despair.

He simply reveled in it.

The fact that he was facing off against a monstrous talent, clashing swords.

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It excited him, made him joyful.

Clang! Clank!

Swords clashed at a speed where they were almost invisible, repeatedly striking and rebounding.

Amidst the storm of vibrations, a young laugh grew louder on Ethan’s lips.

Wooong─

Simultaneously, his sword, which had been relentlessly colliding, emitted an even deeper resonance.

With immense magical power, the determination to create a miracle was embedded there.

Kwaang!

Another resounding roar echoed, and this time, Wade was pushed back heavily, seemingly unable to withstand the impact.

Ethan didn’t miss the opportunity in that moment of vulnerability.

Shiik!

Like a predator aiming for the exposed throat of its prey, Ethan charged fiercely at lightning speed.

And the sword swung.

Clang!

Wade managed to defend against the attack, even in an unstable position, but that didn’t mean the crisis was over.

Ethan wasn’t the kind of person to let go of a once-seized opportunity.

Once again, an unstoppable barrage rained down on Wade.

“Argh…!”

While Wade managed to defend against it, his expression was far from favorable.

As the swords clashed more and more, Wade’s posture gradually crumbled.

It was only natural.

Between Edan and Wade, there was an undeniable gap in power.

Even Edan’s swift strikes couldn’t be easily parried by Wade, let alone the attacks he was earnestly delivering now.

Given the relentless onslaught without a moment to recover from the impact, it was inevitable that his stance would gradually crumble.

“Well, what will you do?”

Amidst his continuous swordplay, Edan continued to gaze with shimmering eyes.

How would this young monster overcome this predicament using whatever means at his disposal?

It was somewhat intriguing to endure.

Would he crumble like this?

Or would he escape this crisis with a clever maneuver?

The answer to that question was soon to be obtained.

As Edan’s fiercely descending sword was flawlessly diverted by Wade’s collapsed posture.

“…!”

Even Edan couldn’t contain his surprise at that moment.

“Completely… diverted…?”

Diverting was a technique often used in swordsmanship.

When used adeptly, it could create significant openings.

However, it wasn’t an omnipotent skill.

If diverting attacks were so easily executed as intended, fights wouldn’t hold any ground.

While diverting was undoubtedly an excellent skill, it wasn’t something wielded effortlessly.

To master diversion completely, one must consider numerous factors.

The force behind the opponent’s attacks, angles, speed, and even the nature of imbued magic – understanding all of these elements is essential to flawlessly divert an opponent’s attack.

Moreover, it’s not just about understanding them while standing still and contemplating; it’s about reading and using them during the heat of battle.

And that’s not all.

Those with a fair amount of experience are well aware of the risks of diversion, hence they always remain cautious while employing it in combat.

Even Edan, in the current moment, seemed calm, wielding his sword while recognizing all of his opponent’s moves.

Yet, he was still diverted.

And flawlessly, at that.

Simply changing the path or spilling a bit of shock was not enough.

It flowed perfectly.

In an instant, a significant gap appeared in Ethan’s body.

And.

Wade was not one to miss such a gap.

“Sip…!”

The sword flashed.

The swiftness that even Ethan momentarily missed unfolded again as a sword.

Recognizing this fact, Ethan immediately leaned back.

Shwick!

Even the hot summer air seemed to cut sharply as the sharp sword passed in front of his face.

Without time to feel relieved about this fact, Ethan quickly adjusted his stance and swung the sword.

Hwoong!

Although it was unimaginable that a sword swung hastily from an unstable posture could produce meaningful results, Ethan’s sword only cut through empty air, creating a futile gap.

“….”

In a place where some distance had opened up, Wade was looking at him.

‘Indeed, fast.’

In strength and magical power, Ethan overwhelmed Wade, but in terms of speed, Wade was not lagging behind.

And suddenly, from time to time, he showed a swiftness that overwhelmed even Ethan.

Perhaps that speed was achieved by using determination.

Ethan concluded that to himself.

‘By the way… It’s unbelievable talent.’

In such a disadvantageous situation, perfectly dodging the opponent’s overwhelming sword, and that too, the sword of someone who had reached a certain level.

It was not something that could be achieved simply by having a lot of experience.

It was an acrobatic feat that required an innate sense to consider everything in a moment and make instant judgments.

“hahahahaha!”

In the rising joy, Ethan burst into laughter.

And.

Shwick!

Without deciding who would go first, the two rushed towards each other.

Quang!

Their swords clashed, causing the air to burst apart.

At a speed that an ordinary person could barely perceive, the swords moved and collided.

The sound produced by their clash created ruptures in the silent night sky.

Thunk! Thunk!

In this confrontation, if it was a situation where swords clashed against each other, Edan, overwhelming in strength, had the advantage.

In reality, Wade somehow managed to block Edan’s sword, but his momentum seemed precarious.

More like enduring than directly parrying.

However, that situation soon began to change.

Gradually, Wade’s stance started to stabilize.

As time passed, the unease in his demeanor faded away, giving way to increasing composure.

Edan’s eyebrows twitched.

‘Is he adapting?’

It seemed as if Wade was adapting to his sword, his strength, and his speed.

‘…No, not quite.’

However, Edan immediately shook his head.

His attacks were not simple enough for someone to adapt to in such a short time.

Moreover, Wade was not allowing any room for adaptation by swiftly changing his trajectory and speed.

So, this wasn’t adaptation.

‘He’s evolving.’

Yes. It wasn’t adaptation; it was evolution.

In the midst of the battle, at this very moment.

Wade was evolving.

Already monstrous, his skills, his finesse.

With each clash of swords, they became sharper.

More refined.

In this moment, amid the fight, Wade was growing.

Chilling!

Edan felt a shiver running down his arm.

‘A true monster.’

The genius of the century? Such words do not befit him.

He transcends genius; he is a monster.

A talent so extraordinary elicits awe rather than jealousy.

However, the talent before my eyes surpasses even that.

Beyond awe, it is a talent that invokes fear.

Perhaps, if there were an observer who could glimpse his talent when facing him.

They would likely feel fear.

Fear of a talent that is beyond comprehension.

Even those who have reached a distant realm are no exception.

They too would be ensnared by fear.

The fear that what they achieved over a lifetime could be easily surpassed and overtaken by the prodigy before them.

Edan was convinced.

One day, this monster would surpass even himself.

But.

“That time is not now.”

He too possessed talent.

He had heard the praises of being a genius countless times throughout his life.

He had even heard such words from the other Ten Blades.

In the first place, the realm of determination is like that.

It is a realm that can never be reached without genius, and Edan was born with talent even among those geniuses.

Of course, compared to the monster before him, he might fall short, but he had something that Wade lacked.

“Experience.”

Decades of living, accumulating countless battles in the process.

Traces left by the countless swords wielded and the discipline imprinted on his body.

The brilliant gem of talent bestowed by the heavens, Edan Bertrand, the swordsman crafted and honed by time and the tool of battle.

That’s why.

He is not overtaken now.

Now, he does not yield.

Clang!

“…!”

Wade’s eyes subtly widened.

Due to a sudden disruption in the gradually stabilizing flow.

Thanks to that, his posture subtly crumbled, creating gaps.

And during that interval.

Ethan sheathed his sword.

“Take it.”

For the first time since the start of this battle, he swung the full force of his sword.

Gradually.

The stillness created by the night shattered.

***

“Hmm?”

Pausing in his movements, the man raised his head and looked into the distance.

He heard something, as it seemed, from far away.

“…Or am I mistaken.”

With a doubtful gaze, the man looked around, soon concluding that the sound from moments ago must have been a hallucination.

Nothing out of the ordinary was visible within his line of sight.

So, if a sound occurred beyond the range of his vision and reached here.

It was an unreasonable story.

For such a resounding noise, it would require magic of tremendous power, but such magic inevitably accompanies conspicuous visual effects.

Even if the distance is far, something should undoubtedly catch the eye.

Therefore, the man thought it was just a delusion and briskly resumed walking.

Now, the destination was truly not far away.

The lake was almost there.